Chapter 95

Riley

Bob and Jim wanted to take a closer look at the end of the passageway.

"Let's go take a look at what's behind the bricks." Bob said.

Jim and Bob headed back down the dead end passageway. They weren't really sure why it was blocked off with bricks at the end.

They arrived at the brick wall.

"It doesn't end with just dirt, or a concrete wall." Jim said. "Someone was very specific to end it this way."

Bob found it highly suspicious.

"Let's see if we can break some of these bricks and look inside, if there is an inside." Bob said. "It may just be dirt behind it."

Bob lifted his foot and slammed it into the center of the bricks. It instantly created a hole, as half a dozen bricks were knocked loose. The dislodged bricks disappeared inside.

Jim moved up to take a look.

"There's still a passageway." Jim said. "It appears to be just dirt."

Bob and Jim both reach forward and pulled more bricks loose. They set them on the ground against the side of the passageway. There was soon an opening big enough for them to pass through.

"We need to be very cautious." Bob said. "We don't want to cause a cave in. We don't know how stable the dirt is."

Jim felt the side of the passageway they were on now was his responsibility. Bob already took care of the other side.

"Let me go first." Jim said. "This is in my section."

Jim stepped over the row of broken bricks into the earthen part of the passageway.

Bob would wait for a short time before he entered as well.

Derek took a moment to look over the female. He didn't see anything serious in the way of an injury.

The female looked Derek over in detail. It seemed she checked for something specific. She looked at his face a few times too. She seemed to be searching for something.

"My name is Riley - Riley Dawson."

Derek was pleased to hear it, but doubted it was her real name. He needed to get a lot more information from her before he could even determine if she was even going to live. She could be an enemy combatant of some type. It didn't seem like it, but he knew females could be very deceitful. Maybe it was just his own thoughts from his prolonged association with Jesse. He needed to remind himself anyone could be deceitful. Looks could be deceiving. Right now he wanted to help the girl get away from there. She might be more talkative if she felt less threatened.

"If you want to live, come with me." Derek said as he extended his hand.

Riley was unsure what to do. She didn't like where she was at currently. She didn't know what awaited her. It might turn out worse. It was time to make a choice. As threatening as the man looked, he did seem to exhibit an aurora of confidence.

She reluctantly took Derek's hand.

Derek could see her apprehension. He wanted to point out the most glaring fact.

"Look, those people had you tied up, not me." Derek said. "Let's go."

Riley took another moment to look him over again. There was something trying to click in her mind. She couldn't make the connection. She still felt a very high level of apprehension.

"What do you want with me?" Riley asked. "Who are you?"

Derek didn't have time for questions or games. He didn't think they should stick around any longer than necessary. They needed to get moving.

"I'm the person who just saved you." Derek said. "Now, let's get out of here."

Riley took a look at the dead men littering the floor and thought it might be a good idea. She didn't see Ed in action, or she'd be asking Derek about Ed, and what he was, unless she already knew.

Derek took a quick look around for anything useful. He knew Kyle and Ed would return after they terminated the Gray they were after and do a better search.

He wanted to get the girl to safety first. He then wanted to start an interrogation….

Derek and Riley left.

Riley glanced at the dead men one last time. She searched for any faces she knew….

Earlier

Kyle told Derek to stay with the girl. Ed and him went after the Gray who escaped from the building.

The Gray was able to get a head start on them.

Kyle knew Ed could move much faster than him.

"Don't wait for me." Kyle said. "Go get him. Watch out for any tricks."

Ed dealt with Grays before. He knew his biggest worry needed to be about a weapon which could incapacitate him. The one most commonly used by the Resistance was a Taser. Conventional weapons would only damage his sheath. It always took a few days for the damage to repair itself.

"Affirmative…." Ed said.

Kyle smiled faintly to himself. He continued in pursuit of Ed who pulled away from him in pursuit of the Gray.

