Chapter 1412


I Think You Would


Savannah and Young Allison talked with Julie. They wanted to help her out. Like everyone they tried to 'help' there was a lot of skepticism.

Julie heard stories of girls that ran away from the shelter and were soon rounded up by men in a van. No one ever saw any them again. She heard the girls were hooked on drugs and forced to work as sex slaves for more drugs. Some of the young males disappeared too.

"I don't want to end up in a stable." Julie said. "I've heard about places like this before."

Young Allison didn't like the implication.

"Do you think I would do that to you?" Young Allison asked. "I would come and get you out myself if that were the case."

Julie wanted to laugh but the look on Young Allison's face was of total sincerity.

"I think you would." Julie said.

Young Allison smiled and offered Julie some more food.

"My sisters, my friends and I would come for you if that ever happened." Young Allison said. "That's a promise."

Savannah thought of the two girls they apprehended in the old newspaper plant. It was in a different area but the same thing more or less happened to them. There was plenty of evil to go around. None of it needed to wait for the future either.

Julie looked back.

"What happened to the man who was chasing me?" Julie asked.

Cammy looked back at Julie and smiled.

"I wouldn't worry about him." Cammy said. "You'll never see him again."

Julie was worried about some of her street friends.

"If I go to rehab, I have some friends that might like to have some help too." Julie said.

Savannah did not want to get ahead of themselves.

"Why don't we start with you first, we can see how it goes for you." Savannah said.

Julie didn't want to be forced to go back 'home'.

"When I finish rehab, then what happens?" Julie asked.

Savannah had been through this before.

"You may want to speak with your mother." Savannah said. "Things change at home. People change over time. If you don't like what you hear there are other options."

Julie looked worried.

"Half of the street kids came out of 'foster care'." Julie said. "That can be as bad or worse than the homes they left behind."

Young Allison wanted there to be some incentive.

"You can try and make something of your life and further your education." Young Allison said. "You could make it your goal to become someone who has a position where they can assist others."

Savannah felt a little emotional.

"I lost my parents when I was very young." Savannah said. "I was raised by a very caring and loving group. I'm here to try and help you because I was helped. I would be dead now if I hadn't received the help I did."

Julie looked at Savannah for a long moment.

"I think you're being honest with me." Julie said. "Why did you approach me last night?"

Young Allison wanted to answer that. The images still bothered her.

"I saw you take food out of the trash to eat." Young Allison said. "My older self, I mean my sister, was forced to eat garbage when she was in a bad place. That was on a 'good day'. Often there was nothing to eat and she needed to avoid the assaults. She wasn't always able to.

Julie looked at Cammy.

"Was it her?" Julie asked.

Young Allison frowned. It was HER in a different timeline.

"It was my oldest sister." Young Allison said. "It wasn't her."

Julie could tell they were being honest with her.

"I have a few possessions." Julie said.

She looked down at her clothes.

Savannah reached in the back. She'd brought some clothes that Anna gave her. They no longer fit her youthful frame.

"I brought some clothes for you." Savannah said. "I was going to give them to you if I saw you again."

There was a neatly wrapped bundle of clothes.

Julie looked at the package and opened it.

"These are beautiful clothes." Julie said.

Savannah was still a little emotional.

"I've worn some of them before but they're all clean." Savannah said. "Some of them are new as is the underwear."

Julie touched the underwear. She hadn't wore any for over a year. The last pair she'd found and wore were ripped off of her in one of the gang assaults. That was a very violent assault. There'd been a beating to go with it. It still hurt inside in some of the places they'd kicked her.

"I can see these are your personal things." Julie said. "I can tell you meant well by all of this."

Julie was worried what would happen once rehab was complete. Would she end up back on the street again? Things would go worse for her then.

"We want to help you." Young Allison said. "I want to help you."

Julie wondered why her.

"There are lots of people who need help." Julie said. "Why me?"

Young Allison spoke the truth.

"I want to help you because I saw you with my own eyes and it made me think of me - my sister." Young Allison said. "Not everyone has a grown man with a knife chasing them either."

Julie thought back on that event. What would have happened if he'd caught her? He said he was going to 'cut her face up' before he killed her. There were stories that he'd done that to other girls before.

"Who pays for this?" Julie asked.

Young Allison smiled.

"We have a grant from the 'Cyndi Kate' foundation." Young Allison said. "They cover all the expenses."

