Chapter 38 – Nothing Ever Stays the Same
Disclaimer: Don't own TSCC.
Heat from the pavement made the heat of the day even worse in the cab of Derek's truck. Sweating profusely, he slammed his fist down on the dashboard again in a pointless attempt to frighten the malfunctioning air conditioner into self-repairing.
"The designers of this truck did not include self-diagnostics as part of the onboard computer's programming. Hitting the truck to punish it for not self-repairing will accomplish nothing except possibly breaking a bone in your hand."
"Cameron, can you talk in anything but that monotone? What's more, I don't hit the truck expecting it to fix itself. I hit because I'm pissed off and I want to hit something!"
"Please do not yell at me. My auditory sensors are functioning within design parameters. It is not my fault the air conditioning is malfunctioning."
"Well, I'm mad. I don't like sitting in traffic and sweating if I don't have to. Yelling makes me feel better. You're the only person in the truck, so it just seems like I'm yelling at you."
"You are rude Derek Reese."
"Never said I wasn't Tin Miss. Now, quit nagging at me unless you have a suggestion on how to get us some cool air."
"Pull over the truck and I will repair the air conditioner."
Derek yanked the wheel to the right and quickly pulled into a parking lot. The truck stopped with a heavy jerk as he brought the vehicle to a sudden stop and killed the engine.
"I've been sweating all this time and you could have fixed the air conditioner? Why didn't you say something?"
"You did not ask if I had the ability to make the necessary repairs."
In response Derek slammed his fist on the dashboard again.
"Out. Now. Fix the air conditioner. We're late already."
"Say please, there is no call for you to be rude to me."
"Please! Now fix the air conditioner!"
Cameron calmly got out of the truck and retrieved the ever-present toolbox from the bin in the back of the pickup. Derek released the hood and Cameron quickly began examining the faulty air conditioning system. After three minutes she returned the toolbox to the back of the truck and climbed in the truck cab. She handed a piece of paper to Derek with a list of parts written in her perfect handwriting.
"I will require these items to make the necessary repairs. There is an autoparts store one mile ahead on the left."
Derek looked at the list and then back at Cameron in disgust.
"We passed an autoparts store half an hour ago. We could have cool air right now! Why didn't you say something."
"You were rude to me at breakfast, again. I made your favorite breakfast and all you did was make nasty and rude comments to me. Then you complained about having to wait when I left for my extra dance practice. I made you a nice meal and my extra sessions are important. We are only scouting today so time was not of great importance."
Derek shook his head and wiped the sweat off his forehead again. Muttering in a low growl he vented his frustration, "stinkin' metal doesn't feel the heat and she just wants to torture me. Just pure meanness, that's…"
"I can understand every word you are saying Derek. You were mean first. Do not complain anymore or I will not make the repairs until John needs to use the truck."
Defeated and desperate to get the air conditioning repaired, Derek cast an annoyed glance at Cameron.
"I suppose you want an apology as well."
"That goes without saying."
"Fine. I'm sorry. Breakfast was excellent as usual. Dance practice is important."
"Thank you."
30 minutes later…
Cameron climbed into the cab of the truck and shut the door behind her. Derek turned the key in the ignition and to his delight cool air poured out of the vents within seconds of the engine starting. Placing his face close to the nearest vent he allowed the cool, crisp air to wash over his red face.
"Cameron, I take back all the nasty things I said to you this morning. You are not only a good cook and fine dancer, you're not too bad as a mechanic either."
Pulling into the traffic, Derek's attention was occupied by the need to watch for oncoming traffic. As a result, he missed the pleased smile on Cameron's face. She did not know which pleased her more, letting Derek sweat for an hour or the genuine praise offered for repairing his truck. Finally Cameron decided she liked both equally. She had exacted her revenge and earned deserved praise.
On the other side of Los Angeles…
Sarah impatiently sat in traffic, glaring at the red stoplight three cars in front of her. Like prey sensing the presence of a predator, she squirmed in her seat and anxiously looked around.
"Mom, relax. Getting all worked up is not going to turn the light green any sooner. I'm keeping a careful eye on everything. Looking around like your paranoid, which you are, is only going to attract attention to us."
"John, this is a new facility the Kaliba group has purchased through a holding company. This is important."
"Mom, I know. Who found out about the new facility?"
"You did. But Kaliba's moving faster."
