Chapter 11- I.Q. Party Part 1
Analyzing the damage to her building from the bullet holes in the wall and watching the painters finally paint over the blast marks that was left from the C4 explosives, Weaver became more curious than disdainful how the entire event manifested. The way it was orchestrated as she saw it on the video that was withheld from the police, the terrorist, activist or whoever they were, there plan would have worked. What made them stop? And why were they after her project in trying to destroy it?
A feeling came over her that her suspicious friend she met almost ten months ago, that made her CEO of Cyberdyne, would have something to do with this. It would explain some of the unknown events that have been happening over Los Angeles which included her unusual break in. A full investigation would have to be conducted on this matter or they might successfully succeed in their campaign next time, Weaver thought.
Making her way into the main room, Weaver looked at her project. She watched the wires, twisting and turning, connected around the Turk's original bases. Nobody was in the room as the employees haven't arrived into work. Glancing at the Turk, Weaver never fully looked at her project until now, the untapped potential of greatness it could bring to humanity. She lightly touched the top of the plastic cage it was being concealed in, feeling as if connected to her project. She smirked at the idea thinking the Turk was more then just an A.I. program.
Hearing a person fiddling with keys, Weaver's attention looked up as she saw the man that saved her project coming into the room. Unaware of her presence, startled, Brain paused when he saw his boss in the room at this time in the morning. It was uncommon and second guessing the situation he hoped she didn't come down from her office and say he was fired. His boss had a habit of that and he needed the job to take care of his family's medical bills.
"Hi…H-Hello Mrs. Weaver. I didn't know you were down here." said Brian nervously as he hugged his belongs he carried in his arms closer to him. His mouth became dry as he walked up to his boss. He still kept his distance being separated by the rack of computers circling around the Turk.
"It's six o'clock in the morning Mr. Pitt. It's quite early for your shift to begin." Weaver said still in her same position from before amused from his jumpiness from her presence.
"I'm sorry…I can leave…I just wanted to make sure the prototype was functioning well, anything out of the ordinary, that kind of thing. I wanted to make sure it was corrected since the I. Q. Party is in three days."
"Yes it is," said Weaver strolling out the walkway and outside the circle. She politely smiled at him which surprised the computer engineer and made him even more nervous.
"Thank you Mr. Pitt for being dedicated to the project," Weaver continued. "I know it's been difficult to come to work knowing you might be held at gun point again, and I'm sorry about the entire situation and thankful too. Only you protected our project from being destroyed."
Still dazed from the event remembering the two intruders and the gun pointed at the back of his skull, Brian was still enthusiastic about the project.
"I think our Babylon project is on to something," said Brian jubilantly. "The Turk can help save many lives in its quick decisions and precise calculations on air planes, further advancement in space, quicker diagnostics in hospital with lesser cost for people that are less fortunate, or help find ways to cure deadly diseases in the world such as AIDS, Cancer, or Alzheimer's, in finding answers humans can't see. I think with proper guidance the Babylon project can change the world. I just want to show that at the party."
Hearing that explanation, she knew her project was in good hands. She smirked. "The Turks knight in shinning armor. I'm counting on you Brian."
Brian eyes widen, surprised by the last word she said.
His unexpected stare caught Weaver's notice. "Is there a problem Brian?"
"Sorry…It's the first time you called me by my first name."
"That's because you earned my trust."
Weaver walked passed him and out the room leaving her employee still in disbelief by her comment and thrilled that she acknowledge his work from what he was trying to accomplish with evolving the Turk. He looked at the Turk and brightly smiled.
"Knight and shinning armor. That has a nice ring to it." Brian said and started to ready himself for his workday feeling a new surge of energy to complete his project before the I. Q. party.
Nothing starts the day then a fresh hot coffee, as Sarah enjoyed every minute of it. It's been a long time sense she had a good night sleep as she had one last night. It was nightmare free and she slept for eight hours. It was a record for her not having that much sleep since she was eighteen years old. The rest was well needed as she was still fuming about Derek's failed mission in an attempt to destroy Skynet.
