Chapter 206

Relatives

There was a meeting about the next mission in the Command Center. They discussed including Cameron in the planning of the mission.

John Henry and Bob both took issue with Cameron 'babysitting' instead of terminating.

Bob felt Cameron was too distracted.

"Cameron is busy." Bob said. "I can do it myself."

John wondered how that was any different than Cameron doing something on her own. Where was the backup? Where was the assistance? Where was the teamwork?

"No one is doing anything by themselves." John said.

John Henry felt that was pretty much what Cameron did anymore.

"Cameron doesn't seem to 'listen'." John Henry said. "She is always on her own."

That was a major source of irritation for John. Cameron suffered a lot of needless damage over the years because of that. That translated to less time spent with him on several levels. Any time he tried to 'talk' about it, it became a bigger problem. She was away right now so that is why the planning session was currently taking place.

"I know." John said. "She is deeply troubled. Now that she believes I will be assassinated in the future for being around Metal as a "Metal Lover', THAT issue has further upset her. It has only made her obsession worse…."

Bob saw that as a problem from Cameron's future. She went back to the future to resolve all of those issues.

"That was in her Future. She fixed that." Bob said.

John thought of the other failed attempt which was created by the TDE incident and malfunction when she wanted to 'fix' it again.

"Did she? Is there another duplicate group of Cameron and the girls somewhere in the future, a future? Where is Mrs. Weaver? She is 'in some future' with an army of Terminators." John said. "How does Skynet keep coming back? Are there more Skynets in our past too? How many timelines are there?"

John Henry worked with these issues and never could come to a resolution with any of them. Too much was unknown.

"There is no way to know the answers to any of those questions." John Henry said. "To try to find out would create more problems."

John felt they'd drifted too far off the upcoming mission at hand. That was the immediate issue that needed to be dealt with.

"I will go with Bob and Holly." John said. "Maybe Derek or Kyle will go too."

John Henry and Bob looked at each other when John said that. It always created a problem for Cameron when John was in the field. Now he was going to do it behind her back.

"You know Cameron does not like that." Bob said. "What about Isabel instead?"

John Henry knew that was another problem.

"She was malfunctioning and needs to be reprogrammed." John Henry said.

John Henry monitored the feed when Cameron terminated Isabel in an instant. Just like that, Cameron ended Isabel's existence and then erased her chip. What was even worse was that she did it with a smile on her face. Cameron enjoyed terminating her…. It was very unlike Terminator behavior. It made him wonder how much Cameron's long term exposure to humans may have corrupted her.

Isabel was a sore spot for John. She caused him a lot of grief. The reports that he reviewed of Isabel after her second reprogramming were just as bad if not worse. No, they were worse. She started from a 'clean' chip. There was no 'Cameron' on that second chip to blame her problems on.

"Check her system for something hard wired into her or hidden someplace." John said. "Something was always 'off' when Cameron was copied on her chip. I never could place it. Remove her sheath in sections if you have too. They can be replaced after you look for anything hidden. If they are 'clean cuts' they will heal rapidly. Check the endoskeleton itself for anything hidden. I want to make sure she is not some 'Trojan Horse' we picked up and brought into our fortress. We all know how that original story ended."

They all reflected how they'd been 'lucky' so far not to have the base attacked or overrun. They'd taken down a number of 'Skynet's' and Grays in the process.

John Henry wanted to get thing moving.

"Take Al or Dan and leave Holly." John Henry said. "I will have her and Vanna go over Isabel, inch by inch. It will be 'messy'. I may need to have Gail replace Vanna for the procedure. That is a lot to ask from a human to 'cut' someone else up like so much chum."

John reflected on what Cameron did before that he saw. It was a messy ordeal. He did not want that burden on Vanna without some input.

"Do what you need to do." John said. "It makes me sick just to think about what they have to do. Give Vanna a choice before she starts. I don't want her sick or traumatized."

John did not want to make Vanna ill by having to cut a 'female' apart. He briefly wondered if Jesse would want to do that. He was aware she 'punished' males and females before. That action was bad enough. She kept the 'parts' she cut off as trophies.

