Knight Rider (1982) s04e16 Episode Script

Redemption of a Champion

When asked, ''What was the | greatest fight of this century'' every voice will shout in | unison, ''the battle in Butte!'' I think he's fighting because | he believes he killed a man.
Get them! Get them now! Make sure you can | fight as well as you talk.
They're going to forget about | the Rumble in the Jungle.
They're going to forget about | the Thriller in Manila.
The flood control systems | are being purged! Give me everything you've got! There's going to be excitement, | excitement, excitement! Michael, lookout.
Knight Rider.
A shadowy flight into the | dangerous world of a man who does not exist.
Michael Knight, a young Ioner on a crusade to champion | the cause of the innocent the helpless, the powerless in a world of criminals | who operate above the law.
It was billed as the greatest | fight of the decade.
The champion, Keeler.
| The contender, Grant.
Went at each other | round after round.
The fourteenth was the most | punishing three minutes in boxing ever witnessed by this | sportswriter in a career that spans | over four decades.
Neither fighter | giving quarter.
Neither man paying attention to | the dictates of his own body that had to be screaming, | ''Stop, stop.
'' At the end of the | fourteenth round after a conference | between the referee and fight doctor | Gill Simmons the champion Keeler was convincingly | ahead on points.
As you know, | I am now deaf.
Perhaps too many years | of the roar of the crowd.
Yet, this affliction led this sportswriter to discover | why the champion Keeler hit the canvas in the fifteenth | round and lost his title.
I now can support that | statement with documented proof.
And I intend | to use this proof to stop the | multimillion dollar rematch between Grant and Keeler.
That's basically | how I'll start my T.
V.
spot | on Sunday evening.
And it will be your documents | that will do the job.
How can I be sure | I won't be implicated? My reputation.
Over 40 years I've never | revealed a source.
And I'm much too old | to change.
Thank you.
You're doing | the right thing.
Probably saving | a man's life.
Hello? Devon, this is Leland.
I must see you tomorrow.
I know this may sound | terribly mysterious but I'll fill you in | on all the details then.
If you get all information on the death of a man | named Samuells Aireon, Massachusetts, | year 1978 I believe you'll find | that on th- Hello, Damon? Damon.
You there? KITT, where is Michael? | I must talk to him.
Devon, he must have | turned off his COM link.
I'll contact him by phone.
Wait, wait.
Nothing will interrupt | this evening.
Allow me.
Hello.
| Miss Cooper's residence.
Michael, | don't turn off your COM link.
Devon is trying to reach you.
KITT, try to explain to him how much this evening | has set me back.
I got wine here, | I got catered dinner.
Do you know how much | yellow roses cost? Michael, we are | on 24 hour call.
And I find nothing important | about the price of roses.
That's because | you never pay cash.
Michael, you have | certain obligations I have certain obligations.
Tell him Damon Leland's | life may be in danger.
Damon Leland's life | may be in danger.
I'm on my way.
All right, | keep your scanners peeled.
Give me a readout.
Michael, I detect | one inert human form barely discernable | vital signs.
Yet I'm receiving two odors | on my olfactory scan.
One, a perfume, | and the other a- Michael, look out! | Get out of there! Devon, it was far | from an accident.
No one uses a heater | this time of year.
I'm telling you | it was murder.
Damon was talking to me.
He was working | on a boxing story.
Something to do with | the ex-champ, Keeler.
KITT's broken down | the components of the smell he picked up | on his olfactory scan.
It's a mixture of natural gas | and Avec Moi, a perfume.
Expensive but not uncommon.
How could a perfume | cause an explosion? Avec Moi.
I knew this girl | who used to bathe in it.
It was like walking | through a field of violets.
I could think of | worse smells.
Bonnie Leland mentioned Samuell's death.
| What did you get on the rundown? Very little.
In 1978 two men by the name of Samuells | died in Aireon, Massachusetts.
One Simon P.
, age 72 and one James T.
, age 32.
Both deaths are | listed as natural causes.
The fight, | Samuell's death Leland's death.
They can | all be tied in together.
Keeler age 36, pro 11 years, | 46 wins six losses, 30 knockouts turned pro in 1976 managed by Lou Davis | since 1978.
Maybe you're right.
1978 the year Keeler | hooked up with his manager, Lou Davis same year Samuells died.
What's Davis | got to do with this? Maybe nothing.
Maybe 40 | million reasons called dollars.
Between international | close circuit and the gate that's exactly what the Keeler | rematch is gonna take in.
Forty million big ones.
Just sit down will you? | Just sit down.
You.
You.
