We landed in LA, now in my time, yet not my world. I could tell that McQueen didn't like that, I didn't either. But I had to keep my cover under all costs.
"And now we should find a repair shop for you. Your temperature is way too high than it should be, and I don't want you busted in any way."
I only got a huff in return, but at least he was nice enough to plan a route, that I now drove. It was refreshing to just drive without any mission or something like that. 'Ovaload' was playing in the background, keeping me relaxed. After ten minutes we arrived. I parked in front of the repair shop and got out. As soon as I had locked McQueen I got in.
Three or four people were currently working on the only car in there, an Audi A3. I leaned on the entrance and waited for someone not busy to ask if someone or me could take a look at the cooler. Five minutes passed until a guy, around thirty, came up to me.
"Can I help you?" he asked with a more grumpy tone.
"If you have time that is. I'd need an inspection of my cooler. The car has been getting way too hot while driving, and I doubt it's the water."
He did seem surprised to get so much info, but told me to just drive the car in. And so I did. All of them looked at McQueen, surprised and in awe.
"Where'd you pick him up? Ah, sorry, it."
"I got him from my dad as soon as I was old enough. Well, he certainly is old enough, too," I added with a slight smirk.
"You know how old he is? H-"
I cut him off.
"He's been built 1986. 33 years old and fully restored. Sport-chassis has been built in by us. I have filled up the water just a few weeks ago."
He was probably not prepared for so much info.
"Then I'd say something leaks. How old are the hoses?"
"Around six years old. Could it really be them?"
"Either that or one of the linking rubber parts. How old are they?"
"I can't remember.
"Then we should check on them. But first we need to wait for the engine to cool down."
"Thank you. How much will it cost?"
"Depends on whether or not we have to exchange one of the parts. Probably just an hour though, so you can lean back for a while."
"Yo. Will do, thanks!" and with that I walked to a nearby bench. I could see McQueen from there and could read a book. Which I did.

After an hour someone came up to me. It was one of the employees there.
"Ma'am, your car is ready. Some of the hoses weren't properly in."
I stood up and walked to the store.
"Thank you."
I smiled at him before going to who I had talked to before.
"I'm sorry, but what will it cost now?"
"Just fifty bucks."
It took me a few seconds to get what he meant, and I gave him the money.
"Thank you very much."
Then I got in and drove away.
"They wanted to steal me! Chlara, we have to tell the police!" I heard McQueen's voice. He sounded enraged.
"Wait, what? What did you hear, do you have a recording?"
He did. And the recording also told me that he wasn't the first nor the last. But me constantly watching them and being near there stopped them.
"Dammit... We'll go immediately, though how to explain the recording...?"
"Well, we probably should tell them about my AI. Then we'll see," his now calm voice told me.
It was kind of funny how he managed to calm me down with just his presence.
"You're right. Make a DVD out of it."
A few seconds and he told me:
"Done."
"Great. Do we have a case?"
"Yup. Look into the pistol-compartment."
I found it and put the DVD in. Just in case, literally. We continued to drive there.
"Chlara, wait. Look into the glove-box."
I did and found a new, no, my old Comlink and earrings.
"How did they get here?"
"Do you have ninety minutes? But jokes aside, Blackmill retrieved them and made us a new channel. You won't be able to be contacted by anyone else though, nor detected. Sorry..."
"Eh, it's not your fault."
I put everything on. Felt good.

Twenty minutes and we finally arrived. I parked, locked the doors and got in, WITH the DVD. I walked at the front desk.
"What can we do for you, ma'am?" a good looking woman asked.
"I nearly got my car stolen and overheard that it wasn't the first one to be stolen at that repair shop," I spoke with a calm tone.
She raised an eyebrow.
"Do you have any evidence?"
"Yes I do. May I speak to someone about this? It is rather... I can't think of an appropriate word."
"I'll try to get someone. If you could please sit down."
"Of course. Thank you for your time."