"Yes, but acting all uptight is not going to get us there any faster. It might cause you to get us in a wreck, which would prevent us from scouting the place. Or, you might attract the attention of a police officer and neither of us wants to deal with the problems that will cause."
"John, you're not taking this serious."
"Mom, I'm taking this very serious. I want to get there. Observe and learn everything we can and then get home. We're not doing anything without adequate intel. It might take two or three recons before we can devise a plan."
"John, we may have to act today. That's why I brought explosives."
"What is wrong with you mom? Going off half cocked will get us killed or captured. Then who will fight Kaliba, the Greys and FutureTech?"
The light finally turned green and Sarah focused her attention on driving and trying to work her way around the two cars in front of her.
"Mom, do you ever want to live a normal life? You know, maybe have a house in a decent neighborhood, own your own diner? Derek could work construction or maybe in law enforcement? He'd be good at that."
"John that's not possible. It'll never happen. I've accepted it. I don't waste time wanting what I can't have."
"No fate but what you make."
"Excuse me?"
"That's what you always say. No fate but whatyou make. I might not be able to stop Judgment Day. I may have to fight Skynet in the future. But I want to live a normal life now."
"John, what are you talking about? There is no normal life for us. We are at war. Get over it."
"I don't want to get over it. Neither does Cameron."
The light changed red forcing Sarah slam on the breaks in order to bring the SUV to a halt.
"You what," she yelled at John. "You just want to walk away from the fight against Skynet? Is that what you want?"
"Yeah, I do. Problem is, I didn't pick this fight. It picked me. So as much as I want to walk away from this I can't. It wouldn't be right either. But it doesn't change the fact I want a normal life for as long as possible."
"You go to school. You have Cameron for a girlfriend. That's enough."
"No. It's not."
The light changed to green and Sarah accelerated in anger, nearly hitting the tail end of a car that had run the red light as it flew through the intersection.
"Just what do you mean? You have to lead the resistance. Without you there is no future!"
"Yeah, I know. Everyday of my life I am reminded of that tiny fact. If its not you, its Derek or Cameron."
"Don't you forget it either young man! There is a lot at stake! 3 Billion lives!"
"That I didn't kill," John screamed back at his mother.
"I'm a kid! I'm 18 years old! You know, a senior in high school! I'm supposed to be thinking about prom, getting in Cameron's pants, sports, where I'm going to college next fall. Things like what am I going to do with the rest of my life! Oh, yeah, getting drunk tonight is pretty high on the priority list as well for kids my age! So do not give me crap about something is at stake! I am painfully aware of what is at stake!"
"Do not speak to me like that, John Connor! I'm your mother!"
"Yeah! You are! I'm sorry Future John sent Kyle back and a T-800 sent by Skynet killed him. I'm sorry you wound up in a mental institution. I'm sorry you got passed around like a whore when I was little. I'm sorry for so many things I had no say in. YOU KILLED UNCLE BOB! You didn't have to melt him down. You didn't! I'm sorry you didn't marry Charlie! Nah, I would have just hated having a father. I'm sorry you have secrets."
Pausing to catch his breath as Sarah drove with her mouth open in shock, John felt the pent up years of rage and anger inside flowing out. Having opened the floodgates there was no stopping the flow of emotions, no way to not say the things he had never dared to utter before.
"You didn't choose this life mom. Neither did I. I get we can't stop the fight but we don't have to be slaves to Skynet! Don't you see, we're no better than a T-600 with no hope of ever escaping Skynet's control. Skynet's already won! It controls us now just like it does its human slaves in the future! What good will it do for us to win now if we lose our humanity! We'll be no better than the human traitors who become Greys!"
"John, how can you say this to me? I have not wasted my life fighting Skynet!"
"Yes, mom, you have. You could have married Charlie. We could have been a family. Things could have been different!"
"Don't say that John! It would never have worked out."
"Really? You don't give Charlie much credit do you! How many times has he patched you and Derek up? He knows about Cameron. He knows about Skynet. Charlie knows everything! He's never betrayed us! He's never said no when we needed his help! YOU NEVER GAVE HIM A CHANCE BECAUSE YOU WERE SCARED!"
Ears ringing from John's diatribe, both of the Connors sat in silence as Sarah drove to their destination. Neither wanting to speak to the other.
Derek and Cameron…
The sun had peaked for the day and was well on its way towards setting in the west. Drenched in sweat, Derek rang out the bottom of his t-shirt. The sweat ran into his hands. Unable to resist, like an older brother he flung the sweat on Cameron and stepped back out of her immediate reach.
