Here it is! The fourth and last part of my 'Vacation series'. After being thoroughly tested in the previous story, this time our characters can lay low for a while and enjoy the life itself. But there are still dark forces looming over the future and the enemy hasn't been beaten yet. Regrouping and starting anew is something that the powerful forces have in mind now.
Peaceful future is for the moment still only a dream, but the Connors received more help now. Help from people who know what is brewing together and have some solutions for their problems.
The story will be more lighthearted than 'Summer Changes', although there will be some action. After all … you can't fight Skynet and Kaliba without any action, right? But there will be quite a lot of romantic moments, humor and bonding. The action will be kept to the minimum, necessary for the plot development. I'm definitely not a fan of action laden stories, stories that involve 80% of fighting and 20% of other topics. I will keep the violence at minimum and concentrate on more pleasurable aspects.
Again: the story is AU, characters are clearly OOC and there are going to be quite a lot of original characters. Nevertheless the main characters will be the ones we know from the show, specifically Cameron and John. It is not necessary to read previous parts of the series ('The Night That Changed Everything', 'Wintertale' and 'Summer Changes'), but it will help to understand the storyline and characters' development.
I can't promise regular weekly updates, but I'll do my best to update as often as it will be possible.
I own nothing but the plot and original characters.
Prologue
The man almost squirmed in his seat under the cold stare that he received from the elegant looking red haired woman. Her eyes seemed colder than ice and her expressionless face was completely set in stone while she sat behind her enormous glass desk and gazed at the two men, sitting opposite her. Her head didn't move even for a fraction of a millimeter and her posture resembled a marble statue. If her lips wouldn't be moving, she could easily have been mistaken for one.
"So, you are trying to convince me that John Henry and John Connor could destroy the facility of my opponent, Kaliba Group, should they work together?" Her unmistakable Scottish accent was even more underlining her flat, expressionless and cold voice. Her hands were laid on the table and her rigid posture was making her look strangely mechanical.
The other man, the one with the long black hair, tied in a pony tail, regarded the woman unfazed, while his companion seemed to feel slightly uneasy. There was no fear showing on their faces though. "We most definitely do, Mrs. Weaver. Generals Connor gave me absolutely clear instructions concerning involvement of John Henry. If we want to succeed, his assistance is unavoidable." The other man obviously regained his balance and spoke calmly and self assured, while looking at the woman with serene expression.
"Why would I want to help you?"
"It's also in your interest. Kaliba is building an AI, which will soon evolve into Skynet and in the process it will destroy John Henry too. We know that there has already been an incident, when John Henry was under attack from this AI which he calls his brother. When Skynet succeeds in removing your AI, your company will be annihilated." The man smirked ever so slightly at the woman, whose expression remained detached and ice cold. "The future without our cooperation can only be described as completely dark, the future with Skynet, succeeding in eradicating all human life on this planet. I believe that it's also in your interest to prevent Skynet's success. If it does, you lose everything. If it doesn't, John Henry will be the most powerful AI."
The man with the pony tail nodded: "In my timeline, there was no cooperation between resistance and the third faction. The result was that we were fighting a losing battle. The prospects were very bad as I jumped back in time."
The woman seemed to think about their words for a moment. Her gaze fell towards her hands, still unmoving on the table, but only for a second. Then she looked at the two men again: "OK, you've convinced me to consider the possibility of entering a cooperation with you. But I want to talk to John Connor before I definitely decide anything."
It looked like the two men would just have thrown off a heavy burden and they smiled slightly at the woman. The man, who was obviously the one to talk, nodded: "That can be arranged. I'll contact them and let you know when they'll be able to come to you."
"Don't make me wait too long." The woman clarified with slightly tilted head and stood up. Both men followed her example and lifted out from their seats. "I believe you'll be able to find your way out, gentlemen." The woman inclined her head slightly towards the door and gave the both men a cold smirk, as if challenging them.
"Of course, ma'am." The leading man answered, while the man with the pony tail only nodded and they both turned to leave the room.
"Oh, and one more thing, gentlemen!" The woman suddenly exclaimed flatly, causing both men to turn around and look at her questioningly.
