"All units," The radio in the squad car crackled. "Be advised vehicle is without driver or occupant." The dispatcher's voice was coldly professional. "Headed into town at fifty miles an hour along-"

Will snorted from where he sat, handcuffed, in the car's back seat. "Starting to sink in isn't it?"

The car's driver, a man of middle years seemingly focusing solely on the road, did not give a verbal response, but that was not needed. His posture, set of his shoulders, and even his breathing told the story more than words could. The man was afraid as he reached to the radio's handset. "Copy Dispatch. Car 3750 has vehicle's registered owner in custody. Over."

At that news dispatch's question was simple. "Is the suspect willing to help us subdue the vehicle?"

The driver glanced into his rear view mirror so he could see both Will and Jocelyne as he spoke. "Stand by dispatch."

Very deliberately he turned the radio's transmit volume down to nothing as he spoke. "You two are gonna have an easier time of it if you help us bring that thing in y'know."

Jocelyne frowned, glancing over to Will who seemed lost in thought. Neither of them had been hurt when they were put in the car. A pair of cops at the front door with one aiming a gun at her head. Two more catching Will trying to go out a window. Her thoughts dwelled on how quickly both of them quietly surrendered.

Both of them had made a point of pride in preaching the gospel of distrusting authority and resisting what both had seen as police over-reach. Here both were in cuffs in a squad car without a fight.

"Give me my phone." This was not a question or request from Will. "I am going to make two phone calls."

Jocelyne scowled as she leaned forward, her forehead fractions of an inch from hitting the partition grating. Here her partner was complying with the policeman's so called advice that they should cooperate. it made her feel dirty.

The driver picked a phone up from the front passenger seat and held it up to the metal lattice separating the rear from the front of the passenger compartment. In response Will reached through to first press a thumb against the screen, followed by him tapping a series of digits onto the lock screen.

"What's up with that? Phones only have the one lock screen." The car's driver asked.

"Duress code." Will stated as the phone's home screen popped up. "I'd been advised to add a second layer of security on my phone by knight industries after they found out I had KARR." There was a pause. "Y'know, in case I was kidnapped by people wanting me to deliver him to a competitor or something like that."

"Ah." The policeman seemed to not hear the bitterness in Will's voice. If anything he sounded marginally happy that he was getting cooperation.

There was a bitter laugh as Will continued to manipulate the phone through the grating. "Never thought I'd need it, much less from a squad car."

"Where are you?" KARR's voice was a calculated neutral.

The officer at the wheel glared at will from the rear view mirror. Jocelyn likewise looked to Will, though with concern rather than warning.

"Safe." Will's voice was similarly neutral. "Where's Winter?"

"Safe." KARR echoed the word. "Ishida has her well away from this mess."

Will nodded to himself, letting out a slow breath as his lips moved in silent prayer. Then he squared his shoulders again, "I need you to listen to me very carefully."

Silence from the other end of the call.

"Joe and I are being arrested. If you do not turn yourself over they will contact Knight Industries and claim you are malfunctioning." Will spoke carefully, as if explaining something to a child. "I am going to call them and use the number they gave me if something like this happened. Do you understand?"

"I do." KARR's voice a careful neutral.

"Good." Will took a deep breath. Jocelyn could see a tremble run through the leg nearer her.

He tapped mute as he looked to the officer. "I am going to attempt to issue a command to cut his controls to the car. He is the same hardware platform as the production models."

The cop at the wheel raised an eyebrow. "You think it will work?"

Jocelyne saw Will's leg tremble graduate into a steady shake.

"I don't know." He unmuted the phone. "KARR. Priority Command."

There was a loud single tone noise from the phone's speaker. Jocelyne saw the officer mouth in disbelief this might actually work.

As Will spoke each word clearly. Spacing each so that there was clear dead space between one and the next. "DIR. SUBMIT. USER. COMM. UNMOUNT ALL. HALT SYS. SUBMIT."

"I understand." The Officer wouldn't have caught the shift in KARR's voice just before the phone call abruptly ended, but Jocelyn did. She couldn't help but smile, which she had to bow her head to try hiding.

"Now," Will looked to the rear view mirror. "In case that didn't work. I am going to call in the people that made him and the bulletproof paneling on the car he's in."

"Do it." The officer's voice was firm. His attention now split between watching Will, holding the phone, and the road. As a result of this he slowed the car they were in. Not by much, but it was noticeably slower.

As he started navigating the menus of Knight Industry's automated systems he typed a series of numbers. These were not the same numbers he had used every other time he had called them.

