Chapter 3: Machines

"Any sign of Bella?" Edward asked through the phone. "No. Just Charlie. If she was inside...she didn't survive." Emmett responded. "Shit." Edward snapped. "Look dude..maybe...maybe this wasn't her fate." Emmett tried to reason. Edward hung up the phone growling. If Bella wasn't dead...then where was she?

Bella sat in the front seat, warily watching as the Terminator drove. It was silent, didn't speak unless spoken to, only to relay important information. "How's your hand?" Bella turned to look at a waking Kyle who was watching her intently. She lifted the bandaged hand, glancing at the terminator.

"It's better now. Uh..it wrapped it for me. While you were sleeping." She explained. Kyle nodded and sat up slowly. He too noticed that his ankle was wrapped. He didn't say anything except glance at Bella.

"We seem to need Gas. The nearest gas station is 3.44 miles away." It stated. "Okay good. We can stop for food, and use the restroom if need be. Do you need to Kyle?" Bella asked, turning to glance at him. He nodded, his eyes seemingly somewhere else. Bella let him be and turned around. "Here. You taught me that you are to always carry weapons at all times." It gave her a gun to tuck into her pants. "Keep your hair up. The machines look for your long hair as an indicator." It instructed.

"What, are you going to give me makeup tutorials next?" She retorted, pulling her hair up in a bun. It glanced at her blankly, or what she could tell was blankly. "I do not understand that reference, but I know that it is called a joke." Bella just chuckled and sat back, her mind wandering. "Kyle? How did those bullets work on Victoria?" She asked swiveling around in the seat. It just dawned on her once again that Kyle took down something she thought to be invincible.

He looked at her confused before his eyebrows raised. "You mean that red haired woman? They're just a different kind of bullets. I don't know what she was, but I could tell she wasn't human. I saw how fast she moved. Did you know what she was?" He asked curiously.

Bella nodded, looking down for a moment. Her mind quickly flashed to The Cullens. "She was a vampire." Kyle stared at her before letting out a laugh, his eyes crinkling as his mouth was curled up. Bella likes his smile. She hasn't seen him smile really since he's been with her.

She wondered what type of relationship they had in the future. It had to be something deep, as she could tell in his eyes, that seeing her now was messing with him in so many ways.

"It's true. Victoria, a vengeful vampire or cold one out for revenge for the death of her mate." Bella stated watching as he sobered up quickly. "That's where that scar came from…" He whispered indicating to her left hand. "You never told me what did it...you just said it was part of your past. Are there any more after you?" He asked.

Bella pursed her lips. "I don't know. I was..dating one, and after I..after dad died, I made my way to their home, only to hear that I was some pawn in their little hunt of games. I left. Probably though, Edward is a persistent one." Her nose twitches as she thought about the person she loved, but never really knew.

"That is going to be a problem." The Terminator stated. Bella was silent as she turned to look out the window. "Why?" Kyle asked, his eyes lingering on Bella just a little longer. "That information is not important right now." It stated, pulling into the empty gas station.

Bella stared at the Terminator wondering what it was hiding.

"Can it be trusted?" Bella asked as Kyle pulled her along through the store, limping slightly. "Don't know, but if it wanted to kill you, it would've. It seems like it's really here to protect you." He grunted slightly. "You know you can let go of me now right? I'm not running anywhere. I've accepted my destiny." She stated glancing at him. They met eyes for a moment before walking to the counter. They laid their purchase, Bella pulling out a wad of cash. The attendant gave them a smile, although he was quite concerned with their appearance.

He glanced outside noticing a man filling up the tank. He looked huge and quite frankly, dangerous. As Bella reached to grab the bag, the man grasped her hand. "Hey are you two alright? You two look pretty roughed up. You don't have to go out there if you don't want to. I can call the cops." He offered.

"We're fine." Kyle stated grabbing the bag, Bella following along. Once they left, he grabbed his phone, calling 911.

"911, what's your emergency?" The operator asked. "I want to report a possible kidnapping. There's a young Caucasian girl possibly in her early 20s with a Caucasian male around the same age, and I believe they have been kidnapped and are being held hostage by a man in a rusted red Toyota." He stated.

"Okay and what does the girl look like?" The operator asked. "Um, she had long black hair pulled into a bun or something. Really pale. About 5'3." He answered.

"Okay, and the male individual she was with?" They asked. "Um he had a beard, blonde hair...hello?" He asked into the phone hearing the dial tone. "Fucking cops." He muttered.

"Do you think he called the cops?" Bella asked worriedly. "Probably. We need to ditch this car." Kyle looked to The Terminator. "Hey...can you find another car?" He asked, not sure if that was within its programming. "I can do anything you ask me to, but negative, there is no other automated vehicle around. I can not stop driving unless it is absolutely necessary." It answered.

"Well, I think that is a problem." Bella stated as blue flashing lights illuminated around them. The Terminator pulled over and put the car in park. Bella looked at it strangely. She even had it obey the law? The window was rolled down as the police officer got out of the patrol car, making his way to the car. Bella glanced in the rearview at the car, noticing another officer sitting inside.

"Hello, can you tell me where you guys are going this late at night? Are you kids alright?" He asked. The officer assessed The Terminator with keen eyes. "Sir, can I get your license and registration?" He asked. The Terminator was quiet for a moment. Bella waited with baited breath wondering if he was going to kill the man. "Get down." Bella found her head nose deep into the seat as gun shots rang out. "Officer! What are you.." Bella only heard a squelching sound making her wince and a body thud. As The Terminator put the car in drive, the transmission seemed to stall. He opens the passenger side door, pushing Bella out with her bag. "Run." It warned her as Kyle slid out the back seat, immediately helping her to her feet. Bella watched as The Terminator got out of the car, shooting it. Her eyes widened as the bullet went through it like metal.

