Chapter 186
Girl Power
The Resistance teams were somewhat taken by surprise when a helicopter arrived to retrieve the drone rather than a box truck as they thought it would be. They figured a ground pick up would have involved one or more Terminators. They would have tried to capture them if that had been the case. It wasn't. The real prize would have been for them to get a female Terminator. They needed her chassis for Cameron.
The two SUVs were in now pursuit of the UH-1 that hauled the downed HK drone slung underneath it. They were at a major disadvantage tracking it and trying to keep up with it. They needed to stick to the roads. The helicopter could go anywhere. The fact the helicopter wanted to stay off radar worked to their advantage. It meant the helicopter would stay low to the ground.
They'd placed a tracker in the downed drone and that is what they currently followed. Following it actually seemed a little easier than they thought it would be. It did not seem to be moving that fast.
John was worried about Cameron. He wanted to get her out of harms way. He thought it was a mistake having her come along. He thought it would help her to be out with him. It did not seem to. He was unaware of her attempt the throw herself in front of the speeding locomotive to destroy herself. He would be even more worried than he was right now with that information.
He was also concerned that the drone originally tried to go back the opposite way the helicopter was headed now. Maybe there was something they'd missed. He hoped they were not being set up. He also worried they were being drawn off so the helicopter could go elsewhere and they would not be able to track it. Its slow progress kept them in hot pursuit.
It was clear to John Henry that the girls were going to go on a mission to assist Cameron. He figured he'd better take control of it. He did not want a 'free for all'.
The Blackhawk had been on standby. It was now given the clearance to go.
"Gear up." John Henry said. "I've called up the helicopter."
Allison looked at the group of girls. She wanted more help for Cameron if it was available.
"What about Kyle and Derek?" Allison asked.
Sarah told Kyle that he 'made' Jan, now he needed to watch her. Taking care of a small child was more work and frustration than Sarah remembered. She needed a break and potential combat seemed like just the thing to her.
"Kyle is tied up. Someone has to babysit." Sarah said. "Combat will be like a 'vacation' for me…."
Vanna wanted to make sure they did not act prematurely.
"Did they say they needed assistance yet?" Vanna asked.
Jesse did not like the reports of what Cameron went through.
"No, but we need to be there for Cameron." Jesse said. "She needs us, ALL of us."
Gail looked at Jesse. She understood how Jesse felt about Cameron as well as Allison and Vanna and even Riley. Jesse confessed to Gail the first time she was with Allison and Vanna that she'd envisioned Allison as 'Cameron' for awhile. She never did that again when they were alone together. Jesse told her she loved them too much to do that again. Jesse later felt ashamed she'd disrespected both Allison and Cameron like THAT. It was a moment of weakness.
It was also a moment of strength for Jesse to realize that.
Gail asked Jesse about other women and men. Jesse told her each person has something different to offer and asked her to leave it at that.
She did. She then asked what she herself offered to Jesse. Jesse told her she seemed to have nearly everything to offer of all of the others put together. Jesse told her that she satisfied her more than all the others combined.
Gail felt happy and hoped Jesse could love her as much as she loved Jesse. She would talk to John again about 'helping' Jesse and her start a family. She would have to thank Cameron again for suggesting it to her.
"…about that, Gail?" Jesse asked. "Gail?"
Gail blinked her eyes. She'd been lost deep in thought.
"I'm sorry. I was thinking about something else." Gail said.
She quickly reviewed her files and answered Jesse's question.
John Henry decided to make Sarah the group commander.
"Sarah is team leader and dust off is in thirty minutes." John Henry said.
Everyone went to gather their gear.
Vanna and Allison hurried to get back to their room. It had been awhile since Allison went out on a combat operation. It had been even longer for Vanna.
Vanna wanted to 'help' Cameron in any way she could. She also wanted to watch over Allison. She felt that was her duty. She loved Allison dearly and would do anything for her, just as she would for Cameron.
She was a little surprised when they opened the arms locker in their room. All of her gear was neatly arranged and ready to go.
"Did you do this?" Vanna asked.
Allison smiled.
"The only other one in here is Jesse." Allison said. "She is usually busy as soon as she comes in the room."
Vanna smiled at that thought. Jesse was always good in bed and always left them highly satisfied. Jesse never stopped until the person she was with was able to finish at least once.
"That's true." Vanna said. "Thank you for getting my gear in order. I'd been a little lax on that."
Allison only organized everything a few days ago when Cameron started to have additional 'problems'. She'd planned to take Cameron's place on the operations.
"It never hurts to be prepared." Allison said.
Allison really wondered if it was possible to be prepared for anything in the lifestyle they led. She fought for the future in the past.
The two SUV's were headed toward the Central Valley. That is where the tracker led them.
John was increasingly worried they were in a 'sucker play'.
"I want one team to go back toward Tehachapi." John said over the com.
Bob drove the second SUV with Holly and Cameron in it.
"Why?" Bob asked.
John expressed his fear. That was just the way he read it. He knew that humans and Metal perceived events differently.
"I think they are trying to lead us away from where they are really going." John said.
Bob glanced over at Cameron. Her face was blank. It looked like 'the lights were on but no one was home'.
"We will go back." Bob said.
John was relieved to hear that.
"Thanks." John said.
Bob was sure John did that to keep Cameron out of harms way in her current 'condition' right now. He also believed that Cameron would take unnecessary chances on purpose. She seemed to take them anyway, even when she didn't feel like this. Maybe she did and they did not know.
Bob turned around and concentrated on the road. He glanced over at Cameron. He'd never seen her look like this. Other than the natural beauty of her face her appearance was terrible. Then again, she'd spent quite a few miles on top of a moving train and gone through several tunnels. He scanned her features and detected no change physically. Maybe things were happening 'inside' he thought. He was aware that was where the major change to her sheath would occur.