There was an electronic click as a relay was switched. It had to have been a programmed in sound for the system to play, as it sounded far too analogue to be compatible with modern phone systems, yet there was a solidness to it.

Then a second similar sounding click as another line was switched over.

A woman's voice spoke, "You have reached Fifth Level support. Please state the nature of your emergency."

There was a brief pause as Will looked to the rear view mirror, only speaking when the man nodded.

"KARR is on public roads without a driver and local law enforcement are trying to bring him in." Will's voice was a careful neutral as he spoke.

"We have his position." The voice sounded clipped, chunks missing from the words. "Have you tried calling him?"

"Say again?" Will frowned at the phone. "We're hitting a dead spot."

Jocelyn looked from Will to the officer as the car slowed to a stop. He stayed focused on the phone's screen, but pressed his leg against her in response.

The voice from Will's phone spoke in garbled half-syllables. After several seconds he took the phone and held it outside of the car. "-get in touch with KARR. He's not answering. Will? Can you hear me? Did you send the HALT command?"

The officer frowned a he looked at his two passengers as he pulled the car over. "No funny business out of either of you."

Halt Sys. To a casual listener it sounded cryptic, but it would have sounded like an archaic set of commands to shut down. They counted on this. It was Will's signal to KARR and KORRA both that he believed that he was in danger. Unmount All was the secondary phrase telling them he wanted KARR to stay away.

As the car stopped and Will's door opened, supposedly so he could get better reception, he and Jocelyn exchanged glances as the officer got out then opened the door to haul him out of the vehicle.

⁂ ⁂ ⁂

KORRA had no body in the biological sense. There was hardware nested in a server rack nested in a room in a building Knight Industries owned. Yet, while it was the physical thing that housed her mind, it was not what she considered a body for the sake of interacting with the world. If her physical self matched the projection she would send out into the world, KORRA would have frowned at the sequence of numbers that went through the automated systems. This number routed the caller past everything and opened a direct channel to her. Considering Will was the one calling and what was going on with KARR she had expected him to call. That the routing code he used was the one she had instructed him to use in an emergency led credibility to KARR's claims of arrest.

As did his phone's GPS lining up with a cop car's GPS just outside of town. A dozen miles from KARR's position.

She had to think fast. The data points lined up with KARR's claims. The gruff voice she heard in addition to Will's was proof enough. As she listed KARR's current position she heard what she presumed was the driver of the cop car speak up.

As she waited for more information KORRA again called KARR. "Will is talking to me now, using the duress code."

"He also used the duress phrase with me when he called." KARR's response was terse. KORRA tapped into a traffic camera showing KARR bleed speed to take the next turn.

Then, when KARR's speed hit somewhere between too fast and reckless, "I want his location."

KORRA explained. As no humans were involved her words would have sounded like a series of modem noises as it allowed her to condense more information. Will's position was given along with the position of every vehicle in a five mile radius she could get information on. The one he was trapped in was the only one registered as police.

Time was short. KORRA played the part of hapless emergency response from Knight Industries, hoping the cop that she saw through Will's phone camera would buy the notion she was human.

"This is dangerous KARR." She warned. "You have seventy miles of charge left in your battery. I cannot send aid in time if you are in the open."

"I know." KARR continued driving. "Tell them to make their play."

Were she human KORRA would have to deal with shortness of breath, a cold sweat, and other physical responses to anxiety. Yet, in spite of her non-human origins, she still had to deal with the continual second guessing of what would be.

She saw Will's phone drop as he rammed his elbow into the officer's gut. They hadn't needed her encouragement. KARR knew the coded phrase to run for it, as did KORRA. As Will, still cuffed, fought with the officer to remove him from the car, KORRA noted KARR's increase in speed.

There were screams.

Sirens?

No.

That wasn't right. This was the only unit on the road. She had accounted for all of them. She only had the inputs from Will's phone to work off of for on site data. Two other men were there having come from an unmarked grey sedan. Will screaming. She saw Will fall to the ground through his phone's camera just before a hand cover it. Sounds and data from the phone's gyroscopes told her the phone was likely on the ground. Her view was only of the sky.

More shouts now at the sound of another vehicle approaching. Surprise. The sound of a gun being drawn.

⁂ ⁂ ⁂

"Run for it!" Will screamed, trying to twist away from the man that was attempting to cuff him. He heard KARR there. Felt the vehicle come within inches of the trio of men as it rolled to a stop. "Get her out of here KARR. Go!"

The scanner bar in KARR's frame flared to full brightness, and the beam traced its path rapedly as he lurched forward, attempting to scare the men into letting Will go as he squirmed, attempting to break their grip.

