Disclaimer
& Notices
Copyright: The Terminator: The
Sarah Connor Chronicles characters and concept belong to James
Cameron and Josh Friedman. However, I own the plot and other
characters.
Notices: This story contains violence and
sexual content. Additionally, this story will contain grammatical or
other errors. If you're feverish over the errors, feel free to
privately message me about what you find otherwise, just enjoy.
Summary: The sequel to "I, Terminator". It's
been nearly twenty-two years since Sarah Connor met the Omega
terminator, Cameron Philips, who forever altered her life. On a
regular work day, Sarah Connor receives a visit at Cyberdyne Systems
from Cameron, who reveals that Sarah's daughter is under threat.
However, it appears to both Sarah and Cameron that Cameron's exact
mission is unclear leaving them to find the answers.
Feedback:
redhope@redhope.net
Homepage:
http://www.redhope.net
Write a Review:
http://www.redhope.net/tscc/review/series2form.html
List:
http://tv.groups.yahoo.com/group/redhope/
Started:
May 28, 2009
Series 2: No Fate, Story #2
I,
Human
by Red Hope
Chapter 7 –Taken
Sarah adjusted in her seat after the plane touched down on the landing strip. She was worn out both mentally and physically, but she was glad to be back in Los Angeles. Her mood though had declined due to her failure in Washington D.C. She could almost curse Cameron for being right, like always, but she had to find out for herself. After wasting relentless hours this morning with a handful of Congressmen, she was nowhere closer to getting the AI contract from the government. She knew they'd made up their minds to go with Zeira Corporation. Now she indeed silently cursed ZeiraCorp's young, beautiful CEO, who had brought the failing company out of the sewers.
Sarah set aside her annoyance and fished out her earpiece. She turned it on then ordered, "Cameron." She listened to the brief beeps then the terminator picked up.
"You've safely landed," Cameron instantly said.
"Yes." Sarah unbuckled her seatbelt and stood up in the Learjet that was owned by her company. "I didn't get the contract," she mentioned because she knew it was on Cameron's mind. "I couldn't touch it with a ten foot pole." She gave a low sigh and leaned against her large cushion chair. "And don't rub it in either."
"I will not," the terminator replied. She had a slight monotone. "I can come to the airport and pick you up." There was a pause then she noted, "You sound tired."
Sarah seriously thought about it because she was tired, but she'd brought her car to the airport. "I'll be alright but thanks for the offer." She bit back a yawn then tilted her head back. She studied the overhead ceiling. "How's Jean?"
"She is well."
Sarah was glad to hear it but softly asked, "Have you seen Charley?"
"He has only stopped by briefly," Cameron reported.
"Damn," Sarah muttered. She hadn't spoken to him since Thursday night, but she'd called him without any answer then left him an email about her trip to the capital. She still hadn't heard anything from him, and she was tensing up from it. "How was his mood?"
"He only greeted me. He spoke to Jean." Cameron easily deduced that the spouses hadn't spoken to each other since Thursday night. She started becoming concerned because it impacted Jean, who talked to Cameron about it last night. "She suspects, Sarah."
The CEO combed her hair back then flopped her hand into her lap. "I'll talk to her."
The terminator didn't object or give suggestions because she knew it wasn't her place. She just accepted that Sarah would talk to Jean. "Be careful driving back. Jean and I will be here."
"I will, thanks." Sarah reached up to her earpiece. "See you in a bit." She heard Cameron's goodbye then she ended the call. Just as she removed the earpiece, she saw the stewardess come into the cabin.
"The pilot is about to dock the plane, ma'am. Do you need help with your bags?"
Sarah shook her head and gave a smile. "I'm fine. Just get the platform down when the pilot is ready."
"Of course." The stewardess slipped back into the next compartment through the unlocked door.
Sarah busied with getting herself organized and retrieved her overnight bag. She also searched around for her HUG that she'd stowed away earlier. She put them over her head then soon she was allowed to leave the Learjet. She slowly made her way down the gangplank's steps and spotted her hover car parked a few yards away, ready to go. She approached it and the car unlocked for her. She first put her bag into the backseat then climbed into the driver's seat.
