Bonnie had almost given up trying to locate Michael and Kitt when the
homing signal began to respond.  Now that she had found them, she wasn't
liking the view a hundred yards away.
 Kitt was parked on the sand, facing the water, just out of reach of the
tide and Michael was lying on his back, arms crossed behind his head on his
hood.
 "Don't you think lying there is a little risky?" She asked angrily as she
walked up behind the black car.
  Michael started, this had been the closest he'd been to sleep in three
days.  He calmed his temper before speaking.  "It's safe.  There are no
hills or dunes for miles.  The only way to reach us is from the road or the
ocean.  Kitt would be able to physically see anyone approaching long before
I was in range.  I *did* think about this."  He turned an angry stare at his
co worker, "I'm not ready to die just yet."  With that he turned his head
back into his crossed arms and closed his eyes.
 "Look, I'm sorry to disturb you, but Devon asked me to find you,  since
Kitt wouldn't respond to any calls, I came out looking for you.   You're
needed back at the estate."
 "Why?"
 "Something has come up."
 Michael, realizing that this was all the information he was going to get
rolled off his spot with an exasperated sigh and climbed into the car.

 "I'm sorry for not answering Bonnie's calls, but...."
 "Hey, don't worry about it.  I appreciate what you did.  It's the most
relaxed I've felt in a few days.  I think you're going to end up getting an
earful when we get back though."  He did feel a little better after this
break.  He and Kitt had searched high and low for someplace fairly safe.
The beach had always been a favorite and lying on Kitt's warm hood, letting
his mind go blank, if even for a few minutes, did the trick.  Now life was
staring him in the face again and he had a bad feeling.

 "Devon..."  Michael froze as he noticed his rather disheveled parents
standing off to the side in his boss's office.  "Mom, Dad?"  His mother came
to him, hugging him.
 From behind him, Devon's voice filled him in, "they were involved in a
house fire a few hours ago.  No one was hurt, but a great deal of property
damage occurred as a result."  The older man as unable to believe the
jealousy that was assaulting him as he watched Michael with is parents.
 "Has anyone looked into it?"  Michael asked, turning from his mother.
 "Not as yet."  Knowing exactly where this was leading, he tried to postpone
Michael leaving for a moment, feeling a little possessive. "We've been
keeping tabs on them since you first went to see them, just as you asked."
  "Who discovered the fire?"
 "They did," Devon motioned to the couple now sitting across the office.
"The 911 call alerted Bonnie.  She went to pick them up."
 "Oh boy, you've been talking to Bonnie?  What horrible things did she say
about me this time?"  Michael turned with a knowingly sheepish look on his
face.
 "Something about you constantly damaging her baby." Devon began to realize
where Michael picked up his bantering skills.
 "I'm never going to live this down am I?" Michael turned back to Devon, "do
they have somewhere to stay?"
 "Bonnie's  going about fixing a suite for them."  He smiled, knowing
Michael would do the same for him.
 "I'm on my way then."
 "Michael, be careful, we don't know what triggered the fire."
 "Understood, I'll have Kitt do a full scan before I even get out of the
car." He nodded towards his parents before leaving.

 "Is this what he's like now?"  Dorothy, Michael's mother, asked of Devon
after she heard the engine start outside.
 "Typically yes, why?"
 "I just want to know my son again.  Can you understand that? "
 "I understand you not wanting to lose him again." The Englishman read into
her thoughts, surprising her into silence.

 "I detect nothing unusual,"  Kitt spoke up as they stopped the car in front
of the charred framework of what once was a house.
 "Is it structurally sound?"
 "I believe so, I'll keep scanning through your comlink as you move through
the building."
 "Let me know if you pick up anything that might have started this."
 "Will do, Michael."  Kitt watched as his friend slowly entered what was
left of the building.  Following Michael he began a thorough scan. "Michael,
I'm picking up traces of natural gas."
 "From downstairs?"
 "I'm not sure, why do you ask?"
 "The furnace is natural gas powered.  I'll head down there.  Is the
structure still holding?"
 "I wouldn't recommend making any loud noises or start jumping jacks,
otherwise I believe you're safe."
 "Believe?  Oh, that gives me such a feeling of confidence here."
 "I've picked up something."  Michael had just reached the bottom of the
stairs when Kitts voice came over the comlink.  There was very little left
for any kind of recognition.
 "The fire must have started here.  I can barely tell where anything was."
 "Move towards your right, to what seems to be the intake for the furnace."
Michael did as he was asked, sweeping the watch over the bottom section of
the metal casing.
 "What are you picking up?"
 "Remains of plastic, rubber, chemicals left after an intense fire, I won't
confuse you with the technical names. Traces of bubble gum.."
 "Whoa, wait a minute, can you tell how long that gum's been there?"
 "It's fairly recent from the lack of decay, that would show up even after
an intense fire."
 "Look for traces of cellulose."
 "There is a small amount, overlapping the gum.  What are you thinking?
 Michael stood, angry at what he'd just learned.  "It's an old trick.
Cellulose,gunpowder and paper.  It makes a wonderful incendiary device.  You
use the gum to stick it to wherever you want to start the fire.  It's
usually untraceable.  But I know that no one in this house chews gum."
 "So this was deliberate."
 "Yes.  Someone is following us Kitt."
 "That is not a comforting feeling."
 "Have you picked up anything else?  Maybe look for the same compounds?"
 "Nothing," came the response a few seconds later.
 "So they most likely weren't out to kill them."
 "Is this what they refer to as scare tactics?"
 "Yes, but directed at who Kitt?  Them or us?"

part six