Chapter 253

Stop Trying

Sarah stood before John. They 'discussed' some issues about Cameron. Sarah didn't try to be rude or offensive to John or Cameron. She was only concerned.

"I do trust her." John said. "You know that."

Sarah saw it as a deeper issue than trust. Things could go wrong inside her.

"We all do, John. It's just that she's experienced some 'problems' in the past." Sarah said. "You KNOW this."

John felt that came back to them.

"I know, Mom." John said. "Most of them were created and perpetuated by us."

Sarah felt some guilt over that as well. Things should have been handled differently. She'd read Cameron's poems. She was ashamed at some of the things she's said to Cameron.

"I feel bad about all that too, John." Sarah said. "I really do. I regret how I treated Cameron at times and the things I said to her or how I made her feel."

John saw the culmination of all of this as Cameron attempting to face the danger on her own and take all the risks.

"I will talk to John Henry." John said. "You know she is doing it to protect me and the girls. Cameron can not forgive herself for what happened to them."

Sarah figured as long as Cameron and the girls were back that everything should be good now.

"That wasn't her fault." Sarah said. "Besides it all worked out in the end."

There was one thing that wasn't 'fixed'.

"It did work out except for the baby." John said. "I know Cameron. She can't let that rest. She will try and 'fix' that."

Sarah could picture two 'Allisons'.

"Do we wind up with two Allisons then if Cameron goes back after her?" Sarah asked.

John knew that Cameron wanted the baby. She wanted it for herself.

"I don't know what she will do. I just know she's going back for that baby." John said. "Nothing will stop her, you know THAT."

Sarah thought maybe John could do something to help out.

"John, why don't you stop her?" Sarah said.

"How?" John asked.

It seemed simple enough to Sarah. John and one or more of the girls could 'share' with each other. There were several ways to do that.

"Make a deal. Make her promise to stop trying." Sarah said. "Do what was done before and create another one, another child. Do it any way you choose. Cameron has already 'approved' everything. Everyone knows what she wants - everyone."

John knew babies were a lot of work.

"I don't know, Mom, that's a lot of responsibility and commitment." John said.

Sarah could see everyone was on the same page except John.

"John, Allison and Cameron are ready." Sarah said. "Listen to Cameron for once."

John only saw this as the root of bigger problems or issues in the future.

"I'll think about it." John said.

John wondered about it, maybe it was time to try again. Cameron was going to make it happen somehow, he was sure of that. He was also sure if he was with one of the girls physically, that Cameron would 'melt down' again. Maybe it was best to ask her for a 'window' of the female SHE chose and provide the genetic material needed, that was how it was done before. He knew Cameron would want something different.

John decided if Cameron pushed him again to using the 'traditional method', he would. He wanted a condition added to that first. He would use the traditional method ONLY if Cameron established a physical relationship with that girl first. Next time she leaned on him, he would tell her that to her face. He knew if Cameron did enter into a physical relationship with one of the girls that it would not cause Cameron as much grief. He believed Cameron would love that girl almost as much as she did him. He then wondered what would happen if Cameron ended up loving that girl 'more than him'? He was unsure what to do to help but not hurt Cameron. He didn't want to get left out in the cold either. Once his 'job' was done, Cameron might focus all of her attention on the pregnant girl and shun him. She was good at obsessing.

Allison faced Cameron.

"Cameron, I think I'm ready." Allison said.

Cameron smiled. That was what she wanted to hear.

"I know you are." Cameron said. "You know how I want it done."

Guilt flooded Allison just thinking about it. She loved Cameron dearly. She couldn't 'cheat' on her even if Cameron wanted her too. She knew if John and her were together it would be love that was made. It would not be 'breeding sex'.

"I do know. I can't do that to you, no matter how much you want me too." Allison said. "I will in the future when I have to, to protect John. You know that I promised I will. I can't make love to your husband. You know it would be love and not sex."

Cameron did know when the 'unions' came that it would be love, not sex. That is what she worked so hard to achieve. What she wanted for John and the girls was 'real love' with 'real people'. That is what would best protect John going forward.

Cameron hid her hand as it began to glitch. It was a lot for her to take in.

Claire walked by.

"Are you girls scheming again?" Claire asked.

"Yes." Allison said at the same time Cameron said, "No."

Claire laughed.

"I can see I was right. I need to check on Summer." Claire said as she left.

