KYLE
KYLE REESE
HIS FATHER He was standing here in front of him ALIVE! He tried hard to keep his mouth from falling open as he starred at the man, and then movement behind him caught his attention. The only other person who could have, at this moment, pulled his attention away from his father had just come up behind him. CAMERON she’s alright. His confused mind stated. Then the dog showed up.

Cameron bent down and petted it! And it wasn’t barking! Cameron was HUMAN! This could not be real, could not be happening! Maybe he died after coming through maybe somebody shot him. That Weaver liquid metal bitch had killed him somehow. That would make more sense than this.

“… are you okay?”

With great effort he pulled his mind back to the present and realized that Derek had continued to talk to him, but before he could answer Kyle spoke.

“He seems a little shell shocked. Where did you find him?”

His voice! Wow! Cool! he had never even thought to try and imagine his father’s voice, of all things. The millions of times he tried to picture the man, thought about him, see how much they were alike. He never thought that they would sound a like too.

“Right here.” Derek answered gesturing with the rifle he stilled held.

“So you find a naked boy running around in our tunnels and your first thought was to give him my jacket. Nice.” Kyle said.

His mouthed curved up in a slightly mocking snare just like he did at times. Cool! he thought again.

“I didn’t give him the jacket he already had it on!” Derek retorted.

“Guys while you are standing her arguing the boy is getting more and more confused. How about we take him down get him some clothes of his own and some food, let him get his bearings and we can find out more about him and he can find out about us.” Cameron speaking like a real person, she had emotion in her voice, for him. Cool!. Why was that the only word he could think of for this situation!

“Hi” she stepped forward around Kyle and held out her hand.

“I am Allison Young. This…” she hit Kyle on the chest “..is my fearless leader Kyle Reese. It seems you have already met Derek. And this..” she patted the dog on the head “..is Sam.”

He had looked where she had pointed and wanted to scream I KNOW who they are I know all of it, but who are you! but her voice and friendly smile kept him from speaking. Allison so Cameron was modeled after a real person just great. He pulled his hand free. Making sure the jacket didn’t open and took her hand. It was warm and soft and gentle. He had to stop himself there. He looked up into her face, so familiar to him yet so alien.

“Hi I am John Connor” good at least his voice didn’t waver it stayed steady. His mom would be proud. He smirked at the idea and let go of Allison’s hand.

“Well John, Sam here seems to like you..” Allison said.

The German Sheppard was sniffing around his leg.

“Or she could just wants one of the treats I keep in that pocket for her.” Kyle added and stepped around Allison and John to his brothers side.

John reached into the pocket and found it was full of some kind of dog treats. He pulled one out and held it out to the dog. He jerked his hand back when it looked like the thing was going to take his arm off with the treat. His mother had never let him have a dog after the one that she had had when he had been born had been killed in a training exercise. Everyone laughed at the movement and Kyle clapped his hand onto John’s shoulder.

“She is one of the good guys kid.”

He slid his arm around his shoulder turning him to face the way Derek had come.

“Come on let’s get you something besides my coat to wear. It looks like we are the same size so I will take you down to where we keep the extra clothing.” He turned back to Derek and Allison.

“Allie see if you can get him some food. Derek go and inform the powers that be that we have another mouth to feed.”

With that the little band split up at the mouth of the corridor. John and Kyle went left and down a flight of stairs, the others had turned right. John tried hard to stop starring at his father’s face but it was hard. As was the unbelievable emotion that had hit him when Kyle had put his arm around his shoulders. He had dropped it only when they had come to the stairs and Kyle had lead the way down them.

John looked around and asked Kyle “what happened here I mean with the city and everything.’’

Even though John already knew, but since they never herd of the great John Connor he wanted to hear it from his Dad, Kyle.

“They organized against the machines.” Kyle answered

“well in 2011 I was playing baseball with my brother Derek who you met there we saw the sky light up with missiles we ran and hid from the bombs when they went off. We went into the undergrounds in the sewers for days until we come up we saw that everything was gone.”

Kyle had a slight choke in his voice like he was about to cry but didn't then he stopped talking,

They got to his room and he gave John some clothes, John then looked around his room and asked

“do you live alone?”

Kyle responded ''No I’m with my brother but he's not here that much he usually ends up staying at Jessie’s’’

John asks “Jessie’s''?

“yeah” Kyle says “me, Ally, & Jessie came up together in the camps but ever since she got promoted to LT she's been a real bitch to me & Ally lately giving us stupid orders to do not putting me or her in any real action and believe me we've seen some action. Allison is real good at hacking.”

John stayed there in shock while Kyle told him all the missions him, Derek, & Allison was on together he was very interested in hearing them as he got dressed up in Kyle clothes.

Allison walked in and said “Hey guys its chow time lets go to the mess hall I talked to the chef he let me cook something up today, your favorite Kyle’’

Kyle says with a slight smile “your famous apple pie''?

Allison smiles and says “Yep you guessed it''

So John, still in a bit of shock at seeing Allison's face, still thinking of Cameron when he last saw her in that motel room, but snap quickly out of it on the way to the mess hall. He grabs a tray and gets in line with Kyle & Allison then they get the pies from the chef everyone is thanking Allison for what she cooked up. Her pies are always popular with the troops, when some of the troops are thanking there all introducing themselves to John. Out of the people who came to the table where Kyle, John & Ally were sitting one man come over with a shaved head black t-shirt and army pants on. He introduced himself as Capt Efree Catalfamo. He was the only helicopter pilot who was left from the fallout a very nice guy he always sat with Kyle & Allison he never sat with Derek and the other higher ranking officers.

Efree says “DAMN! Once again Allison you really outdone yourself with this pie’’

She replied with a smile ''Thanks Cap.!”

So Efree looked at Kyle and said “who’s your new friend?”

He says ''I’m John, John Connor” and they shake hands.

Efree says “man kid that’s a strong grip you have along with a very strong name it kind of says a lot about you don’t know what? But I have a feeling I will someday?”

So John asks Efree “sir if you are a Captain how come you don't sit with the others at the other table if I may ask you that sir not that I’m being rude''?.

Capt replies with a slight smile

“no kid your not being rude well besides Derek, Kyle’s brother, the rest at that table have a real problem its like they have a real corncob stuck up there ass. Especially LT. Jessie Flores they talk to much about missions and people dying now I understand we're in a war, but I don't like to hear that talk when I’m enjoying a meal you know what I mean John?”

John said “Yes I know what you mean.”

Then Allison poked Efree in his ribs ''hey when are you going to take me up with you Cap I’ve been doing my practicing on the sims’’

Efree replied “as soon as I get my HUEY fueled up some time tomorrow once Elaina loads up my gunship and rockets just in case shit happens''?

Then she laughs and John gives a slight smile as Kyle looks at him smiles as well. They where all enjoying there meal until. Lt. Jessie Flores approached the table and tells Capt. Catalfamo

“excuse me sir shouldn't you be sitting with the other offices we miss you over there.’’

In a very stark tone of voice he replied to her

“I’m over your head I can sit with whomever I like don't forget that Lt.”

John was staring at Jessie still feeling a little hatred toward her after what happened with Riley.

She then asks “Who is this, Reese is he the one you and brother found outside?”

Kyle answered “yes mama didn't my brother tell you?” he says in a sleazy way.

Then Jessie starts staring at Allison and she says “I thought I told you that no! I gave orders that as soon as you all find anybody your suppose to let me know FIRST!”

Allison replied without looking at Jessie's face ''That was after I give the boy something to eat and some clothes first now would you kindly go sit with the rest of the officers, they miss your company over there mama!”

So Jessie replies by pushing Allison’s shoulder and yells “You look at me when I talk to you Privet. Young''!!

Everyone stopped eating including the officers at the other table where Derek sat.

Allison got up very fast and threw her pie in Jessie's face quickly the Capt & Kyle hold Allison back and Derek ran over to hold Jessie back as well from them trying to rip each other apart.

Gen Perry come up and said “What’s going on here Capt?”

Capt Catalfamo reply “I have seen it all. The Lt provoked Privet Young into a fight she was out of line sir”

“Ok that’s enough” Perry says

as Kyle John & the Capt hold Ally since she was still trying to get out of their grip, to get her hands on Jessie. When all of a sudden an alarm went off there was some trouble outside.

Everyone snapped out of the need to fight and raced off to take up their positions. John was left standing by the door to the mess hall. He had not seen where everyone went. Then a woman came around the corner and saw him. She stopped suddenly her long red hair was pulled back into a pony tail and it hit her in the side of the face when she stopped. She looked up at him.

“You should not stay here kid.”

“I know” John said “but I don’t know where to go.”

“You are the new kid right? The one the Reese brothers found.” she asked. John nodded. “Okay then come with me. My name is Elaina by the way.”

He followed the woman at a dead run around several corners and soon he lost track of the way back. He could hear bombs hitting the ground outside. He could also hear the screams of people being killed or just yelling as they shot at the machines he couldn’t be sure which.

The woman led the way into a huge room. It was larger than a gym and it was stocked full of weapons, tanks, planes, and the artillery needed to keep them all firing.

“Wow” John said. The woman smiled.

“We have the biggest artillery here. Now do you know how to load rifles?”

John grinned “Yeah”

Elaina smiled back. “Okay you get them over there loaded up I am going to start on the plasma rifles.”

“Are there more places like this.” John asked. He was already in the middle of loading his fifth rifle.

“You mean more bunkers like this here or more places like this around the world?”

“Both I guess.” John answered.

“Well we have six more hangers this size and two that are bigger. The bigger ones are where we house the tanks and planes that need to be fixed. There is a team of ten of us that work on them. Then there are more settlements out there. Some we assist when we can, the closer ones of course. No one really knows how many humans survived. No on really organized them all. We think that most of the military types of old died in the initial blasts.”

Elaina said all of this while her hands whipped over the rifles she was some how loading with mini canisters. The whole thing amazed John a bit.

He was quiet, thinking for a long time. It did not seem to bother Elaina. So since he jumped time he was not there to unite the humans so they have been on their own trying to figure all this out. All the things that he had known all his life. Why didn’t his mother help? Did she really have cancer and died before the bombs? Would he really know what happened to her? God this was frustrating. Did he do the right thing by coming through time?

In the middle of his self wonderings another bell sounded. Elaina looked up. She stood still for a moment and then laid the last rifle on the counter.

“Well it is over. I wonder if the others all made it back.”

There was a deep sadness in her voice. John wanted to reach out and hug her. The sadness in her face and the way her shoulder slumped he saw what war was really like and he wanted to scream at himself. He could have prevented some of the lose of life by staying in 2007 and waiting for all of this. He just came through thinking only of helping Cameron. Weaver could have done that, and he would have found Cameron again someday.

He reached out and touched her on the shoulder “I’m sorry.” he barley whispered.

She smiled softly. “It’s okay lets go see who returns.”

She lead the way back through the labyrinth of tunnels. This time he was able to remember the way since they went a lot slower. As they rounded the last corner and he saw the mess hall again a lump formed in his throat. What if Kyle, Derek, Allison and that captain didn’t make it back.

Elaina seemed to scan the crowd and then grabbed his arm forcing him to follow her farther away. They went through another series of tunnels and he started to recognize these. They were heading back to where Kyle slept.
They could hear voices as they turned the last corner and John saw Derek standing in the hallway. He was talking to someone in the small room. He turned toward them when he heard the footsteps, and smiled.

“Thanks E sorry I had to give you baby sitting duty.”

Elaina grinned and threw her arms around his neck.

“That’s okay I am just glad that you are back safely, and the others..” she let go and looked into the room.
“Allison and Jessie are fine they took a few guys to the med wing.” Derek said.

Elaina disappeared into the room.

“Kyle just got grazed. Captain Efree is just finishing up the dressing.” Derek explained to John.

Elaina had gone into the room and sat on the bed next to Kyle and looked up at the captain. “Are you okay?” she asked quietly.

He nodded “yeah I am fine. Can’t wait to get you back out there we really could have used you.”

She smiled. “The doc says I should be able to fly again in a few days. This time I will try harder not to hit my head.”

“She has a concussion.” Derek explained again for John’s benefit. John just nodded. He was relieved to see they were both fine.

“What did you mean about leaving her on babysitting duty?” he asked.

Derek chuckled “I saw her as I was running to my position and yelled to her if she came across you to keep you safe until we got back. I knew they had not given you a unit or position yet since you have been here for what two hours!”

They laughed together and the three inside the room joined in. A few hours later John found himself alone again in the artillery room with Elaina. They were finishing loading up all the rifles and Elaina was telling John about fixing up some of the other equipment. When John asked her about the mission.

“What do you normally do on missions?”

“Well I am the gunner for the captain.” she said.

“A few weeks ago I was out on a mission and they were firing up at us. Well the captain had to swerve to miss a direct hit and I was thrown into the gun mount and hit my head. Which left me unconscious and I woke up in the infirmary and they told me that I had a concussion and that I was off active duty for a while.”

