Chapter 2: Revelations

Slowly looking up into the eyes of once his cyborg protector John slowly takes a step backwards. Once he moves back a few feet away suddenly John feels his back hit against the side of the truck door as he continues to stare into Cameron's eyes. Knowing that he is cornered like a caged animal John desperately reaches his hands inside of his sweatshirt pockets looking for anything at all to use to defend himself with. Feeling around in his pockets he clasps onto the only object he finds inside of his right pocket. Taking the sharp object out of his pocket quickly John holds the object up into the air where it is revealed as a screwdriver. The very same screwdriver he tried using on Cameron when she was rebooting inside the church. The same screwdriver he had hoped that he would be able to bring back the one he cared about the most. Using his left arm for support John lifts his right arm up holding the screwdriver up in the air while he points the end of the screwdriver out towards Cameron's direction. With no escape route to use in sight knowing that he has no chance to beat his once former protector John looks on frightened waiting for his end to come. With his hands now starting to shake John continues to stare into Cameron's eyes waiting for her to attack. Seeing her stop walking towards him with her tilting her head looking straight into his eyes his hand starts to violently start to shake.

No Cameron...Not like this…. I know you're in there still...Please help me Cameron.

Tilting her head to the side Cameron quickly does a scan over John before slowly takes another step forward.

ANALYZING...

IDENTIFICATION:

JOHN CONNOR

ANALYZING…

UPPER EXTREMITIES DAMAGE

LOWER EXTREMITIES DAMAGE

UNIDENTIFIED CODE

ANALYZING…

SOURCE IS EMOTION SIMULATE 1007001003004200-10000020031600000…

ACTION…

Taking another step forward looking from the screwdriver to his eyes Cameron's HUD starts to look over the best course to take towards him. Deciding on letting her emotion simulator take control of her actions Cameron shuts off her HUD display so she can only see John across her vision. Speaking in a soft gentle voice Cameron takes another step forward towards John.

"John?"

Hearing the softness in her voice John quickly closes his eyes before reopening them trying to regain his composure. Looking to the end of the screwdriver John looks back up into her eyes. With his hand violently shaking he starts to grip the screwdriver even tighter with his hand causing his knuckles to turn white. John starts to feel burns forming into his hand from how hard he is gripping the screwdriver. Looking even deeper into her eyes he starts to get lost in his thoughts wondering what he is possibly seeing in her eyes.

Those eyes…..There is something there…...Her voice…...Was the concern i was hearing?

Quickly shaking off these thoughts he starts to hear his mother's voice in his head giving him the same speech his father had told her from long ago. The speech she has given him so many times. The same speech she had buried deep within his skull ever since the first day she started to train him. Even after Uncle Bob had made the choice to sacrifice himself in order to at one time prevent Judgment Day from happening she would constantly remind him of this speech.

It can't be bargained with. It can't be reasoned with. It doesn't feel pity, or remorse, or fear. And absolutely will not stop, ever, until you are dead.

Snapping back in reality John looks back up to Cameron seeing her tilt her head once again at him with the same soft look in her eyes.

Looking deep into John's eyes Cameron tries once again to engage him. Hoping to calm him down she continues speaking to him in a soft gentle voice.

"John? It's okay John. Things are fine now. I'm fixed now. I'm sorry for what i did. I'm sorry John. It wasn't me. You have to understand. Things are good now. You can trust me now. Everything's good now."

It's not her John…..Get a grip. It's just a trick for you to lower your guard down.

Looking back at the screwdriver in his hand John starts to slowly raise the screwdriver up towards his throat. Images of the ones who had died helping him through out his life suddenly flood into his mind. Images of the faces of his former foster parents, Miles Dyson, Uncle Bob come across his vision. As their faces disappear John stares up at the end of the screwdriver in his hands.

This is my only escape….i'm sorry mom….Dad….I can't do this without her.

Closing his eyes John starts to put the screwdriver closer to his throat when she speaks up again to him.

"No John! You can't do this! You're not doing the right thing John!"

It doesn't feel pity or remorse John...Then why would she...What if she is fixed? Is it possible?

Opening up his eyes John looks back into her eyes hoping he will find the answers that he is seeking in her eyes.

Letting her emotions control her actions Cameron starts to speak again.

