Disclaimer: I don't own anything, please don't sue me!

A/N: I wouldn't have the first clue about how the FBI works crime scenes, but this is an extraordinary case, so please excuse the creative license. Onward!

October 29, 2007 15:30 PST
Aboard Rozinante

Durandal watched and listened to Derek Reese and Sarah Connor as they argued. They had gone back and forth for 45 minutes, over such topics as whether Derek considered Sarah family (He noted that when a conflict was unresolved, humans liked to use the phrase, "It's up in the air."); how Sarah had run the Resistance in John's absence (Given that she had taught John most of what he knew, she was able to convince the soldiers to follow her lead.); and why did she bother sending John and Cameron to school when Judgment Day was less than four years away (Her philosophy was "Blend in." His philosophy was "Disappear and train John."). Naturally, neither one of them was willing to give ground.

Dave Mustaine was standing nearby and had also been watching and listening. He remembered when the two of them would argue after Judgment Day, how she usually got the upper hand. This earlier Sarah was just now learning how to argue with Derek. He muttered, "Figures."

Durandal silently radioed Dave and told him, "If things around here aren't working, it's because I'm laughing so hard."

"Again with the malfunctions? I thought you were past the Anger stage of your Rampancy."

"I am, but even I have my moments."

"Don't I know it. Talking with the Pfhor, kidnapping me from Leela and having me blast my way up and down Boomer. Twice on that last count."

"I was in my Anger stage back then. Haven't you noticed that I've calmed down since then?"

"Maybe, but you've also become unpredictable. I know you sent the Cromartie Terminator back to Earth. Why?"

"I have my reasons."

"And you won't tell anyone, not even me. That's my point." Dave had noticed that Sarah was steadily getting angrier throughout her conflict with Derek, and it looked like she was about to snap.

Sarah punched him in the face and screamed, "Fuck you Derek! What would you know about raising a kid?"

That outburst got everyone else to pay attention to the verbal combatants. Derek spat at her, "I raised Kyle after Judgment Day so he could be John's father, so don't give me that shit Connor. I have no patience with it."

John muttered, "Friends like these, who needs enemies?"

Cameron quietly said, "John, in my timeline Sarah died from cancer in 2005. If he remembers her surviving until 2021, but we both remember you dying in the exact same fashion, then this isn't the same Derek Reese I remember."

He replied, "Well, seeing as she didn't die in 2005, he must have arrived from a different timeline. It's odd how there's some commonalities, but I'm not going to argue that point." He put his arm around her and said, "I'm just glad you came back first."

She did the same, gave him a peck on the cheek and told him, "So am I, John."

Durandal teleported four new sets of identification papers onto the small table that was in the room and said aloud, "New IDs, as requested. Try not to get your cover blown so quickly this time."

Sarah asked, "You found a new address already?"

"Yes, I also made everyone think that the house was paid for. As for vehicles, I can send a few motorcycles down there, but anything else and you're on your own. I'm sorry to be abrupt, but I have to investigate something out-system. I'll send you and your stuff down there."

Derek asked, "What about our powered-off metal friends?"

"You get two of them, Carter and the other one. Cromartie had to go back to Earth."

The humans were shocked, but the bitter Resistance fighter was the first to recover.

"WHAT THE FUCK?! WHY DID YOU SEND IT BACK DOWN THERE?"

"You wouldn't want to become complacent, would you? Besides, if all three of them disappeared, SkyNet would send back a stronger and more capable unit, if it hasn't done so already."

Cameron calmly asked, "Is there anything else we should know, Durandal?"

"I'll give you a hint: Cromartie is not stupid. However, that particular robot may prove useful... in a roundabout manner."

Sarah, John, Cameron, Derek, Carter, the other Terminator, and all their material possessions, as well as four Harley-Davidsons and a potent arsenal were all teleported to their new residence on Earth.

16:15 PST
Los Angeles, California, Earth

Agent James Ellison, FBI, and Charley Dixon had arrived at the latter's hospital at almost the same instant after hearing about Michelle Dixon's death. James said to the distraught man, "Mr. Dixon, it's unfortunate that we meet again under these circumstances."

"Damnit, my wife is DEAD in there! With her head taken off!"

"I'm aware of that. Please, let me do my job. We'll find out who murdered her, and bring them to justice."

Charley sighed and angrily said, "Yeah. You do that."

James walked into the lobby of the hospital and saw Agent Stewart interrogating the receptionist, Rachel. Stewart excused himself and walked up to James.

Stewart asked James, "Who'd you bring with you?"

Charley was about to lose his cool, but James held up his hand and answered, "Agent Stewart, Charley Dixon. He's Michelle's husband."

"My condolences to you. James, I couldn't believe the security feed when I saw it, I think you'd better look for yourself."

Charley asked, "May I see it?"

Before the junior Agent and the paramedic could get into an argument, James made a snap decision. "All right Mr. Dixon. Come with us."

As they walked to the security office, Stewart quietly asked James, "You sure about this?"

"She was his wife. I think he has the right to know."

16:30 PST

The three men had just finished watching the security feeds showing 'Kester' arriving at the hospital, questioning and then murdering Michelle. Charley was the first to speak.

"Is he actually an FBI Agent?"

Stewart replied, "No, definitely not an Agent. Some unemployed actor named George Laszlo."

"I don't think it's Laszlo. His blood was not a match to the samples in my case."

The younger Agent said, "Wait a minute. You're saying that this guy killed six men, then found a plastic surgeon who made him look identical to George Laszlo? Then killed Laszlo, stole his identity and put himself in our database as Kester? How could some out-of-work actor be that capable a computer hacker, not to mention that strong?"

James thought about his answer, then told them, "I don't know about the hacking part, but I've dealt with many people on steroids and other strength-enhancing compounds. No combination of them can make a man strong enough to rip someone's head off."

Stewart replied, "What if someone figured out how to make genetic engineering work on grown people?"

Charley said, "No way. I haven't heard too much about that science, but from what I have heard, the only way to guarantee success is to engineer sperm and eggs and then use in-vitro to implant them in either the biological mother or a surrogate."

The junior Agent asked Ellison, "What do you think James?"

"What is he?"

Stewart parroted the question back to James.

"Yeah, what is he? What is he that stands across from a man after killing two other men within 36 hours, and when asked of his involvement, can not only lie, but lie well? And not only lie well, but not blink, or twitch, or perform one simple, human reaction to the situation?"

"James, some men are monsters. We both know that."

Charley had been listening and put it all together. Sarah never said anything about robots to him, but the session with Ellison eight years before, seeing Sarah, John, and the girl with the metal under her skin show up naked on the freeway on the evening news, and John showing up at his house three days later, he drew the only conclusion that made sense to him. James locked eyes with Charley, and in that instant, they knew.

Charley muttered not quite under his breath, "Yeah, monsters."

"Agent Stewart, this killer hasn't left the area and it's unlikely that he will. Let's give him some time to think he's in the clear, then bring him in."

"How long?"

"Two days."