“So they put you here fixing up the vehicles and loading the guns?” John asked.

“No this is my regular job. The thing I do in between missions. I am mostly the mechanic around here. Like I said there is a team of about ten of us all over the base.”

John nodded. They worked in silence for awhile. John liked this about her. She didn’t mind telling him what was going on, but she also left him to his thoughts when he needed to think. They finished up with the rifles and then it was time for dinner so Elaina led the way down to the mess hall. At the door she turned to the left and his friends where sitting at a table to the right. He reached out and grabbed her arm.

“Where are you going?” he asked.

“To sit with the other mechanics.” she answered.

“Why don’t you sit with us?” he asked.

“Because of Jessie.”

“Why? I mean I know she is a royal bitch, but why not just ignore her and sit with the rest of us?”

“Well you see..” she hesitated and glanced around the room looking everywhere but at John.

“See what?” John asked.

“She thinks that I am well that I ..”

“Yeesss” John said waving his hand trying to get her to hurry up with what she was trying to say.

“Jessie thinks I have a crush on Derek.” she blurted out.

“Oh!” John said. Then hesitated a moment. “Well do you?”

“Not really! I mean he is a good friend and all but we have been friends since we were kids and that’s all it is. She has become really possessive over him lately.”

“I see. So there is no way you will sit with us? I mean the others are your friends to right?”

“Well yes they are but why does it matter to you where I sit?”

He shrugged “I don’t know I guess it is because I do not know a lot of people here yet and I just want to keep those that I do know close.”

She placed her hand on his arm. “It’s okay we have all been there. We have all lost a lot of people and it is hard sometimes to get over that.” She looked around the room and saw that Jessie was sitting at the officers table. She did not see Derek yet.

“Okay I will sit with you guys, just for you, for a while. I know what it is like really.”

John smiled “Thanks.”

The two friends got in line for food and went over to sit with Kyle and Allison and the rest. It was an enjoyable meal, even though the food needed a little more flavor.
Then when they sat down at the table Allison smiled and said

''Hey Elaina its good to see you. How's your head feeling?”

Elaina replied ''Fine Allison I wish I could've been out there with you guys today I would've give them hell'' she replied.

Kyle seemed a bit silent, not eating his food. John noticed that and asked, he was about to say the word Dad, but he held himself from saying that and said

''are you ok you don't seem hungry''?

Kyle was looking at a dog collar that had blood on it with name ''Sam''. Kyle replied

''those metal mother fuckers killed her. I raised Sam since she was a puppy she's been with me through tough times” He pulled the collar off the table.

Then Allison said while touching Kyle's hand ''you are grieving I too raised her remember? Now I know that we’ve seen a lot of hell from those metal bastards but don't let that defeat you by not eating. You need your strength'' Allison.

Kyle got up and said ''we are not like them we have to feel we have to grieve, if we don't do that then we pretty much become them'' Kyle says in a louder voice then walks away from the table John's about to follow him but Allison stops him.

She says ''John let him go he'll be alright just that we lost some people today plus he really loved that dog. He just needs some time to himself''.

So John sat down at the table finished his meal then he went to the hanger, inside the old Huey army gunship in the pilots seat was Efree. He was sitting down listening to his old mp3 player. John came up to him and tapped him on the shoulder.

He said ''excuse me Capt”

He replies ''hey! John right?'' John nods his head.

Efree asks ''what brings you down here? Its a bit late shouldn't you be at your cot trying to get some rest?''

John answers ''I can't sleep how come your down here''?

Efree replies with a smile

''well I’m here just listening to my music I never can sleep to well after a firefight like we went through today. Hey John have they assigned you anywhere yet?”

John replies ''no why''?

Efree asks ''have you ever flown before in a helicopter''?

John smiles and says ''no why are you asking to join your crew sir?”

Efree replies “you go back get some rest tomorrow I’m taking Allison & Elaina up for a recon mission to the HILLS.”

John said ''Hills?''

“yes Beverly Hills I herd there's some people holding there that could use are help. We’re going in a small group over there by air me, Allison & Elaina, Derek & Jessie along with a few others are you up for it?''

John took his time to think before he answered and said ''ok are you sure you want me to go with you? I mean Efree how do you know I can handle myself in battle?''

Efree pulled out his gun and walked away from the helicopter. He picked up a beer bottles, and some coke cans out of the garbage. He then spread them apart on top of a vehicle and walked away from them and motioned toward John to follow him.

Then he says ''ok young man now right from this spot shoot at those cans but before let me put this silencer on I don't want to get in to a lot of shit about waking people up here its late.”
So Efree gives the gun to John and he aims and shoots at the cans. He fires three times hitting each item in succession.

John says ''how was that?”

Efree replies with a smile ''you see kid I knew there's something about you. So you better go I’ll see you here early at 0600 tomorrow morning.”

As John was walking away he saw a red headed woman with her hair all loose looking very voluptuous with her jumpsuit half way unzipped.

John says ''Elaina is that you?'' with a smile.

Elaina responds a little surprised to see John and says ''oh John what you doing here? I was looking for Efree. Is the Captain here?”

Then out of no where Efree appeared and said

''There you go E I’ve been expecting you right this way. I wanted you to brief me on these new components you installed my helicopter.”

She walks in ahead of Efree who signals to John to go and gives him a wink and a smile.
Elaina yells out in a playful way

''Hey Efree I brought that oil you like.”

Efree tells John ''what you hear you keep to yourself its classified''

John ''yes sir”

Then Efree smiles and goes in with Elaina.
John was heading back to Kyle's room when he finds Allison in her P.J.'S with some classical music playing. She was dancing very gracefully, like a ballerina. John just stood there watching it all. Amazed at how graceful she moves!

After a few minutes of watching Allison he continued on to Kyle’s room. Kyle was lying on his bed facing the wall. John saw that the dog collar was hung on the bed post at the end of his bed. He could tell by Kyle’s irregular breathing that he was not asleep, but since it appeared that he did not want to talk John decided to just go to his cot and leave the man to his grief.
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Just as he climbed into bed and was pulling the covers over himself Kyle spoke.

“How many have you lost kid?”

John did not answer right away. He watched the images flash in his minds eye. The first Terminator being lowered into the molten lava by his mother, Cameron deactivated without her chip, Charlie floating in the water, Derek. Derek with a bullet in his head starring unseeingly up at the ceiling. Then there was Sarah herself. His mother backing away from the energy field that sent him to the future. She was always there no matter what. His mother possibly dying of cancer, would he ever find out what happened to her?

All this ran through his head in about a minute. He took another minute to answer so that he would have control over his voice.

“I lost then all. Everyone I ever cared about is gone, or at least out of my reach. I even lost myself.” John said.

“I’m really sorry kid, it sucks to be all alone. If it wasn’t for Derek I don’t know if I would have survived this long.”

“What do you mean?” John asked.

“Derek took care of me. I was just a kid when the bombs fell and our parents were killed. Derek was just in his early teens. He always says I am to soft. Care to much about everything. I say that it is all that I have that makes me different from the machines. Derek is the strongest person I know.”

Kyle fell silent after this speech. John wasn’t sure what to say, so he remained silent. He knew of only one person stronger than Derek Reese and she had cared to much at times as well. For him.

“Sometimes I think Derek hates the machines so much because he is so much like them. He can become emotionless and empty when he wants. He remembers our parents and the life we had before J-day better then I do.” Kyle continued. He fell quiet again and remained so for so long that John thought he might have fallen a sleep.

“Thanks for listening to me rant kid.”

“Your welcome.” John whispered. “I’m sorry about Sam.”

“Kyle snorted “Thanks.” after a minuet he added “Hey I was to tell you that the Colonel wants to see you tomorrow.”

“What Colonel and when?” John asked.

“Colonel James Cameron he is in charge of our division. I think he wants to give you your assignment.” Kyle answered.

“Captain Efree wants me to go on a recon mission in the morning.” John stated.

“The recon to the Hills?” Kyle asked.

“Yeah”

“Okay Derek and I are going as well. I will take you to the Colonel afterwards. Now you really should get some sleep.” Kyle said.

“Yeah thanks da.. Um Kyle.” John said.

“Good night kid.” Kyle said and then John heard him reposition himself on the bed.

John closed his eyes and saw again the look on his mother’s face the last time he had seen her. This and Cameron without her chip vied for his attention as he slipped into unconsciousness.

A soft beeping sound slowly registered in his sluggish mind. Before he could regain consciousness it stopped and he started to slip back into sleep, but hands started shaking him.

“Come on mom leave me alone.” John mumbled into his pillow.

“I am not your mother and if you are going on the mission you better get your butt outta bed.”

The sound of his father’s voice brought him back to the reality of where he was. He was out of bed before Kyle turned away from him. He thought he saw a smirk briefly cross the mans face.
“Don’t be in such a hurry.” Kyle said and then threw a towel at him. He pointed to a fresh pile of clothing on the table between the beds.

“Allie just dropped these of for you. Come on I will show you where the showers are. The girls will get us breakfast for the ride.”

“Okay” John said.

Kyle didn’t say anything else as they walked to the end of the hall to the showers. They were the only ones there and they quickly washed up. Twenty minutes after jumping out of bed John found himself walking into the hanger bay. Allison, Derek, Elaina, Jessie and Efree where there talking and eating. Efree stepped away from the group and headed over to the chopper as Kyle and him crossed the bay.

Elaina saw them and came over carrying two sandwiches and drinks.

“Hey how was your sleep?” she asked John as she handed the food to the guys.

“To short. How was your um night?” he asked with a grin.

“Just what I expected.” she smiled back. He noticed that her hair was back in its pony tail and she was all zipped up.

She glanced over at Kyle and her smile faltered. Kyle had stopped beside John when Elaina had come up to them. He was starring in the general direction of Derek. John looked over at his uncle and saw him watching his brother. Derek looked worried, Kyle just looked … empty.
Elaina glanced between the two brothers and then stepped in front of Kyle and wrapped her arms around his neck. Kyle wrapped one arm loosely around her waist. When she didn’t let go he slowly wrapped the other arm around her and pulled her tight to him. He buried his face into her long hair. John looked away.

“Hey kid come on over here.” Derek commanded. John walked over to the small group. Derek had finished his breakfast and was holding a pistol. When John came up he held the gun out to him butt first.

“The captain says you know how to handle this. Keep it with you at all times. You never know when you will need it.” Derek said and then handed him an ankle holster for the weapon. John took it.

“Thanks” he said and bent down to strap the holster on and place the gun into it. He pulled his pant leg over it and straightened up. Kyle and Elaina had rejoined the group. Jessie was glaring daggers at Elaina but the other woman seemed oblivious to the hatred spewing from her.

Efree came over from completing the pre flight check of the helicopter. “Everyone ready?” he asked.

They all acknowledged and climbed into the chopper. John glanced at Kyle as the blades started whirling over head. He looked a bit better even though he did not lift his eyes from the toes of his shoes. He did unwrap and start eating his sandwich. John followed his cue.
They lifted off into the cloudless early morning sky. Elaina was sitting between him and Kyle absently rubbing the other man’s back. Allison was on the other side of Kyle with her arm slipped through his. Derek and Jessie where facing the trio and Jessie was still glaring at Elaina. Derek was starring out the window. John finished his meal and threw the trash into the bag that Kyle had put his in.

“Are you going to be able to handle this mission Reese?” Jessie suddenly asked looking at Kyle.

Before Kyle could do more than turn to look at her Allison and Elaina said simultaneously “He will be fine.” Even Kyle smiled at their support.

Then Derek said “Back off Jess he’s fine.”

“Well I am just saying all this angst over a dog.” Jessie retorted.

“It wasn’t just a dog to him and you know it.” Derek shot back.

“We need everyone’s head in the game.” Jessie said.

“Just because you are a cold hearted, uncaring bitch doesn’t mean everyone is.” Allison said.

Everyone seemed to tense.

Elaina spoke quietly “Let it go.” she was looking at Jessie.

Jessie opened her mouth to say something and Elaina said

“Do you really want to go there Lieutenant? I said let it go” she stressed the Lieutenant. This made John wander about her rank. No one called her by it, but it appeared by the way Jessie snapped her mouth shut and looked away that she might outrank the other woman.

“Kid!” Efree called. John turned to look at him.

“Yeah” John said.

“Why don’t you come up here and co with me.” Efree said.

“Okay.” John glanced around at the others. They where looking every where but at each other. He then climbed up into the co pilots seat. He was amazed at the view.

John looked out of the windscreen to see everything was pretty munch destroyed by judgment day. Bridges, buildings etc where are in shambles. He was thinking a lot about the stories that his mom told him about J-day but he never could picture it. But now he seeing it through the sky it was unreal to him.

Efree asked him ''are you alright kid''?

