Chapter 17

Fourteen

Sarah read poem after poem. She was deeply touched by them and the depth of Cameron's 'feelings'. She left the lab an hour later. She could only absorb so much pain. Her eyes were red from crying. She stopped reading Cameron's poems for now. Cameron recommended she only read five to ten at a time so she could feel the full impact of what each one said. She didn't want her emotions overloaded. Cameron said there was a clandestine meaning contained in some of them or the full impact of the poem itself was greater than the sum of the words it was created with. She needed to think about that statement. She was amazed at how Cameron could make another FEEL what she felt.

She felt so upset with herself and John. How could they have done this to Cameron and not even cared or known? No, they did know what they were doing to Cameron and they didn't care. They never gave her fair treatment or treated her as an equal. It was like Cameron didn't matter. It was like Cameron was - Nobody. She knew she was partially responsible for all of this.

Sarah obtained permission from Cameron and Vanna to come back later and finish reading more of Cameron's poems. Cameron only put one condition on her. Cameron asked that she not tell John about what she read. She didn't understand that. She told Cameron that if anyone should read these, it should be John. She felt John should see how Cameron really felt about things and how she was treated.

Cameron was very adamant about what she wanted.

"Please, Sarah, not yet." Cameron said. "It's not time yet. I'll know when the time is right. It isn't right yet."

Cameron explained to Sarah that she knew John wasn't ready for all the things she'd planned for him. He wasn't ready for the things she wanted for them. When that time arrived John could see her poems. Only then would he truly understand her. Only then would he truly understand how he'd hurt her. John wasn't ready yet to see and know the 'real Cameron'. Cameron confided that she still wasn't sure that John wouldn't pick Allison over her. Allison was real and should be able to produce offspring. Cameron told her that not having a family always troubled Future John.

What Cameron didn't tell her was what Future John wanted Cameron to do about that in the past – the present. John could have a family. The fact that there was a version of Allison Young as a teenager and Savannah Weaver a few years older here in the present altered Future John's long range plans for the future. They could both make viable mates for John. They could give him the family he wanted now. He didn't need to wait for Savannah Weaver and Allison Young of this timeline to mature. That new twist would take away the time Cameron needed to get closer to John.

There was one other problem that they needed to address. It was Jim-Cameron, Bob-Cameron and Cameron. There was still some debate as to what should be done about their chips and the fact there was in reality - 'three Camerons'. Cameron wanted to interface back into one unit. Bob wanted to remain active but hoped his chip would be put in Cameron's chassis. Jim wanted to be deactivated if he couldn't have his chip installed in Cameron's chassis. They were both still 'Cameron' and wanted 'their chassis' back. It was apparent nothing productive was going to happen if they ended up with three different versions of 'Cameron'. There was still only one 'Cameron chassis' at the end of the day. The fact that two of them were currently in a male chassis was probably the only thing that kept them from actually physically fighting for John.

It was never a good situation and Bob and Jim were always at each other's throats. Cameron knew they were both 'her'. She could hardly believe what a 'Bitch' she was. It made her wonder if others saw her that way.

Cameron seriously wondered what if John would choose Jim or Bob in their present chassis instead of her. It was a strong possibility. None of them were capable of reproduction so that wasn't an issue. Maybe John would prefer a male. Cameron was painfully aware that John already rejected her before in her current chassis. He chose someone else over her before.

The arguing and pushing worsened between Bob and Jim. What made it worse was that both of them seemed ready to challenge Cameron. She kept reminding them that she was Cameron Prime. As long as there was only one John, more than one 'Cameron' was a problem. All three of them wanted him.

It was decided after the first mission that there would be only 'one Cameron'. There was only one Cameron chassis and only one John. Everyone thought this would be the best. Jim again commented that Bob should be terminated for being that 'Bitch Whore' in the future. Bob always said that wasn't his fault.

Things soon escalated between Jim and Bob. Cameron needed to step between them again and physically separate them. This couldn't go on. It appeared that 'Cameron' couldn't get along with 'herself'. There was too much friction. She was glad the other two copies of her chip were in male bodies. If one or both were currently in a female chassis there would be 'war'. They would treat her as they treated each other. Things would spiral out of control.

Neither one of them challenged her directly yet but she knew that was coming. They may gang up on her and deactivate her. They could then both take turns being in her chassis. She figured that would end with one terminating the other at that point to claim sole possession of her chassis. It looked like a 'nightmare' from any angle.

Now that John was back he decided it was time to take the fight to Skynet. That was the purpose of Cameron allowing John Henry the use of her chip to go into the future.

John Henry and his server, which he was usually tethered with, were able to come up with potential targets.

John and Cameron went over the information and planned some specific targets to strike. The information John Henry obtained from the future gave them a detailed list of objectives. Allison, Bob and Jim would act as one team. John, Sarah and Cameron would be the other team.

