Chapter 7: Light Eyes
Kate Brewster colorfully swore as she sprinted out of the communications room, hearing Private McHenry call after her. She ignored him, too caught up in her own thoughts, and coasted down the stairs toward the vehicle entrance to check the damage. Even if the damage hadn't been bad, it would have sent up the perfect flare for Skynet. The last thing she needed was for the machines to find them and she prayed that wasn't the case. She could see fire and pieces of the vehicle strewn across the ground. The car she had foolishly let in was in flames and the door was jammed halfway open with black burn marks along it.
She grit her teeth in anger as she stopped to let her brown eyes search for any survivors. From what she could see, no Resistance soldiers had been injured and she could see one person struggling to move in the burning car. With nothing but rage on her mind she walked toward the car, feeling the heat swarm her instantly. Kate gasped and felt her heart beat faster with adrenaline and fear. She had always hated fire… but she hated the man in the car more. So she pushed past her fear and watched for him to move again. And when he did, two other soldiers rushed toward her, advising her not to move in but she was determined. It was her fault they had come in and she was going to look that man in the eyes.
Kate stepped toward the wall of fire and winced slightly as she thrust her hands toward the man's. The heat was unbearable and Kate's eyes were blurred by the smoke. She tried to pull the injured man out but could feel the fire closing in on her. She closed her eyes as she pulled only to feel hands grip her shoulders and begin to pull her away. Kate let out a frustrated cry, watching the man's black fingers slip out of her's. The person dragged her away from the flames and she instantly felt the air grow cooler. She drew in a deep breath of the air and coughed several times, just now recognizing the smoke in her lungs.
She tried to fight the individual's grip but once she turned to see Derek Reese's face set with anger and determination, she decided to stand down. Kate shook her head slowly as she watched two men and one woman pulling the man out of the burning car. The moment the man was out of the car Kate lunged forward but Derek stepped in front of her and grabbed her wrists. Her face furrowed in anger as she stared into his hard green eyes.
"Let go of me!"
"No! Look!"
Derek thrust her hands in front of her eyes so she could see. Kate's anger flickered as she stared at her red hands. They were bright red and blistering and began to sting the moment she thought about it. She grit her teeth in pain as she felt the pain and Derek nodded, releasing her hands.
"What's going on?"
Kate growled.
"I was gonna ask the burning man."
Derek looked over at the man and then back to Kate, placing a hand on her shoulder.
"I don't think you should."
"I let him in. I'm going to settle it."
Kate turned to see a young woman running over with a bucket of water. She stepped in front of the girl and took the bucket from her, ignoring Derek's warning. Kate walked briskly to the man and tossed it onto his burning clothes. He let out a guttural scream and she knelt by his side, quickly looking over his blistering black face. She knew her own face was red and stinging from the flames and felt a rush of anger come upon her. Her hands curled into fists as she stared into his pained brown eyes.
"Your name, what is it?"
The man flashed a pained smile and Kate's stomach lurched inside her at the sight of his red teeth. He weakly chuckled but only ended up coughing and spitting dark blood all over himself. Kate leaned away in disgust and instantly smelled his burning flesh and closed her eyes, trying not to be sick. She turned her head and drew in a slow breath before she turned back to the man.
"Your name."
The man's weak smile remained.
"Harlan… Black."
"Why would you do this?"
The man grimaced as he drew in a small breath, gasping it out.
"Payment."
"Who put you up to it?"
The man gave her another smile, knowing it was because of the look on her face and she struggled to keep her composure. She was tempted to hand him over to Derek but a crowd had gathered and she was their leader. It was her responsibility to take care of the problem. So without hurting him more, she tried to think of something she could threaten a dying man with. The man spit blood out as he spoke.
"You're a… fool."
Kate leaned closer to him so she stared dead into his eyes as he spoke.
"You're… soft. Light eyes… weak."
Kate drew out her pistol and pressed the cool metal over his heart, pushing down into his blackened skin. The man let out a scream of pain and to her surprise, gripped her wrist. Blood filled his mouth as he used whatever strength he had left to lift his head off the ground so his eyes could meet her's.
"You… will… pay. Connor… Resistance… all of you."
"Why!?"
The man released her wrist and placed his head on the ground with a smile on his face and tears of pain in his eyes.
"You'll… see. You'll… see…"
The man closed his eyes and let out a few more painful gasps before there was no more sound or movement. Kate waited for a few silent seconds before she turned back to look at Derek. She shoved her pistol in the back of her pants and rose to her feet, looking at the two men who had pulled him out.
"Get him out of here. None of the civilians are to know it was an attack. Got it?"
The men nodded and immediately moved to take the man out. Kate turned her back to them and to the crowd of soldiers that had gathered.
"No civilians are to know it was an attack. If I hear about it from anyone that isn't supposed to know, you will be discharged. We cannot risk losing whatever trust they have in us."
She looked to the smoking car, watching the flames slowly die.
"I want this car gone. I don't care how you get it out just so it. And until we can get that door shut, two soldiers will be at the entrance to search for any hostiles. From now on, no outsider gets into this base! Clear?"
"Clear!"
Kate nodded and looked to the ground.
"Get to work. Reese, you're coming with me."
She briskly walked toward Derek and he stepped alongside her as they traveled to the meeting room. Derek closed the door behind him and folded his arms tight across his chest.
"Tell me what happened."
Kate slammed her hands down in anger on the table.
"They were traveling fast. We established communication and they said they were running from machines, looking for shelter."
"Forgive me but those people don't seem like they were scared survivors."
"On communications, they did!"
"Yeah? Well people lie!"
"I know that!"
Kate let her head fall as she shook it slowly, closing her eyes as she drew in a deep breath.
"I know. I had Freer scan the car for any dangerous materials."
"So you knew there was a bomb in there?"
"Yeah, I did."
Derek shook his head in frustration.
"Then why the hell would you let them in!?"
"Because I believed them! I believed their story and I felt bad. I thought of how I would feel in that situation and let them in."
Kate watched him, waiting for criticism as he shook his head again no doubt thinking of what to say. He let out a quick breath and looked back at her with a softer look than she was expecting.
"It would be a miracle if Skynet doesn't know where we are now."
"I know."
A heavy silence fell over the room with both people not sure what to say. Kate ran her hands through her red hair and spoke softly.
"What do we do if Skynet finds us?"
Derek met her eyes for a moment before he looked down at the ground.
"Pray."
Kate felt tears burning in her eyes as her heart raced a thousand miles an hour. She opened her mouth to speak again but a knock on the door interrupted them. Derek turned and opened the door to see a nurse standing there with a small smile.
"Sorry to interrupt, Lieutenant General."
Kate nodded in approval and the nurse looked to Derek.
"Jesse's really close. She's going to have the baby tonight."
Kate immediately recognized the change in Derek's posture. His shoulders had dropped just enough for her to know his tough exterior was fading. She walked around the table and nodded to him.
"Go. I'll fix this."
She could sense his hesitation but he gratefully gave in.
"Okay."
Kate smiled and watched him leave with the nurse, letting out a quick breath. She had a lot of work to do.
