Chapter 199

Thank You

Vanna, Allison and Jesse wanted to spend some alone time together to reflect on their adventure with Isabel-Cameron. It was a way for 'Cameron' to share herself with the girls. Cameron was her program. Isabel-Cameron contained a copy of Cameron's program even though the sheath was different. That was special enough in itself. Holly's program was also on that chip so they were able to share with 'Holly' as well as Holly and Cameron combined.

The three girls thought that was something very special that Cameron allowed them to share. It was what they all wanted. They returned from their walk. They still felt very elated. They all loved Cameron more than ever.

They were saddened by the fact that Isabel-Cameron chose termination instead of what would end up as combat with Cameron. They did not feel they could exist together. Maybe if Isabel-Cameron knew she was a copy of Cameron's program to begin with it may have been different. Instead she believed she was 'Cameron Prime'. It is hard to go from 'top dog' to Nobody in a few seconds.

After the girls reentered the base, Cameron 'just happened' to pass by.

"Thank You." Each girl said as they gave her a big hug.

The girls rejoined and walked away together.

Cameron smiled to herself as she watched them walk away. She'd followed them to make sure they were extra protected and waited for them to return and 'see' her.

It made Cameron feel good that she'd been able to make them happy in the only way that she could, even if it was indirectly. SHE belonged to John. She sadly thought that John however did not belong to her. John belonged to Allison and Vanna. She really believed she was in the way of the 'future'.

Cameron felt it inside of her. It was happening again…. She needed to fight the feeling. She must fight it. Savannah said she was invincible and eternal. She must be 'invincible' to be 'eternal'.

The internal demons that haunted Cameron were always close at hand. It did not take much for them to surface.

Cameron headed for the Command Center. She needed to get back into operations. If she was busy with Skynet she did not have time to dwell on the other things.

She nodded at John Henry as she entered the Command Center.

"Has there been any more drone activity since the Tehachapi incident?" Cameron asked.

John Henry hadn't detected any. It made him wonder about the source.

"There's been none observed." John Henry said. "After we shot down both of theirs they have been quiet. I think they only possessed those two drones. The one Isabel was in or on was bigger than the one we followed. The pieces we recovered were crude and not Skynet grade work. The chip from Isabel destroyed itself when you removed it. We have no further information."

There was speculation that Skynet or one of its offshoots targeted Cameron specifically. That was believed to be the case since she made a point of making sure each Skynet she terminated knew it was her. She did this to take the heat off of John. She became the threat, not John Connor.

"Do you think they were after me specifically?" Cameron asked.

Based on the way events played out, they reinforced John Henry's belief in that.

"Yes. Your unconventional arrival on the train must have thrown them off in their surveillance of us in the area. Neither you or Allison were visibly present for much of the chase." John Henry said.

Cameron shared some personal interaction with each Skynet that she could before she terminated it.

"Skynet, one Skynet said that I was 'Human, machine and Liquid Metal'." Cameron said. "I've never quite understood how."

John Henry could see there were several possibilities for that. Mrs. Weaver was in some unknown future and there was most likely a Duplicate Cameron and duplicate set of the girls 'in some future' as well. They did not have any proof of that.

"There must be a timeline where Allison defeats it and Mrs. Weaver may have taken your appearance." John Henry said. "We don't know what our current future will bring."

Cameron thought of some other options.

"Indeed." Cameron said. "We know Mrs. Weaver did take Allison's appearance to attempt to seduce John. It was also used to build the 'Legend of Allison Young'. That was a source of hope for the Resistance in that future."

John Henry felt that always put a target on Allison.

"That action may or may not have merit." John Henry said.

There was another hope and worry for Cameron.

"Maybe it was River and not Allison that went after Skynet." Cameron said. "River could outsmart any Skynet or any of us for that matter. What if it was a Liquid Metal version of me? There most likely is a version, a duplicate version, of Allison, Vanna, Jesse and myself in the future, 'in some future'."

Everything that occurred during the TDE incident was not fully understood. There was nothing to compare it too. It seemed a one of a kind anomaly.

"Based on what's happened that we know of, it is highly probable. Maybe River is there too with the other Duplicate Cameron." John Henry said.