Ed rapidly closed on the Gray. He watched him turn into an alley. He knew he would need to use some caution when he went around the corner. He could pause and attempt to peer around the corner, or go around the corner 'Terminator style'. He chose 'Terminator style'.

He decided to make it a wide turn. He didn't come right around the corner but went further across the alley before he made his turn. The Gray was down approximately sixty feet. The Gray fired a wild shot.

Ed returned fire. He hit the Gray with one shot in the head. The Gray dropped to the ground. He was terminated. He looked around and moved the body off to the side. He was going to put it behind a dumpster. He decided to throw it in the dumpster instead. He figured he might as well put trash where it belonged. He went back and joined Kyle.

Kyle sent Derek a text to inform him the threat was neutralized. The Gray was down for good. Derek told them to go back to the base after they checked over the place they'd raided. He would investigate the girl and would do the interrogation himself.

Kyle wondered where the 'investigation' would lead. The girl was Derek's 'body type' in every way. It was very much the opposite of Jesse's 'body type'. He hoped Derek didn't take his eye off the ball. There was no need to make a big deal about it.

'Whatever.' Kyle thought.

Kyle knew Derek needed to get his head back in the game. There were many things which could happen.

He figured the 'interrogation' would more than likely be 'subjugation' in a bedroom. It wasn't his place to interfere, even if he didn't agree with it.

Derek took off his military style coat. He draped it over Riley to 'cover' her. He moved Riley along briskly. He wanted to clear away from the area.

Riley tried to process everything which occurred in the last few minutes. She'd gone from investigating, to being captured, to being rescued. There was no way to know yet if she'd gone from the frying pan into the fire.

She wondered where they were headed. She was a little worried where they might end up. The man seemed to know a lot. She wanted some answers.

"Where are you taking me?" Riley asked.

Derek glanced at her for her reaction.

"We're going back to your place." Derek said.

He could see the look of surprise on her face. It was a good sign. It meant she hadn't 'made him' when he surveilled her previously.

Riley was a little shocked to hear it. She was afraid it was where they were headed before she asked.

"How do you know where 'my place' is?" Riley asked.

Derek tried not to smile. It was clear she didn't have a clue. He didn't want to tell her how sloppy her performance was.

"I've followed you there, several times." Derek said.

Riley briefly reflected she wasn't very good at being an 'operative' yet. She didn't have much training in the type of work. She wanted to know who he was.

"Why were you following me?" Riley asked. "Who are you?"

Derek kept her moving. He made sure they weren't being tailed. He didn't want to make the same mistakes she made. She was a distraction to him enough as it was. He didn't want to get set up.

"I already told you. I'm the guy who just saved your life." Derek said.

Riley could see he kept looking at her, and looking her over. She was aware when men started to do so, there was usually a bad conclusion which followed.

"Do you know who I am?" Riley asked.

Derek saw all the small scars, cuts, scabs and a few open sores on Riley. He knew there was only one place a young female could look like that. It was in the past, the future.

"I know where you're from." Derek said. "I know 'when' you're from."

Derek and the girl shared a long silent look. It was too long and too silent.

Riley decided to remain silent. She looked at him hard and long, the scars, the look, the attitude…. His physical condition was improved from where she suspected he came from. He must have been there awhile.

"I see we're from the same 'where'." Riley said.

Derek was aware there was more than one future. He needed to determine where her future was from. He didn't want to give too much away on his part.

"It's also the same 'when'." Derek said. "Now start talking."

They were near her apartment. Derek bent down and retrieved a key from under a rock on the side of the building. There were no windows on that side. It was a blind walkway no one would traverse.

Riley was surprised he knew where to find the key. He really must have been following her. She wondered how long ago she'd been made.

He opened the door quickly and pulled her into her apartment.

Derek made a quick sweep of the apartment, while he kept her in tow.

Riley noticed he didn't use her as a 'shield'. She took note of it. He actually kept her behind him. He offered her protection.

