______________________

 

Rusti sighed and propped her chin in her hands.  She was in trouble with Devon…again.  She’d been banished to a corner and sentenced to sit there for an hour.  A whole hour.  She could be playing in the garage, talking to Michael or running around, but no, Devon had insisted that she sit there in that chair. 

“Hey squirt.  How are ya?”  Michael knelt down beside her.  “Heard ya got in trouble again.”

“Yeah.”

“What’d you do this time?”

“I brought my new puppy in to see Devon and she got away from me.  She ran all over his office and tore up some papers he said he had to have.  She even did her business right in the middle of the room and tracked mud all over the carpet.  It was kind of my fault, but Daddy did say that I should take her to see Devon.  Maybe I should’ve put her on a leash.”

Michael laughed.  “What did your mother say?”

“Nothing.  At times like this, all she can think about is how long she was in labor with me.”

Michael had to put both knees on the floor while he doubled up laughing. 

“What’s so funny?  At least Daddy didn’t threaten to spank me this time.”

“You’re a clown Rusti.”

Rusti made a face.

“What did you finally name her?”

“I’m not sure yet.  What do you name a German shepherd?”

“Anything you want.”

“Michael.  You’re not helping me.  Daddy suggested ‘Sekhmet’, but he did it with one of those crooked smiles…like he was joking.”

“I’d imagine he was.  If I’m guessing correctly, Sekhmet was an Egyptian cat god, and male to boot…I think.”

“You think?”

“Yeah.”

“I think I’ll do a little more looking before I decide on a name.”

“Why don’t you just call her Trouble?”

“I thought about Indiana.”

“Oh yeah?”

“Yeah.  Daddy let me watch an Indiana Jones movie last night and puppy really liked it.”

“She did?”

“Yup.  She sat there and watched the screen and she even got one ear up!”

Michael chuckled.  “Where is puppy now?”

“Devon took her back down to the garage.  He said she belongs where her messes are easily cleaned up, but how is she going to learn not to be messy if it’s OK when she does?”

“You have a valid point.”

“Can I get up?  Did you come up here to get me?”

“As a matter of fact, I did.  I was going to ask you if you wanted to go for a ride.  We’re going on a quick trip, shouldn’t be too much for you to get into, and Kitt decided you could come if you wanted.”

“Oh cool!!”

“Then come on.  We’ll be leaving in a few minutes.”

 

_______________________

 

Jinx sighed.  He was still working up the courage to take the kid from the car.  If he got caught, he could kiss his freedom good-bye.  Maybe his life too, if Michael caught him.  He squirmed restlessly in the driver’s seat of his sedan.  There was almost no activity outside of the Knight Mansion.  He sighed again and settled back in his seat.  He could take a nap. 

Just as he was starting to let the seat back, the black Trans Am passed a few hundred feet in front of him and started down the road.  Jinx could only barely make out the small form of a child in the passenger seat.

 

______________________

 

“I don’t know Michael.  This may not have been such a good idea,” Kitt said dubiously.

Michael looked over at Rusti’s sleeping form, then back up at the darkened road.  The occasional streetlight or security light swept over Kitt’s body and momentarily lit his interior. 

“Aw, come on Kitt, you can’t say you don’t enjoy having your daughter along for entertainment value if nothing else.”

“Yes but Michael, she’s only four.  There is so much she could get into.  She can’t defend herself effectively at all.  I realize that for a four-year-old she’s incredibly strong, but she doesn’t know quite how to use it.  I realize she’s highly intelligent, but she doesn’t quite know how to apply it.  She’s only a child and it shows.”

“Worry wart.”

“Michael, they’re perfectly legitimate fears and you know it.  Maybe when she’s older, fourteen or fifteen, and had some training of some sort, she can start coming along all the time and keep you in line, but not now.  She’s too young.”

“Keep me in line?”

“I didn’t stutter.”

Michael folded his arms and harrumphed.  “I didn’t know I was out of line.”

Kitt sighed.  “I just want you to know that if anything happens to her, I’m going to hold you personally responsible because this was your big idea.”

“My big idea?  Who agreed to it?”

“I never agreed to it, you just went up to her room and told her I said she could come.  What would I have made you, well, what would I have made us both look like if I told her that you just told a fib?”

