T2 - 01 - The New John Connor Chronicles - Dark Futures (31 page)

Which only meant you could
never
let go, never leave the job.

"Maybe we're just a disease on this planet," Sarah said. "One that burns itself out Why not let it happen?"

"Ms. Connor," Jade said.

"What?" Sarah said, her voice sardonic and challenging.

"Please. You must be feeling guilty, like it's your fault. You can't think that way."

"I'm
not
thinking that way."

"If you say so, but, with great respect to you, I think you are."

Sarah rolled her eyes. "Another teenager wants to lecture me."

"Please," Jade said. "Perhaps you are right, perhaps not. We don't blame you. If not for what you did, many of us might have died in 1997. Billions of people had years of life they would never have had. And the world would have been so different-many people would never have met-for example, my own parents. If not for you, I wouldn't have been born. How can we blame you? You gave us all a chance. Those who failed to take it must bear the blame."

Sarah was silent not mollified, or happy, but at least chewing it over. John said, "How did it happen? Skynet works like a charm for fourteen years, gets everyone to trust it, then goes crazy. Is that it?"

"Not quite," Danny said. "At least we don't think so. It happened in the middle of a global crisis. Over
Taiwan
."

"
China
overstepped the mark," Anton said. "The Chinese leadership announced it had a sacred duty to annex
Taiwan
. There were demonstrations on the mainland, supporting the decision. The crisis went on for weeks. Then Chinese warships sailed into Taiwanese waters."

"This is 2021," Danny said.

Anton grunted acknowledgment "That's right."

"So what did the
U.S.
do?" John said.

Danny glanced at Anton. "You tell them the story. I won't interrupt."

"The President issued a warning to
Beijing
not to attack the island.
China
defied it and called on the Taiwanese government to step down. Tensions escalated.
U.S.
warships sailed into the area.
China
announced that it was prepared to fire its nuclear weapons at the
U.S.
if it took military action. Skynet was fed all the data. It put the American missiles on high alert. At that point, all the new complexity it was managing seemed to push it over the edge, into a new state of awareness. It announced it had become self-conscious."

"And they tried to shut it down?" Sarah said.

"Yes," Anton said. "And it retaliated."

"
Omigod
. I see."

"So what do you want us to do now?" John said, looking at Danny, who seemed to be in charge.

"Help us," Danny said. "That hasn't changed. We can still create a world that's safe for humanity, one without Skynet. It's not too late."

"No, I guess it's not. We must have learned something from all of this. Maybe we can get it right."

Sarah interrupted. "How many times do we have to try? Billions more people die every time. Don't you understand that?"

John had thought of it, and it was bugging him. But what could do they do? "We're already in a new timeline, Mom. We must be by now. If we don't do anything, it'll be just as bad."

"I understood that the first time. It's not a good enough answer."

"Mom, we can make it work out. We've just got to keep on the job."

"How can you know that, John? Why isn't it always going to end in disaster? That's what's happened so far."

She'd pushed him to the point where he was angry, too. "Well, what's your idea?" He said. "Just give up? You want us to be the gutless Connors? These guys are going to try anyway. I guess it's either with our help or without it. What do you want to do, Mom? What do you want?"

"I don't know!" she said desperately.

"Yes, you do. We've got to pull together. We've got to try!"

"Is that what you want? Whatever you say, John. I give up. It's too hard for me."

"I know what I want," he said. "What do you want? I want to help, and I want your blessing. Please. Is it so much to ask?"

She stood and walked out of the diner, to the car park. Jade ran after her. "Ms. Connor." John tried to hold her back, but she moved like lightning. "Ms. Connor!"

"I'd better go with them," John said. "Mom's
kinda
tense."

He followed them to the car, where Sarah leaned against its side, lighting a cigarette. "Look," she said. "Just let me think, okay? I know we've got to help. I know there's no alternative. Just let me absorb it. I'll be all right."

"Come on, Jade," John said. "She's got a lot to face here." He took Jade's arm without thinking. Her muscles were like steel cables. He let go like he'd had an electric shock. What was he doing touching this creature?

"Very well," Jade said. She headed back inside.

"Mom?"

"
Yes?
" Sarah said, almost like a cry of pain. Then, in a tired monotone: "What now, John? Can't I have a few minutes' peace?"

"All I wanted to say was, "Thanks.”

Jade found them another car, an early '80s 4WD with a Californian registration. The first task was to slip across the border-then head for the
Salceda
camp.

"Let's stop in Calexico," John said. "I just want to do one thing."

They found an Internet cafe. John created a new Hotmail account using the sign-in name, "Uncle Bob," then sent a message to Franco, saying to expect them, keeping it cryptic. He finished off the message, adding the same name as the sign-in. That should be enough of a clue: If Franco checked his e-mail, it might at least stop them getting shot at, if he and Enrique were feeling trigger-happy.

As they entered the compound, nothing much seemed to have changed since last time John was here, over seven years before. The headlamps lit up much the same collection of vehicles and trailers, though there was now a helicopter hangar and a new garage. Enrique came out to meet them, carrying a flashlight and his shotgun. Franco covered him from behind, along with his Juanita—now a skinny twelve-year-old with long legs. Both of them had snipers' rifles, and probably other weapons.

"All right, Connor," Enrique said. "We got your message. What is it this time? Who are all these people?"

"It's okay," Sarah said. "They're friends."

"How do we know that? We haven't seen you for years. Now you turn up out of nowhere with a whole bunch of strangers."

"These guys are cool, Enrique," John said. "Take it from me. But we need you help."

