Chapter 1:
May 2008, Los Angeles, California, The Connors' residence.
Sarah and John, mother and son…fighters against a Destiny they have tried to prevent for so long: A destiny where Mankind created the machines but the creation killed its creator and it was the same destiny which was trying to kill the Connors. Every time they thought they're safe, they weren't. Machines sent from the future tried to terminate John Connor, future leader of Mankind's resistance against machines.
That day, like many others, it was all about tried to stop machines from ever happening: that day was about to find a prototype which could make SkyNet, mother of all machines, become a reality.
The sudden revelation of the man they have previously shot dead wasn't the one they were looking for was over come by something far closer of home: an explosion.
The sound of a huge blast caught the Connors' attention: They looked at each other and immediately Sarah grabbed her gun. Carefully, step by step, Sarah looked at the window to see what exactly was going on: Their jeep which was almost completely destroyed, was the centre of her attention but she looked in all their directions to see anything else suspicious. Nevertheless such explosion not would only bring some unnecessary attention but also meant someone or something was COMING after them.
Slowly she stepped behind and looked at her son. – "We need to go now!" – John didn't even think twice as he knew what he had to do: quickly he grabbed his bag and along with his mother, they ran across the house, to the back door where they stopped: as always John stayed behind while Sarah opened the door, pointing her gun in all directions, to make sure no one was there to kill her son.
After checking every direction, Sarah signaled her son, approving their escape: John followed her mother as they ran across the small garden and climbed the fence, however, in spite of Sarah's checking, the Connors were being chased. A couple of shots hit the fence and they knew who was chasing them: Sarkissian, the man from whom they were trying to get the Turk but unfortunately they were unsuccessful.
Both Connors jumped the wall. – "Are you all right?"- Sarah asked, glaring for an instant at her son, checking any injury he might have.
"I'm fine. What about Cameron?" – The thought had already come in John's mind but he could guess what his mother was about to say.
"It's just us John. You're more important than anyone else." - Sarah replied promptly and without further delay they ran again, without ever looking back: it was their way of life, was always running around, survive to fight again. It wasn't a glorified strategy but it was a strategy which kept them both alive: John Connor was far too important and Sarah knew it because her son was going to become the mankind's leader after Judgment Day, April 21st 2011.
The running continued until they arrived at a kids' playground where they slowed their pace and began walking normally to avoid any suspicions, mixing with the crowd. After a few moments, Sarah saw Sarkissian again who was looking in every direction, searching for them.
"Need a hand?" – A woman with long grey hair who was standing in front of Sarah, asked her.
"No thanks." – Sarah looked at the woman and smiled slightly embarrassed, lowered her head and tried to walk out of there with her son.
"We insist."- The woman grabbed Sarah's arm while the man who was aside the woman walked in Sarkissian's direction. – "Don't worry Miss Connor: There's no reason to get excited." – The woman's affirmation provoked a surprise on Sarah who had no idea how those two strangers knew her true name.
"You've confused me with someone else." – Sarah shook violently her arm to free herself from the woman.
"Sarah Connor, John Connor's mother, mother of the future leader of the mankind against Skynet." – The woman looked straight at Sarah showing her a mark on her left arm: the code bar…a sign, a proof every prisoner had when they passed through a Skynet prison camp: it was a clear, undeniable proof signaling she was a member of the Human resistance.
"Who are you?" – John asked with a mix of curiosity and fear.
"Lois Lane, commander of the resistance in the state of Kansas: You have sent me here to…"
"To protect my son?" – Sarah interrupted the woman.
"That too but there's also another mission for me and my partner. My partner will take care of your stalker. Come. We need to hide." – She walked to her partner while Sarah and John looked at each other, somewhat baffled. Sarah's first instinct was to run out of there with her son but the scar the woman had shown her was far too important to be ignored.
More resistant fighters were in their time and usually that meant more trouble. – "Stay or go?" – John shared Sarah's doubts as they both looked at the two fighters but after a few moments, Sarah made a decision.
"We stay…for now."- Both Connors walked, following that woman: They didn't as any questioning spite of their minds being full of them. They followed her through quiet streets, old houses and slowly the noise of the crowded park was behind them. Finally they stopped at an old apartment where they waited for a few seconds to met her associate.
"Sarah…John, this is Hiro Nakamura."
"It is an honor…"
"Save it." – Sarah noticed Sarkissian lay down on the floor, unconscious along with his associate who was also unconscious. –
"How did you…?"
"Where's the terminator? Your body guard?"- Hiro looked at the Connors and wondered if they were all alone through all this time.
"We've left it behind. Those men you captured, blown up my jeep along with the terminator."
"It's basically useless to us." – Lois declared slightly disappointed: every soldier was useful in the fight, even reprogrammed terminators.
"What happened this time?"
Sarah's question caught both Hiro and Lois off guard: seeing their surprise faces, Sarah explained. – "Usually when Resistance Fighters come to us, it means someone is coming for us. It's a fact of life."
"We need to get out of town." – In spite of their surprise Lois remained indifferent to Sarah's insistence.
"I'll try and find a car for us." - Hiro heard Lois and got out to find a car for them. The Connors looked at each before they looked at Lois still expecting an answer but Lois was still seemly indifferent to their persistence, more concerned with keeping a low profile.
Running out of patience, Sarah approached Lois, intimidating her by grabbing Lois's arm. – "I don't like being kept in the dark."
Usually when someone would be aggressive to Lois, she would simply punch the person but in front of her, there was a legend: the legendary Sarah Connor who taught everything, who made John the great leader of mankind.
"We have a problem." – Lois replied flatly, still indifferent to their surprise: however, remembering they probably had seen it for the first time, Lois tried to explain but lacked the words. – "I'll explain everything in a while."