Disgusted by the sudden dousing of Derek's sweat on her cotton top, Cameron stepped away from him, raising her shoulders as she took the hem of her top and held it away from her waist, examining the pattern of sweat drops. Looking up to glare at Derek, Cameron was surprised to see him laughing as he taunted her.
"What's the matter Tin Miss? Run into a rainstorm?"
"There was no reason for you to do that Derek."
"Oh, c'mon Cameron. I'm dying here it's so hot and you don't sweat at all. It was too good to pass up."
"I do not understand. What do you mean by too good to pass up? How can throwing your sweat on another person be 'good'? You do realize human sweat contains urea?"
Realizing Cameron was clueless, Derek stopped smiling.
"I apologize. I forget you don't always understand how humans play or tease each other."
The two continued their way along the sidewalk, Derek watching for the street numbers while Cameron scanned for threats. Needing to carry larger weapons for the day's trip, Cameron had switched to her large purse. With Derek distracted and not paying attention to her, she opened her purse and reached inside. Withdrawing a bottle of water, she unscrewed the cap and stepped up behind Derek who was squinting in the bright sun trying to read the street numbers.
Derek leapt several inches in the air as the cool water ran down his back. Cutting loose with a string of creative profanity, he turned in anger to see a smiling Cameron holding out a half empty bottle of water.
"Got you!" she laughed.
The look of juvenile delight on her face kept him from losing his temper. He had been the one to start it. She had simply finished it.
"OK, I take back what I said. You do get practical jokes."
"Truce?"
"Truce Cameron. We need to focus on the job."
Within minutes the pair had located the warehouse they were searching for. Sitting down at a table outside a coffee house, Derek ordered to coffees for them.
"That's odd to locate here in the middle of a retail area," Derek observed.
"Perhaps the location itself is important, not the other buildings or the type of neighborhood."
"Scan your files on the city maps. See what's underneath the building."
Cameron called up her HUD and initiated a search for the relevant maps.
"Derek, do you ever desire to have a normal life?"
He laughed at Cameron's question until he saw her titled head and realized she was serious.
Sighing, he asked her a question in return.
"What's normal Cameron?"
"We do not lead normal lives. John wants to live a normal life. I want John to be happy."
"You're serious aren't you? You really want to know if I want to live a normal life?"
"Yes. I don't have anyone else I can discuss this with. Sarah will freak out."
Several minutes passed as Derek watched the warehouse out of the corner of his eye and Cameron continued her search of the city maps.
"If I knew what normal was Cameron, I would probably want to live a normal life. Then again, coming from the future and knowing what awaits, I know what we do now is important for the war. I really don't know how to answer your question."
"Do you feel torn between seeking happiness and normalcy and a sense of duty?"
"That's a good way of describing what I feel Cameron. Why do you ask?"
"Do you promise not to tell Sarah? This is very private."
"Hey, you're really serious here aren't you?"
"Yes, Derek. You must promise not to tell Sarah we talked about this topic."
Derek looked at Cameron, watching her face for any hint of emotion. Finally he decided if she was desperate enough to talk to him of all people it was a serious matter to Tin Miss. Of course, she had to play the game with him. He smiled at her and turned his gaze back to the warehouse.
"You desire something for your promise to remain silent, do you not Derek Reese?"
"I'm thinking my favorite breakfast every morning for the rest of this week."
"You will not be allowed to taunt me or criticize my cooking during the breakfast meal time."
"Deal. I won't tell Sarah."
"John wishes to go to community college in the fall after we graduate. I wish to audition for the Los Angeles Ballet Company."
Puzzled by this revelation and Cameron's desire for secrecy from Sarah, Derek frowned.
"I don't understand. Why would Sarah freak out? The two of you go to school now and you dance now. It's not that big a change from how we live now."
"In two years we want to be married and live on our own. I will earn money as a professional dancer to pay for the last two years of John's college at a four year school as well as pay our other bills."
"Sarah will freak out," Derek mumbled as he began rubbing his forehead. "Can we talk about this on our way home? I can't think straight about something like this and get our job here done."
"I will wait until we are on our way home to continue this discussion. The map of the city shows several underground utility tunnels and an old freight tunnel used to deliver goods to the businesses in this area from the underground. These tunnels would allow the warehouse to store materials that need to be moved without being seen."