You let a chick | stroll away from the cabin you don't see her face and | you don't know who she is? You mess up | and I can lose it all.
You keep busting | my chops, Davis the first thing you're | gonna lose is me.
I'm not one of | your ex-pugs.
I'm a professional.
No one's come forward.
| Man or woman.
Not yet.
Not yet.
But there is someone | out there that knows too much.
Someone else needs | taking care of.
I'll get it done.
All it's going to | cost you is money.
All right, let's go.
Right.
Uh-oh.
They're checking press cards.
Can you print me | one up real quick? Consider it done.
Thank you.
| Nice picture.
Tombstone Variety.
Tombstone Variety.
Never heard of it.
$40 will make you | a subscriber.
How about it? That's what the other | eight subscribers pay? Tell you the truth they get it for nothing.
All right.
Go ahead.
Thank you.
Don't hit the joggers there.
Come on, come on.
Michael, I feel I need more | data for my information bank.
Buddy, there's not | much to give except for weeks | that Damon Leland has been indicating in his sports | column that he's gonna try and stop the rematch | between Grant and Keeler.
Did Leland have | that kind of power? If he can prove that someone | was dirty, he could publicize it.
Michael, sometimes I find your | colloquialisms colorful but confusing.
I assume ''dirty'' | doesn't mean ''unwashed.
'' No, ''dirty'' means that | when Keeler went down from a badly thrown left | hook in the fifteenth round maybe, just maybe it wasn't | all sportsmanship and athletic ability.
Can you prove | that the fight was fixed? Not yet.
For now I'll just squeeze.
Hope somebody yells.
I'm afraid I do | understand that Michael.
Ladies and gentlemen | of the press.
Welcome to Bo Keeler's | training camp.
We have | a major announcement of a great heavy weight | extravaganza.
A world heavy weight | title fight between Keeler and Grant.
And it's promoted by promoter | extraordinaire, Mr.
Davis.
Thank you.
| All right, thank you.
This is gonna be an exciting | evening of fisticuffs.
They're going to forget about | the Rumble in the Jungle.
They're going to forget about | the Thriller in Manila.
And when they're asked, ''What is the | greatest fight of this century'' every voice will shout in | unison, ''the battle in Butte!'' The battle in Butte! And when they ask about a | fight that stands alone in their memory | indelibly written the memory of Bo Keeler standing toe to toe | with Grant under that | northwestern sky.
Now what about it, Davis? | I mean, why Butte? It's not exactly the | fight capital of the world.
My heart is with | the working man.
Many of these people can't | fly to Vegas, Atlantic City Tahoe to see a | championship fight.
Your heart may be | with the working man but you held out for 40 | million dollars for the rights.
I never said I was dumb.
The working man gets his fight, | the promoter gets his profit.
Damon Leland wrote that | Keeler was over-fought overused | and over-aged and should think twice about | getting back in the ring.
If Damon Leland was alive I got a hunch he wouldn't.
Old men begrudge younger | men that stand tall.
The last time I saw Keeler, | he wasn't standing too tall.
He was lying flat | on his face from a punch two years ago | he would have laughed at.
Who's he standing tall for, | himself or your 40 million dollars | promotion? You think Keeler's overused? Let's talk to an expert.
Let's talk to the man | who gave him his pre-fight examination.
Doc Simmons, come on.
Bo Keeler is a phenomenon.
He's got the heart and lungs | of a 19-year-old.
I've never seen a more | magnificent example of clean living | in my entire career.
And if any of you reporters | would like to have a Photostat of the | medical examination well, you just feel free | to call on my secretary Miss Jean Tremount.
Members of the press, you can pick | up your news kits on the way out.
Thank you, thank you.
Gentlemen I want you to know | this is going to be a great evening | of fisticuffs here in Butte.
I think that Bo Keeler is | going to be an extraordinary talented challenger this time | to regain his crown.
You also have Grant, | who is determined You need something, mister? Yeah.
An expert's opinion.
You were at the | Grant-Keeler fight.
Tell me what you think | happened in the fifteenth round.
You tell me.
I just wrap hands | and mind my own business.
Either Keeler | ran out of gas or he took a dive for the | big money in a rematch.
Hey, that kind of talk will | buy you nothing but trouble.
This broken nose | don't make me dumb.
Oh, I saw you fight.
| You were never afraid then.
You saw me fight? Then stop | asking me questions or I might lose my only fan.
Who and what are you? Nothing special.
Just a man who's | got a lot of unanswered questions.
I'm Ruth Keeler.
And you're special to me.
You're the only one outside of | Leland who sounded off like that.
I still didn't get | any answers.
