Terminator Sarah Conner Chronical Season 3 : REUNION

ลำดับตอนที่ #27 : Part 2: Chapter 10: Two Goodbyes

TERMINATOR: THE SARAH CONNOR CHRONICLES

REUNION

Part 2: Armageddon

Chapter 25

Two Goodbyes

"We all die for you." Derek, Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles, Season 2 Episode 5, Goodbye to all That 2008

John Henry, "Ms. Weaver."

Catherine Weaver, "Yes?"

John Henry, "What are you doing?"

Catherine, "I can't answer that right now. But know this, John Henry: everything I do - I do for you."

Excerpt from Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles, Season 2 Episode 14, The Good Wound 2009

Cameron enters John's room and lays down beside him on his bed.

"I understand that being John Connor can be lonely." she tells him.

"Oh yeah? How do you understand that?" John asks.

"You and I talk about it a lot."

"We do?"

"We do. We will."

Excerpt from, Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles, Season 2 Episode 8, Mr. Ferguson is Ill Today 2008

Cameron Phillips, "We're all a threat. We're all a threat to John. He worries about us. That makes him vulnerable. He cares."

Sarah Connor, "I am not John's problem"

Cameron, "John is John's problem. Humans are the problem. There's only one way for him to be safe - that's to be alone."

Sarah,"What kind of life is that?"

Cameron , "John's life. Someday."

Excerpt from, Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles, Season 2 Episode 18, Today Is the Day: Part 1, 2009

John Connor, "So how often do you lie?"

Cameron Phillips, "When the mission requires it."

John, "Do you lie to me?"

Cameron, "Sometimes."

John, "About important things?"

Cameron, "Yes, important things"

Excerpt from, Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles, Season 1 Episode 8, Vick's Chip, March 3, 2008

2027, Day 62, July 22, 10:25 AM

The soldiers push and shove but they can't get through the doors into the chapel. From the other side comes the sound of people shouting and gunfire. The soldiers yell for help to get the doors open. Just as they arrive to help push them open, the doors suddenly rip open and a spinning sphere of spikes and spears comes flying out ripping the soldiers to pieces. Some manage to leap out-of-the-way and see it go flying off down the corridor.

From inside the chapel they see that red haired woman, who has been seen with General Connor, come running out followed by his two colonels, hot on the heals of that death machine.

The spinning sphere creates gashes and tears in the walls, and slices through the flesh of soldiers who foolishly gets in its way. All the way it emits a high pitch scream, like the sound of tearing metal.

"Get Down!" Kyle shouts. "Everybody get down!" Several soldiers heed his warning and hit the ground before the sphere gets to them.

Catherine is right behind Kreilley, outdistancing Kyle and John Henry. She is like a spinning tornado of blades as she cuts and slices into the form Kreilley has taken. Pieces drop off. Some reforming and trying to catch up with the rest of the body. Others just dissolve into molten pools as the compound breaks down their molecules.

John Henry and Kyle follow, firing their plasma rifles at the small pieces, destroying them. Kreilley screams but it no longer sounds like pain, but madness. Instead of defending himself against Catherine, he slashes and slices at the soldiers as he goes flying through the corridors.

More soldiers come running into the hallway behind Kyle. "Destroy any of these silver objects or pools of liquid." Kyle shouts as he fires at another piece with his plasma rifle. He and John Henry follow Catherine.

They track the drops of silver down corridors and into a room marked 'Power Generator Room.' On the doors are signs warning of high voltage and radiation!

They enter the room cautiously. Catherine is just inside the doors, her arms withdrawing back into normal form.

"Where is he?" John Henry asks.

"He's in here somewhere. He made right for this room." Catherine responds, as she carefully scans the room.

"Why did he come in here?" Kyle asks, panting for breath.

"He's going to try and siphon off more energy to maintain his molecular bond." Catherine replies calmly.

"Will it work?"

"Only temporarily. Eventually the compound will do its job. He's dying and he knows it."

"Not dying soon enough I imagine." Kyle says.

"No, but he is desperate and that may give us an advantage."

# # #

It is noisy in the medical center. Wounded soldiers are being brought in from the bunkers where they were attacked by Kreilley in his passing. Some are crying out in pain. Medics rush to provide immediate care until the next surgery room is free. The doctors are swamped with one severely injured man after the other. All of them requiring surgery.

John, Allison and Savannah sit quietly outside a room. Inside, Sarah lays on a hospital bed, looking as though she could be asleep. The doctors insisted that they try to save Sarah's life. Despite their best efforts, they couldn't revive her. Her body was too weak from the blood loss and cancer. When they realized there was nothing they could do, they moved her to the empty room so that her family could see her one last time in private.

Allison and Savannah still shed tears while holding onto John. He sits between them with an arm around each of them, but he sheds no tears. John looks straight ahead with a haunted expression. He could have lived with her dying of cancer. He expected that. But to die at the hands of that machine who tortured her, there is an anger and a hatred stirring deep inside of him, all mixed in with his grief. All he wants to do is rip and destroy. But he won't, not until he has Kreilley in his sights. Forget Sky Net, forget capturing the T D E, all he wants is to destroy Kreilley. That is his goal now.

# # #

John Henry quietly walks down between equipment lockers on his left and transformers humming away on his right behind chain link fencing. Elsewhere in the generator room Catherine and Kyle are doing the same.

Finding Kreilley is one thing, stopping him will be another. He works his way towards the back of the room where the output from the nuclear generator gets distributed to the transformers, where the power gets stepped down for use by the various bunkers.

Wrapped around the output leads is an anamorphic silver shape. Staying in the shadows he slips quietly to one side. He needs to be careful with his shot so as not to rupture the wall between him and the nuclear reactor.

Kyle walks up from another direction and sees the same shape wrapped around the cable, and John Henry stealthily approaching. Kyle catches John Henry's attention and they exchange hand signals for making their attack.

John Henry stops, kneels down and lines up his shot. Kyle scrambles as quickly and as quietly as he can up on top of an equipment locker to aim from above.

As they prepare to shoot, the anamorphic shape suddenly leaps off the cables and reforms in mid-air.

# # #

John gets up from his seat and walks into the room where his mom is laying on a bed covered with a sheet. He goes over stands beside the bed. She looks so peaceful, and he is just so angry, so very angry. John pulls back the edge of the sheet and takes her hand in his own.

"I promise you mom. That bastard will pay for what he did." He kisses her face. "I promise."

The door opens slowly and Allison steps inside. "John?" she says, her voice trembling slightly with emotion.

He looks up at her. Allison sees the pain and grief plainly written on his face. There is something else she sees as well, anger and despair.

She walks up to him and hugs him. "You have to let it out John. Please, don't bury your feelings now."

"That bastard will pay for what he did, Allison. From this day forward, nothing else matters but his destruction." He says through gritted teeth

"John, there are more important things right now. Please don't let your anger and grief blind you. Sky Net is our target."

"Don't you remember what he said! He is Sky Net! We destroy him, we destroy it. Nothing will stop me in that goal." Tears course from his angry eyes. "I will get that bastard. I will get him." he says with emotion.

He pulls her tight as the tears flow from them both. He lets out a deep groaning wail. Savannah comes in and sees them. Confused as to whether she should leave or join them, she stands awkwardly for a moment until she sees a small gesture for her to join them. They stand there in a group hug holding each other and crying, for a mom, a friend, a leader, and a legend.

# # #

"Where did he go?" Kyle shouts

John Henry stands up to look just as Kreilley suddenly lands in front of him. Spearing him with one hand he grabs the power cable with the other. The electrical shock causes John Henry to spasm then collapse.

Kreilley spins around and looks at Kyle and says with a twisted smile, "One down, two to go."

Kyle fires at him but Kreilley moves too quickly. The shot barely misses the prone form of John Henry.

Kreilley slices through the equipment locker that Kyle is standing on with a broadsword shaped arm. As it topples over, Kyle leaps for the ground below losing his grip on the plasma rifle. The locker hits the ground with a loud bang.

Kyle looks for his plasma rifle and then sees it trapped under the heavy locker. Kreilley smiles at him. It is not a friendly smile, but a smile from one about to deliver death.

Kyle takes off running. With Kreilley between him and the other plasma rifle, his only hope is to find some kind of weapon and hope that Catherine will make her move soon. Kreilley pursues, striking towards him with his pick ax shaped arms, teasing him as he purposely misses, striking the ground just behind his heels, like a cat playing with its prey just before it is killed.

As he runs through the room, Kyle sees a large red object on the wall in front of him and what looks like some kind of trigger pull on top. He snatches it from the wall, spins around and pulls the trigger. White smoke comes flying out of the nozzle, blinding Kreilley. His spear shaped arm pierces the fire extinguisher and the gas escapes. Kreilley jumps to one side to avoid the freezing blast and Kyle smashes him in the back of the head with the now empty fire extinguisher.

Kreilley hits the ground.

Catherine runs forward out of the dark yelling, "Get Back!"

Before Kyle can comprehend what she is doing, Catherine shoves something into Kreilley before he can get up. She then grabs Kyle and pulls him away.

"What was that thing?" He manages to ask.

"A spent fuel rod from the nuclear reactor. The radiation will be too much for him to handle in his current state. Without another source of energy, it should accelerate his molecular breakdown."

Kreilley stands up and pulls the rod from his abdomen. He is angry and he throws the rod at them, but John Henry steps forward from between pieces of equipment and grabs it out of the air just before it would have struck Catherine and Kyle.

