(Disclaimer: All Chapters of this story are the product of my own creation using the characters from the T.V. show Terminator: Sarah Connor Chronicles. I am making no money off it and write solely for my own entertainment)
Special thanks to Fortex for betaing the chapter as well as helping me with concepts and ideas for the story.
Chapter 4: The Fallacies of Man and Machine
The lights were on. That was a bad sign. When he left the house earlier this afternoon the lights had been turned off. That could only mean one thing, his mother and Cameron were back. John felt his shoulders slump. He knew there was a good possibility they would arrive at the house before him, but he still hoped to beat them there.
"Oh well, at least today wasn't a complete loss." He said to himself. The familiar weight of his gun tucked away in the waistband of his pants attested to that. John put his hands in his jacket pockets and walked towards the house. No use running now.
As his right hand entered the fabric it collided with a box that was heavy for its small size. It was a box of bullets, .44 magnum to be precise. The box of rounds had been an unexpected but pleasant surprise. When he sent the gun to Charlie it only had two rounds. Two rounds didn't amount to much in John's world, but it was better than none.
As his thumb brushed over the box his thoughts turned to Charlie. Instantly feelings of regret washed over him. He had wanted to get in, get out, and go home. He knew that if the paramedic saw him, it would end badly for both of them. But that hadn't been the case. Charlie had seen him and things did end badly.
XxXxXxXxX
John followed behind Charlie as he led him down into the basement. Looking around he found it to be no different than any other basement. There was a washer and dryer, poor lighting, and it was loaded with crap that didn't have a home upstairs. John frowned. His most precious possession rested amongst junk? He had hoped that Charlie would have treated it better.
'Guess all's fair considering what we did to him.' John reasoned as he watched Charlie shift some boxes around. What he saw next made him feel ashamed. Charlie had treated his gun well. It didn't rest in a cardboard box like he thought, but a safe. A very secure and expensive safe. Charlie Dixon truly was a saint. At least in John's eyes. A click came from the safe just before its door was opened. Charlie reached inside and pulled out the .44 caliber Colt Anaconda. Treating it as if it were glass he carefully handed it to John.
Taking a firm hold of its grip he raised it to eye level and took aim. Both hands held the grip and the familiar weight of the gun brought a joy he couldn't quite explain. It had been eight years since Justice had last been held by its owner, but for John it was only five days. With experienced hands, he started fiddling with the gun. Looking for any possible wear it might have picked up over the years.
Charlie felt his eyes widen as he gazed upon a side of John he never even knew existed. His movements were quick, never taking more than a few seconds to check each piece of the gun in his hands. He watched as the boy he called his son popped open the cylinder and spun it a few time before giving a jerk of his wrist and locking it back in place.
"I took it out to the range a few times. That think packs quite a punch." Charlie said hoping to glean some information out of John.
"Mmm." He hummed in agreement as he moved the gun into the poor lighting checking the metal for oil, fingerprints, or any other possible scuff marks.
"I took the time to clean it at least once a month." Charlie said as he redoubled his efforts to get John to open up. "I had a friend of mine who works for the police look it over occasionally to keep sure it was in perfect working order."
"I appreciate it. Do you still have the two bullets I sent as well?"
"Oh yeah! Nearly forgot about that." The paramedic said as he started searching through the safe again. Standing up he handed John a box of .44 Magnum rounds. "I kept them in here so I wouldn't lose them. Go ahead and take it, you'll need them more than me."
John grabbed the box of bullets and opened it up. Inside was a box a third of the way full with .44 magnum rounds. Two of the bullets were marked with a blue strip of paint. He pulled the two rounds out of box and held them up to the light. The two rounds looked a bit old; scratched and faded.
"We have a couple of winners." He whispered.
"What's their significance?"
"I was holding onto em." He answered putting the two bullets into the gun. "Was gonna give em to the son of a bitch that reminded me just who I am."
"Who you are?" Charlie mumbled to himself. "You mean, John Connor?"
John gave a bitter smile, "That'd be me."
"So what exactly does that mean? Being reminded that you're John Connor?"
"Sorry Charlie," He answered. "That's part of the 'Things I can't tell' you bit."
"Okay…you said you were going to give them to this…guy, I guess. So what happened?"
"Let's just say he got a blast from the past." John said with a cheeky grin.
Charlie watched as the young man before him finished loading the gun before putting the box of bullets in his jacket pocket. He was getting impatient, he had hoped to get some answers out of John by cooperating, but all he got was nothing. "John, look."
"…Yeah, Charlie." John said tiredly.
"I know that you're probably afraid to talk. But there is nothing to be scared of, okay?" He said trying to reason with the teen. "The FBI told me everything, about the machines, your mother's imprisonment, about the end of the world. But I know you…and I know your mother. I didn't believe a word of it. Sarah's not crazy and you're a good kid, you may have you're secrets but so does everyone. Now, please…just…give me the truth."
Sighing he said "I'm sorry, Charlie."
"You have nothing to apologize for-"
"No, I do." John cut in. "Because this is going to hurt."
Charlie gave him a confused look. It was the last thing John saw on his face before he slammed the butt of his gun into his temple. The paramedic dropped, instantly unconscious. A quick inspection showed the damage to be minimal. Charlie would wake up with a bruise and the mother of all migraines.
XxXxXxXxX
John said a quick prayer for Charlie's recovery. He had already caused enough trouble for the man. Speaking of trouble he wished his troubles ended with Charlie, but they didn't. While the weight of his gun brought a sense of security, it also reminded him why he needed it in the first place; the red headed terminator at the mall and the possibility of there being more out there. The whole talk he had with his mother and Cameron was fueling the suspicion that there were more machines from the future out ther.
