Chapter 04 Agent AuldridgeThis is a featured page

Reunion "Home"

Part 1: The Shadow of Death


Chapter 4

Agent Auldridge

2009, Day 3


Agent Auldridge was mad. He had barely walked into the agency when he got called into the directors office. The Director informed him that he was to close up his investigation and turn over all materials, law enforcement and witness reports, evidence, etc. over to him before the end of the day.

When Auldridge asked him why, The Director firmly stated that he had taken too much of a personal interest in the case and as such his objectivity in collecting evidence and taking witness testimony could be considered unreliable if and when the case ever got to court.

Mr. Auldridge decided to press it further. “How do you mean I’ve taken a personal interest in the case?”

“Agent Auldridge, you were overheard speaking to Sarah Connor in her prison cell, by one of the guards. He says that he clearly overheard you tell Sarah Connor that you believed her.” The Director then stood up from behind his desk and smoothed his gray suit. “Then yesterday in this very building I heard you tell Mr. Ellison that you wanted to help him and Sarah. Now, I call that taking a personal interest. In fact it could be construed as interfering in a federal investigation.”

“I only said those things to try to gain their trust.” Auldridge said adamantly.

“It doesn’t matter. If defense attorneys ever learned of what you had said, the judge could easily throw the case out. I’m sorry, but you are finished investigating all cases related to Sarah Connor, Zeira Corporation, Catherine Weaver, and Mr. Ellison.”

Auldridge paused a moment before responding, “Okay, I understand. I just need to transfer my notes to the computer database and backup all data.”

“Good.” said The Director, smiling as he walked towards Auldridge. “Just as long as you turn over all evidence collected, to me, by the end of the day.”

Mr. Auldridge turned and walked away. He stopped when he heard the director’s door close. Looking quickly up and down the hall he saw no one about. He walked back to the directors door and stood there listening. He could here him talking to someone on the phone. He could only hear the director speaking.

“It’s all arranged. Auldridge has been taken off the case.”

“What? No it won’t be necessary to kill him. If he’s smart. he will stay away from this case.”

“Well if he does, then I’ll have no choice but to kill him then, will I.”

“Yes, I have someone keeping tabs on him.”

“No I don’t expect trouble from him, but I rather play it safe than be sorry later.”

“Well if he gets custody then he won’t have time to be a nuisance will he?”

“Have you located her, yet?”

“Yes, I know she is still out there. Our only lead right now is Ellison.”

“If we don’t locate her soon all of ours plans could be ruined.”

“Well then, maybe there is someway we could flush her out.”

“That’s not your concern. Just find her.”


Mr. Auldridge had heard enough.

He walked away as quickly as he could, without arousing suspicion, back to his office.

He closed his door and paced. There wasn’t enough room for pacing so he sat in his office chair. His mind raced over the revelation he just heard. “Who was the director talking to? I must be close to something or why else would I be removed from the case, then threatened with death if I keep looking. And who was the director keeping tabs on, was it me or someone else? No it can’t be me. The director said that he was going to be getting custody. Custody of who? Ellison, it had to be Ellison. It was highly likely he was going to get temporary custody of Savannah Weaver. The report crossed my desk just yesterday. And who is the ‘she’ the director is looking for? Catherine Weaver? Or Sarah Connor? Either way they were having a hard time locating her. He mentioned needing to flush ‘her out.’ Whoever the director is, he isn’t working for the FBI? Then who is he working for? And why doesn’t he want me checking into Sarah Connor and Zeira Corp.?”

Auldridge looked up at the clock on the wall. If he was going to do what he was planning on doing, he would have to move fast.

* * *

Ellison’s day started off pretty good. Pending news on whether Zeira Corp was to restart its business or close, he thought it best to turn the company car back in.

He drove back to Zeira Corp and parked in his assigned space three levels below ground. He walked to the Security Guard’s room and turned in his keys.

“Hey Mr. Ellison. Have you heard any news?”

“I’m sorry Chuck, not a whisper.”

“So do you think it’s a lost cause then.”

“Is what a lost cause?”

“Zeira Corp, is it closing its doors for good?”

“To be honest. I don’t think Zeira Corp will restart. All we are doing is guarding a ghost.”

