I feel this story is like the guy that tries to lead a slow motivational clap and no one joined in, but he's still clapping five minutes later to be passive aggressive. LOL
I want to dedicate this chapter to Fig-Aruna who has kept me somewhat motivated to keep this story going with her Essay length reviews and follow ups (Love them)
So thanks girly :)
Officers Call
The journey through the wasteland was mostly quiet with the exception of Ryan offering Sarah some water.
During the afternoon when the temperature rose substantially, Ryan carried her on his back knowing that the hot soil would burn the skin off Sarah's bare feet.
"How do you get use to it?" Sarah asked hugging Ryan's neck.
"Use to what?" Ryan replied readjusting Sarah.
"The war …killing all those thugs." Sarah clarified.
"I was raised and trained in places like this … so war is all I've really ever known." Ryan shrugged. "After everything I've seen, killing just becomes a fact of life and you learn to live with it." Ryan explained.
"I'm sure Cameron was an interesting teacher." Sarah smiled slightly at the prospect of the killing machine singing the ABC's.
"You have no idea. When I was four I told mom I was scared that there was a Terminator in our closet, being a stickler for safety she emptied a clip into the closet then told me to go to sleep." Ryan chuckled
"Sounds about right." Sarah commented draping her arms over his shoulders. "Did you know?" Sarah asked after a moment of silence.
"That Mom was a machine… no. Dad use to tell me that Mom was the way she was because of the trauma of coming from the future. But I guess if I was smart enough I probably would figure something was up, but when you're a kid you don't really question fairy tale love story stuff like your mom coming from the future to save your dad." Ryan shrugged.
"I know what you mean." Sarah empathized with thoughts of Kyle and John.
Several hours passed as the two conversed until they reached the end of the sandy wasteland and onto a hill covered plain of burnt over and dry grass.
Ryan set Sarah down carefully, her feet made a small crunch as it landed on the grass. He then walked a several yards away from Sarah looking out at the view in front of them. A wiring noise caught Sarah's attention making her look at him catching a Blue hue from the side of his face. Though she more then less trusted him it still made her feel nervous when he used Cameron's eye.
"We should be able to find the garrison somewhere around here." He said with a tired sigh.
"Need a break?" Sarah asked.
"No, I'll rest when get to a safe zone." Ryan called.
"No one's ever safe." Sarah said seriously.
"So I've been told." Ryan frowned taking the rucksack off her.
***
There trek through the hills was more then uncomfortable for Sarah as the arid environment seemed to make her silk slip more unbearable then before.
They traveled for several more hours till they reached a Resistance check point.
"Who goes there?" an old shaggy looking soldier with a cockney accent asked sitting in a small watchtower like structure.
"Ryan C. Phillips Captain 112th Tech-Com serial number 122107" Ryan called to the guard on the hill.
"If you're a Captain then where's your uniform?" the old soldier pointed to his fatigue.
"The 112th is in North Africa we didn't have uniforms we used arm bands you Asshole!" Ryan swore at the man pulling out his Jacket from the rucksack and pointing to the thick red sash. The man climbed down and walked toward them. Ryan tossed him the jacket the man examined it before handing it back.
"What about her?" the scruffy man nodded his head at Sarah giving her attire an odd and lustful look.
"She was a prisoner, now she's not." Ryan said annoyed with the man.
"How come she doesn't have a code." The man pointed to his wrist.
"Who said she was a Skynet prisoner?" Ryan growled.
"Sorry sir I meant no offense I'm on guard duty so I'm supposed to ask questions like that, there are bandits abroad you know." The old man said putting his hand in front of him.
"We know!" Both Ryan and Sarah said at once.
"Can we go?" Ryan sighed after an awkward moment.
"Sure … the Garrison is that way." The man pointed behind him. "I'll have my partner escort you. Elliot!" the man called to the tower. Another soldier poked his head out, this time a baby faced black man in a wife beater. "Take the Captain and his tunnel rat to base." The guard yelled. Elliot saluted and started down the ladder.
Sarah closed her hand in a fist at the man calling her a rat but said nothing.
"I'd check the attitude Corporal and remember who you're talking too." Ryan said hotly not liking the cockney man's treatment of his close family member.
"Aye sir." The man stood at attention.
"Carry on." Ryan nodded to Elliot who began to lead them. Sarah gave a smug smile to the old man who seemed to mutter something under his breath.
***
The Garrison wasn't what Sarah expected really.