Savannah tried not to smile. She knew the 'Cyndi Kate' foundation was really the money CamNet took from the Syndicate.

Cammy looked back.

"Do you still want to get your things or do you want a fresh start?" Cammy asked.

Julie looked at her new clothes.

"Can you stop by a dumpster?" Julie asked. "I want to take these rags off and throw them away. I want a fresh start."

Cammy made a U-turn and pulled into a local motel chain.

"I can get you a room so you can get cleaned up too if you want." Cammy said.

Julie looked a little worried.

Savannah touched Julie's leg.

"No one will harm you while you are with us." Savannah said. "That's a promise."

Young Allison smiled at her.

"I promise that too." Young Allison said. "Today is the first day in your new life."

Cammy did not want Julie to feel scared.

"I can get a room close to the office if you want." Cammy said. "You tell me what you want and are comfortable with."

Julie looked at the motel rooms.

"I want to take a hot shower." Julie said. "I haven't had one in a long time."

Cammy smiled.

"Wait here." Cammy said. "It will only take a minute."

Young Allison offered the last of the food to Julie. It was a little cool right now but she ate it anyway. There were no ants on it and it was not half eaten. She looked at Young Allison and Savannah. These two girls seemed like leaders to her. They radiated confidence, honesty and truth.

Cammy was on her way back.

Julie looked at Savannah and then at Young Allison.

"Nothing bad will happen to me?" Julie asked.

Savannah and Young Allison answered at the same time.

"No." They both said. "I swear it."

Maybe under other circumstances that would be funny. The sincerity of it made it clear it was the truth.

"I trust you with my life if I go in there." Julie said.

Savannah didn't see it as a problem.

"I will go with you." Savannah said. "We all will, if you want."

Young Allison pulled a brush out of her backpack.

"My sister can fix your hair for you." Young Allison said as she indicated Cammy.

That would give Cammy a chance to scan the girl.

Julie looked at the hairbrush.

"I haven't seen one of those in a long time." Julie said.

Young Allison smiled.

"I brought it just for you." Young Allison said.

If Julie still retained any doubts about these girls they were gone. These two girls did personal things for her to 'help' her. This was more than just someone 'feeding the squirrels'. These were personal acts of caring.

"You can all come in with me." Julie said.

Julie felt something she hadn't felt in a long time. She felt 'safe'.


Cameron wanted to be with John again but she decided she'd better check on the status of Young Jesse.

She left John to rest and slipped into the Control Center. Hanna was in there with Jim. They were both plugged in. She found out where everyone was at. She was pleased to see the girls at the nude sunbathing area. If Cam-Gail would not have been there she might have gone herself. It never hurt to up the standards some.

It appeared that Young Jesse and Holly-Camille were both in the Honeymoon Suite.

Cameron excused herself and exited the Control Center into the private area. She approached the Honeymoon Suite. She was about to knock but paused at the door instead.

John already indicated that he wanted to be with Young Jesse. Today was her best day for conception. She was glad there weren't any issues or problems with John and Young Jesse.

The door to the Honeymoon Suite opened.

"How long are you going to stand out here?" Holly-Camille asked.

Cameron didn't think it was that long.

"I didn't want to disturb anything." Cameron said.

Holly-Camille motioned for Cameron to enter.

"You aren't." Holly-Camille said.

Cameron hesitated.

"I don't like to impose." Cameron said. "I was just here to check on Young Jesse."

Holly-Camille knew what she wanted to know.

"You want to know if she's 'knocked up'." Holly-Camille said.

Cameron did not like the terminology or the attitude.

"You don't need to worry." Cameron said. "No one is going to take anything away from you."

Holly-Camille smiled.

"I don't think I am the one that needs to worry." Holly-Camille said.

Cameron ignored the jab. She understood how sensitive the nature of things could be.

"Is she?" Cameron asked.

Holly-Camille frowned.

"No." Holly-Camille said.

Cameron was a little disappointed.

"I will send John over." Cameron said.

Holly-Camille wanted to make a different offer.

"I will send her over instead." Holly-Camille said. "It will give you something to think about once she leaves."

Cameron understood her implication.

"Allison and Vanna were there earlier." Cameron said. "It's not a problem for me. I want John protected. The girls are going to help me. That includes Young Jesse if she is needed."

Holly-Camille wanted to point something else out to Cameron.

"Leticia may be in the window too." Holly-Camille said. "She's not on 'birth control'."

