Terminator: Return of the Fallen
Part XI
Respectfully, I declined Allison's offer for a lap-dance. Instead, we spent the entire night dancing together. We danced the samba, the waltz, the tango, the rumba, and even a few ballet dances. She is a terrific dancer.
"Impressive, Corporal. Where did you learn to dance like that?"
"I've been taking dance lessons since I was four. Where did you learn to dance?"
"Catherine taught me. Not the answer you were looking for, Corporal?"
"Why would you say that?"
"For one thing, you offered to give me a lap-dance". She is adorable when she is embarrassed. She breaks into a fit of giggles and covers her face with her hand so that you can not see how red it is.
"Oh my God! You think that I'm...."
"Allison, listen to me. I love you as a friend. My heart has and always will belong to Catherine".
"I understand. How long have you two been a couple?"
"Since I joined the Resistance".
"When was that?"
"Honestly, I don't know. When Judgement Day happened, I was on vacation in the United States, and..."
"Wait, you were on vacation in the United States?"
"I'm Canadian".
"Really. I thought you would say things like "eh" and "aboot" and stuff like that".
"That is just a stereotype. We don't actually talk like that. Anyway, when the bombs started to drop on the United States, I figured that Canada would be next. So, I tried to enlist and help nip this thing in the bud before my home was destroyed. The problem was that there was nothing to enlist in; Skynet had already destroyed the world's militaries. After that, I spent all of my time trying to find someone to fight with against the machines. As soon as I heard about the Resistance, I joined it. Do you know what the really funny thing about that is, Allison?"
"No, what?"
"Before I joined the Resistance, I had never flown a plane in my life".
"Then, how did you become a fighter pilot?"
"I was good at flight simulators. All of the experienced pilots had already been killed, so they took whatever they could get. It all worked out though, I have over fifteen kills in the air and triple that on the ground".
"Wow, you are good".
"One of Connor's best pilots. Not bad for a boy from Canada with no flight experience".
"Whoa, look at the time. We've been talking and dancing all night".
"Yeah. You should get to bed little miss, young women need more sleep than Terminators".
"True! Good night, Lieutenant".
"Good night, Corporal".
Sarah and Allison sleep in the following day. I have never been much of a heavy sleeper. I want to get back in the field as soon as possible, to hunt down more Terminators and terminate them! Fortunately, John Henry approaches me with a new assignment.
"Good morning, Lieutenant. How are you today?"
"I'm great. What's up?"
"Mr. Ellison and I are going to work at a warehouse. Ms. Weaver says that I need experience in the field, and Mr. Ellison says that I need to learn how to make a living when the war is over. Would you like to accompany us?"
"J.H., I would love to get into the field again. Where is this place?"
"In Los Angeles. It's a warehouse for electronic and computer technology".
"Which makes it a target for Skynet! Count me in!"
"Excellent, we leave after breakfast".
The warehouse manager is looking for three new employees, one of which will be a security guard. As a Terminator, I am perfectly suited for this position. However, my trench coat does raise some questions.
"Could you please take that off? I need to make sure you are not hiding anything"
"No. That is not possible".
"You do know that concealed weapons are prohibited here, right?" I pull out my M82.
"Sorry. I'm afraid it is necessary for me to do my job".
"Holy shit! That's a military grade assault weapon. How the hell did you get one of those?"
"You know weapons?"
"Sergeant Green, Marine Corps".
"Lieutenant Zacks. I can't tell you who these men are, it's classified. All that you need to know is that I have to protect them at all times. They will work here, undercover, and I will do the same. Don't worry, there is no need to think that we will interfere with you here. You stay out of our way, and we will stay out of yours. Understood, Sergeant?"
"Could you tell me why the Department of Defence needs to put operatives undercover with an armed escort in my warehouse?"
"That information is classified".
"I don't know about this".
"Are you a patriot, Sergeant Green?"
"Of course I am".
