Chapter 85

Hang On

Allison continued her slide into the burning building. When she dodged Ed it caused her to lose her M4 as he grabbed for her to stop her. It clattered across the cement floor away from her and disappeared under some machinery. She was afraid that Ed would grab her and restrain her. She didn't want to be prevented from going to help Cameron. She kept moving to avoid that. Ed would have nabbed her if it was not for the new threat that developed.

Ed couldn't follow her because he needed to help Derek with the new Terminator threat. That was of greater concern to the operation at that moment. That was the immediate threat. They needed to prevent anymore hostile Terminators from entering the building or fighting them.

Allison heard several explosions as soon as she entered the burning building. She could feel the concussion waves. There was a raging fire burning on one side of the structure. The roaring inferno was punctuated with intermittent explosions. The air was thick with smoke. It seemed to get thicker by the second. There was limited visibility and it was difficult to breathe. Allison tried to stay low as she advanced. She hoped to avoid the thicker smoke and flying shrapnel.

Allison hoped Ed and Derek would be able to handle the new Metal threat. She did not want Metal both in front and in back of her. It was bad enough she was under armed now.

Allison looked around as she advanced. There was some movement off to the side. She pulled her Coltan loaded Model 66 out and advanced on the position. The ever increasing volume of smoke made it harder to see and breathe by the second.

'Hang on Cameron.' Allison thought as she advanced.

She was unsure what awaited her. With fire, explosions and Metal around her it would be nothing good. It was the unknown but she was going to find Cameron. She knew she needed to find Cameron. That was all that mattered.

Coming face to face with three Terminators was not an exciting prospect. She moved ahead anyway. Cameron needed help. Nothing would stop her until she found Cameron. She did not plan to leave without her.

John joined Sarah and Kyle as Jim moved forward to reinforce Ed. Derek joined them soon afterwards. Jim and Ed dealt with the new Metal threat. It looked like it would be resolved soon.

"This went bad fast." Derek said.

That seemed to be the usual way things went for the group.

"Doesn't it always." John answered somewhat disgusted.

Kyle looked around.

"Where's Allison?" Kyle asked.

Derek was still upset with what happened.

"She went in after Cameron." Derek said. "She went inside the building."

That sounded fatal to Sarah. They needed to help her.

"She went into the burning building?" Sarah asked. "We need Ed and Jim to go in after them, now."

Allison wasn't the only one missing.

"What about Jesse?" Kyle asked.

It bothered Derek greatly but Jesse was with Cameron. That should be a 'plus'.

"That is still an unknown." Derek responded. "There was nothing else after the call for help."

John was worried about Cameron and the others. He was tired of waiting. He felt it was his 'duty' to respond.

"We need to go after them." John said. "I am going myself."

Another vehicle pulled into the parking lot.

"Not so fast." Sarah warned. "Here comes some more Grays or Metal."

This new threat needed their immediate attention. The four warriors sprung into action.

John looked back at the burning building as another explosion rocked it. The current fight was here now with the new threat.

Allison moved forward. Her Model 66 tracked in front of her. She searched for a target but hoped she did not find one. That would slow her down if it was a Gray. If it was Metal maybe she would be terminated. She'd faced death before. If she fell in the just cause of helping a loved one, so be it. The cards would land where they fell.

A burning timber crashed near her. Sparks and embers flew in all directions. The heat was intense. It was much hotter than she imagined. The heat alone felt like it would kill her. The smoke blinded and choked her as she moved. Maybe the lack of oxygen would bring her down. Allison briefly thought of turning back. There did not appear to be a way forward.

It was time to make a choice. It was a hard choice.

'I'm coming out with Cameron or I'm not coming out.' Allison told herself.

There was another explosion off to her left side. She ducked down as she heard metal hit metal around her as shrapnel flew. A piece hit her vest with a heavy thud. She hoped there would only be a bruise there. Maybe the shrapnel made it through, it sure hurt. She pushed on ahead.

Allison saw movement ahead of her. She felt her heartbeat quicken, she didn't think that was possible. Her heart already seemed to be about to beat out of her chest. She held a firm grip on her Model 66 as she advanced toward the movement in the smoke. Cameron needed help and she was coming to help her. She was ready to fight if she needed to. There would be not retreat at this point. Withdrawal was not an option.

She was somewhat relieved as she spotted Jesse dragging Cameron along the floor. They were just ahead of a wall of flames following them. If they were not moving they would be inside the raging inferno in seconds. It seemed to be closing on them. The heat was intense. She never imagined it could be so hot.

There was another explosion behind Jesse and Cameron. Jesse turned away from the blast. Something burning hit and stuck to the back of Jesse's vest. It cause her to stagger. The back of her vest started to burn. It may have been red hot shrapnel from the last explosion. Jesse fell to her knees and slipped out of the vest. She stood and teetered some as she started to pull Cameron along the floor again.

Jesse only thought of going back out the way they'd entered the building. All of her focus was on that one goal. She needed to get back outside with Cameron. The smoke and heat here about to consumer her for good. She still drug Cameron anyway. She was not going to abandon Cameron to the flames.

Jesse was unaware Allison was in front of her.

"Jesse!" Allison shouted. "I am right here. I am in front of you. I am coming."