And with that Mr. Ellison walked away and took the stairs to the upper level where his personal car was parked. Not as sharp as the one provided by the company, but it was the best he could buy on an Agent’s salary at the time.

As he approached it, he thought something didn’t look right. He knew it was several days since he last drove it, but he could tell that the rear of the vehicle seemed to be sagging a bit.

When he got closer, he looked his vehicle over carefully, but couldn’t spot anything else amiss. Pulling his keys out of his pocket, he slowly unlocked the trunk. He listened carefully, for any clicks other than those of the lock. Nothing. He slowly raised the lid and felt around the edges for any trip wires or other devices. Nothing.

He took stock of the situation, and raised the lid. He was never more shocked in his life to see a body. It was a body of an adult white male, with dark hair, angular jaw line, possibly in his mid-thirties. He looked around the parking garage. No one was about, and he leaned in to take a closer look at the body. There appeared to be some blood on the scalp. He reached over and checked the wound. It was a deep semicircular cut. He touched it and a whole flap of skin fell back revealing a shiny metal skull.

“OH MY GOD! IT”S ONE OF THEM!” His mind shouted.

The next question he said out loud, “Now how the hell did it get in my trunk?”

He took another look around then examined the body. He found a slip of paper in a shirt pocket. It was the only thing on the body other than two recently fired guns with silencers.

He closed the lid and got in his car. He unfolded the slip of paper.

Mr. Ellison,

I apologize for the shock you must of had when opening the trunk of your car.

It tried to assassinate me. It didn’t know my little secret, which of course you must know by now.

Please take care of the body. I assume you will know how.

Look after Savannah for me. I have become very fond of her.

Catherine Weaver

“When does this ever stop?” He thought. Turning the ignition, he put the vehicle into gear and drove out of the parking garage. As he pulled out into traffic, a gray van pulled out from the curb and followed him.

* * *

Mr. Auldridge had been working frantically all morning. First he meticulously copied all his hand written notes by hand in fresh notebooks, these he placed in the box for the director. He placed the originals in his own box. He took all of the printed sheets, forms from other law enforcement agencies, witness testimonies, photographs, etc. and ran off copies on his personal copier. He took photographs, with his digital camera, of all objects and forensic evidence gathered at the crime scenes. All originals went into the box for the director all copies went into his box.

He then download gigabytes of data from the FBI servers. Everything he could find, all files, folders, photographs, every piece of detail related to Sarah Connor, John Connor, Zeira Corp, Catherine Weaver, and Savannah Weaver. All of this he burned to optical discs and placed them in his box.

It was almost mid day. He didn’t even have lunch and his stomach was complaining from all the coffee he drank. He sealed up the box for the director, and wrote the case number and subject on the lid and signed the sheet, the first line, as the last person to have access to the box. “Let’s hope I’m not the last to look into this case.” he said as he hefted the box onto his desk.

He took one more look at his own box. It looked too much like an evidence box. So he looked around his office and his eye fell on the shelves which had been filling up with personal mementos over the years. He grabbed a bunch of items, and placed them in his box on top of everything. “That’s better,” he thought, “less obvious.”

He shoved his own box under his desk. He picked up the one for the director and carried it to his office.
The Director’s door was closed. Auldridge struggled to hold the heavy box on one knee to knock on the door. There was no answer.

Auldridge tried the knob and it wasn’t locked. He went in and set the box on the Director’s desk. The room looked very organized. There was nothing out of place. No folders or papers laying on his desk. His calendar blotter had no appointments written on it and no doodles. There wasn’t even any dust. The director’s cell phone was laying on his desk plugged into the charger. Auldridge took a moment and swung the door to, leaving it open just a crack so he could hear what was in the hall without being seen. He went back to the desk and checked the cell phones directory of sent and received calls. There were two calls during the time in which he was outside the director’s office this morning. He jotted them both down on a post-it-note and shoved it into his pocket. He just cleared the cell phone’s display when the Director walked in.

The Director gave Agent Auldridge a firm but questioning look and glanced quickly and sharply at him and around the room.

“Good Afternoon Director, I just stopped by to drop off all the materials you requested.” Auldridge swallowed. He hoped the Director wouldn’t become suspicious.

