Part 3

Back Stabers

A dozen machines were hooked up to Kitt, all beeping and humming at once. Bonnie was rushing back and forth between the added monitors and computers. Under all of this chaos, Michael sat inside Kitt, talking quietly, asking questions and making small jokes, trying to keep Kitt calm.

It had been a week since Michael had spoken to him about not worrying. During this time, he had recuperated as best he could, charging and trying to be as helpful to Bonnie as possible. All the while Michael had been right there with him.

Now a battery of tests and procedures were to be preformed. Over and over again Bonnie had told Kitt that she would try and make it as quick as possible. And she had apologized in advance, when Michael was out of ear shot.

Now the din surrounding them was coming under Bonnie's control. She fiddled with the last monitor and Kitt's hood was opened. Michael made sure his hands were not gripping Kitt's steering wheel any harder than normal.

“All ready?” Bonnie asked.

“Yes, I'm ready.” Kitt replied.

In a moment, Bonnie was under the hood attaching some things to his hydraulic system. “What I'm going to do is force all of the old remaining fluid out Kitt; you'll feel a lot of pressure inside of the system. Once I start, I can't stop because the air I'm forcing through will start to solidify the liquid. I would like you awake so you can tell me if there is any branch not getting cleansed, all right?”

“I hear you, Bonnie.”

“OK, I'm going to start now.” She attached an air tank to his system. “Ready?”

“Yes, Bonnie.”

“Michael?”

“I'm ready too.”

She turned on the tank. “Tell me when you can feel the pressure start to build up Kitt.”

“Understood... I can feel it now.”

“Tell me when it reaches fifty pounds.” She said as she sat down at a computer station.

“Fifty... now, and climbing.”

“Sixty?”

“Sixty... now.”

She nodded and scribbled some thing down on a chart. “Eighty?”

“...Eighty now.”

Michael felt the wheel twitch in his grasp.

“Ninety... It's past my normal capacity.”

She nodded. “Hang on Kitt. It's starting to clear out the blocked passages.”

“One hundred.” Kitt suddenly jerked the wheel to the left startling Michael. “How much longer?”

“Hang on pal, it won’t be long.” Michael replied.

The wheel jerked again, this time more violently. “One hundred and twenty.”

“It's working.” Bonnie announced. “Hold on, Kitt.”

Michael could feel the wheel twitch back and forth until suddenly it snapped out of his hands. “One... forty...” Kitt applied the brakes, even though he was parked. “One ...sixty.”

“Hang on.”

He slammed the wheel to the right. “Turn it off, Bonnie, turn it off.”

Bonnie looked up. “I can't Kitt, just hold on.”

Michael took the wheel back and pulled against Kitt's squirming. “Come on Kitt, you can do this.”

The lights on the dash started to drop and rise randomly.

“Kitt?”

“Turn it off... please...” He slammed the brakes down. “Bonnie!”

She looked at the equipment quickly. “Take it easy Kitt, It won't...”

Her sentence was cut suddenly short when Michael yelped. She stood and peered in to the cabin where Michael was holding his wrist. The wheel was twisting back and forth vehemently. Kitt's whole front end started to inch and twitch one way then the other.

“He's not taking this well.” Michael looked up at Bonnie, worry and pain evident.

“It won't hurt him. His systems can hold the pressure.” Bonnie replied quickly.

“Bonnie... please...?” Kitt's voice was strained, the energy being diverted from the vocal processors to other systems.

Bonnie ran her fingers through her hair. “Kitt, just hold on. It will just take another minute or two.”

“Can't you cut it short?” Michael asked.

She shook her head.

Kitt's brakes squeaked and he was suddenly jerking repeatedly to one side. “I can't... Bonnie...” His cabin lights exploded in to a thrashing display of colors and patterns. “Michael... turn it off...?”

Michael tried to say some thing, but couldn't.

Kitt tried to say some thing else. Then every thing went dark and in Michael’s hands the steering wheel went lax. Some of the diagnostic equipment sounded alarms.

“Kitt? KITT?”

Bonnie rushed to her work station. “He's shut him self down Michael.”