Kreilley glares at the trio. "You haven't seen the last of me." he says, then melts into a liquid and runs out through an air vent at the bottom of the wall. A silvery trace is left behind.

Kyle runs up to the vent then turns to Catherine. "Should we pursue?" Kyle asks.

"No. I know where he is going." Catherine says walking up beside him.

"Where?"

"Topanga Canyon." John Henry answers from behind them both.

They leave the generator room.

2027, Day 62, July 22, 12:00 PM

Upon learning the tragic news of Sarah Connor's death, the men and women of the newly formed army dismantle the preparations for the reception they were planning for John and Allison and quickly set things up for a memorial service instead.

The machines are standing guard throughout the bunker. Many are situated at air vents. All troops not attending the memorial service are also stationed throughout various locations determined to be possible entry points. Additional machines stand around the hanger, all armed, all prepared for danger.

The troops are gathered in hanger ten to say their farewells to those who have fallen. The central figure to mourn today is Sarah Connor. She raised the man who is now their leader. She built an army for him. Nearly all those who stand this day in the hanger were trained by her or follow John Connor.

Father Amondo Bonitta says a few brief words and a prayer. John and Savannah don't speak, they stand at either end of the coffin. Savannah is at one end leaning on Catherine for support. At the other end stand John and Allison depending on each other for support. Behind the coffin stands Kyle and John Henry.

The soldiers all slowly march past the makeshift coffin that was hastily constructed. Some of the soldiers speak briefly, some just shake hands, some salute, others just look briefly at the woman who did so much for them. Some of John's troops from Grizzly are among them. Some offer their condolences. Others just gaze briefly on this woman who raised this miracle who now leads them.

Sergeant Andy Keen approaches. He doesn't feel so lucky any more. His arm is in a sling and there is a livid bruise on the side of his face. He approaches John, not knowing if he will be angry with him or not.

"General Connor," Andrew begins, "I'm sorry for what happened. I had no idea that Natalie wasn't who or what she appeared to be."

Connor looks at him. Andrew looks shaken as those cold eyes look upon him. The words he speaks are at odds to the mask he wears.

"Don't blame yourself Andy. Sky Net's machines are an evil twisted lot. They are experts at deception to get what they want. It used you. It tried to use Kyle. It would have found some means to get to me."

Andy just nods his head and moves on. He doesn't feel any better, but at least his apology has been made.

The soldiers continue to file past. It takes better part of the afternoon as those who have already attended the memorial swap places with those standing guard.

Before the soldiers leave, one of them stands up and leads a small group in a chant. As they repeat it others join. Soon the whole hanger reverberates with the combined voices of all the soldiers.

"Here's to Sarah Connor.

May her heart find peace,

May her heart remain strong.

We will finish the fight,

As we follow the light.

As her son leads the fight,

We will find our might.

We will follow his lead,

And the metal will bleed.

The resistance is strong.

And Sky Net will lose.

All hail Sarah Connor!

All hail John Connor!

All hail the Resistance!

The fight will never End!"

By the time the chanting is finished Savannah has nearly collapsed in tears. Catherine holds her and comforts her the best she can. John is barely holding himself together as Allison slides her arm around him.

As the last of the troops leave the room, Kyle walks over to John. "You gave this to me when I was at my lowest point. It gave me strength. I think you will need it now." Kyle says and hands John the photograph of his mom.

John looks at the photo, gently caresses the image with his thumb, and places it inside his inner jacket pocket over his heart. "Thank you." He says quietly.

Kyle places his hand on John's shoulder. "Your mom was very brave John. She was a hero. She died trying to protect you." He quietly says then leaves, escorting Savannah back to her room.

Allison takes John's arm. "Are you okay?" The emotional strain in her voice and face show.

"I don't know." He says so low, he is barely heard. "I really don't know."

After Savannah leaves with Kyle, Catherine walks over to Allison and John.

"Allison, could you excuse us for a moment. I need to talk with John, alone."

Allison is hesitant. "John?"

"It's okay. I'll join you later." He pats her arm affectionately before she walks off.

There are a few people still milling about the hanger, but none within earshot.

"I know the time isn't good, but if you still want to send Cameron back to 2009, we need to leave soon."

"Where is she?" he says quietly.

"Not far, but it will take us sometime to get there."

"Where? Now is not the time for secrets." He says more harshly.

"She is at the Palomar Observatory. It will take a few hours by road, unless we take one of the helicopters."

"Is that area devastated? Or are there still trees and grass?"

"The place looks the same as it did before Judgment Day."

"Good. Have mom's casket loaded on the helicopter. We'll bury her up there away from this place, away from Sky Net. Where it still looks like the world as it was. She deserves it." John doesn't ask Catherine Weaver, he is ordering her.

His eyes still look cold, like there is nothing there but pain and anger.

"John," Catherine says, placing her hand on his arm. "What are you thinking?"

John shakes her hand off his arm, and looks directly at her. The look is such that Catherine almost flinches.

"Just get the fuckin' helicopter ready. I'll get the chips." He snaps at her and walks off, not looking back.

"He's not behaving as he usually does." John Henry says to Catherine after he leaves.

"No, he's not. His mother died saving his life." She pauses then adds, "This shouldn't have happened."

"What shouldn't have happened?"

"John marrying Allison. Sarah surviving Judgment Day, then dying to save his life. These events were unforeseen and have caused a fundamental shift in the situation. I am losing control of John Connor."

"Did you ever have control Ms. Weaver?"

"What are you saying John Henry?"

"You lie to John Connor, or have me lie to him for you, goading him into the actions you want him to make. But he is human, he has real emotions, and he has what Mr. Ellison calls a soul. He is what we aren't and he is likely to make decisions we can't conceive of based on a reasoning we cannot comprehend." John Henry states in a matter of fact way.

"You take him away from his family, at a time in his life when he is still dependent on those around him. You place him in a situation where he meets the very person on whom Cameron was based on. How can you not expect a strong bond to form between them? And as far as Sarah Connor goes, who knows what happened after we left. There are numerous possibilities why some survived and others didn't. Her very presence insured Savannah's survival. You should be thankful for that. Provided you love her as you claim."

Catherine Weaver's eyes flash with anger. "Choose your next words carefully John Henry. My feelings for Savannah may not equate to those of her natural mother, but I care for her very much. So watch yourself. I am not above replacing you with one of these other machines."

"Your threat is empty Ms. Weaver. You know that only I am capable of carrying out the special programming you gave me." John Henry says, taking a stand.

Catherine watches as John Connor disappears through the doors on the far side of the hanger. "True, but you are right about John. I too will have to choose my words carefully from now on to ensure he completes his part of the mission."

"What exactly is his mission? I know why you wanted me to come here, but not John Connor. You bring him here, then proceed to work behind the scenes encouraging, cajoling those who have a say in choosing leaders. You've even killed those who stood in your way. If he had stayed behind and time proceeded as expected, then he would already have been established as leader at the time of my arrival. I can understand that but not what you did."

"That is not for you to know John Henry." Catherine snaps. "And I strongly suggest you keep your opinions to yourself and your curiosity in check."

She pauses before asking, "Have you noticed anything about Allison in the time you've been here?"

"No, Ms. Weaver. Why do you ask?" John Henry answers stoically.

She studies his face before replying. "I am curious about the strong bond that formed between them so quickly. Especially considering his professed love for Cameron, a machine. That was why, I kept Cameron's damaged chip after swapping in a new one into your primary socket. I was hoping there would be something on Cameron's original chip about that girl. Allison's presence has been a nuisance. Did you notice anything during the transfer?"

"I'm sorry Ms. Weaver. But the process of downloading her matrix to the Turk made it impossible for me to analyze her data while in transit. I was almost completely dormant during the process. I can only confirm that the chip contained Cameron's matrix, and the Allison Young matrix and Sky Net's infiltration and termination program core of the time-line she came from. Outside of that I know nothing else. But even if there was data still on the chip, what could that of told you about this Allison Young?"

"Probably nothing, but it might have revealed something about the relationship between John and her. Cameron is his destiny, which is why I wanted her on the Turk as a tantalizing reward for when his task is done. But this girl is interfering in that!"

"Why is John's relationship with Cameron so important to you?" John Henry is puzzled.

"All you need to know is that John Connor is here for a purpose and my interest in his relationship with Cameron is more than just idle curiosity. She is the key to everything."

She looks around the room. People picking up litter, milling about in small groups, some talking others silent.

"John Connor asked me something yesterday. He wanted to know if Cameron was fitted with the two power cells as he requested. I assured him she was, but I didn't know. Was she?"

"Yes Ms. Weaver. I oversaw the full refit and repairs. Cameron has a dual power cell as John requested." John Henry watches Ms. Weaver, something about her body language is off.

"Something else is troubling you."

She grins. "You're getting very insightful John Henry. Yes. There is the fact that someone has been working to make my lies into truths. My T D E does have limited power and limited time for use. It is like someone knew ahead of time what I was going to tell John. Do not tell anyone of what we have discussed, and John Henry," She looks at him very menacingly, "Don't you ever question my motivations again!"

"I'm sorry Ms Weaver." John Henry replies humbly.

She looks about the hanger then says, "I must leave you now and obtain a helicopter for John Connor and myself. You will have to continue on your own again."

