Chapter 3
As the sun slowly starts to rise engulfing the Los Angeles area into a bright light very slowly Allison starts to stir. Right as the sun hits her eyes very slowly Allison starts to open her eyes to see that she is in the same position she fell asleep in last night. Still leaning her head down onto John's shoulder Allison looks up towards the sky finding that it must be the early morning before she looks back towards the fire in front of her. Seeing that the fire is now all but gone from the harsh winds that the apocalyptic world would bring each night. Glancing over to her left Allison's eyes widen as she sees John staring straight ahead towards the crumpled pieces of wood and ash. Looking closely towards his eyes Allison concern for John deepens as she sees that his eyes are very dark and puffy with his forehead creased from the stress and pain he must be suffering. Reaching up slowly with her right hand Allison places her hand on his cheek as she watches him close his eyes from her touch. Feeling his body tense with her own Allison slowly starts to wiggle out of his embrace to only be stopped as she feels John tightening his hold around her body. Very slowly she starts to rub her thumb across his cheek seeing a small smile coming across his face as a small one forms on her own. She watches as his body starts to lose the tension it had just seconds ago until she hears him whispering out.
" Cameron."
A few tears slide down the sides of Allison's face as she continues to caress his cheek with her thumb. Seeing the happiness raiding from him at this moment Allison continues to rub his cheek as she decides to let him have his moment. To let him be happy if for only just a few moments before her eyes widen as she watches him lean his head down towards her before he presses his lips to hers. With her eyes wide open and her hand frozen on his cheek Allison starts to feel him deepen the kiss as she closes her eyes and she relaxes into his embrace. As she continues to kiss him suddenly she feels him pulling back before she opens up her eyes to see his eyes wide open.
" I'm sorry Allison. I shouldn't have done that."
Feeling him loosening his hold on her body Allison slowly wraps her arms around his body before leaning her head down into his chest.
" It's okay. I understand John."
Feeling his body tense once again into her own Allison tightens her embrace on him.
" It's okay. You miss her. I understand John. Everytime you look at me all you see is Cameron. It's okay."
Feeling John wrapping his arms around her once again a small smile appears on Allison's face before she breaks off to look at John's eyes.
" We need to go John. HKs and Skynet Centaurs hunt better during the day than the night."
Remembering the aircraft he had seen in the sky a few months ago John's eyes widen before he gives Allison a small nod. Getting up off of the ground slowly John pulls Allison up with him before he lets go of her to make his way over towards the fire. In a swift move John starts to kick and push the ash pile away around the room as he watches Allison grabbing her pack and plasma rifle from the wall. As he kicks the last of the ash John turns to see Allison tilting her head at him with her eyes wide.
" We need to hide our tracks. We don't know what could be after us."
Giving John a small nod Allison starts to walk out of the room with John closely behind her. As she leads him out of the building a strong force of wind suddenly comes blowing in across the ruins engulfing the area into dust. Shielding her eyes away from the dust Allison listens in as she hears in the distance the whirling of a jet engine. Taking her hand away from her eyes quickly Allison grabs a tight hold of John's wrist as she hears him stopping next to her. Opening up her eyes slowly Allison turns her head to her right to see in the distance a HK flying across the desert terrain searching and scanning the area for any by lone wanderers in the area. Without taking her eyes off of the HK in the distance Allison slowly starts to lead John away in the opposite direction of the aircraft while using the nearby buildings as cover.
As they exit out of the area towards a large bridge what Allison and a few others have called the Snake's Trail John's eyes widen at what he sees in front of him. To what he thought at first was an endless trail across the bridge lies broken car after car to each side of the bridge as far as his eyes can see. Slowly moving forward not taking his eyes off of the car suddenly John looks away as he sees a open car door with a few skeletons inside of the front seat. With what he assumed was a mother holding onto her child tight in the front seat a few tears drop from John's eyes before he quickly wipes them away to look ahead.
" John?"
Looking over to his left John glances over towards Allison as he sees her looking over at him with concerned eyes.
" Are you okay John?"
" Yeah. It's just a lot to take in. All of this i mean."
" I know. Everytime i walk around this world i still don't believe what i see either. How could we ever allow this to happen?"
Closing his eyes briefly for a few moments John glances over towards Allison before whispering out.
