Part Eleven

"Mom...why don't you just..." John's voice faltered as Sarah turned a steely glare in his direction.

"Stay out of this John. There is going to be no negotiations here. Cameron has to go to school with you and that's final." Sarah's glare this time was re-directed back to Cameron who was standing watching Sarah with a bland look on her face.

"I will not allow your life to be in danger because of..." Here Sarah's voice stumbled, unsure of what to say next.

"...because of your relationship with me Sarah," Cameron supplied helpfully unperturbed at Sarah's annoyance towards her.

Sarah sighed and ran her hand through her hair wearily. A relationship...was that how Cameron really saw them? Sarah didn't know what she was doing but acknowledging her...trysts with Cameron as a relationship would make it too real, too...out there. A relationship was when two...people...were in...love and building a life together, what she was doing with Cameron was...Sarah didn't want to think what she was doing with Cameron. Scratching an itch? Releasing tension? Letting the girl have her way because she didn't have the energy to fight her anymore?

"Cameron just do as I say, I do not need a babysitter." Sarah's voice this time was hard and immovable as she shot Cameron another glare, the tone harsher than she had intended as the guilt of her thoughts shot through her body like an arrow.

John winced at his mother's tone and glares directed at Cameron, marvelling at the girl's fortitude in the face of Sarah's anger.

"There is no more danger than usual. We have dispatched the terminator so John is safe for now." Cameron's voice was bland but just as determined as she returned Sarah's glare unflinchingly.

"Well, when you two have made up your mind let me know. I'm going to get my bag." John glanced once to Sarah then Cameron and rolling his eyes turned and left the sitting room.

Sarah watched him leave briefly and then turned her attention back to Cameron cursing at the girl's stubborn will that matched her own.

"Why do you feel the need to always question me? Just because I allow you into my...bed...doesn't mean anything has changed. You're still a machine and you still have a mission to do...just do as I say!" Sarah knew the instant the words fell from her lips that she had gone too far, the annoyance with Cameron driving her mouth to say things that she didn't mean.

"I am not your pet bitch Sarah. I do not follow your orders." Cameron's tone this time was soft but frigid in the following silence of the room as Derek's words from last night began to reverberate loudly in her head.

Sarah's face turned into a startled frown at the girl's words, knowing that was not how she saw Cameron.

"Cameron..." Sarah made to step forward as her voice faded, hands raised to soothe away the harshness of the words, her guilt driving ice cold needles into her conscience at Cameron's stiff form in front of her.

"Come on already if you're coming, we're going to be late." John stated into the silence as he entered the room again, his bag slung carelessly over one shoulder, stopping suddenly in his tracks at Cameron's cold face and Sarah's guilt ridden frown.

Cameron gave Sarah one last impenetrable stare and walked out of the room, leaving Sarah to stare at her retreating back in uncertainty and John, after throwing his mother a worried frown to quickly scramble after her.

As Sarah made to follow after Cameron she sighed softly and stiffened her resolve. She had a job to do and so did Cameron. Whatever their personal situation, it would have to be dealt with later.

Walking into the kitchen Sarah sat down in front of the multiple sheets of paper spread out all over the kitchen table, her eyes catching on a name she was looking for. Absorbing herself in reading the information displayed, Sarah was grateful for the respite from her troubled thoughts and Cameron.

Matt Grain. The MIT student that had started Thaxxon Systems with two other students, Bill Plant and Hal Lets, the name on the list found at the Resistance safe house. By the looks of the information John had uncovered, the brains behind the A.I technology was all Matt's, the other two were just tag alongs helping with ideas and the sourcing of money for his project.

Although they had already blown up the building that the students had been using, Sarah didn't think that that would stop the MIT student from starting again. Ideas like that were never easy to give up especially ones that thought they were making the world a better place. Sarah snorted derisively to herself, men and their egos, when would they ever learn that just because you could do something, it didn't mean that you should.

"Sarah, here's the new papers you wanted." Derek stated as he strolled into the kitchen tossing a brown envelope onto the table.

Sarah couldn't help scowling as she looked up from the paper she was studying to see Derek pulling up a chair and sitting down. After her fight with Cameron she really did not want to be dealing with the man right now.

Although Derek had been making a concerted effort to not antagonise her further in regards to Cameron, their relationship with each other was still strained and cordial; the spectre of Cameron standing in-between them.

"Was there any trouble?" Pushing away her annoyance, Sarah reached over for the envelope and pulled the contents out examining it curiously.

"For $500k I wouldn't have expected any." Derek walked over to the coffee carafe and poured himself a cup before walking back to sit down at the table again studying Sarah curiously.

"Have you told Charlie about his new papers?"

"Not yet but he has to understand. Just because we despatched one terminator doesn't mean more won't come. He has to change his identity, go low," Sarah murmured distractedly as she perused the drivers licence in front of her.

