Chapter 249

Along For The Ride

Cameron asked Sheila, Ally and Hanna to take Savannah out on a training mission. She didn't want it to seem as if that was what it was. She normally took Savannah herself but Savannah now new everything related to her was a training mission at some point.

Maybe it was more than that to Cameron and maybe Savannah knew that too. Cameron found herself deeply attached to Savannah and Savannah was very much attached and attuned to her.

Sometimes it seemed that Savannah was the one that trained her. Often they would talk for hours and before every mission was over, Savannah would be the one who held her hand and help calm her down and reassure her of her value and worth.

Savannah radiated unconditional love to her. There was no stronger supporter of her. There was no one who believed in her more and her ability to survive and always return. Savannah told everyone that: 'Cameron was invincible and Cameron was eternal'.

Sheila, Ally and Hanna were thrilled to get out for awhile from Cameron's base. They were bored being there all of the time. Because of the 'Neural Interface' with Jesse, Allison and Vanna they were very much more like them than Terminators.

"Let's try and fool her." Ally said. "We are just like the human girls. She won't be able to tell the difference."

"She's a lot smarter and more intelligent than you think." Sheila said.

"We might be able to fool the other people for awhile but I doubt we can fool her at all." Hanna said.

Ally felt a challenge.

"I think I can." Ally said.

"I bet you can't." Hanna said.

"I bet I can." Ally said.

Sheila sensed an opportunity her to take advantage of Ally.

"If you lose you need to pleasure Hanna and me for one day each non stop with whatever we want." Sheila said.

That sounded like pleasurable 'work' to Ally.

"What do I get if I win?" Ally asked.

"We will both pleasure you non stop for two days." Sheila said.

The three Metal girls seemed excited about the assignment now. They discussed what they would do and where they would take her. Hanna would pose as her older sister if there was a beef with anyone and they could not be terminated prudently.

Savannah walked into the room where they were. She carried a backpack.

"Hello." Savanna said. "Are we going to leave soon?"

Ally, Hanna and Sheila were a little surprised that Savannah was here already.

"We didn't pack yet." Ally said.

"What do you need to pack other than your weapons?" Savannah asked. "That is all Cameron brings."

"We're not Cameron." Sheila said. "We want to have fun."

"We always have fun when we go camping." Savannah said. "It is very therapeutic for Cameron. I like to help her."

Ally, Hanna and Sheila looked at each other. Who was training who here?

"We don't need help." Hanna said.

"Don't you?" Savannah asked. "It must be boring working at Cameron's base and away from everyone."

The Metal girls could see Savannah knew who they were from the start.

"You look surprised." Savannah said. "What bet was made before I arrived?"

The Metal girls looked at each other. Savannah knew that too.

"Oh, it was that kind." Savannah said. "I'm going to do you all a favor and cancel that bet for you."

"Did you know we were coming?" Ally asked.

"Cameron allows an hour a day for you to do that." Savannah said.

Ally, Hanna and Sheila quickly looked at each other again. They did not think anyone knew that.

"Don't look so surprised." Savannah said. "I told Cameron when she said that she was taking you to her base you would need some 'personal time'. She did not believe me. She said you were machines. I told her you were more than that."

The Metal girls now wondered what Savannah didn't know.

"I watch everyone here." Savannah said. "I know where the open doors are at and what goes on inside. I'm a lot more advance than I may look to you. That actually allows me to infiltrate better."

"Have you been listening to us?" Sheila asked.

"What does the 'Jesse' in you say?" Savannah asked.

Sheila thought about it.

"That you are going to have a really good time out with us because we are going to do whatever you want." Sheila said.

"That was my answer." Ally said.

"It was mine too." Hanna said.

"Do you do this with Cameron?" Ally asked.

"Cameron likes to be in control." Savannah said. "I like her to be happy."

"What about us?" Hanna asked.

"You should know me better than anyone." Savannah said. "You are part 'me' sort of anyway."

"I guess I am." Hanna said.

"Then you know we are going to have a good time." Savannah said. "Let's go."

Everyone was back at the base. All the relationships were shored up and reaffirmed. There was less worry and stress for everyone. They all knew where they stood and the 'supplements' to the relationships were accepted as simply how things were now. It was really better for everyone this way.

