REUNION Revised Edition

by The1Russter

In one complete volume, Reunion, retold w/new & revised chapters. Story begins w/BTR & quickly advances. John finds himself alone in the future but a young woman takes an unusual interest in him. Sarah is equally alone in the present but finds help from future. They each form new alliances & continue their fight against Skynet until they reunite once more. All characters.

36. The Coming Storm

Disclaimer: I do not claim any rights to the Terminator films; the TV series, "Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles;" or any characters depicted within the films or TV series. I do claim the right to this story idea and all characters and situations of my own creation. This story was created solely for my own enjoyment and the enjoyment of others. No profits are garnered from its distribution - unfortunately.

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TERMINATOR: THE SARAH CONNOR CHRONICLES

REUNION

Part 3: Babylon

Author: The1Russter

Chapter 35

The Coming Storm

Sarah Connor, "What did he just say?"
Gas Station Attendant "He said there's a storm coming in."
Sarah Connor sighs, "I know."
Excerpt from The Terminator 1984

"There's a storm coming." Charley Dixon, Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles, Dungeons and Dragons.

"There is a storm on the horizon. A time of hardship and pain. This battle has been won, but the war against the machines races on. Sky Net's global network remains strong, but we will not quit, until all of it is destroyed. This is John Connor. There is no fate, but what we make." John Connor, Terminator Salvation 2009

# # #

2009, May 13, 2:17AM, Day -5
John Connor drags himself from the room he used as a sanctuary, and heads to the infirmary. It is empty when he enters. John heads straight to a glass cabinet behind which are many sealed bottles and boxes of medications. He rifles through them until he finds a bottle of aspirin.

Stripping the seals off, he dumps two pills into his hand, tossing the bottle back in the case. He swallows the pills dry, before noticing a small sink in the corner of the room. Realizing he is thirsty, he goes over and drinks from the faucet, mouthful after mouthful until he feels better.

After splashing water on his face, John looks at himself in the mirror, wondering just what he is going to do. All bravado aside, there isn't much he can do. He could try to avenge Allison and Cameron's deaths, but how? Kreilley is the more important target. Him and Sky Net. They must come first.

"Are you okay?" Someone says from behind John, making him jump.

He turns about, to see Kyle sauntering into the room.

"Sorry, I'm late." John says, seeing Kyle's concerned face. "I'll be with you shortly. I slept in."

"No problem. The transport you requested had a fuel pump failure at the last minute. So I decided to let you sleep until it was ready."

"You knew where I was." John didn't even know at the time. He just stumbled into the room.

Kyle nods his head. "I grew concerned when you didn't show up on schedule and paged John Henry. Did you know this place has an intercom system? Anyway, he found you and reported you were deep asleep. We both agreed the medication was working so we let you be."

"What medication?"

Kyle sits on the end of a bed. "Remember I told you the medic gave you a jab of something to help you sleep. You woke up with that nightmare. You were flushed with adrenalin, but as soon as you laid down in that empty room, the medication resumed its job."

"Well it was more than medication that made me sleep." John says remembering what John Henry shared with him.

Kyle nods his head, thinking John might be referring to the loss of Cameron and the obvious emotional exhaustion he's displayed afterward.

"Do you want to talk about it? What she said and did went beyond anything I ever thought or believed . . ."

"Not now Kyle! Please!" John shouts, as Cameron's final words echo in his brain, woken up by Kyle's comments.

Kyle remains silent. He's trying to come to terms with everything. The loss of Allison. Cameron pretending to be Allison. He never got to say goodbye, or mourn her passing. But its not unusual in the war against Sky Net not to learn what happened to people you lost until days or weeks after they died. Sometimes you never learned what happened and you just had to hope they died quickly and without pain and weren't dying slowly in a work camp or worse being kept alive in some lab. At least he knew.

"Sorry Kyle." John shakes his head. "I shouldn't have blew up at you like that. You're only being a friend."

"I understand." Kyle says grim faced, wishing John would open up. Not only for his own reasons, but for himself as well.

"Thanks. What's our current status?"

"Let's see," Kyle counts items off on the fingers of one hand. "Savannah and Catherine are still working on the computers. They picked up early this morning after Savannah got some sleep. I put people to work organizing what supplies are here, throwing out any spoiled food stuffs. Didn't find any more clothing, so some will have to continue to make do wearing blankets. We did find a sewing machine, so if push comes to shove, we can make pants from the blankets and shirts from the sheets. We've done it before."

"We'll get clothing while we are out. There's a store mom would go to from time-to-time for non-military type outdoor supplies. He might offer me the same discount he gives mom if I say I'm there on her behalf."

"Speaking of your mother, I'm surprised how she was able to get this place running as a permanent base. From old computers that barely work, inadequate supplies, minimal power. Sarah is an amazing woman." Kyle says with admiration

"She had help." John says, looking down at his feet, remembering Cameron. "The best damn help anyone could have."

Kyle nods his head, knowing who he is referring too.

"Kyle?" John asks softly, thinking of his recent dream.

"Yeah."

"Do you think she had a soul?"

"Who? Cameron." Kyle grasps his shoulder. "I have no doubt. Anyone with that much love to offer has to have a soul."

John nods his head.

"You ready to talk about what happened?"

"Not yet."John moves toward the door. "Time we got going. I'll hit the shower and meet you downstairs in ten minutes."

From the Journal of John Connor
May 13, 2009

I visited John Henry last night and looked at what he wanted to show me. I could have gone a lifetime without seeing that, but I am convinced now of what must be done. The only problem will be not revealing my true feelings toward Weaver. Unlike John Henry, I don't have a poker face, and according to Cameron I have a tell. I dare not spend any more time with Weaver than I have to.

The plan of attack I'm thinking of will keep her out of the action. Given what she tried to do in the future, I don't want her anywhere near Kreilley's Sky Net. Every prisoner needs its jailor, so that means John Henry will have to stay behind as well. Given what he shared with me about his tasks, and of the future Weaver and Cameron came from, I know I can trust him to do what is right. They won't be kept out of the plan. I have an idea of what they can do to help even from here.

We are four days away from saving the world from Judgment Day, or watching it burn. I keep asking myself what would future me do at this time. The only answer I hear is Cameron's voice, "Future John isn't here now. You are."

It's up to me, and I think I've left the better part of me behind. I need her, but I have to let her go. And I think I know why she kept telling me that in my dream. It's not because she is here now, before Judgment Day, where we can start again as it should have been, but its because I need to focus on what's important. Stopping Kreilley from launching Judgment Day.

Maybe I can stop him, but I fear that I can't. I've seen the future. I've experienced the future. I'd do anything to stop that from happening, but I do even more to have Cameron back by my side, even if that meant the world had to burn to save her.

2009, May 13, Early Morning, Day -5
"So, we've got thirty-four soldiers, six of which are injured severely enough to be unable to help." John says to Kyle, reciting what he has learned, as they ride the elevator up to the ground level.

"Not at present, but they should be ready in time for battle."

"Good." John finishes reciting, "Approximately half are from my mom's army, the rest from Grizzly or Los Angeles, and four regulars who flew up from Pendleton to lend assistance, and none of the reprogrammed machines."

"Our machines were heavily engaged defending us against Sky Net's machines. I wished there was some way we could thank all of those, both men and machines, who put their lives on the line so we could escape."

"The best way to thank them is to stop Judgment Day." John answers just as the elevator comes to a stop.

They pick up bundles of uniforms off the floor and walk down the corridor and out into the hanger where a group of men and women have been working on the abandoned military vehicles or waiting for the mission they were selected for.

John and Kyle place their bundles of clean service uniforms on a pallet and approach them.

"Is everything ready?" John asks.

"It will be, once we finish replacing the fuel pump." Comes Andy's voice from under a large truck.

Kyle and John turn to look at a large truck from which the voice came from. They see two pairs of legs sticking out from underneath.

"Who have you got helping you?"

A man slides out from underneath, and offers his hand, to shake, but then withdraws it upon seeing grease on it. "Richard Harmon, sir. I was a mechanic serving under your mother."

"Then this place must seem pretty familiar then?"

Richard looks about, recalling his first few days locked in a cell below while Sarah Connor spelled things out for him. Hard terms. He respected her for that, but not for having the metal in the camp. He found it odd the metal was unknown to everyone but Sarah and that whelp Savannah. Given his former occupation as a raider, Sarah didn't trust him with any job involving guns, so she gave him a job of mechanic. The only other occupation for which he had any talent. Which meant he spent most of his time in the hanger, or out in the field, up to his shoulders working on some heap trying to keep an engine running on an alcohol gas mixture and lubricated on oil that had been through their filtration system a dozen times to keep it useable.

