"Guys, hello? We've got a problem here." Kyle had never been so happy

to hear Erica's voice.

"We noticed," Kyle replied humorlessly, "how are you guys?"

"I'm in one piece," Erica replied.

"What about Trek?" Jenny chimed in.

"Actually, he's in about three pieces, but other than that he's fine

too." Came the deadpan response.

Kyle picked up a slight shout of; "hi, guys!"

"He says hi," Erica added.

"What's your condition?" The Team Leader asked again.

Erica outlined the problems, not bothering to spare any details.

"We've got light, but I can't see any way out. Actually, the quarters

are kind of cramped."

"Is there anything I should be doing?" Erica asked, her voice totally

devoid of sarcasm.

"It could be dangerous if Trek falls asleep." Jenny explained calmly,

but Kyle could sense the worry in her tone.

"He's not going to be left alone. Or have a chance to fall asleep for

that matter." Erica assured her, "we're in tight."

"In that case," Trek added, sidetracking Erica's attention, "the air

supply might be a problem."

"Well, doesn't that just fit in with everything else that's happened

today?" Erica exclaimed with helpless frustration as she shut the

connection. "First the kid gets lost, then the cave in, you're blind

and now we're running out of air!"

Trek sighed, "First of all the cave in really wasn't anyone's fault.

Okay, with the exception of Lieutenant-Less-Than-Courageous who decided

to shoot at us and collapse the mine."

Trek paused, taking a deep breath. "Actually, this entire thing is his

fault. And as for my being blind?" Trek smiled icily. "Well, damnit,

Erica I guess I forgot! Thanks for the reminder! I don't know what I'd

do without your sagacious observational skills!"

Erica had never heard Trek talk in that tone before.

The utter hostility in his voice was enough to startle anyone.

"Anyway," the sudden change in Trek's tone again found Erica off guard.

"I'm not sure if the air supply is really a problem. How big is the

space we're in anyway?"

Talk about Doctor Jeckyll and Mr. Hyde, Erica thought in surprise as

she studied the room.

"It's about eight feet up, six feet across and six feet in length." She

told him after a moment.

Trek's face relaxed into the comfortable expression he got whenever he

was calculating something in his head.

"Let's see," he began thoughtfully. "Twelve inches equals one foot

which means that we've got seventy two inches going across and another

seventy two lengthwise. Meaning we've got about four hundred and ninety

seven thousand six hundred and sixty four cubic inches of air in here.

If there's any ventilation, we might have more. But not much."

"That's good, right?" Erica asked hopefully.

"Actually," Trek replied in confusion, "I don't remember. My head is

killing me. I can hardly even think straight."

* * * * * * * * *

Kyle tried not to let on how grim this situation actually was. Two of

their teammates were in there, one badly injured, with an unknown air

supply.

"Kyle," The team leader's gray Ford called to him, "I've just analyzed

the air that was in the mine."

"And?" Kyle prompted, fearing the worst but hoping for the best.

"There's a high concentration of methane in the mine. Not to mention

the fact that any gas from incomplete explosions could be extremely

poisonous."

"You mean, they could die?" Jenny asked, carefully schooling her

emotions.

"The gas may not kill them now," Dante corrected, "but it could have

lasting effects."

* * * * * * * * * *

Trek leaned his head against the wall, noting the sticky blood on the

stone.

The fact that it was his own blood did little to ease his worry.

Trek probed his knee with gentle fingers. He had already dislocated

this knee, playing hockey about five years ago.

"Erica," Trek began, "my knee may get worse if we don't pop it back into

place."

"How do we do that?" The ex-con artist asked, not particularly

relishing the idea.

"Just grab my leg and pull it straight out," the younger man explained,

he didn't act as though this would be pleasant.

Trek braced himself as Erica moved forward.

"On the count of three?" Erica suggested.

"Just do it," Trek replied. "It won't hurt any less if we wait."

"Your call."

To his credit, Trek bit his lower lip tightly but didn't scream.

"Trek! Are you okay?" She asked quickly, kneeling down beside him.

Trek ignored the rather lame question.

"I'm better now," he chose as a reply.

"It always hurts more the first time." Trek went on, "the first time

this happened I passed out. At least, that's what my friends told me."

"You dislocated this knee before?" Erica asked, sitting down beside her

teammate.

"Yeah, I was playing hockey when three guys bodychecked me into the

boards. My friend Keith was mad at me for not covering him. I thought

he was going to cry when he realized what had happened. The look on his

face was almost worth the whole thing."

Trek smiled at the memory.

Erica sat down beside him. "How are you feeling?" She asked.

