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Chapter 08 Trust and Fear
Chapter 8
Trust and Fear
2009, Day 4 midmorning
Sarah is holding on tight to Cameron as she pilots the motorcycle rapidly down the highway. Her eyes are shut tight, not to just keep the dirt out of her eyes, but afraid of what the driver is doing. Cameron makes no change in speed as she goes down the highway. Sarah could even swear that Cameron accelerates as they travel through narrow gaps between cars. She can’t wait until they get to a wide open lane.
Cameron barely slows as she turns off the highway and drives on city streets. They drive to a storage rental unit on the edge of town. Sarah feels that Cameron only used the brakes as an afterthought as they slide to a stop.
Sarah slips off the back of the bike. Her legs trembling from the vibration and the fear of being driven through Los Angeles by a machine that has so little road sense.
“Derek’s truck is in here.” says Cameron, after removing her helmet. She snaps the lock in her hand and rolls the door up.
“We will need to get weapons.” says Sarah, getting her breath back.
“I already have weapons. John told me where your hiding place was. There are weapons in the compartments and medical supplies and additional ammunition in the cab as well.”
“It looks like you thought of everything.”
“I had to plan for most anything. I don’t have specifics of what is going to happen, only that Ellison and Savannah are going to come under attack, and you need to be there to save their lives.”
“How long have we got?”
“Not much time. We need to go now.” Cameron then rolls her motorcycle up to the truck, lifts it up and sets it in the back.
“I’ll drive.” Sarah says.
“You don’t know where we’re going.”
“You can tell me on the way.” Sarah retorts. “I’m not letting you drive me again this morning. My nerves just won’t take it.”
Ellison and Savannah are at Auldridge’s home. After he showed Macklin and Auldridge the machine in his basement, they decided it wouldn’t be safe for him to stay in the city. Ellison packed a bag for himself and returned to Auldridge’s home, while Macklin went back to his precinct to arrange for Ellison to go to Weaver’s home and get some clothes and other belongings for Savannah.
Ellison is sipping coffee while Savannah played with her doll. Auldridge is across town trying to get some emergency bodywork done on his brother-in-law’s car before he finds out. At the moment Ellison is enjoying some quiet time waiting for Macklin to call.
It isn’t long before Ellison’s cell phone rang.
“Ellison.” he says answering the phone.
“Hey, I got some good news. I’ve arranged for you to pick up some of Savannah’s things. It just took a couple of phone calls.”
“That’s great.”
“I called in a favor. I’ve arranged for a police cruiser to follow you and wait for you while you are getting Savannah’s things.”
“That’s good. Does anyone know about this?”
“Just the two officers and Child Protective Services. I’m sorry, but I had to let them know that you were going to Savannah’s home.”
“I understand. Have you started checking out the capsule and phone numbers?”
“Yeah. I’ve got a friend in forensics examining the capsule and I have a computer search on those two phone numbers. I should have something by the time you get back.”
Ellison sees a police cruiser pull up outside. “Great. Looks like the two officers are here. I’ll give you a call when I get back to Auldridge’s home. Okay.”
“Take care of yourself.”
“You too.”
Ellison slips his cell phone into his pocket and calls out to Savannah. “Hey Savannah. we are going to your home so you can get some of your clothes and maybe a few of your toys too.”
“Okay Uncle James.”
Ellison and Savannah walked out of Auldridge’s home. Ellison speaks with the officers for a few minutes before getting into his own car with Savannah. He is followed closely by the cop car, but the police don’t see the vehicle following them.
As Ellison drives up and parks outside Weaver’s home, he isn’t sure how Savannah will react. Her most recent memories in her home weren’t happy, but she is needed to show him where her room is and to select what she needs or wants.
“How are you doing Savannah?”
“I’m fine.” she say quietly. “Will you be coming in with me?”
“Oh yes Savannah, I will be with you. We will go to your room. You will tell me what you want bring and I will help you select the things you will need.”
She looks at him with her big green eyes. “That man won’t come after me again will he?”
“No Savannah. That man will never hurt you again. I’ll be with you the whole time.”
Savannah felt relieved and got out of Ellison’s car. Ellison takes her hand and they walk to the house. One of the officers accompanies them and unlocks the front door. He waits for them in the entry while Ellison and Savannah go to her room.
Ellison packs a small case with some clothing for Savannah, while she selects a couple of her toys to take with her. Ellison is just about to suggest they should leave when he hears some distinctive popping sounds from out front.
“Stay here Savannah, while I check something out.” He says as he leaves her room.
While Ellison and Savannah were in her room, a gray, utility van had pulled up outside, stopping just behind the cop car. The officer behind the wheel barely had time to register its presence when the driver came around and fired three quick shots killing him.
The other officer came running out of the house, gun drawn. But he quickly goes down in a hail of gunfire from the men who had come out of the back of the van.
“You three around back and take your positions. The rest of you with me.” yells the driver.
Three men in gray uniforms run quickly round the back of the house. One man goes through the garage entrance the other two through the lower level entrance. The driver and the other men go through the front door.
Ellison can see them approaching the front door. He has no weapon. He runs as quickly as he can back through to the family room picking up a heavy, slim statue. He steps back behind a bookcase as he hears someone approaching. Ellison sees the shadow of a man as he walks past. He quickly steps out and slams the statue down on the mans head.
The man goes down like a rock. Ellison picks up the man’s automatic weapon, checks the chamber and the clip, and walks stealthily towards the end of the house where Savannah is hopefully still in her bedroom.
Suddenly he encounters another man in gray. They quickly raise their guns to fire, but Ellison gets his shot off first. Ellison runs forward to grab the man’s gun but another man comes in and fires his weapon. Ellison just misses being hit, but he doesn’t get the other gun either. He quickly runs down the hall anxious to get to Savannah before the men do.
The other man fires at Ellison again. Ellison spins around firing his weapon. The bullet just clips the corner next to the man’s head.
Two men are down. Ellison doesn’t know how many more are in the house. He hasn’t heard anything from the police, so he assumes they were taken down in the gunfire he heard earlier.
Ellison rushes into Savannah’s room. “Savannah! Where are you?”
“I’m here Uncle James!” Savannah crawls out from under her bed.
“Savannah, we need to get out of here. Some of those bad men are back.”
Savannah was crying. “Be brave Savannah. Remember what I told you, as long as I am with you, you can be strong.”
Ellison looks down the hallway. “Savannah, I need you to follow close behind me all right. No matter what happens you must be brave.”
“I will.” Savannah cries.
Ellison is worried about this little girl who has placed such trust in him. He takes her hand as he leaves the room. Savannah uses her free hand and grabs the small bag he packed for her.
Ellison makes his way down the hallway. There is a large decorative vase standing on the floor. He moves Savannah behind the vase. “Stay here while I go forward and make sure its safe.”
He moves forward carefully. He just gets to the end of the hallway when shots are fired at him. One bullet gets him in the shoulder the others in the wall. Ellison returns fire. Hitting one man, missing the other. More shots are fired. Ellison runs out to the room trying to get a clearer shot. He hits one but takes two more bullets to his body.
Ellison is grimacing against the pain. He doesn’t know how many shots he has left. Another man fires at him. Ellison ducks and tries to return fire, but the pain is starting to cloud his mind. He fires again, giving the other man a flesh wound, but Ellison is hit again. A bullet has hit his gun and ricocheted ripping into his arm tearing the artery. Another bullet punctures a lung.
Ellison falls to the floor. “I’m sorry Savannah.” he whispers.
Cameron and Sarah are driving fast towards Weavers’ home. As they are coming up the drive they hear the gunshots as the police men are taken down.
They stop outside and hear more gun shots from inside. Sarah and Cameron rush in guns drawn. Cameron with a Glock and Sarah with her Smith and Wesson. Cameron’s sensors show that both police officers are dead. Sarah makes her way through the front door followed closely by Cameron. Sarah exchanges hand signals with Cameron to indicate which way to go when they hear some more shots from the back of the house. They know which way to go now.
They run quickly through the house and find a man in gray about to shoot Ellison in the head. Sarah fires quickly killing the man before he fires. Two more men pop out and Cameron quickly shoves Sarah to one side and takes the bullets meant for her. Cameron quickly dispatches one of them but the other dashes for safety.
“Quick, go after him.” Sarah shouts at Cameron.
Cameron wastes no time and runs after the man.
Sarah goes to Ellison. He is bleeding profusely from several wounds, his arm even more so. Sarah rips down the drapes and uses her knife to rip strips off of it. Taking the strips she tries to bind his wounds the best she can to stop the flow of blood.
“It’s you.” Ellison gasps. “How did you find me?”
“It’s a long story, and you’re in no condition to be listening to long stories.”
“Where’s Savannah?”
Sarah looks up from her task, and looks around. She calls out, “Savannah, where are you? Everything is okay now. Please come out.”
Savannah comes out from behind the vase, visibly shaken and tears streaming from her eyes.
“Come here Savannah. Remember me. I helped you before.”
“I remember you. Your son taught me to tie my shoes.” She whimpers as she approaches.
