Chapter 1

"So, how often do you lie?", John wanted to know. The shock from Derek's revelation this morning, storming into the living room and throwing Vick's chip onto the table, was still deep. She had promised to destroy everything. She had even made a vow! And yet, she had secretly kept the chip over all that time.

Sure. She had arguments. The contained information could indeed be important. But why hadn't she consulted John about her idea? You don't need to be a prophet to understand Sarah and Derek wouldn't have liked it. But Cameron could at least have trusted John with the plan!

What's more, John was also wondering when she would have started to analyze the chip if Derek hadn't discovered it by chance. After all, several days had already passed after they burnt Vick, and up to now, Cameron hadn't undertaken a single step to extract information. So was this really her prime motivation to keep the chip?

"When the mission requires it", Cameron answered calmly in the midst of the tumult of the videogame center.

"Do you lie to me?"

Deep inside, John still hoped that the lie was only intended to Sarah and Derek. That Cameron would be honest to HIM.

"Sometimes", was Cameron's frank answer.

Even if he wasn't really surprised by it, John was slightly shaken when asking the next question:

"About important things?"

"Yes", Cameron answered, and after a short moment tried to emphasize: "Important things."

"You don't trust me", John whispered disappointed.

"There are things you shouldn't know yet. Things you could misunderstand", Cameron explained without showing the slightest emotion.

Slowly, John's disappointment gave place to anger. "Because I'm not mature enough yet? Because you think I'm a stupid boy that is not ready to understand the upcoming war? Listen, already as a child my mother confronted me to the vision of a future in which mankind is being hunted, tortured and murdered. As far as I can think back, I remember nightmares of metal skulls, glowing red eyes and monstrous arms that reach for my throat. Don't tell me I'm too young to deal with the full reality. I'm John Connor! How am I supposed to lead humanity one day, when no one thinks I'm capable of coping with the truth?"

John's last words were shouted so loudly that, despite the noise of the video games, several heads turned around. "What a lunatic", a nineteen years old blonde murmured, and was immediately stared at by Cameron. After a short moment though, Cameron turned back to John.

"This doesn't have anything to do with your maturity", she explained almost compassionately. If John didn't know that Cameron doesn't have feelings, he would almost have considered her to be a little sad. "It's just that there are things I know you couldn't ever accept. Things I cannot share with you, even if I wanted to."

"Then I was right. You really don't trust me", John replied crestfallen.

Cameron seemed to think for a moment. "No. I cannot trust you in all matters. I trust you to be a good leader for humanity if we can't stop Skynet. That will have to be sufficient."

John felt a hurt in his stomach. With a trembling voice, he almost whispered: "If you cannot trust me, then I don't know a reason why I should continue to put my trust into you. Please be gone from my view, and never let yourself be seen again!"

Cameron seemed thunderstruck for a moment. Once again, you could have thought she had been hurt by John's words, but John knew this to be impossible. After a few seconds she turned around and disappeared in the crowd.

John looked after her for a while. A part of him wanted to call her back. But his pride was too strong, and so he remained quiet. When Cameron had been gone for about a minute, one single tear rolled down his cheek.

Suddenly, something touched his shoulder. John whipped around and realized, that he secretly hoped to see that Cameron had come back to him after all. Unfortunately though, it turned out only to be Morris, who carried a big hardware package.

"Where has your sister headed off to?", he asked confusedly and slightly disappointed.

Without bothering to answer, John turned around and left the hall. The computer hardware and the chip didn't interest him any longer.