Chapter Two

Day of the Letter

John had become acceptant of certain things that happened in his life. He had long accepted the truth provided him by mother. He had accepted a lot of things that made his life different. The majority of things he'd accepted weren't pleasant, really. But a few were. He was glad to accept the FBI weren't actively chasing him. He was very acceptant of Cameron's love for him. He had also accepted that whenever he woke up, she would be either next to him or standing and watching him.

However, this morning when he woke up, there were four faces staring down at him. John jumped up and landed in a sitting position, his hands reaching instinctively for something to defend himself with. Cameron, Sarah, Derek, and Joseph were all standing there waiting for him to get up. John knew why, once his nerves settled down; today was the day he allowed himself to open the letter. Still, staring at him until he woke up wasn't the nicest thing in the world. John was about to say so when he noticed something.

"Are you on my desk?" John asked Joseph. Joseph, behind the others, stared down at the desk he was standing on. He looked back at John and nodded. John groaned and stood up. "Did you all have to watch me sleep?"

"They came here only thirty seconds ago," Cameron informed him as John threw a shirt over his undershirt. "I told them you were about to wake and they came to hear about the letter." She had it in her hand. Despite everything Cameron did for him, John would have to tell her about privacy again. At least she had gotten over the fact that since he loved her, she couldn't walk around undressed.

John cracked his neck and looked at the clock. It was barely past eight. He turned back towards Cameron, and she handed the letter to him. Rather than open it there, he walked out the table to read it. The others followed him. Cameron sat next to him, while Derek leaned against the wall and Sarah stood patiently. Joseph lay down on the floor, nonchalant.

Slowly, John opened the letter. It was odd to be opening a letter he had sent himself. What did his future self have to say that warranted a letter sent in someone's stomach? He glanced warily at Cameron, who was watching him with assuring brown eyes. Some of his steel returned, and John opened it completely. He tossed aside the envelope and unfolded the single piece of paper inside. Carefully and deliberately he read it.

Dear John,

I'm glad to know you're feeling better. Dealing with a weakened body was annoying and it's a memory I'd rather not have. Don't worry though; our mother never touches Cameron. In fact they eventually get along. Derek stays the same, but mother gets over it. So just relax and don't be stupid. Anyway…

Screw it. This is awkward.

I normally would never send a letter back except under the worst circumstances, such as Judgment Day being sped up or the end of mankind during my time. Sending a letter back is dangerous. However, the situation you are about to find yourself in is far more dangerous than being shot at by twelve T-888's in an open field.

The Law of Consistency has been broken. I don't mean bent, twisted, loop-holed, any of that time travel shit. It's been broken. Skynet's finally wised up and is sending itself back. Breathe. It copied itself—files, memory, data, everything—and sent it back in a flesh-covered cube in an attempt to jump start Judgment Day and wipe out mankind. John, relax before you—

"John!" Cameron and Sarah shouted, reaching for him. John was faintly aware that he wasn't breathing and his heart was stopping. Before he could even recognize it as cardiac arrest or that he was in danger, he was laid flat on the table with Cameron over him. Her lips touched his as she breathed into him, one hand holding his head steady while the other attempted to keep his heart pumping.

John's mind was only faintly aware of anything. It took what seemed an eternity before his mind was alert again. He reflexively jerked up, only to find Cameron still holding him. Adrenaline coursed through his body from the nearness of his own death. It was nothing like when he took down the T-888, but when mixed with the realization he'd nearly died, it was terrifying.

"What is wrong John?" Cameron asked him, a solid grip on his arms. Her processes could make no sense of it; John had spontaneously burst into cardiac arrest. She should have seen it coming; his heart rate and breathing had intensified until his heart suddenly stopped. Something he read must have done it. But what could frighten her John so badly that he had a random heart attack?