“That’s right Savannah.” Sarah smiles at her. “Come here next to me.”
Savannah kneels down beside Sarah looking at her Uncle James, tears in her eyes.
“What are you doing here Ellison?” The gentleness in her voice quickly disappearing.
“I’ve been given custody of Savannah. We are here to get some of her belongings.”
“Dammit Ellison. I told you she wasn’t safe. Why in hell didn’t you think?”
“We were going away. She needed something familiar with her.” Ellison started coughing.
Cameron walks into the room.
“Did you get him?” Sarah asked her.
“Yes.” Cameron replies in a tone suggesting the question was irrelevant.
“Did he talk? Did he tell you anything?”
Cameron recalls the events in her mind. She chased the man down the hall and cornered him in a bedroom. He tried to lash out at her, but she knocked him down. He stood up and tried to strike her, but she grabbed him by the throat and held him in the air until he passed out and died.
“He said very little and then he was quiet.” Cameron answers.
Ellison finally spots who Sarah is talking too, as Cameron walks around to his other side.
“Oh my God. It’s you. How did ... ?”
“It’s another long story Ellison, and not one I think you would believe.” Sarah gins, but her face is filled with worry.
“Don’t just stand there. Help me bind his wounds.” Sarah shouts at Cameron.
“You must call Auldridge.” Ellison says to Sarah.
“Agent Auldridge. FBI?!”
“He’s a friend Sarah. He knows . . . .” Ellison coughs, blood coming to his lips.
“What does he know Ellison?”
“The truth about SkyNet, the Cyborgs . . . he knows.” Ellison’s voice occasionally broken by coughing.
“It’s too dangerous.”
“We have friends Sarah. Detective Macklin, LAPD.” cough
“Great! Just how many people have you got involved?”
“Sarah, you can trust them.”
“Dammit Ellison. How do you know you can trust any of them? For all you know they could be working for them or be one of them!”
“Sarah, you can’t fight this battle alone. You need to trust people at some time. They can help.” Ellison breaks off into more coughing.
“They know the truth. They have seen the machines.” Ellison coughs some more, blood begins seeping from his mouth. Savannah is kneeling beside him, crying while holding his free hand.
Cameron and Sarah finishes binding Ellison’s wounds. Cameron scans Ellison and says. “He’s suffered a huge amount of blood loss. One of the bullets has pierced a lung. If he doesn’t get medical help soon he will die.”
Ellison’s cell phone begins to ring. Sarah picks it up. “Hello.” she says a little curtly.
“Hello, this is Agent Auldridge is Mr. Ellison available.”
“This is Sarah Connor. Ellison is hurt and needs help right away.”
“Sarah Connor! I thought you were long gone or in deep hiding. How is Ellison hurt and where are you?”
“We are at Catherine Weavers home. Several men attempted to take or kill Savannah. Ellison has managed to take many of them out, but he has received numerous bullet wounds. He has a torn artery in his right arm, and a bullet has punctured a lung. If he doesn’t get help soon, he will die.”
“All right. Sarah, listen to me. I’m calling 911 right now. As far as I am concerned I’ve talked to Ellison and not you. Don’t hang around, take Ellison’s phone with you so I can reach you. Leave as soon as you can. Don’t let anyone find you there. Got it.”
“I get it.” Sarah breaks the connection and slips the phone in her pocket.
“Help is on the way Ellison.” Sarah says as she finishes binding his arm.
“Go now, don’t let them find you here.” Ellison says weakly.
“You’ll die if I don’t stay.”
“Take Savannah with you. Take care of her, like you did John.” Ellison starts coughing again spitting up blood. Sarah helps him up into a sitting position. “Here try to stay upright. It will ease your troubled breathing.”
Cameron’s head tilts. “I can hear sirens approaching. If we don’t leave in 12.2 seconds we will get caught Sarah.”
“Grab the girl and her bag.” Sarah tells Cameron.
Cameron picks up Savannah and her bag in her arms.
Sarah takes one last look at this man who has given so much and tried his best to help her and Savannah. She grips his hand in a friendly goodbye and gets up with gun drawn heading for the front door. Cameron is just behind her with Savannah in her arms. Savannah is looking over her shoulder at her Uncle James, tears still running from her eyes.
Ellison watches them leave. He smiles faintly and tries to raise his hand in a small wave, but his hand never leaves the floor.
Sirens can be heard in the distance as Cameron gets in the back with Savannah. Sarah hops in the drivers seat and goes tearing down the driveway and out through the gate. They pass an ambulance and cop car on the street. Sarah looks in the rear view mirror and watches them go through the gate she just left.
Sarah struggles with grief, anger, and disappointment in herself for never trusting Ellison. Her driving is only marginally better than what Cameron’s was that morning.
2009, Day 4 late-morning
Auldridge is fretting. He just got off the phone with 911. He told the operator he just spoke on the phone with an ex-agent that has just been shot and needs aid. He told the operator where he was and the extent of his injuries as best he knew.
As soon as Auldridge got off the phone with them, he called Detective Macklin.
“Hey there, I was just about to call Ellison. I have some news for him.”
“Hold onto that information for now. Ellison has been shot.”
“What?!”
“The ambulance and police are on their way to him now. Someone tried to get at the girl again. They had no bones in trying to kill Ellison to get to her.”
“Where is the girl now?”
“Are you alone?”
“Yeah.”
“She’s with Sarah Connor.”
“Damn. She’s never far from trouble is she?”
“No. Which means these attacks on Ellison are definitely related to Sarah’s fight.”
“Which reminds me, I have the results on the analysis on that capsule and information on those phone numbers you gave me.”
“Great. I think maybe we ought to have a meeting and ask Sarah to join us.”
“Will she trust us?”
“I don’t know. But if we have information that she needs, she may trust us enough to let us help her.”
“Do you know how to reach her?”
“Yeah.”
“Well I’d better tell you what I know. It may help you gain her confidence. I’ve got the report on that capsule from Ellison’s coffee. The capsule shows traces of a slow acting neurological toxin. If he had drank that coffee, he would have died in a few days without treatment. Provided the doctors didn’t find the cause in time.”
“Where does this toxin come from?”
“Here’s the kicker. The toxin is manufactured for military use only by Bartelby Biotech, a bio-chemical weapons factory in an industrial complex about eighty miles from here.”
“So whoever put the toxin in his coffee has some connection with the complex.”
“That’s right. And those two phone numbers you gave me . . .”
“Don’t tell me. They both come from that same business.”
“Not quite. One was for a Halcyon Cybernetics within that same complex. The other was for a disposable cell phone. There is no way to know who the caller was, but the call came from a location not too far from that complex.”
“I think we are getting in over our heads.”
“Nothing like stating the obvious.”
“I’m going to call Sarah and arrange a meeting. Do you want in on it?”
“I think maybe I’d better. I’m in too deep to get out now.”
“All right. As soon as it’s arranged I’ll tell you where to meet me.”
2009, Day 4 Noon to early afternoon
Sarah is driving through town. Mostly operating on autopilot as she comes to grips with what has recently taken place.
Ellison had placed his trust in her. Savannah was now in her care. Sarah was never able to trust the former agent, no matter how much he wanted her too. She did when he put her in hiding, but that was for expedience and necessity not for personal reasons. Now she realizes this man was trustworthy and now it may be to late.
Savannah is in the back seat with Cameron. Cameron is trying to calm the child but she is saying all the wrong things for the right reasons. Sarah decides it’s time to stop driving and think. She pulls off the highway into a parking lot of a closed roadside amusement park that has miniature golf, go-cart racing, a pool, and picnic area.
Stopping under the shade of a tree, Sarah unbuckles her seatbelt and turns in her seat to look at Savannah.
“Savannah, come up here with me.” Sarah pats the seat beside her.
Savannah looks at her with her tear filled green eyes and then crawls up over the seat to be with Sarah.
“Come here.” Sarah says opening her arms to the child.
Savannah crawls into her lap and Sarah hugs her to her chest as Savannah finishes working through her tears. Sarah strokes the child’s head and talks to her in low tones telling her she is okay.
“Shhh. It’s okay sweetheart. Those bad men won’t hurt you. I’ll look after you.”
“What about Uncle James? He isn’t . . . he’ll be okay won’t he?”
“I don’t know dear. I don’t know.” Sarah continues to hold Savannah comforting her like she used to do with John when he was scared at that age.
This poor girl she’s been through so much. What possible harm could such an innocent child do to the machines? Was it her connection to Weaver? Or will she have a bigger role to play in the future?
“Where do we go from here?” Sarah asks Cameron.
“I have information on where we can locate possible SkyNet activity, but the child’s presence will make anything we do difficult.”
Choices, choices and responsibility. This child needs stability and she’s in danger.
Several minutes pass by and Savannah eventually falls asleep in Sarah’s arms.
“Cameron, could you come around and open my door? I’d like to lay her in the back seat.”
Cameron gets out, leaving her door open and helps Sarah get out of the truck carrying Savannah. Sarah gently lays Savannah in the back seat that Cameron was just sitting on.