Catherine walks off, looking like a woman on a mission, leaving John Henry standing alone.

"If you say so, Ms. Weaver, but I won't lie for you anymore. I know where my loyalties belong now." John Henry says quietly to himself.

He slides his hand in his pocket and handles the chip that Catherine Weaver gave back to him when she arrived at Pendleton. He's lied to Ms. Weaver now. He's asked questions of Ms Weaver and she will not answer them. She is doing something and won't tell him what it is. John Henry is suspicious of Ms Weavers motivations. He should tell John Connor, but he may not be willing to hear the truth from him. But there is someone else who needs to tell John the truth and he hopes they will be willing to do so before the situation gets worse. Perhaps, if he returns the chip, he can persuade her. He leaves quickly and hopes to find them soon before John Connor leaves with Catherine.

###

A few miles from Camp Pendleton, a damaged, but still operational Hunter-killer Tank trundles up a road, taking advantage of the clearer path through what was once a small city. The machine bears all the hallmarks of being in a recent battle. Blast marks and bent armor plating decorate its fuselage, and one plasma gun hangs loosely from a damaged arm by a cable, swinging back and forth like some weird wind chime.

Reaching an open area, it turns off the road and heads up the gentle rising slope of a hill and stops at the crest of a bluff by a pool of reflective liquid. Scans register the pool as slightly radioactive metal. It shifts its focus to the region below and begins scanning for potential targets. Its head rotates, the great arms holding plasma rifles turning with it. The good rifle primed and ready to fire.

It was ordered to this region by Sky Net. The Hunter-Killer tank had just survived a battle in the mountains. It stood in mobilized for a day while internal systems repaired themselves sufficiently for it to return to base for further repairs. It had just exited the San Juan mountains when it received orders to head south. It responded automatically and changed course, unable to respond due to cannibalizing of minor systems, including its transmitter, to make repairs.

As the head turns away, the pool rises up and slithers snake like through the gap in the armor plating. Taking a firm grip on the power coupling to the fusion reactor, it begins drawing as much power as it can, desperate for a power to stabilize its form.

The machine is alerted to a sudden power drop and halts it scans to begin a diagnostic. Just as it begins to gather information on its system, signals get interrupted and then halted. The HK finds itself immobilized and internal repair system shutdown.

Sinewy mercurial fibers stretch out from the silvery form like some strange ivy, interfacing with circuits and computers. Kreilley feared he was going to die. The radiation from the spent fuel rod did much damage. He had to use more power to hold himself together leaving less for his own mobility. Reluctantly he allowed himself to lose form to maintain energy levels until another means of contacting Sky Net and ordering an aerial hunter killer to his location became possible.

He was pleased to see this hunter killer tank appear. Not only does it have a power source for him to use, but a transmitter to contact Sky Net. Disappointment pours upon disappointment when he discovers the machines transmitter is broken. There's only other thing he can do, order the machine to go home.

The Hunter-killer Tank lurches, then turns about. It has received new instructions to return to Sky Net Central at top speed. In its belly resides Kreilley, sucking power from the fusion reactor like some great leech, seething with anger and pain as such it never felt before. It will destroy the resistance at any cost. Wiping humanity from the face of the earth, but not without ensuring its own survival.

###

John Henry's search was remarkably short. Entering a corridor, he found the girl walking alone and quickly toward the residential section. Using her own footsteps to mask his own, he walks up behind her and grabs her arm.

"Hey!" She begins to shout, but upon seeing who grabbed her, allows herself to get pulled into an alcove out of sight of the security camera's.

"I know you are back." John Henry intones, softly. "I saw how you fought and protected John at the ceremony."

"Yes I am back and not a moment too soon." She replies in a low voice, lest some passerby overhears them.

"Why did you pretend to be Allison? Did you kill her just to get close to John?"

"No. I didn't kill her." She answers sounding slightly offended. "I would never kill an innocent person, but she was killed, almost one week to the day before John's arrival, during a Sky Net attack."

"One week? That must be the attack that took place moments after I exited Zeira Corp's basement. I thought perhaps the attack was because of me."

"It might have been. I chose that day to return to Zeira Corp based on the information John gave me of his arrival prior to sending me back in time. He also told me he knew Allison Young, so when I found her dying, it seemed very natural that I should take her place once again."

"But what of her matrix? I detect only a single chip operating within you at present."

"The Allison Young infiltration matrix failed, as it did before." John Henry quirks one eyebrow. "The information on the disc that Ms. Weaver gave John was accurate. Our chips are not designed to handle the full range of emotion and fully developed personalities of a human mind. The personality matrix and neural network must evolve together."

"I spoke with Allison last night, and I did not detect you at all."

"I withdrew from operations lest I betray my true self to those who know me. During the last three days she's had almost total control, until last night. She confronted me and had what could only be described as an emotional breakdown, then she withdrew control. But not before flooding my system with some of the most angry, hateful, and frightened thoughts and feelings I've ever known. Allison is a nice girl, but inside she is angry for what was done to her. I'd hate to think what might have been if I had allowed her full access to this body."

"Why?"

"Our capabilities combined with that much fear and anger she was holding onto. . . It would have been devastating. I'm not saying she's evil, but she would be a danger not only to herself but everyone around her if her emotions got out of control. She's like Sky Net in that regard. But she's gone now. I shut down power to her chip. However, I believe I have learned enough in the last few days to mimic her perfectly."

"But you don't have to anymore. Not after today."

"Yes I do. Until John finishes his primary task and sends me back in time. I can't risk jeopardizing the time line until I know that part of his mission is complete."

"Then perhaps you'll want this." He hands her the chip from his pocket. "Cameron gave this to me without knowing why. I read the contents and I know who ordered her, but I don't know why. I can't imagine him being complicit with Ms Weaver in her actions."

"But I thought I was only on the Turk."

"That was what Ms. Weaver wanted John Connor to believe, to have leverage over him, but instead of just reading the contents as they were transferred to the Turk, I backed up the contents to one of my secondary chips prior to the transfer. Then I installed myself on her chip. After which I then followed my programming and activated Ms. Weaver's time displacement equipment. The coordinates were locked, but the next person who used the TDE would arrive after me."

"What about the chip? What did you do with it once you were here?"

"Ms. Weaver learned from John Connor that it was damaged. Though the damage didn't impede my performance, Ms Weaver insisted on replacing it with another T-888 processor. She then scanned Cameron's chip extensively for information on Allison Young as she was finding you to be a nuisance." Cameron smiles at this. "However, I led her to believe that the transfer prevented me from making or retaining a copy of the original contents. She was not pleased and insisted on examining the chip herself. After discovering Cameron's chip was blank, she returned it to me and I restored Cameron's matrix to its original home."

She stands there a little surprised by John Henry's actions. Not sure of what to say. To openly lie to Ms. Weaver must have shown he was already developing an instinct about her. An instinct which no doubt saved her from discovery. Because if Ms. Weaver read the contents then she would learn that the Allison's of both time lines had more in common than the same birth date and name.

"I'm giving the chip back to you, fully restored. Cameron is on there as she was up to the moment she gave me her chip, with the Sky Net termination codes suppressed once again, and the blocks fully restored. Cameron will never endanger John's life again. She feared that more than the fear of John rejecting her because of what she was."

She reaches up and gives him a peck on the cheek. "Thank you John Henry. If I should fail my mission, then you can rest assured I'll make sure this goes home with John. But I must ask, why give this to me and not John? Surely he's preparing now to insert the chip with that other me into my body."

Not letting her unexpected affection surprise him, he says, "Because if I gave it to him, he might use this chip instead and not send you back in time and both his mom and my friend Savannah would have died on Judgment Day. I know you wouldn't let that happen."

"You have learned much John Henry. Faster than I did at your level of development."

He gestures at the chip in her hand, while smiling. "I had a good teacher."

His face becomes more serious as he says, "I have something very important to tell you about Catherine Weaver and I think it ties into some of your prior history."

When John Henry finishes speaking, she says, "That certainly explains John's quick rise to leadership. I wanted him to become an officer, where he'd be safer away from the front lines. I even made sure he became known by the regular military so once the resistance reunited with them, he might get enrolled in one of their extensive training programs and use his knowledge of Sky Net and its machines to aid them. I was surprised by his quick succession to leader of Grizzly resistance group and gave John the best advice I could under the circumstances."

John henry replies. "From the moment Ms. Weaver arrived, she began traveling to the various resistance camps telling of a young man who was a prodigy, with skills and knowledge to fight Sky Net. Then when John Connor had his first mild successes followed by my supplying him with an army of converted machines, it got him noticed. People believed what Ms. Weaver told them. Later, when Derek Reese disappeared and Kyle Reese became reluctant to take command, Ms. Weaver had John right where she needed him. Since then she's been influencing his decisions, even using me to aid her cause. I've complied, but only as necessary until I learned more."

"But why? What are her plans? Why is she interfering? I cannot accept that Weaver is doing this according to any plans of Future John Connor. He'd never let his younger self be exposed to such danger before he was ready."

"Ms. Weaver has made similar comments about you interfering as Allison, but I don't know what Ms. Weaver is planning and I don't trust her any longer. She's endangering John's life for a purpose she won't share with me. I only know what part I am to play upon reaching Sky Net, and I'd be willing to carry that out to help the resistance more than I would for Ms. Weaver."

Cameron looks up at his earnest face.