It appeared they were alone for now. There were two men who stayed there. They were out. He saw each one occupied their own room. It didn't appear to be a sexual relationship, but a 'working' one. They could still share beds. It didn't take long to do the deed. He was sure she wasn't in a relationship with one of them anyway, even if they did have sex.

Derek wanted some answers. The missing men were very crucial. If they were to arrive, things could erupt into a gunfight. It wasn't something he wanted.

"Where are the men?" Derek asked. "I don't want things to go hot if they show up."

Riley looked at him. She saw he put her safety before his. He seemed familiar to her somehow. She couldn't place it. He seemed to know a lot already. Maybe it was a test. She didn't have any definitive answers to his question. She could only tell him what she knew.

"They went out two days ago and never came back. I went to look for them. I got careless." Riley said. "They may have done the same. I don't know."

Riley was concerned about her current situation, but not afraid. She sensed determination and safety in the man. There was something about him….

"What's your name?" Riley asked.

She handed him back his coat. A breast popped out of her ripped shirt. She took a moment before she covered it.

Derek said nothing. He put his coat back on. He looked her over. He examined her minor wounds. He checked for anything broken or more severe. He brushed open her torn shirt and looked at the breast which was abused.

Riley started to resist but didn't. She could tell he wasn't going to abuse her. She'd experienced enough of it to know 'the look'. Once it was in their eyes, they didn't stop until they were 'done' with her. She needed to lay there with a knife to her throat, or a gun against the side of her head before. After a half a dozen times, she learned to just let it happen. It would be over faster that way. This man never threatened her with a weapon. He hadn't hit or beat her. He actually checked her for injuries. He was different.

Derek didn't detect any injuries of significance.

"You're not hurt bad." Derek said.

All of a sudden it clicked in the girl's mind…. He was a leader.

"I KNOW you!" Riley blurted out.

Derek remained calm. There were a lot of people he knew. He didn't know her.

"I don't know you." Derek replied.

Riley was sure who he was now. He was a hero.

"You were the one who smashed Skynet." Riley said.

Derek thought she was involved in the Resistance. He would play along some.

"There were a lot of us involved with it." Derek said. "Many people and machines helped. A lot of people died."

Riley looked at him in awe. She knew it always took a few good individuals to lead any movement. Their actions in combat spoke for themselves.

"You're a hero." Riley said.

Derek stuck out his hand.

"I'm Derek Reese."

Riley's face lit up.

"Thank God." Riley said as she moved forward and hugged him. "I've been looking for you. We ran across those other men, the ones you killed. One of my associates recognized one of them as an interrogator from a work camp. We tried to find out what they were up to."

Derek heard similar stories before. He still needed more information.

"How long have you been here?" Derek asked.

Riley smiled now. She seemed more relaxed. Maybe it was because she knew she wasn't going to be abused at this point.

"It's been one week." Riley said. "I can't believe I'm here."

Riley found it a little hard to believe where she was at when the energy bubble dissipated. Other than the fact she was naked, everything she left was different from where she was at. It was quite a shock. She thought it was a Future Shock.

Derek wanted her to change her clothes. Where they had her tied up at was filthy. She was covered with dust and grime. She needed a shirt which wasn't ripped.

"Get cleaned up." Derek said. "We need to talk more. You can tell me why you were looking for me then. Don't try to run."

To find him was what her objective was. She was pleased she found Derek and even more pleased he saved her life. She knew what the men who captured her were going to do to her. They told her as they groped her.

"I won't run." Riley said.

She leaned forward and kissed him on the cheek.

"Thank you for saving me." Riley said. "I'll leave the bathroom door open so you can 'see' I'm not going to run."

Derek was open to the idea. He didn't say anything one way or the other. He didn't want to seem like a predator.

Riley left the bathroom door open so Derek could 'see' she wasn't trying to go out the window. Maybe she also wanted him to look at her in a non-sexual setting.

Derek could see 'everything'. He couldn't take his eyes off of her. He needed to readjust his pants, several times.