Sarah stole a minute to admire the Learjet plane that her company had helped advanced a decade ago. Just before Learjet went under, Cyberdyne Systems and Learjet entered into a joint venture that forever changed aviation. Not only were Learjet planes better equipped with highly intelligent machinery from Cyberdyne Systems, but the hover technology was fitted to planes. The venture had given Learjet a face lift and gave Cyberdyne Systems a lifetime access to the latest and greatest jet.
Sarah broke from her thoughts just as the plane disengaged its hover stabilizers, and it slowly lowered to the ground. She now took the wheel and put her hover car into drive. She headed out of the small, private airport and went home. The hour drive home seemed longer than normal, but Sarah pulled into the garage half an hour past six o'clock. She was slow as she shut off her hover car and dug out her overnight bag. She slung the bag over her right shoulder and wearily climbed the three steps to the door.
Jean Connor pulled away from her cooking upon hearing the garage's side door open.
"I will take care of it," Cameron told the young human. She took over Jean's cooking duties.
Jean didn't argue and quickly rushed down the hall and smiled at seeing her mother. "Hey, Mom." She tossed her hand towel over her right shoulder and grabbed her mother for a hug.
Sarah dropped her bag and hugged her daughter back. "How are you, J?"
"I'm perfect now that you're home," Jean replied. She withdrew and quickly noticed her mother's exhausted features. "Rough trip huh?" She developed a frown and checked, "You didn't get the contract huh?"
"No." Sarah gave a low sigh.
"Was it a total loss though?"
The CEO picked up her bag and replied, "No, I was able to ensure the exoskeleton contract."
"Well that's good," Jean agreed.
"Mmmm." Sarah then furrowed her eyebrows. "Are you making dinner?"
"Yes, Cameron and I have been cooking." Jean stared upwards as she ticked off, "Lemon chicken, noodles with a butter sauce, and asparagus." She focused back on her mother. "Sound alright?"
"It sounds wonderful," Sarah murmured. "Do I have enough time to change?"
"Word," Jean replied. She then separated from her mother and went back to the kitchen.
Sarah shook her head because she rarely understood her daughter's slang at times. She went upstairs and discovered that Charley had only passed through. She tried not letting it bother her despite it did nag at her. She changed into jeans, a teeshirt that had Cyberdyne's triangular logo on the back, and put on her sneakers. She wandered back down stairs where the food wafted from so delightfully.
Jean was seated on a stool at the counter. She seemed to be on duty and watched Cameron's cooking skills. She glanced at her mother, who snuck behind the counter in search of a glass most likely.
Cameron stood in front of the induction stove and paused from her cooking. "Welcome home, Sarah."
Sarah was warmed by the terminator's greeting and came up behind her. She lightly placed her left hand at the small of Cameron's back. "Thank you." She studied the pots' contents and remarked, "It smells great." She found soft blue eyes on her.
"Yes," Cameron agreed. "It will be ready shortly."
Sarah took that as her cue to get something to drink and move out of the way. She went to the cupboards and grabbed a clean glass. She filled it with her red tea and noticed she'd need to make more tomorrow before it ran out. She then joined her daughter at the counter in the vacant stool.
"I called Dad to see if he wanted to come for dinner," Jean quietly mentioned. "He said he already had dinner plans." She looked away from her mother.
"How was he?"
Jean just shrugged but finally answered, "He was quiet."
Sarah just nodded and decided she'd have to find out for herself. She'd go to the hospital tomorrow to corner him if she had to do it. She sipped on her tea but inquired, "What'd you and Cameron do?"
Jean briefly watched Cameron, who was busy with making the final preparations. She turned to her mother. "We just sofa-ed all night Friday...watched horror flicks. Then today we went to the grocery store like you told me to do." She then evilly grinned and mentioned, "We also went four wheelin' in the truck." She laughed when her mother's eyes went wide.
Cameron was filling the plates but looked over and informed, "We did not four wheel in the truck."
"At least somebody listens to me," Sarah remarked.