"Yes sir. It all looks pretty familiar." He answers, not revealing anything of his darker past.

While John was talking to the soldier, Kyle had been running his eyes over the large military truck. Canvas covered cargo bed, roomy cab, all in army green camouflage.

"That is a big truck. Think I saw something like it at Camp Pendleton. What the hell is it?" Kyle asks

"An M35, 2 ½ Ton cargo truck." John replies. "Must have been left behind when the army pulled out."

"It's not very inconspicuous." Kyle says incredulously,

"That's why I had you air out the uniforms, so we will look like regular army personnel. There's a war on at present. America is presently in Afghanistan and Iraq. No one will think twice seeing military truck running down the highway with soldiers in the back."

"When are we leaving?"

John glances around to see that those coming with him have donned the military clothing.

"Now, if the fuel pump is working?"

"Let's find outs." Andy says as he slides out from under the truck. He gets into the cab and turns the key. The engine rumbles to life, a cloud of black diesel smoke blowing out the tail pipe.

With some whoops and cheers, then men and women in their freshly adorned military uniforms climb up into the back of the truck. John and Kyle join Andy in the cab. Kyle hands him the clothing he is to wear for the mission.

"We won't be back until late tonight!" John shouts down to Richard. "John Henry is in command until we return. After you get some rest, see what you can do about these other vehicles. We'll need them."

Kyle shifts the truck into reverse and backs it out through the open hanger doors.

Richard runs forward and close the doors behind the departing truck, but not before spitting with disgust on the ground outside. "Another damn machine giving orders." He curses.

With looks on their faces like tourist from another country, the people in the back roll up the canvas and look at the passing landscape.

The light is dim, but this is the first for many of them to look out on a world that doesn't know the hatred a single computer system can leash on the world.

# # #

"Have you completed the connection to the servers?" Savannah speaks into the intercom.

"I am running the final sequence now." John Henry replies. "Yes! Sync up has occurred. We are now communicating with the defense computers. We should be receiving signals from the military satellites soon."

"Okay. Catherine and I will be on our way upstairs."

Savannah starts putting tools back into the toolbox as Catherine watches her. It was amazing watching her adult daughter work on these computers. Sure she became familiar with them in the future, but she tackled them with an instinct and a skill that made her feel . . . proud. But then she said something which left her confused. "I couldn't help but hear you refer to me as Catherine and not 'mom' when speaking to John Henry just now."

Savannah is still squatting by the toolbox, organizing the tools. A spot of blood shows on her slacks where her recent activity has caused her wound to bleed. She finishes putting the tools away before answering.

"I've been doing some thinking. I want you to understand something. You saved my life when I was a child. Recently, when that Kreilley person wounded me, you showed great concern. I will never forget that." Savannah stands up and looks Catherine right in the face. To see her stern look, you could very well believe she is the daughter of the false Catherine Weaver. "But what you did to John, my friend, the son of the woman who raised me, our leader now and in the future, I will never forget what you did to him."

"I had good reason for what I did." Catherine says.

"I heard what you told him. I also heard what he told you, and I can't help but think he was right. If you truly understood emotions, you never would have done that to him. What you did, never took his emotions into account. That is what I'd expect a machine to do, not someone whom I would call mom."

"I understand human emotions, but you cannot equate my emotions with those of yours. It wasn't my intention to hurt you nor to hurt John. But sometimes hard choices must be made regardless of what the consequences will be. You cannot hold me responsible for those."

"No, Catherine! By hurting John, you hurt me. And actions do have consequences, even if you don't know what those consequences will be. If your actions are responsible for those consequences then you must take responsibility for the consequences as well." Savannah says slamming the lid closed on the toolbox.

"You are very fond of quoting from The Bible. Perhaps you should reacquaint yourself with the passage from Genesis where Adam and Eve chose to eat of the forbidden fruit. Their choice to go against God's wishes had consequences not only for themselves, but for all of humanity. They could of owned up and admitted their choice to God when he asked them, but they didn't. The man blamed the woman. The woman blamed the serpent. Each one lied and blamed someone else for the choice they made. God punished man and that punishment affects all of us. You made the choice to not tell John the truth and you owe him an apology, even if he doesn't accept it."

"I am familiar with the passage, but God also had a blessing for Eve, that someday a redeemer would come from the seed of the woman. Every age has its redeemer. John Connor is the redeemer of this time, for all sentient beings, but he needed to be prepared for the future. The experience he had will be of exceedingly great help to him in the future. I do not apologize for that."

"No. You don't need to apologize for that. You need to apologize for lying to him. Do you think for one moment, if he knew with certainty that he was going to get back to his own time he would of chosen a relationship with Allison? Now he's lost her, and its your fault."

"As I understand the situation, it was Allison who chose him." Weaver replies coolly, taking note the use of Cameron's false name, she realizes Savannah hasn't been told the truth about Allison.

"Dammit Catherine! Quit splitting hairs! Do you think he would have reciprocated that love if he knew? You just don't get it! He loved her because she loved him first. John was alone and vulnerable when he arrived in the future. You abandoned him. Left him on his own. He had no family! No friends! If I was in his place, I probably would have done just the same."

She stops speaking as she notices Catherine's firm expression. "What's the point? You'll never understand."

Savannah grabs the toolbox and turns to put it away and sees several soldiers in the main hall watching them. Seeing that she noticed them, they quickly find something else to do or look at.

She shoves the toolbox into a locker and says, "Now. Do you want to stand around here providing theater for the soldiers," Savannah points a thumb over her shoulder at the troops in the main hall, "or do you want to go upstairs and give John Henry a hand at the computers?"

Catherine grins at the small joke Savannah used to lighten the tense moment. "We'll go upstairs, but before we help John Henry, I'm taking you to the infirmary. I think you may have torn some stitches in your leg." Catherine points at Savannah's blood stained pant leg.

She glances quickly at her leg then asks, "So you don't mind me calling you Catherine?"

"No. It's perfectly understandable. You know the truth about me now. It wouldn't make sense for you to call me 'mom' anymore." Catherine says as they wait for the elevator. "Though I will miss it."

"You know, there is a little girl out there who still calls you mom." Savannah says gently as the elevator doors rumble open. "You can make things right with her. Be the mom she needs."

"Maybe." Catherine says as they step on board the elevator.

"You could try." Savannah says as the doors rumble close on the elevator.

"I don't know if I can be a mom to her, like Sarah was to you." She says with deep thought. "Especially if I don't understand emotions as I should."

"Catherine, I'm sorry for what I said."

"No." She shakes her head. "You were right. And your younger self deserves better."

"Like what?"

She looks at her daughter. "Maybe there is something that you can do."

2009, May 13, Early Afternoon, Day -5
Far away, another John Connor drives up in front of the jail. He searches through the crowd of orange for any sign of his mother and Cameron.

John wanted to wait, certain they would be transferring Sarah to a higher security prison rather than keep her in the county lock-up. Cameron was insistent they had to do it now. So they worked out a plan, using the priest to send a message to Sarah, while unwittingly carrying a GPS tracker on his person. That would allow Cameron to walk right in to the wing with the interrogation rooms which would be easier than breaking Sarah out of her cell block.

John waits impatiently. The sounds of alarms begin and he can just imagine what Cameron might be facing inside. The alarms are soon followed by screaming and shouting coming from inside the building. A wave of prisoners in orange coveralls exit the jail. He jumps with excitement thinking Cameron must have let all the inmates out to provide a distraction. He smiles. Clever, Cameron.

He watches the people. Finally spotting his mom and Cameron coming up the walk. His breath catches in his throat. Cameron looks awful. He only catches a brief glimpse as they quickly enter the vehicle before he wrenches his eyes back to the road, driving straight through the gates.

Beside him, his mother is livid. "I sent you a message! I told you . . ."

"Yeah, bad John Connor, ground me," he spits back at her. He doesn't regret his decision. He turns around to regard Cameron, wincing at the damage she'd taken. Half of her face had been blown off, one mechanical blue eye fully exposed. Her entire jacket is ripped and bloodied with bullet holes. All because of him. Because she loved him.

I'm so sorry, Cameron.

"Are you okay?" He asks sounding worried.

He sees her from his rear view mirror, the jerky movement as she moved her head. "I am not one hundred percent." She replies, as a list of damaged systems are displayed on her HUD.

