Chapter 300
Favor
Jesse seemed to have a problem. It wasn't really a problem but something that built up inside of her. It was a feeling and a desire. She thought about it a lot and always pushed it out of her mind. She didn't want to be a problem herself or cause any trouble for Cameron. Now that she was pregnant, she no longer could push it away. It was something she NEEDED to do. She felt somewhat ashamed at even asking but she knew Cameron could HELP her. She really hoped Cameron would understand.
She sought out Cameron and took her aside when they were both alone. She didn't want this to be seen as a moment of weakness.
Cameron could tell something was 'wrong' the moment she looked at Jesse. She instantly started to scan her.
"Cameron, I am fine physically." Jesse said.
That worried Cameron even more. Emotional distress was worse.
"What's wrong?" Cameron asked. "How can I help you?"
Jesse gave Cameron a kiss on the cheek.
"First off, thank you for Ally…." Jesse said.
Cameron smiled and winked at her.
Jesse looked a little embarrassed.
"Cameron, I want to ask a favor of you." Jesse said. "I don't ask for much but it is a big one…."
Jesse thought of this for a long time and now she needed to say something. She wanted to ask for something for 'herself'.
Cameron studied her for a period of time before she responded. She was relieved. She knew this day would come. She also knew it needed to come from Jesse, not from her. She was glad she'd waited for this day.
"Yes." Cameron said. "I'll go with you."
Jesse looked at Cameron.
"I did not even ask yet." Jesse said somewhat confused.
Cameron would do what she could for Jesse.
"Does it matter?" Cameron said. "I owe you for your loyalty and service. You have always been there for me. I owe you Jesse. You saved me. I'll never forget."
Now Jesse was really confused. What was Cameron talking about?
"Cameron, you don't owe me anything. I've done what I've done because I love you." Jesse said. "No sacrifice is too great for love…."
Cameron smiled and gave Jesse a hug. She reached out to Jesse and touched her cheek with her hand. It was a loving gesture, not a scan.
Jesse was not ready for what came next.
"I know where they're at and I've made sure they're well provided for." Cameron said.
Jesse could hardly believe what Cameroon indicated.
"You know?" Jesse asked. "My Parents…?"
Cameron made a point of protecting everyone's family.
"Yes, since you first arrived. I searched them out to provide for them and made sure your younger self would face no hardships or your sister." Cameron said. "I've taken care of them."
Jesse could hardly believe her ears. She'd been hesitant to see her family and here Cameron already provided for them.
"Why didn't you say anything?" Jesse asked.
Jesse was perplexed that Cameron would think so much of her to help her family on her own.
Cameron was aware of the many internal issues that Jesse needed to deal with. There were a lot.
"You needed to be ready. You're ready now." Cameron said. "You would have avoided seeing them before these last few months. You've developed into the woman you deserve to be. The woman you always were."
Jesse was amazed at how caring and perceptive Cameron was.
"How do you always know?" Jesse asked. "Cameron, you're so special."
Cameron leaned forward and kissed Jesse on the cheek.
"I look after John's girls – ALL of them." Cameron said. "It's my function and duty to protect the future. You at John's side will protect John and the future."
Jesse felt a lot of shame in her life for what she'd done to others and what was done to her by others. It caused her to make a lot more bad decisions over the years that followed. Cameron showed her a path of love instead of hate. A machine showed her how to love….
"You started all this when I was still a 'Bitch Whore' to you and everyone else too?" Jesse asked. "Cameron, I apologize for that behavior and time in my life."
Cameron saw Jesse as a challenge and someone of value to share with John.
"Yes." Cameron said. "I knew you were worthy and would turn into a fine woman. It just took a little longer than I anticipated. I wasn't going to give up on you. I never gave up on you. I don't lose."
Jesse knew it never ended for Cameron until she got the outcome she wanted.
"And you always win…." Jesse said.
Cameron nodded. It was in her programming to achieve her goal.
"I always do." Cameron said. "There's no other outcome. It's NEVER over until I've won."
Jesse hugged Cameron and cried her eyes out and thanked her for everything she'd done for her. She pledged her loyalty and duty to John and her without fail.
Cameron smiled. It actually made her feel good inside. It made her feel good about herself for a change. She didn't feel like 'scrap metal' or 'a pile of junk' right now.
She'd done the same for Riley and her family as well. Cameron hadn't informed anyone of that either and didn't intend to, at least until the time was right. She wanted all of the Resistance happy and their loved ones protected. Allison was the only one until now who sought her family out. That was mostly because she'd 'forced' Allison to accompany her to find a better way to protect Young Allison.
"I love you so much, Cameron." Jesse said.
It interrupted Cameron's thoughts and brought her back to 'now'. She'd already thought of how things would play out. She planned for some long range likelihoods as well. It would be something that she could have some control over because of the distances involved.
"We will take the corporate jet and make it a 'business trip'." Cameron said.
That left lot of leeway.
"Will it be just us?" Jesse asked.
Cameron didn't want to leave anyone behind. She knew what it was like to be 'excluded'.
