Sign in or 
Share this
Chapter 01 Extract from the Journal of John Connor
Psalm 23:4 KJV
Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death,
I will fear no evil: for thou art with me;
thy rod and thy staff they comfort me.
Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death,
I will fear no evil: for thou art with me;
thy rod and thy staff they comfort me.
Chapter 1
Not in Kansas Anymore
Extract From the Journal of John Connor
I have been here approximately one week. In that time I have been on a mission to recover weapons from the desert hideaway, that my mom had setup when I was just a child. I also discovered items my mom left for me. Amongst the items was my laptop computer. Despite being old, I did manage to get it working with help from a friend. Its true purpose is to reprogram the terminators chips, but I am also using it to keep this journal.
What I learned in my youth, before Weaver and I traveled forward through time, has been of great help to me now. I didn’t appreciate it much as a teenager. I just couldn’t come to grasp with the whole idea of my being the future leader of mankind. In this future, there was no John Connor to lead the resistance. By leaping forward, over the years when SkyNet came into being and launched the missiles on Judgement Day, I was not here to organize the resistance. Derek Reese and his brother Kyle have kept the survivors alive, but there has been no uprising against the machines. My arrival and successful first mission has brought about a change for these people. Where everything seemed hopeless, and they only struggled to survive, they now have a purpose. They have been given hope and the will to fight.
The people here have only a rough idea of the calendar date. Everything changed on Judgement Day, or J-Day as they call it here. They only keep track of the year, measuring off 365 days from Judgment Day. I am not certain of the exact date, only the year. For my journal, I will roughly estimate the days beginning with the day I arrived.
2027, Day 1
When I jumped forward in time, I thought myself lucky to find myself in the company of my Uncle Derek. Then when he didn’t recognize me, or my name, my mind was stirring as to what was happening. How could he not know who John Connor is? I was barely hearing what he was saying when I caught the words “my brother is back.” I turned to where he was looking, and there he was, in the flesh, Kyle Reese, the man who saved my mother and became my father.
I was feeling overwhelmed. I was trying to think of something to say, anything to say, when I got a third shock. There just behind Kyle, was . . . Cameron? No, it couldn’t be. She was dead and in the past. Then I saw her kneel down and stroke a dog. Dogs’ don’t like machines, then this couldn’t be Cameron. To confirm it she looked up at me and smiled, and then using a gesture I had never seen Cameron use, she flipped her hair out of her face. This had to be Allison. Cameron told me little about her, other than she was built to look like Allison.
I tried to speak. I couldn’t think. I could feel my legs collapsing beneath me. I heard someone shout, “Grab him.” I collapsed to the ground, sobbing uncontrollably. I suddenly realized that I was on my own and amongst people who were strangers. My family was gone. It was too much.
I was half dragged, half carried to some room and deposited on a bunk. I cried until the tears stopped flowing. I thought I could hear soothing words, like I remember my mom saying when I was a child laying at home sick. I felt a damp cloth wiping my face and I stirred. Then I heard a female voice say, “He’s beginning to wake up. Tell Derek.” The voice sounded familiar.
I opened my eyes. I was laying on a bunk in a squalid little room. I could see the outline of a girl against the dim light on the wall. “Who are you?” I asked her.
“My name is Allison. They tell me your name is John.” Allison was sitting on the side of my bunk. Her large brown eyes full of questions and compassion.
“That’s right. John Connor.”
“Derek will be here soon. He is going to ask you some questions. Do you feel up to it?”
“Yeah, I think so.”
Allison got up from by bedside. I started looking around at the room, the bunk. I tried not to look at Allison. I couldn’t believe how much she looked like Cameron. Looking at her brought only pain and longing. The only physical difference being that Allison’s body movements came about more natural, more fluid.
“Do you have anything to eat?” I said. “I haven’t eaten in days.” That was almost true. Before the jump, I hadn’t eaten since my mom was arrested. I was too sick with worry at the time. I could still hear Cameron’s voice, “You need to eat something John. It’s important for your health.”
I then noticed I was still wearing just the coat I had found. I made sure it was closed tightly while in her presence. “Oh, is there some clothes I could have? This coat isn’t exactly suitable for an interrogation.” I said while sitting up.
She smiled, and I think she may have blushed a little. “I’ll see what I can find.” she said and walked out of the room.
I made a quick search of the room. Other than the bunk, the bowl of water with the cloth in it, there was nothing that could be used for a possible weapon. There were some rags in a corner, but when I moved them there was nothing under them but some old blood stains. It was then that I noticed the pock marks from bullets and shrapnel. There must have been a big firefight in here at some point I thought.
