Interlude: Ryan

Since the fallout of Judgment Day the weather of the post apocalyptic world seemed to go through severe changes. One day it would be hot the next bitterly cold. December 14, 2029 was no different as a small flurry of little snow flakes fell from the late afternoon sky on to the desert floor.

In the quiet snow fall a gutted Motor Terminator carried a rider on its back as it off roaded on the flat and unforgiving landscape. The rider's eye wired at an object ahead, he stopped the machine and dismounted it. Walking several yards in front of the bike he kneeled taking some mud imprinted on the sand in his leather clad left hand. His right eye glew a soft blue as he analyzed it.

"Algerian sand and traces of hay …" Ryan Connor (Phillips) said removing the grey Bandanna over his mouth and nose looking at the clump of mud in his cybernetic hand. He sighed and looked toward the cliffs ahead. Suddenly something jumped into his mind that he wished never had.

A group of Tech-Com soldiers quietly moved in the shadows of the fading Nevada evening. Weapons raised and on edge the tired fighters felt a rush of adrenaline as they neared the illumination of there targets campfire.

"This is it, Phillips and Sayles to the right, me and Kyle to the left." Derek Reese whispered to the team that once numbered twelve now only four. The three nodded and separated.

A fifteen year old Ryan had a slight smile despite the grueling six month chase that had been the death of almost seventy five percent of those that started out with him. Despite this fact Ryan Connor felt an arrogance and swagger that came from the knowledge that he was about to bring in the legendary killer Steel and save his Step mother Kate in one foul swoop. He could only imagine the look on his Fathers face when he returned home with her alive and well. He quietly cocked the worn Remington shotgun and waited for Sergeant Reese's Signal.

A small cricket chirp echoed quietly through the area. It was on.

Ryan was first to turn into the line of fire, he moved in the shadows Just like his mother had taught him. He had his finger on the trigger ready to blow away the butcher only to find that there was no one there. Ryan came crashing down from his high as the entire campsite was empty. He stood frozen in a weary anguish as the others moved in to find the same thing.

"Dammit!" Derek kicked some sand on the roaring fire. It flickered a bit before returning to full strength again.

"This Fire looks about thirty minuets old …He still might be close" Kyle said to Derek as Ryan kneeled examining the ground.

"Someone was dragged from here." Ryan called to the two brothers pointing to the ground. Both exchanged looks before walking over to where the new Recruit was kneeling.

"They where here…and Steel dragged them …" Ryan followed the trail of paved sand around the fire. The Reese Boys followed the young teen looking at the ground.

Ryan was headed for the rocks when he bumped into Sayles.

"Hey Sayles move man…I'm following a tra…" Ryan stopped talking and realized that the soldier was staring at something in horror.

On the ground near a flat rock formation several small rivers of blood flowed in small streams across its surface. Ryan followed the streams to the source.

Something died in Ryan Phillips Connor's heart that day. As he saw the naked and mutilated body of Katherine Brewster Connor hung from one of the cliffs. Above her Written in blood was a phrase that would never have the same meaning to the young man as it once did.

NO FATE

"That Godless son of bitch!!" Derek snarled angrily as the sound of dry wrenching could be heard as Kyle looked away trying to hold in the vomit.

Ryan tiredly removed his beanie and stared heartbrokenly not sure what to do next. He wasn't sure how things could have gone so wrong, or how Kate ended up in the hands of Steel from being kidnapped by Weaver.

Sad of heart, starved, and worn out the only child of John and Cameron Connor thought one thing…Life wasn't suppose to be this hard.

"We'll cut her down… Kyle said placing a hand on Ryan's shoulder recovering from his episode. Kyle alone knew who Ryan was and what Kate meant to him and John.

"Not yet." Ryan said coming to a soul shattering realization, feeling a cold wind cut through his weatherworn overcoat and thread bare uniform. He tried to hold back tears but his next sentence was cracked and hard to stomach.

"We need to fan out…and find the Baby…they…they should be buried together."

"I should have shot that murderer when I had the chance!" Ryan said crushing the sand in his Black gloved hand, tears running slowly down his face.

Past is the past, Keep Moving.

The words scrolled across the HUD that he brought up so he could analyze the soil.

Ryan sighed wiping the tears away with the sleeve of his Leather Jacket being brought back to reality by the "Ghost" in his implants. Ryan was never sure where the advice came from or who it was that was giving it but sometimes it was a great comforter.

Ryan saw the remains of a wheel imprint trailing back toward the river.

Ryan gave a determined sigh watching the white haze come from his mouth.

"I won't let it happen again. Mom and Kate maybe dead, but I won't let her end up the same." Ryan thought getting back to his feet.

He punched his bandaged fist into his glove three times before pulling up the bandanna and walking back toward the cycle.

***

The sun slowly sank over the Canyon like hills as the Terminator Cycle stopped again. Ryan looked at the Canyons trying to figure out the best way to enter them undetected.

He silently took out the canteen from his rucksack untwisting the cap and was reaching for the bandanna when several loud cracks caught his attention with several bullets hitting near him. One of said bullets hit his tin canteen sending him spinning off the Machine. He hit the Snow kissed ground with a thud.

Ryan looked up to see a Dozen Motorcycles approaching him from the cliffs. The riders were whooping and shouting insults as well as firing wildly in his direction.

"Damn!" Ryan breathed getting to his feet. He rushed to the Reprogrammed Cycle remounting it. He kicked it into high gear directing the 180 degree turn with his right foot.