That was something that Derek would not stand for. At that time Jesse had a choice to make. She chose Derek over her 'collection'. Cameron and the girls worked on her ever since and really tuned her around.

Cameron was excited about her infiltration mission of the Young residence. Allison and her established a foothold inside the house. They'd been there all night with Young Allison.

She heard the car return from the Young's night out.

Cameron opened the door for Mrs. Young. Mr. Young was still outside getting things out of the car.

Mrs. Young smiled at Cameron.

"Young Allison is asleep." Cameron said.

Mrs. Young looked in Young Allison's room. Allison was asleep with a book still in her hands as Young Allison slept next to her.

Cameron thought there might be some revelations made tonight.

Mrs. Young looked at them sleeping side by side. They looked so peaceful. They looked so similar. They looked like sisters….

Cameron stood behind her.

"They looked so peaceful, I left them alone." Cameron said.

Mrs. Young nodded. She still thought they looked almost identical as they slept side by side.

"Allison, I'm home." Mrs. Young said softly.

The response was a little different than she'd expected.

"Yes, Momma." Allison said and drifted back off to sleep.

Mrs. Young felt something. It was almost as if she had been struck but not hurt.

Mrs. Young looked harder. She looked at Cameron and Allison and Young Allison.

Mrs. Young drew in her breath. It was clear that Allison looked more like Young Allison than she did Cameron and they were twins!

"Excuse me." Mrs. Young said.

She went and took out some old photo albums.

Cameron wanted her to do this. She wanted her to make the connection.

Allison stirred on the bed at the same time Young Allison did. They were both on their side now in an identical position.

Cameron followed Mrs. Young.

"Are you looking for something, Mrs. Young?" Cameron asked.

Mrs. Young wanted the relationship to be a little more personal.

"You can call me, Claire." She said. "I feel like I know you two from 'somewhere'."

Cameron thought now was not a good time to point out she was the one who 'named' Allison with her phone call to Mrs. Young from the shelter.

"It that because Allison called you, Momma?" Cameron asked.

"Yes. You could all be sisters. Allison looks just like MY Allison sleeping beside her." Mrs. Young said. "Allison looks like My Allison as a grown up teenager.

Cameron thought she should be included in the equation.

"As do I." Cameron said.

Mrs. Young saw a higher level of refinement and beauty in Cameron. It was hard to put into words. Cameron 'looked' like Allison but she was totally different.

"No, you are different. You are 'perfect', Cameron." Mrs. Young said. "The two Allisons are the 'same' but you are different. I know how to 'read' people. I get a feeling inside. I believe that you are more different and special than anyone I have ever known."

Cameron was afraid she may have pushed it 'too far' on her first night. She tried to deflect the conversation.

"Young Allison is a very special girl, Claire." Cameron said.

Mrs. Young worked with people on a personal level for both dance and music. She was able to get a feel for them almost instantly. It determined what their abilities were.

"I have seen you teach her things, Cameron. You have a special way with children. You are gifted. You really are 'perfect'." Mrs. Young said.

Cameron wished she could see or feel that in herself, she could not. Still she could see that Mrs. Young was honest and sincere. She also saw a depth and substance to Mrs. Young. She was actually only a few years older than Allison and younger than Jesse and Vanna. She was pretty too. She also produced beautiful offspring. This thought would return to her later on with more sinister motives.

"Sometimes it is nice to have help." Cameron said. "I try to be helpful and do what I can."

Mrs. Young felt like she was taking advantage of Cameron and Allison for all the things they did for Her Allison.

"I feel like I should pay you more." Mrs. Young said. "Maybe I can teach you to dance or give you music lessons."

Cameron saw another opportunity here. She was proud of some of her personal accomplishments. She felt they helped to make her a better 'person'.

"I can dance." Cameron said. "Put some music on softly and I will show you."