"I listen," Jean fought, "but I choose whether to follow or not." She grinned at her mother's low sigh. "Well, we did take the truck to the grocery store."
"I'm sure you loved that," Sarah muttered. She straightened up when Cameron held up two full plates to her and Jean. "Thanks." She picked up her red tea and followed Jean to the table. "We need to get you a hover car though, Cameron."
"Mom," Jean complained, "the truck is totally hype."
"And I don't want the miles put on it," Sarah explained. She took a seat across from her daughter. She gazed over at Cameron, who was making her way out of the kitchen and sat at her right side.
"Well, she can have my car and I can get a new one." Jean beamed at her mother.
"I do not want a hand me up," Cameron refuted. She had a small grin around her lips.
Jean laughed at Cameron then saw that her mother was confused by what Cameron said so she translated. "It's like a hand me down but since Cameron is older than me then it's getting handed up."
Sarah shook her head and knew that the terminator retrieved such slang from the internet. She sternly ordered, "Let's say grace."
Jean knew the signal and easily performed the motions of the Cross over her body. She then bowed her head and waited for her mother to pray.
Sarah noted Cameron had signed the Cross too so she softly spoke grace for them. She finished her prayer with an amen that Jean and Cameron both echoed back. She didn't touch her fork first because she believed that the cook or cooks must begin dinner. She waited until Jean then Cameron took their forks then she picked up hers. It was these simple yet important traditions and ceremonies from religion and her family that gave her stability in such a quickly changing world.
After dinner, Sarah retired to her bedroom and organized her clothes from her overnight bag. She needed to repack it for any future trips from the office. While she did so, she thought about her plans tomorrow and roughed them out in her mind. She quietly left her bedroom and went to Cameron's bedroom, she knocked then entered but came up short at seeing Cameron changing into a tank top.
The terminator had her black tank top just past her breasts when she saw Sarah from the corner of her eye. She pulled her top down the rest of the way because she knew how it'd make the human uncomfortable.
"Sorry," Sarah offered. "I guess that teaches me for barging in."
"It is your house," Cameron argued. She straightened out her tank top.
Sarah shook her head at how the terminator let her get away with it. She chastised herself for barging in again without considering the terminator's own privacy. She set aside her thoughts and asked, "You have a minute?"
Cameron tilted her head at the strange request but replied, "Yes."
Sarah entered the room and shut the door. "I was thinking about tomorrow." She sat down on the bed's corner and studied the younger woman. "Usually Jean and I go to Sunday mass at eight o'clock then we go to brunch."
The terminator approached the human and sat down on the bed's foot.
"I know that... you practice Catholicism and..." Sarah wasn't sure how to phrase this correctly.
"Jean has taught me everything I know about the religion," Cameron explained. "She said you and her went to church every Sunday, and she always cherished that alone time with you." She felt she was leading up to what Sarah wanted to say to her. "I do not mind if you two go together tomorrow without me. I have things I can do."
Sarah let out a low breath and nodded. "Thanks for understanding." She could recall several times in the past that Charley would be offended that he wasn't invited with Sarah and Jean. "I thought after Jean and I get back then we could go to the bank, get you an account opened, and set up everything."
Cameron just moved her head in agreement.
"Great." Sarah stood up and ran her fingers through her hair. "I think I'm going to lay down."
"You did not sleep well last night," Cameron guessed. She stood up too and easily rose above the petite woman.
"Mmmm, not really." Sarah was tired and her defenses weak. She knew it because she felt the urge to lean into Cameron, but she refused it. "I'll see you in the morning." She moved to the door.
"Goodnight, Sarah." Cameron watched the human go then she softly sighed.
Sarah went down the hall and checked in on Jean, who was standing over her notebook. She told Jean the plans for tomorrow then said goodnight. She was relieved to get to her bedroom and be alone for the night. She changed into her sleeping clothes, cleaned up, and soon crawled into bed. Tonight had been a long time since she'd gone to bed without drinking any alcohol.