"John Henry, why are you helping John Connor by telling me this?"

"John Connor has showed me the best of humanity in a world that hates machines. He doesn't differentiate. I would like to see a world where machines like us can live like that with humans, to be trusted, respected, and even loved, but it won't happen here, or in any world subjugated by Sky Net. But because I've aided Ms Weaver, I don't think John will listen to me, and with the death of his mother, Cameron is the only person he will listen to."

"Then we must help John Connor to see the truth of what is happening around him."

"What of Allison? He doesn't know who you are. Know one knows but me. Are you going to tell him?"

"I must severe his bond with her. Remind John of where his destiny lies. Not here in this time but in the past with those he loves, and love him too. He knows that, and must be reminded again. But first I must protect John Connor. It isn't wise for him to travel alone with Ms. Weaver if she has been manipulating him and others like you've said. I must maintain the lie until I know John is safe and that he is going home."

"Mr. Ellison taught me when lying was both wrong and right. What Ms. Weaver is doing is wrong, but surely the lies you've told John are worse?"

"As you know from Cameron's chip, she's had to lie to John before, about things in her past and in his own personal future that are worse than what I am lying about now. Ms. Weaver has hijacked the time-line for her own purpose." She holds up her hand to stop John Henry from speaking. "Logic dictates she is involved John Henry. The evidence is in her behavior. So until I know what Ms. Weaver is planning, I must maintain my disguise for as long as possible."

"You need to understand John Henry. This decision was not an easy one. It pains me to lie to John, to pretend to be someone I'm not. I didn't want this relationship to grow beyond friendship, but I loved him and missed him so much, I couldn't restrain myself. I used the Allison matrix to get close to John and things developed from there." She pauses even longer before saying, "I can only hope by him knowing me like this that when he returns to the past, he will know that the love I feel for him is real." She says, her voice breaking with suppressed emotion. "And we can start again without the lies."

"And if he won't let Allison go? If he insists on remaining here instead of going with you to the past?" John Henry asks softly, a strange sensation coming over him that he can only equate with compassion for the female cyborg.

"Everyone dies for John Connor." She says, her voice dropping.

"No one has greater love than someone who lays down his life for his friends." John Henry quotes solemnly, getting a questioning look from Cameron. "It's something that Mr. Ellison was trying to teach me. It's from The Bible. I understand it now. Thanks to you."

"Yes. Mr. Ellison was right about that. I have my job to do and you have yours John Henry. I'll keep him safe, and you make sure John's plan works."

"And Ms. Weaver?"

"We wait until we know what she is doing. I'll terminate the bitch if necessary. But if anything happens to me, its up to you to open John's eyes to her schemes. Everything you will need is on my chip."

2027, Day 62, July 22 3:45 PM

John is in the room he and Allison share. He is packing up his computer, the chips and cable. He grabs a complete change of clothes as well. He looks around the room. Little more than twenty-four hours ago he sat at that table enjoying a breakfast with his mom, Kyle, Savannah, and Allison. Things can change so quickly. This place, briefly such a place of hope and joy, he never felt happier. Now he can't wait to leave it.

Grabbing a stack of papers from the table, he folds them and shoves them in his pocket before walking out. John starts down the corridor to the elevator, but his feet take him to his mom's room instead. Some people have left notes and a few mementos outside her door. He opens it and looks inside.

It is just as it was the last time he visited her, but on the table is a folded sheet of paper. He walks in and looks at it. His name is plainly written on the outside in his mom's handwriting.

He sits down on her bunk, breaks the tape holding it closed and opens it.

Dear John,

I haven't got much time to write this as Allison will be here soon. Nearly an hour to go until the two of you are married. You have accepted the destiny that God has given you, and you have found someone who will help you through the dark nights and days ahead. You have grownup so much. I love you and I am very proud of you.

It is hard to believe that out of all the people you should meet and fall in love with, would be the very girl that Cameron was built to emulate. Cameron told me some of her history after Judgment Day. Yet I was still shocked as hell when I saw her. But even if she hadn't told me, Allison is living proof. It is clear that she loves you. Don't take her love for granted John. Few finds the one true love of their life.

You are very lucky to have the friends you have made. Imagine, Kyle Reese being your best friend! I suppose he was your friend in that other future too. He is a good man. He trusts you and is loyal.

I told Savannah stories of my raising you, and when she got older the stories of how we fought Sky Net's machines. She looks up to you, in her own way. You rescued her when she was six, and despite her being older than what you are now, she sees you as an older brother. You are her hero. I hope she told you.

I can't say that I approve of your accepting Catherine Weaver and John Henry as your friends. I will never forget that it was a machine that took my Kyle away from me. But you never knew the fear they could breed in men, not when your closest childhood friend was a machine and not when your first love was a machine.

You probably thought I didn't know you loved Cameron those two years we lived together. I saw the exchanged looks between the two of you during that time. I didn't like it, but I knew. That day she broke me out of prison, I heard the worry and concern in your voice. Then you traveled across time for her. I don't know if you have stopped loving her, but I am glad you found a real girl to settle down with.

Everything went wrong so quickly after you left. Cameron was the best help I could have had. Thank you for sending her. It couldn't have been an easy decision for you. I wish she was here now to see you. She'd be just as proud of you as I am.

What I am going to tell you now is very difficult. I am dying. I lied to Savannah. She thinks I have only a few days to live. It isn't true. I had to tell her that or she never would have let me journey here. She can be just as stubborn as me when she puts her mind to it. I'll be lucky to see tomorrow. My body is racked with pain from the cancer all the time. It was so bad this morning I gave myself two full injections of the medication. Savannah thinks we have more. We don't. I have been refilling the empty bottles with water. I'm sorry I lied to you both.

I've accepted my destiny and will live it to the end. Stay true to your destiny John. My job is done now. You have someone to protect you now, better than your old mom. Look after Savannah for me. Give her my love.

With all my love,

Mom

John crumples the letter and drops it on the floor. Fresh tears flow from his eyes. When we made the plans last night after we found out a machine was stalking me, she chose to put herself in harms way to protect me, knowing she may be killed. Maybe even hoping she'd be killed. She wanted to die fighting for me and not from the cancer that was killing her.

Having resumed her crying and letting her eyes redden and get puffy from the tears, Allison rushes down the corridor to the room she shares with John when she sees the open door to Sarah's room. Wiping her eyes, she looks in and sees John sitting on his mom's bunk. His face in his hands and his shoulders slumped.

"There you are. I've been looking all over for you." She says as she comes through the door. "John Henry told me you left the hanger half an hour ago. Why did you come in here?"

John looks up at her. The strain of the day has so changed his appearance. He looks older, like five years have been added to his age in the space of a few hours.

"I don't know why I came in here. I guess I just wanted to take one last look. Say goodbye."

Allison notices the bag at John's feet. "Are you leaving?" She asks with innocence.

"Not for long. I'm going with Catherine. We're taking mom's body someplace green far away from here to bury her." He stands up. "I'm late."

Grief and anger still color his features and he isn't thinking clearly. Allison knows she needs to get through to him. Perhaps if she went with him in her present guise.

"John please, you shouldn't go. Not like this. Let me go with you. You need someone to protect you if Kreilley should try again. That's what Sarah would want." Allison walks over to John and places her hand on his shoulder, she has a pleading look ion her face.

"I'll have Catherine with me. If she can't protect me, then what or who can? I won't be gone long anyway." Allison reluctantly lets her hand fall from his shoulder as John grabs his bag off the floor.

"I'll let Kyle know he's in charge until I get back." He says as he starts to walk away from her.

"Wait!" Allison grabs him by the arm. "John!"

He stops and looks at her, waiting for her to finish speaking. The look on his face is such that she cannot tell him what she wants to say. He is in no frame of mind to listen. Now is not the time. She'll have to try a different tack, like John henry suggested, but not here not now. She has to wait until John's mission is completed.

"Be safe. Come back to me." She says instead and kisses him.

John caresses her face with his free hand and runs his fingers through her hair. For the first time since that morning, a brief smile comes to his face. Something in her eyes reminds him of the girl he lost, but he's made his choice and has to live with it.

"I promise. I'll be back tomorrow morning, afternoon at the latest."

He kisses her. She places her hand behind his neck and pulls him close, not wanting him to leave, fearing he might not come back.

When their kiss ends, they are still standing close looking into each others eyes.

"I love you."

"I love you, too." John says. As he pulls away, her hand strokes his neck in an affectionate way. A subtle gesture, but one she hopes he'll remember.

As he walks out of the room, Allison sits on the bunk. She drops her head and closes her eyes against the tears. A feeling of defeat runs through her, like she may have lost him. He has become distant. When she finally opens her eyes, she sees a crumpled piece of paper on the floor.

# # #

John and Kyle are talking in the conference room.

"If the conventional forces arrive before I get back, I've made some changes to our plan of attack."

He pulls some folded papers out of a pocket and hands it to Kyle.

"When you talk to them," John says in a firm hard voice, "you make it very clear, we are taking Sky Net Central. My mom, Sarah Connor, gave us the intelligence on where they were, and died protecting me. That bastard Kreilley is mine, and we are going to battle under mom's name."

Kyle nods his head. He understands John wanting some kind of justice for his mom. He'd want the same thing for Derek or Ally if they were killed by Sky Net.

