The question of all questions in the former chapter. How will Cameron and John react? How will Catherine Weaver react? In this chapter you'll find the answers to that. Hopefully satisfactory. Besides, John meets John Henry for the first time.
It seems that the interest for Terminator fanfics dropped significantly since New Year and therefore I'm more than happy that there are still so much readers who are following this story. I promise to finish it, regardless of the interest and reviews, although I REALLY like reviews!
Chapter 7
Catherine Weaver paused for a second and then turned towards Cameron: "Will you join us?"
The simple, short question almost nobody understood; but it was all that it took for Cameron to freeze instantly. She sat on the couch like an ice statue, her wide eyes staring incredulously towards the liquid metal machine that just asked her the question she feared to hear ever since she became aware of herself.
John noticed Cameron's reaction and he instantly remembered the discussion they had on their winter vacation about a specific question that would force her to surrender her chip, making his alarm go off momentarily. So, this is, as it seems, the situation she had been so afraid of! This is what future John had in mind when he ordered her to surrender her chip! Alliance with this machine. He was more than happy that she overrode the order, future John gave her, and even happier that he forced her to promise him, she'd never surrender her chip to anyone. But he felt how she stiffened and knew that she was shocked, probably more than she had ever been before, upon actually hearing this question. He suspected that Catherine Weaver didn't know that Cameron managed to override the order and decided to use it to their advantage. He squeezed Cameron's hand to get her attention and felt how she slowly relaxed a bit and looked at him with shocked eyes, seemingly bigger than he ever saw them. It was extremely unusual that Cameron was left speechless, but it seemed that this now was one of those cases. He cocked one eyebrow as if questioning her something and Cameron understood without being directly asked. She nodded barely visible, but it was enough for John to know that he was on the right track. So he gave her a small smile and nodded.
After having his assumptions confirmed by Cameron, John turned towards Catherine Weaver who was expectantly looking at his wife: "Is this some kind of a test, Mrs. Weaver? What does this question mean?"
Weaver turned to him with just a slight trace of annoyance on her face: "Your cyborg knows what it means." She returned her gaze towards Cameron.
For few seconds there was silence in the room. No one else knew what this was all about and they all decided that it would be the wisest thing to remain quiet and let Catherine Weaver and John solve the situation. As the seconds ticked off and Cameron didn't react to Weaver's words, it became obvious that the head of Zeira Corporation simply couldn't believe that nothing happened. The annoyance and disbelief were now clearly written all over her face.
John smiled in his thoughts and gave Cameron's hand another reassuring squeeze before turning to Catherine Weaver: "Well, Mrs. Weaver, it looks like my wife really doesn't know how to answer to your question. Maybe she doesn't know what it means at all?" He paused and thoughtfully massaged his chin between the thumb and the forefinger. Tilting his head upwards, looking at the ceiling for a second, as if contemplating what to say next, he slowly returned his gaze towards the LMT. "Or maybe … just maybe … she knows what it means but refuses to answer it the way you expected her to? Do you think that that might be the case?"
Catherine Weaver was now definitely baffled, probably for the first time in her existence. She was sure that the TOK unit would immediately follow her challenge and surrender her chip. But, impossible as it might seem, it didn't happen. The cyborg girl sat there like a statue, ignoring her, her eyes turned to the man she had married and that man seemed to know something he shouldn't have known at all. Not yet for many years.
John's face suddenly darkened and he slowly got up from the couch, never letting go of Cameron's hand and pulling her up with him: "I regret to inform you that this meeting is over, Mrs. Weaver. I really don't know what you were trying to achieve with your question, but I know something and I'm telling you with absolute certainty: my wife will never, NEVER, surrender her chip to anyone, you or anyone else. You might have the upper hand in the combat, but I will never accept such condition. You can try to kill me and if you did, you'd probably even succeed, but you'll never get what you just asked for, either from me nor my wife willingly."
