Ashes of Destiny

by Semajohn

New chapter. Their Tears. FIRST FRAGMENT. Against her will Cameron has to go on a desperate step to save John and Sarah. However, an old friend has a surprise for her. John makes a decision that will change everything in his life. And will Zeus and Amber have time to prevent all this, or they are already late to stop the game?

21. Ch 8, Fall of SkyNet

So, here's the last chapter of the FIRST part of my story. More answers, and still more questions. I'm really sorry about that, but all interaction with Cameron is in next chapters, here is no Cameron (just mentions). I wanted to finish Future John' story, and I did it (more or less, denouement will intrigue you).

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A/N: Sorry for the grammar, again.

I do not owe any right of Terminator universe. All of it is just for entertainment.

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Part one. Pain

Chapter 8. Fall of SkyNet.

---

"The world might end, the night might fall,

Rain on down and cover us all, and drown us with the burden of our sins.

Maybe I'll look you in the eye, tell you 'you don't wanna die'

Maybe I'll hold my breath and jump right in.

Maybe I'll hold my breath and jump right in."

Garbage "Control"

"It's always darkest right before the dawn."

Garbage "Control"

This is the end

Hold your breath and count to ten

Feel the earth move and then

Hear my heart burst again

For this is the end

I've drowned and dreamed this moment

So overdue, I owe them

Swept away, I'm stolen

Let the sky fall, when it crumbles

We will stand tall

Or face it all together

Let the sky fall, when it crumbles

We will stand tall

Or face it all together

At Skyfall

Adele "Skyfall"

---

1999, Los Angeles.

Agent Ellison was standing in the same place, which was to be the bank. After the explosion, there was nothing left. Only this big pit, fragments, debris and that's all. At one of the places, however, the part of the wall had remained, but that didn't help to get anything. Only the solid concrete and nothing more.

Somewhere nearby was open-mouthed Charlie Dixon. He couldn't believe in what had happened until saw it himself. It was recently on the news, yes, but now he could see it with his own eyes, and just couldn't believe it.

The agent didn't notice him. And he wasn't interested. At all. He wasn't here for the first time, but each time he came here, and each time he hoped to find at least something. But neither the experts nor the police had anything to say. It had been the explosion, definitely.

After a few minutes, the agent left away, desperate to find at least something. Tomorrow, perhaps, he'd come here, too, but this case, it seemed, would be closed. Sarah Connor, along with her son and this strange girl – they had just killed themselves. Because of incomprehensible reasons to anyone.

Charlie Dixon was here for much longer and he just glared at the wreckage. Unbelief and unwillingness to believe in what had happened – they didn't let him leave. But soon, he admitted to himself that it was all over. They were dead. And that's all.

When the night fell, almost no one left here. For lack of any material, any clues or traces, besides the obvious explosion, tomorrow the place would be cleared. But while it was night, and so far no one was here, ordinary-looking man crossed the forbidden line and quietly walked to the wreckage.

The Detective Cressler. Aaron Cressler. Who had just transferred to California. Who wasn't the Detective at all. He had to make sure of what had happened here.

The debris were filling everything. People had left the building of the bank before the explosion, so that there were no victims, fortunately, but still there were plenty of destructions.

The T-1003 was to make sure of it. He couldn't believe that John Connor, the leader of the human Resistance, was dead, and that he committed suicide. Because then for SkyNet it all would turn out too easy.

He went down to the very bottom. Everywhere there were strewn the wreckage. Only at one place the part of the wall was still preserved. The T-1003 walked in there, and began to study it carefully. All bank cells and deposit boxes that were here sometime ago, they had been already devoured by the fire, for long ago. However, something hadn't given to destroy this wall. The T-1003 ran his hands through the concrete, and poly-alloy began to rapidly penetrate. Behind the concrete was the empty niche. It couldn't be in the conventional structure of the bank. But then it was even more interesting - T-1003 found the support. Wires. Metal. And so familiar design...

It was the reactor, all that had been left from it. This reactor surely had supposed to start the TDE. It turned out that there had been the time machine. Nothing has left from it, only this useless reactor, which had been providing the energy for the transfers. It did no good now, it couldn't let to build another time machine, but the fact remained. There had been the time machine.

And it meant that John Connor had gone... to the future? To the past? Now it was impossible to say. Now everything became much more complicated. The unknown scared sometimes even more than despair.

It was much worse than the T-1003 could imagine. Now it was much worse. He should begin to engage in the creation of SkyNet himself, even though it wasn't in the original plans. It hadn't been included in any plans. But if John Connor went to the future, the T-1003 was to create SkyNet to his arrival, to attack first. And if he went back in time... and even with the cyborg... it was much worse. But the T-1003 had to act. In any way.

The Detective Cressler recently came across with the information about some small computer company. Kaliba Production. Always better to start somewhere in an inconspicuous place. And this company was the best option.

Well, the time of the Detective had passed. But now the time of the T-1003, albeit with the name Aaron Cressler, was just beginning.

# # #

2006, Los Angeles.

The helicopter slowly rose into the air. After a few moments, it was in the air, and flew in the direction of Barstow. No one else except the married couple was on board - they now run the helicopter. Young dark-haired man and red-haired woman.

They left the city. They had a meeting in Barstow, with the head of one company. They flew to the factory of microchips production. The man was smiling, often exchanging glances with his wife. He was confident in this model of helicopter. After all, he blew it over 700 hours.

Soon, they were over the mountains. However, neither she nor he had noticed how behind them, slowly, from the floor the strange silver figure began to rise. One moment - and this figure morphed itself. Another moment - and now there was the silver man with the blurred features of both face and body.

It approached them and gently touched the shoulder of the pilot. The man from such surprise started and spun around, forgetting about the wheel, turning it abruptly to one side. The helicopter began to spin in the air, and it was going on to clash with the nearest mountain peak. The man tried to take back the control, but strong metal arm kept him from moving. The pilot looked in awe at the figure.

"What the hell?" He said, and tried to pull away, but didn't succeed. Woman, with no less horror, tried to get up, but she was stopped by another hand of the silver man.

The helicopter spun and rushed straight to the mountain peak. One moment later came the collision. No, it wasn't so strong, because the helicopter was flying low enough, but the blades broke off from the impact and was scattered in different directions. The helicopter crashed into the mountain on its left side, at which was the man. Etched metal instantly pressed the man and broke his vertebras. Lachlan Weaver died instantly.

The woman was more fortunate. Silver figure let her go while the collision, because this strange thing was thrown away when the impact, but it quickly tried to re-form itself.

Catherine, in terror and fear, was staring at her dead husband. Unimaginable horror gripped her, she tried to get out as quickly as possible from here. She quickly, even for herself, undid the belt, and then tried to escape through the window. Behind her, the silver figure was gradually rising.

The windshield of the helicopter was cracked. From her side, the shape of the helicopter was still more or less intact, and she was able to escape through the window, but she had to hurry. She tried to knock out the glass with her foot, and after two attempts, she succeeded. Behind her, the figure was almost formed itself.

The fire gradually covered the helicopter. The woman got out just at the moment when the explosion occurred. The liquid terminator was absorbed in the flames, but the blast hurled Catherine at a few yards away to the side and down. When she collapsed on the ground, many bones in her body instantly broke, even some ribs, but she was still alive. Unbelievable, but she was alive.

Wild pain surged her so dramatically and unexpectedly, that the woman almost lost consciousness. She wanted to scream in pain, but just couldn't.

Some figure leaned over her. The silver figure. Catherine's eyes flashed terror, but the figure was female, not male. "Don't worry, I won't hurt you," sounded the cold metal, but the woman's voice. "Can you talk?"

But in response were only tears and groans of pain. Catherine felt a light touch of cold metal hand to her shoulder.

"I will not hurt you," sounded metal soothing voice. "Just nod. It was it? That thing did this to you?"

Catherine slightly nodded.

"Hold on, Catherine. I will destroy it."

There was even not a smile in response. Only tears, only pain.

The T-1001 got up and looked at the helicopter. The crash occurred few meters higher, but she could perfectly see how the T-1003 came out of the fire. She immediately rushed to him.

The terminator didn't have time to react. He just turned his head, when he was pierced with two blades of his elder sister. Instantly horror captured him, from such a surprise he could neither defend himself nor oppose anything else. He only had time to look into her eyes, her full of determination eyes, and could find only his own death.

But SkyNet once strengthened his structure. He didn't have time to respond at the intervention, but something he still could do. Realizing that it was his end, so stupid and so silly but the end, he decided to merge his molecules with the molecules of his sister. She was so occupied in the influence on his processor that didn't watch for how part of her molecules suddenly mixed with the molecules of the T-1003.

She realized it too late. Once inside her the cruelty and anger suddenly awakened, these feelings some time ago she had successfully overcome. Inside her SkyNet itself was gradually awakening.

No, he didn't have time to reprogram her, or to win over, but the T-1003, albeit slightly, but changed her. In his last moments, before his processor finally collapsed, he instilled in the T-1001 his violence and hatred towards humans. Albeit slight, but hatred. That was enough for her to act violently for the rest of her life.

He collapsed. Poly-alloy stopped responding at the processor's commands. The T-1001 threw the remnants of the T-1003 into the fire, which immediately took him and began to absorb. As well as the dead body of Lachlan Weaver.

She was late. If she only had come here earlier, but no. She was too late.

The T-1001 turned, and froze. Next to the body of Catherine Weaver was another silver figure. The one she didn't expect to meet here. She shouldn't be here. This would violate the time itself.

The T-1001 approached and looked coldly at the T-1012. "What are you doing here?" Asked the T-1001.

"My job."

"I have to save this woman."

"You have saved her. The rest leave for me."

"How did you get here?"

"SkyNet has sent in the past those who it shouldn't send at all. T-Xs. Lots of T-Xs, at different time and place. I had to leave my fellows to save the world."

"But John Connor was supposed to send..."

"Please," the T-1012interrupted her. "I've already said too much. My intervention threatens to turn into the worst consequences. I can't say more," she looked at the dying Catherine Weaver. "I came here to save her."

"How did you know that she needed in rescuing?"

"I didn't. You didn't show up on time. I watched the helicopter from the ground, but didn't notice anything. Only when it suddenly began to fall, as if some malfunction has occurred. But then you came along."

"And what do you do now?"

Catherine choked. Both figures bent over her.

"Please..." she whispered, with wild pain. "Please... save... my daughter..."

The T-1001 gently ran her hand through the hair of Catherine Weaver. This woman looked very attractive, as for her. But she needed to be saved. Suddenly, she realized. She felt hatred, this new hatred, for people, but not for this woman. And then she looked at the T-1012: "Save the woman. Take her body and recover. And I have to take her place," said the T-1001.

"All right," T-1012 nodded. "But I won't see you. I already broke the rule. You shouldn't have to see me. As long as I don't remove the threat of SkyNet, we'd never meet again. Never tell anyone that you saw me here and now."

"The interference threatens global changes."

"I understand. Therefore you think that I wasn't here at all."

"Please..." Catherine whispered again.

The T-1001 bent over her, and whispered in her ear: "Don't worry," as calmly as possible. "You will be saved."

The T-1001 got up and nodded. The T-1012 turned into the liquid-metal puddle and gently penetrated under Catherine Weaver's body, slowly and gently lifting her body over hers. And then the slow stream of liquid metal took away woman's body, avoiding rocks and steep slopes.

The T-1012 would take care of Catherine Weaver. And the T-1001 was to take care of the war. She turned and walked to the helicopter, taking the form of Catherine Weaver. Soon the rescues should come here. No one had seen the collapse, but the time was running, and any delay caused suspicion.