“Is he all right?” Michael demanded. His fists clenched the loose steering wheel.

“He should be... It's all most as if he forced himself to...” She glanced at the black car near her and the driver who was growing more and more distraught.

“Himself to what?”

“Pass out is the only word that comes to mind.”

“Pass out?” Michael jumped out of the door and slammed it. “Why didn't you shut him down first!?”

She turned back to him, glaring, trembling, very upset. “It's possible that every time he goes out like this damage from his systems could worsen. He's all ready overreacting to stimuli. He's a machine Michael, and he's braking down.” She stood and walked over to the air tank.

Michael stood silent for a moment. He reached back and rubbed his stiff neck. “How bad is it?”

She sighed and leaned against a table, facing away from Michael. “It's complicated and I'm sure you aren’t interested in all the details.”

“Then make it short and to the point.” His voice was demanding, harsh.

“Every time he does anything, anything at all, he's degenerating. All my work right now is to keep him stable enough for a new engine.”

There was a loud popping sound. Bonnie reached over and turned off the tank.

“Why can't you just fix the old engine?” Michael asked. “You always do.”

“The engine block itself is what's so badly damaged. I can't just fix it, it has to be replaced. But the block itself has so many intricate parts in it that when it ruptured it took a lot of stuff out with it. I fixed what I could, but there are things I couldn't. Things that have to be replaced with the engine block. Things like sensory processors and internal diagnostic equipment.”

“Bonnie, what does all that mean? What happens if you can't keep up with all of it?”

She sighed. Quietly she reached over an opened a valve. Green brown liquid gushed out. “It's possible that he could have total system shut down.”

There was a long moment of silence as the gush turned in to an oozing, then to a trickle.

“We've seen worse. Like the acid pit, remember?”

The brown green liquid stopped and dripped gently, making a splat sound as it hit some of Kitt's internal components.

She turned, trying to smile. “I wish it were that easy, Michael. We had to rebuild him then, yes. But the engine itself was not damaged; in fact it was the cleanest part Kitt had. What we had to do was place all new processors and scanning components in Kitt. His CPU was even relatively untouched because it was wrapped in an alloy similar to the lining of trucks used to haul toxic waist. But it was damaged by the physical experience.”

“So, then we only had to put the puzzle back together, but now...?”

“This time around the pieces are simply being destroyed, one at a time. Some can not be replaced.”

“Tell me what that means.” He said quietly.

She looked at the sleek black car. “He's... dying. Slowly. And I can't keep up with it. If I stop every time he's uncomfortable, then I risk losing his memory. On the other hand, the pain he's experiencing is also very destructive.”

Michael stared at her for a moment as he took it in. “Cars don't die, Bonnie. He can't be dying.”

“Well, what would you call it when your body's systems slowly shut down one by one? Starting with your heart and mind?”

Michael thought about it for a long time. Finally, he turned around and sat down on the bench. “Who all knows?”

“Devon. No one else.”

“What about Kitt, does he know?”

“I'm not sure. He may have figured it out.”

Michael nodded. “Can you keep up with it until the over haul?”

“I'm not sure, but I'll do every thing I can.” She sat next to him and let her legs dangle.

For a long time neither spoke. Michael finally stood and got back into his partner. “Let's wake him up.”

“OK.”

~*~

Kitt's functions came back slowly. Though the pressure was gone, he was still feeling the effects. Once the pressure had passed its max capacity he was programmed to acknowledge it and his internal programs took over from there. The convulsions he had experienced had been partly a conscious effort to divert his attention to the sensation all the internal pressure was causing. Once he had started, though, it had been impossible to keep himself from doing it again. And it hadn't helped ease the stress or pain any, nor the fear accompanying it.

Bonnie was approaching him, talking to him the way she did when he had come out of a frazzling fight. A great deal of him wanted to welcome her and tell her everything as he had done in the past, but he squelched this urge. In silence, he watched her try and coax him in to saying something. She wanted reassurance that he was all right, that he was still functioning.

What she wanted, he refused. Keeping his scanners locked on to her every move he withdrew, mentally. If he could have moved and driven away, he would have.

