Chapter 21
Thank you all for your patience : ) I hope you find the wait worth it.
John stood with Cameron in front of the one way mirror gazing through the glass. They reflectively concentrated on Allison's blank face and motionless posture as she sat there all alone inside of the interrogation room.
Allison's hands were lopsided and her entire body slumped in utter despair. Her eyes seemed so sad, tired, and out of focus and her mouth lay half an inch agape with her two front teeth barely visible. At first glance, one would have thought she was dead...but she was only dead on the inside. After experiencing a nightmare of horror, the young woman retreated into her own impassive vegetative state.
"I didn't tell Allison to kill him."
"I know you didn't."
"Why do you appear frustrated?"
John's eyes shifted towards his protector, "It's nothing...I'm guessing my uncle and my father are on their way?"
"Yes, they have been notified. They are also frustrated."
"Yeah, that sounds like them. You didn't tell Savannah though, did you?"
"No, I haven't."
John sighed, "Good, we need to keep this on the down low. Not everyone needs to know about this...she deserves that at least."
"It won't matter though."
"Why?"
Cameron turned her head to face John's, "Because the guard, he saw everything."
"Right...Well, he didn't see Allison murder him in cold blood...he only let her in."
The cyborg warned, "People will ask and rumors will spread. They saw the T-888s haul out Steven Fletcher's body."
"Fletcher? Allison told you his last name?"
"Yes, we talked."
"Oh yeah...I remember."
John almost felt jealous of Cameron that Allison was willing to open up to her cyborg twin rather than himself. Either way, John tried to ignore it, slapping it on as "girl talk" and not worthy of his attention.
The cyborg added, "The guard should not have let her in. Allison needed permission to be in the same cell as a high profile threat."
"Yeah, well. If you're Allison Young, you just about get anything you want."
The cyborg smiled, "...Almost everything."
John was about to respond until he choked up to her odd sense of humor. Cameron closely observed his awkward reaction.
John stammered, "I uh...umm...well..."
He rubbed the back of his head and changed the subject, "I don't understand what's wrong with her though...she still hasn't uttered a word."
"She is enduring a long lasting emotional distress."
"Yeah, I figure...and now I feel like I'm responsible for this somehow...that if it wasn't for me...none of this would have happened. If I had just stayed away, I wouldn't have messed up her life so much to lead to what's happening right now."
Cameron responded, "You can't blame yourself for everything."
He murmured, "That's interesting...coming from you."
The cyborg frowned, "I never blamed you for any your choices. I opposed them, but I never blamed you."
"Fine...yeah, I know...um...well, what do you make of her...Allison I mean? Do you think she did it? She won't talk to me...not to anyone. She just sits there like a rock. From the looks of it, I think Steven tried to strangle her from behind. There's no way Allison tried to kill him...she's not like that. That idiot probably went mad."
John pointed towards Allison, "Cameron, look at those throttling marks on her neck. The doctor says her injuries are relatively minor and don't need treatment. Otherwise, it looks like she got away before he could do anything to her."
Cameron agreed, "Yes, those marks are from an attempted manual strangulation."
John continued, "Maybe Steven really did catch her off guard and grabbed her from behind and started choking her. Then she got away and drew the gun in your jacket and shot him with it."
Cameron commented, "That is not an accurate assessment."
John criticized, "What...you mean it's not your jacket anymore?"
She ignored his ramblings and sought to prove John wrong, "No, let me show you."
Cameron caught John by surprise when she placed one of her hands on his chest and the other hand by his waist. John felt the handgun hidden behind his back wiggle out.
I guess she knew I always kept one there...
She took John's gun and then positioned him to the middle of the room. She soon proceeded with her simulation of the events before Steven's death.
Cameron stepped a few feet away from John and spoke, "I'm Allison Young...and you are Steven Fletcher. After threatening the guard, he allows me to go through and I enter your cell room. Once I'm in, I find you are sitting down, only a few feet away from me. Our eyes meet. I have no intention of killing you...I hate you, but I'd rather to talk you."
John asked, "Then what?"
She responded, "You, Steven Fletcher, smile apologetically and approach me slowly in a non threatening manner. You distract me with small talk...simple conversation. You walk closer."
John followed her instruction and slowly walked closer to Cameron until they were in an intimate position. John looked hopelessly in Cameron's eyes.
The cyborg continued, "You wait until I look slightly away, and when you, Steven, see I'm most vulnerable, you pull me close to your body from behind."
John did as she stated. He grabbed Cameron from behind and hugged her tightly. John breathed in Cameron's scent...it was that beautiful musky scent of pollution and dirt...a pretty good scent for a place where showers were hardly available at the base.
"And you throttle my neck violently."
John's subconscious told him, "How unromantic..."
He placed his hands on Cameron's neck, though he didn't shake her neck.
"I panic and elbow you in your ribcage, forcing you to let me go."
John added, "Yeah, you're right...Steven's ribs were bruised on one side."
Cameron freed herself from John's grip and pointed her gun at John's chest. "I escape and I find this gun in my jacket. I point my weapon towards you."
John smirked and raised his hands up in mock surrender. He obviously didn't take it as seriously as he was supposed to. He felt this was more playful than it was serious.
Cameron explained, "You have become a threat to my safety and those I love. You have threatened my life. I hate you...you already hurt me emotionally and you have attempted to hurt me once again. I am distressed and shocked. Without thinking anymore, I shoot you at distance."