John reply ''yes just looks more sad by seeing the ruins what’s left of everything up here''

Efree reply in a sadly ''yeah I know believe I do hey E!''' Efree yells over the sound of the engines to call Elaina over to ask her quietly in her ear.

''Look RED Kyle is going to be ok don't worry he's with good company.”

Then she gives him a slight smile and whispers in his ear ''I know he is just like last night you were in very good company with me remember”

She secretly kisses his ear and he tries not to laugh in front of the others. All of a sudden there's a loud beeping sound.

John goes ''what’s that Capt''? Fearfully.

Elaina says ''that means there's an HK approaching Cap try that scrambler shield that will short out their radar and sensors.”

So he takes aim and locks on the target and fires. It exploded before it hit the target, but the explosion scrambles the HK up so it starts flying blind. But it doesn't detect the HUEY and Efree flies by it like nothing.

Derek says ''Shit that was close''

Jessie, Allison & Elaina says simultaneously ''FUCKING A''! Then they all look at each other strangely.

Now they approach the spot at the Hills and Efree says ''ok this is the spot I’m going to put us down here. I’m not going to land I’m going to hover over the roof of this building here. The people from the signal tells us they should be at the 12th floor lock. Give them this password ''there is no fate but what we make for ourselves''

John looks at Efree and says quietly to himself ''deja vu''

Allison jumps off first once Efree flies low enough. Then Kyle and Derek follow along with Jessie. Elaina stays in the chopper to man the main 50 caliber gun.

John was about to follow them until Efree yells ''no! you stay here they’ll be right out''.

So John waits with him and Elaina. Meanwhile inside everything is a bit dark and cold.

Allison says ''there's the door they most be locked inside to keep safe from metal?”

She goes forward, ahead of Derek and Jessie, who cover her rear. Kyle stays behind all three of them covering their's. Allie apaches the door and knocks real hard on it with a ball pin hammer.

She says ''there's no fate but what we make for ourselves.''

Then the big steel vault like door opens. A very young girl that can't be more then 13, all dirty and sad is behind it. They look behind her to see a 17yr old girl with short red hair and blue eyes laying on a make shaft bed. Derek and the others enter.
Ally bends down at the little girl holding a dirty doll head and says

''hi I’m Allison these are my friends what’s your name''? she smiles.

The girl answers ''I’m Mindy this is my friend Savannah Weaver''

The 17 girl Savannah seemed to be very sick. She had a fever and Jessie run a scan on her to see if she was able to live. According to the scan she just had a real bad flu and needed some meds ASAP. So they got her up and took Mindy by the hand and returned back to the helicopter. As they were about to take off a bunch of T-600'S started firing on them across the roof.

Efree yells '''E 3 o'clock light them up''

She fired with extreme prejudice at the T-600'S ripping them into metal flesh pieces. Efree starts to take off while Elaina, Jessie, Derek, & Kyle start shooting at the T-888'S that are now coming out of the stair case door. Efree gets off to a safe distance out of there range and fires some mixed napalm with thermite. The rooftops begin burning along with the building. The machines are turned to ash. Through all that John felt like he wished he could've been in there firing instead of yelling what directions metal was attacking them. But when they thought they were in the clear a HK appeared.

Efree yells ''E do we have enough power to run another scrambler?'' She shakes her head and says ''no!”

The machine stops in a hover in front of them about to ready its weapons. John finds a grenade launcher next his chair sticks himself out of the side window and fires on it and says to himself ''hasta la vista baby.'' It hits the back tanks of the HK causing it to explode.
Everyone looks at John in praise even Jessie too so they begun there flight back to the base. Elaina comes by to Efree’s side and rests her head on his shoulder while he still flies. He touches her red hair a bit with his free hand, as John watches.

Efree says ''now that’s some badass shooting kid but not as good as the 50 caliber queen over here'' as she gives him a slight smile and kisses him on his lips lightly.

They returned to the base barley ninety minuets after leaving that morning. Kyle lifted the unconscious Savannah from the chopper and placed her on the waiting gurney. The med team took her down the hall to the medical room. Allison stood holding Mindy’s hand. The young girl watched as her friend was wheeled away. Then she looked up at Allison.

“Where are they taking her?” she asked.

“Just down the hall to get some medical attention.” Allison replied. “I will take you to her after we get you some food and cleaned up a bit okay?”

The girl nodded. Allison turned to the rest of the team. “I’m going to take care of her.”

“Okay” Kyle said. “I have to get the kid up to the Col.”

His voice was still a little flat. Elaina and Allison were watching him still a bit worried. Derek saw this

“Come on bro I will go with you.”

Kyle just nodded and then reached over and grabbed John’s shoulder. He pulled him forward and the trio headed towards the door. Jessie made a face at their retreating backs, then without a word she headed out a different door.

Elaina and Allison exchanged looks as the girl watched. “You better get her some food.”

Elaina said nodding to the girl.

“Yeah” Allison agreed. “Let’s go” she said to Mindy.

After everyone had gone Elaina went over to the chopper. She popped open the engine compartment, and started checking everything over. Efree sat on a box of 50 cal. ammo to watch her.

“Okay what is really going on Kyle?” Derek asked. “I understand about the dog. Really I do!” he added at the skeptical look Kyle shot him. “But you don’t mourn this long over humans let alone pets.”

“So maybe it was not just over the dog.” Kyle said looking away. Derek tried to catch his eye, but Kyle refused to look at him.

“Come on Ky. I’m your brother what the hell is going on?” Kyle didn’t answer. He just set his jaw and continued to stare in the direction they were headed. John looked from one to the other and made sure he stayed behind them.

After a few moments of stony silence Derek grabbed Kyle and threw him into the wall. He pushed his elbow under Kyle’s chin forcing him to look at him. Kyle threw a punch toward Derek’s face. Derek blocked it and shoved his hand against the wall.

“You are not big enough to take me yet, kid.” Derek hissed into his brothers face. “Now what the hell is your problem?”

Kyle looked at their hands. Derek was holding his wrist against the wall. Kyle’s hand was still balled into a fist. Seeing them like that just showed how much they had grown apart. The anger raged in Kyle until he felt like he would burst. Finally he turned to look at Derek. The rage in his face made Derek shift his weight slightly back, but he did not let go of Kyle.

“It’s you alright.” Kyle spat in Derek’s face.

“I have a kid who is not related to me in any way sleeping in my brother’s bed. My brother who said no matter what we would always be together. Always come first over everything and everyone else.”

In the face of his furry Derek, unthinkingly, loosened his grip. Kyle took advantage of his lapse and shoved Derek back. Derek staggered and fell into the opposite wall.

“Then you met her.” Kyle continued. “At first I was happy for you. You deserved some happiness. But then I met her.”

He jabbed his finger into his own chest when he said ‘I’.

“You left us alone together in that bunker remember? While you went out to check the perimeter. I said that I would do it but you told me you wanted me to get to know her, for you. As your girl. That’s what you said. Well I got to know her as soon as you were out of ear shot.” Kyle’s hands were shaking as he glared at Derek.

“When she knew you couldn’t hear she said to me that she was going to keep you busy. Keep you away from me.” again he jabbed himself in the chest.

“She said that you would never need anyone but her and that she would make sure you wouldn’t want anyone else. You know what I said?” Derek looked stunned and shook his head no.

“I told her that she was crazy. That you wouldn’t let some spoiled bitch come between us. That blood was thicker than anything just like you always told me. I said that you wouldn’t turn your back on your friends either. That she didn’t have a chance. But over the last few months you have been taking her side more and more. I don’t even remember the last time that you ate a meal with us, or when you slept in your own bunk. When was the last time you talked to your friends without her there, on your last mission? And now I’m the one that you are throwing into a wall. Holding up by my throat. Did you forget that you were the one who gave me that dog? When was the last time that it was just us Derek?”

The anger seemed to have seeped out of him as fast as it had come on. Kyle slumped against the wall and slid down it so that he was sitting on the floor. He ran his hand through his hair and then rested his chin on his knee.

Derek stood over him awkwardly. He raised his hands as if he was going to touch the other man, but then let them fall to his sides. He turned and kicked the wall behind him. John remained silent, watching.

Derek turned and dropped into a crouch in front of Kyle. He reached out and rested a hand on Kyle’s knee.

“I’m sorry Ky. I didn’t see that it bothered you so much.”

Kyle looked at him then. He just starred into his brother’s eyes and then suddenly he pushed him back and stood up.

“It doesn’t matter, forget it. I’m fine.” He turned to continue down the hall. Derek stopped him by grabbing his arm, Kyle turned to look at him.

“You are right. There is no one that can come between us and I still look out for my friends. But I love her too.” Derek said.

“Oh and next time talk to me about what’s going on instead of acting like a jealous brat.”

Kyle grinned at him. “Okay sure.” He said looking down. Derek pulled him into a hug.

“Do you love the way she glares at your friends? The way that none of them even want to come around you if she is there? The way Elaina had to order her to stand down. Come on Derek. Elaina never flaunts her authority. Ever, especially in front of others like that. That alone should tell you something isn’t right.” Kyle said after they had separated.

Derek nodded. “I know that really surprised me. I will talk to Jessie okay?”

Before Kyle could answer a door opened about halfway down the hall. A tall slender man with black hair shot through with grey stepped out. He quietly surveyed the scene. Derek stood beside Kyle, who was in the front of the group facing the man. John stayed behind Derek. The brothers straightened up and saluted. The man saluted back and then nodded at Kyle.

“Lt. Reese I thought you were going to bring me that new kid. Where is he?”

Kyle stretched out his hand and pointed to John “Right there Col.”

The Col. Walked toward them and looked at John.

“Okay you two can get out of here.” He said to the brothers.
“Boy come with me.”

Derek and Kyle watched as John followed the Col. into the door that he had come out of. Once the door closed they turned and headed to the mess hall for lunch.
John was in a combination living room, kitchen and office. The man stepped over a pile of papers staked on the floor and indicated the chair beside it.

“Have a seat. Do you like tea?”

John sat down and said “Um yeah sure.”

The Col. went into the kitchen area and after a few minutes came back with two cups of hot tea. He sat one cup on the table in front of John and then sat in the chair facing him.

“I am Col. James Cameron. I run this place for the most part. I understand you are John?”

John swallowed the hot liquid and said “um yes I’m John Connor sir.”

“How old are you John?”

“Sixteen.” John replied.

“How does a sixteen year old end up in one of my out tunnels with no clothes, no weapons and no marks on him?” The Col. had at first been looking into his cup, but as he finished he looked up at John.

“Well um…” John trailed off. What was he suppose to say about this? He had not come up with a story yet.

“Let me guess. You are from the past, you came through time with one of the liquid metals in order to save another metal that had been sent back to befriend and protected you. It did so because it thought that you were the savior of the human race. How close am I?”

John starred at him stunned. How the hell did he guess all that? Before he could get his thoughts in order a hand fell onto his shoulder and a voice above him said

“I love you too John.”

John’s head snapped up and he saw Sarah Connor smiling down at him. He jumped up and threw his arms around her.

“Mom what are you doing here?” Sarah hugged her son. “Well that’s going to take a bit to explain.”
The Col. smiled

“well I have some things that I need to look over down at the command center.” with that he walked out of the room. Sarah turned to John and they both sat back down.

Sarah spread her hands looking a bit lost

“Well I am not sure where to start. Um after you left the techs started looking into the computers that were left behind. Ellison over saw it and when they found out how to activate the time device I decided it was time to come looking for you.”
“Mom I was only here for like a day.”

“Yeah for your time, it was a few months for me. Which means I had time to think.” she got up and walked around the room, stopping in front of a wall with some topical maps taped up.

“You jumped into your own future. So who was the person who lead the humans after J day? Where does this leave your destiny?” she threw her hands up in the air and let them fall to her sides. “Any clue on that one?” she turned to face him.

“Well I did find out that the humans are scattered they are not really working together and as far as I can tell they are using trial and error in dealing with the machines. But before we get to that how did you get here in the Col.’s room?”

Sarah laughed. “Well I was wandering down in the basement here after coming through, I had found some clothes, and then I almost literally ran into the Colonel. He recognized me from before. See he was in a division that worked closely with cyber dine and all that computer stuff back in 2007 and he recognized me from my picture. That is when I told him everything and he brought me here. He told me about a boy that a unit of his had found down in the same tunnels that he found me. He was pretty sure that you were my son so he contacted the unit that found you and had the first lieutenant of the unit bring you here.”

Now it was John’s turn to laugh.

“Do you know whose unit found me? Who that first lieutenant was?” John asked. Sarah shook her head no.

“Try Derek and Kyle Reese.” John said with a mocking grin.

“Kyle” Sarah said quietly.