Behind her, Derek and Sarah watched John's expressions worriedly, fear written everywhere on his face. Joseph was the only one not so worried, as though he'd expected it in some way. Cameron repeated her question. John looked her in the eyes. He was scared. Instead of answering her, he grabbed the letter again and continued reading. Cameron kept a closer watch on his vitals, keeping her palm on the back of his neck.

—you had a heart attack, didn't you? That's one of the reasons I had us wait to read this; we might not have survived otherwise. Good thing Cameron is always there. But the crisis remains.

There to escort Skynet's clone is the T-1001 from before (like the acid?) and two dozen Triple Eights. I can't remember where exactly they will land, so you're on your own. I can tell you when, though. However, that's the main reason I know the law of physics has been broken: I remember practically nothing.

I couldn't tell you how they are destroyed, who dies, or even who wins. Somehow Skynet has found a way to completely pass the law of consistency in doing this. Don't be cocky; it's all too possible for Skynet to win this, wiping a new slate in the future. My entire existence could change at any second, and I'll have no memory of the previous, including this letter.

So here is what I can tell you, from strange muddled memories to what we managed to learn now. There are dozen T-888s as well as the T-1001. The T-888s look alike, so you at least won't have to worry about finding them. They have separate jump points, so they arrive at the same time, but different spots. I think it might be in groups of three. The metallic carrier Skynet is in has a flesh covering and is six by six by six feet.

Also, this is one part that is deathly important. One of our soldiers learned that one of these T-888s has payload, a virus. This virus is another proof that the timeline might be changed, and for the absolute worse. This virus is systematically designed to destroy Cameron. I can't begin to put in words how much she means to us, and I know your understand that her life is more important to us than our own. Therefore this threat to her is as terrifying as Skynet. Keep her nearby (BREATHE before you make us pass out) and build a Faraday cage. Signals can't pass in and out of one, and that should help keep her safe. Do anything you have to; we couldn't bear to live without her.

Keep your wits about you. I don't remember anything else, so it's up to the five of you to take down Skynet. Remember, if they upload Skynet, it's game over. So prepare yourself. You have another five days until they appear, at noon sharp. Derek has a weapon cache that should help, I think. Build explosives and have Cameron help with building some of my time's weapons. I think you can do that, anyway. The entire month from this point on is muddled.

Good luck and keep us in one piece,

John Connor

P.S.: My Cameron had wanted to tell Joseph to take care of himself before he went. So, since she doesn't know about this letter, have your Cameron tell Joseph to take care of himself. Because trust me, he won't.

John let the letter slip from his hands. Cameron snatched it up immediately. After fifteen seconds she gave it to Sarah. Cameron was barely aware of Sarah's own reaction, followed by a round of curses by Derek. All her processes were focused on the house's weak points. Doors needed barricading, windows boarded, and most of all they needed a better arsenal. Two dozen T-888s and a T-1001 were going to be in the area, along with the worst machine of them all. The threat level to John had risen to dramatically high levels, a level she had never thought his existence would reach. Only two processes were devoted to investigating what virus might destroy her circuits. If she were shut down, she couldn't protect him.

Skynet was coming. The implications of the most powerful AI coming to 2007 would be disastrous. There was no telling how long it would take to upload Skynet to the internet or to hack it into wherever it wanted. The two dozen T-888s almost seemed superfluous. John tried to collect any thought going through his head. How was he supposed to stop Skynet itself? Couldn't it just plug itself into a computer and that was it?

He spotted Joseph out of the corner of his eye, standing straight and staring intently at the letter. "You," he said, pointing a finger at the superhuman. Joseph looked back up at him blankly. "Why didn't you tell me? Didn't you know what it said?"

Joseph shook his head. "No; neither of you told me what I was giving to you." He cocked his head and looked around. "Why are you all acting strange?"