Hiro reappeared in front of them, showing to both John and Sarah keys of a car. – "Sorry to interrupt but I have car keys. We can go now."
Lois looked at the Sarkissian and his bodyguard unsconcious, lay down on the ground and then looked at Sarah. - "Do you need them? Otherwise we're leaving them behind."
"They have answers to my questions." – Sarah replied, flatly.
"Carry them." – Hiro obeyed Lois and grabbed the two unconscious men to carry them to the car while Lois follow and the Connors obeyed however John looked at his mother realizing they were leaving everything behind: in spite of being used to it, it was never easy, especially when he was leaving family behind. - "What about Derek?"
"Derek? As in Lieutenant Derek Reese?" – Hiro asked, recognizing the name.
"Yeah, he was with us." – John replied hoping that Lois or Hiro had already made contact with him since they knew his name.
"No but we'll pick him up later. Right now we need to get out of here. We don't need paparazzi around here." – The Connors left the abandoned house and entered the car: with Hiro driving, they exited the area, avoiding main roads, always taking secondary paths: the trip was long , silent and dry once they left L.A and headed for the Mojave Desert, arriving at a house, isolated from everyone and everything.
"This is it." – Hiro and Lois got out of the car and the Connors followed them.
"Where are we?" – John asked as he set eyes on the vast horizon.
"Outside L.A. about 100 miles away." – Lois replied promptly: the Mojave Desert was holding secretly a bunker. Hiro opened the house's door while Lois parked the car parked.
"One day, this place will be an important resistance command." – Hiro declared slightly proud but it was indifferent to the Connors. They entered inside the house: it had what you could expect from a normal house but the decoration was in its minimal. Finally Lois joined them just in time for the questions the Connors were eager to ask.
"Why are you here?" – John's question needed to be answered and only the riders from the future could answer.
Finally Lois gave in and answered to both Connor's doubts. - "OK. Let's begin our future's history lesson for today. We're from the year 2032: Skynet or better yet Brainiac has Earth under control. We, the resistance are losing the control…"
"Brainiac?" – The word caught Sarah's attention.
"The Brain Interactive Construct: It's the origin of SkyNet. SkyNet was designed to apprehend, capture or even kill people with abilities like Hiro here but eventually SkyNet was out of control or better yet, was never under control and soon it launched a massive nuclear attack on the whole planet."
"People with abilities?" – Sarah's confusion was present in her face as it was in John's face as well.
"Yes, there are people with D.N.A which can give powers: Hiro's power is…was teleportation. There will be an announcement today by an ex-congressman named Nathan Petrelli, telling the world about these people. In the beginning, everything was ok but the problem was after: racism, xenophobia, terrorist attacks. Soon the thing started out of control and it almost lead to a Civil War. In a desperate attempt, The Government funded a program which could track, hunt and paralyze these people: Skynet. But the program wasn't what they intended: it surpassed everything and all of the sudden, Judgment Day."
"People with powers, like Spider-man? This sounds a little far fetched…" – Sarah shook her head, doubting Lois's confession which Lois gave a quick reply.
"More far fetched than machines with artificial intelligence taking over our military hardware and software and blow up the world?"
Lois's quick question made Sarah re-think her beliefs. John anticipated her and continued the discussion.
"This means you know how it all started. You know what we have to do to stop it." – John's conclusion brought hope to both Connors but immediately disillusion took over their hope.
"Not really, there's a small problem. It's alien."
"Alien?" – Sarah asked, slightly skeptical.
"The resistance rescued someone who was under Skynet's concentration camps in Kansas who knew about these events and recognized the pattern, someone who we call the Oracle. She made us realize about artifacts and language which were foreign to this planet. She didn't understand the language but it was sufficient for us to know about it: it's alien, it's Kryptonian. The language encrypted on the virus which destroyed every major military defense system leading then to Judgment Day, was the same as it was on Dark Thursday back on 2006 and we don't know anyone who can stop it except for two people."
"Who?"
"Clark and Kara Kent."
The names didn't sound any familiar to either Connor. - "Who are they? The programmers who built Brainiac? Future resistance members?"
"No but they are the only ones alive who know how to stop Brainiac."
"And where are they?"
"We don't know."- Hiro declared slightly embarrassed.
Sarah was incredulous when she heard Hiro's response. - "You don't know where are the two persons who can stop the machine which ends the world? "
"It's not that simple. We don't have all the answers. However should we not be able to stop Brainiac, we have a second assignment, more like a B-plan."
"We don't have the luxury to have Plan B." – Sarah contested Lois's affirmation. – "We either terminate SkyNet or it will terminate us."
While Sarah had a more pragmatic vision over the SkyNet issue, John had a more open mind. - "What is this Plan –B?"
While Sarah and John were keeping Lois under some sort of interrogation, Hiro headed to the only television and turned it on: the news they were showing caught Hiro's attention. - "Commander Lois, you need to see this…"
Lois ignored the Connors questioning and approached Hiro, looking at the T.V:
"…there is no update on Nathan Petrelli's health. Last night, the ex-Congressman Nathan Petrelli was shot during a press conference which he had summoned to make a statement. The content of the statement is yet to be revealed as Nathan Petrelli was shot twice in the chest and immediately the panic and chaos took over the scene…"
"Did he say Nathan Petrelli?"
"Yes, Nathan Petrelli." – Hiro confirmed Lois's fears.
"Crap…He shot the wrong Petrelli. Why would he do that?"
"He had different intentions all along. Bringing him was a mistake all along." – Hiro replied, with a mixture of anger and disappointment.
The question was in Connor's mind. - "Who are we talking about?"
To be continued…