Chapter 6: Departure

"There is a base at the Mojave Desert." John Henry reported.

"So what the Gray said is true?" John asked.

"Maybe you can send a scout out to locate the area to confirm if it's the base."

Ryan whistled, attracting the attention he wanted, "Why can't we just blow the place?" He shrugged.

"Because we might be blowing our own people if we don't check what the hell is in that base." Sarah replied curtly.

"We can set out for our own base near to the Mojave desert. Bunker 4 is there and we recently had connects with Sam Banks who's in charged of that base." John Henry suggested.

"That's a good idea. We can bring some of our men and medics over there. When things are all cleared up, a team can be sent over to attack that base and we would have no problem calling in backup if we need any." John said quickly, "John Henry contact Sam Banks again and ask him if the plan's okay and if he have any essential supplies there, like medicine or food or weapons."

John Henry nodded and went to work.

"I'll be bringing a platoon over. We'll see which is available. That gray, Griggs, will be coming with us at least to Bunker 4, we need him ready for interrogation if the information given is not true." John turned to Sarah who nodded.

"Would Cameron be coming along?" Sarah asked, hesitant.

John considered it for a moment, "Yes, and so will Zander. I need them there." he replied and Sarah went out of the control centre to get things done.

"And me?" Ryan probed.

"You'll be with the platoon coming along. I could use your skills." John smirked as Ryan brightened up.

"Great, I'll go do some preps." Ryan grinned, dashing out of the room.

John watch them leave, going back to the quarters himself.

"What do you think?" John questioned casually as he pulled out 2 sets of his fatigues and shoved them into the bag.

"It's a good plan." Cameron shrugged, slapping the magazine into her gun, "But it's risky."

"How so?" John turned around, happy to hear her opinion for the first time in a real battle plan.

"You're attracting Skynet's attention to Bunker 4. The possibility that all the civilians will die there if Skynet bring the fight over to our base is high. We'll have the upper hand on home ground but there will be a lot of casualties." Cameron smiled.

John nodded, "You're right." He hid his smile, satisfied with her concern for the people.

"But it's war, there are always risks and a good leader knows when to take them. You are-"

"A good leader." John interrupted Cameron and finished the sentence in unison, "I know, Cameron. I just need a little more while to digest that." He sighed, zipping up his bag.

"You seem uncomfortable." Cameron pointed out, "Leaving Crystal Peak."

"I'd admit, I do feel somewhat uncomfortable…" His voice trailed off as he looked up, "This is our home now. Our safe place."

"Yes, this is our safe place." Cameron walked over, rubbing his shoulders with her hands, "And we'll be back together here before you know it." She whispered, leaning forward.

John grinned, nestling the side of his face on the crook of her neck, "I just want to be back with you." He squeezed her hand, "But you have to stay in bunker four. You have to continue to get more information from Griggs. We'll need to stay in contact with you."

"It could be a trap." Cameron frowned.

John nodded in agreement, "Yeah, it could be a trap and if we really want to take that base, we'll have to walk right into it."


"Lock him up in the cell." John glanced at Sam, the overall commander for Bunker four.

"Do as Connor say," Sam Banks glanced to his men. Griggs was dragged away. John turned away, looking at Cameron who seemed to be inspecting the bunker with so much unneeded concentration.

However, words seemed have travelled quickly. Either that, or a tech had sent out a mass announcement to all the pockets of resistance out there. Even here, in Bunker 4, civilians and soldiers alike sneered at Cameron. The moment Banks laid eyes on Cameron, he widened his eyes and glanced at John in suspicion and a deep furrow between his brows. Being John Connor, he ignored Banks' outright disapproval of Cameron. Cameron observed John as he gave orders and dispatched his men all over Bunker 4.

Cameron also noticed. John's men, the ones from Crystal Peak, were more like soldiers. The so-called soldiers in Bunker 4 were wearing rags, just like the civilians. The only way Cameron knew they were soldiers were the firearms in their hands and nothing else. Whereas, John's men wore fatigues, although worn and torn. On the fatigue, there was a crest sewn onto, which Cameron had painstakingly designed and order the 'seamstress' of the base to sew on a red cloth tied to the uniforms.

It was simple. A lion with a metal chrome skull in its mouth. Cameron drew it with better details: the damages the lion had done to the chrome skull. However, she understood it would be difficult and told the frowning and troubled seamstress, as she examined the picture, that she would not need to sew the details. Cameron just wanted the main outline and some colouring.

John was happy and grateful for Cameron's work. It marked his soldiers, giving them a sense of belonging, and Cameron was just happy for making John so.