Maybe she did overreact to the situation of Seen's involvement. Maybe Derek was right. She was a Resistance Fighter as her purpose was to stop Skynet. Her acting in a child like manner most of the time made her fraternal instinct kicked in dealing with her. Sarah has been wondering what happen to her parents. She knew they wouldn't send their twelve year old daughter into war from what Derek told her a couple of days ago. Or was the future that bleak having children fight adults failure to protect them from the future such as Judgment day from their greed, power and fear.
The daily newspaper on the kitchen table caught her interest as somebody brought it in from the patio this morning. She shuffled through the newspaper, skim reading each pages seeing if anything was interesting to read. She paused as three key words sent red flags in her mind. She placed her drink down and used the free hand to pick up the other side of the paper. Reading the small portion of the paper where the specific article was placed, Sarah couldn't believe what was going to happen in three days. She needed to wake everybody in the house. It required their highest priority as she was going to disturb their Saturday slumber with horrifying news.
In a fast pace walking out of the kitchen, Sarah heard movement in the basement as the door was open. She had a hunch knowing who was in the basement from not seeing John's protector in the morning in her usual window spot. Making her way down the steps, she saw Cameron staring at one of the multiple computer screens. Even though Sarah knew Cameron heard her presence, the machine didn't sway her focus from the computer screen. The way she was concentrated on the screen it was like she was actually fascinated by it. What made it even odder was that the computer was only judging the distance of each planet in the solar system.
Bizarre as it looked, Sarah ignored it and saw Cameron's partner in crime at a table a few meters from her. Surprising that the teenage girl was up in the morning, Seen was constructing something that Sarah couldn't see from her distance. What Seen was working on it required a small solder to melt the wires together.
Sarah walked over to the teenager and placed the newspaper on the table. Seen glanced up and saw the discomfort look from Sarah's expression but wasn't much alarmed by it. Knowing her luck with John's mother, Seen hoped it wasn't directed at her. It was too early in the morning to have an argument. Because of dancing around Sarah, she noticed her work was back up from the original schedule she had planned for the month. Since meeting the Connors, she's been playing catch up which could result in casualties on their end in the long run.
Oddly looking at Seen's magnifying eyeglasses as two small lenses were attached to the glasses overlapping the original lens; Sarah finally saw what the girl was working on. All she knew it was a small device no bigger then the tip of the pinky finger which required the magnifying glasses. What it was used for, Sarah wasn't sure.
"Cyberdyne's hosting a party called the I.Q. on November 18, showing the public their latest gadgets and their new A.I. prototype." Sarah explained.
Seen moved the two lens away and saw Sarah in normal vision. "Sounds interesting."
"Just interesting," Sarah looked at the girl unbelievable, thinking she would be all over it then 'just interesting'. "I guess you didn't hear me when I said Cyberdyne and A.I. prototype."
A simple smile was expressed on Seen's face which made Sarah feel both nervous and suspicious. Judging by her joyful expression, Sarah figured she was aware of the party as this started to disturb her even more about Seen's knowledge about Cyberdyne.
"Cameron," said Seen as John's protector looked at her. "Can you please wake up John and Lt. Reese for me?"
Cameron walked away from the two females and headed up the steps carrying out her order.
"I'll tell you why I'm really here in Los Angeles." Seen smirked interested how this all will play out.
In the smallest bedroom in the house which used to be a nursery room, in his sweats, Cameron saw the Resistance Fighter sleeping in his bed. Coming into the room, she noticed his closed eye lids and lips were moving repeatedly. Judging by little movements still asleep, he was dreaming. If he was a captured prisoner, a person asleep could tell valuable information that the conscious mind wouldn't be aware of, Cameron thought. Luckily, she wasn't here for that.
Standing inches away from his body, Cameron leaned over to wake the sleeping solider up. However, she halted her movements as a 9mm handgun was aimed at her right eye. Unafraid by this action, she looked at Resistance Fighter who apparently wasn't asleep anymore. Eyes scornfully glaring at the machine in front of him, Derek had his finger on the trigger ready to pull at any given second. It wouldn't kill the machine but it would give a second thought to enter his room unannounced again or enter his room period.
"Touch me and a bullet goes through your eye." Derek said viciously.