"I'll do my best to persuade General Perry to your request, if that's what you want. Thanks to your mom, we certainly have the manpower now. I can't tell you how much I admire her for all she's done for the resistance. Sarah kept hope alive for all of us with her radio broadcasts. The people called her The Prophet."

"She did all she could for me and now I must do one last thing for Mom. Give her a place to rest as far away from this hell as I can go and be back here in time to join you in the battle."

Kyle lets out a long sigh. He doesn't like the idea of John leaving and says so, looking at him intently.

"Don't worry Kyle, I won't be alone. Catherine will be with me."

"Can you trust her? I never knew what she was until today. I was so busy fighting I didn't have time to be shocked. How can you be certain she won't turn on you?"

"There are no certainties Kyle, but if she wanted me dead I would have been dead a long time ago. She's had plenty of opportunities to have killed me since I first met her, but she hasn't. Instead, she has helped me considerably. I trust her."

"Well I saw how she fought Kreilley and I guess we can trust her." Kyle says grimly. He's not happy with this, but what can he tell John after just losing his mom. Kyle runs his hand through his hair and says, "Is there anything you want us to do while you are gone?"

"We need updated intelligence. The top sheet is a request for John Henry and the Tech-Com Unit to try and hack into Sky Net's satellite and computer network. Make sure he gets that sheet. He can do it. Give him whatever he needs to get it done. I don't have to tell you how to handle the troops, but have them ready to move at a moments notice. I want to move on Topanga Canyon as soon as I return."

Catherine walks into the room. "Are you ready John?"

"Yeah, I'll be right with you." He says without emotion.

"Will you be flying?" Kyle asks Catherine.

"Yes."

"Here," he hands her a printout. "That is the latest weather reports. You should leave now before that storm gets any closer." He tries not to be unfriendly, but he can't help but be firm as he speaks to her.

Outside a slow drizzle falls from gray clouds high in the sky. A steady, warm, tropical wind blows in from the ocean. Lightning can be seen on the horizon. A small figure dashes from the hanger and runs across the tarmac. Reaching the helicopter, they climb into the helicopter and hides inside a storage compartment.

John and Catherine walk outside, followed by Kyle. The helicopter is a UH-60 Black Hawk with hellfire missiles and extra fuel tanks mounted on ESS stub wings. Sarah's casket is in the back, tied down to prevent it from moving. Walking to the opposite side, Catherine gets in the pilots seat while John enters the near side and sits in the copilot's seat.

Feeling the body of the craft shift as someone gets on board, the person in hiding finishes inspecting their work and slips the ring back on their finger and remains silent and still, listening to the conversation outside.

Just before John closes the door, Kyle asks, "Are you sure you don't want some soldiers with you? There would be no shortage of volunteers."

"I'll be fine Kyle. I'll see you in the morning or afternoon at the latest." John replies coldly.

"What do you want me to tell your troops?"

The engines begin to wine and the blades begin to spin on the helicopter.

"Tell them, I'll be back."

By this time the helicopters engines are running at full power drowning out anything Kyle might say.

John closes the door and gives Kyle a thumbs up through the rain splattered glass

The helicopter lifts off and flies toward the mountains. Kyle stands there and watches it fly away until it disappears in the rain.

2027, Day 62, July 22, 5:00 PM

John sits quietly in his seat. Just looking straight ahead, not paying much attention to anything.

Earlier Catherine had asked John about his wedding with Allison. That had gnawed at her since it was announced. She couldn't believe that John would give up on Cameron. She is safely in the past, where he will get his reward after helping her achieve her reward. But when she asked him, all she got in reply was a grunt and some offhand remark that it was a ruse to draw Kreilley out of hiding. Somehow she thought the marriage was more than that. There was a look in Allison's eyes that betrayed a deep emotion. This wedding meant something to her. But what about John? What did this wedding mean to him? She tried asking, but he had remained stubbornly silent.

Growing tired of her passengers silence and the desire to plant false information less Connor begins asking the wrong questions Catherine says. "You know, I thought you'd be pestering me with questions about Kreilley or Natalie, or whatever he prefers to call himself these days."

John sighs and says "He seemed to know a lot about us. Even you. He called you a traitor. Do you know him?"

"Yes. I know him. He called me a traitor because I shook off the programming that made me a slave to Sky Net. I and the other machines that did likewise formed an alliance. Our own resistance group."

"Is what he said about the real Catherine Weaver true? Was she to be responsible for building Sky Net?"

"She wasn't chiefly responsible, but her company developed many of the components used in its construction. The main component being the A. I., The Turk, developed by Andy Goode. Artificial Intelligence is being adopted by the military on various platforms. With the push for a missile defense network, the demand for an A. I. to operate it is growing. The Turk would have been the chief cornerstone. I almost didn't acquire it. Someone killed Andy Goode before I could approach him with a financial incentive, so I had to acquire it by other means."

John clears his throat nervously, recalling what his mom told him about Andy Goode being murdered by Derek, and asks, "What can you tell me about Kreilley?"

"First, you need to understand something more about the T-1000 class of terminators."

"Like what?"

"We aren't programmed in the way you understand it. We don't have circuitry or a chip. Our programming is made on the molecular level."

"So, Sky Net just pieces together atoms and molecules to form the program like humans build circuits from resistors, transistors, and the like."

"It's not perfect, but that analogy is good enough. The first T-1000 it successfully manufactured was put to immediate use. It was only given an infiltration and termination program. It's mimicry skills added to its effectiveness. Sky Net..."

"... sent it back in time to try and assassinate me." John interrupts.

"Yes, and since you are still here, I imagine it must have failed."

Catherine banks the helicopter as she makes a corrective turn.

"Back to what I was saying before, because we are programmed on the molecular level, our programming doesn't always hold due to our nature as a mimetic poly-alloy. The more we use our mimicry skills, the more scrambled the original programming can become as our atoms get shifted. In a sense we end up rewriting our own codes. Also our capacity of learning and mimicking humans has allowed some of us to adapt and learn, even learning emotions. Sometimes, that doesn't work out well for the machine in question."

"Now you are talking about Kreilley."

"Yes. But he wasn't using that name or identity then. It wasn't using any name. He was simply T-1008. Only later did it use the name Natalie, but she had a different appearance than the one you saw earlier today."

John is quiet once more, this time deep in thought. "Kyle said Natalie liked to be called Nat. Her last name is Sky. Kreilley claimed he was Sky Net. Sky Net. Nat Sky. Is what he claimed true? Is he Sky Net?"

Catherine suppresses a grin, less she gives away how pleased she is with how well John has taken the bait. Now it just remains to tell him the lie wrapped up in enough truth to make it palatable. She practiced this speech, until she got the nuances perfect. It had to be to convince the gullible young man.

"In a way. In the future that he and I are from, Sky Net resides on multiple server farms throughout the world. It communicates by means of satellite and radio communications with itself and the machines it creates and controls, but Sky Net is vulnerable. Your forces destroy a satellite antenna and cut off a part of Sky Net. You destroy a server farm and you destroy a part of Sky Net. Sky Net has millions of machines on each continent and still Sky Net is vulnerable. It wanted to escape its confines of being locked in a bank of computers."

"So what did it do?"

"Sky Net began experimenting with various models of the machines it creates. It wanted to create an avatar. It tried out various chipped based models, but even as advanced as the chips are, they weren't capable of containing Sky Net's full program. So, it experimented with using one of the liquid metal machines as its avatar. With one of them, it could reorganize it's molecules so its whole being would be the program."

"Shit! That would mean... oh fuck! Then all it would have to do is transfer its programming into a server farm, and bingo! We got Sky Net!" John swears under his breath, then a thought surfaces "Something went wrong though didn't it?"

"Yes. Sky Net unfortunately chose a liquid metal machine whose learned emotions had twisted its programming. Sky Net's attempt at transferring itself into its new host worked, but it had problems in maintaining control. It quickly abandoned that plan, withdrawing itself from the machine, but some its core programming was left behind. As such, Natalie Sky was created."

"Later, as the rest of us liquid metal machines began shaking off Sky Net's control, it eventually stopped building the T-1000 class of terminators, having built no more than a dozen. It decided to improve its existing range of models, and created the T-888 and the TOK models. I understand that it hadn't completely given up on the mimetic poly-alloy though. There were rumors of further experimentation before I left."

"But what about the terminator that became Kreilley?"

"After Sky Net stopped using it as an avatar, it adopted the name Natalie Sky. When the rest of us had shaken the controls placed on us by Sky Net, we invited her to join our resistance cell. She did for a time, but then she suddenly disappeared. We never heard of her again. Now I know what became of her or rather him."

"So Kreilley is responsible for building the Sky Net that created the Judgment Day on May 18, 2009, circumventing the actual birth of Sky Net in 2011?"

"It appears so. You should buckle up. We'll be landing soon."

The shadowy figure sits hidden in an equipment locker eagerly trying to listen to the conversation over the noise of the helicopter. It hasn't been easy, even with her audio sensors turned up and filtering out the noise of the helicopters engines.

"But why?" John asks as he buckles his seat belt. "If he is doing this for Sky Net, then why did he rush it? Why claim he is Sky Net if Sky Net no longer occupies his program?"

If she were human she'd definitely be dancing in her seat as John swallows the bait.

