Chapter 136

Alarm

Riley was in the commissary to get a snack. She could hear John Henry and Cameron talking about something. The conversation seemed kind of curt. She took her snack with her and moved closer to listen.

Cameron was in the Command Center.

"Here are the leads I ran down for you." John Henry said.

Cameron looked over them.

"It looks like a few of these are soft targets." Cameron said.

John Henry thought they should all be 'soft targets' for a Terminator.

"Yes." John Henry said.

Cameron decided to act of them.

"I will take care of this." Cameron said as she went to leave.

John Henry did not see her call for a strike team.

"What about the others?" John Henry asked. "You need to gather a team."

Cameron did not see the need for anything like that. The targets looked easy.

"I can handle this on my own." Cameron said.

John Henry wondered if he should alert John.

"You know that is a bad idea." John Henry said.

Cameron wanted to get started.

"You know I am going to do it anyway." Cameron said.

Cameron all but stormed out of the Command Center.

Riley saw this as her chance to make it up to Cameron about her previous poor performance. She moved back towards the commissary before Cameron exited the Command Center. She made it look like she just left the commissary.

"Hi, Cameron." Riley said.

The stern look on Cameron's face softened some.

"Hello, Riley." Cameron said.

It looked like Cameron was going to keep going.

"Are you going on a mission?" Riley asked.

Cameron slowed and stopped.

"Yes." Cameron said.

Riley wanted to be a part of it.

"Can I go with you?" Riley asked. "I'd like to improve myself if you will allow me."

Cameron wanted to go alone. She could see Riley attempted to 'reach out' to her. This was probably because of what happened on the previous mission. One of the targets looked like a simple 'in and out'.

"Are you ready to go right now?" Cameron asked.

Riley quickly finished her snack.

"Yes." Riley said as she swallowed the last of her snack.

Cameron nodded.

"Follow me." Cameron said. "I will get you armored up before we leave."

Riley smiled.

"Thank you for believing in me." Riley said.

Cameron circled the block.

"The target building is the one with the blue stripe." Cameron said.

Riley went over the briefing that Cameron gave her on the way there.

"There is one future Gray located there." Riley said. "They have been in contact with Grays that were sent back."

Cameron nodded. She showed Riley a photo on her phone from the DMV records that John Henry provided her with.

"This will be a simple hit." Cameron said. "We will make contact and you will take them down. You will finish it with a final shot to the head as we leave. It's the only way to be sure."

Riley thought that sounded like cold blooded murder.

"I understand. The crimes they committed in the future have given them their 'sentence'. I am merely the executioner to administer that sentence. There is no mercy. There will only be justice."

Cameron smiled at Riley. It was the first full smile since they met today.

"I know it seems harsh but they facilitated the deaths of hundreds of Resistance captives in the future." Cameron said. "Most of those were females 'selected' for testing. The end of the test left them with a terminal disease or rendered them sterile. They were turned over to the Grays for 'sterility testing'. That was actually repeated abuse to see if any of them could become pregnant. None of them could. That prolonged the 'testing'."

Riley wanted to kill them for that. The 'motivation' from Cameron now would make that task easier.

Cameron and Riley entered the building through a side entrance. They bypassed security at every juncture on every level.

"The security here is not very good." Riley said. "It is almost worse than no security at all because it gives them a false sense of security."

That planted a thought in Cameron's head. How good was their security?

Cameron let Riley take the lead as they approached the room the future Gray should be in.

Riley told herself that she needed to be strong. She took out the silenced pistol Cameron provided her with and held it in her hand. She checked to make sure it was ready.

Cameron readied her Beretta as a back up.

Riley knocked on the door.

"Who is it?" A voice inside asked.

"Package delivery, I need a signature." Riley said.

They could hear the door unlock.

"Remember the girls and women." Cameron quickly whispered.

The door opened and the woman in the DMV photo stood there.