I had just sat back down when Derek came into the room. “How you doing kid?”
“I’m okay I think. Uh, where am I?”
Derek set a packing crate down on the floor and sat on it. “You’re in our central compound. What I’d like to know kid, is how did you get here, and how do you know my name?”
“The name is John Connor. Don’t call me kid.” I decided right then I would have to lie. These people didn’t know me and had no reason to trust me.
“All right, just answer the questions, John.”
“I’m a refugee. My family were living in rural Mexico when the bombs fell. They . . . they were gun runners before the bombs fell, and they continued afterwards. Only they switched from supplying guerrilla armies and drug smugglers in South America, to supplying small bands of human resistance groups like yourself.”
“So what happened? How did you end up here?”
“We were on the run. There were a group of people who were after us. We had no idea who they were, other than they were working for the machines.”
“We call them Grays.” Derek interjected.
I stored that information for future reference and continued my story, “ We had crossed the border and hoped we had shaken them off. That’s when we were ambushed. I was the only one to escape. As far as I know everyone else was killed.”
“Where were you headed when you got ambushed?”
“We were making for a weapons cache my mom had hidden in the desert, after she met my dad. She had continued to deposit weapons there over the years while they were smuggling guns. When the people came after us, she decided we should make for the weapons cache, grab what we could carry, and then head for a resistance group we had heard about. The only name we had was their leader, Derek Reese.”
“How did you find us?”
“It was by accident. I had been on the run for days after my family were killed. I couldn’t go to the weapons cache on my own. It was out in the middle of the desert and I had no food, no water. So, I made my way to the area where we had been told to find the resistance. I had stumbled into this bunker by accident. I had heard noises outside, and I ran as quickly and as quietly as I could behind some rubble to hide. That’s when I found a hatchway. I went inside to hide and found myself here.”
“What happened to your clothes?”
“They got ripped and torn in our escape from Mexico. In the ambushed they were singed by fire when our vehicle was taken out by an RPG. When I was on the run coming here, they got shredded some more by cacti and brush. They were next to useless, so on my last night above ground I burned them for heat. When I found myself in the bunker, I looked around for some clothes and food. I had found the coat laying on a bunk but no food.”
I looked at his face. I couldn’t tell if he believed me or not. He just seemed to be studying me, as much as I was studying him. I then asked, “Have you got anything to eat? I’m starving.” Anything to turn his attention off of me, and to give him the idea my collapse was from shock and hunger.
“I’ll see what there is kid . . . John.” Derek stood up. “Stay here for now and rest. You are lucky that we found you. There was a big firefight here a few days back. A bunch of Triple-8's stormed in here and shot the place to hell. Kyle and I got as many people out of here as we could. Each of us taking our groups to a safe haven. By messenger we arranged to storm back in here and take our bunker back. But instead of metal, all we found was you.”
He stood there in thought for a moment. “If you were to go back to the desert, do you think you could find that weapons cache your mom had?”
“Yeah. I have the route memorized. I just couldn’t go there on my own. I had no supplies, and my family . . . .” I couldn’t finish. Though what I told him wasn’t true the loss was real. I could feel the emotion starting again.
Derek gave a short nod and a look of understanding then left, I assumed to talk with others. I committed the story I told him to memory, as I would probably be called on to repeat it. Part of my training as a child was in committing things to memory as it wasn’t safe to write things down.
I wasn’t alone for very long when Allison came in the room. She was carrying a few items of clothing and some food.
“I hope these clothes will fit. We have very little to spare.”
“Thanks, I’m sure they’ll do nicely.”
“I also found some food, two apples and a few carrots. It’s about all we have around here.”
I thought of Riley at this point. She always referred to good things as apples and carrots.
“Uh, do you mind standing guard at the doorway? I wouldn’t want anyone walking in while I am dressing.” I couldn’t help but blush, but there were no doors to any of the rooms.
Allison smiled, I could swear she blushed again. It was so hard to tell in the dim light. “No problem.” She turned and stood in the doorway, her back facing me. We continued to talk as I got dressed.
“What did Derek ask you about?” she said.
“Well he asked me where I had come from, how did I get here, how did I know his name? That sort of thing.” I pulled the pants up under the coat and buttoned the waist.
“You must have told him something good.” She took a look up and down the hallway. “Right after he left you he called a meeting with Kyle and some of his top soldiers.” I dropped the coat on the bed.
