Keep Moving
Sarah discreetly rubbed the old rusted chain connecting her iron handcuffs against a rock.
"What's your name?" the young half Hispanic girl asked quietly sitting in front of her as they sat under a tree to shelter themselves from the snow.
"…Sarah." Sarah grunted rubbing harder on the rock.
"Alexandra, but people call me Alex." The girl smiled slightly with a nod. She watched Sarah a little bit then looked back to make sure that Steel wasn't near.
"How were you taken?" Sarah asked as she took a small break.
"I, my brothers, and two of my best friends were on our way to a Resistance base near here so we can join up and … we were ambushed." The girl's voice broke as her eyes watered a little.
"I'm sorry." Sarah offered looking down.
"No, I'm sorry …I should be stronger then this." The girl breathed. "How…how were you taken?" Alex asked.
"I was waiting for …someone close to me to return from a mission, and I was hit from behind." Sarah paused then returned to her grinding.
"Mission, are you part of the Resistance?" Alex asked with an almost excited and hopeful voice.
Sarah was about to answer no when she thought about her life since New Mexico in 1999.
"Yes" Sarah nodded. The girl beamed for a moment.
"Yeah I could tell. You may have Flawless skin, but your eyes scream Soldier." Alex smirked. Sarah grinned slightly at the girl's optimism.
A rush of cold wind caught both females by surprise causing them to shiver as there "Slave" outfits did almost nothing to shield them from the sudden cold. From afar Sarah spotted Riley sitting in the middle of the open huddled.
"What about her?" Sarah motioned to Riley
"Not sure … she doesn't talk much and she's always jumpy." Alex shrugged looking Riley's way.
Sarah knew that the youth was from the future and was part of a plan made by Derek's girlfriend (or whore according to her) to get John to destroy Cameron. Sarah was never a fan of Cameron, but she was absolutely against putting her baby boy in such a stressful and emotionally crippling situation. Sarah had thought she had gotten the lay of the land when it came to the young girl who seemed to butt her head into the already dangerous world that her and her family where in.
Sarah mentally paused for a moment as the words "her family" echoed through her mind. For many years it had always been her and John. Now when she thought of the family it included Derek and Cameron. It was strange cause for all the mistrust she had for both of them she found herself strongly effected by there memories.
Cameron was slowly making her way into a very special place in Sarah's heart as she thought of everything Ryan had told her. She made John happy, and by all accounts kept her boy human through some very hard times.
However Derek was always confusing for her. On one hand he was an ass who rode both her and John, on the other he would do anything for John….and her. She always felt something warm and special when she would watch how Derek would fight and bicker with Charlie over his intentions with her. Derek even shared a bed with her several times toward the final months of his life. They never made love but he was there to hold her and make sure that she was alright and didn't get up in the middle of the night and do something stupid. So when she found out about Jesse and there relationship it felt as if an ice cold dagger went through her chest and into her heart. She hated him for what he almost did to John…and what he did to her heart.
BANG BANG
Sarah jumped at the sound of echoing gunfire she looked around but saw nothing.
"These Canyons echo sounds from miles away." Steel said from behind Sarah and Alex. The girl screamed in surprise. Steel smiled and walked past them into the snow covered gravel. He listened to the fading sound of the echoing gunfire.
"Looks like Elsa and Austin found your Cur." Steel snickered kicking some gravel at Sarah and Alex. A fire of maternal anger grew to bond fire proportions as she heard the sounds of the firearms fade.
Sarah charged forward at Steel who had his back toward her. She however missed him at the last second as he moved out of the way. Sarah skidded on the cold gravel. She struggled to get to her feet but only to feel a sludge hammer blow to her jaw that sent her on her back. A dazed Sarah spit out blood feeling her entire right side of her face go numb.
"You do have some fight in you!" Steel laughed out loud grabbing Sarah by the hair and dragging her back toward the tree. Steel grabbed her by the neck and threw her into the trunk. Feeling like the air escaped her lounges; she gasped trying to get ready for round two when she felt someone throw themselves on top of her. Sarah was about to struggle but the body felt frail and small.