Mrs. Young possessed a large selection of music and played what Cameron asked for. She watched Cameron dance. Cameron was perfect. She'd never seen such perfection, ever. Cameron was a match for any professional. She believed that Cameron was capable of winning any dance competition.

Cameron noticed Mr. Young watch as well from the distance with 'hungry' eyes. She could see his thoughts were not on dance or music. He did not realize he ogled a teenage version of his own daughter for all practical purposes.

"I'm speechless, Cameron." Mrs. Young said. "That is the best dancing, the best art, I have ever witnessed. That would take a lifetime of experience and practice."

Cameron told the truth and tried to push her foot a little further in the door.

"I only started a few years ago. I get better everyday. Dance is the hidden language of the soul." Cameron said. "I have been teaching Allison and some of our friends, Vanna, Jesse, Holly, Gail and Isabel. I think you should meet them. They are great with children and they can help around the house too, as can I."

Mrs. Young wanted to meet this group of gifted girls.

"I would like to meet them." Mrs. Young said.

Cameron wanted to show her worth a little more and reinforce a few things.

"You will." Cameron said. "I cleaned all the rooms for you too. The dishes are washed and put away. I also did the laundry and folded everything. I will vacuum next time. I didn't want to disturb the 'Allison sisters'."

Mrs. Young looked around. She was actually a little bewildered. Everything was spotless and neatly arranged and organized. She even needed to sew a few things. That was done too.

"You are worth more than I can pay you." Mrs. Young said.

Cameron brushed it off. She wanted to keep her foot in the door.

"You really don't need to pay us at all." Cameron said. "I enjoy doing this and do not need pay. It helps me become a better person for doing it. Call us anytime for anything and one of us will come, we have friends too, just like ME, who can always help you with anything. We will go now. Thank you for allowing us to watch Young Allison. Thank you for watching me dance."

Cameron collected Allison and they got ready to leave. She checked on Young Allison one more time before they left.

Mrs. Young watched them leave. She went back to her photo albums. Cameron was so 'special'. She knew these twins must be related to her somehow…. They just looked so identical to Young Allison.

She thought how beautiful Cameron was. Cameron….

Mr. Young disappeared earlier after Cameron looked at him and frowned. He thought he would take his wife out more so that the babysitters could come more often. They were 'captivating', especially Cameron….

Cameron and Allison were outside and away from the house.

"How did it go?" Allison asked.

Cameron smiled. She was very pleased.

"Everything went according to the plan." Cameron said.

Allison was aware of Cameron's desire to 'take' Young Allison away from her parents originally.

"Don't forget these are my parents." Allison said. "They are 'back from the dead' for me. I don't want to 'lose' them again."

Cameron could see Allison 'feared' one possible outcome.

"I will not do anything to endanger them." Cameron said. "I'm trying to give them better protection."

That was a surprise to Allison.

"You're not just worried about Young Allison?" Allison asked.

Cameron was worried about Claire too. She was a known producer of a beautiful daughter. She was still young, younger than Vanna or Jesse and only slightly older than Allison. Cameron already thought of future plans for her. She doubted Allison was going to like those. She already laid the ground work for that tonight.

"You have a sibling on the way." Cameron said. "You are going to have a..."

"DON'T tell me yet." Allison interrupted.

Cameron did not see a reason for not knowing what the sex of the baby would be.

"As you wish." Cameron said.

Cameron knew it was good news for John.

There was a lot of potential for the future at the Young residence. Everything John needed now and for the next twenty five years was in that house. That was except for Mr. Young….

Chagrin

Never on the same page
Are we for those we yearn
The end result is the same
We always crash and burn

Some may have looks
They can use for bait
They may get lucky
Even have a date

Some have nothing
There is no way to ever win
Soon they are shattered
Left with nothing but chagrin

Yet we reach out still
The thirst for love is strong
We may be perceived as tainted
Then whatever we do is wrong

What was or might be
Is not who we are now
Look past our flesh to within
Do not treat us like a sow

Sometimes true love
Can be before our very eyes
We can not recognize it until
Away slowly drifts the prize

Nobody