James tugged at the duck tape that bound him to a chair. It wrapped around his wrists and his ankles firmly keeping him in place. Sarah cut another section of duck tape on the table in case she desired to shut him up.
"Untie me," James complained as he tried to move.
Sarah ignored the FBI agent. "Are we safe?" she asked Cameron who was staring out the window for any possible threats.
"It appears we have evaded it," Cameron concluded.
Sarah gave James a look to make sure he was tied up completely and no longer a threat. "Why aren't you with John?" Sarah demanded of Cameron.
Cameron didn't pry her eyes away from the window. "He sent me here to protect you," Cameron said simply.
"You shouldn't have done that. Now he's alone," Sarah said noticeably upset.
"He is in Enrique's care for the time being in another location. He will not be discovered," Cameron defended.
Sarah felt slightly relieved at that, but she was still angry at the Terminator for leaving her son. "I don't care. You should have stayed in Mexico with John," Sarah argued.
"You would have died," Cameron pointed out.
Sarah simply stared at the overly blunt machine masquerading as a human. Sarah positioned her annoyed expression at James. "Do you still doubt?" she asked him.
James was uncertain; the girl had a robotic arm that was coated with human flesh. The metallic arm was more advance than any prosthetic he had ever seen or heard about. "Can I see it again?" he asked curiously.
Sarah turned to Cameron. "Show him," she requested.
Cameron complied and walked up to James. She showed him a close look of her arm. She then flexed her fingers so he could see the metal gears move back and forth. Cameron then stared into James's eyes and flashed her eyes blue.
Cameron then stood up and walked back to the window. "Let's say I believe you, I mean all of it. What do you expect me to do?" James asked.
"Delete our files from the FBI database for starters," Sarah said.
James considered the proposition. "Untie me and maybe we can talk," James negotiated.
"I kind of like him tied up," Derek commented.
Sarah was inclined to agree after her imprisonment. "My partner will find me," James said as he struggled.
"Who's your partner?" Sarah wondered.
Derek went through James' wallet and found a business card connected to FBI agent Kester. The business card had Kester's phone number and title on it.
"We came into contact with a Terminator posing as an FBI agent in Mexico. This Kester may be the same one," Cameron speculated.
"Can you find out?" Sarah asked.
"Yes," Cameron said picking up James's cell phone.
She then dialed Kester's number using James' phone. Agent Kester picked up the phone after a few rings. "Hello," Kester answered.
"Are you back at the office?" Cameron asked using James' voice.
"I should be back in a few hours. I am on the road," Kester answered.
"No problem," Cameron said and then hung up.
"Agent Kester is the Terminator that pursued us in Mexico," Cameron reported.
"Agent Kester is not a robot. I would have noticed," James protested.
"My analysis is conclusive," Cameron told him.
"We worked together every day. We had coffee together; I was even there during his promotion interviews," James continued.
"Terminator units are programmed to blend in," Cameron said.
"I don't believe it," James said in denial.
"Is it really that hard to believe. You just saw her mimic your voice," Sarah argued.
James was at a loss for words. "I can show him proof if he requires it," Cameron offered.
"How?" Sarah wondered.
"The FBI has files on every citizen in this country. I can prove that Agent Kester has fraudulent documentation," Cameron said.
"We don't have a computer," Derek reminded her.
"I know. We will need to go to the FBI office. I will take Agent Ellison back to the FBI office," Cameron said.
"It's getting late, the FBI office will be closed," James objected.
"You have the access code to get inside," Cameron told him.
James was stumped. "All right," he allowed.
James and Cameron came up to the FBI office, Cameron had a pistol to James' back in case he tried to escape or pull anything.
"Is that really necessary?" he asked.
"Yes," Cameron answered.
James used his card to get inside the building and then led Cameron to rows of computers. The room was dark; no one was at the office. "Keep the lights off," Cameron told James as he went over to pull the switch.
Cameron's vision could see perfectly. She sat down at a computer and accessed the computer. "I can hack this computer in ten minutes, but it would be simpler if you typed in the password," Cameron told James.
James reluctantly complied and typed in the password; Cameron memorized his keystrokes. Accessing the FBI files, Cameron connected to Agent Kester's file. After a few minutes of Cameron hacking into the system she discovered her proof.
James looked over the information she had printed out. It was now quite certain that Agent Kester had been using an already existing Social Security number and resume of a dead FBI agent in another state. Dumbfounded, James took a seat as he mulled the information over.
"Convinced?" Cameron asked.
"How could I be so blind?" James moaned.
"You must not inform your superiors, the Terminator will kill anyone that gets in the way of its mission. Leave this office and ask for a transfer to another location," Cameron advised.
"This doesn't prove he's a robot. It just means that he has false records. I have done numerous cases on this kind of thing," James said.
"If you attempt to arrest him, you and your men will be killed," Cameron said and left James in the empty room.
