John stepped into a dimly lit building, not far from the TDE/RDE.
Kate relaxed, lying prone on the roof, and controlled her breathing as she looked for a target through her scope.
Chad and Karen were both sitting on the ground working on the TDE/RDE.
Karen was busy plugging several wires into place.
Chad inserted a circuit board before looking at Karen. “That should do it,” he said.”All we need to do now is wait for Benny to come back so we can use the tablet, make a few inputs, and presto we go home, or back to finish our mission rather.” He then glanced up to a seemingly plain, boring wall. His Terminator eyes however revealed a laser searching for a target. “Don’t get up,” he pointed, for Karen to look. “Someones onto us.”
John and Quin continued to move silently through the building. The whole place was dimly lit by a combination of its lights inside and outside, almost looking like a building back at Quin’s home. The only difference was that the building still at least in one piece and had a roof.
Quin took cover along a doorway and signaled to John that what they were looking for was in the next room.
John ran up opposite of Quin before sneaking into the next room. It was a very large room with little office furniture in the way. The TDE/RDE was obvious, but as Quin looked around with John, there was no Rev-9.i’s in view.
With his gun pointed forward, Quin cautiously moved forward searching for Chad and Karen. The sound of glass breaking glass in another part of the warehouse grabbed his attention. He signaled John his intention to check it out and stay put.
The sound had come from an area of the warehouse that was under some sort of renovation at the time it was abandoned. It was mainly made up of empty rooms with plastic curtains hanging in many places.
Quin moved slowly through the rooms. When his Terminator brain was sure it spotted something, he opened fired while dropping to one knee. That move saved him from being blasted by several plasma bolts that blew through a wall and at him. He quickly rolled to the side and readjusted his aim to fire back.
John kept his gun trained on the doorway leading to the area of fighting. He could hear the exchange of plasma fire between the adversaries and began contemplating joining in.
Kate kept searching for a target when she felt suddenly grabbed from behind, up and over she went as Karen slammed her back to the ground.
“Quick or slow,” Karen said, grabbing the sniper rifle and rocket launcher to toss over the roof. “It’s your choice. Tell me who else is here and who knows about us?”
Kate had hit the ground hard, but not as hard as Karen could have thrown her if she didn’t want answers. With a painful grunt, she stood back up to quickly draw her knife and slash Karen across her neck.
Karen’s head slightly tilted back as blood sprayed from the wound. Any other woman would have dropped dead on the spot.
Out of some sense of hope, upon seeing the blood flow, Kate thought it was enough of a kill hit. Instead, she watched in terror as the wound healed and Karen moved forward shaking her head.
“Idiot!” Karen said as Kate then drove the knife into what should have been a heart. Her response was to quickly grab onto the knife-wielding hand and slowly pull it out.
Kate couldn’t maintain her grip on the knife as Karen squeezed her wrist, almost to the point of breaking it. She tried not to scream in pain, to not give Karen that satisfaction.
“You’re gonna need more than a knife, hon,” Karen said. “I’m trying to go easy on you,” she then grabbed Kate by the neck and lifted her. “I just want answers,” she added as she noticed a hole in the roof. “This can be painful or I can end this quick.”
Kate was then thrown into the hole and landed with a loud thud on the ground floor.
Karen hopped down and kicked Kate before saying. “I’m gonna kill you no question about it. What you need to ask is how fast you want it?” she grabbed Kate by the neck again and lifted her. “Who else is here and who else knows about us?”
Kate was lucky the wall she was then thrown into was thin, though she was still in pain when Karen again grabbed her by the neck and lifted her.
Karen smiled and shook her head. “Last chance before this really starts to hurt.” She said.
Kate struggled as she reached for her gun, hidden in a holster underneath her shirt near the back, quickly put it to Karen’s head, and fired.