Cameron glanced over the cloth tied on the arm of a soldier as he walked past her. She was still trying to make it personal to the resistance and only them; something Skynet would not be able to copyright and fake its way through. However, still, the terminators would just steal one off a dead body and bluff its way through.

She was aware that humanoid terminators would soon emerge in Skynet's army. And that would just make the war situation worse for the humans. The most Cameron could do now was ensure that the news of her existence and nature had not been told to Skynet yet.

Quietly, Cameron sent a mental note to John, of the environment. It might anger him but also do him good at times. She was sure of that.

She watched as John looked mildly shocked as his birthday present vibrated on his chest, right on his heart. He glanced at her but continue to catch up with the conversation with Banks. She held the stoic front. Beside her, Zander kept with the quick and hasty pace easily. Cameron searched her distracted mind and found out they were heading for the control centre in Bunker 4.

"Yes. Our Unarmed camera unit reports movement in the base at Mojave desert." Banks turned to inform John after receiving a nod from his tech.

He looked at Cameron, narrowing his eyes and sneering at her. John glanced to Cameron, who was looking at him, alert if he called for her or if anyone even looked at John in a suspicious way. Cameron could now differentiate and understand small gestures from humans, which was so predictable most of the time. John smiled, she'd once told him it was all from observing him.

"Cameron?" John turned to her, deciding to seek her opinion in front of all the soldiers. From the corner of his eye, he saw Sam curling his face up in disgust.

She looked up at faced him, "I think we should reconsider the men chosen for this mission." She stated. John couldn't help but allow his face to twitch into a small smile. He knew Cameron was implying his decision to lead this attack but the eyes of the men of Bunker 4, she was merely insulting them.

John gave her a slight nod and turned to Banks, "Bring about a section of your men along. I'll be bringing most from Crystal Peak. We'll set off tomorrow, at day break." John instructed. Banks gave a stiff nod and turned away.

Without another word, John left the control centre with Cameron right beside him.

The room provided for John was small and not very spacious. There was a single cot in the corner of the room. To Cameron, this was obviously just a room that houses a soldier ranked probably a private or sergeant. John deserves better.

Cameron made a full and not so big patrol around the room and found a shabbily cleaned bathroom. She walked to the corner of the room and started to light the oil lamp there and placed it by the side of the cot to warm it. John watched with a bemused expression as she unpacked his attire for a bathe, "There's no warm water." She stated, looking down as she gathered the fatigues in her arm and handed them to John.

He smiled, "Cameron…" He took the fatigues, putting them on the table by the lamp, "I'm not dying in this attack. Whatever it is, I'll be coming back, to you. I'll even crawl back if I have to." He grinned, rubbing the sides of her arms, "I promise."

Cameron sighed, "I don't want you to go…"

"and I won't be going," John smiled as Cameron looked up, beaming at him, "I'll be here, watching." His hand rests over her chest where her heart beats. He watched, heartbroken as her face fell instantly, her hands grasping onto his firmly as she leaned forward, her head resting on his chest. He buried his face into her hair, stroking her back gently.

Later, they shared a cold bathe together before tucking into bed together; with Cameron lying on John just the way he liked it.

He stroked her hair, whispering, "I don't want to go either…" He kissed the top of her head, closing his eyes.


John marched down the corridors briskly, heading back to the bunk. He'd left his firearm there and Cameron wouldn't be happy, whom he could not seem to locate after breakfast this morning.

He entered the room to find Cameron sharing a hug with Zander. His arms were snaked around her waist as she brushed the back of his hair down gently.

The moment John entered, Cameron backed away from Zander. He looked lost for a moment before looking at Cameron, evidently hurt.

Cameron, on the other hand, was too concerned about who had barged in to even notice, "John," She heaved a sigh of relief as she reached for his 9mm on the side table and raised it to him as he walked over, "Here, I thought you'll be needing this." She stood up as he took it, keeping his eyes on Zander. She followed his gaze and spoke, "Zander, get prepared, I'll be with you in a minute." Cameron softly told him but Zander stood up swiftly and stomped out of the room, slamming the metal door of the bunk shut.

John cringed, turning to her, "what's going on?" He narrowed his eyes in suspicion.

"Nothing that should be on your mind now to distract you." Cameron replied simply, smoothening out the folds of his fatigues on his chest.

John chuckled before becoming serious all of a sudden, "I want you to take good care of yourself when I'm gone."

"You said that before."

"Well, you're too stubborn to listen, apparently. You never do."

