Knight Rider 2008 Alternate Storyline – Episode 8 – Lockdown
Chapter 1
January 2008
F.L.A.G Underground Facility
Kat leaned back in the Driver's seat. K.I.T.T had just finished playing another video of when her brother, Sam was K.I.T.T's driver. “Wow KITT, you were really dead in the beginning, weren't you?” She commented.
“How do you mean?” K.I.T.T asked.
“Well, your voice was different for one thing. It was very mechanical. And the way you spoke was strange. You didn't even use contractions.” Kat thought for a bit. “Sam really helped your personality along. I guess I'm a little spoiled.” She smiled.
“Sam did help me a learn a great deal. Though I am still not convinced that 'ain't' is a word.” K.I.T.T said. “But it wasn't just him. I learn from everyone on the Team. You as well, Kat.”
“You have a lot of friends.” Kat stretched her stiff arms out. “It must be such a burden, being so popular.”
“You'll catch up.” K.I.T.T replied.
“Where did you learn to sound so smug?” Kat asked.
“My voice is based off of Kevin's.” K.I.T.T told her. “If I sound smug, you can blame him.”
“Oh, I'm sure the smugness is all you.” Kat laughed. “But I didn't know that your voice was taken from someone on the Team.” She opened the Driver's door and stepped out, stretching her legs. “It's not weird for you? Someone running around here, sounding just like you?”
“I don't find it odd. Technically, I'm the one that sounds like him.” K.I.T.T replied.
“Huh.” Kat said, stepping off of the circle. She took a long look around the Main Lab. When she had first come here, over a month ago, this place had seemed so strange. An underground facility, closed off from the sky. She had been so unnerved without sunlight and fresh air.
Now, she was getting used to living underground. Her quarters didn't feel so cramped anymore. The Main Lab was a familiar place. K.I.T.T was a welcome sight, rather than one that set her on edge.
She still missed the sky, and flying, but that longing didn't feel so desperate anymore.
Could she ever really think of this place as home though?
********
The bonds on David's arms were cut free. He stretched them in front of him feebly. Loss of circulation had long since numbed the ache of the muscles, but now it was coming back with the blood flow, along with the feeling of pins stabbing every inch of his arms.
The unknown man placed a sealed bottle of water on the table in front of him. David didn't take it right away, though he was dying of thirst. He knew that his hands were still too numb to open the cap, and his pride wouldn't let him lose face in front of KARR by trying.
He stared at the laptop. “You've given up questioning me?” He asked hoarsely. “And now, you're keeping me alive. We're finally reaching the next step in your plan, I'm assuming?”
“You can still avoid all of this.” KARR told him. “If you would just reveal Michael Knight's location to me.”
David reached out and opened the bottle of water. He shook his head. “You know I'm not going to.” He said, draining the bottle. He placed the empty bottle back on the table. “Warm, you're a terrible host.”
“You are an ungrateful guest.” KARR countered.
David looked amused. “You made a joke, good for you. I bet it's hard, being stuck inside that laptop. Charles' AI's are still the most advanced in the world, twenty years later. I don't think anything you can buy at RadioShack would be able to contain all of you. Is that why you sound so lifeless? So dead?” David placed his arms on the table and leaned forward. He gave the laptop a penetrating look. “Where's the rest of you?”
“You will die before you learn that.” KARR answered.
“Want to make a bet on that?” David asked.
“I will give you one last chance, David Marks. Reveal Michael Knight's location.”
David's face was impassive. “I won't tell you, KARR. It's not just him you want. You want Two Thousand as well.”
“If I have one, then I will have the other.” KARR answered. “Ideally, they will die together. If you will not deliver them to me, then I will have to trade you for someone who will.”
“You mean Katherine.” David said. “You're wrong. She can't tell you where they are. She doesn't know.”
“Liar.” KARR said. “They are related. If I have her, then he will come to me.”
David shook his head. “I doubt he knows she exists. You're not going to win this way, KARR.”
“Then I will have to settle for her bringing me KITT.” The yellow light on the laptop went out.
Comprehension dawned on David's face. “Wait!” He said with sudden energy. But the laptop was dead. His hand clenched into a fist on the table. He turned to the unknown man. “Get KARR back here! He doesn't understand, it's not the same one!” The unknown man just stood there, emotionless. “You knew it wasn't the same one!” He paused, his brow furrowed. “Didn't you?”