Trek shrugged, and winced at the pain of doing so. "My knee hurts, my

elbow's bruised, my ribs are bruised too, my head's killing me and I'm

tired," he replied obediently.

"Well, remember what Jenny said," Erica told him, "you can't fall asleep

on me."

Trek sighed, "I know, I wish she was here." He made a face, "no

offence, it's just that she has medical training-"

"That's okay," Erica sighed as she sat down beside him, "I'd rather have

Jenny here, too."

* * * * * * * * *

"We haven't got a choice," Kyle told his team as they studied the mine

wall, "the cars' weapons would make too much noise and there isn't any

other way into the mine. We'll have to dig them out."

Duke nodded somberly and proceeded to start working.

* * * * * * * *

"This isn't working!" Kyle yelled a half-hour later. "We're not any

closer to Trek and Erica and we have no idea how much air they have

left!"

Kyle and Duke were shirtless and drenched with sweat. Jenny was soaked

in sweat as well.

"We need some equipment." Jenny began, resuming the digging despite the

fact that her bruised hands were bleeding in some places.

"Millbridge was a mining town," Jenny suggested, never straying from her

task. "They might have some equipment we could use."

"Good idea," Kyle told her. "Duke, you take Beast and head back to the

town. See if you can get any equipment. While you're at it, drop off

our friend in the county jail. If you can find one, grab a first aid

kid. From what Erica said, Trek's not doing too good. And she might be

hurt, too"

Duke nodded, "I'll be back in about twenty minutes."

"Good luck." Jenny called out, grunting as she set back to work.

"I'm not the one who needs luck right now." Duke replied somberly as he

and Beast drove back to Millbridge.

* * * * * * * *

Lieutenant Andrew Smith was having a rather bad day.

From what he'd been able to gather, his brother had been not only

caught, but also he had betrayed Andrew to these agents.

Andrew made a note to reprove his brother for his betrayal.

Not to mention the fact that their recently acquired bomb was now rubble

in the mine's collapse.

As more of his faculties returned to him, the lieutenant noticed that

someone had placed him in the back of a moving car.

Andrew groaned. This was not how this mission was supposed to turn out.

The individual driving the truck turned around at Andrew's noise. He

was not happy.

The right hook to Andrew's jaw informed him of that fact.

* * * * * * * * *

"You don't do that nearly often enough, Duke." Attack Beast commented

approvingly as he used his interior sensors to determine that Smith was

. . . well, senseless.

* * * * * * * * *

Michael Carter looked up in surprise to see a very determined man enter

his hardware store.

"I'll need first aid kits, and whatever mining equipment you can

spare." He said tersely, pulling out his wallet.

"I can supply you with a first aid kit, but I'll need to check in back

for any mining equipment." Michael told him. "Any particular reason

for this stuff?"

"The mine's partially collapsed on my friends," the man replied, taking

out some money as Michael came back.

The storeowner started. He knew that he recognized this man, but now it

was coming together.

"Were your friends by any chance a tall blonde and a kid with light

brown hair?"

It was the black man's turn to start. "Yeah, why?"

"They helped me find my daughter this afternoon," Michael explained

gratefully. "I owe them a lot more than I have, so this is on the

house."

Michael handed the man the equipment in two boxes with which he helped

pack into the man's black Ford truck.

"Thanks," Duke told him from the car window.

"It's the least I can do." Michael muttered as the man drove away.

* * * * * * * * * * *

Michael Carter walked back into his hardware store and saw his daughter

run down the stairs with a doll in her hands.

"Daddy?" She began sweetly; "can I go over to Melissa's to play?"

Michael grinned, "sure you can, Sweetheart. Why don't you call and ask

your Aunt Evelyn to walk you over. I need to go, and it might take a

while. In fact, why don't you see if it's okay with Melissa's mom if

you can sleep over tonight."

"Where are you going, Daddy?" She called as her father left the door.

"I owe someone a lot, and I'm going to pay them back." Michael replied,

strolling off to his other neighbor's house.

* * * * * * * * * *

"Uh, Duke." Beast began, "we're being followed. There are about six

cars behind us. You should see them soon."

Duke now noticed the huge sand cloud being kicked up by the cars

speeding up behind him.

"What the hell is going on here?" Duke murmured as he slowed to a

stop. He didn't have time for this.

The cars followed his lead. Duke noticed the two people in the lead

car, which was a beat up red pickup.

One of them was the convenience store owner he had met earlier.

The other was a toughly built young woman with deep-set brown eyes and

long, braided blond hair.

"What are you doing here?" Duke demanded with less aplomb than he had

meant to use.