Riley lifted her pistol and fired three times into her chest. Three red dots blossomed on her white shirt. She fell to the floor.

She moved closer and fired one more shot into her eye socket. She did not see any other targets in the room.

"Let's go." Riley said.

Cameron was pleased with Riley's performance. She'd actually enhanced the story a little to give Riley some determination and motivation.

They made it back out through the lax security and returned to the base.

Riley was bothered by what she'd done. She sought out Jesse but she was with Allison. She found Derek instead for some comfort but would not tell him what she'd done.

With the recent adventure with Riley, security issues began to bother Cameron. She became increasingly worried about everyone's safety. She was especially worried about Allison's baby. She was able to breach their security before and she knew if she could do it that others may be able to do so as well. If they faced an all out assault like they'd dealt Skynet, they would not do very well. She ran all her ideas by John and he thought maybe she was on to something.

"Why do you think that?" John asked.

Cameron left out the recent 'hit' with Riley.

"It has been a long time since they last 'hit us'." Cameron said.

John felt that was because of their aggressive efforts.

"We've hit them instead." John said.

Cameron did not want them to be over confidant.

"I still think we should be more cautious." Cameron said.

John wondered what this was really about.

"Is this because of Allison?" John asked.

That was a worry of hers along with his mother.

"Yes, her and Sarah." Cameron said. "You know I worry about both of them and their babies."

John was worried himself about his mother and his sibling on the way. John still wanted more Metal to reinforce their operation and try to keep the humans out of as much danger as possible. Cameron also pushed that idea as well for a long time.

"Do you want to slack the guard on the Reese brothers or Young Allison?" John asked.

That idea bothered Cameron.

"I am not sure." Cameron said. "I don't know."

That was a surprise to John.

"Since when don't you know anything?" John asked.

Cameron frowned at John.

"There is a lot I don't know and misinterpret." Cameron said.

John wanted to give Cameron a playful dig.

"Do you mean that sometimes you can't win?" John asked.

That question bothered Cameron.

"Sometimes it is harder than others or takes longer…." Cameron said. "It is never over until I win."

Cameron wanted to tell John he should know that by now but remained silent. There was no need to spark an argument. They seemed to happen enough on their own.

"So it is not how the game is played but about winning, no matter how?" John asked.

Cameron did not want to 'go off' on John. It was very cut and dried to her.

"If I do not win, YOU lose. It's just that simple." Cameron said and walked away.

Cameron was irritated at John for not understanding everything she did was for him. It was all for John and the future. It was all for John's future. She still did not believe they could stop Skynet. She also knew it was going to get 'personal' between Skynet and her. She was not sure how but she knew that was coming. She believed that one way to control Skynet was to become Skynet herself. It was a fear she felt would become a reality. If she controlled Skynet she protected John.

She could not seem to make John understand she was expendable for his protection. Love was about sacrifice and she was willing to make the ultimate sacrifice to protect John. How could love be more deeply expressed than dying so that the one you loved could live?

Cameron went and checked out a few more things. She decided to head back to John and put the events into motion to see what happened. She would find him shortly.

John was not sure what happened with his 'discussion' with Cameron. It seemed to happen more and more. Cameron's left hand always seemed to glitch, even when she was alone with him. Cameron pushed herself too hard and demanding too much of herself.

John was also aware that whenever Savannah took Cameron's hand that it stopped the glitch immediately. She was the only one that could calm Cameron that quickly. He was painfully aware that Savannah was the ONLY one who NEVER gave up on Cameron. Her love was the strongest of them all.

John felt Cameron took the burdens of the world on herself alone. They were the burdens of time itself. He noted she sure took the burdens of those around her on herself. He knew Cameron believed everything she was doing was the right thing for himself. He was painfully aware that sometimes it did not seem like it.

John thought as long as Skynet hadn't taken control, they were winning.

John decided to find Cameron and follow through on her plan.