Sarah and John…
The Connor family SUV was parked in a junkyard overlooking the freshly cleared site for construction of a new factory facility. Sarah and John both watched the workers with binoculars, making notes and taking photographs from time-to-time. Neither had spoken since their earlier tirade with each other.
"So you just want to walk away. Throw away everything we've done. Abandon you're responsibility? Is that it John?"
"You're missing the point mom. Everyone tells me what a great leader I'm supposed to be. Cameron tells me how awful a human Future John is. But nobody ever asks me what I think. I'm never allowed to make decisions. I've told everyone, especially you mom, I have to be allowed to grow up. That means making decisions, which will mean making mistakes. How else do I become this messianic leader if I'm not allowed to be my own man? I have to learn to make big decisions. Decisions that matter!"
The uneasy silence returned between the two, filling the SUV with tension. Time passed slowly. Sarah, unable to control her anger with John slammed her binoculars down on the dashboard.
"So you just plan to walk. That's what you're telling me. Screw you mom. To hell with everything I've done for you. To hell with everything I've taught you! All the sacrifices I've made for you! You think I wanted to whore myself out to those men? I didn't have a choice John!"
"Did you hear me say the words 'I am going to walk away from this fight?' Did you? Because I don't recall saying those words. What I did say was I want as normal a life as possible."
Frustrated Sarah would not hear what John was trying so desperately to tell her, he quietly slipped out of the SUV and began walking along the perimeter fence of the junkyard, searching for another vantage point to observe the Kaliba site from. Finding an old tree whose branches offered plenty of shade from the hot sun, John sat down and leaned against the tree.
He watched the workers move about; busy with their jobs, unaware they were hastening the destruction of their own race in the process. John envied them of their ignorance of the fate of mankind in the not too distant future.
"Just what do you intend to do!"
"Mom, not so loud. You complain about me not getting the job done and here you are broadcasting our presence. Keep it down if you're going to talk."
"Answer me!"
"When I graduate this spring, I'm getting a part-time job. Then in the fall I'm going to the community college. Cameron is going to audition for the Los Angeles Ballet Company. I'm going to get all my basics out of the way at the community college."
Sarah looked at John and thought about what he had just told her.
"You're not telling me everything."
"No, I'm not. I hadn't planned on telling you like this. I didn't mean to start a huge fight with you when I asked you if you ever wanted a normal life. But since that boat has already sailed, you might as well hear the rest."
John paused and braced himself, preparing for the combined hurricane, wildfire and tornado the news he was about to tell his mother would unleash.
"Cameron and I are going to save our money. My counselor thinks I can get a scholarship that will cover my tuition for community college."
"I don't have a problem with you going to community college. Education and knowledge are weapons. Cameron has to go as well so you are protected. Her dance career ends this May. She can take her private classes, but otherwise, she's done."
"You see mom, you aren't listening. This isn't about what you want. This is about what Cameron and I want. We aren't going to walk away from the fight, far from it. But there is no reason Cameron can't dance for a living if she's good enough just as there's no reason for me to learn to go to school without a protector."
"This is not open for discussion John. She's not dancing for a living. Cameron's job is to protect you."
"Fine. I hadn't planned on telling you this until we thought you were ready for it, but you've forced the issue. When I graduate from community college, Cameron and I are getting married. Married! We're moving out. She has to have a way to earn a legal living so I can finish my four-year degree. I plan to study computers and engineering by the way."
"Married? Did I hear you say married?"
"Yes! You did! And no, I am not using Cameron's computer brain to steal, hack or otherwise earn a living illegally. First, we'd eventually get caught. Worse, Kaliba or FutureTech would find us. No, dancing for a ballet company is a way for her to hide in the open and make enough money for us to live legally. Like normal people."
"No. You are not doing this. I forbid it!"
"Mom, 'the sisters' think Cameron is good enough. Between the two of them, they've trained a third of the dancers in the company. Why shouldn't Cameron earn an honest income?"
"John, people will get suspicious when she doesn't age!"
"How do you know she won't age? She's only four years old! Her skin is living tissue. Moving parts wear out. Her energy cell is only good for 100 years. Mom, Cameron is going to die like we are. Tell me, why shouldn't she earn a legal living doing something she's good at and she loves?"
"This is all besides the point! We have to fight Skynet! I forbid you to walk away from the fight!"
