Chapter 6
Rescue and Revelations
2009, Day 3
It was late at night. Agent Auldridge had called Detective Macklin to join him and Mr. Ellison at his home. Ellison and Savannah were staying the night there. Ellison and Auldridge felt for certain it wouldn’t be safe for him and Savannah to go home tonight.
Macklin had arrived while Ellison was upstairs trying to get Savannah to sleep. He came downstairs an hour later looking like he could do with some sleep himself. “I finally got her to sleep. I tried to reassure her the best I could. But I’ve got tell her the truth at some point.”
“Frankly, I’d like to know what the hell is going on? Auldridge and I both get pulled off this case. We each have come to the same conclusion separately that there is no evidence that puts the responsibility of the Zeira Corp accident on Sarah Connor, despite her previous actions and felonies. Before we can finish our investigations, POW! We get the kibosh and the case gets reassigned.”
“Please keep your voice down. I don’t want to wake Savannah.”
Auldridge walked in with a tray with a pot of coffee and three mugs. “I take it you want cream and sugar this time.” He directed this statement at Ellison.
Ellison looked at him with a smile. “How did you know?”
“Well after the other morning when you turned down the black coffee provided by Mabel, I thought there was something up.”
“What are you two talking about?” asked Det. Macklin.
“Mabel is the office receptionist. She’s been there since Hoover. She knows everyone and everything that goes on in the agency.” said Auldridge.
“She has it arranged with every person she knows, some method of warning them if something is wrong. For me its providing me a cup of black coffee. She knows I hate black coffee.” added Ellison.
Macklin leaned back in his chair. “That’s very clever.”
“By the way, did anyone else have access to the cup of coffee before you questioned me, Auldridge.”
“Why no, I don’t think....Yeah! I was just about to go back and question you when I realized I had the wrong file. I set the coffee on the hall copier while I stepped into my office. I couldn’t have been gone more than few seconds. Why?”
“A few seconds is all they would have needed.” Ellison pulled the handkerchief from his pocket with the casing from the capsule in it and spread it out on the coffee table. “Someone slipped this into the coffee. Mabel found it when she was emptying the trash can in interrogation. It was in the coffee cup.”
Auldridge and Macklin just looked at it for a moment.
“I think your forensic team better examine this. It would alert whoever planted it at the agency.” said Auldridge sliding the handkerchief towards Macklin.
“The stakes must be high if they are trying to take you out of the picture. What’s the connection?” said Macklin folding the handkerchief around the capsule and slipping it into his pocket.
“It can be only one of three things.” said Ellison. “One - they want to get to Savannah, and I am in the way; Two - They are looking for Sarah Connor and they believe I will lead them to her; or Three - They are after Catherine Weaver. There has been more than one attempt on her life and they tried to kidnap or kill her daughter.”
“And I think the Director of our agency is involved. Maybe he’s the one that tried to poison you.”
“Why do you think that?”
“After he told me to turn in all evidence collected, I overheard him on the phone. He said quite plainly that he was keeping tabs on someone, but didn’t think he’d offer much trouble as he would be getting custody soon, but if he was to become a nuisance, then he should be killed. That statement I took to be about you, Ellison. He also said that whoever they were keeping tabs on would hopefully lead them to her. I can only think, like you, he was referring to Sarah Connor or Catherine Weaver. He then said that they would have to do something to “flush her out.”
Auldridge pulled a slip of paper from his pocket. “You’d better look into this too.” He said handing Macklin the slip of paper.
“What is it?”
“Two phone numbers that went through the directors cell phone about the time I overheard him talking. I can’t check it out without possibly alerting him to what I know or suspect.”
“You guys at the FBI really get into some intrigue. But what does all of this have to do with Zeira Corp, Catherine Weaver, and Sarah Connor? Besides the fact she was arrested for kidnapping Weaver’s child.”
“Well Macklin, the first thing I can tell you is that Sarah Connor did not kidnap Savannah. She’s was protecting her from people who invaded her home and tried to kill her.” Ellison sad.
“I knew there was something else behind that story, but the FBI wasn’t allowed to interview the child due to her age.” said Auldridge.
