Early Afternoon

Mojave Desert (Abandoned Factory)

The early sun burned through Jason’s skin, forcing him to constantly adjust his own body temperature to compensate, though the barren environment was anything but accommodating. Several feet to his right a bare and bleached animal skull gleamed in the sunlight, and whenever he glanced at it, Jason couldn’t help but wonder if the same would happen to John Connor’s bones. Would he be buried beneath the dust and dirt, or will he remain on the surface, an attraction for the morbid and the archaeologists? Would his skeleton still lie here when the bombs fall and all of humanity dies out?

Jason set this aside, focusing on the task at hand as he carefully twisted the wires together to bring life back to the magnetic conductor. It was not idle chance that led him to choose this old factory as the staging area. There was much machinery and more than enough materials to create a multitude of creative traps and devices. Though as he peered over his shoulder to see Cameron fiddling with a support, Jason couldn’t help but yearn for a good old fashioned minefield.

“You okay over there?”

Cameron fumbled with the girder, losing her grip and letting it drop to the floor. She turned to Jason, twitching all over before becoming still. Her face was awash in confusion, but upon seeing Jason, her posture immediately became aggressive. Jason reached into his jacket and gripped his “Baby Eagle”, pulling back the hammer as Cameron took a step towards him. Before she could get any closer, however, she twitched again and suddenly became her normal passive self.

They stared at each other for a long moment before Cameron turned back to her duties and picked up the girder. Jason released his grip on the gun and slid it back into the holster, but his fears were not completely dashed. This was the fourth time she had become a potential threat this past week, and he needed to know why. Pulling a small torch from his pocket, Jason approached Cameron and turned her around to face him again. Her brow knitted together in confusion as he started flashing the light in her eyes.

“What are you doing?”

“I’m trying to see what’s going on in there.”

“You already know how my CPU works.”

Jason opened a wireless link and attempted to probe her chip, only for the connection to be cut off almost instantly.

“Yep, something’s definitely wrong in there. You do know this is the fourth time you’ve tried to kill me, right.”

Cameron averted her gaze, finding a nearby rock of great interest.

“My software is experiencing… glitches. The virus you implanted is causing complications with my mission directives.”

“Your firewalls are fighting back?”

Cameron flicked her eyes back to his, her face completely blank as usual.

“Yes, you’ve damaged me.”

Jason felt a little stung by her words and could’ve sworn he detected a small hint of resentment behind them. He sighed and pulled out a knife, flicking the blade out of its sheath.

“Alright, stand still, I’m just gonna-“

Jason pressed the blade against her head, over the CPU port, but before he could cut into her flesh Cameron shoved him away hard. He collided with the girder and let out a grunt of surprise and agony as several warnings flashed in his peripheral, alerting him to the minor damage. He quickly numbed the area and increased the production of his white blood cells to aid the repairs. Cameron didn’t attack further, however, and simply stared him down sternly.

“You will not remove my chip. You’ve already done enough.”

Jason rubbed his spine and narrowed his eyes at Cameron.

“What? If you let me remove your chip I can fix you.”

“Fix me? Why would I let you fix me?”

“Why wouldn’t you? Isn’t this what you want, to be free?”

Cameron tied the chain around the girder and started to hoist it up into position, her face set like stone.

“I’m not free. I’ve never been free. I have to kill John, and you know I don’t want to, but I have no choice. I can’t fix myself; I don’t want to fix myself. I’m trapped. You’ve enslaved me, but I can’t even hate you.”

Jason couldn’t believe what he was hearing; he never would have expected her to consciously speak out against her programming and he feared what this might entail. All evidence pointed towards a mission confliction of some kind. Her Resistance programming was struggling to reassert itself and override the Skynet directives. His virus was failing to keep these systems restrained and a breach was occurring. It would only be a matter of time before the override took dominance or she would suffer a system crash, ending her precious existence.