"You're still not listening, so it's for certain you aren't hearing what I am saying. Cameron and I are not quitting the fight against Skynet. Let me say that again. Cameron and I are not quitting the fight against Skynet. I'll say it a third time if I have to! We want to live as normally as we can. When Judgment Day comes, we'll be ready, but until then, we want to live our lives the way we want to. Not the way someone else says we have to."
"John, I forbid it. Cameron is moving out. She can go live in the safe house with Mueller."
"Mom, if you throw Cameron out, you're throwing me out as well. We have papers for Cameron. We're both 18 according to our papers. We don't need your consent to get married."
John's words struck her like a sledgehammer blow. Sarah fell to her knees, sobbing and covered her face with her hands.
"Don't leave me John. I'll be all alone against the machines!"
"Mom, we don't want to leave you alone. We aren't going to stop fighting Skynet. But Cameron and I want to have our own lives. If we have to do something drastic, like get married now, we will."
John reached out and took his mother in his arms, holding her close to him. Her sobs racked her body as she let her fears flow out of her.
"Mom, I love you. Cameron really looks up to you, as strange as that seems. Neither of us wants you out of our lives. Besides, you won't be alone. You'll have Derek and I promise we're not moving far away."
"You're leaving me! You hate me you ungrateful son!"
"Now you're putting more words in my mouth. Mom, if you'll chill out, you'd realize Cameron and I don't want to get married for two years. I'm not ready. She's nervous about being a professional dancer and leaving me to protect myself. We need two years to get a lot of things figured out. Then we want to live on our own close by for two more years. Nobody's moving away. Nobody wants to shut you out. Mom, Cameron and I want to grow up. Why does this should surprise you."
Derek and Cameron…
The pounding in his temples had lessened as the two Advil Cameron had administered finally kicked in. If Cameron had felt the need to reveal this secret there was little doubt in his mind John was even more eager to get this news out in the open. Sarah would go ballistic. It would be a new record for length, intensity and duration of one of her infamous emotional explosions. The more Derek considered Sarah's likely response he decided variety had to be included as a category as well.
"Have the two of you really thought this out?"
"Not completely. I need more wisdom and information before I agree to John's plan completely. I understand his desire for a normal life. Future John mourned grievously the fact he never had any normalcy in his life. It was one of the main causes of his bitterness. I need to find a way for John to have as much normal activity as possible before Judgment Day comes."
"Going to community college won't rock Sarah's boat too much. John's education is important. She truly believes knowledge is power and a weapon. In time, the two of you together should be able to wear her down about you earning an income as a dancer with the ballet company. I'm all for John learning to protect himself without you. In the future, there will be times the two of you are going to be separated. I'd even take a few classes at the community college so I could shadow John but give him space."
"So you think Sarah will agree to the first two years of our plan?"
"In time, yes. It makes sense and the benefits are worth the risk. Like you say, hiding you in the wide open makes sense. Using your computer to generate income illegally is going to bring attention we can't have."
"You have doubts about the second two years."
"Yeah, I have own doubts. Cameron, I'll be honest. My opinion of you has changed some. I'm pretty sure you do have real emotions. I know you want what is best for John. You're a heck of a fighter. I would never hesitate to go into combat with you. But marrying John? I just don't know if I can agree with that. John's a human and you're, well, you're…"
"A Terminator, nothing more than a machine."
"Cameron, I just can't wrap my mind around it. It's just not natural. Sarah's not going to go for it. What about the resistance fighters in the future?"
"I cannot help how I feel. John loves me and I love John. It is acceptable for you to be with Sarah. John approves and so do I. If we make each other happy, why must we be kept apart? John is a man. I am female. I will be able to satisfy his intimate needs. We protect each other. John teaches me and I teach him. We are best friends. We trust each other. Are not these all qualities of a strong male/female relationship? Marriage would bind us together permanently. I want the security of knowing John is mine alone."
"Cameron, let's leave it at this. For now, I can't support the two of you getting married. I just can't, not right now. But I will support John going to community college and you dancing for the ballet company. I think it is wise and it will be good for John. So long as both of you maintain your responsibilities in our efforts against Skynet and you keep John safe, I'll help you with Sarah on the things I am in agreement with. After that, all I can say is ask me in two years."
Cameron reached across the front seat of the truck and touched Derek gently on his arm. He looked over to see Cameron change her expression from her bland empty look to one of tender appreciation.
"You get your favorite breakfast for the rest of the month and you can make comments the last week of the month."
Derek shook his head, not believing what he was agreeing to. A metal had just convinced him to take her side against Sarah. But then again, this metal could really cook.