AN: Here is the next chapter! Enjoy! As usual we own nothing but our OC's
August 30
15 Miles Northwest of Boston, MA
The T-800 walked up to a steel re-enforced structure in the remains of an armed forces reserve station located just outside of Boston. Looking around, its scanners picked up something that could be of some use to it. Sitting on the downwind side of the building was an attack helicopter that had been prepared for a training mission. Since it was on the downwind side of the building from the blast, the building had acted like a shield, protecting the helicopter along with several other aircraft. Looking around, the T-800 saw that all the soldiers, including the pilots who were going to fly it had died in one of the later blasts that had decimated the city.
Walking up to the helicopter, a scan from the T-800 as it approached told the machine that the helicopter was still in a flyable condition. It climbed into the pilot seat before flipping a few switches. Next the T-800 started the engine and within the next few minutes, brought it up to full power. Soon the helicopter lifted off the ground. Once at altitude, the T-800 turned the helicopter and set its course.
After flying over the remains of the city's outskirts, the T-800 flew the aircraft northwest, often taking the helicopter down to check the few vehicles it passed. Back up at a higher altitude, the T-800's scanners picked up on a sole vehicle racing down the road about 20 miles ahead. As it approached it lowered the helicopter to just about 10 feet from ground level and began to shrink the gap between it and the vehicle. Closing in, it detected that once again it had found its targets.
***
60 Miles North of Boston
"Wonder how long?" Zack mumbled to himself.
Cody shook his head. "A while"
"Hopefully it won't take that long," Will said, keeping his eyes glued to the road. Every few seconds he would look down at the speedometer and grumble under his breath. Although the SUV was a good ride for what they needed, the needle on the speedometer refused to climb above 90 miles per hour. Also, although they could maintain that speed on long stretches of road, Will would often be forced to slow way down to safely make a sharp turn or maneuver through areas of rugged terrain. The obstacles that had been formed by the results of the blasts included large seas of cars and huge cracks in the pavement so that it made it nearly impossible for Will to maintain a safe speed that was anywhere near 90 miles per hour.
Zack and Cody watched the burned, ruined world race by them. Often each would close their eyes at the sight of burned cars that had been blasted in place by the nuclear explosions. Inside of the cars' shattered windows were the scorched remains of many scared, innocent people desperately trying to escape their fate. Also outside the car, the twins could see endless flames from the radioactive fire that the bombs had produced. Whole towns and cities were now nothing more than demolished steel and concrete structures that put forth huge orange and red flames.
Looking at Will, each of the twins could see that he ached for those unfortunate enough to be caught in the blasts. To exist one second, and just vanish the next. He shuddered at the thought, but it offered some condolence that these poor souls probably felt nothing and died instantly.
After a period of silence, Zack and Cody switched seats so Cody could try to lie down and sleep for a little while. After Cody had climbed into the back seat, Zack climbed up front next to Will and strapped himself in. As Cody began to doze off, a soft rhythmic sound began to reach the twins ears. "What?" Cody said. "That sounds like a helicopter." He thought about what he had just said thinking it was impossible, but it was hard for his brain to ignore the constant beat reaching his ears.
"Uh…Will," Zack said, looking through the back window. "I think we have company."
Will looked up in the rearview mirror. The helicopter was in attack position, something that he knew could only mean one thing. "It's back!"
"W-w-what?" Zack said, his eyes widening.
"Hang on!" Will yelled, ignoring Zack. With that he floored the gas pedal and swerved towards the side of the road.
"What are you doing!?" Cody asked startled as he was thrown against the side of the vehicle. A second later his question was answered by an explosion on the opposite side of the road.
Looking back, all three could see that the helicopter piloted by the T-800 was gaining on them fast. The T-800 hit the trigger button again, launching another missile at the car. Once again Will was barely able to dodge it with some quick maneuvering.
"Can't you do anything about it?" Zack yelled.
Will just looked at him briefly before turning his eyes back to the road ahead. He steered around several cars that had been stopped on the highway. A roar behind them told them that they had barely avoided another missile.
As the T-800 got closer to the car, it moved its finger to a trigger located just below the missile-launch button. Turning the helicopter to line up its shot, the T-800 began firing both of the helicopter's machine guns.
Looking back again, Will saw a bright yellow flame bursting out from the helicopter machine guns. "GET DOWN!" Will yelled. He slammed the brake as he ducked down. The twins didn't need to be told twice as each ducked down just barely quick enough to avoid the spray of bullets that pulverized the car.
Upon impact from the bullets, the back windshield shattered as did the side windows. Glass rained down on Will and the twins. Throughout the whole process the Zack and Cody screamed, fear filling both of them. Bullets continued to hit the SUV, denting and deforming the frame. The sound of bullets ricocheting off the metal filled the vehicle, and chorused with the twins' screams.
