105 EXT. DOCK – NIGHT
Hedges and
106 INT. K.I.T.T. – UNDERWATER (EFX)
as the interior dome light flickers on, bubbles rolling over the windshield. It’s perfectly dry inside.
K.I.T.T.
I trust you two are all right, but there was no alternative. They’ll assume you drowned when you don’t come up right away.
MICHAEL
Yeah, me too. What gives?
K.I.T.T.
Despite this car’s shortcomings, the passenger compartment happens to be air tight. You have approximately twenty-five minutes of oxygen remaining.
Shawn nods, digesting it, the old Shawn briefly emerging.
SHAWN
I never would’ve thought of that. Forget all the nasty things I ever said about you, K.I.T.T.
There’s an abrupt electrical shorting sound.
K.I.T.T.
I’m afraid I already have.
Another crackle, sparks appearing under the hood outside creating bright smoke-filled bubbles.
MICHAEL
What’s going on?
K.I.T.T.
The rest of the car isn’t as watertight. I only have about thirty seconds of voice transmission left.
MICHAEL
K.I.T.T., if water gets into your motherboard…
K.I.T.T.
I know. I guess this is goodbye.
(beat)
I’m sure some of my chips will be salvageable, Shawn. Of course you’re welcome to pick and choose.
She tries to smile.
SHAWN
I’ll do that.
A big FLASH and bubbles from under the hood. The dome lights begin to flicker.
MICHAEL
K.I.T.T….you still there?
A pause.
K.I.T.T.
At the risk of sounding maudlin, I think you’re going to miss me, Miccchhhaaaelllll…..
His voice winds down like a record slowed by someone’s finger…then it stops for good. Silence. Shawn wants to say something, but nothing appropriate comes to mind. Michael stares out the windshield into black ocean…then the dome lights slowly flicker to black.
107
A stretcher bangs through the doors, pushed by
Hedges and
108 INT. ICU ROOM – CONTINUOUS
as the gurney pushes through, coming to a stop
with
A beat, the Dr. Glassman enters.
DR. GLASSMAN
Who are you?
Johnny Watts appears from the corner of the room and the question is answered. Glassman can’t hide his recognition of all of them.
I think you know exactly who we are.
Read the man’s DNA.
109 TIGHT ON RNA MONITOR (CLIPS FROM ORIGINAL PILOT)
THE ORIGINAL KNIGHT 2000, a sleek black Trans-Am, streaks by us on a desert plain. WILTON KNIGHT (Richard Basehart) briefly superimposes over this…
WILTON KNIGHT
One man can make a difference.
Wilton Knight disappears and the Trans Am metamorphoses into:
110 THE NEW KNIGHT 4000
coming straight for us, swerving just before collision. We instantly go:
111 INSIDE THE KNIGHT 4000 (PROCESS)
as the infrared image of the night highway streaks past us. It abruptly vanishes from the windshield, replaced by the following (CLIPS FROM THE ORIGINAL SERIES) :
QUICK FLASHES of
Michael, I came out here for two reasons: to see an old friend…and because I need his help.
COMMISSIONER DANIELS fills the windshield:
COMM. DANIELS
THE ASSISTANT’S FINGERS move over his wrist computer at ten times normal speed, then MADDOCK materializes:
MADDOCK
You don’t know the system like I do,
CLOSE ON
watching the RNA screen. Truly fascinated.
112 INT. ICU ROOM –
TIGHT ON
as
HEDGES
Well?
They have no hard proof. What the Knight Foundation knows consists of speculation and vague allusions.
HEDGES
You need the Doctor for anything else?
(shakes head)
It’s sad he’s going to become a victim of another senseless handgun shooting, isn’t it?
They understand, moving back to the control room
to retrieve Glassman.
Pleasant dreams.
113 TIGHT ON RNA MONITOR – INT. KNIGHT 4000 (PROCESS)
The inside windshield of THE KNIGHT 4000 appears again as we speed down the night highway…then it eerily washes out to a cottony white. The clouds clear…literally. We’re flying high in the sky, as if the Knight 4000 were an airplane.
114 INT. PRIVATE JET (ORIGINAL PILOT CLIP)
As
Shall we drink to what may be the start of…
MICHAEL
…What?
One man’s dream.
MICHAEL
And to our future, no matter who it may take us up against …or where.
As their glasses touch, the monitor begins to glow with a bright, radiating light, pulling us in….
115 INT. ICU ROOM –
CLOSE ON
As
DISSOLVE TO:
116 INT. CATHOLIC CHURCH – HIGH ANGLE – DAY
An ethereal pipe organ floats through the church, sunlight streaking through the stained glass. A mahogany coffin covered with flowers rests on the altar.
TRACKING DOWN THE AISLE
Maddock sits in the front row as a Priest whispers final prayers. Sitting in the same row are a tearful Sandy and fellow Knight Foundation Technicians. But no Michael or Shawn.
A few rows behind we find Mayor Abbey; across from him are Commissioner Daniels and her Assistant.
RETURN TO HIGH ANGLE
As the mourners begin to filter out, the service concluded. SLOWLY PAN AROUND TO FIND MICHAEL, taking it all in from the shadows of the upper balcony. Undeterminable grief is etched across his weary face. Michael Knight is more alone right now than at any point in is life.
117 INT. CHURCH FOYER – SAME TIME
As Daniels appears, spotting Maddock. For once, she stops her Assistant from tagging along as she approaches him.
COMM. DANIELS
I had respect for him.
Her eyes say she doesn’t hold the same respect for Maddock. Daniels continues away just as Mayor Abbey steps into view.
MAYOR ABBEY
I can’t tell you how sorry I am. I really liked the man.
Maddock nods. An awkward pause.