Claire heard what they were discussing. Claire also knew 'a mother knows best'. If Allison would not 'do it' for Cameron, she would. There was nothing she wouldn't do for Cameron, except give up her girls. She would 'have' one for Cameron but not give up Her Allison or Summer.

Claire later quickly passed by Cameron. She moved very close to her.

"If Allison won't, I will, IF YOU are there with us, the three of us." Claire whispered.

Claire disappeared as quickly as she appeared.

Cameron was left staring where Claire just was.

She knew the beautiful children Claire produced. Claire was only a few years older than Allison and younger than Jesse and Vanna. It opened up a lot of possibilities. There was more than one way Claire's body could be put to productive use.

Cameron obtained a new 'target'. Cameron then wondered if she hadn't become someone elses 'target' herself. It seemed as if the hunter was now the hunted. She was used to pulling the strings on people, not having them pulled on her.

Either way, Cameron would do what was necessary to 'have' John's baby. Her chassis could be used as incentive or a bargaining chip.

Cameron sought out Holly.

"Let's go for a walk, we will patrol." Cameron said.

Holly did not like it. It would be something about Allison. It was bad enough she needed to share with Vanna. It always bothered her. She was always reminded of her place. It was second place.

"Allison is ready to have a baby." Cameron said.

Here it comes, Holly thought. She'd been through all this with Allison.

"I know." Holly said. "We've talked about it."

"And?" Cameron asked.

Holly looked at Cameron and spoke frankly. She hoped she wasn't deactivated for it.

"I don't like it." Holly said. "It is one more thing to take Allison away from me."

Cameron did not want Holly to be caught in the same 'trap' she'd fallen into.

"It's your function to protect her. I have failed at that many times myself to protect John." Cameron said. "It is easy to let our feelings interfere with our duty. I regret my many mistakes."

Holly wanted to know how far this would go.

"Will she need to move in with John?" Holly asked.

Cameron did not see the need for that yet.

"No, you and her may decide where you wish to stay. It can be here or at either base." Cameron said. "I can assign Ally, Hanna or Sheila to assist you here, if that's what you desire."

Holly did not want any of those, except maybe Ally. She saw Sheila and Hanna as a potential threat to her relationship with Allison. She was afraid Allison may even try to pretend Ally was Cameron for an 'encounter'. She'd thought of 'that' herself even.

"I don't know." Holly said.

Cameron stopped walking and faced Holly.

"Everyone sacrifices for John Connor." Cameron said.

"Apparently." Holly said.

Holly walked silently back with Cameron, her left hand glitched slightly.

Cameron noticed but said nothing. She understood the pain Holly felt…. She silently took Holly's hand as they walked, the glitch soon stopped. She gave Holly's hand a gentle squeeze.

Holly loved Cameron. She loved Allison too. This was all hard on her but in the end she knew her purpose and duty.

Cameron left the Young residence. She thought she'd made everything clear to everyone. She was pleasantly surprised with one thing. Claire's proposal was a wild card. It was clear Claire was willing to do what Allison, Vanna and Jesse were not willing to do.

She thought it would be a good drive home. There were some more possible Skynet related targets she could act on. She checked with CamNet to verify what information was gleaned from the hard drives she picked up from the Skyscan AI.

It was hoped when they attacked the building it was being set up in at that they terminated everyone involved. That seldom seemed to be the case. There were always stragglers or someone involved on the side lines.

She headed to one address that appeared multiple times as a supplier of material for Skyscan. That didn't necessarily mean they were a Gray or Skynet related but it was a good indicator. They would most likely be a collaborator when Skynet made its move if nothing else.

Cameron arrived at the location forty four minutes later. She did a drive by. There were several surveillance cameras that she spotted right off the bat. That was a good indication someone wanted to know who was coming. She checked with CamNet and she hacked the security system at the location. The camera feeds were looped when there was no activity in them so it was a clean loop.

She thought of contacting John Henry for anything else she might need to know. That would alert John and he would want to send additional help or come himself to assist. She was ready to make her move and enter the building. CamNet told her to wait.

"What am I waiting for?" Cameron asked.

"There is a box truck that I picked up on traffic cams." CamNet said.

"OK" Cameron said. "How does that tie in to here?"

"I have that same box truck at that location on several previous security files." CamNet said.

"What does it trace back to?" Cameron asked. "Is there some significance or is it the weekly janitorial supplies?"