Cameron lowered her gaze, stumped.

"I'm starting to think Zander got that from you." John accused playfully, pulling her into a firm hug, whispering into her ear, "I'll be back before you know it." Pecking her on her cheek, John let go and left the room without another word. Cameron trailed behind him. A few good things in this mission was the fact that Sarah, Weaver, Derek, Ryan and Sean were all going. These were the only few Cameron would ever trust to keep John safe, if she was not able to do so.

"John," Cameron croaked in an undertone as everyone was shouting commands and jumping into trucks. She watched as he marched off to one of the trucks. John paused in his quick and brisk footsteps, turning around and looking at her expectantly.

"I'll be back." He threw her a smile before being on his way to the truck. She watched with a dull ache in her chest as he hauled himself into the back of the truck, cramped into the back with men, just like how her John always does. She watched as the trucks started to drive off. John threw backwards looks at her, once, twice, thrice…She could've sworn she saw him turn back to look at her even if, from her calculations, she was already out of his sight.

She stood there even as John's truck cut pass another and he vanished from her sight. Then Cameron turned, ignoring the stares of hatred from the other soldiers, and headed for the command room. She had no intention of losing contact with John, ever. As she walked into the command room, the techs glanced at her, murmuring among themselves.

She stood her ground and walked straight up to Banks who was talking to the one of the head techs in a low voice. She approached without hesitation and stood stiffly in front of him.

Banks paused his conversation and looked at Cameron, "What do you want?" He demanded.

"I want you to let me take over the 24/7 radio communication for the team that was sent out on that mission" Cameron said.

"And why should we listen to you?" Banks smirked.

"We can help them, from here if they should need any. That's what I'm here for." Cameron stated.

"Yeah, right." Banks snorted angrily, "Stupid machine…" He muttered before ignoring her and continuing his conversation with the tech.

Normally, Cameron would've stood there till he freak out and allowed her to man the radio communication with the team but this was not normal times. Without another word, she left the command room, feeling dejected and helpless. John lied to her, she couldn't help from where she was and someone as smart as John would've already known this would have happened.

She went back to the bunk, sitting down on the bed she'd shared with John for the whole of last night.

Cameron went completely still as she stared into space.


John sighed, fidgeting his legs a little just so it doesn't get numb but the moment John shifted, everyone with him jostled among themselves to give John a wide berth of space. He looked up and shook his head, amused. Without a word, he curled up again, placing his rifle on his lap and looked out into the horizon.

He glanced around, vigil for any signs of the machines. He closed his eyes, just for a little while, letting the low murmuring of the soldiers fade away in his ears by the wind. Then he jumped, startled as the device at his chest vibrated. He inconspicuously fished out the device by its necklace and buried it in his large callused palm easily, hiding it from the soldiers' view.

He was lost in the photo of Cameron and him, which was at the front of the device, for a little while before he flicked the device open.

John grinned to himself as he spotted one message and so far, Cameron was the only one capable of sending him one.

I couldn't get control of the radio communication, they wouldn't let me. If there are any emergencies, contact me.

Cameron

John couldn't help but smile at the tone that was 'hidden' and unheard of in the message but he could tell she was unhappy, and he could almost imagine the pout that came with her words. He would admit, he'd thought about Banks and the others ignoring her or even attacking her the moment he left the base but that was why Zander was there.

Zander had always been there to protect Cameron, even to his death. John didn't trust anyone enough to entrust Cameron's safety into anyone's hands but he did to Zander for the simple reason that Zander felt the same protectiveness for Cameron.

He glanced up before muttering softly into the device then as he snapped it shut in satisfaction, he heard a shout.

"We're almost there!"


The door opened a crack and Zander Connor craned his neck into the room to look inside. His instincts told him this was stupid and foolish, a terminator in the room could just blow his head into bits but not this one. He smiled to himself as he entered the room.

There she was.

He had been looking around for her for a while now. Although he was angry at her for what she'd done, he could never be mad at her long and his worry for her safety overrode his anger.

He walked over quietly, sitting down by her knee and looking at her. Zander waited patiently for her to unfreeze.

Cameron twitched a little before blinking, it took a second for her to come back down to where she really was, another for her to realize the presence of another person and another for her to acknowledge that it was just her son.

"Mom? Are you alright?" He asked, tentatively.

"Yes." She replied with a satisfied smile, "I contacted your father."

Zander was infected by her contagious and genuine smile, "yeah? What did he say? Is he there yet?" He allowed a little concern for his father to surface.