Cameron already planned on having her visit John.

"I'm aware of that." Cameron said.

Holly-Camille looked at Cameron.

"I'm sure you are." Holly-Camille said. "It will give you the opportunity to steal someone else's baby for yourself."

Cameron did not want any problems.

"Young Jesse will have one herself for me if I ask her." Cameron said. "Don't forget it."

Holly-Camille thought she may have been a little rude. It was clear Cameron knew everything and planned every eventuality.

"I will send Young Jesse over in a short while." Holly-Camille said.

Cameron nodded.

"Thank you for your cooperation." Cameron said.

Cameron turned and left. She understood why events could make others a little touchy.


Young Jesse stood around the corner and listened. She did not like that Camille was rude to Cameron. She thought that took a lot of courage for Cameron to come over herself and not just call.

Holly-Camille closed the door and went to go back to the bedroom of the suite. She was surprised to find Young Jesse standing there. She didn't look very happy.

"I think that could have been handled a little differently." Young Jesse said. "I want everyone to get along."

Holly-Camille didn't think Young Jesse heard her.

"I'm sorry." Holly-Camille said. "I was worried about you."

Young Jesse cared about Cameron and Camille.

"I know what needs to be done on every level." Young Jesse said. "Don't 'make' me choose between Cameron and you. I will do what Cameron wants because it's what needs to be done. I understand my role and responsibility. If I need to be at John's side, I will be. You know I love all of them."

Young Jesse really wanted to see Savannah now. She missed her most of all.

"I let my feelings get in the way." Holly-Camille said.

Young Jesse smiled and kissed her on the cheek.

"We all do that at times, love." Young Jesse said. "We all still know what needs to be done at the end of the day."

Holly-Camille took a robe out of the closet.

"You can wear this." Holly-Camille said.

Young Jesse wanted it to be more elegant.

She took out a formal dress.

"I want to wear this." Young Jesse said. "I want to feel special."

Holly-Camille quickly put the robe away.

"You are special." Holly-Camille said.

Young Jesse looked at the clock.

"How long do I have?" Young Jesse asked.

Cameron was not specific but based on what she'd heard 'coming' from the Owner's Suite she figured John would need a little while to recharge.

"I think we have plenty time." Holly-Camille said.

Young Jesse glanced at the dress then at the bed.

"Then let's make the most of it." Young Jesse said as she led Holly-Camille back to the bed.


Camille-Holly and Allison were in the Master Suite.

"There are other places on the ship we can go." Camille-Holly said. "Hanna is next door in the Control Center too."

Allison didn't want to be a problem.

"We can look out the balcony at the ocean for awhile." Allison said.

Camille-Holly was not sure why because it always looked the same. She remembered that Summer showed her 'beauty' in simple things.

"We can do it." Camille-Holly said. "It will be beautiful."

Allison took Camille-Holly's hand and led her out onto the balcony.

"Do you want to wear one of these?" Camille-Holly asked.

She held up two bathrobes.

Allison took one.

"Maybe we better." Allison said. "Let's enjoy the peaceful view for awhile. Maybe we can go out later."

Camille-Holly smiled and took Allison's hand. They soon interlaced their fingers. It was a simple act that could say so much. Things didn't need to be complicated to be rewarding.


Steve did the 'drive by' along the two sides of the old newspaper plant that they could get to easily. The east side was the rail siding and the south side was the main flood control channel and the mainline railroad tracks on the far side of the channel.

Their surveillance picked them up so they knew the cameras hadn't been tampered with. Nothing else looked out of place.

It looked like everything was good. Steve was about to drive away.

"Wait." Derek said.

Kyle looked around. Maybe there was a problem.

"What is it?" Kyle asked.

Derek looked down the railroad siding from the street on the north side of the building.

Tom and Steve looked too. There was something out of place.

"I see it." Tom said. "That was a good spot."

Derek wondered about that. He bet they were going to take them back to the base and then return here alone.

Kyle looked further. He wasn't sure what it was yet.

"Is it that piece of cloth on the top of the fence?" Kyle asked.

Derek nodded.

"It looks like someone climbed over but snagged their shirt." Derek said.

Tom checked in with John Henry again to see if any disruptions had been reported.

"I show nothing new." John Henry said.

Kyle did not like it.

"Drive away now." Kyle said.

Steve immediately stepped on the gas and the SUV moved away.

"What is it?" Derek asked.

The team looked all around them.