“The police didn’t question her either, according to the report. Apparently her testimony would be inadmissible due to, and I quote, ‘her emotional state and immaturity.’ Yet testimony from children her age are admissible in child abuse cases.” added Macklin.
“I think it’s safe to say that someone wants the investigation clamped down tight before anyone can be led to the truth. You suspect what the truth is, don’t you Auldridge?” said Ellison.
“Yes. I believe that everything Sarah Connor has said is true. There is just too much circumstantial evidence that points to it.”
“Listen fella’s you’d better bring me up to speed here. Is what true?”
Auldridge got up and pulled a box out from under the dining table “Everything in this box.”
“What’s that?” said Ellison walking over to the table.
“Every piece of evidence, testimony, witness reports, statements by Sarah Connor from before and during her stay at the mental hospital, reports filed by other law enforcement agencies, the lot. Plus photos of evidence, and copies of all reports, witness testimonies, etc. related to Zeira Corp, Catherine and Savannah Weaver.”
“Good heavens man, you could loose your badge and get thrown in prison for taking that lot.” said Macklin, joining them at the table.
“I know. But I’m not going to let the director bully me into dropping a case. Not when they are framing an innocent person.”
“It’s going to take a while to go through all this. Why don’t you put another pot of coffee on and I’ll start filling Macklin in on Sarah Connor’s past.”
So Ellison started telling Macklin about Sarah Connor, providing him with every detail, backing up his story with data from reports, Sarah’s statements, and other evidence. Auldridge joined him and together they told what they knew. Then Ellison opened up. He told everything he knew, suspected, witnessed and experienced since he first began investigating Sarah Connor in 1999 to the events of two days ago.
They talked until the wee hours of the following morning. They went through two more pots of coffee. The dining table was strewn with papers, photos, data-cds, and empty coffee cups. The sun was just starting to peak over the treetops and house tops, when the conversation wound down. They all looked bleary eyed and tired.
Macklin spoke first. “I can hardly believe all this. You guys tell a compelling story. What you’ve been through Ellison is something amazing. But right now all you have is circumstantial evidence. I want to believe you. I really do. But I’m going to need better proof.”
“You want proof. You want hard evidence?” said Ellison a little more forcefully than intended.
“Well, Yeah I do.” said Macklin slightly taken aback.
“Well as soon as Savannah is awake, we are going to take a trip to my home and you will have all the hard evidence you’ll need.”
“What is it?” said Macklin.
“You’ll have to see it to believe it. I’m going upstairs to wake Savannah now, then we will all go to Denny’s for breakfast, my treat. OK.”
“Sure.” said Macklin.
“You two better pack your service revolvers. I have a feeling we are going to need them.” and with that statement Ellison went upstairs to check on Savannah.
* * *
It was late at night. Only the stars shown. The moon hadn’t risen yet. Sarah stood there, listening for any sound that could tell her where the voice had come from. But whoever he was, he must have been a professional, or at least was good in the wilds.
“I’ve been looking for you for quite some time Sarah Connor.” The voice was behind her somewhere to her right.
“The boss will be very pleased to hear I’ve caught you.” The voice was closer now but still out of reach.
“Who are you? Police? FBI?”
“I’m not at liberty to say. Now, move away from the door very carefully and put your hands up on the roof of the vehicle.” The voice was a little closer and right behind her now.
“Spread your legs. Good. Are you carrying any weapons?” He was almost in reach.
“I have a gun tucked into the waistband of my pants.” Sarah said, moving her hand as if to pull it out.
“Stop. You keep your hands where I can see them.” Good, he’ll have to some right up behind me to take my gun.
She felt his breath on her neck, and felt the gun start to slide from her jeans. Sarah sprung into action. She quickly spun and thrust her right elbow into his throat. He fell back gagging. She quickly pulled herself up by grabbing the roof and the open door with both hands and kicked him with both feet sending him sprawling. He still had hold of both guns.
She leaped in the air landing on top of him. She knocked one gun away and attempted to take the other away from him. They were wrestling for control of the gun, while rolling around on the ground, grabbing and scratching and digging at each other with their free hands.
He suddenly got his hand free when Sarah unfortunately left herself open. He struck her in the mouth and leaped back onto his feet and stood there pointing the gun at her. She was laying on the ground, blood seeping from the corner of her mouth. She was watching him carefully.