He had thought it strange when he saw Cameron earlier and was told she was hit by a car. It just didn't seem feasible that a terminator was capable of being so absent-minded. However, if their attention was focused on something else…say another terminator, then the idea wasn't so farfetched. What's more, there was other evidence to support his suspicions. When he was treating his guardian's back, he noticed some abrasions that seemed out of place. At the time he hadn't given them much thought, but now he did. Part of him started wondering just how much of what they said was true.
Dead resistance fighters killed by petty criminals, misplaced injuries on his robot guardian, said robot being struck by a car because she wasn't paying attention. Either that was the greatest example of bad luck and coincidence or his mother and protector were trying to shovel the biggest load of bullshit he had ever seen.
John took a deep breath as he reached the front door. He knew what lay behind it and he knew he was going to play a large role in it. With a twist and a push the door opened and he walked in. Immediately the interrogation began.
"Where the hell were you!?"
He looked around the living room, his mother was standing in the middle and Cameron was off to the side near the kitchen. Most likely scenario had his mother pacing the room and his guardian waiting patiently on the sidelines.
"Out," He replied, making an attempt to stall the argument until later. His emotions were running high and he just wanted to get some rest. Unfortunately he only made it halfway to his room.
"God dammit, John! What did I tell you!?" Wrong choice of words.
John instantly froze in his tracks. With a quick pivot he spun around and marched right up to her. "What did you tell me? What did you tell me!? How about what didn't you tell me!?"
It was a bluff, he knew. There was always the possibility that nothing happened, but he wasn't willing to believe that. He took note as his mother tensed up and Cameron blinked. That was all the evidence he needed. They had kept something secret and he was willing to bet he knew exactly what that secret was.
"I have no idea what you're talking about." Sarah said feigning dumb. Whatever John thought he knew, she wasn't willing to confirm.
"If you wanna play dumb, fine. I'll just ask the smarter broad."
"John Connor!" Sarah cried in outrage. There was a time when hearing his full name would get him to cower, but not today. Today he high on anger and he refused to let anything stop him. Walking straight up to Cameron, he grabbed the front of her shirt before pushing her against the wall.
"Anything happen today?" He questioned through clenched teeth. He was on the edge. He was certain he knew the truth and he couldn't believe that his mother and his protector would keep it hidden from him.
"A lot happened today."
'That tears it!' He thought as pulled out his gun and leveled it at Cameron's head. The two women recognized the weapon immediately. John heard his mother demand to know where he got it, but he didn't care for her demands. He felt that the two of them were just stringing him along. He had enough of that! He wanted them to take him seriously and in his anger this was the only option he felt available.
Cameron looked at the gun curiously before her eyes focused on John. Psychologically he was still developing and as such he was more prone to emotional outbursts. This John lacked the control of his future-self. That didn't just make him more reckless, but dangerous. "Are you going to kill me, John?"
Are you going to kill me, John? Those words danced in his head, joined by a million other thoughts. He explicitly said she should tell him if anything popped up but she hadn't. She kept the truth hidden…no, that wasn't right. She didn't lie to hide it but she neglected to say anything about it. A lie of omission.
He wanted to pull the trigger. He craved it. To teach her, no, it a lesson. But what would that solve? Nothing really. He'd just waste a bullet in an attempt to hurt something that couldn't feel pain. So what should he do? What could he do? He was unsure as to what to do or say. Finally, he asked in a hoarse voice. "Why?"
He knew he was probably opening Pandora's Box and wouldn't like what lay inside, but he needed to know. Cameron tilted her head not understanding what he was asking. "Why didn't you tell me there were other terminators out there?"
"Sarah Connor ordered that we keep it secret for your safety. Having only been with you for six days, I felt it would be the best choice to defer to her."
John didn't know how to respond to that. Cameron had acted in his best interests. Or at least, what she deemed was in his best interests. Could he really condemn her for that? Yes her actions left him vulnerable and the road to Hell was paved with good intentions. But her actions were logical and for a machine that is what counted. The only thing she was truly guilty of was following his mother. That meant his mother was the one responsible for hiding this from him. For potentially putting his life at risk. What an astounding show of faith she had for the future leader of mankind.
Lowering the gun, he said. "…I see…"
He left the room with his eyes downcast. He was lied to by his mother, nearly killed, assaulted someone precious to him, threw a tantrum like some spoiled three-year-old, and threatened his protector for doing what she felt would keep him safe.
'What a wonderful future I have in store.' He thought bitterly as he climbed the stairs.
XxXxXxXxX
Sarah knocked on her son's door before entering. It had been an hour since the fight. She had waited to give her and John time to cool off. The only problem was she didn't know if he was ready to talk. Given how he left the living room she ventured it to be safe.
"…Hey." She said quietly as she entered the room and shut the door. John was resting on his bed with his head against the pillow and facing away from the door.
"If you're here for the gun, it's on the dresser. If you're here to yell at or lecture me, go ahead." John said not bothering to look at her. He lost the will to fight in the living room.
"I'm not here for the…for, Justice." She said, purposely using the name her son gave it as a sign of sincerity. She hadn't liked him calling it that and felt ridiculous even referring to it by name, but there had been enough family drama for one night. "I am curious where you got it, but we'll save that for another time."
"…The lecture then."
"Heh, wrong again. Truth it I came to apologize." She said with a dry laugh.
John sat up and turned to face her, confusion etched into his face. "Why? I ignored you and went outside."