"No, don't… don't hurt her anymore!! She learned her lesson, she won't do it again!!" Alex begged as tried to protect Sarah from anymore blows that might have landed her way. Sarah felt Alex's body jolt several times and then the sound of Steel growl a snicker before he spit. Sarah heard crunching of gravel as Steel walked away. She sat up slowly to find Alex wiping away some blood off her mouth with her forearm. She noticed large sticky saliva on her neck where Steel had spit on her.
"I didn't need your help!" Sarah hissed angrily spiting out some more blood. Alex looked at Sarah with a hurt expression.
"I only did what you would do for me." She replied hopefully. Sarah glared at her with some resigned anger from the fight. However her expression softened after a moment and she motioned for the girl to come closer.
Sarah helped Alex clean of the spit on her neck.
"Damn it!!" Steel yelled.
Sarah looked up to see nothing out of the ordinary till she noticed Riley was gone.
She smiled.
***
The echoes of gunfire rose and fell again later that evening but now that night fell it was silent and it made Sarah worried sick.
She had taken to huddling closely to Alex as she quietly planned, keeping the girl close to her. Alex reminded her of Lauren Fields a lot. The girl seemed to look up to Sarah greatly as well as having an optimistic attitude despite the situation they both were in.
"Just before dawn I should be able to strangle that son of a bitch if I can get the girls help." Sarah thought watching Steel as he swigged whiskey and looked toward the hills with that same paranoid expression from earlier.
"John's going to come for me and when he does …your dead!" Sarah called to Steel. At this threat Steel laughed.
"Connor … I doubt it. I'm the nightmare he'll never wake up from." Steel laughed standing up and walking till he stood over Sarah.
"You see John Connor sees me as an enigma. There is no human that can catch me and yet He'll never send a Machine after me, cause then that would make him…just like Skynet." Steel whispered into Sarah's ear from behind. He smiled evilly as his hands made there way down her chest and underneath the faded silk.
Sarah breath sputtered as she felt cold hands touch her breasts.
"I've raped woman, killed children, and stole supplies and food at will, and here's the best part. Your lover and his nubile bride had never even got a good look at me." Steel boasted massaging and tweaking Sarah's breasts slowly. "So no I don't think the Messiah will forgo the pleasure of killing me." Steel let a low growled chuckle kissing Sarah's neck.
Sarah was about to throw up when the sound of Motorcycle engines caught there attention.
From one of the canyon passes a gang of silhouettes appeared and stopped several yards from the campfire. None of those that returned where whooping or laughing like before. All were quiet and reserved like someone who had just lost a fight to a smaller person.
"Where's my head?" Steel asked ceasing his fondling of Sarah. No one answered him each looking at one another as if silently pointing fingers. "Is he at least dead?" Steel stood up and stormed toward them looking Elsa in the eye.
"He was tougher then we expected, and it was getting dark." Elsa explained with a shrugged. Steel looked at the group as a whole.
"So let me get this straight, He killed five of you and you just left him there so he can track you here. Is that right?" Steel paced in front of them. No one said anything as they watched him.
"I'll tell you what; you can have the dark haired girl Elsa." Steel said with silent rage played across his face turning toward his bag. All the Mexican gang members grinned and Elsa nudged one of the men.
"Why are you giving the half breed to them!!" Austin yelled limping after Steel.
"Because I want them to tear her in two, that way tomorrow they can go out there and ride down that damn Cheerleader's spawn with a little pride and dignity." Steel said dangerously tossing the bottle at Elsa.
"Damn it I was there, I can kill him!" Austin whined to Steel who mounted the motorcycle.
"You better be able too and if he comes here you better be quick about it." Steel warned out loud kicking the engine on. "One more thing, when I get back there better not be one drop of cum anywhere near the woman or I'll feed your balls to the coyotes." Steel yelled before driving off.
***
Sarah's plans got complicated as she sat and watched the low lives get drunk and rowdy for the next several hours.
Alex sat next to Sarah trembling as several gang members would eye her and whisper amongst themselves.
However Sarah wasn't panicking, in fact she was confident that thing were in her favor.
"The idiots are going to be drunk soon, and I almost have this chain broke." She grinned slightly as she could feel the chain link breaking. She eyed where each gang member was, then she mentally marked where each armed person was. She was in the middle of sizing up those she would go after first when the attention was shifted to them.
