She slipped the ring on her finger.
Later, she built a pyre and set it ablaze. As the rising flames consumed Geir’s body, she turned and started the long trek home.
She still had a war to fight.
EPILOGUE
Losenko reported to the command center aboard the
He was prepared to take full responsibility for his decision.
But Ashdown had more important affairs on his mind.
“We’ve found it,” he announced jubilantly, as though he couldn’t wait to inform Losenko of the news. He gripped a rolled-up computer printout. Losenko had seldom seen him so enthusiastic. He thrust the paper at the Russian.
“Read it.”
Losenko skimmed the document. It was a classified intelligence report suggesting that Skynet’s top-secret shutdown code could be obtained at an underground enemy communications complex in the sector of North America not far from the bombed-out ruins of Los Angeles. A substantial array of satellite dishes was the machine’s primary shortwave transmission hub for the entire region. If the hidden code was recorded anywhere, it was there.
“This looks very promising,” he agreed. The implications of the discovery—if they could be verified—were enormous. They might finally be able to win the war, just as John Connor had always said they could. He wondered if it was just a coincidence that the code was hiding in the very same territory in which Connor was now serving. There were those who believed that Connor was destined to be the one who ultimately found the key to victory over the machines.
An idea occurred to him.
“I suggest we send in General Olsen’s forces to secure the code.”
Which would include John Connor’s Tech Comm unit.
“My thoughts exactly,” Ashdown said. “Contact Olsen and get this thing done.”
Losenko smiled. A sudden renewal of hope dispelled whatever melancholy had lingered in him after Ivanov’s death. He could hardly believe his long voyage might at last be nearing its end. It was a shame that Alexei, and so many others, had not lived to see it.
After fifteen long and brutal years, it seemed as if salvation was at hand....
The End
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
I still remember being blown away by the original Terminator movie when I first caught it at a multiplex outside Seattle way back in 1984. Three exciting sequels and a TV series later, it’s tremendously exciting to finally get to write a little bone-crushing, killer robot action of my own.
Many thanks to my editor, Cath Trechman, for thinking of me and helping me throughout the writing and editing of this book, thanks as well to Steve Saffel and designer Louise Brigenshaw at Titan Books. Many thanks to James Middleton of The Halycon Company for graciously letting me pick his brains on all things Terminator. I also want to thank my agents, Russ Galen and Ann Behar, for handling the business end of things.
Finally, as always, I could not have written this book without the unwavering support and assistance of my girlfriend, Karen Palinko, who kept the household together while I chained myself to my keyboard despite near-daily Pennsylvania thunderstorms that kept knocking out our computers. Karen also looked after our growing family of four-legged children, Alex, Churchill, Henry, Sophie, and Lyla, who often kept me company while I was working. Here’s hoping Skynet never goes after our pets, as well.
BIBLIOGRAPHY
The following books were invaluable in my research for this novel.
Submarines
Clancy, Tom with John Gresham.
New York: Berkley Books, 1993.
Huchthausen, Peter.
Washington, D.C.: National Geographic Society, 2002.
DiMercurio, Michael with Michael Benson.
Indianapolis: Alpha Books, 2003.
Waller, Douglas C.
New York: HarperCollins, 2001.
Terminator
Bennett, Tara.
London: Titan Books, 2009.
Bennett, Tara.
London: Titan Books, 2009.
Foster, Alan Dean.
London: Titan Books, 2009.
Hagberg, David.
(official movie novelization). New York: Tor Books, 2003.
Naraghi, Dara with art by Alan Robinson.
(graphic novel). San Diego: IDW Publishing, 2009.
Sterling, S. M.
New York: HarperEntertainment, 2003.
Zahn, Timothy.
London: Titan Books, 2009.