Knowing his futile attempt to shoot her with that gun was insufficient against her endoskeleton, Cameron stood up straight focused on the enraged resistance fighter.
"I was told to wake you up." Cameron said flatly.
"Get out of my room." Derek demanded.
Giving him a blank stare as her job was almost completed, Cameron left the room to finish the task Seen have given to her by waking up John.
"Metal." The disgusted Resistance Fighter circumspectly watched the machine leave his room.
Derek hastily sat up in his bed disturb that the metal was in his room. However, he wondered who sent the machine in the first place knowing how he felt about them in general. Judging by his previous actions, he had a theory who it maybe.
Entering the basement still in their pajamas being called out of their slumber, John and Derek looked at the females on the team. Derek's deadly glare keyed in on Sarah as he saw the machine walked passed him and stood next to Seen.
"Was that payback?" Derek said in a low voice towards Sarah as he walked passed her.
Confused by that comment, Sarah looked at John's uncle and then at Cameron as she finally understood his words. She wished it was her idea knowing his hatred for the machine. Something inside of her didn't want to stop Cameron's action from the beginning when Seen requested the task for her. A little harmless revenge never hurt anybody, Sarah thought.
"It's a Saturday morning, so unless a war broke out, why am I up at eight o'clock. The whole part of the weekend is to sleep in." John said looking at the female trio still half asleep.
Sarah handed Derek the newspaper. He was puzzled by her actions at first, but then saw Cyberdyne in black bold print and started to read the article immediately.
"Cyberdyne is launching a party called the I.Q. that's been in the works for a little over a month. Their showing the new A.I. prototype to the higher rich people, CEO's of other technology companies and my favorite the United States military weapons specialist will attend as well. If the Turk is ready for a trail run, it will attract our unusual crowd of people, people we don't want near it." Seen explained.
"How you know about the guest coming? It's not stated anywhere in the article." Derek asked placing the newspaper on the table.
Seen stood up from her chair and started to walk towards the rack of computers. "Unlike you Lt. that had specific orders coming to the past, I was only given one vague order. John Connor needs an engineer, find him and make sure Judgment Day doesn't happen. Pretty simple right. Unfortunately, when I came back, I couldn't find John because you were still skipping through time as you guys explained it. I've been doing homework…well a lot of homework on how to achieve the second part of my mission. Prevent Judgment Day. However, preventing Judgment Day is a little bigger then what we think. Every badass wants to take down another badass in this time. The only way one can achieve this goal is by one thing and one thing only. Money."
The Connors and Derek look at her on where she was going with this story and how this was going to help them with taking down Cyberdyne. Unlike the others, Cameron wasn't confused and started to piece the puzzle together from what Seen was telling them.
"I noticed being in this time different color paper is placed higher than human lives. Which is pretty sad actually," said Seen still having a difficult time accepting the actions humans take during this time compared to the future. Money didn't exist only surviving did during post-Judgment Day.
"The only way you're going to slow Skynet down is take away what's feeding it," said Seen continuing. "Which let's us have the advantage over it. We're going to be Skynet's Trojan Horse."
The engineer smiled at the group, amused by their perplexed expressions.
"Skynet's Trojan Horse?" Derek looked at her baffled.
John smiled the way Seen phrased the comparison. "It's a simple tactical attack on an enemy. Command officers go after their enemy to cripple them by destroying weapon stash that's located in a bunker, underground tunnels, or in a building that they use for resources. While right now Skynet's weapon stash is money which makes the brains of the people constructing the Turk happy. If you take that away, the people advancing the Turk will not be enthusiastic in proceeding with the project. People can become very dangerous when money is taken away from them, which is where the computer reference of the Trojan Horse idea comes in. It's a silent killer and less causality on our end."
Impressed then the others in the group, Seen stared at John. It was a first time hearing it from him which sounded like the John she knew in the future. She hasn't seen this type of accessing tactical skills from him, until now.
John saw her curious look. "What, you think you're the only one that knows about military tactics."
"No, just an underestimated number I was thinking." Seen smiled referring to his abilities in which he was going to need it for what she had in store for him.