"I think it's a sucker play." Kyle said.

Derek hoped they could get some drone support. He was about to ask.

"I have footage from two drones over us. They are checking for any movement around us and this area." Tom said.

Derek was surprised.

"That was fast." Derek said.

Kyle wanted to play it safe.

"If anything moves on either side of us until we reach the main street it will be a hostile target." Kyle said.

They received some reassuring news.

"The drones will fire a missile if you are clear." John Henry said. "They are at fifty thousand feet. I am having them drop down to twenty-five thousand feet as I clear the airspace."

Steve and Tom could not identify any specific threat.

"What about the cluster of bushes up there?" Kyle asked.

Derek could see it was close to the main street.

"One drone has fired on it with minigun fire." John Henry said. "Stay back in case there are ricochets."

Derek thought the drones were out of range.

"Are they that close?" Derek asked.

John Henry quickly explained the 'metal hail' process. It was another 'gravity shot'.

After a few seconds they could see some sparks in the road and the dirt around the bushes fly up. Many leaves were torn off of the bushes too.

Much to their surprise a bloodied man fell out onto the sidewalk. He didn't move. He was most likely dead.

"I sure hope that was not some homeless guy." Derek said.

Kyle called the shot. He'd take the heat.

"If it is, it's on me." Kyle said. "I said anything around us was hostile."

Steve pulled up near the fallen man.

Tom got out of the SUV and drug the man back in the bushes off of the sidewalk. He returned with several items.

He handed them to Derek and Kyle to look at.

There was a radio, a pistol, a cell phone and what looked like a detonator.

The cell phone was damaged by a bullet strike. The radio was too but it looked like it still could function. The detonator was shattered as well.

The radio crackled.

"Is it them?" A voice asked. "We lost the feed."

Tom quickly took the radio back.

He made some static noises.

"…static…jamming field…static…get me out…static." Tom transmitted.

Steve immediately drove away from the area.

"This SUV has a bullseye on it." Derek said.

They hoped John Henry got a lock on the cell phone signal or radio transmission.

"Tell us you got something, John Henry." Kyle said.

Based on the radio they figured that whoever was on the other end was fairly close.

"Al and Ed will rendezvous with you four blocks from there." John Henry said. "A drone is in route to where the last radio transmission emanated from."

They received some magnified drone images of the location by the fence with the cloth stuck on it. There were two Claymore mines placed in the weeds along each side of the tracks.

"That guy was just waiting for us to get out and check on that cloth." Kyle said.

Derek and Kyle knew that would have been fatal to them.

They soon received a drone image of a van driving away from an industrial tract a quarter of a mile away. It was in the same section of buildings where the earlier underground activity occurred where Savannah took down the Gray from inside the storm drain.

"The van is targeted." John Henry said.

They knew they could try and have the drone follow it. There was the risk that whoever was in it could get away especially if it headed for a mall or large shopping center.

"Stop it now before it gets into traffic." A female voice said. "Fire 'metal hail' in front and in back of it to disable it."

"Is that Allison - Young Allison?" Kyle asked.

John Henry did not want to get into it.

"Don't ask." John Henry said. "I'm attempting to stop it now."

The drone image showed a shower of sparks both in front of and behind the van. It slowed dramatically and stopped at a slight angle. There was fluid running out the front and the rear of it. One was radiator fluid. The other was most likely gasoline.


Summer and Jan both watched John Henry work. They knew most of the things happened inside the server that they couldn't see.

John Henry became aware of the drones over the target location only a short time ago.

He quickly tried to meet the demands of the team in the field. CamNet turned all control over to him. He figured she'd been watching the operation at Young Allison's request.

He tracked the radio transmission and the drone acquired the target He was ready with a missile.

"Stop it now before it gets into traffic." Summer said. "Fire 'metal hail' in front and in back of it to disable it."

John Henry quickly made sure her transmissions could not be heard from the Command Center when Kyle asked who it was.

"Don't ask." John Henry said. "I am attempting to stop it now."

They watched as the drone did a gravity shot in front and in back of the moving van. It was disabled and stopped.

John Henry realized that CamNet acted on Summer's suggestion. He was prepared to fire a missile.

"I'm sorry." Summer said. "My way gives you a better chance to catch the occupants of the van. There's nowhere for them to go now."

John Henry realized they could enter the storm drain system. He sure didn't want Kyle or Derek in there after them.