Karen immediately released her hold on Kate and fell back. She’d been struck by a Silver bullet that tore into her mechanical brain. It wasn’t enough to go right through but it did enough damage to at least penetrate and cause something of a massive stroke that left her in a locked-in syndrome kind of state. She was dead for all intents and purposes as she slowly lost power.
Kate cradled her neck, coughing lightly as she struggled back up to her feet.
The plasma firing between the Terminators had stopped.
John became more uneasy by the moment and decided to at least stand by and guard the doorway so he could at least look into the room and get a better view.
Quin walked slowly but jumped quickly around a corner as he continued his search. He found himself in a hallway with multiple doors to one side and a large one leading to a dock with large, open, and empty metal cargo containers parked along its edge.
The door to the dock was closed, so there was no need to check. Inspecting the other rooms, however, proved a little scarier It wasn’t until the third Quin found himself in a wrestling match over his plasma rifle with Chad.
Chad had attached his own gun to his belt to use both hands.
While Quin was nearly as strong as a typical T-800, he was also almost five inches shorter and thinner. That meant it was less weight for Chad, already stronger than any human, to easily push around. Both held a firm grip on the plasma rifle as well as each other as they pushed one another back and forth.
It also didn’t help that Chad was resisting and not standing still, like Benny when Quin lifted him.
John could hear the commotion from where he stood, as it no longer sounded like a gunfight he decided to move in. He felt an irresistible need to contribute to the fight in some way.
Chad pushed hard, driving Quin through the wall and door to the dock. It wasn’t as worn down as other areas of the warehouse, though it had a lower section, a basement of sorts that could be accessed by ramps and seen from the upper level by small walkways surrounded by rails.
Quin pushed back against Chad, only to have his own momentum then used against him.
Chad moved aside, letting go of the plasma rifle and Quin.
Unable to stop Quin’s thrust forward, the rail just gave way for him to try holding on by Chad’s shirt which simply ripped. He landed hard on the ground facefirst on the lower level. Unhurt, he got up and turned around to look up and find Chad pointing his rifle at him.
“Goodbye; see you later,” Chad said.”Maybe in another reality. Though now that I think about it, I’ll probably just kill you.”
Just before Chad could pull the trigger he was struck by multiple bullets from John’s gun. He only staggered back to find what little cover he could behind a stack of pushcarts.
John hurried in and ran behind a pillar as he continued to fire.
Chad returned fire, barely missing his target. “John,” he said. “John Connor,” he then grunted. “Man, killing you never gets old.”
Quin grabbed his gun and ran up the ramp, narrowly avoiding plasma bolts as he dove into a nearby office.
Chad continued firing at both men as he began to sidestep toward them, giving them next to no chance of retaliation, shooting at them every time they’d stick their heads out. He never saw Kate peeking in at the doorway with the rocket launcher.
Kate had a clear view of Chad to aim carefully and then fire.
Being made of muscle and next to no organs, Chad flew back with the rocket’s impact. It didn’t explode until he hit the back of a cargo container.
The concentrated exp
losion had only one way to go, back out of the container, sending colored shockwaves of destruction as it cycled through the spectrum of the electromagnetic field.
When it was safe, Quin emerged to watch the fiery blaze.
“Beautiful timing,” John said as he hugged Kate.
Quin continued examining the fire with some suspicion before walking over to John and Kate. “Seems over,” he said. “ Let’s get outta here.”
The group walked back to the TDE/RDE.
“I better call Danny,” John said examing the controls. “I’m sure he can figure this thing out.”
“If not,” Quin replied. “I can show him,” he pointed to his head smiling. “It’s all up here.”
“C’mon,” John motioned with his head. “You can stay with us in the meantime.”
10. PBJ (peanut butter & jelly)
Quin sat at the dinner table in John’s house. John himself was sat across the table. Kate was busy in the kitchen.
“Thanks,” Quin said. “For letting me stay. You got a comfy couch.”
John smiled. “Mi casa es tu casa!” he replied.