At that time the man that she was thinking about was feeling pretty stupid. He was sitting next to Derek in the mess hall. Some of the other officer’s had asked for Derek to come sit with them but he had told them all no. Stating that he was going to eat with Kyle today. Then Jessie had come in. She had glared at their table, then came over and demanded that Derek go sit with her. Derek had again said no and that he was going to spend the day with Kyle, but had warned her that they needed to talk later. She had glared at Kyle. Kyle had done all he could not to slump in his chair but look her right in the face.

After Jessie had gone over to the officer’s table where she usually sat, Allison came and sat down across from him.

“So I heard that you had a major melt down Reese.” she shook some salt on to the mound of white that was suppose to be mashed potatoes on her tray.

“I have tried to tell those who have asked me that you were not yourself and that it was all from the stress of losing Sam that you lost it on Derek here.”

Kyle was starring at her. “Please close your mouth?” she had said smiling at him.

He snapped his jaw closed and then said “They know?” with his left hand he indicated the entire hall.

“Yep pretty much.” she said.

He groaned and tried to hide his face behind his hand and finish his meal while trying to tune out all the babbled around him. He was trying not to be paranoid and think that they were all talking about him, but when he did venture to look around he saw that many people where looking at him.

He had just finished and was about to take his tray up when he saw the kid come into the room with a beautiful woman. He really needed to apologize to the kid, but he couldn’t help starring at the woman that walked at his side to get a tray and join the line. Kyle decided to remain at the table he was pretty sure the kid would join them once he got his grub.

John & Sarah got in line picked up a tray and got some food after they got there meal Allison called out ''hey John''!

Sarah looked very shocked and asked John

''is that who I think it is''?

with a very strange look on her face because of seeing Allison's face. Thinking it was Cameron but the way she called him sounded very warm and friendly.
They arrived at the table Derek & Allison said ''hi''

Ally asked ''hey Mr. hasta la vista baby who's your new friend'' she said with a silly smile on her face.

John give a slight smile and said ''I’m sorry where's my manners Derek, Allison & Kyle this my mom Sarah Connor. Mom these are my friends.”

Sarah felt like she was dreaming. Like she was having chow with some ghosts. Especially seeing John's farther sitting right in front of her and seeing Derek right next to him. And then a very, very friendly girl close to John's age who wasn't a friend to crack a smile, with Cameron's face. The face that was the reason her son went through time, for her she knew that he was his father’s son after all. Kyle did it for her.

John elbowed his mom because while she was thinking all that stuff she didn't realized that Kyle was asking her something.

She said ''oh sorry Kyle my mind was somewhere else what was it you were saying?” she said with a slight smile, and a bit nervous also.

Kyle said, while still not taking his eyes off her like maybe there was something about that kept drawing all his attention, ''where are you from L.A. I’m guessing''?

While she was about to answer Efree showed up at the table and said ''hey AMIGOS! what’s up? And who might you be blue eyes''? he said in a very sweet way .

Sarah seemed relieved that he interrupted them and said

''I’m Sarah Connor John's mother''

He said ''oh really? but if you don't think I’m out of line by saying this you and him look more like you can be brother & sister''.

Sarah laughed and said ''John who might this guy be''?

Efree ''I’m sorry allow me to introduce myself, I’m Capt Efree Catalfamo tech. com astroy division I fly one of America’s classic Helicopters Huey'' he says full of cock & balls. He shakes her hand.

Then he asks Derek

''hey what brings you to this table if I might be so bold to ask LT''?

Derek smiles ''while being bold has nothing to do with it Efree but I’ll let you know I’m spending the day with Kyle''.

Efree says

''that’s great Reese. Hey Allison by the way I just came from the infirmary Mindy says ''hi'' and wants to know if you can go see her soon? oh and one more thing you know tonight is your boxing match right have you've been training?”

Allison says with a lot confidence and tells Efree ''are you kidding? I’m the granddaughter of Rocky like those movies you loaned me to watch on what do you call those discs?''
Efree says ''DVD'S''?

Allison says ''yeah those Martinez don't know what's coming to her''

Efree says with a slight smile on his face ''well I’m also her to let you know there's been a change. Martinez won't be boxing with you tonight LT Jessie Flores is.''

Allison looks a bit stung by the news but replies ''OH! thank you for explaining Efree it must be my birthday today I’ve been waiting this for a long time''

She looks over at Jessie at the officers table with that raptor glare. Then after they all finish eating and they go to throw out their plates.

As they are putting their trays on the table Col Cameron called Kyle over ''hey Reese you think you can show Sarah around and take her downstairs to Lieutenant Colonel Elaina King I believe she did say she does need someone down there to give her a hand in keeping that old whirly bird of Capt Catalfamo from falling apart'' he said jokingly.

Kyle says ''yes sir''.

Kyle walks on ahead of Sarah and says ''this way'' Sarah gives the Col a slight smile he takes a sip of coffee and gives her a wink then she walks after Kyle so he can give her a tour and they can get a chance to rap as well. At the door Sarah turns to look back at John. He is standing between Allison and Derek watching her walk away. She lifts her hand in a wave and disappears around the corner after he waves back.

“So who is Lieutenant Colonel Elaina?” Sarah asks to break the silence.

Kyle turns to her and says “She is the best mechanic we have, she also is one of the only chopper gunners we have left as well. She’s cool.” He adds with a shrug.

“I see.” they walk in silence for a bit. Sarah was tapping her hand against her leg a bit nervously.

“She a good fighter?” she tries again to get the man to talk.

Again Kyle shrugs and says “Yeah. We all have to be to stay alive.”

Sarah nodded. Yet again they fall into silence. But again Sarah attempts to break it. “You are not much of a talker are you?”

Kyle laughs at this and stops to turn to face her “Where have you been today?”

Sarah looks at him confused “With Col. Cameron. Why?” she asks.

“You didn’t hear the meltdown going on outside his door?” he had placed quotes with his fingers when he said meltdown.

“No. The Col. Said that he was going into the hall to check on something, but I didn’t hear anything. Why?”

“Oh I pretty much yelled at my brother. Let out all that pent up furry and all.” He had turned and continued walking as he started talking. Sarah followed, but know it was her turn to laugh.
“Derek probably needed it.” she said.

Kyle laughed with her “Yeah probably. But I could have found a bit more tactful way to address it.”

Just then he stopped again. He pulled open one of the heavy metal green doors that lined the hall and gestured for her to go in first. She stepped into a huge hanger bay. There were three tanks in various states of repair. Also a helicopter and some other machines the she could not readily identify. They might have been tanks at one time, but now had been modified so much it was hard to tell. She could hear music playing in the far corner.

“This way.” Kyle said stepping around her. She followed him through the narrow paths between all the junk piled through out the bay.

“What is this place?” Sarah asked.

Kyle grinned at her, a sight that nearly took her breath away.

“This is Elaina’s lair. She fixes up all this stuff, loves to modify whatever she can, and doesn’t really like to let anyone help. Oh she will tell you we have a team of about ten mechanics, but really Elaina is a bit of a loner type. She prefers to hang out here with the metal junk piles.”

“And she hates to be interrupted by sassy mouthed jealous brats with infuriatingly stupid older brothers.” a voice came from somewhere above and to the right of them. Sarah turned in that direction.

“You forgot pigheaded and self absorbed in talking about that brother of mine.” Kyle called into the air.

Then a very pretty red headed woman, about the same age as Sarah came around a corner of some huge hunk of metal. She grinned at Kyle

“Yeah well I was going to see how your little outburst really will affect him before I went that far.”

She then hugged Kyle. Sarah tried not to let the jealousy over whelm her.

“Doing better are you?” the woman asked.

Kyle had hugged her back, but when she asked that question he dropped his head, shrugged a bit then mumbled

“Yeah.” He then lifted his head and grinned at her sheepishly.

“How did you hear about it?”

“Alley stopped by before going to the mess hall.”

“Figures” Kyle said. He then reached out and touched Sarah on the arm and said

“This is Sarah Connor, the kids mother. She showed up today and Col. Cameron wants her to work with you.”

The woman held out her hand “I am Elaina. You have a very I interesting son.”

“Thank you.” Sarah said.

“Why are you still here Reese?” Elaina asked.

“Kyle grinned “Well I was her chaperone, but I just really want a place to hide for a bit.” he looked pleadingly at her.

Elaina laughed “Okay I could use some muscle, why don’t you take your shirt off so we can get dirty.”

Kyle laughed back at her “I love it when you talk dirty to me.” He then pulled of the dark green tee shirt he had on. Sarah tried not to stare at the ripple of muscles that ran down his body.

“What do you need me to do?” Kyle said laying his shirt on a near by box.

“I need you to help me grease these tracks and replace them onto the metal wheels.” she indicated the tracks of the tank beside her.

“Are you going to take your shirt off too?” He asked jokingly.

“You wouldn’t be able to handle yourself if I did.” they laughed again and then Elaina turned to Sarah.

“Do you know how to fix any of this stuff?”

“Some John and I learned a bit on the road.” Sarah replied.

“You know it is going to take more than the three of us to get these tracks on, I could call Derek. I am sure the kid is still with him.” Kyle said.

A wicked grin crossed Elaina’s face. “Okay but make sure they know that it is clothing optional.”

Kyle grinned and pulled a radio out of his belt. He walked a few rows away to call his brother.
“Have you two known each other long?” Sarah asked.

Elaina looked over at Kyle. He stood with his back to her.

“Ever since the day him and Derek showed up here. Derek and I were the same age and in similar situations, so we hung out a lot together and Kyle and Michael hung out with us.” she said.

“Whose Michael?” Sarah asked just as Kyle rejoined them.

Kyle froze and looked at Elaina. A sadness covered her face and she buried her head into one of the metal barrels beside them. She spoke but neither of them could make out what she said. Sarah looked up at Kyle. He smiled sadly at her and said

“Michael was her younger brother. He was killed in an attack about five years back. That was when Elaina kind of hid herself here.”

“I didn’t hide myself here. If they had any decent mechanics then they might have made it back instead or breaking down in the middle of no mans land. Left to sit there and get squished by those stupid machines.” she glared at Kyle.

Then sighed and ran a dirty sleeve over her face leaving a streak of grease on her cheek.

“I’m sorry Ky. I shouldn’t have exploded on you like that. I am the one that brought it up. Are the guys coming?”

“No prob E. Yeah they are coming. Derek wanted to know if the clothing optional meant that he didn’t need his pant either?”

“Well that’s up to him, but he might get that little thing caught somewhere he doesn’t want it.”

They were laughing as Derek and John joined them.

“Shirts off boys.” Elaina said.

Derek looked at her “Oh no King. If we are stripping down so are you. Get out of the ridicules jumpsuit. And show some skin.” he teased her. To his surprise Elaina unzipped the jumpsuit that she was wearing and pulled it off. Underneath she had on a black sports bra and tight fitting blue shorts. She threw the jumpsuit over top of Kyle’s shirt.

“Be careful what you ask for D - man, you just might get it.” she replied.

Kyle scanned her body once and said “Man that is what you have been hiding all this time! I think I am going to find you locker and burn all of your jumpsuits. You look great.”

“Not as great as Allison though right?” she teased him.

Kyle’s face went slightly red and Sarah heard him mutter something about chicks talking to much before he bent down and started to lift the barrel beside him. Derek stepped to the other side and the two brothers took the barrel up a wheeled stairway that was beside the tank.
Over the next several hours the five man team worked on oiling the two tracks and all the metal wheels that kept the track on, and then replacing the tracks on both sides of the tank. By the time they were done they were all covered in oil and dirt literally from head to toe.

“Wow that was fun” Derek said sarcastically.

“I don’t know about you but I enjoyed the view.” Elaina said winking at him.

Derek laughed “Oh I enjoyed the view as well.” He then picked up her jumpsuit and added

“That is why I agree with Kyle and I am going to help him burn these.”

He took off running through the piles of junk and Elaina screamed and ran after him. Kyle, Sarah and John laughed.

“Are they always like this?” she asked Kyle.

He nodded “Yeah pretty much. They are just good friends. Elaina like to flirt and tease others. Of course she calls it having fun, but it really helps to lighten the mood sometimes.”

he then looked her over.

“Well I guess I will take you to the showers. We” he indicated himself and John.

“will be at the other end of the hall in the boys showers, so just stay by the girls showers and we will pick you up on they way threw. Trust me you are not going to want to miss this fight.”

he smiled at her and then led the way out of the hanger bay.

Kyle, Derek & John got all washed up then went to go meet Elaina & Sarah in front of the girls showers in the hallway, but the women where not there so Derek stuck his head in real quick only to catch Elaina about to pull her bra on and she smiles and says

''I know I know hurry up where going to be late D-man is there something you like. Are my boobs hypnotizing you?''

Sarah and Elaina start laughing their asses off. Sarah hasn't laughed like that in a very long time.

Derek smiles and says ''yeah put those 44 magnums of yours back in there holster and lets go. The fight is in 10 min I want to get good seats.”