" It's because of me."
" What?"
" I am the reason all of this happened. I wasn't there to prevent this from happening. It's my fault."
" What do you mean John? None of us could have seen this coming. The bombs just came down from the sky one day. You are not responsible for any of this happening John. There is only one person that is responsible for all of this happening."
Popping his eyes off the road ahead John glances over at Allison with wide eyes.
" Who? Who is responsible for Judgment Day?"
" I don't know his name. But all of us have heard some rumors over the last year. A few months ago Derek and Kyle managed to free a few hundred prisoners out of this prisoner convoy out in the west. When the prisoners were released one of the woman that was being held inside approached Derek and Kyle and told them of her time that she spent out near a Skynet work camp. She told them that she heard a rumor while in the camp of how Skynet was created by this young computer programmer. She said that once he had his design completed the AI was acquired by the airforce for them to use as our country's defense system."
Seeing John's eyes staring at the ground ahead Allison quickly looks ahead before taking a deep breathe to ask him a question that had been on her mind ever since they left the resistance base.
" John? That woman we encountered yesterday Catherine Weaver what was that whole conversation about? It sounded like you were referring to her as a machine or something."
" That is because she is."
Allison stops dead in her tracks at what she just heard come from John. As her eyes widen Allison watches as John turns to look a her.
" What?"
" That woman that refers to be called now as Catherine Weaver is a terminator. I don't know what model she is but she is one of them. Well sort of. It's complicated Allison."
" Uncomplicate it for me then John."
Taking a deep breathe John looks straight into Allison's eyes.
" When myself and my mother were meeting with Catherine Weaver one day we were attacked by one of those HK aircrafts. When these bullet rounds came flying down from the sky into the building Weaver ended up shielding my mother and I from the blast before the HK was destroyed when it struck the building we were in. She told us that she was on our side in the fight against Skynet."
Taking another deep breathe John stares deep into Allison's now wide eyes.
" Cromartie or what she refers to as her son John Henry now is also a terminator. A terminator that my mother,Cameron,and myself thought we had destroyed a few months ago. I saw him die Allison. I looked into his eyes before i put a round through his metal skull and watched his eyes fade into nothing. My mother took his chip and smashed it into thousands of pieces against this rock. We thought that we were safe. But that was before we were betrayed by a man named James Ellison. When Cameron and i brought my mother back to our safehouse Cameron and i went back to dispose of Cromartie's body we found the hole that we buried his body in to be undug. We later found out that Ellison returned to retrieve the body before he handed it over to Weaver. Weaver told us on her way down to the building's lower level that she was building a AI to battle against Skynet but i am not convinced."
" Why are you telling me this John?"
" You deserve to know the truth Allison. Honestly i'm just tired Allison. I'm tired of having to lie to everyone. Tired of being someone that i am not. It's time for me to be the man everyone expects me to be. To be the man that everyone believes that i can become. To be the man that can protect all the ones he cares about the most."
Looking back towards the ruins of the bridge ahead of himself and Allison slowly John starts to walk forward as he hears the sound of Allison quickly catching up to him from behind. As the two walk in silence for the next hour suddenly the sound of a plasma gun being shot off in the distance echoes into the air around them. Reaching over John grabs a tight hold of Allison's free hand as he steers her behind a large destroyed steel structure that lays in ruins on the ground to what he deems to be once a large skyscraper. Releasing the hold he has on Allison's hand John slowly creeps closer to the corner of the steel structure until he slowly starts to peek his head out from behind the corner. Looking closely through the dust that is blowing all around John suddenly sees a blue flashes in the distance before the sounds of screams echo throughout the sky until it goes silent. Hearing Allison slowly making her way forward from behind John slowly reaches for the plasma gun in her hands before he watches her hand the rifle to him. Taking the rifle John slowly raises the gun up as he makes his way forward with Allison following close behind him.
Looking through the dust as she slowly follows John from behind suddenly Allison reaches over grabbing a firm hold of John's left arm as she steers him out of the light before she leads him into the shadows a nearby destroyed apartment complex when she sees a small fire in the distance. Without taking her eyes off of the fire suddenly her eyes go wide as she sees a shadow of a terminator come across the ground to their right.