Michael frowned.

“Exactly.  Maybe in the future you will learn to keep your mouth shut.”

“I doubt that.”

Kitt turned a circle inside his own CPU in frustration.  He was close to losing his temper with Michael, something that rarely happened, if at all.  This time, however, they were talking about his daughter.  A precious little girl that had no place in their assignments for another ten years.  Kitt had already made up his mind to keep her locked in his cab unless he had to switch form to help Michael and when that happened, he wasn’t quite sure what he was going to do with her.

“Michael,” Kitt wanted to cry.  “We’re not even there and I’m very worried about her.  I can’t go charging in to situations that could hurt us both like I normally do.  None of this is her fault and being in danger is not her job.  She shouldn’t be here!”

“Look, Kitt, I’m sorry already!  I thought you were okay with it!  I checked with you and you said you had your doubts but you didn’t tell me she shouldn’t come!  She’s always asked me if she could go and when you didn’t object, I thought you wouldn’t mind!”

“Where’s your judgment Michael!?!”  Kitt half-shouted.

At Kitt’s raised voice and desperate tone, Rusti stirred and sat up.  “What’s wrong you guys?”

Kitt returned his attention to the road, afraid to answer his daughter.  Michael on edge now because of Kitt’s near tears plea, said nothing as well.

“Michael?  Daddy?”

She was met with silence again.

“Please.  What did I do wrong?”

Still nothing.

“Daddy?  What’s wrong?  Should I have stayed at home?”

Again, silence.

“I’m sorry.  I asked Michael if I could come and he said if it was all right with you.  When he came up and asked me if I wanted to go, I said yeah, I didn’t know he was doing it without your knowing.  Sorry Daddy, I’m sorry, I would’ve just stayed home if you-what are you doing?”  Rusti wiped away the beginnings of tears as Kitt pulled off the road.

He swung open the driver’s side door.  “Get out Michael.”

Michael complied and Kitt changed form, hugging his daughter tightly.  “It will be all right Rusti.  It was just a misunderstanding.”

“You could’ve just told me that Michael got mixed up if you didn’t want me to come with you.”

“Well, in a way, I wanted you to come as well.  But those doubts and fears that plagued me to start with are beginning to prey on my mind in a big way.”

“Oh.”

“Just promise me you’ll do one thing during the course of this mission.”

“Sure, what do you want?”

“Stick close to either Michael or myself so we can keep an eye on you and protect you.  I’d be mortified if you were hurt.”

“Mortified?”

Kitt thought for a minute.  “No.  Let’s just say I wouldn’t be able to live with myself.”

“OK,” Rusti gave Kitt a kiss on the cheek and stepped back so he could switch back to his car form.

 

_____________________

 

“You’re sure you made this sound minor?”  The blue-eyed silver-white wolf growled at Jinx.

“Yessir.  I saw the little girl in the car when they started off. She’s with them, unless they turned around and took her back, but I don’t see why they would.  To them, this is only a routine check-up,” Jinx flinched away from his boss’s newest creature.

He still wanted to know how he got it to talk.

The wolf, aptly named Demon, put one ear back and bared a fang.  “They better not have.”

Jinx thought about coming back with a smart retort, but decided against it.  It would be better for his health if he just kept his mouth shut.  Demon didn’t take kindly to smart replies or even faces made behind her back.  The perpetrator of such a crime was likely to lose one or all of the family jewels.  Just thinking about what had happened to a cohort of his a week or so ago made him squeeze his legs together.  Demon wasn’t one to be trifled with.  She knew exactly where to hit.  He often wondered if she would bite a woman’s chest just to get her under control.

“Is there something on your mind?”  Demon growled at him, her eyes boring into his brain.

“Uh, no.”

“Then why are you standing around like a department-store mannequin?  Go and do what you’ve been assigned!!”  She snarled, snapping at his thigh.

Images from last week flew back at him and he fled the room, barely avoiding a scream.

 

______________________

 

“You want something to eat Rusti?”  Michael eased out of Kitt’s driver’s seat and looked over at the little girl in the passenger seat.

She shook her head.  “Not if you’re going to buy me that sweet stuff.  I’m too hungry for that.  I want a meal.”