So they finish up getting dressed and start walking with Derek, Kyle & John. They arrive at the gym and get front row seats. The 5 of them sit together Derek next too Elaina, Kyle next too Sarah, and John at the end of them. John was thinking by the way they were sitting with his mom & dad together almost like a family event. Especially with his uncle Derek there with them. It kind of put a smile on his face. He noticed that when his mom looked at him and he saw her smile too.

Meanwhile Col Cameron steps inside the ring and talks on the bull horn to the crowd of troops in there seats

''ok remember this is not a fight to the death we are all humans in here the enemy is outside this is just 2 of are brethren that are going to let off some stream on each other. There will be only 4 rounds. After the fight is over who ever wins will be given the respect there now with all that said and done ''LETS GET READY TO RUMMMMBLEEE!!!!”

Everyone cheers. Jessie enters the ring first wearing a black sports bra and black jogging paints Derek begins howling like a wolf and Jessie sees him and gives him a slight smile and a wink. Before Allison enters the ring with Efree as her trainer she seems a bit timid.
Efree notices that and before they get ready to enter the ring he steps in front of her and puts his hands on her shoulders and says

''yes she's a brawler but she's not as graceful as you. She doesn't have that hidden rage as you have. Her rage is all over the place you can win this fight Ally. I taught you everything I know about fighting. The same way you pace yourself in dancing you must do the same here ok Ally?''

Allison gives him a big hug and a quick kiss on the his lips.

Then says ''I'm a big bitch for letting you go Efree you have always been very good with me. But I’m happy that Elaina got you now she's a lucky girl''

Efree scratched has shaved head and asked ''how do you know about me & Elaina''?

Ally teased him and said ''I didn't for sure but now I do. Plus she gives all the details afterwards.”

Allison, with Efree holding the bucket and towel around his neck by her side, enter the ring. Ally’s wearing a grey sports bra and some grey jugging paints.

The ref tells Jessie & Allison to center in the ring and tells them the rules ''its 4 min each round no wresting ladies you win by knockout or knockdown or if one your trainers decide to throw in the towel now touch gloves and go to your corners. We start the fight at the sound of the bell”
Jessie & Allison stare at each other both not letting the other get intimidate them. They touch gloves and go to their corners. Their trainers give them their mouth peaces. Then at the sound of the bell ''DING''!!!!!! Jessie & Ally charge at each other like two wild tigers. Jessie tries to go for a quick knockout, but no luck because of Ally’s speed of dogging those fists of rage of hers. But she throws a building punch to Ally that knocks a little out of her she bends down to the corner trying to hold her tears in and to channel her rage in the right direction.

The ref asks her ''do you want to continue''? she nods her head and says

''fucking A''

Jessie tries to go for the same shot but goofs. Ally moves to her left throwing a right jab to Jessie's jaw. It seems like Ally must have some freakish strength because that jab pushed Jessie all the way to the ropes. Ally kept on striking her. Left and right jabs until Jessie got away with one quick left at Ally. Her left cheek pushing her back a bit. Right before round 1 was about to end Ally responded with a hard back spin right punch at Jessie's nose knocking her away from the ropes down to the floor. The ref starts counting her. She tries to get up slowly but her trainer decides she's not able to continue because the blood was in her eyes.
So the Col makes the announcement

''LT Flores is unable to continue winner by knock out Privet. Allison Young'!!!!”

Elaina, Kyle, Sarah & John where cheering at the top of their lungs like most of the troops. Derek gave Ally a quick smile. Efree gave Allison a hug for doing a good job.
A beaten & bloody nosed, talking a bit funny, Jessie tells Allison

''you fought like a real warrior you really got my respect. I hope I have yours now? I owe you a very big I’m sorry for all those things I’ve said to you, Elaina, & Kyle. Even you too Captain I’m honored to fight by your side Allison.'' she says with a slight tear running down her face.
Ally replies with some tears running down her face as well

''you’re more then my LT your a warrior as well I look forward to crashing those metal mother fuckers in to junk outside.'' Then they give each other a big hug. Finally there's a truce between Jessie and everyone else.

Derek asks Kyle ''you think it would be ok if I go with Jessie to the infirmary so I can help the docs patch her up? I know this is our day in all bro?''

Kyle smiled and said ''sure go ahead I’ll stick around with John, Sarah and Elaina. So then they escort Allison out of the ring. Efree puts his arm around Elaina’s shoulder and says

' 'man that was an awesome fight right''?

Elaina says ''you really taught her well Rocky'' joking with him. Then he smiles and tells her

''yeah that’s right Adrian btw what did you tell Ally exactly about us''?

Elaina smiles and says in a teasing way ''its all girl talk you wouldn't understand''. So he starts tickling her to get her to tell him but she laughs and runs away and he starts casing yelling ''Adrian!!!!!!!'' in a Sly Stallone type of voice.

Meanwhile as everyone was in the mess hall celebrating the victory John was wondering down the hallway and herd the shower running in the girls locker room. He thought no one was inside but he could hear the water running from the shower. John quietly entered and saw at the shower the most beautiful heavenly goddess body he ever seen. Allison was there washing her hair with her eyes full of soap she didn't notice John staring at her. Seeing Allison like that made him miss Cameron more especially the first time he seen her naked when they traveled through time from 1999 to 2007. Also the time she removed her bra at the motel to make that cut to check her. So while he was standing there thinking about that he didn't realize that Allison had washed the soap off her hair and turned toward him. She spotted him looking and said in a very funny tune to him

''hey John are you enjoying the view or are you just lost''? she smiled.

She's a free spirited women. She wasn't shy when it came to a handsome young man watching her so John stood there with his face turning red trying to say something!

“Um well..”

he trailed off running his hand along his pant leg still trying to think of something. The only thing that kept running threw his mind was RUN! So that is what he did.

“I’m sorry”

he mumbled and then turned and nearly tripped over his own feet as he hurried out of there. He barley got to the door of his and Kyle’s sleeping area when a hand fell on his arm turning him around.

He allowed himself to be turned and was surprised to see Allison standing there with a towel wrapped around herself.

“John is okay really. No hard feelings alright?”

“Yeah okay.” he starred down at her and then he just started talking he tried to tell himself to shut up but his mouth didn’t seem to want to listen to his brain.

“It’s just that you look so much like this friend I had. Her name was Cameron. She was like my protector, and I really miss her. I came her to try and help her. You see she is metal that was reprogrammed to help me, and someone stole her chip and they came here. I followed him to these tunnels with someone else and now they are both gone and I have no clue where to look for them. Then my mother shows up and she HATES Cameron, and I think I really messed everything up!” as he stopped speaking he slumped down and sat on the floor. “I just don’t know what I am suppose to do anymore.”

Allison knelt down beside him “Hey it’s okay. It’s not like you were going to single handily save the world or anything right?”

John looks up at her, starring her right in the eyes and says “That is exactly what I was meant to do.”

Allison pulls back a bit and looks at him. Then says “wait here let me get dressed then we can talk okay?”

“Sure” he mumbles and picks up a twig and starts drawing in the dust on the floor.
Allison stands and looks down at him worriedly. Please stay here. She thought to herself and then rushes back to the showers to get dressed.

John heard her leave. He was telling himself that he needed to get up. To leave before she got back. That he had already told her too much as it was. He was just about to stand when she reappeared. She took hold of his hand and said

“Come on, I know a place were we can talk in privet.”

She lead the way down several flights of stairs. When they reached the bottom she turned down a tunnel that he had to bend over to walk through. Once on the other side she pushed a pile of boxes out of the way and revealed a small opening behind it. She motioned for him to go inside. It was totally dark on the other side and he just stood there not knowing what might be ahead of him. He heard Allison moving the boxes back into place and then light blossomed behind him.

Turning he saw that Allison had lit an oil lamp and was holding it up. She found another one and lit it handing it to him. He took it and turned back around. They were in an old mine of some kind. Allison stepped around him and said “This way.”

They walked down one of the tracks for about fifty feet and then turned left. There was a door less opening and they walked through. They were in a small room that had a long rectangular table with several chairs around it. She walked over set the lamp on the table and pulled out a chair. She sat down and motioned for him to sit in the chair beside her. He walked over slowly and sat his lamp next to hers and gradually eased himself into the chair.

“Not many people know this and if you tell anyone I will gladly have Derek rip your head off.”

she smiled a small sad smile at the end, then continued.

“I was captured about a year ago. Derek and I were out with another unit and he was my buddy. You do know the buddy system right?” at his nod she went on.

“Well we were searching this waterway when out of nowhere we got ambushed. I was taken, but Derek followed. Before he got me out of there, the machines put me through some weird scanning machines and my image and body structure came up on a huge screen in front of the room. I was pretty out of it and couldn’t tell what it said. Derek got me out shortly after that. We reconnected with our unit but never told anyone that I had been taken. I always wondered if they where going to make some machine look like me. But why me! And now you say you were friends with one that looked like me. So please tell me your story. I promise I will tell no one.”

John hesitated “You will think that I’m crazy.” he said stalling.

“We are all a bit crazy, but if you know something that can help us you need to tell me, please.”

John starred at her, would she hate him of he told her what he had done? She looked up at him so innocently. Well he already told her more than she should know why not go all the way.

“I was born in 1985.” The shocked look on her face was priceless, but he had a lot more to say. “My father is from your time, he’s here now and doesn’t even know that I am his son. See the future me sent him back to 1984 to protect my mother from a terminator that was sent back to kill her. Well really to kill me before I was born.”

“But why would the Terminators want you dead?” Allison interrupted.

“Because I lead the humans into war against the machines. I had won, their last ditch attempt was to kill me before I could kill all of them. I was suppose to be the leader of the human race. The one person who knew how to destroy the machines, and I taught others to do it.”

“So what went wrong? Why haven’t you done so? I mean if you know how to kill them.” Allison said starting to sound a bit angry.

“What I told you before about Cameron was the truth. She was the second machine that the future me sent back to protect the younger me. You see every since my father came back and told my mother about the future and my destiny, she has taught me to fight. My entire life has been a war zone.”

“Welcome to the club kid.” Allison muttered.

John continued “There was this other machine Crematory, he was sent back to kill me. Well long story short we defeated him. We destroyed there bodies, all the machines that we find we destroy. But this FBI Agent, Ellison, he took Crematory’s body for some reason and then Catherin Weaver, she was the head of this computer company. She took the body and hooked it up to this machine that she named John Henry. John Henry only existed in the machine not in the body. He didn’t have a chip, we destroyed that. Well Cameron went to destroy him, but somehow he overpowered her or something and took the chip, and disappeared. Then it turned out that Weaver was one of the liquid metal things and she figured out that John Henry came here to this time. So we followed him. But she disappeared right after we got here and then Derek found me in the tunnels.”

Allison was silent. He thought that maybe he had told her too much. He was about to ask her what she was thinking when she said

“Your right, that does sound crazy.” She stood up and walked around the table stopping when she got back to her seat.

“Let me see if I got this straight. You were born to protect us all, to help us win somehow. You knew all about this.” she waved her hand around them

“Yet instead of stopping it from happening you come here to help a machine get her chip back.” she was almost yelling now.

“Some leader you would have made you crazy son of a ..”

“Don’t say it because the last I looked I wasn’t a dog.” Sarah Connor stepped from the shadows. John and Allison both starred at her.

But John gasped at the thing that had stepped out from behind her. Catherin Weaver stood looking over his mothers shoulder.

Seeing the look on John’s face Sarah said “She found me, and she is right we need to work together to get John Henry back. Only together will you and him defeat all of this. We need to find him and bring him back too our time. So that maybe we can prevent it from happening”

“Okay but where do we start?” John asked.

“Oh I have already started. I know where he is, but I need you to go and get him and bring him back. It seems he doesn’t want to listen to me anymore.” Weaver said.

John nodded “Okay he is using Cameron’s chip, maybe he will listen to me. Where do we go from here?”

“Wait a minute there is a lot more you need to tell me, and the others we can all help you.” Allison said.

“We as in the entire base, I don’t think so.” Sarah said.

“No we as in the best fighting unit this base has ever seen. Derek and Kyle Reese, Efree, Elaina and myself. Okay and Jessie. We will give you a helicopter to search with. We can help.”

They all looked at each other. Sarah and John thinking the same thing ‘what if Kyle gets killed’. But Weaver was already talking.

“I would protect him of course. He cannot die before you are created John. This idea of hers has the best chance of success that we will find.”

John and Sarah looked at each other again could Weaver read minds? “Let’s do it.” Sarah said and John nodded.

Allison called Col Cameron, Captain Catalfamo, Lieutenant Colonel King and of course the Reese bros, along with LT Flores together. The next day they met in a empty briefing room that was only used when the Col was selecting a few special troops for an assignment. Sarah ,John & Weaver were there too.
Col Cameron says something to them

''ok I know this is pretty early for all of you'll then usual but this is very important. Privet Young has come across some very important information that will shock you all, but I believe its best to let this young man and has mother explain it all to you. It will sound better coming from them''

Sara swallowed then started talking ''ok its like this I’m not this year 2027 me & my son are from the past the year 2007 my son in a alternate 2027 is the man that saves mankind from the machines and helps win the war so in order for the machines to win they sent one in time back in 1984 a year before John was born but my son in the future sent back a soldier also to protect me and he also happened to be John's farther he give his life to save us.” Sarah said sadly trying not to look at Kyle.