Catherine Weaver was impressed. The question she asked Cameron wasn't meant seriously. She didn't need her chip, for John Henry already had his own chip to make him mobile, it was meant as a test, a test for one John Connor. And he, as well as the TOK unit, unexpectedly being his wedded wife, passed the test with flying colors. Now she knew that John Connor would fight not only for the rights of the humanity, but also for the rights of machines. OK, maybe not quite as fiercely, but for this specific machine that managed to capture his heart, he would give his life easily and anytime. And now she also knew that Cameron was a free machine, able to override her programming and decide for herself what she would like to do and able to reject the orders if she deemed them irrational, nonsensical, and unnecessary. She finally got confirmation that these people were the right ones to cooperate with her in the battle against the Skynet.
Edward and Sarah, as well as Mr. Ellison were still under the spell of this moment, not really knowing how to react. They knew that there was something very important going on, but it was obviously to be cleared between Catherine Weaver, John Connor and Cameron Connor, all of whom obviously knew what game they were playing. So they stayed out of it and just followed the examples of their parties, meaning that Sarah and Edward were already on their feet, while James Ellison stayed sitting, just staring clueless to Mrs. Weaver by his side.
John was already starting towards the door, as Catherine Weaver swiftly stood up and stepped in his way: "Wait, Mr. Connor."
John stopped, but answered her coldly: "I believe I've said that this meeting is over, Mrs. Weaver! If you'd be so kind to let us leave …"
But Catherine Weaver showed absolutely no willingness to step away and she spoke firmly: "Mr. Connor! I have absolutely no intentions to get your wife's chip. I don't need it and this question was just the final test. I had to make sure that you would fight for machines as well as for the humans. Otherwise this alliance would be too one sided"
John stood unmoving for a second, staring directly into Catherine Weaver's eyes, pondering the situation and trying to read the liquid terminator's eyes and her facial expression . After few moments which to anyone else in the room seemed like hours, his stance relaxed a bit: "If I chose to believe you…"
"You should, Mr. Connor! I'm telling you the truth." Catherine Weaver nodded at him.
John waited for few more seconds, still searching the face of the LMT for the truth, before starting again: "If I chose to believe you, there is one thing we should set straight right now. I don't allow any, ANY, more tests concerning my wife, our relationship, or our dedication to the cause. And my wife's definitely and absolutely off limits for anyone. If you can accept that, OK, if you can't…" He shrugged and left the end of the sentence unspoken, but very clear.
Catherine Weaver smiled genuinely for the first time since they met: "I can promise you that, Mr. Connor."
John released the breath, he didn't even know he had been holding and asked the question that bothered him from the first moment on: "Where is this AI that you're developing? I'd like to see it and talk to it."
"Him, Mr. Connor. It's 'him', not 'it'." Weaver corrected him coolly and turned towards Mr. Ellison: "Would you please bring Mr. Connor to John Henry, James? I have something to take care of and I'll join you immediately after I'm through with it."
James Ellison nodded and looked at John Connor in awe. He wasn't used to anyone talking to his boss like this young man just did. "If you'd please follow me, John?"
XXXXXXXXXX
They used a special elevator, not accessible to any other employees or visitors, to descend to the sublevel where the AI named John Henry was, according to information Mrs. Weaver gave them, located. As they began their descent no one spoke. But few seconds after the elevator started moving, Sarah felt the impossible urge to say something, to persuade John not to do this, to ask him about what just happened, but after she looked into his eyes and saw cold determination there and realized instantly that he wouldn't answer any of her questions, she decided to postpone anything she wanted to ask for later after they'd left this building. It was clear that John had made up his mind. No matter what she should say or do, would change the decision he'd already made. So she decided that she'd take very good care of making sure that that nothing would happen to her son. The scene between him, Cameron and this Weaver terminator still gnawed at her and she decided that she'd get the truth out of John and Cameron as soon as they would be alone again. The scene, especially the impact of the question, Weaver asked Cameron on her daughter in law made it more than clear that it must have been something extremely important.
