CH 37
Kaede knew someone would be coming. She parked her silver monster-car two doors down from her room and not quite all the way into the parking spot. This gave the impression she was in another room, as well as now she could see her car from a peeking view from her closed curtains. The car also had one of those anti-touch alarms, so she'd know if anyone even put a hand on it.
All night she slept lightly, expecting someone to come and try to bust her door down, or plant a bomb on her car. Neither happened. In the morning, Kaede looked out before going out and noticed a car on the side of the road directly across from her car. This car was a plain brown four door late model. It appeared empty.
Kaede went out to searched for anyone in sight. Right away she noted two men outside the room her car was in front of. They both had pistols. The men turned upon seeing her.
"Come ta play?" she asked.
Both men refocused on her, aimed their guns and fired.
Kaede stopped the bullets and walked towards them. The men grew wide eyes, fired a few more shots then took off running. In a jump, Kaede caught up to them and yanked the backs of their shirts up and back hard. Their feet flew out in front of them.
Kaede slammed the now horizontal men to the ground. Their pistols clattered free of them. Kaede tossed the pistols behind her and walked up to the prone men. "Havin a bad mornin?" she asked lightly.
One scrambled to get up. Kaede lifted him ten feet in the air and drove him back to the ground head first. There was a 'pop' sound when he landed. He laid still.
"You wanna die too?" she asked the other one. He held his hands up in surrender, eyeing her fearfully. Kaede used her invisible arms to haul him to his feet. "Lad, ya kin tell me who sent ya, or they kin find yer body beside his," Kaede stated.
The man swallowed and said, "Gino sent us after a computer chip you have."
"Ain't gittin it. Who's Gino?"
"You know, the boss, Gino."
"No I don't know Gino," Kaede told him. Grabbing his right arm, she twisted it and broke his elbow, then torn his lower arm off and flung it into the brush. He wailed out in pain, gripped the stump and tried to run again. Kaede held him in place.
"Either ya tell me bout yer boss, or next ya lose yer left leg at the knee..."
"OK OK!" he cried. "Gino Santino, he runs a restaurant, 3rd and Park. In front is an eatery, in the back is the numbers games , gamblin and hookers. He said we got a sweet deal, just steal a computer chip from a lone woman an wack her. He didn't say NOTHING about you being bullet proof, or ... how did you kill Jake?"
"Just like I'm gonna kill ya if ya doan do exactly what I tell ya," Kaede growled.
The man winced in pain again and looked at his half-arm. "I gotta got to the hospital."
"Nay, lad. You do only what I say. Otherwise, yer dead." Kaede stated.
The sound of a siren came close. Aldridge's car squealed into the parking lot and skidded to a stop. Seeing them, Mr. one and a half arms cried, "Arrest me, please! I'll admit to anything, just GET ME AWAY FROM HER!"
Kaede let him go to stumble and fall. She pointed to where their guns lay. "Guns are over there, fergit which guy had which one. I disarmed'em," she said with a wicked grin.
"Take me in, whatever it is, I did it, just get me outta here!" the man cried at Aldridge. "I need to get to a hospital!"
Beck went over and picked the guns up with a white cloth. He also called an ambulance.
"So what happened here?" Aldridge asked Kaede.
"They tried to shoot me. I stopped them, one lived. I asked him where his boss is, he told me."
"She tore my friggin arm off and threw it away!" the man cried.
"Next time, don't try to avoid the question," Kaede told him.
Aldridge stayed by the man who was now leaning against his car and still eyeing Kaede warily. Beck found the spend bullets and collected them and the casings after photographing them. Kaede went back into her room to call John and let him know everything was fine.
The ambulance came with a patrol car. One of the policemen rode to the hospital with Mr. one and a half arm. Kaede gave her statements, and pointed out the arm that was in the brush. The coroner's car came to take away the dead man and the severed arm.
Once the coroner left, Kaede told Aldridge, "Their boss is a Gino Santino, he runs a place at 3rd and Park. I have ta go visit'im."
"I think I should stick by you," Aldridge said firmly.
"Nay, Lad, ya doan wanna see this," Kaede replied. "I'm gittin who paid him ta send these fellas. I'm sure he woan talk easy."
"Like the guy you ripped the arm off of?" Aldridge asked.