But John couldn't help looking at Kyle when Sarah went in to that. And an hour later John finally told the story up to the present to his new friends. All about Cameron and all she's done for him and why he went through time and most likely screwed up his destiny. The look on the faces of his friends was priceless everyone remained silent.
Then Efree said ''Yeah see I know there was something special about him I'm in. What ever you need from me. No not just me US! to do'' he said looking at everyone in the room.

Elaina then stood up next to Efree and said ''I agree 100% with the Captain'' she said with a slight smile.
Then Derek spoke up and said ''ok now is there a special plan you have''?

Weaver then spoke ''they have John Henry in the camps where they have some humans working, moving all the dead humans around to the crematorium. Some how they don't know he's one of them he's done something to there sensors they do not detect him as anything other than a human, but I don't know for how long he can pull that off. So we have to move soon''.

Col Cameron ordered them all to prepare all weapons. Its going to be a mission that only the 8 of us will do''
Kyle says in a confused tone ''excuse me sir did you say the 8 of us ?''

Col replies with a slight grin ''yes you heard right I’m going with you all, plus I have some goodies that I’ve been waiting to use on those metal fucks. No offense Ms Weaver''

Weaver replies by giving the Col the middle finger and saying ''none taken''.

Elaina takes John, Sarah & Efree to her lair and has some special weapons for them.

She says ''Ok these are some classic hybrid weapons I’ve been messing around with down here. This first one is a Pulse Rifle it carries 94 rounds it also has a built in grenade launcher. These bullets will shred the machine armor to pieces.

Efree smiles and says ''this one is mine babee. Your a women after my own heart''

Elaina says ''thanks Efree I made it just for you I know how many times you watched that movie on DVD a bunch of times, Aliens''.

Elaina continues ''now this one I believe your going to like Sarah. This looks like 12 gage shotgun but wrong its really a very special light weight laser thermite flame thrower one shot with this we talking metal soup” she laughed.
Sarah takes the weapon.

''Now for you John those guns look like 2 regular 44 desert eagles right? Wrong the bullets it uses are very special tritium rounds but you must aim right above there left eye to hit there cpu pretty much take them out of the game.”
John says ''sweet!''

Efree asks ''so what are you taking with you?''

.Elaina says ''I get the best of the bunch a very modified plasma pistol that his infinitely amount of ammo plus is more powerful then the rifle version I shit you not'' she gives them a demo by taking an amour chassis she had laying around puts by the an open spot she steps back with them. She pulls the trigger a blue light ball fires out fast hitting the chassis to vaporize it to nothing. They all look in shock.

Sarah says' 'lets go and save the world''

.Meanwhile before they get ready they bump in to Kyle walking with a very big gun.

John goes ''let me guess that one is your favorite weapon? a 50 caliber sniper rifle Derek taught you how to shoot that in a young a wise choice. You like to use to destroy machines''.

Kyle stared at him in shock ''how did you know that'? John realized once again that he put his foot in his mouth once again just didn't know how to reply.

He remained silent for a moment, and then Kyle said

“What did your dad tell you that?”

“Actually no, my dad died before I was born, but the future me sent my uncle back. He had another mission, but once it was completed he found us. He told me a bit about you and Derek.” John said.

Then before Kyle could say anything else john continued.

“I have to go. Elaina needs my help for something.”

And he walked away. Kyle watched him disappeared down the hall. Once John rounded the corner he stopped and leaned against the wall. He rubbed his hand over his eyes. How he wished he could tell Kyle who he was to him.

“Excuse me.”

A voice said. John turned t o see a pretty girl about his age standing on the other side of the hall. She was looking at him curiously. Her long blonde hair was pulled back into a ponytail.

“Do you remember me, John?” she asked.

John was about to shake his head no when she continued.

“You saved me from the machines when I was little. You carried me out of my house and I told you about my friend John Henry.”

“Savannah Weaver.” John said.

“Yeah I remember you.”

“Ally came to see me. She said that you all were going on a mission and would be gone for awhile. She said Catherine Weaver was planning it. I haven’t seen my mother in like ten years.”

She had walked closer to him. She now stood directly in front of him, almost touching him.

“Actually” she continued “I haven’t seen my mother since the plane crash. The thing that came back that pretended to be my mother tried its best, but it wasn’t human. I know that now. So I am not asking you this, John Connor, I am telling you. I am going on this mission with you. John Henry was as much my friend as Cameron was yours. Do you understand?” John starred into her face. She was technically a year older than him now, but this was his life. What could she do? As if she read his mind she reached behind her and pulled out a hand gun.

“I know how to use this.” She was looking at it now. “I had to learn to stay alive” she continued. “James taught me how to protect myself. Six months ago he disappeared one night. I have no idea where he is. I hope that he is still alive, but I know John Henry is.” Now she looked up at him.

“Take me with you.”

Okay, he thought to himself, he was supposed to be this great leader. Leaders made decisions. His mother was going to kill him, but he nodded his head.

“Okay come on lets go get you outfitted.”

She beamed up at him. He led the way to Elaina’s lair. He pulled the door opens and stepped through. He was shocked at what he saw. The piles of junk were nowhere to be seen. The helicopter was sitting by the hanger door and it looked like it was shimmering. As he watched a blue light pulse slipped around it. The two regular tanks were gone as well. The modified tanks were behind the chopper. They looked old and battered next to the sleekness of the helicopter. As he watched he done of the tanks morphed into a huge robot, with a head, arms, and legs. “What is that?” Savannah whispered. Before John could answer Elaina came up beside them.

“Meet Rob.” She said.

“He is my pet project. He holds enough firepower and other weapons to destroy an entire continent. He is also a machine.” At their twin ‘no duh’ looks she continued.

“I mean he is intelligent. He has a chip. He can think for himself.” She explained. “I programmed him with what is going on out there..” she gestured toward the outside doors.

“And he has decided to help us to make peace.” John looked at the other beat up tank.

“What about that one and what makes the chopper shimmer like that?” John asked. Elaina smiled “That one is Leslie. She likes to remain quiet. She feels out a situation before she acts. But she is willing to assist us as well. As for your other question, what makes the chopper shimmer just watch.”

As they watched the shimmering seemed to slip from the helicopter and came together in a puddle on the floor. The puddle morphed into Catherine Weaver. Savannah starred at the replica of her mother, but the thing stayed where it was and she turned to Elaina to ask her a question.

“What if they turn on us?”

“Well what if John Henry or Cameron turned on either of you?” Elaina asked.

“You would do what you can. Trust whomever you are with and do your best no matter what happens.” John nodded and continued to stare at eh huge machines, then asked.

“Why did you need the liquid metal to cover the helicopter?”

“Well the helicopter is not fitted with intelligence. She is there to protect it and add more power to it. Stuff like that.”

Elaina said. “Are you going to tell me who your friend is John?” Elaina asked.

“Oh um sorry, this is Savannah Weaver. She is going with us.”

“Weaver, Catharine’s daughter?” Elaina asked Savannah nodded

“Yes the real Catharine Weaver that is not her.” She pointed behind Elaina.

Sarah and Catharine had just come up to the little group.

“Savannah it is so good to see you again.” Catharine said.

“I know what you are. I just want to know one thing. Did you kill my parents?” Savannah asked in a hard voice, but the tears were shinning in her eyes.

Catharine said “I don’t know.”

Savannah gasped but said nothing and Catharine continued. “The energy field that surrounds us when we go through time may have disrupted the electronics on the plane and caused it to crash, or the plane may have already crashed before I showed up. All I know is that the plane was down in a field nearby. When I got to it the pilot was already dead and you were unconscious. The woman was still alive. She asked me to help you, to take care of you. Then she was gone. I took on her identity and then buried her body. Then I radioed for assistance and did as she asked.” Savannah starred at her. She didn’t know what to say. This machine had done its best, she thought. Then she nodded again and said “Thank you for explaining.”

“The others are going to meet us here at dusk.” Sarah said to Elaina.

“Will you be ready by then?” Sarah continued.

“Of course, I am almost ready now. I just need to outfit Savannah and then load up the food and supplies for the humans.” Elaina responded.

5/1/09

While Elaina was by herself in her lair, after outfiting Savannah a man with a shaved bald head ,his pulse rifle over his shoulders walked in . He had something on his mind . She was in the middle of prepearing the sandwitches for the mission.

He learned his head on the back of hers and said ''are you making my favorite''?

Elaina replies without looking at him ''Yes Efree i am tunafish on whole weat toast. What are you doing here? You suppose to be here at dusk. Its 5 p.m. You should be in your room trying to get some rest''.

Efree repiled worridly ''Look Red I tryed but I just couldn't sleep. When I did I had bad dreams about somthing going wroung''

Elaina took a deep brethe and stop making the sandwitches.

She looked at him and said''whats on your mind Ef?''.

He looks stright in to her eyes trying to control his urge to cry and says''We've known each other for a very long time right?"

She said looking at him with a worried slight smile on her face ''I lost so munch track of time how long its been but yeah countine''

Efree says ''If somthing should happened to me on this mission?''.

She interupted him quickly and said ''nothing is going to happen to you please don't think that shit Efree''

Almost like she knew what he was going to say, but she was afraid to hear it. She then was about to walk away from him and he grabbed her shoulder and turned her around. She tried to push him away but he was quick, and said out loud

''I LOVE YOU ELAINA!!!!! I always wanted to tell you that all that time we spent together, wasn't just for bliss there's somthing special there. I feel that hen I'm around you. I'm scared to death that on this mission I may not be coimng back. I just want you to know thats all''.

As he loosened his grip on her, she stared at him not knowing how to reply to what he said . After he said it he walked away from her still trying to hold back his tears and took off his pulse rifle. Heplaced it on a table and removed his side arm to double check the clips, to make sure it was all loaded now. Elaina walked next to him looking at him with some tears in her eyes.

He's trying not to look at her and says ''maybe your right I shouldn't be thinking that struff. I'm sorry for bothering you over there. Yelling at you and everything''.

Before he finished talking she touched his hand that was on the table. The hand that was holding the pulse rifle clip he let go of it. She got in front of him putting herself between him and the table . She puts has other hand around her lower waist and she picks up his chin so he can face her.

She says' 'I love you too''.

She gives him the biggest most passionate kiss she ever gave before. He did the same. The music was playing. At times in the past when they where together it was pretty stright forward, but this moment was really them making love to eachother after all their a diffence.

5/2/09

As the light started fading Elaina finished packing the supplies. Efree had headed back to his sleeping unit to finish getting ready. She had armed and loaded the helicopter and the two tanks/robots. Everything was set and the team was to arrive soon.

She quickly double checked everything and then she sat down on a metal box in front of the open hanger bay. This was going to be a fight for her life. Everything and everyone she cared for was going out on this. She remembered the day the bombs fell, and the first time that she met the Reese brothers.

It was just a few weeks after the bombs fell. She had only been fifteen. Michael had only been eleven. She had been coming home from a friend’s house when the bombs fell. Michael had been at one of his friend’s house and she picked him up on the way home. They had been talking about a movie that they had been waiting to see. Their parents were going to take them to it that night. Michael saw the missiles first. She had not thought much of it. They did not live far from an army base and they saw things like that at times.

Michael was excited about, but then they turned onto their street and saw their house about halfway down the block. Their parents were standing in the front yard. She remembered that her mother had turned to see them. That was when the bomb hit two feet from in front of her. Elaina had pushed Michael behind a row of garbage cans. She had seen her mother’s head fly off toward the house. Her father’s whole body had been lifted up and thrown in the same direction. She never did see them again.

She refused to take Michael that close. She had known that he had been still looking at the sky and had not seen what had happened to their parents. They hung around the block for awhile. She had hoped that their Uncle Carl would show up. He had been a captain in the army, but he never came. After she realized that she was on her own, she started to think about all the drills that Uncle Carl had taught her. They needed to get off the streets. She took Michael and headed down into the subway tunnels.

Many others were there. There were a few military personal that had taken charge and they had been given a pillow and a blanket each. They had all spent the night there. In the morning they started to walk. One of the military people had decided that they need to get away from the blast sight and to a more permanent camp. They had run into other groups as they walked. Elaina hardly paid much attention to them. She had a hard time sleeping and when Michael was awake she was to, just to take care of him. It was Michael who met the Reese brothers first. He had gone to play while she set up their sleeping place for the night and when he came back he had the two boys with them.