“Thank you. May I ask what you are doing behind my desk?” the director said very cooly.

“Well, I knocked and you weren’t in. So I came in and placed the box of evidence on your desk. I was just deciding whether or not to leave you a note, when you walked in.” Auldridge lied smoothly.

“Yes, well I’m here now.”

“Ahh, of course.” Auldridge came out from behind the desk. “Sorry.”

The director walked behind his desk and glanced at the sealed box. “Is everything in here?”

“Yes, sir.” Then Auldridge added, “I’m sorry if my investigation technique hurt the case. I was only trying to extract more information from the suspects.”

“So you no longer have a problem with my reassigning the case?”

“No, sir” Auldridge paused a moment, then asked, “Who will be handling the case now sir?”

“The investigation is being turned over to Homeland Security. They will then assign someone from their group.”

“Ok. If its all right sir, I’d like to take the rest of the afternoon off for a dental appointment.”

“No problem. Just be here on time tomorrow.”

“Yes, sir.”

Auldridge stepped out through the door and closed it behind him. He audibly sighed and walked to reception.

“Hey Mabel?”

“Oh hi. You seldom come up here to reception Mr. Auldridge. What can I do for you?”

“Do you have the name of the Detective on the LA Police force who was handling the Zeira Corp investigation from their end?”

“Yes. Just let me pull it up on my computer.” She typed away, and clicked the mouse on a few icons then a window popped up with Det. Macklin’s name and phone number. “Shall I print it off for you?”

“Yes, please.” He waited by the printer and pulled the sheet out when it was done. He folded it and placed it in the inside pocket of his suit coat.

“I’d appreciate it, if you wouldn’t tell anyone,” and here he lowered his voice, “especially the Director.”

Mabel’s eyes brightened. “Yes, Mr. Auldridge. I understand.”

“Oh, and I’ll be out the rest of the afternoon. I have a dental appointment.” with that Agent Auldridge left reception and went to his office. He picked up his box and went out the back door to his car.

* * *

Mabel went into the ladies restroom and locked the door behind her. She turned on the tap, and pulled out her cell phone and dialed.

“Hello, Mr. Ellison. Mabel here.”

“Hello Mabel. What can I do for you?”

“Mr. Ellison, I just wanted to let you know that I think Mr. Auldridge suspects something about the Director.”

“And why are you telling me this?”

“You need friends in the agency Mr. Ellison. People with authority.”

“Thank you Mabel. I’ll keep it mind.”

“I’m sending you his phone number. I have to go now.”

Ellison looked at his phone as the text message came through with Agent Auldridge’s phone number.

* * *

Back in the Director’s office, the Director was sitting there looking at the box of evidence. It was sealed against tampering. Slowly the Director raised his hand and pointed his index finger. It slowly extend into a silver blade, with which he sliced open the seals.

* * *

When Mr. Ellison’s cell phone rang, he was driving through Los Angeles, wondering what to do with the body in his trunk. As it rang, he pulled over into an empty parking space. As he did so, he saw in his drivers side mirror a gray van come to a sudden stop. A Motorcyclist in full leathers and helmet had cut in front of the van and had parked in the only other available space. The driver looked like he was looking for another parking space.

Car horns started blaring behind the van, and the driver was forced to drive on past Mr. Ellison. It didn’t stop until the next block where it parked in front of a florist shop. Mr. Ellison’s curiosity was roused but he maintained his conversation with Mabel.

When he finished talking with her, he saved Agent Auldridge’s cell number, then sat there and thought a moment. Thinking over the last couple of days, he realized that he had been seeing quite a few plain gray commercial vans wherever he went. He decided on a plan of action.

He flipped on his turn signal for pulling out into traffic. As soon as a space appeared, he pulled out and drove at normal speed approaching the intersection. The van was parked just the other side. No one had gotten out, but Ellison could see movement in the cab reflected in the vans mirrors.

The light was about to turn red. Gunning the engine, Mr Ellison accelerated through the right hand lane. As soon as he cleared the cars on his left, he made a hard left turn and accelerated up the street. Cars screeched to a stop, and car horns blared. He then drove quickly up the street, then took a right. He continued in a zig-zag pattern, taking a left then taking a right, sometimes down a street, other times down an alley.

