Chapter 290

Are You Sure

John was very unsure as to what was happening with Cameron. She was hot and cold, possessive and indifferent. It was almost like she was two different people. Maybe that was it, she WAS two different cyborgs and one was her clone.

'How do you know?' John wondered.

Everything seemed identical. He tried to see if ANYTHING was different, he never noticed anything if it was. Everything looked and felt the same.

What if it was all just 'Cameron' and she'd developed a split personality? If she did, did that mean she was crazy? Was she insane? Was one of them the personality that would become dominant and become Skynet? Which one, the hot or cold one? Maybe it was a Dr Jekyll and Mr. Hyde type scenario. What happened when the yin yang went out of balance? What would emerge?

John knew Cameron wasn't happy. Sometimes he could see her tying so hard to please him and share with him. Sometimes she looked 'deactivated' as he tried to make love to her. The lights were on but - Nobody was home….

He did have to admit a few of those times he did think about Future Riley and their illicit coupling. It was the motivation he needed to 'finish'. It always worked too. He would close his eyes and Cameron's chassis became 'Future Riley'. He started to pull some 'wood' as he thought about it.

John questioned his decision to marry Cameron. He was sure she would have provided him with a sexual relationship if he pushed it back then. She seemed like she would have anyway. That's how Future Riley behaved before they did…. He was sure that Future Riley developed the same feelings for him as he did for her. He knew they both loved each other. That's what got her killed, it her love for him. She died for that. They both loved and wanted each other. They did complete their love and union in the truck. The same thing started to happen with this Riley. This time he was able to recognize it and deflect it. If this Riley loved him as the other one did, he knew Cameron would have killed her.

He knew the ultimate expression of love was sacrifice. He sacrificed a relationship with this Riley, for the love he felt for HIS Riley – Future Riley. The girl that died for him, she died for her love. She died because of him. It was hard to get past it sometimes. It seemed to creep up in times of trouble.

That was why Cameron took Jesse away from Derek. It was so Derek and Riley would hook up and it would take Riley out of the equation. Cameron was always manipulating people lives. He wondered if Cameron manipulated her own happiness away in the process. Did Cameron even know who she was anymore or what she even really wanted? He doubted it. Cameron would either stay with him or run away. It was her choice. He would not stop her in whatever she did. He knew sometimes you needed to let someone go if you really loved them. It was supposed to be about their happiness and not your own.

Cameron was headed to Palmdale. She was about to make life altering decisions for others again. They would have a choice. Cameron needed to know it was what they really wanted. Holly stood by the curb.

Holly waited for her on her own. They talked on the street for several minutes. Holly assured her this was what everyone wanted. She still needed to make sure.

"Let me speak with Allison myself first." Cameron said.

Holly seemed a little rebuffed.

"It's OUR decision." Holly protested.

Cameron made sure Jesse and Gail were both on the same page at the same time.

"I want to make sure." Cameron said. "I did this for Jesse and Gail a few days ago…."

Holly tried to brush past this.

"I know." Holly said "I spoke with Gail."

Cameron wanted to make sure Holly didn't try and sidestep the real issue.

"Jesse and Gail both agreed that when the time comes that Jesse must be at John's side." Cameron said. "Allison must also agree to this."

Holly looked a little irritated at this point.

"You know she promised." Holly said.

Cameron cut to the chase.

"It's not her I'm worried about…." Cameron said. "I know Allison knows 'her place'…."

Holly was even more offended at Cameron's insinuation than she was earlier.

"Everyone sacrifices for John Connor." Holly said. "I will as well, I promise."

Cameron handed her a small cooler.

"Let me talk to Allison and you may come in a few minutes later." Cameron said. "This is something you two should do alone. If you keep scanning her you will feel it happen…. Gail did for Jesse."

Cameron questioned what she was doing. It didn't seem to matter she was still here doing it anyway.

Allison looked a little uncertain as she approached.

"Hi, Cameron." Allison said. "I've been waiting for you."

"Hello, Allison." Cameron said.

Allison gave her a long hug as Cameron scanned her.

Allison knew what was about to happen.

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

Cameron continued to scan her.

"Are you sure?" Cameron asked.

Allison spoke with Claire about her plans. She was very encouraging.

"Yes." Allison said. "This is what I want and am ready for. I told my mother and she supports me as well."

Cameron saw that as a start. There was a deeper issue that was tied into all of this.