I don't think | you expected any but I'd like you to ask | those questions to my husband.
Why help me? Because I'd also | like those answers.
Meet me at the turnoff | entrance to the camp.
My husband's doing road work.
I'll take you to him.
Look at those two.
I could take both of them.
Danny, you were | a featherweight champion.
These guys have | a 100 pounds on you.
Carlos, you were | the welterweight champion.
Between the both of us we could be a four-fisted | heavy weight champion.
You get hit too much? And once is too much.
For him, too.
Take him to his car.
Make sure he doesn't | want to come back.
KITT, I think I'm about to | have my head handed to me.
They didn't enjoy | being squeezed.
We'll talk later.
KITT, I need you.
Come on, guys.
What happened | to freedom of the press? Hey, come on! | We need help over here.
He's not one of us.
| Now! Come on! Get him! Make a right | at the first junction.
You got it.
What kind of car is this? It's an '87.
| I got an early delivery.
Really Michael.
It talks? What'll they have in '88.
Hopefully quieter cars.
My husband does | his roadwork at the viaduct.
Fighters usually | run in the morning.
A lot of things have changed, | including schedules.
If they hadn't, I wouldn't be | sitting in this strange car with you.
Mrs.
Keeler- | Let me finish.
I don't know | who you are.
I only know you've asked the same | questions I've been asking my husband.
I haven't been | getting any answers.
I hope you can.
I just don't understand | the rematch.
I mean you and Bo got well over | two million dollars in solid investments.
You got a beautiful home.
Why does he need | to fight? There is no sane reason for him to take | any more punishment.
I watch him every morning getting out of bed | piece by piece.
Every muscle, every | joint in his body aching.
And I hold back while he stands | under a scalding shower trying to numb the hurt.
And when he gets out, | I ask him, ''Why? ''Why are you taking | this punishment? ''We don't need any-'' | oh, I'm sorry.
It's all right.
He never gives you | any answers? Oh, yeah.
Things like ''You wouldn't understand.
'' And he's right.
| I don't understand.
I don't know how you got my | wife to bring you out here but I don't like it.
Now, what's your problem? Damon Leland's death.
He came back in town | to stop this rematch.
Somebody didn't want him | to do it.
So what's that | got to do with me? I'm up here with you | 'no-name' reporters.
My name's Michael Knight.
So? So talk to me.
Aside from the money why do you want to | get back in the ring? Let Grant subject | yourself to the punishment? I didn't get a title shot | till I was 30.
I fought in every smoker | and barn you ever heard of.
No ranked fighter | would give me a shot.
I've traveled too long a road to | give up the title after one loss.
No ranked fighter | would give you a shot until you signed with Davis | back in Massachusetts? You got it.
| Aireon, Massachusetts.
I was working a part-time | job between smokers.
Hey, Champ, we better | get you back to the camp and give you a rub | before you tighten up.
Give Spider a number | where you can be reached.
I'll see to it you can talk | to anybody about anything.
I've got nothing to hide.
Hey, Keeler.
The name Samuells | mean anything to you? Zero.
When he asked about Samuells, | I started to shake.
Davis, I can't handle | that kind of pressure.
If he starts to | come down on me, I'm afraid I might | say the wrong thing.
Just cut me loose.
Let me walk away | and disappear.
You want out? Yeah.
You got it.
You got it.
Thanks, Mr.
Davis.
But only after you | make a move for me.
You do it you'll even walk away with | some money in your pocket.
Okay? Okay? Yes, Mr.
Davis.
Yes, sir.
Now, the ring of the training | camp has got video cameras.
I want you to tap in.
Record all | of Keeler's sparring sessions.
You're quite right, Michael.
It's the same in every one of the | tapes.
Keeler keeps backing up.
Devon, Keeler's the kind | of fighter that trains hard.
He hits and he gets hit.
But he's obviously | changed his training pattern.
Look at this.
The only punches | he's taking are going to his body.
There's got to be a reason.
It looks like the sparring partner | was told not to go to Keeler's head.
There's got to be something | we're missing here.
Well, perhaps we're making | too much of it.
Perhaps Keeler feels it's the | only way he can beat Grant.
Maybe he didn't | have any choice.
Bonnie, you pick up any | added information on Samuells? No.
| I rechecked the reports.
Both men named Samuells | simply died of natural causes.
Nothing is as simple | as it seems, Bonnie.
R.
C, check with the airlines.
| You're flying to Aireon.
I like it.
An investigative reporter | asking important questions.
As long as you come up | with important answers.
Michael, the number | you gave Spiderman has been dialed.
Excuse me.
Patch me through.
Hello.