“Again, thanks,” Quin said. “I have to ask. Please come back with me.”
John laughed. “I’m sorry, but why in the world would I ever go to hellhole? I have everything here. Isn’t your place all messed up and wartorn?”
Quin slightly sunk in his chair. “My John Connor is dead, killed by Chad just before I got here.”
John placed both hands on the table and fiddled with his fingers. “I got an idea,” he suddenly said. “Why don’t you stay here. I can get you set up with a job at my place and get your feet planted in your own home. I’m sure Danny will help.”
Quin almost seemed to consider it before dismissing it outright. “I can’t,” he said. “The ol’ ball ‘n chain is waiting for me I’m sure. Look, we need a leader. A lot of people are depending on you.”
“You mean the other John Connor,” John said. “Don’t you think it’ll be kinda weird if I show up?”
“No,” Quin replied. “I learned those other Terminators have a way of getting rid of bodies. No one even has to know you’re from a different reality.”
John shook his head. “I’m sure your John Connor was different. Sooner or later, someone will notice. I don’t know the first thing about your war.”
“I can guide you,” Quin said. “You already know half the story. I can tell you everything else you need to know.”
John took a deep breath and thought for a moment. “Quin,” he said. “Put yourself in my shoes. You got a beautiful wife, your world is at relative peace, and you don’t have to worry about what to eat next or where to sleep. What would you do?”
Quin then seemed to give up trying to convince John. “I’d stay too, I guess,” he said. “Can’t say I blame ya. Me, I can’t stay. I’ve got a world to save.”
Kate entered the room and set down some plates before sitting herself. “I hope you like PBJ,” she said. “It’s just a quick snack before we go out and get some real food.”
John’s cellphone began ringing, Seeing that it was Danny, he leaned over and kissed Kate on the forehead. “Perfect, Hon,” he said. “Excuse me while I take this.”
John answered the phone. “Danny, what's up,” he said. “It’s only been a week. You got something for us?”
Danny laughed. “Hey, John,” he responded. “I got everything back to the company?”
John was in disbelief. “Already,” he asked. “How the heck did you manage that?”
Danny sat at the controls of the RDE. “I didn’t get a degree in engineering for nothing,” he replied.
John spoke more with Danny as he returned to the table and sat before hanging up. “Good news,” he said. “Danny says the machine is ready. We can send you home right away.”
Quin took another bite of his PBJ before setting it down. A tear came to his eye as he looked at the sandwich. The words ‘POSSIBLE SOLUTION’ kept flashing on his HUD.
John noticed Quin’s tear. “Look, dude,” he started. “I said I’m sorry.”
Quin looked up at John. “Me too,” he replied and stood to leave the table. “Excuse me for a moment.”
Kate turned to John and spoke in a low voice. “What's wrong?” she asked.
John shook his head. “Nothing,” he answered. “We were just talking about his home.”
Several seconds later a plasma blast screamed across the table and hit Kate in the chest, knocking her back. As it struck her in the heart, it instantly killed her.
John had freaked out. Diving backward at the sudden light and noise. His first thought was to check on his wife. “Kate, Hon, talk to me,” he said crawling over to find her lifeless body. He immediately burst into tears at the sight of her.
Quin slowly walked over, with the plasma rifle in hand. “You have to come with me.” He said.
A rage-filled John jumped up and struck Quin in the face. He was lucky the Terminator rolled with his punches to avoid any self-harm. It was almost scary to see him in such a state of mind.
For a moment, there was some serious furniture moving in the house.
Eventually, Quin was able to hold John to the ground and ask. “You love her right?”
John struggled what little he could. “Go to Hell,” he screamed. “You goddamn machine!”
Quin teared up at the whole situation before steeling himself. “You love her,” he asked again. “Because she’s alive, back at my place. You two are married. That’s how I knew who she was.”
John calmed down at that, thinking to himself. ‘She’s alive. She’s alive.’ He even mouthed the words to convince himself.