"What about in the future?" Cameron asked. "What will it be?"

Allison took a deep breath and swallowed hard. There was a deeper commitment.

"I know my place and will honor my promise, I swear." Allison said. "The 'Natural Order' will be honored."

Cameron stopped scanning Allison and kissed her on the cheek.

"Good luck." Cameron said and left.

Holly entered and she and Allison went to her room. The container was with them.

Claire saw everyone talking and then Holly and Allison leave.

"Hi, Cameron." Claire said.

Cameron took Claire's hand as she greeted her. They sat and talked. She continued to hold her hand as they spoke. Both women knew what was happening as they spoke. She knew Claire was worried and apprehensive. It was her daughter and she was taking a 'big step' in life. It was a life altering decision.

She also scanned Claire. She wondered if she should have put a little something aside for her. She KNEW Claire would do what she 'asked'. She needed to collect herself. She felt her mind drifting. This was about Allison today.

Cameron reassured Claire everything would work out OK. Holly would never leave Allison's side. Holly was permanently removed from combat as Gail also was. They both would have a new function and someone important to protect.

Claire and Cameron played with Young Allison and Summer. Cameron spent the day there to help some. She took Claire and the two girls out; two of the detail followed them.

Cameron took the girls to the park to start out. She needed to be careful that she didn't spin the 'merry go round' too fast for the girls. She pushed both girls and Claire on the swing set.

When it was her turn on the swing she needed to have the girls and Claire stand back. In just a few pumps she was almost about to 'loop' the entire swig over the support bar at the top.

Claire really liked to spend time alone with Cameron. She was just the greatest at everything. She liked all of the girls including the Metal ones. She especially liked Vanna and Jesse. They were only a couple of years older than her and Allison was only a couple of years younger than her. It was just very strange. Here she was at the park and her Allison – Young Allison was still a girl. She was growing fast.

After the park Cameron, With Claire's permission, gave Young Allison the choice of where she wanted to go. They stopped by a movie theater and watched a superhero movie.

"You're my superhero, Cameron." Young Allison said.

Cameron took Young Allison out 'camping' sometimes. It was really training that Young Allison was being put through. Cameron planned to make Young Allison as much like her as she could. She would be trained on survival skills as well as evasion and escape tactics. She would be given weapons training and even interrogation techniques.

She didn't want to 'push' Young Allison in front of Claire but she was going to train and instruct her. Holly was assigned to work with her everyday.

Cameron was not done supplying the Young residence with Metal. There were long range plans that were put into motion in the background. She was unsure about the viability of the girls from the future but she was sure that Claire was viable. She was with two examples of that right now. Claire produced beautiful children. That was an asset that she planned to use in the near future with John.

Young Allison was given the choice of restaurants to go to for supper. It was sort of a late lunch and early dinner.

Cameron and Claire figured she would pick a fast food place but that was not the case. She picked a Fifties and Sixties diner.

Clair was surprised as she was thrilled to go there. There was plenty of good music from a jukebox and the waitresses all dressed in period clothing even if it was a little risqué. She was not really surprised to see all the looks Cameron drew. Cameron was very popular with the waitresses too. She planned to come here with Allison on her own and see if she drew the same response. If Holly came with them everyone would be concentrated on her 'rack'. That seemed to be a magnet for guys and gals to look at. It was rather impressive. She'd peeked in on Allison and Holly more than a few times to get a better look. She really liked both of her daughter's lovers. The human and the Metal ones.

Cameron danced with both Claire and Young Allison. She noted that when a slow song played that Claire was there to dance with her and hold her close. She could tell Claire was highly sexually aroused to be close to her like that. They really shared a good time until they left.

When they returned several hours later Allison was waiting and hugged her. Cameron held the hug as she scanned Allison. She kissed Allison on the cheek and looked into her eyes.

"Thank you." Cameron said and left.

Cameron nodded to Claire as she left.

Claire smiled and nodded back. She knew she was going to become a grandmother.

On the way back from Palmdale, Vanna was on Cameron's mind. She wanted to get some resolution taken care of with that. She thought she could take care of some Resistance business to get her mind refocused. There were a few drug operations and sex trafficking operations that sprung back up. It seemed that no matter how often she took those operations down they always popped back up again in a few months.