"True and judging by the fact that you know there are other machines out there you nearly paid the price for it too." Hearing his mother's harsh tone caused him to involuntarily flinch. His earlier bravado having left him. Sighing she continued. "But I have accept my share of the blame as well."
John's confusion grew.
"I misjudged you. I thought if you knew there were other terminators out there you would seek them out."
"Do you really think I'm that stupid?" He asked, anger seeping into his voice.
Sarah quickly cut him off. "John after what happened…with you and that other terminator…Cromartie. I don't know what to think. I've never seen you act like that before and to be honest…it scares me."
John calmed down. "I wouldn't go looking for a fight, mom. You trained me better than that. I wouldn't have had a weapon or any backup. I may be reckless, but I'm not an idiot."
"Yes, I can see that now," She consented. "That's why I'm sorry. Had I told you about there being other machines, you would have most likely stayed here."
Looking away with a bitter smile, he said. "Most likely…there wouldn't have been a most likely. I would have stayed here."
Sarah gave her son a soft smile. "Glad to hear it. Now get up, we need to go."
"Huh? Go where?"
"Back to the Resistance hideout. Robo-nanny says there should be some supplies stashed away somewhere."
"And you want me to come along?" He asked as he followed her towards the door.
Sarah stopped and went to the dresser. Picking up the gun she handed it to him and said with a smile. "You think I'm really going to rely on a machine for back up?"
Taking the gun he sarcastically replied. "I'm surprised you trust me with a weapon at all."
Sarah tried to hide the hurt she felt at her son's words. Whether it was on purpose or not, John was giving her the same lack of faith she had given him.
XxXxXxXxX
John followed closely behind Cameron, his mother farther ahead. They were climbing the fire escape to the top floor of the apartment building where the Resistance hideout was.
"So what exactly are we looking for again?" He asked.
"Money, guns, anything they would have kept hidden." Cameron answered.
"What makes you think the cops didn't find it?" After all the commotion from earlier, someone would have noticed three dead guys on the floor.
"It would have been hidden. In a place that wouldn't draw attention to anyone other than a Resistance fighter."
"What about the terminator? Wouldn't he notice?"
"Possibly…but it is unlikely. Killing the fourth member was his primary objective. All other directives would be put on hold until its completion."
As he climbed up another set of stairs he asked, "What about the terminator I encountered earlier? Am I now his primary objective?"
Cameron shook her head. "No. You would be considered a target of opportunity. But now that it knows what you look like it will seek you out upon completion of its current mission."
"Will it alert others?"
She shook her head again. "No. As you are, SKYNET only considers you a mild-to-moderate threat. That's why it only ever sent one terminator after you at a time."
"What!? Does the whole fucking planet underestimate me?" He questioned feeling put off.
"It's not that. You currently act alone or in a small group rather than command an army. For a single person to rank mild-to-moderate is a sign of just how capable the individual is."
John felt a small burst of pride at that. In a twisted sort of way it was nice to know the machine responsible for destroying the world had enough respect towards him to label him a threat even before the war.
"Okay…so the good news is I won't have to worry about Metal Carrot-top for a while. Bad news is I don't know when I should start to worry."
"It could complete its mission at any time; it would be wise to always be on guard. It won't stop hunting you until either you are dead or it is destroyed."
John nodded his head in understanding, not that Cameron would see. The machines were the most task-oriented beings that he knew. He remembered how focused the T-1000 had been with killing him. Just like Cromartie and the latest addition to the hostile machine list. But he also remembered the focus of Uncle Bob when it came to his safety. Just like…He looked up. At his latest protector from the future. As if sensing his gaze she turned back to look at him. Their eyes lingering on each other for a moment.
He was the focus of her world. Her reason for being. A sinking feeling settled in the pit of his stomach. All she wanted was to keep him alive and less than an hour ago he nearly killed her. And for what? Because she listened to his mother? So did he for the most part. Was it because he felt he couldn't trust her? Reasonable or not her actions did put his life at risk. Maybe it was because of fear? But she hadn't really given him a reason for that either.
'Ug…I'm becoming my mother.' He thought in irritation. When they had removed Uncle Bob's chip, Sarah had nearly destroyed it for the very same reasons he nearly shot Cameron; mistrust. Mistrust that was misplaced.
Being a Connor meant his fate was tied with the machines. The fact that Judgment day wasn't stopped proved that was a fate he couldn't change. But did that mean he had to see them like his mother? To treat them the way she did? John realized he needed to rethink his position. His future self reprogrammed the machines. And he obviously had some level of trust in them considering he sent two back to protect him. He had to wonder if he would have sent a third terminator to protect his mother had Kyle Reese not been his father.
"Let's go." He said as he stepped up beside her.
Cameron nodded and followed him through the window. Inside John got his first glimpse at the hideout. It was most definitely not how his mother had seen it earlier. The bodies of the three Resistance fighters were gone and police tape covered various places.
"Spread out. See what you can find." Sarah ordered.
John nodded and started searching the wall opposite of his mother. He briefly noted Cameron walking off before continuing his search. As he looked around every nook and cranny he came upon a part of the wall with a small electrical wire going into it. He followed the wire with his eyes but lost track of it when it rounded the corner. He looked where the wire entered the wall and noticed a small section of it that looked freshly patched.
It was painted over to match the rest of the wall and was most likely overlooked by the cops. He wouldn't have noticed it himself had he not been closely inspecting every bit of the room for some subtle sign that would alert a possible member of the Resistance.
"Only one thing to do." He said to himself. Standing up straight he pulled his leg back and kicked the wall, hitting the patch of drywall with the steel-toe of his boot. Sarah looked over from across the room.