John didn't want Allison to be involved in any potential combat. Cameron noted his extreme concern for her. Allison refused to be sidelined. She was adamant that Vanna not see combat. Allison reminded him that she'd been conducting combat operations long before he was in her future. John knew that to be true. He also knew she was good at it.

The mission was planned and was ready to be initiated. It was a strike intended to take out some future Gray leaders.

The strike went according to plan but as they were leaving Allison's team was ambushed. Jim stepped in front of Allison to take a shotgun blast meant for her. He then crushed the skull of the man who fired at them. Bob moved behind two others and emptied his M4 into both of them.

Allison was concerned that Jim was damaged protecting her. She asked Jim if everything was still functional when another man pointed a revolver at Allison's back. He'd come out of hiding behind her.

"Goodbye, sweetheart, you lose." The man said.

Bob appeared from nowhere.

"Wrong." Bob said.

Bob put his left hand in front of the blast. He shot the Gray once in the head with his AMT Hardballer Longslide.

"Us girls look after each other." Jim said as he used Cameron's voice.

Allison appreciated 'Cameron' looking after her and 'saving' her.

"You both saved my life tonight, twice." Allison said. "I won't forget that."

Jim and Bob looked at each other and then to Allison.

"It is the least I could do for you. I owed it to you." They said in unison using Cameron's voice.

They looked at each other again in surprise. That hadn't been planned. It still showed how similar they were even if they were becoming separate 'Camerons'.

Allison look slightly puzzled. She knew it was more involved with something.

She'd heard more than one reference about Cameron 'owing' her something. It seemed like there was some debt that needed to be paid to her. She wondered if it was Cameron's Future Allison that they were indebted to. There was more to that story that hadn't been told yet. Maybe there was a good reason it hadn't been. Maybe it would never be told.

Allison looked at the weapon she was almost shot in the back with. She felt her heart flutter. She knew instantly she wanted that revolver for herself. It reminded her of an 'old friend'.

"I'm taking this. It is a Smith and Wesson Model 66. I carried one like this for years. Derek gave it to me. I took down my first Scavenger crew with it." Allison said with satisfaction. "You should have seen the looks on their faces when I pulled it out. Two of them already pulled down their pants since I was cornered. I could see they were both 'ready' for what they'd intended. I guess they found out even a mouse can bite. All I can say is 'scratch three'."

That troubled Bob and Jim to hear that.

"How old were you?" Bob asked.

Allison looked defiant.

"I was fourteen. I didn't intend to get assaulted again." Allison said.

Allison looked like she was a million miles away as she remembered the incident.

Bob and Jim both saw the look on her face.

They were concerned that Allison was assaulted at such an early age. Her statement seemed to indicate it happened more than once. They would quietly inform Cameron about this later on. It appeared that all the girls from the alternate future became 'women' at a young age.

Allison showed the Model 66 to Bob.

"We can make up some Coltan rounds for it." Bob said.

John, Sarah and Cameron arrive at their location. The six of them returned to base.

Bob and Jim quietly spoke with Cameron after they got back and informed her what Allison revealed about her past.

The information angered Cameron. It confirmed her suspicion that Vanna was previously assaulted and brutalized by Scavengers. It was now obvious that both Vanna and Allison were forced to become women against their will.

"We did the right thing by cleaning that place out from the scourge of mankind." Cameron said.

Bob wondered if they should have done more.

"Maybe we should have cleaned out another five hundred square miles while we were at it." Bob said.

Jim nodded.

"I think it was the fact that we did it as Terminators by using only our hands to terminate the Scavengers." Jim said. "That act sent a message."

Bob was in agreement.

"It was because we left their dead bodies and all their loot behind that scared most of them off. They knew they were all being specifically targeted by Terminators." Bob said. "We ran out of targets."

Cameron liked the message they sent.

"Once the Scavengers knew they were the target instead of the Resistance from Terminators, it did make them run." Cameron said.

"That is except for six hundred and twenty seven." Jim said.

Cameron made a vow.

"If I ever go back to that future I will finish them all off myself." Cameron said.

If Cameron knew the whole story then about Allison and Vanna she would have stayed in that timeline and expanded her cleansing.

"I'll go with you." Bob and Jim said in unison.

"Payback is a Bitch." Cameron said.

"And there are three of us." Bob and Jim said in unison.

There was a loud thunderous sound as all three of them high fived each other.

Intercede

The sky is cloudy
The rain begins to fall
I see a person walking
They seem in a type of thrall

They step into the street
They seem confused or lost
I see a big truck coming
To approach them may seem an accost

I see what is going to happen
I must shout out a warning
Before something bad occurs
I don't want anyone mourning

It is my fault
I encouraged them to go
I should have warned them before
How the amber would everywhere flow

What have I done AGAIN
To one I wanted to protect
Another life damaged
That I have caused to wreck

I see others stand and watch
Why won't they lend a hand
I know they want a future
This is not what they planned

There is no time
I must now intercede
I cling to them pulling them back
It was meant as a good deed

I only timidly speak
Because I saw this happened before
I can not do NOTHING
For one I so adore

Nobody