"I'm sorry John. I know that the path that has been laid out before you was not one that you have chosen to follow but you need to please keep going. Please John! You have to listen to me!"

It has to be her...Terminators don't feel remorse...It has to be her...But how?

Trying to regain his composure John starts to loosen his grip on the screwdriver but does not lower it as he stares deep into Cameron's eyes.

Seeing the tension still on John's face Cameron decides at that moment to reveal to him secrets from her past memories. Secrets she had hoped that he would never have to hear. Things about the person he could become in the future. Seeing that she has no choice but to reveal this information to him in order to calm him down Cameron looks deep into his eyes before she speaks softly.

"You're different than the man i knew from my time. The John, I knew from the future."

(Dec 5, 2026 Serrano Point)

Hours of push and shove and where has it gotten us…...No i can't think like this he knows what he is doing…..He is the one who has gotten us this far.

Walking through the once beautiful Avila Beach of California Derek Reese looks over to his younger brother Kyle Reese seeing the same look of defeat written on his face. Their uniforms are badly stained with muddy water dripping down their sides to the ground. Blood stains from fallen soldiers lingering on them as their once clean uniforms are covered in blood. Both along with thousands of resistance fighters that have been constantly fighting for what seems like weeks against Skynet. The resistance looked to gain control of the once beautiful beach but only to be surround by more of their dead comrades left and right each night. Looking into each soldier's face as he passes on by around the resistance camp Derek sees the fatigue starting to kick in for each and every man and woman fighting in the battle.

Why are we even here?...What is so damn important about this place?

Looking up to his brother seeing him being lost in his thoughts Kyle starts to open his mouth when his radio comes to life with a urgent call coming through.

"Reese….(static)...It's Perry….(static)...We are under heavy fire….(static)...Requesting assistance".

Turning back on their heels both the Reese brothers start heading back into the war zone unaware of the cyborg girl looking down upon them from atop of a hill in the shadows. Looking down at their retreating backs until they are out of sight she turns her head back to the battle in the horizon. Looking on seeing explosions and firefights everywhere in the area as far as her eyes can see she slowly closes her eyes. Seeing all her data coming up onto her screen of the recent death count from the battle taking place her left hand twitches.

" I'm sorry."

(end of flashback)

" After three more days of constant fighting we were able to capture the area from Skynet's control. The death total was in the thousands."

While she is talking Cameron does not notice that her right hand starts to clutch into a tight fist.

" Thousands of loyal men...Women...Machines died fighting that battle because of one man. A man who became so lost in himself from years of constant battles that he became just as bad as Skynet. The man everyone in the resistance looked up to for leadership. The same man that became so cold that he didn't care of the losses of his men. General Connor."

(Dec 8, 2026 Serrano Point)

" There had to be a better way then this John! Look around you! Was this all worth it! To sacrifice thousands of soldiers for!"

Looking across from John inside of a office room inside of the Serrano power plant Cameron angrily yells out towards him.

" It's general to you soldier! And yes it was worth it Cameron! We now have pushed Skynet back out of this area! The resistance has regained additional resources by capturing this area! Remember this Cameron, you are the one who came to me asking to join us in the fight against Skynet not the other way around!"

" General Connor sir!"

A young private comes from around the corner and immediately starts to salute the General.

" Status report now soldier!"

" Yes sir. Skynet forces are retreating toward the east where Major Perry's forces are taking heavy fire from the machines. He is requesting immediate assistance General."

" Dismissed soldier."

" But sir Perry forces need hel..."

" I said you are dismissed soldier!"

Raising his right hand back up the young private salutes the General before he looks back towards Cameron. He leaves the room quickly shortly after.

" We need to help Major Perry and his men John!"

" No! He can handle himself Cameron! He has years of fighting these types of battles! He will manage to survive or die out there! Your dismissed!"

Turning on her heels Cameron makes her way out of the office room. As she starts heading down a flight of stairs she looks for anyone with any information on Major Perry's location. Getting to the bottom of the stairs she notices the same soldier she had seen from minutes ago leaning against a wall in the corner. Cameron makes her way over towards him until she is standing a few feet away from him.

" Where is Major Perry forces located exactly soldier?"