He hadn't been with Jesse for a while.

Derek needed to think of his options. He was interested on a personal level. He didn't want to bring her to the base and later determine they needed to get rid of her. He knew one of the Terminators would do it, and not think twice. He needed to know more before he revealed too much. She was going to need some further 'investigation'. He also needed to make sure she was not a spy trying to find their base. He was sure if he brought her back now, one of the Terminators would beat her to death interrogating her.

His gut feeling told him he could trust her to a certain extent. He wanted to give her a little slack in the rope and see what she did with it. It would actually be what determined her fate. One of the Terminators could always track her down if necessary. He decided he wouldn't take her back to base, yet.

Derek returned back to the base. He was a little less than forthcoming with his explanation. He didn't want the girl beat to death. He was afraid at this point Jesse might get a hold of her and would brutalize her, especially if she thought he cared for her.

Kyle didn't like Derek's 'story'. It seemed there was more to it.

"What do you mean she got away?" Kyle asked.

Ed was nearby and heard the report.

"I'll find her and terminate her." Ed stated.

He got up to leave.

Derek didn't want things to get out of control.

"NO! I want to track her down and see what she's up to." Derek said. "I've seen the places she goes to. There's more to the story. I need to find out exactly what it is without pushing too hard."

Ed didn't want any loose ends. The girl was an unknown threat.

"I'll assist." Ed said.

Derek didn't want things to get out of control.

"NO! I lost her, I'll find her." Derek said. "She's spooked enough. I don't want to spook her more."

Ed and Kyle exchanged glances.

They both knew Derek 'forgot' some of the facts.

Kyle decided to let it slide for now. He trusted his brother's instincts. If there was more to the story, they needed to know it. He went on with his briefing.

"We went back to where they'd taken the girl." Kyle said as he looked at Derek hard. "There were two men dead in the basement. Both of them were tortured. It was worse than what we've seen from some of the most brutal Scavengers."

Kyle showed Derek a photo he took. Presumably they were the two men who arrived with Riley.

Derek looked at the photo. Their faces were 'gone'. There is no way to tell if they were the men he'd seen before. It looked like their teeth were knocked out, one at a time, with a hammer and chisel. Each was missing an eye and the other was pulled from the socket so the men could see their own face, or what was left of it.

"I don't even want to talk about what happened to some of the other parts of their bodies." Kyle said.

It made Derek a little sick just to think about it.

"I'll find her. It seems whoever they are, or were, we're all working on a common goal." Derek said. "I'll stay in touch."

Derek left.

Ed wasn't sold on the story. He wanted to act.

"I'll follow him and terminate the girl." Ed said. "He's not telling the entire truth. We need to make sure the Resistance is protected."

Kyle didn't want any trouble or 'bad blood'. His brother was a good judge of character.

"No, let's give it some time first. Derek knows what he's doing." Kyle said. "I hope."

Kyle was sure Derek probably wanted a little 'more' than information from the girl. The important part would be the information gleaned from her.

Derek returned to Riley's apartment. He told her to remain where she was at and he would return in a short while. He wasn't really sure what would happen once he left. He expected her to be gone. He knocked.

The door opened.

Riley changed her clothes. Derek noticed her top should have had at least one more button buttoned. No, it should be two more. She was ready to 'pop' out of her top.

Derek handed her a bag with Chinese food in it and smiled.

"Hello, let's eat and talk…." Derek said.

She invited him in. She looked out the door in both directions.

The door closed….

Closing monologue by Cameron:

You're Unreliable

As sure as the sun rises in the east
And sets in the west
Two hearts were waiting
A strong bond ready to test

Like a flash of lightning
With the roar of thunder
You invited in another
Your heart was open to plunder

Had my own words
Meant so very little
Our love that existed
Couldn't get me an acquittal

To the future's past
From the ends of the earth
Was not my record
Something that had worth

Two hearts were ready
That fact was undeniable
You're the one that chose another
You're unreliable

Nobody