"Man I'm hungry!!" Elsa slurred out loud staring at Alex. The group laughed drunkenly with lust in there eyes.
"What's on the menu tonight?" Austin asked cackling.
"I feel like a little bit of Mexican…" Elsa said standing up. Alex began to tremble and scoot away from Sarah.
Sarah worked diligently on the chain feeling that she was very close. She looked up to see the seven remaining gang members approach Alex methodically like a hungry pack of wolfs.
"She looks sweet tasting." Elsa said drunkenly reaching for Alex's waist.
CRACK CRACK CRACK
Elsa body was riddled with bullets and fell to the ground. The rest of the gang tried to run but was cut down one by one.
Sarah felt the chain finally brake with a metallic snap. Quickly Sarah crawled to Alex who looked shaken.
"Run!" Sarah yelled jumping to her feet grabbing the girls forearm and pulled her as both sprinted away from the massacre into the large boulder and rock field around the camp.
***
Sarah and Alex walked quietly in the dark using the rocks for cover.
"Sarah we have to go back…we'll freeze out here." Alex shivered.
"No, we don't know who that was or what they want." Sarah hissed keeping an eye on the area.
After several seconds Sarah motioned Alex to follow as they moved along in the field of boulders.
Sarah silently sidled one of the large rocks. She looked behind it finding nothing.
The soft sound of crunching caused Sarah to snatch Alex into an embrace from behind and take the girl to the ground.
Both were dead silent as a shadowed figure walked by them. Sarah motioned Alex to stay. She silently began to stalk the figure from behind stepping behind the male silhouette.
A great rage built in Sarah as she had flashes of Steel's filthy hands and lips over her body.
"I'm going to kill him!"
Sarah slapped a hand on the shadowed figured shoulder feeling cold leather under her hand as she was about to strike the middle of his back.
The strangers hand immediately grabbed her wrist and lifted it in the air and twisted the arm over his head and swinging her in front of him.
Sarah stumbled several steps and threw a kick which was slap blocked. The stranger stiff armed her bare chest sending her backwards. Sarah recovered moving into a boxing stance while the figure stood in a more martial arts one.
Sarah threw the first punch which her opponent juked his head away from. The figure returned a punch that Sarah blocked and countered, landing a blow against his Jaw sending the shadow staggering backward.
Not wanting to give him a chance Sarah threw a kick which the stranger ducked under. The stranger followed it up with a chop which Sarah blocked at the point but in the process she left her self open to which an almost inhuman blow was struck to her abdomen.
As Sarah reeled the Shadow snatch her neck and blocking arm and Judo flip her to the ground.
Blood rushed to her ears and instincts took over as her opponent loomed over her. Sarah grabbed the cold leather gloved hand on her smooth throat and twisted her waist using her feet to flip her adversary on his back she rolled with the move pining her bare foot on his chest.
"Hey…Sarah it's me!" a familiar voice called out as she reached for a rock to beat him with. Sarah paused looking at the man pinned underneath her.
"…Ryan?" Sarah breathed out feeling the adrenalin course through her veins.
"Get off me." Ryan breathed out with a relived chuckle. Sarah let out a sigh of content stepping off him and offering a hand which he took.
Once he was up Ryan grabbed Sarah's chin and turned her face from side to side examining it for injuries. Satisfied Ryan let her go and shared a small moment with her in which he sorted a sigh shaking his head at her before pulling her into a heart felt embrace. She was a bit shocked at the sudden act as it was a rare thing for someone to hug Sarah Connor, but after a beat she retuned the embrace feeling relived to be found.
The embrace lasted only moments before both let go.
"Are you alright?" Ryan asked rubbing Sarah's arms noticing that she was shivering.
"Fine… you?" Sarah asked.
"Relived …and a bit tired." Ryan answered with a small chuckle. Sarah smiled at the comment before she noticed something missing.
"Alex, you can come out!" Sarah called to the rock. There was no reply. "Alex it's okay!" Sarah tried again but once again no reply. Sarah walked toward the rock. "Alex you don't have too…" Sarah started to say when she noticed that the girl wasn't there.
"Something the matter?" Ryan asked coming behind her.
"There was a girl here her name was Alex she …" Sarah trailed off looking around.