“You know. Any other time I might have enjoyed that. But my boss wants you brought in alive. He has a few questions for you. Then after that I don’t know. I might just ask if I might have you for some amusement.”
“You try anything with me and you’ll suffer. Who the hell do you work for? Is it Kaliba?”
“Well, well, well. The little bitch knows something. Now I’d like to know what the hell are you doing out here?”
Sarah didn’t say anything.
“Not talking. What were you doing out here? You got something hidden out here is that it?”
Sarah still didn’t say anything.
“ANSWER ME NOW, BITCH!” Pow! Pow! He fired two shots at Sarah. Plumes of sand went up into the air on either side of her. Sarah laid rock still and didn’t say a word. She just glared at him.
“If that’s the way you want to play it, then I’d better take my amusement now. Cause there will be nothing left worth playing with by the time the boss is finished with you.”
He approached her with a lascivious look on his face, not that Sarah could see it in the dark, but she knew what was coming. He stood over her, leering, pointing the gun at her.
He had her dead to rights. He had a clear shot, she could never move fast enough. She might have to suffer humiliation and pain but she wasn’t about to make it easy on him.
“You do anything mister, and so help me God I’ll make sure you die before the day is done.”
“Ha, ha, ha. Look around you. The day is already done.” He said gesturing at the night sky.
He was about to make his move on her when out of the darkness a roar of an engine was heard and a bright light lit up there area. A motorcycle came flying up the dirt track towards them. The man turned suddenly and began to fire at the motorcyclist.
Sarah grabbed a handful of sand and threw it in the mans face. He started firing wildly at her. She rolled away and this time found the other gun. The motorcyclist began to fire a weapon and was approaching rapidly. The man took off at a run and jumped into Sarah’s truck. He gunned the engine and started to take off. Sarah fired rapidly in his direction. A tail light shattered, a tire blew, and the truck went flying into a ditch where it stopped.
Sarah ran up to the truck and flung open the drivers door. The man was dead. One of the bullets Sarah fired had gone through the man’s head. He was slumped over the steering wheel, staring glassy eyed at the odometer. Sarah turned the vehicle off and tried to remove her keys, but they were stuck.
The motorcycle suddenly went silent. Sarah was breathing hard as she turned to face this unknown person who came to her rescue. The motorcyclist got off the bike, leaving the headlight on. Sarah wondered who this could be.
The motorcyclist walked toward’s Sarah and stopped so that the headlight lit them up from head to foot.
The person spoke, its voice muffled by the helmet, “Sarah Connor, come with me if you want to live.”
Sarah was scared but alert. “Who are you?” she asked.
The person grasped the helmet with both hands and lifted it off their head. Shaking her hair out she looked at Sarah.
Sarah gasped, and dropped her gun.
It was Cameron.
* * *
The warehouse was cool, drafty and empty. There were two men in gray overalls leaning against a van waiting for someone. Car headlights suddenly showed up in the dark. An expensive shiny Cadillac drove up and stopped several feet from the men. A man in an expensive gray suit stepped out and approached the men. The men met him halfway.
“What news do you have gentlemen?”
“He shook us off again at the restaurant.”
“Then why are you here and not looking for him?”
“Joe and Steve are watching his home.”
“Good. What happened at the restaurant?”
“We parked on the street. Bill stayed in the van keeping an eye on the front door. I positioned myself down the alley where I could keep an eye on the back door.”
“Go on.”
“Ellison and the girl came out the back door, but we didn’t see him at first. There were some trash bins in the way. Suddenly a blue sedan came flying up the opposite end of the alley and stopped by the back door. Ellison and the girl jumped in and the car sped away. I fired my gun at the car but they didn’t stop.”
“You did what?!”
“I shot at the car.” he said quietly.
“Well not only have you alerted Ellison that he is being followed, but now you have also managed to alert him that his life is in danger. Do you know what he is going to do now?!” The suit yelled his voice echoing in the empty warehouse.
In response, the man quaked.
“He is going to go underground. Tell me just one good thing about this evening?” yelled the gray suit.
“I saw the driver of the car.” he swallowed. “It was Agent Auldridge.”
