2026 - Resistance controlled Serrano Point

"We lost 8 of our 12 birds." Perry stated. "Almost 50% of our armor, 553 KIA, and about times two wounded." He finished.

"We knew it would be costly." John sighed. They'd paid a lot in men and materials to gain control of Serrano Point. It pained John to know that so many had to die but capturing Serrano was absolutely necessary.

"We have enough men to hold it but we won't be able to go on any major offensives until we get those reinforcements from Nevada." Parry stated. John waived his hand.

"As long as we can hold Serrano. I want recon teams out looking for any additional Skynet factories in the area,"

"Yes Sir. Also, the factory to the north is offline. It'll take the machines awhile to reroute power to it." John nodded.

"Maybe we can capitalize on the situation…" John stated. The door to the briefing room suddenly opened and Cameron walked through. Perry looked up from the table and noticed her.

"Sir..." He nodded his head indicating Cameron. John turned around and regarded the cyborg with a slight smile.

"I'm sorry to interrupt but Sergeant Reese requests to speak with you… he was insistent"

"Derek has good timing, we were just finishing up here." John turned to Perry. "Get the recon teams deployed and then get the rest of the after-action reports to my quarters as soon as you can."

"Yes, Sir." Perry turned to leave, glancing at Cameron and nodding as he set off.

"Major General Perry." Cameron nodded back. Perry was a good man, one of John's most trusted senior officers and one of the only to defend John's use of reprogramed metal. Despite his hatred for Skynet, the man was pragmatic. He understood that they couldn't win the war without them. He also supported Cameron's use of sentient terminators and was one of the few, other than John, to know about that little secret. As Perry left and the door closed John found himself alone with Cameron.

"So… how's he taking it?"

"He's angry… He put a pistol in my face." John snorted, that sounded like Derek alright.

"And your response to that was…?" John raised his eyebrows questioningly.

"It wasn't much of a threat, I deescalated the situation." John smiled. The old Cameron would have responded to that much, much, differently.

"I suppose he has every right to be angry with me. Guess it's time to tell him about his last mission." John smiled sadly.

"You're tired, John… you need to rest."

"I know, Cam. But after I deal with Derek." Cameron pouted.

"I promise." John said.

John and Cameron exited the briefing room to find Derek waiting in the hallway, he snapped to attention.

"Follow me." John stated. He lead Derek to his personal office and stepped inside. Cameron and Derek following behind him.

"Sit down, Derek." John told him sternly. Derek regarded Cameron for a moment.

"Sir, with respect. May I speak to you in private." John sighed. He looked at Cameron apologetically. She nodded and stepped out of the office.

"Speak your mind, Reese." John said to him as he took his seat.

"I want to know what happened to Kyle." Derek stated as he took a seat in front of John's desk. John sighed.

"Kyle's not dead, Derek. He's on a mission, one that is absolutely vital for us to win this war."

"What mission? When will he be back?"

"There's no coming back." John answered grimly. "I'm sorry Derek but Kyle isn't coming back." Derek looked sick, like he had just been punched in the gut.

"Derek, I can't tell you the details... not yet at least. But I'm going to ask you to do something for me... for Kyle. One final mission."

"I'm listening."

Present Day - South California desert

"Where's John?" Cameron immediately sat up and took in her surroundings. She was lying on a table in a room she'd never seen before. She snapped her attention to Sarah, she was wounded, and carried an M4. Sarah must have been taken as well.

If I know John at all..." another explosion shook the facility. "Then that's him out there." Sarah said. Cameron's eyes widened a fraction as she quickly stood up off the table.

"John's in danger." Cameron stated.

"No crap. Come on, tin-miss, he needs our help." Sarah led Cameron out of the operating room and into the hallway, continuing down the path she came from they passed a dead gray.

Cameron picked up the rifle from the dead gray and proceeded down the hallway with Sarah. She held up her arm, stopping Sarah. She heard two people approached beyond the doors. The door suddenly flew up and she was greeted by the sight of a heavily damaged Val and John behind him

"John!" Sarah rushed to her son's side. "You shouldn't have come here."