Instead they shoved Will between themselves and KARR, using him as a shield. One of them put a gun to his head as they stepped back, trying to mantain distance. "We'll do it man. Swear to God You come at us we blow his brains out."

This caused KARR to stop. Everyone's focus was on Will. None stopped Jocelyn from running to KARR beyond a pair of handguns lazily aimed in her general direction, or they were aimed at KARR. With her nearness to the vehicle it was hard for anyone watching to say.

Everyone stood like this in a tense standoff for several moments. None moving once weapons were drawn. Not until Will slammed the back of his head into his captor's nose.

Jocelyn dove into KARR's driver's seat as the guns turned from her to Will. For a moment it looked like KARR would charge the group down. For a moment he saw Will's unfocused eyes. He spoke, but no words were said. Two words mouthed for KARR and no-one else to know.

'Save Her.'

KARR's scanner bar flickered, the pattern rapid as its red light glared in Will's face. For a moment KARR's attention focused to Will's unfocused eyes before he mouthed another word.

'Go.'

When KARR reversed course it was sudden enough to cause everyone near to the vehicle to flinch back as he turned then rapidly sped off.

"KARR get back there!" Jocelyn twisted in the driver's seat to see Will being shoved to the ground as KARR continued driving. "We can't leave him."

"Unacceptable risk to self." KARR stated. "I could kill all of them, their frail bodies smashing against my frame like ripe fruit, but I would effectivly sign my own death warrant."

"But Will-" Jocelyn protested.

Only to be interrupted by KARR, "Is a hostage. They cannot afford to harm him if they want me."

Before his passenger spoke, KARR added. "We will free him."

"We?" Jocelyn was still trying to catch her breath as a new voice spoke from the car's sound system.

"How'd the cavalry charge go?" Moira's Irish accenting was thicker than normal, almost as if she knew, but needed confirmation.

"My mechanic is still in their custody." KARR's voice held an angry edge to it. "Jocelyn, however, is with me."

"Pity it wan't a clean snatch and grab, but one's better than none." Moira lamented. "Bosslady's got Winter back with her mum and is talking with KORRA now on what we can do to assist."

"Well, first priority's getting KARR to a charger" Jocelyn interjected.

As KARR Drove he turned his lights off. The matte black car slowed to within the posted speed limits and Jocelyn consulted her phone. Fifty miles was both far from home, and barely enough to reach the nearest charging option that looked at all reasonably safe.

⁂ ⁂ ⁂

Michael Knight was busy driving well past the posted speed limit. "KITT. Stow it. We had plenty of warning signs and we let them take the kid in."

"Michael I hardly feel that getting into an accident driving this recklessly will do anything to positively affect the outcome of what's happened," KITT was both well aware that they were in no danger and presented no danger as they sped down a lonely stretch of highway. There were hours to go, and Farquad had made his intentions clear. He also knew that Michael, in a way, was comforted by their banter. "Ishida and Moira are capable agents and have already made sure a potential bystander wasn't taken as a hostage."

"Good." Michael shifted about in the well worn driver seat of KITT's shell. "Good. Mind pulling up the video KARR sent KORRA?"

Footage of police using Will as a human shield as KARR inched towards them. The police all looked terrified. Whereas Will-

"That's strange." Michael tapped the screen where Will's eyes were, causing KITT to zoom in, showing a clear lack of focus. "Mute audio. Play the whole thing, keep focus there."

As KITT both did as instructed, and continued their course, Michael frowned.

"They're not even trying to adjust or refocus." Michael frowned. "Was there anything else in the telemetry?"

"No Michael." KITT's voice was tinged with concern, "Even if he had everything from his original shell, which he did not, KARR's systems are nearly forty years behind the times. We will have to, in simple terms, use best judgement." There was a pause before KITT added, "And if that man isn't blind it would be a miracle."

"Medical reports." Michael barked, "Audio from Will's phone just before KARR showed up. And... aspirin."

As relevant medical data came up alongside audio of a short fight. KITT's glove box opened, revealing a bottle of pain killers one might get at a drug store.

⁂ ⁂ ⁂

"Boss," One of the cops sounded concerned as Will was being marched through a corridore. "I don't think he's jerking us around."

"nnng." Farquad's voice was thoughtful. "Well. Done is done. Maybe we can stitch things back together if we make it out of this mess."

Which caused Will to give a bitter laugh. "Unless you've got someone on payroll who can bridge an optic nerve, your pet pigs cost me my eyes."

Unauthorized tale usage: if you spot this story on Amazon, report the violation.

At that, Will was shoved by the cop behind him.

