Chapter 130

Tie

Sarah, Kyle and Derek were out on a day trip. They liked to spend some alone time together. They knew there was always Metal close by. They stayed out of the way as they watched over them.

Derek felt a little down now that Riley and him were having a little break up spat. Maybe he should say another one, they happened from time to time. It was always over some little thing that did not need to happen.

Often when the spats happened Derek would try and reach out to Jesse. That never seemed to go anywhere anymore.

What Derek didn't know:

Jesse always made sure she did not let Derek get too close. Cameron asked her to try and not get involved with Derek again. Cameron told her she wanted Derek and Riley to stay together.

She knew what Cameron really wanted. Cameron did not want Riley to be 'free' and 'hungry' around John. She was aware that John failed before. Even though she would not have minded sharing with Derek again just for the sex, she knew she needed to sacrifice her desires for Cameron. She knew love was about sacrifice, She loved Cameron. She sought out Allison more during these times to quell her desires toward Derek. Allison was a nice 'stand in' for Cameron.

Derek interrupted the quietness of the drive.

"I checked online about some activity at the air museum we visited." Derek said.

Kyle expected a little more explanation.

"And?" Kyle asked.

Derek was not sure if they were up to it.

"They are going to have a little 'competition' today." Derek said. "I would like to see it, if you guys want to."

Sarah kept track of where they were at all times. Maybe it was something interesting.

"We aren't that far away. What is it?" Sarah asked.

Derek was unsure what the best way to describe it was.

"It is a 'drag race' of sorts." Derek said. "It is between two different types of aircraft."

That sounded somewhat intriguing to Kyle. A little friendly competition could liven things up a little.

"When will it be?" Kyle asked.

Derek was unsure of the exact time.

"It is supposed to be around noon more or less." Derek said.

Sarah ran a calculation of time based on where they were currently at.

"We can make it with no problem." Sarah said. "We should have time to look around the museum again too."

That brought a big smile to Derek's face.

"Thanks." Derek said. "I kind of have Warbird fever. I watch all the videos on YouTube. I love that R2600 sound on a B-25, especially at start up. There is one video on YouTube called, 'Catch 22 Take Off Scene' that is awesome. I recommend everyone watch it."

Sarah was turned on to a lot of things on YouTube by Cameron.

"I'll check it out. Cameron has me watch the songs she wants me to listen to on YouTube also. She always picks the ones that have the lyrics with them." Sarah said. "Sometimes it is hard to catch the exact wording, the lyrics onscreen help."

Derek could see that Sarah seemed to get along quite well with Cameron. He wondered how much of it was 'for John' and how much of it was 'for real'.

"Sarah, how do you really feel about Cameron?" Derek asked. "I mean at this time, not before, not in the past."

Sarah did not even need to think about the answer.

"You know, Derek; I did not care for her at first and thought I would have to terminate her and destroy her. I wanted to burn her. I was not very nice to her either. I regret both of those things." Sarah said. "I said a lot of things I wish I could take back. She has turned out to be the most remarkable and loved individual I know. I'm aware she still has some 'problems' but we all do. She just doesn't have as much experience dealing with them as we do. I know for her, her problems are always as if they just happened. Time can't dull her pain as it can for us."

Kyle did not think all the blame landed on Cameron's shoulders.

"It did not help that most of her 'problems' were created by others who acted against her." Kyle said.

Sarah felt some remorse creep back in. She did not bring up how Future Derek acted towards Cameron and how he felt. She was sure that even he'd come around some regarding Cameron before his untimely death.

"John and I both feel guilty about that." Sarah said.

Kyle always saw Cameron for the leader she was.

"I would follow her anywhere." Kyle said. "She is like no other."

"As would I." Sarah said.

"Me too." Derek added. "I have…."

Sarah thought things had come a long way from where they started. It was a good thing too.

John was in the lab with John Henry and Vanna.

Vanna asked them to leave. They did not want to.

John paused and looked at Vanna and the inactive form of Cameron.

"I'll be back." John said.

John and John Henry left the lab.

Vanna disabled the security feed.

She took a scalpel out and made an incision near the inner base of Cameron's left breast.

Vanna carefully removed the locket. She was actually somewhat relieved it was even there. At least this was the same Cameron she helped to rebuild. It was not a clone or an imposter.

She looked inside the locket.

'Oh no'. Vanna said to herself.

When she opened it there were two pictures of Cameron side by side. Vanna looked harder. It was what she feared.

It was River and Cameron.

John's picture was under River's and hers was under John's. Allison's was under hers.

Vanna gently closed and sealed the locket. She carefully returned it to where it was. She quickly put two sutures in the wound so it would heal it faster. She wiped away the little dab of blood and readjusted Cameron's bra and shirt. No one would be the wiser about what she did and where she checked.

Vanna composed herself and walked out to the hall. She faced John and John Henry. They both looked a little indignant.

"This is the same 'Cameron' I rebuilt and fixed when we first came here. I know that for a fact." Vanna said.

John was still unhappy that he needed to leave the lab. He should know everything about Cameron. He did not like the secrets.

They all went back into the lab.

John wondered where it went from here. Something needed to be done.

"So do we pull her chip and try and look at it?" John asked.

Vanna wanted to do that so she could make a 'server copy' for herself. Vanna also knew Cameron's wishes. Cameron did not want to be trapped in a metal box again. Cameron felt it was like prison to her.

"Cameron does not want that." Vanna said.

