World Traveller

More Trouble

  "And? What now?"
  We were driving to my home in the Knight Rider world.
  "I'll leave you here and go home. I... I'm tired. And I should probably get a clear mind. I'll excuse to Michael as soon as I have calmed down enough. But if you see him before I can apologize, please tell him I'm sorry."
  I really felt bad, like, really bad. The next second, I was in my room again. I layed down, but it took some time for me to finally sleep.

  The next day was pretty normal, but when I met Chris, Nicki and Ninette to eat lunch, things got weird. We walked, like usually, to a pizza and Döner place. But the three suddenly looked at each other and nodded. Although they did it quite carefully, I noticed it, I don't know how. We ordered our pizza, and then left.
  "Um, why are we leaving? Guys?" I asked as I walked with them.
  "Because we want to go somewhere more private," Ninette answered.   
  Alright then. We climbed the stairs next to CAP and walked behind the little restaurant that was above it. Then we sat down on the little bench made out of stone, and Nicki asked me:
  "So... What's your secret?" I stopped.
  I expected... I don't know what I expected but it definitely wasn't that.
  "What secret?"
  "You know what we're talking about." Ninette rolled her eyes.
  I looked at them puzzled since I didn't have a clue. Though I did have a suspicion.
  "About you being able to hop in and out of shows and movies."
  Well shit. They had me. I sighed. And then told the whole story.
  "That's so cool! And you even have a job there? And a partner?" Nicki now asked.
  But when I wanted to answer, an engine roared behind us. It sounded somewhat deep, but not like these normal tuned cars, it still sounded pretty normal. And it came closer. I immediately turned around and what I saw silenced me. But not in a good way.

  McQueen. A 750i e32 limousine from 1986, my first car love. He looked awesome. His signature salmonsilver went really good with the chrome and the rims. Where there used to be rust on the doors, was nothing left to see. He was even closer to the ground before. The indicators were still white, so nothing had changed lightwise. I couldn't help but to gaze in admiration at him. He had changed, yes, but at least he wasn't destroyed, so, that was a good thing... Right? I couldn't look away from him. Although I had a really bad feeling, I did nothing, at least at first.
  "Get away, now!" I apprehended the others.
  "What? And leave you alone? Never!"
  Chris' stubbornness made me sigh.
  "Yes, you wi-"
  McQueen leaped forward, blocking the way to the supermarket.
  "FUCKING GO!" I yelled and jumped somewhere different, to distract... McQueen? Hopefully not.
  But that unfortunately didn't help. I saw how someone jumped out of McQueen's passenger's door and chased after them! I ran after him, or, I tried to. As soon as I tried following him, McQueen, the car, was getting in my way. I did see someone driving, so at least McQueen himself couldn't attack. After nearly falling on his hood, I managed to change directions. Now I ran up, where the restaurant was, and ran down the stairs, which slowed me down a great deal. I saw Nicki, Ninette and Chris running at me from the left side.
  "We should get to the school, but fast!" I instructed them.
  We three then ran to the school and got on the bridge, when suddenly...
  "LOOK OUT!" I screamed before it was too late. The bridge just collapsed in front of us. We turned around just in time and ran blindly down the stairs that lead to the Untertürkheim-Bahnhof. We heard sirens in the distance, but that wouldn't help us.
  "You're not going anywhere!" and I felt someone holding me really tight from behind.
  I struggled at first but then relaxed, because I now had an idea. I let my head hang down, and then let it shoot back, hitting the attacker on his chest. The attacker loosened his grip, and I escaped. Quickly, I looked to where my friends were, ran in their direction and tried to help them, when suddenly something hit me really hard in the back, knocking the air out of me. I fell face first on the asphalt, and fought for air. Someone grabbed me on my collar and pulled me up. Then he pressed me really tight to his chest, leaving no chance of escape. In the distance, I could see our former family car destroying several police cars, and I immediately wondered with horror how many people he had injured or even killed.
  "Decide now! Either your friends, or the blueprint of KITTs AI. Simple as that," I heard a man say, probably the one that held me.
  Since I still couldn't breathe properly, I didn't answer. I simply couldn't. He seemed to notice that as well. Hard to not notice actually.
  "How about this? If you agree to get us the blueprint, simply nod. Easy, right?" his tone seemed impatient, but not too threatening.
  Did I have a choice? No, I didn't. So I hoped that Devon, Michael and the others would forgive me. I nodded, slowly and exhausted.
  "I knew we could get to an agreement. Let them go!" and I saw my friends nearly falling, I had problems standing straight as well.
  Our attackers were gone, and so was my hope. I sat down on the stairs, slowly starting to catch my breath, and now my decision fell with its full weight onto me. I realized that I just had agreed to give dangerous criminals the blueprint to an AI, a real AI.
  "... Chlara? Are... are you okay?" Nicki walked up to me and sat down as well.
  I let out a laugh, cold, unamused and sarcastic.
  "Of course I am! Why shouldn't I! I just gave some thugs a promise to help them. Nothing special! And I only dragged my friends into it! And the car I grew up with and that I love, well that just nearly killed us! But yes! I'm very good, thank you!" I said, every letter soaked with sarcasm.
  I growled, furious because of myself.
  "Why couldn't I fucking hold you out of my shit!? Why!?!?" now I was at the edge of slapping myself.
  I heard an engine drive near us. It sounded like a jet, but not as loud. Where did I know this engine from? I heard a door open and close. But I didn't bother looking up.
  "Why is it that every time I run into you randomly you are having an emotional breakdown? What's wrong?" A masculine voice, seemingly worried.
  I looked up to see Michael. He looked really worried. I pulled myself somewhat together, and he sat next to me.
  "Hey... Michael... I'm sorry, I know I shouldn't have snapped, but... I just can't control my temper, and I just wanted peace between you and, well, you know who I mean."
  "I'm sorry too."
  That surprised me.
  "Why?"
  "I should have listened to you first, and shouldn't have interrupted you."
I was speechless for a moment. Then I said:
  "... No problem. I would have reacted the same, probably," I then added:
  "How did you get here in the first place?"
Now his signature grin came again.
  "Pretty easy if the KARR knows the way," and nodded to a certain two tone.
  I laughed at the pun.
  "Good pun Michael. Hey KARR!" I waved at him.
  "Now, tell me what's wrong."
  "Wait wait wait! Who IS that!?"   Suddenly Nicki had spoken.
  Then she looked closer at him.
  "Chlara! Your parents are coming! And the police too!" Chris exclaimed.
  "Well. Time to go! I'll see you at the foundation!" Michael waved as he got in KARR.
  Then they drove away.
  "Miss? Are you okay?" a police officer now arrived and looked at me.
  He sat next to me, looking compassionate. Now Nicki, Ninette und Chris were asked questions too. I don't know anymore what we told them. Something like 'We only trespassed the bridge when it collapsed and saw a car causing it to do that'. My parents were now allowed to come to us, and hugged me tight. I looked at SST, our second family car. We were told that we weren't allowed to go to school for the rest of the week, which meant three days off. The rest of the day, I thought about the incident. I had to tell Michael or someone else. Maybe we could figure something out.