Terminator: Return of the Fallen
Part IX
When I wake up the following day, Catherine is sitting at my bedside. She is smiling and holding a package. I've missed seeing her smiling face in the morning.
"Good morning".
"I have a present for you Charley".
"What is it?" She opens the package and hands me a brand new assault rifle.
"It's an M82, fifty calibre semi-automatic assault rifle. Be careful with it, they are not easy to come by".
"I know what it is, Catherine. Kyle and Derrick always kept one of these around. It was their favourite weapon".
"With good reason. A shot from one of these can take out a Terminator. This bag has 27 ammunition clips with ten rounds each. Incendiary rounds are not cheap, so use them wisely. This thing can penetrate a Terminator's armour from six thousand feet away. Keep this weapon with you as though your life depended on it, because it does. You should probably wear a trench-coat to conceal it. Remember, always keep this with you".
"I will. Thank you, Catherine. How did you get one of these?"
"You'd be surprised at what the CEO of a major corporation can do. Still, go easy on the ammunition. It doesn't grow on trees, you know".
"Unfortunately, yes. Thank you, I can't wait to use it. Terminators beware! There is a new....anti-Terminator on the loose. Hey, I like that: Anti-Terminator. Has a nice ring to it". Catherine starts to laugh.
"You are a strange man".
"I thought that was what you loved about me?"
"Partially. I have to go now. Be careful with your new toy".
Reese and I spend the rest of the day training with our assault rifles. As an infantryman, Reese knows how to use this thing blindfolded. As a pilot, I have a lot of catching up to do. I'm used to my canons being attached to the nose of a plane, not held in my hands. We do target practice with blank shells, and he shows me how to assemble and clean my weapon. It is amazing how complicated shooting something is. You need to make sure you sight is aligned, that your weapon is clean and that the bolt does not jam, and you need to make sure you can reload quickly or you are dead.
"Man, this is so much harder than it looks".
"What did you expect? That you just point and shoot?"
"Generally speaking, yes. Thanks for your help, Reese".
"Hey, we're the Resistance. We do this for a living".
"Changing topics: how are you doing on the love front?"
"Focus on your weapon, Zacks".
"Oh, I am. But how close are you to using your weapon? Have you told Sarah that you want to show her your gun?"
"I am going to freaking kill you!"
"I'll take that as a no. You will never get close to that woman if you don't tell her that you're interested".
"Is this the voice of experience talking? How close are you to showing Catherine your piece?"
"It's a work in progress. I've gotten her to admit she is proud of me, though. It's a start. By the way, your clip just fell out of your rifle".
"Oh, shit! Well, that was embarrassing. Good thing we weren't in the field, right Charley?"
"Yeah. I would have had to save your ass. I think I'm doing pretty well with this thing. What do you think?"
"Not bad, for someone who always relied on a targeting computer".
"Hey, it takes marksmanship to be pilot. Those nose cannons don't lock on themselves. Neither do the missiles. You lock on, you try to keep your plane steady, and you try to fire without getting your ass shot off. Add to that the fact that you are traveling at the speed of sound. It's not as easy as it looks, Lieutenant Reese".
"Fine. Your job's not easy, and my job's not easy. Let's just focus on our training, shall we? Remember, head shots only. Always aim for the right temple, that is where the core chip is. Don't hold the rifle like that, or the recoil will shatter your shoulder-blade".
"Reese, my shoulder-blade is armoured and made of coltan!"
"Right! Sorry, I forgot. Hold the rifle however you want to. The recoil won't even scratch you. There are advantages to being made out of metal, you know".
"Ok. So; keep the sight clean, always go for a head shot, reload quickly and forget about the recoil. Anything else I need to know?"
"That's pretty much it. You are a fast learner, Lieutenant".
"I have always been a fast learner. Have you always been a coward?" He points his rifle at my head.
"Are you calling me a coward?"
"Do you have another explanation for your complete lack of movement on the Sarah Connor front?" Reese lowers his weapon and smiles.
"It's not cowardice. It's survival tactics. You haven't known her as long as I have".