"Gail will accompany us." Cameron said. "I don't want Gail to feel 'lonely' or left out. It is very important everyone feel wanted and loved. It's important to ME."
Cameron also knew she didn't want Gail to feel she tried to 'take' Jesse away from her and 'replace' her.
"Maybe you should bring John too, he hasn't experienced much of a break since this started." Jesse said.
Cameron wasn't sold on that concept even if she'd considered it.
"I thought of it." Cameron said. "I want this to be about you."
Jesse wanted her parents to know more about her and her future.
"It still will be but bring John. My parents should meet the father of their grandchild…." Jesse said.
Cameron worried that things could turn into a big production.
"If John comes, I'll want more Metal to accompany us." Cameron said. "I'll run it by him."
Cameron paused.
Jesse could tell that something troubled her. It came to her pretty quickly what it most likely was.
"You didn't 'tell' him yet, did you?" Jesse asked.
Cameron harvested quite a bit of genetic material from John. It was all done without his knowledge and its intended usage. He hadn't given any 'consent' to what she'd done.
"No, I didn't. Can we keep it that way for now?" Cameron asked. "I don't want to cause a problem, yet."
Jesse was sure this was deeper than just her.
"Does he know about Vanna and Allison?" Jesse asked.
Cameron looked around and seemed very uneasy.
"No, I haven't informed him or Sarah of what I've done." Cameron said. "They don't always like the way I do things."
Jesse felt a twinge of fear.
"Are you going to take my baby away from me?" Jesse asked.
That was a new worry that gripped Jesse inside.
Cameron was a little shocked at the question. It wasn't like she hadn't thought about doing that either. That made it sting a little more when Jesse asked it.
"What? No. I wouldn't hurt you like that or any of the girls. I would never do that to the people I love." Cameron reassured her. "I can't hurt any of you like that. I won't."
Cameron now thought about when she wanted to take Young Allison and she actually did take Summer away from Claire. What was she thinking? How could she do that? Claire will have a baby for her and John, she promised.
Jesse was relieved that Cameron would not take her child from her.
"Thank you, Cameron. I love you even more." Jesse said.
She was so touched by Cameron's words that she went through another round of crying. She seemed to be more moody and emotional lately.
This all weighted on Jesse. It made her think of the past – the future. The last time she'd seen her parents and sister all of them were deathly sick. She'd been forcefully and physically separated from them to prevent her from becoming sick as well. It wasn't that long until she wished she'd been sick and died with them as the Hell of her life soon began….
Jesse was drug screaming out of her hiding place by a group of men. They held her down and took turns. The more she screamed the more they laughed. She fell into the hands of Scavengers soon after that. The Scavengers 'killed' that young girl. The 'terminated' that lonely young girl. It still made her sick to think of how they savaged her young body. It took months for the torn flesh to heal once she managed to escape. That was just the first time in a Scavenger camp….
She knew it was Cameron who saved her. Cameron found that 'dead Jesse' within her and brought her back to life. Cameron gave her, her life back. Cameron gave her purpose and a future. Cameron was the greatest….
Bob was sent out to do some 'follow up' for Cameron. It was something that she would normally have the Metal girls do or do it herself. Cameron seemed a little preoccupied these days.
He was given a 'list' by Ally of some places that needed further review. He wasn't on board with everything until Cameron pointed out what if the things some of the perpetrators did were done to their group. That made it personal with that analogy.
There were still a few targets associated with a ring that was masterminded by a social worker. CamNet and Cameron took most of them down. Steve and Tom would assist him when necessary.
He passed by a burnt out building. There was a van parked next to it that was blistered from the heat as well. He was to watch the location and see who showed up. If someone did, he was to follow them and terminate them and whoever else they were associated with if it looked like it was anything that involved a sex ring.
He'd waited a long time before anything happened.
He spotted a high end Escalade drive by slowly and stop. It soon sped away. He'd received a report about another Escalade associated with the premises. It was a different color.
Bob let it go around the corner and started off after it. He was given tracking instruction in the event he lost sight of it. He figured the information was from CamNet. He knew not to question the source.
He acquired the Escalade as soon as he turned the corner. He followed it through traffic and around town for an hour. It made one stop and someone went inside a building much like the burnt out one he left behind. There was a van like the blistered one he observed parked at the other location. Cameron told him that those were 'meat wagons'. Females and young males were transported in them.
He heard a muffled scream from the direction of the building. He decided to take the building down. He wanted to call Steve and Tom but they arrived behind him as he was about to call them. CamNet most likely sent them.
"We've been briefed." Steve said.
Bob put his vest on.
Tom handed Bob a windbreaker to put on over his vest once he put it on. They already wore theirs.
Bob looked at the back of it.
"Security?" Bob asked.
"It covers a lot of bases." Tom said.
Bob led Steve and Tom forward.
"I want that ride." Bob said as they passed the Escalade.
They went to the front door. They all carried an M9, a Taser and two Thermite grenades.
Bob was about to smash the front door in when Steve turned the handle and the door opened.