Steve skipped the meet with Al and Ed. They headed straight for the spot where the van was at. They wanted to try and get a live one.


Leticia and Sheila started in on each other right on a lounge chair in the nude sunbathing area. There was nothing over them but sky.

Vanna watched them.

"That's totally HOT." Vanna said.

Laura was right next to her, they'd been kissing.

"Leticia is always like that." Laura said.

"So is She… – Sue." Vanna said.

Mary and Ally watched too.

"I hope no one walks in here." Mary said.

Ally was sure Jim or CamNet 'locked' the gate so it wouldn't open.

"I don't think they will." Ally said.

Gail-Cam and Cam-Gail were focused on each other since they were both in each other's chassis. Hearing Leticia and Sheila seemed to excite and 'drive' them.

"This looks like it is about to turn into a 'free for all'." Laura said.

Vanna took it all in.

"Let's hope so." Vanna said.

Soon the pairs of girls were all over each other. This was something they all wanted. Vanna hadn't done anything like this since they left the future and the girls they were with there sure did not look like these girls did. She really wished Allison was here now.


Cammy returned with a room key.

"It's room four." Cammy said.

Savannah got out and took the bundle of clothes from Julie as she exited the SUV.

Young Allison got out on the other side and followed Cammy. She urged Julie to catch up to her. Savannah was right behind Julie. Anna locked the SUV and followed them to the room.

Cammy opened the door and held it. Young Allison walked in. Julie came up to the door and paused.

"It's just me." Young Allison said.

Julie looked around once and entered. Only Savannah and Anna were behind her.

"It's not the greatest room but it was the closest." Cammy said.

Julie walked around the room and looked in the bathroom and the closet. She was satisfied they were alone.

"We can wait here or wait in the car." Savannah said. "We aren't trying to impose. I don't want to make you uncomfortable."

Savannah handed Julie the bundle of clothes.

"Thanks." Julie said.

She took off her top without thinking and tossed it in the trash can. She realized she was topless.

"You don't mind do you?" Julie asked. "There's not much privacy in the camps."

Young Allison looked at Julie's topless form. She was not excited but appalled. Her ribs were very prominent. There were bruises and sores on her skin. Her breasts were small and also covered with bruises and some small sores.

Julie looked at herself in the mirror.

"I used to look nicer." Julie said. "This is what two years on the street does to you. I guess I am either lucky or unlucky."

Savannah saw people like this before in the future and in homeless camps. She understood what Julie meant about being 'either lucky or unlucky'. Some people would be 'lucky' to still be alive. Other people would feel 'unlucky' that they hadn't died and all their problems and suffering ended.

Julie went to take off her pants.

"It gets worse." Julie said. "Maybe I should do this in the bathroom."

"No." Young Allison said. "I want to see. I want to see what I'm trying to help fix. I want to know I'm trying to do something good for someone."

Julie took off her pants and threw them away.

The insides of her thighs were black and blue as was her rear end.

"This was what 'the crew' did to me when they took me. I fought them hard this last time." Julie said. "They got me good. Everything else looks like this too that you can't see. It's a real mess down there."

Cammy did not like what she observed. She accessed her medical files that Cameron downloaded into all of them. She could professionally treat what was visible on this girl. Any internal damage was another matter.

"I'm a trained paramedic." Cammy said. "Let me take a look to see if you need medical attention."

Julie thought about it.

"Let me clean up some first." Julie said. "There is a lot of crusty dried fluid around there."

Savannah did not like what she saw. She was glad Young Allison left eight dead men behind because of this. It was probably nine by now. The man from the park with the knife should have been terminated as well at this point.

"Let her help you clean up." Savannah said as she pointed at Cammy. "She's a professional."

Julie looked at Cammy. She didn't think that anyone who looked like that would want anything to do with her on a sexual level like she looked now. She wanted to make sure.

"It's just to help clean me and look me over, nothing else." Julie said.

"You have my word." Cammy said.

"You have my word too." Young Allison said. "This is about helping you and nothing else."

Anna wanted to reduce the tension.

"Maybe we should wait in the car." Anna said.

Julie popped her head out from the bathroom.

"You can stay." Julie said. "I trust you."

Savannah looked at Young Allison and could see she was steamed. She knew she wanted retribution. She was pretty sure she was not going to care where it was obtained at either. She was sure she would send her Detail out at night to 'clean' the local streets up. She really couldn't blame her at this point. She wanted to come with Cammy and help too.