“He could be just telling them about me.” I said as I pulled on a shirt and tucked it into my pants
“I don’t think so. These are the people who lead sorties and small battle groups. You must have told him something important.”
“The weapons cache.” I wondered if I should have told him about it, but at the time I thought it best to give him a reason to want to trust me.
“Weapons cache?”
“Yeah, my mom was a gun smuggler. She had a weapons cache in the desert. We were heading for it when we were attacked. I’m . . . on my own now.” I shoved my feet in the boots and stood up.
“Then that must be what Derek is telling them about. He’s probably convincing them on a plan to get those weapons.”
I pulled the coat back on, “How do I look?”
Allison turned around, and smiled. “You look every inch like a resistance fighter. The pants are a little baggy, but you will like that on hot days.”
“I think the boots are a little big, too.”
“Well that’s better than being too small.” she replied.
“Yeah. It’s a shame I’ve got to give this coat back to Kyle. It sort of completes the whole look.” I smiled and she laughed. I wished I didn’t make her laugh. Cameron seldom laughed but seeing Allison do it so reminded me of her.
I think Allison may have noticed the look in my face quickly flux from mirth, joy, and pain, as she looked at me so worriedly.
“What’s wrong?” she asked me.
“It’s . . . it’s just that . . . You remind me of someone I lost. Someone who was very close.” I could feel the tears forming in my eyes again.
“Can you tell me about it?”
“My family and I were on the run. We were being pursued by people, that Derek calls the Grays.” The pain was still there. What I was saying was a total lie, but the pain was so real.
“We were in Mexico. We were running for a resistance group we had heard about it. This very one it turns out.” I sat down on the bunk. I couldn’t trust my legs to hold me.
“Before we crossed the border Charley and my uncle were killed. We tried to shake them but they found us again. My sister was killed. She wasn’t really my sister, but my mom took her in and she lived with us. That’s who you remind me of. I don’t know about my mom. In that last attack, I lost her . . . I’m all alone now.”
I couldn’t help it I cried again. I thought I had no more tears to give. Allison sat down beside me and put her arm around me. Having her close hurt so much, but felt so nice.
“Everyone here has lost someone at sometime. I lost my parents when I was very young I barely remember them now. You aren’t alone. You are with us now.” Allison explained.
When I calmed down, I asked her to join me in eating the food she brought. She smiled and said she’d love to. We talked some more and this time she told me of some of the things the resistance had been through. It seems this future I was in wasn’t having it any better than the future I had heard about.
**
God, how her smile would cut into me so deeply those first few days. Every time she did, I thought of Cameron. It took several days before I could look at her and see Allison and not Cameron.
Before the jump, I had fought the feelings I had for Cameron, as I knew she was a machine. She said things and did things that were clear she had feelings for me. I refused to acknowledge it and I pushed her away. Then when I saw her, when she broke my mom out of prison, I was tormented by what had happened to her. She had done this for me. She had allowed herself to become disfigured and damaged for me. It wasn’t her mission to rescue my mom. In fact mom had told us not to. But Cameron did it for me, because I asked her. I felt sick. I shoved my feelings down inside. Then when I found her in that basement, her chip stolen. My heart broke, I could think of only her. If she sacrificed herself for me, then I could do the same for her. I allowed Weaver to take me into the future. I could have stepped away, but I had a mission.
I had come here with the mission of retrieving Cameron’s chip. Not long after arriving I found out my true mission was to embrace my destiny.
My mom used to say, “There is no fate but that we make.”
That afternoon in the basement of Zeira Corp, my fate was set.
2027, Day 2
After eating and getting some sleep, I spent my second day meeting some of the various people in the bunker. Right now only the resistance fighters were here. After they made sure it was secure, they would allow some civilians to move back in.
Derek and Kyle were busy setting up observers to warn of possible metal. Allison introduced me to their medic, Laura. She had about five youths with her, all fully trained by her.
Allison introduced me to some of Derek’s and Kyle’s top lieutenants, Jason, Andrew, Josephine call me Jo, and William. There were others but they were leading patrols or manning observation posts.
No matter who I met, whether they were curt or friendly, I couldn’t help but notice that there was as much life in their eyes as one of the machines. My Derek had told me much about his future, but what you couldn’t understand until you actually saw it, was the toll this future was taking on humanity. It was killing their spirit.