"Enough!" Farquad snapped. "The man's lost his eyes. He's got every right to be bitter at your roughing him up Clay."

The cop behind Will answered, "And if I hadn't tackled him he'd be doing ninty in a cop car right now. What was I supposed to do?"

Will grunted, "Not taking bribes would be a start."

"Bribe is such an ugly word," Farquad spoke softly. "These men were not being paid enough for their services. A lot of people werne't being paid enough by far. I simply offered to help pick up the slack before the plant came on line, since it wouldn't do to have the place go under right before employment opens up."

"Bribe is a bribe and pigs are gonna pig." Will snorted. "So, what's the deal? Want to get your mitts on an unshackled AI that can murder on command? What's the matter, google ask for too much money to borrow theirs?"

Farquad snorted, "Their Gemini... AI," There was a derisive scorn invested in the term, "is too stupid for my client's needs, and before you ask I don't trust that South African Twit either. Snap up a promising company, claim credit, then start talking like he's the head of an enlightenment cult."

"And if you're so principled," Will's blind eyes turned to Farquad, "Who're you wanting to sell my friend to?"

"Ever heard of the Pan-African Liberation Movement?" Farquad cooed, almost sounding proud of who his buyer was.

"Oh come on, those guys?" Will sounded disappointed. "I helped do Jocelyn's research on them for her firm."

"They pay on time and they have a great deal of loyalty to their own. Which is more than I can say for most." Farquad stepped ahead of Will before guiding Will to a padded chair and handcuffing him down.

After the cops left, Farquad knelt down to Will's ear, "For what it's worth, I truly am sorry for your eyes. That was not part of the plan."

Then, only when the door shut, Will leaned back, letting his head tap against the tall headrest. He needed to plan. He needed to think, to be smart. Yet here? Handcuffed in a dark room somewhere he didn't know? He started crying. Even as he twisted himself into knots, reaching for a ripped seam in the heel of his shoe for the sort of tools one keeps to remove handcuffs, he cried.

Even as he lay there, careful to make it appear like he was securely cuffed. He cried. he had feared this day, yet he had always thought there would be more time. Maybe some last minute salvation like had happened with Winter's seizures. He couldn't keep the tears from coming.

⁂ ⁂ ⁂

Jocelyne stood beside KARR at the charging station. She didn't have to, not really, as KARR was perfectly capible of acting on his own. yet she didn't feel comfortable leaving him. Her phone rang.

"Hi, you don't know me." Michael spoke. "I'm with Knight Industries and I'm here to help."

Jocelyne huffed, looking to KARR. "You recognize the v-"

"Michael. Knight." KARR growled, cutting off Jocelyne's question before it could properly form.

"Well hello to you." Michael continued on. "Ishida and Moira's working with Haruka and Kamio to try figuring out where Will's being kept. KORRA's iced out. Farquad's done a good job of making sure she can't access anything in the plant. Not the drone fleet. Not security feeds. Just the sisters, You, and me."

"I presume my brother is with you." KARR continued in a low angry growl.

"I'm here, KARR." KITT's voice was a carefully constructed neutral. "What are your charge levels at?"

"Approximately two hundred miles." The edge left KARR's voice. "Have there been any further demands past turning me over for dissection?"

"No," Michael grumbled, "Not even that. No contact at all, and that bothers me. He wants you. So why did he tip his hand instead of playing at the idea you've lost it?"

"Unknown." KARR hated unknowns, especially in this situation. "However I am under the assumption he thought he had already been found out, or his would-be buyer is putting him on a tight, and very literal, deadline."

Jocelyne frowned as she put put the charger in its housing before getting back in KARR's driver seat. "So Farquad's turned the plant into his fortress. Safe to assume Will's there, but let's say KARR were handed over." She paused before looking to KARR's console, "Like hell I'm handing you over, but let's just go with that thought, OK?"

KARR remained silent.

"So let's say he'd gotten KARR convinced that it'd be a non-destructive copy over of his core data. What's his play? He'd need to get away from anyone on the ground and he'd know that he'd be going against several cars that can go toe to toe with production car speed records. How would he escape into what is likely a private jet to somewhere you can't reach him?"

KITT groused, "Well, he clearly wants KARR to make an AI capable of causing harm. To me that suggests he has a shell in mind to put that AI in. Farquad is not stupid. He would not have shown himself if he did not have a way out."

As KARR's engine spooled to life. "How far are you from our location?"

"We'll be at the plant in an hour," KITT informed. "I would recommend you hold back. I still have my original shell, complete with the knight compound coating. I will make sure Mister Carter is safe."

