Sorry this is a rather short chapter. The next one will be a lot longer.
Harrison Wells' house
Morning
In the garage, T-800 pulled a sheet off a car, revealing a black 2010 Chevy.
"We need to get out of the city. Get in," T-800 told Cisco, Caitlin and Thawne.
"What? You never said anything about leaving!" Cisco exclaimed.
"The T-1000 will continue coming after you. It is safer to leave Central City," T-800 reasoned.
"And what about our friends, our families?" Cisco demanded worried, thinking of his parents and Dante. "What if it comes after them?"
"Unlikely. On Judgement Day, Skynet terminated most information it deemed non-essential. It is why T-1000 did not immediately head for Star Labs, it needed to determine Barry Allen's location," T-800 explained.
"Our friend has a point," Thawne interrupted. "If you three are killed, Skynet will win in the future. You need to be protected at all costs."
"Cisco, they're right," Caitlin said soothingly. "The best thing for everyone right now is to leave."
Cisco didn't like it but he was smart enough to know they were right. They walked back into the house to get Barry but, when Cisco and Caitlin tried to grab him, they let go as they were shocked.
"What the frak?" Cisco muttered as they stared down at Barry in confusion.
"Must be static electricity," Thawne said smoothly,
"Yeah…I guess," Caitlin muttered as she stared down at Barry, a suspicious look on her face.
She had felt static electricity before, it never felt like that. Caitlin didn't know what it was, but something was clearly different about Barry Allen. Of that she had no doubt.
As Caitlin on this, T-800 walked over and scooped Barry into his arms, seeming to pay no mind to the shock he got from touching Barry. After placing Barry in the passenger seat, Cisco, Thawne and Caitlin got in the back as T-800 took the driver seat, Thawne's wheelchair put in the trunk. Opening the garage, T-800 peeled out of the driveway.
For about ten minutes, they drove in silence. Then, Cisco spoke up.
"Can we stop and get something to eat on the way? I'm starving."
Central City Police Department
Later in the morning
"Iris baby, I promise Barry is gonna be fine and we will get him back. I have to go," Joe said, hanging up as he saw Eddie approach. "Tell me I didn't just lie to my daughter."
"We got something. Two people matching the descriptions of Caitlin Snow and Cisco Ramon were seen at a gas station in Eastern Central City, buying food and drinks. They were riding with a man in a leather jacket who matches the description of the guy who saved Caitlin from our imposter police officer in a black 2010 Chevy. Interestingly enough, the gas station is located about a fifteen minute drive from the residence of Harrison Wells," Eddie explained and Joe shot to his feet.
"Let's go partner, we have our lead. Let's follow it," Joe ordered, grabbing the keys to the cruiser.
Eastern Central City
Same time
Caitlin, Cisco and Thawne were eating some of the food that they had bought from the gas station as T-800 drove the car. It was silent for a moment until Thawne spoke.
"Skynet. Who builds it?" Thawne finally asked.
"I am not programed to tell you," T-800 said without looking back.
"But you are programed to follow Caitlin's orders," Thawne said as he looked over at Caitlin, who looked intrigued. "Tell me you aren't curious about who builds it?"
"…answer his question. Who built Skynet?" Caitlin said, curiosity winning out after a few moments.
"The two most responsible are Clifford Devoe and his wife, Marlize," T-800 told them robotically.
"Who are they?" Cisco asked as Thawne hid his surprise.
"At the moment, Clifford Devoe is a history professor at Central City University. When the Particle Accelerator exploded, it released Dark Matter into the earth's atmosphere. Predicting this result, Devoe performed an experiment to increase his intelligence. He slowly goes mad with power and, in four years, adopts the moniker 'The Thinker', becoming a criminal. On May, 2018, he uses the Star Labs satellite in an attempt to drain the intelligence of everyone on earth before being thwarted by The Flash. After his defeat, Marlize sells the technology he used to Mercury Labs. Using that technology, Tina McGee creates a revolutionary kind of microprocessor," T-800 explained as they listened in confusion.
"Who's The Flash?" Cisco asked in confusion.
"Not important," Thawne said quickly before T-800 could answer. "And then what?"
"By 2020, Mercury Labs becomes the main designer of military computers. Slowly over the next four years, Human decisions are removed from military defense. In 2023, the Skynet Funding Bill passes as Skynet begins to learn at an exemplary rate," T-800 explained.
"And then a year later, it becomes self-aware and launches a nuclear war on the world," Cisco realized and T-800 nodded.
"Affirmative."
"Okay, if you're gonna try and pass for human, you need to sound human. Instead of saying Affirmative, try 'yeah' or 'no problemo'," Cisco told him.
"Yeah. No problemo," T-800 echoed.
"Yeah, like that," Cisco said optimistically.
"How much do you have on Devoe?" Thawne asked curiously.
"I have very detailed files," T-800 said simply.
"Dr. Wells, what is it?" Cisco asked in confusion as they looked at Thawne, who ignored them.
"Tell me everything. What Devoe and his wife look like, where they live, everything," Thawne ordered.
"Hey, hold up. What are you planning?" Cisco demanded.
"Isn't obvious? In order to save the world, to save the human race…we have to kill Devoe and his wife," Thawne told the horrified Cisco and Caitlin.
"You wanna kill them? But they haven't even done anything!" Cisco exclaimed.
"Yet," Thawne said darkly before putting on the facade of Harrison Wells once more. "And no, I don't want to kill them, but I fear it may be necessary for the survival of the human race. Its simple math: we eliminate Devoe and his wife, we prevent Skynet, Judgement day, and the T-1000 will simply blink out of existence."
"Even if you're right, you're not calling the shots. Only I have the ability to give him orders," Caitlin pointed out before turning to T-800. "You are not to kill Devoe or his wife."
"No Problemo," T-800 said.
"But you might be onto something," Caitlin said and Thawne raised an eyebrow, curious at what she was getting at. "Killing them is out of the question. But maybe if we tell them what happens, it can change the future, make it so Skynet never existed."
"You heard him, the Dark Matter drove Devoe mad with power," Thawne pointed out.
"But not his wife," Cisco pointed out and Thawne paused, considering.
"Marlize Devoe was the one responsible for the technology that was used to create Skynet," T-800 added.
"She's the key then," Thawne realized.
"We don't have to kill anyone. We just have to make Marlize see the damage she and her husband will do. We focus on her, and then we worry about Devoe," Caitlin said firmly.
Hope you guys enjoyed the origin of Skynet in this universe.
And now the future Team Flash has a plan of action. But, as with most things, it will not go as planned.