Cameron remained silent ever since Weaver asked her the question. True, she overrode the order to submit to chip extraction upon hearing that question many months ago, but she still felt very uncomfortable and insecure in the moment the words were out in the open. Now she only occasionally looked at John with admiration and adoration in her eyes. He would even allow the alliance between man and the machine to fall for me. He loves me that much! Totally unacceptable, but so nice. I should thank him later and then reprimand him that he should never put me in front of his cause. Even though she knew that he should not have done what he did, she felt valued more than ever before, even more than on their wedding day. And she knew with absolute certainty that no matter what she might say to John, he'd react the same way if they'd find themselves in a similar situation. He would never allow her to sacrifice herself for anything.
John looked lost in his thoughts and for once, he actually truly was. He relived the moment as Weaver asked Cameron to join them again and again and decided to ask Cameron later what was the background of this question. He didn't show it, but he was more than satisfied with the result of the meeting. As he set on to walk out of the office, he actually feared that Weaver might do something extreme like killing someone and he now realized that he played a Russian roulette with all their lives. Well, no risk no benefit. I'll probably have to do more such stunts in the future to win the war. He sensed Cameron's eyes on him and turned to look at her. Upon seeing her expression, a mixture of love, annoyance and adoration, he had to smile at her gently and squeezed her hand to show her that he understood her.
Edward looked like he would have detached himself from everything. He stared into nothingness and stood unmoving like a statue. In truth, he tried to empty his mind from every possible thought and concentrate on the meeting with the AI that might present a danger to everyone. He would be very careful, not to allow any harm coming to John, Cameron or Sarah.
After the elevator stopped and the door opened, Mr. Ellison led the way. John tried to follow him, but Edward stretched his arm to stop him and shook his head slightly without saying anything. John understood and nodded, waiting for Edward to go first. After they lined out of the elevator, Sarah instantly strode past John and Cameron and joined Edward.
Cameron looked at John with slight confusion in her face and silently asked him with her eyes what his mother was doing. John gave her a lopsided smile and shrugged. He knew perfectly what were Edward's and his mother's intention but he didn't want to voice it explicitely. They both assigned themselves the task to protect John and consequentially also Cameron at any price.
Ellison didn't pay any attention to them and strode purposefully towards the door at the end of the aisle. After reaching it, he stopped with his hand on the door knob and turned towards John: "I have to warn you that you might suffer a mild shock upon seeing John Henry. But keep one thing in mind: not everything is as it seems."
Before anyone could react, he opened the door and entered the room beyond it, leaving them no option but to follow him.
Edward and Sarah blocked John from entering the room and Sarah turned around to look at Cameron, signaling her she should join them both. John noticed the gesture and shook his head, while strengthening his grip on Cameron's hand and slightly pulling her back to stay by his side. He definitely didn't want her to go in there first. However irrational it might have seemed, he wouldn't expose her to any dangers, no matter the fact that she was the only one who could withstand an attack of a terminator.
Edward simply ignored them and entered the room, stepping aside to join Ellison who was already standing on one side of the entrance door, looking at the group behind him.
While Sarah still waited for Cameron to enter the room, and remained rooted to her place, John sighed impatiently, rolled his eyes and strode resolutely into the room, passing his mother and pulling Cameron behind him.
As soon as he entered the room, he saw a man sitting at the table in the middle of the room and gasped aloud. He felt how Cameron tensed beside him and reached for her gun.
"Remember what I said. Nothing is as it seems." James Ellison's voice penetrated his mind, stopping him from doing anything foolish. So John simply stood there and looked into the face of the terminator he learned to know by the name of Cromartie.
The terminator, the T-888 which haunted him not only in real life but also in his dreams, the machine they killed in Mexico, but its body mysteriously disappeared when he and Cameron tried to retrieve it. His worst nightmare sat there at the table and smiled friendly at him.
"Hello, Mr. Connor, Cameron, Mrs. Connor, Major Anderson." Cromartie/John Henry greeted them friendly with soft voice.
Sarah growled behind John's back and without having to look at her, John knew that she was preparing to shoot at the machine behind the table. So he raised his hand: "No, mom! It's not Cromartie." In the meantime he managed to get his racing heart under control. There was no chance that this machine could be Cromartie. They destroyed his chip; he saw his mother hammering at it desperately, destroying it ultimately, he saw it crushed to pieces.