“What are we going to do Cameron? We can’t turn this child over to the welfare services. If she wasn’t safe with Ellison she won’t be safe anywhere.”
“She’ll be safe with us.”
Sarah looks at Cameron.
“She’ll be safe with us. Ellison wouldn’t have given you charge of her otherwise.”
“I hope you’re right. I don’t even know if we are safe.”
“No place is safe. But we can make it safer.”
Ellison’s cell phone rings. Sarah pulls it out of her pocket. It’s from Auldridge.
“Hello.”
“Sarah. Are you okay?”
“I’m fine how is Ellison doing?”
“The paramedics got there just in time. He’s in critical condition but the doctors are hopeful for a recovery.”
“Thank God. Auldridge, I need to know if I can trust you?”
“Yes Sarah. I know that everything you’ve said has been the truth. Ellison even showed me and Macklin proof.”
“What kind of proof?”
“He has the body of one of those machines in his basement.”
“What was he doing with one of them in his basement?!”
“He hid it there. Apparently it tried to assassinate Catherine Weaver before she disappeared and it failed.”
“Dammit! Ellison should have burnt it. That technology cannot be allowed to exist.”
“Okay Sarah. We can take care of that later. Right now I think we should get together and talk.”
“I don’t know. How do I know this isn’t some ruse to put me back behind bars?”
“All right. You pick the location and I will meet you there. It can be a warehouse, a public park, or the middle of the desert, but we need to talk.”
“Okay. Meet me at the corner of Third and Vine in two hours. If there is any funny business, there won’t be any further need to discuss anything.”
Sarah breaks the connection and slips the phone back in her pocket.
“Cameron, can you get to the corner of Third and Vine in two hours?”
Cameron looks out into the city, tilts her head scanning.
“Yes. I can take the motorcycle.”
“Good. Agent Auldridge is supposed to meet me there. I don’t know if I can trust him yet. You go, and if no one is tailing him, then bring him here to me.”
“Yes, Sarah.”
Cameron walks around the truck and lifts the motorcycle down to the ground. She pulls on her helmet, hits the kick starter and goes roaring off.
2009, Day 4 middle of the afternoon
It is a quiet suburb filled with beautiful homes from the turn of the twentieth century. Ten years ago it went through a revitalization. Agent James Ellison bought one of the homes after his divorce.
The house reminded him of the home he lived in when he was a child. Small and comforting, filled with all the sounds that old homes have. He hoped one day he might raise a family there, but instead he spent the last several years living alone. Having Savannah, if even for a short time would have helped filled the emptiness of his home and his heart. He always wanted a family.
While Ellison was undergoing surgery to remove the bullets and patch his damaged lung and arm, a surgery of a different sort was taking place in his home.
Inside the garage two men in gray uniforms carry the terminator’s body up the stairs from the basement. They place it in the back of a van and throw a tarp over it.
One of the men goes inside to the kitchen. He breaks the gas line to the stove and sets a device with a timer on the counter.
All of the men climb into the van and drive away.
The van is several blocks away when the house explodes in flames.
Detective Macklin and Agent Auldridge are sitting in Macklin’s car at the intersection of Third and Vine Streets. They have been waiting for forty minutes and Sarah hasn’t showed up.
“I think she’s a no show.” Macklin said.
“No. I think she’s probably being cautious or else she’s running late. We don’t know where she was when we arranged the meeting, she may have under estimated how long it would take to get here.”
“That may be the case, but its us sitting here and we’re out of coffee.”
“I told you to buy a Grande.”
“If I drank that much coffee in one sitting I’d have problems of a different sort.”
Auldridge laughs.
Just then the back door opens and Cameron gets in the back seat.
“Who the hell are you?”
“What the . . .?”
“You want to see Sarah Connor.” Cameron replies.
“Yeah but how do you . . . .” says Auldridge.
“Then drive. I’ll tell you where to go.”
“Just who the hell are you miss?” says Macklin.
“I’m the person taking you to Sarah Connor. Now drive!”
“Okay Miss, I’m driving.” Macklin starts his car and pulls out into traffic.
“Where are we going?”
“Go five blocks and take a left. Then drive three more blocks and follow the signs to exit . . .” Cameron rattles off directions like she learned them by heart. Macklin has a hard time keeping up with her.
“I said five blocks and not four.”
“All right, all right, I just miscounted!”
“Slow down, you’ll draw attention to yourself.”
“I’m only doing 35.”
“The speed limit says 30.”
“Listen lady, I’m driving. I decide how fast I’ll go!”
“Turn right here. No here!”
Auldridge chuckles at the almost comic actions of Macklin as takes directions from this girl out of nowhere.
“What’s the matter Macklin, not use to having a back seat driver?”
“Shut up. It’s bad enough with her telling me where to go and criticizing my driving.”
“We’d get there more quickly if you’d pay attention to my directions and not talk.” says Cameron.
“Listen lady. I’d get there a lot quicker if you’d just tell me where the hell we are going.”
“I can’t do that. We may be followed and you might be wired. If we are being followed then we’ll see the same vehicle behind us regardless of what route we take. If you are wired, and I tell you where to go, the police or FBI could get there ahead of us. My way is much better. And if you betray us, you’ll be dead before you can act.”
“Hey lady I’m a cop and threatening an officer is a felony in this state.”
“It’s no threat Detective Macklin. I am merely stating a fact. Turn right, drive one block and make a U-turn. Drive one mile and turn into Packard’s Roadside Amusements.”
Macklin did as he was told. He found the entrance to the small amusement park and pulls in.
“Park over there, next to that picnic table.”
Macklin pulls up next to the curb and parks opposite the picnic table Cameron had pointed to.
“All right. We are here, wherever it is. Where’s Sarah Connor?”
“She’s watching us right now. You won’t see her until she wants you to. Before you get out of the car I must ask you both to hand your weapons to me.”
“Hey now, we can’t do that we’re . . . “ Auldridge’s words get cut off as Cameron reaches around and grabs both men by their throats.
“That wasn’t a request. If you want to meet Sarah Connor you will hand me your weapons now!”
Macklin and Auldridge each carefully reached under their jackets and pull their guns out of their holsters. Cameron releases Macklin’s throat and takes his gun in one quick move, then does the same with Auldridge. Both men gasp to get air back in their lungs.
“I apologize if I hurt you, but you were being less than cooperative. If you are carrying any other weapons, now is the time to tell me.”
“No.”
“No. You’ve got our guns we’re not carrying any more.” Auldridge says hurriedly.
“Good. Now get out of the car and walk into the miniature golf course. I’ll tell you when to stop.”
“See Macklin, its like being married. Just shut up and do what girl tells you.”
Macklin keeps grumbling under his breath.
“Miss, you’ve got a name don’t you?”
“Yes”
“Are you going to tell us.”
“No.”
“You don’t say a lot do you?”
“Stop here.”
Macklin and Auldridge find themselves in the middle of a miniature gold course. The windmill is lightly spinning in the afternoon breeze.
After a couple of minutes Auldridge asks, “How long have we got to wait?”
There’s no answer. Auldridge turns around. The girl is gone.
“What the hell? Where did she go?”
Macklin and Auldridge turn around looking for the girl with a strong grip and of few words. They can’t see where she went.
There is the sound of a gun being cocked behind them. They turn back around in unison and Sarah Connor stands there, her Smith and Wesson in her hand pointed at them.
“Here we are gentlemen. Let’s talk.”
“What happened to your friend?” Macklin asks.
“She’s not far. She’s just looking after something for me.”
“You have us at a disadvantage. There is no need for you to point that gun at us.” Auldridge says.
“You listen to me.” Sarah growls at him. “I’ve spent my entire adult life not being able to trust anyone in law enforcement. You think I want to spend my time standing here talking to you two!”
“Now listen here.” interjects Macklin.
“No you listen! The two of you have leaped into something you cannot possibly understand. The only reason I am here is because Ellison trusted the two of you!”
“He’s doing fine by the way.” Auldridge adds softly.
“Good. Now you said you had something for me. Some evidence of SkyNet’s activities.”
“I didn’t say anything of the sort!” says Auldridge.
“No you didn’t but you wouldn’t have contacted me if you didn’t have something to share with me, so spit it out.” she growls back at him.
“Gee lady no need to be so hostile. We are on your side.” adds Macklin.
“Shut up and listen! Everyone who is on my side ends up dead. So unless you are willing to pursue this to the bitter end I’d suggest you stop trying to get on my good side and just tell me what you know!”
“Okay, Sarah. We get the point. You’re in charge. Macklin just tell the lady what you told me earlier.”
“Auldridge and I were both pulled off our investigations into the Zeira Corp tower attack. We had each come to a separate conclusion that you were not involved. Our bosses were determined to pin it on you.”
Auldridge spoke next. “After I got pulled off my investigation, I over heard the director on the phone talking to someone. In this conversation I was threatened with death if I got too involved. Ellison was being followed in hopes he’d lead them to someone, which I assumed was you. The day that Ellison was questioned by me, someone tried to poison him with a neurological toxin.”