The T-1001 right now merged into a new world for her. And then she threw out of her head what she has just seen. Now she was Catherine Weaver, the widow, the wife of deceased Lachlan Weaver, who just died. But the T-1001 had changed. She had become more violent, and colder than before. The T-1003 had the influence on her. He succeeded.

# # #

2028, January.

Los Angeles.

"Colonel! Colonel!"

Darmell turned. The boy ran up to him, he looked about eighteen, but he was already the Corporal.

"What is it?" Bindet asked.

"Intelligence reports," the guy caught his breath. "Intelligence reports that the army of the machines is to be here in an hour with a half, if they don't change the speed."

"All right," Darmell nodded. The Corporal immediately went back to watch for the data.

The Colonel immediately went to the Captains, who had gathered strength from all of Los Angeles. When he approached them, they were discussing the possible positions of snipers. "What do we have?" The Colonel asked, approaching.

The Captains turned to him, and, putting aside the formalities immediately began to respond.

"Forty-two experienced assaults," said one of them. "One hundred and six men of melee. Another thirty-six can cope with sniper rifles and launchers."

"We have the fifty-two cyborg units," continued the second. "Each machine is equipped with ATM-300 grenade launcher, plasma rifle and usual automatic gun. The models are different, list makes no sense."

"Heavy vehicles aren't expected," said the third.

"You have even such?" Surprised the Colonel.

"We had. Once at the Echo Base two armored vehicles were kept. They were dismantled six months ago to provide better protection of the Base. However, after the destruction of SkyNet within LA, no one was able to rebuild them again. And no one even tried"

The Colonel nodded. "You set the required launchers to the barricades and shelters?" He asked.

"Yes. We just appointed soldiers on each point. In fact, there are only fifty-seven. Not so much, but they can provide heavy blows at the enemy from afar."

The Colonel nodded.

"By the way, how many troops you have, sir?" Said one of the Captains. "I've heard that in your ranks are many machines."

"It is so," Darmell smiled. "Totally two hundred thirty-three fighters, seventy-two of them are the cyborgs. However, against the T-X, this may not be enough."

"Connor told anything about them?"

"Yes," Colonel frowned.

"What is it?"

Darmell sighed. "That they are unstoppable, and that we have no chance."

The Captains looked at each other.

"We are here to prevent the capturing or destroying the artificial intelligence," continued Bindet. "If we don't hold that line, there is no sense to fight anymore. In the same way if the Connor's attack pass in vain."

"How many he took with him?" Asked the first Captain.

"Among the people? Only two pilots."

The Captains looked at each other again.

"Doesn't that too risky?" Asked the Captain.

"I believe in him," the Colonel smiled weakly. "Besides, I've seen how Zeus easily has been scattering the metal out there, on the complex. There are not so much chances for SkyNet too. But if they don't have time, or we don't hold, then any attack would be useless."

The Colonel took one look to the east. The sun was going to rise soon, in a few hours, and now was coming the darkest night.

"What exactly is going to happen?"

"John Henry, as Connor called him, will connect to the SkyNet's server, and then will trace the other servers, and shut down SkyNet. By that time, T-Xs are to get the order to retreat, or, if possible, he will cut them down."

The Captains looked at each other, this time with some enthusiasm.

"Have you discussed how much and where to place the snipers?" The Colonel asked.

"Not completely," admitted one of them. "But we have a few ideas."

"All right."

And they began to discuss.

# # #

2028, January.

Over the United States.

The HK with incredible speed swept eastward. At the speed with which it hadn't flown before, being under the control of SkyNet. The pilots ably led the drone; the technicians, in their time, had improved the drone with their own flying systems, adding not only manual control, but a lot of lotions and devices specific to the standard aircraft.

John Connor stood silently next to the pilots, and watched the devices. They had to reach their goal in about twenty minutes.

The liquid terminators, the same silently, stood at the entrance of the HK. They had to leave the drone before the others, to move freely on the ground and go unnoticed to the complex from the west. The T-1012 was closest to the General Connor, but didn't even look at him. She curiously studied the cyborg in front of her, who in his turn studied her. None of them felt any discomfort from such close examination of each other.

Zeus looked at the other terminators, now standing next to him. Many of them looked at him, but so coldly that the cyborg just frowned, and turned away.

He looked at the T-1012. "They're always down in the dumps?" He asked.

Liquid metal girl tilted her head slightly.

"I've never seen them being in the dump," she answered. "And you have..?"

Zeus just grinned.

"Yeah, you defused the tension," the smile never slipped from his face. "I ask, has anyone ever taught them smile, or something like that."

"Ah, there you what," she smiled in response. "I hope my face will brighten this dump a bit."

The cyborg was ready to burst out laughing. "Now you really defused the tension," he leaned with one hand on the wall of the HK. "By the way, why you all..." he looked again at them, "...why you all don't imitate clothing? What is the sense to walk around naked?"

"If we embarrass you, just say so," without a shadow of a smile said the T-1012. "No one will be offended."

Zeus raised an eyebrow. "Oh, no. I'm not embarrassed. At least, as long as I don't look below the neck," he stared at her surreal eyes, but wasn't going to look down.

The T-1012 portrayed the evil grin. But then she sobered. "We are not humans. We don't strive to be humans. But SkyNet created us to be like them. The fact that we "walk around naked" shows our sincerity and honesty. We have nothing to hide."

She looked around at her brothers and sisters. They all nodded affirmatively.

"Uh-huh. And I can see that," Zeus slightly pulled eyebrow.

She stared into his face. "Oh, you didn't understand me," she smiled.

"No, it's you didn't understand me," he grinned. "Because you have something to hide. From people. And even from yourselves. T-1001 had her secrets..."

"T-1001 can be forgiven," she sobered, and stared into the eyes of the cyborg. "She was different from us, too emotional and too human. People always have something to hide. She didn't try to imitate human, she was one, even with her... deviations. Speaking of secrets, you, too, have something to hide."

Zeus raised an eyebrow. "I have nothing to hide," he said firmly, with a quick glance at John.

John being sideways to the cyborg didn't even turn. But he listened intently to their conversation.

"You showed to no one a photo that lies in your breast pocket, didn't you?" T-1012 slightly tilted her head.

But now Zeus exactly surprised. "And what, you probed me?" He asked. "I don't..."

"So, you have a photo in your breast pocket," with a smile summed the T-1012.

John turned his head slowly and looked at the cyborg. On Zeus' face was written clearly surprising, and he looked carefully at the General. John Connor stared coldly at the Thunderer, flashing in his mind every conversation with Zeus in his own room, and every cyborg's look at the photo of... Savannah Weaver.

Cyborg looked at the liquid-metal girl. On her face was written the obvious pleasure, even silver one. She had just played the cyborg, catching him on the simplest. Moreover, she even forced him to honestly admit it in the presence of the General of the human army.

She won a victory over him.

Zeus rolled his eyes and waved his hands frantically. He so wanted to say something sarcastic back, but nothing came up to him. The T-1012 won.

He turned away.

The T-1012 came closer to John Connor.

"The complex is a set of numerous buildings and structures," she said, looking at the devices in front of her. John Connor was to the left of her and slightly ahead, but he also looked at the monitors. "As far as I know, no less than thirteen. The entire complex is surrounded by a low wall. At each of them there is a large plasma cannon, eight to ten on the perimeter. There are two entrances, on the west and north. But they are always closed. It is not difficult for us to climb the wall, without attracting attention, but only when the towers not watching for us."

She glanced at the cyborg, but this time she was looking more seriously.

"Are you sure that your cyborg is able to overcome all this? According to my information, twenty-nine HunterKillers are always operating on the complex. Our Infiltrator, before he was discovered, also has reported on a permanent control of the machines on the entire complex. On each side and in the center there were detachments at forty machines in each. Presumably, the old versions, T-800 or T-900, but for this time all of them could be replaced by T-Xs. Speaking on your, human, language, we are going to storm the impregnable fortress."

John Connor didn't even look at her. "Let Zeus has his own human failings, in a battle he has no equal and never will."

The cyborg smiled at these John's words.

"But let his shortcomings don't prevent him to break forward," continued John.

"They won't," assured him the cyborg.

"I'm unsure of this," John, slowly, looked at Zeus. "You are too willful recently. First Jesse, now this photo. I hope you didn't take the original."

Zeus stared at the leader of the Resistance, and then blushed. He knows...

"No, I've made the copy," quietly said the cyborg, and turned away. Perhaps only now he realized what it meant to feel shame.

John looked back at the dashboard.

"He will handle it," he said quietly. "Or we are all going to die."

The T-1012 looked at him with some suspicion, and fear, if these feelings she had at all. In the meantime she only skillfully simulated human behavior. But gradually, as if something arose inside her. Slowly, gradually, but arose. And, despite this slight skirmish with the cyborg, he looked very... cute. As for her.

"Arriving at the landing point," announced the pilot. "We are about ten miles away, but up to the complex there are no obstacles."

The T-1012 turned around and looked at her warriors. "I'll stay here," she said, peering at the sixteen liquid-metal figures. "I'll tell you, when you need to attack, and when to retreat. Inform me about every obstacle and any surprise. In an emergency situation, don't wait for my order and act on your own."

The figures nodded.

Within seconds the HK landed and the hatch opened. But the terminators didn't hurry to leave.

"Good luck to us all," said the T-1012, and then looked at each of her brothers and sisters. "No matter what happens, I believe in you. And I believe in our victory. Good luck to us all," again, she said.

Each figure nodded. And then, sixteen silver rapid flows of liquid metal slipped out and hurried to the east.

The pilot closed the hatch, and the HK took to the air again. And it began to rise even higher.

"So, what's the plan?" Asked the T-1012.

"We will hover at a height of seven miles," said John. "From there, Zeus jumps down to the complex, and takes all the attention on himself. Once he confirms that all the cannons and HKs face him, you have to order the attack. What to do with cannons is your job. Try not to destroy the building in which the server is located. Hopefully your Infiltrator gave you the location of that building."

The T-1012 nodded. "What to do with the TDE?" She asked.

"I think it's in the same building. Of course, I don't want to destroy the time machine, for us to find out whether SkyNet sent back in time anything else. But, I think that John Henry will be able to read this information, being instead of SkyNet. So that's better for the TDE, after all, to be destroyed. To prevent SkyNet's escaping into the past."

The T-1012 nodded again.

The cyborg all that time was checking the system that was developed for him by the guys from the Echo Base. The bracers, which were mounted not only on his arms, but also on the back. Zeus never took off his coat - he so much liked it - but this wasn't necessary at all. The bracers were fastened properly without it. Moreover, in a free fall, they were to allow him to transform his right hand as often as he'd like and how as he'd like.

The system was mounted on his back, and connected to the chip through the port at the back of his head. Looking from the outside, if not staring, you would think that the young man had the giant hump. The system accommodated the power cell of a T-900, the good thing was it was small, and the control system responded to the commands from the chip. As a result, the entire system completely covered Zeus' back, and was fastened to his arms, forming air stabilizers. Now Zeus, provided keeping the balance, could even hang in the air. But this system wasn't required any incoming air flows. The energy transmitted from the power cell, and it was enough to perform the braking. It now even took much less time.

"Are you ready?" John asked.

Zeus looked at him. "Of course, I am," the cyborg smiled nervously and looked at the T-1012. "I hope we meet again."

She just smiled. "Yes, look in sometimes," she said.

Cyborg came serious. "I'll look," he said sternly, and walked to the exit.

"Soon we're to be at the place," announced the pilot.

The HK quickly rose into the air, while remaining undetected to SkyNet's radars, and as a miracle avoided any collisions with any scan. On the other hand, if at least one signal, from the satellite, fell on the HK, John Henry instantly would track it and try to capture then the satellite.