"Did you find something?"
"Maybe. Keep searching, I'll let you know if I do." He said as he kneeled down and pulled some more of the plaster away. Reaching into the wall he felt around and noticed something placed just above the hole. Pulling out his hand, he lay down on the floor and produced a small flashlight from his jacket pocket. Shining the light into the hole, he looked up. "Oh God…Please tell me that's not what I think it is."
He moved in closer to get a better look, only to confirm his fears. The top portion of the hole was lined with C-4. The wire he located ran into a digital readout that currently showed no signs of life.
"Uh, Cameron…could you come her a second." The terminator walked over and waited as John stood up. "Take a look inside the hole and tell me what you see."
He moved aside to let her near it. As she bent over to get a better look inside, he turned his head the other way. Now was not the time or place to be acting like a hormonal teenager. Not long after she stood up and gave him her report. "C-4 plastic explosive. It is currently unarmed, but is securely attached to the wall."
"Yeah, no shit. What's it doing there?"
"Most likely acting as a safety precaution. Should the hideout be compromised it would go off destroying any evidence linking to the Resistance or its targets."
"That isn't the only bomb rigged in this place, is it?"
"Most likely not."
"Great, we're in a friggen military boom-box. I won't bother asking if that's where they would hide supplies."
"No," Cameron answered following him away from the wall. "It would be easier for them to access than that."
John hummed in response. As they entered the next room his eyes caught site of a poster on the wall. "…Now that has to be the most ridiculous thing I've ever seen."
Cameron looked at the picture. It showed a kitten hanging onto a small branch with the words "Hang in there baby". She tilted her head as she stared at it. "People do like small animals."
"Yeah, but you don't see the members of Platoon keeping a kitty poster around for morale, do ya?" He said as he looked at her. As he watched her gaze at the poster in curiosity a thought struck him.
Cameron was a machine. While that wasn't news to him, it did bring forth a memory. His mother had told him how dogs could detect machines. Something about the animal instinct reacting to something unnatural.
'Animal…' He thought, looking at the poster in a new light. It was the sign! He realized as he approached it. The police may have seen it as out of place, but who's to say one of the victims didn't like cats? A machine would have been confused, Cameron being evidence of that. But a Resistance fighter would have seen it as a warning against machines.
Grabbing the edges of the poster he ripped it off revealing a safe built into the wall. "Mom!"
Sarah entered the room and took note of the safe. It was a large with a numerical keypad attached to the door. She absently noted the irony that her son, the future leader of mankind was the one to notice the sign left by his future soldiers. Looking over at Cameron, she ordered. "Do what you do best, girlie."
Walking straight up to the safe she grasped the handle and started to pull only to be showered in sparks and launched away from the wall.
"It's wired to the electricity!" John said stating the obvious as he rushed to Cameron's fallen form. He was joined by his mother when they heard a series of beeps go through the apartment.
"What was that?" Sarah asked.
"Oh shit, don't tell me…" John said as he rushed back to the room where he kicked a hole in the wall. Rushing to the hole he dropped to the floor and looked at the digital readout.
128
127
126
"FUCK!" He yelled before running back into the room. He quickly kneeled down and grabbed Cameron under her shoulders before putting his all into dragging her. As he inched along he kept crying out. "…Fuck…fuck…fuck…fuck!"
Sarah stared at her son with a mixture of confusion and shock as he dragged the body of a machine weighing over 250 pounds. Something bad was happening and it was fueling the adrenaline in her son. "John! What the hell is going on!?"
"We just…compromised…this place," He heaved, as he dragged Cameron's body. "We've got…roughly…two minutes…before this place…blows!"
"Shit!" Sarah cursed. "John forget her, we need to get what's in the safe!"
"Fuck the safe!" He said, pausing to catch his breath. "Whatever inside is replaceable. Cameron isn't!"
"You'll get a new protector, John! We need what's in the safe!" Sarah cried out trying to reason with her son. Time was running out. John took her words into consideration. She was probably right. He probably woul-
"No!" He said as he started dragging Cameron again. If he started seeing the machines as expendable, who's to say he wouldn't start seeing humans the same way?
"John-"
"NO!" He yelled, glaring at his mother "Now either help me or stop wasting our fucking time!"
Sarah stared at her son in shock. He just wouldn't listen to reason. He was wasting time trying to save a machine. They needed what was in the safe, but he wouldn't abandon Cameron…There was only one thing she could do.
John felt his blood run cold as his mother brushed past him. She wouldn't really leave forcing him to abandon Cameron to save his own skin would she? He quickly crushed the thought. If he had time to worry, he had time to drag Cameron. A squeaking noise behind him caused him to look over his shoulder. His mother had returned with an office chair on wheels.
"Help me set her on this thing. We can move her faster that way." She ordered. When they set the offline terminator in the chair, she said. "I'll figure out how to get robo-nanny out of here. You open the safe."
John nodded and rushed back to the locked storage box. As he made his way to it he considered what the possible code could be. He took what information he had as he tried to decipher the code. It would obviously be a number known to the Resistance. Something they couldn't forget and that could be figured out by any member not a part of the hideout. Only one thing came to mind. He set about entering the numbers with no concern over fingerprints. They would be destroyed in the explosion 0…4…2…1…1…1. April 21, 2011. Judgment day. A day no one would ever forget. With a soft click the door unlocked. Grabbing the handle he opened the safe. Inside were a number of duffle bags.