“Auldridge managed to get the phone numbers of the calls that the Director received during the time he overheard him. I traced one of the numbers to Halcyon Cybernetics, it is located in the same industrial complex as Bartelby Biotech, the company that developed the neurological toxin.”
“Where exactly is this industrial complex?”
“It’s eighty miles west of here out on the old scenic highway that goes out through Topanga Canyon.”
“What else do you know?”
Auldridge adds “After Macklin told me what he found out I did a private search online about the area. Apparently over the last eight months or more, there has been low flying aircraft seen or heard at night and that cattle and other animal deaths started occurring at the same time. I made a map I’d like to show you.”
“Where’s the map?”
“In my case in Macklin’s car.”
“Okay, we’ll go sit at that picnic table and discuss this.”
Sarah turns away from the men and shouts, “Cam!”
“Yes Sarah.” Cameron’s voice is heard from a short distance off where she was hiding keeping an eye on the two law men. “We are going over to their car. Auldridge has a map he wants to show us. I think you’d better come along too. You’ve got information that may verify what these two suspect.”
“What do you want me to do with Savannah?”
“Check on her. If she’s still asleep, then let her be, otherwise she may as well join us.”
A few minutes later Sarah, Cameron, Macklin and Auldridge are seated at the picnic table going over the information that Auldridge brought with him. Savannah was playing with her giraffe in the grass next to them.
“See look here at the map. This is Warner City. Two miles outside of town is an industrial complex. This complex is one of the fastest growing in the state if not the country.”
“What exactly goes on there?”
“Everything. Computers technologies, manufacturing, research and development in multiple fields, pharmaceuticals, military hardware and armaments.”
“Cameron, what do you think?”
“In the future SkyNet has its central computer and manufacturing base located near Topanga Canyon. Warner City is not too far away from there. This could be where it will be built. Has there been any unusual activity in the area?”
“Yes. See all these red dots on the map, these are locations where people have seen or heard fast low flying aircraft. Multiple reports have been called in, however the radar logs show no aircraft in the area.”
“That means the aircraft were small, fast and probably built with stealth technology.” adds Macklin.
“It sounds like the HK that we saw fly off from that ranch and the one that attacked Zeira Corp.” says Sarah.
“Yeah, and by all accounts we are looking at something that can travel at speeds that rival our fastest fighter jets. Several witnesses have claimed to see something accelerate to top speed or come to a complete stop in just a couple of seconds. It can also hover, rotate, and change directions super fast.”
“Definitely an HK.
"What's an HK?" asks Auldridge.
"HK or Hunter Killer. They are a high speed, compact, self governing, computer controlled jet fighter. They are highly maneuverable and are deadly. If these craft have been seen, then that means SkyNet is definitely active in the area.” Explains Cameron.
“But what does this have to with Kaliba?” asks Sarah.
“Did you say Kaliba?” asks Macklin.
“Yeah.”
“Kaliba is the project name for whatever the company is doing. I couldn’t find much about it other than it’s a multi-billion dollar government contract job for the military.”
“What is the name of this industrial complex?”
“Fox Industries, it is a holding company that owns all the businesses in that industrial complex. It also owns the town and about 50 square miles all around both the complex and the town just outside Topanga Canyon.”
“Sounds like a SkyNet work camp.” says Cameron.
“So what are we going to do?” asks Auldridge.
“Well, we can’t do anything today. Savannah needs someplace to stay and we need to make plans.”
“The three of you can stay at my place.” says Auldridge.
“I don’t think that’s good idea. Someone was tailing Ellison, and they may put someone on you.”
“You’re right. I guess we’ll have to stay at a motel. What about you Macklin?” asks Auldridge.
“Well, I guess I’d better join you. My absence may have alerted Detective Wicker, so he may have someone out looking for me too.”
The four of them and Savannah drive out of town. They drive well into the evening until they find an old tourist motel with lots of vacancies and well out of the way.
Sarah, Savannah and Cameron check into one room, with Auldridge and Macklin next door. They take two rooms farthest from the two lane highway, but with a clear view of the road.
Sarah tries to make it as normal a day as possible for Savannah, but she knows this little girl will never have a normal day again. Cameron maintains steady watch, while Sarah talks with Auldridge and Macklin and finds out exactly what they know.
2009, Day 4 evening
There is an office tower overlooking a massive and busy industrial complex. At the top of that tower is an office. A man in an expensive gray silk suit is in that office sitting behind a mahogany desk. Across from him is a large flat panel monitor that entirely covers one wall. He is watching the news.
“Earlier today James Ellison, former FBI Agent and Head of Security for Zeira Corp, was found shot and bleeding from multiple gunshot wounds in the home of Catherine Weaver, who went missing following the spectacular aircraft crash into Zeira Corp Tower just four days ago. We go now to Steve Picathanay for a live report.”
“Good Evening Dawn. I am standing just outside the home of Catherine Weaver, owner and president of Zeira Corp. Earlier today at approximately 11:15 this morning, neighbors called 911 reporting gunshots from the home. A short time later 911 then received a call from Agent Auldridge of the FBI saying that former FBI Agent and current Head of Security at Zeira Corp, James Ellison, was attacked and shot within the Weaver Residence.”
“What was Mr. Ellison doing at the Weaver residence, Steve.”
“After Catherine Weaver disappeared, temporary custody of her daughter was granted to Mr. Ellison. According to staff at Child Protective Services, Mr. Ellison was at the Weaver home to collect clothing and other belongings of Savannah Weaver, daughter of Ms. Weaver.”
“Do the police know what happened at the Weaver residence?”
“The facts are these Julie. Two police officers were gunned down outside the Weaver home. One took three shots to the head and upper torso, the second by multiple gunshots to the body and head. Inside the residence, the bodies of several men in standard issue gray overalls were found, each with an automatic handgun. Several had gunshot wounds, most of them the cause of death. However, one of them died from blunt force trauma to the back of the head, and apparently another was strangled.”
“Have the police offered any theories as to what happened?”
“The only statement offered is that there was another attempt to take Savannah Weaver, and this time whoever tried it again has succeeded. Savannah Weaver is missing.”
“That sounds terrible. Any idea on who has taken the child?”
“That’s the problem. No ransom demands have been made. And even if such demands were made, all accounts of Ms. Weaver and Zeira Corp are effectively closed pending the current investigations, and Zeira Corp, as a company, presently and effectively only exists on paper.”
“Has Mr. Ellison issued any kind of statement?”
“Mr. Ellison is currently in the hospital recovering from surgery. He has not made any statements. The doctors have him in isolation until he’s off the critical list. The FBI and police have put him under protection while he recovers from surgery. Zeira Corp lawyers are all over this case and will not permit any questioning of Mr. Ellison until such time as he is deemed fit enough by the doctors. The police and FBI are working together to find the man responsible for the attempted murder of Mr. Ellison and the kidnaping of Savannah Weaver. They have found traces that someone else entered the house. Whoever they were, apparently performed first aid on Mr. Ellison and took Savannah. Several bullets were found that didn’t match the weapons in the house.”
“Thank you Steve. We go now to . . .” *click*
The man turns off the TV and presses the button on the intercom.
“Mr. Petri, will you come in here please.”
“Yes, sir.”
A smallish man in a blue suit enters the office.
“Mr. Petri, any word on the whereabouts of our Mr. Preckman?”
“I’m sorry Mr. Kreilley, but Mr. Preckman has not called back after leaving a message yesterday saying he was following a clue as to the whereabouts of Sarah Connor.”
“Did he say where he was going?”
“Yes, he said he was going to see someone in the desert.”
“Did he specify which desert?”
“No sir.”
“Damn him to hell. Any leads on the whereabouts of Mr. Auldridge or Det. Macklin.”
“None of the teams have located them, sir. Its like they disappeared.”
“So, we can’t get to Ellison, Mr. Preckman hasn’t reported back from chasing a lead to Sarah Connor, and Mr. Auldridge and Detective Macklin have disappeared.”
He sits back in his chair and thinks, staring straight ahead, not blinking. Mr. Petri stands there nervously under his steady gaze. A few moments later Mr. Kreilley speaks.
“Mr. Petri.”
“Yes sir.”
“Put the guards on high alert, but on no condition are they to allow themselves to be seen in any greater number outside than under normal conditions. Also have all shifts report for duty. No leave for forty-eight hours.”
“Anything else sir.”
“Yes. Tell the project engineers to move project Kaliba into its final phase, tonight. I want it ready to launch within thirty-six hours.”
“Yes sir.” Mr. Petri left quickly to carry out his orders.
Mr. Kreilley gets up from his upholstered leather office chair and smooths the wrinkles in his expensive gray silk suit. He turns and looks out the large window behind him at the industries below.
“I’m waiting for you Sarah Connor.” he says as the light from the setting sun makes his eyes shine silver.
----------------------
Attention: There will be a two week delay before posting the next chapter. I apologize for the delay, but to make up for it I will post two chapters on July 10, 2009. In a way that works out better because the next two chapters really need to be read together.