She saw the same empty hollow look on Derek’s face as she felt in her heart. Once they had eaten and the younger boys had gone to sleep, she found that Derek had the same hard time sleeping that she had. They stayed up talking, comparing stories. After that the Reese boys joined them. Derek and she made an agreement. They took turns sleeping, one always keeping watch over the others. This way they actually slept better and soon the four became close friends.

Jessie wasn’t far off on her feelings for Derek. Derek had been her first boyfriend, and her first lover. Now they really were just good friends. She would always love Derek Reese, but when Michael had been killed she had shut down. It had placed a wall between her and Derek for some time.

It was Kyle who had mended that bridge by losing his cool yet again. He had blown up saying that Michael had been like family to them as well and that they missed him just like she did. That had been a long night, but the three of them had gotten a lot said and had become even closer than ever before.

“Penny for your thoughts?” a voice said behind her, pulling her from her revere.

Turning she saw Derek standing behind her. He smiled when he saw that she had realized he was there and then he too looked out at the setting sun.

“Actually I was thinking about you. You, Kyle….. and Michael. All of us.” She said her voice trailing off.

Derek nodded. “I thought as much.”

Derek was never one to use a lot of words, especially when it involved his feeling, but she knew him well. She stood up and hugged him tightly.

“Just promise me that we will make it through this night!” she looked up at him.

“I will do whatever it takes to make sure that we will be standing together watching the sun rise.” He said and then leaned down and kissed her on the lips.

“What the hell is going on here?” a very angry voice shouted.

Derek turned and Elaina saw Efree coming up behind him. He had a hurt look on his face, and right behind him was Jessie. If looks could kill the way Jessie was looking at her, she should be dead.

“Chill captain its nothing.” Derek said placing himself between Elaina and the enraged Efree.

“After what we just said to each other, after what we just did, you kiss another man.” Efree shouted.

It was then that Elaina realized that it was not anger on his face but hurt.

“I meant what I said.” She started to say, but he interrupted her.

“You knew about everything. I told you about other girls who have said things to my face and then cheated on me. You promised that you would not do that.”

“And I won’t”

“You still love him thought admit it.” He said pointing at Derek.

“I will always love Derek. I told you that before as well, but…” she again tried to explain.

“Save it. I don’t want to hear any more. LT. Flores you will be my gunner on this mission. Lt. Reese you and LT. Colonel King can man the robots.” With that he started to turn away.

“If you are not going to let me explain then I don’t want to see you anymore.” Elaina said stubbornly.

‘”That works for me.” The captain said.

Then climbed into the pilot’s seat and started the preflight warm up.

“Kid you’re with me.” He said to John.

“No!” Elaina said “Derek, Ally and I will go with Rob. John, you, Sarah, Savannah and Kyle go with Leslie. Weaver you guard the chopper.”

They all nodded and headed off to their assignments. Elaina turned to say something to Efree, but just then he started the engine and the blades started to whirl. Derek wrapped his arm around her waist and pulled her away from the chopper. With their arms wrapped around each other’s waits they watched the chopper lift off.

“I have a funny feeling that they are not going to make it back.” Derek said sadly.

“Me too” Elaina said and then turned away and climbed into the driver’s seat of Rob.

A few minutes later Derek sat down in the seat beside her. Ally was in the back watching the navigation screens. They led the way out of the hanger bay. Leslie followed behind them. Kyle started the radio check. When everyone checked in silence fell and they were all locked into their own fears and hopes for this mission. They were, for the first time, heading out to actively take on the machines. Going on the offensive, is what her father would have said. She smiled at this and looked over at Derek.

“Sunrise you and I right?”

“Right” He said.

She nodded and then they were silent for awhile.

They followed the helicopter for awhile heading east. No one spoke inside the machine. A few hours later Rob spoke for the first time.

“We are almost to the coordinates that you programmed in. But there is trouble coming.”

“What do you mean trouble?” Elaina asked.

“We have passed a perimeter and there are three HK’s and fifty ground units coming.”

“Will we engage targets before we reach our destiny?” Elaina asked again.

“Affirmative.” Rob said.

“Son of a …” Derek said.

“Kyle, Jessie heads up we have in coming.” Ally said and then proceeded to rattle off the positions of the oncoming troops.

Before they reached the ground units they saw the first HK. It came in fast and hard to the right of the chopper. Efree swung to the right quickly and Jessie opened fire. The HK burst into a giant fireball and fell toward the ground. But even as it fell another one took it place, but that was the last that Elaina could watch. They had reached the ground units now.

“Ky go left.” Elaina ordered as she swung Rob to the right.

“Give me control, take the manual guns.” Rob said.

“Switching control.” Elaina said.

Derek was already heading to the rear gun mounts. Elaina swiveled her chair around and opened up the front gun torrents. She felt Rob transform from the tank to the robot. She felt rather than heard the huge arm cannon’s explode. A path was open in front of them. Once the smoke cleared she saw that Leslie too had transformed and apparently Kyle had switched her to automatic control. She saw his face above the front gun torrents. Sarah had taken the rear gun controls.

Elaina saw a direct hit to one of the endo skeletons. It exploded into a million pieces. Then her vision was obscured by a huge endo. She took a breathe and controlled her reflexes slipping into battle mode, she pulled the trigger. The machine exploded in front of her.

A few minutes and several more hits later Elaina saw something that made her blood run cold. John was running out onto the fields unprotected and apparently un armed. She opened the com unit.
“What the hell is Connor doing?” She yelled.

“What do you mean, he is driving.” Kyle response came back.

“Not unless he has learned to drive outside the vehicle.” She shot back, while damaging a endo that was in John’s path.

“John” Sarah’s anguished cry came over the com unit when John fell, but he jumped back up and continued to run.

It was then that Elaina saw where he was running to. There was a group of humans in a huge cage, one of them was John Henry. Weaver had morphed into the man to show everyone what he looked like.

Derek took out three more skeletons that where in John’s path. Then Elaina saw the chopper swoop down, nearly crashing into the ground. She held her breath, but at the last second Efree pulled it up. The HK that was behind him mimicked the move. He should have known that they were more maneuverable than a helicopter.

John had reached the cage now. All the endo’s where engaged with the fighters, none where protecting the humans. John pulled a pistol from his ankle holster and blew the lock on the cage. He then started pulling people from the cage. Elaina swore to herself. He was throwing them right into the heart of the battle.

“Rob get over to Connor and pick up those humans.” She shouted.

“Roger.” he stated, but just as he turned that way four endo’s engaged him. Derek, Elaina and Rob had there hands full for the next few minutes. Once they managed to get the endo’s out of their way, she glanced toward the cage. It was empty and she could not see the humans.

“Where are they? Where did they go?” She shouted.

“Weaver grabbed her man and John, I have the others.” Kyle’s voice came over the com.

That was when Elaina saw the new flying object in the air. It looked like a small jet plane, and Elaina could not see inside it. The thing was super fast and extremely maneuverable. It slipped away in-between two HK’s taking out the right one, slicing it in half as it flew by. And that is when Elaina’s heart leapt into her throat. She couldn’t even scream at first.

As the Weaver plane slipped threw the HK’s it was apparent that Efree had not seen the second machine baring down on him. There was no place for him to turn. He flew head first into the machine. The fireball expanded as both tanks caught and erupted. Elaina heard screaming. It took several minutes for her to realize it was her.
She tried to stop, and that is when she heard Derek’s scream had mixed with her. Then she felt Rob lurch sideways. She waited for the stabilizers to kick in, but they didn’t and she knew that he was going down. There were still several ground units milling around. Leslie’s team was engaging six at once.

When Rob hit the ground the resulting jolt went through her entire body. She scanned the area and saw that there were still about twenty endo’s to be destroyed.

“Remain in the gun torrents.” Elaina shouted.

“Ally give me as many locations as you can on these things.” she continued.

“How about all around us.” Ally said.

“Fire at will.” she said.

The next twenty five minutes was nerve racking. The only sound inside the machine was the constant sound of the firing of the guns. That and Derek’s constant scream of rage as he hit one endo after another.
The silence that radiated after the intense gun battle was deafening. Elaina looked around. She could not see Leslie.

“Team report.” she ordered.

“I’m good.” Ally said.

“I’m… here.” Derek said.

“We are all good.” came Kyle’s reply.

“We are safe.” came Weaver’s voice.

“Leslie, Rob status.” Elaina asked her voice deadened.

“All systems functional.” Leslie said.

“Right stabilizer bar disconnect. Right gun mount destroyed. Right track separated. All other units working to efficiency.” Rob reported.

“Okay Leslie, bring the others over here. Let’s get out and fix up Rob. Leslie, you and weaver set up the perimeter.” Elaina ordered.

“Roger.” both voices said.

Elaina, Derek and Ally climbed from the battered Rob. Kyle was helping Sarah out of the Leslie. He then helped Savannah. Once they were on the ground, Leslie transformed and went to start a circle perimeter.

5/3/09

They followed the helicopter for awhile heading east. No one spoke inside the machine. A few hours later Rob spoke for the first time.

“We are almost to the coordinates that you programmed in. But there is trouble coming.”

“What do you mean trouble?” Elaina asked.

“We have passed a perimeter and there are three HK’s and fifty ground units coming.”

“Will we engage targets before we reach our destiny?” Elaina asked again.

“Affirmative.” Rob said.

“Son of a …” Derek said.

“Kyle, Jessie heads up we have in coming.” Ally said and then proceeded to rattle off the positions of the oncoming troops.

Before they reached the ground units they saw the first HK. It came in fast and hard to the right of the chopper. Efree swung to the right quickly and Jessie opened fire. The HK burst into a giant fireball and fell toward the ground. But even as it fell another one took it place, but that was the last that Elaina could watch. They had reached the ground units now.

“Ky go left.” Elaina ordered as she swung Rob to the right.

“Give me control, take the manual guns.” Rob said.

“Switching control.” Elaina said.

Derek was already heading to the rear gun mounts. Elaina swiveled her chair around and opened up the front gun torrents. She felt Rob transform from the tank to the robot. She felt rather than heard the huge arm cannon’s explode. A path was open in front of them. Once the smoke cleared she saw that Leslie too had transformed and apparently Kyle had switched her to automatic control. She saw his face above the front gun torrents. Sarah had taken the rear gun controls.

Elaina saw a direct hit to one of the endo skeletons. It exploded into a million pieces. Then her vision was obscured by a huge endo. She took a breathe and controlled her reflexes slipping into battle mode, she pulled the trigger. The machine exploded in front of her.
A few minutes and several more hits later Elaina saw something that made her blood run cold. John was running out onto the fields unprotected and apparently un armed. She opened the com unit.

“What the hell is Connor doing?” She yelled.

“What do you mean, he is driving.” Kyle response came back.

“Not unless he has learned to drive outside the vehicle.” She shot back, while damaging a endo that was in John’s path.

“John” Sarah’s anguished cry came over the com unit when John fell, but he jumped back up and continued to run.

It was then that Elaina saw where he was running to. There was a group of humans in a huge cage, one of them was John Henry. Weaver had morphed into the man to show everyone what he looked like.

Derek took out three more skeletons that where in John’s path. Then Elaina saw the chopper swoop down, nearly crashing into the ground. She held her breath, but at the last second Efree pulled it up. The HK that was behind him mimicked the move. He should have known that they were more maneuverable than a helicopter.

John had reached the cage now. All the endo’s where engaged with the fighters, none where protecting the humans. John pulled a pistol from his ankle holster and blew the lock on the cage. He then started pulling people from the cage. Elaina swore to herself. He was throwing them right into the heart of the battle.

“Rob get over to Connor and pick up those humans.” She shouted.

“Roger.” he stated, but just as he turned that way four endo’s engaged him. Derek, Elaina and Rob had there hands full for the next few minutes.

Once they managed to get the endo’s out of their way, she glanced toward the cage. It was empty and she could not see the humans.

“Where are they? Where did they go?” She shouted.

“Weaver grabbed her man and John, I have the others.” Kyle’s voice came over the com.

That was when Elaina saw the new flying object in the air. It looked like a small jet plane, and Elaina could not see inside it. The thing was super fast and extremely maneuverable. It slipped away in-between two HK’s taking out the right one, slicing it in half as it flew by. And that is when Elaina’s heart leapt into her throat. She couldn’t even scream at first.

As the Weaver plane slipped threw the HK’s it was apparent that Efree had not seen the second machine baring down on him. There was no place for him to turn. He flew head first into the machine. The fireball expanded as both tanks caught and erupted. Elaina heard screaming. It took several minutes for her to realize it was her.

She tried to stop, and that is when she heard Derek’s scream had mixed with her. Then she felt Rob lurch sideways. She waited for the stabilizers to kick in, but they didn’t and she knew that he was going down. There were still several ground units milling around. Leslie’s team was engaging six at once.

When Rob hit the ground the resulting jolt went through her entire body. She scanned the area and saw that there were still about twenty endo’s to be destroyed.
“Remain in the gun torrents.” Elaina shouted.