"Your friends saved my daughter." Michael explained. "Giving you the

tools was the least I could do. I'm never one to do the least I can

do. This is Morgan Steele. She's the town doctor. Now, sir, you've

got a dozen hard working people and your friends are in trouble. Are

you going to turn down an offer for help?"

"No, I'm not," Duke replied, shaking both their hands in gratitude as

the three of them walked back to their cars.

* * * * * * * * * *

Kyle didn't comment when he saw Duke come back to the mine's entrance,

with what had to be twenty-four people behind him.

"They're here to help," Duke said by way of explanation as he grabbed a

pickaxe and began to work again.

He hadn't gotten through his first swing when Morgan Steele grabbed the

axe.

"You three are going to drop if you don't get some rest," she began

sternly. "Now I want you to take a break and drink something. The

three of you are obviously dehydrated. You won't be of much good to

your friends if you're unconscious."

Kyle opened his mouth to argue, but he changed his mind as the

adrenaline that had been working its way through his system suddenly

subsided. Kyle shook his head to get rid of the lightheadedness, but

that only made it worse.

The three members of Team Knight Rider were lead into their cars for

some rest.

* * * * * * * * *

Erica and Trek were trying to keep busy by swapping stories, but it was

becoming obvious that Trek was having difficulty staying focused.

"So after three weeks, I had this guy eating out of the palm of my

hand." Erica finished. "I moved more than I foot away from him and he

was practically in tears."

"That's interesting." Trek replied drowsily. "You know, maybe we

should stop talking. We're using up the air."

"It's keeping you awake." Erica countered.

Trek nodded, as though he was too tired to voice his agreement. He

leaned his head against the wall and closed his eyes.

"You're not falling asleep on me, are you?" Erica asked. The question

sounded like a joke, but there was genuine concern in Erica's voice.

"How can I with the walls rumbling like this?" Trek replied in a hoarse

tone she had never heard from him before.

Cautiously, Erica placed her hand on the mine's wall and discovered that

there was indeed a faint rumbling motion.

"What the hell?" The ex-thief exclaimed in surprise.

"Why do I get the feeling that Kyle has something to do with this?"

Trek added, never opening his eyes.

"I'll call him," Erica replied. "But why don't you open your eyes?

Jenny wouldn't let you close them on her."

"You're not Jenny," was the acute reply. "Besides, everything's dark

whether my eyes are open or not."

Erica had to admit it to herself. Trek was taking this whole thing a

hell of a lot better than she was.

The second she shifted position, though, Erica felt Trek tense.

For the first time, she saw a glint of uncertainty in his eyes.

"I'm just going to call Kyle," Erica told him gently. Trek nodded and

relaxed slightly.

* * * * * * * * * * *

Kyle was laying down on Dante's backseat, waiting for his hour of 'rest'

to be up.

Morgan had refused to let him get back to work unless he got at least an

hour's worth of sleep.

Dante, of course, was the perfect nursemaid.

"Doctor Steele told you to rest, Kyle." The gray truck scolded him.

"Not to stare at the ceiling."

"It so happens," Kyle began, "the I find the ceiling to be very rest-"

His watch informed Kyle that someone was trying to communicate with him.

"If you answer that, I'll have to inform Doctor Steele." Dante

threatened.

"It could be Erica," Kyle retorted, activating the device.

"Kyle, what's going on?" Erica demanded by way of greeting.

"Some of the town's people are helping us dig. At the rate we're going,

we should have you out in about--"

"Anytime now," Dante supplied

"How are you guys doing in there?" Kyle asked after thanking his

vehicle.

"Not so good, Kyle." Erica replied. "Trek thinks the air is starting

to get a little thin."

"How's he doing?" Kyle queried the worried frown he wore deepening the

lines of concern around his eyes and mouth.

"Not so good," Erica answered in a grim tone that Kyle had never heard

from her before. "It's getting harder to keep him awake and I'm running

out of stories."

"Just do your best," Kyle told her. "We'll have you guys out before you

know it."

"We're kind of depending on that right now, Kyle." Erica replied,

closing the channel.

"Kyle--" Dante began.

The team leader looked up in annoyance. "What is it now, Dante?"

"Your hour is up."

* * * * * * * * * * * * * *

Erica turned back to Trek, opening her mouth to tell him another story.

She started as she realized he'd fallen asleep.

"Trek!" Erica shouted, kneeling close to him.

She was getting ready to shake his shoulders, when he groaned.

"I'm not asleep," Trek assured her. "But I'm beginning to think that my

eyelids are the only part of my body that aren't bruised."