"First rip, he broke down an had lots ta say. This Gino guy might take more convincin."
Aldridge frowned at her. "You can't go mutilating people! We don't do things like that!"
Kaede folded her arms across her chest. "Lad, are ya gonna try an stop me?"
Aldridge motioned to his car. "I think we need to go to the station."
Kaede walked beside him. When they got to the car, she reached down and pulled the valve stem out of his right front wheel. The tire deflated with a hiss. "Aww lookit that. Ya nay goin nowhere til ya git that fixed." Kaede then turned and walked to her car.
"Hey, you can't do that!" Aldridge cried. "You're breaking the law!"
"Yer car's fault, not mine," Kaede said with an exaggerated shrug. "Ya still doan git it, Lad. I ain't enforcin yer law, I'm lookin ta stop a world disaster. Doan worry, call fer a tow. Someone'll be by for ya, I'm sure." She got in her car and left.
.
Kaede drove back into the city and located Gino's place, then parked a block down. Kaede walked into an alley then took to the rooftops. Gino's restaurant was the first floor of a two story building. Landing on the roof, she went in the roof door.
Taking the stairs down, Kaede went straight into a hallway. A pair of goons were bracketing one door. She shot her mind arms out and scrambled their brains, then quietly lowered then to the floor. Inside the room, a man was yelling at someone.
Kaede opened the door and went in. The obese bald man on the phone gaped at her. "WHO are you? Don! Why'd you let this bitch in here!"
"Don's dead, as is his friend," Kaede stated. She cut the cord on his phone, shut the door and walked over to the desk. "You Gino?"
Gino pulled a big pistol. Kaede snatched it out of his hand and pointed it back at him.
Staring at the gun hanging in the air, his pudgy face softened. "OK, ya got the drop on me. What do you want?"
"You send a pair of low lifes ta get a computer chip from me. One's dead, the other's missin part of his arm. Who paid ya ta come after me?"
"Courier with a note and the first half of the fifty grand," Gino said, staring at his gun hanging in the air. "I get the other half when I get that little chip thing."
"Call them, tell them you have it," Kaede said.
Gino picked up his cell phone and punched in a number. "Yeah, It's Gino. Got what ya want. Come get it, this thing's friggin hot ... right," Gino hung up and said, "He's coming. Did you have to kill my boys?"
"If you wanna live, you'll sit there and shut up." Kaede told him. Kaede backed up, opened the door and dragged the bodies in. She lifted them over the desk to pack them in behind Gino.
Firmly, Gino said, "You're not leaving here alive, you know that?"
"You mean, I'm not leaving here while you're still alive," Kaede replied. "If ya wanna die now, just say so."
"How are you doing that with my gun?" he asked, still looking at the gun pointed at him hanging in the air.
"Nay one tell ya? I'm a witch."
Gino let out a dry chuckle. "Witch, right."
Kaede cocked the hammer on his gun and asked, "Wanna play Russian Roulette?"
"With a semi-automatic?" he cried. "You shoot and the cops will come!"
"Yer right. We'll just wait fer yer friend."
A short while later a knock came at the door. "Come in," Gino said.
Another hoodlum came in. He stopped short at seeing a gun floating in the air and pointed at Gino. "Boss, what's…"
"Never mind that. What did you want?' Gino snapped.
"There's a guy here to see you. Says he came to pick up the item you have for him. Where'd Don and Rico go?"
"Send him in, and wait in the hall. If this woman leaves this room, shoot her," Gino ordered.
The hood looked at Kaede, then Gino. "Ahh, sure Boss." He backed out and motioned another man with a suitcase in.
The man wearing jeans and a gray hoodie came in. In a flat tone, he said, "Where is the chip?"
By his flat tone, and not questioning the gun hanging in the air, Kaede took him for a terminator. "I have your chip, metal. All you have ta do is come git it."
The man took a step towards her. She reached out and wrapped her arms around him and lifted him up. He tipped his head slightly.
"I got use fer ya," Kaede told him.
Kaede ripped his hand off that was holding the case. She then turned him and peeled back his scalp. Yup, it was metal underneath. She tore the ship cover off and he struggled. She got his chip out and it flared up and burned. He went limp. Rats, she forgot about the chips flaring up. Well, now she had a body.