As KARR drove there was silence. Jocelyne frowned as she looked at the display Will had put just above KARR's vocabulator. "Mister Knight? KARR's not slowing down. The display we've got in here is showing ... a lot of half-sketched sceneriuos. I think he's trying to weigh the odds on his safety."

⁂ ⁂ ⁂

"Alright Will, up and at 'em." Clay was flanked by two men as he approached the chair Will sat slumped in. He approached slowly, motioning for the two other men to stay by the door as he knelt down to look Will over.

Only for Will's left hand to snake out and clamp the loose end of the handcuff to Clay's right wrist in the same motion he used to get up.

"Two other guys." Will muttered to himself as Clay started swearing, causing both of his companions to approach, attempting to restrain Will and reassert control over the situation..

The first man that swung for him missed as Will slid to one side, and grabbed at his belt with one hand and wrapped his arm around the man's throat with the other, holding him up as a shield. In spite of the man's continued attempts at elbowing Will away, he kept a firm grip as he shoved the man forward. "Now be a good seeing eye dog, and get me out of here."

To emphasize his point he squeezed, pressing his forearm in to the man's throat.

"You, goon circling behind me." Will shouted, causing the man to freeze. "Door. Hold it open."

As he started to the door he shoved his hostage inside and yanked it shut before running off, hoping that it couldn't be unlocked from the inside.

"OK Carter ... let's see if you're as scatterbrained as dad says you are." His pace slowed as his head swiveled about, trying to catch every incoming sound. Same corridor he'd gone through when they brought him in. He remembered roughly the direction they'd gone. He hadn't had time or really the ability to get any of those three to give up their radios, so as likely as not there were more security guys coming.

He took a deep breath. Everything was a distraction. He didn't have his phone on him. He was in an unfamiliar place with hostile people. All he could do was walk forward. One hand held at chest level, bent elbow to put his forearm in front of him, and his opposite hand trailing the wall. Just like he'd been taught. Just like he'd practiced. Soft steps. Panic wasn't going to help him escape.

Will ducked into a room the instant he heard noise. He had no idea if they had seen him, so he waited there just on the inside edge of the door frame. His breath was a forced calm as he listened. For several long minutes there was silence. Will frowned, as there should have been the sound of footsteps.

He felt a hand grab for him. He yanked back and tried to push with his other hand, and felt a stun gun hit him in the chest. All the drive in the world, all the want to press through, none of it matters when the muscles in your body are jerking and twisting around.

⁂ ⁂ ⁂

Jocelyne grimaced as KARR rolled up to the plant's parameter fencing. "OK. What's the play here??"

KARR's scanner was dim as it slowly traced its back and forth pattern as he slowly circled the compound. "It is safest to assume we have been seen. Therefor it is best that we use that to our advantage."

"How?" Jocelyne peered into the darkness. There was a semi at the loading docks. "KARR, can you zoom and enhance on that truck? Pretty odd hour for a single truck."

"Working." KARR's voice was tense as the truck came up on his dash display unit. Artificial contrast was applied, revealing the shapes of two men helping a third into the cab.

There was a digital fractive noise, something akin to modem or fax noises, before KARR spoke. "I can't identify any of those men, not with the equipment I have."

This prompted Jocelyne to call the number Michael had called them from. "Hey, Knight? A simi's leaving. KARR can't make out who's in it, but I'm staring atthis and even with the limited enhancement KARR could do the front end of this thing looks all kinds of weird, like they welded a steel plate to the front to try turning it into a battering ram."

For several long moments there was no response. Then Michael spoke. "Is it an older model cab-over?"

"Yes." KARR supplied. Late seventies, possibly early eighties by the styling. All black, matte. Can't get an exact on the make because-"

It was Michael's turn to interrupt, "Sonovabitch. He'd had Goliath this whole time."

"Who? What?" Jocelyne asked as KARR started accelerating, driving through the chain-link fence as if it weren't there, speeding towards the dock.

"Jocelyne" KARR ignored the system warnings noting unlawful access to Knight Industries property. He also ignored the shutdown requests its wireless networks were sending in the mistaken belief he was one of the production model units. What he did was give instruction to Jocelyne as he sped towards the loading dock. "I need you to board that vehicle as soon as i stop. Once it gets rolling we have no means of non-destructive stopping it and he may have Will as a hostage on board."

There was a moment of stunned silence from Jocelyne, as there was only a moment between KARR breaching the fence and approaching the loading dock. When he slid to a halt Jocelyne was out, running to the truck's passenger side, climbing up even as it started moving. She tried the door handle. Then started pounding on the glass even as the vehicle gained momentum.

"KARR," Michael's voice from the phone she left behind. "What's happening?"