" Their last known location was 10 klicks to the east."

Saving the information in her systems Cameron makes her way to the entrance of the power plant. Making it out of the power plant Cameron proceeds down the rocky terrian heading towards Perry's location.

(end of flashback)

Pausing for a second going over if she should reveal her next thoughts Cameron looks deep into John's eyes seeing them starting to well up holding back tears. She watches him quickly close and reopen his eyes before his faces goes back into a unreadable face. Deciding on the course of action she wants to take Cameron starts to speak once again to him in a soft gentle voice.

" Your not like him and never will be John. Future John is a cold, calculating, deceitful man to all men and women under his command. He would send thousands of soldiers to their deaths if it meant getting what he wanted. You John are not like him. You John are kind, loyal, caring, loving and have a sense of justice that future John lost long ago. I wasn't truthful to you at the beginning. I'm sorry for lying to you."

Looking down to the ground Cameron quickly looks back up into his eyes which mirror confusion back at her. Taking a breathe that she doesn't need to take she starts to explain her last comment.

" When i said that future John sent me back i lied to you. I volunteered to come back to protect you in this time. I wanted to make sure that you wouldn't become into that man. However over the last few months that i have gotten to know you, I have seen everything you have done John. You always put others ahead of yourself even when the odds are stacked against you without asking for anything in return. You are always defending me when the others think i am deceiving them. You showed tremendous courage when you tried to save Jordan from committing suicide at the school. Also when you tried to help me when i was fighting against the series 888 terminator when Derek and Sarah were holding you back from getting to me. No matter what you may think you right now you John are a hero. Nobody can ever tell you different. Not Derek, not your mother, no one!"

Closing his eyes once again John becomes lost in his thoughts once again remembering the previous night before in every detail of his encounter with Derek. The night he had come to the conclusion of how he truly felt towards his cyborg protector.

(Downtown LA night before)

The roads of Los Angeles once filled with life are now dead silent. The sounds of vehicles driving down the road fill the air in the distance. One particular vehicle comes up a quiet road a mile away from the owner's home. Suddenly a large black chevy truck pulls to a stop down the road before pulling into a dark alleyway. Getting out of the truck quickly retrieving his trusted Beretta from his jacket pocket Derek Reese starts to lead John from the darkness of the alley way into the light of the road ahead. Keeping his eyes out for any sign of trouble Derek leads John to a nearby traffic light before coming to a complete stop.

Quickly dropping his bag to the ground John retrieves a screwdriver from his jacket pocket and starts opening up the lock box in back of the traffic post. Undoing the side panel quickly he drops down to his knees to his bag and retrieves his laptop from inside. Grabbing the other end of a cable connected to the laptop he plugs it into the port of traffic post. Reaching in his pocket John gently takes a certain terminator chip. The chip that carries the being of the one called Cameron Phillips. Very slowly her puts the chip gently into a port in this laptop. Once her chip connects to the laptop the screen is displayed with numerous number codes going across the screen. Looking back up to his uncle he tries to think of a way to break the tension between them and starts to speak to him.

" Okay, she's in."

" How long?"

" Fifth teen seconds. Twenty. For what it's worth, I believe you. I don't think that you knew your guy was watching Barbara."

" Thanks."

" Okay, it's done."

Reaching down quickly Derek takes hold of Cameron's chip out of the laptop catching John completely off guard. Holding up the chip into the light Derek has the look of pure disgust on his face holding up Cameron's chip towards John.

" Hey, hey, what are you doing?"

Looking at Derek's face which holds no emotion at all John starts to plead with his uncle.

" Derek, don't."

" I want you to hear this in no uncertain terms. Someday one of these things is going to kill you."

Reaching up snatching the chip quickly out of his uncle's hand John gives him a stern look.

" It's not gonna be this one."

(end of flashback)

UNIDENTIFIED CODE

ANALYZING…

SOURCE IS EMOTION SIMULATE 1000007003006200-10000020031600000…

ACTION…

" John...I love you John….I love you….And you love me".

Closing his eyes John starts to loosen the pressure of the screwdriver from his throat as his mind still digests what he longed to hear coming from her for so long. Ever since the day in New Mexico when he first saw her. He becomes so lost in his thoughts that he doesn't hear her approaching quietly. Losing control of his emotions a few tears start to fall from his eyes when he hears a soft voice from a foot away.

