Jesse Flores, who I knew as a Grey, was walking around the little shack I had found us. She didn't seem angry at the choice of location even though I would've been. Riley Dawson was following her and they were talking. I would've listened in if I could hear them.
But, as I watched them, I found out that they were using hand signals they had learned from Skynet. Well, Terminators had taught the duo the signals. Riley didn't seem to be adept at the slight signals and Jesse had to keep on correcting her.
This shack was away from the Resistance Base 42. It was still close enough, though, to run back and get others to help. Images from my dream that one night came back to me. I shook the doubts away. It had only been a dream. I was working for the Resistance and not Skynet. Never Skynet.
Finally Riley walked over to me. She seemed to be scared of me, since her movements seemed to be slow and guarded. I didn't know how I looked to her. I hoped I looked calm.
"I'm Riley Dawson." She said.
"I know, I have ears." I replied. "You're really not that scared, are you?"
"Should I be?" She asked.
"You are a Grey."
"And you are..."
"I am Jash and I fight for the Resistance. I will never give up the fight against Skynet. Never. Even if death parts me from the war."
Out of the corner of my eye I saw Jesse tense up. I knew if I even moved an inch in the wrong direction, I would have to deal with her.
"And what makes you sure that you're on the right side?" She asked.
"It's the Resistance, that's enough for me." I replied, ignoring the fact that doubts were starting to build up.
Riley nodded and held out her hand. "Maybe I'll be on your side one day."
I looked at the hand. Was this a good cop, bad cop thing? Or did she really believe what she said? And did it really matter at this moment? I shook her hand and said, "The Resistance will be happy to have any soldier that is loyal."
After that Riley went to Jesse. Though their movements were small, they showed love. Not love for a fellow soldier, but for a lover. I didn't remember anyone from the Resistance acting like that.
Not even when I snuck up on them and caught them by surprise.
**********************
There was silence and the only sound were small rain drops. As of now, they were spaced far apart. But a storm was assured. I hated silence of this kind. The kind when there was a coming storm. Finally the heavy rain started.
The desert, that's what it was now, didn't recieve the rain very well. Luckily for us, the shack was made post-Judgement Day. We would be safe. At least the two Greys would be.
"Hey." I said when the boredom got too great for me.
There was no reaction from Jesse, but Riley shifted one foot. At least it was a reaction.
"So you two going to do anything?" I asked. "You can tie me up and enjoy yourselves."
"Don't listen to it, Riley." Jesse whispered into Riley's ear.
"Why not?" She asked.
"Isn't it obvious?" I replied. "She doesn't want me to disturb you."
Jesse looked me over and seemed to be deciding between two options. When she had reached a decision she said, "You don't have the power to disturb her. Go ahead and ask your questions."
Even though I didn't fully trust Riley, she was the most trustworthy one at the moment. "Why are you here, Riley?" I asked.
With a slight nod from Jesse, Riley answered me, "We were scouting the area. There's a Skynet Base close by and the Resistance needed more information. Jesse decided to come along."
Realizing she couldn't stay silent, Jesse added, "I'm usually away on a submarine so I can't be with Riley."
Jesse took Riley's hand in hers. That wasn't a random motion. It was a warning from Jesse.
Something bothered me about what Riley and Jesse had implied. Well, that they had said. "But there's no Skynet Base close by." I said.
"Hasn't your metal brain realized something?" Jesse said in a controlled rage. "Or is Skynet losing its touch?"
What I said next made me feel ashamed. "I don't have a full memory of myself." I said. "I do know I fight for the Resistance. That's all I need to know."
Jesse hardly changed her expression, but Riley shifted in her seat. It was time for the questioning to begin in earnest. Everything else had been warm up. It had all been practice. Probably just for Riley.
"What day did you join the Resistance?" Jesse asked.
"After Judgment Day sometime. The exact day is fuzzy."
"How can it be fuzzy if you're so dedicated? I would imagine that's the last thing you'd ever forget."
Jesse was right. It was odd for me to forget that. Sometime after Judgment Day? Nothing of what actually happened that day? What fucking bullshit was that? I tried to remember, but I couldn't.
"Why did you join the Resistance?" Riley asked. Her voice gentle and kind.