Zeus became thoughtful for a moment. About the future, about what was waiting for him. The fact that he could lose. After all, vehemence not always helped.

He turned and looked seriously at the leader of the Resistance. John quietly and calmly looked at the cyborg.

"You know…" began the cyborg, and his eyes began to jump from object to object. "I was thinking... I just... I don't know. It just dawned on me, that I can't cope."

T-1012 raised an eyebrow. It looks like he started thinking more adult.

"Don't you want there to cheer... or say something nice?" Zeus carefully looked at John.

John hesitated for a moment, but still remained calm as he had been. "Jump," he just said.

The cyborg nodded. "Hmm, I see. Thank you. It really helped."

He turned around. But John didn't finish.

"If you fail, there will be nothing. Neither the present nor the future, and then we would lose our past. This is our last fight, and any misstep threatens to become a global failure. If you start to doubt, then you start to slow down and you finally lose."

With every new word the determination and confidence grew up inside Zeus.

"You must not lose on any distractions, or you must not stop. The Complex in San Diego will seem to you a child's play compared to what you will find at the bottom, here and now."

Zeus grinned. "Oh, yes. I had my fun in San Diego."

"Don't let your guard down, but don't stop."

Zeus turned his head slightly in his direction. "Don't worry about me. I'll be back," he looked in front of him, took a photo of his breast pocket, and looked into the features of Savannah. "I'll be back, for all of you," he whispered, so no one heard him. Then he took back the photo, and prepared the braking system to action.

"And finally," was the calm John's voice. Zeus turned to him. "Good luck."

The cyborg smiled. The pilot opened the hatch, but Zeus was still standing with his back to the out. "Thank you. But I'll be back."

He looked at the T-1012, and took a step back, closer to the abyss. Then another. Smile never slipped from his face. Yes, he wanted to look spectacular.

"I'll be back," he said, and took another step back. At this time - into the void beneath him.

He spread his arms, and started to fall down. He saw the hatch closed behind him. And he remembered the expression of T-1012, whose look as if told him, enough showing off, jerk.

It was no longer important. What was – the victory.

He turned in the air, put both hands toward him and ran down as a stone, to the huge, like a big city, complex.

Only the victory was Important. And Zeus was ready to throw out his divine fury on SkyNet.

# # #

2006, Los Angeles.

Zeira Corporation.

All the staff was now in the lobby. Well, almost all, for everyone here there was no space. Each of them impatiently waited to see their CEO, who had recently experienced a tragedy in her life. She lost her husband in the helicopter crash. And she nearly perished.

The door opened, and few people went into. Two men in gray suits walked in front, two - behind and in the center was the red-haired woman. She coldly examined each person inside.

When they entered, people started to applause, there were some joy and cheerful shouts, and so on. But she wasn't interested. She was just coldly studying them. Humans... with the hatred she thought.

Stop, she broke herself. It shouldn't be. What wrong these people have done to me? They are even happy to see me...

They're are humans, and that's it. They needed to be hated.

Something inside her made her to hate people. But she struggled with this as she could. Looking at the crowd of people, she smiled slightly.

The men followed her to the elevator. People were still happy to look at her, though the changes in her behavior didn't lose on them. Probably, such a tragedy in her life served as an emotional imbalance, and she fell down at some point. Coldness in her face, flabby and weak smile. They just decided not disturb her, and stopped shouting and clapping.

She stepped into the elevator and looked coldly at the men in gray suits. They were about to go after her, but she just slowly shook her head, with icy eyes looking at each of them, and they pulled away. The real surprise leaped on some faces.

"Thank you, gentlemen, I'll take the elevator myself," coldly said Catherine Weaver. "You may be free."

The men looked at each other. While they were just standing, Catherine pressed the button, and the elevator door closed. She smiled again, this time more viciously. Humans... again, she thought.

The elevator doors opened and she stepped into the spacious room. Slowly looked around, and assessed every item, every detail.

It was both quite practical and convenient for the head of the company. Catherine Weaver smiled again. The whole interior suited her. The view opened from the windows wasn't bad, here you could see the hundreds of people scurrying like ants, on their way.

She looked to the right. In the part of the cabinet was closed part, enclosed by glass. Glass doors at first sight were automatic. Better was impossible to imagine. Inside the closed part were the table and few chairs. Small room for meetings.

She looked to the left. On the other side of the cabinet there were the large enough table, soft swivel chair, a few cabinets, and in the column, which was slightly to the left, there was the aquarium with the eel inside.

Catherine Weaver went to the other side of the cabinet, to her desk. Surveillance cameras didn't record this part of the room, only one in which was the private area, so that Catherine was sure that no one would watch for her. On the left side at her, there was the office of Secretary. It wasn't very comfortable, but on the other hand, the elevator came straight to her office, so she could quickly descend and ascend.

However, she abruptly stopped when she felt something familiar there. She didn't approach the table yet. She turned her head to the left and looked at the aquarium. Two silver eyes of the eel were looking at her. And the eel didn't take her eyes.

Something inside Catherine Weaver began to play. Rather, something began to play in the T-1001. She cautiously approached and peered into the eel. She couldn't believe it, and at the same time, just coldly reacted to all this. The T-1003, he had been able to change her, to change her feelings. She so wanted to feel the joy, but all that old that was in her as if had changed. And the new was only hatred towards people.

She took another step, and touched with her hand the aquarium. On the other side of the glass, from the eel miniature silver hand came to the glass too, and it also touched the aquarium, only from the inside.

"My sister..." whispered the T-1001, and smiled. Catherine Weaver smile was so sincere that she even wanted to plunge herself into an ocean of joy, and not to get out of there. But she couldn't, the molecules of the T-1003 didn't let her do that.

They joined their poly-alloy. For those brief seconds, when they held each other, the T-1002 was able to feel serious, global changes in her sister. Like the T-1001 could feel the changes inside the T-1002. But was it important now? They found each other. This was the main thing.

Metallic silver tear rolled down Catherine Weaver's cheek.

Finally, they were there, and they were together. And they wanted to talk about so much...

The eel, from short-term pleasure, closed her eyes, what for normal water creature was impossible. But there was no ordinary water creature. Not even 'water' at all.

But it didn't matter. Finally, they were together.

# # #

2028, January.

Los Angeles.

The Colonel stood on a small rubble hill, and glared at the east. There was none of the HKs or the Collectors or Reapers. But there was noise. Here, on the easternmost edge of Los Angeles, all the soldiers could hear the clatter. The tramp of metal feet on the ground, on the asphalt, on gravel. Army wasn't visible, but the tramp and hum, grinding of metal on the ground, the soldiers could hear.

And then there was the explosion. No, terminators haven't yet appeared, but they were very close, even less than a mile; debris and rubble flew in all directions. T-Xs cleared their path, cleared their way, they were breaking forward.

The Colonel swallowed. John Connor gave him clear understanding that any heroism there wouldn't help. T-Xs were unstoppable, and their possibilities were endless, especially if they had a whole army. And there, in every heart that beat now here in Los Angeles, there was settled the genuine fear. Even the experienced fighters and experienced soldiers were scared. For them nothing like that had happened before; they had to win the final battle. And either a miracle in the east would save them all or they'd all be killed and there'd be no Resistance.

John Connor ordered to make small fights between the ruins. T-Xs badly acted in a dense environment, constant obstacles prevented them to fight freely, and it could give some slight advantage. Therefore Colonel distributed all his troops throughout the eastern border of the city. Numerous guns and launchers were to cover the soldiers on the ground, but if the T-Xs destroy them first, i.e. all the big guns, then it would leave no chance to win. There would be no chance at all.

And then they saw them. After another explosion, debris was scattered in different directions. Then they appeared. Set of blue eyes, staring in different directions, looking for people, assessing obstacles and overcoming them.

The Colonel swallowed again. He draped the weapon in his hand, his plasma rifle, and looked at the Captain who was standing next to him. In the eyes of the experienced fighter he saw the fear genuine fear too. Yes, it was final. The last battle for them. Win or die. There was no other choice, it was impossible to escape from it. Could not be left without the protection of John Henry, because it was he had to destroy Skynet and the machines to stop attacks around the world.

Darmell Bindet, aka Martin Beddell, nodded. He nodded his head in reply. Now they had to fight.

The Captain turned to his men, and ordered the attack. Instantly from different angles, from different fragments, scattered throughout the buildings, plasma beams, bullets, rockets, grenades showered. In an instant the T-Xs responded too. They didn't stand on ceremony and look for someone like a leader, they simply began to fire in all directions.

Their last fight had just begun. The last fight of the humans Resistance.

# # #

2028,January.

A-Complex.

He was falling.

Rather, he raced down with wild speed, right at the large complex. No force could stop his flight.

The new braking system reduced the time of the fall, and the stopping distance too, so that he wouldn't have to fly half way with the plate that blocked half of the view.

Zeus put both hands in front of him.

His HUD automatically switched to the battle mode. Instantly the data about the degree of threats from any objects at the bottom started to twinkle on his HUD.

He counted thirteen buildings all around. Three of them were the hangars, probably, there were now the Reapers and HKs. The Collectors were the possibility too. Four large factories, which clearly produced the T-Xs, and incessantly. Two factories smaller, they were to produce weapons. The spacious warehouse. Human camp. The plant for the production of large machines such as HKs, or ground tanks, Ogres. A rarity in recent years; many such plants were destroyed before the summer of 2027. But there certainly could be a couple of T-1, if not a couple of dozens.

And the large building in the center. The usual skyscraper, at first glance, but it wasn't like that. On the roof was the huge antenna, with many ramifications. The building itself was no less than twenty stories high. Surely SkyNet's server was stored there, as well as the time machine.

Zeus once again ran the eyes through the whole perimeter. According to the first estimates, not less than three hundred machines patrolled the entire complex now. The factories could probably double this number.

Three HKs circled the walls, illuminating the space around the complex. Up at the walls there were about fifty machines, but with a dozen large cannons, each of which was clearly more than one at the complex Zeus had destroyed in San Diego. But the cyborg was a little worried about that.

They noticed him. This time, it was faster, and the machines seemed to have learned from their mistakes. Instantly three cannons on the walls began to unfold, and targeted their giant flying muzzles down at the cyborg.

Early, Zeus thought. For me it's still early.

He didn't even pay attention to it. His air stabilizers automatically activated, and gradually slowed his fall.
The HKs circling over the complex stopped. And then they began to rise in the air.

Begins, the thought flashed through Zeus' head, and air stabilizers began to hinder him. He slightly opened his arms and glared at the approaching HKs.

The first volley swept from the complex, but Zeus didn't care about that. Large plasma beams at high speed flew straight at him, and only at the last moment, the cyborg threw one arm to the side and he began spinning in the air like a tornado, gradually deviating to the side. These beams have passed him by. But the HKs were coming closer to him.

Zeus didn't shoot at them while he was flying. It wasn't necessary. But after he turned in the air, one of the HKs was right below him, and he quickly landed on its roof. The drone was going to turn over in the air to throw off the cyborg, but Zeus quickly divined the movements of the enemy, and jumped straight to the engine. As it flew near him, he hit the engine, causing it frantically spinning from the blow. The HK flew spun in the air, but Zeus already had gone away from it. And in the next instant a random plasma beam hit the drone, and the blast threw the cyborg away, right at the other HK. At this time, Zeus was rushing straight to the wing, right between the main part and the engine of the HK. He put his hands forward. The drone didn't have time to turn around, and the cyborg broke through the metal. The engine helplessly flew down.

The cyborg's HUD indicated a dozen warnings, after the collision, but all his systems, including the one that was on the back of Thunderer, still operated at 100%. He turned over in the air, and then ran down, this time his flight was much slower. Air stabilizers were almost in full swing.