" John?"

Reaching slowly with her left hand Cameron grabs the end of the screwdriver bringing it safely away from John. Using her right hand Cameron reaches up to his cheek before she places her hand down softly on his cheek. Using her thumb Cameron starts to wipe away the tears that have fallen from his eyes.

ANALYZING…..

BLOOD PRESSURE INCREASING

ACTION….

Without another moment to get a thought into his mind John feels Cameron pressing her lips to his. His heart starts to race and beat faster than ever before as he slowly lowers his hands down to hold onto her waist. While both are embracing each other for the first time none of them hear the sound of a vehicle approaching from the east out towards the warehouse. As the vehicle gets closer a low pitch sound of a siren runs through the air of the area.

After a few moments kissing John a warning message flashes across Cameron's vision bring her HD back to life.

WARNING APPROACHING VEHICLE

ANALYZING…

POLICE PATROL

ACTION…..

EVADE

Breaking the kiss off Cameron quickly opens up her eyes as she hears the sound of a car approaching outside. Leaning her head against John's with her voice back to normal Cameron watches his eyes open.

" It's time to go John."

Quickly going to his right side of his body Cameron lifts his right arm over her shoulders balancing his weight onto her. Scanning the room for another exit out of the warehouse Cameron steers John towards a door near the back of the warehouse. Quickly getting to the door Cameron reaches up for the knob with her free hand when the door is smashed in exploding into thousands of pieces sending them flying down towards the ground.

Clutching his right arm John turns his head to look at the figure entering the warehouse. Seeing the face of the man entering his face becomes horrified as he looks up to see the machine that has been hunting him for months. The same machine that has haunted his dreams for months. Cromartie.

ANALYZING….

SERIES 888

IDENTIFICATION

CROMARTIE

ARMED WITH HANDGUN 9MM

HIGH THREAT

ACTION….

TERMINATE

Cromartie reaches back into his waistband grabbing a hold of his handgun with his right arm as Cameron jumps up to her feet grabbing a firm hold of his arm. Driving forward Cameron smashes her head into his. Using her momentum she flings him across the room.

Smashing to the ground with a thud with the momentum flinging his gun away Cromartie quickly looks up to see Cameron over him as she picks him up by the collar of his shirt before she throws him into a side of the nearby truck in the warehouse.

Looking over watching the battle taking place between the two terminators John gets up slowly to his feet. Looking to the ground he slows heads for the handgun that Cromartie had dropped onto the ground.

Quickly going over his systems accessing weak spots of his opponent Cromartie stands up with Cameron slowly approaching. Finding a weak point in her right leg Cromartie quickly grabs her and smashes his right knee against her injured right leg. Right as the blow lands he flips her back first to the ground. Quickly getting on top of her front Cromartie raises a fist above her before driving it down. He starts to send punch after punch into her skull having her head jerk back each time she is struck.

Finding his timing as he sends another right punch down towards her face Cameron catches his right hand mid way in the air with her right hand. Looking with the corner of her eye down the room Cameron sees John slowly nearing the handgun dropped by her opponent on top of her.

Reaching for the gun on the ground John looks over to see Cromartie on top of Cameron with his left fist raised. Grabbing the gun off the ground with his right arm he quickly raises the gun. Pulling back the trigger John fires a round into Cromartie's head.

Clink!

Looking towards where the shot came from Cromartie scans the area locating John feet away from him standing with his handgun pointed straight at him. Before he has anytime to react another round comes his way hitting him straight into his right eye sending his head jerking back.

Right as Cromartie's head jerks back from the gun shot Cameron uses all her strength in her arms and throws him off of her flipping him over to the ground right next to her. Getting up quickly she lands a punch to the right side of his face jerking his head back again sending him back to the ground. Grabbing him by his head she lifts it off the ground before smashing his head back against the ground cracking the side of his already damaged right eye socket. Putting all the power from her systems into her next attack she raises her right fist into the air before sending it down straight through the right eye socket shattering his skull. Cromartie's body starts to jerk and shake until it stops moving altogether. His remaining eye starts to blink red until it fades to nothing at all.

ANALYZING….

TERMINATED