"He's not going to like it, losing his job and going into hiding."

"Better in hiding than dead Derek," Sarah replied firmly.

"Do you want me to give it to him?" Derek offered helpfully as he sipped from his coffee cup.

"No. I need to talk to him anyway. I'll call him and tell him to come over later." Sarah frowned and put the drivers licence back into the brown envelope knowing that Cameron was not going to like the idea of her seeing Charlie again.

"So, did you find anything with the information John gave you?" Derek enquired curiously changing the subject as he caught the frown on Sarah's face at the mention of meeting with Charlie. Whatever was going on with the woman, he had enough to deal with already and did not need to know anything more about her personal life.

"This is the guy we need to have a chat with. Lucky for us, they're having a seminar today over at the town hall trying to entice some potential investors. I want you to come with me. We'll pose as investors and find out how much information he was able to salvage from the bombing."

Derek nodded silently as he read through the sheet of paper, glad to be doing something that didn't involve him thinking of the machine with Sarah.

"So, are you going to tell me what happened with mom this morning?" John muttered softly as he threw a worried frown at Cameron walking beside him.

Ever since arriving at school the girl had been sullen and withdrawn her expression a blank canvas of smooth marble.

Cameron remained silent giving him a blank stare in return as she continued walking down the school hallway.

"Well?" John queried impatiently as he pushed his way through the crowd trying to get to their next class on time.

"Sarah yelled at me, I did not like it," Cameron replied blandly.

John snorted in amusement and gave the girl a quick glance before side-stepping out of the way of another student barrelling towards them to get past.

"No, I don't like it when she yells at me either."

John glanced over to Cameron again as she remained silent, her face focussed as she made her way effortlessly down the crowded hallway, people moving out of her way automatically as she approached them.

"Sarah does not love me," Cameron finally stated her face as bland as ever but the timbre of her voice hiding a hurt that John could detect.

Pulling Cameron over to a nook in the hallway out of the way of passing students, John placed both hands on Cameron's arms forcing the girl to look at him.

"Why do you say that?"

"Derek says that I am her...pet." Cameron tilted her head sideways as if gauging John's reactions to her words.

"Derek can sometimes be an ass Cameron. I wouldn't listen to what he says," John snorted in derision as he let go of Cameron's arms and stepped back, studying the girl critically.

"Why are you suddenly listening to what Derek says anyway?"

Cameron looked away from the curious stare, her face smooth and emotionless repeating her previous words.

"Sarah does not love me."

"Cameron of course she loves you." John sighed and leant against the wall tiredly wondering if his role as relationship counsellor would ever be over with the girl.

"She has not said the words."

"It doesn't mean she doesn't feel them." John turned towards Cameron again, waiting until she returned his gaze.

"Did she say something to you when I was out of the room?"

Cameron remained silent, unwilling to repeat Sarah's words to John knowing that he did not want to hear them.

"I am fine John, let's get to class before we are late."

Giving John one final blank stare, Cameron moved around him and walked down the hallway again, not waiting to see if John was following her or not.

Staring briefly at Cameron's retreating back John wondered if his mother was ever going to figure things out in regards to Cameron. Anyone watching her could obviously see she cared for the girl, why she chose not to tell Cameron that was beyond him.

He knew his mother could be difficult but sometimes he wondered if she wasn't just being difficult for the sake of being difficult.

"Hello Mr Grain? My name is Sarah Wilkes, I was wondering if I could have a few words with you?"

Sarah extended her hand in introduction as she took in the MIT student in front of her critically. He was not what she had expected. Instead of the typical small, weedy, with glasses nerd type, the man standing in front of her could have passed for a model. Tall and physically built with sandy light brown hair and blue eyes, Sarah thought he should be posing for an underwear ad instead of delving into the realm of computer programming.

"Ms Wilkes what can I do for you?" Matt greeted with a wide smile as he took Sarah's hand in a firm hand shake.

"I was listening to your seminar and it sounded...very interesting. I was wondering if we could discuss it further. If it does what I want it to do, I would be very interested in investing in your venture."

Sarah sighed at the bald faced lie. She did not really want to hurt the man but if he was going to be building a machine that would end the world as they knew it, he needed to be stopped.

"Uh, sure but I'm not really sure I can talk to you about investing and stuff. I'm the design guy, my colleagues are the wheeling and dealing people you need to talk with." Matt shuffled nervously on his feet obviously out of his realm when it came to talking money.

"That's ok. I'm not at the wheeling and dealing stage yet. I just need to find out more about your technology. Would now suit?"

As the man absorbed her words Sarah briefly glanced around to see where Derek had gone. Since they had arrived at the seminar, Derek had taken off to have a look around on his own, leaving the meet and greet to her. Not spotting him immediately she turned her attention to the man in front of her as he gave her a speculatively flirty appraisal. Dressed in a black skirt, white blouse and black rimmed glasses, Sarah hoped that she passed for an interested business candidate.