-- The1Russter 06-26-2009
Trust and Fear
2009, Day 4 midmorning
Sarah is holding on tight to Cameron as she pilots the motorcycle rapidly down the highway. Her eyes are shut tight, not to just keep the dirt out of her eyes, but afraid of what the driver is doing. Cameron makes no change in speed as she goes down the highway. Sarah could even swear that Cameron accelerates as they travel through narrow gaps between cars. She can’t wait until they get to a wide open lane.
Cameron barely slows as she turns off the highway and drives on city streets. They drive to a storage rental unit on the edge of town. Sarah feels that Cameron only used the brakes as an afterthought as they slide to a stop.
Sarah slips off the back of the bike. Her legs trembling from the vibration and the fear of being driven through Los Angeles by a machine that has so little road sense.
“Derek’s truck is in here.” says Cameron, after removing her helmet. She snaps the lock in her hand and rolls the door up.
“We will need to get weapons.” says Sarah, getting her breath back.
“I already have weapons. John told me where your hiding place was. There are weapons in the compartments and medical supplies and additional ammunition in the cab as well.”
“It looks like you thought of everything.”
“I had to plan for most anything. I don’t have specifics of what is going to happen, only that Ellison and Savannah are going to come under attack, and you need to be there to save their lives.”
“How long have we got?”
“Not much time. We need to go now.” Cameron then rolls her motorcycle up to the truck, lifts it up and sets it in the back.
“I’ll drive.” Sarah says.
“You don’t know where we’re going.”
“You can tell me on the way.” Sarah retorts. “I’m not letting you drive me again this morning. My nerves just won’t take it.”
* * *
Ellison and Savannah are at Auldridge’s home. After he showed Macklin and Auldridge the machine in his basement, they decided it wouldn’t be safe for him to stay in the city. Ellison packed a bag for himself and returned to Auldridge’s home, while Macklin went back to his precinct to arrange for Ellison to go to Weaver’s home and get some clothes and other belongings for Savannah.
Ellison is sipping coffee while Savannah played with her doll. Auldridge is across town trying to get some emergency bodywork done on his brother-in-law’s car before he finds out. At the moment Ellison is enjoying some quiet time waiting for Macklin to call.
It isn’t long before Ellison’s cell phone rang.
“Ellison.” he says answering the phone.
“Hey, I got some good news. I’ve arranged for you to pick up some of Savannah’s things. It just took a couple of phone calls.”
“That’s great.”
“I called in a favor. I’ve arranged for a police cruiser to follow you and wait for you while you are getting Savannah’s things.”
“That’s good. Does anyone know about this?”
“Just the two officers and Child Protective Services. I’m sorry, but I had to let them know that you were going to Savannah’s home.”
“I understand. Have you started checking out the capsule and phone numbers?”
“Yeah. I’ve got a friend in forensics examining the capsule and I have a computer search on those two phone numbers. I should have something by the time you get back.”
Ellison sees a police cruiser pull up outside. “Great. Looks like the two officers are here. I’ll give you a call when I get back to Auldridge’s home. Okay.”
“Take care of yourself.”
“You too.”
Ellison slips his cell phone into his pocket and calls out to Savannah. “Hey Savannah. we are going to your home so you can get some of your clothes and maybe a few of your toys too.”
“Okay Uncle James.”
Ellison and Savannah walked out of Auldridge’s home. Ellison speaks with the officers for a few minutes before getting into his own car with Savannah. He is followed closely by the cop car, but the police don’t see the vehicle following them.
* * *
As Ellison drives up and parks outside Weaver’s home, he isn’t sure how Savannah will react. Her most recent memories in her home weren’t happy, but she is needed to show him where her room is and to select what she needs or wants.
“How are you doing Savannah?”
“I’m fine.” she say quietly. “Will you be coming in with me?”
“Oh yes Savannah, I will be with you. We will go to your room. You will tell me what you want bring and I will help you select the things you will need.”
She looks at him with her big green eyes. “That man won’t come after me again will he?”
“No Savannah. That man will never hurt you again. I’ll be with you the whole time.”
Savannah felt relieved and got out of Ellison’s car. Ellison takes her hand and they walk to the house. One of the officers accompanies them and unlocks the front door. He waits for them in the entry while Ellison and Savannah go to her room.
Ellison packs a small case with some clothing for Savannah, while she selects a couple of her toys to take with her. Ellison is just about to suggest they should leave when he hears some distinctive popping sounds from out front.
“Stay here Savannah, while I check something out.” He says as he leaves her room.
* * *
While Ellison and Savannah were in her room, a gray, utility van had pulled up outside, stopping just behind the cop car. The officer behind the wheel barely had time to register its presence when the driver came around and fired three quick shots killing him.
The other officer came running out of the house, gun drawn. But he quickly goes down in a hail of gunfire from the men who had come out of the back of the van.
“You three around back and take your positions. The rest of you with me.” yells the driver.
Three men in gray uniforms run quickly round the back of the house. One man goes through the garage entrance the other two through the lower level entrance. The driver and the other men go through the front door.
Ellison can see them approaching the front door. He has no weapon. He runs as quickly as he can back through to the family room picking up a heavy, slim statue. He steps back behind a bookcase as he hears someone approaching. Ellison sees the shadow of a man as he walks past. He quickly steps out and slams the statue down on the mans head.
The man goes down like a rock. Ellison picks up the man’s automatic weapon, checks the chamber and the clip, and walks stealthily towards the end of the house where Savannah is hopefully still in her bedroom.
Suddenly he encounters another man in gray. They quickly raise their guns to fire, but Ellison gets his shot off first. Ellison runs forward to grab the man’s gun but another man comes in and fires his weapon. Ellison just misses being hit, but he doesn’t get the other gun either. He quickly runs down the hall anxious to get to Savannah before the men do.
The other man fires at Ellison again. Ellison spins around firing his weapon. The bullet just clips the corner next to the man’s head.
Two men are down. Ellison doesn’t know how many more are in the house. He hasn’t heard anything from the police, so he assumes they were taken down in the gunfire he heard earlier.
Ellison rushes into Savannah’s room. “Savannah! Where are you?”
“I’m here Uncle James!” Savannah crawls out from under her bed.
“Savannah, we need to get out of here. Some of those bad men are back.”
Savannah was crying. “Be brave Savannah. Remember what I told you, as long as I am with you, you can be strong.”
Ellison looks down the hallway. “Savannah, I need you to follow close behind me all right. No matter what happens you must be brave.”
“I will.” Savannah cries.
Ellison is worried about this little girl who has placed such trust in him. He takes her hand as he leaves the room. Savannah uses her free hand and grabs the small bag he packed for her.
Ellison makes his way down the hallway. There is a large decorative vase standing on the floor. He moves Savannah behind the vase. “Stay here while I go forward and make sure its safe.”
He moves forward carefully. He just gets to the end of the hallway when shots are fired at him. One bullet gets him in the shoulder the others in the wall. Ellison returns fire. Hitting one man, missing the other. More shots are fired. Ellison runs out to the room trying to get a clearer shot. He hits one but takes two more bullets to his body.
Ellison is grimacing against the pain. He doesn’t know how many shots he has left. Another man fires at him. Ellison ducks and tries to return fire, but the pain is starting to cloud his mind. He fires again, giving the other man a flesh wound, but Ellison is hit again. A bullet has hit his gun and ricocheted ripping into his arm tearing the artery. Another bullet punctures a lung.
Ellison falls to the floor. “I’m sorry Savannah.” he whispers.
* * *
Cameron and Sarah are driving fast towards Weavers’ home. As they are coming up the drive they hear the gunshots as the police men are taken down.
They stop outside and hear more gun shots from inside. Sarah and Cameron rush in guns drawn. Cameron with a Glock and Sarah with her Smith and Wesson. Cameron’s sensors show that both police officers are dead. Sarah makes her way through the front door followed closely by Cameron. Sarah exchanges hand signals with Cameron to indicate which way to go when they hear some more shots from the back of the house. They know which way to go now.
They run quickly through the house and find a man in gray about to shoot Ellison in the head. Sarah fires quickly killing the man before he fires. Two more men pop out and Cameron quickly shoves Sarah to one side and takes the bullets meant for her. Cameron quickly dispatches one of them but the other dashes for safety.
“Quick, go after him.” Sarah shouts at Cameron.
Cameron wastes no time and runs after the man.
Sarah goes to Ellison. He is bleeding profusely from several wounds, his arm even more so. Sarah rips down the drapes and uses her knife to rip strips off of it. Taking the strips she tries to bind his wounds the best she can to stop the flow of blood.
“It’s you.” Ellison gasps. “How did you find me?”
“It’s a long story, and you’re in no condition to be listening to long stories.”
“Where’s Savannah?”
Sarah looks up from her task, and looks around. She calls out, “Savannah, where are you? Everything is okay now. Please come out.”
Savannah comes out from behind the vase, visibly shaken and tears streaming from her eyes.
“Come here Savannah. Remember me. I helped you before.”
“I remember you. Your son taught me to tie my shoes.” She whimpers as she approaches.
“That’s right Savannah.” Sarah smiles at her. “Come here next to me.”