All eyes turned to Joseph, who stared back patiently, waiting for an answer. As disturbing as Joseph was, his humanity fading out, John felt rage start to build up in him. How on earth could he not be panicked by the fact Skynet was here to start Judgment Day? He had been fighting against it practically his entire life. Didn't he have any emotion towards it? Emotion seemed to rule Joseph, so how could he be so careless towards the one machine responsible for the destruction of billions of lives? However, before John could speak out, Sarah did first.

"What do you mean, 'why are all of you acting strange,' you freak?!" Sarah screamed at him. "It is coming! Of course we're going to panic! The one damn machine, the…the metal that started the entire damn Judgment Day is coming now to kill my son and start early! I've been fighting my whole life against this metal, and you don't care?! Why are you acting strange?! Have you even read the damn letter yet?!"

Meanwhile, at the first words from Sarah's mouth, Joseph had thrown himself back against the wall, trying to put as many things in-between her and himself as he could. He was flat against it and looked like he was trying to scramble backwards up it. Shock and fear were painted on him. John, if he had not been so angered at Joseph's dismissal of Skynet, would have been afraid too. It didn't surprise him that Cameron had subtly placed herself between him and Sarah, and that Derek had shifted his stance.

Cameron was the only one who had not gotten angry at him. Instead she stared him down intently. John could see circuits sending data down and back, and chips buzzing with activity. She knew something. "Joseph," Cameron said calmly. Joseph turned to his 'mother' with a look of pleading help. "Can you read?"

"No," Joseph answered. "I never learned." The atmosphere in the kitchen changed. Sarah, unable to take anymore, left and went to her room. Joseph's posture relaxed, as though he knew he wasn't in trouble anymore. John was thrown back by the knowledge that Joseph couldn't read. How come nobody had ever taught him in the future? Had no one bothered? Were they too busy? Had Joseph not wanted to learn? Reading was…well, reading. It opened up the world.

John wanted Joseph to learn how to read while he was here. However, there were two more important things to deal with right now. "Derek," John said, drawing his uncle's attention. "I think we'll need some help to deal with these Terminators. Maybe you should go looking for some in the city."

Derek nodded. "If you need me I'll have my phone." He loaded a handgun and went out the front door. That part taken care of, John turned to whisper to Cameron.

"Can you take Joseph aside and tell him what the letter said, and then wait for me?" John asked quietly.

"Yes," Cameron answered. Her processor was shutting processes down in anticipation of them freezing. John smiled wearily at her; the morning had taken too much out of him. He kissed her softly before drawing away to go after his mother. Regardless of what processes she shut down, more still crashed. She moved towards Joseph.

John walked to the door of his mother's bedroom and stood there, waiting patiently. Inside, Sarah was greasing her assault rifle. John waited a second, and then walked in. He and his mother embraced each other wordlessly. Words weren't needed. They kept the embrace for a long time until Sarah let go of her son. Despite what that machine had done and hooked herself into John's life, he was still her son.

"We'd better start stocking up on guns," Sarah muttered.

"Leave that to me," John answered. "I'll get the weapons and the calcium magnesium baths ready. I think you have something more important to do."

"What?" Sarah answered. What was her son talking about? Was he finally changing into the tactician and savior of mankind?

"We won't be able to stop Skynet alone, especially with that many Terminators," John concluded. "So I think it's time you called Ellison. Something tells me he might be able to help us."

Slowly Sarah nodded. It made sense. "And Cameron?" she asked, a touch of bitterness in her voice. John understood both questions. His mother probably would never approve that he was in love with a machine. If only there was a way to make her understand that he loved her as much as she had loved Kyle, then maybe she might come to tolerate it. His love with Cameron might be…abnormal, but so was his mother falling in love with somebody from the future. If she could see they were the same thing, maybe she would tolerate.

"She'll help me stock up," John answered, walking away. He paused to say, "We'll talk about the other later. Now's not the time."

Sarah understood that. She put her gun back together. "Yeah, it's not," she agreed. John left, a lot on his mind. Sarah wouldn't add more. She picked up her phone and dialed the number Ellison had given her.