He didn’t know who those men were in the van, but he knew he had to shake them. He didn’t know if it was wise to go home, but he had to do something about the body in his trunk.

* * *

The men in the van were upset, and scared. They had lost sight of Mr. Ellison. They were due to check in soon and they knew their boss was going to be mad.

* * *

The Director was busy looking over the evidence provided by Mr. Auldridge. He was hoping that there was something that would lead to Catherine Weaver or Sarah Connor. His cell phone began to ring.

“Hello.”

“We lost Mr. Ellison.”

“What!?”

“He pulled over unexpectedly, and when we tried to park we got cut-off by someone on a motorcycle. We had no choice but to drive on past Mr. Ellison and park.” the voice on the other end whined.

“Now let me make one thing very clear. You will find him, today. You will call me when you do.”

“We don’t know where to look.”

“Well then, I suggest you go back to his home. He is bound to return.”

“But what if we don’t find him?”

“If you don’t find him, then lets just say I don’t accept failure.” He said coldly.

The director’s eyes glinted silver as the anger flashed through his system. He placed the phone back down and resumed going through the evidence.”

* * *

Ellison arrived home just before noon. He drove around the block three times checking every driveway and niche for a gray van. None were to be found, so he backed into his garage, and popped the trunk lid. He got out and closed the doors to the garage and locked them.

He walked to the back of the garage and opened a door which led to a set of concrete steps to his basement. He pulled the body out of his trunk and dragged it down the steps into his basement.

The house was built in the days of coal fired furnaces and there was still an old coal bin in the back corner of the basement. At one time he had hoped to convert the space into a workshop, but he had been too busy of late. He laid the body on the floor, and shifted the stack of lumber so that it completely covered the body. It was the best he could do for now.

He went upstairs to the kitchen to clean up and get a bite to eat. He had just finished eating when his home phone rang.

"Hello, Mr. Ellison, this is Ms. Williams from Child Protective Services.”

“Good Afternoon. How is Savannah doing?”

“She is doing quite well, and I have good news for you. You’ve been approved to act as Savannah’s guardian until such time as a more permanent arrangement can be made.”

“Oh, I’m so pleased to hear it.”

“I thought you would be. You can pick Savannah up anytime this afternoon, or first thing tomorrow morning.”

“Well if I know Savannah she is probably beside herself right now. I’ll be there around 4 o’clock.”

“I’ll look forward to seeing you then, goodbye.”

“Good bye.”

Ellison was in a quandary. “Now what am I going to do.” He thought. “Someone is tailing me, I have a body in my basement and a fugitive in hiding, and now I have a little girl to take care of. And I thought working in law enforcement was tough. It’s got nothing compared to civilian life.”

Mr. Ellison went upstairs to take a shower. He didn’t see the gray van that parked down the street, nor the man who got out and peered through his garage windows and the ground floor windows of his home.

* * *

Ms. Williams was very happy. It wasn’t too often she could place a child so easily with a responsible adult. It was especially pleasing when there was such a bond between a child and an adult.

She walked into the room where Savannah was playing with another child who was waiting for placement.

“I have good news for you Savannah.”

“What is it Ms. Williams?”

“I just spoke with Mr. Ellison on the phone. He will be coming over to see you this afternoon.”

“Yeeaaaah.” Savannah picked up her stuffed giraffe and jumped up and down.

Ms. Williams chuckled, “That isn’t all Savannah.”

Savannah stopped jumping and looked at her with expectant eyes. “You will be going home with him.”

“Yeeaaaah!” Savannah started running around the room shouting,”I get to go live with Uncle James! I get to live with Uncle James!”

* * *

Agent Auldridge had just got off the phone with Det. Macklin. They didn’t think it was a coincidence that they were both pulled off the same case. They both had questions that weren’t getting answers. There was evidence or lack of evidence that didn’t support the theory the authorities were going with.

They decided to get together that evening and compare notes.

Agent Auldridge called into the agency and left a message with the Director’s secretary that he had to go in for emergency oral surgery tomorrow morning to have an abscess removed that had formed around a root of a tooth.