But by six in the morning, Sarah woke up feeling much better and her mood improved despite her loss in Washington D.C. She found she'd never stirred once through the night and slept fairly well compared to most nights. She climbed out of bed and prepared to go to church. She knew Jean was good about getting up too. Shortly, she and Jean were rushing into the garage to Sarah's hover car.
"Come on, Jean," Sarah ordered. She hated to be late to anything, especially church.
Jean rushed through the open door, shut it, and jumped into her mother's car. She set her banana in the cupholder while she buckled up. "Are you sure about Cameron not wanting to go?"
"Yes," Sarah replied. "She said she had some things to do this morning."
"She could always meet us for brunch?" Jean tried.
Sarah had a thin smile while she backed her hover car out of the garage. She could tell that Jean was favoring the terminator. "She said she'd make herself something." She glanced over at her daughter, who was still concerned. She promised, "She'll come with us next Sunday."
Jean smiled now and picked up her fruit. She needed a snack if she was going to make it through mass.
Sarah zipped down the streets and took the back roads to the church. She thought about how she planned to talk to Jean about her and Charley while they were at brunch. She hoped it wouldn't ruin the meal.
Jean finished her banana and set the skin down in the cupholder. She lifted her head as her mother stopped at a four-way intersection that required all cars to stop. She glanced over at her mother and teased, "So how many Hail Marys do you have this Sunday?"
Sarah smirked over at her daughter. "None. I'm still an angel." She noted the oncoming SUV on the otherside of the intersection that was approaching the stop sign. She hit the pedal to zip through the intersection.
Jean laughed at her mother, but she faltered at seeing the oncoming SUV that tore through the intersection. "Mom, watch out!" She pointed at the larger hover car that'd shifted into their lane.
Sarah reacted by jerking the steering wheel to the right. Her hover car was clipped by the SUV, and they were thrown off the road into the open field.
The hover SUV circled around in the intersection then aimed for the stopped hover car. It came fast and slammed hard into the small hover car.
Sarah screamed for her daughter just as the SUV collided with them. But she felt her car rolled over by the SUV lifting it up.
"Mom!" Jean cried out. But she swallowed her next cry because her head slammed into the car's ceiling, which had crushed under the car's weight. Then glass sprayed over her when the front window shattered from the pressure.
Sarah groaned but warm blood trailed down her temple. She managed her eyes open and despite her tangled posture, she tried for the seatbelt. "Jean?" she called.
But Jean didn't move or utter a sound. She remained still until her door was forced open and a man started grabbing for her. She let out a low groan yet didn't wake up.
"No!" Sarah hollered. She was fueled by dread. Her door was also ripped open and hands were all over her. "Get off me!" She tried swinging a punch that pained her already hurt knuckles. She couldn't stop them when a second person helped drag her out.
"Get her daughter in the car," somebody ordered, harshly.
Sarah was hauled out of her car, and she staggered to her feet. She leaned back against the toppled hover car for support and focused her eyes on the black masked strangers.
"Be careful," a man ordered.
Sarah glanced to her right and saw two men carrying her daughter to the black SUV. "No," she hotly whispered and made an attempt. Yet the two men that'd pulled her out from the smashed car shoved her back.
"Leave my daughter alone," Sarah yelled at them. She made another attempt but the guy on the right hit her hard. She fell to her knees.
"Stay down," a man commanded.
Sarah rarely listened and started getting back onto her feet.
"Damn her," a man cursed. He jumped forward and kicked her hard in the stomach.
Sarah fell to the ground, her arms over her stomach, and she kept moving. "Jean," she fearfully muttered; she couldn't believe this was happening to them. She heard double doors slam yet nothing made sense in her blurry eyes. She managed her hands under her body and lifted up. She suddenly was kicked in the stomach again that sent her rolling away.
"Stop," a man snapped. "She's no good to us if she's dead." He made a low movement then said, "Let's go before the cops show up."
Sarah rolled onto her side and listened to the men retreat into the running hover SUV. She raised her head up and vaguely made out the blurry black car speed off with her daughter in it. She groaned and squinted her eyes while she reached into her pocket. She weakly dug out her earpiece that was hopefully still intact. She clenched it loosely and dropped her cupped hand by her face. She opened her hand.