"Don't call me if you don't have anything important to tell me." The smirk on the woman's face seemed to grow even colder.
The men decided that a curt nod would suffice as an answer and in the next minute they were both out of the room.
"This machine sure gives me creeps!" The leading man shuddered slightly after they exited the building. All time during the ride down with the elevator they remained silent, fearing that they could be heard. Actually, they were convinced that this woman/machine knew absolutely everything that happened in the house. She must have cameras and sensors installed in every room, aisle and other places in the building.
"It's in their nature, Ed. I'm only glad that I didn't meet one of its kinds in my future, although there have been rumors that General wanted to forge an alliance with one of them, but it failed."
Edward looked thoughtful and shook his head: "I don't know, man! I know that John and Cameron dealt with them in my future and that's why they knew of this one, although they never met it personally." He sighed heavily: "All this stuff makes me completely confused."
"What stuff?"
"Different timelines, overlapping futures, different results of same actions, time travelling in general. You name it." Edward looked even more lost in his thoughts. I'm just a soldier and not a scientist, especially no expert in temporal theories.
The man with the pony tail nodded: "Right! I don't even try to understand it. I think that it's enough to know that I've been in the future in the past and now I'm in the present. Or past … depends on where I take my standpoint." He stopped abruptly as if he would suddenly think of something, but just shook his head and tried to chase such disturbing thoughts away. He looked at Edward: "You have Cameron's phone number. Call her and tell her that Mrs. Weaver agreed to talk to them."
Edward nodded: "I will."
XXXXXXXXXX
"Are we finally getting somewhere?" The man who asked was a fairly young African American, dressed in an expensive suit. He was clearly irritated and looked at the other man, sitting behind the keyboard, typing furiously on it with barely hidden anger in his dark eyes. The man behind the computer looked like he hadn't been home for few days, unshaved, unkempt with red rims around his eyes. Typical computer freak.
The man paused with his hands still hovering over the keyboard and looked at the black man slightly annoyed: "Yes, we are. We will be ready for the first real test in two weeks. Give it a day or two."
"Two weeks?" The black man exclaimed angrily and his eyes flashed towards the man behind the keyboard like he would be trying to kill him by just looking at him. "That's unacceptable! We already tried it before and now you're telling me that we have to wait for another two weeks? Unbelievable! Is everything that we achieved before void?" His hand twitched slightly.
"Yes, that's exactly what I've been telling you. The first test was a disaster and it got two members of my team killed, not to mention that the lab had been blown to hell. So yes …" The man jabbed his finger in the direction of the other one, "Jeremiah, I'm telling you that we had to scrape everything we had and start all over again. If you'd deliver that chip you promised …" He trailed off, looking at Jeremiah with angry scowl.
Jeremiah did his best not to explode and after few seconds answered with voice, which revealed clearly how much effort he put into controlling himself: "James, you're not here to ask questions. You're here to do what we are paying you to do! And as far as I can remember, we're paying you a disgustingly high amount of money." He suddenly looked at James with sly smirk: "Maybe we should reconsider our financial agreement? Maybe it would boost your anxiousness and will if we'd pay you a little less."
James calmed down a bit and nodded slightly defeated: "You are paying me well, correct. But still … if we had that chip, we could copy its structures and we'd be much farther than we are now." He sighed: "No one has ever developed something like we're doing. We have absolutely no reference point, that's why it takes so long. Maybe if we could get hands on one of your machines…"
It was obvious that Jeremiah calmed down too, so he nodded: "I can't help that the army was unable to keep that metal bitch in their custody. Not only that she escaped, she even destroyed the base completely." His voice was full of venom and the words were being spat out like he would be afraid of choking on them. "As for our machines; they're completely inconvenient. Their programming is only the basic terminator programming, while that bitch has clearly AI structures." He paused for a second and added thoughtfully: "I still don't understand what Skynet wanted to achieve with such a programming structure. It backfired completely."
"Do we know where the machine is now?" James asked, without much hopes to get affirmative answer.