I gotta make this quick.
I don't like what's goin' on.
I'm willing to tell you some | things, but not here at camp.
Where? Where you first saw us | in the viaduct.
Follow the curve.
It will | take you to the catch basin.
You got it.
Relax.
You're halfway there.
Kill them both.
All systems on alert.
Spiderman turned over | way too easy.
You do have | an alternative, Michael.
Arrange for a new | meeting place.
No.
If he's on the level I don't want to give him too | much time to change his mind.
Michael, I have no way | of determining what is on the other side | of the dam.
It's too large and | solid a structure.
I believe you should | use extreme caution.
Thank you, buddy.
I intend to do just that.
I'm here.
Why don't we get | right to the point? You and I both know Keeler's waltzing | through his training sessions.
He either intends to make the | rematch short and sweet for Grant or something's wrong | with him.
How did you find out? KITT! We're in a crossfire! I'm coming down.
Give me a | little smoke screen, will you? Right away, Michael.
All right.
I'm coming down.
Hang on.
I'll get you to the hospital | in a couple of minutes.
Davis sent them.
Tell the Champ that he | didn't snuff Samuells.
Spiderman? Spiderman! He's gone, Michael.
Spiderman died saying that | Keeler didn't snuff Samuells.
It fits the facts | I picked up.
Simon P.
The old guy, died peacefully | in his sleep.
James Samuells got fired | for drinking went on a 3 day binge.
| Died in his bathtub.
Hot water, | blood alcohol over 0.
14.
He bought the farm.
Keeler thinks | he killed a man and Damon Leland wanted us to check | out Samuells' death in the first place.
All right, | let's get back to square one.
Damon Leland was trying | to stop the rematch.
Why? Could he have heard something | in the post-fight rumble? Okay, I don't mean heard.
| I know he was deaf.
But maybe somebody slipped him | some inside information.
No, no, no.
Damon | wasn't at the fight.
Just a minute.
| He was at the fight.
And he was killed at home | watching a replay on tape.
Maybe that's the point.
We should watch the fight the way | that Damon Leland watched the fight.
Without sound.
What are we looking for, | Michael? I'll know in the next minute.
Freeze it.
Back up.
Blow that up.
Tell me what | Keeler is saying.
Tell me what Leland heard.
You lost me.
Damon Leland | could read lips.
Spiderman, I can't focus.
| My arms are numb.
I don't know | if I can lift them.
I'll try.
I'll try.
Bonnie, give us a close | up of Keeler's eyes.
It's dilated.
Concussion, | possible brain injury.
Then how did he pass the | pre-training medical for the rematch? The boxing commission has copies | of all Keeler's medical reports.
Like you said, | these are copies.
I got to verify them | against the originals.
It's routine.
Besides, if I wasn't sent here | I wouldn't have met you.
You're a very | attractive lady.
Thank you, Mr.
Knight.
You smell nice, too.
What's | that scent you're wearing? Avec Moi.
| It's all I ever use.
Avec Moi.
Weren't you wearing that the night you | met with Damon Leland when he was killed? Now where's | the brain scan on Keeler? Or did you sell it | to Damon Leland? I don't know what | you're talking about.
I don't know a Leland and if you want copies | of the brain scan you'll have to see | Doctor Simmons.
Maybe you didn't | sell anything that night.
Maybe you went there | to set up Leland's murder.
No.
I didn't do that.
Then why did you go there? I can't live | with this any longer.
I did sell Leland | the brain scan.
I'm not going to hurt you.
Pull yourself together.
I'll take you | to a place that's safe.
Davis is covering his tracks | with dead bodies.
Come on.
Where's Doc Simmons keeping | the original medical records? They've been erased off | the master computer disk.
KITT, can we | reestablish files that have been erased | from a disk? Michael, | I appreciate the fact that you think my capabilities | are inexhaustible but I do have my limits.
I only asked.
It talks.
Yeah.
It still didn't tell me | what I want to hear.
You told me you destroyed | those files.
I did.
| These are fraudulent.
But Jean typed up that | original medical report.
I don't know | what's going on but you're not paying me enough | to lose my medical license.
I plan on covering myself up, down and sideways.
I don't intend to go to jail.
Because I've seen | guys in jail.
And I know what it's like.
| They take away everything.
Everybody dressed alike | and you eat out of tin plates.
I've got millions of dollars.
| I got fine clothes I got my own personal chef.
I'm not going to eat | out of tin plates! I'll get to Michael Knight.
He may be a pro, | but I know his next move.
If the money's right I'll see that all your | troubles are washed away.
Keeler's cat scan | showed brain damage.