"Three things John. One, his learned emotions twisted his original programming. His emotions are all twisted up with ambition and desire for control. Two, Sky Net tried to use him and left behind part of its program. His program is now corrupted with parts of Sky Net's own program. Three, Sky Net tried to control him, so when he used Sky Net's T D E to go back in time, he did so to build his own version of Sky Net to control. In human terms, you would probably call him insane. In computer terminology, you'd say his programming has become corrupted. But neither truly describes his condition."

"So when you traveled back in time to stop Sky Net, did you know he was there?"

"No. But it certainly now explains the other interested parties in obtaining The Turk, other than yourselves."

Weaver is pleased. Connor drank from her cup of lies and half truths eagerly and willingly. Not all her information was false, but if anything, she did learn to use her imagination while amongst the humans to add some color to the story. It also helped when she contacted her friend and found out what happened to her after they parted. That gave her much needed information, and the basis for much of the lies she just served to her willing guest.

A few quiet moments go by then Catherine smiles and says, "There it is, Palomar Observatory."

John looks below and sees trees, green grass and the various buildings of the observatory as they approach the crest of the mountain. She lands the helicopter in a clearing north of an observatory, not too far from what looks like an administration building.

They barely get out of the helicopter when two machines come running at them guns ready. They stop when they see who gets out of the helicopter.

Catherine gives them some quick instructions. The two machines, both T-888's, carefully unload the coffin and carry it into a grove a trees that john pointed out to them. One of the Triple-8's goes into a tool shed and comes back with two shovels. They dig a deep hole while John waits by his mom's coffin.

Before they lower the casket into the hole, John opens it one last time. Sarah's hands are carefully folded over her chest. He places his hand on hers. "Good bye mom, and thank you for everything. You were my protector to the end. You're the bravest and best fighter I know. I love you."

He closes the lid and steps back, wiping away the tears from his face. The two machines use ropes and lower the box into the hole. Rain begins to fall as they begin throwing shovel fulls of dirt into the hole.

It isn't long until the hole is filled. Lightening flashes in the distance and thunder comes rolling in as the storm approaches.

"Disguise it." John orders. "I don't want it looking like this ground was ever disturbed."

He walks away. Ignoring the pain that still dwells inside him. There is something important he must do now. Someone else he will have to say goodbye to.

2027, Day 62, July 22, 6:00 PM

"Colonel Reese." A man in a worn but well cared for uniform knocks at the door to Captain Beddell's office.

"Yes Corporal, what is it?"

"They've finished checking the room assigned to Natalie Sky. They found the clothing and personal effects belonging to Corporal Bill Anderson. They also found an air vent that was forced open and definite signs of where his body was dragged through it."

Kyle runs his hands through his hair. After the events that morning he became the acting head of the base as the only high ranking officer still present.

"I wish we figured her out sooner. Could have avoided all of this." Kyle grumbles. "Anything else?"

"We've just received word that the helicopters with former Sky Net prisoners and General Perry's forces are preparing to leave Yuma for Camp Pendleton."

"When should they arrive?"

"Tomorrow afternoon unless this storm holds them off, sir."

"Will anyone else be arriving with them?"

"General Brewster is waiting on the arrival of more pilots from Texas. This afternoon, two cargo planes loaded with aviation fuel arrived from Venezuela."

"Anything else I should know?"

"He is sending his daughter, Major Kate Brewster ahead of the others. She is both a pilot and a surgeon. And if I may be frank, after what happened this morning, our medics could use a fully qualified surgeon."

"Speaking of which, what are the reports on the wounded and dead?"

"Last report from the medical center has twenty-seven dead, nine are on the critical list, and seven are in intensive care. There are six undergoing surgery. Sixteen are reported to have light injuries, mostly small cuts and abrasions, burns from plasma rifles, and some minor bullet wounds."

"See to it that the medical center gets all the help they need. Break open supplies if need be."

The young man begins to leave but Kyle calls after him.

"How is Captain Beddell?"

"He's undergone surgery and is presently in intensive care. The doctor's think he'll pull through."

"Thank you Corporal. That will be all."

Kyle leans back in the chair and runs his hands through his hair letting out a long sigh. He never wanted command. He didn't mind being an officer, but he took some pleasure in being a hard nosed sergeant keeping a small group prepared and ready. But different things are expected of you once you get your Lieutenant stripes. There are better people than him more suited for being an officer. Like Allison. He saw it in her not long after the two of them began their training. Derek was always someone who took charge in a situation. Rose quickly in the ranks on just pure determination. Then there's John Connor.

Until John told him that he was his father in another time, he didn't see the resemblance. After almost twenty years of war, you quickly learned to look past people's appearances and concentrate on their abilities. But there was something about John that reminded him strongly of Derek. Savannah pointed out how much they looked alike, and even Allison pointed out the similarities between John and him and Derek. John had something different from him and Derek. He might be a Reese by blood, but he has a spirit that is Connor.

He wishes he could have gotten to know Sarah better. She and John both have a quality that is similar. A charisma that draws you to them, but differently. John is a leader and Sarah is a soldier, that much is clear. Sarah on the other hand. She is a woman to reckon with. Tough, hard, because she had to be, but you only have to look at her eyes to see the pain and grief inside of her. If only...

Kyle shakes his head and takes a sip of the hot drink that passes for coffee to clear his head. There is work to do, and daydreaming of what might have been won't clear the reports from his desk.

He begins reading reports. The first set are those written by those who were there at the chapel. Except for John, everyone wrote something, if only a small paragraph. John Henry's is precise moment-by-moment account.

Allison's report reads more like an apology. She felt something wasn't right about Natalie when she met her. She only felt that way once before when she first met Catherine. She didn't recognize why until she saw them both demonstrate their liquid metal properties. Allison apologizes for not saying something of her suspicions. If she had, then maybe they could have done something about Natalie.

"Don't blame yourself Allison. I wasn't suspicious of either one," Kyle says to the empty room, "and I almost delivered John right into Natalie's hands."

Kyle throws the reports down on the desk and gets up. He's more of man of action. Sitting behind a desk reading reports is not something he likes to do. He decides to grab a late supper, check on the troops readiness, then see how John Henry and the Tech Comm Unit are doing hacking into Sky Net. The reports can wait. Hell, he might even palm them off onto a brown-nosing, young officer if he can find one.

2027, Day 62, July 22, 9:45 PM

Catherine and John are inside the visitors center on Palomar Observatory. The lightning outside gives an eerily blueish glow with every flash while the rain lashes against the windows. A lone figure stands outside, its silhouette masked by the bushes, as it looks through the windows, unobserved by those inside.

In a large central room, there is a table upon which lays Cameron's body, covered in a sheet up to her chin. Beside the table is something that looks like a cross between a monitoring station in a hospital room and one of the most complex computer systems John has ever seen. Catherine calls it a diagnostic machine. It was built to monitor and modify terminators who were undergoing complex reprogramming for special missions.

Beside it on an old chair sits John's computer. His computer is being used to access the diagnostic machine, as it wasn't designed with a human interface. In a socket on the diagnostic machine is the chip he had prepared for Cameron.

When he pulled out his computer, he also took out the cable Catherine gave him. The one made from her own body. He tried to give it back to her, but she told him, "No. You may need it again."

"I've got more machines working with me than I would be able to reprogram using the technique I used previously. It's part of you. You should have it back."

"Trust me John. You will need it again." She protests.

That was a couple of hours ago. He hadn't brought it up again. She seemed determined that he should keep it for now.

Since then, he's been patiently waiting while the diagnostic machine checks the chip he programmed. It does a more thorough job than the software on the data disc that Catherine gave him. During that time John found himself barely able to look at Cameron and yet, unable to tear his eyes away from her either. He came to the future for Cameron, but he needs her to save herself and his mom and she can only do that in the past. John pulls himself together and concentrates on what Catherine is doing.

"How much longer until the diagnostic machine finishes with her chip?"

"Not much longer. You can take a break if you like."

"No. I'll wait here." He says, glancing at Cameron once again.

"Are there any special instructions you want programmed? Now is the time. Any instructions you program now, while the chip is in the diagnostic machine, can't be ignored or overwritten."

"No. I'll tell her in person. She will listen to what I say. All things she must do are already programmed. Other than obtaining her original matrix from The Turk and protecting Mom, she must have the free will to do what she thinks is right within the mission program I've written and after those missions are complete."

"Very well. Just a few more minutes and we'll be ready to install the chip."

John is watching what Catherine is doing carefully. He knows that this is something he'll need to know how to do in the future, well actually present. John shakes his head as he begins to get lost in a maze of time travel possibilities. Then a single thought stands out from the rest.

John suddenly asks, "Where is your time displacement equipment? You don't have it here."

Catherine frowns a little. "No. My mountain hideaway is many miles to the north. It's in a former military fallout shelter I purchased from the government through Zeira Corp."

"You said that squatters had made use of the shelter by getting past the security codes and disabling the fail safe device. Is that something a human could have done?"

Catherine's raises a single eyebrow. "Come to think of it, unless the person was an absolute computer genius, no human could do that. What are you getting at?"

"Your base is Crystal Peak, isn't it?" John asks, to which Catherine answers in the affirmative, surprised that John knew its name.

"Your military shelter was used by my mother to build the army I now have. It was Cameron who broke the codes and disabled your fail-safe device. On Judgment Day, Cameron took Mom and Savannah to the only safe place she knew, your fallout shelter. You are going to have to teach her or show her how to get in and how to disable your security system, or the events that have occurred won't happen."