"What the hell was that?" Gino cried.
"Ya just watched a terminater die. Not many people git ta see it," Kaede told him. She then scrambled his brains, dropped his gun and walked out with the terminator ahead of her. In the hall, the hoodlum with the gun stared. She threw the terminator at him. He let out a yelp and dropped his gun to try and catch the flying body. He was driven to the floor.
"Ahhh! Get it off!" the hoodlum cried.
Kaede picked the terminator up off him then disconnected his brain from his body. Pausing, she drew the suitcase to her. Why leave that money go to waste?She went back up to the roof.
Jumping roofs carrying a terminator was tough, but she did it, then lowered herself and the terminator down to her car. She put it in the back seat and drove away.
Kaede called Weaver. Her use for that chip was over now.
.
John sat in the bed and grumbled, "I don't believe she left us here."
Cameron came away from the window and sat by him. "John, Kaede will come back. Shot were fired, police were outside. I'm sure she left to draw them away from us."
"How can you be sure?" he asked. "She put Derek in the hospital and left Mom in jail. It's like she's … picking us apart."
Cameron lowered her head and rubbed her forehead. "John, Derek deserved what he got. Sarah did try to drive away instead of running out the back with us. Sarah got herself arrested. Kaede did get a lawyer for her. She is doing what she can. I doubt Kaede will just leave us."
John looked at Cameron and noted her brows were furrowed as she held a hand to her head. "You've never done that before."
Cameron picked her head up. "Done what?" she asked.
"It looks like you're, I don't know, frustrated." he said, watching her.
Cameron eyed him. "John, I now you're upset about Sarah being in jail. She did that herself John, there was nothing I or you could have done. Same with Derek. He pulled a gun on Kaede. That was a stupid thing to do, I know it and so do you. I would like to smack them both around. Kaede has powers no one has even seen before. She can do impossible things. She is also very smart. If she doesn't come back for a while, that means she is out finding leads to Kaliba, and helping to find Sky Net."
Cameron then held John's hand and said, "Look your mother has been very stressed for a long time. Maybe now, she can ge some peace and quiet. Even if it is sitting in a jail cell. You hate that idea, but maybe it is for the best."
"You really believe that?" he asked.
"I'm hoping Sarah sees it that way," Cameron offered. "She's out of the fight now. I also believe that if we ever are to find and destroy Sky Net, we need Kaede."
John grumbled a bit but held onto Cameron's hand. He leaned into her. "Cam, I'm afraid you'll be the next one to leave me."
Cameron gently lifted his chin with a finger. "Not happening," she stated. She kissed him. John responded and kissed her back. Faces close together, they gazed at each other. John petted Cameron's face. She petted his.
"I love you and you love me," Cameron stated.
John smiled. "So that's not a programmed response?"
"I don't have programs any more, John. This is me, with no prodding or instructions."
They kissed again, deeper this time. Parting from that kiss, Cameron said, "John, pull my chip out."
"Why?" he asked.
"Just pull it. Let's see what happens," she coaxed.
"I know what will happen, you'll shut down," he told her.
Cameron pursed her lips in an impish grin. "How about this. If I shut down, when I come back, I'll do whatever you want. If I don't shut down, YOU do whatever I want. Deal?"
John snorted out a chuckle. "Suppose I want to keep kissing?"
"Whatever you want," Cameron said and laid back on the bed.
John gazed at her and petted her hair. "Why do you want me to pull your chip?" he asked.
"Do it, please."
"OK," John said with a huff. He got as much hair out of the way as possible, then cut three quarters of the way round her chip port and took the cap off. "You sure?" he asked again.
"Positive."
John pulled her chip. Cameron was still for a few seconds, then shifted her head to look at the chip, giggled and said, "So, that's what it looks like."
John's jaw dropped. "Cam … you didn't shut down."
"Nope," she said happily. "I've been thinking about this. Kaede explained it but I didn't quite believe it at first. That chip hasn't had any power to it since Kaede worked on me. It's been doing nothing. See John, to act like a human, I needed infiltration protocols. A purely silicone computer chip can't do that." Cameron moved and dropped a leg over John. "The human mind is much more complex that any program. To give me the ability to mimic emotions, Sky Net had to make a human style brain to let me have those emotions. I do have a biological brain in my head made to operate like a human brain, but it was controlled by that chip. No chip, and I don't have to follow anything except for what I want to do."