"You'll see." CamNet said. "It will be in your location in two minutes."

Cameron checked the time when she spotted the truck. It was just like CamNet said.

"I see them." Cameron said. "The truck is painted white on the front, left side and back. She could not see the right side but figured it was the same. It could be anything. How was it identified as anything different?"

Cameron checked her phone for some images that CamNet sent her. She sat up a little straighter in her seat. There was a loose panel in the top front right corner. It was a sign the driver hit a tree that overhung a street or a driveway one time and did the damage. It was the same truck but it did not tell her what was in it or what was going to be loaded in it.

"Do you know where this truck came from?" Cameron asked.

"No." CamNet said.

"Do you know where this truck goes?" Cameron asked.

"No." CamNet said.

"That's a lot of help." Cameron said. "Can you locate any previous footage of this truck going to where we took Skyscan down?"

Cameron watched the truck back up to the loading dock. Two men got out of it. Cameron zoomed in on the one on her side. The man was not that old but looked a little on the ragged side. It reminded her of someone from the Wastelands. That picked up her interest level.

"I've reviewed all the traffic cams in the area of the Skyscan building." CamNet said. "The truck has been to the location where Skyscan once stood."

Cameron decided to postpone her attack on the building that she was at. The building wasn't going anywhere. She wanted to see where the truck came from and went to.

All she could see from her location were crates being unloaded. She might send some of her Terminators by here later on.

There was gunfire from the rear of the building.

Cameron thought about going in the building to see what was happening. There was an explosion inside somewhere and then more gunfire. It was followed by the back of the building and the box truck exploding in a giant blast. A small piece of debris bounced off of the hood of her SUV and the windshield. It was not an attack directed at her. No one came out of the building on the three sides she could see. It was now a raging inferno. CamNet suppressed the emergency response to let as much of the building burn as possible. It should help mask the results of the gunfire that went on inside.

Cameron watched the remainder of the building burn to the ground before the first fire truck arrived.

She would need to take a look around in there once the place cooled off. She was worried now that the man she saw was actually someone from the anti-Metal group. That was bad news if it was. It did not appear he survived. Cameron looked around her for any threats and to make sure she wasn't being watched.

This would all call for further investigation. She needed to head to a local mall and leave this SUV there. She would leave the windows down and the keys in it. Someone would steal it eventually. If the vehicle was targeted and tracked by anyone, the person whole stole it would pay the price.

She left it on one side of the mall and picked up another vehicle from the parking structure on the other side. She was careful to make sure she was not followed.

She headed back to the Resistance base.

John tracked down Cameron when she returned to the base.

He ran Sarah's idea by Cameron.

"Do we have a deal?" John asked.

Cameron didn't want to answer. It was not what she wanted to do. She had her mind set on a temporal rescue.

"I can save them." Cameron said.

John didn't want more timelines or an altered future.

"No, the past is done, you must let it rest." John said. "You have to promise me you will not go back for them and alter the timeline. We don't even know how many have been created."

Cameron calculated what her options were. The key was not altering the timeline to adhere to John's statement. There could be a few workarounds to that.

"I'll think about it." Cameron said.

Cameron almost finished constructing her TDE. Sheila did all the programming as she was never on her chip. Hanna and Ally both shared 'Holly' on their chip as the base program and Duplicate Cameron was on Holly's chip before. There may be some residual encoding on there, hidden. She was afraid it would activate once they operated the TDE.

Cameron feared that she or the others that were in contact with her chip might inadvertently add the encryption. She wondered if she did agree and promise not to go back for the girls, if they could unlock the other TDE. River worked with her at some point to protect the past and the timeline. Maybe there was a good reason. She felt sick as she feared the Duplicate girls may be 'needed' at a later time…. That could only mean disaster at some future point for her.

'Danger Zone' by 'Kenny Loggins', came to Cameron's mind.

Darkness And Cold

It should be clear by now
That I don't sleep
That only increases
The time I can weep

What I am doing
Should not end up in a heap
For such hard work and effort
It should be some encouragement I reap

The expenditure of time
Does not come cheap
I wanted my thoughts
To sing instead of cheep

Out from my heart
The life and blood seep
I try and use words
That no one need bleep

It's from treatment like this
That my poems ebb and creep
Into my world of darkness and cold
I've given you a quick peep

Nobody