"Hello? Skynet bad. Resistance good." I replied sarcastically.
"Is it really safe to simplify that?"
"It's the only way to fight. To not question things that will confuse you."
"So you follow without thought? You don't have your own mind?" Jesse asked. "Sounds like how metal thinks."
"How do you follow orders, Flores?" I asked. Something had changed, I didn't want to assume she was a Grey anymore.
"I made sure of the side I was joining first."
"What makes you think I didn't?"
"You don't remember when or have a clear reason why." Jesse said and nodded to Riley.
"A human would break things down." Riley said.
"Wait. Hold on. You're saying I'm not human?" I asked with shock making it impossible for me to emote.
"Jesse wouldn't let you live if she thought you were a Terminator." Riley said. "You aren't metal, but you are probably brainwashed."
There was a pause as Jesse had to put an arm around Riley. After a few seconds, Riley grew calm enough to continue, "They've messed you up. But you are human."
*************************
"Hurry up, Jash." Jesse Flores commanded me. I hurried up and packed the rest of my supplies. It was odd taking orders from a woman I had considered my enemy. That I had considered a Grey. But I had been the Grey. Though that hadn't been my fault.
"Don't mind her." Riley Dawson said and helped me pack. There had been a few days of being questioned by the pair, but they had ruled me safe. The only problem being that I had been brainwashed.
"I'll try not to." I sighed and took a better look at Jesse. Riley was lucky to be tapping that. I couldn't since, even though I wasn't metal, Jesse couldn't imagine ourselves in each other. Shaking my head, I wondered why I had thought that. I hadn't had sexual thoughts before. I would say I was growing up, but I was already twenty-three. Hormones would've already taken effect.
"You going to turn on us?" Jesse asked and looked at me, preparing herself to shoot me.
"No, I need to get to the real Resistance." I said. "I need to see if I can really help out as much as I thought I was before."
After a few more minutes of checking, we were off. Being with the Resi-Skynet. It was Skynet that I had fought for. Skynet never made it this hard to go from place to place. I thought war was hard. Now I was bored. And after the second day, Jesse and Riley told me to shut up until I came up with some good jokes. In my defense, I hadn't had much practice.
Finally, to the relief of both me and the other two, we came upon a Resistance Camp. Unlike Base 42, this Resistance Camp was made up of broken buildings. I assumed that there were at least a few rooms underground.
I grew nervous as we approached the guards. I didn't know why, but every inch of me told me to run away because something bad would happen. I scratched my head as I tried to figure out why.
I took my hand away from my head as Jesse said who we all were. Leaving out that I had been a Grey.
"Where are the dogs?" I asked one of the guards.
"Most of them are sick." He replied. "And some of them are out doing other jobs."
Jesse nodded and we went in. I looked at these real humans and saw an obvious difference. There were more expressions than metal could hope to reproduce. Small things. Little things. But still emotions. Emotions of real humans.
Jesse, Riley, and I walked to our room. Our room turned out having one wall missing and the paint all gone from the remaining walls.
"Lovely." I said.
"This isn't-" Jesse looked around. "Skynet. You have to get used to a lack of luxury."
"Yeah, it isn't." I replied. "But I'm glad for that. So why did you two get together?"
This was a topic I knew would make them comfortable. And that, in turn, would make me comfortable. I saw Jesse smile which scared me in some way.
"Well, Riley has a great shyness to her." She said and Riley blushed. "Plus her courage is second to none. You saw what she did to capture you."
I nodded. That was a memory I'd rather forget.
"Jesse is the only one I felt really comfortable with." Riley took Jesse's hand into hers.
Jesse squeezed Riley's hand and said, "Besides, there's been no man in my life that I cared for."
***********************
Skynet had good meals. The shack that Jesse Flores, Riley Dawson, and I had stayed in was adequate. Now 'Ol Jack Camp had the worst food I had ever had. Being named after its location (Jackson, Wyoming), it didn't get very creative. I managed to swallow the last of my four protein bars.
As I wasn't officially a member of the Resistance, I didn't get as much as the officers. Riley, kind hearted soul she was, had given me half a loaf of her bread. Jesse hadn't given me jackshit, but that was who she was. If she had given me anything I'd be scared.