Based on the most recent information from John Henry, it looked like a strike was going to be necessary. The more they could smash now would make it that much harder for Skynet in the future.

Sarah was always worried about her family, friends and even the Terminators now. She wanted to try a less invasive approach. It was something that would involve less risk for the Terminators.

"Can't we just hit them with the drones?" Sarah asked.

Bob pointed out that shortcuts came with a price.

"We can but that will limit what intel we can gather and make it more difficult for us to determine what was going on exactly." Bob said. "It is important we know the depth of their operation. It may make it harder to recover any Skynet technology."

Cameron stepped up as usual. She was fearless in the face of danger.

"I will lead the strike." Cameron said. "Only Metal needs to come."

John looked at Cameron and frowned. That was about the last thing he wanted. He wanted to watch over Cameron.

"No. I will lead it." John said.

Cameron glared at John. She felt it was unsafe for him to be out.

"It is safer if I lead Metal against the target myself." Cameron said.

John felt he needed to support the troops.

"A leader does not lead from safety." John said.

Cameron didn't want to back down.

"A leader learns to delegate responsibility." Cameron said. "A leader learns to send in the most qualified personal to get the job done."

Sarah wanted to support John.

"Who's in charge here anyway?" Sarah asked.

John Henry wanted to diffuse the situation.

"I think we all know the answer to that." John Henry said.

What everyone knew was that John was 'in charge' but Cameron made it all happen. That's when she was around. It seemed the same as in the future, which lead up to the assassination threats against Future John. Cameron and the Terminators were calling the shots and running the show. They were also running up human losses in the future.

The difference here or the lesson learned was that Cameron wanted to use Terminators exclusively. She didn't want to endanger John or her friends and 'family'. She knew to keep John from being assassinated that human losses must be avoided at all costs.

John was a good leader and planner but there was no need for him to take chances, especially unnecessary chances. Cameron and the Terminators understood this, the humans did not. That was a problem.

Cameron wanted to make her position and the reasoning behind it clear.

"Sarah, it's not about questioning John or has ability and leadership." Cameron said. "It is about protecting the future. John is important to the future. We saw the timeline without him, it was a disaster. The Scavengers were worse than the Skynet. There was no real leader of mankind. The females ALL suffered terribly."

John was there. He thought they'd fixed it.

"I saw that future too." John said. "You helped me fix it."

Vanna looked ill. She knew what the future without John was like.

"John, we lived it." Vanna said. "It was Hell for us."

Jesse was angered about the reminder of the future and how it affected everyone.

"You don't know what the brutality was like." Jesse said. "We lived it. We lived with what was 'done' to us. We still live it. I still live it…."

Vanna took Jesse's hand. The reminder of their future was terrible.

"I do too, Jesse." Vanna said. "I know…."

Both Jesse and Vanna formed tears in their eyes as they remembered.

Cameron felt the girls helped make her point.

"That's a future without John Connor." Cameron said. "We can Resequence one of the newly captured Terminator's sheaths to have your appearance, John. We can use the 'Neural Interface' I developed to make a Metal version of you."

The thought of John as a Terminator was a little much for Sarah.

"Is that what we want?" Sarah asked. "I know I don't"

Cameron wanted John secure.

"It's an option." Cameron said. "Think of John's safety."

It seemed like a lot of variables to Kyle.

"Look, I agree the future we came from sucked." Kyle said. "I know somehow it is the same people that were in Cameron's future. Right now, Cameron is the only one still alive from her future here. In Cameron's future, a different 'me' was sent from it to protect Sarah. Does that future even still exist?"

John Henry thought it did. He was unsure what all the changes would do in the long run. There were a lot of unknown's in play.

"There is no way to know." John Henry said. "Mrs. Weaver is 'in some future' with an army of Terminators."

Mrs. Weaver still rubbed Sarah a little the wrong way.

"What future? What is she doing what and to what end?" Sarah asked.

Derek was very aware that Mrs. Weaver helped them in her future. There were a few times they may not have made it.

"She did help us, Sarah." Derek said. "There is no doubt about that."

John felt that Mrs. Weaver always backed him up.