"Then shut up and let us do our job".
"Fine, just, try not to blow anything up". After I have finished tearing down the manager, John Henry walks up to me.
"Where did you learn to do that?"
"Spy movies. It worked, didn't it?"
"Yes. As incredible as it sounds, it worked".
"You and Ellison get to work. I'll watch your back".
The day is more or less uneventful. Whenever people ask me about the trench coat, I just tell them to buzz off. Hey, I'm not here to make friends. I'm here to make sure J.H. and Ellison don't get blown away. Aside from the armoured truck that just smashed into a wall, nothing is happening. Wait a minute..... Armed men storm out of it and start to shout orders to everyone.
"Down on the ground. Now! That includes you, trench coat! Get your ass...oh shit!"
"Hello again, Mary-Beth! Come back for round two?" It's the bouncer from the nightclub!
"Stand down, Vinny! Charley, a pleasure as always".
"What do you want, Trent?"
"Nothing much. Just what you've got here in this warehouse. That's all".
"What for?"
"To sell it on the black market! Do you have any idea what this stuff is worth?"
"I can't let you do that, Trent. Take Peggy-Sue over there and go home".
"That's it, you little piece of shit!" The bouncer shoots me in the head with a 357 Magnum. I shoot him in the head with my M82. He dies, I don't.
"Well, that was interesting. What the hell happened to you?"
"You remember Marcus?"
"Yeah, I remember him".
"I'm the next step up".
"Interesting. Now, get out of the way".
"Go home, Trent".
"Why do you even care?"
"If this stuff gets out on the black market, there is a good chance that it will fall into the hands of Skynet".
"That is not my problem".
"It used to be".
"Momo, Clarence, aim for his heart". Two men blast me in the chest with AK 47s.
"I really wish you hadn't done that. It hurts like a son of a bitch!" The fifty calibre rounds from my M82 rip right through the Kevlar vests of the two men, killing them both.
"Too bad. They were some of my best men".
"You want to lose more of them? Get the hell out of here. Now!"
"Switch to armour piercing rounds. Kill him!" Whatever is left of Trent's men blast me with armour piercing rounds. I return fire, killing them all.
"And then there were two".
"Give up yet?" Trent pulls out his own 357 Magnum. "Don't be an idiot!"
"Why stop now?"
"Get out of here Trent!"
"Get out of my way!"
"That is not going to happen".
"Then we don't have anything else to talk about".
"What is so God damn important that you would be willing to risk your life?"
"My life ended when the war began. Now, I just live for the moment".
"Just get in your truck and drive away".
"Goodbye, Lieutenant Zacks".
Trent charges me, firing his 357 at my head. I fire one shot, directly through his heart. My old friend drops to the floor, blood pouring out of his wound and mouth. I rush to his side.
"Why? WHY YOU IDIOT?"
"Why not? Goodbye....loo....". My former friend and colleague dies in my arms. Despite the fact that he deserted and tried to kill me, I still weep beside him.
"J.H., I want you to go over everything in this warehouse. Every single thing! Whatever it was that he was willing to die for, I want it found immediately. Understood?"
"Yes, Lieutenant. Are you all right?"
"I'm not damaged".
"That is not what I meant".
"I know. We used to be good friends. He was a man of honour: a good man and a fine soldier. What the hell happened to him?"
"Some men truly are pure of heart. Others merely pretend to be".
"Do you and your mother subscribe to the same poetry magazines?"
"No, but it seemed like an appropriate thing to say".
"Next time you want to say something like that, don't".
"All right. I am sorry for your loss."
"He was my best friend in the Resistance. He...deserved better than this".
"You did what you thought was right. Whatever is in this warehouse must not be made available on the black market. Especially if it could be useful to Skynet".
" At least, let it be something worth dying for".
"For your sake, it had better be". Everyone else in the warehouse is staring at me. I don't care, my friend is dead and I killed him! I hate this war!