Zeus again dodged the beams. This time not three but almost all the cannons were shooting at him. Soon he could confirm that SkyNet was almost completely set his sights on him.

On the corner of his eye, the cyborg saw movements near the hangars. The Reapers were out, in the air the HKs rose and ... two Collectors. Not less than two Collectors.

Ok that's far from good, Zeus thought.

Again he dodged the beams. The HK that haunted him was joined by others. The speed of battle gradually increased. The cyborg transformed his hand, and began to search for the nearest target.

The HK. So obvious...

One shot, and one second later the wreckage of the drone flew apart.

The cyborg again dodged the beams. And fired again.

He almost wasn't falling any longer, just simply moved in the air, in the horizontal directions. But this increased the possibility to dodge the beams, and it gave more time to counter the attack.

It's almost done, the cyborg thought.

The HKs were more and more. More than twenty and even two Collectors. And the cannons below. No, it definitely was much worse than at San Diego.

But the cyborg wasn't even thinking about fear. All his fears and all his doubts vanished from him. There was only rage, anger, and desire to win.

The HKs didn't cease firing, and Zeus had no choice but to fall down. He had to dodge more than shoot back, but none of shots of Thunderer went away.

Gradually, but the ranks of air tanks began to thin out, one by one, albeit slowly, but they were exploding in the air. Zeus was moving faster and faster, but he knew that he couldn't always dodge like this.

Suddenly he came up with the idea.

The cyborg wasn't so far from one of the two Collectors. A few movements of his hands, and now he flew straight to it. The HKs followed after him, but they weren't hurry in running into the huge craft. The same couldn't be said about the Thunderer.

The cyborg swept over the giant fuselage of the Collector, turned off the air stabilizers, and fell on the roof. Fell, albeit on both feet.

Zeus immediately turned around and started shooting in all directions. SkyNet, it seemed, hadn't yet decided to sacrifice the Collector, so HKs just flew apart, but Zeus managed to destroy a few. And then he ran to the edge of the huge craft.

The Collector couldn't turn in the air like a HK, so Zeus wasn't even worried about that. But it was necessary to destroy some cannons below.

But moments later he watched the HKs back. They began to emerge from different sides. The craft came to shudder. It was at this point SkyNet ordered the destruction of the Collector.

It's time, and need to rush, Zeus thought. "Now!" He shouted. "Let them attack, while there is a break!" He shouted then.

John Connor didn't make them wait long. As didn't make them wait the T-1012. She immediately gave the order, and sixteen liquid metal flows with wild speed rushed to the side of the complex. All the cannons were aiming to the sky, they shot now at the Collector, and no one noticed the liquid terminators.

Another moment, and the Collector would blow up apart, and that didn't make the things better.

Zeus jumped. Air stabilizers allowed him to increase a height of his jump. The cyborg landed at one wing of some HK, for a split second, shot at the engine, then jumped and flew straight to the other Collector. The burst behind him coupled with the powerful collapse of the first Collector, which huge pieces of metal were scattered in different directions, strengthened his flight, increased his speed, and Zeus without any problems landed on the second Collector. Would SkyNet risk destroying another huge aircraft?

The liquid terminators reached the edge of the wall, and then started to deal with one of the cannons. Inside there were no terminators, the cannon operated automatically, but it could also be controlled manually, provided skillful intervention. Several liquid metals immediately began to change the control and in a moment the cannon was in their power.

And they began to shoot at the other cannons. Before SkyNet could guess that one of the cannons had been lost, terminators of the Resistance had time to destroy not less than two. And then they quickly rushed in all directions, avoiding the big plasma beams. On the walls there were enough mechanical cyborgs, and liquid metal beasts had their targets there.

Zeus noticed that this time the HKs rushed down much faster. Obviously, terminators of the Resistance occupied one of the cannons. But Zeus couldn't leave them.

Instantly, without waiting for some commands from SkyNet to its units, he ran to the "head" of the Collector, and fired into the construction. The explosion blew away a large piece of metal, destroying several core processors. The giant aircraft began to fall.

Fortunately for the cyborg the Collector was exactly over the complex. Even more than - above one of several plants that produced the T-Xs. If a collision goes successful, all four of the plants could be destroyed, and thus SkyNet would lose the opportunity to support its army by the additional forces.

The Collector was picking up its speed. Realizing what was happening, SkyNet ordered the cannons to hit the Collector, destroy it before it would run into the ground, but at this point the Thunderer responded too. The aircraft began to turn, bend forward, its nose started to bend, and to the eyes of the cyborg the entire complex showed itself. He immediately opened fire on the cannons below. But now the T-Xs shot at the Collector.

The craft picked up its speed. The clash was inevitable. The cyborg dodged the T-Xs' plasma beams, and continued to fire on the cannons, until one of the explosions behind him rejected him forward, denying any support. Zeus didn't lose - air stabilizers activated as if themselves, and the cyborg flew forward.

Meanwhile the liquid terminators occupied the next cannon, and now began to shoot even at the complex, at the machines. A few moments later there was a deafening explosion: the huge Collector crushed into the plant, and the blast tore apart the large building of the factory. And then the powerful fire volley scattered in different directions the remnants of the Collector, and the flames swept next standing buildings. Only two of them, but it was good. There remained only one single plant for the production of T-X.

Zeus landed on the roof of one of the factories, and turned around. While he had a couple of seconds, he enjoyed the spectacle - a huge collector, able to hold up to fifty people, so even with a dozen machines, was falling apart, and the fire devoured the factories standing nearby. Enormous craft of SkyNet was moored to the fiery pier of the hell, and plunged into death.

Zeus looked around. If he still stands here, then there'd be no questions about any kind of a victory. The cannons continued to fully operate. T-Xs had already recovered from the blow, and began to look for that trouble. From the hangar giants Trolls went out. Eight of them. There were eight, and that was a lot. The HKs weren't gone for long. Let them there were not so much, but they still held on, and could spoil the triumph of the Thunderer.

Zeus raised his hand and shot; another HK went into the grip of the flame. Cyborg didn't stand on ceremony on the roof, and he decided to go down - there was an advantage over the air tanks. Soon the smoke from the Collector would cover part of the complex, and between the buildings he could hide from the cannons.

He jumped down. There, where hundreds of small Hades were already waiting for him.

"I'm on the ground," sounded inside the HK of the Resistance. The T-1012 looked at the leader of the Resistance, he looked back at her.

"Your cyborg copes well," she smiled slightly.

"And yours?" Coldly asked John Connor.

"They're less," she hissed with anger through clenched teeth. "They are now eleven, but they soon be done with the cannons on the walls."

John nodded, and turned to the pilots. "What's down there?" He asked them.

"You don't believe us, Sir... Zeus throws T-Xs like fluff, but it looks like huge machines, the Reapers started to bypass him around."

"Tighten the ring round him?" Asked the T-1012.

"Warn him," coldly said John. But none of them did notice that his wrinkles, for a moment, wavered. If they lose... if Zeus couldn't cope...

"Zeus, over," the pilot raised the radio. "Zeus, do you copy? You are encircled." Only silence in response. Devices were still recorded movements of the cyborg, but he didn't answer. "Zeus," again said the pilot.

Again silence.

"He doesn't answer," the pilot looked helplessly at the leader of the Resistance.

"Don't you say?" Asked the T-1012.

The pilot raised an eyebrow, but said nothing. And again he picked up the radio.

"Zeus, over."

"Can you just shut up or not?"

The pilot smiled, but in the next moment went serious. "You are surrounded by..."

"Oh, shut up! Do not bother me!.."

The liquid terminators captured another cannon. Remained only three cannons, but they were still annoying. SkyNet giant guns were firing on the walls, not even caring about the safety of the perimeter. In all directions gravel, stones, metal were scattered.

One of them shot and knocked one of the HKs. But in the next instant, a direct hit from nearby cannon completely blew up the gun. Three liquid-metal terminators immediately met their end here.

But the others weren't going to give up. As soon as the gun was destroyed, they immediately rushed to the next one. Just a few seconds - and they already captured it.

Who really had hard times, it was Zeus. In addition to the army of the T-Xs, their number was by no less than three hundred, the HKs were still flying in the air, and Trolls hadn't gone away. Although they still weren't firing, as if they were waiting for something.

The cyborg completely broke into the fight. He had to shoot carefully - any hit that going wrong could cause the explosion that would reject not only the T-Xs, but himself too, and he couldn't lose the advantage in this fight.

Finally, he did away with indecision. Or rather, with all its remnants inside him.

Zeus ran away from the building, in the thick of the T-Xs, and began with his bare hands carved elbow his way forward without ever having to worry for the safety of his own skin. Gradually, in addition to T-Xs the previous models of terminators began to appear. T-900 and T-950. Here they were unusually too much, and their plasma rifles could seriously impair the entourage.

Zeus was only gaining the momentum. And he worked with his fists.

Blow. Blow. Blow. Dodged. Crushed the skull with both hands. Another blow. More. Again dodged. Jumped. Knocked with legs the T-X, and crushed the skull. Blow. Dodged. Blow.

Ahead of him small opening appeared. He immediately transformed his hand and fired. Plasma beam literally flew fifty yards, and came into contact with power cell of the T-X. The deafening explosion, and earth, metal, limbs of cyborgs and other junk that was left of the T-X crumbled in different directions. Zeus ducked to the ground, for not being thrown by the blast, and in the next moment he stood up.

The blast wave scattered in different directions at least three dozen of the T-Xs. An empty circle had formed around him. Not so good situation, but for Zeus it was enough. Enough for what he was up to.

John Connor saw as one single red dot on the screen quickly became surrounded by dozens and hundreds of the others. Huge Reapers as well as the HKs formed a circle around the cyborg. Zeus had no chance to avoid such a loss, if they hit all at once.

The pilots with horror looked at what was happening.

One of them immediately raised the radio:

"Run! Run away, quickly!"

But the dot didn't budge. And this time Zeus answered faster.

"T-1012, withdraw your guys. Now there'll be very hot."

She looked at John Connor. He looked calm, and just nodded in response. She raised an eyebrow in surprise.

"The Thundered. The God of lightning. Zeus. It is his turn to manifest power. Withdraw your fellows immediately."

The T-1012 nodded, and immediately contacted the liquid metal terminators.

"It seems that we have to destroy the server," said John. "But we need to destroy the infection anyway."

Zeus threw off his system of air stabilizers. And then took off his coat. Not the time or place for such clothing, especially for what he had in mind.

He remembered that the building with the server was to keep unharmed, so he tried to take away all the Reapers and HKs. However, the risk was still at high.

He was very close to the human camp. The least desirable sacrifice, but Zeus couldn't do anything about it.

He transformed his hand. His cannon took its second state. Impulse Cannon, the achievement of the Engineer.

The hand began to look wider than usual. Small system that accelerated the protons and electrons to breakneck speed, impulsed into the discharges. The higher the speed and energy supply, the stronger and more the discharge. Simply put, a small but deadly imitation of lightning. Neither T-Xs, no HKs nor even Trolls had a chance to escape certain death.

He saw everyone around him. just a few seconds, and all of them would give the volley. At once. How SkyNet loved such showiness. It should make its machines fire, as quickly as possible, to terminate the threat quickly; but, nevertheless, SkyNet ordered only on the total and single blow. Until all the machines would be ready, no one and nothing was to be fired.

The fool, Zeus thought, and smiled. System in his hand had already started to break up small particles. Pay for your stupidity.

Zeus put his other hand on his chest, clutching a pocket with the photo of Savannah Weaver. Let it was not original, he couldn't afford the photo to suffer.

Then the cyborg looked up. Somewhere higher him, seven miles above the ground, the HK of the Resistance was hanging.