John looked at the chip in his hand, then back to Cameron. "So, when you said you were free, you were free of this chip."
Cameron nodded. "Put the cap back in place so I don't have a dent in my head. You can toss that damned chip away if you want. Or I can stomp on it later."
John put the cap over the empty hole and put her scalp back in place. "You really have no programming at all?"
Cameron grinned widely. "Not any more." Leaning up on an elbow, Cameron's grinned widened. Softer, she said, "Now, you have to do what I want," Her grin became wider, looking devilish. She tapped him on the chest. "First thing, get those clothes off and get under the covers."
.
Standing in her parking garage as she held the chip Kaede just gave her, Mrs. Weaver said, "I will first have to wipe this chip clean, which means breaking Sky Net's access code."
"Being a terminator yerself, I'm sure ya kin do it," Kaede assured her.
"What did you do with TOK's chip?" Weaver asked angrily. "I was supposed to get hers. There is information on it I need!"
"Lass, ya can't use it, even if it did work," Kaede explained. "Cameron aint a normal terminater. Her chip isn't her. All her chip did was control'er brain an supply power ta it. After I rewired power directly ta her brain, she doan need it any more."
"Terminators do not have brains, these chips run the solid framed terminators," Weaver stated.
"Most, aye, but Cameron was built different. She does have a brain, that was what made her able to show so many emotions. Her hand twitchin that showed she was irritated was her brain not strictly following what the chip said ta do. I shorted out'er chip, and now her brain is what controls her." Kaede then ginned and added, "An Cameron is now a happy terminater."
"She will no longer follow commands?"
"The ones she wants ta follow."
"You ruined her!" Weaver snapped.
"Nay, I freed'er from that chip."
Weaver turned and walked stiffly back into her building.
Kaede called to her, "No thankya fer freeing another terminater?"
Weaver went back inside and slammed the door.
"Guess not," Kaede said and went back to her car.
Leaving Zeira, Kaede mentally went down her list of jobs. Derek wasn't going to be charged with anything but a hospital bill, Sarah had her lawyers, she now knew where Kaliba was. The only thing left was to make sure John and Cameron were in a safe place to help with research for her to pinpoint where Kaliba and this Sky Net was. That meant she had to get them away from California, and the US all together.
Kaede picked up her phone to call for a ride.
.
"Gino, you must have seen something," the detective coaxed. "You've got dead bodies all over the place here!"
Gino raised his hands up in defeat. "I've been down in the kitchen! I found them when I came up to my office. You think I'd let someone do this to my guys and get away with it?"
Behind them, Agent Aldridge watched. Gino was claiming he wasn't here. No shots were fired but four men laid dead and Gino was playing his part of not seeing anything. "Gino, how bad did she scare you?" he asked.
Gino looked at him. "I don't know what you're talking about. There is no 'she', someone came in and killed my guys, can't you see that? It must have been some big strong fucker."
'Or a witch looking for answers,' Aldridge thought. Gino wasn't going to admit anything. Kaede must have scared the hell out of him. He decided to go see if he could find her.
.
Kaede got back to the motel and packed her things. Walking around back, Kaede went to John and Cameron's room and knocked. The door opened enough to show Cameron's face, a bare shoulder and one arm.
Trying not to smile, Cameron said, "We had lunch… could you come back in say, another hour?"
"Sure, Lass. Git packed when yer done. That is, if ya wanna help me work at finding Sky Net."
Holding up a finger, Cameron said, "We do! Just another hour, OK?"
"OK, have fun. Come git me when yer ready ta leave," Kaede told her and left.
It was about time they loosened up.
.
Kaede got a reply to her pickup call. It was at an airstrip close to Las Vegas. Her rental company did have a place there, and she would be able to turn her car in. John and Cameron's passports would also be there, waiting for their pictures. She just had to drive there.
Kaede got her stuff packed in the cargo area behind the third row of seats then went and filled the gas tank. Coming back, she still had to wait a while before John and Cameron showed,holding hands and both looking happy.
Kaede opened the back hatch and announced, "Good ya finally got some! Put yer stuff in the back."
Cameron's grin widened, John flushed.