Cameron looked over at him. She saw Bob stare at her.
"Is it happening?" Cameron asked.
Bob wanted to stick to the facts as he could see them.
"Not externally as far as my scans show." Bob said. "Do you know what the new appearance of your sheath will look like?"
Cameron purposely did not look to see what the individual looked like. She did not want to know.
"No. I only took the sample of the teenage girl that was recently diagnosed with the 'syndrome'. I did not want to know." Cameron said. "It does not matter what her appearance or race is. A human female is a human female. With the new chip she will be a Terminator and nothing more. That is the way it should be."
Cameron regretted allowing her 'feelings' to get the better of her and start a sexual relationship with John. It just seemed to be a compulsion in her once he 'chose' her. She really wondered what her relationship with Future John was. All of those files were erased. Part of her life was missing.
Bob and Holly looked at each other. They were both very worried. They headed back eastward on Highway 58. They didn't know what they would find.
Cameron thought she should be irritated that John sidelined them. She really didn't care at this point. She did not know this was a real fear of his about being led on a wild goose chase.
Bob and Holly felt the same way and understood John's concern for Cameron. They did not understand his worry about action in a different place. Maybe they would have been a little more vigilant if they did. They would have been doing a little more than babysitting.
Derek heard about the helicopter flight and insisted he go along. He saw this as an 'all hands on deck' affair. He asked Sarah or Riley to look after Jan and Savannah so Kyle could go with them. They both wanted to go on the mission. Kyle would remain behind. Sarah said it would do him some good. Maybe he wouldn't want to be so 'busy' at night doing other things if he saw what was involved.
"You made her, now you care for her." Sarah reminded Kyle with a smile as she kissed him and departed. "Everything has a price."
Everyone checked their gear and waited for the chopper.
The Blackhawk arrived shortly. There were two company pilots and a crew chief. They were all former special ops personnel. It was their job to operate the helicopter only but if they needed to enter the fight, they were trained and ready.
The six females and Derek boarded the chopper. They put headsets on to facilitate communications and remain updated by John Henry. They received progress report continually. Not one of them seemed promising.
They considered taking two Terminators off of the protection details. John Henry reminded them that Cameron was adamant they protect the children. The death of Duplicate Allison and her baby haunted Cameron. Cameron knew the children were the future.
They all remembered that Skynet had gone after the children on the 'Day Of Loss'. That was all the motivation any of them ever needed to carry out an operation against Skynet or any of its illegitimate offshoots.
Cameron worked at trying to break the code encrypting her genetic Resequencing subroutines. If she could break that code she could fix the TDE and go back and save the girls, the baby and 'herself' on that day. She did not care if there were 'two' of each of them. That was better for John. John MUST be provided for. Her hand began to glitch.
John previously told Cameron he could never watch if someone else touched her. Cameron offered to be with him and the 'others' when he finally did what she wanted. John must be with REAL females, not a 'machine' masquerading as one.
Cameron tried to hold her left hand closed with her right hand. It did not work. She wished River or Savannah was here with her right now. They were always able to 'reach' her.
She wondered why she left the future again and Future John behind with Future Allison and Future Savannah. She wanted to stay. Future John and Future Allison would have accepted her. Future Savannah would have too. Why did she leave? She loved Future John and Future Allison. Why did she go? She now realized she could not stand to WATCH Future John touch and be with Future Allison and Future Savannah. It was what John said to her. Her John could not 'watch' her do that. She could not either. She loved John. Her left hand was now in a fist. She could not open it.
Cameron was aware Bob and Holly watched her but did not say anything about it. She understood they cared for her and were not afraid of her for themselves. They were afraid for her.
She climbed over the front seat and got in the back seat with Holly. She laid her head on Holly's lap as Holly gently stroked her face. They drove in silence. Holly was comforted her as she'd done with John in his darkest hours after Duplicate Cameron's termination, her 'death'.
Cameron looked at Holly and smiled. Her face went blank and she stiffened and shut down. Holly still gently touched her face. Her tears silently fell on Cameron's cheek.
The helicopter with the girls thundered through the sky. Everyone seemed to have a grim look. They did not know what awaited them. They wanted to back up Cameron and get her out of the danger zone. Each one of them planned to take her place on the operation.
Allison looked around the interior of the Blackhawk. She wanted to see the people look alive a little.
"Let's liven this ride up." Allison said. "I can't stand it any longer."
Gail helped her plug her player into the com system.
'At The Hop' by 'Flash Cadillac', blasted through the speakers in their headphones as the copter flew on.
Derek and the females all checked their gear. They were ready….
Noble Failure
I try to give dignity
I try to act noble
I try to give feeling
But melt down like Chernobyl
I try to make you smile
I try to make your spirit feel gigantic
I try to make you happy
But sink like the Titanic
I try to let you know
We all can make a mistake
I try to let your mind really escape
But crumble like the San Francisco Earthquake
I try to show and give you light
I try to lead you from the dark
I try to give you caring warmth
But feel like Noah without the Ark
I try to sooth your mind
I try to touch your heart
I try to send and give you pure emotion
But fail like Napoleon Bonaparte
Nobody
Unwell Too
I have been told
My mind is ill
I have been told
My mind is sick
I have been told
I live in the past
I have been told
I'm not good enough
I have been told
I am untrustworthy
I have been told
I should dress otherwise
I have been told
What is wrong with you
I have been told
Don't be so afraid
I have been told
I need help
I have been told
I am different
I have been told
I am not the same
I have been told
I am crazy
I have been told
I am insane
I have been told
My mind is unwell too
Nobody