"Why is everyone afraid of Sarah Connor? Seriously, you will stare down professional killing machines but run away from a woman".
"Sarah Connor is no ordinary woman".
"My girlfriend can turn her arms into blades. Top that!" While we were arguing, we failed to notice little Savannah approaching us.
"Excuse me?"
"What is it Savannah?"
"Sarah wanted you know that dinner is ready".
"Thank you. Is your mommy back yet?"
"Yes. Mommy and Mr. Ellison are talking about something. I don't know what they are talking about, but it is usually something to do with the war".
"You are a very helpful little girl. Tell everyone we will be there shortly. Lieutenant Reese and I still have a few things to discuss".
"Sarah said you would say that. She also said that if you don't get your butts inside the house in five minutes, she will feed your dinner to the coyotes". Savannah returns to the house, leaving us alone outside.
"Now do you see what I mean? She is as beautiful as an angel and as strict as a drill sergeant".
"Ha. Be careful Reese. You are starting to turn into a romantic".
"Don't make me shoot you! Let's go eat".
Dinner is more awkward than usual. Not because of the presence of Terminators, but because of the tension between Sarah and Derrick, and Catherine and myself. Even Savannah can sense that something is wrong, and she asks us about it. We just smile politely and tell her it is an adult thing. Eventually, Sarah gets annoyed by Reese's attention.
"What?"
"Excuse me?"
"Why do you keep starring at me?"
"I'm not starring at you. I'm looking in your direction".
"Stop it".
"What, I'm not allowed to look?
"No, you're not. Stop doing it".
"Well, she's got the right message. But I don't remember my drill instructor being that polite. Do you, Reese?"
"You called me a DRILL INSTRUCTOR!"
"Zacks, you are so dead".
"Oh, you are so not going to like what I am about to do".
"What are.....Charley, I swear to God I will kill you".
"What the hell are you two going on about? Are you both malfunctioning?"
"Sarah, I can't malfunction. I'm human, remember".
"Not always".
"Oh..my...God!"
"Oh your God what? What are you on about, Lieutenant".
"Reese, are you a complete idiot or just plain oblivious?"
"Ok. Now you've lost me".
"You moron. She's flirting with you!"
"WHAT?"
"WHAT?"
I have never seen them agree on anything before. But I am sure of
this. They like each other. Now if only they would stop being so damn
stubborn and tell each other.
"Why is everyone yelling?"
"It's simple Savannah: Derrick loves Sarah. Sarah loves Derrick. But they are both stubborn as mules and refuse to accept it".
"You're malfunctioning"
"He probably took damage when the T-800 shot him".
"No, he's always been like this. Some things never change, right Charley" Catherine is smiling at me.
"Thank you, Catherine. Now if you two would stop acting like children and just admit that you have feelings for each other, life would be so much easier". At least one relationship still has a chance at being repaired. Now if I could just fix things between the two people holding assault rifles. "Go ahead. I'm curious to know if I could survive a shot from an M82".
"I'm going out for target practice".
"I'm going to beat the crap out of my punching bag. Cameron, could you please put our meals in the fridge. There is no sense in wasting good food".
"I'll take care of it. Have a good workout, Sarah".
"Thank you, Cameron".
"You are both behaving childish".
"I'd stay off of the target range if I were you, Lieutenant".
"And you should probably stay out of the shed".
"Your threats are pointless. Sarah can't hurt me with her fists, and Reese wouldn't waste ammunition on a friendly".
"That depends on your definition of friendly. If anything important happens, you know where to find me".
"Cupid must have been drunk when he shot them! Corporal Young, do you see what I'm talking about, or am I out of my mind?"
"Oh, there is definitely something between them. But you can't rush these things, Lieutenant. You have to let them go at their own pace".
"The world will end before either of them makes a move. John, maybe you could speed things up?"
"I'm not getting involved. They're adults, let them sort this out themselves".
"I agree with John, Charley. You're a Terminator, not a matchmaker. Just let them be".
"All right, Catherine. I'll drop it". Yeah right!