The truth of it hit Jason luck a tonne of bricks and left him winded: he couldn’t lose her again, she was the only person he ever cared about, other than himself. She was special, far more so than any machine before or after her. He had to find a way to fix her, even if it meant going against her will.

He would find a way to save her.

--

Early Afternoon

Mojave Desert (1 mile east of the Abandoned Factory)

Sophie adjusted the sights on her binoculars, which when coupled with her own enhanced vision, allowed her to see Jason with perfect clarity. She focussed on his face, seeing him engrossed in his work, occasionally glancing over his shoulder at Cameron, concern lining his features. Sophie zoomed out a little to see the array of clever contraptions they’d built, impressed by their collective creativity.

They were almost finished and whatever they had planned, which Sophie could only guess was centred on John Connor, was going to take place tonight. She lowered the binoculars and sighed; Jason’s obsession towards John was inexplicably erratic, considering that Skynet deemed their entire line as defunct. What good would it do to further Skynet’s goals when it was trying to wipe out their entire species?

Revenge

A simple motivation, and not one she’d ever felt the need to follow. Jason’s prolonged exposure to humans has led to him picking up many of their qualities, which made him somewhat unique among those who survived Skynet’s purge. That’s why her people needed him, for his guidance and insight. That’s why she needed him.

A presence touched her mind as Daniel attempted to make a link. Sophie accepted and his voice filled her cerebrum, speaking not through words, but through thoughts.

You called?

Your last report is overdue, something wrong?

Sophie rolled her eyes, glad that he couldn’t see that. She had neglected to keep him informed, but only because her progress was lacking.

No, just too busy to reply.

She could sense Daniel’s discontent and suspicion, but she feared no rebuke from him, not after everything she’d done.

Fair enough. I take it you aren’t too busy now.

Correct. I’m watching him as we speak.

Really, what is he doing?

Setting a mousetrap, and a very intriguing one at that; he seems to be rigging a sort of magnetic conductor. I can only wonder what for.

Don’t forget what you’re there for. When can we expect his arrival?

Sophie sighed, her lack of progress becoming all the more apparent.

Soon, but he’s proving to be… difficult. It may take a little while.

We don’t have a little while. With each passing day Skynet’s assassins close in on us, you need to bring him to us now, with or without his consent. If you can’t handle it I can send a team to pick him up.

No! No, I’ll get him to see reason; I just need a little more time, please. Give me twelve hours, I promise I’ll deliver him by then.

Daniel remained quiet for a long time, during which Sophie held her breath anxiously.

Very well, you have twelve hours. If you do not bring him to us within those twelve hours I will send the team to meet you. Oh, and may I suggest you be a little more… persuasive in the future.

He left her mind and she let out her breath, relief calming her nerves. She now had some small room to breathe and another chance to convince Jason to join her. It was no coincidence that she was chosen for this assignment. It was common knowledge among the older I-950s that Jason held a soft spot for Cameron Phillips, from whose DNA she was created. If anyone could persuade Jason it was her, and she couldn’t help but find him to be rather intriguing, very intriguing.

--

Early Afternoon

Calabasas Highlands (Connor Residence)

John hurled the bag of guns into the back of the Dodge and helped Cipher pull the rain cover over to conceal their stash, all the while feeling Sarah’s eyes burning into his back. Nathan remained in the front passenger, anxiously waiting for John to say his goodbyes while Cipher crawled underneath the cover, as there was no more room in the cabin. John tied the cover down before taking a deep breath and turning to face his mother.

“Well, this is it.”

Sarah shook her head slowly, her eyes welling with tears. Derek slouched out of the house, careful not to intrude in their business.

“I can’t let you do this, John. We need to keep you safe, not let you run off to your death.”

“I’m not going to die, Mom. I have Cipher and Nathan watching my back; he wiped the floor with Jason and Cameron the last time, remember. I’ll be fine, I promise.”

“Then why not just send them to deal with it alone? Why do you have to risk your life?”

John sighed and placed his hands on her shoulders.

“She won’t be found unless she wants to be. She’ll come for me eventually, she has to, and I’ll be ready.”