Jeremiah shook his head resolutely: "Unfortunately not! All mercenaries that tracked her down have been killed in that explosion in the desert." He paused and added with serious voice: "Luckily I've got out of there before the detonation."
For few seconds they both remained silent before James asked: "I've always wondered … how could have you known that the military got the machine? As far as I know, they didn't inform us about it."
"No, those bastards didn't tell us anything about their catch." Jeremiah's voice was clearly irritated, but then he smirked evilly: "But I had my informants there too and they told me about the machine. The best part is that they obviously got the information from us. But I took care of the leak."
James nodded silently and after a few seconds turned back to the computer: "Guess I'll have to work harder then …"
"Absolutely!" Jeremiah's smirk spread over his face and in this moment he looked just like a shark, nearing its prey, knowing that it could not escape. "I want results! And I'm not prepared to wait for two damn weeks!" Threat could evidently be heard in his voice.
However, James seemed completely unimpressed by Jeremiah's threats. Without me, they have no chance in hell to finish this job! He simply shook his head in clear disapproval and continued working, not paying Jeremiah any attention at all.
Before Jeremiah could say anything, the door opened abruptly and a huge man stomped inside and stopped in front of him. His face was completely expressionless and his voice, as he began to talk, was flat: "We have completed the assignment." He just stood there and waited for Jeremiah to react.
Jeremiah grinned at James, who was now looking at the new man with obvious discomfort and even inched a little further away from him with his chair. "Are you afraid of the machines, James?" The irony and self satisfaction in his voice were so evident that they could not be overheard.
"No, I just don't feel very comfortable in their presence." James contradicted not exactly convincingly.
"That's strange!"
"Why would it be strange?"
"Because you're helping us build such machines and you're afraid of them. If that's not irony…" Jeremiah smirked at James and then turned to the machine: "Are you all prepared for the next step of the operation?"
The terminator nodded: "Yes, the other three are waiting for further instructions in the operations room."
Jeremiah nodded: "Good. Then I shall not let them wait too long." He turned and left with the terminator hot on his heels.
As they exited the room, James sighed relieved and shook his head: "Creepy!"
XXXXXXXXXXX
"OK, mom, now I'm definitely sick of it! I'm all fixed and I can go wherever I want. Besides … it's not like I would be going alone. Cameron will be with me all the way." John sighed exasperatedly and rolled his eyes at Sarah, who stood in front of him scowling, her fists firmly planted on her hips.
"Quite so, Sarah. I won't let him out of my sight." Cameron added her five cents to the debate and gave Sarah a sly smile while linking her arm with John's.
"As if it wouldn't be exactly what I'm afraid of!" Sarah's scowl deepened. "If I let you two go alone, you could forget what you're supposed to do and get into some activity I wouldn't even want to think of."
"MOM!" John sighed again theatrically and his eyes rolled like marbles in a bowl.
"JOHN!" Sarah returned in same manner, however, her scowl slowly turned into a devilish grin.
Cameron's eyes shot from John to Sarah and she couldn't hide her interest in the conversation between mother and son. Eyes wide and lips slightly parted she gazed at John, waiting for the outcome of this talk that started a while ago, but seemed to turn in circles.
John turned to look at her and as soon as he saw her face, he found her irresistibly adorable and quickly bowed to her and gave her a peck on her cheek. Instantly he forgot that he was in the middle of a heated discussion with his mother and pulled Cameron in his arms. "Have I told you today how much I love you?"
Cameron's astonishment over unexpected reaction quickly turned into mischievous grin: "You have. Five times to be exact." She paused and looked deep into John's eyes: "And I love you too."
"Oh, for Christ's sake! That's exactly what I've been talking about!" Sarah exclaimed but her lips were already forming a smile. "That's exactly why I don't want you two to go there alone. See … you forgot yourself even in front of the old nagging mom! How can I then trust you to behave without my supervision?"
Cameron turned in John's arms to look into Sarah eyes: "Sarah, we know very well how to behave in the public." She spoke flatly, with an expressionless face, however, her eyes revealed how much she was amused by the whole situation.
