The Night of the Nazgul Ring

[giant_among_men]

Miguelito Loveless had spent days studying the Nazgul ring that he had retained after Dumbledore had stolen the One Ring i_am_shiny away from him. Indignation over that incident still burned him, but Loveless was a patient man. He would have his revenge, even if it took weeks, months, or even years. In fact, through his decades' long study of alchemy,

Comments

[ki2k]

That's exactly what I'd rather he not know just now, thank you.

Oh? Why? Do you have something to hide?

My name is Artemus Gordon. I'm an agent for the U.S. Secret Service. I want to help you!

Something about the badge flips a switch in KITT's mind... a badge... law enforcement officers carried badges... right? And weren't law enforcement officers generally dedicated to - upholding the law? If Artie was in a cage, and he was a law enforcement officer, did that mean...? No. Not Loveless. Loveless would never do anything like that, would he? KITT was suddenly very confused, and he felt as though a haze was being lifted from his CPU. He scanned Artie again. The man's vitals were slightly elevated, but not abnormally so, and he appeared calm. There was nothing to indicate that he was not telling the truth. He radiated sincerity. If this man was saying that he wanted to help KITT... did that mean that he was in trouble?? Suddenly distressed, he once again spoke to the man standing before him, much more softly now.

You're a Secret Service Agent? You want to help me? Have I done something wrong?

*very quietly*

Do you know what's happening here?

[artemus_gordon]

Artie breathed a small sigh of relief as he pocketed his ID badge.

I want to help you because I believe you're just as much a prisoner as I am. I don't know how you got here, or what Loveless has done to make you cooperate with him, but I can tell you from experience - he does not have the best of intentions.

He's planning to create an army -- an army of YOU, only with his insane mind imprinted on each and every one. There isn't much time. Voltaire could come back at any minute and we have to get out of here. But first . . . I have to stop Loveless from completing his plan.

[ki2k]

*listens, incredulous*

An army??? Of me? Me? With his mind? On my personality engrams? Oh my! What? How? Did I... Did I help him? I can't remember... everything is so... fuzzy... The last thing I remember is being at Draco's party, and... OH!! Draco! Where is Draco?!? Is he all right???

[artemus_gordon]

Artie is sympathetic.

I've fallen victim to a few of the good Doctor's drugs myself in the past. Sounds to me as if he found a way to drug you as well. I'm sorry, I don't know about Draco. When I woke up in the cage I was alone. I suspect Loveless only took you and not your friend. He's nothing if not efficient.

Artie looks anxiously toward the door. He thinks he hears the distant sound of footsteps.

I promise to help you look for your friend once we're out of here. But we're running out of time. I'm going to try to upset Loveless' applecart.

He pivots to look at the bank of machinery and wires along the wall. That looks like a good enough place to start.

Artie makes his way along KITT and picks up a heavy mechanics wrench off the floor as he goes, fully intent on smashing as much equipment as he can.

[ki2k]

Sounds to me as if he found a way to drug you as well. I'm sorry, I don't know about Draco. When I woke up in the cage I was alone. I suspect Loveless only took you and not your friend. He's nothing if not efficient.

*almost to himself*

The Ring...! If I could be assured that Loveless only took me, that would at least be some small comfort. *scans* I'm only picking up three humans - you, Loveless, and one other, not Draco. *sounds slightly relieved* Thank you for offering to help find him, but if he's not here, I will assume for the time being that he is safely at the estate.

*dryly*

Yes. Loveless is efficient indeed.

...we're running out of time. I'm going to try to upset Loveless' applecart... That looks like a good enough place to start.

Do you need any help?

[artemus_gordon]

Artie paused and looked at KITT.

By all means! Can you move on your own? No, never mind. Of course you can. If you can talk then surely you can move.

Feel free to help smash some of this equipment, but keep an eye out for Voltaire. He'll come running the minute he hears the commotion. And be careful! There's no telling what other nasty surprises Loveless has got around here. And speaking of Loveless . . . about time we disturbed his beauty rest, don't you think?

Jumping up, Artie takes the heavy wrench and begins to attack one of the computers to which Loveless is currently wired.