From what Kyle and Derek had told her about the future she expected there to be a small sewer hole and everything to be underground.
But instead the garrison looked like less then a normal military insulation. It had a large bunker and two concrete building at half football field's length away from each other. There were several large tents scattered in between the buildings.
Both Sarah and Ryan followed the Private into the base. There were groups of soldiers sitting around or being exercised in drills.
Sarah had flashbacks of the first time she wore her varsity Cheerleading outfit in high school as she walked past groups of staring people.
Finally after several moments of navigating through tents and being uncomfortably stared at they reached the main bunker.
"Halt, no civilians aloud." A large and broad man said emotionlessly standing in front of the door.
"There not civilians, this Captain Phillips 112th." Elliot explained.
"Confirm serial code." The large man turned toward Ryan.
"122107" Ryan replied. The man took a second to process.
"You are permitted to enter." The guard stepped aside letting both men pass. Sarah followed closely but the guard snatched her arm.
"Confirm rank and serial code." The muscular man said in monotone. Sarah immediately tried to pull out of his grip but to no avail. She looked into his eyes and saw that they were blank.
"Let her go canner, she's with me." Ryan sighed
"It's metal!!" Sarah felt a slow dread come over her as she was unable to break out of its continued grip.
"She is not permitted to enter here." The Terminator responded snapping its head toward Ryan. Sarah's heart started to pump faster and her veins felt like they were on fire as the panic and fear of being at a Terminators mercy came over her.
"I gave you an order!" Ryan raised his voice as he could see Sarah start to panic slightly.
"I'm not programmed to follow your orders." The machine stated.
"No but your programmed to follow mine." A proper English accented voice called from inside. "So let her go."
The Terminator released Sarah's arm immediately and went back to standing at attention. She stared at it for several moments before walking through the door.
"You alright?" Ryan asked. Sarah steadied her breathing before nodding her head. Ryan rubbed a friendly hand on her bare arm before walking further in the room.
The inside of the bunker had tables of people working at stations of electrical equipment from old CV radios to sleek looking futuristic computers that Sarah was sure that "her" John would have had a field day with if he was here.
"Sorry about that, but with the infiltrators and the upcoming drive …you can't be too careful." A clean uniformed English man greeted them. He had a clean shaven mouse like face and a black Berea that covered curly blond hair.
"Captain Smyth, commander of the garrison." The man shook Ryan's hand.
"Captain Phillips 112th" Ryan greeted.
"Oh right, the chap they put in charge of that Angel operation. How did it go by the way?" the man seemed a bit pompous and had an air of superiority.
"I'm sure you already know the answer." Ryan sneered at the man. Smyth walked further into the bunker motioning for them to follow.
"Actually on the contrary, Command lost contact with your strike team during the fight." The man said sitting behind a desk in the back of the room.
"What do you mean? I called out for several extractions during and after the battle, no one ever came." Ryan shook his head.
"Well I don't know who you where talking to ole boy, but it wasn't Command." The Captain stretched and placed his feet on the desk.
"I just had a conversation with Colonel Williams several days ago, she gave me coordinates to … a lobster tank." Ryan trailed off then sighed agitatedly.
"While your on the subject you also might think about why they chose a 1st lieutenant in a obscure regiment on the frontier to take command of an off the books mission." The Englishmen was like a cat playing with a string.
Sarah felt her stomach do a nasty flip as Ryan shot her a small accusatory look.
"I assume your painted lass is a survivor?" the man eyed Sarah suspiciously.
"Yeah …this is 2nd lieutenant Baum." Ryan lied catching Sarah off guard.
"If she's an officer then where did she get her commission?" The man seemed to be intrigued.
"Battle of Casablanca, led an assault in the third distract and junked a Skynet staging area." Ryan was stalwart in his speech.
"Her serial number?" The Smyth prodded.
"112th is on the frontier Captain, it's made up of natives and Caravan drifters. You think that recruits have serial numbers?"
"Touché" he said with a courteous nod. "Your dress is most curious lieutenant." The man said looking Sarah over.
"I was captured by bandits …they wanted to sell me." Sarah stepped into the conversation.
"I'm sure they mourn the loss." The man winked at her. She wasn't sure if she should feel offended or complemented.
"We need a transport to Home Plate." Ryan cut in.
"I'm sorry to put a damper on your request ole chap but every available officer is to wait here till further notice. I believe they wanted "all hands on deck"." Smyth air quoted.
"I need to talk to someone at base then." Ryan motioned to the radio equipment.