A brief silence was followed by the overpowering roar of the helicopter's engine and rotor blades. The force of the rotors passing over the top of the car caused the damaged sunroof to fall into the car, which landed a second later on Cody's arm.
"AHH!" Cody screamed in pain. Almost immediately he wiggled the sunroof off his arm as pain shot through it.
"CODY!" Zack yelled.
"ARE YOU HIT!?" Will yelled. Glancing up, Will could see that the T-800 had over flown them and now was turning around for another attack. Acting fast, Will flung the car into reverse and floored the gas pedal. Moving again, Will whipped around, peering through the broken glass lined opening that now existed where the back windshield had once been.
"N-No," Cody forced out. "I'm fine." He held his arm. A quick look over told him that his arm wasn't broken. Pulling his hand away, Cody noticed some blood where the sunroof's sharp edges had hit his arm.
Zack looked at Will for a brief second before undoing his seatbelt and jumping into the back seat. "Zack!" Will yelled. Once Zack was safely in the back seat, Will yanked the e-brake and flung the car around. Following his technique from earlier, Will swerved around the parked cars on the road, using them as a shield from another missile.
"Cody!" Zack said, looking over his brother.
"I-I'm fine," Cody said, fighting back his tears. He continued to hold his arm.
Zack pulled Cody's hand away from his wound. "You're bleeding!"
"GET DOWN!" Will yelled again as another shower of bullets impacted the car. Both the twins flattened themselves against the floor. Bullets flew through the openings in the car and shredded the seats. Finally the rattling of the bullets stopped and was replaced by a constant clicking sound. Taking that as his cue, Will pulled another drifting turn with the e-brake and headed directly for the helicopter.
"WHY ARE YOU HEADING RIGHT FOR IT!?" Zack yelled.
Will ignored him as he raced the SUV at the helicopter. He knew that the only weapon the T-800 had left, its missiles, were completely ineffective at very short range. Almost directly underneath the helicopter, Will slammed on the brakes.
The T-800 saw the SUV disappear from its view. It maneuvered the helicopter around, expecting to regain a visual on its targets by turning the helicopter around. When it managed to do so however, the SUV was still nowhere to be found. It continued to maneuver the helicopter around, trying to regain sight of its target.
Will matched the helicopter's movements, making sure to stay directly under the helicopter. The only way the T-800 could see them is for it to climb out of the cockpit and lean out to the side, something that would cause the helicopter to lose control because the machine would be unable to pilot it from that position.
Looking around, Zack found a tire jack and a wrench located right behind the backseat as well as some rope. "Will!" Zack said. Will looked back, saw the jack and rope in Zack's hand, and nodded. Acting fast Zack tied a knot around the middle of the jack. He then tied the other end to the wrench.
Still unable to locate its targets, the T-800 increased power on the helicopter, causing it climb. Finally it caught a glance of the SUV. It turned sharply and lowered the nose. It fired another missile, as it headed back towards the ground. Although the extra altitude allowed the machine to see the SUV again, it did not provide a very good shot, so it decided to dive again.
Will dodged the missile and drove behind the helicopter as the T-800 lowered it.
"ZACK! HIT THE TAIL ROTOR!" Will called as he continued to make sure the helicopter was facing in the other direction.
"THE WHAT?"
"THE SMALL PROPELLER!" Cody yelled. "MAKE SURE IT HITS THE SMALL PROPELLER IN THE BACK!"
Zack nodded. Standing up through the now open sunroof, he threw the tire jack so it got caught in the helicopter's tail rotor. The force of the tail rotor grabbing the jack sent the end tied to the wrench snapping up at the rest of the helicopter. The end of the rope with the wrench flew into the main rotor and became wound around the blades.
Almost instantly the helicopter began to spiral out of the control and slammed into the ground with a huge explosion. Parts and shrapnel flew in all directions as fire and thick black smoke engulfed the helicopter.
"WE GOT IT!" Zack yelled.
Will just shook his head as he sped away from the scene, making sure to dodge the pieces of metal flung in front of them by the explosion.
"That thing's finally dead!" Zack said as he threw his fist in the air.
Will sighed. "Don't be so sure, look behind you."
"What?" Zack looked back and saw what looked to be a metal skeleton walking out of the fire. "Are you freaking kidding me?"
Will remained silent as he continued to drive.
***
After a period of driving, Will decided they were a safe distance away, and pulled over to examine Cody's injury. They sat outside the SUV at what used to be a roadside turnout. Will and Zack had righted an overturned a picnic table that they now sat upon.
"You'll be fine," Will said. "Nothing looks broken, just a cut." Cody nodded. Will ripped Cody's sleeve into a bandage and wrapped it around his arm to cover the cut. Next Will looked over Zack as well. He also had a few minor cuts and bruises, but nothing like Cody, nothing serious.
"So, how long will it take us to get to California again?" Zack asked.