"What did you do, watch?!" John cried.
"Nay, but I got ears," Kaede teased.
"Where are we going?" Cameron asked.
Kaede explained while they put their bags in the car. "First we go to an airfield outside Las Vegas. There, ye'll git yer passports. We fly ta Bradley field in Connecticut, git a fill up, then of again ta Iceland, then London. We got a meetin there then we head fer Glen Finnen. Once Kaliba's pegged, most likely we'll be off to Poland."
"That far, today?" John asked.
"It'll take more than a day, Lad," Kaede told him. "Git ready ta be bored with a long trip. Ya kin both sit in the second seat this time. Just doan rock the car."
John rolled his eyes and got in. John sat down. Cameron got in the other side and laid down with her head in his lap.
"No rockin the car," Kaede reminded them as she got in.
The day was already getting warm. Kaede was glad this beast had good A/C, it blew out from then dash and from more vents in front of the second and third seats. At least they wouldn't sweat to death on their way.
Getting to the air field near Las Vegas, Amanda was waiting for them in the common lounge. After the introductions, Kaede turned her car in, then they headed to the snack shop. It was going to be a long trip. Out in the twin engine plane that Kaede had previously bought while hunting aliens, Amanda got John and Cameron's pictures and finished making the passports for them. They were now John and Cameron McDonald.
"You are third generation Mc Donalds coming back to Scotland to find your roots," Amanda explained.
Cameron looked at her passport, "Do I practice me accent, lass?"
Kaede chuckled, "Nay, if yer comin back fer the first time in generations."
Amanda hid her 'passport kit' in the luggage compartment and got in the pilot's seat. Kaede got in the cockpit with her.
"Kaede you know how to fly?" John asked.
"Just meself, nay planes. Doan worry, Amanda will teach me some on the way."
"So if our pilot has a heart attack, we're screwed?" he asked unhappily.
Amanda and Kaede looked at each other. "Yup!" they chorused. Amanda started the plane and taxied out. Kaede called back, "If we're going down, hurry up and get yer last lovin in afore we hit the ground!"
Cameron laughed. John face planted. John then perked up and asked, "Wait, how'd you fly this plane here by yourself?"
Amanda replied, "I didn't. I brought some tourists in to play in Vegas."
"I'll let ya know when we're a mile up. The seats fold back narly horizontal," Kaede told them, then pulled the privacy curtain just behind the cockpit.
Seeing John looked confused, Cameron grinned and asked, "John haven't you heard of the 'mile high' club?"
.
Kaede did learn much about flying on their way to Connecticut. She had the controls down and listened to Amanda explain the takeoff and landing procedures. The beginning of this long trip wasn't boring for her at least. At Bradley Field they all got their passports stamped and fueled up and stayed for a bathroom stop and food. Once they were all back on, they left for Iceland.
By the time they got to London, it was morning there. Kaede knew this was a bad time-lag. She slept a good portion of the way from Iceland t o London, manda got a good nap in too while Kaede monitored the auto pilot.
Amanda landed with just a screech of the tires and a soft bump. She taxied over to the fuel pumps. Kaede got up to find John and Cameron were out like lights. She wiggled their feet o get them up.
"Come on guys, we gotta check into customs," she coaxed.
Cameron came wake easy. John opened his eyes but was more lethargic. Looking out a window he asked, "It's daytime already?"
"We skipped ahead eight hours," Kaede told him. "It's 7:30 here in England."
Kaede called Mr. Smith. He sent a car for her. Once everyone was checked into customs, had breakfast and the plane was refueled, Amanda, John and Cameron waited for Kaede to return. Cameron stayed away, John and Amanda both sacked out in the chairs in the plane.
In an office in Scotland Yard, Kaede collected and coordinated her evidence with John Henry. She made sure Sarah's lawyers had the portions that involved Sarah and Mr. Smith got everything. Mr. Smith also told Kaede they had two agents in Warsaw. They had found Kaliba's home base, but were still identifying all the important people. Three of the names they had so far were a Polish Government official, the other two were bankers. Smith wanted to know all of them before they struck. Kaede was go return home now and wait for news.
Kaede returned to the plane. Amanda let Kaede taxi out and get into the air. When they got to Glen Finnen, Amanda took over for the landing.