John wanted to try something. It was evident there was a problem, a big one.

"Can't you interface with her directly, John Henry?" John asked.

John Henry thought that was an invasion of privacy on his part. She could be suffering from 'malware' too.

"Yes, I can do that but I do not have her permission to do so. If she is corrupted I might be 'infected' as well." John Henry said. "She is an individual."

Vanna was not sure any option was good. There were a few they could try.

"We could plug her into her old server and John Henry could access the information through the server. I still think she would feel 'violated' if we did any of these things." Vanna said.

The answers that John received so far all did nothing to 'fix' the problem. They only seemed to irritate him.

"So we do nothing and leave her on the table?" John asked. "Then what do we do? What happens then? Where does this go?"

John Henry thought it was a little deeper than that.

"I detect a high level of internal activity. I believe she is in a deep 'maintenance cycle mode'. She is attempting to self correct whatever is wrong." John Henry said. "John, she is fixing herself as we stand here."

Bob and Jim arrived as well as Gail.

John Henry looked at them.

"We will take turns sitting with her for a few days to see what happens. Two of us will be here for her at all times." Gail said. "In case she has some additional 'problems' upon rebooting, we will be here to help."

Everyone knew what that meant, another rampage.

Gail gently moved the hair from Cameron's face, her hand resting on Cameron's cheek. That action of 'caring' was not lost on anyone.

Vanna tried to unclench Cameron's left hand. She could not. Vanna knew it was emotional trouble of some kind when she spotted that. She knew what Cameron asked of her 'again' and that she did not want to ask Riley if Allison and her would not 'act'. She was aware that Cameron shut down outside Riley's room. She knew what was 'wrong'. She knew what NEEDED to be done to 'fix' it, to 'fix' THIS. It was time to act for Cameron, if nothing else.

"Thank you." Vanna said to the Terminators.

Vanna took John out of the lab. It was time to put the ball in John's court. They were going to need several 'players' on the team to get things across the goal line.

"John, I know what is wrong and why." Vanna said. "You're not going to like it…. I know I don't."

John wondered what new problem this was going to spawn.

"It seems there is less and less for me to like everyday around here anyway. What else is new?" John asked disgustedly.

Vanna thought it best to explain her theory.

"John this is what triggered this specific event…." Vanna said.

Sarah, Kyle and Derek went to the airport and stopped by the museum. They checked to make sure the event was still on. It was. There was still about an hour to go. They looked around a little.

They spotted a couple visiting Warbirds that were not normally at the museum.

One of the planes caught Sarah's attention.

"Why are the exhaust ports behind the cockpit on that one plane?" Sarah asked. "It is the only one here like that."

Derek smiled.

"That's a P39 Airacobra. The engine is behind the pilot." Derek said. "There was a later improved variant made that looked very similar. That was known as a P-63 King Cobra."

Kyle looked at the front of the plane.

"Then what's in the nose?" Kyle asked. "I see what looks like two guns. It seems like there should be more."

Derek smiled.

"There is a 37 MM cannon there that shoots through the propeller hub." Derek said. "A few variants used a 20 MM cannon instead."

Kyle nodded and moved to the front of the aircraft.

"I thought that looked like a gun barrel." Kyle said. "A 37 MM cannon is a heavy hit."

Sarah pointed at the wings.

"I see a couple more gun barrels there." Sarah said.

"There were several variations on the wing armament." Derek said.

Kyle wondered about a forced landing.

"Did the engine ever rip loose and crush the pilot on a belly landing?" Kyle asked.

"I read there were reports of that." Derek said. "The driveshaft also passed underneath the pilot. That caused some concern as well."

Kyle and Derek both picture the drive shaft breaking and whipping around beneath them. They thought about how it could tear one up pretty fast.

A few more Warbirds landed as they looked around.

The watched as the two aircraft to be used in the competition were rolled out of a hangar.

"I think it is time to head for the end of the runway." Derek said. "It looks like the action is about to get underway on schedule."

Kyle wanted to be in position at the finish line.

"Let's go." Kyle said.

They arrived at the end of the two parallel runways and off to the side a little bit. There were quite a few people there. Some were placing bets.

A flare was fired in the distance.

There came a deep roar and thundering sound.

A small dark cloud began to form on the east runway.

The thundering and screaming sounds grew more and more intense.

There were two objects just above the runways

Suddenly the two aircraft were upon them.

A P-51B was in a 'take off' race with an F-86 each pilot stated that they were faster to a half mile past the end of the runway.

The two aircraft screamed overhead. The Mustang held its own and was slightly ahead of the Sabre, the Sabre was catching up quickly. The noise was incredible. It caused Sarah to hold her ears.

Both aircraft were LOW. Neither one was willing to trade speed for altitude, yet.

Then they both went into climbs at the 'finish line' in different directions. The Sabre was slowly pulling away.

The neighbors were already calling the FAA.

"Damn that was GREAT." Kyle said.

"Who won?" Sarah asked. "It looked close."

"WE did." Derek said.

"I think it was a tie." Kyle said.

Tie

Many things in life
Seem like a competition
It can play out like a dance
Brimmed with contrition

Is it really necessary
For two to compete
It does not add anything
It makes things less complete

Everyone is the same
We are who we are
If we lack at the finish
Will we ever get very far

Not everything before us
Needs to end in a perceived win
It leaves one with thin skin
With erupting anger within

Things best end in a tie
Then there is no blame
Is this really the way
We need play life's cruel game

Nobody