John opened up his mind to Cameron's interpretation of the evidence, "That would explain the blood on the front of your purple jacket rather than from behind... and the lack of gunshot residue on Steven's clothes...you're right, she didn't him shoot him up close...Allison was standing in front."
"That's correct."
"Good, we solved the mystery...but the only thing is, we need to fix this so it never happens again. The guards can't feel intimidated to do their jobs, even if Allison is the one doing the intimidating. Even if Allison was allowed to enter Steven's cell, she still shouldn't have been armed."
"The guard didn't notice the weapon."
"I know, but I'm sure there are extra measures one can take to prevent weapons from getting into the prison. Perhaps patting people down?"
"That wouldn't work."
"Why not? That seems like a good idea."
"Allison doesn't seem to like the idea of random men patting her down. Specific body parts that women prefer men avoid would be the..."
"...Okay! No details necessary! How about women? Maybe we could get female guards to work with women."
"No, we don't have enough women within that line of work...unless we begin training which may take a variation of..."
John interrupted, "...Okay, any other bright ideas?"
"Terminators."
"What?"
"Machines can detect concealed weapons without touching anyone."
"Oh...I didn't even think about that...well...I guess we could do that..."
"Yes we could."
"What are we going to do with Allison though? She just killed him...isn't that, like, involuntary manslaughter?"
"No, it is a justifiable homicide. There's no need for a trial."
"I fear the people will become afraid of her again if we just let her go without one."
Cameron countered, "They'll always be afraid...even if she had a fair trial. Allison has killed before."
"Yes, but they're normally the bad guys."
"I know."
John shook his head, "You're wrong though, they'll have to come around...they already did once, they'll do it again."
Cameron didn't argue with him, "You'll have to let me talk to Allison...alone."
"Last time you talked to her, this guy got killed...now you want to talk to her again?"
She persisted, "I never told her to kill anyone."
"I know...I'm just guessing you want me to leave?"
"Yes."
"Okay...fine. Good luck...but remember, be careful...I'll see you soon."
John was about to walk out when Cameron called out, "John...wait."
He turned back expectantly.
John imagined, "John I love you so much. I can't go on living without you!"
She pulled something out of her pocket, "Your gun...you forgot it."
John reached for it. "Oh yeah."
They locked eyes again. Every time they locked eyes, it was never a staring contest...at least not anymore. Every time he fell into her gaze, he couldn't think anymore. All he could process was 'Cameron' and that was it. Finally, John forced himself to break away or he feared he'd do something he might regret.
No John, not yet...
Savannah raced throughout the base looking for John Connor. She found it so funny that every time she ran through the base, the T-888s would swerve their heads in her direction as if to assess whether she was a threat. Savannah thought that they would have gotten used to her by now, but they always stuck to their programming...they could never learn and grow like Cameron or John Henry. Savannah didn't like it, but understood the danger behind it as well, so she made her peace with John's decision to keep the T-888s limited in their capacity.
Thankfully, Savannah didn't seem to dwell on such things today, she just needed to find John.
Cameron or Allison...Cameron or Allison...he's always with one of them.
As she raced through an alleyway, to her own surprise, she saw him walking out of the prison complex in the same direction.
She shouted, "John! There you are!"
Savannah's scream nearly frightened John into a panic, "Oh! Hey."
She noticed his nervous and disheveled appearance, "Hey, what's wrong...you seem edgy."
John led Savannah away from the complex holding Allison. He prayed so hard that she wouldn't catch on. He learned the hard way that pretty women were way smarter than they looked...
No offense to pretty women...
"Oh no...I'm just...I'm uh...I'm fine...just looking for...stuff."
Well, that's a pretty lame excuse...stuff...
"John, you see Cameron or Allison lately?"
"Yeah...I mean...no...why?"
"Well, there's this crazy rumor that Allison shot up some prisoner in cell 4D...I figured I better give her the heads up about it."
John looked gravely into Savannah's eyes. The woman could sense his disturbed appearance.
"John, what's wrong?"
"It's nothing."
Savannah tilted her head and hear face turned solemn, "Wait...she did...she killed someone in a cell? Who was it?"
"Forget about it."
"John! Tell me."
"Steven."
"Steven?! Oh my gosh!"
John hushed her, "Hold on!"
She pressed on, "Do Kyle and Derek know about this?"
"Yes! But don't tell anyone else...you have to promise me...Steven tried to strangle her I think."
"What? I have to see her."
"No! Bad idea!"
Savannah protested, "She can't be alone...she needs to be with someone."
"She's with Cameron, okay?"
"You trust Cameron to be her friend in a time like this?"
"Well I'll have to...Allison told Cameron about him...like...everything."
"She opened up about Steve to her...Cameron?"
"Yeah...shocked me too...but please Savannah...don't tell anyone...I don't think she ever intended to hurt him."
"Where's his body?"
"It's been dealt with."
Savannah shook her head from all the darkness. She realized she'd fallen off track from such disturbing news.
"Oh my...I forgot to tell you, Perry says you're clear...you can move back into depot 37, no one will stop us...just say the word and we can get it back before Skynet has the chance"
"Okay, we'll have to wait on both Kyle and Derek because he's coming back to see Allison...when he gets back to the front lines, we can move in."
"John, we don't have much time, Skynet..."