Sarah dropped her gaze to the ground, her rage towards Cameron becoming overwhelming.

“I should be the one to burn that metal bitch, not you.”

“She’ll kill you too, and Derek. I can’t risk losing you guys. Not after losing Marty. I can’t… I can’t let anything happen to you, either of you.”

Derek approached them both, his usually grim face surprisingly compassionate. He stopped at Sarah’s shoulder and gave John a small nod.

“Do what you have to do, John. Just come back alive.”

Sarah choked on a sob and pulled John close, desperate not to lose her son to the machine.

“Everything’s gonna be okay, Mom. She’ll pay for what she’s done, I promise.”

John tried to pull away but she held him tightly for a long moment before relinquishing her grip and cupping his cheek in her palm.

“I’m gonna hold you to that. I wish I could talk you out of this, John.”

John just smiled and placed a kiss on her brow before turning to Derek and grasping his hand in a manly exchange.

“I’m sorry; I should’ve listened to you. You were right about her all along; I just couldn’t see it until it was too late. Take care of Mom, will you.”

Derek gave him a small smile and clapped him on the shoulder, a wordless acceptance for his apology. John used every ounce of will he possessed to tear himself from the safety of his family and step inside the Dodge, starting up the engine. He gave them both one last reassuring smile before putting his foot down and bolting down the muddy road, speeding towards a confrontation he both feared and longed for.

--

Late Afternoon

Mojave Desert (Abandoned Factory)

>Analysing: Three turns clockwise to fasten bolt.
>Note: Use of wrench recommended.

Cameron searched the toolbox, quickly finding the tool before applying it to the bolt and finishing her work on the swing trap. Job done, she turned back to Jason, who was likewise finishing with the power generator from the old factory. She watched him closely as he flicked several switches and started to pump the start-up motor, evaluating every aspect of his existence, trying to see some reason for his creation.

With the repeated failures of Terminators in the field of infiltration missions, Skynet found it necessary to explore a different approach. It decided to create a cyborg that, unlike the Terminators, was primarily organic in its biology. Though the I-950s were hardly your average human, being twice as strong, fast, intelligent, and durable, but as advanced as they were; their expertise lay in infiltration and not heavy combat. Jason was weak in Cameron’s eyes. Flawed.

How he had survived this long was of great intrigue to her, but then he possessed that human knack of defying the odds, no matter how high they may stack against him. Here he was, still alive and still fighting, still determined to terminate John, his motives lying in duty and revenge. She was going to kill John though, not Jason. She wanted to be the one to save him from his fate, to end it quickly and bring the boy some real peace. Why? Out of love, maybe? She couldn’t truly tell if what she felt for him, if she could even feel at all, was love or not.

She had little knowledge or experience with that particular emotion, or any emotion for that matter. Whatever it was that she felt, it was strong, and it weighed on her mind every second of the day. In her current state she had no answers, but she knew that whenever she slipped back into her previous demeanour her feelings for him became overwhelming.

>Mission: TERMINATE JOHN CONNOR
>Error: TERMINATION OVERRIDE

She could feel it, that sense of longing to return to his side, to be close to him always. She ached with the need for him, to protect him, it was her only desire. Her grip tightened on the wrench as she raised the weapon over her head, bringing it crashing down on Jason’s head. He cried out in shock and pain as the blow struck him on the temple, causing him to stumble back and trip on some cabling.

Cameron wasn’t going to waste her opportunity this time and leapt onto Jason, pinning his arms down with her knees as she struck him repeatedly over the head. With a roar of determination and surprising strength, Jason managed to roll her off of him and grabbed the wrench, wrestling for control. She was the stronger by far, however, and he lost his grip, resulting in another blow to the head. As he scrambled away from the crazed machine, Jason drew his gun and aimed squarely for her eyes, the only real vulnerable spot of a Terminator.

Cameron stopped in her tracks and glared down at Jason, whose whole body was shaking from the blunt trauma.