Savannah kneels down beside Sarah looking at her Uncle James, tears in her eyes.
“What are you doing here Ellison?” The gentleness in her voice quickly disappearing.
“I’ve been given custody of Savannah. We are here to get some of her belongings.”
“Dammit Ellison. I told you she wasn’t safe. Why in hell didn’t you think?”
“We were going away. She needed something familiar with her.” Ellison started coughing.
Cameron walks into the room.
“Did you get him?” Sarah asked her.
“Yes.” Cameron replies in a tone suggesting the question was irrelevant.
“Did he talk? Did he tell you anything?”
Cameron recalls the events in her mind. She chased the man down the hall and cornered him in a bedroom. He tried to lash out at her, but she knocked him down. He stood up and tried to strike her, but she grabbed him by the throat and held him in the air until he passed out and died.
“He said very little and then he was quiet.” Cameron answers.
Ellison finally spots who Sarah is talking too, as Cameron walks around to his other side.
“Oh my God. It’s you. How did ... ?”
“It’s another long story Ellison, and not one I think you would believe.” Sarah gins, but her face is filled with worry.
“Don’t just stand there. Help me bind his wounds.” Sarah shouts at Cameron.
“You must call Auldridge.” Ellison says to Sarah.
“Agent Auldridge. FBI?!”
“He’s a friend Sarah. He knows . . . .” Ellison coughs, blood coming to his lips.
“What does he know Ellison?”
“The truth about SkyNet, the Cyborgs . . . he knows.” Ellison’s voice occasionally broken by coughing.
“It’s too dangerous.”
“We have friends Sarah. Detective Macklin, LAPD.” cough
“Great! Just how many people have you got involved?”
“Sarah, you can trust them.”
“Dammit Ellison. How do you know you can trust any of them? For all you know they could be working for them or be one of them!”
“Sarah, you can’t fight this battle alone. You need to trust people at some time. They can help.” Ellison breaks off into more coughing.
“They know the truth. They have seen the machines.” Ellison coughs some more, blood begins seeping from his mouth. Savannah is kneeling beside him, crying while holding his free hand.
Cameron and Sarah finishes binding Ellison’s wounds. Cameron scans Ellison and says. “He’s suffered a huge amount of blood loss. One of the bullets has pierced a lung. If he doesn’t get medical help soon he will die.”
Ellison’s cell phone begins to ring. Sarah picks it up. “Hello.” she says a little curtly.
“Hello, this is Agent Auldridge is Mr. Ellison available.”
“This is Sarah Connor. Ellison is hurt and needs help right away.”
“Sarah Connor! I thought you were long gone or in deep hiding. How is Ellison hurt and where are you?”
“We are at Catherine Weavers home. Several men attempted to take or kill Savannah. Ellison has managed to take many of them out, but he has received numerous bullet wounds. He has a torn artery in his right arm, and a bullet has punctured a lung. If he doesn’t get help soon, he will die.”
“All right. Sarah, listen to me. I’m calling 911 right now. As far as I am concerned I’ve talked to Ellison and not you. Don’t hang around, take Ellison’s phone with you so I can reach you. Leave as soon as you can. Don’t let anyone find you there. Got it.”
“I get it.” Sarah breaks the connection and slips the phone in her pocket.
“Help is on the way Ellison.” Sarah says as she finishes binding his arm.
“Go now, don’t let them find you here.” Ellison says weakly.
“You’ll die if I don’t stay.”
“Take Savannah with you. Take care of her, like you did John.” Ellison starts coughing again spitting up blood. Sarah helps him up into a sitting position. “Here try to stay upright. It will ease your troubled breathing.”
Cameron’s head tilts. “I can hear sirens approaching. If we don’t leave in 12.2 seconds we will get caught Sarah.”
“Grab the girl and her bag.” Sarah tells Cameron.
Cameron picks up Savannah and her bag in her arms.
Sarah takes one last look at this man who has given so much and tried his best to help her and Savannah. She grips his hand in a friendly goodbye and gets up with gun drawn heading for the front door. Cameron is just behind her with Savannah in her arms. Savannah is looking over her shoulder at her Uncle James, tears still running from her eyes.
Ellison watches them leave. He smiles faintly and tries to raise his hand in a small wave, but his hand never leaves the floor.
Sirens can be heard in the distance as Cameron gets in the back with Savannah. Sarah hops in the drivers seat and goes tearing down the driveway and out through the gate. They pass an ambulance and cop car on the street. Sarah looks in the rear view mirror and watches them go through the gate she just left.
Sarah struggles with grief, anger, and disappointment in herself for never trusting Ellison. Her driving is only marginally better than what Cameron’s was that morning.
2009, Day 4 late-morning
Auldridge is fretting. He just got off the phone with 911. He told the operator he just spoke on the phone with an ex-agent that has just been shot and needs aid. He told the operator where he was and the extent of his injuries as best he knew.
As soon as Auldridge got off the phone with them, he called Detective Macklin.
“Hey there, I was just about to call Ellison. I have some news for him.”
“Hold onto that information for now. Ellison has been shot.”
“What?!”
“The ambulance and police are on their way to him now. Someone tried to get at the girl again. They had no bones in trying to kill Ellison to get to her.”
“Where is the girl now?”
“Are you alone?”
“Yeah.”
“She’s with Sarah Connor.”
“Damn. She’s never far from trouble is she?”
“No. Which means these attacks on Ellison are definitely related to Sarah’s fight.”
“Which reminds me, I have the results on the analysis on that capsule and information on those phone numbers you gave me.”
“Great. I think maybe we ought to have a meeting and ask Sarah to join us.”
“Will she trust us?”
“I don’t know. But if we have information that she needs, she may trust us enough to let us help her.”
“Do you know how to reach her?”
“Yeah.”
“Well I’d better tell you what I know. It may help you gain her confidence. I’ve got the report on that capsule from Ellison’s coffee. The capsule shows traces of a slow acting neurological toxin. If he had drank that coffee, he would have died in a few days without treatment. Provided the doctors didn’t find the cause in time.”
“Where does this toxin come from?”
“Here’s the kicker. The toxin is manufactured for military use only by Bartelby Biotech, a bio-chemical weapons factory in an industrial complex about eighty miles from here.”
“So whoever put the toxin in his coffee has some connection with the complex.”
“That’s right. And those two phone numbers you gave me . . .”
“Don’t tell me. They both come from that same business.”
“Not quite. One was for a Halcyon Cybernetics within that same complex. The other was for a disposable cell phone. There is no way to know who the caller was, but the call came from a location not too far from that complex.”
“I think we are getting in over our heads.”
“Nothing like stating the obvious.”
“I’m going to call Sarah and arrange a meeting. Do you want in on it?”
“I think maybe I’d better. I’m in too deep to get out now.”
“All right. As soon as it’s arranged I’ll tell you where to meet me.”
2009, Day 4 Noon to early afternoon
Sarah is driving through town. Mostly operating on autopilot as she comes to grips with what has recently taken place.
Ellison had placed his trust in her. Savannah was now in her care. Sarah was never able to trust the former agent, no matter how much he wanted her too. She did when he put her in hiding, but that was for expedience and necessity not for personal reasons. Now she realizes this man was trustworthy and now it may be to late.
Savannah is in the back seat with Cameron. Cameron is trying to calm the child but she is saying all the wrong things for the right reasons. Sarah decides it’s time to stop driving and think. She pulls off the highway into a parking lot of a closed roadside amusement park that has miniature golf, go-cart racing, a pool, and picnic area.
Stopping under the shade of a tree, Sarah unbuckles her seatbelt and turns in her seat to look at Savannah.
“Savannah, come up here with me.” Sarah pats the seat beside her.
Savannah looks at her with her tear filled green eyes and then crawls up over the seat to be with Sarah.
“Come here.” Sarah says opening her arms to the child.
Savannah crawls into her lap and Sarah hugs her to her chest as Savannah finishes working through her tears. Sarah strokes the child’s head and talks to her in low tones telling her she is okay.
“Shhh. It’s okay sweetheart. Those bad men won’t hurt you. I’ll look after you.”
“What about Uncle James? He isn’t . . . he’ll be okay won’t he?”
“I don’t know dear. I don’t know.” Sarah continues to hold Savannah comforting her like she used to do with John when he was scared at that age.
This poor girl she’s been through so much. What possible harm could such an innocent child do to the machines? Was it her connection to Weaver? Or will she have a bigger role to play in the future?
“Where do we go from here?” Sarah asks Cameron.
“I have information on where we can locate possible SkyNet activity, but the child’s presence will make anything we do difficult.”
Choices, choices and responsibility. This child needs stability and she’s in danger.
Several minutes pass by and Savannah eventually falls asleep in Sarah’s arms.
“Cameron, could you come around and open my door? I’d like to lay her in the back seat.”
Cameron gets out, leaving her door open and helps Sarah get out of the truck carrying Savannah. Sarah gently lays Savannah in the back seat that Cameron was just sitting on.