“A hamburger?  French fries?” 

“You can’t get those at a gas station.”

Kitt chuckled.

“There’s a hamburger joint across the street.”

Rusti made a face.  “Do they sell chicken?”

“I’m sure they do.  You don’t want a burger?

She shook her head.  “No.  I had beef for lunch.  I want chicken.”

“Kitt, do you want anything?”

Kitt thought for a moment.  “There was a time when I might’ve said ‘Very funny’, but I’m willing to try whatever you think I should…no, wait…whatever looks like something a normal person would eat.  Maybe I should just share some of Rusti’s chicken.”

“Aw come on, where’s your courage?”  Michael sighed.  “All right, all right.  Chicken for Rusti…kid’s meal right?”

“’Course!”

“And something edible for weak stomachs for Kitt.”

“I just don’t want to end up with acid reflux, indigestion or nausea because of something hideous you fed me.”

“I don’t eat hideous things!”  Michael sounded insulted.

“Will you just walk out in front of a car while you’re crossing the street and leave me alone?”

“Fine.  Be that way.  I’ll be back in a minute.”

Rusti giggled as Michael walked away.  “You and him are a lot alike Daddy.”

“Please don’t tell me that.  I have enough complexes as it is.  I don’t need your help.”

“Role confusion?”

“In a way.”

“I love you anyways Daddy.”

“I love you too sweetheart.  Even if I do make you do homework when it’s nice out.”

“I know.  It just seems inconvenient at the time.”

“For such a young child, you have an impossible vocabulary.”

Rusti kicked back in her seat. 

“And that attitude will get you in trouble someday.”

“Yeah?”

Kitt could almost see a grown woman kicked back in his passenger seat right then.  He paused and swiped the thought from his CPU.  Not for another twelve to fourteen years.

“I’m tired and I don’t know why.  All I did was sit here while you drove and played video games with Michael.”

“You did draw and work on your homework some and you have been up a long time.”

Rusti yawned.  “I suppose so.  Michael’s gonna be mad.”

“Why would he be mad?”

“Because I’m gonna be so sleepy when he gets back that I’m only gonna be able to eat a little bit.”

“He won’t miss a couple of dollars.  In fact, once you’re asleep, he might eat what’s left of your food.”

“He’s allowed I guess.”

 

_______________________

 

Michael pulled his jacket a little closer around him as he stepped out into the cool Colorado night.  He hated these long trips consisting mainly of driving, a couple hours at the assignment and then another two days driving back to FLAG HQ.  He looked down the road before crossing it and would’ve put his hand on a Bible and sworn there was nothing coming.  As soon as he was a few feet into the deserted road, headlights flared up at him and flew towards him.  Cursing, he jumped out of the way and bolted for Kitt.  The ghost car cut him off, keeping him in the middle of the road.

“Kitt!”  Michael cried, frightened now.  “I need a little help buddy!”

Kitt’s engine came to life and he pulled out into the street.  At his movement, the driver of the car cutting Michael off jumped out and pulled a gun.  He put the muzzle right against Michael’s temple.  Kitt’s scanner moved slowly back and forth as he assessed the situation.

 

_______________________

 

Rusti leaned forward in her seat, staring at the man holding the gun to Michael’s head.  “Ooo, if only I was a little older.”

“Hush.  Sit back so I can concentrate.”

Rusti complied. 

The man threatening Michael sneered.  “What’s that really neat thing you can do car?”

“’Really neat thing’?”  Kitt asked.

“You know, shift shape, change form.  Why don’t you show me that?”

“Why should I?”

“Because if you don’t, I’ll blow his brains all over the street.”

“Daddy?”  Rusti whispered.  “I won’t go anywhere.  I’ll be right next to you.”

“It’s a trap.  I can smell it.  He wants me to switch form so he can get to you more easily.”

“But Mikie…”

“I know, honey, I know.”

“Please Daddy.  If they do take me, you can at least get me back.  If he pulls the trigger, you won’t get Michael back.”

“Rusti…” Pain filled Kitt’s voice.  He was torn with indecision.

“I’m gonna get out,” she warned.

As she tugged on the door handle, Kitt locked his doors.  “No.”

Rusti tried to pull up the lock.