It wasn't so much the operation that bothered her. It was the demand for the products they sold, whether they were chemical or flesh, that demand was the problem. It was the people themselves that were addicted to the poisons they peddled. There was always someone on the wrong side of those operations.

Many of the girls that ended up in the sex trade were drug users. They got caught up in the poison and needed a way to support their habits. Most of the females used their body as barter for what they wanted. Many of the males turned to crime in the form or robberies or burglaries.

She was on the 14 freeway when she spotted a car coming up at high speed. It was not the police because CamNet and John Henry both redirected them away from where she was at. There was often gunfire and deaths associated where she roamed.

The vehicle passed her. It was a 'high end' Escalade. It was tricked out and looked like the owner probably put a hundred grand into it with all the extras.

Cameron picked up her pace to trail it. It looked like someone was after someone else or they were running from someone. The driver was a female. Right away she figured that there was an abusive male involved and the female was running from him. It could be the other way around too but unlikely.

Sure enough she spotted a red car approaching from behind her. The Escalade and her were both going over a hundred miles an hour right now. The red car gained fast. It was a Ferrari.

Cameron wanted that car for her collection. She planned to take that one if it was an abusive situation with the female in the Escalade. She would call the Metal girls to come and assist her once she learned a little more.

She moved over to the right lane to let the Ferrari pass. She wanted a look at the driver.

The driver wore several layers of gold chains and his face looked enraged. What determined his fate was the gold plated revolver sitting on his lap. It looked like he intended to kill the female.

Cameron floored it to keep the distance close. She drew her Glock and fired left handed once out her side window. She stood on the brakes to slow her SUV down. She hit the right front tire of the Ferrari and the tire blew out. The Ferrari swerved to the right and rolled over a dozen rimes. The driver was ejected on the seventh roll. She saw his right arm was torn off somewhere. His body ended up bent at an impossible angle. She was going to run over it but she might pick up some debris in her tires so she passed by the scene on the right side in the dirt.

It turned out that he was a Drug Kingpin in the Antelope Valley. That was another figure on her endless list of targets. She would wait a few months and look up his successor. There was always someone else willing to step up for the money, drugs and sex, usually in that order.

Vanna was on her mind now as she headed for her base.

There was one last 'problem'. It was a big one too.

Cameron was worried about Vanna. What was she going to do? She was torn on what steps to follow and why.

She returned to her base and updated the two chips that contained her program. She debated whether to activate Cameron II or not. If she did what she thought was necessary she wouldn't be able to transfer information back from Cameron II. She was afraid Cameron II would want John as well. She knew she would, which meant Cameron II would as well.

Cameron decided against activating Cameron II at this point. Instead she called Ally in and discussed the problem with her.

Ally agreed to have her chip copied and placed in Cameron II, IF it was copied to 'Cameron's duplicate chip' with 'Cameron' on it. In other words Ally wanted both of their programs on it. That would allow for the possibility to have each of them as separate programs or a 'combined' program where everything would be merged and 'blended'.

Cameron was unsure about the direction that everything seemed to take. She decided she better talk to Vanna first before she did any of this. She noted her hand begin glitch. That was always a bad sign.

She really didn't know what to do. Vanna was there from her first day as a shot up wreck after she was abandoned by John. Vanna unquestionably followed her to her own 'doom' several times. She knew Vanna loved her and she loved Vanna. She knew Vanna 'died for her'. Vanna was always willing to sacrifice for her.

Cameron was very ashamed she destroyed Vanna's relationship with Allison. She was very aware she'd wrecked a true love like no other. What kind of a friend does that?

She was worried about John. What was he going to think about all this? She didn't think he would be happy with her decisions. She knew he didn't always like the way she did things….

Cameron felt that she knew what was best for everyone. They'd talked this over dozens of times. If nothing else 'this' tied him to the girls forever.

She realized she was the one that was in the way.

Cameron started to overload again. She needed help….

Are You Sure

Life offers many things
To want, seek and procure
Is that the right path to follow
Or only another needless detour

The desires from within
Are seldom the proper cure
Very few have good motives
Their actions are far from pure

There are no guarantees
Only meaningless words to reassure
The guaranteed path to become a target
Is to be timid, modest and demure

To get what one may desire
Depends on what they will endure
The fleeting hopes and dreams
Are what will become the lure

The goals in life soon obscure
It matters not as we mature
Very little can anyone ensure
Soon of nothing are you sure

Nobody