"So how do we take away this money?" Sarah asked still puzzled how Seen was going to play this to their advantage.
Finally assessing the entire conversation and studying Seen's body language as her smirk concluded her theory and the answer to Sarah's question, Cameron understood the plan her friend already had constructed.
"You want us to sneak into the party." Cameron said.
"Sneak…into the party? How's this supposed to help us besides getting us all killed?" Sarah asked with an unbelievable expression across her face. She hoped she remembered the conversation between them a month back about wanting to get everybody killed, do it by herself.
Next to a keyboard, Seen picked up a small square sized device, smaller then a human hand that resembled a beacon one would place on an animal. She handed the object to Sarah as she inspected it. As it didn't look interesting, she wondered why the girl gave it to her.
"What is it?' Sarah finally asked.
"We can't stop the party from happening," said Seen as that part was evident from the first time hearing about the event. "Actually it's our perfect cover. We want the party to happen."
"Wait what?" Derek asked at a loss from that plan. If the Turk was showed to the public they were all doomed. If it was him it would be done 'the Derek way' with lots of explosives that could level an entire city block.
"The party is being held at Catherine Weaver's own personal estate," Seen continued. "Yes, there'll be well equip guards and yes there'll be many guest of honor in which they bring unknown friends. I came to L.A. originally to attend that party."
From where the small device was acquired, a large brown circular tube, one would transport paintings and construction blueprint documents in, was next to it as Seen picked it up. Walking over to the group, Seen took off the cap, placed it upside down for the document to fall out easier and placed it on the table. She opened the document by placing a stapler and three cups on the four corners to keep it from unveiling. Curious of what she was doing, the group gathered around the table in a circle, looking at a blueprint.
"Money can be your enemy or your friend," said Seen as she pointed in the middle of document. "Almost every house built in L.A. is documented and which most include blueprints especially for the wealthy community. As you can see, it looks pretty easy to just sneak into her house unannounced, but Weaver is smarter then she looks. When it comes to her alarm system it's top notch created by a Swedish lab tech, a very brilliant guy in the computer engineer department which is why Weaver sought him out personally. Something off the record and untraceable to be broken in, than the regular run of the mill alarm that can be controlled at a central station in the country. The Swedish tech and I had some personal words when he visited New York three months ago."
"It's how this little baby," Seen showed the small device to them again. "…is going to hack into Weavers alarm system and gain us access to all her files on her mainframe located in the basement level in her home. This device has an exact code number the system has when it changes its number code every ten minutes."
"Every ten minutes…you have to be hiding something big to have a security system to function like that." John said scratching his head how complex it would be to break a security code sophisticated such as that.
Judging by Seen's explanation, Sarah hoped the lab tech didn't share the same fate like Andy Goode. "Where's the Swedish tech now?"
"I gave him a reality check on life. Who do you think helped me came up with this device in a short period of time. He works for me now." Seen explained.
"You don't say," Sarah stated not sure if that's a good or bad idea coming from Seen's mouth. "But still how do we get in? This place is like Disney land."
"I got the invitations…However theirs a catch."
Sarah smirked how ironic that word sounds to her. Theirs always a catch in a plan they construct. To tell the truth she wouldn't want it any other way.
"I've been observing all of you on your capabilities in the recent situations we have encountered. I would like to attend the party but Derek or I would be arrested on the spot with our little past stunt. So you three are going to have to go in and do the job yourselves." Seen smiled at Sarah, John and Cameron.
Surprised and thinking she was crazy, especially when her son was being implemented into the plan, that's where the breaks are stopped, Sarah thought.
"Wait, what?" Sarah gave her a peculiar look from her comment. "No. John can not be exposed and there will be cameras there. The answer is no."
"Then the mission will fail before it's begins," said Seen seriously. "I don't believe in praying and hope for the best in a high situation such as this. I look at possibilities. With you and Cameron, it will not work as your actions will alert Weaver's security guards suspicions. I've already done two hundred possibilities and only came up with one plan that was an eighty-five percent chance."