Riley and Jesse evolved and expanded their relationship. Riley would still see Derek on and off. Jesse said she did not mind. That gave her time to interact with Allison and Vanna.

Jesse was happy for Allison and Vanna and the baby on the way. She really wondered what caring for an infant would be like. Before she came to this 'time' she could have cared less and never would have done it. Now she looked forward to helping and sharing with her friends. She wanted to help.

"Jesse?" Allison asked.

"Yes, Allison?" Jesse responded.

"Do you think I will make a good mother?" Allison asked.

"Yes, I do. You are a wonderful person." Jesse said.

"I am worried I will not be good enough." Allison said.

"You will be." Jesse said.

Suddenly an alarm went off. They were not sure what it was for. Was there a fire or was it an intrusion?

"Are we under attack?" Allison asked.

"I don't know, arm yourself and hide. I will stay here to protect you. Let me look around." Jesse said. "I won't go far."

Allison looked apprehensive.

Jesse touched Allison's cheek.

"I will protect you, Allison." Jesse said and went out.

Kyle and Sarah were up. They both now carried weapons.

"What the Hell?" Sarah asked.

"Stay here, Sarah." Kyle said.

Kyle ventured into the hall.

Derek emerged from his room with an M4.

"Stay there and arm yourself, Riley." Derek said

"Here, put your shorts on." Riley said as she tossed them to Derek.

"Savannah, I want you to go into the 'safe room' for now." John Henry said.

"I don't like to stay in there." Savannah said.

She was aware that whatever was about to happen wasn't good.

Mr. Ellison arrived.

"This does not appear to be discussion time. Come with me now." Mr. Ellison said as he took Savannah's hand.

John Henry and Mr. Ellison exchanged grim glances. They were both armed as well.

Bob and Jim looked around. Bob carried an M60 and Jim held an M79.

"What are we looking for?" Jim asked.

"I don't know." Bob said.

"I don't even know what alarm that is." Jim said.

"I don't either." Bob said.

Holly worked in the lab with Vanna.

"Stay here." Holly said to Vanna.

"I don't like this." Vanna said.

"I will be here for you." Holly said.

"Where is Unit Three at?" Vanna asked.

"I don't know. He just left here a short while ago." Holly said

Holly gave Vanna an M4 and M79. They were the same weapons Cameron used before. She told Vanna to wait by the escape hatch. It was almost the same thing Cameron asked her to do before.

"You stay here." Holly said and exited into the hall. "I'll be back."

John looked at Cameron.

"You're right, this is pathetic." John said.

"We have become too complacent in our victories." Cameron said.

John and Cameron monitored the responses from their security feed.

John pushed a button and made an announcement.

"This was a drill. I think you can all see how well we responded. Everyone report to the 'rec room' now." John said.

John paused and then added a final comment.

"After everyone gets dressed." John said.

Cameron looked at John and giggled.

John and Cameron went over the response with everyone and they were not happy. Cameron laid down a framework for better security and planning. She would include whatever else John Henry or anyone might want to add. Their meeting lasted two hours. It was a shocking wake up call for everyone.

Cameron explained they'd been lucky so far that they hadn't been attacked.

Everyone really knew it was because Cameron eliminated all threats as soon as they were identified….

By Cameron carrying the burden herself, it allowed the others to be less attentive.

Cameron knew that needed to change. What were they going to do when she was terminated?

Alarm

Those who surround us
Are viewed through life's corona
Maybe we should focus
On each individual's persona

What may seem the perfect package
In the dance of the first glance
May lower our own inhibitions
Allowing us to take a chance

What lies behind their face
Is it merely a reflective mask
Will we ever hear the truth
If we find the courage to ask

The fortunes of time
Fall upon those who seek
A bunch of empty nothingness
Is what is inherited by the meek

Always think it through
Don't be caught up with the charm
Every red flag will light up
Listen to your brain's alarm.

Nobody