John feels sick inside. Cameron sacrificed so much for him. What did I do?

Sarah turns around. "How far from one hundred percent are you?"

Cameron's head jerks toward her. John's eyes flash from Sarah back to Cameron, eyes widening. "Why?" His mom wasn't suggesting Cameron was damaged beyond repair right? Did she think Cameron would go haywire again?

"Because I need to meet Catherine Weaver," Sarah replies coolly. "And she needs to destroy whatever is in that basement."

John glances back at Cameron. She was looking forward, then to the floor, all in erratic movements. He felt a pang of remorse. Oh Cameron, what did I do to you?

She was damaged. She was no longer the fully functional cyborg he'd been so close too in the motel room, the one who'd smiled with soft eyes gazing at him. She was damaged.

All because of him.

I'll fix you, Cam, he promised. As soon as this is over, I swear, I'll fix you.

2009, May 13, Mid Afternoon, Day -5
A military M-35 Cargo truck with a canvas roof rumbles down the streets of Los Angeles. In the back are a half dozen young men and women wearing slightly dated uniforms, while up front in the cab Andy and John ride in the passenger seat while Kyle drives. He's the only one who can work the manual transmission.

Andy is just staring out the window looking like a tourist, while John gives directions to Kyle. Those in the back of the truck are doing and feeling much the same as Andy. It is a bit of a culture shock for all who have seen nothing but destruction since they were kids. But Kyle is professional enough not to let this strange new world distract him. It kind of helps having to concentrate on the driving. Especially with all the damn fools in scars who zip around him like gnats around an old dog.

"How much further to the storage unit?" Kyle asks John.

"If you want, we can take the next exit." John points to the sign up ahead. "We can get off this freeway a lot sooner and avoid some of the mid-day traffic close to the inner city."

Kyle glances at John. Though looking somewhat more rested than he did before yesterday, there is still something in his face that betrays the emotional turmoil of the last seventy-two hours. He wishes they had the time to talk about what happened, but they must hurry to get supplies needed to re-arm their troops. The few guns they have won't be enough and John won't let them use the plasma rifles in this time. Only himself, John, and John Henry have access to the armory, with the rifles locked up inside a hardened steel cabinet.

They drive through some city streets in an urban neighborhood until they reach an old warehouse that was carved up into smaller rental storage units. Pulling around the back, Kyle comes to a stop as they see a gray van parked outside the unit.

"Looks like we might have company.' Kyle says. John looks up and sees the nondescript gray cargo van. Just like the one they used in the desert, eighteen years from now. Just like the one Derek and Cameron told him about that was used in kidnapping Derek and setting a trap for Cameron.

"Kyle. Be careful. We might have enemies about."

# # #

Across town, in the lobby of Zeira Corp, a slightly younger and a more inexperienced John sits on a sofa next to his mother. They both look uneasy. They are both wanted fugitives, back on the radar again.

"I really wish we weren't here now," He mutters.

"Savannah could tell them we know about Cromartie," Sarah replies.

"John Henry now." John corrects her.

"Metal," Sarah amends. "If she tells them, they'll move it. Maybe they already have."

"Well, we'll know soon enough," He replies edgily. "Mom, are you sick? Cameron thinks you're sick."

"She does?"

"You've lost weight."

A chime announces the elevator's arrival and Ellison walks out. John rises to his feet beside his mother, his mouth suddenly dry. He swallows hard, casting a glance over at his mother. His voice is hoarse as he whispers, "I love you."

John walks quickly into the elevator, filled with emotion as Sarah watches his departing back. It has been so long since he told her that. She quickly follows as Ellison is waiting impatiently holding the doors open to the elevator.

# # #

Kyle leads the men and women that rode with them into the storage unit. He had to argue most strongly to get John to wait in the truck, but with his injuries still healing, there was no need to put him at risk.

"Remember," Kyle whispers. "They might be working for Sky Net, or they may not be. Either way, we cannot afford to be seen removing arms and supplies from this building. Andy, take four people and go to the storage unit, room 408. We'll reconnoiter down here and slowly make our way to your location. If you encounter anyone, do not fire your guns unless they fire at you first."

Andy quickly leaves with four soldiers. Kyle leads the other four. Breaking off into pairs, they take a corridor leading past door after door going into storage lockers. Finding nothing on the ground floor, Kyle and his group move carefully to the second floor while Andy and his guys go up the backstairs to the fourth floor.

John waits impatiently in the truck for some sign that something is happening or that all is okay. Not being able to wait any longer, he checks his handgun and slips out of the cab. He quickly moves to the van.

Finding the front doors unlocked, he opens the passenger side door and looks inside. Completely empty and clean as a whistle. He pops open the glove box and checks the registration and insurance.

According to the registration, the truck belongs to Barttleby Biotech, but the insurance is made out to FOX Industries. This truck does belong to Kreilley. That means grays are definitely about!

As John slides the papers back into the glove box he hears three loud pops followed by two more from within the building. Gunfire!

Slipping the safety off on his gun, John runs into the warehouse.

# # #

An HK drone is sitting outside a hanger of a remote airfield used mostly by amateur pilots and crop-dusters. A bearded man in a plaid shirt stands a short distance away with a hand-held computer in his hand. Parked out behind the hanger is an eighteen wheeler. He watches as a silver limousine approaches up a dirt and gravel road and continues across the empty airfield until it parks just fifty feet from the drone.

A man in an expensively tailored suit steps out carrying a briefcase and approaches the bearded truck driver.

"Is everything prepared Mr. McCarthy?" The well tailored man asks the slightly scruffy man.

"Yes, sir." George McCarthy says nervously. "All that is needed is to program in its destination."

The well tailored man takes the hand-held computer from him and punches in the GPS coordinates for Zeira Corp office building, including the altitude for the attack.

"So, um, why did you want me to pack it with with thermite? This thing is dangerous enough, but if the fuel tanks rupture, within seconds the thermite will ignite. It will create a fire so hot it could completely destroy itself, you, me, your fancy car and it won't leave a trace."

"That is the idea Mr. McCarthy." The man replies coldly. "I want nothing left of its intended target."

The engines of the drone begin to emit a high pitch whine as they come to life. It quickly lifts off and obtains optimal altitude within seconds and disappears into the distance.

"I'm finished with your services." The suited man says.

"And my pay?" Mr. McCarthy asks. Working for this man has been a pain, but worth it for the money he was promised. "I'm pretty anxious to get back to my family."

"I've got it right here." He says, lifting the briefcase. "Let's go in the hanger where you can count it."

"That's all right sir. I trust you." McCarthy answers. Truthfully, he just wants to leave and put all this behind him. The secret work at HVAC company, the deaths of his friends and coworkers, and killing others at this man's behest.

Failing to hide a twisted grin, the man replies, "Mr. McCarthy, I insist."

They walk into the hanger where he places the briefcase on an oil drum. George walks up and opens the briefcase as the man in the gray suit steps back. While Mr. McCarthy counts the money, the man raises his hand, pointing his finger at the back of McCarthy's head. Suddenly, Mr. McCarthy feels excruciating pain as a silver sword pierces his head from behind. He is dead before he even realizes it.

Extracting his finger, the body of Mr. McCarthy falls to the ground. The man picks the case up and walks back to his limo and gets in the back seat.

"Where too now sir?" The driver asks.

"Take me back to the office." He says slipping the case into a cupboard.

"Yes sir, Mr. Kreilley." The driver says and starts the vehicle.

Mr. Kreilley assumes the posture of a relaxed executive. Sarah Connor is behind bars and soon Catherine Weaver and her pet will be totally destroyed. Hard to believe his entire mission was on the verge of being exposed and destroyed by two females.

Catherine Weaver, the woman who he thought had survived his first attempt to kill her. He should have known T-1001 had taken her place, but the child's survival and the way she held onto the woman during her news conference to announce Zeira Corp's continuing mission had him fooled. He was fooled until she showed up on a security camera slicing up his employees at Desert Heat and Air-conditioning like a runaway Cuisinart. But what surprised him more was when Sarah Connor, her son, and two others he recognized appeared days later at the memorial service held by the families of his former employees.

The female cyborg proved difficult to capture. Her chip would have provided extensive intelligence on the actions of his enemies. Lieutenant Derek Reese was killed by his T-888, which brought him some pleasure, but John Connor got away from his men at the lighthouse. Killing him would have been the fulfillment of every machines top priority.