They entered into a reception area. There was no receptionist. There was another door into the interior. Steve tried that one but it was locked.
Bob smashed through that door. There were rooms on each side of a hall. They started to look in each room as they hurried along.
Bob let Steve and Tom take the first two he moved on to the third room when someone looked out of the room at the end of the hall. It was a naked man.
Bob hurried to that room when the nude man ducked back inside.
He saw there was a bed with someone tied to it. They were face down. The nude man rummaged through his clothes as he searched for a weapon.
Bob took two steps forward and punched him in the back of the neck. The man went down like a rag doll. His spinal cord was snapped.
Bob notice the person tied to the bed was a male.
He moved back into the hall in time to see a female fly from one room and slam into the wall about two feet off of the ground. She seemed to hang there for a few seconds before she fell. It was clear she wouldn't be getting back up.
There was a dead man there and a female tied to the bed in that room. Tom came back out into the hall.
Steve was there as well.
"There are two terminated in the second room on the north side." Steve said. "There is one female hostage. She is tied up."
He handed Bob a set of keys.
Bob saw they were for the Escalade.
"Thanks." Bob said.
They moved to the door of what should be the main workroom floor.
There was a black sedan parked there and two men playing cards as they smoked.
They looked a little surprised to see the three big Terminators.
They scrambled for weapons.
Bob fired hi M9 twice. They both went down.
"Free the hostages." Bob said. "Toss the stiffs in here first."
Steve and Tom went back inside the office area. Bob did a once around the workroom floor. There was no one else. There were four dead people lined up on the floor. He added the two men he'd shot to the line up.
Steve and Tom got the three hostages. They watched in awe as Bob located something.
Bob found the strong box. He ripped it out of the wall and tore the top off of it. There was just over two hundred thousand dollars inside. He quickly divided it into three piles.
"Here is seventy thousand dollars each." Bob said. "Do you want the money or to go to the hospital and police?"
"Aren't you the police?" One girl asked.
"We're private contractors." Bob said. "The police will be here shortly. You can take the money and go or stay. Whoever leaves gets the money. The police like a tidy crime scene."
"You said it seventy thousand each?" The young male said.
"Affirmative." Bob said. "We need to move."
The male left in the sedan and Bob gave the two females the keys to the Escalade.
"They won't need it any longer." Bob said.
As soon as the three hostages were out of the building. They tossed a few Thermite grenades around.
"Let's go." Bob said.
"Are we done here?" Tom asked.
"For now." Bob said. "This operation never happened as far as the Resistance goes."
"Like you said, we're private contractors." Steve said.
Bob was aware that the Metal girls often took longer at one of the buildings like this, especially when Sheila was with them.
Steve and Tom drove away and so did Bob.
The building was totally engulfed. There was no emergency response.
Cameron found John working with John Henry and Jim on some intel. She called John away.
John wondered what this was all about. Cameron seemed kind of serious. That was not usually a good thing.
Cameron looked around and then faced John.
"How would you like to go 'Down Under'?" Cameron asked.
John swallowed hard. He glanced around where they were.
"Sure." John said. "Do you mean right now?"
Cameron looked at John for a moment and laughed.
"I mean 'Down Under'." Cameron said again.
John wondered why Cameron laughed.
"OK, anytime but under what?" John asked.
Cameron wanted John to get his mind out of the gutter.
"I mean 'Down Under'." Cameron said again.
She knew that John knew what she referred to but he kept thinking about something else. His mind was stuck between her legs!
"Is that something new?" John asked. "Did you find it in your programming?"
Cameron heard Jim and John Henry snickering in the background.
Savannah was in the back listening.
It was too much for Savannah. She decided to come to John's rescue.
"'Down Under' is Australia, silly." Savannah said as she came around the corner.
John looked embarrassed by what he'd been thinking and afraid of what Savannah may have heard.
"I knew that." John said. "I was just joking around."
Savannah tried not to laugh. She tried to cut John some slack.
They all knew he got sidetracked.
"If you say so, John Connor, we're easy. Don't forget I'm a big girl now…." Savannah said.
She continued on her way and gave Cameron a wink.
John's eyes followed Savannah. She looked more 'shapely'….
Cameron noticed John mentally undress Savannah and smiled to herself.
John looked away from Savannah's trim figure and noticed that Cameron watched him watch Savannah.
Cameron went over what she wanted to do for Jesse and why. John thought that was a good idea but asked what about everyone else. Cameron explained they'd all taken 'vacations' of some sort several times. John said this should just be about Jesse and her.
Cameron said she would think about what she would do and left.
Favor
There are many things in life
On which we hate to impose
Maybe that happens more
On things that we suppose
Often we may help and give
Seldom do we like to take
Maybe that's a good thing
Perhaps it's really a mistake
There is a lot of give and take
Sometimes it is push and shove
As strange as it seems
These are the ways of love
All we can really do
I to try our best
To pass in life's test
We must disregard the rest
When someone shares
It's something to savor
It can become meaningless
If it was done as a favor
Nobody