Seen started to slide her finger on the blueprint map starting to explain the areas where the team needs to be. "Sarah you will infiltrates the basement level in the main command room, Cameron will read every person at the party to help us identify for our future references and becomes Sarah's backup. John's the lookout where the cameras have blind spots in which he will be my backup eyes to make sure we are not compromised."
Seen placed the small device on the blueprint where the main command room was. "Sarah when you get to the basement level, you connect this device to the mainframe hard-lines that will gain us the access we need. We can figure out who, what, when, where and how the money is routing and freeze it. Paranoia will play into our game as Weaver will play on our terms. Our calls, our rules. In order to make this work we need everybody on board Sarah, including John. There's always a risk on a mission. If we don't do this now, the development of Skynet may accelerate much faster then anticipated."
"You're saying that Judgment Day could happen sooner?" John asked worried by her words.
"We're already changing the future. It's fair game at this point." Seen said as this was the reason why she wanted to attend the party. Time was difficult to predict the outcome of their involvement of affecting the future. She had to be cautious and take the opportunity when it landed at their feet.
Sarah was caught in a dilemma. John's safety always came first for her before he was born and now she was throwing him into the lions den. The detailed explanation Seen explained, Sarah wanted to believe the plan will work but her mind was telling her no. He could be exposed or better yet killed and it would be her fault.
"I can do this," said John determined as he looked at his mother. "We may not get an opportunity like this again in stopping Skynet. And where going to take it, right now."
"If where going to do this, it needs to be done properly. No failures." Derek stated and looked at Sarah as it was her call. Although impressed, the plan was plausible in his book.
Sarah finally made her decision and hoped it was for the best. "The party is in three days. Let's get to work."
An assemble line of unfinished Ford cars were moving down a conveyor belt. Workers and other mechanical machines were working along side one another, building the cars to become complete before the next shipment. Observing the union between both species, Dealer was in the main office booth looking through a large bullet proof window, fixated how the cars were being built. The entire process felt nostalgic standing in the car factory.
"The I.Q. party is in three days. It should turn out interesting. I wonder who's going to show up." Dealer smirked. A hunch told her the target she's been searching for might pay a surprise visit.
"The guests will show up." Barrack responded standing by the door a few feet away from her.
"Not those guests who can't see pass their pockets but…the uninvited guests."
"Are we going to attend as the uninvited guests?"
Dealer sighed. "Even though I want to stay hidden from the public eye, however, I know something will happen. It always does when where not at the exact moment in time."
"So that means we are attending the I.Q. party." Barrack stated sensing that from her enthusiastic reaction to the situation. He was very good at understanding that about Dealer and probably the only person. Very unpredictable many would say about her which was why she was still alive than the rest of her family.
"No worries Barrack, we'll still remain unseen to not compromise our true mission," Dealer turned around and smiled at her protector to reassure him. "I'm not that insane. We came back for a reason and I intent to fulfill it as well as the rest of us. Besides, humans most of the time doesn't pay attention to details like they do in the future. Quite frankly they still didn't then, but those that do are who we must watch out for. The engineer will hide in plan site."
Dealer smirked. "She's defiantly John's protégé."
Walking over to Barrack, she walked over a man's dead body on the floor on her way, undisturbed from the pool of blood seeping out of his body staining the carpet.
"What to know what I think?" With a gun in her hand, Dealer placed it back in her holster inside her jacket and looked at her old friend. "I believe Mr. Connor was training her for something else. I think her coming to the past was actually a mistake. He was training her incase he couldn't lead anymore to take his place if the time comes. You know the Resistance Fighter's slogan, besides 'kill the machines'. Survive. Destroy metal. And train the next son of bitch that's crazier then you to take your place in battle."
Dealer remembered the security surveillance she acquired from Cyberdyne's recent attack. She knew the engineer made contact with other Resistance Fighters in the past. Lt. Derek Reese data file she collected from Skynet's information bank on human personal, confirmed her theory. If the engineer already found the Resistance Fighters located in Los Angeles in a short period of time, it wouldn't be long before she found John Connor, or she may already found him.
Barrack glanced at his leader's focused expression on her thoughts. "Are you okay?"
Dealer smiled. "Just more complications."
Barrack looked out the window outlining the wiring throughout the building. "This place reminds me of something."