Sarah Connor is in jail. Weaver and her pet, John Henry, are about to be destroyed. John Connor and his cyborg companion are still on the loose. All that remains is to arrange transport for Sarah Connor to a higher security prison, which will take her to his own private jail below Fox Industries to be questioned before disposing her. He would normally engage the services of Charles Fischer for such interrogation, but he disappeared after opening the military's computers so he could access them. Maybe he should arrange for the expatriation of the younger Charles Fischer from prison and teach him what he knows about interrogating prisoners.

Kreilley leans back, actually relaxing with a smile on his face. Won't be long now until all of Sky Net's enemies and thus his own are dead or destroyed. It's just a matter of time.

He presses the button to speak to his driver over the intercom. "Hurry driver. I wish to be back at the office in time to see the results of my work on the evening news."

Without any word in reply, the driver presses the gas pedal down, speeding past other cars on the highway.

# # #

John runs inside the warehouse. The ground floor is empty. He quickly dashes upstairs to find Kyle and four soldiers standing over three dead bodies, all dressed in plain dusty gray coveralls.

"What happened?" John asks.

"Hey." Kyle says looking up at him, not surprised at all that John didn't wait in the truck. "They were waiting in ambush but we got the drop on them. They've got no ID, nothing that says who they are or where they are from. All we've got is three more guns to add to our arsenal."

"It doesn't matter who they are. What does matter is, they work for Kreilley. I checked the van out, the insurance is made out to FOX Industries. The company that built Sky Net."

Three more shots are heard from upstairs. All of them quickly run up the stairs to find Andy and his men with two dead men in overalls on the floor. Andy is holding his arm.

"They came at us out of nowhere." Andy says as one of the soldiers pulls off Andy's jacket and begins tying a cloth around his arm. "We heard the shots from downstairs and we quickly took cover. A few minutes later and these two idiots come out of hiding. I shouted at them to put their guns down but they didn't listen. Then Wren and Phil opened fire."

"What happened to you?" Kyle asks him.

"One of them got off a quick shot and nicked my arm. Nothing serious."

"We need to get moving fast." John says. "Someone must have heard the gunfire and will call the police. We've got maybe fifteen minutes tops to get the stuff downstairs and in the truck."

Working like a well organized hurricane, the eleven of them quickly empty the storage room of all weapons and explosives. Not quite enough for the people back at the base, but it is a start. Andy is the next to the last person out. He runs down the stairs and climbs up in back with the other soldiers and supplies.

John quickly grabs a case shoved in behind some shelves and makes his way downstairs. The bodies of the grays are left where they are.

John goes outside and climbs up inside the truck cab just as something goes streaking through the air overhead.

"What the hell was that?" Kyle exclaims from behind the wheel.

"An HK drone." John shouts.

"That's what I thought, but I didn't expect to find one at this time." Kyle replies.

They drive around the building to see smoke pouring from the upper floor of a skyscraper in downtown Los Angeles.

"What the hell?" Kyle exclaims.

2009, May 13, Late Afternoon, Day -5
John and Sarah stand in front of Catherine Weaver. Ellison is behind them close to the office door.

Weaver is speaking. "We have a common enemy. One we cannot fight with conventional weapons or by conventional means."

"Kaliba?" Sarah questions her. "Don't presume to know Kaliba."

Weaver's eyes glare at her, though she puts on a small smile. "I'm sorry. I wasn't speaking to you." She shifts her eyes back to John. "I was speaking to you. About Sky Net."

He saw his mother look at him, no doubt expecting some kind of surprised reaction, but he didn't flinch. He felt this was coming.

"Savannah's told you about John Henry I presume," Weaver says edgily. "Which is why your cyborg is skulking around my basement."

Before he can defend Cameron's current actions, Ellison curses. "What the hell?"

John jerks his head up to see something flying towards the large office window. His eyes widened. Even Ms. Weaver turns to look as swearing is unusual for Mr. Ellison.

Despite its fast approach, John recognizes it as the vehicle that rose up out of the pond. The one Derek had called an HK.

Weaver turns back around, face blank. "Get down."

Sarah yanks John down to the floor, shielding him. Over the sound of the window shattering, John hears the explosion. His eyes trail up to see Weaver, her liquid metal body forming a shield between him and the fire. He could feel the searing heat above and beside him, but Weaver's body was blocking the rest of the flames from reaching them.

"Run," Weaver orders.

John doesn't waste any time. Sarah drags him to his feet and they run for the staircase, dodging the small explosions in the hallway. Ellison and Weaver are not far behind them. Above them the heat from the burning fuel causes the thermite to explode, filling the floor with flames burning everything in its path.

"The basement," Weaver states. "Mr. Ellison. John Henry."

"We need to get out," Sarah insists. "They're trying to kill my son."

"No, they're trying to kill my son," Weaver replied calmly. "Just like you are."

"I'm sure she's already done it," Sarah shoots back.

"You better hope not," Weaver replies in a cold monotone. "Your John may save the world, but he can't do it without mine."

She continues down the stairs and John exchanges a confused look with his mother before following. As they reach the end, John sees the unconscious security guard and his pace quickens, feeling a sense of urgency. What if Cameron wasn't able to kill John Henry? What if she had been too badly damaged in the breakout?

He charges forward, ahead of his mother, ahead of Weaver. As he bursts through the door first, he halts suddenly, his eyes widening in shock and fear.

Cameron sits in the chair, completely still, her eyes dead and unfocused. His mind is screaming. No no no no!

He rushes to her side, pulling back her hair and skin to see the port where her chip is. Where it was!

"Her chip, it's gone." NO! This can't be happening! He fights against the emotions that threaten to overwhelm him. His eyes desperately search the table, spotting Cameron's bloodied knife.

"Where is he?" he shouts at Weaver. "The-th-th-John Henry!" he stutters. "He took her chip! Where did he go?" He was aware he was shouting, his voice edged with fear.

Weaver slowly approaches, glancing at the knife, at Cameron's unmoving body. "He didn't take the chip. She gave it to him."

"John," Sarah says softly, nodding to something behind him.

He turns, not knowing what to expect. What he sees is a computer screen that keeps flashing words, Cameron's words: I'M SORRY JOHN. I'M SORRY JOHN. I'M SORRY JOHN. I'M SORRY JOHN.

John could feel the tears coming. Why, Cameron? Why did you do that? His whole world was suddenly crashing down. He never got to say goodbye to her, never got to tell her how he felt, never got to kiss her.

"Where is he?"

"Not where," Weaver replies, examining the electronic equipment. "When."

John sees Ellison frown from the doorway. "What? What do you mean when?"

John realizes what she means. This whole room is just like the bank vault!

"I know that," Sarah says, her eyes locking on a piece of computer equipment in the central hub. "I've seen it before."

John turns around, his eyes widening. "Is that the Turk? That's Andy Goode's Turk!"

"Three dots," Sarah whispers. John looks again. Sure enough, there are three red dots on the machine. Weaver is programming something into a computer that looks similar to the one Cameron had used in the bank vault . . . to time jump.

We're going to find John Henry. We're going to save Cameron. He was vaguely aware of his mother going off on Weaver.

"You Terminator Bitch. You're building Sky Net!" Sarah accuses, her voice hard with rage.

"No I was building something to fight it," Weaver replies. "And I'd watch who's calling who bitch."

Will you join us?

John squeezes his eyes shut before glancing once more at Cameron's lifeless body. He hates seeing her like this. He turns to the screen again, seeing the words: I'M SORRY JOHN.

He could almost hear her voice saying those words, in the same pleading tone she'd used when she begged for her life, apologizing for trying to kill him.

"Coming, James?" Weaver asks.

Ellison furrows his brow. "Coming?"

"After John Henry," Weaver replies with a smile. "Our boy."

Ellison slowly shakes his head, backing away. "He's not my boy. And you . . . you're . . ."

"Do you mind picking up Savannah then?" Weaver interrupts, her voice still pleasant. "Gymnastics ends at five-thirty."

John jumps, startled, as the first of the electrical surges began. His eyes dart from the computer which started ticking down from twenty seconds to his mother, who has slowly started shaking her head back and forth.

"John, we can't." She protests, backing up a step.

No! We have to! We have to save her! He hears his voice break. "He's got her chip."

Sarah continues backing away and John can feel the tears welling in his eyes. His throat constricts and he finds it nearly impossible to breathe.

"He's got her," he chokes tearfully.

The bubble begins to form around them and Sarah steps back, out of the circle. "Mom," John pleads. Her image begins to blur blue as the bubble thickens.