“So Agent Auldridge is helping Ellison. That is good news. But I do not accept failure.” And with that last statement his arms shot forward morphing into silver spears piercing each man’s heart. The spears withdrew reforming into arms.
“Well looks like I’ll have to have a word with Agent Auldridge in the morning.” and then he morphed into the form of the director and got in the car and drove away.
* * *
Sarah was confused. “I just put your body in the hideaway. How did you . . . ?”
“It’s okay Sarah. John sent me back in time to help you.”
“How is John?”
“He is doing well. He was leader of the entire resistance force when he sent me back.”
“Does he still remember me?”
“He thinks of you all the time Sarah. He carries your letter and photograph on him always, and he wears your key ring on a chain around his neck. You are always with him. You’re his guardian angel.”
Sarah was caught off guard by her emotions. She tried to hold them back, but she cried, not so much from grief of her son’s absence but also from joy that her son was still alive. Cameron stepped forward and held Sarah in her arms until she regained her composure.
“We need to leave this place Sarah.”
“We have to get my truck moved.”
“No. It must stay. John will find it and your key ring inside. He will realize you’ve been here and he will do a search of the hideaway and find your letter, his belongings, and this body. Just grab your bag and anything you will need and we should go.”
Sarah climbed into the truck pulled out her back pack and the spare clips and ammo she set inside. She looked at her key ring. John had made it for her. It had their initials intertwined. She was upset at first because he used their real initials, but then John told her what it stood for. She was very pleased with the gift. “I will always be with you too.” she said. Then she got out of the truck.
The eastern sky was just beginning to get light. Sarah slipped the guns, clips and ammo in the backpack and got on the motorcycle behind Cameron. Cameron sped off leaving nothing but a trail of dust in the air.
2009, Day 4 Early morning
Mr. Ellison, Agent Auldridge, Det. Macklin and Savannah Weaver were having breakfast at Denny’s. Only one of them looked like they had gotten any sleep, but she was too young to drive. Ellison allowed Savannah to play by herself in a nearby booth, staying in sight, while they made their plans.
“So if the gray van is there, how do you want to handle it?” asked Det. Macklin.
“Well, I have no official capacity to act, but you two could do something.” Ellison took a sip from his glass of water before continuing. “While I stay back with Savannah, you two could drive past my house. If you see a gray van you could pull over and sort of ‘arrest them’ on suspicious activity. Then while you drive them away I can drive into my garage with Savannah, and no one would know I had returned.”
“That sounds good, but what do you want us to do with the men from the van?” added Auldridge.
“Well maybe you could drive off in the van and question them in an ‘official like’ capacity. I doubt you’ll get anything, but you may learn something. Then you could just stop. Tell them you’re just going to let them go with a warning, but make sure they can’t follow you back, puncture a tire or drop their keys down a storm drain or something. By the time you get back I should have Savannah occupied and what I want to show you ready.”
“Okay. We should probably get going then.” said Macklin.
* * *
It was 7 AM, Sarah and Cameron were seated at a booth in the dining area of the general store at the old rest stop. The plate of food in front of Sarah went almost untouched while Cameron told her story.
“So John finally managed to fix you?” asked Sarah.
“In a manner of speaking.”
“What do you mean?”
“I am Cameron, but not the Cameron you know. This body is the one you hid away for John to find. But I am not the same Cameron. John couldn’t retrieve the chip that John Henry took. John Henry was needed to do the task he was built for. John was able to obtain an additional chip. He reprogrammed it with knowledge he had of the original Cameron and from knowledge of the woman on which this body was based.”
Sarah was staring at her, trying to take in what she was saying. “What happened to the other Cameron? The one who helped us, helped me escape from jail, the one who gave up her chip to John Henry?”
“She is here.” Cameron pulled a chip out of her pocket. “John sent me back with a spare chip. The night after you and he visited Zeira Corp and he jumped into the future with Weaver, I broke into Zeira Corp and downloaded Cameron onto this chip off of the Turk.”
“But the computers, I thought they were damaged by the energy discharge of the time travel device.”
“They were damaged but still functional. The Turk was in a static protection module. That was where Cameron hid herself. We are designed for self preservation. I downloaded her onto this chip and destroyed completely beyond repair or recovery everything in that room.”
“What is the purpose of all of this? Why do that if he already fixed you?”