John raised his hands up, "...I know, but we'll have to wait on it...I'm not ready to lead an army, I'm still a teenager! I need his help as well as Perry's backing."
"Okay, you're right. Hey, you know where Cameron is?"
"I told you she's..."
"...Sorry, I meant Captain Cameron?"
"Oh, no. I thought you knew."
"No, last I heard he was following up on some assignment with Weaver. Only God knows what those two have been up to. I still can't get out of my head how he can be so loyal to a...a..."
"A machine? A T-1001? Liquid metal?"
"Yeah..."
"Well, you're loyal to John Henry aren't you...and I'm loyal to Cameron aren't I?"
"I know...but...they aren't cold hearted killers with 0 % moral code."
John countered, "Well, John Henry was supposed to be the first version of Skynet if Weaver hadn't saved him and given him that moral code...did you know that?"
"Oh...well, yeah. You're mom told me. I know..."
"I'm not trying to defend Weaver, but Cameron...well...she is no angel either. Do you know how many people she killed because they were 'security threats'? I still wonder whether she truly values human life or whether she just does it so I don't cause any trouble for her. Maybe it's a bit of both...but if you keep throwing your middle finger at Weaver because she's a machine, such thoughts will eat you alive. You have to let it go...saying she's forgiven and forgiving her are two different things."
"I know John."
"Good...well, if you plan on heading back towards Weaver's base, could you ask her to contact me. We're in a hell of a lot of trouble...and ever since Cameron took over, Weaver's been pretty silent...which is kind of scaring me...a lot!"
"You got it."
Cameron walked in and took a seat in front of Allison. Allison shifted her eyes to Cameron but wouldn't utter a word.
"I cleaned your jacket...the blood is gone." The cyborg blankly stated as she folded her arms together.
Allison still didn't budge one bit so Cameron continued to speak, "John and I know that you killed him out of self defense. I won't ask you to recall those events if you don't want to."
The burdening silence didn't affect Cameron in the least so she also added "You took my advice. I know you went to Steve to...talk about your...differences. He tried to hurt you. I'm sorry...I left the glock nine millimeter hidden inside your jacket as another gift. John didn't think you would like it because your plasma rifle is better."
Seeing that all Allison wanted to do was breathe and blink, Cameron pushed even further, "I have two nine millimeters. I gave one to you. Those glocks are my favorite weapons of choice. Sarah Connor left them with my body before John reactivated me. The purple jacket I gave you was also my favorite attire, until I gave it to you. I've always considered such things to be apart of me, because they're important to me. But now, I gave them to you, because you're apart of me as well."
Allison couldn't take it all in anymore.
She burst into tears and blurted out, "Why are you telling me this?"
"Because...you feel worthless...that you have no value. But there are six people I know who think you're special...Savannah, Jason, Kyle, Derek, and John."
"And whose the sixth?"
"Me."
Allison lost herself for words. A terminator of all things cared about her? Impossible right? Allison had no idea what to think. She had no witty comeback for that...she was just too emotional. Cameron swiveled her eyes to the left and got up from her seat. She approached the door and turned around to face Allison one more time.
The cyborg confirmed, "I will leave you alone. You can leave when you are ready. Kyle and Derek are on their way. I'll be waiting."
Cameron opened the door and shut it closed, leaving Allison to her thoughts.
"Hey Connor?"
John's bright smile suddenly dimmed when he saw his face, "Oshiro?"
"Yeah that's me."
John frowned, "No offense, but I can't say it's a pleasure to see you."
The Japanese soldier answered, "None taken, I have a message for you from Intelligence HQ. There is a convoy of Mexican military vehicles approaching the area. The commander wishes to speak with you."
"About what?"
"He didn't say, but they won't talk unless you come alone."
"Well, that's peculiar."
"Off the record, I hope it's a trap and they kill you. That way we can live our lives in peace...and machine free...including that creepy Allison doll that follows you around."
John scowled, "Well, if it wasn't for her disapproval, I'd have shot you in the kneecaps by now."
He mocked, "Don't lie to me...you're as soft as a pillow! You don't have the balls."
John smiled, "Oh, so you think that those men I nearly executed was a setup?"
"Not everyone on this base is an idiot Connor."
John replied in grimacing fashion, "I see."
He turned to walk away, but Oshiro asked him one more thing, "Just one last thing...is it true? Is your mother the General of the Mexican Army?"
John smiled in conceited manner, "We'll see."
John sat alone in his Jeep making sure his coordinates were correct.
"Where are they? They should be here by now."
Suddenly a truck stormed down the rocky road. John saw it coming in his direction. Before he had time to react, masked militants stormed out, pointed their guns at him, and shouted out in Spanish, "Bajar, Bajar, Bajar!"
Why do they want me to get down? Don't they know me?
He answered, "Qué pasa?"
But they wouldn't answer him. They grabbed him roughly and threw him into the back of the truck.
Did I just walk into a trap? What the hell are they doing?
After an hour of driving, the truck halted and the soldiers opened the back of their truck. They blindfolded John and brought him into a room and forced him into a chair.
Perhaps an interrogation?
Someone pulled off John's blindfold. His eyes were fuzzy in vision, but they cleared quickly. Inside the dark room, he barely made out a woman standing by a window, with her hands hanging behind her back.
The woman slowly mumbled, "Ricardo, please leave us."