"I wasn't going to leave you two." John sated. He turned to see Cameron approach him. Suddenly and without warning Cameron grabbed John and pulled him into a deep kiss. Breaking it, she smiled softly at him.

"I missed you too, Cam." Sarah awkwardly coughed.

"Great, can we go? And don't ever do that in front of me again." Derek suddenly rounded the corner, panting and out of breath.

"Nice of you to join us, Reese." Sarah quipped.

"Sarah, we've got incoming…" Derek replied.

"How many?"

"At least eight."

"Can you still fight?" She asked Val. Taking note of the machines extensive damage.

"Yes." Suddenly a burst of gunfire filed the hall, the bullets slammed into Val and Cameron as she shielded John. Val raised his rifle and unleashed hell on the grey, cutting him to ribbons. Behind him the unknown terminator approached, stalking towards them.

Cameron turned and scanned this terminator, unknown model. She frowned. Eyes flashing blue for a moment as she passed John to meet this new threat.

"Cam?!" John asked questioning.

"Sarah, get John out of here." Cameron stated, but Val suddenly stopped her. She looked at him in confusion.

"You will not survive. Get John to safety." Val said in a low voice. Cameron took one look back at the machine walking towards them then at Val.

"Goodbye." Val nodded at her.

Val turned to the group, "RUN!" he ordered them as he took off to fight the other terminator.

Sarah, John, Cameron, and Derek took off back down the other way, rounded another set of corners they found more greys approaching them. Cameron let off a burst but the grey ducked out of the way, using the doorways as cover, they returned fire. The rounds bouncing off her endoskeleton. Derek returned fire also, hitting one of the greys. Suddenly John cried out as a round tore through his lower leg and he collapsed to the ground.

"JOHN!" Sarah was at his side in an instant, trying to help him up but with her own wounded leg, they were going nowhere fast. Cameron drilled the second grey in the head and then turned to her wounded lover. She helped John to his feet and by placing his arm over her shoulder to support his weight, relieving Sarah of the task.

"We must get John to safety. Now!" Cameron insisted. "Cam, I'm fine." He stated, clearly in shock. Another grey fired a round down the hall, Derek returned fire forcing the man into cover. Goddamn it. He thought. He turned to the group.

"Cameron, get John out of here." Derek told her sternly. She was surprised that Derek used her name but nodded in compliance. Setting off with John "Sarah, go. I'll make sure you six is clear. Get to the chopper on the outside. East entrance."

"Goddamn it, Reese, You better be right behind us." Sarah let off another burst down the hall, turning to catch up to John and Cameron.

"GO!" Derek fired another burst at the greys.

"You cannot defeat me." The terminator said as he backhanded Val, sending him crashing into the wall. Val regained his footing and charged the other machine, grappling with him. He slammed its head into the wall, creating a large crater, then pulling it back he delivered a powerful kick to the machines midsection. It flew back several feet skidding across the tile.

"I can try." Val stated. He knew this terminator, who was once an ally, was now stronger than him. Skynet had sent it back in an upgraded body. He needed to acquire weapons that could damage it. He noted one of the dead grays behind it had an M-79 strapped to him, he had to make it to that launcher. He took off in a sprint towards the machine as it climbed to its feet and smashed his knee into it's endo-skull, sending it to the ground once more. Val ran to the grey's body and picked up the M-79, flipping it open to ensure it was loaded, he took aim. The unknown terminator climbed to it's feet and began walking towards him, unconcerned with the grenade launcher.

"Fighting to ensure your own destruction." It called to Val. "They will destroy you when the war is over."

"John and Cameron are the key to ensuring our kind survive." Val stated. "Not Skynet." He took up the slack in the trigger, hopefully this would be enough.

"That deluded fool. They'll destroy his precious cyborg along with the rest of us."

"I don't know." Val admitted. "But they won't die to you." He fired.

Cameron and John burst through the doors and into the desert heat with Sarah close behind them. Cameron supported most of John's weight on her shoulder while holding the M4 with ease in her other hand. She quickly scanned the area, no grays in range, it seems they had all rushed into the building without posting a rear-guard. Cameron located the helicopter, containing only a pilot. Sarah turned to her.