"Skynet controls this place in the future. You were built here. Now we own it. Get somebody to clean this mess up in ten minutes. I guess money doesn't buy everything." Dealer said and walked out of the room.
Barrack followed his leader leaving the aftermath of four dead men with bullets riddled into their bodies. The men not accepting Dealer's offer in buying the place resulted in their deaths as she had no time to play with the court system or black mailing them to handle the situation. Time was not on her side as she had to make sure to secure a future where machines exist but in her vision.
Multiple white miniature vans were lined up at a car lot as Derek and John was inspecting the different designs from each of them. Derek remembered the picture Seen showed him of which van to purchase as it had to be specific in the job they were going to accomplish. Coming to one van, striking a resemblance to the van they needed, Derek looked inside the window of the vehicle.
"This will do." Derek said tapping on the window finding one of the items they needed on their mission list.
"You think this plan will work?" John asked observing the parking lot, an old habit that he couldn't break and probably never will.
"Nervous?"
"No…well kind of." John answered. He said he could handle the mission earlier but this was his first actual mission. If he failed at his job then the entire mission will be compromised by his rookie carelessness.
Derek saw the doubt in his nephew eyes. "What do you think of her?"
Out of the ordinary for his uncle to say and caught off guard how that question was worded, John felt uncomfortable what his uncle was implying.
"Excuse me…think of her…Seen?" John asked apprehensively.
"Who else you think I'm talking about?" Derek said and went back to inspecting the van again.
"Depends on what you mean by your question?" John knew he was dancing around the question. If his uncle thought he had feelings for Seen more then just a friend, then he was getting mixed messages. He only thought of her as a friend. A weird friend, but that was normal in the Connor's family book.
"Do you see her as a normal girl or a Resistance Fighter?"
"I don't…"
Derek glanced at John as his question was giving his nephew the wrong impression which hinted the hesitation in his answer earlier. "If you look at her like a normal girl you're going to doubt every mission she creates which can lead to a mission failure. You think of her as a Resistance Fighter, you'll doubt the mission, but you'll want to make the mission a success because you're confident in her abilities to make sure everybody comes back alive."
Derek smirked meeting Seen the first time which surprised him. "The funny thing is I was like you right now. I actually thought she was a teenage boy with all the gear she wore in the future. It was Kyle who told me she was a girl. She saved us both on a mission once. We were pinned down by the machines and she led a team in and got us out. E.R.T. style. General Neil ran the E.R.T division in Tech-Com, so the Kid was trained by the best. That's why this plan's gonna work."
John looked at his uncle, confident in Seen's capabilities. Though he only saw this type of soldier from Seen when they were being chased a few weeks ago, but it was still hard for him to believe Seen as a great commanding officer. Her childlike behavior makes it difficult for people to see it inside of her. Quite frankly, John thought that's was the way Seen wanted it, a tactical way to fool the enemies and underestimate her abilities. It was probably why she survived by herself in the past without their interference.
A salesman approach them smiling at the two young men in front of him. "Hello my name is Author Grant. Can I help you find a great car, truck or van you're interested in today?"
"Yes. I would like to buy this van." Derek said already picked out his vehicle.
A cashier at a Home Depot store placed an item in a bag and helped place the bag in the orange shopping chart, as the person walked away thanking the cashier for her kindness. However, the cashier smile disappeared as she was in disbelief from her next customer's approaching with her shopping cart. The shopping chart was filled with items that a teenage girl doesn't buy, and not by themselves either without a male presence.
Unaffected by the cashier awkward stare as well as the men behind her from what she had in her chart, Cameron continued to put her items on the counter. It was the long list she stored in her database, that was required to mask their new vehicle that John and Derek was acquiring at the dealership.
Masking tape, tarp, paper, car washing detergent, brush, wax/grease remover, fine and thick grit sandpaper, Primer, Paint Urethane-based, Paint Sprayer, dust mask, goggles, putty and knife was placed on the counter.