Looking over seeing Allison's eyes wide John follows her eyes as his widen at what he sees. Raising the plasma rifle slowly John watches as the shadow on the ground gets closer to them from around the corner until the body of a terminator emerges from around the corner. Pulling back on the trigger quickly John sends a plasma round into the terminator's skull right as it turns it head. Watching the body hit the ground John slowly makes his way over towards the endoskeleton that is laying on the ground before he slowly looks back around the corner.
As he looks around not seeing anyone in the area John takes a deep breathe before he listens in closely to the area. Slowing down his heart beat to listen in closely suddenly John hears a sound coming from the distance near a small fire. Raising up the plasma gun John takes aim as he sees another terminator stalking around the area before he pulls back on the trigger sending a round towards the terminator. With the wind slowly blowing back into his face John fires off another round at the terminator which connects to the terminators upper body before his eyes widen as the terminator takes aim at him. Pulling back quickly John dives on top of Allison as a few plasma rounds strike the corner of where he was just standing. Getting off of the ground quickly John pulls Allison up with him as he turns to hear the crunching of metal footsteps approaching. Grabbing a tight hold of Allison's right hand with his free hand John starts to run away from the corner he was just standing at towards a small opening in the steel structure they are next to. Releasing Allison's hand John turns back around as he glances over to see Allison crawling inside of the opening before he sees her reaching out her hand out of the opening. Hearing the footsteps getting closer John quickly grabs a hold of her hand as he is lead inside of opening before he turns around to look through the opening.
With each crunch of what he knows to be the damaged terminator approaching their position John slowly takes a few deep breathes as he continues to stare out of the opening. Feeling Allison wrapping her arms around his waist from behind John slowly raises the plasma rifle as he awaits for the terminator to appear. Suddenly the terminator's feet appear in the opening as John starts to hold his breathe. Slowly lowering the rifle down John looks over his shoulder to see Allison giving him a small nod before he turns back to take aim. Once he has the shot he wants lined up John pulls back on the trigger sending a round straight through the opening striking against the terminators left leg. As the terminator falls to the ground John quickly takes aim again before firing off another round straight into the downed terminator's skull. Looking over into the machine's eyes John watches as the red inside of the terminator's eyes fade away until nothing before he takes a deep breathe. Lowering down the plasma rifle John feels Allison gripping onto him tighter from behind as he places the plasma rifle in his lap before he reaches up placing his hands on top of hers.
" It's okay. Were safe Allison."
Feeling her grip onto him tightening even more John feels Allison shaking her head into his shoulder.
" Not safe. Never safe."
Turning around slowly John pulls Allison into an embrace as he feels her lowering her head down into his chest.
" It's okay. I will never let anything happen to you."
" Promise?"
John's eyes widen as he starts to remember the day when he had first heard the same voice promising him that she wouldn't hurt him. What nobody knew on that day was silently he had also had made a promise to her. A promise to always protect her from anybody or anything that would ever try to hurt her again. A promise he promised himself that he would never break to her even if it meant that he would have to die in order to protect her. A few tears escape down John's cheek as he looks down towards Allison before he whispers down to her in a cracked voice.
" Promise."
As he watches Allison looking up to him with tears in her eyes and a small smile forming on her face a small smile forms on John's face before he feels Allison leaning up and giving him a kiss on the cheek. Reaching down taking her right hand into his left John slowly starts to crawl out of the opening with Allison following close behind. Once he has made it to the opening John gently releases her hand as he crawls out over the terminator's body before he looks around the area. Not seeing or hearing anyone in sight John crouches down towards the opening seeing Allison peaking out before he gives her a small smile and waives her to come out of the opening.
Right as Allison crawls out of the opening she pops up to her feet quickly as she stares down at the terminator body next to her. Reaching down quickly Allison grabs a hold of the plasma rifle that was in the terminator's possession before she returns over next to John without ever taking her eyes off of the terminator. Feeling her free hand being grabbed Allison turns to see John giving her a small smile before she feels him pulling her slowly forward ahead. Taking her eyes off of John's face Allison quickly turns to look ahead into the distance where the terminators came from. Very slowly Allison starts moving forward with John by her side until just minutes after walking ahead her eyes widen at who she sees on the ground as she lets go of his hand before she starts to sprint over to a female body on the ground.
