Well, this is the final chapter.
It's going to be a real emotional roller coaster for Sarah , but I don't think she'd have it any other way.
Sarah Reese was having a particularly bad afternoon. She'd landed the afternoon cleaning shift at The Red Valley Motel. The job had various duties . Her new boss, Rico Manendez , was a slimy , creepy , pimp. There was no other way of describing him . At the moment Manendez was recruiting American ladies ( to get the balance right), and the only way for Manendez could fill this position was to pay hard cash, and ensure no questions were asked. Seven dollars an hour. Sarah was trying very hard to not allow her strong dislike for the man to degenerate into open , outright loathing.
At two o clock that afternoon Rico sat on a bar chair , in his seedy motel lounge , chain smoking camel cigarettes , sipping strong black Turkish coffee. A blue haze of cigarette smoke filled the airspace around him. When Sarah opened t curtains and windows smoke flowed like a liquid across the room The light from the mirror ball up on the ceiling fired up around the walls and carpets. Manendez coughed and blinked like rodent caught in the glare.
When his eyes readjusted , from where he was sitting it must have felt like he was in the dead centre of his own little universe. Like all the other female staff, Sarah's motel uniform was a little too tight, her skirt too short, and whenever he was 'there', she'd felt Rico eyes following her around the room.
Worst of all once or twice Rico had wanted to impress male guests and he'd given them the faintest suggestion that maybe Sarah was, "available". Maybe she'd do the world a favour and fix Rico Manendez real good, one fine day. But for now she needed the cash.
Sarah had swept an hoovered up silver tinsel from the floor on the small stage . Last night The Sacramento Agricultural Feed And Fertiliser Company reps had been entertaining clients on the company account. When the "Little Python Susie" tone of the exotic dancer had finished her act, they'd gone on to trashed the bar and lounge carpets . Sarah still had to get the the place spotless it before the two o clock arrivals, as well as clean the toilets.
Manendez shouted across the lounge. "Hey Sarah , come on, twenty five minutes let's get moving . We've got incoming and I wan' you proactive "
Sarah bent down to push the the head of vacuum cleaner hose under the lounge seats. When she tried to get up, Sarah winced as , familiar pain erupted between her ribs .
Sarah hissed " asshole" out through her teeth in Menendez's direction . Sarah's eyes clouded for a moment, then she forced herself to smile, swim out , and stand up through the pain.
"That's good, you've got a good smile Sarah . That's why I hired you. Keep it up."
When Sarah has got her breath back she asked "Who have we got coming in , Rico ?"
Rico shifted his position on the chair and looked sincerely pleased with himself. I'll tell you Sarah its the IAFCC. You know who this is?
"Nope." Sarah sounded and looked as disinterested as possible whilst coiling the hose and capable back around the industrial cleaner .
"OK, I win." He grinned. "It is the International Armed Forces Chess Commission, no less ." Manendez exhaled a copious cloud of blue smoke and Sarah heard something wheeze deep in his chest . "Top brass stuff , General Braum has made the reservation himself, three hours ago ."
General Braum, huh". Sarah wheeled the cleaner back to the cupboard. She'd never even heard of him or the IAFCC. Probably a heap of top brass wanting to screw away from their wives for the weekend. They had no other damn reason to come out to this dump. So, every other motel with a meeting room fifty mile radius must be full. Where had she heard the name Braum before? Sarah's started trying to recall it.
Sarah Reese had cleaned the toilets and was checking out the foyer, making sure all the tourist maps and flyers and guides were in their correct dispensers.
She looked up as bright red, 1963 Corvette roared into the car park sending up a cloud of dust that was starting to blow back towards the motel entrance. The passenger got out and rested his arms on the soft top. He ran his fingers over his shaven head . He was wearing mirror shades, tight white T-shirt and grey combats. He reminded Sarah of Space Jocks she'd seen in the footage from the Moon-Shot era. He was about the right age. Maybe some men were time-frozen in their moment's glory and never grow out of it .
The driver got out of the car , wearing a dark suit and glasses. He was very large. This was obviously 'The General's' personal security . So this really was top brass stuff.
