Chapter 102
Lost
The girls were all a little concerned about their surroundings. It was an environment unlike anything that any of them ever experienced before. There was thick jungle growth around them. It was humid and the sky was dark with clouds and smoke from the active volcano.
Allison finally asked the question that they all wanted to ask. They were all afraid of what the answer would be.
"Are we in prehistoric times?" Allison asked.
That was Cameron's first fear. She tried to rationalize it a little.
"I don't know yet." Cameron said. "There are volcanoes all around the world in many nations in our own time. Some have been active for decades. There is one in Hawaii for example."
Cameron waited at the spot they arrived in. It'd been a rough transfer. Rougher than any other one that she'd done. It was like they'd arrived, then were gone and then back again all in a few milliseconds. She continued to wait.
Nothing else happened.
She was not sure why she thought she needed to wait there. She asked everyone to remain there for now.
The girls could all see and feel Cameron's apprehension.
"Cameron, what's wrong?" Allison asked.
Cameron needed to keep it together for now. It was hard to do so because of what she'd witnessed as they left the TDE room in the energy bubble. That was her worst nightmare, John and Riley alone.
"I don't know. Something does not feel right." Cameron said.
Cameron felt very uneasy about the transfer. She was sure there was a temporal error.
Vanna wanted Cameron to assign them tasks for what would be the best things to work on.
"Tell us what to do." Vanna said. "We can all get started."
Cameron needed to take care of the girls until she could come up with where and when they were.
"We need to find fresh water." Cameron said. "I will look for something editable, find shelter and make some coverings for our bodies. We will need weapons."
Jesse was happy the way they were 'dressed' right now. The lack of clothing didn't bother her but they did not know who or what they'd run into. If they ran into a group of cavemen or Scavengers while they were naked, it was a pretty good bet what would follow. It would seem like an open invitation.
Allison wondered what weapons they could obtain. Then again if they possessed weapons they could take food and clothing from someone else. That was if there was even 'someone else'.
"Where would we find any weapons?" Allison asked.
Cameron looked around where they were. She may have to get creative to get those things done.
"We need to stay together." Cameron said. "I will fabricate some weapons. If there is any danger I will engaged it. We have no medical supplies so it is important no one gets injured or gets an infection."
Cameron listened to the 'jungle'. She could not detect any human activity or human generated noise. She knew they were in trouble. She looked to the sky again but the reddish clouds blocked everything.
The clouds in her mind seemed to create their own fog to her thoughts. She tried not to think about what they'd left behind. It did not work very well. The clouds in her heart could not cover the pain she felt.
This all seemed like a big mistake right now to her.
John did a double take.
He looked next to him and could not believe his eyes.
It was Riley.
John reached over and gave Riley a hug.
She was a little startled. She was unsure of the reaction of John seeing her.
John released Riley.
He looked a little embarrassed once he thought about how he'd just reacted to a total stranger.
John knew this was not his Riley. She was dead. He'd seen and touched her dead body. He knew Riley was dead because of him. Now there was another version of her. It seemed to be a strange omen that Cameron was gone and Riley was back. It reminded him of the choice he made to replace Cameron with Riley before. He was still unsure about that choice. Maybe Riley played him at first. They soon fell in love despite what her 'mission' was.
He quickly snapped out of it. He tried to offer an explanation. It sounded lame even as he said it.
"I'm sorry. You reminded me of someone." John said.
John held out his hand.
"I'm John Connor."
They shook hands.
"Riley Dawson, I'm pleased to meet you."
There was an unintended connection. Their eyes locked on each other's eyes.
The unnecessary interaction was not lost on Sarah. She did not like what she'd just witnessed.
"John." Sarah cut in. "What about your wife?"
Sarah wanted that statement out there NOW. She did not want this newcomer to start too get any 'ideas' from the beginning. John's poor choice before was in the front of her mind.
John slowly looked away from Riley and then to Sarah.
Riley looked at Sarah.