Cameron possessed all of Duplicate Cameron's files.

"No, we encountered River after the Future TDE malfunction segment." Cameron said. "That was the second segment. River's future was the third segment."

For some reason Cameron only thought she would see River in the past or present but not in the future. It made no sense. Then again what around here did anymore? They were locked out of the past on their TDE apparently by River at Cameron's request.

That was most likely to prevent Cameron form using 'Temporal Management' to alter or reshape events. Cameron believed she relived her life over several times. Maybe she made things worse with the use of the TDE in the past. Maybe it would not happen this time.

Nobody would give Cameron a 'Gold Star' for ethics or morals.

The girls were still in a state of euphoria about last night. Jesse went off to find Gail so they could talk about it. Allison and Vanna wanted to share. They needed talk about it some more first.

"She said we can never ask her or talk about it to her." Allison said.

Vanna was excited it even happened. It was a dream to her that seemed elusive.

"I still can't believe she 'did it' for us." Vanna said.

Allison was ready for more. She wanted a Metal lover too.

"It was out of this world." Allison said.

Vanna learned the advantages of a Metal lover. They could get you there every time. They never needed to slow or stop.

"Now you know why Jesse is so attached to Gail." Vanna said.

Allison had a secret desire for Holly. She never told Vanna before.

"I would like to get friendlier with Holly or 'new Isabel' myself, for both of us that is." Allison said.

Vanna was not so sure about the last second add on to include her. That seemed like more of an afterthought. She did not want to get 'replaced' by a female Terminator. They would never get old or fat. Her beauty would not fade into time. She wanted to dissuade Allison a little.

"Riley tried with Holly and failed." Vanna said. "Don't get your hopes up and your pants off yet."

Allison felt she had an ace to play.

"We have one thing on our team that Riley didn't have." Allison said.

Vanna was a little worried now.

"What's that?" Vanna asked.

Allison noticed how Holly looked at Cameron. She believed that 'new Isabel' would too.

"We have bait." Allison said.

Vanna was worried a lot now.

"Bait?" Vanna asked.

Allison was aware that Vanna and Jesse both 'saw' her as 'Cameron' at times.

"It's ME, silly. I look like Cameron. Who doesn't want to be with Cameron?" Allison asked. "I want to be with her!"

Vanna knew that to be true.

"Everyone wants her, even Skynet." Vanna said. "I think we especially want her."

A look of real seriousness and concern came over Allison.

"I can't understand how the most desired person in the world, feels so bad about herself to the point that she wants to 'die' sometimes." Allison said. "She even wanted to destroy herself or ruin her body a few times."

Vanna thought Allison's bait idea held some merit with the 'new' Terminator. She wanted to be in on the deal too.

"It won't be long until 'new Isabel' gets hooked on Cameron, then you can spring your bait trap for both of us." Vanna said.

Allison was aware only the sheath would be the same for 'new Isabel'.

"If we ever did, it would not be the same. It would not be Cameron, 'a Cameron', like it was." Allison said.

It made Vanna wonder about a Terminator's past. Cameron seemed to stress out over hers because there was so much she didn't know.

"Do you think anyone will tell 'new Isabel' about what happened before she was just 'Isabel'?" Vanna said. "Her chassis and sheath were well used by us."

Allison hoped if 'new Isabel' knew her past that she would want to 'try it' at least one time.

"I will if she ever asks." Allison said. "She will review past security footage like they all do. You know they are always looking for something someone missed. They are always looking out for us."

Vanna felt Cameron would cover it up. She would not want to answer for what Isabel-Cameron did.

"Cameron will have erased all footage of those events of Isabel–Cameron with us." Vanna said. "I absolutely guarantee it."

Allison wondered who Cameron would let know what happened besides Holly.

"Do you think she told John what her 'other self' did?" Allison asked.

Vanna felt Cameron 'hid' what 'she' did.

"No, that was her gift to us. No other Terminators were around. Everyone was out." Vanna said.

Allison was aware that Cameron knew how to play the game.

"Cameron is always one step ahead somehow." Allison said. "She's the greatest."