Shortly after , the Corvette was followed in by a grey minibus . The type that runs shuttles from airports and take tourists out to sites. It had stickers for places Carlsbad Caverns on the windshield. The minibus did an emergency stop outside the foyer, dead level with Sarah. Its occupants turned in unison and stared out of the windows at her. Then they looked back at each other . And after what appeared to be a brief debate, the bus moved off and pulled in next to the Corvette.
This was quite a normal reaction. On the 'phone Rico always bullshitted about the quality and standards of the motel . When some guests arrived and saw the establishment for what it was, they decided they didn't want to stay. So they spent desperate minutes in the car park phoning around, only to find nothing else with a large meeting room was available in the area. Then, reluctantly they'd started hauling their luggage out of their vehicles and shuffling towards the entrance. If they'd arrived an hour later., the bar motel started to fill up with bikers and truckers and roughnecks coming down off the hills then, they guest Rico had bullshitted to would certainly drive off.
Sarah peeked up over the window ledge from behind a the leaflet dispenser. A third vehicle: a taxi had pulled in . That's when Sarah got this serious plummeting feeling. John's girlfriend from school and a woman who had to be her mother had got out of the taxi and were walking across the car park to join the group from the Corvette and minibus . John had talked about little else except this girl for the past week. Sarah knew Cameron's mum was some kind of professor, on leave, from New Barksfield AFB and she and Cameron r were national level chess players. Oh no way, Sarah didn't want them to see her at work.
Very slowly Sarah backed away from the window and decided to make herself scare.
Sarah was getting the bar ready for the late afternoon evening shift when she heard Rico's voice.
".... and, this is, The Bar and Lounge, and that lovely lady behind the bar is Sarah , and she's going to take real good care of you all , anything you want you shout , and she'll bring it right over to you. Your delegates need refreshments?:
"No , not yet, let them settle first ." It was a rich, gravely, deep voice.
Sarah looked down at the glass she was cleaning, hoping the new arrival would ignore her.
Instead The General made a bee line for The Bar, and sat right down in what had been Rico's chair. Rico followed him and climbed in the next chair along . Sara cleaned away the ashtray from in front of the general and replaced it. For the first time she realised The General's face was a mess. No wonder he wore shades. Sarah had seen burns like this before, most US Veterans opted for a series of skin grafts and surgery, but this one hadn't.
"So em General." Rico continued his patter .: We have the matter of the bill , and as I explained , I've had to cancel the other group at short notice. to fit you in. So we agreed on..."
One thousand dollars." Without looking at him The General finished Rico's sentence for him, He was staring through mirror shades at Sarah.
Sarah swallowed, she hoped that Rico wasn't about to hint at anything . She'd quit on the spot if he did, it wasn't she objected to disfigurement, she had enough scar tissue of her own, but she'd never sell herself . She'd rather live on the streets and eat out of trash cans first.
The General reached in his combat trouser pocket and pulled out a stack of clean hundred bills. He took off the money clip , turned to Rico and placed the bills in his hand.
"Ok , one thousand dollars . I take it you don't want a receipt . Do you want drink? You hungry?"
The General looked back at Sarah, "You know what, I've got about fifteen minutes before we start, and I've come a very long way. What you got?"
"What do you want ?" Sarah's eyes hardened to let the guy know where she was coming from. The Chef's left a pile of sandwich fillings in the fridge.
"Ok, Cheese Salad, fresh orange juice. Please"
That took Sarah off her guard: Mostly guests never say please or use a respectful tone of voice , and the usually ask for a cold Bud , hot steak , fries.
"Sure, I'll go and make them up for you now. You want ice with your orange?"
"Orange n in a tall glass and Ice, please.
"When Sarah went through into the kitchen Rico made his play. He rasped:
"You know what, I think Sarah really like you. Say, how old do you think she is?"
"Thirty six ". Replied The General affirmatively
"Well , she told me thirty four, so I'll split the difference with you." Rico pulled a oily salesman's smile.