"I'll stop it," she promises. "I'll stop it."

He feels a deep sense of loss as his mom backs away from view. Right before the jump, his eyes dart from Cameron's limp body in front of him to the screen where her words had been repeating.

I'M SORRY JOHN.

I'M SORRY JOHN.

His breath catches in his throat and he turns to stare down at Cameron's body, eyes watering.

And then he sees nothing, only darkness.

The room is crackling with energy. The time bubble is expanding and enveloping both her son John and the terminator that calls herself Weaver. Sarah steps back out of the bubble that is forming.

"Mom?" John looks at her earnestly. Sarah thinks, This isn't my fight. She steps back some more.

"I'm sorry John." My fight is here and now. "I'll stop it. I'll stop it." Her back is against the wall. Sarah is visibly upset, her face failing to hide her pain of losing her son. But it is time for him to go, embrace his destiny, to live the life for which she's been preparing him her entire life.

The bubble finishes expanding until Weaver and John are fully enclosed. Lightning is crackling around the room. Sarah is looking at her son, John Connor, the future savior of mankind. He looks afraid and so young, but he is brave and strong. She loves her son.

Recent events flash through her mind. Suddenly she remembers, in the lobby, just before they went upstairs, John told her he loved her. It had been so long since he told her this. With just moments to spare as the bubble begins to wink out of existence, she shouts, "I love you, too."

Then with a crackle and a flash of light the bubble is gone. Energy still crackles about the room. She stands there for what feels like an eternity looking at the spot where her son had stood just a moment before. She feels numb all over. She doesn't know if it is from the electrical discharge or the loss of her son.

She is shocked back to reality when Ellison grabs her arm. "Come on Sarah. We have to get you out of here before the authorities arrive."

"The computer, the Turk, we have to destroy it." cries Sarah.

"There's no problem. I think that . . . that energy bubble fried it. Look." Ellison gestures at the computers.

The computer servers looked like they received a heavy charge. There are scorch marks around the screws. Monitors are flickering and flashing static. Sarah realizes she was so blinded by the loss of her son that she hadn't noticed the room around her. None of the computers appear to be operating.

Sarah looks at Cameron's body. It was right in the middle of the time bubble, but there it still sat. She suddenly remembers that metal can't go through, and with part of her endoskeleton exposed, Cameron still sat there.

"We will have to get her out of here," Shouts Sarah, "and destroy the security tapes."

"Security tapes are no problem. They were stored digitally on John Henry's computer, and that is torched by all appearances."

"Well then, stop gabbing and help me with Cameron." Sarah says, as she tries to hoist Cameron out of her chair. She may look like a skinny teenage girl, but even Sarah has difficulty shifting her dead weight.

Ellison picks the girl up by the waist, and with a small grunt of effort, he puts her lithe body over his shoulder. Sarah collects the knife and any other bits of evidence she can spot and runs after him.

In the room where John Henry once lived, the static clears from the monitors. The computer systems reboot and the lights on the Turk come on. A command prompt is displayed on one of the monitors and then a single phrase is repeated, I AM HERE, I AM HERE, I AM HERE, I AM HERE.

Sarah catches up with Ellison just as he is approaching the door to the underground parking garage. She peers out through the window of the door, then slowly opens it taking a quick glance around.

"It's clear." She says over shoulder as she holds the door open.

"We're lucky I'm parked on this level." He grunts, as he struggles with Cameron's body.

They get to his car, Sarah takes Cameron's body from Ellison and struggles to prop her up against the side of the vehicle, while Ellison unlocks the trunk. He and Sarah then takes Cameron's body and carefully places it the trunk of his company car.

Sarah hesitates. Who is this man that she should place her trust in him? In what seemed like another life, Ellison had pursued her all over the country, convinced she was a psychotic terrorist. Then when she and John, and Cameron had traveled eight years into the future, she thought she had lost him for good. But it seemed like no matter where she went, no matter what she did in her fight against Sky Net, there he was. He betrayed them once. He stole Cromartie's body and gave it to Weaver. It may operate under a different name now, but it is still a machine. And it is Ellison's fault.

She looks at this man that is now trying to help her, her eyes narrowing. "How do I know I can trust you?"

"Sarah, as much as I would like to take the time to reassure you right now, we haven't got the time." Ellison sighs, he can just begin to hear alarms sounding from approaching emergency vehicles. "Just get in the car. We can discuss this later."

Almost reluctantly Sarah gets in Ellison's car. She doesn't have much of a choice. Without his help she would certainly get caught and be blamed for this mess. When they start to approach the exit, she scrunches down below the window to avoid being seen by anyone.

# # #

"That is what is happening right now." John explains. "Today is the day Catherine Weaver and myself left for the future. Ellison is taking mom someplace safe and the Cameron I sent back to this time will be looking out for her."

"If you knew that was going to happen today, then why waste time collecting weapons. Why not go and stop yourself from traveling forward in time?"

"You know why I couldn't. You were there when she told us." John says quietly. "Come on we need to get moving before the cops get here. Provided they aren't too busy downtown."

Several miles away, a figure watches the smoke and flames shooting from the upper floors of the Zeira Corp tower from the roof of an empty warehouse in an industrial park. The building is empty but for one area where a black Dodge Ram is parked well out of site of any passerby. Confidant that all is happening according to schedule, the figure runs to the edge of the roof top and drops several stories below to the pavement below.

Next to the building is a barrel with a few sticks of old lumber. The person pulls a folder stuffed with sheets of paper from inside their leather jacket and lays it on top. Attached to the folder is a thumb drive which they quickly pocket, exchanging it for a lighter.

The person flicks the lighter and touches the flame to many points along the folders and papers edges until they begin to burn.

Leaping onto the back of a waiting motorcycle, they tear off, leaving nothing but smoking tire streak. As the folder burns, the rising heat causes it to open exposing more of the paper. They curl and blacken, but not before letterhead for The Kaliba Group becomes briefly visible.

As the M-35 drives out of the city, carrying people and weapons, John can't help but think about what he's been through and how he couldn't interfere with today's events before the time jump to save those he loves. Thinking about Cameron, and what she might be doing this very moment, he can't help but recall recent events in the future.

2027, July 25, Day 64, 4:45 AM
Kyle runs down the catwalk in the direction he heard the shout come from. He is halfway across the building when there is a large explosion somewhere ahead. He can see the bright flash through an opening in the far wall.

As he runs along the catwalk towards the flash, he can see something silvery moving quickly on the other side of the opening. He is almost to the door when he sees Allison run forward leaping and grabbing Kreilley. They disappear over the edge of the platform.

He comes to the door as John screams. "Noooooo!"

John leaps up and dashes to the edge of the platform.

Kyle is about to run forward thinking John is going to foolishly leap after her, but all he does is collapse at the edge and begin to scream again.

"CAMERON!" He screams at the top of his voice.

"CAMERON!" He screams again and again.

"CAMERON!" He barely yells, his voice cracking as tears fills his eyes.

Kyle walks up beside John and looks down. There is nothing to be seen but the boiling molten metal in the large open hearth furnace below. A silvery film across its surface.

John is crying. There is no sign of any movement on the floor below. The brightness of the molten metal is blinding.

"John." Kyle says calmly, but there is no response.

"John!" He says more forcefully.

"Kyle?"

"We have to go John. Catherine says the nuclear bomb is set to go off. We need to leave."

"I can't leave without her!"

"She's dead John. She died saving your life!"

"No . . . No! She can't be. I need her." He shouts at him, "I need her!"

John gets up and runs to the far side of the platform. Grabbing a ladder he slides down it to the floor below.

Kyle runs after him following him down the ladder.

The heat is intense on the floor as the molten metal burps and bubbles in the large open hearths.

John and Kyle are nearly suffocating in the intense heat as they walk towards the large open hearth.

"Cameron! Cameron!" John yells, choking on the heat.

Kyle reaches over and places his hand on John's shoulder. John quickly shakes it off.

"Leave me alone!" He says.

"John please. We need to go now. We haven't got much time!" Kyle pleads.

"Not until I know what happened to her!"

"John please don't make this any harder on yourself." He tries to explain. How can he get through to someone who is calling out to a lost love, instead of for the woman he married not that long ago.

John spins on his heel. "Hard, what do you know about it being hard?" John shouts. "Have you ever loved someone so deeply that their life has been more important than your own? Have you sacrificed all that you wanted all that you loved just to be with the one person who loved you more than life itself? Tell me you have and I know you're a liar. I will not leave until I know Cameron's fate!"