John turned is head back, "Rick?"
He briefly responded before walking out, "Hello Mr. Connor."
John turned back to the woman and asked, "Who are you? What am I doing here? Where's the General? Where's my mother?"
The woman kept her eyes outside when she answered, "It's been a while John."
John heard that voice before. His blood pressure spiked. There was only one person in the world who sounded like that. He got up from his chair and he shouted in a nearly crazed behavior, "Mom?!"
Derek slammed on the breaks and jumped out of the Jeep before the vehicle ceased going in motion.
"Derek hold on!" Kyle warned.
He raced into the prison complex and forced open the metal door. Kyle, believing that she needed some space, didn't feel so excited to see Allison just yet. He spotted Savannah off the corner of his eye like a blur. He thought she saw her run into a shelter. Kyle approached the shelter, only to realize there was no one inside of it.
Kyle scratched his head and told himself, "Either I'm head over heels in love or I'm hallucinating."
"Maybe it's both."
Kyle turned around and smiled, "So you're the one that's hiding in here."
"Well, yeah...I was...ummm, playing hide and go seek with Joan."
"Oh really, at your age? I sincerely doubt that."
"You're never too young to play hide and go seek."
"Okay, okay, fine."
"Where's Derek?"
"He's with Allison."
"So you heard?"
"Heard what?"
"Ya know, rumors about Allison."
Kyle knew what she was talking about, but wasn't really willing to admit it, "Well, you can't believe everything you hear."
"Well, yeah, I know...I hope that's all it is...just rumors. Tell her I said hi will you?"
"Sure thing."
"Oh, and how's Derek doing anyway?"
"Well, right now...pretty bad...but that's just how he usually is." Kyle joked.
"He can at least take comfort that John Connor isn't here. The Allison cyborg seems to be running the show while he's gone. I'm actually kind of surprised how well the people have been behaving around Allison and that cyborg. I guess they're just afraid. Maybe Allison can handle it, but I couldn't possibly handle every disliking me."
"Allison is strong...I know it won't last forever. Hey...um, where did Connor go?"
"I think it has something to do with the Mexicans, I don't know all the details, but I think your fellow soldier buddies might know."
"Sure...yeah...Derek's definitely going to love the sound of that."
"The sound of what?"
"Oh...never mind...some inside joke. I'll see you around Becky!"
"Maybe we'll see that pretty lady you hang with a bit more too!"
"Oh, you can count on it."
"Ally? Allison?" Derek creeked open the door, "You okay?"
Allison refused to face him.
"Kyle told me to stay away until you were ready, but I don't have the patience...anymore...I just can't wait."
Allison sat there, emotionally empty and totally frozen.
Derek continued, "Please Allison...we need you...we need your help...you're the only one who can do it. John Connor is missing...the cyborg has taken control...we need to get this damn depot before it's too late but she is stopping us. You need to take control or the people will go batshit crazy!"
Derek grabbed Allison's face with both his hands, "Look at me!"
Allison shifted her teary eyes to Derek's' serious eyes, "Allison, I don't know if it's the right thing to say, but you need to snap out of it! Self pity will get you nowhere. You're upset, I get it, but you need to get up and get us out of this before it's too late! We need you...and we need you now!"
Allison shifted her face to look into Derek's, "What do you need me to do?"
John examined his mother's body more closely. He noticed she was slim as ever...perhaps a bit more frail than she was in her mid thirties. From behind, John noticed her clothes were different. She loosely wore a woman's military uniform. He noticed her hair, it used to be black, but now its blackness was interrupted by highlights of white hair.
The woman's head turned to meet John's gaze. This time John saw it. It was a paler image than he imagined. She was older, yet looked the same. He saw the crows feet had gotten to her eyes, but John knew who she was. This really was his mother...it was Sarah Connor, the mother of destiny. There was his long lost mother...somehow, she survived judgment day.
John's jaw dropped in disbelief. Despite knowing she was alive, just to see her face was like a miracle.
Allison stood her ground against Cameron, the men behind her pulled their guns on the T-888s standing behind the female robot. It was a wild west standoff. Derek and Kyle nervously watched the event go down.
Kyle warned, "Did it ever occur to you that you might get Allison killed?!"
"I know I've been overprotective of her as of late, but I'm trusting her now...she's too smart to get killed. I knew that a for while now."
Cameron warned Allison, "Stand down."
Her human twin frowned, "Not in a million years."
She replied, "You're not in charge."
"Oh really? I'm pretty sure John said I was second in command...which basically means that when he's gone, I take over...did you really think he'd leave a terminator to lead a resistance against...terminators?"
"You can't win, finding John is most important...not reclaiming the depot. We have to find him now."
"And if we look for John and lose the depot in the process, we lose the source of our machines. Without the machines we'll be vulnerable, we won't be able to fight back anymore if that happens and we won't be able to search for John. The best way to find John is to keep the depot safe! Where the hell is your logic?"
"No, if we wait, his risk of imminent death increases. We need to act now. We can't lose him."
"John wouldn't want us to find him and right now it doesn't matter what John wants anyway because I lead the human resistance."
"And I lead the cyborg resistance."
"Well then...who do you think John will side with in this civil war?"
Cameron replied, "My side."
"That's right, I'm counting on it. He's willing to kill everyone else in this world to protect you. He'll lose his status and he no longer leads the resistance if that happens...so you have to stand down...for his own sake."