Neuropathy of the arms.
Gill called Davis | and told him that if Keeler went in the ring again, he | could suffer a permanent paralysis.
Davis bought him off.
Does Simmons know | you're aware of all this? I'm aware of everything | that happens to Gill.
I've been a lot more than his | secretary for some time now.
Why did you contact Damon Leland | instead of the authorities? For the money.
Gill will never | leave his wife.
I told myself it would be a | down payment on a new life.
I had wasted all these years.
Jean, that's enough for now.
| Why don't you come with me.
You can freshen up.
If you need to talk | things out, I'm here.
A man with as fine-tuned | a body as Keeler has got to know that | something's wrong with him.
I think he does know.
I think he's fighting because | he believes he killed a man.
No, Michael.
Bo's not here.
The training camp is closed for | the day.
I have to reach him.
He left a little while ago.
| He said he had to think.
My guess is that you'll | find him in the viaduct.
There's an access ramp.
I don't think Keeler would be | jogging in two inches of water.
Scan for him, will you? I have a jogger a mile ahead.
Michael, why is he | running away from us? I have no idea.
Michael, the flood control | systems are being purged! All right, KITT.
Give me | everything you've got! I don't know | if I can outrace it! We've almost lost | full traction.
Okay, buddy.
| Turbo boost.
All right, KITT, | let's head for the tunnel! Buddy, there's got to be | a way out of here.
Looks like the only way | out of here is up.
Let's go for it.
Turbo boost! Buddy, have you | heard the poem ''How do I love thee, | let me count the ways?'' Michael, this is no time | for sentimentality.
You're right, pal.
Get me to the Keeler home.
It was a setup.
Mrs.
Keeler wouldn't have | put us in the middle unless she was in danger.
Michael, my scanners indicate | there are two people inside.
One of them is armed.
It's open.
Come in.
Come in.
Thanks, but I'm already in! You all right? | Yeah, I'm fine.
Use these ropes to tie up | Benson, I'll send help.
You have any idea | where your husband is? I gotta talk to him before | the police come in all this.
His church.
The place he goes | when he's troubled.
You just keep coming, | don't you? Like you I don't know any other way.
I won my championship here.
I remember.
I was at ringside.
I never thought that Davis would kill | Damon Leland, or Spiderman.
Or have his muscle man hold a | gun to your wife to get to me.
Where is she? | Is she all right? She's all right.
| She's safe now.
But you're not.
You know what could happen to you if | you'd get back in the ring with Grant? I might get lucky and knock | him out in the first minute.
Or you might get dead.
Bo.
I know Davis is holding Samuells | over your head.
I murdered Samuells.
He came into a booze joint | I was working.
He pushed, and I hit him.
His friends came in, | carried him out and I became Davis' | piece of meat.
Cleaned, | trimmed up and bought.
He covered it all.
No, you're wrong.
We checked | into Samuells' death.
That's not the way it came | down.
You didn't kill anybody.
Davis just used you.
Michael.
| Not now, KITT.
Yes, Michael, now! I think you should know that you're | being monitored from the sound booth and there are more people | in the arena.
Hey, Davis.
I know you're up there so I want you to hear it all.
We can prove that Keeler had | nothing to do with Samuells' death.
We can prove that you | bought off Doc Simmons.
And we can nail you for the murder | of Damon Leland and Spiderman.
I want him.
| I want Davis! Then let's see if | he'll come down and play.
Hey, Davis.
We're going to get you man! We're going to take | everything away from you.
All your toys.
Your house your wardrobe We're going to take | everything man! So why don't you | end it right here! Come on! | Come on down and play! Get them! Get them now! Make sure you | protect your head will you? Yeah.
Make sure you can | fight as well as you talk.
Don't worry.
I got a real good | cornerman.
KITT.
No! Don't hit me! I think I'm going | to have a heart attack! It's true.
I've got | a bad heart.
I could die.
Why don't you do it? You'll save the state | a lot of money.
Oh, honey! Thank God.
Thank God.
You said it.
I just fought my last fight.
And he came out a winner.
To the end of one life and the beginning of another.
It's like a dream.
How can we ever thank you? No need for thanks.
Just keep him | out of mischief will you? I think I can provide | all the mischief he needs.
That sounds good.
Speaking of mischief, | I was about to get involved in a little before this | whole thing came down.
If you'll excuse me.
Michael, Devon just called.
An emergency has come up.
He wants you back | at the semi right away.
I'm not blowing | this date again.
I mean I got the limo, I got the | reservations, I got the flowers- I'm afraid Devon insists.
Bought these for a knock out.
Might as well be you.

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