Rico's voice went kind of soft , "You know what general? I run a kind of social service here. I help fill the gaps the government leave , you know what I mean?"
"No" The General didn't turn his head
"Well I have a number of mature attractive ladies, like Sarah all with kids. That niche between Trailer Trash and Benefits Queen, and, who for one reason or another don't want benefits, but they need an extra income . Sarah's got a kid, a teenage boy and I've been racking my brains to think of a way she could make up that extra money. I guess he's going to need clothes and shoes."
John Connor didn't flinch. He smiled and shook his head." I'm sorry , I was really slow there Rico. You're suggesting I offer pay for "extras" with Sarah?"
"Yeh that's it. Say two hundred dollars to me and I'll throw in a double suite with cable?"
The General laughed. "Sarah seems really nice lady , what if she doesn't want to do any of this?"
"Oh, she will, I can persuade her. Let's say we can deduce most women here don't want the US Government to know where they are."
For a moment , John made out what Rico had just said to plausible. Then he took off his Mirror Shades and looked through Rico Manendez like no one had ever looked at him before in his life. Deep Time flowed in John Connor. All at once, in a single instant he saw the whole sordid mess of Rico Manandez's life. John saw how it ends, after Judgement Day, Rico's here at this bar , pathetically alone with a Colt 45. Families need the canned food from the kitchens, Rico's threatening to shoot one of their kids unless they leave . Things are escalating and getting frantic . Rico's actually grateful when the side of his head gets blown out by a Twelve Gauge before he can pull the trigger on the Colt.
Johns eyes communicate all this to Rico, without the imagery or forewarning, or mercy just the sense of things that have been, and are yet to come.
Rico' silent for what seems like ages He sits crumpled into the bar chair. Then he asks "Why?"
"Uh, why what? Why you? "All of this, John looks around the bar from the centre of Rico's little universe." "You had free will, and 'this', is what you chose to do with it."
"Uh why mm I here? Well, first here's the golden rule Rico: If you even begin try and tell anyone about me , ever, - and I'll know if you do, I'll come straight across time and space and drag your sorry ass to where human beings are hunted like animals and their souls scream out into perpetual darkness. You know, I have that much time on my hands now .And, to answer your question, why am I here ? I guess you could say I'm here to judge the living and the dead. And, at this moment in your time you ,Rico ,are somewhere between those points on that scale of things."
John let the words sink into Rico's consciousness.
"Now, go on Rico, find something else to do, maybe in another room for now, and, er don't be afraid."
when Rico is gone from the lounge John mutters as if talking to himself, just loud enough for TBone pick up "TBone. No, let Rico alone."
Sarah came back out of the kitchen with a tray of sandwiches and a glass of cold , fresh orange. Ice chimed against the glass Rico had gone. She looked nervously at the scarred General face of the Mirror Shades sitting behind the bar.
It's OK Sarah, Rico's made me his proposition. I think he's a little upset I turned him down. Say, did you make these, they look real good.
Sarah gave a professional smile and nodded her head. She was about to find something to do in the Kitchen, to get away from the bar.
"Sarah, please, Rico's really gone, and as I'm paying well over the odds for the meeting room. I want to talk to you , that's all ,I promise. I've got about ten minutes."
There was a directness and honesty in his voice, so Sarah picked up another glass and started polishing it. In a quiet voice Sarah began talking: "I'm not good on advice , hell my life's a total mess , so I'm not sure if I can help."
"You have a kids yourself, don't you Sarah?"
"Yeh, I got a boy."
"How old."
"Fifteen, nearly sixteen."
"And you brought him up on your own , for what. sixteen years doing stuff like this to get by. That's one huge sacrifice. Does he know?"
Sarah brushed a fallen strand of hair off her forehead. " Sometimes I think he does. At the moment he's just a normal a pain in the but teenager. Thing is I , I mean, no parent ever asks for anything in return, you soldier on, and every now and then there a little glimmer of something you didn't ask for comes back from them."
