Chapter 221

Attack

Isabel finished up with the doctor's appointment for Claire and started back home. Everything checked out fine.

They stopped at the mall to shop for a few things Claire wanted to pick up for the baby. She still didn't know if it was a boy or a girl. That would have made shopping easier and more efficient.

Isabel looked around as they shopped. She scanned everything for threats. She kept a close eye on Young Allison and anyone who looked at her. People often commented on how cute she was. She figured if there was a smile on their face before they looked at Young Allison that they were not a Terminator. A Terminator may only flash one in order to get closer to the target.

They picked up what Claire wanted and headed back out to the SUV.

Isabel took out a 'special' blanket and covered Young Allison with it in the back seat. The blanket was Kevlar weave with a soft cotton lining. She was sleepy and about to doze off. Isabel made sure she was covered. The car seat was a special one Cameron made that was armored. According to California State Law, children needed to be seated in the rear seat of a vehicle in an appropriate car seat until they are eight years old or four feet nine inches tall. Children were to remain in a rear facing car seat until they weighed forty pounds or more or were at least forty inches tall. These state requirements played into their favor for the protection Young Allison. There was another smaller rear facing armored car seat for the new baby as well.

Isabel experienced an uncomfortable feeling most of the day. She felt she was being watched. She was sure she'd been 'acquired' at some point. She told the Detail to be extra vigilant. She was worried about Young Allison, Claire and the baby.

Claire could see Isabel seemed a little off today. She seemed tense and maybe a little nervous. It was very unlike her.

"Is everything OK?" Claire asked.

Isabel was worried she'd alarmed Claire.

"I was just thinking of the new baby and how happy you were going to be." Isabel said.

Claire was pleased the baby and her checked out OK.

"Everything seems on track." Claire said. "I am very pleased with that."

She was still a little concerned about the due date. She hadn't had any penetrative sex with Paul for several months at the time she became pregnant. She was worried because she was directed and scheduled to see a specialist at that time. She was afraid maybe she'd developed ovarian cancer or something. That was one reason she hadn't been with Paul for three months at the time she'd become pregnant. She never mentioned that to anyone and soon forgot about it most of the time.

Isabel wanted to redirect the conversation.

"That's good to know." Isabel said. "Would you like to go out for lunch?"

Claire thought about it. They were already out and in the car.

"We could." Claire said.

Isabel wanted everyone to be happy.

"Allison likes the Fifties and Sixties Diner." Isabel said.

Claire like that place too.

"That's always a good choice." Claire said. "I'd like a shake or a malt right now."

Isabel looked around as she drove. She was still uneasy.

Isabel's phone buzzed. She looked at the text. It was from the Detail.

'There is unknown 'Metal' behind us in a blue Ford pickup.' The text stated.

Isabel quickly looked over at Claire and Young Allison in the back seat. This was not good news. Young Allison came first but she would try to protect Claire as well.

Steve, formerly known as 'Three', notified John Henry of the new development. John Henry said Cameron, Holly and Allison were ten minutes out.

John Henry sent the message to Isabel and notified Cameron and Holly.

Bob picked up the message and notified John. They were headed there already.

John contacted John Henry and said Bob and he could be there in twenty minutes. It would be less if Isabel started driving towards them. That would cut the time in half.

Isabel received the information. She turned right after the 'tail' in front of her turned and pulled over to the curb to let them pass. Dan and Al were the occupants inside of what was the lead vehicle. They'd run point for them. Now they would be 'tail end Charlie'. They would pick up the blue truck and look for anything else behind it. Both of the Detail vehicles were armored SUVs. Isabel was glad they were in her SUV. She'd actually needed to lift Claire up to help her in.

She thought back on the exchange.

"Wow! You're really strong." Claire said.

"I work out." Isabel said.

Isabel figured this was about to get complicated.

John Henry jammed all cell traffic and radio frequencies in the area. Their SUVs were satellite linked. They were the only ones communicating now. Everything for five miles around them was jammed or shut down. This would prevent the attackers from coordinating anything specific. They would need to rely on prearranged plans or play it by ear.

Isabel knew Claire would know the 'truth' in the next few minutes about what was happening and what the future held. There was no easy way to do this. Isabel knew Claire was in for a Future Shock.