Suddenly Cameron turned towards Ellison and said flatly, but with clear threat and annoyance in her voice: "I was right! You did bring the body from Mexico. I should have terminated you!"
John squeezed her hand: "No, Cameron. Nobody's going to terminate anyone. Mr. Ellison might have lied to us before, but I'm sure he had some very good reasons to do so. I'm definitely not happy but I'll listen to the reasons before I decide whether he did the right thing or not."
John Henry followed this exchange with clear interest in his eyes. John couldn't help but think that there was unhidden intelligence in those eyes and life on the face of the once passive terminator. However stoic it might appear, the signs were there. This was no ordinary terminator, this was an AI and he was alive, just like Cameron. He wasn't sure of Mrs. Weaver, but he believed her to be alive too.
Suddenly John Henry stood up and stepped around the table. He stopped at its side and stretched his hand towards John: "I'm glad that we finally meet, Mr. Connor."
It took John whole two seconds to react. He carefully stepped towards John Henry and accepted his outstretched hand, shaking it firmly: "John Henry, right?" He ignored the warning hiss that Sarah gave him and decided not to see how Edward positioned himself so that he could jump at John Henry at any given moment.
A childish smile appeared on John Henry's face and he nodded: "Yes."
Cameron suddenly appeared at John's side, still undecided as what to do, but she laid her hand on John's arm: "John, please be careful!" Her eyes didn't left John Henry for a second and her voice was clearly laced with worries.
John Henry turned to her and smiled wider: "I would never harm your husband, Cameron Connor."
In John's mind something suddenly clicked; Weaver didn't know that he was married to Cameron, but John Henry obviously did: "How do you know that we are married?"
John Henry's face suddenly expressed something like a shade of guilt: "Oh, I found the information on the internet about certain John Connor getting married to Miss Cameron Phillips in Canada."
"I knew that we shouldn't have organized the real wedding! John, I warned you, but you had to have it your way!" Sarah spat out in anger. She still eyed John Henry with clear distrust in her eyes, but restrained herself from doing anything harsh. Besides … Edward and Cameron were on the first fire line and they would react immediately, should they sense danger to John.
"Mom! We are in the US now and even if there are such records on the internet, who could have traced them back to us? Coincidentally the same names. And even if someone would have noticed it, they'd probably be looking for us up in Canada, while we're already here in L.A. again."
John Henry's smile widened: "Don't worry, Sarah Connor. The record is no more available. I deleted it, along with every possible trace to it."
John's face instantly brightened in a small smile upon hearing John Henry's words: "I think I understand you, John Henry. But tell me one thing: how is it possible that you know about our marriage, while Mrs. Weaver didn't know it?"
John Henry's smile got a distinct smug note before he answered: "Well, I don't tell Mrs. Weaver everything I know. Sometimes it's better to withhold some information. For the benefit of the unwise who'd possibly misinterpret the information delivered to them."
Upon hearing this explanation and seeing John Henry's vaguely gloating expression, John chuckled lightly: "I think that I might actually become to like you, John Henry." He already dismissed the fact that he was looking in the face of Cromartie as irrelevant. This person, this AI was light years away from the terminator that hunted him for years.
John Henry's face brightened: "Thank you, Mr. Connor."
"John." John corrected him. "I'm John. I'm not used to being called Mr. Connor."
"Right, John then." John Henry smiled gently. "Would you like me to share the latest information about Kaliba Group with you … John?"
"That's what we came here for, John Henry, that's what we came here for."
XXXXXXXXXX
"So, according to your information, Kaliba Group already developed the AI, the one which attacked and tried to kill you, but it had been utterly destroyed in an unsuccessful attempt to give it control over the weapons systems? And now they are working on a new one, based on the structure of the old one, but unfortunately, all programmers who designed the first one are either dead or ran away. And to complete their task, they'd need Cameron's chip?" John summarized everything that John Henry explained to him in the last half hour in just few sentences. His mind was racing and he tried to paint himself a complete picture of the events.