--
The Next Day
The FBI office was busy with the escape of Sarah Connor. James made an excuse as to how he lost sight of Sarah and Derek when the police station had been attacked. After he had made his explanations to his superiors, he turned to Susan's office.
"Has Kester left the office yet?" James asked Susan.
"Yeah, I saw him leave an hour ago," Susan answered.
James sat down next to Susan's desk and presented his evidence to her. "What's this?" Susan wondered as she looked through it.
After a few moments her eyes went wide as she looked through all of the information. "Where did you get these? These are personal files," she said.
"Never mind that. We have a problem on our hands," James said.
Susan nodded. "Get the chief," Susan suggested.
--
A SWAT team filled with federal agents descended upon Kester's apartment. Kester was busy working on his computer and didn't notice the SWAT van come up. James came out of the van in a bullet proof vest and stood back as the SWAT team entered the pool area of the apartment complex.
The SWAT team went up the stairs and huddled next to the doorway. The SWAT leader kicked the door open and shouted "Freeze." Kester was immediately on his feet and confronted the SWAT team.
"On the floor with your hands on your head," the SWAT team leader ordered.
Kester did not comply and instead rapidly took the automatic rifle out of his hands. The other SWAT team members immediately fired on Kester. James took a step back as he heard gun fire in the apartment. Kester blasted two SWAT members with his rifle spraying blood on the floor. He then hurled them into the swimming pool. The other SWAT members continued to open fire on Kester slicing into his arm, chest, and face.
Kester shot up another SWAT team member and tossed him into the pool as well. James watched in horror as more SWAT team members were thrown into the pool. Kester ran out of bullets in his first gun and confiscated another SWAT team member's gun. He blasted a round of bullets into a SWAT team members head and then cast him aside into the pool as well. After he had killed the whole team, Kester turned on Susan shooting her in the back of the neck. Susan fell to the ground with a thud and stopped moving.
Kester then moved on James who still held a pistol in his hand. James could clearly see metal endoskeleton underneath Kester's arm, neck, and face. His clothes had been shot up and bloodied by the bullets as well. James shuddered as his former partner looked down at him. Realizing he could face death at any moment, James couldn't bring himself to back away.
Kester eyed James and then walked off holding his rifle in the air. James simply stared forward in shock at what had happened. Death had walked by him; he had been spared. Looking at the pool, he saw a dozen bodies floating on the surface. The pool was quickly turning red blood. Turning to Susan, he checked her vital signs and got nothing. The bullet had sliced into her brain stem killing her instantly.
As James mourned over Susan, paramedics came to the scene and recovered the bodies. James was taken away in an ambulance so that he could be treated for shock and any other injuries he might not have been aware of. Kester was no where to be found.
The Next Day
James was in the chief's office the following morning. The chief entered the room and placed James' incident report on table. "First of all, are you all right?" the chief asked.
James nodded. "Your incident report leaves many questions. How did the suspect dodge or counter that much gun fire? How was an entire SWAT team killed by one man? Why were you the only one left alive?" the chief questioned.
"I can't really explain why he allowed me to live. But, as I wrote in my report, the suspect was wounded from the fight," James pointed out.
"Bleeding, gashes, scrapes: these are not the kind of wounds one receives in a gun battle," the chief said angrily.
"Thirteen of our best officers are dead so you better come up with a better story than what you just submitted," the chief demanded.
"I can't change my report. It's all true," James said neglecting to mention Kester's robotic features.
The chief sighed. "James, you are one of our bests but this report is impossible. I have no choice but to conclude that you are purposely misleading me and this office. I don't know why you're doing this, but as Agent Kester's former partner there is some suspicion on you too," the chief told him.
"I was the one who found out about Agent Kester," James objected.
"Under very suspicious circumstances I might add. You still haven't come up with an explanation as to what happened at that police station in LA," the chief reminded him.
"I am going to have to put you on two weeks paid leave until an investigation straightens this whole matter up," the chief decided.
James gave the chief a stunned look. "My decision is final," the chief said just as James was about to open his mouth.
Derek drove the family jeep northeast to middle America; their destination was Topeka, Kansas where they wouldn't be found out or bothered. Cameron and John were in the backseat as Sarah took shotgun. "Thanks," John said to Cameron.
"Your gratitude is not required," Cameron reminded him.
John sighed and faced off into the distance. "You're welcome," Cameron added.
John looked back at Cameron as she smiled at him. John nodded appreciatively and then put on his headphones; it would be a long trip.
Author's Note: This arc is finally over and now it is time for John to go back to school. I have not yet had the opportunity to look at Season 2 premier but it won't overly affect the story. I may take some elements from it, but my intention was always to create a super expansive story. I have hit 100,000 words for a story that takes place within a three month time period. So, I do plan to go beyond 200,000 words if you guys still have a firm interest.