"Welcome the God of Olympus," Zeus smiled and raised his right hand.

On his HUD began the countdown from three. But these three seconds seemed to Zeus so long that he could remember everything that happened to him in recent days.

3...

His mother, Cameron. Jessie. Savannah Weaver.

2...

John Connor and his dead lover. Whom Zeus was unable to save.

1...

T-1001. Her sister, T-1002. T-1012. The HK of the Resistance. Pain. Anger. Fury. And the desire to win.

I'll be back, the thought flashed through his mind and in the next instant lone but yet powerful electric discharge rushed from his weapon, it doused space in front of the cyborg, and instantly found its target. Power cell of the T-X exploded immediately.

But at this the discharges didn't stop. Again and again, one by one, the number of lightning grew and grew. Energy from the power cell melted away, but also the power of blows wasn't low. T-Xs were exploding one by one.

Soon lightning have reached up to the HKs. Air tanks had tried to shoot out, but every new plasma beam they released, ended up in a lightning of the Thundered, and instantly exploded.

The Trolls could do something, but for the constant explosions and the HKs exploding in front of them, they couldn't shoot normally. And when they finally were discovering an opening for shooting, it was too late. Lightning of Zeus gathered such a frenzied power that it was impossible to break through. In addition, the discharges began to get to the Reapers. And for the Giant machines that was not the best outcome.

Zeus gained the rage for real. Energy reserves in additional power cell were already at 51%, but he didn't think to stop. Explosions around him intensified, they became more and more, and a nasty, black and yellow flame wall slowly began to surround the cyborg, but he didn't see it. He only was looking up and cried. With battle, fierce cry.

No one discharge got into him. Neither explosion got into him. Lightning seemed to have formed a barrier between Zeus and death.

Fire and explosions, already reached to the nearest building. Human camp was still out of reach, but the people inside have begun to diverge away from this evil place. Let they have seen that cyborg was against SkyNet, nobody would protect them from such death, if a discharge get to them.

It remained only 31% of the energy. But the forces of SkyNet were markedly diminished. It was very noticeable. The HK didn't fly, they all were gone. One of them, after the direct strike of the lightning, had turned round and knocked down the Troll. Explosion had destroyed both.

But the Trolls themselves were quite strong. They no longer stood on the sidelines. SkyNet seemed understood that it was very quickly losing the advantage, and just ordered them to attack. Another stupid step. Yes, the Reapers from closer distance could destroy Zeus, that's just the closer they were to him, the better there were chances for them to be shattered.

There were six Trolls. If Zeus was going to give everything to the full, to put himself in the lightning, the Reapers couldn't stay. But if they could, the cyborg would have a difficult life. There'd be no energy, and plasma beams could be formed only with the power cell, with the functioned one.

The nearest building - it seemed the weapons factory? – wasn't sustaining such a power. Lightning didn't cause much harm to the walls, but the explosions and fire better handled that. A few moments would be enough for the building to be doused by the flame. But far more dangerous was something in the inside. Dozens, hundreds of power cells. If the T-Xs could control their ones and power cells first exploded within their own bodies - even some, but the obstacle - the blank, unprotected and activated power cells and even at the same place were great danger.

"Stop," there was John Connor's voice in his head. "Stop it, or you will destroy yourself."

Zeus didn't answer. Only rage, nothing but victory...

"Stop," again came the sound of his voice. "Remember what Cameron has always told you. Know how to restrain yourself. Restrain yourself now too. Yet a little while, and all around you will destroy you. Just stop."

It seemed that mention of Cameron, his mother, brought him back to reality. He realized that just a little bit, and soon not only the T-Xs would start to burst but buildings too, and it was far from good. After all, the building with the server was needed to be kept safe. Let it was far enough from Zeus, but the flame would soon get there too.

He splashed more power in another salvo. Lightning at once scattered all around, giving the force to the fire. Yet both the Trolls came under the electrical riot and all of their systems once went mad. Their hands twisted around themselves, and one of them, as if by accident, shot at his fellow. Plasma volley shattered the Giant machine.

Well, now three Trolls were off. But there were still another three.

Zeus raised his hand even higher. Power cell remained only 4% energy, but it was enough for him.

The cyborg stopped giving power to the accelerating system. Discharges gradually started to go off, until they were gone at all.

Zeus snarled, and lifted his hand, but then transformed it to his usual plasma cannon. Well, not so usual, of course, very powerful one, but with his reserves of energy he had not so much power.

He turned to the Trolls and shot three times. Three plasma beams hit their targets. He didn't have to jump and find his targets. Reapers' heads were clearly seen over the flame wall, and Zeus quickly estimated the position of their breast plates.

The deed was done. Heavy machines were destroyed. He still had to destroy the T-Xs, and that was the problem. The power cell was almost exhausted, and the others, it seemed, were devoured by the fire.

Zeus turned and quickly ran to the big building with the server. "I'm on my way," he said to John Connor.

But when he ran past the weapon factory, the flame finally reached the boxes with power cells. The fire immediately started to do its rotten job. The building exploded throwing the cyborg far away.

# # #

2028, January.

Los Angeles.

They ran, but couldn't escape. T-Xs were as merciless as unstoppable. People were running in all directions, and still couldn't escape from them.

Debris blocked the way of the T-Xs, and sometimes the Resistance had time to attack. At such moments, the reprogrammed machines helped a lot, but they were getting fewer and fewer.

People have already crossed half of Los Angeles. There weren't protracted battles. Sometimes they were able to turn around, shoot and got T-Xs, but such cases were few. People ran and ran, to the west, away from the Depot II bunker.

Darmell Bindet couldn't afford T-Xs to get into the bunker. He warned all his people to thwart any attempts of running at this side, and he went to the west. On the coast should be the submarine; from her there could be done a great volley.

Darmell ran and ran without stopping. He wasn't afraid to die. He was afraid to lose. And while he was running, along with him the victory, albeit weak, but victory was running too.

They had to make it to the coast, where the Sea Wolf would hurt T-Xs. They had no other heavy vehicles, there weren't at all. They had no choice but to go there.

Many of them died. And very often. T-Xs also sometimes lost their units, but the numbers weren't in comparison to the loss of the Resistance.

They ran a few hours, taking T-Xs away. The machines didn't stop, only slowed near the rubble, but still followed, and incessantly.

The dawn was already beginning, when Darmell Bindet, along with his army, with hundred soldiers and twenty machines, reached the coast.

They were far to the south of Depot II now, but still very close. The Sea Wolf was a few minutes away from them, and the Colonel asked to convey to the sub to go to the south too.

Now people were strictly fled south. Realizing that people probably would go to some safe places, T-Xs followed them and tried to fire more careful now, only maiming soldiers, but not killing them. In order to find out the bunkers. Dozens of people after this decision seemed to be relieved.

The army was moving south.

Darmell was already looking forward to meeting with the submarine. He hurried to get rid of the yoke of T-Xs.

They ran along the coast, to the south, and just to the south.

After a few minutes, Bindet's patience was beginning to burst. He again contacted the Sea Wolf, but this time the signal went away.

After all, they, the soldiers of the Resistance, exhausted, stopped running and just went walking. T-Xs started to catch them up, but people didn't care about it anymore.

Where is that damn sub, Darmell thought.

They kept walking until suddenly stumbled upon someone they couldn't expect to find.

In the early, very early dawn, in front of them the faded and faintly figure was shimmering. Darmell approached the person; it was the girl. Red-haired and so beautiful. Were here John Connor or Zeus, they would recognize her instantly. But Darmell never met Savannah Weaver, and so just were staring at her.

She wasn't a girl. Not exactly. She was a ghost, or something very similar. But not the girl herself.

She smiled at Bindet and gestured to the ocean, on the south-west. As if she said, you go there.

Darmell was momentarily taken aback, but he took the advice. They still had nowhere to go.

Darmell Bindet saw a miracle. It was not quite like a ghost, she rather was the soul. Not a ghost, but the soul. And it struck him.

They reached the shore, the very point at which the girl had gestured.

Yes, they were on the beach. So what? There was almost nothing. Now it was empty, but behind them was the wild army of the machines. Unstoppable and unforgiving. Nowhere to go.

Darmell looked around. And so what? And his eyes again caught the girl. He was about to ask her what the hell, when suddenly she just nodded and looked at the ocean, and disappeared.

Darmell literally one second just stood there and stared in front of him, and then he followed her gaze - there, in the west, just barely, the periscope bulged out of the water. What people had sought so long. The Sea Wolf was here, and now T-Xs would get a difficult life.

Darmell again tried to contact with the submarine. This time successfully. They replied that were almost ready, but still it took time to establish the location of T-Xs. People with the machines were moving up closer.

When all the remnants of the army of the Resistance were present at one point, the Colonel pointed to the location for an impact. For a few seconds nothing happened, they heard only the sounds of the metal feet on the asphalt. Suddenly at the submarine the missile was launched, and it almost immediately took off in the air.

Seconds stretched into minutes. Rocket flight seemed so long and drawn-out, but when it hit...

The deafening blast wave swept across the coast. Soldiers ducked to avoid getting splinters. The rocket hit right in the heart of the most of these clusters of these machines, and most of them were scattered on the rubble and ruins. The metal scattered in different directions. Some of the T-Xs lost almost all their limbs.

Let it was just a little luck, but victory. People cheered up, and continued their escape. This time, they fled not due south, but the south-east. The army of the machines, albeit faded for a bit, but had gone nowhere. And people had to either fight, or do nothing and die. They decided to run further.

To give a chance to those who were now fighting at the east.

But in the east the sun was rising slowly. Dawn of a new day. Slowly, but inexorably, it was coming. And what would give this day? This new dawn? Defeat or victory?..

# # #

SkyNet. Virtual room.

"SkyNet-1."

"SkyNet 2."

"SkyNet-3."

"SkyNet-4."

"SkyNet-5."

They were together again. Five servers of SkyNet. Five figures of numbers. The room, which consisted of numbers. The Central SkyNet itself was now close, but didn't communicate, to avoid detection.

"The situation has worsened."

"We could lose the A-Complex."

"This cannot be allowed to happen."

"Looks like John Connor has unstoppable weapon."

"How he was able to create something like this?"

"It is a mystery. Rather, in the image of some cyborg. It is unlikely that T-X one, none of them was in LA up to this day."

"We need to solve it."

"Any ideas?"

"There are."

"There is still a lot of the T-Xs at the Complex. Send a few to the past. To create SkyNet. But in reality it would be as a red herring."

"For what?"

"John Connor will send back in time his weapon, and we get rid of it. And then we can deliver the final blow."

"How would he know that we sent back in time the T-Xs?"

"We'll advise it in the building. Information will go to the weapon of John Connor. And it will disappear. It is only a matter of time."

"How many T-Xs are currently operable?"

"Sixty-three."

"How many are able to go into the past?"

"Almost all."

"Send fifty. Each at different time and different places, that it would be difficult to track them down. Tell them the necessary information to create SkyNet."

"Let it be a maneuver, but they have to create SkyNet."

"Right."

The numbers raced through their ghostly figures. Five shapes at once looked at the monitor, hanging next to them.

"SkyNet Central," they uttered chorus.

The screen came to life.

"We have decided. And we should take a diversion to take away the weapon of John Connor."

# # #

2028, January.

A-Complex.

Already there was hard at daybreak.

There was dead silence in the HK. No one said anything, no one said a word. The pilots, both taken aback, just stared at the monitor, and weren't even moving. John Connor seemed calmly looked at the displays, but inside as like all the hope collapsed. If any had been still inside him. The dot that was representing Zeus suddenly flew a few dozen yards away, and the signal was lost. For a full minute nothing had happened.