"I know the feeling," The blonde assured him, rolling her stiff

shoulders

"The air's getting thin," Trek observed, "what should we do now?"

"Are you religious?" The question was not the one Trek that had been

expecting.

"No, why?"

"Neither am I," Erica told him. "This seems like a great time to start,

wouldn't you say?"

* * * * * * * * * *

Jenny was so into her task that she didn't' realize that Morgan Steele

was standing beside her till she asked, "do you know if your friends are

hurt or not?"

The Team Knight Rider member nodded. "Erica said she was fine, but I

know she was unconscious for a little while. She told us that Trek's

knee was dislocated and that he was blind. From what she's told me,

she's having trouble keeping him awake."

Morgan nodded. "That's something to work with, at least. I'm just glad

I brought some splints along. But if the injuries are half as serious

as your friend says they are, then you'll probably have to get them both

checked out at a hospital."

Jenny smiled. "Don't worry. Kyle will make the two of them go, kicking

and screaming."

Morgan grinned in reply. "I doubt your one friend will be kicking

anything anytime soon."

At that moment, Kyle walked up to them. He looked tired, Jenny noticed,

but not on the verge of collapse like he had earlier.

"How's it coming?" He asked.

Jenny shrugged. "Dante says we'll be through anytime now. And that if

it had only been just the three of us, it would have taken days."

Kyle assimilated the information, "any word from Erica or Trek?"

Jenny shook her head; "She hasn't called for around ten minutes. Do you

think--?"

Kyle grinned. The move was so unexpected that Jenny allowed a moment of

shock to register in her eyes.

"I'm sure they're fine." The Team Leader assured her. "They've

probably just got caught up talking."

* * * * * * * * *

Erica drummed her fingers impatiently. She and Trek weren't supposed to

talk anymore and she was going out of her mind. Erica knew she wasn't

supposed to drum her fingers either. Neither of them was supposed to

move.

Trek on the other hand, looked about as relaxed as if he were at a

beachside resort. He sat with his legs outstretched and his hands

clasped loosely over his stomach.

The kid leaned back and closed his eyes.

With a grunt of annoyance, Erica grabbed his shoulder and shook him.

The former thief instantly regretted the action when she accidentally

smacked Trek's elbow against the mine's wall.

The reaction not only produced a hint of dust to fall from the ceiling

but also a cry from the young man.

"You're hurt." Erica observed, prying Trek's right fingers from his

left elbow.

"Where did you get your degree?" There wasn't any hostility in Trek's

voice, but his tone didn't make Erica smile.

"Just let me see, will you?" Came the annoyed retort.

Erica probed Trek's arm gently until she found a small gash in his

forearm, just above the elbow.

"I think that's going to need stitches." She told him.

Trek smiled wanly, "We're probably going to look like a pair of quilts

when this whole thing is done."

* * * * * * * * * *

"We're almost through!" One of the diggers called out. "But I think

we're going to have to work by hand from now on. Anything too loud

could cause another cave in."

The other citizens and the members of Team Knight Rider hastily lowered

any mechanized equipment.

Several people however, kept the pickaxes handy.

"I'm sure they'll be all right, Kyle." Jenny told him.

They had better be.

* * * * * * * * * * *

Trek Owen Sanders was a hell of a lot more tired than he was willing to

admit. He was in a hell of a lot more pain, too.

This wasn't the first time he'd been in a tight spot. Hell, he couldn't

even keep track of how many concussions he'd had over the years, but

this particular situation was getting to him more than most.

You know why, too. The cynical part of his conscience retorted. It's

because you're not going down alone. You're going to drag someone else

along with you.

It's not as if I put a gun to her head. Trek retorted.

"The air is getting way too thin for us to be talking." Trek told Erica

quietly.

And I really have to focus if I'm going to outsmart myself.

* * * * * * * * * * *

Erica could tell that Trek was in a lot of pain, but the fact that he

wasn't saying anything wasn't exactly helpful.

A year ago, if anyone had told me I'd be this worried about some rich

kid and trapped in a mine, Erica thought to herself. I'd have laughed

them right out of my cell. I would have thought they were crazy if they

told me I'd be working for FLAG, too.

Tempus fugit.

Pretty much the only Latin Erica remembered from high school. Meaning,

time flies.

* * * * * * * * * *

Jenny's hands were killing her, but she was determined to be the first

person to see Trek and Erica.

Morgan had already told her to take another break, but Jenny had flat

out refused.

The former marine had just tossed away an annoyingly light rock when she

felt a hand on her shoulder.

It was Duke. Jenny surmised that she looked about twice as tired and

dirty as he did.

"I think it's about time you take a break, Jenny." He said softly.