"Don't you mean Allison's fate!" Kyle snaps. "And I think its pretty obvious what has happened."

"No I don't mean Allison! And No! Its not obvious! She could be lying here someplace damaged. Please just help me look? Please, Kyle?" John pleads, tears streaming from his eyes. He's lost his mom. He can't lose Cameron too. Not again.

Kyle shakes his head, to weary to argue. "All right John. I'll give you five minutes, and that is more time than we should take."

"Thank you Kyle."

John goes trotting off towards the furnaces where he thinks she went. "Cameron! Cameron!"

Kyle watches and just shakes his head. He knows they need to leave. He walks after John.

2009, May 13, Late Afternoon, Day -5
Traveling down the freeway, Kyle holds the vehicle to no more than two miles over the speed limit. They hit a bump in the road that breaks John out of his deep thoughts. He watches the traffic go zooming past them like they are standing still before speaking.

"Kyle?" John says at a volume barely loud enough to be heard over the trucks engine.

"Yes, John."

"I'm sorry for what I said to you in the foundry. Thank you for helping me."

Kyle doesn't respond, but just keeps driving. Without any prompting, it's the first time John's even hinted at what took place in the future. He just hopes that John will find it in himself to talk about it before it eats at him from within. Kyle has seen many soldiers eat a bullet just because they couldn't face the world without someone they've lost. He knows John isn't like that, but he has a question for him.

"Is what happened to Cameron and what she said have anything to do with why you had to speak with John Henry alone?"

John's mind instantly flashes to the life that was Allison's, snuffed out prematurely, taking with it what might have been her unborn child too. That's true hatred. Killing not only mother, but child too. And for what? What? What has all this have to do with Catherine Weaver's plans? Is anything she's told him about her motives in the future even true?

"Something, but I'd rather not talk about it right now." John says and sits staring out the front window.

"Whenever you are ready to talk about it, you know I'm right here."

A few miles later John says, "Why don't we stop and get these guys some real food, and pick up some food, additional clothing and gear for the people back at the base."

"We don't have any money." Kyle responds.

"That's what you think." John says feeling the case press against the back of his legs. "There's a place we can stop at, a few blocks from our exit. Alamo Survivalist Supplies. For the volume of clothes, flack jackets, boots, and radios we need, he's the place to get them at."

"But what if he talks?"

"He won't talk. He knows my mom. And with the volume we will be buying, he won't have any reason to talk. Not if he wants us back to buy more."

# # #

Ellison is quickly driving away from Zeira Corp, without looking like he is in a hurry. He drives about two blocks before Sarah pulls herself up into the seat.

"Where are we going?" She asks checking the mirrors for anyone possibly following them.

"I am taking you someplace safe, and nearby, and then I'm going to pick up Savannah from her class." Ellison pauses while he maneuvers his car through the stream of traffic. "I don't like using the girl this way, but if asked she will be my reason for leaving Zeira Corp."

"What will you tell her?"

"I don't know. But I can't tell her the truth. Not yet, anyways"

Ellison and Sarah don't talk much from there on. Driving quickly but safely through the streets of Los Angeles, Ellison pulls up outside an apartment building. There is a sign out front saying closed for remodeling.

"What is this place?" Sarah asks, looking around.

"We're in North Hollywood. This is where that machine posing as George Laszlo killed an entire swat team when the FBI attempted to arrest him. After the shoot-out, the owners closed the apartment building while the investigation was underway, and it has remained closed due to the investigation and eventual remodeling by the owners. Which is on hold until structural engineers can examine the building."

He continues to drive around back where the service entrance to the interior court is located. "This is the closest I can get us in the car. No one should see us go in from here. The place is deserted."

Ellison and Sarah get out of the car and begin the daunting task of dragging Cameron's body out of the trunk. "The place still has electric and water, but it is completely empty for at least the next few weeks."

Sarah picks up Cameron's legs and they struggle to carry her through the gate and up the stairs to the second level.

Stopping outside a door, Ellison speaks, "This is the apartment where he stayed. It is the only one that isn't locked but it has an FBI seal on the door."

Sarah notes the melancholy in Ellison's voice. "Something wrong?"

"I lost a lot of people here colleagues, friends, including my partner. She was the best"

Sarah puts down Cameron's legs and pulls the knife from her pocket. Carefully, she slices through the tape following the gap between the door and the jamb. They drag Cameron inside and lay her on the sofa.

"No one should find you here." Ellison says as he looks around. He still can barely grasp the awful damage done by one of those machines in this very room.

"I'll be back as soon as I can. In the mean time, stay here, out of sight."

Sarah assesses her location. Bullet holes pockmark most of the walls and there is the slight tang of tear gas in the air. It took her five minutes to explore the apartment. No TV, no phone, one door, three windows, one bathroom, one bedroom, and one kitchen with little food, of which most was spoiled.

She goes into the bedroom and glances at the mirror on the back of the closet door. She had been through a lot the last several years. Through it all she could rely on her son, but now she is alone.

Suddenly, Sarah is rocked to the core with a sudden rush of grief. Sobbing, she sits on the bed. The tears just flow. John is gone and she misses him terribly. She is all alone now. Derek is dead. Charlie is dead. Cameron is disabled. Now John is gone, somewhere in the future with that terminator bitch, who called itself Catherine Weaver.

# # #

A few minutes later and the M35 pulls in behind the business John described and comes to a stop.

"Kyle and I will go in. We'll bring our stuff out through the back. Andy, you see anything suspicious, three hard taps on the horn. We shouldn't be long."

"So tell me about this guy. What can I expect when we go inside?" Kyle asks, as they walk around to the front entrance.

"Mom met him in Honduras. He looks like he was born there, but he's actually Hungarian, Gypsy by birth. Don't know much about him otherwise. I was just a kid when I last saw him."

Kyle and John walk around to the front and go inside. The interior is a vast warehouse like store with canoes hanging from the ceiling, crossbows mounted on the walls beside heads of animals, and in the back a wide range of weapons locked behind glass doors. Kyle gasps with the wide range of goods available for the sportsman, survivalist, or just the keen camper. If he had half this stuff in the future they could have really done something.

"What can I do you for?" A man comes out from behind a display on a counter.

"Mr. Jovanovic. I'm John. You've done business with my mother, Sarah Connor."

"Yes I have. Though she hasn't crossed my threshold in a very long time. But judging by the recent news reports, and I understand why. I've been listening to the police scanner. They're looking for her, you and this sister of yours."

"Have the police been here?"

"No. No one knows I've done business with your mother in the past. What brings you here?"

"My friend and I are here to do business. I'm hoping you might show me the same consideration as you did my mom in the past."

"If its that kind of business, then I should probably lock my door. Always willing to help the son of Sarah Connor."

As he goes to the front doors to lock them and put the closed sign in the window, Kyle whispers to John, "How does your mom know this guy? He seems pretty straight and clean."

"Don't let appearances fool you. According to mom he was one of the best drug and gun smugglers out there until he got tired of the business. He took his money and bought this business. The original owner was killed by an armed robber. His family tried to keep the business going but sold it to him ten years later. He expanded it from a basic guns and ammo into this. Done good, but he isn't above helping his old friends. I understand Mom helped him out."

"And I'll always be grateful for what she did." The older man says joining them. "Now I couldn't help but notice you were looking at the knives I have on display." he adds clapping a hand on Kyle's shoulder.

"These here is your classic combat knife like your grandpa used in Vietnam. But you, you look like a man who wants something more than the basic."

John can't help but grin. Mr. Jovanovic was a born salesman. It took little effort to get him directed to the gear they needed to buy. Protein bars, prepackaged meals, camouflage clothing, canteens, etc., plus some basic hardy khaki's, boots, shirts, and T-shirts for the people back at base. Kyle did end up buying a knife, to replace the one he lost, and while he and the shop owner went over the selection, John found himself looking at a display of bandana's. They were in every conceivable color and pattern from traditional red and blue, to brightly colored camouflage, to standard camouflage patterns. Amongst all of them one color stood out from the rest, and John knew he had to buy it, not for himself, but for the one person to whom it would mean more.

# # #

Kreilley is sitting comfortably in his office chair watching the latest news reports on the violent crash into Zeira Corp office tower.

"Earlier this afternoon as commuters were just starting to leave downtown L. A. Pedestrians and commuters alike were witness to the spectacular crash of some unknown aircraft into the Zeira Corp tower. With fears of another nine-eleven, police rushed to cordon off the area. The Los Angeles Fire Department are working to put out the fire which has totally engulfed the upper floors of Zeira Corp. We go now to Steve Picathanay for a live report."