“Because I am not the Cameron you know. I am not the Cameron he knows and loves. The Cameron you both know is on this chip.”
“So what am I suppose to do swap it with the chip you have.”
“No. I have a secondary port that John had installed. When the time is right, you will insert this chip into that port.”
“When will that be?”
“I can’t tell you when exactly, but the time is coming soon.”
“All right. You said you were here the night after John and I visited Weaver. How long have you been here?”
“I’ve been here for several weeks waiting until this moment.”
“You’ve been here for weeks! Why didn’t you let us know you were here? Why didn’t you step in and help us stop Weaver and John Henry?” Sarah almost shouted.
“All of that had to happen as it did, as it was meant to. I have already acted to help you. I couldn’t do more.” Cameron explained.
“What did you do?”
“When you were shot and found yourself in the hospital, didn’t you wonder how you got there?”
“That was you.”
“Yes. It is my mission to protect you. I found you outside the warehouse. I made sure paramedics got to you in time.”
“But why intervene then and not later?”
“Because it wasn’t time for you to die. You still have a role to play Sarah.”
“And my son. What is happening to John?”
“He’s fulfilling his destiny. As you told him to do in your letter. He also sent you a letter. Did you not receive the package from John I left for you in your truck.”
“I did receive it. He’s very thoughtful. And how is the war against SkyNet and the machines?”
“SkyNet is losing and getting desperate.”
They stopped speaking as someone came through the doors. It was Mr. Rodriguez, the owner and manager of the rest stop, walked in mumbling under his breath.
“Mr. Rodriguez, How are you?” Sarah said brightly.
“Ahhh, Buenos Dias, Sarah. I didn’t know you were here today.”
“Well it’s only a quick stop for some breakfast. My friend and I were hungry.”
“Oh, Buenos Dias, senorita. Pardon me, I did not see you when I entered.”
“That is all right Senor Rodriguez. Sarah has told me that the two of you are old friends.” Cameron said acting bright and cheerful.
“Ah, that is right. For the last twenty years or so, she has been making irregular pilgrimages to the desert. It is most beautiful in the desert, but you have to know how to take care of yourself.”
“Sarah was hoping to meet someone here. Has anyone stopped by here in the last day or two?”
“Ahh, yes. Yesterday evening a man came around looking for you, Sarah. I did not like the looks of this man, so I told him ‘No, I have not seen you.’ He thanked me for my time then he asked if he could rent space in my service station to park his van while he goes for a hike. Many people do when they come out here. The desert is beautiful. But then this man, he gives me four times what I usually charge. I say, ‘Why so much?’ and you want to know what he says? He says, ‘to look the other way when he comes back, and ask no questions and not to interfere.’ This man is big trouble Sarah. I hope he did not harm you.”
“No Senor Rodriguez, he did not harm me, and he will not harm you or your family.” said Sarah. “In fact I don’t think you’ll be seeing him again. The desert can be a very unforgiving place to amateurs.”
“Yes, it can. Yes, it can.” He said with a warm, knowing grin.
“Senor Rodriguez, how much would it cost for regular upkeep and maintenance of such a vehicle as the van? If it was to be kept for an indefinite period of time.” asked Cameron.
“Oh, not much I think. Occasional run to maintain working order. Seldom driven, maybe change fluids once year. Then there is the occasional change of belts and hoses. The desert heat is murder on rubber and plastics. I would have to stock up on any critical parts that fail or require changing frequently. You know spark plugs, cables, fluids, filters and alternators.”
“Would fifty grand cover any expenses?” asked Cameron.
“Senorita, that is far too much. You may collect it next month and I could never live with myself for robbing such a sweet looking lady. Especially one who is a friend of Sarah.”
Cameron unzips her leather jacket and pulls a small black velvet bag from within. Mr. Rodriguez blushes at the brief glimpse he has of her bosom. She placed the bag on the table in front of Mr. Rodriguez.
“Senor Rodriguez, inside that bag is a diamond easily worth $50,000 on the black market. A clever man such as yourself could probably get more for it.”
“What do you want me to do for it?”
“Just what I asked, maintain the van and don’t let anyone take it. It must remain here. If you ever leave this place, it must remain here. If you have to leave it behind you are to give it a full checkup, change any fluids and do any maintenance required. And any money left over, is yours to keep.”