" Melissa!"
As John sees Allison taking off at high speed down towards one of the female bodies on the ground he quickly follows after her while keeping his eyes around the area. Seeing Allison crouching down next to the body on the ground John quickly makes his way over towards her as he look around the area for any possible ambush spot in the area. Looking around what he deemed used to be a camp site John's eyes widen as he sees the bodies of three more resistance fighters on the ground with large holes blasted into their chests. A few tears escape John's eyes as he turns to look at Allison who is vicious pushing down on one of the bodies on the ground.
" Melissa! Melissa please wake up! Please wake up!"
Making his way over quickly John places his plasma rifle onto the ground as he crouches down next to Allison before he wraps his arms around her. The next thing that John sees is Allison quickly turning her body around to look at him. Seeing the tears coming down from her face the next thing John feels is her wrapping her arms around him before she buries her head into his shoulder. Feeling her grip on him getting tighter by the second John slowly lifts Allison up with him before he starts to rub soothing circles across her back.
" I'm so sorry Allison. But we have to go."
Feeling her shaking her head against his shoulder John watches as Allison lifts her head off of his shoulders before he sees her staring directly at him with tears coming down her cheeks.
" We have to bury them. Please John. She would do the same for us. Please."
As John looks deep into her eyes after a few seconds John gives her a small nod before he watches her bury her head into his chest. Looking around the campground closely John starts to look for anything that could be used to help bury the bodies in the camp site. Looking over to the corner where a old broken down automobile lays destroyed in the ruins John's eyes widen as he sees another plasma rifle leaning against the car while a small pack just as big as the one that Allison is carrying not to far from it in the corner. Letting go of Allison slowly John crouches back down to grab his plasma rifle before he starts to move towards the center of the camp. Looking closely at the rifle in his hands John slowly lowers the rifle towards ground 10 feet away from him before he turns to look at Allison.
" Keep watch."
Seeing Allison giving him a small nod John turns back ahead before he holds down the trigger of the plasma rifle. Round after plasma round strike into the ground as the small holes start to form into a large crater. Feeling the plasma rifle starting to burn deep into his hands John quickly drops the rifle to the ground as he looks down to his hands. Seeing the burn marks slowly forming on his hands John quickly places his hands down to his pants sides before he feels Allison reaching over to grab each of his hands. Feeling his hands being slowly raised up into the air John watches as Allison's eyes go wide when she looks down to his hands before he sees her lowering his hands back down to his sides. The next thing John sees is Allison quickly taking off her pack before she digs out from deep in the pack a water bottle. Knowing what her intentions are John slowly raises his hands up before he turns to look away. As he places his hands together the next thing that he feels is Allison slowly pouring some of the water onto his hands as pain starts to erupt into both of his hands. Gritting his teeth as drop after drop of water comes pouring through the openings on his hands John next feels is his right hand being raised up before he feels a small fabric being put onto his hand. Opening up his eyes John's looks over to see that his right hand is now covered in a glove that he knew Allison had been wearing ever since they had made a fire the night before. Feeling his left hand being given the same treatment John looks over to see her face slowly turning up before he sees a small smile creep through the tears on her face before she turns to walk towards a female body on the ground which she referred to as a friend of hers Melissa.
Crouching down with tears in her eyes Allison slowly reaches down towards Melissa's face before she gently closes the eyes of her fallen friend. Very slowly Allison bows her head down until she sees John at the corner of her eye making his way around her towards Melissa's legs. Giving him a small nod Allison gently reaches her arms down under Melissa's arms as herself and John slowly start to move Melissa's body towards the hole in the ground. Lowering her end down Allison watches as Melissa's body is lowered down into the hole before she turns towards the other bodies on the ground. For the
For the next few minutes John works as a team with Allison as they slowly lower down each of the remaining bodies down into the hole next to Melissa's body. Walking over towards the broken down car in the corner of the campsite John grabs a hold of the pack that is laying on the ground before he slowly starts to go into what is inside of the pack. Looking in closely John finds that inside of the pack is 2 bottles of water,a few bandage wrappings and some of the clothing that once belonged to one of the the dead resistance fighters along with a large blanket stuffed in between all the items. Reaching in grabbing the blanket John quickly zips up the pack before he starts to walk back over towards the hole. As John places each strap around his shoulders reaching over slowly John hands the blanket over to Allison. Watching her slowly John watches Allison leaning down over the hole before she places the blanket down over all of the bodies inside before she turns to walk away from the hole back towards the campsite. Following close behind her as they near the broken car John grabs a hold of the plasma rifle that was leaning against the broken vehicle before he starts to follow after Allison back into the ruins of the city.