"Good Afternoon Dawn. I am standing just two blocks from the epicenter of one of the worse disasters to fall on Los Angeles. Just before the end of the business day, this whole area was shocked by the apparent crash of a small plane into Zeira Corp. Officials are presently investigating where this craft may have come from. Presently fire crews are more concerned with keeping the fire contained and keeping people from venturing too close, otherwise, many people could be killed or injured by falling debris."

"Thank you Steve. I have just got word that we have a security video from a nearby business that shows that unknown aircraft as it flew over Los Angeles. We apologize for the low quality of the film."

Kreilley is watching the fuzzy video when the intercom buzzes.

"What do you want Mr. Petri?"

"Mr. Preckman is on line two for you sir."

He mutes the TV and picks up the phone, the news report is once again showing the results of where his drone smashed into Zeira Corp office.

"Preckman here. Sarah Connor has escaped from prison."

"Where is she? You and your people are supposed to be keeping tabs on her."

"I know sir. She had help. That cyborg of hers came in and busted her out."

"Did you follow them?"

"I had a van follow them but they lost them in traffic. They were last seen heading in the general direction of downtown L. A. They could be anywhere now."

Kreilley looks at the news coverage of the attack on Zeira Corp. "I have a good idea of where she may have gone, Zeira Corp. She and her son rescued Weaver's daughter and they may have gone there. I hardly doubt someone of her resources and capabilities got caught in my little trap. I will have to make an appearance as Detective Wicker and arrange a sweep of the area. With all of the police and news media down town, she isn't likely to leave anytime soon. In the meantime, I suggest you stake out their storage unit and their former home."

"I already have people assigned to the storage unit. It won't take but a minute to get people to watch their house."

"Mr. Preckman?"

"Yes sir?"

"Don't disappoint me again." Kreilley hangs up the phone and resumes working at his computer station.

2009, May 13, Late Evening, Day -5
Sarah wakes with a start. She quickly looks around wondering where she is and how she got here. She slowly calms down from her brief panic attack.

"It won't do. I can't let this get to me." Sarah says out loud.

The light filtering through the closed blinds indicates that it will soon be getting dark. Sarah has no idea when Ellison will be back, but there are some things she needs to do first. She bathes quickly and redresses into her own clothes. Sarah finds a baseball cap on the shelf in the closet that is too big for her. She puts it in on and tucks her hair up inside. By the time she is ready it is dark out.

It is a long walk through the streets of Los Angeles at night. There are still quite a few people out and about. It may be California, but people do walk. Sarah takes advantages of groups of people, heading in the same direction she is going, for cover. When there isn't any, she keeps to the shadows, anything to hide her presence. It is dangerous what she is doing, but there wasn't time to collect her SUV yesterday. It was far more important to leave the area quickly.

Sarah eventually arrives where John had parked their vehicle for their meeting with Catherine Weaver. They had parked two blocks away from Zeira Corp in alley serving a closed Sushi Bar that was up for sale. After leaving the prison, they had quickly abandoned the Suburban John stole for their own vehicle three miles from the prison and proceeded to the meeting at a steady pace while Sarah changed clothes in the back. She checks the area thoroughly, waiting and watching to see if anyone is watching her or where they parked. After an hour of scanning the area, Sarah determines no one is watching her or the SUV.

She quickly examines the vehicle for any tampering. The outside and the undercarriage of the SUV is clear of any explosives or tracking devices. She opens the front door and sees what looks like a piece of string on the floor mat, shaped like an arrow pointing under the driver's seat. Reaching under the front seat, she pulls out a small package wrapped in tape. Inside, is $10,000 in cash, and a driver's license and a passport made out to Sarah Gayle, and a note.

Sarah trembles slightly as she reads the note.

Dear Mom,

Please don't worry about me. I am doing fine. I didn't know what was going to happen when we went to see Weaver, but I felt things wouldn't be the same again.

The passport will only be good for forty-eight hours after being used. It will take that long before the authorities realize it is fake. The drivers license should last a long time, provided you don't get pulled over too often for traffic violations. The cash is a gift. Thank you for your gift.

Love, John

P.S.

The cops will be making a security sweep through the area at 10:15. Leave now.

She approaches the industrial park very carefully. If Savannah was able to lead the cops here, then this would be the perfect place to try and recapture her. Stopping on an access road, she pulls a pair of night-vision binoculars out of the glove box, and quickly runs across the road and climbs the fire escape on the back of an empty warehouse.

Sarah stands there for an hour surveying the industrial park, all the approaches and all potential hiding places. Nothing is moving other than a few wild animals who live and hunt amongst the refuse of humanity. Sarah quickly returns to her vehicle and drives around to the warehouse.

She gets out and approaches the building with care. The pungent smell of a recent fire touches upon her nostrils. As she reaches the corner of the building it gets stronger. Taking risk, she pulls out a small flashlight, and while shielding it with her hand shines it into an empty barrel by the door. Inside is the smoldering remains of burnt papers and some old timbers.

Her thoughts wander to the idea of some homeless people trying to keep warm, then that makes her worried about their belongings they left behind. Should she risk going in? Dammit, she has too, if only to recover the data they found.

Once again, Sarah takes her time, casing the building for any surveillance devices or potential observers. Seeing nobody, she enters the building, parking in front of the Dodge Ram. Sarah wastes no time, grabbing everything and placing it in her SUV. She packs up Johns things and keeps them separate from Derek's. She looks, but can't find Cameron's bag. Not wanting to waste any more time than she has to, Sarah quickly forgets about it and moves on.

She digs around in John's things, and quickly finds his computer, but nowhere can she find the folder with the papers they printed out of everything they could collect on The Kaliba Group. She begins to panic, tossing things about when she realizes, the fire.

She quickly goes back outside and examines the ashes more closely. Digging through the ashes she finds a few unburnt corners of papers and part of the folder. What little is still readable is recognizable as the papers they had. She can only think John must have burnt them for security before going to ground.

With a sigh, she goes back inside the warehouse, brushing her sooty fingers on her pants. She knows the same files and more will be on John's computer. Sarah places it in her own bag for taking back to the motel room. She looks forward to putting on some fresh clothes. At least one of them, probably Cameron as she can't imagine John going through her underwear, had the foresight to bring some of her clothes to put on after the breakout. Getting changed in that back alley smelling of rotten fish wasn't the highlight of the day, but it beat the heck out of what came later.

With almost a cheer, Sarah finds the last of their thermite in one of the truck's storage lockers. All the weapons she hides in the SUV, hidden under John's and Derek's meager belongings.

It is a shame she has to leave behind the Dodge Ram, but she only needs one vehicle. Sarah suddenly has an idea. Pulling a pair of work gloves from John's bag, she grabs a shirt belonging to Derek and wipes down every surface inside and outside the truck. She also takes the time to remove everything that isn't nailed down, whether or not it could identify her, John or Derek. When she is done, she drives the vehicle to the edge of the industrial area. When they came here to hide with Savannah, she saw some young Latino men hanging around there. She is sure they would like a new truck. Leaving the keys in the ignition, she walks back to her SUV.

Sarah drives off without another glance back. If she had, she would have seen someone leave the shadows and go over to the truck and examine it. With little effort, they place a motorcycle in the back of the truck and get inside. They drive off in a different direction. Coming to a storage facility, the person pulls up outside one of the large sheds. They get out and open the door, the headlights showing off guns and equipment hanging inside. The headlights go off as the vehicle is driven inside. A few minutes later, a motorcycle pulls out of the storage facility, kicking up gravel in its haste.

Sarah drives in the general direction of the condominiums and finds a long term, parking garage just a few blocks away. There is a light on in the guard's booth. She smiles as luck is with her. It has a night attendant. Keeping her face in shadow, she pays in cash for a two-week parking permit, the shortest she can get. She is glad she doesn't need to show an ID when using cash. She pulls into the parking garage, finds her space and parks.

Hanging her parking tag on the rear view mirror, she locks the vehicle and walks away, shouldering the bag with some clothing and John's computer inside.

2009, May 13, close to Midnight, Day -5

The M-35 continues down remote roads and seldom traveled highways to get to its destination. Kyle is glad to be out of the city. It felt strange to see everything as it was before Judgment Day. To think, somewhere in that city, he and Derek could be playing catch or sitting at the dinner table with his parents right now eating supper. How weird can this life get?