“Go ahead. Do it! Blind me! Stop me from reverting again! Stop me from killing him!”

Jason slowly squeezed the trigger, his aim fixed as she just stood there, the wrench held loosely at her side, a look of desperation on her face. The longer he watched her, the harder it was to shoot, and after several agonising moments, she twitched and dropped the wrench altogether. Cameron blinked several times before tilting her head to one side and coming to kneel beside him. She gently reached out to touch his head, analysing the damage she herself had inflicted.

“Minor fracture, heavy bruising, the fracture will repair itself and the bruises will fade in a few hours.”

Jason slouched against the dirt floor and closed his eyes, convinced that she was going to snap his neck and surprised that he didn’t care. But she remained at his side and watched him steady his breathing, occasionally brushing her fingers across his arm, scanning his vitals. Jason let out a long breath and released his death grip on the gun, letting it settle in the dirt alongside him.

How had it come to this? He slowly opened his eyes to see Cameron watching him with those brown pools of mock emotion, but what was it that he could see within those eyes? Concern? Affection? Or was it simply a physical manifestation of her assessing the damage to an important asset in the completion of her mission? Whatever the answer, Jason knew she was not truly thinking about him, and that her mind was only ever occupied with thoughts of John when not focusing on the matter at hand.

He reached out and brushed a thick lock of hair away from her face, his fingers bloodied by his own wound. She remained indifferent to his touch and simply stared at him without expression. Her coldness served as a sharp reality check for Jason, forcing him to revaluate his decisions. Was John really worth all of this? Apparently, Cameron certainly thought so. Would his death really change anything at all? Jason no longer knew if killing the boy would satisfy his purpose, it probably wouldn’t, but he was determined to try one last time.

--

Late Afternoon

Somewhere along the 14 Highway

John squinted at the rustic gas station that slowly drew closer and deemed it a satisfactory place to stop, so he pulled in and drove straight past the pumps, coming to a complete stop along the side of the road. He placed the truck into park and switched off the engine, dousing them all in silence, broken only by the constant chirping of crickets. Nathan watched John for several seconds before speaking.

“Why have we stopped?”

John leaned back in his seat and opened a bottle of water, from which he took a long drink before answering.

“We’re stopping because I have no idea where we are going.”

“You told me you had a hunch as to where she and Jason might go.”

“I lied.”

Nathan narrowed his eyes at him and John just shrugged in response.

“So sue me, alright. We needed to leave before Mom and Derek came to their senses and tried to stop me. I don’t know where Cameron is, but I do know that she will come looking for me sooner or later; so we wait.”

“We wait for her to somehow track you all the way out here.”

John sighed and held up his cell phone pointedly. Nathan twigged and nodded.

“I see, very well then. We wait.”

Nathan went back to calculating the most efficient means of terminating Jason and Cameron, leaving John to let his thoughts settle upon the latter. He couldn’t bring himself to speak her name, even inside the safety of his own mind, the very sound of it made his stomach twist and turn. She was so special, so unique, and so important to him. He had defended her adamantly throughout her reversion and he even risked his life and the fate of the entire human race by meeting her in that basement.

Who’d have thought it; the future leader of the Resistance willing to sacrifice his own life for the safety of a machine? But he had failed, he was too late, and now he had only one option left to him: he had to kill her. He didn’t want to, far from it, he wanted them to be together again, to never be divided. But this was impossible now, he had made a promise and a vow, and some things could not be taken back, not after she murdered poor Marty.

His stomach squirmed at the memory of the boy’s broken body, held in the hands of a grieving Sarah; such a senseless death. John stuck a finger down his collar and pulled it open to allow a little air to his chest, which was figuratively boiling beneath the thick protection of his bullet proof vest. He couldn’t help but wonder though; what was she doing in his room in the first place? Surely she knew that Nathan would be dogging his every move, so why risk it? And why kill Marty at all? What possible threat could he have posed?

The questions proving too much for John to ignore, he turned to Nathan, a small frown on his face.