Cameron got desperate. She knew Allison was right. Siding with the cyborg resistance was the same as signing your death warrant
"You are too young, you cannot lead."
Allison sneered, "And how old is John...? Last I checked...I was older. How old are you by the way? You told me you're only four years old and you think you can lead better?!"
Becky and Joan, the two sisters watched from afar off, opposite from Kyle and Derek. They closely observed what was going on from the roof of their bunker.
Becky moaned, "Where on earth is Connor? Romulus and Remus are going at it out here!"
Her sister folded her arms, "Who?"
"You know, the two twins who fought against each other? Like, ancient Rome and stuff?"
"You're such a history geek."
"What's a geek? Do you mean Greeks?"
"Never mind, which one of them is the cyborg anyway?"
She wittily smirked, "How about the one standing with the freaky looking robots?!"
"That one isn't wearing the purple jacket."
"Duh, they changed clothing."
"That's creepy! Why'd they do that? Won't Derek freak out?"
"Who says he hasn't already."
"Ha! Funny. How can you tell the difference though?"
"Well, the way the Allison terminator speaks..."
"...Can't you just say Cameron? It's easier that way."
"Okay then...Cameron...doesn't have any emotional expressions and she walks like a horse...like she's marching or something. When they talk, Cameron is really monotonous and hardly blinks, while Allison is normally moody and fluctuating in her voice."
"Wow, that's really good profiling."
"And that's why we're still alive. I always know what's dangerous around here while you don't."
"Hey! What's that supposed to mean?"
"Well, for one, your crush on Derek will kill us both. I'm telling you, he's not a guy you should hang around with. That's my profile of him."
"No I don't have a crush on him! You're just jealous because he's a gorgeous hunk and he likes me more."
"No he doesn't!"
"Do you not find it at least a bit strange there's a potential civil war in our military base and we're arguing about our crushes?"
Meanwhile...
Cameron announced, "You will die if you threaten me...the machines will kill you."
"No, they can't shoot at friendlies."
"They can override when facing a dangerous threat."
"Yeah, threats to friendly humans...but we're not threatening humans."
"The machines are designed to protect me. My protection is their primary mission so they will override."
"I'm not pointing the gun at you."
Cameron saw that the soldiers' guns were aimed at the machines. If Cameron had much of an imagination she would probably think, "She really thought this through."
The human smirked, "They're just itching to open fire on the metal and there's nothing you can do about it once I give the order."
The cyborg finally gave in, "You're better."
Allison stumbled to hear her words. The men standing behind Allison noticed her reaction hoping she'd give them the word to open fire...but she didn't.
The machine said it again, "You're better than I am."
"What?! What do you mean?"
Allison noticed that people had crowded around to watch the duel of words between herself and her robo self. It was terrifying, yet thrilling all at the same time.
The cyborg explained, "That's what you've been trying to prove...this isn't about John...it's about being better than me...about proving you're worth more."
"I...no...I..."
Cameron continued, "You are better than I am...you always have. That is why I imitated you so much...this is why Skynet chose you...because you were the perfect example of a human. Your intelligence and perception are impeccable. Your skill and technique on the battlefield is highest on average. You can understand life and emotion...you can feel better than I can. You can find love...you can have children.
Allison tried to interrupt, but Cameron cut her off, "I'm not always right and that is true. John, against all odds, values me more than he does you. He is better off with you...but he says he loves me more. I used to think that being alone was best for John...until I met you. I thought you would be good for him and I encouraged him to pursue you, but he wouldn't."
Allison looked away, unable to face the cyborg anymore. She badly wished she was lying and manipulating her, but she knew that Cameron was telling the truth.
Cameron finished, "If John were here, he would side with you. He would think that getting back the depot is more important than himself. But he is wrong. John is important to you and me...and we have to find him now before it's too late...please."
Allison paused...and then finally answered, "I think I know a way to find him..."
"How?"
Allison trailed off, "If only he could have us both somehow...but I guess that could never work..."
The terminator confirmed, "Right."
By this time, all the surrounding people listening in on the conversation backed away in all awkwardness.
Savannah strolled inside the old tech room where John Henry used to be. She shouted, "Weaver? Weaver?! Mom?'
Miraculously, a blob of metal formed into a human being. Savannah saw her mother's face turn into shape and color, yet strangely, she was not surprised to see her.
The liquid metal stated, "It's been a while."
"Yes it has been. Listen, we need to talk. John needs your help."
John stood there, totally confused and amazed at who lay before his eyes.
"Mom?"
"John?"
John hesitated again to see his much older mother shed a tear right in front of him. It was all just so surreal. He burst into sweat and swiftly scanned the room. He quickly noticed that he was in a private room, possibly his mother's sleeping quarters.
He panicked. This couldn't be his mother could it? Maybe it was a lie...a trap from Skynet. He couldn't let his guard down. So many thoughts and sensations coursed through his body, excitement, trembling, fear, and even hatred. He felt he was about to break down.
He scrambled for the gun on his supposed mother's desk before Sarah could counter his wildly erratic move.
John, shaking and distressed, shouted to his mother, "Get away...don't move!"
He drew the gun, pointing it at his mother's head.
Sarah cried and screamed coarsely, "John...it's me! Snap out of it."
John shouted, "It's a lie...it's Skynet...you're dead...there's no way...you had...you had..I...I!"