David straightened up in his chair and banged his fist on the table. “Why do I even bother talking to you?” He muttered.
********
F.L.A.G Underground Facility
“Okay, explain the 'circle-lowering-into-the-floor' thing to me. Does it have a functional purpose, or is it just showy sci-fi stuff?” Kat asked Pierce. “Why doesn't the tunnel just let out right into the Main Lab?”
“It's a security feature.” Pierce explained. “If the tunnel led right to the main lab, then it could be breached. Even if we block it with something, like a door or seal, that could potentially be rammed through. The way we have it now, if someone drove into the tunnel, the platform would be raised, and they would have no access to the main lab.”
Kat nodded, understanding. “Simple, yet impressive.” She said. Pierce smiled. “Unless... someone does drive into the tunnel, then just sits under the lift. Then KITT can't get out.” She pointed out.
Pierce leaned back in his chair and steepled his fingers. “Ah, but when the circle lowers into the floor, the floor below it also lowers into a small circular room. Like a circular prison.” He looked pleased.
“You're having too much fun with this.” Kat teased him. “Okay. How about this? What if someone drives into the tunnel and when we lower the circle down to trap them, they drive about six feet back, kill KITT, then infiltrate the Main Lab?”
Pierce covered his eyes with his palm. “Oh, you just love being a nitpick, don't you?” He said, laughing. “If something ever enters the tunnel that is capable of killing KITT in seconds, we have a lot more to worry about than them getting into the lab. Besides, I like the circle. It has a certain class to it.”
“I knew it, it's just for show.” Kat said.
“Something's coming.” K.I.T.T said suddenly.
Everyone looked up in surprise. The big screen blacked out. A yellow light ran across it.
“Again?” Kat asked incredulously.
“I'm on it.” Ian said, hurrying to his desk.
“Wait.” Charles said from above them. Kat looked up at him. He stood outside of his office, his hands clenched on the metal railing. “Let's see what he wants.”
Kat looked back at the big screen. Apprehension sat deep in her stomach. As she watched, the yellow light paused, then began moving up and down like an equalizer display.
“I have you leader, David Marks.” A deep, rough voice filled the entire Main Lab. It was dead and empty, not the vengeance-filled voice Kat had heard in her ear when K.I.T.T's CPU Core had been attacked. But Kat knew it was the same voice. A shiver went through her.
“It's using every speaker in the lab.” Pierce said, his voice a mixture of amazement and horror.
“Except for mine.” K.I.T.T said. “Ian is keeping me shielded.”
“I'm only showing you how to do it.” Ian said modestly. “You're the one doing the actual work.”
“Shh!” Pierce shushed Ian sharply.
The voice continued. “I will return him to you if you deliver Katherine Knight to me before midnight tonight.” A set of white numbers appeared on the black screen under the yellow light.
“Never.” K.I.T.T said firmly.
Surprise crossed everyone's face. Pierce hurriedly typed the numbers into his computer. “They're coordinates.” He announced.
Charles stared at the black screen. His blue eyes searched it as if reading a face. “How do we know that David is still alive?”
The black screen disappeared. David's image appeared on the screen. He was seated at a wooden table. “God, he looks awful.” Carmen said softly.
It was true. David's white shirt was stained with blood. His skin was chalk white. His face was thin and haggard. His cheek was swollen and bleeding, and his bottom lip was split in two places.
He was leaning forward in his chair, staring at the camera with burning black eyes. “Do not make the deal, Charles. Do you hear me? Do... not...” David leaned back and rolled his eyes. “Aw screw it, you're not going to listen anyway. Initiate Protocol Alpha 87.”
Red lights flared overhead. “Initiating Lockdown Procedure.” K.I.T.T said mechanically. His red light went out, and his frame settled a few inches down, over his wheels.
The big screen went out. A warning siren blared. Loud echoing bangs could be heard all around. Kat had her hand on the metal staircase rail, and she could feel vibrations from the bangs under her fingers. “God dammit.” Charles swore.
“What's going on?” Kat asked as people began working frantically.
“Lockdown.” Charles explained grimly. “David has sealed us in.”
Kat's eyes widened. She looked over at K.I.T.T. A screen flared to life on his windshield. A timer was displayed there. It read:
LOCKDOWN PROCEDURE INITIATED
Time until release:
06:23:59:32