"Cameron," Sarah instructed the earpiece. She wasn't sure if she'd successfully made the call or not because she blacked out. Her only minor comfort was that Cameron could track her hover car's location through her home security system. She didn't remember much of anything after that point, but she eventually woke up to warmth followed by pain. She let out a heavy groan and gingerly touched her forehead. She tested her eyes and found herself staring up at a familiar gray ceiling. She had a sense of deja-vu then her initial fears were calmed by that confident voice she knew very well.
"You are safe, Sarah."
Now Sarah figured out what was so warm and comfortable under her head. She shifted her eyes back further and found the terminator's upside down features above her.
Cameron glanced down at the human, who's head was in her lap. She kept Sarah close to her so that she could monitor the human's vital signs. Her right hand still gently gripped Sarah's wrist. "You have been injured."
"I didn't notice," Sarah sarcastically muttered. She started sitting up once she knew she was in the F-350. "Where's Jean? They took her." She was half up, her right arm across her hurt stomach, and her left hand kept her propped up.
"Yes, I know." Cameron had a calm and focused profile. She was watching her driving. "I have hacked into Verizon Wireless's systems and satellites. We are currently going to Jean's last known whereabouts according to her earpiece's GPS."
Sarah sucked in a breath then straightened up the rest of the way. "Where's that?"
"Sun City," Cameron replied. She glanced at the truck's speed, which was one hundred twenty-five miles per hour. She was not at all concerned about her speed and looked at the injured human. She clenched her jaw at seeing Sarah's bruises and gashes that she did her best to clean up when she found Sarah.
Sarah held her aching stomach with her right arm. "There were four of them... they hit us head on with an SUV."
The terminator carefully listened to the human then asked, "Were any terminators?"
Sarah shook her head then looked at Cameron. "I don't think so." She sat up the rest of the way once she felt ready to bare the pain. "I'm not sure why they didn't take me."
Cameron was considering this factor already and had a possible idea. "Did they say anything?"
Sarah dropped her head against the seat and recalled her earlier memories from the crash and grab. "One guy said I wouldn't be worth anything if I was dead." She rolled her head to Cameron's direction. "It has to be the Resistance." She could tell Cameron was processing it.
"I don't believe so," Cameron argued. "They would have taken you too." She looked at Sarah and explained, "They're most likely kidnappers wanting to ransom Jean to you."
Sarah narrowed her eyes at this idea that hadn't occurred to her.
"You and Charley have a great deal of money," Cameron reminded. "That makes Jean a perfect target."
Sarah shook her head and whispered, "I don't care who they are." She was clearly angry.
"Should we call the police?" Cameron checked.
Sarah swallowed and made her choice. "No... no police." She lifted her head and seriously studied the terminator. "We do this my way, remember?"
Cameron simply nodded and shifted into her terminator mindset.
"They hit us hard," Sarah muttered, "but you're going to hit them harder." She wouldn't let these men come after her daughter again. "We get Jean back then go to the nearest hospital." She was quickly thinking out the plans. "It was a car accident." She glanced at the terminator. "You came and got us out of the hover car."
Cameron silently agreed despite she was concerned about the time lapse. They could work out the finer details later because Jean was their mission now. She followed her internal GPS to Jean's last known location in hopes that Jean would be alive. She considered her plans once they located the kidnappers. She did a mental inventory of the weapons she'd hastily collected from the workshop and stowed away in a large bag. She had everything in the backseat while a Glock was in her rear waistband and a second sat in the cupholder.
Sarah for her part tried staying calm despite the rising panic in her chest. She prayed for her daughter and trusted Cameron to save Jean. She saw that the next exit from the highway was for Sun City.
Cameron pulled into the slow lane and took the exit. She slowed the truck down but yielded to passing traffic on the street. She wedged in and hit the gas pedal. "I lost her location about fifteen minutes ago."
"They must have found her earpiece," Sarah concluded. "Destroyed it." She reached over and painfully grabbed the Glock.