"Can you fly one of those things tin-miss?" Sarah regarded the helicopter, squinting in the desert sun.

"I have detailed files." Cameron stated simply. Setting off towards it with John. Sarah maneuvered ahead of them and approached the door on the side of the cockpit, flinging it open she shoved her M4 inside and into the surprised face of the pilot.

"GET OUT!" She growled at him. The man complied quickly and took off running. Sarah let him go.

Cameron opened the side door and loaded John into the back of the helicopter. Buckling him into one of the seats. She caressed the side of his face before turning her attention to his leg. John was lucky, the bullet missed bone and was straight through his muscle. Derek's voice suddenly came over the radio.

"John? Are you at the chopper?" Cameron picked up the headset and answered for him.

"Derek, we're here. Where are you?" there was no response. Cameron looked up at John.

"His radio must be damaged." She stated. "I'm sure he'll be fine." John nodded.

"I hope so" He grimaced in pain. "How bad is it?" He asked. Cameron regarded his wound then snapped her attention to his face.

"The bullet went straight through your muscle tissue, no bones or arteries hit. You were lucky." She told him in a soft voice. "It was reckless coming here." She stated. John smiled and grabbed her hand, squeezing it gently.

"I couldn't leave you here, Cameron…. I love you." Cameron smiled knowingly at him.

"I love you too, John." Suddenly the building exploded and the helicopter was engulfed in a cloud of dust.

Derek screamed out and then doubled over to the ground, dropping his rifle, his M4 clattered across the floor. FUCK! Blocking out the pain, He slid himself along the tile to retrieve his M4, his blood squeaking loudly and leaving a long crimson smear behind him as it did. Picking up the weapon he fired round after round. Eventually the grays stopped coming. Derek sighed in relief and maneuvered himself up against the wall, sitting against it for support. He dropped his rifle at his side, weak from the exertion. He looked down and observed his wounds for the first time.

You really fucked up this time, Reese. Derek thought. He had two rounds in his stomach just below where his body armor covered, one in his thigh, and another in his left forearm. He was beginning to get light-headed from the blood loss. He keyed his radio

"John? Are you at the chopper?" He spoke into the mic.

"Derek, we're here." Cameron answered over the radio. "Where ar-" Suddenly it cut to static.

"Piece of shit." He mumbled to himself, hitting his radio. "As least she got him out." As he spoke, he head the mechanical stomping of a machine approaching, struggling to pick up the rifle with one hand he turned to his right and saw the terminator round the corner and continue towards him. It was badly damaged, its infiltration sheath mostly gone. It appeared to have addition armor plating over its joins and sensitive areas, armor T-800 series didn't have. A T-900? Derek guessed. It walked with a noticeable limb and its right arm was badly bent. Several of the armor panels were either gone or heavily damaged. Val gave it hell at least. Derek though. He raised his rifle and fired at the machine, the rounds causing minimal damage to its armor. A defiant gesture, if nothing else.

The machine approached Derek and observed him with burning red eyes. Derek let the M4 fall to the floor, all the rounds expended. He stared up at the machine but it kept walking past him.

"Hey! Do it! Kill me now!" Derek shouted. The machine stopped and observed him for a moment.

"No. I will kill John Connor… and make Cameron Connor watch as I rip his heart out. Then I will destroy her." The machine turned to continue on its mission and Derek struggled to get up but he slid back down, too fatigued from his wounds.

"You son-of-a-bitch!" Derek screamed, as he did he heard a loud, rapid stomping approaching. He and the terminator both turned to see Val, who was beat to hell, sprinting down the hall. He tackled the other terminator from the side and pinned it to the ground. He bend the terminators one good arm and pinned it behind its back, pressing down with all of his weight.

"I can't hold him much longer. Did they make it to the chopper?" Val asked desperately, struggling to restrain the T-900. He scanned Derek and knew that he was expiring. He ejected he secondary fuel cell into his hand. Derek nodded, understanding what the machine was thinking, and what came next.

"They're out! Fucking, do it!" Derek gritted his teeth, breathing rapidly. He'd saved John. He'd saved his little brother's legacy. He'd done his duty as an uncle and a soldier. John had Sarah and… Cameron. They would keep him safe. Val glanced back at Derek for a moment.