The only cheerful person in the whole place was Allison. It seemed she smiled wherever she went. I saw her help an injured soldier remove his jacket. She helped clear space for the people who would be coming. I helped as much as I could, but even I couldn’t match her optimistic cheerful self. In this dark future, she was the only ray of light.
I talked with many people, some had gotten hard and bitter from their long struggle. Others seemed vacant like every part of their humanity had died. A few still had some spirit but they all went about like they had lost all hope. I didn’t know how Allison could remain so cheerful.
2027, Day 3
I was roused from my bunk by a soldier I hadn’t seen previously.
“Wake up Connor. Derek wants to see you.”
I got up slipped my boots on and followed him. He moved quickly like someone who is used to the cramped dirty tunnels. I could barely keep up with him as we turned down this tunnel, turned down that tunnel. We passed openings, some no more than knocked out holes into other basements, and sewers. Eventually we arrived outside one of the few real doors in the whole place.
He knocked on the door. “I’ve got Connor with me.”
“Send him in.”
It was like being called to the principals office. No warning, someone walks into your class and gives the teacher a note and the next thing you know you are chasing him down the hallway to your certain doom, or at least that’s how it always felt when I got called.
“Connor, you told me you could find your way to that weapons cache. Do you think you still can?”
“Yes. I know I can.”
“Good. We’ve been fighting SkyNet and its machines for a long time now. Our weapons are getting low and the few we still have are not effective against the machines.”
“You have provided us with a chance to be able to strike back. Now, it had to take some convincing, but I persuaded our lieutenants that we needed to get these weapons. Unfortunately, we can’t commit a large number of people for this mission.”
“I understand.”
“Kyle will be leading, he has been assigned a small group of young fighters who need to get some more experience, on what I hope will be a light mission. You will be going with them and once you reach the desert, you will take point. Just remember you will be acting as guide. Kyle knows how vital it is we need weapons, but his orders are to pull out if things get too rough. We can always try again.”
“When will we be leaving?”
“As soon as you’ve been given your gear. When you leave here, tell the guard outside you need to be kited out for a mission and he will direct you to our supply officer.”
I couldn’t believe it. I had been here only two days and on my third day I was told I was going on a mission. The next thing I couldn’t believe was that I was going to be on a mission with my dad. Right now he’s only a few year older than I am right now. It boggles your mind if you think too hard on it.
I reported to the supply officer and got kited out. I got a Colt M-16 A2 assault rifle, a Desert Eagle .50 caliber handgun, and a backpack with ammunition for both. I also got a canteen, rather dented, and a flack vest. Anything else I wanted to bring was up to me.
I then had to find Kyle. Amazingly, the supply officer didn’t know where he was, but I did find someone who directed me. I found the room where he was in the middle of briefing several guys when I walked in.
“Well glad to see you could join us.” Kyle said with a stern face but with twinkling eyes. “I was just telling these fellows about the miracle you’re providing us.”
I grinned sheepishly. “I’m sorry if I’m late, but I couldn’t find this room.”
“No problem Connor. I was just outlining our mission to these fellows. Why don’t you come over here to the map and point out exactly where we will be going.”
I set my stuff down and joined them at the table. Kyle pointed out where they were, somewhere near where downtown L. A. once stood. I pointed out where we needed to go. Kyle and the others just gave me a look. I found out they had no transportation and we would have to walk the whole distance.
Two of the fellows backed out. Apparently they had volunteered and didn’t look forward to a long march out into the desert and back. One guy suggested we might find working transportation on the outskirts where there was less damage. It was highly doubtful, but it persuaded the other five not to leave.
While we were talking, Allison had entered the room. She was kited out like the rest of us. Kyle excused himself and went over to her. They spoke in low tones, but it was rather heated. I didn’t hear what was said, but I gathered she had decided to come along and Kyle wasn’t pleased. Apparently she told him something that made him change his mind, but he still didn’t look pleased.
We left as soon as the briefing was over. We had a long march through twisting tunnels under L A. After which we would have to travel above ground overnight. It was a mission which required sleep deprivation.
2027, Day 4
We had been making our way across the ruined landscape that was once the outskirts of Los Angeles. It was midnight, and we had left the tunnels nearly an hour before. We were a small squad of consisting of Kyle, three inexperienced fighters - cutting their teeth on what was supposed to be a light mission, two slightly more experienced soldiers, myself and Allison. I would be acting as guide, once we hit the desert. Allison, she just decided to join us.