"It usually takes three to four days if you drive," Cody answered with a sigh.
"THREE TO FOUR DAYS?!" Zack yelled. Cody nodded hopelessly.
"It'll go by fast though," Will said, staring at the twins' eyes "Because you two got a lot to learn" he added hopping up off the table.
"What do you mean?" Zack asked, looking at him.
"This is a much different world than the one you're used to," Will said solemnly. "And, that T-800 must be destroyed. Cody's right, if Skynet gets it, it will mean disaster for the resistance and the future of mankind. That wasn't the last we're going to see of it."
"What are you saying?" Cody asked, his eyes widening. He had a feeling he knew what Will was going to say, he just hoped he was wrong.
"If you two are going to survive," Will said, taking a deep breath. "You're going to have to learn how to fight. I don't mean pushing around either, I mean truly learn to fight."
"I-I thought you said you'd protect us," Cody said, stuttering. His eyes widened as he looked at Will with a face that was startled and fearful.
Will looked back at him. "And I will until my last breath. You have my word on that. Look, I don't want to scare you any more than you already are, but with the weapons that are available in this time, it will be very hard to stop that T-800. We don't have a lot of time, so I won't be the one teaching you everything you need to learn. You'll receive full training after meeting John Conner. In the mean time, I can show you some basic things"
"If that thing can survive a blast like that, I don't think anything can stop it." Zack said.
"It's not entirely unstoppable," Will said. "Either way though this is stuff you must know and…" Will's voice seemed to get slightly quieter as he took a breath. "And it will save your life one day."
The twins just looked at Will.
"Zack, lesson one" Will said, looking at him with a serious look. "Hit me." He held out his hand as a target for Zack.
"W-what?" Zack asked.
"Hit me!" Will repeated he shook his hand around a little.
Understanding, Zack stood up from the table, wound up and feebly punched Will's hand. Will caught his blow easily and flung it to the side.
"Come on, you're holding back. That machine just killed your mother! Hit it!" he held his hand up again as a target.
Zack wound up and swung at Will again.
"COME ON!" Will said as he caught Zack's hand and twisted his arm behind his back before grabbing Zack's shoulder with his other hand.
"Zack! Listen to me!" Will said making sure Zack was paying attention. "You can't hold back, you can't show mercy. If you hold back, you're dead! Do you understand me? YOU ARE DEAD! The machines are ruthless, they don't feel anything. They'll keep coming for you, no matter what. They never stop! Once you die, they keep moving forward until everyone is dead! That's why they're called terminators! They terminate, that's all they are! THAT'S ALL THEY DO! Never hold back! NEVER! Do you understand me?" Will let go of Zack and turned him around, making sure he was ok. Zack just stood there silent.
Cody just looked from Zack to Will and back to Zack. He knew Will wouldn't hurt Zack, and he also knew that Will was completely right.
"I'm sorry I had to do that Zack," Will said solemnly as he turned towards the truck.
Before Will knew what was happening Zack screamed and launched himself fist first toward Will. All the rage and fear from the past 24 hours plus this first "lesson" was too much for Zack and this time his fist connected sure and square with Will's lower jaw.
Will, caught by surprise, was knocked off balance. Before he could regain his footing, Zack pounced again, finally getting Will on the ground. Zack began pounding at Will who just absorbed the hits, deflecting most with his hands.
"HOW'S THIS FOR NOT HOLDING BACK! MY MOM IS DEAD, MY DAD PROBABLY IS TOO, THE WHOLE WORLD IS GONE AND SOME FREAKIN MACHINE FROM THE FUTURE IS AFTER ME AND CODY AND I JUST FOUND OUT I HAVE TO BECOME THIS SUPER SOLDIER AND I DON'T WANT ANY OF IT!" Zack screamed at Will as he punched.
His punches slowly became softer as Zack began sobbing again. Cody, who had watched this unfold open mouthed from his seat on the picnic table, had come up behind Zack and was gently trying to pull Zack off Will. Zack stood up and shrugged Cody off. Will sat up and just looked at Zack. Zack stopped his tears and stared back at Will.
After a while Will finally spoke, "Much better Zack," he said, smiling slightly.
Zack smiled despite himself. "Sorry" he said to Will as he stared holes into the ground.
"Don't be," Will said, standing "I know it all seems like too much right now…" Will said as they all got back into the truck. "…but trust me when I say this…you will learn, you will become strong, and the skills you learn will save your life."
Massaging his arm and knuckles in the front seat, Zack nodded. "I know…" he said. With everything that had happened in the past day and a half, he knew he was just beginning to understand the full gravity of what was going on. He would be ready for any of Will's lessons in the future, and knew somewhere inside that he would be grateful for every one of them.
Will looked at Cody. "Your first lesson is next, be ready for it. Just know this, I'm not going to tell you when it's coming." Cody nodded his understanding. With that Will put the SUV in gear and began to drive.