Realizing John's hesitancy, Sarah took the opportunity to convince him. She rose her hands up in the air and slowly approached him.
She whispered, "John...it's me...your mother."
"No, you're not...you...you can't be."
She walked even closer...
He shouted again, "Stop! Or I'll shoot."
Sarah tried to flash her best smile, "If you believed I was really a machine...you would have shot me already."
John backed away until he hit the wall behind him, "If you really are my mom, prove it!"
"Do you remember the video I sent you...you know, the one that helped you find her...Cameron. Didn't you like my Wizard of Oz them...you know, from your favorite book."
Finally, he knew it was true. He shook himself out of his trance and dashed towards Sarah. He collided with her, nearly knocking the woman to the ground if it wasn't for John holding her so tightly.
"I'm missed you...it's you...you're real!"
"I missed you so much."
John cried, "I can't believe you're hear! It was real...It was real you're hear...you're really...it's really you."
Sarah returned his hug. She placed her hand on his head and played with his hair. After all these years, John never forgot the different ways to comfort John.
"How...How...?"
"Sshhh John...calm down...when you're ready, we'll talk...just calm down."
A few hour later...
John sat down, laying on his mother's lap. He felt like a six year old once again, yet he was not ashamed of it. His mother, who was supposed to be dead, had come back to him.
John asked, "How?"
She replied, "Rumors spread fast John. It wasn't long before I found out you finally arrived in the future."
"But you're...you're a General? How did that happen?"
"It's a long story John."
John held on to his mother's hand, "Could you give me the short version?"
"Well...I took your advice. You told me I could lead an army...I guess you were right...
"But...but how?"
"You have to understand...before you left, a lot of things happened that you will soon know about...but that can wait...at least for now."
Suddenly, John remembered what was happening back at Derek's base.
John rubbed his eyes in grief, "Oh no! Derek...he's alive...and Kyle...I mean dad...he's here!"
"I know."
"You do?"
"Yes...I knew...but I also knew I had to keep my distance. I thought it better to wait until you arrived."
John tried to think really hard, "They're um...we're trying to take back the depot. Remember when we went there...depot 37?"
"I remember, that's where Cameron said she was built."
"She told you that?"
"A long time ago."
"Oh, Cameron! I almost forgot. Savannah, Allison, and I got her back...I saw your message...in the basement of Ziera corporation."
Sarah covered her mouth, "Oh my gosh, Savannah? She's alive?!"
"You bet."
Sarah smiled in relief, "How is she? I never knew what happened to her or Ellison when I left for Mexico."
"She's doing great! We're really good friends...she and dad... are actually...ummm, never mind. Um, you...you said in the video that you found a way to stop Skynet...I guess it didn't work out with you and Ellison?"
"No, we were close...but we made a terrible mistake...like I said, it's a long story. Do you...do you think you might know where Ellison is if he's still around?"
"I thought you might know...Savannah said he went looking for you on judgment day."
"Oh no..."
"What do you mean oh no?"
"I was already there...in Mexico. He may have gotten himself killed trying to find me in the hospital."
"Oh...I'm...I'm sorry...So why did you bring me here? I mean, I'm happy to see you, but why here? Oh no...I have to get back to the base...we need to get back to the depot."
"That's what I'm here for."
"I'm sorry? I don't understand."
"Skynet isn't planning on taking the depot."
"Why not? It's there for the taking."
"It's a trap John."
"You couldn't say this over the phone? If it is a trap, I need to pull them out now! Dad's there!"
"John, you know I don't trust all those machines you have on the base...not even this John Henry or that liquid metal that I know for sure is listening in on all your conversations. I had to talk to you myself...alone."
"So what do you want me to do?"
"I'll take you back. When you get there, pull your people back...don't touch the depot...all will be explained soon, I promise."
John had finally reached a state of relaxation.
He changed the subject, "Mom...how are you holding up, I mean...your friend Ricardo told me you had...have cancer...is it true?"
"Yes John, I do."
"But how...how...?"
Sarah finished his question, "Am I still alive?"
"Something like that."
She explained, "The doctors gave me a chemotherapy drug...in the form of a pill. It worked. I still have some of them...but it makes me feel sick. It has kept me alive for awhile, but won't last forever John...I always feel so weak and helpless. I can hardly deal with it anymore."
"Maybe the medical staff at our base can help you mom."
"I don't know John."
"Well, we have to try. I refuse to believe you're leaving me when I just found you."
"We can give it a shot."
John also insisted, "You really need to explain to me how you became a General...oh man, everyone's going to be stunned when they see you!"
Suddenly, someone sharply banged on the door shouting out, "General!"
John had so much to say, so much to get off his chest, but it was all interrupted by the annoying Mexican.
Sarah replied in English, "What is it Colonel?"
"They are coming! Come quick!"
She shouted back, "Who?!"
"Connor's...I mean Lieutenant Reese's men! Our planes have picked them up. Give us the order and we can take them out now!"
Sarah grunted in determination, "Not a chance!"
John asked, "Derek? How does he know I'm here?"
His mother replied, "I don't know...just help me out of this chair...and hand me that cane."
John knew his mother was in her fifties, yet her cancer had aged her far more than she needed it to...it turned her into someone different...someone worn and tired. John didn't like to see his older mother...she was just so much more different from the dogged determination of the young version of herself. Right now, John didn't care...he loved his mother no matter what. He just had to.