"I'm fine," Jenny assured her sparring partner, "and we're almost

through."

Duke nodded, but didn't leave. Instead, he helped her move a heavy

boulder aside.

"I know," the former boxer replied. "I just wanted to hear someone else

say it."

* * * * * * * * * *

Erica was starting to feel pleasantly lightheaded. It was like

drunkenness without the weird aftertaste in her mouth.

Looking at her partner, Erica saw the same expression on his face.

"The air's really thin now," Trek told her. "We'll be unconscious in a

few minutes."

The former thief nodded, sitting back down. "I guess I'll want to be

sitting when that happens."

Trek nodded again and almost smiled. He settled for leaning his head

back against the wall and closing his eyes.

He thought briefly of all the people he would miss before succumbing to

sleep.

Erica was about to protest, when the darkness that had been toying at

the edge of her vision suddenly began closing in, full force.

Erica barely had the strength to lean onto Trek's shoulder, in order to

avoid slamming her head against the mine's stone wall.

After a moment, she too was in the ever-waiting arms of unconsciousness.

* * * * * * * * *

"Kyle!" Dante announced suddenly. "Trek and Erica have just lost

consciousness! They don't have much time."

"Hurry!" Domino added suddenly.

The workmen didn't even look up in surprise as the cars spoke.

They just worked faster.

* * * * * * * * * *

"I'm through!" Michael Carter cried out suddenly, dropping his

pickaxe. "Morgan, get over here!"

The young doctor was by his side before he even finished his sentence.

Jenny, Duke and Kyle were hot on her heels.

* * * * * * * * * *

Erica had given him a report, but Kyle hadn't expected what he saw.

The two of them were filthy, covered in dust and grime. Erica's

unconscious form was leaning slightly over Trek.

Duke moved her very carefully when he got the signal from Morgan.

"She's just unconscious," the young doctor told them. "She should come

around any second now. But be careful, her eyes are going to be very

sensitive to the light."

Morgan was already examining Trek as she said this.

"How is he?" Jenny asked intently, kneeling beside the younger woman.

"He's in rough shape, but I think he's going to make it."

A collective cheer went up around the workers, several of whom shook

hands with everyone around them.

Kyle had all but forgotten they were there. His grin of relief was

enough of thanks for the workers and soon only Michael, Morgan and Team

Knight Rider remained.

"I'm splinting his leg," Morgan began, unraveling some gauze, "but they

both need to be checked out at a hospital. There's only so much I can

do for them here."

Without warning, Jenny saw that someone was kicking up one hell of a

dust cloud.

"I took the liberty of contacting FLAG." Dante told them. "I'm

assuming that's the cavalry."

"Well, I guess it's better late than never." Duke commented.

"This time they're definitely late," Jenny added.

* * * * * * * * *

The next day was just about normal on Sky One.

Team Knight Rider was getting its customary praises and commendations

for capturing the Smith brothers and neutralizing the bomb threat.

The doctor had released Erica from his care. Luckily, she only got out

with some contusions and a minor concussion.

Her and Trek's eyes would be sensitive to the light for the next couple

of days, but other than that, there were no lasting side effects.

Trek's condition on the other hand, was a cause for concern.

Trek had still been unconscious when they had returned to Sky One. The

doctor had shooed the young man's teammates away almost immediately.

"I just wish they would tell us what was going on!" Erica exclaimed.

Several showers and a new uniform later, she looked as good as new.

"I'm sure the doctor will tell us any minute now." Jenny tried to sound

calm for her friends' sake.

"You can come in now." Trek's voice rang out so suddenly that Kyle

thought he imagined it.

"You're not imagining it," was the eerie reply. "You can come in."

The lighting in Trek's room was dim and Duke didn't miss Erica's sigh of

relief.

The young man was sitting on the bed wearing a knee to ankle brace. He

had a bandage on his left arm and Kyle could see the stitches that Trek

was trying to hide with his hair.

"Can you-?" Jenny asked in an apprehensive tone that Duke had never

heard from her before.

"See?" Trek supplied. "That's an interesting question."

Kyle tensed a little at Trek's unusual tone.

Without warning, Trek let the dart he'd been hiding in his hand fly.

Jenny gasped in surprise as the miniature arrow connected to the wall

with a resounding thwang.

In an uncharacteristic move, Duke laughed aloud.

Kyle followed his gaze where he saw what the arrow had hit.

It was a newspaper article about the Smith brothers' capture.

Erica noticed that the dart had struck dead center of the face of the

brother who'd collapsed the mine on them.

"Does that answer your question?"

***********************************************************************