The Market
The late afternoon sun pounded the ancient cobble stone walk ways that covered the market place of Cairo as people walked busily to and from tent to tent, stand to stand buying and selling goods. The smell of incense and spice filled the charged air of the busy Market, giving those who have never been there a sense of excitement and culture that only the ancient city of mystery and prophecy could provide.
Among the newcomers to the city was an angelic teenage girl. The beauty had wondered off from her companion, who was standing near a booth asking questions to a dodgy Arab man in a language her neural network couldn't translate.
Standing in front of a wall she looked around at the busy market with interest as she scanned spices, fruits, and objects that were foreign to her database. The reaction to all of this new material made her look like an amused and overall curious little girl that seemed egger to find out what each strange object and action meant. Suddenly she spotted something she had never seen before in her short life.
A snake charmer had been sitting in one of the alleys leading from the busy market rows. The white turban headed man's music seemed to entice the girl to cross a crowded street to see what he was doing. Her brown eyes watched with great innocence and childlike wonder as the Cobra swayed to and fro to the wailing sound of his horn, as if dancing to the rhythm.
"Cam, Cameron!" John called out to his wife who seemed enamored with the unusual display in front of her. "Come on, Angel, you can't go wondering off like that, especially here." John scolded lightly placing a hand on Cameron's lower back.
John's loud voice had taken both Cameron and the charmer by surprise. The snake charmer who had been unaware that he had an audience and looked up, he spotted the most beautiful girl he had ever seen. Her eyes were like golden chocolate; her smooth silky skin and completion were pure perfection. The way her hair was curled and looked so soft and smooth to the touch and her clothes fit her beautiful figure so…
The charmer had been so dazed by Cameron's beauty that he had forgotten one essential thing, he stopped playing his horn.
"YAAAHHH" the Charmer screamed mercilessly as the cobra spit venom in his eyes. John watched with a horrified look on his face as the charmer wrestled with the Cobra. Cameron watched the fight with a puzzled look on her face.
"Is this part of the display?" Cameron asked with a confused look. John immediately took her hand and walked away as fast he could.
"We're moving on" John said quickly not looking back
"Right now?" Cameron asked looking behind her as a crowed began to form where they were standing.
"Yep, right now." John answered her moving a block down the other way.
Cameron stood with her back to a pole as she tried to overhear the conversation John and a vender were having. However like before Cameron had no idea what they were saying as she had no clue what language they were speaking.
"Ah, salaam and good evening! May I interest you in some lovely things for such a lovely girl?" A short fat man wearing a white turban addressed her with a rolled up blanket underneath his arm. The cyborg stared at the man blankly before turning to John who seemed to be in a quiet but intense conversation with an eye patched peddler. When she turned back the man had spread the blanket at an abandoned booth.
Cameron walked several feet till she was in front of the booth. He had many fancy looking things. From jewelry, to old looking pottery. However what caught cyborg's eye was a small collection of Swords, ranging from scimitars to a saber. Cameron picked up one of the Swords looking it over.
"Ah yes, that is a wise choice of antique. It once belonged to a handsome prince who failed to win his love's heart so he cursed it before throwing himself upon it." The man said sadly as if he knew all too well of the misery. Cameron tilted her head at the man with interest.
"Why would he do that?" she asked with a puzzled face.
"Would you like to hear the tale?" the man asked
"No she wouldn't" John answered coming up behind Cameron looking a bit miffed. "I thought I said to stay close." John said harshly glaring at her. Cameron fixed him with an innocent look as she handed him the sword.
"I'm sorry" Cameron replied blankly as if it would make him feel better. John gave her an exasperated sigh taking it.
"What is it?" he asked looking the sword over.
"It's cursed." Cameron stated in her trademark deadpan.
"So you give it to me?" John said with a small chuckle.
"It's a tight present." Cameron answered with a smile that made John melt a little.