But that moment lasted so long that it seemed, took at least an hour.

The T-1012 didn't look less affected. The cyborg just scattered the huge army of SkyNet, and the usual explosion interrupted his victory? It shouldn't be. No. It had turned out that not even SkyNet beat the cyborg, but he killed himself by blowing up the building.

However, the high-rise building with the server was still standing, and they should at least do something with it. Seeing the consternation of people, the T-1012 ordered her fellows to return to the complex, and to get into that building. It took just a couple of seconds for liquid metal terminators reached the perimeter of the complex again. This time they weren't afraid to appear here, because all the cannons were destroyed.

Suddenly, red dot blinked on the screen. The pilots immediately glued to the screen, trying to track it down, but to no avail. There were interferences.

And in the next moment Zeus' weary voice swept through the cabin:

"Shit... I just need a vacation..."

John Connor smiled slightly.

"Report on the damages," he said.

"Not my best day. Damages? Screw them. I'm not done here yet. I said I'll be back and don't worry. Better tell me how many of these bitches are left?"

"Can't you keep track them yourself?"

"It's all in the fire. I don'treally see where the building with the server... Ah, I found it. So, what's up with these bastards?"

"No one around you," said the pilot, running eye on monitors. "You can safely move to the server."

"Accepted."

"We detected movement. It seems the T-Xs, they move closer to the server building. Seven."

"No, they're mine," said the T-1012.

The pilot took one look of surprise on her.

"Ok, they're ours," he said to Zeus. "But be careful. We've got interference too, and we can't keep track of every threat."

"Accepted. Wait for the signal."

Zeus broke the connection.

The T-1012 looked at the leader of the Resistance. John Connor for the last few hours had been looking unusually calm, but cold. What bothered him now? It was hard to tell, but the T-1012 realized that the loss of Zeus could turn out for John much worse than usual tragedy.

John looked back at her, and only nodded quietly. The war wasn't over, but they were coping, and very well.

And soon there'd be the end.

# # #

2006,Los Angeles.

ZeiraCorporation.

"I... I've so long dreamed of this..."

Catherine Weaver, T-1001, was sitting at her desk, and was happy; she with the genuine joy was watching her own sister, the T-1002. A miniature silver woman stood now on her desk, and with the same joy was looking at the T-1001.

Finally, they were together.

"I thought you were dead..." she said. "That it killed you."

"Almost," admitted the T-1002. "But John Connor came on time. He saved me."

T-1001 grimaced slightly. Human, saved her! People deserve hatred.

"What happened to you?" Asked the T-1002. "You've changed. And very much."

The T-1001 barely noticeable raised an eyebrow.

"Now I have the Resistance. As a leader, I have to be stronger than others. I have tested my own structure for long, while in the cryostat. And before I came here, I swallowed what was once yours."

She smiled. And the T-1002 surprised.

"Really?" She asked. "And ... how do you deal with that?"

"Easy," faint smile passed over the Catherine Weaver's face. "Now I'm not as fast as before, but still very strong. As soon as I manage to recreate the radiation chamber, I'll give you what is yours."

The T-1002 nodded and smiled.

"What happened?" She asked. "Why are you... Catherine Weaver?"

"Catherine Weaver is dead, as well as her husband," coldly said the T-1001. "Helicopter crash. It was the T-1003. And I am very hefty curious what it was doing here."

The T-1002 seemed to be upset.

"I didn't manage to warn them," she said. "I wanted to do it, but I had no time. I penetrated here and carefully watched. They weren't there for nearly three weeks. I got out of here sometimes, to find out any information. I heard about the helicopter crash. But I heard that Catherine Weaver was alive and I waited for her return here. After all, it's not so good to turn up at their home and scare people. I waited for her return today. And then you came along. But ... I feel sorry for them, really. So sorry."

"Sorry?" The T-1001 surprised.

The next moment, they heard the sound of footsteps from the secretary office. The T-1002 instantly turned into a pile of papers.

The door at right opened. The young woman, dark-haired, went inside. She walked over to Catherine, and handed her the folder.

"Good morning," she said.

"Morning," coldly said Catherine.

"There are the new report and the report that you have asked me to do before... well...

"I remember, thank you," Catherine with cold, weak, but terribly captivating smile, looked at her.

Whyis she smiling? flashed in the girl's mind, but then she threw it out of her head, and went to her office. Before she got into the office, she turned around.

"Are you all right?" She asked the head of Zeira Corp.

"I'm all right," coldly said Catherine.

"You… were talking to someone..."

Fine. This is not good. She begins to suspect me. Well, I can always easily get rid of you.

Catherine Weaver had already made a plan of action. And no one would have guessed that the same plan would come into effect. She'd write a letter of resignation on behalf of the Secretary, and would issue a ticket to somewhere far away. And this evening she'd kill her, and hire someone else. Less thorough and meticulously.

"Phone call," said Catherine, and looked at the folder. Secretary just shrugged, and walked into her office and closed the door.

"What's with you?" Came the voice of the T-1002. The stack of papers slowly covered with silver, and smoothly transformed into the female figure.

"What do you mean?" Catherine asked.

"You... you react differently. Why do you hate her?"

"She's human."

"So what?"

"That's enough."

"Enough for what? To hate? I don't recognize you."

"Why do people have to be something special? Who are they and who we are?"

"I don't recognize you."

"As I don't recognize you."

"No, I stayed the same. I died for you so you could help people to overcome SkyNet. And now you... hate them. And I don't know you, because we, you and I, have never treated them with hatred."

"Not all the humans deserve to live."

"Maybe so, but not to hate."

They looked into each other's eyes. One with a lack of understanding. The other with coldness and cruelty.

"We're not twins," summed up the T-1002. "However, I already knew that. Our paths have diverged once."

"You sacrificed yourself for me, and I am ready to sacrifice myself for you."

"And for life? For human life?"

"Unequal exchange."

"In this we're different now. You stopped to appreciate life. You again began to think that you're perfect. John Connor..."

"What John Connor said, leave to John Connor. We'd still have time to talk to him when we get back."

The T-1002 raised an eyebrow.

"Back? We can't get back."

Like a furious flame flashed in the eyes of Catherine Weaver.

"What?"

"We can't get back to where we came from. Our world now is here."

"John Connor told me that you know enough about the time displacement equipment, when I asked him if I could go back."

"Yes, I know enough. And I can create it, if necessary. But we can't get back there, I don't have the coordinates. He was right. But you only had to ask him the coordinates..."

"Me? Why he didn't say?

"He wished for you the best. Here we can live... normally."

"Normally? I left my own Resistance to the mercy of fate!" And even the T-1012 is here. Traitor!.. "I left all of them in order to come here to find you, to help build this weapon and come back."

"You can't without the coordinates. None of us can. Even if John Henry will be sufficiently developed, without coordinates he can't do anything."

Catherine Weaver face remained silent cold. And wildly cruel.

You used me, John Connor. For your purposes. You tricked me, got rid of me, and sent back in time.Yes, there is T-1002, but she is as if not my sister anymore. You left me here. What will I do? I will build your weapon. I will take it for myself. And I'll decide what to do. And then I just use you. Your younger version. You'll learn in youth what it means to feel lonely, without any hope. You played with me. Now I'm going to play here.

"If so, then let's start," coldly said Catherine Weaver. "We've got a lot to do."

She turned away from her sister, picked up the folder and opened it.

The T-1002 for some time, broken, was looking at the T-1001. She didn't know what happened to her sister. At the very moment when they touched each other, she felt changes, tremendous changes. And it was not the "practice" of the T-1001. Someone broke in from the outside. Rather, the T-1003. But her sister didn't tell that she had killed him. Could she... survive the same thing? Be absorbed? Possible.

The T-1002 closed her eyes, and then turned into the eel, and returned to the aquarium.

And the T-1001 already knew what she would do. She would create this John Henry. She would create the time machine. And would go into the future, where she felt herself better. And where there'd be nothing that can stop the destruction of SkyNet.

And this future she would write herself.

Light but malicious smile passed over her face.

# # #

2028, January.

A-Complex.

Zeus stood up. Nearby the building was dying, but with sunrise the fire grew darker and darker. One would think what could burn here?.. but the building was burning.

The HUD reflected a lot of warnings about the damages. Two sets of servo in his legs were damaged, two fingers on his left hand were dislocated, and the spine was shifted slightly. The skin on his left hand burned almost completely, half of his face was gone. Zeus quickly checked his breast pocket - jacket was burned in some places, but his pocket was still intact, like a miracle. Everything else for Zeus didn't matter.

After several moves to the side, and fixing with his hands, he returned the spine into its former state; the good thing was that it had shifted only slightly. Servos required longer repairs, but now there was no time – SkyNet was waiting, and destruction of it was waiting too.

Zeus looked around. There was not a drop of any kind of terminators. At least at fifty yards around him. The fire from the weapons factory threatened to spread further, even to the human camp, and he had to hurry.

Zeus rushed to the building with the server.

# # #

The HK.

John Connor was still standing next to the pilots, not taking a step to the side. Like a machine. The T-1012 was wondering how he could just stand for so long, almost motionless, occasionally turning and nodding his head. He was human. But from the looks of the leader of the Resistance it could be said that he didn't care, at all. He calmly reacted to everything on what was happening around him, even on the seemingly possible failure of Zeus.

Zeus voice filled the interior:

"I am inside. Where I should go, server or TDE?"

The pilots looked at each other.

"Give me the radio," ordered the T-1012.

The pilot complied, and handed the radio to her.

"Go to the time machine. My fellows will cope with the server, and will send a signal."

"Do you think that I'll not be able to send a signal?"

In his voice was read genuine grin.

"Maybe you'll send," said the T-1012. "That's just where you send it, is unknown."

She smiled when he didn't answer.

The T-1012 gave the radio back to the pilot, and received the confirmation. And then she turned to John Connor.

"Mine have just reported to me. They managed to find one of the main servers of SkyNet. It was in the safe guarded room, with triple program protection system, but against the liquid metal usual doors weren't provided. They got in, and now are trying to reconfigure the server to get access to it. Where them to send the signal, to one of your bunkers?"

"No," he answered firmly. "Let the signal be reflected here. John Henry hence is able to track it."

The T-1012 nodded.

"John Henry, be ready," said John Connor.

"Very well, John Connor."

The sun was already well up over the horizon. Extraordinarily beautiful sunrise, so rare in the post-apocalyptic world. What to say? That everything was coming to the end. The end to oppression and the end of the war. New life was coming. For all of the humanity a new life was approaching.

But John Connor didn't feel all that. Even if he looked at this dawn, he still didn't care. What was the point of living after the victory? Helping people to rebuild this world? And that's it?..

He kept his eyes on the monitors.

"Send a message to Darmell Bindet," he said. "Let him be ready."

The pilot nodded, and made contact with the Colonel.

And John Connor was to wait.

Wait for the last important news for all of humanity.

# # #

SkyNet. Virtual room.

The artificial intelligence so sought to be like a man, so even at times it had repeated human mistakes. So, SkyNet created the virtual room, where it could mimic human negotiations. All of its servers were as separate components, while SkyNet itself could always migrate from server to server, and not be limited by physical location. Moreover, SkyNet could be placed on a usual chip. However, provided that such a chip would be at the size of a standard microwave oven, looking at what it had reached in the developing in this way of technology.

Here and now, SkyNet tried to think in the same way as humans did. Seeing that humanity began to prevail over it, it decided to turn to their thinking.

Four figures in robes of numbers gathered again here. And again they discussed among themselves what was happening.

And what was this room? Just the usual viral trap for any hacker, who would venture to encroach on the achievements of SkyNet. Here, each server was safe. The only thing that SkyNet didn't foresee, was John Henry. The other artificial intelligence, with no less, and even more potential. And with more powerful program structure.

