A startling Text

The Restless Knight

The night had been long and the ride had passed fairly uneventfully. The morning sun was slowly highlighting the otherwise dark horizon.

Endless clouds of desert dust swept over the road and around the features of the slick black Tran's Am. Kitt's red scanner continuously peeled from side to side.

Michael slowly stirred from a light doze. He had been too worried to surrender fully to rest. His blue-eyes tiredly opened and adjusted to the dawn of a new day.

"Kitt, buddy, how close are we to the first mansion?" Michael lowly grumbled.

"Oh good, you are awake. Might I suggest, you get something to eat from your small emergency pack? You'll need all the energy you can get if we are going to help Bonnie. And to answer your question, we're five minutes away," Kitt answered.

Michael begrudgingly rummaged through the emergency over-night sacks, which had things like fresh clothes, medical supplies, and food. He quickly and absentmindedly began to nibble a protein bar, the pieces seemed to clog in his throat. The curly-haired agent nearly choking on the contents before he gulped down a few swallows of water.

His anxiety mounted the closer they drew to the first mansion and he found himself clutching the wheel so tightly that his knuckles began to turn white.

Kitt's screeching wheels came to a halt outside of the large and ornate mansion.

"Scan the place, pal. I want to know of any sign that Bonnie was or is in there," Michael gruffly commanded.

Everything fell silent a moment as Kitt's red scanner swooshed back and forth intently.

"Michael? From my readings, no one has been here in months. but there is one section of the mansion I can't scan, it's a steel enforced room. Do you think she could be in there?" Kitt questioned intensely concerned about his favorite mechanic.

Michael contemplated his pal's question with a stern expression written upon his haggard and truly exhausted face. Finally he spoke up, "she could be. I might as well check it out while we are here....." His blue eyes studied the mansion and he tried to dismiss the twisting sensation he felt in his guts. Something was amiss.... but what? He couldn't quite put his finger on what it was.

Stepping out of Kitt's cabin, he sized up the mansion of the Foundation's most feared enemies. Puffing out his chest bravely he marched his way right up to the front door, he drop kicked the heavy wooden double panels sealing the main entrance. They both splintered down with a mighty thud and the slender FLAG agent pushed past the doorway. He quickly found his way down to the dark basement finding cobwebs and dust marking his path.

His dark brown brow quirked slightly as he had Kitt crack open the steel container by pressing his com-link up against the heavy door.

Michael sucked in a huge gulp of air, praying desperately that his beloved wife was not kept within such an inhuman cage without air. A foul stench of stale air waifed into his face as the door popped open in his direction. He braced his arms in a fighting stance and instinctively edged his way to the threshold of the compartment. He used the method that had been taught to him at the police and military academies, slowly and steadily he spun into the room. It was the best way to prepare for the unknown. His blue eyes took a moment to adjust to the eerie darkness that lingered within the confined space.

"Bon? Bon?" Are you here, Sweetheart?" Michael called out, as he ambled his way deeper into the room.

A sudden stirring noise nearly caused him to jump out of his skin as he approached. "Bonnie?" He cried hopefully, reaching into his pocket for his set of handy matches. Lighting one he peered about the room.

From the shadows emerged a quick footed creature causing Michael to let out a shout of surprise. "OHHH!" Just as the match burned out, the Flag agent saw a severely emaciated cat lunged forward at his boots.

Michael sucked in another gulp of air, trying desperately to calm his already frazzled nerves. A beeping sound denoted Kitt's dispatch, which from the inside of the steel lined room came out too garbled for Michael to understand. Moving out of the room and back out of the mansion, he returned the call.

"What is it, Kitt?" Michael asked.

Kitt patiently replied, "I heard you scream. Is everything okay?"

"A cat spooked me. That is all," the Flag agent grumbled in reply.

"Any sign of Bonnie?" Kitt further prompted.

Michael let out an exasperated sigh before returning, "no.... no. Not yet." There was a pain radiating through his vocal tone.

The tired and frustrated man sank back into Kitt's comfortable driver's side seat. He ran his hands through his already disheveled curls.

"Where do we go next?" Kitt questioned after giving Michael a few moments of silence.

Pursing his lips, Michael wracked his brain. "The next closest one. Look Kitt, I don't care if we have to check every mansion in the United States to find her and I don't care how long it takes. She is my pregnant wife and life just wouldn't be the same without her." He closed the door, revealing tears of frustration shimmering across his calm blue eyes.

"Michael, you are tired. Why don't you sleep while I drive to the next mansion? You'll be of no help to Bonnie or your child if you deprive yourself of food, water, and sleep. I'll wake you if anything comes in from Devon or when we get there, which ever comes first." Kitt boldly suggested.

"You're right, pal" Michael begrudgingly gave in. His mind was troubled with every possible way in which Garthe could hurt his beloved family. But his eyes were so heavy and strained that sleep easily overwhelmed him.

The sun was rising higher into the sky and the earth below was growing hotter and hotter.

All the while Michael slept, Kitt wondered if they would find Bonnie dead or alive. He worried that his partner wouldn't survive the loss of the unborn child or his wife. Kitt truly didn't want to see his family crumbling and fading away. He needed them and more importantly, he'd do everything in his power to save them.

((to be further edited))