Quin eased his grip as he sat up. “You just have to come with me and see her,” he said. “She’s alive.”
John lay motionless on the floor and asked. “Will she even be the same?”
Quin stood back up. “It’ll be similar to when we first met,” he answered. “Her experiences will be different, but she’ll know you. To her, you’re her husband and leader of the Resistance.
John sat up and began crying once more.
“Again,” Quin said. “I’m sorry for what I did. The last thing I wanted…I’ll help you bury her and then we’ll go.”
John stood back up, looked Quin in the eyes, and said. “You stay the hell away from her.”
“I promise,” Quin replied. “When we arrive back at my place, I’ll give you this plasma rifle and you can have your revenge.”
The idea of finally getting revenge burned in John’s mind. Time wasn’t an issue to him, as he moved at his pace to dig.
Quin could only wait inside as John buried Kate out in the backyard. He knew better than to push for John to hurry up. He kept trying to convince himself that it was the Terminator part of him that did it, but he knew it only came up with the idea. He, in a million years, could have never thought to shoot Kate.
John’s only comfort was that he’d see his wife again. As he placed the last pile of dirt on the grave, he was hit by the memories of his experiences with this Kate. Now, the urge to see her was overwhelming. Tears again filled his eyes as he leaned on the shovel and continued with thoughts of his wife.
The sun was beginning to set. Danny had been waiting by the entrance of his company to personally greet John and Quin as they arrived by car. He ran up to them as they entered the building. “I sent everyone home,” he said. “ I got everything moved to our R&D section. No one knows what it does or is, so discretion is on our side.”
“Sounds good,” Quin said. “Study it. This is one of those ‘knowledge is power’ situations.”
In the lead, Danny opened a door as he guided the men. “I hauled the Terminator’s bodies to a large storage closet in my office to keep them top secret.”
“As I said,” Quin replied. “Knowledge is power. Study and learn from it, just make sure the information doesn’t fall into the wrong hands. Besides, I don’t think someone finding dead bodies in your closet will lo
ok good. They’re machines, don’t be afraid to take’em apart. All you really need is the brain and nervous system that comes out with it.”
“Point taken,” Danny continued. “In that case, we’ll release proprietary patent information only we can duplicate to avoid any potential knockoffs. I’ll make sure everything else will be kept in the deepest, darkest hole, I swear it.”
They then entered a large room with the RDE sitting visibly in the middle.
Danny walked over by the controls to activate the machine and grab the tablet. “I’m sure I can control everything with this,” he said. “I don’t think it’s needed exclusively. Just something to use away from the controls.”
Quin took the tablet to make a few inputs as he ascended the ramp.
John said nothing as he just followed Quin up the ramp to the RDE, his head hanging low.
Danny followed close behind and whispered. “You’re not going are you, what about Kate?”
John stopped and slowly turned to face Danny. He pulled a set of keys from his pocket and handed them over. “Please make sure nothing happens to my house,” he responded in a low voice. “I promise, I’ll be back.”
Quin handed Danny back the tablet at the top of the RDE. “Keep it,” he said, then tapping the side of his head. “I have everything I need up here.”
Danny looked worriedly at John before receiving a nod and then giving one in return. He then descended back down. “You guys ready? He asked.
Quin shouldered his rifle and said. “Good to go.”
Danny pressed the ‘ENGAGE’ button and watched as Quin and John became engulfed in colorful, spinning spheres one moment, and completely vanish the next.”Be safe guys,” he whispered.
Quin and John then suddenly found themselves in the command center of the Resistance’s HQ. Standing only yards away, were several shocked looks, including Kate, Shawn, and Two-four.
Quin instantly recognized Two-four and aimed with his plasma rifle.
Two-four didn’t have a chance to react as Quin blasted her in the chest. She could only manage a look of surprise at being struck and stand there as the wound healed.
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