“Ally give me as many locations as you can on these things.” she continued.

“How about all around us.” Ally said.

“Fire at will.” she said.

The next twenty five minutes was nerve racking. The only sound inside the machine was the constant sound of the firing of the guns. That and Derek’s constant scream of rage as he hit one endo after another.

The silence that radiated after the intense gun battle was deafening. Elaina looked around. She could not see Leslie.

“Team report.” she ordered.

“I’m good.” Ally said.

“I’m… here.” Derek said.

“We are all good.” came Kyle’s reply.

“We are safe.” came Weaver’s voice.

“Leslie, Rob status.” Elaina asked her voice deadened.

“All systems functional.” Leslie said.

“Right stabilizer bar disconnect. Right gun mount destroyed. Right track separated. All other units working to efficiency.” Rob reported.

“Okay Leslie, bring the others over here. Let’s get out and fix up Rob. Leslie, you and weaver set up the perimeter.” Elaina ordered.

“Roger.” both voices said.

Elaina, Derek and Ally climbed from the battered Rob. Kyle was helping Sarah out of the Leslie. He then helped Savannah out. Once they were on the ground, Leslie transformed and went to start a circle perimeter.

5/3/09

Elaina looked around at her diminished team. Derek was kneeling off by himself. He was leaning on his plasma rifle. She sighed. She had meant what she said that she had always loved him, but it was as a friend. He was and will always be her best friend, she had wanted to explain this to Efree. Now she would never have the chance. She straightened her shoulders. She would not cry, not yet. They were all still in great danger.

“Okay troops we need to get out of here as fast as possible. Sarah, you and Savannah can help keep an eye out for trouble. Kyle, you and Derek will need to help me with the muscle in getting these tracks fixed.” Elaina ordered.

“I think I might have something that will work better.”

Turning everyone saw John and John Henry walking toward them.

“Weaver is still in the air, but she let us out so that we can help. There are another fifty or so endo’s heading this way. We only have about thirty minutes.” he continued.

“Okay change of plans. Sarah, you take Savannah and get in Leslie. I want you to take the south perimeter, that will place you at our point. Kyle, John and Derek go to the north make sure that none of those metal fuckers are coming from that directions. Spread out but remain in eye sight of each other.” Elaina said.

“John Henry you are with me. Move out” she continued

“Stay in radio contact at all times.”

As everyone separated Elaina had John Henry lift up the track so that she could work on it. She lost herself in the work. Forgetting that she had to hurry before they were under attack again. Forgetting that she has just watched Efree and Jessie get blown out of the sky, forgetting that she was in charge. Forgetting everything except what she was doing.

Twenty minutes later she was just finishing tightening the last bolt when she heard the plasma rifles go off. At the same time shouts came over the com units that both teams were under attack. She quickly ordered Weaver and John Henry to go cover Kyle, Derek and John.
Moving to the back of Rob she wiggled in between the track and the base unit. She found the disconnected stabilizer rod and was just igniting the wielder’s torch when she hear John yelling over the com.

“Kyle where are you?” there was no answer.

Elaina held her breath silently praying that Kyle was okay. Just as she was about to order his replay he answered.

“I’m okay, but I’m pinned down next to the crashed chopper.”

“Can anyone get to him?” Elaina asked.

“Negative” came back all three replies.

“Kyle maintain I will be there in five.” Elaina told him.

“Affirmative.” came his reply, and then a blast of fire distorted the com for a few moments.

Elaina tuned it all out and concentrated on fixing the stabilizer. Once it was reattached she called for a status report from Rob. He confirmed that all but his right gun was in working order. She acknowledged and quickly squeezed out from the nick she was in. She threw her tools into the box and climbed into the shell.

“Go get Kyle.”

She ordered Rob.

Over the com she said “Kyle we are on our way, what is your status?”

“Same” came the clipped reply.

“Let’s move it Rob.”

They came over the hill and Elaina tried hard not to look at the hulk of the chopper. Even though it was surrounded by about fifteen endos. She scanned the land around it.

“Where is he Rob?” she asked.

The machine told her the quadrants and Elaina realized that Kyle had been forced inside the chopper.

“Kyle I am coming up behind your location. We will clear you a path.”

“Affirmative.” he replied again.

“Rob use you left cannon to try and clear a path. I will move to the right gunner’s chair and do my best to cover that for you.” She ordered.

“Copy” the machine replied.

She moved to the rear right gun mount. Once settled she looked out the scope only to see even more machines coming up behind them. She was just turning to train the guns onto it when she saw that their was a human running among them.

“Team give me your locations.” she called.

“Savannah and I are still in Leslie on the south circuit.” came Sarah’s response.

“I am heading in your direction with Weaver, no visual yet.” came Derek’s reply.

She waited but there was no reply from John, or John Henry. So she tried again.

“Connor, Henry report.” she ordered.

“I am moving to join Ms. Weaver.” came the smooth voice of John Henry, but again there was silence from Connor. She was about to try and reach him again when Sarah screamed into the com,

“John where the HELL are you.”

Just then Elaina herd a pounding on the side of Rob. At first she thought that it was another machine trying to gain access. She looked out to see John hunched down by the door blasting out at the approaching machines. He reached up to pound again and she grabbed his hand yanking him inside. Just then Kyle leapt in after him.

“Thanks I thought I was toast out there.” John said settling down in the navigators chair.

Kyle took the driver's seat.

“Sarah John is safe. He is with me. Lets get the hell out of here guys.”

“Wait what about Kyle?” came Derek’s reply.

“I’m in Rob safe and sound bro. Where are you?”

“Above you. Weaver and John Henry picked me up.” he answered.

“Okay Weaver can you clear a way for us.”

“Working on it.”

“Leslie, meet up with us at the base of the hill.” Elaina commanded.

“Almost there.” answered the cool female voice.

It took Rob, John and her another ten minuets to cut threw the rest of the endos surrounding them. The reached the base of the hill three minutes later.

“Confirm all endos destroyed?” Elaina called.

“None in sight here.” Savannah said.

“Nothing moving for miles guys.” Derek said.

Then the com on her board flashed, indicating a private channel was opened up to her. She switched to that channel and said,

“Yes?”

“Look to the east princess.” Derek voice said quietly to her.

She turned and just coming over the horizon was the orange glow of the sun.

“You and me sunrise, I always keep my promises.” she could almost her the smile in his voice.

“Yes, that is one of your best traits D - man. But lets remember not everyone saw this day start.”

“I lost my girl to babe.” his voice had become tight controlled and she knew that meant that he was trying to hold in his emotions.

“When we get back meet me on the observation deck okay?”

“I’ll be there E.” the com went dead.

There was no more chatter on the way back. They all knew what this mission had cost the unit. They no longer had a pilot and they lost two of their best gunners. What was the reason, a fucking machine! They were going to go threw hell once they got back.

They had left without Colonel Cameron on purpose. He was to important to the whole camp, not just to this mission, he could not be risked.

It was several hours before they saw the base come into vies. Using the telescope on the gun mount Elaina zeroed in on the battlements. Just as she suspected Cameron stood there watching them.

5/4/09

They were still about five miles from base when all hell broke lose yet again. Weaver and Derek saw them first.

“You have about a hundred endos crawling up your asses guys.” Derek yelled into the com.

“John, man the navigation. Kyle get me some more fire power. Derek you and Weaver get John Henry to base pronto. Sarah cover my six.” Elaina ordered as she had Rob turn to face the onslaught.

Leslie appeared at her left side, guns blazing and taking out a strip of endos with her pulse cannon. Elaina armed the plasma cannon on Rob and fired it into the heart of the oncoming force. It blew about thirty endos into the air. They rained down on them in pieces.

The Col. Was watching and he must have had troops on the ready, because no sooner had the endo pieces came down, more tanks and other vehicles were surrounding the machines.
As the coms blazed with orders and the endos blew apart Col. Cameron came over Elaina’s head set.

“You’ve seen enough action get you ass to base.”

She was about to roger him when an HK came in from the right. It lifted Rob up into the air. Elaina cried out. She turned to see if there was anyway of saving the others with her. That was when she saw the liquid metal slid over John. Elaina nodded, at least the kid would survive this. There was nothing that could be done for her or Kyle now.

The HK took them up to 2000 miles in the air and let them fall. One thing Elaina forgot to put on the machine was a way to make it fly. They crashed onto the ground at over 200 miles per hour. The last thing she saw in this world was Weaver extracting John from his seat. John was calling for Kyle, but there was no answer. Everything went black then.

Weaver pulled him from the mess that had been Rob. Kyle had been looking at him. He had seen the life leave his father’s eyes. The fear and panic set in quickly. How could he have messed up this badly.

“We have to go there is not much time.” Weaver said in his ear.

She was dragging him across the field. It seemed that no one noticed them walking out of the fire fight. Nothing hit them, nothing came close. Once his numb mind realized this he looked over at Weaver. She was only half humanoid, she had a type of shield growing out of her back. It surrounded both of them and all the fire power glanced off of it.

“Where are we going?” John managed to ask.

He got his feet under him and was able to run with her, instead of letting her drag him to the machine Leslie.

“Home” was all Weaver said and then she thrust him up into the huge robot.

John Henry was sitting in the drivers seat. Derek was by the rear gun controls. Sarah was at the front right hand guns, Weaver took the co pilots seat, leaving only the navigations chair for John. There was no sign of Allison.

He sat down and turned to Derek.

“They are both dead. There was nothing I could do.” his voice was dead. Emotionless.

“It wasn’t your fault kid.” Derek said in that same dead voice.

“There was nothing you could have done. Now strap in. We are still in the thick of it.”

“Not for long, John Henry are we ready.” Weaver asked.

“Yeas Ms. Weaver I am firing up the field now.” John Henry answered.

Then out of apparently no where came an energy field. John Henry drove the huge Robot into it. The next thing John knew he was crashing into a metal table. He could hear the sounds of others crashing into various hard surfaces as well. He hurt every where. He waited until his breath returned and then slowly opened his eyes.

They were back in John Henry’s room. Cameron was facing him slumped in the chair. He had landed, naked on the table in front of her. John Henry stood up just behind her. A hand tossed a blanket over John, as Weaver gave John Henry a blanket as well. She was already clothed.

“Where are we? what is this place? What happened?” a confused Derek asked.

John spun around and hoped of the table. Just standing up behind him was his mother and Derek Reese. Beside them was Agent Ellison.

“It might be better to tell you when are we.” Sarah told Derek.

“John are you okay.” Sarah continued at his nod she turned back to Derek.

“We are in 2007. We went through time. Now we need to prevent your reality from happening. Kyle can not die before he comes back to protect me from the first terminator.” she explained.

“And how do we know if that happens?” Derek asked a bit sarcastically.

“If Kyle does not come back then John would not exist.” Sarah said.

Derek stood there thinking about that for a moment. Then as if he had put it all together, he turned to look at John in amazement.

“Kyle was wrong. While I was with Jessie he was sharing a room with his son.” he said.

John nodded and then shivered in the cool air.

“Let’s get you all some clothes.” Ellison said.

Sarah followed Weaver in one direction and Ellison lead John, Derek and John Henry in another. Once they were all clothed again the met back in the room Cameron was in.

“Why did you take her chip?” John asked his eyes not leaving Cameron’s face.

“I didn’t take it, she offered it to me so that I could get one of my own. It was the only thing that she was unable to apprehend here in this time.” John Henry said.

John turned to him. “And we are just suppose to believe that.” he spat in his face.

“Watch and see.” came Cameron’s voice from John Henry’s mouth.

With that John Henry walked over to the deactivated Cameron and picked up a knife that was on the floor. John had failed to see this before. He reached up and cut open his own skull. He then pulled the hair back and extracted a chip. He remained functioning as he bent over Cameron and moved aside the part of her skull that covered where her chip should be. He gently inserted the chip and fixed the hair back over it. As everyone watched and waited the 120 seconds it would take for Cameron to reboot, John Henry fixed his own skull.

Cameron came back on line and ran a scan over her systems. Apparently while John Henry had her chip he fixed the glitches in it. Cameron was Cameron again. John Henry had a slot for a backup chip in his head and that is how he managed to bring both chips through time with him.
John, Sarah, Cameron and Derek went back to the safe house in the desert. Weaver and John Henry were going to look into who the people were that had killed Charlie and tried to kidnap Savanna.

Now that they knew what type of parenting that the little Savanna had, Sarah had volunteered to become her new nanny so that the child was always protected and she had some humans to be around. John had offered his services as well. The little girl seemed happy to have more playmates.

John took Derek out for a walk along the perimeter and explained about what his double had done in this world already. Derek took it pretty well on his part. Though it was obvious that is was going to take some time for him to adjust to not living in a war zone. He told John the same vow that the other Derek had once said. He would do whatever it takes to make sure the world doesn’t burn again. It was all any of them could do.