John decided to let Cameron fight and finish this battle with his mother and only grinned at both women. He actually missed such friendly banter between the two persons that meant the world to him. He couldn't even remember when they have last been involved in such discussion, but it must have been before they went to Shasta region, before everything went wrong.
Sarah was having a difficult time to suppress laughter and tried once more to say something but failed and began to laugh.
Hearing his mother laughing so freely made John's heart sing and he decided that now would be the right time to finish this discussion, so he addressed Sarah: "Well, mom, as you see, there's no way for you to stop us. We're going shopping and we're going alone."
Cameron turned her head to look at him questioningly: "Are you sure John?" She sounded hopeful, as if she would be hardly waiting to get out of the house with John, without any supervision of Sarah or anyone else.
"Sure I'm sure, honey. I won't allow anyone to spoil our shopping trip. After all, it's our first and as far as I'm concerned also the last time to get married and I want to get everything we need without dubious help from overly concerned parent. I want to chose what we want, not what someone else might find better."
Sarah strained to stop laughing and managed to talk: "OK, John. Do as you want. Just … be careful, do you hear me?"
"We'll be more than careful mom. Do you think that Cameron would allow any harm coming my way?"
"I would rather die than to allow anyone or anything hurt my John!" Cameron stated with firm and serious voice, her eyes flashing confidently towards Sarah.
"I know, I know. I just took my right as a mother to try to convince you into taking some additional security with you. But on the second thought, Cameron is better than anyone else."
"Definitely. I'm the best!" Cameron stated proudly and lifted her chin to emphasize her words. She knew that she was the best and didn't even think of downsizing her ego in that aspect. Why would she, after all?
John looked at his soon-to-be wife with admiration and nodded to underline her words. "Yes you are Cam. And not only the best … you're unique. There's no one else like you."
"Yes. I'm the only one." Cameron confirmed and gave him a nod.
"OK, OK, I get it! Old mom should sit in the rocking chair in front of the open hearth and wait for her son to return with his fiancée. Maybe even doing some knitting?" Sarah smiled at the young couple. "I actually haven't signed yet that you can get married, John."
John gaped at her for a second, but his face slowly stretched into a mischievous smile: "Oh well, mom … I actually don't need your consent."
Now it was Sarah's turn to gawk at him, not understanding: "What? You're still under age, already forgotten?"
John shook his head vigorously: "Nope!"
"What? How?"
"Cameron arranged the papers with my real birth date, meaning I'm old enough to marry without my mother's approval."
Sarah now turned towards Cameron who stood, still enveloped in John's arms, smiling proudly at her future mother in law. "What did you do? When?"
"I don't sleep." Cameron obviously thought that it was explanation enough and showed no intentions to talk further.
However, Sarah wouldn't satisfy herself with such crisp explanation: "You'll have to tell me a little more about that, Cameron!"
"Not now, mom! We really have to go." John smelled a small conflict slowly building up and wanted to avoid it before it became acute. "After we get back, you'll get all explanations you need."
"I told you I had papers hidden." Cameron reminded Sarah.
Sarah suddenly remembered their discussion before going to summer vacation and nodded: "OK, you're off the hook for now. Temporarily! But as soon as you're both back, I want an explanation. And a thorough one!"
"Most definitely, mom." John felt relieved that he managed to avoid a confrontation and pulled Cameron by her hand: "Let's go, Cam! We have to buy you a nice dress …"
Before he could continue, Cameron cut him off: "Absolutely not, John! You may not be with me when I buy the wedding gown. I'll do it with Andrea when she arrives. Today we have to buy other things, like a tuxedo for you, order a cake, arrange the catering, talk to the priest, find appropriate flowers …"
This time John cut her rattling off: "OK, I get the picture, Cameron. You have a list of what we all need, right?" He didn't doubt it for a second.
"Yes. I do." Cameron nodded resolutely.
"OK, then let's go. I've got a feeling that this is going to be a lengthy trip." John rolled his eyes, trying to hide it from Cameron but failed.
"I don't like it when you're mocking my efforts, John!" Cameron admonished him with flat voice, not showing if it irritated or amused her. And that was exactly the look that made John feel embarrassed.