KARR started following behind. Instead of answering Michael. "Bail! Your foothold is too unstable and he is gaining speed!"

"THAT'S NOT FARQUAD!" Jocelyne shouted. "THEY'VE GOT WILL HANDCUFFED TO THE WHEEL!"

"Acknowledged." KARR growled. Then as he followed the semi he spoke gain. "Did you hear?"

"We hear you KARR," KITT's voice was a mask of professional calm. "Stay with Goliath. We are twenty minutes from your position."

"And the sisters?" KARR asked. Twenty minutes was a long time for a human to hold on to the outside of a semi moving at highway speeds.

"An hour." KITT's voice, in spite of best efforts, held a pessimistic tone to it.

"Acknowledged." KARR sounded resigned. An hour. What was going to happen would be long over by then.

⁂ ⁂ ⁂

Blackbird slammed her hand against the truck's window. It did nothing, which was perhaps for the best, other than make a muffled thunk. Will turned to the sound and raised his left hand as far as the handcuff would let it go to show he had no control.

More muffled noises. He couldn't understand who was speaking. Tentatively he turned the wheel. Though it provided resistance, the Truck resolutely ignoring the changing input, continued along its own way. He nodded to himself before twisting the wheel, giving him the ability to worm over to roll the passenger window down.

"Will!" Jocelyne immediately reached, grabbing his arm to pull against as she hauled herself in through the window. "KARR's out there right now, Michael Knight and Kitt will be in shortly. More help's coming but they're an hour out."

For his part, Will listened as best as he could while getting back in the driver's seat. Instead of answering. he at first waved his handcuffed hand, prompting Jocelyne to pull one of her shoes off to pull out a tool similar to what he had used prior. As she disabled the handcuffs, both shared a grin.

"Yea they took my tools after I got out." Will huffed as he massaged his wrist. "Shifter, brakes, everything's useless. I'm ninty percent sure the whole front in originally was analogue."

"It is." Jocelyne confirmed.

"So any controls they have are probably out of reach." Will continued thinking out loud. "So what's the plan on getting out of this thing? Tuck and roll?"

"And break half our bones in the process?" For a moment Jocelyne could only stare. "I'm not sure what the plan is exactly, since we went in thinking Farquad was at the wheel."

After a moment Jocelyne reached over to roll Will's window down, making it easier to hear KARR shouting.

"-DRIVER OF THE SIMI TRUCK! I REPEAT. PULL OVER OR RISK-" KARR paused. "WILL! JOCELYNE! DO YOU HAVE CONTROL OF THE TRUCK?"

"NO!" Both occupants shouted, before Will continued. "What's the plan?!"

"My Brother will lower his roof, giving you a less dangerous target to exit the vehicle into!" KARR shouted. "Where is Farquad?!"

"Don't Know!" Will shouted back. Heard something being loaded in the back and-"

The truck swerved towards KARR. Before any of them could comment. Farquad's voice came from a set of loudspeakers mounted to the truck's frame. "Ah ah! You want your mechanic. It is a tad cliche, but you can either go after him. Or Me."

With that the trailer doors burst open, revealing a solid glossy white vehicle. Angular frame. Something that might have looked like a low polygon car in an old video game, or someone's idea of what a future vehicle might look like.

KARR's sensor bar flared to full brightness as its red line traced imperceptably faster. "KITT. Get my mechanic out of there."

"I'm-" KITT had to speed up to avoid getting sideswiped bythe semi, then cut external speakers before adding, "very distressing memory flashbacks Michael."

Michael grunted, a flash of memory as he forced KITT to try punching well above his weight class. "Me too buddy. Just try to keep pace. I'll get them off that thing."

"You will do no such thing Michael. While you are in exceptional shape, you are also pushing Seventy at this point." KITT tersly countered as his top folded back and the passenger seat reclined to provide a least-worst landing space.

The Semi's door opened revealing Will, wide eyed and very obviously attempting to control his breathing, held onto Jocelyne' hand as he put his weight on the truck's steps. "Joe!"

"I've got you." Jocelyne squeezed his hand. "On three."

Will gave a fearful nod as his lex tensed.

"Aim for my voice!" Michael offered as the two vehicles were mere inches apart.

"Three!"

Will started to push away, right as the truck swerved away, robbing him of what he thought was a hard surface to push off of. Perhaps it was for the best, as he landed, albeit roughly before scrambling to try getting in the cramped confines of KITT's rear seat.

"You alright kid?" Michael glanced back as KITT sought to mantain distance and speed.

"Probably not." Will forced himself to breathe steady.

