Chapter 179
Are You Kidding
Cameron was appalled at the way she'd treated John and was forceful with him. She didn't want to damage him. She wanted to be with him. She wanted to share with him. Now like everything else, it seemed like she even messed that up to. It was the story of her life. This was all too much for her. It was too late now. What was done was done.
Cameron broke down and started to cry. She confessed to John what she was going to do. It was what she'd already done. She even told him of the specific DNA she obtained and why. She skipped the replacement chip part for now.
John already seemed to have a pretty good idea what she planned. No, not planned, what she already did.
John could not believe what Cameron just told him. She just started the procedure to change her appearance and destroy part of her sheath's 'function'. He was sure that was his fault. Maybe he should have spent more time 'working' on Cameron when they were together. He slipped into a bad habit of taking care of his business and not taking care of hers. He could see how someone would start to feel 'used' at some point. She'd never complained about it. He always figured she could replay a file or something. He could see how selfish he'd been.
"Is it reversible?" John asked. "Why would you do this to yourself?"
Cameron did not feel she'd done anything to herself. She felt she did the next owner of her chassis a favor by eliminating an unnecessary function of a Terminator. She felt John should respect her decisions.
"No." Cameron said. "The metamorphosis will be final and irreversible. It was my choice, it is my chassis. I am entitled to make my own decisions. It is what I want."
Cameron was glad she told him. She knew there were other ways he could use her chassis but she did not care. Once she put the reprogrammed chip in it, he could do as he pleased. It would no longer be 'her'. She would be 'free'. The torment and pain would be over, erased and crushed. Everything would be as it should have been years ago. She hadn't gone over that part yet. She believed that John would figure it out soon enough.
John thought of a quick 'fix' for Cameron.
"Allison is here. You can re-alter whatever you did." John said. "You can use her DNA. It should restore you back to how you are now."
Cameron acted to specifically prevent anyone from doing that. She'd taken a step in the direction to prevent anyone from altering her plans.
"No, those files in my system and this chassis files are now encrypted with the same code as the TDE. They are locked. The code is unbreakable. What is done is final." Cameron said. "There are others you may use for your 'pleasure'. I will not interfere. I have provided you with everything you 'need' for the next quarter of a century. You WILL accept your fate and protect the future. You must fulfill your destiny and accept the 'Natural Order'."
John was not quite able to fathom this. Was this for real or only her plan? He was not convinced she'd been able to get everything done.
"Are you sure you actually did this?" John asked.
Cameron returned from the genetics lab and did the procedure herself, she was sure. In fact she was happy now and wished she'd done this a few years ago. It was like a burden had been lifted from her. John would soon be free to embrace his destiny. The cancer of her infesting his life would be gone.
"I guess we will all know in a short while. I will look different and my body will be 'different'." Cameron said. "I am a Terminator - nothing more."
John saw most of the blame for this coming back to him on about five different levels. He was sure he would draw the wrath of the others soon enough. He still felt the same about Cameron as he always had.
"Cameron, I don't understand any of this." John said. "I know my actions in both the future and the past have made you 'hate' yourself. That was never my intention. You're punishing yourself as well as me. You keep doing these things. I know you love me and I love you, so it makes no sense to me."
Cameron saw it all differently. She felt she'd been looked down on and regulated to 'second place' from almost the start. The only reason John was with her was because Future Riley was dead. She really owed Future Jesse some thanks for doing that. She was very aware how happy John and Future Riley were together.
John was never rude or mean to Future Riley. He did everything to cater to her. He never 'ran off' with her to Mexico and booked the Honeymoon Suite. It was Future Riley that he'd done that for. It was clear to her she'd never been his first choice. Since Future John sent her away as well, it was clear she was not his first choice either.
"I will not be a burden to you much longer." Cameron said. "I'm sorry I was 'Not Good Enough' for either of you - both of YOU."
John knew she referred to Future John and himself.
"What does that mean?" John asked. "Now what?"
John got ready for the next nightmare….
John headed to the Command Center. He wanted some concrete answers before he moved forward. He asked John Henry to pull up whatever surveillance footage he could about anything Cameron was involved in for the last two days.
John Henry actually started work on that since the moment Cameron left the base with Bob and Holly on her tail. He had some footage already cued up. What he'd reviewed so far was not going to please John. It did not please him.
"I have Cameron on security footage in the hospital." John Henry said. "She has entered multiple locations and obtained several items."
John Henry zoomed in. Cameron carried a vial of blood and a hypodermic needle and entered the genetic research lab dressed in scrubs.
"Based on what you have told me, she could have broken down the genetic code of that blood and entered it into her system in place of the DNA codes that were already there. If they were transferred to her chassis processor her appearance will alter to the new coding over time." John Henry said. "It will actually happen within a short period of time. If it is the same race and similar body type it will happen quickly. I looked up the specific DNA she said she used. It will alter the 'function' of her body as well. You'd better take a look at this."
John Henry called up information related to the particular syndrome. John started to read it. There were several diagrams of what was 'normal' and what affliction the syndrome exhibited in females. He quickly understood the 'reduced functions' that Cameron's chassis would physically be able to perform. He really felt this all came back to him. She already told him it was irreversible. He needed to take some action to stoop this insanity.
"This is like a nightmare that just keeps getting worse." John said. "I need to pull her chip."
John Henry understood the finality of that act.
"Then you are the one who terminates her for all practical purposes rather than 'herself'." John Henry said. "The end result is the same. Cameron 'wins' either way."
John did not see that as winning.
"You mean she loses either way." John said.
John Henry knew what her final goal was.