"Uh yeah sure...I've got a few minutes until my next appointment. How about we go for coffee? There's a coffee shop just around the corner from here."

Sarah indicated her acceptance with a nod and waited until the man had picked up his briefcase and led the way, her attention drifting as she finally spotted Derek in the distance. Catching his eyes and nodding surreptitiously that he should follow; Sarah returned her attention to the now animated man as he started explaining the benefits of what his technology could do for mankind.

Sarah stifled a glare at his ramblings, annoyed by his enthusiasm and ignorance for technology that he would never be able to fully comprehend. It was people like this that would never think of the consequences but only focussing on the outcome and what they could do.

As they entered the coffee shop, Sarah went to sit down at a table as the man went to grab their drinks. Catching Derek slinking his way in Sarah gave a small nod at him to indicate that she had seen him.

"So Mr Grain..."

"Please, call me Matt. I always feel like I have to look over my shoulder to see if my father's standing behind me when someone calls me by my last name," Matt admonished gently giving Sarah a smirk as he handed over the coffee.

Sarah gave a nod in acceptance and tried to shove down her annoyance at his wide grin as she took the proffered coffee and sipped from it slowly to hide the grimace on her face. If she didn't know better it looked like he was definitely trying to flirt with her. Plastering a fake smile on her face Sarah internally rolled her eyes at his antics.

"So Matt, how did a guy like you get into programming? It doesn't seem like it'd be something you would be into?" Sarah raised an eyebrow curiously as she sipped her coffee, glancing over towards Derek again who was now pretending to read a magazine.

"Ah, don't let these looks fool you Ms Wilkes. I had a father who heavily influenced me in the field of A.I. But alas, he died before his dreams could come to fruition. I'm trying to carry on his legacy that's all," Matt returned with a wolfish grin.

"Please call me Sarah. So you're saying that the idea was your father's?"

"Well his and mine. I just expanded on his theories. Look Sarah, it's been fun talking to you but I actually really have to go. I've got a 3 o'clock appointment I can't get out of. If you're still interested in discussing things further...maybe we could discuss it over dinner? Tonight?" Matt quirked an eyebrow as he made to stand up.

Sarah plastered on another fake smile as she stood up as well, extending her hand in departure.

"Dinner? Sure why not, here's my business card. Call me when you're free."

"It's been a pleasure Sarah, I'll call you to arrange a time as soon as I'm out of this meeting," Matt replied with a wink as he took the proffered card and exited the coffee shop.

"You do know that he was hitting on you right?" Derek murmured softly as he sidled over once the man had left giving Sarah a smirk.

Sarah rolled her eyes and started to walk towards the door.

"Why do men always think they're being subtle when they're not?"

Derek gave another smirk in reply but refrained from commenting as he followed after Sarah.

"Wow mom! You look very nice, hot date?" John grinned as he caught Sarah coming out of her bedroom dressed in a black figure hugging dress, heels and hair piled on top of her head with wispy strands falling loosely around her shoulders.

"Not a date no, an information gathering mission." Sarah continued down the hallway, purse clutched under her arm, trying to put earrings in at the same time.

"O...kay. Does Cameron know about this 'information gathering mission'?" John put his fingers up into air quotes as he trundled leisurely after Sarah.

"Cameron knows we have to stop Skynet, everything else is irrelevant." Sarah paused at the entrance to the kitchen and turned around to throw a glare back at John.

"Hey, I'm just asking. I don't want to deal with a jealous terminator that's all," John replied snippily as he waltzed past Sarah into the kitchen heading for the fridge. "Where is Cameron anyway?"

John popped his head out of the fridge to shoot his mom a curious stare, surprised that Cameron wasn't standing to the side-line somewhere as was the case whenever Sarah was around.

"I sent her with Derek to go check out Matt Grain's house while we're out at dinner."

"You sent Cameron with Derek?"

John's expression was disbelieving as he closed the fridge door and leaned against it to stare at his mother as if she was crazy.

"I don't like it either but I've got no choice. They'll just have to learn to get along." Sarah's voice was unsure though.

Sarah had been uneasy all day, the fight with Cameron and her words thrown at the girl in annoyance leaving her feeling unsettled and cranky. Since Cameron's return from school with John Cameron had avoided being alone with her, making Sarah feel even more on edge.

"Whatever mom, your call," John replied blandly as he opened the fridge door and stuck his head back in again.

"You do know that the way a fridge works is that it has to be kept closed so the food stays cold?" Sarah rolled her eyes in exasperation as she picked up her purse from the kitchen table and headed out. "I'll be back later."

John popped his head out of the fridge again to give his mother a scowl only to find the room empty, shrugging his shoulders he turned back to the fridge and continued staring inside.