After breakfast, we had gone separate ways. Jesse and Riley had some business to do. Which, I assumed, meant finding a secret place in 'Ol Jack. That meant I got to walk around. After an hour of walking around the camp, I grew very bored.
Finally I saw a man sitting on a block that used to be part of a building. In fact, part of the building it was now next to. I waved to him and he waved back. He didn't have any defining characteristics besides being tall and skinny. Though I couldn't miss his battle worn face that contrasted with his innocent eyes.
"I haven't seen you around here before." He said. "My name is Kyle Reese."
"Jash." I replied and sat down by him. After a few minutes of silence, I decided to try for a joke. "So you taken?"
Kyle smiled. "Yeah."
"Who's the lucky girl?"
"Star." He said and his smile increased. "She is my reason for fighting. We met when we were kids and no one could separate us for very long."
"Damn. So do you have a brother that's single?"
Kyle's features took a downward turn. Any happiness that Star had evoked was taken away with the mention of his brother.
"I'm sorry," I replied. "How did he die?"
"He died on Judgment Day." Kyle said. "I don't know exactly what happened. All I know is that after the bombs dropped, his body was unrecognizable. Another survivor and I were able to identify him after hours of looking. You lose anyone on Judgment Day?"
"I don't remember." I said and realized my slip. "It was too horrible."
"So your mind has blocked it?" He asked. "Nothing to be ashamed of. A bunch of soldiers here end up doing that."
"Yeah. My mind has blocked it." I agreed.
Kyle picked up on my nervousness and took out a picture. "Maybe this will cheer you up. Lord knows it hasn't done anything for me."
I took the picture and looked at it. There was a woman and a dog in a Jeep. The woman was wearing sunglasses and had lovely brown hair. The woman seemed familiar to me, but I couldn't tell where I had seen her before.
"Who is she?" I asked.
"Sarah Connor. John Connor's mother." Kyle said as I handed the picture back to him. "He keeps on talking about her to me, but I don't get anything out of it. Why should I long for a dead woman? I have Star."
Kyle's radio made noise and he picked it up. After a brief conversation, he turned to me. "Sorry, have to go now." He said and pushed himself off the block. "Good luck with your memories, Jash."
I nodded and watched him leave. Once he got out of sight, I screamed as a massive headache hit me. It was worse than any migraine I had had before. Opening my eyes slightly, my vision blurred. For a few precious moments nothing made sense.
I fell off the block and spasmed in pain. Finally my vision returned to normal. Suddenly a realization came to me. There were Terminators in 'Ol Jack Camp. Taking out my gun I started to search for them.
I wouldn't allow Jesse, Riley, or Kyle to get hurt by them. That was my one and only mission at the moment.
I shot a Terminator in the head and there was sparks before it fell down. I kicked another one down and it screamed in pain. I had been doing this for what seemed like hours, and there was always metal around the corner.
I saw a metal hand coming towards me and twisted her arm off. It then tried to stab me with a knife before it died from a loss of blood. The metal men shot at me but I was stronger than anything Skynet could throw at me. How dare they try and harm my friends!
Skynet wouldn't fool me with any of its tricks. Never again would I work for it.
"Jash!" A voice yelled at me and I recognized it as Jesse's.
"Jesse!" I yelled at her and saw her point her rifle at me. Then I realized something terrible. It horrified me to my core. But it was the truth nonetheless. "I'm sorry."
With that I aimed at the metal bitch but was thwarted when it shot first.
"Arg!" I yelled at the top of my lungs as I felt pain. "Fucking bitch!"
I then ran at it and managed to toss the gun easily aside. The metal bitch, formerly known as Jesse Flores, punched my head with no effect. I felt fear pour from it but I didn't care.
"You're just metal." I said to it. Not to threaten it, but to calm myself. "You called yourself friend but you're a traitor. How dare you fool Riley Dawson!"
"I could say the same thing about you." She hissed. The anger was so human, but I wouldn't let myself be fooled. It wouldn't do to be fooled by such a machine.
"I don't have time for this." I answered her and then twisted her neck. The sound was like bone, though it couldn't be.
"Jesse! No!" Riley's voice yelled. "You bitch! I trusted you!"
Then all went black.
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The Eternal Heart Blog aka The Wars Against Skynet
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