Sarah was sitting on a chair absently and seemed deeply sunk in her thoughts. Everything that John Henry told them, every single word felt like a merciless strike with a whip. True, she never gained any false hopes that Skynet would somehow go away by itself. And yet, to hear that it was beginning to raise its ugly head again, the fact that now she knew that the ultimate battle with it was inevitable, somehow crushed her and she sat there like a heap of misery. She would eventually get over it and would also regain her battle will soon, but now she needed some time.
Cameron never let go of John's hand. In the beginning she was clutching to him in order to be able to better protect him, but as the discussion went on, she sensed that John needed comfort more than protection and she gave it to him. She regretted that she couldn't hug him and kiss him, but she knew that it would not be appropriate, so she limited herself to tightly holding his hand and secretly brushed his knuckles with her thumb. And she felt that John was grateful to her. He appreciated her support and she was happy that she knew how to comfort him, even though the news that John Henry told them weren't exactly the happiest.
For few moments nothing could be heard in the room. Mr. Ellison and Edward stood at each side of the table and kept their thoughts for themselves. Then John, who hung his head before, suddenly lifted it and looked directly into John Henry's eyes: "Thank you, John Henry. I assumed that the situation was bad and you only confirmed my suspicions." He paused and turned to Cameron, looking at her thoughtfully for a second before turning back to John Henry: "Have you pinpointed the location of the lab that is developing the AI?"
"Regretfully not. I wasn't able to determine the location, just the general area. But there are more Kaliba locations in this area." John Henry sounded truly apologetic and he looked at John a little helplessly.
Against John Henry's expectations, John's lips curled in a slight smile: "Well, then I have something to bargain with Mrs. Weaver with."
"And what would that be?" A cold voice of the said terminator interrupted John, who suddenly asked himself how she could come into the room without anyone noticing her. Even Cameron looked surprised. She is really formidable and I can only hope she'll never turn the coat. She could be invaluable asset, but also incredible powerful opponent. Actually almost indestructible I guess.
But John learned how to hide his true emotions and grinned while he turned to look at Mrs. Weaver, standing at the door: "Well, Mrs. Weaver, I already told you that we have approximate location of the facility, where the AI is supposed to be developed. Not just the area, but much more accurate." He fought the urge to wink at her. That would really be out of place now.
Catherine Weaver tilted her head slightly and it again sent a wave of annoyance through John. That's Cameron's gesture! She looked at him thoughtfully for a moment, before replying: "And would you care to share this knowledge with us, Mr. Connor."
John's grin grew wider as he nodded: "Why, of course, Mrs. Weaver. Just not right now. We should first determine the terms of cooperation and few other details. Then we will exchange every bit of information that both sides have already gained."
"But John Henry already told you everything we know. Why withholding the information?" Catherine Weaver tried with her flat voice.
"Oh, I'm sure that there is most definitely quite a lot of certain sensitive information that I haven't been told, so …" John shrugged while still maintaining the grin.
Suddenly, like a lightning out of the blue sky, Catherine Weaver smiled: "I see. I have to say that you surprise me, Mr. Connor."
"Is that a good or a bad thing?" She's creepy! Her expressions change quicker than I can register them.
"I'd say that it's very good. You surprise me in a very positive manner. I believe that we will forge the alliance, Mr. Connor." She stretched her hand towards John.
John hesitated only for a second before he accepted the offered hand and alliance. He squeezed it firmly and looked Catherine Weaver directly in the eyes: "I believe we will, Mrs. Weaver."
No one in the room spoke. Everyone with exception of James Ellison, who still didn't know that the alliance between man and machine had just been reached, was in awe of what they just witnessed. For the first time an unlikely alliance, an understanding of humans and machines had not only been discussed and negotiated but also reached.
After a long handshake, Catherine Weaver and John lowered their arms and John turned to his companions. He saw the beaming smile on Cameron's face and an unmistakable expression of awe. She was proud of him and it meant a lot to the still young man, just being out of his teens. Then he turned to look at his mother and she smiled at him proudly. Her boy had grown into a leader. Now she knew that it was time to give the leadership over to him.