John saw the bulk of his force of T-888s coming in. When the Mexicans arrived from behind, John watched as two twins approached him from afar. John and his mother stood side by side.
"You're army?" Sarah questioned.
"A good piece of it. Impressed?"
"Quite." She said.
Sarah noticed the, "Is that Cameron?!"
John nodded, "Yeah."
Sarah looked on in confusion, "What's the other one? Is that a younger version of herself? Why didn't you send her back yet?!"
"No...no, that's Allison...she's wearing Cameron's jacket...you know, the one you left her in Citrus Heights."
"You can't give her a different name! That will mess up the paradox...!"
"...Wait! There is no more paradox...I never sent anyone back...things are different now mom, the timeline's changed. That girl who looks like Cameron is her original copy...she's a human...her name is Allison Young."
"What?!"
John made an apologetic smile, "Sorry, slipped my mind that I should tell you about her. She killed her in another timeline."
"What do you mean another timeline?"
John laughed, "Long story."
As soon as Cameron had pointed John out to Allison, the twins ran faster up the hill in his direction.
Allison shouted, "John?!"
"Allison, Cameron?! How did you find me?"
The human girl joked, "Easy, the only place a boy runs to when he's scared...his mother."
Cameron explained, "John Henry's HK spotted vehicles moving toward the Mexican camp...we thought you had to be there."
John rolled his eyes at Allison's comment, "Oh, har, har, well, if you must know, my mother kidnapped me."
Allison shot back, "Wow, motherly love right there."
John frowned at Allison's snide comment, "Please shut up."
Cameron turned to Sarah, "Sarah."
Sarah folded her arms together and nodded, "Cameron?"
"You appear healthier than expected."
"You mean healthier than dead?"
Cameron affirmed her comment, "Yes."
Allison interrupted, "Well, I hope you're happy Cameron...we just gave up the depot for nothing. And now Derek seems pretty ticked off with me for it. As you can see, John was with her the entire time."
Sarah replied, "Please tell me you two twins aren't friends."
Allison frowned, "No..."
"So why are you wearing her jacket?"
"...Well, it's warm."
Allison turned to meet Sarah's gaze, "Oh, you must be John's mom...and um... Kyle's...um...how do I put this nicely...common law partner in a different timeline."
Sarah shouted, "John, what did that human twin just say?"
John gulped, "Ummm, I might have told her...but Derek and Kyle don't know anything yet...I was hoping we could team up and tell them together."
Sarah folded her arms together in disbelief. She tried to tear her eyes away from the doppelgangers.
Sarah thought, "I think my head is about to explode!"
Sarah explained to everyone, "I just explained to John that the depot is a trap laid by Skynet. It was an attempt to divert his forces to attack Ziera base. It's been a while since the resistance has fought Skynet, but we're going back to war...and we're going to fight...and we'll do it together...united."
John loved to hear his mother's speech. It sounded great. But the nostalgia was getting to him. The word "united" was a diplomatic word. The truth is Sarah wanted only one thing...to destroy all machines and wipe Skynet off the face of the earth. All machines ever did to Sarah was take Kyle away from her. For a while, they even took John from her. John liked to think that his mother fought for him...but other times, she fought for herself...to rid the world of metal scum. John could never forget all her mom's bad experiences with machines. But John knew he was a different story. He only saw the good and usefulness in terminators. He believed that one could use them for something other than terminating...just like Uncle Bob and Cameron. But for now, John tried to toss those thoughts aside...he needed to stop Skynet...and he needed to stop them now, and he needed his mom's help to do it."
"So, what do we do now General?" Allison asked.
The elderly woman responded, "We go back to Reese's base...we need to contact Perry...I have a plan...we can stop Skynet for good!"
Allison replied, "I think I like the sound of that."
Everyone nodded in agreement.
Finally, everyone had dispersed...Cameron and John were off somewhere...but Sarah really didn't want to know.
Sarah Connor, despite being older and weaker, took target practice against the corpse of a T-888. Allison noticed John's mom shooting at it, so she walked closer towards her.
"May I join you?"
"Please."
Allison pulled out Cameron's glock and took a shot without a second thought. The bullet plinked off the T-888's forehead.
Sarah was impressed, "Wow...just as good as Cameron."
"You know your son is in love with her...it...her."
"Yes, I know...I just don't want to think about it right now."
"I thought I could get him to get rid of her...that he would pick real flesh and blood over metal. Your son is super weird."
Sarah sighed, "Well...thanks for being up front."
"John...he's explained to me everything...about you, Cameron, Kyle, and all the different timelines and time travel and all that stuff."
"Your head's still spinning isn't it?"
"Yep...but if it's really true...that you knew another Derek and another Kyle...did you know anything about them...any secrets you can disclose?"
A light bulb came flashed in Sarah's mind.
She smirked, "When Derek gives you a hard time, just call him Thomas the entire time...he'll get pretty mad."
"Thomas? Why?" Allison quirked an eyebrow.
"You'll see."
"Alright then."
"So tell me Allison, what's your story?"
Allison had finally arrived back at base. She sat inside the Jeep, trying to keep herself together. At one moment, she was cracking jokes, and now she was getting flashbacks of Steven. It haunted her mind and she retreated back into her shell. Derek approached the vehicle and sat inside next to Allison. Thankfully, Derek had gotten over the fact that Allison had sided with Cameron to go look for John.