I was quite impressed by the network of bunkers, bomb shelters, and tunnels under the city. Most of it was built in the cold war years, but a lot had been dug out by the survivors of J-Day. They had linked it all together, making use of existing basements, metro tunnels and sewers where they could.
We had made as much use of the tunnels as possible, but there were several miles we had to cover above ground and that we could do only at night. We had to come to the surface sooner than we wanted when we came across a collapsed section of tunnel. There was a bit of a to-do about whether we should go around or turn-back by some of the guys, but Kyle got them inline.
When we reached the surface, we began making our way across the ruined city as quickly and as stealthily as possible. We had hoped to find a vehicle that still worked by the time we reached the edge of the city and use it to carry the weapons. No such luck. Some of the men grumbled that we would have to carry it all the way back. I went to speak with Kyle.
Kyle and the two more experienced fighters, there names were Mike and Lewis, were discussing options. It was beginning to sound like they were going to turn back.
“Excuse me, but I have an idea on how to fetch the weapons.” They all turned to me in unison. “First let me see the map.”
The map they were carrying was old. It was found by someone in an old service station. Over the years it had become marked up showing known locations of Terminator activity, locations of hatches, caches of supplies, the sort of thing this lot should commit to memory.
“Look at this.” I said pointing to a location on their map.
“Right here is an old rest stop just before you enter the desert. There is likely to be a vehicle there, maybe an old tow truck in the service station, that we can use to carry supplies.”
Kyle looked at me and said, “How do you know all this?”
“When I was walking in from the desert to the city looking for your camp, I stumbled across the place.” I lied. Actually, my Mom and I would stop there on occasion to fill up the gas tank or buy water when we would drop off supplies at the hideaway when I was a child. I was hoping it would still be there.
“This place you pointed to would add another two days to our journey.”
“Not if we find a truck, but at the very least the men will find shelter and water before going into the desert. And it will be a place to rest when they come back out, too.”
Kyle thought a moment. “I’ll need to discuss it with these two first. Why don’t you go back and keep Allison company.”
Allison was sitting off to one side away from the three young men. They were a bit brash and undisciplined, but apparently they did have some experience in fighting.
I sat down beside her. “How are you doing?” I asked.
“I’m used to sneaking about and walking over rough terrain, but I’ve never been in the desert before.”
“I’ve been there many times before. The key thing to remember is to conserve your water, and always shake your boots out before you put them on.”
“Why’s that?”
“Scorpions. They like to go in your boots for shelter from the cold at night, or from the heat of the sun during the day.”
I though for a moment then asked her a serious question.
“Allison, why did you join us? I mean you weren’t assigned to this unit, but then I didn’t see anyone stop you either?”
She responded with a question of her own. “Why is Kyle here?”
“He’s leading this unit.”
“And Mike and Lewis?”
“They are training those three guys over there.”
“And what are they doing here, besides training?”
“They will aid in carrying the weapons and ammo.” I was beginning to wonder where she was going with this.
“And what are you doing here?”
“I’m here to lead them to the weapons cache.”
“Now why do you think I am here?”
I was trying to read her face in the dark but was having no luck. I was trying to think of answer when Kyle came over.
“Connor, We’ve talked it over, and we have agreed to your plan.”
I tried not to grin, but he probably wouldn’t have seen it in the dark. I noticed Allison still looking at me.
“However, Derek will have to know about our change of plans. We will loose one man but I think we can manage without him.” Kyle added.
“You, Johnson. Go back to base and tell Derek we are taking a detour to the old rest stop on the desert highway. Make sure you tell him why, and that we will be another day or two getting back. Now go!” and with that, one of the three men grabbed his rifle and pack and dashed back the way we had come. I just hoped he had the common sense to find a different route back in case we were spotted earlier.
“Okay, Connor, you’ll be up front with me. As soon as we hit the desert, you are taking point. All right everyone, pick up your stuff, we’re moving out.”
I knelt down to pick up my back pack and make sure the flaps were secure. Allison knelt down to do the same. I know it was night and we only had the stars to see by, but I could swear she gave me a look of, well, something like the look of adoration.
My star was rising in her eyes. I only prayed that it wouldn’t burn out before it would rise in the eyes of others.
The1Russter |
Latest page update: made by The1Russter
, Sep 16 2009, 5:59 PM EDT
(about this update
About This Update
Inseted New Chapter Title
- The1Russter
4 words added view changes - complete history) |
|
Keyword tags:
Allison Young
Derek Reese
John Connor
Kyle Reese
More Info: links to this page
|
There are no threads for this page.
Be the first to start a new thread.