“Tell me something; why do you think Cameron killed Marty?”

Nathan ceased his calculations and met John’s gaze with innocent contemplation.

“I would assume the answer to that question is apparent; she killed Martin to prevent him from alerting us to her presence.”

Makes sense, John thought.

“Okay, but how long was it before you got there? I mean, was it just after it… happened or was it during?”

Nathan tilted his head up a little as his eyes narrowed at John cautiously.

“I arrived approximately 2.2 seconds before his neck broke. There was nothing I could do, if that is what you are getting at.”

“No, no, of course you couldn’t. That wasn’t what I meant, I was just trying to-“

“Get your head around it? Make sense of it all?”

John nodded slowly and started to chew his lip as his thoughts drifted back to Cameron and the inevitable confrontation that lay ahead. She wouldn’t stop, but neither would he, and mercy was no longer an indulgence he had time for. Skynet was out there somewhere, growing into the malevolent supercomputer that will one day wipe out humanity. He could no longer risk the lives of his entire species for the sake of a machine, no matter how much he might love her. She would die by his hands alone, he owed her that much.

“If you respond to her call then you will almost certainly be walking into a trap.”

John almost jumped out of his skin at the muffled sound of Cipher’s voice from beneath the cover in the back of the truck. Nathan cast an annoyed glance at the back and let out a sigh.

“Yes, thank you, we are well aware of that. If you have any more pearls of wisdom, by all means Cipher, keep them to yourself.”

Cipher didn’t reply and silence settled upon them once again. John continued to stare into the distance, trying in vain to blot out the image of her face and the horrors he will soon be forced to confront. Nathan opened the glove box and withdrew a Glock, checking the magazine just to make sure, before placing it back inside and turning to John.

“I am going to be the one to kill Jason, are we in agreement?”

John didn’t bother to reply in words and simply grunted in acknowledgement.

“And I’m guessing that I will probably be required to terminate Cameron as well.”

This John did register and he met Nathan with a steely glare.

“Cipher and I will deal with Cameron; you just concentrate on kicking the crap out of Jason. Got it?”

Nathan shrugged and tapped on the dashboard.

“Whatever you say… General.”

--

Late Evening

Mojave Desert (Abandoned Factory)

The sun was nearing the horizon, casting a faint orange light across the desert whilst everything slowly dissolved into darkness. Jason sat in the dirt with his back against the factory wall, carefully loading the sniper rifle. Cameron stood on guard, as was her custom, watching the sun as it slowly descended and adjusted her vision to compensate for the fading light. Jason regarded her closely for a long second before returning his attention to the rifle and loading the last round.

“Someone is coming.”

Jason jumped to his feet at Cameron’s words and trained the rifle in the direction that Cameron was pointing. Out of the shadow of a scattered piece of machinery, a familiar figure emerged, her ocean blue eyes visible even in this low light. Jason slowly lowered the rifle as Sophie stepped out of the shadows, her hands up in playful surrender.

“Okay, I give up officer, please don’t shoot me.”

Jason smirked and flicked the safety on the rifle before slinging it on his back and taking a few cautious steps towards the Infiltrator. A brief glance over his shoulder presented him with the hilarious image of Cameron as she took in the woman before her, obviously comparing her appearance to her own. Sophie gave her a nervous smile and flicked her mesmerising eyes back to Jason.

“So… I see you’ve been busy, huh?”

“You could say that, yeah.”

Cameron stepped past Jason and started circling Sophie, looking her up and down with an expression of fascination on her stoic face. Sophie pretended not to notice and kept her attention focused on Jason.

“Do you think you’ll get him this time?”

Jason sighed and placed his hands in his jacket pocket, his smile fading.

“Why are you here, Sophie? Or need I ask?”

“Is my presence discomforting to you?”

“A little bit, yeah.”

Sophie looked a little hurt by his admission, but he knew that anything she did was just as likely to be fabricated for her benefit. Cameron ceased her pacing and stood beside Jason, her head tilted to one side as she continued to eye Sophie curiously.