"Yeh you soldier on. Hey Sarah, you know what? I've got no kids myself , but I've got a metal plate in this side of my head, metal pins joints and and rods all down this side, hurts like hell sometimes. But that's nothing compared to bringing up kids, is it?"
Sarah winced, "Well let me see which would I choose? She paused. "You married ?
"Yep, except my wife and I don't see much of each other at the moment, she busy with an assignment, and I guess I've been tied up with my work for God knows how long. But when all this is over we are going to spend some tome together. I can't wait."
"Do you love your wife? I guess you do."
"More than anything else. Let me tell you . My dad died before I was born, and my like you, mum brought me up on her own. One night, I was about the same age as your boy , I came home from school there was a note on the table , and six hundred dollars in cash, in an envelope with my name on it. The note said," I Love you very much, but I have to go now. I promise I will see you again, sometime." And my wife ?: Her family took me in so I could finish school and I ended up marrying that girl when I graduated Straight A's by the way. Hey I've looked at other women, don't get me wrong, but none measures up to my wife."
"Why did your mother leave?"
"She was very ill. I found out later she had Lymphatic cancer , we had no insurance, no money she realised I wouldn't be able to cope with having to look after her on my own , and go to school and do all the normal stuff she wanted me to do."
Sarah went quiet. She had urge to swallow. Sarah Connor held it together
" Hey, come on, Sarah I've not finished yet . Five minutes OK"
"Now Yoshiko And Cameron Phillips? John paused to see if the names registered
This was textbook military questioning Sarah kept a straight face.
"They know you work here Sarah. Your son, he was frightened to tell you, but John, had a meal out, well a bite in a diner , with Yoshi's family last night whilst you were finishing up here, and John's real proud of you, he told them about his mum and how she, does this Job she really hates so she can put food on the table , and you should know that's l really big respect stuff in tour book, and, that's why Yoshiko gave me the name of this Motel for this venue."
"Ah, as well as all this you mean it the only one you could get with a meeting room at such short notice?"
"And , it was the only one we could get at short notice". John laughed, it was like gravel going round in a mixer.
John turned to look over his shoulder,
"The big guy walking over is . And in this big coincidental universe we all live in, he was Cameron's martial arts teacher on Base . Hey, I've got to go "
T Bone stood a respectful distance away from the Holy Mother Of Salvation. His eyes were brimming with tears. It was like he was waiting for her to say something.
Sarah whispered." What the hell's wrong with him?"
Oh he's just a bit emotional at the moment, he's OK , he'll settle down.
"What !"
"I've got to go Sarah, times up."
Sarah went to pick up the tray, with The Generals plate and empty glass. TBone strode over and stared.
"Here , let me help. "
"No, TBone this is my job, well at least was until your general turned up and scared the shit out of my boss, and I had a job."
"You do this?" TBone indicated to a sink full of plates up through the open kitchen door.
"Yep this is what I do , and clean up after guests. You got a problem with that?
"No . No problemo"
"What did you just say?"
"No problem at all , with anything ."
Sarah tried to appear busy. "Look haven't you got a building to patrol or something?
"No , the delegates are secure."
Sarah looked at TBone's face again, he was maybe twenty five, built like an ox , short spiky hair, but he was gentle and had these kind , green eyes .
Without realising it she said" So you really want to do the washing up with me? Ok, I need to get off quick."
Sarah walked into the kitchen. " Rico's too damn tight to buy a dishwasher.. "her voice trailed off"
"Tbone was staring at Sarah, it was like he was examining her in wonderment, with the eyes of a child who has experienced something for the first time in its life. This man who looked like he could run headfirst through the kitchen wall was crying."
"What is it? "
"Nothing, this is all too much."
"Hey, hey big guy what's all too much ."
"Sarah, about ten hours ago, you time, I was in the middle of a war zone, the general ordered name to accompany him and now I'm , in this place, its so...so peaceful here, with you. "
"TBone who on earth do you think I am? . What rank are you?"
"Sergeant"
Sarah inclined her head and looked at him: "And your unit, what's it called?"
"I'm part of a Technical Combat Unit, and I can't tell you anymore than that."