Cameron turned to look at him, puzzled but glad, "He's on the way. He's fine." She didn't let the smile slip.

"That's good…" Zander looked down as his voice trailed off, "It's really good." He muttered.

"Zander?" Cameron called to him, whispering in a delicate and loving way he liked.

"Yeah?"

"Why do you push away your father?" Cameron asked. She heard his breath hitch in his throat.

"I don't know." Zander croaked.

"You do." Cameron leaned forward, peering at his face, which he tried to hide from her.

After a slight paused, he replied, "He's John Connor. He's got his army to lead. He's got you." Zander looked up, his eyes burdened with the weariness a 10 year old shouldn't have, "He have things much more important than me." He inclined his head, hardening his gaze, "I realized it wasn't worth the effort to try."

Cameron forced a smile, "You are important."

"To you." He sighed, glad and disappointed at the same time.

"Your father tries so hard. He loves you." Cameron reached out, brushing his cheek gently with the back of her fingers, "and he's happy with you,"

"Well," Zander chuckled bitterly, "Let's not confuse close with happy." He stood up and Cameron withdrew her hand, "Come on, we've got places to be." He reached out for her hand.

Cameron hesitated before taking his hand and followed him out the door.


John leaped out of the back of the truck and landed agilely on the sand. The rest unloaded off the truck noiselessly and they crept closer to the huge base in the middle of the desert. It wasn't fence with traps or anything but John knew better than that, they were all underground.

He ran quietly to take cover behind the sparse number of plants in the desert and the rest of the men spreaded out to do likewise. John found himself beside Ryan. He shot the boy a smile before looking towards the base.

John observed as the terminator patrols stiffly marched out of sight, behind the base. He waited till the reflective surface of the endoskeleton could not be seen before began counting the seconds until he saw the patrol again.

It had taken the terminator approximately 20 seconds before appearing around the side of the base which they had intended to enter by. It was a lot of time for a terminator patrol. Skynet obviously had not been paying much attention to the grays or to any attack at all.

Ryan nudged him gently on the arm with the butt of his rifle and signaled to John to suggest going in. John nodded his head slowly, waving to Sarah, making sure he's in the shadow.

Sarah nodded and turned to pass down the message. John crouched down as Ryan leaned over to observe the situation.

Despite having all his trusted soldiers there, he couldn't help but feel nervous. He was leading this attack and he is the leader now; the resistance began to trust him when he succeeded in his attack on Serrano. They were all depending on him to make all the decisions.

John carefully made sure the terminator on patrol was out of sight before waving for the first team of about 10 people to get into the base, across the small barren field. When they reached the 3rd team, John himself led his team across, barely slipping out of the sight of the terminator when it came around the building.

Sean was outside with his team to ensure they're safe escape if they needed any.

He made sure the flimsy door of the base was just the way the terminator had saw it on it's last round before flicking on his torch on the rifle and began to lead the way. From the corner of his eye, he knew Sarah and Ryan were flanking him, followed by Derek taking the rear.

They maneuvered they're way confidently through the tunnels. John couldn't help but have this feeling of unsettledness setting in his stomach. He couldn't help but notice the run down and dirty walls of the tunnels. Rats were running around them and scavenging the place for food as usual but the way they moved was different from the once he saw at crystal peak. The lamp hung limply onto one wire from the ceiling, the bulb completely blown.

Suddenly there was a creak of hydraulic pumps and John knew what was coming. He signaled to them before diving for the ground just as a terminator turned the corner. As John fumbled with his rifle, it acknowledged the intruders and shot its laser gun and gunned down 2 of the men at the back just as Derek pulled on their fatigues to get them to crouch down.

John felt a strong tug on the back of his fatigue and before he knew it, the terminator was pummeled with bullets from torso up. John brought his rifle up and shot. It took a few seconds of twitching before the red gleam of the ocular sensors went out. The team regrouped and they went on they're way.

"They'll know we're here by now," John hissed to Sarah as they turned around another corner, meeting no obstructions.

"Maybe they're hiding," Sarah suggested as she jerked around to a distant water droplet splashing on the slippery flooring.

"Or maybe we shouldn't be here…" A small man with dark eyes muttered from behind Sarah. John ignored him, rolling his eyes and head on.

Just then, John saw flashlights from the back flashing twice; signifying approaching terminators, just a split second before Ryan cry out a warning.

John froze. They were trapped.

To be continued…

A/N: I apologise for the long wait! Here's the next chapter! I wrote it a little longer but decided to put it into two chapters instead of one! Hope you enjoy it and please do drop me a review! Thanks!