"No it's a piece of crap that a thief is trying to peddle to two young inexperienced tourists." A familiar English accent announced as Goodwin appeared from behind a crowd of people followed closely by Abbud and Ellison.
John glared at Goodwin as he made his way toward them. "Where the hell have you been?" John asked with some of his anger returning.
The tallest amongst them frowned "I've been guarding the plane for the night." Ellison put his hands up defensively.
"No, not you, them." Cameron stated coldly pointing at Goodwin and his bodyguard.
"Checking my sources, I have found nothing." He replied agitated.
"I may have found something, several local thieves said that there was a bounty out for a 6 foot westerner with stubble, spiky hair, and a brown leather jacket, also He would be traveling with a beautiful teenage girl, Sound familiar?" John said with an accusatory tone.
"Really, and how did you come across such information?" Goodwin countered with a suspicious look.
"I make it my business to know" John retorted with an air of authority.
"So how much you worth?" Ellison asked trying to change the subject with a small interested smile.
"1,000 pieces of gold" John shrugged. Ellison gave whistle
"Damn If I wasn't a friend I might turn you in myself. Savanna could use a trust fund for college" Everyone turned to stare at Ellison. "Just joking" Ellison had a nervous chuckle as he spotted Cameron with a cold murderous look.
"With a fortune like that why isn't the entire city after me?" John pondered out loud.
"Cause of the people that put it on you my friend." Everyone turned at the voice of the "thief". The man turned from one side to another to check of if anyone was listening.
"The creed of assassins that put that bounty on you is feared by many. They say that if you go into their fortress you never leave!" the man whispered shaking his head slightly.
"Fortress … what fortress?" John asked leaning closer
"Several miles outside of the city, there is an abandoned Temple of Isis, Ancient and hidden. There are few who know the way" The man whispered.
"I take it you do though?" the former officer stated quietly, the man nodded slyly.
"You take us that way, then …" John Commanded.
"I will" the rat like merchant responded.
"Good…" John replied. But as he turned around the thief grabbed John by his T-shirt.
"For a price." the small man said with a sleazy grin looking Cameron's breast over hungrily.
"Out of the question!" John replied removing the thief's hands from his shirt and tossing him back with a stiff shove. The Thief was about to lash out when a jagged Knife flew straight into his neck, dropping him immediately.
Everyone turned to see seven men whose faces were covered by turbans approaching with the crowd clearing a path out of fear. The men stopped twenty yards from the group. The lead shouted something in a language that no one knew, to which all drew scimitars.
John gave a slight grin reaching under his t-shirt for the pistol strapped between his belt and jeans. However his grin faded when he felt nothing there.
"Shit!" John swore looking toward Cameron.
"You said that we need to keep a low profile, plus you always say I don't need one." Cameron replied understanding the situation.
"Jim?" John asked with a hint of embarrassment.
"Umm, What is … no. What happened to yours?" Ellison replied a bit panicked.
"We hung around thieve hideouts most of the day. They must have stolen it, freakin cleptoes!" John replied Looking around to find Goodwin and Abbud nowhere in sight.
"Well, guess there's only one way to handle this" John sighed.
"As much as possible?"
"Yep …"
"We need a plan" Cameron replied turning toward Ellison. Ellison however seemed to be caught in shock as if watching something out of this world. Cameron gave him a strange look before she heard the clang of metal and painful grunting.
When Cameron turned to address Ellison, John had grabbed the saber that once belonged to the Thief and charged head long into the group of seven men. By the time Cameron had turned around John had dispatched two of the seven men, and seemed to be holding off the remaining five with advanced swordsman skills.
The cyborg watched for a second with the same dumb struck look before a small smile graced her lips. If it was one thing Cameron had learned about her husband at any age, it was never underestimate John Connor.
By the time Cameron rushed to help John he was only fighting two assassins. Striking and parrying both men with expert foot work. One swung at John to whom he disarmed in one smooth motion kicking him in the knee cap sending the Assassin to the ground in agonizing pain. Cameron came up behind the other quickly breaking his neck.