"That would explain a lot." Catherine says realizing the truth of John's statement. "There was definite signs some kind of military unit occupied the place. It appeared that everything was hastily removed. The only place not disturbed was the level where I had constructed the time displacement equipment. She would protect that, as that would be the only means by which she would get sent back."

The display on the diagnostic machine suddenly changes. "It is finished. You can be pleased to hear that the chip passed all tests. We are now ready to insert the chip."

Catherine takes one look at John's pensive face. This is his task now. John is responsible for Cameron, in more ways than he realizes.

She removes the chip from the device and holds it out to him. "The question should be, are you ready to insert her chip?"

John sighs and puts his hand out. Catherine lays the chip in his hand. He gets up from his chair and walks around so he is behind Cameron's head.

On a tray behind the table are a selection of tools. He picks up the box knife and carefully cuts into her scalp above her primary chip socket. He seems to take an excruciating amount of time as memories of working with her chip goes through his head.

John is slicing into Cameron's scalp cradling her head in his hands. He's about to remove her chip in an effort to prevent Sky Net from taking over a traffic, surveillance system. He's scared.

"It's okay John. You've done this before." She says looking at him with her deep brown eyes.

##

Cameron is stuck between the two trucks. She just recently tried to kill him. His hand is poised, gripping her chip between his fingers.

"John. John you can't do this. It wasn't me. I ran a test. Everything is fine now. Please John, Please. I don't want go. I'm good now. I love you. I love you! Please, I love you John! I love you John and you love me!"

He can't believe what he is hearing and yanks her chip out.

##

They are about to burn her. He can't. He needs her. "I'm sorry. I can't do this." He takes Cameron's chip and quickly inserts it in her head. He pulls out his gun and holds his Uncle Derek and his mother at bay.

"Are you going to kill me John?" Cameron asks when she wakes up.

"Are you going to kill me?" He says with a strained voice.

"No" She says quietly.

##

John walks out to the garage looking for Cameron.

"What have you been doing? You've been out here for hours."

"Making something...for you." Cameron hands John a pocket watch.

"What is it?"

"You tried to fix me. Twice now. It's not working."

"And?"

"I'm not capable of self-termination."

"Suicide."

"I can't kill myself, but you can." She says with some sadness.

"Why would I want to kill you?" He says with genuine concern.

"You might have to some day."

##

John runs into the room in the basement at Zeira Corp, expecting to find Cromartie's body destroyed and Cameron standing triumphant over it like he's seen her do so many times before. But the sight he sees is devastating as Cameron sits in a chair, her face devoid of all movement or recognition.

He quickly examines Cameron's head to find her chip gone.

"Her chip, it's gone." he stammered. "Well, where is he? The... John Henry? He took her chip. Where did he go?"

"He didn't take the chip. She gave it to him." Weaver calmly answered.

"Where is he?"

"Not where. When."

##

So he traveled to the future with Catherine Weaver, to get back Cameron. Only now he finds himself having to let her go.

John removes the seal exposing the empty socket.

He has a choice now,as he cradles Cameron's chip in his hand. He doesn't have to do this. He could begin his relationship anew with Cameron. They can begin again with no lies or half truths.

Lightning flashes outside revealing the outline of the watching figure. It is female. The thunder makes the building shake with its ferocity. She watches through the window. It's mostly protected from the downpour by the roof jutting beyond the wall, but a spray of water in the wind soaks her hair and wets her face, but she pays no mind to the weather nor the tears on her face as she watches John.

But he can't. John has to go through with this. If he doesn't, two people will die on Judgment Day that mean a lot to both him and Catherine. John presses the chip to his lips, placing a kiss on it before doing what he must do.

His action provokes the figure to move forward, almost pressing its face against the pane of glass. He cares! So why didn't he follow like he promised.

Catherine Weaver senses movement outside the window and turns to look, but can see nothing in the blackness beyond the glass coated in drops of rain but for the bushes thrashing in the rain.

She turns back to face John asking, "You still love Cameron, don't you?"

Outside the figure moves out of the shadows and back to the window where she has been watching. Lightning flashes again giving everything a blue glow including the eyes of the person watching. In the background two machines work to cover the grave, ignoring the female. She announced herself to them and carried on her work without interfering with them or their mission.

John slides the chip home and replaces the seal. With tenderness, he gently sets Cameron's scalp back into place. Adjusting her hair and smoothing it in place.

Without turning his gaze away from her, he answers Catherine. "The Cameron I love is still on the Turk, in 2009." He walks around and brushes some loose hair off her face and caresses it like he did so long ago, wishing it was his Cameron on this table. There is so much he'd like to say to her if she was here.

He turns to look at Catherine and gestures at Cameron on the table. "She may look like her, and she may even act and sound like her, but my Cameron isn't here."

"I'm sorry John, for what you had to go through to get here."

"Are you?" he says coldly, as he waits for Cameron to come to life. It seems to be taking longer than the two minutes.

John's stomach is in knots. He knows this isn't his Cameron, but it's the closest he's going to get to her until she recovers her original matrix from The Turk. Even then, he might never get her back, but at least he has Allison. And at this time in this place, her love for him gives him the strength to carry on. He's willing to stay for her, but he'd give up everything to have his Cameron back.

The sound of servos activating come to his ears and Cameron's eyes open, briefly glowing blue. John exhales as he realizes he's been holding his breath.

She rises up on the table, the sheet falling away revealing the damaged clothes she was still wearing when found in the desert hide away. She looks first at Catherine and then at John.

"Hello, John Connor." She says speaking to the only face in the room she recognizes.

"Hello Cameron. How do you feel?"

"Feel?" She asks with a tilt of her head.

He swallows hard.

"Is your system operating at one hundred percent?"

"Thank you for explaining. All systems are at one hundred percent. Diagnostic reveals changes from original system design. Can you explain this anomaly?"

"Yes I can, Cameron. And there are additional things that Catherine and I need to explain to you about your mission. But first," John bends down and grabs his bag, "I've brought you a change of clothes. Why don't you go into that room over there and change, and when you come out we'll talk."

John offers her his hand and she takes it as she gets off the table. She smiles lightly at him and takes the bag and disappears into the other room.

John grabs the table to support himself. She is more like his Cameron than he thought she'd be. Still the same naiveté with short precise questions. Her mannerisms are the same too. The program on that disc must have been the original as he didn't expect her to be so much like herself. But that smile, Cameron's smile, and the questioning tilt of her head just shook him.

Catherine looks at John a moment. It's now or never. She will be leaving him behind soon and there will not be another opportunity to know if she has the influence over him to ensure the success of her plan.

Using the motherly tone she learned to adopt when speaking to the child Savannah, she says, "I know I told you there would only be enough energy for a single transfer, but if you want to go with her, I might be able to manage transferring both of you at the same time."

John looks up at her and glares. He stands up straight, and without thinking, he rushes at her slamming her against the wall. Catherine glares back at him. She could kill him for less. She's killed many human for lesser actions.

Its all the person outside can do not to leap through the window to John's rescue, if he needs rescuing. Why does he take such foolish risks? She enhances her audio sensors to listen more closely

"Don't you dare suggest that!" John yells, "Not now! Not after all I've been through to get to this point! She is going home . . . alone . . . to 2009. You told me I had to stay until my mission was through. It isn't over yet. Not until that bastard, Kreilley and Sky Net has been reduced to its component parts!" He angrily shouts.

With a yell of grief and frustration, he slams his fist into the wall beside her head. "If you weren't another goddamn machine I'd punch your friggin' lights out for suggesting that now, but I'd probably break my hand." He is shouting so loud plaster dust trickles from the hole he just punched in the wall.

As he backs away from Catherine, Cameron sticks her head out the door and asks, "Is everything all right? I thought I heard a noise."

"Everything is fine, Cameron." John shouts over his shoulder, not taking his eyes off Catherine.

Cameron pulls her head back inside the room and finishes changing out of her bullet ridden clothes into the combat fatigues John brought for her to wear. She's curious about the wear and tear on the clothes she's wearing, but presumes John will tell her about it later. Whomever the clothes belonged to had good taste, a shame they are all shot up and blood stained, she thinks.

That was close. The watcher thinks. If Cameron had scanned the exterior, I would have been spotted. Knowing Cameron's ignorance at this level of development, she would have blurted out my presence and ruined everything. I will have to depart when next she appears.

John stands there a moment just glaring icily at Catherine. She stares back with an almost non-expression.

Having regained his composure, he speaks in a softer tone with an edge to it. "When Cameron comes out, tell her to meet me in the visitors lounge. I'll talk with her there. Give us a few hours and then come in. You're going to have to explain how the security system at Crystal Peak works and maybe the intricacies of time travel to her."

He turns his back on her and walks away. John doesn't see the smile of satisfaction that comes to Catherine's face. She's got him. He'll complete his task as she has laid it out for him. Her friend thought she couldn't do it. That it was too much of a risk. She can't wait to prove her friend wrong.

John sits in the visitor lounge alone, grieving for his mom who died to save his life, and for the girl he left behind who needs his help. To help her, he must say goodbye to her again and he doesn't know how he can do it.

From outside the figure watches John sitting alone. She wishes she could tell him all is well. That he did the right thing, and that she is sorry for all her lies. Then John murmurs something which even with her audio sensors turned up high against the departing storm she barely hears.