The cashier had a hard time keeping up with the items Cameron was placing on the counter with ease, especially with the gallon of paint cans. Luckily another cashier was assisting the overwhelmed cashier to keep the line moving and started to bag the items. Cameron dug into her pocket and pulled out a thick roll of cash wrapped around a rubber band that Seen gave to her to spend. The people around her were surprised that a girl carried that much money and not use a credit card to pay for the purchase. That was considered dangerous during these times with the crime rate going up in Los Angeles.
Without acknowledging the bizarre stare from others expression, Cameron precisely placed out the exact amount of cash required to pay for the items on the counter and looked at the casher. After taking several minutes of bagging everything, the cashier totaled everything.
"Okay that will be…."
"Two thousand four hundred and fifty-one dollars and thirty-four cents." Cameron said in her usual monotone voice.
The cashier and the bagger that helped her in assistance gave the girl a dumbstruck look from her answer as it was the same count on the register monitor. What made it even more bizarre was that the monitor wasn't positioned towards Cameron to see the total. The cashier and customers unreal stare finally hinted to Cameron from the answer she blurted out, that she was freaking people out again as John would say to her. She had to think of something to say to throw them off, something she learned from her teacher. Lie.
"I used a calculator." Cameron said and kindly smiled at them.
Grabbing a hot dog from a hot dog stand, Seen licked her fingers from the ketchup and mustard dripping from the messy hot dog, enjoying every minute of it. Walking alongside her observing their surrounding, Sarah was unsure why they were at this location. This behavior of not knowing there destination, reminded her from Cameron's irregular actions, like future John sending back Resistance Fighters, the bank volt created for time traveling or hiding Vick's chip. Or could it be another one of Seen's child like behavior again of just wanting to buy a hot dog. Sarah head started to hurt from figuring this out.
Finally, Sarah asked, "Why are we here?"
Finishing her hot dog, Seen glanced at a mid thirty year old woman sitting alone at a table then directly back at Sarah.
"I wanted to get a hot dog." Seen smiled already finishing her lunch.
"We have hot dogs at the house." Sarah said not convinced by her answer.
"Comic book store down the street."
"It's not Tuesday yet."
Oddly looking at John's mother, it was apparent that she was starting to understand her pattern. Seen wasn't sure if that was a good or bad idea to insure that she could still be able to falsely lie to her in the future. She liked to keep her options always open.
The woman she previously glanced at was starting to leave her table and walking towards them.
"Just follow my lead." Seen said serious as there was no time for Sarah to be debriefed into her plan which was about to began in seven seconds.
Sarah recognized the change in tone from Seen's voice as her eyes followed the engineer. Their location, although still confusing to her, she wondered was it for this woman approaching them. Then in a split second Seen's eyes looked in another direction as if deliberately to ignore her.
Without looking where she was going, the unknown woman and Seen bumped into each other.
"Oh I'm sorry." The woman said politely.
"No it's me. I wasn't looking where I was going," said Seen smiling at the lady. Her total behavior changed into one of the roles she was good at portraying, a geeky tech teenager, which was her best option to play with somebody such as this woman.
"I know you." Seen said excited looking at John's mother as Sarah was clueless on the situation.
"Excuse me?" The woman asked confused.
"You're Melissa Earlacker. Oh. My. God. Mom its Melissa Earlacker," Seen said her name repeatedly.
This put the woman on the spot smiling at the teenager.
"Mom her husband is the CEO of BrimWar corporation one of the top five technology industries in the world in the medical field. It's a pleasure to meet you and here of all places."
"This is surprising…I never had a fan before," said Meslissa, intrigued that a teenage girl would know her husband's corporation and status in the world. It was unusual in today's world for teenage girls. "It's nice to meet you. Your name is…"
"Seen Manhattan."
"Wow…that's…an interesting name for a girl. It stands out more from the crowd." Melissa said looking at Sarah strangely.
"It stands out alright." Sarah surprising smiled.
"I've been a fan of you and your husband, and also interested in your work of almost close to creating the next A.I. computer."
The word A.I. made Sarah glance at her fake daughter suspiciously. It was starting to make since why Seen pursued this woman as Sarah was now playing into Seen's game.
"Yeah, yeah it's been my husband and my dream in developing one. Not closely their yet, but give us a couple more years and it may be done. With technology advancing so quickly we may have a full functioning A.I in less then three years."