The truck disappears into the mountains and Kyle follows the route back to Crystal Peak. The fallout shelter feels more like home than the city. More spacious than the bunkers they lived in, but it's underground and has that same feeling.

He comes to a stop outside the hanger doors. Kyle raps on the back of the cab and two men jump out the back while at the same time John stirs.

"Oh man. Did I fall asleep?" John says as he sits up, stretching. He notices that it is late in the evening.

"Yeah. I let you sleep, figured you needed it after all you've been through." Kyle pulls something out from inside his jacket. "Here's your gun back."

"My gun?" John takes it from Kyles hand as he brings the truck inside the hanger.

"Yep. You had yourself a little nightmare. You screamed 'Metal!' and pulled out your gun. Three men jumped out the truck to take cover and I had to disarm you."

"Shit. And the three men?"

"Are unharmed. We were dragging up a steep slope at the time so no one was hurt."

"Oh man." John stares at his gun before putting it away. "I am so sorry. I remember screaming and going for my gun but I thought it was all in the dream."

"Don't worry about it. You aren't the first person to surprise everyone by screaming while asleep, just try not to do it when we are in a vehicle next time." Kyle smiles at his young friend.

"Thanks." John says as the hanger doors close.

"Andy, you and the others see to it that the food, clothing, soaps and deodorants get distributed to everyone. Kyle let's see how John Henry and the others have done with the computers."

Kyle and John walk into the computer room to find Catherine and John Henry working at the computers. There is a cot to one side and Savannah is sleeping on it.

"What's up with Savannah?" Kyle asks quietly upon entering the room.

"She over did it working on the computers downstairs, tore some stitches. I had to put in new stitches and gave her something to make her sleep and keep her off her leg while it heals." Catherine answers.

John kneels down beside the cot and moves several strands of hair off her face and tucks them behind her ear with the rest. "Why is she here and not in a private room?" John asks.

"She insisted that she stay here until you arrived, John. She looks up to you. Besides it's quiet here and we can keep an eye on her." Catherine says.

She's family, John wants to say. Savannah grew up under his mom's care. She's about as close to having a real sister as he's ever going to get.

"Is there any risk of infection? Or anything like that." Kyle asks, knowing full well how dangerous wounds of any kind were in the future.

"No, but she will have to take things slowly for a couple of days."

"I'm glad she's okay." John stands back up and looks at them. "What were you able to find out while we were gone?"

"We've been monitoring the satellite signals since Savannah got the old computers operational. So far we haven't come across any signals that are definitely Sky Net's. However, a search of the internet reveals traces of data on computer servers across many fields that bear similarities to Sky Net's." John Henry replies. "I saw something similar to this before, when something which I believe was Sky Net tried to shut me down. It has grown since then. Every major node on the internet is presently under control of Sky Net. From those positions it can take control of every computer linked to the internet, nothing is safe."

"Sounds like Kreilley is preparing a global takeover of the worlds computers. What about FOX Industries, find anything there?"

"If Sky Net is there . . ."

"We know it is." John interrupts.

". . . then it must be buried behind firewalls. I can't break into it until it reveals itself."

"That won't be for another four to five days. Please tell me you have some good news." John replies.

"I don't know if you would call it good, but while John Henry was searching for Sky Net and trying to break into FOX Industries main computers, I took a different route."

"What did you do Catherine?' Kyle asks.

"I hacked into their warehouse and factory computers. As I thought, they weren't as secure as the main servers." She waits a moment as if she will be praised for her work, but when she sees its not coming she then says. "I can approximate from the data I found how many and what types of machines they have constructed."

"So what are we looking at here? What kind of machines will we be f acing?" John asks.

"That's the bad news. They've completed construction of approximately one hundred-seven T-1's."

"Damn." Kyle curses. "T-1's have their vulnerabilities, but they can lay down heavy gunfire like nothing else."

"You may not be facing all of them. They've already begun shipping them as well as the HK Drones to various military bases."

"And how many of the drones are we liable to encounter?" Kyle asks.

"They are fewer in number compared to the T-1's, but their speed and maneuverability makes them far more dangerous. They appear to have completed construction of sixty-nine, but at least half of them have been shipped to military bases."

"What is their rate of construction?"

"By the time Judgment Day arrives, they will have in all probability replaced all units that have already shipped and more, provided they maintain the same rate of construction. Exact numbers cannot be determined."

John lets out a long sigh.

"I'm afraid that isn't all we've been able to find." Catherine says.

John waits for her to tell him. He doesn't have long to wait.

"The factories at this time are heavily automated, but a great deal of physical labor is still required. I searched the IRS and Social Security Administration databases for employees of FOX industries, and I came up empty for workers with the necessary skills to work in a factory."

"Wait a minute." Kyle interjects. "I know they had people working in the factories. When Savannah and I led our troops inside the Topanga facility, we found underground cells with mummified corpses and evidence of experimentation. The machines that were with us identified the bar codes on their arms as being Sky Net prisoners from before Judgment Day. So they have people working there, they just aren't doing it willingly."

"So we have a potential fighting force inside the facility." John says but sees Catherine's firm expression. "You found something else out didn't you."

"Yes. Kreilley has amassed a private army. According to IRS records, they are listed as security, but given the situation, one man's security guard can be another machines soldier."

"How many?"

"Depending on how many are on duty, you could be looking at anywhere from forty to one-hundred-twenty. They are on a rotating eight hour shift. So if Kreilley gets anxious, you could be facing all of them when you attack."

"Based on what mom told me in the future, all of them will be there. Kreilley will have them in hiding until the very last moment."

John sighs and looks around. "I'm open to suggestions."

"I could load a virus into their computers like I did before," John Henry says, "but it wouldn't do anything until Sky Net came online and began communicating with its machines."

"Prepare it just the same."

"John, why don't you tell your mom that you are back. Then you can use her contacts in Central America to raise more troops." Kyle suggests.

John and Catherine exchange a look, each of them recalling what she told him the previous day. She wonders what John will say.

"That isn't a good idea for two reasons; one, the men in Central America wouldn't get here in time, and two, Mom must continue to believe I'm still in the future, because there are things she will be doing before Judgment Day, and knowledge of my presence could affect the outcome. It is best she doesn't know I am here until the moment we act. Also, we can't risk Kreilley knowing I'm here."

Catherine tries not to preen over John's acceptance of the idea she gave him. Sarah Connor is presently a random element that will hold Kreilley's attention like a flitting hummingbird will hold a cats interest.

John pauses a moments then grins. "However, I have a contact of my own that I can call on. Catherine, do we have a telephone?"

"Yes. I have a secure line in my office, next door."

"Good. Catherine, you said you wanted to help me destroy the monster. That is your task, to find some present day means of destroying Kreilley. Also, I need the two of you to hack into their security system because on the night we attack, I want it to be a complete surprise. Three, find that damn terminator!"

And on those words, John walks out of the computer room and into Catherine's office next door slamming the door shut behind him.

Quieting his heart and mind, he sits behind Catherine's desk, trying to recall the phone number for the one person he can call on for help. John hopes he will help. After all, he did save his life.

# # #

From the Journal of John Connor

May 14, 2009

There is a storm on the horizon. One we know is coming. We are gathering an army to fight what we hope will be the first and last battle in that war.

God help us. I don't know if we will be strong enough to stop Sky Net from being born. Even with help.

But I fight more for more than just to stop Judgment Day. I fight to save the people I love. I hope that will be enough to get me through the coming days.

There is storm coming. We've won the war, but now we must save the future.

---

Today is May 18,2012. Three years ago on this day, FOX formally announced it would not be picking up Terminator The Sarah Connor Chronicles for a third season. Despite petitions and emails and a groundswell of support for the show, it wasn't enough for FOX to change its mind. There was some hope afterwards that WB might produce a direct-to-DVD movie to conclude the series but sadly nothing happened on that front either. Whether its was the Halcyon bankruptcy that scuttled its future or just weak kneed Eunuchs at WB, TSCC died. So many different ways they could have continued the series, including novels, graphic novels, or even comic book form, that would have been less costly but nothing.

We have not forgotten Terminator The Sarah Connor Chronicles, nor will we let others. I can only speak for myself when I say it was the best TV show I've seen in my lifetime and I haven't come across anything since that holds my attention like it did. The stories, the actors, all the people behind the scenes, that gave us such a wonderful adventure and so many fascinating characters we let into our homes each week. Now its gone, and the void has yet to be filled. We miss you TSCC.

The1Russter
May 18, 2012