Vanna wanted to bring something up but hesitated. It was a subject that seemed to drag on. There did not appear to be a good resolution to it either.

"Cameron still wants us to be with John." Vanna said.

Allison frowned. She did not want to make any problems for Cameron.

"She wants ME to be with John specifically." Allison said. "I don't know what to do."

Vanna believed that was true that Cameron wanted Allison specifically.

"I have thought about it a lot, Allison. YOU are HER. SHE is YOU." Vanna said.

Allison looked skeptical. It sounded like trouble.

"Hear me out." Vanna said. "Cameron loves John and I because Her Allison - Future Allison loved John - Future John and me – Future Savannah. That is why we almost were together before. Future Allison loved Future Savannah. Cameron loves who Future Allison loves."

Allison could see that conclusion held some merit.

"OK, it makes sense." Allison said. "I can see sometimes that she has a lot of 'ME' in her, even if it is not 'ME' specifically. We all started out as the same Allison Young."

Vanna thought about it a lot since what Cameron wanted from them was life altering.

"Now, Her Riley – Future Riley and Her Jesse – Future Jesse were out to stop John from becoming a 'Metal Lover'." Vanna said. "It caused a lot of friction in her future. People died and were killed over it. Future John was probably going to be assassinated because of it. Cameron was sent away to protect her AND protect Future John by NOT being there with him. I don't know if Cameron knows she is trying to put John with us to PROTECT him in the future from assassination or threats. THAT is what she is doing even if she does not know it. It is not just about having his children. It is about saving his life. It is about him having real females as his companions or even wives. Cameron is trying to protect John. US being with John, not just Cameron, saves his life."

Allison could only draw one conclusion.

"So we really do NEED to be with John after Judgment Day." Allison said.

Vanna saw the real reasons.

"Yes. Cameron knows us having his children will tie him to us forever. She really WANTS us in his bed too, not just having the children. She wants John to look HUMAN and be like real people, be like other people, not to only be in love with a machine." Vanna said.

Allison could find no fault with those conclusions.

"Do you think she knows any of this specifically?" Allison asked.

Vanna felt this was the root of most of Cameron's problems.

"No, I do not. I don't think she wants to think about it or what really is driving it." Vanna said. "This has been driving her crazy and I don't think she knows why."

Allison felt this needed to be discussed and brought out into the open. There were other issues as well.

"Maybe we need to talk to her." Allison said. "I still can't betray her to be with John."

Vanna saw it one step further.

"You wouldn't do anything even if it caused Cameron to self terminate because we didn't?" Vanna asked. "John being assassinated will cause Cameron to self terminate. I think we both know that."

Allison saw this as a no win scenario.

"I don't know what to do, Vanna." Allison said. "I really don't. Whatever we do or don't do 'hurts' Cameron."

Vanna felt action was necessary for the good of everyone in the long run.

"We are part of the Resistance." Vanna said. "We are supposed to follow John Connor. We are supposed to protect John Connor. We have to make John and Cameron understand fully what I think I have figured out."

Allison wanted all that, she just didn't want to wound Cameron inside.

"Vanna, I want to be with BOTH of them." Allison said. "I love both of them. I love you, Vanna. You're right; it is the big picture we need to look at. That is especially so if Judgment Day comes. I still don't want to HURT Cameron."

Vanna saw no other lasting solution.

"IF Judgment Day comes we will HAVE to." Vanna said. "It IS in our future. We can't be selfish."

Allison felt a little defeated.

"Everyone sacrifices for John Connor." Allison said.

'Last Train To Clarksville' by 'The Monkees', drifted through the room.

Concealing

I have stayed away always ashamed
Afraid, lonely and hungry but always scared
I can trust neither woman nor man
No one ever knew how much I cared

I always believed if you touch many
Each one means less and less and less
Sex replaces true love's feelings
Sex without love is just a worthless act

Sex becomes a meaningless animal type function
Soon a person loses their self worth and esteem
They value themselves and life less and less
The mind fills with a long endless silent scream

But sometimes someone touches you inside
Afraid because you know this feeling
We may run or hide but we still know inside
We stab our empty hearts always concealing

Nobody