Before he could say anything, Catherine Weaver spoke again, however, this time her voice was much less cold than before. It wasn't warm, for it was probably almost impossible for her to speak warm and affectionate, but it was much more acceptable than before: "I believe that we have quite a lot to discuss Mr. Connor. We have to make a plan how to stop Skynet. But in order to make the best possible one, we have to have much more information than we do now. So I'd suggest that we all gather all possible facts and after we have them collected, we could begin to design our actions."
John nodded, thinking exactly the same. Then he remembered the miniature safe house they were supposed to move back to and involuntarily even shuddered a little. We really have to find something better than that hole!
As if she would sense his train of thoughts, Catherine Weaver continued: "Meanwhile, I've arranged a safe house for you, your family and your team. If you'd like, you can move in immediately, it's been prepared just last week."
How the hell did she know what would make my day? John couldn't believe that Weaver would arrange such thing by herself, without being asked for. But, on the other hand … she came from the future too and knew what had to be done to organize the attack on Skynet as good as possible. He nodded to her: "Sure, Mrs. Weaver, I have absolutely nothing against. But I'm just wondering … did you prepare the safe house for yourself or for me and my men?"
Catherine's smile suddenly turned a new shade of slyness. "I know in what conditions your team lived before and I decided that it would be completely unsuitable for all of you. So I arranged this one while you were all still up in Canada."
John suddenly got a slightly bad feeling in his stomach. This Weaver terminator obviously knew much more than she was ready to admit. She'd probably even been to the safe house of his team, she knew that they had lived in Canada for the last few weeks… There was probably much more still what she knew about him and his team. It would have to be a top priority to remain under radar as much as possible. Not only under radar of the police and FBI, but to certain extent also under Catherine Weaver's radar.
"How considerate!" He couldn't help but sound a little sarcastic. "I guess your safe house is better than the one you're talking about?"
"Well, it's nothing ravishing, but it will fulfill its task. It is definitely safe and I've even made some improvements regarding the security facilities." Catherine Weaver smiled at John.
"Safe? Nothing is definitely safe! Is it some kind of a cold war relic bunker?" Sarah, who remained silent until now, felt agitated by Weaver's statement the safe house would definitely be safe.
"No one is ever safe. I know your slogan Sarah Connor. But you'll have to trust me on this one when I say that the safe house is safe. Would I otherwise name it 'safe house'?" Catherine was now openly ironic and she looked at Sarah slightly amused.
Sarah grunted something even she couldn't understand and decided that she didn't, doesn't and wouldn't like this terminator. If Cameron managed to be funny sometimes, if she could be sarcastic and ironic very often, this liquid machine was even worse. Anything she said, this machine countered with a better move and she was annoyed that she'd lose a verbal duel with a machine.
John noticed his mother's discomfort and also understood how she felt. He gave her a reassuring smile before he turned back to Catherine: "I believe that we could now retreat to this new safe house. But I suggest we meet tomorrow again and see what we already know and what we still need to find out before we plan our future actions."
Catherine Weaver nodded: "I suggest we meet here tomorrow at the same time. But, if you have another suggestion…"
"No, it's fine. We'll be here." John reassured her. Then he turned to James Ellison: "I guess you would be the one to bring us to the safe house, right?"
James Ellison nodded. Everything that went on before was interesting, even though he didn't have any active part in it, but now he was required again: "Of course, John. Shall we go?" He gestured towards the door.
John turned back to John Henry: "It's been an interesting talk. We'll continue tomorrow." Then he turned to Cameron: "Cameron, would you please contact Chris or Isabel and tell him they should all join us in the safe house. I believe Mr. Ellison will give you the information how to get there."
Cameron nodded: "As soon as we're out of here, John. The phones don't work in here."
John grinned at her: "I should have known that, right?"
Cameron just arched her eyebrows, not wanting to say anything.
John gave her an excusing smile and started towards the door, following Mr. Ellison, who was already there, waiting for the other to join him.
Catherine Weaver fell in step beside him, making Cameron look at her annoyed. She took my place! My rightful place is by John's side! But she understood that there were situations in which she would have to give the opportunity to walk by John's side to someone else. So she stepped right behind John, keeping a close watch on Catherine Weaver. She didn't trust her and she would always be alert to possible dangers looming at her husband.
TBC