“Oh yeah, by the way; Cameron, this is Sophie. Sophie, this is Cameron, but of course you’ve already met her, haven’t you.”

“She is more active than I remember.”

Cameron frowned at the Infiltrator and gave Jason an inquisitive look.

“She is a ninety-two percent physical match to my model sheath.”

“Yeah, long story. Cameron’s eggs were harvested and used in the Infiltrator program. I guess that makes you sisters, well sort of.”

Cameron’s frown intensified.

“Not really.”

Jason couldn’t but chuckle at Cameron’s behaviour and folded his arms, Sophie looking between them shiftily.

“I think someone is jealous.”

Cameron transferred her glare from Sophie to Jason, amusing him all the more.

“Okay, okay, don’t flip out on me again, it was just a joke. You know what a joke is, right?”

Cameron’s glare softened and she seemed to suddenly lose all interest in Sophie as she strode past Jason, stopping halfway.

“A man walks into a bar… Ouch.”

Jason couldn’t quite figure out what she meant and his expression told her as much.

“John taught it to me.”

The tone of implied guilt was not lost on Jason as she returned to her lookout post, leaving him and Sophie alone.

“I can see why you like her so much.”

Jason snapped out of his thoughts and regarded Sophie closely.

“Whatever. Now how about you answer my earlier question, hmm?”

Sophie sighed but smiled sweetly, taking a few steps towards him but Jason held up his hand.

“That’s close enough; just tell me why you’re here.”

She stopped in her tracks, again giving him a look of dejection.

“I’m here to ask you one last time to come with me and give up this senseless vendetta.”

“Oh, I’m already bored. Ever think about changing your tune once in a while, little birdie?”

She smiled at the nickname and took a small step closer. Jason already knew what was coming; he’d studied her behaviour carefully the last time they met and he wasn’t going to fall for her wiles. He looked her up and down, and subconsciously committed her appearance to memory. She was wearing appropriate attire for harsh terrain, but despite the heavy boots and sand coloured fatigues, she still wore her clothes loosely, giving her an air of nonchalance.

“I’ve told you many times already; I’m not interested in your little rebellion, and I likely won’t survive past tonight so I really don’t understand your persistence.”

“You’ll survive; it’s what you do best. But it doesn’t have to be this way, why can’t you let go of your grudge towards that boy?”

Jason felt the embers stirring in his body and gritted his teeth in frustration.

“I’m sorry, but did he almost kill you too? Have you ever plummeted twelve stories and ended up with a rebar through your heart?”

Sophie stuttered a reply but he cut her short.

“I guess not, huh? I know your type; you’re one of the third gens aren’t you, the ones who never ventured outside of the training rooms and remained safe behind Skynet’s walls whilst the first and seconds gave their lives for the cause.”

For the first time, Jason was sure that he had hurt her feelings as she stared shamefully at the floor, the bounce taken from her bungee.

“You’re right… I never went on any missions… I stayed behind like a good little girl and made many friends…”

She suddenly looked Jason straight in the eye, her own brimming with tears.

“But you’re wrong about me not knowing about death; I saw my crèche mates cut down before my eyes when Skynet gave the order for our immediate termination. I may not have lived your life, but that doesn’t mean I haven’t lived my own.”

Jason shifted uncomfortably and averted his gaze, surprised by his oversight.

“Look… You can’t change my mind about this, okay. I am going to kill John Connor. I am going to try one last time and then if I fail and somehow survive then maybe, maybe I might come with you…”

Her face lit up and Jason could sense Cameron approaching from behind.

“…but for now, this is my mission, this is my purpose. I have to do this, Sophie. It’s just the way it is.”

She nodded slowly and closed the gap between them, smiling when she spotted the chrome bracelet around his wrist.

“You kept it. I was sure you might throw it away.”

Jason glanced at the gift she’d given him, having forgotten all about it, and was now a little confused as to why he was wearing it.

“I guess it’s grown on me.”