"She appears to be at an old, condemned bank," Cameron reported. She'd made a right down a busy street that had four lanes. She sped past the traffic. She glanced at the handgun in Sarah's lap then looked at Sarah's hard features. "You should not go in with me."
Sarah toyed with the gun in her lap. She couldn't just sit in the truck and wait around.
"You are badly injured," Cameron reminded. "I can handle these men easier without worrying if you're safe."
Sarah tightly clenched the Glock's handle and leaned forward. She internally struggled with Cameron's wise words and her need to protect her child.
"Sarah, her chances of survival increase if you do not come with me. I can terminate these men and safely return Jean to you." Cameron had a hidden plea in her tone. "You must trust me."
Sarah bit her lower lip then looked at the terminator. "Fifteen minutes... if you don't come back by then, I will follow in."
Cameron nodded because it was sufficient enough for her. She could fully focus on Jean's abductors now that Sarah would remain safely in the truck. She tore down the streets at an illegal speed, but she'd long ago hacked into the law enforcements' system and knew the location of all police officers. She wasn't concerned about being caught so she allowed the truck to roar loudly.
Sarah shifted in her seat and sucked in her breath at how it pained her. "Damn bastards," she hissed. She clutched her side. "I think I really broke a rib this time." She dropped her head on the rest. "If you find the guy with the steel tipped boots, kick him in the stomach a few times for me."
The terminator glanced at the hurt human, but she made no comment because she was struggling with her rising temper. She had to control her emotion so that she could be focused on her attack plans. She was busy retrieving blue prints on the abandon bank that were in the county's files. She concluded that the 2020 Digital Law inadvertently helped a sentient super-computer like her, who could easily hack into databases and archives that were protected by weaker computers in 2030.
Finally, Cameron slowed the truck because she was a block away from the forgotten bank. She pulled into a large, empty parking lot that looked to be apart of a mall once upon a time. She could tell by its rundown features and dead lot that it was no longer in use, which please her. But she drove across the cracked, grass infested parking lot until she was on the mall's corner. She stopped the truck because the free-standing bank was on the other side, Cameron didn't want them being seen. She parked the truck then turned to the human.
"Where is it?" Sarah asked, hastily.
"It is around the mall's corner," Cameron explained. She unbuckled her seatbelt. "I will go in, terminate these kidnappers, and retrieve Jean."
Sarah freed herself too but grabbed the terminator's wrist. "If anything happens to Jean-"
"Nothing will," Cameron sternly replied.
Sarah saw how lifeless and cold Cameron's blue eyes were now. She'd seen that before, and she was grateful it wasn't lost. "Fifteen minutes," she reminded, "I'll wait here 'til then."
The terminator silently conceded then shoved open the door. She broke away from Sarah and went to the passenger door.
Sarah slightly adjusted in the seat, set the gun in her lap, and twisted back to Cameron. "Try not to let Jean find out about your metal."
Cameron was currently considering this difficulty. She merely clipped, "I will try." She had a book bag that contained her blue navy jacket. She now shoved eight thirty-three bullet clips, a spare Glock, and zipped it up. She then grabbed the two black Glocks sitting on the seat. She met Sarah's gaze. "Stay here."
Sarah locked her jaw and nodded, but she managed, "Be safe, Cameron."
The terminator heard the human, yet she didn't respond. She wasn't concerned about herself.
Sarah painfully faced forward after the truck's door slammed. She stared out of the window and watched the terminator head to the abandon mall's sidewalk. She noted Cameron simply wore jeans, boots, and a black tank top. She seriously considered how Cameron would hide any bullet wounds that way, but she left it alone.
Sarah leaned forward after Cameron disappeared around the corner. She clutched her Saint Christopher necklace and mouthed a silent prayer for her daughter. She desperately clung to her fifteen minute promised despite she wanted to race out of the truck. Sarah could only be thankful that she had the terminator here to protect them from danger such as this. But Sarah had no remorse for Jean's kidnappers like she may have had twenty years ago when she was much younger. She could only hope their deaths were swift under the terminator's hand.