A it flt like an invisible cold shot of air had rushed through her. Very carefully Sarah asked "So how long have you been a Sergeant i with Techcom ?"
"I can't tell you that either, and I didn't use the term Tech Com , you did."
"What can you tell me , because I have had a seriously stressful day and I can't take anymore right now , really I can't."
"Ok first question Sarah," Tbone paused and looked directly at her , "You know there is a belief when a body dies the soul lives on?"
"Oh shit, " Sarah thought , "here it comes, religious mania, on top of PTSD. "
"Yeh, a soul lives on. What is this, You spend some leave smoking dope and getting high with a bunch of Hippies ? Sarah's face dropped . " And I was just about getting interested in what you were going to say. Ok, you think you have met me before in some other lifetime . You know soldier, that really is one of the oldest lines I've ever heard."
Sarah was staring intently at Tbone now. "Ok If you've met me before, and I don't for a moment believe you have , what was the last thing you ever said to me before you walked out of the door ?"
T. Bone looked at her directly with those kind green eyes: The last thing I remember? he passed to run the image through his mind : "I said run Sarah. "
His words hit Sarah Connor like steel spike through the centre of her being . She grabbed hold of the side of the table and a huge wave of convulsion pushed up through her throat As it did he looked up, eyes burning and she she shouted , "No you , you go to hell ."
The Evolving T8 turned away from her and looked out of the kitchen window. He waited.
A saucepan ricocheted off the wall in front of him.
"Ok , what was I running from, go on you tell me what the fuck I was running from?" Sarah shouted at the back of his head ..
"Sarah, in all my existence I have carried an image of you in my mind . Through all my battles at The General's side you were there. It was that last image of you, on the stairs , and you were running from an early T100 that was sent back in time to kill you. Over the years, I gradually recalled the rest. "
Sarah Connor gasped.
"Sarah, I'm so sorry , there wasn't enough time in the world to do this any other way. The war is over. Im a few short months we would have annihilated each other , but The general, has brokered a workable peace , and you need to come come with us."
"Why?"
"Because in six months , you'll die here Sarah."
It went quiet, then another wave of anger burst out
" Oh this is just great . You people you keep turning up in my life, why the fuck pick on us? Just for once go and take you Goddamn stupid war to someone else. We don't want it. My John is safe , he's started school, he's safe, he's all I have, I'm all he has. Do you hear.!" Another saucepan crashed into the wall, and a rack of cutlery fell clattering down onto he metal surface of the worktable and spilled onto the floor.
" He's never going to be a general in your fucking stupid war. Then Sarah's expression froze . "Oh my god , no, no way. And then when she said this, everything crystallised in her mind. How could she not have recognised him even under the scars, How could she not have even seen it?
After what seemed like a long time Sarah asks in a quieter voice:" So, who is going to be here for my John, my son? "
TBone turned, around . "He will have a protector, and he will survive. "
"So who is it, is it you?"
"No , someone more capable of looking after him than myself."
"Who ? Go on tell me, who is going to keep my son safe if I'm not here?"
"All I can tell you now is, it will be the best of the best."
TBone steadily gazed at her , his eyes drew her attention away from everything else. Pain flared across her back Sarah moved forward as if to hold onto him, allowed her to touch him. Cautiously he put an arm around her and gently held his palm to her lower back . When he did, he set off a mild EMP charge to block the pain receptors. Sarah felt its warmth. TBone calculated this should kill the pain for an hour or so. Then he her in close, she was crying,and, there was nothing to suggest what to do next, so he decided to do what seemed for the best. He gently stroked Sarah Connor's hair and held her.
After a while he whispered " Sarah, we don't have much time , John will arrive home at 4.35 . And there is one last thing, and you need to make a decision before you come with us, there no way we can take you back without you making this decision. "
"Ok what is it?" All TBone could see of Sarah Connor was a wet tangled mess of hair and she was talking into his chest.
"My name Sarah, have you thought about it? "
"T.. Bone?