"This one's a bit tight," Amanda said. Coming down, it looked like Amanda was going to touch the ground before the runway. She did catch the and of the runway and immediately put the props in reverse and gently applied the brakes. They still used ¾ of the runway getting slowed down to turn onto the taxiway.
This time Amanda after the plane was refueled and they got their luggage out, a truck came out to tow the plane into a hanger.
John immediately noticed it was colder here. Many people were in sweaters. Kaede and Amanda put theirs on. He had no cold weather clothing. Just coming from lower California in the summer, he was chilled to the bone.
Unlike the BMW beast, the Land Rover Amanda brought only had two seats and was narrower. Amanda drove back, Kaede on the passenger side. Cameron in back hugged John to help give him some extra warmth.
"Di… did … the seasons change too?" John asked, shivering in Cameron's grasp.
"Nay, it's late summer," Kaede assured him. "Wait til ya see winter. There's a reason we got four wheel drive vehicles."
"This sucks," John grumbled.
Amanda had mercy on John and turned the heat up full blast.
.
By the time they got up to the road to the castle, John was warming up enough to notice where they were. Seeing they were in the woods on a dirt road, he was expecting a cabin. Coming out of the woods, he saw the castle. "We're going sight seeing?" he asked. "Shouldn't we be getting rooms someplace first?"
"Ya will be, Lad. This is me home," Kaede replied.
"Inari had already made up a room for the two of you on the second floor," Amanda assured him.
John sat up. "You live in a real castle?" he asked in a squeak.
"John, Kaede did mention that once," Cameron reminded him.
"But, I thought she was only putting us on. That's a real castle!"
Amanda and Kaede laughed.
"Ye'll git used to it, John," Kaede told him.
Amanda pulled into the stone block garage and parked. The instant John got out, he was chilled again. The wind up here was blocked by the curtain walls, but still blew in enough to lightly caress his shivering body.
"I'm surprised it's not snowing," he grumbled as he hugged himself.
Kaede waved a hand and told him, "Nay, hardly ever snows in the summer."
Amanda offered, "If you don't like the weather, just wait a few hours, it'll change."
The front door burst open. A toddler ran out, arms wide. "MOMMY'S HOME!" She cried and took a ten foot long leap up into Kaede's arms.
"Hi sweetie!" Kaede beamed. "Ya been good fer yer Gramma?"
The pink haired child bobbed her head. "An Gramma and Nana have been teachin me! Daddy doan even git upset when I'm up on the rafters wit Nana nay more!"
Kaede turned to John and Cameron. "This is me little one, Kaene. John, ya better hurry up an git inside. Ya look half frozen."
"I am," John agreed.
Inari met them at the door with Nana. Kaede let John and Cameron in, then hugged her mother and Nana.
Now inside, John still felt chilled, but it wasn't as bad. He took in the grand foyer. Looking up, he saw the beams that were at least twenty feet up. "It that a teddy bear up there?" he asked, seeing a stuffed animal sitting on one.
"That's Boppy, me stuffed bear," Kaene announced. "He's watchin fer Mayu ta git home."
"How'd he get up there?" John asked.
"We was sittin , but Mommy came home, so I got down ta greet'er," Kaene said.
"Come on inta the dinnin room by the fire," Inari said, herding them in the right direction.
Going in, John saw the fireplace at the end burning bright. Salvation! He headed straight for one of the stuffed chair in front of the flames licking up in the fireplace. Heat, at last!
Nana appeared before John with a thick wool blanket. "Here, Lad, put this on," she said, holding it out.
John took it and wrapped himself up.
Casting John a quizzical look, Nana asked, "Ya doan have a sweater? Even so, it ain't that cold out. It's about 13 degrees."
John frowned. "That cold?"
Passing by with another blanked for Cameron, Inari said, "Celsius, Fahrenheit it's 55 degrees out."
"That's still cold," John said.
Kaede came over. "Nana, they just came from where it's 39 degrees outside. They are acclimated ta warm weather."
Nana frowned. "That's nay warm, that's hot!"
"Ta us, not ta them."
Nana looked at John and said, "How kin ya live in that weather? I'd be meltin in sweat."
John wondered the same about them in this freezing weather. He hated to think what the 'cooler' weather was going to be like.