Derek though, "She's never going to let go of Connor. She refused to lose."
He commented, "Allison, I know what you're thinking...I know it's hard...but I need you...I need you right now. Every time I see you like this...I feel...I feel completely helpless."
Derek squirmed inside his mind, "Kyle is so much better at this mushy feelings stuff."
"Allison, please...you can't let him get to you anymore...you did what you had to do...I know it hurts, but it gets better. It always does. I don't want this to stain your conscience...it darkens people...it changes them...and not in a good way."
Allison finally turned to Derek and smiled. She placed her hand in his and squeezed tightly. She knew he was only trying to help. Derek's seriousness softened into a smile and they sat their together, staring at the sunset.
"Happy Birthday Allison...Connor may not love you...he doesn't even deserve you, but I care about you. You'll make some guy the luckiest man in the world...just wait and see."
Allison leaned her head on his shoulder, "Looks like I already have."
Derek's smile widened even more.
"You know, I'd love to end it on that note, but how's that leg?"
Derek smirked, "Oh, now you just brought that creepy cyborg in my mind...thanks a whole lot...we were having such a wonderful moment!"
Allison's face turned blank, "That's because I am that creepy cyborg."
Derek's face dropped...Allison just stared, until she cracked open in laughter.
"That's not funny! You freaked the hell out of me." The soldier shouted.
She giggled, "You should've seen the look on your face...wait till I tell Kyle..."
"No you won't...give me that rifle back...!"
"Oh no you don't!"
John and Cameron were finally alone...standing inside their living quarters in front of a window of a setting sun. John felt relieved to know that his mother was taking on some of the burden...that she had a plan. Even though his mother was keeping secrets about this plan, it felt good to know he wasn't alone...that he had people who were standing by him just like Cameron was. John shifted himself closer to Cameron and gently squeezed the cyborg's hand and turned to face her.
He said, "I just can't get over the fact that my mom's alive...everyone that died...is alive!"
"Is that why you won't go back?"
"Huh?"
"Go back to the past, where we were before."
"Trust me, there's nothing I'd like better than to stop Skynet before it can destroy the world...but everyone I love is right here with me...you survived, mom survived, and even Savannah survived. If I go back right now, I undo everything you did to bring John Henry here. I don't want to jeopardize an opportunity to stop Skynet now when it thinks that it's winning. We have to try...at least try."
"I understand. I agree."
"I'm glad...listen, thanks for saving me...I mean, finding me...and not getting upset with me for putting myself in danger like that."
"It's my mission."
"Cameron, your mission was to help me survive judgment day, that mission is completed."
"I make it my mission to protect you, always."
"Why?"
Cameron wouldn't answer.
John persisted once again, "I saw you laugh, I saw you cry, I saw you smile, and I saw you frown. Why is it that when you're with me, you hide all of it. Why are you so cold and impassive sometimes when you're with me?"
"I can't explain it."
"Try me."
"I don't think you will understand me. Sometimes...I frown when you smile."
"So you... You just don't understand it...so you hide it? Are you in some weird way a bipolar or does that happen when I'm teasing you?"
"I don't know."
"Well you know what, it doesn't matter. Savannah is right, I can't force you to be who you can't be. Sometimes, I wish you were human...but you aren't...and I can be happy with that. I wouldn't change a thing about you even if I could."
"Allison told me she couldn't pursue a relationship with you because you loved me."
"Yeah, I know."
"She knows you would rather die than lose me."
"What? I..."
"I know John. She knows it too."
"Cameron...you have to understand, my priority isn't to defeat Skynet anymore. I really want to stop Skynet...maybe even prevent judgment day might if that's possible...but right now, I just want you to be safe."
Cameron tilted her head in silence.
John assumed she was checking his vitals so he asked, "So... future me...what do you think he'd say to me right now? Pretty ticked off right?"
Cameron cleverly replied, "I don't know, are you ticked off?"
"But..."
John suddenly realized what Cameron was saying. She just said he was future John...!
I'm future John? I'm...She thinks I'm future John?!
John grabbed Cameron's hips and pressed his lips to hers in a brief moment of passion. He quickly released after noticing Cameron's awkward stare into his own eyes.
He apologized, "Cameron...I'm sorry, I..."
Cameron replied, "I'm sorry too...I'm not Cameron...I'm Allison Young."
"What?!"
Cameron smiled, "I fooled you."
John's heart would have nearly beaten out of his chest if Cameron hadn't told him.
"Where in your CPU did you think that right now it would be a good time to do that to me?! You just freaked me out!"
"You said I shouldn't withhold emotions...humor is a good emotion."
John sighed, "Okay, now I think I understand why you hold them back."
"Are you going to continue?"
"Continue what?"
"Kissing me...I don't know whether I like the sensation yet."
John took her question very seriously...perhaps a bit too seriously. He looked around his bunker for any possible intruders before he grabbed Cameron's head and captured her lips in a much longer, more meaningful kiss.
Thanks for reading! What do you guys think?
Just wanted to say that Allison's emotional problems and her history with Steven will arise again at some point, but as promised, I wanted to focus on John and Cameron a bit more for this chapter. Will bring back characters who haven' been around recently...more characters to come soon! Next chapter will also be a Jameronized one.