'That must be his mother.' Riley thought.
John needed to remember where they were now and what else just happened.
"It looks like nothing, Mom. She's gone." John said. "Game over."
Sarah did not like that attitude. Especially after the interaction John just had with Riley.
"Fix it." Sarah said. "Figure something out."
John didn't have a clue where they went. If it was into the future he could not go. He would end up where he did before or another future since they'd changed things after he'd returned from the future.
"You can go now for now. Nothing is going to happen here. I want to talk with John Henry about our options." John said.
Everyone left except John and John Henry.
John talked to John Henry about what they could do or if anything could be done. It seemed to him that they needed to know where they went first before they could plan anything.
"Do we even know which future they went into?" John asked.
John Henry was worried about that. He'd tried to reset the time and destination after the transfer started. He was sure that would have some detrimental effect since they did not return to the TDE pad. He decided to keep his answer simple. He did not want to get blamed for whatever went wrong.
"No." John Henry said.
John still tried to get his head around where they thought they were going. It was supposed to be to the future but that could be different again.
"So they just left not knowing where they were going or what would happen?" John asked in amazement.
John Henry pointed out the folly of not testing something first to Cameron. She would not listen.
"Correct." John Henry said.
John did not want to endanger anyone else. Maybe there was some way he could go himself.
"Is there any way I can I follow them?" John asked. "I know what happened before."
John Henry was sure that was certain folly. Look what happened the last time.
"NO, you going forward will alter the timeline again." John Henry said. "I am sure of that."
A million thoughts flooded into John's mind. Somehow he felt responsible. Was it his fault? What could he have done different or better?
"I can't believe it." John said. "How can she be so unhappy? How can she do THIS again? What about the others? They ALL left knowing nobody was coming back? They left everything and walked away with Cameron to die? They went into the unknown to fight some battle that they can never win?"
It was just like in the movie, 'The Wild Bunch'. John thought.
John Henry saw it that way too. There were some things he needed to check into first.
"Apparently." John Henry said. "I think they are lost in time now. They are all lost to - time. Let me review the data Mrs. Weaver sent with Unit 710 and see if we can try anything. I will let you know."
John looked at the empty TDE pad and was even more disgusted.
"I can't take any more of this." John said as he walked away. "I've HAD it."
Cameron still felt the need to stay where they were. She was not sure why. Something inside of her told her to remain where they were at for now.
"Everyone stay here." Cameron said. "Don't leave this spot."
Cameron looked around. She would fabricate some crude weapons if she needed to. She would start with stones then move up to spears. She could even make a bow and some arrows. She could start as soon as she found some suitable materials.
The girls were uneasy that they needed to remain where they were at. They wanted to get started.
"Cameron, you tell each of us what to specifically do and we will do it." Allison said. "None of this will get done thinking about it."
Vanna was eager as well to get started. She knew there needed to be a certain level of caution.
"Tell us what to gather and what not to touch." Vanna said. "Maybe some of this vegetation is poisonous."
Cameron kept the women close by and instructed them on what to do.
Once Cameron felt the others were secure she would start to expand her search pattern around the area. If there was anything useful around them she needed to find it fast. Her concern for the welfare of the girls helped keep her mind off what transpired as they left the base.
The main problem was that she hadn't been able to determine 'where' or even 'when' they were. That would make a big difference in everything they did and needed to do.
The rage Cameron felt as they time shifted and her last image of John would forever haunt and torment her. The only thing that allowed her to function right now was her concern for the safety of her friends. Her FRIENDS that followed her to their doom. Her FRIENDS that she would most likely bury one at a time until she was all alone. Maybe this was her fate. Maybe it was her punishment.
John returned to his room. There were a lot of questions floating around inside is head.
How can life be so cruel?
WHY?
Would Cameron ever come back?
Would any of them ever return?
How long would it be this time?
Would it be months, years or maybe even never…?
There was a soft knock at his door. He was too angry right now to deal with anyone.
"Go away." John nearly shouted.