"I can't let you do that, it's for campaign use only. However you're in jolly good luck because General Barnes will be here with the 132nd tomorrow and he's planning an officer's call." The Captain said with sarcastic exuberance.
"Is something big going down?" Ryan asked with the name Barnes catching his ear.
"I really have no details, only which this outpost is going to be used as some sort of staging point for a large scale assault." Smyth sat up straight. "Well… till then your welcome to the shower stalls here. I'll have someone bring Lieutenant Baum a uniform." Smyth gestured to the door.
"Thanks." Ryan motioned Sarah toward the door.
"Before you go, can you be a good gentlemen and refresh my memory, but didn't one Sergeant Phillips win a Commendation of Valor for retaking the third district in Casablanca." Captain Smyth called toward them with a suspicious look.
"I'll have to think on it." Ryan said with a Cameron like ghost of a smile before walking out the door.
***
The shower stalls where tall and made of wood with a shower head and pull wire. There was enough privacy to cover the body but you could still see the shoulders and legs.
Sarah stepped in and closed the door and undressed. She slung the silk slip over the door and pulled the wire. The cold water pouring over her face and hair caused her to moan at the cool feeling that washed over her body.
"I could have gone my entire life with out hearing you do that." Ryan said walking up to the stall. Sarah flashed him an irritated look.
"Here… I'll put the clothes by the door." Ryan said placing a mound of clothes in a heap near the stall. "I bet you'll thank me for this." Ryan tossed her a square item wrapped in paper.
"What is it?" Sarah asked.
"Soap." Ryan smiled. Sarah unwrapped the paper only to be hit with a strong fresh smell.
"That's strong." Sarah cringed.
"Hey it's soap for a post thermal nuclear war. That little bastard will scrub radiation." Ryan pointed out walking away.
***
Sarah was pretty sure her body hadn't been scrubbed so hard since the false alarm at Serrano Point. She was also quiet content to be wearing a complete set of clothing for once.
Her uniform consisted of a thin white camisole and panties (which she was happy to have again) wore under threadbare army fatigues. and a pair of well used combat boots.
Sarah found Ryan laying in the grass his hands behind his head using the rucksack as a pillow. He seemed to be deep in thought.
"Showers open." Sarah said but he didn't acknowledge her as he looked up at the evening sky. Sarah sat down next to him which snapped him out of his Trans.
"What?" Ryan said startled looking up at her.
"I said shower is open." Sarah restated folding the fatigue button down in her hand.
"Oh…right" Ryan trailed off then back to looking up at the orange and purple sky.
"Ryan?" Sarah asked watching him.
"Yeah?" he replied.
"Why'd you lie to Smyth back there?" Sarah shifted closer keeping voice low.
"Just something Dad once told me." Ryan grunted getting up and grabbing some thing from the bag.
"What was that?" Sarah looked up at him.
"Family is the only ones you can put your faith in. So I lied, because I put faith in the fact that you're just lost in time and not some infiltrator with my grandmother's face waiting to snuff me in my sleep like most people would think if I told them what you've told me." Ryan snorted before he walked away.
Sarah watched him feeling guilty that she didn't share the same faith in him or…herself.
"Plus if he were to call up 112th he wouldn't get any straight answers. There are only two people who speak proper English at HQ and both are on maternity." Ryan laughed.
***
The next morning Ryan brought Sarah powdered eggs and processed bacon with a cup of slugged coffee. It was about the most disgusting thing she had ever eaten in her entire life but at the same time it was better then nothing.
Sarah sipped the sludge as Ryan sat next to her eating quietly. She began to notice that there seemed to be a lot more soldiers at the garrison then before.
"Looks like 132nd arrived last night." Ryan said looking at the small crowds of soldiers sitting around eating and drinking.
"Kyle and Derek's unit." Sarah propped up.
"Also mom and dads, as well as my old one." Ryan listed off going back to eating.
"Why'd you transfer?" Sarah asked people watching.
"That is one of many things that you and I aren't going to discuss." Ryan said chewing on some bacon.
"Command issues?" Sarah asked despite the previous statement
"No, more like mommy and daddy issues." Ryan swallowed. Sarah looked at him nodding her head. "Like I said, it's not up for discussion." Ryan gave her an irritated huff.
"Right." Sarah covered her smile by sipping her coffee.