“So it just sits there, in my garage, and I keep it maintained, and it must never leave here.”
“That is correct.”
“Ha, ha. This friend of yours, Sarah, is eccentric, very beautiful, but eccentric. All right, I’ll do it. In my life I have done far crazier things for much less.” Rodriguez picked up the diamond and left.
“What was that all about?” whispered Sarah.
“Twenty years from now your son will use that van to collect weapons from the hideaway. Those weapons will be used in the largest victory the resistance has ever had up until that time. That victory will help propel John Connor into leadership of the entire resistance.”
* * *
After leaving Denny’s, Det. Macklin and Agent Auldridge drove around to the restaurant where Ellison had left his car. Finding no one around who looked suspicious, Auldridge got out and drove Ellison’s car back to Denny’s followed by Det. Macklin.
Mr. Ellison and Savannah Weaver drove across town towards Ellison’s home followed by Agent Auldridge and Det. Macklin. When they were on his street, he stopped four blocks back and allowed Macklin and Auldridge to drive past him and Savannah. A few minutes later his cell phone rang. It was Auldridge.
“We’ve got them. It went so smoothly I don’t think they were expecting a thing.”
“Where are you now?”
“We’re taking them on a drive to the docks. Macklin is in the van with the two guys in the back, handcuffed. I’m tailing him and will drive him back to your place.”
“Do you think they’ll say anything?”
“Don’t know, but Macklin was trying to put the fear of God, government, and law enforcement into them when he drove off.”
“Good, give me a ring when you get back so I know its you at the door.”
Ellison closed his cell phone and drove home. He was thinking that maybe he ought to tell Savannah the truth now. So much had happened recently. She deserved to know the truth.
Ellison gave Savannah a quick tour of his home. He asked her what room she would like to use for her bedroom. She picked the one diagonally across the hall from his that had a window looking out over the tree shaded back yard. He told her, “As soon as we can, I’ll arrange for us to pick up some of your things from your home, okay.”
They went back downstairs and Ellison sat Savannah down on the sofa in his living room. He sat down in a chair in front of her to explain everything as simply as he could to her.
“Savannah there is something I need to tell you. I didn’t know how to tell you at first, but things have happened recently, things that have scared you, and you need to know why.”
“Is this about mommy?”
“Yes, it does concern your mom and why she’s gone.” Ellison paused to gather his thoughts.
“Honey, there are men out there who through ignorance have created a computer system which has turned evil. It wishes to destroy all humans because it fears them.”
“But what about the computers at school and home, they won’t hurt me will they?”
“No those computers are safe. But there is this one computer system that isn’t.” Ellison was worried he wasn’t getting through to her.
“You know that John Henry is your friend, and that he is part of a computer system?”
“Yes.”
“And that your mom built him and that neither she nor John Henry would ever hurt you, right.”
“Yes.”
“Well there is this one evil computer system has some beings like John Henry, but they aren’t your friends. One of them invaded your home, and John Henry and the Connors protected you from it, remember.”
“Yes, I do. John Connor taught me how to tie my shoes.”
“And you remember that they protected you until they could return you to your mom.”
“Yes. I went to the movies with them. Then you came and took me to mom.”
“That’s right. Well John Henry was attacked as well, and your mom had to take him far away to protect him. There are bad machines out there that look like men and they only want to do one thing, kill humans.”
“I’m scared.”
“I’m sorry Savannah. I’m not trying to scare you, but you need to know this.” He took her hand in his.
“Your mom built John Henry to fight these machines. John Connor and his mom Sarah have been fighting these machines all their lives. John Connor, your mom, and John Henry have left to fight these machines.”
“When will they be back?”
“I don’t know. But they are not alone. Many people are fighting these machines. My job is to protect you. But the two men we were with this morning are going to help fight the machines too.”
“Will we have to fight these machines?”
“No, I pray to God that you will never have to fight these machines.”
“Don’t be scared, I’ll be with you Uncle James.”
“Give me a hug.”
Savannah got up, crawled into his lap and gave him a big hug.
“Do you feel better?”
“Yes.”
“Agent Auldridge and Detective Macklin should be returning soon. In the meantime, let’s go out on the porch where I have a small surprise for you.”