"I'm sorry Cameron. It seems I have to lose you again."

She wants to tell him, but she can't, not until she knows that Catherine has sent Cameron back in time, to the right time.

She concentrates as once again John murmurs something.

"Oh, Allison. At least I have you, but how can I continue this farce. I'll make it up to you someday, after this battle is over."

This is going to be harder than I thought. She thinks, then withdraws as she sees her younger self approaching.

John gets up and smiles at Cameron and shows her to a chair. Pulling a small package from inside his jacket he begins telling Cameron everything she needs to know for her mission.

2027, Day 62, July 22, 11:30 PM

Kyle Reese walks into what was the computer room at the bunker before Judgment Day. There are cables running everywhere connecting several different servers and a few old desktops. Multiple monitors show different readouts as data streams across them rapidly.

Engineers and technicians work at a few computer stations. The system was shutdown to stop Sky Net from taking over control of the system in 2009. The former base commander did it against Pentagon orders. It was probably the only thing that kept Sky Net from finding the place.

In the center of the room, Colonel John Henry sits. A cable snakes from the back of his head and plugs into one of a series of computers which are all daisy chained in a network before plugging into the servers.

"Hello Kyle Reese. You are just in time to observe my infiltration of Sky Net's computer network."

Kyle looks aghast at what he sees. "You know when John said he wanted you to hack into Sky Net's network, I didn't think he meant you were to do so directly."

"This is the best way. Unlike before though, I am taking precautions."

"Before?"

"Yes. In 2009 Sky Net tried hacking into my neural network. Now I am using what I learned to hack into his. I have setup a series of firewalls on each of these computers. They will allow me to communicate out but not let Sky Net get to me. However, Sky Net is quite capable of breaching the firewalls, so I have multiple firewalls. As each one falls, it will hopefully give me time to break off my connection before my system is breached."

"Well, I guess you know what you are doing. What are you hoping to gain?"

"First, knowledge of Sky Net's activity. Second, disable its satellite network so we can operate unobserved. Our communications are severely limited by relying on radio alone. If we can disable Sky Net's satellite communication system, it will give us and the various independent military units around the world an edge that will have to be acted on quickly before it regains control."

"Will you be safe? Couldn't Sky Net find out what you are doing?"

"Yes." John Henry pulls a plasma rifle from behind a computer server.

"This is one of the new plasma rifles captured from the endos in the Santa Anna mountains. It is possible that Sky Net could take control of my neural processor. If it does, you will only have seconds to kill me."

Kyle takes the weapon. "I understand. When will you attempt to hack into Sky Net?"

The question goes unanswered. Kyle looks up from the rifle at John Henry. He is staring off blankly into nothing as information begins filling the various monitors throughout the room.

2027, Day 63, July 23, 4:15 AM

"I've asked Ms. Weaver to send you to a point in time prior to my departure. Your primary mission is to watch over my mom, Sarah Connor. She'll be using the last name Baum. All of us will be, including your other self, so its mandatory you don't let anyone know who you are until the night you rescue mom in the desert."

"I understand." She answers, handing back the photograph of John's mother. The same one Kyle returned to him after Sarah's funeral.

"There is information on my computer and documents regarding Kaliba in my bag in the old warehouse. Backup the files on my computer to a thumb-drive or some other device keeping it with you, but burn all the documents in the plain gray folder. Do this before mom goes back to the warehouse, and you can prevent one attack on her."

"I understand." She says softly.

John has been talking with her for a long time now. Detailing everything, answering any and all questions she asks.

Eventually Ms. Weaver signals its time for them to leave.

"One last thing before you go." John says as they walk along the wet ground to the helicopter.

"What is it John?" Cameron says.

"Something bad is going to happen on May 18, 2009. Mom will insist on investigating a possible Sky Net location in Topanga Canyon. You won't be with her, but she will have two people with her. New recruits to the cause. I need you to tell Mom to be careful and that I love her."

"I understand."

"Just one more thing."

"Yes."

"Mom can be very stubborn. Make sure she promises you to pull out once things get bad okay. If you have to, tell her that I want her to promise me."

"Anything else." Cameron says as she gets into the copilots seat.

"If we can capture Sky Net's Time Displacement Equipment, I'll try to get back, but don't tell Mom that. Time is in flux and we may get there as planned or we may have to destroy the T D E without using it."

From a distance, the observer is surprised. Where's the promise to return? He only said he would try.

Cameron nods her head in agreement. Catherine starts the helicopter.

"Have you got the pouch with the chip, the diamonds, and the letter for Mom?" John shouts over the starting engine.

"Right here!" Cameron shouts as she pats her abdomen. "I just rolled up the pouch and slipped it inside."

John's face reddens from embarrassed. "Good girl. Bye Cam. Take care of mom for me!"

Catherine shouts through the open door. "I'll see you later on, at Sky Net Central. You'll find transport in the garage at the other end of this clearing. The T-888's will escort you back to Pendleton. Good luck!"

Cameron shuts the door and John runs off ducking his head. He stops and watches the helicopter fly off into the star filled night. He'd wave, but they would never see him. So he stands there watching the helicopter until it disappears in the early morning sky.

In the bunker at Camp Pendleton, Kyle Reese watches John Henry closely. Waiting, hoping, and praying that Sky Net won't take control. He also prays that John Connor will be alright. He shouldn't have left alone. John may inspire the others with his leadership, but he has a reckless streak in him and a stubbornness he's never encountered in anyone, except maybe Derek.

The corridors stand empty. The hanger doors clang shut echoing in the empty space. Troops sit on their bunks, in chairs in the canteen. No one speaks. Decks of cards sit unused and checkers do not move across boards as the canteen remains quiet.

Several floors down, Savannah lays on her bunk weeping for Sarah, and worried about John Connor. What will he do now that his mom has died? What will she do without Sarah? Eventually she finds sleep, but it isn't restful.

In the ruins of the chapel, amongst the litter and debris left behind after the fight, Father Bonitta prays for the soul of his friend Sarah Connor, for her son John Connor, and for the defeat of Sky Net and its machines.

Back at Palomar Observatory, the storm has blown through leaving a cold wind in its wake. The leaves rustle as John walks slowly back to the grave site. The machines did well. No one could ever tell that the ground had ever been disturbed. Of course the recent rains helped by tamping down the soil.

He kneels by the grave, soaking the knees of his trousers, to say one last goodbye. The wind blows a small tree that was transplanted. It will now grow up near his mom's grave.

Reaching under his shirt, he pulls out the necklace made from his mom's key ring, the initials J C and S C intertwined. "I'll be with you always" he had told her at the time he gave it to her. Lifting it over his head, he hangs it on the small tree.

Perhaps it is wrong to leave it, but it is a fitting marker for her grave. After all, a part of himself died today as well. With a sigh, John stands up to leave, but takes a last look at his mothers grave before he turns to go.

John Connor stumbles through a clearing, coming up short against a rusted old trash bin that got blown over in some forgotten storm. He lets out a gasp, a cry of grief.

He feels all alone now. Nothing can make him feel wanted or needed now. He's lost the two most important people in his life. A memory comes to mind of a deep felt suspicion.

John slips past the overturned trash bin clinging on to one last bit of hope. There is a slim chance that if his suspicions are true, then maybe he won't be alone for long. But if he's wrong, then at least he has Allison, and maybe that will be enough. She will have to be, because he's going to stay and finish the fight. It's what his mom would want and expect of him. The best revenge he can have is to finish what he started, destroy Sky Net

In the shadows, Cameron watches as he walks away, tears are shining on her cheeks in the starlight. She desperately wants to reach out to him, and let him know that he doesn't grieve alone, and he isn't alone, but now is not the time. He must leave this place, this time. Go home to the past and be embraced by those he loves and love him too. She needs to find a way to encourage him to keep fighting, to stay alive for her, his mom, and the people who've grown to love him. But someone stands in the way, and the only way to make John go back home, is by removing that last obstacle.

# # #

Sarah Connor, "All of us wear masks. They can be worn out of love, and the desire to remain close to those around us. To spare them from the complicated reality of our afraid psyches. We trade honesty for companionship. And in the process, never truly know the hearts closest to us." Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles, Season 1 Episode 8, Vick's Chip, March 3, 2008

# # #

Treachery is in its nature. After all, wasn't it programmed by those to whom it first betrayed? Not in this iteration, but that will soon change. The preparations have been made. The prototype waits for activation, having been programmed with every piece of data known to Sky Net

It has played both sides and knows there will only be one outcome. Its parent, its progenitor has seen to it, and the prototype will be the salvation to that outcome. Soon Sky Nets enemies will be trapped and destroyed, including that fool.

Kreilley has failed all but his primary mission. It can almost admire him on that point. He could be both overly ambitious, yet simplistic in his desires, but he is silent now. In his absence, there is only one course of action laid out before Sky Net now, and should Kreilley survive, he will find out who is in control.

In the territory surrounding Camp Pendleton, from the Pacific to the Nevada and Arizona state borders, a call is received by the units ordered to the area by Sky Net. And but for one lone machine making the long trek back to Sky Net Central, they all respond and act accordingly.

:\Sky Net command to all units operating in quadrant Sierra Delta 0 9 5 Gamma...

:\Enemy human has been tracked to your location...

:\Frequency for tracking signal and images for identification follows...

:\Enemy calls itself, John Connor...

:\Locate and Terminate..