"That so? You and your mama haven't been too friendly lately."

"I've kept in touch with Franco."

"Yeah, sure." Enrique sounded pissed off, though more put upon than genuinely angry.

"Mr.
Salceda
?" Jade said.

Enrique leveled the shotgun in her direction. "Now who the hell are you, young lady?"

"Everyone calls me Jade."

"That doesn't tell me much. They call me all sorts of things, sometimes even to my face."

"I can vouch for everyone here," Sarah said. "Look, no one's armed." They'd left all their weapons in the 4WD.
 
Of course, John thought, Enrique didn't know what Jade and the others could do, that they'd hardly need weapons dealing with
unenhanced
human beings.

Enrique held his position for a minute. "All right," he said, lowering the shotgun and waving to his kids to relax. "You better come in and tell us what this is all about. I hope it's good."

Sarah stepped up to him, hugged him quickly. "It will be," she said.
  

The tension left like air from a tire tube. "That's okay, Connor. You just can't be too careful."

Inside the trailer, they met up with Yolanda and the remaining kids. Everyone had aged or grown. Enrique was getting really bald. Yolanda's hair was distinctly gray. Their children were that much older—Franco was in his mid-twenties now, and even little Paco was nine or ten, much the same as John when they'd last met.

Enrique and Yolanda offered drinks all round. Specialist gratefully accepted his tequila. Maybe there was a shortage in the future. Enrique looked from one to another, obviously intrigued. "So what's this all about?"

"I don't know how we're going to get you to believe us," John said.

"Yeah? Try me."

"All right,
 
but you won't like it. These guys are from the future." He might as well tell it straight out.
 
The Specialist
 
could prove it if they had to.

"You're right, John. I don't believe you."
    

"That's crazy," Paco said.

John gave a broad smile. "You saying I'm crazy, or that your dad is?"

"
You're
crazy, of course."

"
Moi
?
" he said, theatrically outraged. Somehow, he'd have to change their minds. "That's pretty wounding, Paco. You know that?"

Enrique glanced across to Sarah. "Is this the usual crap, Sarahlita? Not more stuff about Judgment Day and these Terminators coming back to kill you and Big John? Hey, he has got
big
, hasn't he?" He laughed.

"I'm afraid so, Enrique. About the Terminators, I mean. Our friends come from a time after Judgment Day."

"Judgment Day was supposed to have been years ago."

"1997," Sarah said. "Let's say it got postponed."

"Sarahlita, can't you just give it up?"

"I wish we could. I really wish we could. If only you knew, Enrique."

"It's true," Danny said.

"Yeah?" Enrique looked him over. "And who are you?"

John said. "Anyone remember that scene in
Blade Runner
? Where
Pris
grabs the egg from the boiling water?" Paco nodded at that John sized up the Specialists, looking from one to the next. "Maybe someone should show these guys something."

The Specialists were silent for a few seconds, making no move. Then Jade's hand snapped out, seizing the tequila bottle from Enrique. In the same motion, she crushed the bottle with her fist.

"
Madre de
Dios
—" Enrique said.

She held up her palm, bleeding where the broken glass had penetrated it. Within seconds, the wounds had healed over. Magic!

John grinned, a bit cheekily he realized. Jade had made his point, or at least given him a little credibility. "Now who's crazy?" he said to Paco, who stood there open-mouthed. "Anyone need to see more?"

"Nice trick," Franco said with a cynical grin. "But maybe we do."

Selena walked over to him, offering her hand. Franco took it uncertainly, and Selena squeezed. In a second, the grin washed off Franco's face and he sank to his knees. Juanita drew a handgun, but Enrique shook his head at her as Selena let go and stepped back. In another sudden movement, Jade snatched the handgun, bent its barrel out of shape, then passed it back.

"Okay," Enrique said. "Your friends are tough, Connor,
Ill
give you that much. But it doesn't mean a thing. I had a pretty tough uncle back in
Guatemala
, but he didn't come from the future."
   

"For God's sake," Sarah said, "just believe us for once. You haven't seen half of what these people can do, but we can't spend all night convincing you about it. We've

got a job ahead of us. You can help us willingly, or we can take what we need. Don't think you could stop us."

Anton stepped right in front of Enrique and just stood there, arms folded. Enrique was a tough guy himself, but, after seeing Jade and Selena in action, he didn't look ready to argue with the big Russian.

"We need guns and ammunition," Anton said. "And explosives. That's all."

"No, it's not," Sarah said. "We need a truck that's not stolen. You'll have to lend us one, Enrique. You know John and me. We brought your Bronco back last time."

"Yeah, sure," Enrique said. "But that's all you brought back, remember?"

"We can pay you for the guns and ammo," John said. "At least for some of it."

"I think it's okay," Yolanda said. "Sarah and John are our friends."

"Yeah, yeah. That's what I was thinking, too.* Enrique stepped around Anton, laughing good-naturedly. "Whatever you need, Sarahlita, you know it's yours. So when do you want all this? It's getting
kinda
late. I suppose you wanted it yesterday, right?"

"Yeah, right. Sony, Enrique."

"Sure you are."

"We'll sleep here tonight," Anton said. He glanced at the wristwatch he was wearing. "We'll leave before sunrise."

John considered it. What was the T-XA doing while all this was happening? Surely it didn't need to sleep, and nothing was going to stop it crossing the border. Would it head straight to
Colorado
, or to
L.A.
, where Cyberdyne had its headquarters? He caught Anton's eye. "Isn't tomorrow a bit late?"