"That is 'winning' to her in this case." John Henry reminded him.
John remembered what Cameron told him once.
"Not all victories are sweet." Cameron said.
He reflected on those words combined with Cameron's actions.
John decided to confront Cameron in one last effort to stop what she was doing. He knew it would not stop with the Resequencing. John Henry reminded him about the Thermite grenade incident and what she was willing to do then if he did not comply with her instructions.
He wanted to start out slow but his anger and because he was upset got the best of him.
"I want the chip." John said.
Cameron faced him.
"No." Cameron said.
That only made John angrier. He was the 'General' she needed to comply with his orders.
"I want the chip." John said. "You will give it to me right now."
John held out his hand.
Cameron was not about to back down now. That was especially true since she'd already started the process to alter her sheath. She would not want a sheath like that for herself.
"NO!" Cameron said.
John was desperate at this point.
"Cameron!" John said. "You need to listen to me."
Cameron did not see what for. John never listened to her.
"No. What is done is done. I must complete the final task." Cameron said.
John felt the urge to strike her. He wanted to make her listen. He realized that was no different than when she'd demanded sex from him forcefully. Maybe he should have taken her up on that offer. From what he'd read. That act would soon be impossible.
"I will not allow this." John said.
Cameron looked at John and shook her head with disgust. It was clear that he didn't get it.
"You're too late." Cameron said.
She was tired of this useless 'game'. She'd already delivered the 'knock out' serve.
Cameron stormed out.
Bob and Three followed her.
Cameron stopped and turned. She was angry now that John tried to force her to not do something. He didn't own her. Now he sent 'enforcers' after her. What right did he have to do that? She took her anger out on her 'enforcers'.
"You can't stop me." Cameron said.
Three did not see it as 'stopping her'. He wanted to help her find a different path that did not involve self destruction.
"Maybe not but we are sure going to try." Three said. "We want to help you."
This was personal to Bob. It was not an assignment.
"Cameron you do not need to do this to yourself." Bob said. "You're hurting all of us. We care about you. You're hurting John and most of all you're hurting yourself."
"This chassis will still serve beside you as your equal as a Terminator." Cameron said. "It will work for the defeat of Skynet and the protection of our group. It will need no other function other than that."
Bob knew that John and Cameron possessed 'feelings' for each other. They must count for something.
"What about your husband?" Bob asked. "That must mean something. I was there when you were married. We could all see the bond and feelings."
"That was then, this is now." Cameron said. "Some things change. I've provided him with 'replacements'. I've made available REAL women for him, not a machine masquerading as one. I am a machine, Bob, just like you. Would you like to place your chip in this chassis and be John's wife? I will trade with you right now."
Bob did not know how to answer that. It was more than swapping chips or chassis. It was the underlying issue that was the problem.
Three saw it the same way Bob did and they did not even discuss it. There was a 'problem' than needed to be fixed. Something was wrong inside her.
"Cameron, you need to be 'fixed'. Let John fix you." Three said.
Cameron felt offended. Why would they even think that? She was fine.
"Fix me?" Cameron asked. "Why would he 'fix' me? I'm not broken…."
Bob and Three looked at each other. They both knew Cameron was 'defective'. It seemed to be getting worse, not better as time passed.
Cameron glared at them as her eyes glowed red and left in a huff. Who did anyone think they were to tell her what to do and what her duties were? No really, what gave anyone that right over her?
John sat sobbing on his bed.
A figure sat beside him and took his hand.
They sat like that for awhile. They'd done this before….
They both lay back on the bed and stared at the ceiling. Their feet hung off the side of the bed. It was a moment of closeness that was not sexual. It was an act of understanding.
"John, I heard everything. I am aware of the specific DNA Cameron chose. I have talked to Allison and she will give me a DNA sample. I will Resequence my DNA and you may replace my chip with Cameron's chip. I will take the chassis Cameron has 'altered' as my own. Everything will be the 'same' for you in a few weeks."
John was surprised at the level of compassion and sacrifice for Cameron from the other Terminators.
"You would do that for Cameron?" John asked.
Holly turned her head and looked over at John, he looked back at her.
"No, I would do it for you." Holly said.
John was touched. Few would make that commitment.
"You will look different and be unable to do 'some things' in the future." John said.
Holly knew that sacrifice was the true test of love. She did not tell John that. She made her answer more simplistic and colder.
"I've never done them before. I will miss nothing. I am a Terminator, nothing more." Holly said. "You will have the honor of 'breaking in' this chassis when it becomes 'Cameron's chassis'. That is my gift to you. It is not given lightly."
John was deeply moved. He looked at Holly's sheath. It was beautiful. He felt the impulse to 'break it in' right now. He wanted to be her 'first'. He knew she offered him more than herself. She offered him the chance to get Cameron back as his wife. She offered both Cameron and him a future to be together. His tears returned.
"Why would you do this for me?" John asked. "I can not allow you to do this to yourself."
Holly managed a faint smile and squeezed his hand gently.
"Everyone sacrifices for John Connor." Holly said.
'American Woman' by 'The Guess Who', blasted in John's mind.
Affliction
What is the affliction
Is it the Lonely Hearts Club
Or even worse still yet
The Cracked Minds Club
Sometimes we dodge a blow
Sometimes we do not
Those seem to be
The ones that hurt a lot
Loves accelerator is to the floor
Feel the emotional carburetors drink
With everything moving fast
There is little time to think
What does tomorrow bring
When only today happens now
The past becomes clouded
Blindly onward without thought we plow
Where does IT go
Where does IT end
It all finishes the same
Tolerate, submit, capitulate, bend
Nobody