He took off like a shot as the Bullets whizzed by his head and on the ground near him. Feeling like they where gaining on him Ryan Drew his .45 Sidearm and fired several shot behind him (he was pretty sure he got that "hicks" hand.).

As Ryan put some distance between him and the Posse chasing him he began to look for somewhere to confront them. He checked for any sort of obstruction in the flat landscape.

He found what he was looking for, fifty yards in front of him was a trench like crater. Ryan jumped the Terminator into the ditch. Dismounting Ryan reached for the customized AR15 Rifle he brought with him. The rifle had a militaristic scope and grenade launcher under the barrel. He settled into a sniping position in the trench.

Ryan finally got a good look at his attackers, they where of two types of people. The white trash variety or those of the Mexican gang banger persuasion (though he wasn't sure if that big one on the Harley was a man or just a really ugly woman.). All of which seemed to be enjoying themselves greatly.

Switching to automatic to conserve bullets he aimed for the lead gang member. He pulled the trigger sending the rider to the ground. The leads Motorcycle tripped up several riders causing a small pile up.

CRACK CRACK CRACK

Ryan fired into the disoriented riders dropping one after another.

"Get back out of range before he kills everyone!!" the Wo-Man called toward the others. All those able to ride turned back except for one. Ryan held his fire staring down the Mexican man who sat several yards away revving his engine.

The man had crazy brown eyes and was heaving his chest. The Rider tore his shirt open revealing a large tattooed skull that covered his entire chest and half of his stomach.

Ryan smiled dropping the AR15 to the ground and climbed out of the trench. The action only antagonized the Mexican as the Bandanna faced Soldiers openly mocked him.

The man screamed like he was possessed and charged his bike forward. He fired a shot at the Young Officer grazing his cheek. Yet Ryan didn't flinch at the injury, this only infuriated the man who dropped his rifle and drew his knife.

Then nonchalantly Ryan drew his pistol and shot the enraged gang member in the head sending him to snow covered ground and the bike tumbling to the side. Ryan holstered the .45 and dropped back into the trench.

That was illogically stupid…

"So sue me, he wanted a straight up duel, he got one." Ryan chuckled checking the Magazine on the Rifle.

***

Ryan sat patiently as another snow flurry floated slowly to the ground. Ryan saw that the light of the day was starting to fade.

"When it's dark I'll sneak up on them." Ryan thought reloading his weapons.

CRACK

Ryan felt a bullet whiz right by his head and hit the Terminator. Ryan looked up to see what that was all about. From a distance he saw a long fifty caliber rifle being operated by one of the hicks who was belly down on the ground.

CRACK

"Son of a…" Ryan ducked as the bullet just missed him. Ryan heard the robust Laughter from the group of killers sitting around the sniper.

"Dirty Bastards…" Ryan Muttered grabbing his rifle, he fired several shots at the group. Each shot landed out of range of the thugs who seemed to find his attempts to be one of the funniest things in the world.

The hick behind the rifle got up and walked several yards in front of the rest of the group, and began to dance a drunken two step in attempt to mock Ryan. This Caused the others to laugh like they where going to urinate themselves.

Ryan shot a goofy look the mans way when a HUD appeared and involuntarily measured the distance between him and the dancing man. Ryan smirked disappearing behind the trench.

"Maybe you would like a better view of tonight's moon." The dirty man yelled dropping his trousers and sticking his bare butt in the direction of the officer.

"Hey Austin you think he can smell it from here." Elsa Laughed slapping one of the dirty men on the shoulder that was tearing up.

Suddenly a shot rang out and a sickening thud echoed through the air.

Austin Began to scream in pain. All the laughter ceased as they rushed to him.

"That Son of a bitch shot me in the ass!!!" The dirty man yelled in agony.

"Sorry, It was Just to big to miss!!" the young soldier yelled across the field.

***

Ryan lounged with his back to the trench wall when he heard some commotion. Peeking over the trench wall he saw that the Posse where driving away toward the Canyon.

"There other really stupid …or there leading me to a trap." Ryan pondered for a second looking up to the mostly darkened sky.

"Yep, there just stupid." Ryan decided out loud standing up. He brushed the snow off his closed jacket and black fatigues. He shook his brown motorcycle boots before grabbing his rucksack and holstering his .45.

Ryan climbed out of the Trench shouldering his Rifle. He decided to leave the Motor Terminator as it was riddled by bullets and looked all but ate up.

He walked in the pitch black for some yards until he stopped in front of an injured gang member.

"Steel sent you?" Ryan asked turning over the dirty man on his back with his foot. The man had a bullet hole in side and looked to be half conscience. Ryan stepped on the wound causing the man to groan in intense pain.

"Did Steel send you!!?" Ryan yelled. The man nodded slowly but clearly.

"Where is he camped!!?" Ryan put more pressure on the man's wound.

"By…by the River … in the Canyon." The man winced with a thick trailer park accent.

"There's a woman, is she alive!" Ryan asked

"Yes! Steel…p promised us a Fuck in exchange for killing you." The man breathed. Ryan stepped off the wound and started to walk away.

"Please…I hurt bad …Kill me." The man called reaching a hand out toward Ryan.

"I'm not wasting a bullet on a low life like you." Ryan said coldly walking toward the fallen mans vehicle. Seeing that it was still usable Ryan mounted it and looked at the nearby cliffs.

"That butchering Son of bitch doesn't even realize it yet, but he just punched his one way ticket to Hell tonight."