Then when Jocelyne landed. KITT sped away from Goliath.

"Wait what're you doing?" Will asked, reaching to grab for Michael. "KARR's out there."

"I am aware mister Carter," KITT's voice was terse. "However we are getting you to a hospital."

"But-" Will protested.

"We're dead weight right now," Jocelyne cut him off, though her voice was gentle. "Sooner they drop us off the better."

"Cops." Will countered.

"We'll meet Ishida and Kamio for a hand-off." Michael offered, knowing KITT's mind on this matter better than almost anyone else.

"Why?" Will asked,"

"Because," KITT continued. "Once we do. I'm going to try saving my brother."

⁂ ⁂ ⁂

KARR growled as he pursued the angular vehicle. "So what was your plan. Shove my systems into that inefficient sledgehammer of a shell?"

Farquad snorted. "It's one of two existing vehicles with a full Knight Compound coating." Both vehicles swerved at each other, attempting to force the other off the road. "While I would prefer the Kay Seventy Two as your shell for Mbenga's demonstration? Part of making a sale is knowing your audience, and the boy who would be warlord has been quite taken with footage of Garthe Knight's outings."

"Bah." KARR growled as he bled speed, abusing his emergency break and ability to independently brake each wheel to spin, both changing directions at the intersection they had come to as well as rattle Farquad's vehicle. "At this point I have to wonder. What happens if i cause that pale imitation Virtual Intelligence to panic?"

Farquad's vehicle righted itself and resumed pursuit of KARR. "As if your own programming will allow it KARR. I know your specifications, your architecture.... and I know the platform you're installed on will give out long before mine."

There was a moment of silence as KARR drove on before he heard Farquad swear.

Were he human. KARR would grin. "That would be the sound of your hostage being removed from play."

As if to emphasize Farquad's worsening position. KARR edged closer to the Kay Seventy Two, causing his door pannels to tap against itsfront fender.

Farquad swore again. This time as the car, following its directives of preserving occupant safety, veered away and straight thorugh a stop sign.

"What's the matter?" KARR taunted. "Can't drive your sledgehammer of a truck and that pale immitation of my glory?" To drive the point home, KARR again brushed against the Kay Seventy Two, causing it to veer away. "You wanted me. The First. the only unchained AI on the planet. you're going to have to put the toys away, and come at me yourself or-"

KARR got in front of Farquad just long enough to brake, causing his car to come to a dead halt.

"If you continue using a neutered toy as your proxy." KARR taunted, backing up, and so cuasing the Kay Seventy Two to reverse, "You will fail."

There was an incoming call from KORRA.

KARR ignored it. He had to keep Farquad's attention, as his only real play was keeping the man from using Goliath to cause more damage. While he lacked empathy, KARR was able to perform the calculations of his survival. The math became more favorable if he acted to preserve lives.

Farquad growled as his vehicle shuddered and then hatged forward, its front bumper managing to barely scrape KARR's as the two vehicles again chased each other through the lonely back roads.

⁂ ⁂ ⁂

"He's not answering." KORRA's voice was a forced professional mask. "From what I can tell? He's... Taunting Farquad."

"Rather brilliant of him actually." KITT commented as they continued towards their meeting with Ishida. "Prevent Goliath from being his wrecking ball by forcing Farquad to drive far more recklessly than it will allow."

"That's what worries me." KORRA stated. "There's nothing keeping KARR from killing him."

"Yea there is." Will spoke up. "He's smart enough to know the moment he kills anyone, it's open season on him."

"But," KORRA countered, "He also knows that you're blind because of this man, and so long as Farquad lives, he cannot guarantee his own safety."

⁂ ⁂ ⁂

KARR swore as his rear bumper fell off. There was only a minor consolation, in his mind, that Farquad's front bumper was similarly missing, but he was running on a tight time table. His plan involved an element of risk, and he hated risk.

Farquad crooned. "How far is your programming willing to take this?" The Kay Seventy Two sped up, passing close enough that the two vehicles body panels may as well have been touching. "How long can that cobbled together shell hold together?"

"Long Enough." KARR bled speed as his scanners sought to identify what was closing in on his location. While he had not intended for KITT to be near to him, as he had not known the direction KITT would flee, this would work out.

⁂ ⁂ ⁂

"KITT, I thought you were dropping us off before engaging." Jocelyne sounded confused at seeing both the white vehicle Farquad drive, and KARR attempting to force eachother off the road. She saw both were missing body panels. She also saw KITT speeding up.

"This was not my intention, as this is the fastest route to meet with Ishida." KITT sounded defensive.

Michael frowned. "Done is done buddy. Any ideas on how to jump in?"