[ki2k]

Suddenly feeling very upset and foolish, KITT follows Artie's lead and aims himself at the nearest wall of equipment, smashing into it and taking it out, the equipment spilling down over his hood and onto the floor. Turning, he scans for his next target, heedless of the approaching footsteps. He watches Artie curiously for just a moment, then proceeds to smash another bank of equipment, even as the footsteps draw closer.

[giant_among_men]

Stop that! Oooh!

*Loveless starts to disentangle himself from all of the electrodes that are connecting him to the computer system. He wasn't quite finished creating the prototype of the duplicate AI, but escape was starting to look very much like the better part of valor. He didn't retreating, but he hated to see all of his equipment being ruined.*

KITT, I thought that we were friends!

[ki2k]

*bitter*

Yes. I could have said the same thing. You used me.

[giant_among_men]

You wouldn't have helped me of your own accord! No one ever helps me willingly! But together KITT, you and I together will have created a superior lifeform! The best merge of man and machine!

Help me now, KITT!

Loveless is so intent on talking to KITT directly that he has temporarily forgotten that he's wearing the Nazgul ring. He no longer wants to force KITT to work for him. Now that he has had a few moments of direct mental contact with the copy of KITT's AI, Loveless feels as if he actually is KITT's friend.

[ki2k]

You wouldn't have helped me of your own accord! No one ever helps me willingly! But together KITT, you and I together will have created a superior lifeform! The best merge of man and machine!

*tightly*

Did it ever occur to you, just once, to ASK? If you had talked to me, explained your ideas to me, rather than just assuming the worst of me, I might have been not only willing, but able to assist you with some ideas of my own. But now...

*pauses, chilled*

A superior lifeform? A... merge? Are you talking about a... cyborg?

Help me now, KITT!

Help you? With what? Escape? Why would I do that?

*sees the Ring glinting on Loveless' finger*

All right. I will help you escape. For a price.

*deadly calm*

I want that Ring.

[giant_among_men]

The Ring?

Loveless' expression darkened. He had forgotten about the Ring and had actually assumed that he and KITT were talking as equals...of a sort. But now...

You want the Ring? Do you think that I would give this to you? Never!

[ki2k]

In anger, KITT lunges for Loveless, but Loveless is slightly faster and scoots away, just out of reach, even as KITT's programming kicks in and pulls him up short, centimeters from where Loveless had been just a moment previously. He rages incoherently for a moment, but then his attention is drawn to a huge man, who appears to be holding a hapless Artie by the throat!

[giant_among_men]

Loveless had been in an almost meditative state as he "downloaded" his thought patterns and memories into the computer. For a time, he had almost fancied that he could actually feel his own mind contacting the copy of the KITT artificial intelligence that he had created. It was an incredible, pure, life-altering sensation: pure intellect communicating with pure intellect, freed for once of the pain that haunted him day and night. This -- this was what he had always longed for! His mind was free!

Then, in a horror of sparks and sudden glaring sound, Loveless found his mind severed from the A.I. and he felt himself plunged back into the world of sensation. He opened his eyes and saw Artemus Gordon--and how did he get free?--smashing away at the computers that Loveless had so carefully stolen. All of his work was being destroyed!

GORDON! he yelled in a voice that shook with rage.

At virtually the same moment, Voltaire came back into the garage, carrying an armload of glass.

Don't just stand there, Voltaire! Help me!

[artemus_gordon]

"Ah, ah, ah! Temper, temper!"

Artie delivers another healthy whack to the delicate machinery. The sound of shattering glass brought him around to see Voltaire lumbering toward him, hands outstretched.

With the heavy wrench in one hand, Artie quickly fished for the pellet of knockout gas he'd hidden in his belt. Skipping backward over pieces of broken metal and wires, Artie threw the pellet to the floor at the giant's feet. He covers his face with his sleeve as a concentrated cloud of red gas instantly billows upward, surrounding Voltaire.

[giant_among_men]

Loveless scrambled down from the chair and then dodged behind it. With barely a glance towards his hapless assistant Voltaire, he reached up and pressed a button on one of the computer panels that Gordon had not yet smashed.

It doesn't matter if you destroy all of this equipment, Gordon! I have copies! We shall see each other again!

Loveless did cast one last, seemingly regretful look at KITT, and then he ducked into a very small doorway that had opened in the garage wall. The doorway closed behind him, and he was gone.