“What are we going to do Cameron? We can’t turn this child over to the welfare services. If she wasn’t safe with Ellison she won’t be safe anywhere.”
“She’ll be safe with us.”
Sarah looks at Cameron.
“She’ll be safe with us. Ellison wouldn’t have given you charge of her otherwise.”
“I hope you’re right. I don’t even know if we are safe.”
“No place is safe. But we can make it safer.”
Ellison’s cell phone rings. Sarah pulls it out of her pocket. It’s from Auldridge.
“Hello.”
“Sarah. Are you okay?”
“I’m fine how is Ellison doing?”
“The paramedics got there just in time. He’s in critical condition but the doctors are hopeful for a recovery.”
“Thank God. Auldridge, I need to know if I can trust you?”
“Yes Sarah. I know that everything you’ve said has been the truth. Ellison even showed me and Macklin proof.”
“What kind of proof?”
“He has the body of one of those machines in his basement.”
“What was he doing with one of them in his basement?!”
“He hid it there. Apparently it tried to assassinate Catherine Weaver before she disappeared and it failed.”
“Dammit! Ellison should have burnt it. That technology cannot be allowed to exist.”
“Okay Sarah. We can take care of that later. Right now I think we should get together and talk.”
“I don’t know. How do I know this isn’t some ruse to put me back behind bars?”
“All right. You pick the location and I will meet you there. It can be a warehouse, a public park, or the middle of the desert, but we need to talk.”
“Okay. Meet me at the corner of Third and Vine in two hours. If there is any funny business, there won’t be any further need to discuss anything.”
Sarah breaks the connection and slips the phone back in her pocket.
“Cameron, can you get to the corner of Third and Vine in two hours?”
Cameron looks out into the city, tilts her head scanning.
“Yes. I can take the motorcycle.”
“Good. Agent Auldridge is supposed to meet me there. I don’t know if I can trust him yet. You go, and if no one is tailing him, then bring him here to me.”
“Yes, Sarah.”
Cameron walks around the truck and lifts the motorcycle down to the ground. She pulls on her helmet, hits the kick starter and goes roaring off.
2009, Day 4 middle of the afternoon
It is a quiet suburb filled with beautiful homes from the turn of the twentieth century. Ten years ago it went through a revitalization. Agent James Ellison bought one of the homes after his divorce.
The house reminded him of the home he lived in when he was a child. Small and comforting, filled with all the sounds that old homes have. He hoped one day he might raise a family there, but instead he spent the last several years living alone. Having Savannah, if even for a short time would have helped filled the emptiness of his home and his heart. He always wanted a family.
While Ellison was undergoing surgery to remove the bullets and patch his damaged lung and arm, a surgery of a different sort was taking place in his home.
Inside the garage two men in gray uniforms carry the terminator’s body up the stairs from the basement. They place it in the back of a van and throw a tarp over it.
One of the men goes inside to the kitchen. He breaks the gas line to the stove and sets a device with a timer on the counter.
All of the men climb into the van and drive away.
The van is several blocks away when the house explodes in flames.
* * *
Detective Macklin and Agent Auldridge are sitting in Macklin’s car at the intersection of Third and Vine Streets. They have been waiting for forty minutes and Sarah hasn’t showed up.
“I think she’s a no show.” Macklin said.
“No. I think she’s probably being cautious or else she’s running late. We don’t know where she was when we arranged the meeting, she may have under estimated how long it would take to get here.”
“That may be the case, but its us sitting here and we’re out of coffee.”
“I told you to buy a Grande.”
“If I drank that much coffee in one sitting I’d have problems of a different sort.”
Auldridge laughs.
Just then the back door opens and Cameron gets in the back seat.
“Who the hell are you?”
“What the . . .?”
“You want to see Sarah Connor.” Cameron replies.
“Yeah but how do you . . . .” says Auldridge.
“Then drive. I’ll tell you where to go.”
“Just who the hell are you miss?” says Macklin.
“I’m the person taking you to Sarah Connor. Now drive!”
“Okay Miss, I’m driving.” Macklin starts his car and pulls out into traffic.
“Where are we going?”
“Go five blocks and take a left. Then drive three more blocks and follow the signs to exit . . .” Cameron rattles off directions like she learned them by heart. Macklin has a hard time keeping up with her.
“I said five blocks and not four.”
“All right, all right, I just miscounted!”
“Slow down, you’ll draw attention to yourself.”
“I’m only doing 35.”
“The speed limit says 30.”
“Listen lady, I’m driving. I decide how fast I’ll go!”
“Turn right here. No here!”
Auldridge chuckles at the almost comic actions of Macklin as takes directions from this girl out of nowhere.
“What’s the matter Macklin, not use to having a back seat driver?”
“Shut up. It’s bad enough with her telling me where to go and criticizing my driving.”
“We’d get there more quickly if you’d pay attention to my directions and not talk.” says Cameron.
“Listen lady. I’d get there a lot quicker if you’d just tell me where the hell we are going.”
“I can’t do that. We may be followed and you might be wired. If we are being followed then we’ll see the same vehicle behind us regardless of what route we take. If you are wired, and I tell you where to go, the police or FBI could get there ahead of us. My way is much better. And if you betray us, you’ll be dead before you can act.”
“Hey lady I’m a cop and threatening an officer is a felony in this state.”
“It’s no threat Detective Macklin. I am merely stating a fact. Turn right, drive one block and make a U-turn. Drive one mile and turn into Packard’s Roadside Amusements.”
Macklin did as he was told. He found the entrance to the small amusement park and pulls in.
“Park over there, next to that picnic table.”
Macklin pulls up next to the curb and parks opposite the picnic table Cameron had pointed to.
“All right. We are here, wherever it is. Where’s Sarah Connor?”
“She’s watching us right now. You won’t see her until she wants you to. Before you get out of the car I must ask you both to hand your weapons to me.”
“Hey now, we can’t do that we’re . . . “ Auldridge’s words get cut off as Cameron reaches around and grabs both men by their throats.
“That wasn’t a request. If you want to meet Sarah Connor you will hand me your weapons now!”
Macklin and Auldridge each carefully reached under their jackets and pull their guns out of their holsters. Cameron releases Macklin’s throat and takes his gun in one quick move, then does the same with Auldridge. Both men gasp to get air back in their lungs.
“I apologize if I hurt you, but you were being less than cooperative. If you are carrying any other weapons, now is the time to tell me.”
“No.”
“No. You’ve got our guns we’re not carrying any more.” Auldridge says hurriedly.
“Good. Now get out of the car and walk into the miniature golf course. I’ll tell you when to stop.”
“See Macklin, its like being married. Just shut up and do what girl tells you.”
Macklin keeps grumbling under his breath.
“Miss, you’ve got a name don’t you?”
“Yes”
“Are you going to tell us.”
“No.”
“You don’t say a lot do you?”
“Stop here.”
Macklin and Auldridge find themselves in the middle of a miniature gold course. The windmill is lightly spinning in the afternoon breeze.
After a couple of minutes Auldridge asks, “How long have we got to wait?”
There’s no answer. Auldridge turns around. The girl is gone.
“What the hell? Where did she go?”
Macklin and Auldridge turn around looking for the girl with a strong grip and of few words. They can’t see where she went.
There is the sound of a gun being cocked behind them. They turn back around in unison and Sarah Connor stands there, her Smith and Wesson in her hand pointed at them.
“Here we are gentlemen. Let’s talk.”
“What happened to your friend?” Macklin asks.
“She’s not far. She’s just looking after something for me.”
“You have us at a disadvantage. There is no need for you to point that gun at us.” Auldridge says.
“You listen to me.” Sarah growls at him. “I’ve spent my entire adult life not being able to trust anyone in law enforcement. You think I want to spend my time standing here talking to you two!”
“Now listen here.” interjects Macklin.
“No you listen! The two of you have leaped into something you cannot possibly understand. The only reason I am here is because Ellison trusted the two of you!”
“He’s doing fine by the way.” Auldridge adds softly.
“Good. Now you said you had something for me. Some evidence of SkyNet’s activities.”
“I didn’t say anything of the sort!” says Auldridge.
“No you didn’t but you wouldn’t have contacted me if you didn’t have something to share with me, so spit it out.” she growls back at him.
“Gee lady no need to be so hostile. We are on your side.” adds Macklin.
“Shut up and listen! Everyone who is on my side ends up dead. So unless you are willing to pursue this to the bitter end I’d suggest you stop trying to get on my good side and just tell me what you know!”
“Okay, Sarah. We get the point. You’re in charge. Macklin just tell the lady what you told me earlier.”
“Auldridge and I were both pulled off our investigations into the Zeira Corp tower attack. We had each come to a separate conclusion that you were not involved. Our bosses were determined to pin it on you.”
Auldridge spoke next. “After I got pulled off my investigation, I over heard the director on the phone talking to someone. In this conversation I was threatened with death if I got too involved. Ellison was being followed in hopes he’d lead them to someone, which I assumed was you. The day that Ellison was questioned by me, someone tried to poison him with a neurological toxin.”