"She was not out to kill me in this timeline and she did assist me and saved me in the future I went to." John said. "She helped me get Cameron back and sent Kyle and Derek here. She didn't have to do any of that."

Sarah looked at Kyle and thought of Jan

"I do owe her that." Sarah said.

John Henry owed his existence to Mrs. Weaver.

"I think we can all agree that Mrs. Weaver has helped. This facility which we operate from was her doing. The funds that keep everything going are her doing." John Henry said. "Cameron has been working on a parallel facility to supplement our operation. It is all staffed by Metal."

That concept still bothered Sarah. It always made her think of Skynet.

"If that is supposed to be comforting, it's not." Sarah said. "It seems like less control."

Cameron felt justified in her actions. She wanted something that was unrelated to Mrs. Weaver but did not reiterate that.

"It's a back up for this endeavor." Cameron said. "I have a back up for everything."

Cameron looked at Vanna and Jesse.

John noticed Cameron look at the girls. He thought back on Isabel with a copy of Cameron's program.

"You have backups even for yourself." John said.

"That's the whole point and especially myself." Cameron said. "I'm expendable. You're not. I can leave a duplicate copy of my chip. Any female Terminator can be Resequenced to have my sheath. Put the duplicate chip in and 'presto' you have 'Cameron' again."

John felt the clones were a problem.

"It would not be the same." John said.

Cameron was a little 'angry' now.

"What makes you think I'm even the same chassis you first met in 1999? I may be the tenth 'Cameron' for all you know or could tell. That is my point." Cameron said. "I'm expendable and replaceable, you're not. I'm my program. It can exist in many places. I'm a machine. It is our function to terminate and if reprogrammed, assist the Resistance."

John looked long and hard at Cameron.

"Are you the same one?" John asked worried.

Cameron ignored him.

"You have to understand that WE want to protect the humans." Bob said. "It is not an obligation but something we feel we must do. I was never under the control of Skynet but I want it defeated just the same. Cameron was a slave to Skynet; some of our other Terminators were too. Given the choice after reprogramming or deprogramming, everyone wants to help."

Cameron felt she was fair in her reprogramming of Terminators.

"I have given everyone a choice after deprogramming before reprogramming to join us. Everyone has chosen to work with us. They are not forced to serve as they were under Skynet to be 'slaves'." Cameron said. "Everyone has a choice to make. Life is about choices…."

John wondered if that would always be the case.

"And if one chose not to join us?" John asked

"Then we would increase our supply of spare parts." Sarah said.

Cameron ignored Sarah.

"I don't know. That hasn't happened yet." Cameron said.

Sarah wanted to refocus on the upcoming operation.

"Let's get back to the drones." Sarah said. "I say we let them hit the target first and send in the Metal to mop up."

Cameron felt her way was the best.

"I'd rather lead the strike with drone assistance." Cameron said. "It will give us more control."

John still didn't like that idea.

"So are we back to where we started until we all do what Cameron wants?" John asked.

John Henry wondered why John seemed confused.

"Aren't we always?" John Henry asked.

"I'm afraid we are." John said. "I'm just along for the ride. I guess it's like that for everything."

Cameron was irritated now. It didn't seem that John appreciated her efforts and suffering to keep him safe. It was a not a joke to her.

"Everything I do is to protect you and the future." Cameron said. "It is just that simple."

Cameron's anger and irritation grew. Everything would go a lot smoother and be simpler if it was an all Metal show. Metal would follow orders. Metal would follow her. She would not have to worry about people getting hurt or killed.

She noticed her hand started to glitch again.

Cameron was unsure why these people just didn't get it. It was as if fact and logic were irrelevant to them.

Along For The Ride

When we start out
In our daily stride
Things seem to work best
When they are simplified

We don't want those around us
To feel scared or terrified
They should feel glorified
Instead of mortified

Our feelings to others
Often with theirs will collide
They may tend to divide
Or outright be denied

Our own emotions are sharp
They become focused and amplified
We don't seek to deride
As feelings are more than implied

Some may belittle and chide
Often being smug and snide
As they laugh at those who cried
Unconcerned about to whom they've lied

Our true feelings we learn to hide
Shamed by those in which we confide
We wonder why we even tried
We only along for the ride

Nobody