MAYOR ABBEY
I’ve decided not to renew your contract, Mr. Maddock. It’s already cost all of us too much.
MADDOCK
(very quietly)
Mayor Abbey, there’s a strong possibility your own police force is implicated with regard to the illegal handguns.
MAYOR ABBEY
Can you substantiate this claim?
MADDOCK
We’re very close. If you just give us some time…
MAYOR ABBEY
I see. Insinuation is not enough to justify your reinstatement, Mr. Maddock. I’m sorry.
Mayor Abby steps out the huge doors, facing a bevy of REPORTERS waiting on the church steps. Leaving Maddock stranded.
118 INT. KNIGHT WAREHOUSE – DAY
The smashed, rusted Volvo body of K.I.T.T. sits next to the pristine Knight 4000. Shawn stares at the car which saved her life as Maddock paces past her, eyes focused only on his creation.
MADDOCK
They still think you and Michael are at the bottom of the ocean. That and the 4000 will be our major assets.
SHAWN
But we’ve lost the franchise.
MADDOCK
More importantly, we’ve lost
(beat)
What about you?
SHAWN
Me neither.
He nods at her with respect, maybe for the first time.
MICHAEL
steps into view, slowly walking around K.I.T.T. He looks unshaven; a regression towards the man we saw climbing off his salmon skiff. He picks up his duffel bag full of tools.
MICHAEL
I promised
He heads for the door.
SHAWN
You can’t be serious about leaving now….
Michael continues on. Then Maddock angrily steps forward, blocking his path.
MADDOCK
I knew you could never hack it. God only knows
what
MICHAEL
Get out of my way.
MADDOCK
Gladly – you’re just as obsolete as that pile of
rust you wasted our time and money rebuilding, my friend. The only thing worse
is the foolish effort
Michael recoils with a punch to Maddock’s jaw, knocking him against his shiny red car. He stares at Maddock long and hard, ultimately walking away. Maddock wipes his bloody mouth…then looks at Shawn with disappointment. He didn’t want Michael to go either.
119 EXT. FERRY – AFTERNOON
Michael stands at the railing. Shawn walks up behind him, pulling up her collar against the salt breeze.
SHAWN
When we first met, I pegged you as a loser too. But I couldn’t have been more wrong.
Michael says nothing.
SHAWN
I had some of the Techies look K.I.T.T. over. They said he isn’t a total write-off. Maybe you can….
MICHAEL
Maybe you can.
SHAWN
Not alone I can’t. Yeah, Maddock’s an ass, but I really think he means well. Still, he’s not you.
(beat)
This is hard for me to admit…but in some ways you’re actually superior to me. You have common sense I don’t. I need you.
MICHAEL
How about if we dance together one last time at your senior prom?
That really hurt her…more than he wanted it to.
MICHAEL
Look…you don’t need me, and I don’t need you.
SHAWN
Oh yes you do. Only somebody hurting really bad would turn their back now.
He spins to face her, his anger, frustration and pain purging itself.
MICHAEL
Don’t you think I know what I’m walking
away from? Nobody cared about
Michael kicks the metal railing. Gets out his anger…or at least tries to. He leans on the edge, eyes closed. Shawn moves close to him.
SHAWN
Come back and help us, Michael. Help
MICHAEL
I tried. Look what it got him.
(beat)
He was wrong. One man can’t make a difference.
She follows his gaze out to sea.
SHAWN
I’m so good at research now…I knew I’d find the big reason why you gave up ten years ago. But guess what? I couldn’t. I think you just burned out. You lost your purpose.
His face doesn’t overly confirm it, but she’s right.
SHAWN
She exits, leaving Michael alone in the cold.
120 INT. KNIGHT
FOUNDATION –
As Maddock walks through the corridor, passing the bank of worldwide monitors…
U.S. Secretary of Defense Takashi Yokohama has unveiled plans to train military troops in computer warfare. All chocolate products must contain a Surgeon General’s Warning. Due to a five year backup of cases in the Supreme Court, People’s Court will not televise selected felony trials with home viewers faxing in their verdicts……
Life goes on, and so does Maddock.
Here’s the list of police-owned warehouses within county limits, Mr. Maddock.
He takes the sheet and a few more steps…then stops.
MADDOCK
Good work,
A bittersweet smile crosses her face as he continues on. Shawn steps from an office, joining him.
MADDOCK
Any word from him?
She shakes her head.
SHAWN
It’s been almost a week now. I don’t think he’s coming back.
They head towards the front door, passing the Security desk.
SHAWN
‘Night, Charlie.
Maddock takes another few steps…then stops.
MADDOCK
It certainly is.
Maddock moves to the surveillance display, zeroing in on the warehouse monitors. Everything looks normal. Almost.
SHAWN
What is it?
MADDOCK
There’s sunlight coming through those windows….
121 INT. KNIGHT WAREHOUSE – SAME TIME
…but it’s definitely nighttime, the windows dark. Maddock and Shawn appear on the upper ramp, staring down at us.
ADJUST TO FIND MICHAEL, sliding out from under the front end of the Knight 4000. His Volvo, or what’s left of it, is scattered all over the place.
Maddock and Shawn walk down the ramp, taking it all in.
MADDOCK
What are you doing?
With no warning, the front grille of the Knight
4000 illuminates with a familiar chaser light
pattern.
MADDOCK
God. You didn’t.
K.I.T.T.
I’m afraid he did, Mr. Maddock. And I must say this body fits me like a glove.
K.I.T.T. starts his new throaty turbine engine, Michael climbing into the driver’s seat. A smiling Shawn steps past a numb Maddock, climbing into the passenger seat…and the new-and-improved KNIGHT 4000 speeds off into the night.
COMPUTER FREEZE/BLACK OUT.
END OF ACT
FIVE