Frustrated, Bonnie finally turned to Michael. Michael tried... but, like Bonnie, he got no response.

Kitt refused to acknowledge them.

~*~

“Could he have been damaged even more?” Michael asked as he turned to Bonnie. She was already running diagnostic programs.

“I don't know. Anything could have happened at this point, we just can't be sure.”

Michael’s patience had been taxed to the braking point. “You can fix this, right?”

“I don't even know what's wrong.” She stood and placed her palms firmly on the desk's surface. “There is a chance something in his CPU was damaged, I'll need to set up more diagnostic equipment. But I can't do that now.”

“Why not?”

“I told Dr. Yamata that I would meet him and look over some of the engine schematics with him so that they could start to construct the base.”

Michael held his tongue for a moment. The tension he was feeling now was burning. He had to let it go a bit for fear he would start an argument. That wouldn't do any good right now. He took a breath and held it. Then he let it go. “What can I do for Kitt right now?”

She looked up from the numbers and words buzzing by on the screen. “I... I don't know.”

Michael looked over at the scanner with no slight qualms. “Kitt, say something... anything.”

The scanner quivered on one square for the slightest moment. Then it continued.

“I have to go in a moment.” Bonnie said in a near whisper. She stood up completely and turned to face Kitt. “I'll call Devon and tell him what happened. And when the meeting and review is over I'll come back and start to set up the equipment.”

Michael nodded. “I'll stay here until you get back.”

~*~

Kitt watched as Michael paced stiffly from one end of the room to the other. It had been six hours, and Kitt had refused to utter a sound. He was growing weary of the constant vigilance and started to power down. Michael stopped pacing and was watching. Kitt tried to ignore him. But it was hard. The last month's worth of pain and being stranded in the garage was taking its toll.

It was obvious that they were trying to fix his mechanical problems. Kitt however, was wondering if the means were worth the outcome... or to say that he was wondering which was worse, the sickness or the cure.

Michael went back to his pacing. Kitt watched from the lowest possible level of awareness without shutting down.

~*~

“Have you tried the alternate vocal to audio path way?”

Bonnie looked up at the man leaning over her shoulder. “Twice, Dr. Yamata. It's perfectly intact. All physical pathways are. I even got the manual to double check. It has to be a program malfunction.”

Dr. Yamata nodded. “Well need to open up the audio cortex center for in-depth analysis.” He glanced up at Kitt with a furrowed brow. “If it isn't that, then he may have a problem with the speech center itself. We'll look at that if the audio cortex isn't the problem.”

“I'll start setting up the equipment.” Bonnie said as she started to walk away. Dr. Yamata grabbed her arm. “It's past four in the morning. We can't work on it this tired. We may do much more harm than good.”

Devon, who had been keeping the coffee pot going, sighed. “Yes, you're right, but what about Kitt? What should we do with him until then?”

“What about shutting him down?” Michael asked.

“That's when the problem started. I don't want to risk something else getting damaged in a shutdown after this.” Bonnie replied.

“So he stays on.” Michael stood and stretched. “I'll stay with him tonight.”

“I'll stay.”

Everyone turned to the one who had been quiet the whole time. RC. He stood from where he had hopped up on to a table and walked over to Kitt. He leaned against the door and looked over at all the equipment. “Michael can't stay here every night; he'll end up in as bad of shape as Kitt. Besides, I want to do something too.”

“You don't have to do thi...” Michael started, but RC raised his hand and interrupted.

“I want to, man.” He straightened out his jacket. “Kitt's my bud too.”

“I think it might be a nice change for Michael to sleep in a real bed for a night.” Devon voiced. “He could use the rest.”

“Then I'll stay.”

“We'll be back then around eleven.” Dr. Yamata bowed slightly and picked up his notes. “Good night.”

Bonnie gathered her things and gave one more longing look in Kitt's direction. “Good night.”

Michael and Devon then followed and only RC was left behind. After about ten minutes of silence, punctuated only by the ever-present sound of the monitoring machines, RC shoved off Kitt's side and walked over to the coffee table.