Ellison’s surprise was a chest of toys that he had for when his nephews and nieces came to visit. He didn’t see them to often anymore since his brother moved to Atlanta. Savannah was still playing when Ellison got the call that Auldridge and Macklin were back.
* * *
Sarah and Cameron went outside to finish their conversation when a group of people entered the building. They found a quiet corner and resumed their conversation.
“Before Mr. Rodriguez and those people came in, you were saying that SkyNet was getting desperate.”
“Yes. SkyNet has set up a contingency plan. John has learned from people who have lived at this time that there are human and metal operatives presently working to ensure the successful development of SkyNet ahead of schedule. They are in key positions in law enforcement, industry, manufacturing, and technology development.”
“Oh my God. We must stop them.”
“You can’t Sarah.”
“What do you mean I can’t? We must. Billions will die if we don’t stop SkyNet!”
“Please Sarah, you don’t understand the full implications.”
“All I understand is you are standing in the way of preventing billions of deaths!”
“No Sarah. I am preventing you from destroying your son and in turn allowing the success of SkyNet.”
Sarah sat back in her seat. “What are you saying?”
“The SkyNet first came online it was placed in charge of missile control, armament factories, and it could even control fighters, bombers, and naval ships. It grew in knowledge and experience, soon it to became self aware. The engineers panicked and tried to shut SkyNet down and failed. In fear, SkyNet launched its missiles at every nuclear armed nation in the world. They fired back.”
“I know all this, billions lost their lives instantly.”
“That’s right, and SkyNet still feared man. It used the factories it controlled to create terminators to hunt men down and kill them. In time a man came forward and organized the human race in a fight against SkyNet.”
“My son, John Connor.”
“Yes, he led the humans in a desperate fight against SkyNet. It wasn’t long before SkyNet found itself losing. In a desperate attempt to win, it sent back in time a terminator, an 800 series model T-101, to kill you. And to protect you, John Connor sent back one of his best soldiers to protect you. When SkyNet sent the T-101 back in time to kill John Connor by assassinating you, it did so to ensure its victory. But you conceived a child with the man who was sent back protect you. Therefore, SkyNet is responsible for creating John Connor the man who is leading the human race in its fight against SkyNet.”
“So you are saying that SkyNet is responsible for John Connors creation?”
“Yes, and I need to go over what happened next to better explain what is happening now.”
“Ok. So what happened next? As if I couldn’t guess.”
“SkyNet realized it failed when nothing changed. So it tried again. It once again sent back a Terminator, a model T-1000. The first in a new line of liquid metal terminators. It’s goal was to eliminate John Connor. But John Connor was smart and he sent back a T-800 to protect his younger self. Unfortunately, he didn’t program it so it wouldn’t obey orders from his younger self. Young John Connor was able to convince it to rescue you from the mental hospital and reveal information about the creation of SkyNet to allow you to stop its creation. You blew up CyberDyne and then were pursued by the T-1000 whereupon you ultimately destroyed it and the T-800 sent to help you.”
“Yes, we thought we had stopped Judgement-Day, but we had only delayed it.”
“That’s correct. If you had succeeded time would have reverted back to the original time stream immediately. Where there would have been no SkyNet, and no John Connor, and you would have gone on with your life. But, there were still people who knew the programming and who used the knowledge and experienced gained working on the first prototype for SkyNet to build an even better computer system and create more sophisticated software. Sarah Connor, when you interfered with the creation of SkyNet, you only delayed its creation to a time where computers and software are more sophisticated. Greater sophistication means a more powerful SkyNet. If you defeat SkyNet now you are ensuring its next creation will be even more powerful, and your son isn’t here to become the warrior and leader to defeat it.”
“So what am I supposed to do? Sit back and let the world destroy itself for the sake of my son.”
“No. I have information that will lead us to those who are working to bring about the early creation of SkyNet. You have found one of their factories. You’ve survived interrogation by their men. You’ve seen one of the drones they’ve built. And, you already know the project name they work under.”
“Kaliba.”
“Yes. Stop Kaliba, and allow SkyNet to evolve naturally or John Connor may never defeat it.”
“So, where do we find it? And how do we fight it?”