"Captain, Lieutenant. Officers Call in five." A woman in her mid twenties with long frizzy hair walked up and saluted them; Ryan saluted back starting on his coffee. However the soldier continued to stand at attention. Sarah stared up at her expecting something else to be said. Ryan elbowed Sarah.
"Salute." he whispered motioning to the woman. Sarah gave an awkward two fingered one and the woman clicked her heels nodded and walked away. Sarah watched her with an impressed look.
"Let's go." Ryan tossed the coffee into the grass and stood up. Sarah followed suit walking next to him as they strolled toward the main bunker.
"Is there something on your mind?" Sarah asked as she saw Ryan with a grim look on his face observing the people in front of him.
"I just got a bad feeling." Ryan said uneasily walking past a group of garrison soldiers.
"What about?" Sarah asked observing that the new arrivals seemed to be dressed in heavy coats, uniforms, and plastic SWAT padding.
"The 132nd is an Urban unit out of L.A. they're use to close quarter and street fighting. Out here everything is out in the open and from a distance. So what ever this offensive is about, they're clearly not dressed for a fight in the wasteland." Ryan explained. Sarah found herself feeling the same sense of dread as she looked from face to face seeing a sense of unrest in each one as if they had fear of being in the open.
They arrived in front of the bunker were they once again faced the machine from yesterday. However this time the Terminator stepped aside letting both through.
"I hope you had a good rest last night." Smyth greeted them in the control room.
"It beats sleeping in the dust." Sarah saluted.
"It does indeed, if you'll follow me." He saluted back and motioned them toward a hallway.
"She can be taught." Ryan whispered taking the lead behind Smyth. Sarah shook her head suppressing a smile.
***
Smyth led both down a narrow hallway to a large metallic door.
The Captain knocked twice then after a pause a third. The sound of squealing metal could be heard from inside the door before it scrapped open. A man in body armor armed with a plasma rifle appeared and saluted before stepping out of the way.
The inside of the room was bare with the exception of a metal table and a beaten up couch. The room was filled with a dozen people standing around or sitting on the couch.
When the three entered the room it caught everyone's attention. Ryan saluted to which everyone half heartily responded.
Sarah was not in her strong area, crowded in small spaces always made her feel uneasy. Now add a room of strangers and Sarah would give anything to be somewhere else.
She walked behind Ryan who walked confidently to a far wall and turned to her.
"Hey …stay off the radar and let me do the talking, okay." Ryan whispered to Sarah who nodded. "alright." Ryan took a deep breath and took the spot next to her.
The room was silently tense with the occasional low conversation trying to break some of the ice. But it was to no avail as the officers of the 132nd seemed to be just as uncomfortable as Sarah was.
As time dragged, Sarah began her habit of people watching. She noticed most of them where dirty and tired. The room consisted of males but there were a few women. All of the Officers seemed to be in there twenties or Sarah's age, with the only older person being one of the women. Sarah looked from person to person looking for anything of interest. Most had small scars or scruffy faces.
Sarah tensed up as she looked at the couch to find a pretty petite Asian woman hunched over resting her chin on her knuckles staring in space.
"Jesse" Sarah sent a death glare her way. "That bitch is here." she fought the burning urge to beat the hell out of Jesse for what she had done …what she will do.
"You got a problem?" Jesse called catching Sarah's eye.
"Maybe I do." Sarah challenged forgetting everything else.
"Then why don't you come out and say it." Jesse stood up.
"Hey Flores I didn't see you there …" Ryan cut in stepping in between them.
"Yeah what's it to you Phillips." Jesse said giving him a vicious look.
"I heard about the botch up with the Carter." Ryan placed a hand on her shoulder.
"And?" Jesse said distractedly
"And I was just wondering how it feels to be expendable like all the rest of us?" Ryan said calmly. The room snickered and cackled at the small joke at the ex sailors expense.
"Fuck you." Jesse shot the finger at him and walked away with several other officers patting her on the back as she went to the other side of the room.
"Just checking." Ryan called as she walked away. He turned toward Sarah and was about to addresses her when the door scrapped open and the guard entered.
"Atten-hud!!" the Soldier yelled into the room. Everyone immediately stood at attention.
Two men entered the room. One was a tall and muscular black man with salt and pepper beard. He wore sun glasses a black cap, tight t-shirt and vest. The other was a stalwart older white man with a buzz cut and proper uniform. He looked the part of a drill sergeant or classic army general.
"At ease." The Black man boomed. Everyone in the room returned to normal. "I want to get to business, and why ya'll was marched out here." The Commanding officer called. "This is Major General Eiling, he will address ya'll." He stepped back and let the older man forward.