Fifteen minutes of waiting until someone arrived and asked for me. And yes I could tell, because the lady pointed at me.
"I'm sorry, are you the woman with the car?"
"I am. Chlara Mistić. I have evidence to support my claim, officer."
"That is good. Please come with me, we'll talk about this further somewhere else." he looked at me and gestured me to follow him. He didn't lose his serious attitude and we both walked up. I wasn't as nervous as I should have been. Then we arrived at a room completely shut off of any other room. He told me to sit down and I began to tell him. I could tell he was thinking I was crazy when I told him who had told me, but lost that when I told him why McQueen could tell me.
"Ma'am, we do need proof of an AI and the said things. I'm sorry."
"No need to apologize. I wouldn't believe it either. The proof for the stolen cars is on this DVD, the proof for the AI in my car. Quite literally."
"I'll ask a more technical experienced colleague to look at that. I will have a look on the DVD. Please wait here."
I simply nodded, gave it to him and waited for his colleague after he had gone. A few minutes passed and a woman came in. She was maybe in her late twenties and seemed excited, she could not hide it very well though.
"Um, hi! I'm Ella Lopez! Mar- I mean officer Hill told me about the AI."
I smiled at her. No, she wasn't my favorite character out of Lucifer, how would you ever think that?
"Nice to meet you, Miss Lopez! I'm Chlara Mistić."
I shook her hand.
"I'll show you the car in question. If you would follow me please."
I was surprised myself at how calm I could be. But on the inside I was just as excited. I could finally tell somebody about McQueen! I took her outside to the long Siebener that I've grown to love so much.
"Miss Lopez? This is McQueen, a 750i from 1986. McQueen, this is... Ella Lopez, right?"
She could only let out a humm.
"Pleasure to meet you! I don't need an introduction, but I will do it anyway. I'm McQueen, an Oldtimer with AI. Can you tell how much Knight Rider Chlara has watched?" he added with a joking tone.
I lightly hit the door with the backside of my hand.
"McQueen!"
"Love you too."
Ella seemed like she was in heaven.
"Wow... Are you for real?"
"Well, considering Chlara just hit me physically, yes. Do you want a drive?"
She looked at us both, her eyes glowing.
"May I!?"
I just unlocked the door and got on the other side in. She excitedly got in.
"As you can see, Chlara loved my dashboard too much to turn it into something similar to KITT or KARR. But I do have an AI rivaling them."
"McQueen, you are simply the best."
I turned the keys and the engine on. Ella looked more than just excited. I parked out and began to drive. We drove out of the city and I suddenly let go of anything. McQueen even moved my seat back, making it impossible for me to get back to driving.
"What are you doing!?" Ella exclaimed, she seemed afraid.
"Leaving it to McQueen to drive."

Meanwhile at the Foundation, the others were arguing.
"Her signal was there! And a car similar to the BMW was there, too!"
Michael answered annoyed:
"KARR, leave it up to her to get them into jail. Please. If we show up, we'll blow her cover."
"How can we know she's safe!?" KARR's tone was frustrated.
"Because she was alone with you and got out of that just fine."
KARR was silent, but only for a few seconds.
"That may be, but they are more than her. She could easily be killed! Or worse!"
"Since when do you care anyway?"
"Since she trusted me and protected me! I have to pay it back."
"Didn't know you could feel empathy."
"Like I said, she protected me."
"Still. You aren't programmed for that."
"Are you sure?"
Now Michael was curious.
"What do you mean?"
"Look at my program. I may be able to assure you that no one except me can change it, but you all can have a look at it."
"I'll be right back," and with that Michael went out of the semi.

After half an hour we both arrived at the police station. The guy from before was now waiting for us in front of the door. We both got out, Ella with glowing eyes and he greeted us. After a short conversation he thanked McQueen and me for telling, and we said goodbye. Before I could get in though, Ella stopped me.
"Hey! Could I get your phone number?"
"Sure, why not?"
We exchanged numbers and said goodbye for real this time. But what would we be doing in the spare time? We didn't know, so we just drove around.

Michael came back with Bonnie.
"So you followed my advice?"
Bonnie looked a bit confused at Michael.
"What do you need?"
"Could you take a look at his programming?"
"Sure...?"
She set everything up and linked a monitor and keyboard with KARR's CPU. Michael stood next to them, leaning on KARR.
"... What?" Bonnie said under her breath. She was stunned.

If (in danger)
doCheck for ("Chlara Mistić");

"I don't know why or when I made this program, but it is there and causes me to be concerned. I can not delete it either."
Michael and Bonnie were stunned at this. They knew that KITT had something similar, but it always seemed unlikely with KARR. And his claim was true. It could not be deleted nor changed. It was there for eternity.
"Wow... I'm... Proud of you, KARR," Bonnie stated after a long pause. She would have never thought either of the cars could change themselves like that. Bonnie's statement though puzzled KARR. Why was Bonnie proud of him for a simple program? So he curiously asked:
"Why is that?"
"KARR, that means you care for someone, although it's not supposed to be this way. You evolved!"
"And?"
"KARR, what is your primary objective?"
"Self-preservation and protection of the human Chlara Mistić. If possible without harming someone else."
"Who made these changes in your programming?"
"I did."
"... That's really great."
"What is so great about that? I'm sorry, but I still don't understand..."
"You'll understand someday."
She unplugged everything and put it away.
"I'll be making coffee. If someone needs me, I'm just a call away."
And the brunette walked away.

And now, after an hour of me just walking around, I was really hungry. Thankfully McQueen showed me a place to get food. A pizzeria, and I headed right to it.