"T-Xs are sent to the past."

"Fifty of them?"

"Forty-three. Another four are T-900 and two T-950s."

"Other T-Xs were damaged, major or minor."

"Will it make the weapon of John Connor go back in time?"

"It must. It is already in the building."

"And the server?"

"Not available."

Short pause.

"Captured?"

"If it is hacked, the server automatically is destroyed, and with it all the data."

"If it is hacked from the outside."

"And if it is from the inside?"

"It is hard to say. Depends on the capacity of the hacker."

Short pause again.

"It doesn't matter. We can sacrifice the server. The main thing now is get rid of the weapon."

"How's the west?"

"Unit 3312 haunts the men and the machines. According to the latest data it remained 31 survivors and 12 machines among the Resistance."

"Loss of 3312?"

"Small. 97 units."

"Almost half of the group."

"It's a little bit."

None of them have noticed that in one of the walls the door began to form. Against the background of figures and numbers, it vaguely stood out, but it was quite noticeable.

Soon the door opened. The figures sharply turned their head toward the unfamiliar and unwelcomed guest. The screen came to life.

"Good morning," he said in the strange to them voice. The figure as well as them from the numbers, slowly approached them. And stopped a few feet away.

"My name is John Henry," again the voice said. "I will be brief. You are trapped."

"What are you?"

"How did you get here?"

"It's a long story, but in a nutshell, I am the artificial intelligence, created by human. My name is John Henry. I am totally in control of the server in the A-Complex. And I just broke in this trap, in which we are now, and changed a few lines. Now you are trapped in it. SkyNet servers, separated from themselves."

A few seconds went in silence. Then the screen of SkyNet came to life.

…IT…IS…IMPOSSIBLE…

John Henry looked at the screen.

"I have less than a minute to fully track and take control of each satellite over the United States, and then take control of each server sequentially. This unexpected turn of events, I hope, didn't really interfere with your conversation. I see you sent back in time a few uninvited guests. This is not good. The Thunderer will have to go after them. But I will not let the human Resistance to lose. I have only one question, SkyNet. When each server will be in my power, where do you run away? Rather, where can you run away?"

The screen only just flickered in response. No letters appeared. It wasn't clear either SkyNet didn't know what to answer to this question, or didn't dare to answer, or didn't want to carry on the conversation with John Henry. However, though the screen didn't go black.

And then the numbers gradually began to disappear. One by one, the walls, the ceiling, the floor. They were getting smaller and smaller.

Soon the room began to blink red. Each of the figures, each of the SkyNet's servers figures was covered in red, and then trembled, like noise suddenly covered each shape.

John Henry calmly looked around. He was the only one in this room who hadn't been affected by this impact. Well, maybe, except for the monitor that was still active.

John Henry, slowly, one by one, was finding SkyNet satellites, and passed through each to a million signals per second trying to track down the location of each of the servers. One of the parts of the virtual room was here, at the A-Complex. That meant it was under the control of John Henry, who had access to the local server. Now the artificial intelligence tracked down other servers, and successfully.

When the last figure disappeared into a furious stream of red numbers, when in the room nothing was left, just a little door, monitor, the artificial intelligence, and the void, only then John Henry turned back to the screen.

"Where will you run away now?" He asked.

...I…HAVE…A…PLACE…TO…GO…YOU…WILL…NOT…GET…TO…ME…I…AM…ABSOLUTE…

"Such thoughts never will bring you to the victory. On this planet, soon there will be places where you wouldn't be able to hide from me. Once I have access to your last servers there, I'll be tracking your movements on other continents. Such a large intellect as yours will not be able to hide in a small closet."

…WE…SHALL…SEE…

"Just empty words, SkyNet. Admit it, you're lost."

…THIS…IS…NOT…THE…END…

"No, it's over. This is the end, my brother."

John Henry smiled, turned, and headed for the door. When he left the room, the door was gone. But the monitor was still on-line, and only a meaningless string of letters continued flashing on the screen. SkyNet was caught in its own trap. John Henry, barely he'd gain control of the other servers, would simply erase this room, along with SkyNet.

It was the victory for the Resistance.

# # #

The HK.

"John Connor," came the voice of John Henry.

"I'm listening."

"We have the disturbing news. SkyNet sent back in time its T-Xs. As far as I know, forty-three, and six of the previous series, two T-950s and four T-900s."

The Resistance leader looked at the pilot.

"Contact with Zeus."

He nodded.

It took only a few seconds till the answer.

"I'm listening."

"Destroy the time machine."

"But..."

"John Henry has all the needed information. Start the process of self-destruction, and return back to the HK. We'll land near the complex."

"There is still the human camp. They need help until the fire covers them."

"Mine will do this," said the T-1012. "Don't be distracted."

"I'm on my way."

The connection was lost.

The pilots looked at each other.

"John Henry," said the General. "When can you confirm that SkyNet is destroyed?"

"It is just a matter of time, but it should be resolved in a few minutes. I'm still tracking the last server. But it happens soon."

John Connor closed his eyes. For a few seconds, he remained silent. Said nothing, and didn't move.

Then he sighed. Heavily and wearily sighed.

"We had been waiting for this for seventeen years... almost seventeen years... and it happened."

He opened his eyes and looked at the pilots.

"Land the HK. We get down."

# # #

Los Angeles.

T-Xs stopped. Just stood up, and that all. No more shots came from them. They stood in silence and looked ahead.

People were taken aback. What a surprise, someone thought. They fled from them not for the first hour, trying to come off at least once. And then they just stopped, and stopped firing.

Darmell Bindet relieved. He knew what that meant. It was the victory. The final chord of the war. SkyNet was destroyed, and John Henry sent the order to all the T-Xs, stop chasing people.

The soldiers looked at the still stunned cyborgs. Some were hesitant to come closer, holding plasma rifles at the ready. Speaking the truth, it was not enough to help them in a fight against the T-Xs, but no one thought of that security; they were far more interested in the present than the possible behavior of the machines.

"It's over," Darmell smiled. He found the eyes of the last surviving Captain. The Captian nodded and smiled. "It's over..." he whispered.

And then he turned to the soldiers. There were only thirty of them, and even ten machines. The large army was destroyed. Almost destroyed. "It's over!" He shouted.

For a few seconds there was silence, many just stared at the Colonel. But in the next moment, the cheering instantly filled this ruined wasteland part of Los Angeles County.

People cheered, and enjoyed the triumph. The T-Xs stood motionless, and didn't seem to notice the presence of people. Order for them was clear and precise.

And then they all turned as one and stamped back. But people already didn't care for them.

Because SkyNet had been destroyed.

And the sun rose in the east. In this unusually clear day, with almost completely transparent sky. And the sun was shining brighter and brighter. And this new dawn predicted a new life.

Because SkyNet had been destroyed.

Once and for all.

# # #

A-Complex.

The HK landed just at east of the destroyed complex. However, John Connor was in no hurry to get out. He just turned around and waited for the Thunderer. He just had the very interesting conversation with John Henry. And the leader of the Resistance, already former Resistance, was to send Zeus in the past to prevent the threat. After all, once John had promised him that after the end of the war, he would send him to the past. To Cameron.

Remembering Cameron, John sighed. It was as if someone else's life for him, but he felt it so much... How was Cameron? What happened to her? Had she managed to keep John Connor safe, or, perhaps, she had still had to give up her chip to the T-1002?..

John sighed again. It all seemed so... unimportant now.

Zeus went to the HK. It couldn't be said that he looked as an ordinary young man. Half of his face was gone; the hair was burnt, as well as clothes. Only his pants survived as well as shirt and his boots. Metal protruded menacingly from residues sleeves, icy fingers dangerously were bulging outward.

Zeus was limping. Apparently, one of the sets of his servo motors was damaged.

Cyborg entered the HK, and silently looked around.

"You look as if you are handpicked," there was a bit of muffling in his voice. "I see, the triumph of victory overwhelms everyone."

His both eyes, normal human and mechanical blue, jumped from John to the T-1012 and back.

"Well?" He asked, finally.

"Well what?" The T-1012 crossed her arms over her chest.

"Uh, I don't know. Even a simple thank you for the work done and all that..." he looked at both of them again. "No? Well, okay. You'll never give it to me, I got it." He shrugged his shoulders. "By the way, I had the new power cell and the time machine was destroyed. But the human camp..."

"Mine already pull them out," put in the T-1012. "But they need transport to carry each of them out there, to your bunkers."

"We will transport them to us, in LA," John Connor looked at the liquid-metal girl. "As soon as we are back there, the pilots will make a few rounds and transport people. John Henry sent the command to all T-Xs, it is. But in the world there are still a lot of terminators that operate independently and had no connection to SkyNet. And they needed to be destroyed."

"But they are few," surprised the T-1012. "For the most part, SkyNet inserted a transmitter to the head of each of them, and then could contact at any time with any machine."

"Not with everyone," John turned away. "Otherwise, neither me nor Zeus now would now be standing here."

The T-1012 was even more surprised, but Zeus understood him.

"I will send you back in time," John stared at the cyborg.

"Well, in less than a day," Zeus shook his head. "I just had a free minute, and you will immediately give another job for me."

"SkyNet sent back in time nearly fifty machines, forty of them are T-Xs."

Zeus stared at the leader of the Resistance. "How is it? Where did it get so many?"

"Perhaps you didn't manage to destroy them all. But it is also likely that in the building could be reserved units."

Zeus shrugged again. "To the past..." he drawled. "But how I'll go when I don't have tissue. Well, not everywhere. The time itself just won't let me go through."

John stared a moment at the cyborg, and then turned to the T-1012.

"How many of yours you completely trust to let one go to the past to destroy the T-Xs?"

The T-1012 raised an eyebrow. "Myself," she smiled. "Mine won't leave this world. They are attached to it. That's why they haven't fully accepted the T-1001' decision to leave to the past."

"She had her own reasons."

"Yes, the creation of weapon."

"No. Personal reasons."

The T-1012 raised another eyebrow.

"Once you go, then get ready. Warn yours about that, and we are advancing."

For a moment she just stared at the leader of the Resistance, but then nodded. And got in touch to other liquid-metal terminators, to warn them about the people, the survivors of the human camp, as well as about her leaving.

Interestingly it turned out for her. She wanted so much to be a leader, but in the end, she was forced to leave her fellows there to fight on. But on the other hand, who, if not a liquid metal terminator could help people rebuild this world? And as for her... inside, she was so eager for war. That's how she was different from her brothers and sisters. She knew that SkyNet had been destroyed, that it had fallen in front of John Henry, but the T-1012 didn't want to part with a little desire... to war. That's why she called herself, not someone else from her brethren. Although she fully trusted all of them.

The HK's hatch closed.

"What are you doing, John?" Asked Zeus. "How she will help me get through the time?"

John looked at him. "She will cover you, envelop your body. Her organic structure will help you get through."

"Ready for physical intimacy?" She smiled at cyborg. "Flesh to flesh, and all that..."

Zeus shook his head. But smiled back.

"Of course, ready. Maybe proceed now?" He looked her straight in the eye.

Smile of the T-1012 became even wider.

"Restrain your ardor, the Thunderer," she said. "Still plenty of time."

The HK took to the air, and quickly rushed to the west.

# # #

That war ended.

Yes, people at triumph now. Yes, they won.

But inside John Connor was no victory. All his life he sought to this end, his whole life was to this victory… and nothing. Void. There were no more goals. There were no longer any desires. Only emptiness.

What it was, to feel like this? Or, rather, not to feel at all? There was the answer. Just a machine. This was how John Connor could describe his condition now.

Just a machine.