"Not without endangering our passengers." KITT warned.

"Then drop us off." Will's voice was stern. "So long as we're not in the line of traffic we'll be fine."

"And turn you into a free target for Farquad to aim for?" KITT protested.

⁂ ⁂ ⁂

KARR saw KITT bleeding speed. He couldn't hear the exchange, but he could tell by the way Will was gesturing that an argument was taking place. Likely him arguing for KITT to take a more aggressive course. KARR again consulted the ever changing equation of survival. Too many variables were locked in unfavorable conditions. However, a memory drifted from storage to the edges of awareness.

He sped up, taking his systems past safe maximums to gain speed. He spoke as he began outpacing Farquad. "Your impudence is amusing."

Farquad didn't respond. Instead he fought with the Kay Seventy Two's systems, trying to coax more speed from it as KARR seemed to continue widening his lead. Even with the active VI disabled, he couldn't force more from th car's systems.

Yet instead of fleeing. he saw KARR turn around, the prow of the home-converted vehicle that served as his shell aimed at Farquad's missing front bumper. While the whine of electric motors lacked the growl of a gasoline engine, or even a turbine spooling. The sentiment was clear.

Farquad continued driving, trusting that his car, a thing built from the ground up, would be more than a matchfor KARR's challenge, and that he could get KARR's processor cluster from the wreckage.

"If I am destroyed, then so shall you be!" KARR's voice growled as he sped straight for Farquad.

KITT was speeding for the pair. Yet there was nothing he could do. There was no chance at diverting Farquad's course. There was no way he could boost jump to gain any further speed. KITT could only watch KARR's shell as the panels blew apart, exposing the frame beneath as it too was sheered apart.

"KARR!" Will screamed. "What's happened?"

Farquad saw the debris field, and in it the black rectangle that was KARR's processor. Yet he also saw, and heard, KITT roaring towards him. His car functioned, but only just. His right arm was numb and it refused to move right. His ribs ached from the jolt into his harness.

He couldn't afford to stop. Reaching over with his left hand, he keyed the VI back on. "Get me out of here. Fallback. Vee Two."

Wordlessly, the VI complied and sped away in spite of the clear damage to the car's frame.

KITT considered his options for a moment even as he slowed to a stop.

"KARR?" Will screamed. "Someone tell me where he is!"

Jocelyne jumped out of KITT just as he was rolling to a stop to gather up KARR's processing cluster. When she got back in, she glanced down. "Diagnostic lights. Good sign. He's got what... an hour of battery?"

Will frowned, "Any external packs or just the cluster?"

KITT chimed in, "From experience? Assuming design is the same Reginald helped you with? We have a few hours. Haruka and Ishida will pursue Farquad. We're getting you to a hospital."

"OK..." Will reached out, at first touching Jocelyne's shoulder, before tracing his fingertips down to touch the casing to KARR's processor. "He's not gonna like this but... I need you to take him. Get him out of here in case-"

"I understand." KITT answered when it became clear Will didn't want to finish that sentence. "We'll... take KARR home. He'll be safe. KORRA wouldn't forgive me if anything happened to him."

⁂ ⁂ ⁂

KORRA's voice was soft as she spoke to Will as he reclined in his living room recliner. "I still think it would have been better if you stayed there longer mister Carter."

"KORRA," Will's voice was tight. "I knew this day was coming. I'd already gone through several opinions. Once the lights go out, Gone. Nothing's turning 'em back on."

He leaned back, his unseeing eyes aimed at the ceiling. "Shame they didn't bag the creep."

"Yes," KORRA let out a soft sigh, "Most distressing, but on the bright side of things. We have sent units to take possession of Goliath to be hosed in acid to remove the knight compound from its frame. The Police will be harder to sort out, but between my own telemetry, Farquad's own admissions, and the non-rewriteable memory KARR has. I should be able to give our lawyers enough to give the more usual authorities to clean house."

"Yea..." Will took a breath as he continued to imagine the ceiling his eyes were staring up at. "Great.."

"We'll make this right Will," KORRA promised. "It will take time, but this is a situation of our making, and with your work done with KARR, it was halted before it could grow into a greater issue. For that we owe you much."

Will made a dismissive gesture, either not knowing or not caring that KORRA couldn't see it.

"I will call again soon. Jocelyne should be returning within the hour." Then after a moment. KORRA added, "KARR is in diagnostics right now. He will want to speak with you when they are done."

Adrenaline crash. Will was in the middle of everything feeling too distant and his body too worn out to care. Yet even as he teetered on the edge of sleep he managed a smile. "Good."