Allison took one quick look around to make sure it was clear. She holstered her Model 66 and grabbed Cameron's other arm. It was clear Jesse was about to go down.

"Jesse, how bad is she hurt? How bad are you hurt?" Allison asked.

Jesse was relieved to see there was someone to help Cameron out.

"Allison, get her out. You must save Cameron." Jesse gasped and then collapsed. "I'm 'done', keep going."

John and his group engaged the small group of Grays that arrived. Everyone opened up on the Grays. As they reloaded they could hear Ed and Jim fighting their battle on the other side.

John heard the pig open up. The Terminator fell and Jim soon returned. There were several explosions where Ed was at.

"The Terminator is terminated." Ed stated as he appeared.

"The other Metal is terminated as well." Jim said.

They looked at the building. One side was a raging inferno with intermittent explosions going off inside.

This did not look good for those still inside the building.

John was ready to go in anyway. Derek and Kyle stopped him. It did not appear a human could survive inside there at this point.

"We will go." Jim and Ed said as they took off.

John could see the hopeless of the situation. He at least hoped their Terminators would make it out at some point. He wondered what Cameron and the others would look like with their sheaths burnt away. He pushed those thoughts from his mind and refocused. There was a job that needed to be done.

"Let's keep the perimeter secure and watch for any additional threats." John said. "We still have our Terminators that need to come out of the building."

Everyone noticed he did not include Allison and Jesse.

Allison grabbed Jesse's and Cameron's wrists and started to drag them both as best as she could. She was bent over almost double to get enough traction and leverage to drag both of them. Even down that low the smoke was thicker than fog. She hoped she did not lose her way. It was hard to see anything at this point.

It was a struggle but Allison was not going to leave either of the women behind. She considered the fact than none of them may get out. Her earlier thought came back into her mind. The cards would land where they fell she thought again and kept dragging both women.

Allison reflected on the fact that sometimes the hard choice is the right choice.

It was only a few more seconds before she was down on her knees. She was sure she was going to pass out but she would not let go of Jesse or Cameron. The were all coming out or none of them were.

There was movement on two sides of her. It could only be a Terminator at this point. The Metal Cameron fought must have tracked them. She was aware that Metal was closing in on her. The time to run was over. She coughed and choked violently.

Allison pulled her Model 66 and prepared to engage the threat.

It was time to fight. She needed to make it count.

"Allison, I have Cameron." Bob said as he scooped her up. "More help is coming soon."

Allison put her Model 66 back and staggered to her feet. She kept pulling Jesse. It should be easier only dragging one of them but somehow it was even more difficult. It was because she was exhausted and oxygen deprived. The smoke affected her vision and breathing. The heat was unbearable. It felt like she was going to melt.

Jesse's eyes opened.

"Leave me, love…. Please save yourself." Jesse gasped. "I'm not worth it."

Allison looked at the approaching flames. She knew they would not make it out. She could barely even breathe anymore.

"I won't leave you, Jesse." Allison gasped.

Allison again collapsed to her knees but kept pulling Jesse.

Jim and Ed entered the other side of the building. They were able to hear Bob, Jesse and Allison. They knew where to go.

Allison was on her knees dragging Jesse when they found them. It was evident Allison could leave Jesse and try and save herself. She did not do that.

It was a sight they would not forget. It was human perseverance even in the face of defeat. The strength of love and compassion was very powerful for something that was unseen. It was something that existed even if it could not be touched or viewed. Wait, they could 'see' it now in Allison's actions.

Bob lifted Cameron and moved away a few seconds ago.

Jim picked Allison up and Ed grabbed Jesse. They made it out as the remainder of the building detonated and then collapsed a few seconds later.

Cameron rebooted.

Allison and Jesse gasped for air. They coughed and choked terribly.

The three females were covered with soot and small burns in several locations on their clothing. Jesse received several tiny shrapnel wounds. She showed some blood here and there on her.

They were all out and they all made it.

Bob picked up Allison and Cameron picked up Jesse. The team returned to their concealed vehicles and left. John and Kyle cooled Allison with drinking water. Sarah and Derek did the same for Jesse.

Cameron would later review John Henry's after action report. With the com traffic and body cam footage, she was able to put it all together to see what happened when she went down.

She shut down after an electrical generator slammed into her. It then shocked her as she became tangled in the wiring. It was not until one of the secondary explosions that the generator was blown free and the shocking stopped. She needed to go through the full reboot process.

That was when Jesse held her before she started to drag her away from the flames when she spotted a way out. Jesse made the choice to forfeit her chance of saving herself to try to save her instead. She was able to view Allison's actions as well. She would not forget what these two women did for her and each other.

Cameron was proud of Jesse and Allison. Both women were more than worthy of John.

She knew she would be leaving John in good hands….

Hang On

When two hearts are awakened
What is it really that makes them drawn
To face an unknown future together
As they try to create a new dawn

Is it true feeling and emotion
That allows this love to spawn
Or is something more sinister
Making it all a big con

Everyone seeks something more
They hope it is not a put-on
The don't want to be left broken
Feeling like a worthless peon

Even if it starts out beautifully
Is not the ending already foregone
One is soon played like a pawn
Left feeling like an imbecilic moron

It matters not one's lexicon
When the other is gone
One becomes isolated and withdrawn
Woebegone abounds as they try to hang on

Nobody