*CRASH*
John spun around. The sound had come from outside. He saw his mother near the window along with the chair they had set Cameron on. Only problem was, where was Cameron? It didn't take a genius to put two and two together. As his mother ran up to him, he exclaimed. "You threw her out the window!?"
"How else were we going to get her down stairs!?" She countered as she grabbed the duffle bags. As the last duffle bag was removed from the safe it revealed another bomb. The Resistance was certainly thorough. The two Connors took note of its read out.
73
72
"Quick we need to get out of here!" Sarah said as she pushed her son towards the fire escape.
As John stepped onto the metal walkway he started rushing down the stairs. He jumped them four at a time. When he reached the ground he saw Cameron move and begin to pull away from the car she had landed on.
'Ten seconds left!' He thought as he ran to her. Grabbing her arm he started pulling her away, his mother not far behind.
"Move! It's gonna blow!" He ordered. They only made it five more feet.
*BOOM*
The explosion ripped through the top floor of the building. The sudden blast causing Sarah and John to stumble. Cameron quickly positioned herself behind John and blanketed his body to protect him from any possible debris that might fall on them. When the dust settled, he heard his mom call out. "John?"
"I'm okay."
"We should leave. Quickly," Cameron stated after letting him up.
As the three ran out of the alley and towards their car, they failed to notice a solitary figure come out from behind a dumpster where he had taken cover. He peeked out of the shadows as he followed them with his eyes. He knew them…all three of them. Two from the future and one from a picture. He debated following after them, but took a second look at the remnants of his old hideout.
There was still a terminator searching for him and he wasn't certain if it knew what he looked like. He took one last look at the three running figures before taking a hesitant step in the opposite direction. Two of the figures were Sarah and John Connor, people of legendary status in his time and he would be damned if he brought danger to their door.
XxXxXxXxX
Back at the house, John and Cameron rummaged through the duffle bags pulling out a number of handguns and various other supplies. Sarah had taken all the money they found to her room so she could count it without interruption. Cameron had just finished inspecting a Glock 19 before holding it out to John.
"Here."
"What?" He asked in confusion as he looked at the gun in her hand. "I already have a gun. Why would I need that?"
"Your current firearm has a maximum capacity of six rounds and has a long reload time averaging three to five seconds. This gun carries fifteen rounds and is quicker to reload."
"Can it hurt a terminator?" He asked, already aware of the answer.
"No."
"My gun can," He replied. "I'll take power over speed any day."
Cameron set the gun down in front of him. "You should still carry it."
John looked at the gun with mild annoyance. "Better to have it and not need it, than to need it and not have it?"
"Yes."
He continued staring at the gun like it was an obnoxious child he was forced to watch. He really didn't want to carry the damn thing around. But with his life constantly at risk he had to agree with his protector, it was better to be safe than sorry. Picking up the weapon he moved it off to the side before resuming his search through the bags and inspecting the guns.
As the room grew silent John's mind started playing through the events at the hideout. He had nearly lost Cameron and despite being upset with her actions the thought of losing her left him feeling uncomfortable for reasons he couldn't even fathom. His mother was probably right about him getting a new metal guardian. They always did seem to pop up when he needed them most. But he had refused. He didn't want to see them as simple tools. He knew there was more to the machines than what met the eye. He knew it because he had seen it. Maybe not so much with Cameron as with Uncle Bob. If one machine could become more than metal and programming, then why couldn't others?
"…Hey, Cameron?" He called catching her attention. There was something he needed to get off his chest and after the events at the hideout he didn't want to take any chances. "About all that stuff earlier…I'm sorry…I shouldn't have done that."
Cameron didn't reply.
"It was stupid and I had no reason for acting the way I did."
Again he was met with silence. He was beginning to feel unnerved.
"So…uh…I just wanted to…you know…say I'm sorry…and thanks…uh…for watching out for me."
Cameron wasn't sure how to respond. She didn't fear death so there was nothing for him to apologize over and she was programmed to keep him alive so there was nothing to thank her for.
"Ya know…" He started. He was beginning to feel like the wall would be more sociable. "…When someone apologizes and thanks you it's generally polite to say something back."
Cameron looked over at him again, but said nothing. John waited a few seconds before sighing. "Just forget it."
Once more he resumed his search through the bag. He was fairly certain he had removed everything until his hand brushed against a felt sack. He pulled it out and rubbed it between his fingers. He could feel many small things inside. Opening the bag he poured the contents into the palm of his hand revealing a large number of tiny diamonds.
"What are those?" Cameron asked with childlike curiosity, the glittering rocks catching her attention.
John looked over at her and smiled. She was still looking at the diamonds in his hand with fascination. With a playful glint in his eye, he picked up one of the tiny gems and handed it to her. "A girl's best friend."
XxXxXxXxX
Sarah finished counting out another thousand dollars when Cameron entered her room unannounced.
"Why are diamonds a girl's best friend?" She asked.
"What?" Sarah asked, not really caring.
Cameron stepped into the room her eyes never leaving the small rock between her fingers. "Why are diamonds a girl's best friend?"
Sarah held out her hand prompting the terminator to hand her the tiny jewel. "Where'd you get that?"
"John gave it to me."
"He did, did he? Well that's sweet of him." Sarah said with a hint of displeasure. What use would a machine have for a precious stone?
"We have a whole bag of them. Do you want one? They're a girl's best friend."
"Not this girl." She replied. She lost her love for luxury long ago.
"I know what the Tin Man is." Cameron said changing the subject. Sarah looked at her with mild interest. "He needed a heart. 'The Wonderful Wizard of Ox' written by L. Frank Baum in 1900. First published in-"
"I know all about 'The Wizard of Oz'." Sarah said, cutting her off. "When John was little, I, uh-"
"You read it to him over and over again, in Spanish." Cameron finished, surprising her. "He never told you, but it was one of his favorite things that you did."
