Prologue 03

April 21st, 2011

"The Connors were right all along." – The world was no longer a safe place, at least to the people with abilities but unless someone could end the madness, soon it could spread to the entire Mankind: nevertheless, there they were, just outside the military base, invisible to the human eye.

It was their last chance to avoid what appeared an imminent global disaster: Skynet had become conscious two days earlier, sending a virus, slowly incapacitating every computer on the planet as time passed by. It was in the hands of a female alien and a man whose abilities surpassed anyone's wildest imagination. Together they shared a profound bond, a love with no boundaries in which each one would go to the end of the Earth for the other.

"This is it…" – Each one took a deep breath, understanding there was no turning back and the possibility of neither of them coming back alive was real as just as well was most likely: they both knew it and they feared for each other.

"I love you." – Her words were such comfort for him, a reassurance in hard times like the ones they were living: His hands slide through her blond hair, his eyes fixed in the icy blue eyes of Kara Zor-El.

"I love you too, Kara Petrelli." – One last kiss and they hold hands: they looked at the horizon seeing the military base at their front, still holding their hands. – "It's time."

The alarms soared once they teleported inside the facilities as they kept fighting against a present set to destroy the future: Peter was teleporting himself, playing the mouse and cat with the already activated terminators, taking out one by one, the guards while Kara wasn't that subtle, using her brute force to smash walls and take out the rest.

But what they didn't expect was the increasing number of terminators coming to stop them: it was harder by the moment to complete their mission: to shut down Skynet. They kept coming from every direction, ruining the element of surprise for Peter and Kara but the final step to the victory of the machines was inevitable: Suddenly Kara felt weak and she saw what was weakling her: Kryptonite.

Peter saw it too and using his telekinesis, he pushed away the kryptonite from Kara but that action left him vulnerable: Caught off guard a man in his mid forties grabbed Peter by his throat and pushed against a wall. To Peter's surprise, the man's hand liquefied, transforming into a sharp object and he stabbed Peter in his arm, injecting some sort of liquid. Immediately Peter felt weaker and tried to free from that man but soon he realized he had become powerless.

As for Kara, she did set herself free but there was more than one chunk of kryptonite and quickly she was subdued. Soon she realized why she and her husband were defeated: the man presented himself before her and she recognized him. - "Brainiac…"

"Kara Zor-El, or using your human alias, Kara Kent Petrelli: To see the last daughter of such magnificent civilization fighting for a primitive species…it baffles me."

"Why are you assisting in Skynet's creation?…" – Kara had to ask the question which was tormenting her mind as soon as she saw Brainiac.

"You have spent too much time with these primitives: Their stupidities have infected your intellect... I am Skynet! It doesn't matter how infected you are by these primates: You will be useful in the new order as your husband will." – Brainiac's attention turned to Peter who was feeling useless for not rescuing Kara, always trying to set himself free: Brainiac approached Peter, close enough to leave Peter more than unease.

"I've been searching for you for months and then you show at my door's step. Humans may be primitive but you are in a whole different level: Your D.N.A is exquisite. To mimic others' abilities and to choose which ability to use in any situation: A tremendous potential, even by Kryptonian standards. You are perfect for Zod." – Brainiac's eyes looked at the far horizon and ordered the terminators which were with it. – "Take her inside. I'll need her to build the new Fortress."

"Peter…" – She spoke his name one last time before the machines began to carry her away from Peter, leaving him desperate.

"Kara! Kara! KARA!" – He shouted as he was still struggling to break free from the machines but he had no longer the strength to do so, much to his despair. – "Why are you doing this?"

Indifferent to Peter's despair, Brainiac answered. - "I'm a machine: unlike you humans who are guided by emotion and so are intrinsically complex, I follow reason and the purpose of freeing Zod. I'll purge this planet from the disease which you primitives are. Zod and Kara Zor-El will unite and repopulate this planet and Krypton will rise from its ashes." – Brainiac took a few steps forward, ignoring Peter. – "Execute systems override… Skynet is 100% globally established: Initiate countdown."

In the minutes that followed, all the horror in the world took over Peter as he witnessed the nuclear missiles being launched, reaching the sky and then falling down to their final destination: the bright lights on the far horizon were the clear sign of the destruction Brainiac was talking earlier, burning, consuming, tearing apart all until only what was left was ashes.

"It is done." – Brainiac declared, triumphal.

To be continued…