One More Knight Please

Chapter 13: Not so Loyal Knight

"Sure thing." He said, stepping into my apartment. "This is quite a nice place you got here." He said, trying to make conversation.
"Thanks, I only got this apartment because it's close to my workplace," I said as I walked to the kitchen to get a vase of water for the roses.
"Where do you work?" He asked.
"Private," I said. I didn't want to tell him I worked for the Foundation because nowadays, that's like a death sentence to your job.
"Oh, I see." He said.
I didn't feel like I had a crush on him, or at least, I didn't think. He didn't strike the same way my middle school crushes had, instead, I just felt comfortable around him, like he was someone I could trust. I did trust him, if I didn't I wouldn't have invited him to my house.
"So what's a pretty girl like you doing out here all alone?" He asked as he seated himself at my kitchen table.
"A series of fortunate, and unfortunate events," I said.
I didn't want to tell him the truth. That being that F.L.A.G. moved from California to Chicago.
"Like what?" He said.
"Well, my family came up here from California, that's the main reason," I said, partially telling the truth. I was born in California, but I was so young I don't remember any of it at all.
"I've always wanted to go down to California." He started. "But being a member of a small family on a farm, without much money, I never really had a chance."
"So you are like Bo Duke." I joked.
"I guess you could say that," he responded.
"So how'd you come up with the money to buy a Trans-Am?" I asked.
"I didn't, our neighbor found it a rusted mess and gave it to us. I fixed it up and it became my show car." He explained.
"That must have been a heck of a lot of work, especially with how... brilliant it looks," I said, signaling for him to sit down at my dining room table.
"It was, but I'd take fixing a car til' it's new again over buying one new any day." He said.
"Are you hungry?" I asked, walking back to my kitchen.
I had a small apartment, so the kitchen, living room, and dining area were all in the same room.
"I could eat, but don't go through the trouble of fixing something just for me." He said.
"Don't worry, I only have leftovers," I explained.
He let out a soft chuckle. Oh, his laugh was adorable. There it is, I'm head over heels for someone I just met. I heated two slices of lasagna my mother had delivered when she visited not too long ago. I love my mother's lasagna. I don't know how, or why, but her cooking was always 1000 times better than mine.
"Susan, I gotta ask, why did you invite me over?" He asked as I returned from the kitchen with the two dishes.
"Hot car, Chicago, might as well give it a shot," I said, jokingly.
"Is that really why?" He asked.
"No, I thought I might as well take a chance, I mean, what better thing do I have to do," I said, more seriously.
"That's fair." He said.
"I haven't been entirely honest with you," I said as I watched him begin to eat.
"About what?' He asked, dabbing the sauce off of his face with a napkin.
"My job," I said.
"What about it?" He said, his voice light and caring.
"It's a private Foundation," I said.
"Like in Knight Rider?" He asked.
"Exactly like Knight Rider," I said. Some people may not know this, but Knight Rider was created to show off the Foundation's abilities, and advertise it. But in 1986, when Kitt was decommissioned for the first time, it ended. Most people ended up thinking the show was fictional, but it wasn't. Although there were parts that weren't true, like in Junkyard Dog, Kitt was never destroyed in acid, that was just something we created to show off what would have happened. I haven't watched the full series of Knight Rider, but I have watched the first few episodes.
"What do you mean by that?" He asked.
"I work for the Foundation for Law And Government," I said.
His eyes widened.
"So you work with Kitt?" He asked, intrigued.
"Not quite," I answered, then paused to take a bit of my lasagna. "I work with data and analytics, but sometimes I fix some of our robots."
"How many robots are there now?" He questioned.
"Simply put, a lot," I said, avoiding the question. There are some things that I am not allowed to disclose to some people, like our robots. I probably shouldn't have even told him that I worked for F.L.A.G. But who was he going to tell?
"So, who does work with Kitt?" He said after a while.
"Currently, nobody," I answered.
"Where is he now?" He asked.
"What is your last name?" I asked, ignoring his question.
"Berio." He answered.
"Get out," I commanded.
"What why?"
"OUT!" I raised my voice.
"Okay fine, sorry I even asked." He said, escorting himself out the door. He promptly shut it, with a loud THUD!
I sat back down on my bed. I ruined it. My only chance at a relationship since high school was thrown in the garbage. I felt warm tears forming in my eyes. Had I done the right thing? What if he had just wanted to be friends with me, and I threw it in the trash?
I decided to text Kitt.
"Guess what." I messaged. The three bubbles popped up, indicating that he was typing, then disappeared as the message appeared.
"What? Are you okay? Was Bowie not what he said he was?" Kitt said.
"First, how did you know Bowie was over, secondly, he was not who he said he was."
"I tapped into your phone."
"He is a Berio, and why did you tap into my phone," I said
"I wanted to make sure you were safe," Kitt explained.
"Thank You?" I responded.
"Why the question mark?"
"Because that is a little creepy, ngl."
"What does ngl stand for?"
"Not gonna lie."
"Is there a lot I missed when it comes to pop culture?" Kitt asked.
"A whole truckload," I responded.
"Well anyway, back to the Berio scenario, do you think he was spying?" Kitt said.
"What better would he be doing?" I said.
"What did you tell him?"
"Nothing important that could get you taken away," I answered.
"Be honest Susan, did you, as they say, 'have feelings for him'?" He asked.
"I'm not sure actually. I didn't get all fluttery around him like I did my middle school crushes, but then again, I trusted him a little too much." I replied.
"So you think that trust you had formed in him was a result of 'falling in love' with him?" Kitt said.
"Why do you care so much anyway?" I asked.
"Because Susan, this is perfect for my understanding of human emotions, there is one that most people describe as indescribable. Love. So I thought maybe you would walk me through it with your relationship with Bowie." He responded.
"So you're taking advantage of me?" I asked.
"I wouldn't put it that way, but in a way, yes." He replied.
I put my phone down. I wanted to text Bo, but I was scared. Maybe he thinks I'm crazy now. I mean, I did just yell at him to leave, even though he was nice to me. I hope when this whole Berio thing is done with, I'll have another shot at him.
I picked up my phone again and messaged Kitt once more. "What even is the deal with Berio electronics?" I asked him.
"They were the Foundation's biggest enemy. They wanted all the technology we had, and it got to the point where they kidnapped me, and changed my program, trying to get me to kill Micheal. They wanted me to crash into a building so they could say that I was nothing but a faulty piece of machinery to go to the scrapyard. But obviously, Micheal caught on and stopped them in their tracks." He responded.
"Why are they still going at it?" I asked.
"Some people never learn Susan." He answered.
I was about to put my phone down again when the bubbles popped up that said he was typing.
"Susan, it is late, you have work tomorrow. I recommend you get some rest, especially after the night you just had." He messaged
"Yeah, I will, good night," I responded.
"Good night."
I put my phone on my nightstand where my lamp let off a soft glow that illuminated the whole room. I looked over at the dining room table, where the plates were still out, then at the kitchen counter, where the roses were in the vase. Why did I have to freak out on him? What is wrong with me? I decided I would clean up tomorrow, and rest now. I pulled the warm and soft covers over me and turned off the lamp. Darkness flooded the room as I slowly drifted off to sleep.