The older man stepped forward and unrolled a weathered and beaten old map on the metal table. All in the room gathered around.
"For the last six months Skynet's main forces have been pressed and driven back since the destruction of its defense grid. However General Connor believes that it's planning one last massive offensive. Our scouts have followed several columns of Endoskeletons to a river canyon several miles to the north." Eiling spoke with a stereotypical Marine drill sergeant voice as he pointed to a brown and waved portion the map that indicated rocky terrain. "We believe that Skynet is hiding a factory somewhere in that Valley. So where going in there to drive them out." The Eiling pounded his fist against table.
When he finished the room was still silent as everyone looked at the map with uncertainty.
"Barnes." Eiling stepped back nodding to the tall man behind him.
"Companies A and B will push into the right and left of the gap while company C will stay here as support." Barnes voice was deep and confident as he motioned his hand across the map.
"Do you have a clear picture of the valley and what's in there?" Sarah asking before she could stop herself. Barnes said nothing just stared at Sarah like he was looking at a ghost.
"Skynet is still in its planning stages of the offensive." Eiling answered her with an air of authority.
"So you don't have any details on what's in there?" Sarah continued not sure what she thought she was doing. Eiling looked red in the face as he stared at Sarah.
"Who are you exactly?" Eiling asked dangerously
"Lieutenant Baum 112th." Sarah replied deciding to Jump in with both feet.
"Well, Baum your not here to question tactics. You're here to follow orders and do your job!" Eiling growled.
"If you don't have clear picture, then there's no telling how much metal is in there!" Sarah tried to reason.
"You a coward Baum, Cause you sound like someone who's afraid?" Eiling taunted in a superior toned voice giving her a hard look.
"Not Scared …Just smart." Sarah countered coldly. Everyone watched Sarah as if she just spit in the General's eye. Eiling looked like he was about to explode all over her when a thought seemed to come into his head.
"General Barnes… Isn't Lt. Devane ill?" Eiling asked. Barnes continued to stare at Sarah weirdly finally nodding after a moment.
"Excellent, then Baum I'm giving you a temporary Command of 1st platoon Company A. That way you can be in the front and see for yourself what's in there." Eiling said coldly.
"I'll take it sir." Ryan called out of no where stepping in front of Sarah defensively. At this Barnes looked like he might die of a heart attack.
"I didn't ask you Phillips." Eiling said darkly.
"I'm volunteering in her place sir. I'm a more experienced commander and I was a member of 1st Platoon as a Corporal." Ryan said trying to sound as professional as possible. Eiling stared at him darkly.
"Fine, you're on point." Eiling nodded.
"No!"
"No." Sarah snapped immediately. "Captain Phillips has…other things to do." she gave a look of pure concern toward Ryan.
"It's up to you Captain. It's other you or your lap whore" Eiling said seeing the unusual concern the two had for one another.
"I'll take the lead." Ryan responded with a look of anger at Eiling's comment.
"Then it's settled Captain Phillips will take in the first column." Eiling announced shooting Sarah a dirty look.
"Oh god what have I done." Sarah stared at Ryan who looked confident but pale.
"…dismissed." Barnes grunted. Those in the room began to file out.
"Looks like you might have to find some other CO's cock to suck on." Eiling smiled smugly bumping shoulders with Sarah. She gave him a cold stare but said nothing.
"Phillips a word." Barnes called toward Ryan who seemed to be hanging back anyway. He motioned Sarah out the door. She nodded with a look of apologetic sympathy and walked out. However once outside she left the metal door cracked open so she could hear the conversation inside.
***
"Are you out of your god damn mind? What am I going to tell your daddy when I get back to base? I'm sorry Connor but your baby boy was massacred because he was just too damn stupid!" Barnes yelled.
"Come on Barnes we wouldn't be having this conversation if this battle plan wasn't so freaking insane! Since when does Thomas "the butcher" Eiling have authority over an assault like this?" Ryan argued back.
"You been gone for long time Boy Wonder, some things change. Maybe if you would have stuck around this would have been your Command.
"After mom traded herself for me, Dad said never come back. So I was just respecting his wishes." Ryan responded with an indifferent arrogance.
"No you left, because it never mattered, you never took this war seriously. Your Mama took the responsibility being a Connor with respect and Honor …" Barnes stated but was cut off.