“Don’t you dare young lady.  I will tan your hide.”

“Just do it Dad!”

The four-year-old’s commanding tone shook Kitt.  It was at that moment that he sorely wished he’d taken Devon up on his offer to adopt her to a wonderful boring little family that would take excellent care of her.  She was in danger everywhere she went just because she was his daughter.

“Please Daddy, he’ll kill Michael.”

“And they’ll hurt you.”

“But they won’t kill me.”

Kitt hesitated for a moment, then changed form, cradling Rusti close to his chest.  “All right.  I switched form for you, now let him go.”

“I just want one more thing.”

Kitt lowered his head and growled, tightening his grip on Rusti.  Rusti responded in kind, wrapping her tiny arms around his neck.  “If it’s what I think it is, there will be no way on this earth.”

The man gave Kitt a stupid smile.

The shepherd puppy that had been sleeping in Kitt’s back seat, who was now sitting on the ground, turned around and stood up, looking behind Kitt, her fur on end, making her look more like a little black and tan cotton ball than she ever had.  She was growling a ferocious, serious, little puppy growl, her tail curled over her back.

Kitt turned.  A silver wolf with blue eyes stood behind him, grinning like the devil.  It took a step forward and the little puppy flew at it, latching onto its ear.  It flirted its head and tossed the pup aside, then lunged forward and grabbed the back of Kitt’s thigh.  His other foot came around and kicked it in the head.  Only slightly fazed, it came back and nearly ham-stringed him the second time.  Kitt dropped to the pavement on one knee, losing his grip on Rusti at the same time. 

“Daddy!”  Rusti howled as the wolf snatched her up by her shirt.

“NO!”  Kitt lunged for the wolf, ready to snap its neck, but the man that had been holding Michael at gunpoint unceremoniously introduced him to the butt of the handgun. 

Kitt dropped like a stone, groaning in pain. 

The wolf and the man hopped into the car they’d used to cut Michael off from safety and drove away, leaving Michael to see to his wounded partner and the dazed little shepherd pup.

 

_______________________

 

Bonnie sighed as she laid another icepack on Kitt’s head.  “I can’t believe some of the trouble you get you and the people around you into Michael.”

Michael shoved his hands into his pockets and looked down at Kitt, laid out on the bed in the semi.  He looked tired, terrified and heartbroken.  “I have an idea Bonnie.”

“Oh?”

“Yeah.  Let’s pretend that I already feel terrible about it and you don’t need to rub it in any more.”

Kitt cracked a smile.  “Lighten up on him Bonnie.  It wasn’t his fault.”

“But Kitt, they took Rusti.”

“I know.”

“You don’t seem to worried about it.”

“Well, yes I am and no I’m not.  Do you remember that wolf necklace we got her?”

“Yes.”

“Well, I had a technician put a tracking beacon in it and she was wearing it tucked under her shirt when they took her.  We will find her.”

“But you’re in no condition to go anyplace.  Look at you.  That wolf nearly crippled you.”

“If the wound transfers when I switch back to my natural form, it will be easily fixed.”

Bonnie looked doubtful.  “And if it doesn’t?”

“Then I’ll stay in car form until this is over, then heal.”

Bonnie opened her mouth, ready to protest, until Devon placed a hand on her shoulder.  “Will you both give Kitt and I a minute?”

Michael and Bonnie looked at each other, then at Devon and moved off to another part of the semi.

"I suppose you're going to tell me 'I told you so'?"  Kitt readjusted his icepack and sat up on the bed.

"In a way, yes."

Kitt sighed and frowned.  "Then I don't want to hear it.  Take it somewhere else."

Devon faltered.  "Now Kitt…"

"I wasn't kidding Devon.  Don't start in on me.  I don't want to hear it.  I'm worried and irritated enough as it is without your help."

Devon blinked, then frowned as well.  "Now Kitt-"

Kitt eased over on his side, facing the wall, closed his eyes and totally ignored Devon. 

 

__________________________

 

Demon held Rusti down as the little girl writhed and struggled.  "Be still you little snake.  The good doctor only wants to meet you."

