Set ten years after the events of Terminator 2: Judgment Day, John Connor and his mother, Sarah Connor, are off-grid and separated in 2005. While Sarah is at Norfolk, Virginia, for matters too personal to tell her own son, John is surviving on his o...
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John pushes his way past Reyna. "I don't need your help. And stay away from me."
"John, you don't understand-"
Before Reyna could stop him, a sound like rainfall came from the aisle that Reyna had thrown. She looks in the direction of the sound.
A black puddle of liquid metal quickly begins to congeal, assuming the form of the woman she had shot. Reyna looks back at John, who had already left on his motorcycle. She knew he was scared and confused. She couldn't blame him; his past was coming back to haunt him.
She ducks behind the counter as the JEM-9 finishes its reformation. The sound of running and the roar of another motorcycle indicated that the JEM-9 was going after John. Reyna leaps over the counter and dashes to her own car. She doesn't bother with the seatbelt; instead she slams her foot on the gas pedal. She couldn't let the JEM-9 catch up to John.
The JEM-9 meanwhile was two cars ahead of Reyna on a black Suzuki motorcycle, reloading its pistol. It wouldn't be long before it catches up to John. Reyna shifts gears and swerves off the road and onto the sand. Rocks, tumbleweeds, and cacti stood in the Homo nova's way, but it was no match for her determination. Reyna curses herself for not putting on her seatbelt; she kept bouncing in her seat like a restless coelha!
She watches as the JEM-9 begins firing at John as it makes its way through the maze of cars. The first bullet misses him completely, shattering the rear window of the car in front of him. As he cuts in front of another angry driver, The JEM-9 fires at John again. Reyna couldn't see where the bullet made its mark, but she knew that it made its target when John screams and slows down his motorcycle.
Reyna looks over her left shoulder. She was neck-and-neck with the JEM-9 now. Reyna shifts gears again and swerves sharply to the left, knocking the JEM-9 off the main road and onto the shoulder. She watches as the JEM-9 skids off the road and rolls across the sand as its motorcycle hops after it.
She then keeps pace with John and opens the passenger door. In one fluid motion, Reyna reaches for John, grabs him by the collar, and sets him on the passenger seat beside her with some difficulty. Even though she was genetically enhanced, lifting a person with one arm was a challenge. She reaches across John again and closes the passenger door for him. Reyna checks the rear and side mirrors, making sure that the JEM-9 had not caught up to them. She sighs in relief, relaxes against the seat, and eases her foot off the pedal when the JEM-9 is out of sight.
Meanwhile, John clutches his left thigh, seething in pain and staring incredulously at her.
"Wh-what are you?" He groans.
Reyna responds on instinct, though it wasn't the right response. "Half Korean, half Brazilian."
When John opens his mouth to repeat the question, Reyna responds once more. "I'm a Homo nova, a genetically enhanced supersoldier."
"Supersoldier, huh?" John winces. "Super..."
"Save your energy. I can't have you dying on me."
"Let me guess, in 15 years, I will send you back in time to protect me?"
"That is correct."
"I don't understand. Why is all this," John gestures around them with a bloodied hand, "happening all over again?"
Reyna explains to John how his actions and efforts in 1995 only delayed Judgement Day. She tells him about Cyberdyne's revival, the JEM-9, Robert Beischel, and her mission to protect him and his mother while finally ensuring the prevention of Judgment Day.
"So you're saying," John says quietly, "that what we did back then was useless?"
The Homo nova could only stare at the road and continue to drive as John unleashes a stream of curses more colorful than Paul Klee's Castle and Sun masterpiece.
Tense silence fills the car until John speaks up.
"Do you have a name?"
"Reyna. Reyna Dahyun."
"Well, Reyna, we're going the wrong way. I'm supposed to be heading South, where we can-"
"You're supposed to be getting medical attention right now!" Reyna snaps. "That gunshot wound isn't looking too good."
"We can't go to a hospital. The JEM-9 might track us down there."
Reyna looks at John for the first time since their initial encounter. It felt wrong to admit, but the general was good-looking . His light brown hair had grown past an undercut phase. His eyes had a mischievous, restless glint to them. It was like staring into the earth from space: blue, green, and full of life—life that would soon be taken away if he didn't seek medical attention. The blood from his wound was beginning to seep into the car seat.
She focuses on the road once more. "I never said anything about a hospital."