"Claire, I need to take a detour." Isabel said. "Lunch will need to wait. I'm sorry."

Claire could feel the 'atmosphere' in the SUV change. She instantly became worried.

"Is something wrong?" Claire asked.

Isabel figured she needed to start to spell things out.

"Yes, there may be someone following us." Isabel said. "Cameron, Holly and Allison are on their way as well as some other 'friends'. They're all going to help us."

Claire took her phone out. She was going to notify the police.

"It won't work. All communications are currently jammed. You are going to have to TRUST me, Claire." Isabel said. "I will not let anything happen to Young Allison, you or the baby."

Claire did not look convinced. She was not usually exposed to any violence of any kind. She was not sure what to do other than do what Isabel told her to do.

Isabel did not want to 'lose' her.

"Claire, do you trust me?" Isabel asked. "Do you trust Cameron?"

Cameron's name was reassuring to Claire. She knew Cameron and Isabel were almost identical.

"I do but I am worried." Claire said. "This is very unusual."

Isabel reached over and touched Claire's arm. It seemed to give her some reassurance.

"Trust us." Isabel said. "We will protect you."

Isabel turned again. Cameron was coming towards her in four minutes. Steve was still between them and the blue truck, Al and Dan were behind it. They searched for additional threats.

Isabel was worried the unknown Terminators hadn't made their move yet. They should have once they were acquired. That meant something worse was about to happen. She texted there was a possible HK drone attack as nothing happened yet.

Everyone scanned the sky as well.

The message of the HK drone attack worried John. That most likely would not be survivable.

"Hurry, Bob, they're about to get hit." John said.

Bob was already speeding.

"I am hurrying." Bob said. "I brought a special package today."

John looked towards the back. He unhooked his safety belt and scrambled over the rear seats. He looked behind the last seat and spotted what Bob referred to.

"Nice." John said.

He carefully moved it to the front seat. Bob would still be the better one of them to use it.

John wanted everyone on alert. The last time one of them was attacked, they all were targeted. That set up the 'Day Of Loss'. He did not want a repeat of that day.

"I asked John Henry to alert everyone else for any other activity." John said. "The base is on lock-down and the Reese detail is 'hot'."

Bob looked at their surroundings.

"We are almost in a sparsely populated area." Bob said.

John wanted to draw first blood and send a message.

"I want Dan and Al to hit the truck with a LAW rocket as soon as they are away from the houses." John said. "I don't want any witnesses."

Holly informed them that Cameron commandeered a second vehicle. It was a large box truck and what Cameron intended to do with it.

John approved the plan. He was sure Cameron would have done it anyway.

"If the truck moves to intercept Isabel, I want it hit with a LAW rocket. If not, Cameron is going to ram it head on with the big truck." John said. "It's better if we can make it look like an accident rather than an explosion."

"Affirmative." All the Terminators answered back.

Isabel knew the plan and timing was going to be important. She was going to need to use some Terminator driving abilities and the ride was going to be a rough one.

"Claire, I am going to floor it. You have to TRUST me that I know what I am doing." Isabel said. "Close your eyes and don't look back."

Isabel was a 'Terminator' right now. The SUV accelerated to full throttle. The souped up acceleration of her modified SUV pushed Claire and her back in their seats a little. Young Allison slept on.

Holly picked up the SUV with Isabel driving. It was right in front of them and approaching fast. She turned around and accelerated as well to be behind Isabel as she passed. They would become an additional buffer for Isabel's SUV. She was now right behind Isabel. Her SUV would take the hits as well as Steve and Tom's SUV behind her.

The blue truck moved to the left to pass Steve. It looked like the Terminators were going to make their move since the SUV they tracked bolted. It rapidly pulled away from them. There were two vehicles between them and it now.

Isabel spotted the box truck with Cameron.

The box truck closed and then flashed past them.

"That was Cameron!" Claire said.

Isabel looked quickly at Claire.

"I told you not to look. Don't look." Isabel said.

The blue truck was in the center of the road as it tried to pass. The box truck swerved over and slammed into it head on at speed. It was a high energy impact and the brute size of the big box truck won the contest decisively.