"Let's go!" Kyle snapped, pulling her into the woods. "If he doesn't succeed, this is our only coverage. They know where we are." Kyle explained as he grasped Bella's hand. Bella struggled to catch up. "What was that?" She asked, not being able to stop herself from looking backwards, to see nothing but trees. Bella wasn't sure how long they ran but she knew they ran pretty far, but yet close enough to hear cars on a highway.

They came to a stop in the middle of a small clearing. They walked to the middle and Kyle nodded to himself. "This will work for now. It's still slightly dark, and it is surrounded by tress. And that? Something I've never seen before." He let go of her hand and stooped low with his bag. "I've got a sleeping bag here and some type of tent thing. I...don't know how it works." He stated sheepishly. Bella knelt down grabbing the pieces. "I can help you. Okay so this goes like this..."

Bella taught Kyle how to set up a tent, the two working in silence. It didn't take long, by mid day, they had shelter and any food they had left in their bags. Kyle sat outside the tent as Bella changed into better clothes. Kyle looked up as Bella came out of the tent freshly dressed.

"Do you think he made it?" She asked curiously looking around the clearing. Kyle shrugged. "I don't know, but if he hasn't caught up to us by evening, we've got to move." He answered. Bella nodded silently. She stared out into the clearing for a while longer. Her body felt tired. They had a long time until they got to California. Her thoughts wandered to Charlie. She would do him proud. Bella pursed her lips in thought.

"So what are these... vampires like?" Kyle asked sitting next to her. He held his gun in his lap, his green eyes assessing her. Bella gave a chuckle. "Like Victoria they are fast, indestructible, or were before you came along. Some are gifted. Edward, my ex-boyfriend, could read minds, except mine. Alice, his sister, can see the future based on decisions, Jasper, her husband, can manipulate emotions. Victoria's mate James, the one who gave me this scar was a tracker. When we were playing baseball, three nomads came along, and once they realized I was human, James made it a game to hunt me. The family took me to Florida, hoping to throw him off our trail. I was in a hotel with Jasper and Alice, while Edward, Rosalie, and Emmet, his other siblings, were leading him off the trail. He tricked me into thinking he had my mom in my old ballet studio. Long story short, I went to him undetected by Jasper or Alice, and James basically threw me around like a ragdoll before biting into me. Edward sucked the venom out." She explained. "The night you saved me, I overheard Edward talking to his family. They've been using me for something, but I don't know what yet." Kyle hummed looking around.

"You might want to get some rest. We have 5 hours till nightfall. When you wake, I'll get some sleep too." Bella nodded and made her way back inside the tent. Kyle sighed as he sat on the ground, his eyes and ears scanning the area around him. His eyes started to droop as time went on, knowing Bella wasn't awake yet. A twig snapped to his left, making him jerk awake.

He raised his gun only to lower it as The Terminator walked from the trees. "I have found an automated vehicle." It stated, analyzing Kyle over. "What is your mission?" Kyle asked. "My mission is to protect Isabella Marie Swan and Kyle Reese, and help them take down Skynet." It answered. "I'll wake up Bella." The Terminator waited as Kyle woke Bella. She grabbed the bag from the tent stepping out. "How do you know it's really him?" She asked, not going any closer.

"He knows his mission. It's alright." Kyle stated walking forward grabbing the duffel he had. The Terminator took a moment to scan Bella over, finding her in sufficient health. He led them the way he came, towards the highway. Bella followed next to Kyle looking around. She grasped his hand as she could hear the scurrying of animals. He glanced at their hands for a moment before squeezing it.

"What was that thing back there?" She asked as they walked behind him. "It was a T-X. The

'T-X is designed for extreme combat, driven by a plasma reactor and equipped with on-board weapons. Its arsenal includes nano-technological transjectors.'" It stated. (AN: To give credit, this is a quote from the movie Terminator 3: Rise of the Machines quoted by Arnold Schwarzenegger)

Kyle furrowed his brow. "Which means what exactly?" He asked watching his step. Bella looked around as they walked, knowing they were getting closer to the highway as she could faintly hear cars. "An efficient killing machine." It responded. Bella sucked in a breath. "Better than you?" She asked.

The Terminator stopped and turned towards them as if doing so would change the gravity of the situation they were in. "Much better. It'll terminate me and you. That is its mission." The Terminator continued walking until they go to the highway. A black SUV was sitting on the side, license plate gone and Bella was in love. This was something that they could sleep in, without worry.

Bella could already smell the gas when she got into the SUV, noting that the Terminator was very smart. Once inside and seated, Bella turned to Kyle in curiosity. She didn't say anything, just glanced at him, watching as he took things in, his eyes dancing between she and The Terminator.

He was always alert, ready. Bella wondered if she'd ever be like that. Now this was where it started. The true battle. They had nothing but road at the moment and one main issue to worry about: Getting to Cyberdyne. In the back of Bella's head, she thought about the T-X. It terrified her a lot more than she thought. If it could kill the one thing she sent back to protect her past self from then this machine was dangerous.

Bella made it a goal to learn everything she could. From the two beings in the SUV that came from the future and from Cyberdyne itself. She promised herself that living was the goal. She won't die in vain...her future self saw something in her past self and Bella would trust her gut.