“Auldridge managed to get the phone numbers of the calls that the Director received during the time he overheard him. I traced one of the numbers to Halcyon Cybernetics, it is located in the same industrial complex as Bartelby Biotech, the company that developed the neurological toxin.”
“Where exactly is this industrial complex?”
“It’s eighty miles west of here out on the old scenic highway that goes out through Topanga Canyon.”
“What else do you know?”
Auldridge adds “After Macklin told me what he found out I did a private search online about the area. Apparently over the last eight months or more, there has been low flying aircraft seen or heard at night and that cattle and other animal deaths started occurring at the same time. I made a map I’d like to show you.”
“Where’s the map?”
“In my case in Macklin’s car.”
“Okay, we’ll go sit at that picnic table and discuss this.”
Sarah turns away from the men and shouts, “Cam!”
“Yes Sarah.” Cameron’s voice is heard from a short distance off where she was hiding keeping an eye on the two law men. “We are going over to their car. Auldridge has a map he wants to show us. I think you’d better come along too. You’ve got information that may verify what these two suspect.”
“What do you want me to do with Savannah?”
“Check on her. If she’s still asleep, then let her be, otherwise she may as well join us.”
* * *
A few minutes later Sarah, Cameron, Macklin and Auldridge are seated at the picnic table going over the information that Auldridge brought with him. Savannah was playing with her giraffe in the grass next to them.
“See look here at the map. This is Warner City. Two miles outside of town is an industrial complex. This complex is one of the fastest growing in the state if not the country.”
“What exactly goes on there?”
“Everything. Computers technologies, manufacturing, research and development in multiple fields, pharmaceuticals, military hardware and armaments.”
“Cameron, what do you think?”
“In the future SkyNet has its central computer and manufacturing base located near Topanga Canyon. Warner City is not too far away from there. This could be where it will be built. Has there been any unusual activity in the area?”
“Yes. See all these red dots on the map, these are locations where people have seen or heard fast low flying aircraft. Multiple reports have been called in, however the radar logs show no aircraft in the area.”
“That means the aircraft were small, fast and probably built with stealth technology.” adds Macklin.
“It sounds like the HK that we saw fly off from that ranch and the one that attacked Zeira Corp.” says Sarah.
“Yeah, and by all accounts we are looking at something that can travel at speeds that rival our fastest fighter jets. Several witnesses have claimed to see something accelerate to top speed or come to a complete stop in just a couple of seconds. It can also hover, rotate, and change directions super fast.”
“Definitely an HK.
"What's an HK?" asks Auldridge.
"HK or Hunter Killer. They are a high speed, compact, self governing, computer controlled jet fighter. They are highly maneuverable and are deadly. If these craft have been seen, then that means SkyNet is definitely active in the area.” Explains Cameron.
“But what does this have to with Kaliba?” asks Sarah.
“Did you say Kaliba?” asks Macklin.
“Yeah.”
“Kaliba is the project name for whatever the company is doing. I couldn’t find much about it other than it’s a multi-billion dollar government contract job for the military.”
“What is the name of this industrial complex?”
“Fox Industries, it is a holding company that owns all the businesses in that industrial complex. It also owns the town and about 50 square miles all around both the complex and the town just outside Topanga Canyon.”
“Sounds like a SkyNet work camp.” says Cameron.
“So what are we going to do?” asks Auldridge.
“Well, we can’t do anything today. Savannah needs someplace to stay and we need to make plans.”
“The three of you can stay at my place.” says Auldridge.
“I don’t think that’s good idea. Someone was tailing Ellison, and they may put someone on you.”
“You’re right. I guess we’ll have to stay at a motel. What about you Macklin?” asks Auldridge.
“Well, I guess I’d better join you. My absence may have alerted Detective Wicker, so he may have someone out looking for me too.”
The four of them and Savannah drive out of town. They drive well into the evening until they find an old tourist motel with lots of vacancies and well out of the way.
Sarah, Savannah and Cameron check into one room, with Auldridge and Macklin next door. They take two rooms farthest from the two lane highway, but with a clear view of the road.
Sarah tries to make it as normal a day as possible for Savannah, but she knows this little girl will never have a normal day again. Cameron maintains steady watch, while Sarah talks with Auldridge and Macklin and finds out exactly what they know.
2009, Day 4 evening
There is an office tower overlooking a massive and busy industrial complex. At the top of that tower is an office. A man in an expensive gray silk suit is in that office sitting behind a mahogany desk. Across from him is a large flat panel monitor that entirely covers one wall. He is watching the news.
“Earlier today James Ellison, former FBI Agent and Head of Security for Zeira Corp, was found shot and bleeding from multiple gunshot wounds in the home of Catherine Weaver, who went missing following the spectacular aircraft crash into Zeira Corp Tower just four days ago. We go now to Steve Picathanay for a live report.”
“Good Evening Dawn. I am standing just outside the home of Catherine Weaver, owner and president of Zeira Corp. Earlier today at approximately 11:15 this morning, neighbors called 911 reporting gunshots from the home. A short time later 911 then received a call from Agent Auldridge of the FBI saying that former FBI Agent and current Head of Security at Zeira Corp, James Ellison, was attacked and shot within the Weaver Residence.”
“What was Mr. Ellison doing at the Weaver residence, Steve.”
“After Catherine Weaver disappeared, temporary custody of her daughter was granted to Mr. Ellison. According to staff at Child Protective Services, Mr. Ellison was at the Weaver home to collect clothing and other belongings of Savannah Weaver, daughter of Ms. Weaver.”
“Do the police know what happened at the Weaver residence?”
“The facts are these Julie. Two police officers were gunned down outside the Weaver home. One took three shots to the head and upper torso, the second by multiple gunshots to the body and head. Inside the residence, the bodies of several men in standard issue gray overalls were found, each with an automatic handgun. Several had gunshot wounds, most of them the cause of death. However, one of them died from blunt force trauma to the back of the head, and apparently another was strangled.”
“Have the police offered any theories as to what happened?”
“The only statement offered is that there was another attempt to take Savannah Weaver, and this time whoever tried it again has succeeded. Savannah Weaver is missing.”
“That sounds terrible. Any idea on who has taken the child?”
“That’s the problem. No ransom demands have been made. And even if such demands were made, all accounts of Ms. Weaver and Zeira Corp are effectively closed pending the current investigations, and Zeira Corp, as a company, presently and effectively only exists on paper.”
“Has Mr. Ellison issued any kind of statement?”
“Mr. Ellison is currently in the hospital recovering from surgery. He has not made any statements. The doctors have him in isolation until he’s off the critical list. The FBI and police have put him under protection while he recovers from surgery. Zeira Corp lawyers are all over this case and will not permit any questioning of Mr. Ellison until such time as he is deemed fit enough by the doctors. The police and FBI are working together to find the man responsible for the attempted murder of Mr. Ellison and the kidnaping of Savannah Weaver. They have found traces that someone else entered the house. Whoever they were, apparently performed first aid on Mr. Ellison and took Savannah. Several bullets were found that didn’t match the weapons in the house.”
“Thank you Steve. We go now to . . .” *click*
The man turns off the TV and presses the button on the intercom.
“Mr. Petri, will you come in here please.”
“Yes, sir.”
A smallish man in a blue suit enters the office.
“Mr. Petri, any word on the whereabouts of our Mr. Preckman?”
“I’m sorry Mr. Kreilley, but Mr. Preckman has not called back after leaving a message yesterday saying he was following a clue as to the whereabouts of Sarah Connor.”
“Did he say where he was going?”
“Yes, he said he was going to see someone in the desert.”
“Did he specify which desert?”
“No sir.”
“Damn him to hell. Any leads on the whereabouts of Mr. Auldridge or Det. Macklin.”
“None of the teams have located them, sir. Its like they disappeared.”
“So, we can’t get to Ellison, Mr. Preckman hasn’t reported back from chasing a lead to Sarah Connor, and Mr. Auldridge and Detective Macklin have disappeared.”
He sits back in his chair and thinks, staring straight ahead, not blinking. Mr. Petri stands there nervously under his steady gaze. A few moments later Mr. Kreilley speaks.
“Mr. Petri.”
“Yes sir.”
“Put the guards on high alert, but on no condition are they to allow themselves to be seen in any greater number outside than under normal conditions. Also have all shifts report for duty. No leave for forty-eight hours.”
“Anything else sir.”
“Yes. Tell the project engineers to move project Kaliba into its final phase, tonight. I want it ready to launch within thirty-six hours.”
“Yes sir.” Mr. Petri left quickly to carry out his orders.
Mr. Kreilley gets up from his upholstered leather office chair and smooths the wrinkles in his expensive gray silk suit. He turns and looks out the large window behind him at the industries below.
“I’m waiting for you Sarah Connor.” he says as the light from the setting sun makes his eyes shine silver.
----------------------
Attention: There will be a two week delay before posting the next chapter. I apologize for the delay, but to make up for it I will post two chapters on July 10, 2009. In a way that works out better because the next two chapters really need to be read together.
-- The1Russter 06-26-2009
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, Jun 30 2009, 2:30 PM EDT
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