Sarah tried digesting that. He hadn't told his mother, but he had told her. He shared his past with a machine. He opened up to it. She could only wonder what else he had said to Cameron.
"…He used to talk about it a lot." She finished before walking off. Completely unaware of the torment she brought upon the Connor head.
XxXxXxXxX
Later that night Cameron entered her room and approached her dresser. She carefully set her diamond on it and marked its location. She didn't understand why she held onto it. It had no use other than to procure funds. Yet she didn't put it back with the rest of the diamonds. It was odd and she was confused by her actions. Never had she been given anything but insults. Not that it bothered her. The opinion of others meant nothing to her. Then again, neither did the diamond.
"Why do I keep it?" She asked herself. "Is it because it's a girl's best friend and I'm considered a girl based on my appearance? Do all girls have diamonds?"
That didn't seem likely. Sarah Connor was female and she possessed no diamonds. Feeling she had wasted enough time on the rock, she turned around and began her patrol around the house.
XxXxXxXxX
Down the hall John lay in bed dealing with his own thoughts. His legs were crossed and his hands were folded behind his head.
'Why'd I give her the diamond?' He wondered as he stared at the ceiling. Was it as an apology? Nah, it couldn't be that simple. Maybe it was because he wanted to get her to act more human. She had seemed generally curious when she first saw them. He had to admit, he liked the look she had when she stared at them. It gave her the appearance of a child filled with wonder.
'Maybe I gave it to her because there were so many.' He mused as he turned to lie on his side.
Cameron truly was an oddity to him. In some ways she was like Uncle Bob. But at the same time not. He had to admit there was a small bond there between him and her. So small he hadn't even noticed it when he blew up at her. But now that he contemplated his feelings towards her, he had to acknowledge that there was something there.
'Do I consider Cameron a friend?' He pondered as he turned to face the other side.
Truth be told, he wasn't certain. He didn't really know what friends were. They came and went as fast as he did. Perhaps that was why he possibly viewed her as a friend. She would always be there with him. He didn't have to leave her and she wouldn't become another faceless individual in his past.
John let out a long yawn. He was tired and it had been a real busy day. He got up and turned the light off before returning to bed. He wanted sleep more than answers. And having started just recently, John Connor always got what he wanted.
XxXxXxXxX
Late the next afternoon Sarah and Cameron returned to Carlos's place with the requested twenty grand. She leaned against the wall while she waited for her identification. John was back at the house cleaning the guns and stashing a few in various rooms.
Two of Carlos's men sat on the couch counting through the money. She knew it was spot on having counted it herself twice and Cameron once. Speaking of Cameron, Sarah turned her head towards the machine. She was with Chola, the Latin woman applying a liberal amount of makeup to her face. Sarah thought it made the terminator look like a gang-member's whore.
"They're exactly like you asked." Carlos said coming down the stairs with an envelope in hand. "These ain't just forgeries. This is full service. You're in the system and everything. Collect welfare with them, if you want."
"We might have to." Sarah replied, as she took the envelope and opened it up. Trust was something she wouldn't give to Carlos.
"Didn't take you long to round that up, so I'm feeling the price is right. Maybe you could've gone another Ten G's."
"Uncle Enrique would be proud." Sarah sarcastically responded.
Carlos brushed her off. "So I miss the next family barbecue."
"You don't get it, do you?" She said. "Your operation is good, I'll give you that. But you display your lack of experience like a badge of honor."
"How so?" He asked slightly miffed.
"I came to you out of necessity, but I most certainly won't return. People like me are long-term customers who rely on trust. I'd gladly pay thirty grand to someone I feel is looking out for me, but not you. So enjoy your twenty thousand, because it's all you'll get from me."
"I'm not worried 'bout that. When push comes to shove you'll come back. Then I'll get my thirty G's." He said keeping up his arrogant façade.
Sarah gave him a false smile before responding. "There are plenty of other paper makers. Yours was just the easiest to find."
Carlos frowned for a moment before he gave her a very "I know something you don't know" smile. Sarah ignored him. She said her piece and felt good about putting the young man in his place. Part of her always did enjoy taking arrogant asses down a peg or two. Feeling she wasted enough of her time she started to leave with Cameron in tow. Just as she stepped out of the room Carlos started speaking to his friends in Spanish. She stopped to listen in, as did Cameron. Her Spanish was a little rusty, but she was still able to follow a lot of what was said. And the contents of the conversation brought a feeling of dread upon her.
When Sarah and Cameron were out of sight, Carlos leaned back and smiled. Being friends with his uncle, he felt it was pretty likely she knew a fair bit of Spanish. He had purposely let some information on his uncle slip to return the favor for her remarks. She had won the battle, but Carlos felt he had won the war.
XxXxXxXxX
"Charlie?" Michelle Dixon spoke to her husband. He had been distant lately and had remained very tightlipped about the large bruise on his temple. "You ok?"
Charlie knew she was asking more about how he was feeling and not about his physical wellbeing. Usually when he sustained an injury on the job he would talk to her about it. Instead he threw himself into his latest pet-project which was currently being polished by him at the kitchen table.
"Yeah, just still dealing with the pain from this." He said pointing to the bruise.
"Want to talk tell me it?"
Charlie took a deep breath as he considered his response. He didn't want to tell her the truth, but he didn't want to lie either. "It's nothing really. I was just caught by surprise is all."