"She may have run off." Ryan concluded looking at the tracks left on the ground.
"We need to go look for her." Sarah gave Ryan a serious look.
"Out of the question, it's to cold right now. You might catch ammonia." Ryan shook his head.
"So will she if she stays out here!" Sarah argued.
"Look we'll start camp here tonight. Maybe she'll see the fire and come over here." Ryan reasoned. Sarah looked out over the rocky terrain then back at Ryan. She conceded with a nod and helped start a camp.
***
Sarah sat back against a rock wrapped in a blanket with her feet close but safely in front of the fire.
Ryan sat on the other side of the fire. His jacket collar did up as he cradled his rifle shivering slightly.
"Why the hell are you over there?" Sarah called over to him.
"This is me respecting your freaking trust issues." Ryan shivered out with a frown.
"Get over here!" Sarah glared gesturing to him aggressively to come. Ryan shifted uncomfortably before walking over to her and sitting next to her. Sarah tossed him a look and scooted over to him pulling him close and wrapping part of the army blanket around him. Both sat in silence as the warmth began return to both.
"How did you know I was taken?" Sarah asked breaking the silence.
"Simple, you were the only body I couldn't find when I got back to camp." Ryan said bitterly. Sarah nodded staring at the fire.
"Steel killed them." Sarah sighed.
"No…machine got lose." Ryan scoffed.
Sarah's stomach dropped out from under her as guilt seeped into the very fiber of her being.
"You catch her…it?" Sarah corrected. Ryan shook his head.
"There was more important business to attend to." Ryan nudged her with his shoulder. Sarah felt as if someone had hung a weight around her neck after Ryan's statement.
Sarah looked at her hands remembering how it felt when she put the chip in, that involuntary movement. Like someone else was in charge of her body and they were pulling her on strings like a puppet.
Sarah wanted nothing more at that moment then to run away. Run into the night, away from Ryan, scared that she might strangle him in his sleep.
However something curious was fighting that urge, a gut feeling that she needed to stay close to him and follow his lead. Something inside her was whispering from the back of her brain that he was leading her to where she had to go.
"He's leading me to John …if there's someone who can help me it's John." Sarah thought deciding to go with her gut.
"Love the new look. It says…I do birthday parties and street corners." Ryan humored looking at her heavy make up as he silently worked off the iron clamps on Sarah's wrists. Sarah grudgingly elbowed him in the ribs.
***
The next morning Sarah and Ryan set out from the camp. However it didn't take them long to find Alex….
In the open beyond the rock field laid her lifeless naked body. She had a frozen look of pain and horror on her face. On her bare belly words were brutally carved.
Till Next Time Connor
Sarah dropped to her knees and looked over the body feeling the death crush the life out of her.
"Son of bitch must have been watching us all night." Ryan gritted looking at the once beautiful face.
"She had a family; she…wanted to join the resistance." Sarah said dazed shaking her head as she brushed the hair out of Alex's eyes.
"I'm sorry." Ryan placed a hand on her shoulder.
"If you plan to go after him, I want in." Sarah said angrily looking up.
"No, He's better supplied then me… I guess we'll just have to let him go for now." Ryan sighed looking at the barren land.
"I'd really hate to do that." Sarah closed the girl's blank eyes.
"I know." Ryan took a knee next to Sarah.
"How can you kill someone …just for fun?" Sarah asked eye's brimming with tears.
"… I don't try to understand why people like Steel and his gang do what they do…I just try to stop them." Ryan shrugged. "I killed most of those low lives last night, with the hope that I saved many more people from ending up like this poor girl."
"He's still out there though." Sarah shook her head.
"I swear on my life that if I ever run across him again…I'll kill him for you…and her." Ryan said looking at Alex sadly. A tear ran down Sarah's cheek.
"Come on … we need to go." Ryan said clearing his throat of emotion.
"We should bury her." Sarah said in monotone.
"Leave her lie." Ryan shook his head.
Sarah felt a rush anger at his comment, but let it pass knowing that they might still be followed.
"Come on." Ryan smoothed some of her long waved hair gently.
"Keep moving."
Sarah gave one last look at the girl before standing with Ryan's help.
Both continued on there way.