Jinx looked across the car seat at Demon.  He opened his mouth to speak, but she bared her teeth at him.  Rusti kicked the she-wolf in the stomach, still squirming.  Demon lowered her head and bit the little girl on the arm, hard.  Rusti still refused to scream and continued to struggle.  Finally, Demon resorted to laying on her, using her sheer weight to hold Rusti down.  Rusti turned to pulling fur and ears. 

"You little rat!"  Demon snarled. 

She picked Rusti up and flung her against the sedan's back glass.  That did the trick.  Knocked unconscious, Rusti slumped into the back seat.

 

__________________________

 

After Devon had gone, Kitt got up and limped over to the computer.  He had almost recognized the man that held Michael at gunpoint.  He turned the machine on and began searching their logs.  As he searched, the little shepherd pup that had tried to take on a full grown wolf reared up on his good leg.

"Hi little one.  Do you need food or water?"

The pup sneezed, crouched down and hopped up into Kitt's lap. 

"OK, just for now.  When you get older you'll be too big to be a lap dog."

The pup curled into a tight little ball of fluff and went to sleep. 

"Maybe Rusti should name you Blitz."

The pup stirred a little but didn't awaken.

Kitt sighed and resumed his search.  Minutes later, he hit on a photo.  Matthew Jinx.  It was him all right.  A further search revealed that he was working for a man named Dr. Terry Zvyago.  The name gave Kitt shudders.  Zvyago had a history of animal cruelty.  Experimenting in bionics and odd genetics with his subjects.  If that's where his daughter had been taken, he didn't have time for repairs or healing.  He had to get her back as soon as he could. 

"What'd ya find pal?"  Michael put his hand on Kitt's shoulder.

"Michael, we have to leave, now."

"But Kitt, you need attention."

"No time for that.  We have to find these people now.  They might have kidnapped Rusti for experimental purposes."

Michael stared at Kitt.  "You can't be serious."

"Michael please.  If you aren't with me I will go on my own.  I will not leave her to try and defend herself against such a criminal.  Are you with me?"

Michael waved to Kitt's usual spot in the semi.  "Switch back buddy, I'll back you up."

Kitt laid the pup aside and switched form.  No one noticed the black car slip silently out into the night.

 

___________________________

 

 

Rusti came around as she was being carried inside a creepy old building.  It smelled like a cross between a basement and a dog kennel.  She struggled a little, but her head hurt and she was still dizzy.  It didn't hurt as much when she just hung still.  The silver she-wolf dragged her across the cold concrete to what looked like an office.  There she was dropped.

"Dr. Zvyago," the wolf called.  "We have her."

A creepy-looking little bald man gimped out of the office and knelt over Rusti's still form.  Terror held the little girl in place.

"Ah, the half-breed."

Rusti wanted to twist the little man's crooked nose right off his gaunt little face.  "I'm not a half-breed.  Daddy says I'm all American."

The man chuckled.  "All American you may be, my dear sweet child, but you are part car.  You have at least half of everything your 'daddy' has, if not more, which makes you very strong and very intelligent.  It warrants a closer look."

"What if I don't wanna let you have a closer look?"

"I'm afraid you don't have much of a choice child.  Seti, Ramses."

Two more wolves, both darkly colored, but not quite black, eased up beside the doctor with feline-like grace.  "Yes?"

"Prepare a place for her to stay for the rest of the night.  She will need what sleep she can get in the days to come."

Seti, the larger one of the pair, padded over to Rusti and picked her up.  That was when she realized that the two creatures we're really wolves, but a cross between a black panther and a wolf.  They had longish but thick muzzles, pointed wolf ears, long whiskers, cat-like eyes, round pupils, and a thick ruff starting just behind their ears.  The ruff extended down their necks and thinned out between their shoulders.  The body was a slimmed down cat's body, but not quite as long.  Their legs were like a big cat's.  Stocky and powerful, not corded, thin and nervous with vein and muscle like Demon's.  Their paws were cat's paws, right down to their retractable claws.  And to top it all off, they had long bushy tails, like foxes or a cat's tail with wolf-like fur.  Most of the fur covering their bodies was long like a wolf's, but not as long as the ruff on their neck and shoulders.

When Rusti realized just what was carrying her, fear became a very real part of her emotions.  Just what sort of man had she been kidnapped by?