The secretary offered her sympathies and promised to pass the word along to the Director.

“Well that’s taken care of.” he thought. “If they need documentation I can just get my brother in law to falsify a few medical forms. After a few drinks he’ll do anything for the right price.”

Auldridge poured himself a drink and made a toast, “Thank God my sister married an alcoholic dentist.”

* * *

Sarah woke promptly at 2 PM. She had a long drive ahead of her and if she was to be back by tomorrow morning she would have to leave here no later than 4:30 PM.

She got up and took a shower. Getting out, she wrapped a towel around herself and walked back to the bedroom. She had been seen too often the last two nights in the same clothing. Today she needed a change. She dropped her towel and pulled some fresh underwear out her backpack on the floor.

When she stood up, Sarah looked at herself in the mirror. She studied herself sliding her hands over her body, noting the curves, the tightness of her stomach, the firmness of her muscles, and the scars she had acquired in her life. Each one had a story. Her fingers slid effortlessly over the commonplace scars she got while gun running in Central America. They had little to say. Her fingers found the scars from fighting the machines. Her face flashed with anger. The stories they told were scary, and horrendous, and were not important. Her face grimaced when her fingers found the new scar on her left leg she acquired when she got careless. She wouldn’t make that mistake again. Her hands slid across her abdomen, and there, barely visible a few light scars from the stretch marks she got when pregnant with John. These had a story to tell she was proud of and loved to tell. She smiled as she thought of John. No matter how old a child got and no matter how far away they were, a mother always had a connection to her children

She sat on the edge of the bed slipped her panties over her feet and slid them up her legs, stood up and pulled them over her hips. She then picked up her bra, straightened out the twists in the straps and then slid the straps onto her shoulders, reached behind her back and snapped the catch close. Looking in the mirror, she repositioned the cups on her breasts, then opened the closet door.

She went digging through the closet and found a pair of jeans. The legs were a little long, so she pulled her knife out and cut the excess off and pulled the jeans on. Next were a pair of cowboy boots with a flat heal she put on tucking the ragged end of the jeans inside the boots. George Lazslo’s shirts were too big, so Sarah pulled a T-shirt out her bag and slipped it on. She then used one of his denim shirts as a light jacket rolling the sleeves up so they were just below her elbow and tied off the long shirt tails around her waist.

She took a look around the room. With the instincts of someone who has always been on the run, she had the feeling that she may not return. She began picking up everything that was laying around. All her belongings were shoved into a plastic bag, and then stuffed it into her back pack. All of Lazslo’s belongings were picked up and put back in the closet and drawers. She grabbed a bag from the kitchen and went into the bathroom and picked up the wet towels and shoved them inside. She did the same with the denim scraps, the empty tin of sardines, and the paper she used to write her note. The box of crackers she put in her back pack.

Then like she did before, she put on the cap and tucked her hair up inside. Slipped on her backpack grabbed the bag of trash and went out the door. It was 4:15 PM.

* * *

Mr. Ellison couldn’t be happier. He arrived at Child Protective Services at 4 PM and was greeted by one of the biggest hugs he ever had from such a small package. After signing a few forms, he and Savannah headed home.

Ellison was wondering how Sarah was doing. He hadn’t been able to stop by and check on her since leaving her all alone at Lazslo’s apartment. He wondered if it would be safe to check on her now.

He looked in the rearview mirror. They were back. “You’d think they would have changed vehicles after I spotted them this morning,” he thought. But there they were, five cars back and still tailing him in that gray van.

He would have tried shaking them off, but he dare not do any fancy driving with Savannah in the car.

“No,” he thought, “I’ll have to try something else.”

Savannah was as happy as could be. She was sitting in the back seat happily chatting and playing with her stuffed giraffe.

“Savannah, how would you like to go out to eat tonight? Sort of a celebration.”

“You mean like a party?” she asked with enthusiasm.

“Well no. Not a party. Just a special meal to celebrate your coming to live with me.”

“OK!” Savannah though a moment, then said, “Uncle James, can I have ice cream for desert?”

“Yes dear, you can have ice cream.”