"Sure?"
"Yeah. I'll be better in a couple days. Nothing to worry about…I love you." He said. It felt out of place, but he wanted to change the subject.
"Yeah, I love you too." She replied. But he could hear it in her voice. She saw right through him. Walking towards the stairs, she gave him one last look. "Don't be up too late, alright?"
"I'll be up soon." He promised. When Michelle was out of sight he put the rag he'd been using down and pushed the items in front of him away. He was once again dealing with the torment that he felt when John and Sarah left him eight years ago. But now he had more questions without answers, the biggest one being how John didn't age over the past eight years. Did it have something to do with the big secret he and his mother kept?
More torment rose up from within as he realized he had lied to Michelle. He wouldn't be better in a couple of days at all.
XxXxXxXxX
Enrique walked through his house going for his whisky cabinet. In the past two days he drank more from it than he had in the last two years. Grabbing the bottle he poured the alcohol into the crystal glass he was holding. As he set the bottle down he heard the hauntingly familiar sound of a gun being cocked. Turning around he was shocked to see Sarah Connor pointing a gun at him.
"Sarah." He started holding out his hands to show he was unarmed.
"You can either drink it or dump it. I say drink it." She said in a stern tone. Her hands never wavering. Enrique knew she was serious. He brought the glass to his lips and downed the contents. "Anything I should know?"
He shook his head in confusion. "Excuse me?"
"Anything I should know?" She repeated. "Anything you forgot to tell me? Neglected? Lied about? First and last chance."
"I don't know what you're talking about." He insisted. "Please…put the gun down and explain-"
Sarah cut him off, ignoring his request. "El finito."
"El finito, yes, what about it?" He asked quickly trying to figure out why one of his closest friends was threatening him.
"Not a day behind bars; lived a life of freedom."
"Yes."
"That's not what Carlos said."
Enrique cursed his nephew in his native tongue. "My nephew, he's a thief and a liar. I told you, noth-"
"He was speaking Spanish to his crew. He referred to you as a rata. It's slang for snitch, isn't it?"
"You must have heard him wrong."
"Rata, rat. Denunciante, informer. Certain words I know and don't forget…When I said there were few believers left I didn't realize you weren't one of them." She accused. She saw the hurt in his eyes. Sympathy tried to claw at her but she crushed it. She couldn't afford to take any chances. "Are you selling people out? Are you selling me out, Enrique!?"
"Okay, okay." He said with resignation. "I was in Lompoc, many years ago, on a federal gun charge."
"You said you never-"
"Three weeks." He said, cutting her off. "Only three weeks."
"And you made a deal? You talked?"
"No. I gave information on my cellmate. He had kidnapped a child, and put her in his trunk, and drove her from Oregon. He told me it…He told me where he dumped her." He explained. The gun in her hand started to waiver before she lowered it altogether. "And they dropped my charge, yes. But that was all. That was all I gave. And, yes, I lied to you. But where I grew up, where we grew up…a man doesn't…you know-"
*BANG*BANG*
Gunshots pierced his body cutting him off mid-sentnce. Sarah spun and raised her gun at the shooter only to see Cameron holding a smoking gun. She looked over her shoulder at his fallen body before dropping to her knees and desperately searching for a pulse.
"El hablador," Cameron began. "It's another one. It means the same thing."
"Why would you do this? Did you hear what he said? We don't know. We don't know!" Sarah said in distress.
"He was lying."
"You don't know that!"
"I do." She said causing Sarah to look at her in shock. "Before he sent me back, John looked into the histories of as many of your contacts as he could. He was able to hack into the remnants of the FBI's database among other things. The information was fractured, but he did find some news on a few of your contacts."
"And Enrique was on it?"
"Yes. He was an informant who uses his criminal contacts to help imprison dangerous criminals. He is given compensation for each arrest."
"Why didn't you say anything!?" Sarah demanded.
"John ordered that I keep the information hidden and only speak of it upon completion of my task. In this case, upon receiving what we needed and carrying out the termination of your contact Enrique."
"You're lying!" She accused. "John would never have a friend of his or mine killed!"
"You've misjudged John once before. What makes you so certain you aren't doing it now?"
Sarah stood up and rushed over to Cameron before slamming the butt of her gun across the machines right cheek. How dare she accuse her of being wrong! About her son no less! Cameron looked at her with mild shock.
"You listen and listen well!" Sarah said. "You don't know me and you don't know my son! Not John! Not my John! If you ever do this again I will tear you to pieces! I won't stop until every bolt and nut of your body is on the floor at my feet! You hear me!? Whether they can be trusted or not, I will not bring death to my friends!"
Cameron stayed standing where she was as Sarah brushed past her. She couldn't believe what the terminator had said. It couldn't be true! John would never have ordered such a thing. Still she couldn't help but hear her words repeating in her head. You've misjudged John once before. What makes you so certain you aren't doing it now? She had no answer for that and as much as she hated to admit it, Cameron was right. She had been wrong about John once. She just prayed she wasn't wrong now.
XxXxXxXxX
It was the seventh day since their jump to the future and John found himself contemplating the benefits of going insane. Since they now had their new identities, the benefits were at an all time low. Still, having proof of a new life didn't mark the end of the madness. It only meant the beginning of a new form of chaos. That being the memorization of their new lives.
"So where are you from?" Cameron asked. She was sitting across from him, back straight, hands resting on the table. She was the picture perfect image of an attentive teenage girl.
John was bent over the table resting his head on his crossed arms. The picture perfect image of a completely bored out of his mind teenage boy. "Lawrence, Kansas. It's a pretty large city. About 80,000."