Dan and Al already dropped back and Steve sped up. The crash happened almost next to Steve. He stood on the brakes. He watched Isabel and Holly speed away. Dan and Al were on the wreck in seconds from behind.

Claire saw the collision in the side view mirror.

"Cameron!" Claire shouted.

Isabel was still hard on the gas. Holly was tight on her six. They were both headed for John and Bob.

"Don't look." Isabel said. "Cameron will be uninjured."

Holly stayed with Isabel. She spotted something in the air to her right. It was bad news.

"Isabel, there's an HK drone closing fast." Holly said. "It is on your three o'clock."

Isabel listened to the warning through her earpiece.

She slowed and prepared to maneuver. The best way to face the attack was head on. She turned into the direction of drone to see it. She was now on the flat dried surface of the High Desert. It would give her a quicker reaction time to face the threat. She slowed some and then sped up. She slowed again and then turned sharply. An explosion happened next to them, the SUV shook. Impacts could be heard again the side of the armored SUV. It sounded like dirt and rocks.

Bob and John reported they were had them in sight.

Bob stopped and John handed him the 'package' as he got out. It was armed and hot.

"I have a target, 'Stinger' away." Bob said.

There was an explosion in the sky and the HK drone came down in a fireball. Isabel was already on the throttle. There was another explosion as it hit the ground then some secondary explosions. Some shrapnel hit the driver's side of the SUV. These impacts were metal on metal.

"Claire, are you OK?" Isabel asked. "How is Allison?"

Claire was still shocked by everything. It was hard to process what happened in the last minute. She looked back at Young Allison.

"I'm OK and Allison is still asleep." Claire said. "What is happening? Who are those other people? Who are you 'people'?"

Isabel wanted Cameron with them for this part. They'd tried to prepare Claire for what was coming. It appeared it came a little sooner than expected.

"Let's get Cameron and we will explain everything." Isabel said.

Claire could hear air rushing inside the interior of the SUV. She looked over to where the sound came from. She noticed a small hole in the door and a piece of metal in Isabel's leg.

"Isabel, you're hurt." Claire said.

Isabel glanced down at her leg.

"I'm unhurt. Don't worry about me." Isabel said. "There's no pain for me. The damage is minimal. I am fully functional."

Claire was very shook up and unsure what was happening. Now she wondered what Isabel meant by what she just said.

Isabel watched as they were boxed in. There was an SUV directly in front of them and behind them now. John and Bob were in front of them and Holly and Allison were behind them.

When they returned to the vehicle crash site, Cameron waited by the wreckage and got in the back with Young Allison. Cameron immediately looked Young Allison over to make sure she was uninjured.

Claire saw Cameron check her daughter first. She looked at Cameron and could see metal on the side of her face under her skin. The skin was torn and bloody.

"Cameron, you're hurt." Claire said. "We need to go to the hospital. You need medical attention."

"I'm uninjured." Cameron said. "I'm functioning at one hundred percent, the sheath damage is cosmetic."

Claire tried to make sense of what Cameron just said. It was similar to what Isabel said.

"Functioning? Sheath? I don't understand any of this." Claire said. "Why did this happen? WHAT is happening?"

Cameron could tell that Claire was very upset and anxious. She was frightened and nervous. She needed to keep that in check before there was a bigger problem with Claire.

"Let's get out of here and I will explain everything." Cameron said. "Claire you know me, you know us. We are here to help. Please TRUST us. You must remain calm and try to relax."

Cameron touched Young Allison and Claire both as she scanned them.

Al and Dan collected the remains of the two attacking Terminators that were deactivated in the collision. They pulled their chips.

What was left on the road looked like a bad traffic accident. Anyone who saw it would think the occupants must have been taken to a hospital or more likely the morgue.

Attack

To live life for some may be colorful
But for others it can all fade to black
What was once a sure smooth ride
Can easily be knocked off track

We may share pleasant memories
Maybe have a violent flashback
Is our future still before us
Or stuck in time like a throwback

Who really controls the cards of destiny
As against us they accumulate and stack
We are never given a break or cut any slack
We feel the blows and take the flack

Every step ahead to go forward
Is met with some drawback
We can make no progress in life
When we always retreat and fallback

At what point do we rise up
To seek retribution and payback
Why does it always seem
Life itself is the attack

Nobody