She could barely contain her excitement. Ellison drove to a nice little family friendly restaurant he’d take his brother and his family to when they would visit from Atlanta.

Along the way he pulled out his cell phone. “This might be the time to call Agent Auldridge,” he thought.

* * *

Sarah was driving her vehicle through the outskirts of Los Angeles, taking all the side streets and back roads to the desert highway. The police were more likely to be looking for her on the main roads. She kept her eye out for any police cars but saw few of them on her trip, and most weren’t facing her direction. She had a brief scare when a cop car pulled up beside her at a red light. She reached behind her and grabbed the gun stuffed in the back of her jeans, but the police went straight on ahead when the light went green. She decided to take a right.

A few cars back, someone on a motorcycle was following Sarah. The person was slim and dressed in full leathers and a helmet that completely concealed the drivers face. It was impossible to tell the sex of the person. The motorcyclist paused at the light and continued on the route that Sarah took.

* * *

Ellison and Savannah were having a very good time at the restaurant. They were having burgers, steamed vegetables, and french fries. Savannah’s personality charmed the waitresses. Each one stopped at the table to meet the little girl who had such a winning smile.

Savannah told her “Uncle James” all the things she did while under the care of Ms. Williams. Told him the stories she read, the games they played, and all about school time, nap time, and the other kids she met.

Ellison was a little worried that not once did she ask about her mother, but then this wasn’t exactly the time or place for him to broach the subject. His cell phone beeped. He pulled it out of his pocket and read the message.

“Savannah, as soon as you finished your ice cream we’ll have to leave.” Ellison looked about the room and then called over a waitress.

“Miss, if you’d be so kind as to get me the check, me and my niece would like to leave.”

The waitress soon returned with the check in one of those fancy faux leather bound books. Ellison glanced at the check, pulled a couple of large bills from his wallet and placed it inside with the check.

“Savannah, let’s go wash our hands before we leave.”

“I’ll need to use the potty Uncle James.”

“Okay, but be quick.” He said as the door to the ladies clicked shut.

It seemed like several minutes had gone by, but it was only three, when the door opened and Savannah said, “I’m all done.”

“Did you wash your hands?”

“Yes mommy showed me how.” Ellison heart skipped a beat, this was the first time she mentioned her mom since he picked her up that afternoon.

Ellison took her hand, and went through the door marked employees only.

“Hey, this isn’t the way out.” said Savannah as they made their way through the kitchen.

“I know dear, but we are playing a game.”

“What kind of game Uncle James?”

“Well, it’s kind of like hide-and-seek, and as long as we stay out of sight, it won’t become tag.” And with that last statement, he picked up Savannah and hit the crash bar on the back door.

The alley was still warm from the afternoon sun. At the moment he wasn’t visible to anyone in the alley as there were trash bins on either side of the door. He sneaked a peek over the top of the bin to his left and he could just see the roof of the gray van parked on the street blocking the entrance to the alley. He took a look over the top of the other bin and he could just see the shoulder and nose of a man in gray overalls squeezed in a gap between two buildings. “Clever but not clever enough,” Ellison thought. “He is hidden well, but from that position he’d be slow to react.”

He placed Savannah on the ground and kneeled down next to her so they were almost eye level. “Savannah, the people we are playing hide-and seek with are in this alley.” He whispered.

He smoothed her dress and held her hand. “I have a friend who will be driving up this alley and when he stops, I need you to run as quick as you can and get in the car. Okay.”

“Yes,” said Savannah. “Uncle James, are you in trouble?”

“No sweetheart. Please just do as I say and everything will be all right.”

It was now or never. He pulled out his cell phone and punched in a number, and said just one word, “NOW!”

A blue sedan came flying up the alley from the opposite end and screeched to a halt in front of Ellison. The rear door popped open and Ellison grabbed the little girl and leaped inside pulling the door shut as he went.

“Drive man, Drive!” he shouted.

Auldridge shifted the car into reverse and hit the gas. The man who was hiding in the alley had just come out of hiding. He had to leap wildly out of the way as the car roared past. Rolling over and sitting up he pulled out a gun and fired five quick shots at the car. The bullets bounced off the grill, bumper, and mirrors. One went through the windshield and lodge itself in the front passenger seat.