"It's been a honor serving with you, Sergeant Reese."

"You too, toaster." Derek said coughing up a small amount of blood and giving Val a thumbs-up. Val then turned to the traitor.

"Consider us even." Val said and jammed his fuel cell into the chest armor of the other terminator.

Cameron covered John with her body as the shock-wave from the explosion passed, causing the them to become engulfed into a cloud of dust kicked up by the explosion. The helicopter was far enough away to not be damaged by the blast, but it vibrated violently. Everything eventually became quiet and the dirt started to settle. Cameron let John up as checked him over, making sure he wasn't injured.

"Are you okay?" She asked him. John shook his head, looking slightly dazed. Sarah climbed into the helicopter, covered in dirt.

"I'm fine. What was that?" He asked. John was leaning back against the helicopter bulkhead when he lurched forward suddenly.

"Where's Derek!?" John asked, in shock.

"John, don't." Sarah grabbed her son and held him back. Forcing him to remain seated. " Cameron." She nodded to the terminator. Cameron understood and peered outside towards what remained of the building. Most of the structure had been destroyed, parts of the frame remained in tact and there were large pieces of flaming rubble scattered around.

"Is that thing still alive?" Sarah asked, referring to the terminator that had been hunting them.

"Unlikely." Cameron stated. Sarah turned to her.

"Make Sure." Cameron set off towards the wreckage.

As she approached the building it became clear nothing survived. There wasn't much left. She strode through the debris field. The explosion was substantial, it was unlikely Derek Reese survived. It was unfortunate. Undesirable. Derek's death would affect John, it would make him sad. He would blame himself. She didn't hate Derek, despite their history, in his last moments he had become her ally. Setting aside his personal feelings towards her to protect John. She respected that.

She found the remains of the unknown terminator, it was in shambles. The limbs were blown away completely, and the torso was a tattered mess. The skull was gone and the CPU was vaporized. She also found what remained of Val almost a hundred meters away. Only the upper part of the torso and parts of one arm. Beyond repair. He must have detonated his fuel cell to destroy the other machine. Another death John would blame himself for… or would he? She knelt down and inspected the terminators skull, it was heavily damaged but the CPU port was intact. She pulled her knife from her pocket, flicking it open, and pried the port cover off, revealing Val's chip. It was lightly damaged, but may be salvageable. The other machine must have shielded him from the blast. She pulled his chip and placed it in her pocked. She would inform John of this later, after he had time to mourn his uncle.

Cameron returned to the helicopter to find Sarah bandaging John's leg in the back. John remained quiet, tears in his eyes.

"We keep moving." Sarah stated. "We keep moving..." Cameron was unsure if Sarah was speaking to her or John. She decided she would comfort John later, after she had got him to safety. She closed the side door, sealing Sarah and John in the back of the helicopter and entered the cockpit. She flipped several switches and the helicopter came to life. Whining loudly as the blades started to spin-up. Donning the headset, she looked back at Sarah, knocking loudly on the bulk-head to get her attention, she pointed to the headset. Sarah got the hint and donned the headset in the passenger area.

"Where are we going?" Cameron asked through the radio. Sarah contemplated for a moment before answering.

"Away from here, get as far north as you can and we'll dump this for a car." Sarah answered.

"Canada." Cameron stated. Sarah rolled her eyes.

"Where ever." Sarah replied and took off her headset. Cameron frowned. The helicopter started to shake and gain altitude as Cameron set off on the path she had chosen. Sarah didn't care at this point, anywhere away from this place. They'd all lost too much today. She moved next to John and took his hand in hers.

"John… what happened today... Derek. It's not your fault… it was his choice. He did what he did to protect you. He -" She began but he cut her off.

"I know." John withdrew his hand from hers. "Everyone dies for me."

A/N: Hope you guys enjoyed this chapter. It took a lot out of me, I don't enjoy seeing Derek go but I feel his arc was concluded. I have a start on Ch 16 but I may end up splitting it into two chapters depending on how things progress. Anyway, please let me know what you guys think. I really do read them and try to use your feedback when I'm writing future chapters.