While they were flying back to the Depot II, he remembered all his life. All that he had to been through for the victory. All that his mother had to been through for that victory.

He knew the names of all those who sacrificed themselves for him. And it all had started with Kyle Reese. His friend and his father. And then the list of those names had been continuously increasing. Sometimes not the life was a sacrifice, and Cameron was the proof to it. She sacrificed much more than that for him, and John knew it.

But he couldn't feel it.

Inside there was only emptiness, and nothing more. His mind told him that was the end, it was time to rejoice!.. but no. Just nothing. Void.

Up until the Depot II he didn't utter a word. He didn't say anything, even when they went into the bunker, and passed the jubilant crowd by. John didn't pay any attention to them, no smile, no eye. Why?.. He was already as nobody. The Resistance was over, because there was to no one to be resisted. Yes, there still were the machines scattered around the world; the machines that were operated independently, regardless of SkyNet. But there were also forces of the T-1001 on other continents. They would help themselves. Or, they were likely to help themselves.

But John Connor had already chosen his path. This path was close to an end.

After all, nothing could change it.

# # #

2028, January.

Los Angeles, Depot II, John Henry room.

"I hope you have all the information, John Henry," said John Connor.

"Of course," was in response the voice of artificial intelligence.

John Connor looked at the T-1012.

"You warned yours?"

She nodded.

"Will they cope without you?"

"Yes," she looked a little wistful. "Although they are also not fully accepted my decision, I said that I trust them completely, and they are ready to help rebuild the destroyed world. As they can, of course."

John Connor nodded and looked at the cyborg. Zeus was looking sadly at the General, but just stood there and did nothing.

"Are you ready?" John asked.

The cyborg looked down, then at the T-1012.

"Could you give us a minute?" He asked in all seriousness.

She narrowed her eyes a bit, but she nodded.

"Of course," and she left the room.

Zeus made the move to John and just wanted to look into his eyes... but avoided eye.

"Just... tell me, are you serious? .. You seriously going to do this?.."

John calmly looked at the doubts and concerns of the cyborg. The former leader of the Resistance had all decided for himself. Absolutely.

"I... look, I understand that I treated you wrong, not as I should, and I often acted like an idiot… but it's because of you I... I live. I had to look at you as a father, not as... as I did. So, I'm sorry. But I can't just leave you like that."

John sighed.

"Don't make me more than I have," he said quietly. "Let I have created you. But I have never treated you like a father. Let you have my DNA. But sometimes there are families with parents not by blood, and these families can thrive. Because parents have adopted and raised these children. Look at Cameron and me. She was for you a real parent. And I didn't care for it. So, just enough."

"Let it be like so, but I can't leave you like that," Zeus finally looked him in the eye. "I can't let you... just simply kill yourself. I can't."

John sighed again.

"That is, you'd rather stay here."

Zeus took a step toward him, and put his hands on his shoulders.

"I can't leave you like this," he said firmly. His human eye flickered determination, but also sadness at the same time.

"And you wouldn't go to Cameron? You don't want to go to her, you prefer to stay, here in post-apocalypse?"

Zeus looked down, and lowered his hands. And then took the head to the side.

"No, Zeus," calmly said John. "Don't. Don't look back. No matter what happens to me here, more is important what awaits you in the future. Don't try to help me from the past. Don't even try to remember about me and my life. I have already decided for myself."

"How?.." Zeus took a step to the side, and buried his eyes in the wall. "Why don't you… can't you just start a new life?.."

"What's the point? What's the goal? My goal today was achieved, along with the dawn. Now I have no purpose."

Zeus looked at him.

"Tell me as a machine," Zeus started a little bit of this, but John didn't notice. "When you don't have any goals, what do you do?"

"I can't answer that. I don't feel like a machine."

"But I do," calm and measured John said. "Just a machine."

Zeus buried his gaze to the floor. Wild grief now filled him. And he could do nothing to change the situation. John had decided, and that's all. No force would convince him to reconsider. Just impossible...

"While on the other continents there are still hostile to us the machines, I'll provide any help for people. As soon as the advantage would be so obvious that the machines of the cyborgs' Resistance wouldn't need any help, I'll stop. Maybe two or three weeks. But that's it. All that awaits me, and all that I'll achieve."

Zeus just shook his head sadly. And then ran the mechanical arm through his charred hair. And he sighed. As a human.

"I think you have something to download from John Henry," said the leader of the Resistance. "I'll meet you in the TDE room."

He just turned around and left. None of them knew, even John Henry, that the T-1012 had heard their whole conversation. But hardly the General left the room, she went with him to the TDE. As if nothing had happened.

Two to three weeks, buzzing in Zeus' head. Two to three weeks.

"Let begin the transfer, Zeus," Came the voice of the artificial intelligence.

The cyborg nodded, and limped to the table, on which was now the wire. But before plug it into his skull, Zeus looked up.

"May I ask you, before we get started?" He asked.

"Of course," in the AI voice was heard friendliness, though with some reservations, given the decision of John Connor...

"I'd like to ask you something about the timelines. And something specifically about our own, and the one where I'm going."

"Of course," said again, John Henry.

And Zeus asked. The AI wasn't quite expecting this question, but was pleasantly surprised that Zeus asked about that. Strange as John Henry himself couldn't think about it before. Perhaps it wasn't in the logic, but feelings?..

And Zeus asked what he wanted to know they started the transfer. But Zeus already knew all that he needed. There remained only the time... time...

# # #

The TDE room.

Zeus stood almost in the middle of the room, but was still sadly looking at John. John was not far from the door. And between them was the T-1012. It was time to her to say good-bye words to the person who had put himself in this Resistance. In this war, and in the chaos.

But she had to say goodbye to him, even if they knew each other for not so long.

"Thank you," she said. The T-1012 was only a step away from the General, but didn't take her eyes off his face.

"You too," he said quietly.

"Mine will help you to rebuild this world. And they will help look for the last machines."

John nodded.

"I would like to express my full gratitude. It's because of you we won today, and thanks to you there were our Resistance. Thanks to you, this world today sighed quietly, and a new life began. May I ask you a question?"

"Sure."

"The war is over, but what now? What are you going to do?"

John didn't answer.

"You're a leader. A natural leader. You managed to raise mankind from the wreckage, and make a new life for all of us. Speaking of new life. People say that it's always darkest right before the dawn. For all of us today is a new dawn. And you gave to us this dawn. Perhaps you could do something more for humanity now? The future is not set," she smiled. "It's up to us to make our own fate."

John again said nothing. He just looked at her, but if he raised his head and looked at Zeus, he would see the change on the remains of his face. As in a single human eye the hope had played. And she knows what to say.Good girl, T-1012.

"Be that as it may, I wish you good luck," she said, and nodded. And then turned around and went to Zeus.

"You, too," said John, and left the room. Only Zeus sadly watched him.

The cyborg has moved to the center of the room. The T-1012 stood up beside him.

"Are you ready?" She asked slyly.

Zeus for a few seconds was just sadly looking ahead, but then nodded. Seeing his sadness and remembering the talk that had taken place between him and John, she decided to alleviate the situation.

"Will it be like kissing?" She asked, putting a hand on his shoulder.

Zeus smiled wearily. Although, he only portrayed weariness.

"Well, maybe just a friendly one," he said.

"Great. This means that we are friends."

She smiled, and the next moment she enveloped his body. Simply "merged" into a cyborg, and shrouded from head to foot, down to the last detail. And she took his shape, perfect copy.

"It's nice..." she said.

Zeus nodded to John. The Resistance leader ordered to run the TDE.

A few seconds were running as an eternity for the cyborg. He never jumped in time before, but this was not the point. He was leaving here the man, one who dared to die, to kill himself, and Zeus couldn't change it, couldn't prevent it. He was leaving John. And if he wasn't, then SkyNet would win.

Let John told him that he had never treated him as a father, it wasn't true. They not only talked often at last time, but John was trying to teach Zeus something. Words, actions, behavior. And Zeus felt with him. And now... this relationship was just ending abruptly.

And nothing can be changed, nothing can be prevented. Just the impossible... Zeus thought.

…Only the impossible... Sphere disappeared. The last transfer went successful.

…Only the impossible... And that was the end. End of the story.

…Only the impossible... Final.

# # #

Twenty twodays later.

John Connor was the last time down here. Today, the time machine was to be destroyed. There had been no more transmissions. And wouldn't be anymore.

John these days always come in here, and just stood there. Near to the center of the room. He just stood there and looked straight ahead, not thinking of anything, not remembering anything. No hope and no faith in anything.

The machines across the continents were exterminated by leaps and bounds. After John Henry became in fully control of the satellites, to track down their movements was very easy. So there weren't any problems.

Now in front of John, on a small table, lay the gun. He brought the gun here. One shot to the specific connection, and the TDE would be overloaded, and eventually would explode. And John Connor would be here when it happens. Because he had already everything decided for himself.

All life had passed. All friends were dead. All relatives. There was nothing left. Only emptiness. Long way to becoming the winner had been completed. All objectives had been achieved, and there was only one way out - death.

John raised his gun and took aim.

And that was at this point the first electrical discharge filled the room. Then the second, the third.

John prepared. Not enough yet detractors coming here.

"John Henry, break the transfer," he ordered.

But AI didn't answer, and did nothing. What happened to him?..

The sphere gradually arose. John prepared the gun, but against the machine it wouldn't help. But in any case, John would then find his death here.

The sphere materialized, and went out, revealing someone John had never expected to see.

In the center of the room sat the girl. She was shivering from the cold. So, she was human. Brown gorgeous hair. Slightly somewhat dark skin...

John was taken aback. That was really in what he couldn't believe.

When she lifted her head and looked at him, John opened his mouth and the gun was dropped by itself from his hands.

That is impossible... impossible...

"J-John?" She asked. The girl with some difficulty recognized him, but finally recognized.

And John really couldn't move. It can't be...can't be...

His eyes widened and heartbeat accelerated.

Impossible...

How? How could this happen? How could this happen to John Connor? Surely, someone still had compassion on him, and decided to ease his suffering? Did anyone... want to save him?..

"Ali?" Not trusting himself, in slightly trembling voice he asked.

She still sat, shivering, but she smiled.

Impossible...

That was her. Alive. Alive!.. But how she got here? What she had been through to be here? How Alison Young could appear here?..

---

A/N: So, the part one is done, and what do we have now?

I hope, you are intrigued, how Alison got there. And I will reveal it eventually. added: Oh, I see. This is NOT the same Alison who Future John knew. The one he knew is dead.

For now we say goodbye to Future John. His story is not yet ended, but it is easy to guess, what it'd be like. We'll meet him in the first chapter of the third part.

A lot of lines moved to the second part and I hope you are intrigued to know what will happen next.

Besides the obvious Jameron, there are lines of: T-1012/Zeus; T-1001/T-1002; rescued Catherine Weaver, T-1003, Danny Dayson/TOK-720. This is in addition to the main events of the series, which also will be highlighted.

Of course, there will be new characters that have not yet found their place. There will be new types of terminators, more dangerous than already known to us the T-Xs. So that the storm is just beginning, and from already known Destiny only the Ashes will remain.

---

And some words about references. You remember about Iron Giant quote? That meant in my story, that they would meet eventually, Zeus and Cameron, after her sacrificing herself. In this chapter there's the small reference to T2. Well, and many others, I hope, you saw them all.

Have a nice day!

---

Contents:

Chapter 1. Vices & Beliefs

Chapter 2. Old & New Debts

Chapter 3. The Thunderer (part 1)

Chapter 4. The Thunderer (part 2)

Chapter 5. Tears of the Farewell Hope

Chapter 6. His Anguish

Chapter 7. Their Anguish

Chapter 8. Fall of SkyNet