The door opened.
John turned angrily towards it. Who would dare to defy him right now?
His anger and attitude instantly softened. It was the one person who he could never be angry at. They'd suffered more than he had.
It was Savannah.
Savannah knew her duty and her promises to Cameron. She was supposed to help John in the future with 'everything'. John needed help right now. She knew what he felt.
"John, I'm scared." Savannah said. "I don't want to be alone."
John knew this was going to be hard on Savannah. She'd just lost everyone again.
"Come here, Savannah." John said.
John gave her a big hug.
"I started to question myself on what everything was about." John said.
Savannah looked up at him.
"What is it about?" Savannah asked.
It was her future function to help John remember who he was and that everyone mattered. He needed that help now.
"It is about you, everyone else and all the children." John said. "It is about stopping Skynet. It is about continuing on."
Savannah remembered all her promises to Cameron and the future. She believed all of them. They gave her purpose and helped her to move forward with her life.
"I will be here to protect you, John." Savannah said. "I will always be here for you. I will never leave your side."
That statement made John's eyes well with tears.
"I will help you, John, and help protect Young Allison, whoever that is." Savannah said.
John knew Cameron spent a lot of time with Savannah. He was glad Savannah did not go with them. He wondered about what she said.
"Did Cameron tell you to say that?" John asked.
Savannah learned and understood things on her own too. Cameron taught her to evaluate every situation. That was what she was doing now.
"No, I hear and see things. I know what happens around here. It is part of my life too." Savannah said. "I am old enough to know what is happening. I know the future. I know my destiny."
John felt that was a heavy load that Cameron put on Savannah's shoulders. He did not want to make an issue of it. Savannah was here on her own right now and she clearly believed the things she said. That was something in itself.
"OK, Savannah, we will all protect each other, we will all help each other." John said. "I will come and help you with your studies or play with you. So will Sarah and Kyle. I will be there for you."
Savannah knew how the 'game' was played.
"I want you to promise me that." Savannah said. "I want you to remember that promise when things don't go so well."
John looked at Savannah. He felt she anchored him to living.
"I promise, Savannah." John said.
Savannah left. She KNEW that John NEEDED her to be there right at that moment. She sunk her 'claws' into him a little to remind him the future still held some promise.
John watched her go. It gave him hope.
"If we haven't lost, we are winning." John remembered.
Cameron looked around them.
"Is there anything?" Allison asked.
Cameron could find nothing man made.
"No, we are in the middle of nowhere." Cameron said.
"Or no-when." Vanna added.
Jesse thought they had enough.
"We have each other." Jesse said. "That is all we need."
Cameron looked around at the harsh conditions. Reality caught up with her.
"I understand now there is something worse than nothing." Cameron said.
Allison thought nothing said it all.
"What's that?" Allison asked.
"Less than nothing." Cameron replied.
"Yes." Allison said. "There is always less than nothing."
"No where, no when, for Nobody." Cameron said.
Cameron thought of the song: 'Nowhere Man' by 'The Beatles.'
'Making all his nowhere plans for nobody.' Just like her.
Cameron snapped out of it.
"We need to stay here in the spot where we arrived at." Cameron said.
"Why?"
It was something that called from deep inside Cameron.
"I don't know. I just know we need to. We are being pulled back." Cameron said.
Cameron brought the girls together and they all held each other.
The energy bubble attempted to reform again.
The arcing and flashing was all around them.
Nobody knew what was happening.
It Affects Everything In The Future
Because something has already happened
It may not be finished or done
It does not mean it is over
Perhaps a new beginning has begun
What is set in stone
Can always be cracked
With the proper tools
Anything can be attacked
Always think it through
Before an impulse makes you act
Very little is actually fact
It is easier to add than subtract
What happens today
Effects what happens tomorrow
Everyday is soon yesterday
It is better to give than to borrow
People can choose what to destroy
Or what to create, build or nurture
Every action has a reaction
It affects everything in the future
Nobody