Miles away in the opposite direction of where John and Allison are heading two figures slowly emerge out of the ruins of Los Angeles. Making her way forward slowly Weaver keeps a constant watch ahead towards the horizon as they near a small factory in the distance. Doing a scan of the area Weaver's eyes suddenly widen as she sees two HKs high up in the air circling around the facility. Stopping dead in her tracks Weaver glances over her shoulder to look at John Henry.
" Wait here."
Turning back ahead Weaver slowly starts to pick up her pace towards the factory as she dissolves her body into a puddle. As she goes through countless piles of concrete and the remains of destroyed buildings Weaver constantly keeps her focus up towards the sky looking for the HKs that she knows are high above the factory. Getting close enough to the factory doors Weaver slowly ascends the outside of the buildings wall before she starts to make her way over the opening of the factory's doors. Looking down seeing two terminator's sitting on guard outside of the factory Weaver starts to form back into her silver form as she slowly starts to descend towards them. Once her body has fully reformed quickly Weaver turns her hands into large blades as she drops down to the ground in the back of the two terminator guards.
Hearing a sound coming from in back the two terminators turn just in time to see Weaver swinging her blade arms around before their skulls are sliced in half. Turning around quickly Weaver starts to run into the factory as a few more terminators on guard turn to look her direction. Feeling a few plasma shots connecting into her body Weaver quickens her pace as she slices the first terminator she sees close to her before she jumps into the air straight into the shadows. Dissolving back into a puddle Weaver starts to ascend the wall of the factory quickly as she watches the terminators blasting round after round next to her. Getting to the position she deems to be the best advantage point Weaver drops back to the ground near one of the remaining terminator guards before she jabs her right handed blade hand into the terminator's skull. Feeling a plasma shot hitting into the side sending a piece of her liquid body flying Weaver turns before she flings the terminator next to her towards the last terminator guard. As she sees the terminator attempting to get up from the ground Weaver doesn't give it a chance as she reaches down smashing her left blade through the terminator's skull shattering it chip instantly.
As she scans the area around inside of the factory Weaver's quickly snaps her head towards the factories entrance as the sounds of a jet engine echo through the factory. Reaching down grabbing the two plasma rifles that the two terminators she just disposed of were holding Weaver slowly stalks over towards the entrance. Once she has stepped outside Weaver quickly raises the rifles up as she sees a HK coming towards her from the distance. Pulling back on the triggers Weaver watches as shot after shot strike into the the HK before it comes crashing down to the ground twenty feet away from herself. Knowing that this was only one of the HKs she had spotted in the area Weaver slowly makes her way forward towards the destroyed HK before she is engulfed with gunfire. Looking up to her right Weaver sees high in the sky the other HK firing its plasma rounds down towards her.
With each round that the HK fires into the ground next to Weaver the ruins start to get engulfed more in smoke and dust. Taking careful aim using the smoke to her advantage Weaver starts to blast back in the direction of the gunfire from the HK when she hears the sound of one of the engines of the HK failing. Stepping out of the smoke Weaver watches as the HK comes crashing down in the distance. Throwing the plasma rifles to the ground in front of herself slowly Weaver starts to make her way back towards John Henry's location as she slowly starts to reform her body. Deeming that the damage to her body is acceptable Weaver makes her way back over towards John Henry before instructing him to follow her into the factory.
Getting back inside of the factory Weaver starts to lead John Henry deep into the center of the factory towards a very large area full of computer screens which are hooked up to everything inside of the factory. Scanning the computer equipment she sees in front of herself reaching over Weaver starts to rip out plugs all around the computer equipment to disable any way for Skynet to regain control of the factory once John Henry is inside. Glancing over seeing John Henry taking a seat next to the main computer Weaver quickly unhooks one end of a large plug to the main systems before she reaches the other end of the plug out to him.