John gave a quick nod to his wife before he menacingly approached the crippled Assassin who tried to crawl away. John gripped the man from behind and turned him over. The soldier had a half crazed look on his face as he lifted the man in the air and slammed him on a hard wood stall and into the half-baked items the thief had laid in front of Cameron.
"Where are my mother and uncle?" John Growled holding the saber just above his neck.
"At our fortress but you might as well kill yourselves because you won't make it out of there alive anyway." The man laughed smugly, John angrily smashed the knuckle guard into the man's face knocking him unconscious. John gave a long sigh letting the adrenaline drain jabbing the saber into the table.
"John, are you alright?" Cameron came up behind him touching the back of his neck. John gave her a reassuring smile grabbing her hand and placing it on his cheek. Her look lightened and she kissed him before being pulled into a hug.
"What the hell was that?" Ellison nearly yelled walking toward the couple completely blown away.
"What?" John looked from Ellison to Cameron who also had a slight surprised look on her face as she looked up at him in his arms.
"The Zorro stunt" Ellison replied still in awe at John's handy work.
"Yeah, I'm pretty good with a blade, though not as good as mom." John shrugged slightly.
"Sarah is good with a Sword?" Cameron asked with a hint of surprise.
"Oh yeah the best, she was a snooty rich girl and use to take advanced saber lessons as a part of her old English education as a girl. But I mean it's a useless skill against robots from the future, but mom taught me anyway." John explained. "We did it for fun and less for training." John shrugged fondly.
"Then who taught Sarah?" Ellison asked
"His father." Goodwin reappeared with Abbud and several uniformed men behind him. John frowned at his comment and ignored the confused looks Ellison and Cameron were giving him.
"And where were you when the fight started?" John asked suspiciously
"Abbud dragged me to a safe area till it was over, then I got some help." Goodwin answered the question as if it was obvious. "What have you learned?" Goodwin asked motioning to the knocked out Assassin.
"Mom, Derek, and I'm pretty sure Kate is in that fortress outside of the city." John answered. "But he isn't talking as to where this Temple fortress thing is." he continued with a Sigh.
"Oh, he'll talk; you have my word on that." Goodwin said darkly motioning to the uniformed men who dragged the Assassin away. "Excellent Work General, your handy work is worth the legendary name of John S. Connor." Goodwin praised with a bow. John scowled at the man when mentioning the name.
"We will meet after dark at the Café near the university." Goodwin announced to the three of them. "We will have the location by then." Goodwin assured them.
"Fine" John agreed walking back toward their hotel.
John had only walked several steps when a fist connected with his face sending him to the ground. The hero looked up to see Abbud standing several steps away with his arm out and clenched fist. Goodwin only smiled as he walked by John.
"Sorry General, but you know Abbud." Goodwin said smugly disappearing into the darkness with his mysterious body guard right behind him.
"Alright that's Strike Two!" John said angrily as Cameron helped him up.
"We should return to the Hotel and collect the weapons" Cameron stated looking John over.
"Good plan, because I have a feeling we got a long night ahead of us." John replied as the sun began to set. "You coming Jim?" John called out toward Ellison.
"S …?" Ellison pondered as they began walking away from the market.
"What?" John looked back at him
"Your middle name starts with an S?" Ellison asked
"Uh, yeah, moving on." John answered quickly.
"What does it stand for?" Cameron asked interested.
"Don't… don't worry about it alright." John said flustered as they walked.
Foot notes
John knowing the local language will be explained.
John wanting Cameron close is more for her safety then his. It's that worried kind of anger.
The sword stuff was my tribute to Second hand Lions. I know there is going to be someone that will review saying they can't believe Sarah Connor as an expert swordsman. To that person I say, she is so live with it.
And finally John's middle name. I know what it is but I'll leave it up to you guys. next chapter or end of the story.