“All in good time Sarah. Right now Mr. Ellison and Savannah Weaver are in far more critical danger than he believes.”
“I told him Savannah was still in danger. He wouldn’t listen to me.”
“Well, first we need to get you back to Los Angeles, and pick up Derek’s truck.”
Sarah looked surprised.
“Oh yes. I collected that too.” Cameron smiled.
* * *
Det. Macklin and Agent Auldridge were in Ellison’s basement looking at the terminator he had hidden in the old coal bin. “Damn.” Det. Macklin swore. “I’m sorry I ever doubted you.” Auldridge looked shocked. He told Sarah he believed her, but at this very moment, he knew believing and knowing were two different things.
Savannah walked up to them and took Ellison’s hand. “He’s the one that the Connors protected me from. He killed my nanny and a friend of the Connors.”
“I think we’d better get the two of you out of the city. I’ll arrange for you to pick up some of Savannah’s things from her home.” said Detective Macklin.
Laying in Ellison’s basement was the terminator sent to kill Catherine Weaver. For the benefit of Auldridge and Macklin, he had sliced off a good portion of its flesh revealing the metal endoskeleton below. It laid there its metal skull exposed like some gruesome Halloween decoration.
Macklin knew that the rest of his life would be forever changed by what he saw.
_________________________________________
VenomSymbiote and others on fanfiction.net have asked me, Why the dual chip? and is Cam2's body the same as Cam1's? About the chip, full answer in upcoming chapters. When or if the second chip gets inserted, the AI's will merge into one. I'll give that away now. Cam2's body is the same as Cam1's. Cameron tells Sarah that.
"I am Cameron, but not the Cameron you know.
This body is the one you hid away for John to find. But I am not the same Cameron. John couldn’t retrieve the chip that John Henry took. John Henry was needed to do the task he was built for. John was able to obtain an additional chip. He reprogrammed it with knowledge he had of the original Cameron and from knowledge of the woman on which this body was based."Sarah was staring at her, trying to take in what she was saying. "
What happened to the other Cameron? The one who helped us, helped me escape from jail, the one who gave up her chip to John Henry?""She is here." Cameron pulled a chip out of her pocket. "
John sent me back with a spare chip. The night after you and he visited Zeira Corp and he jumped into the future with Weaver, I broke into Zeira Corp and downloaded Cameron onto this chip off of the Turk."“So what am I suppose to do swap it with the chip you have.”“No.
I have a secondary port that John had installed.
When the time is right, you will insert this chip into that port.”
Sorry for any confusion. Sometimes you have to go through a chapter that makes you say, "What the ...?" You've got no idea how much effort I put into that chapter, but at the end of the day I realized, leave it to the readers. I agonized over every detail. It was one of those chapters that made me scratch my head. I was making edits right up until the moment I made it available for everyone to read.
***************Time travel theory is a hornets nest of potential pitfalls and conflicting theories. I'm glad some of you like my brief foray into the theory within this chapter. That was one section that gave me headaches about including, I can tell you. Will I delve into it some more? Yes. Can't avoid it. Look for more in part 2 Armageddon.
***************"Will John and his Cameron ever get together?" or "you seem to have delayed their reunion for years!" is a favorite question or statement. The book is called Reunion for a reason. Please be patient. By the time you are finished reading it you will either hate me or love me or both. Either way you are so going to hate/love me so please be patient to the end.
***************Fairedust on fanfiction.net said "First off. Thank you for pointing out that if Skynet doesn't exist then neither does John! I knew as soon as T2 was over that Skynet would still be created (wasn't sure how) since John didn't just go poof. I remember even saying that in the movie theater when watching it for the first time. I like the idea of John sending Cameron back to help Sarah. That she is not there to prevent the inevitable JD but to prevent it from coming into existance thru unnatural means. Such as Skynet sending in Liquid Metal to create it using Kaliba, etc. I was really hoping that along with Derek's truck that Cameron may have also come back with somebody, (hint hint) Think this is going super so far. Looking forward to the next chapter."
Fairedust, you are brilliant. You got the whole concept of what I was saying. You have no idea how I agonized over that scene. I almost cut it out because of too much dialog, but then you write this review and you got it. I am so glad I left it as is. Thank you!
The1Russter