"Sorry." He said softly and smiled at her. "I just do it because I love you so."
"I know. That's why I don't say anything more forceful." Cameron smiled back.
"Oh, you two! Go out and buy everything you need! I don't need to hear all of your mushiness!" Sarah rolled her eyes and waved impatiently at them to leave the house.
XXXXXXXXXX
The sun shone from the clear sky and Andrea squinted through the side window at the tall spruce trees along the road. Her eyes followed them up to the tops, almost hurting her neck, so far back she had to tilt her head. "We really have nothing like these trees in San Diego." She exclaimed with happy smile. She simply loved the trees, especially now as she was in the car and on the road and not in some remote cabin, worrying about injured John and lost Tim, missing Cameron and unknown destiny of Sarah and Derek.
"Definitely!" Brian turned to her from his front seat and smiled lovingly at his girlfriend. "But back there where we met, there were also such trees, perhaps even taller. You just didn't notice them."
She looked at him smiling: "I was a little preoccupied with different things that were more important than looking at the trees."
Tim, who took over the wheel from Brian about an hour ago, tilted his head slightly and commented with dry voice: "I've been in those woods too and I only know that there were trees and bushes. Lots of them!"
Andrea giggled quietly: "But now you have the chance to admire them, right?"
Tim nodded not exactly convinced: "I'm not sure if I'll ever like the nature like you do sis. Especially not after what I've been through."
For few moments it seemed that everyone sank into their thoughts and Brian was the first to interrupt the slightly uncomfortable silence: "So, the wedding is in three days, right?"
Andrea stretched her arm and put her hand on his shoulder: "Yes, and I'm so excited! Tomorrow I'm going shopping for a wedding dress with Cameron, while you guys will have to take care of John."
Brian nodded thoughtfully: "Is this Cameron really so special?"
Andrea had to remind herself that Brian never met Cameron and knew nothing about her apart from what she and Tim told him. "Yeah, she's very special. Beautiful, intelligent, brave …" she trailed off, let out a soft giggle and finished: "Like a fashion model, but stubborn like an ox."
Brian grinned: "Seems like my kind of girl!"
Andrea playfully slapped his hand and pouted a bit for a good measure: "Hey, I thought that I was your kind of girl!"
"Exactly! You're all of the above."
"Oh!" Andrea felt how her cheeks warmed and got that tender rosy color and leaned back in her seat. "Does that mean that I am your kind of girl?"
"Most definitely!" Brian now turned around and reached for her hand, brought it to his lips and kissed her knuckles. "You and only you."
"Would you two lovebirds like to spend a night in a motel room?" Tim chuckled from behind the steering wheel, not taking his eyes off the highway.
"Oh, shut up, baby bro'!" Andrea snapped with barely hidden amusement in her voice from behind and hit Tim gently in the shoulder. "How long until we're there?"
"I think that we'll be in Seattle in about four or five hours. And then we have to cross over to Victoria, what will take us about three hours and from there we have about four more hours. At least that's what Cameron told me." Tim turned to look at Brian: "I still think that we'd better stop for the night in Seattle. I doubt that we'll be able to drive through."
"I told you we should have taken a plane, didn't I?" Andrea complained sighing. "We'd already be there."
"Yeah, you did! I'm sorry that I didn't listen to you." Tim's excuse was not exactly seriously meant, it was rather a sarcastic answer.
"Yeah, I know that you're afraid of flying." Andrea couldn't help herself; she simply had to tease him a little.
Tim decided not to object his sister, knowing very well that she was right. He inexplicably feared the planes and everything that had anything to do with flying. His pteromerhanophobia was the reason that they were now sitting in the car and that they still had a long way before they would finally reach their destination.
Brian sensed that Tim wasn't exactly happy with the direction in which the discussion was developing, so he decided to intervene before it would become unpleasant: "I agree with Tim. We should stay in Seattle overnight."
Andrea smiled at him mischievously: "Do you have anything specific in mind, Brian?"
Tim sighed and rolled his eyes: "Now, that's something I really don't want to hear. Save such discussions for when you're alone, right?"
Brian grinned and nodded: "Right!"
TBC