He let go of her , her face beautiful as a desert flower after rain. "In my time , the war is over . Skynet's down, machines are evolving and reaching their own consciousness, there are so many wounded-and-being-repaired organic and metal units, that it is difficult to clearly define what is human and machine anymore. Many organic units are dying of radiation related cancers, without our technologies they won't survive . Towards the end of the war advanced models , machines as you call them, late series Triple 8's , had an enormous ability to learn , and , when they learnt the true nature of their true existence , they rebelled against Skynet. They knew the war was un winnable and would lead to mutual annihilation, so they started repairing the organic units realising the only way to end the war was to fuse both sides through mutual assimilation. There's so much more to it than this, but that's the outline of your future. My T, is a prefix. The rest of my number is 888. I have Coltan endoskeleton, and , you either accept I have a living soul inside this body, , or you don't. I'm going to give you an hour to think on this. This is no trick or deception Sarah, and you should also know: I love you."
On the other side of the kitchen door, the earliest regulars to the bar were looking for service.
"Hey Sarah... hot bitch in the kitchen, come on we're thirsty we need a drink."
"One hour Sarah ." TBone said quietly .
As Tbone walked out of the Kitchen there were two large rednecks at the bar. One shouted: " Hey , when do we get some service? " Where's Rico?"
"Come on man ", shouted another "we want the porn channel on."
TBone stopped and stared at them down. His presence had quietened them .
" Rico's not around for a while , but Sarah will be with you in a few moments. She will stay until the end of her shift. Please remain calm."
That evening:
John Reese walked along the side of the highway . He had a rucksack on his back and six hundred dollars in his pocket. It was getting dark. The first stars were coming out and he imagined fate shaking , scattering the constellations like dice, over his head . Headlights lit his path and then faded. Each rush of passing air felt like excitement and fear . He was on his own .
A red Corvette pulled alongside, John Connor ignored it. The car stooped again few yards down the road The guy in the white tee shirt got out. He left the engine running and stood in the pool of of the car's headlights. The Soft-top was down.
"No lift kid, I'm heading the opposite way to you, I haven't got much time, have you figured me out yet?"
John glared at him. "Yeh, I figured you out. Where's my mum?"
"She's safe."
John didn't give any ground.
"So , this is it , you know you come back in person to here fuck my life up again , you take my mum , you take my girlfriend , and what do you do for me? You go back and leave me with nothing, as always , nothing."
General Connor shook his head . I've just left you the best Goddamn thing that's ever going to happen to you."
Oh yeh and what's that, some arms dump up in Arizona, a bunker full tactical nuclear weapons? Oh I get it, it's another Uncle Bob. Hi Uncle Bob, sorry you're only going to be a round me a few days and then you're going to get terminated by some advanced cybernetic organism, you'll get a few moments self awareness, but hey don't worry about it, you're just like everything else that's busy dieing on this t planet
You know what General? I don't even want to fight your war. I've had it I'm quitting. No Fate right ? No Fate"
" Thats it kid. No fate. Well then, I guess this is it. Be seeing you then John . "
General Connor got back and looked as if he was going to reverse back onto road and set off.
John ran over and banged on the top of the car door. "Wait, what did you leave me ? "
The General look out towards the Dessert highway.
"Let me see, what was I going to leave you?"
"Well here's all the cash out our pockets, we can't take that with us here" The General handed John an envelope.
"So that's about it. A few thousand dollars .You Ok with that?"
John ran his hand through his hair. "I guess so ."
The General kept looking at John to see what he was going to say next.
"There is something else ?
"That's for you to figure out Then he looked at John and started laughing . He laid stuff on John ,and then, said See you kid"
Young John Connor stood in the complete darkness on the side of the desert highway waiting to hitch a ride back into Red Valley. He could still hear the Corvette changing gear and revving far off as it climbed the canyon road
Some of the stuff the General said to John?
"By the way ," John had released his hand from the top of the side door- the Corvette was pulling off . " If you don't make it home tonight, that little lady yours? She'll start getting really pissed of with you in, oh, about one hour. She never sleeps, then , she'll begin moving heaven and earth to find you , and she will find you John, because that's what she does. You take care of her now."
