Terminator - Dying Light

Chapter Ten

Tommy was curled up in the backseat of the car, a jacket draped over his small frame. He tossed and turned in his sleep, the day's events playing out in his dreams, causing him to mutter softly and shift uncomfortably. The car was parked inside an old, abandoned service station off the highway, a place they had found in desperation as night fell. The station was long forgotten, the pumps rusted and the sign-out front barely legible, but it offered them a place to stop and catch their breath.

Inside the dimly lit office, Darcy paced back and forth, the shotgun held tightly in his hands. He glanced out the large window that overlooked the empty lot, his eyes scanning the darkness for any signs of movement. The weight of responsibility pressed heavily on his shoulders, and he couldn't shake the feeling that time was running out. The stillness of the night only amplified his unease, each creak of the old building putting him on edge.

Fiona sat at the dusty desk in the corner of the room, her hands clasped together tightly as she stared at the worn surface. The silence between them was thick, filled with unspoken worries and fears. She occasionally glanced at Darcy, watching as he moved back and forth like a caged animal, the tension in the room almost palpable.

"He's just a kid," Fiona whispered, breaking the silence, her voice filled with a mix of sorrow and determination. "He shouldn't have to go through this."

Darcy stopped pacing for a moment, his eyes still fixed on the darkness outside. "I know," he replied softly, his voice heavy with guilt. "But we don't have a choice. We have to keep him safe, no matter what."

Fiona nodded, her gaze shifting to the window where she could barely make out the shape of the car in the shadows. "What happens next?" she asked, her voice trembling slightly.

Darcy took a deep breath, gripping the shotgun a little tighter. "We move at first light. We can't stay here for long. The Terminator is out there, and it won't stop until it finds him."

"Please sit down," Fiona said softly, her eyes following Darcy as he paced the small office. "You're making me nervous."

Darcy paused, looking at her with a mix of apology and weariness. He nodded and carefully placed the shotgun down on the table, then sat down in the chair opposite her. He ran a hand through his hair, his fingers lingering at the back of his neck as he tried to relax. "I'm sorry," he said, his voice quieter now. "I'm just so used to fighting. It's all I'm prepared for." He glanced at the shotgun on the table. "I didn't know you had weapons stored."

Fiona frowned, her brow furrowing in confusion. "I didn't," she replied, her voice tinged with surprise.

Darcy looked at her, his eyes searching her face for any sign of recognition. "I found them in your wall, behind a thin bit of plaster," he confessed, gesturing to the shotgun and pistol. "Hidden away like someone was preparing for something."

Fiona's frown deepened as she tried to recall anything that could explain it. "I never put those there," she said, shaking her head slowly. "I didn't even know we had a secret hole in the wall."

Darcy leaned forward slightly, his expression thoughtful. "Your husband?" he asked, his voice gentle but probing.

Fiona's eyes widened a fraction as the realization dawned on her. "Daniel... maybe," she murmured, almost to herself. "He never told me about it, but he was always so secretive about his work. Maybe he knew something, or... or he was preparing for something, just like you said."

Darcy nodded, considering her words. "It makes sense," he said quietly. "If he was connected to Cyberdyne, he might have known more than he let on. Maybe he was trying to protect you both, just in case."

Fiona sighed, the weight of everything pressing down on her. "I just wish he had told me," she said softly, her voice tinged with sadness. "Maybe things would be different now." Darcy didn't have an answer for that. He simply reached out, placing a reassuring hand on hers. She looked down at his hand and then back up at him. "Tell me about the future?"