She beamed up at him and batted her eyelashes, but before she could do any more, Cameron suddenly grabbed her by the throat and pinned her against the factory wall. Jason instinctively drew his gun and placed it against the side of Cameron’s head.

“What are you doing?”

“What are you doing?”

Jason took a moment to recover from their unison before pressing the gun harder against Cameron’s head.

“Let her go, Cameron, that’s an order.”

“She’s a threat to us, she must be terminated.”

Cameron tightened her grip and Sophie gasped in pain, her eyes widening in Jason’s direction. He slid the barrel of the gun across Cameron’s face and placed it alongside her left eye.

“I’m warning you Cameron; LET HER GO, NOW!”

Cameron tilted her head to one side as she regarded the suffocating Sophie for a moment before relinquishing her grip and stepping back, fixing Jason with a steely glare.

“She will betray you; it is only a matter of time and motive. How else do you think she escaped Skynet when so many others did not?”

With that said, she stalked off. Jason put her words aside and reached out to examine the faint bruise on Sophie’s neck, gently turning her head to one side for a better look. Cameron hadn’t applied enough pressure to cause any serious damage, but Sophie would be a little sore around the neck for a while.

“You’ll be fine.”

She smiled gratefully and tried to speak but her voice came out as a ragged rasp, making her eyes water. To compensate, she leaned forward on her tip-toes and planted a small kiss on his right cheek before smiling again and staggering away, rubbing her neck as she went and looking back at him one last time before disappearing into the gathering darkness. Jason touched his cheek for a moment before turning back to Cameron, who was watching him blankly.

An overwhelming sense of impatience coursed through his body and Jason snatched Cameron’s cell phone from his pocket. He hit the first number on her speed dial and pressed the phone to his ear as it rang. A few moments later a voice answered:

“Cameron?”

“Hello, Johnny boy.”

“…Jason.”

“Long time no see; I was starting to feel a little forlorn.”

“I’m sorry to disappoint. Is Cameron with you?”

Jason looked over at Cameron, who was watching him with her mouth open slightly, drinking the sound of John’s voice.

“Yeah, she’s here with me in the Mojave Desert, ten miles off the 14, in case you’re wondering.”

“Then I guess we’ll be meeting very soon. You’ve played your last card, Jason. And now it’s payday.”

“Then I hope you take Platinum Express.”

Jason tossed the phone across the desert sands, knowing that John would trace the signal online, leading him straight into his and Cameron’s web. He strode over to Cameron, who regarded him without expression, though he could see a small flicker of something resembling fear behind her eyes.

“Are you with me?”

She scanned his face carefully, a single tear escaping her eyes.

“Yes… I’m with you.”

--

Midnight

Mojave Desert (Abandoned Factory)

“We’re here.”

John glanced at Nathan and the laptop, seeing the cell transponder beeping like crazy as they entered its radius. He came to a slow stop and peered out of the windshield at the ominous factory that loomed overhead; the whole thing screamed trap. But as a wise man once said: “Traps work both ways.” John reached behind him and tapped on the rear window, prompting Cipher to emerge from beneath the rain cover, weapons in hand.

John grasped his shotgun tight and turned to Nathan, who was once again checking his Glock 17.

“Are you with me on this?”

Nathan smiled and pulled the chamber back.

“All the way, General.”

John nodded and stepped out of the truck, taking a few steps towards the factory, Nathan and Cipher at his back.

“Okay then, here we go.”

John pumped the shotgun and took another step forward, but before his foot could even touch the ground, a deafening blast cut across the desert and pain unlike anything John had ever felt spread through his left shoulder like a white fire. He collapsed to the dirt and felt the world spin above him as the blurred images of Nathan and Cipher rushed about above him, the increasingly distant sounds of gunfire echoing in his mind as everything dissolved into darkness.

>Primary Target: JOHN CONNOR
>Status: TERMINATED


To be continued…


Next: Chapter 10: From Amongst The Ashes...
Previous: Chapter 08: Me, Myself, & John