" I need for you to enter into the factories systems. Once you are inside of the systems you are to begin to immediately reprogramming the terminators here at the base."
" Why?"
" In order for you to truly learn how to fight against Skynet and the forces it posses you will need terminator units to use for the fight. Even though this is only a training exercise for you in this time when the real fight begins you will be prepared."
Deeming her reasons to be acceptable John Henry grabs the plug from her hands before he inserts it into the back of his skull. Once the plug is inserted into his skull a wave of information comes flying across the computer screens ahead. Endless wave after wave come across the screens as John Henry's eyes start to shine bright red. Going through the files quickly the sounds of whirring from the computers systems all around echo throughout the room.
Watching John Henry closely Weaver watches as John Henry turns to her to give her a small smile before he turns to look back at the computer screens.
" It has been done. This factory has twenty units on standby deep in the lower levels of the factory while thirty more units are in the process of being made as we speak."
" Excellent. Now you are to begin work on making Cameron a new body."
" Why Ms Weaver? Why do you want me to make Cameron a new body? I don't understand your lack of reasons to do such a task."
Being careful not to show her annoyance Weaver gives John Henry a small smile.
" It's for the best John Henry. If you are to build Cameron a new body you will have gained the trust of John Connor. Trust that will be needed in the future when you face Skynet together."
" You revealed to me that John Connor could be in love with his cyborg protector. Why would he be in love with her? I have seen a few of Cameron's recent memories with John before she was able to block me out. In one of the memories i was able to access Cameron had attempted to kill John Connor before she was deactivated by John. When she was reactivated John had placed his life in her hands when he gave her a gun while she was still under Skynet's control. When the choice to kill him was put into her hands Cameron was able to override her programming to kill him. Why would she do that Ms Weaver?"
" It is how unique her model is John Henry. She was built as a unique one of a kind model by Skynet to get close to John Connor. I believe the reason why she was able to override her programming is because she feels something for John. Can you display the chips files of her model design?"
Looking back to the computer screens suddenly the data on the screen changes as a few files displaying Cameron's model come across the screens. A small smile comes across Weaver's face as she reads through the designs before she looks back over towards John Henry.
" Her model is truly fascinating. From the data on her model design i have concluded that her model was designed to be able to show human emotions."
" Why? Why would Skynet add emotions to one of its designs?"
" Cameron was originally designed to be a infiltrator model. After years of failing to kill John Connor in a desperate attempt by Skynet it created her model to infiltrate John Connor's main camp with her being disguised as someone that was close to John. However before she was able to complete the mission Cameron was captured and reprogrammed by the resistance. In my time Cameron was John Connor's top advisor."
" I don't understand why i should…."
" That is enough John Henry! You are to make Cameron Phillips a new body to use with the resources you have at your disposal here at the factory. While you are making her a new body i will focus my efforts on making both you and Cameron new chips to use."
Without understanding what the importance of building Cameron Phillips a new body John Henry turns to the screen as he starts to enter Cameron's endoskeleton design into the factories systems. While John Henry continues to lack the understanding of what makes Cameron Phillips so important the thought of having a undamaged new chip makes a small grin come to John Henry's face as his eyes suddenly shine bright red.
Looking over to the screens Weaver watches as Cameron's endoskeleton design is inserted into the factories systems as the computer equipment all around the room come to life.
" How long will it take to make her a new body?"
Turning his eyes back to normal John Henry looks over towards Weaver with a small smile.
" It will take 37 hours for her body and covering to be completed as long as there is a tissue sample of the woman that Cameron was designed to look like."
Giving John Henry a smirk Weaver reaches her right hand into her body before she pulls out a small vial filled with a few droplets of blood. Looking over seeing John Henry tilting his head towards her a smile appears on her face.
" Inside of this vial contains a few droplets of blood from Cameron's template. Before i left the camp that John Connor was staying in, I was able to retrieve a few droplets of blood from her template when i was disguised as a rat. When she was sleeping i was able to retrieve this small sample of her blood before i began my search for you."
Turning to walk away from the room Weaver takes one last glance over at John Henry.
" You are to begin to work on her body immediately."
Without wanting to hear a response Weaver starts walking deeper into the factory in the area where she knows Cameron's body will be created.