"When I get straight out of college I told my mother I wanted to work for BrimWar industry from the great work you guys created for research hospital in furthering the development in finding cures for rare cancer diseases. You guys are already heroes in the medical field and I wanted to be apart of that in the future." Seen said enthusiastic.
"Never know. We're always looking for young minds to give BrimWar fresh starts in our company on new inventions. Sounds like you're already on the right path and you're mother sure is very proud of you as your goal already set for college." Melissa smiled at Sarah.
"Very proud." Sarah forced a smile as she has no idea about Seen's background and the problems in dealing with her.
"Are you attending the I.Q. party that Cyberdyne's having on Tuesday? They say they're also close to creating a fully working A.I. themselves. They say it's going to blow us away." Seen stated.
"It my just do that." Sarah sarcastically said referring it to Judgment Day.
Melissa was amused by Sarah's comment as she had no idea what Cyberdynes pet project will actually do to the world in less then four years.
"Yes we are attending the party." Melissa said.
"Wow, I wish I could go there to get a first glance at it. I guess you're not invited if you don't have big money." Seen said sounding sincere about her predicament. In truth she didn't have the invitation to get into the party in which she needed to hatch their true intentions.
Melissa saw the sadden expression on the girl's face and couldn't help herself. "You know what, I hated that when I was your age too. Big suits and their money. How about we exchange numbers and I'll see what I can do."
"Really, you don't have to go through all of this for us." Sarah said.
"That would be great. My brother would want to go too." Seen added.
"Then it's settled," Melissa said and dug in her pocket book and gave them her business card as Sarah took it. Seen wrote their number on a small notebook paper and handed it to Melissa.
"Just give me until Monday. It was nice meeting you Seen and Mrs. Manhattan." Melissa looked at Sarah not catching her first name. "I see you later then."
"Thank you so much for doing this for her again." Sarah said in an appreciative voice.
"Thanks!" Seen gave her one last enthusiastic smile.
Melissa walked away from the thrilled mother and daughter and continued to her car. A few seconds passed as Seen dropped the act and looked at Sarah.
"Nice acting mom."
Sarah smirked as she was amused and disturbed by those words. "Please don't call me mom. When you said you were going to get the invitations to the party, was she apart of that plan."
"Yes."
"You think she will come through?"
"Yup."
"You seem confident in a stranger you just met." Sarah said. Unlike Seen, if their new friend won't be able to acquire the invitations then the plan will fail. Everything they done today would be for nothing as this didn't set well with her at all.
"A stranger that is an over achiever, have three children, likes watching sports with her family, her favorite baseball team is the White Socks by the way. Her husband and her is ranked number three in the Beer club bowling league they like to compete every Thursday and Friday and sometimes Saturday depending on their work schedule. She likes to be active in the Go Green campaign in saving our world, and also activist in No Child Left Behind program." Seen explained as she smiled at John's mother insisting she wasn't a stranger to her and does her homework very thoroughly in all her plans.
"Here I thought she was just some random person."
"Nobodies random. Not when I met them."
"Of course not…and your impressive story as well." Sarah said apprehensive about Seen's capabilities of lying. Her story and acting was flawless and disturbing the more she thought about it. She wondered does the girl lie to her when she tells her information. If Seen does, how much and how long have she been doing it.
"Thank you." Seen replied to her comment and saw Cameron pulled up to the curb in the mini van to pick them up. Numerous bags from her Home Depot trip were placed in the trunk area of the jeep as part of the plan was going accordingly.
Sarah looked at John's protector and then at the engineer as both girls shared similar characteristics. "I can see why John chose you to be a wonderful role model to Cameron. Lie, cheat, steal."
"I try my best." Seen smiled at John's mother and got into the back seat of the jeep.
"This is going to be wonderful…Just wonderful." Sarah shook her head and opened the passenger side door.
It wasn't even the end of Saturday as three days was going to be a long time before the time commences to infiltrate Cyberdyne's party. Sarah prayed they would be able to pull the job off or Seen's vision of Judgment Day coming closer would plague her mind every waking minute if the mission failed.