He drove in reverse all the way back down the alley scraping his fenders against walls and trash bins. To the sound of screeching brakes and tires he flew out into the street backwards, where he stopped shifted into forward gear and took off down the street.

“I hope you got a damn good story to as to why you were being followed and to why they shot at me.”

“Hey! No swearing in front of the little girl.” Ellison sat up in the back seat and pulled Savannah up off the floor where he had laid her to protect her. “Are you okay sweetheart?”

Savannah was crying. “I’m scared. Why was that man shooting at us?”

“I don’t know Savannah, but Agent Auldridge and I are going to find out.”

Auldridge was cursing under his breath. He was going to have one hell of time explaining to his brother-in-law about the damage done to his car.

* * *

The sun had set nearly an hour ago. Sarah was deep in the desert. She had stopped twice along the way. The first time to fill up the gas tank, the second time to empty her own.

She pulled off the highway onto a dirt track. She traveled another five miles then turned off following a dry wash. When she got to the standing rock, she turned south for about 150 yards then stopped.

It was pitch black in the desert. But for the stars in the sky, there were no lights to be seen. If Sarah was so inclined, she could just see the lights on the interstate from the roof of her SUV.

Sarah knew the area well. She walked about five paces in front her car before her feet hit the chain. She bent down grabbed the chain with both hands and pulled. A grating sound filled the air as doors slid open in the earth revealing an underground bunker. Inside was a generator and drums of fuel. There were racks of equipment, guns, ammunition, explosives, with timers and detonators. Over the years the desert hideaway had steadily grew in size. It was now as large as a small home and contained enough weapons and equipment for a small army.

Sarah had a very interesting career in her younger days. After giving birth to her son John in the jungles of Central America, she had spent her life running guns across the border. Learning how to handle explosives and guns as well as smuggle them, she soon turned her hand at taking out high tech companies she believed had links to the development of SkyNet. Then one day she was captured and thrown into a psychiatric prison until the day John and a Terminator helped her escape.

After her escape, they had come here and collected guns and ammo and looked for the one person responsible for creating SkyNet, Miles Dyson. When he had realized what his research would become, he had helped them destroy CyberDyne and all of his research. He died in the process, but Sarah had believed his death wasn’t in vain.

Then one day another Terminator showed up and tried to kill her son again. With help from another Terminator, in the form of an attractive young woman, they had managed to evade and then kill the one who was after John. Then in act of self sacrifice, this attractive female Terminator had suffered a lot of damage to get Sarah out of Jail. Then for reasons unknown to her and John, she had given up her chip to a cyborg being powered by a massive computer system in the bowels of Zeira Corp.

John had gone after the cyborg, along with a liquid metal terminator in the form of Catherine Weaver, the head of Zeira Corp. Cameron’s body didn’t go with them, so Sarah was doing the only thing she could do. She brought Cameron to the one place where John would find her, the desert hideaway.

Sarah wheeled Cameron’s body to the hatch and eased her down the steps to the floor below. Sarah found a place where she could make room and cleared a lower shelf in the back. Sarah struggled a bit, but managed to finally slide her body onto the shelf. She set the hand truck to one side. No need to bring it back. She checked the racks, selected a couple of extra clips for her gun and a few boxes of ammo. Sarah then went back to the truck and grabbed the bags she had placed John’s belongings in, and the bags she had placed Derek’s belongings in. The bags were made them from left over pieces of the plastic sheeting. She set them on the floor in front of Cameron.

She took one last look at Cameron, and said, “Thank you, for protecting my son, and for getting me out of prison. I should of told you before. But now...” “This was stupid,” she thought, “I am essentially talking to a mannequin. She can’t hear me or respond to me.” Sarah got up, left the bunker and closed the doors. She pushed the sand back over the doors and smoothed it out.

She was just opening the door to her SUV when she heard the click of a gun being cocked.

“Hold it right there Sarah Connor. One false move and I’ll blow your head off.”





The1Russter
The1Russter
Latest page update: made by The1Russter , Jun 6 2009, 6:54 PM EDT (about this update About This Update The1Russter Updated 06-06-2009 - The1Russter

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