"Being a Connor isn't an Honor, It's a curse, a curse of Time Paradoxes, Tragic Love Stories, Loneliness, and Death. That is all that's waiting for any unlucky bastard that happens to be born in the family!" Ryan said with anger and resentment pounding his human hand into the table.
There was a silent moment as Ryan regained his composure, looking slightly guilty at his out burst.
"I swear to god it's like talking to a brick wall." Barnes sighed defeated.
"Barnes … I didn't mean to…" Ryan started but Barnes held his hand up and nodded in a silent acceptance.
"Look what I wanted to talk to you about is your beautiful champion that looks strongly like Sarah Connor posing as a lieutenant." Barnes replied with a raised eye brow.
"It's being taken care off." Ryan sighed
"I hope you're not putting your life on the line for an infiltrator, boy." Barnes warned
"Have you ever seen an infiltrator with a mouth that big before?" Ryan chuckled
"…Rye this fight isn't going to be pretty. I just want you to be sure that you aren't taking a gamble here with a ghost."
"I know what I'm doing."
"You sound like your Daddy about your Mama."
"Well, I can only hope I'm that right about this."
***
Sarah waited outside for Ryan watching as solders checked there weapons and gear and loaded in backs of pickups and other vehicles.
There was a sense of finality and death that hung over the camp like a dark cloud. Each soldier could feel it, like a game clock reaching the one minute mark in the fourth quarter or seeing the finishing line in the race of life. It welled deep in the hearts of those on there way to the field of battle.
Sarah felt a deep ache that came from the human guilt of not being able to stop something bad from happening. Worst of all was the heart breaking dread of knowing that someone close to you is about to join in the fruitless venture.
Ryan caught Sarah's eye as he exited the building. He stood alone at the entrance staring into the sky before closing his eyes. She watched him a moment as he took a deep breath and exhaled slowly. After several beats he opened his eyes and gave three pumps of his fist into his gloved hand. Sarah let him have his private moment before walking over to him Rucksack in hand.
"Ryan, I'm sorry…" Sarah Started.
"There isn't time for that…." Ryan cut her off. He rummaged through his bag pulling out his Jacket and an envelope.
"Look when you get a chance jump a Chopper and make sure they're going to Home Plate. When you get there go find Colonel Blair Williams, and give her this..." He handed Sarah the envelope. "Under no circumstances are you to open this. When you find Blair give it to her and tell her that you're a survivor of Angel Wing. When she asks for the code tell her 91265. She will take you to Dad…" Ryan said pulling on the jacket.
Sarah nodded looking at the weathered piece of paper.
"Take this stuff with you." Ryan said handing Sarah back the bag. "I don't want Skynet sending Dad my prized things along with my body parts." Ryan said with a small chuckle.
Though He had meant it to be a small joke it cracked something deep in Sarah's heart.
"Well…I guess it was nice meeting you finally." Ryan said awkwardly not sure what else to say to her.
Once again Sarah struggled with her emotions as she said goodbye to her Grandchild.
"Yeah…" Sarah nodded with a light smile.
"Alright … well bye" Ryan said slowly as he began to walk toward the loading areas.
"Say something!" Sarah yelled in her head but came out blank as she just stared at the envelope in her hand.
Ryan stopped after several steps and looking up at the sky for a moment before looking to the ground a beat sighing. He then turned on his heels and walked back to Sarah and wrapped his arms around her waist pulling her into a warm embrace.
Sarah accepted the embrace fully this time, holding him close as she would John. He buried his face in her hair taking a deep shaking breath and exhaling some of his fear of what was to come.
After a minute they broke the embrace.
"Ryan …" Sarah began again.
"I know …I know." Ryan cut off giving her an arrogant smile despite his troubled mocha orbs.
"Okay." Sarah nodded placing a motherly hand on his cheek.
Ryan closed his eyes at the human touch for several beats being deprived of paternal comfort for many years. After several moments he removed her hand and walking away again, this time he didn't stop. She watched him jump on the back of a truck and drive away.
For the first time since before Kyle showed up in her life, Sarah prayed.
Interesting Story about this chapter.
Officers Call is the name of a short one shot I wrote that introduced the Character of Ryan Connor (Phillips).
The story however was meant to be sort of an Alt. Jameron, because many Jameron writers at the time where using the prospect of this sort of a Saintly Cameron and a beautiful Baby girl for a Jameron baby.
So Officers Call involved a boy (Ryan) and his huge issues with Cameron.
The story was supposed to show the sad reality of a Mother for a machine.