"Go to Kansas City often?"
"No, my deranged mother and sister like keeping me locked in the house where day in and day out I do all the chores and make friends with the mice in the attic. Each day I wait and dream that my fairy God-Mother will show up and help me go to the Royal Ball where I can leave a glass slipper in hopes that a dashing prince will come and save me." He droned.
"That's not the right answer." Cameron stated.
"Really?" John asked feigning surprise. "What did I say?"
"The entire plot of Cinderella," Came the annoyed voice of his mother from behind him. John tensed in fear. He didn't know she was in the kitchen with them. "Now say it right before I show you just how deranged I can be!"
"Okay, okay." He relented. "Let's do it again, starting from Kansas City."
Cameron nodded. "Go to Kansas City often?"
"Well, Lawrence is about twenty-five miles west of Kansas City. But being a college city, there isn't much reason to go outside it."
Cameron gave him a small smile of approval. That was one thing John had to admit that he liked about her, she didn't need to be taught how to smile like Uncle Bob had. She had learned it sometime before meeting him. Giving her plenty of time to perfect it and make it look natural. Something Uncle Bob only achieved when he held the mini-gun in his hands for the first time.
"What about your father?" Sarah asked cutting his trip down memory lane short.
"Hmm?"
"Your father," She repeated. "Did you leave him behind in Lawrence, Kansas?"
"Your father's dead." Cameron bluntly stated. "He was a police officer. He died apprehending a criminal. He's a hero."
"Yeah, I know that." John said bitterly as he stood up. "My dad's always a hero…And he's always dead."
Sarah forlornly watched her son leave the kitchen. Ever since the sacrifice of the T-800 all those years ago, the talk of fathers had become a very sore spot for him. My dad's always a hero…And he's always dead, those words were heartbreaking to her. Not only did it apply to the man who was his father, but the machine he looked up to as one. Man or machine, both were heroes and both were gone.
That had been one of the reasons she tried to settle down and lead a normal life. Despite all she lost, she still had some good memories. Of a life before machines and fighting for survival. John didn't. Every good memory in his life was preceded by a bad memory either equal to or worse than the good. But her efforts backfired. All she had given him another good memory that ended badly.
"Is John ok? We still need to rehearse." Cameron said breaking Sarah out of her depressing thought.
Sarah looked at her in annoyance. She had been with them for over a week and she still didn't understand emotional distress? Even the T-800 had picked up on that aspect of human behavior and it had been with them for a far shorter time. Despite this, she did feel a small sense of pleasure. A machine acting as a father to her son was far more appealing to her than what Cameron could offer him. So long as she failed to grasp the basics of human emotion, the machine would always be just that in the eyes of her son.
XxXxXxXxX
John entered his room and shut the door, making sure to lock it. He walked over to his bed and dropped face down on it burying his face in his pillow, letting the fabric absorb his tears. He hated crying. He hated it so much he refused to acknowledge it. Every time he came close to crying he would bury it deep inside hoping to forget about it. However, occasionally he would be unable to stop his tears.
He hated it for many reasons. He was a guy, he felt it showed weakness, it was annoying to him, it solved nothing, but most of all he hated it for the memories.
What's wrong with your eyes?
Why do you cry?
Those were questions Uncle Bob asked. Every time he was unable to keep his pain locked away he heard them. The memories only brought more pain until it finally brought the memory he hated most.
I know now why you cry, but it is something I can never do.
It was one of the last things the terminator had said to him before he was lowered in the molten steel. The machine had sacrificed itself in hopes of preventing Judgment day. In hopes of saving him from such a bleak world. But that sacrifice had been in vain. SKYNET was still created, the bombs still fell, and he was still the future leader of mankind.
The role he was destined for didn't bother him as much as it had in the past. He had come to accept it, but it still weighed on him. The knowledge, the power, the responsibility. But he took it. He took it and ran with it. That was his reason for being, to save mankind from the machines. He had consented to it because honestly what else was there? His entire life had been centered on who he would be in the future. Hell he even ensured his own birth for the sole purpose of leading a war that was inevitably coming.
Sometimes he dreamed of a normal life. But that's all it is…a dream. Frankly, if he were to wake up the next morning and be told Judgment day wasn't coming, that machines from the future weren't possible and that his life was never in danger, that he could grow up and live the life everyone else did; he wouldn't know what to do. The idea of a life free of his burdens just didn't exist in his mind.
If someone were to come up to him and ask, "Who is John Connor?"
His answer undoubtedly be, "A marionette of fate."
XxXxXxXxX
Outside his room Cameron stood in front of the door. She could hear the muffled sobs and could guess what was happening inside. Her hand rested gently on the door. She was unsure of what to do. She let her hand drop before quietly walking off. Future-John never cried. Many of his soldiers whispered that he had forgotten how to. Cameron felt this John needed to forget how to cry too.
(End of Chapter 4)
I know a lot of people like how John isn't some angst filled teenager in my fic and I'm sure some of you just finished the end with a WTF. Let me assure you he will not be doing much of that. This chapter is the start of his development. You all knew he was pro-active, but now you can see why. He feels all that he is good for is being General John Connor. From this point on he will start changing. His character will start losing its innocence and he will start to realize who he has to become and why it has to be him.
Anyway, I hope you enjoyed chapter 4 and ask that you please leave some reviews. Reviews are Scooby-snacks for writers after all. Oh and before I forget I have posted a poll in my profile page. Please take the time to answer it as it will help me with the direction the original scenes take. Also it is a multi-vote poll so you can choose up to 3 things from the list.