“Well, Kitt, it's just you and me.” He looked over and waited. “It's all right. I don't care if you want to talk or not. That's your business.” He poured him self a cup of coffee.

~*~

Kitt listened and watched as RC added the cream and sugar to his lukewarm beverage. The young man then walked over to the driver's side door and climbed in. He settled in to the seat and looked around.

“With all the gadgets in here ya' think there would be a cup holder around here.” With a sigh RC took a long sip and set the cup down on the dash. “Ya' know, Kitt, it looks really tough not being able to do anything but sit and watch what's going on around ya'. I'd get really irritated. I'd probably be pretty scared too.”

Kitt listened. RC's voice was non assuming and relaxed.

“I had a pal once who fell out of a window. He spent months in recovery. Didn't say a word until he was told he would definitely walk again.”

Kitt listened closely. RC was looking out the window, seemingly focused on his own story.

“You remind me of my pal, Kitt. Don't worry, dude, you'll definitely walk again, man.”

The sentence struck Kitt as absurd. “Cars don't walk.” He corrected in a hushed voice.

RC grinned. “Dude, I knew you were holding out on them.”

Kitt didn't reply.

“Its all right, I wasn't going to rat on ya. But I'll bet your pretty miserable to not even talk to Michael.”

“He wasn't listening.” Kitt admitted. He had spoken so quietly RC seemed to have missed it, for he did not speak for a long time. But at last he nodded.

“Yeah, I hear ya', Kitt. Some times people don't listen. They think they are doing the very best they can... but sometimes it just doesn't cut it, does it?”

Kitt mulled over the question for a moment. “All I want is for this to be over with. I'm tired of sitting here, unable to do the things I'm supposed to do.”

“It happens to the best of us, Kitt. Don't sweat it. You'll get back on the road again. Just wait and see.”

There was a long silence. This time it was comfortable for Kitt to keep. But finally, he broke it. “I think I should apologize to Michael. I don't want him to be angry with me.”

“Should I go get him?” RC asked.

“I would like to speak with him in person, yes.”

“Great, I'll go get the man.”

“Thank you, RC.”

“No problem.”

~*~

Bonnie walked briskly into the garage with a box of cables under her arm. She reached the work station and set the boxes down, that's when she noticed Michael sound asleep in the driver’s seat. Walking up to the door she knocked. Michael startled awake and looked up at her. He grinned then and opened the door.

“Morning, Bonnie.”

“What's the good mood for?” She asked, a little irritated.

Michael turned and looked back at the dash. “Kitt, say good morning to the beautiful lady, would you?”

They both waited. Bonnie was about to walk away, or tell Michael he was a jerk, when Kitt's voice finally caught her ears.

“Good morning, Bonnie.”

Her reaction was immediate and quite severe. She gasped and stumbled back in to a chair. “Kitt?” She managed, totally shocked.

Michael’s smile faded a little, but in no way vanished completely. “He's all right, Bonnie, RC got him to open up last night after everyone split. After that, Kitt wanted to talk to me and we talked for... um...”

“Nearly five hours.” Kitt said, finishing the sentence for his human partner.

“And I enjoyed every waking moment of it.” Michael said with a definite nod. “But now I'm very tired.”

“As am I,” Kitt added.

Bonnie gaped at them for a moment before entering the car herself. “Why?”

“Why what?” Michael asked.

“Why didn't you say anything, Kitt?”

Michael sat up and put a hand on her shoulder. “Bonnie, listen to me. We have got to find a way to get rid of the pain.”

She glanced up at him, then down at the floor. “Kitt?”

“Yes Bonnie?”

“Is he right? Is it more than you think you can take?”

“Yes, Bonnie.” Kitt replied quietly. It felt cheap to admit to it, like he was losing already. But logically he knew that the effects of the damage were going to pull him under again and again. He desperately wanted to take it back, to pretend everything was as it should be, to think he was normal and that everything was all right. It was so very important to be all right again, to feel as if no one had to worry about him.

“I'll see what I can do,” Bonnie said dryly. She glanced up at Michael who squeezed her hand.

“Thank you.” He whispered.