Chapter 328

Claire

The operation appeared to be concluded for the day. Cameron let Sheila off at the base and decided to drive Hanna back to Palmdale. She questioned Hanna in detail about everything happening at the Young residence. She wanted to know about Allison and Holly specifically.

The 'Vanna' in Hanna was a little jealous. She could see the deep bond between Allison and Holly. It was like the bond that Allison once shared with Vanna.

"They're deeply in love, Cameron, both of them." Hanna said.

Cameron could sense Hanna jealousy.

"What about you?" Cameron asked. "What's your story?"

Cameron was sure Hanna would seek a closer relationship with Allison or maybe even Claire.

Hanna tried to stay out of the way. She didn't want to raise Cameron's ire and end up deactivated.

"I spend most on the time in the Detail house unless Allison and Holly want to be alone." Hanna said. "I personally watch Young Allison and Summer myself then. Sometimes I go for walks with Claire. She always wants to talk about you. Cameron, she's in love with you."

Cameron couldn't understand it. What could anyone see in her? Why couldn't she love herself or even care about herself? Why did Future John, John and River all rejected her?

"What do you tell her?" Cameron asked.

Hanna was afraid this was going to be a new problem.

"What you told me to tell her, the truth." Hanna said. "She wants to divorce Paul and move to our base with her THREE girls for better protection. They no longer have sex."

Cameron didn't want to hear that. That divorce was going to be blamed on her by everyone.

"Great." Cameron said disgusted. "I'm ruining more people's lives. I need to fix this. This will hurt Allison if it happens. It might cause her to lose the baby."

Hanna didn't think it was fixable. The real 'fix' may be for both individuals to move on. Once a relationship cooled, it seldom rewarmed.

"How do you fix it?" Hanna asked. "People make choices, not all of them are good. Humans are irrational."

Just the thought of tearing apart another relationship, made Cameron hate herself even more.

"I don't know." Cameron said. "I don't know anything anymore."

Cameron didn't want to hurt the people she cared about. She didn't want to be responsible for them being hurt by each other either.

The two male 'Cameron program' clones dumped the anti–Metal leader that Cameron took into custody into the holding cell at her base.

His eyes opened slowly.

It was dark.

It was total darkness.

The floor was slick and sticky.

There was someone in the room with him.

The leader touched the figure. It was cold. They were dead.

He quickly searched the drying blood soaked figure. He determined it was a female. He found a pack of matches in one of her pockets. It contained a single match in it.

He struck the match and saw her blood covered face and figure. There was something in her hand. He wasn't sure what it was.

The match was about to burn out. He saw the metal socket in her skull and her staring eyes and open empty mouth bored into him.

'There's something about her face.' He thought.

Just before the match extinguished itself, he realized that she'd been interrogated by a Terminator She'd waited for salvation or help that never came. It was help that would never come. There was only one way out. The only escape was death.

He knew that Metal held him now. He wondered how he'd been fooled so easily.

The leader knew he would die here.

The darkness around him was total.

John felt they were left with more questions than anything after the recent battle. It actually seemed like they knew less.

"We still don't know any more than we did before any of this started." John said. "We need answers."

John Henry thought they may have a good foundation to work from. They at least were able to get a few pointers.

"We have the downed drone and the deactivated Terminator. We have both of the chips. We will glean whatever information we can get from both of those." John Henry said. "Cameron has the leader of the anti-Metal group in custody after apprehending him alive. The others were terminated and disposed of."

That was a sticking point for John. He didn't like prisoners. He didn't like how Cameron dealt with them either.

"What's Cameron going to do with him?" John asked.

John Henry was unsure as to the exact details but knew in general how it would play out. He certainly knew how it would end.

"I think we both know the answer to that." John Henry said. "He will be interrogated and terminated."

John thought about all the things someone could do to a male human body. It was all very violent.

"I don't think it will be pretty." John said. "I know Cameron can be ruthless and cruel now. I thought Terminators weren't supposed to be like that."

John Henry was well aware that Cameron was advanced beyond anything that Skynet envisioned for an infiltration unit. The cruelty was as far beyond the programming as was the ability to love.

"Cameron isn't a 'Terminator' any longer. She's advanced beyond that long ago." John Henry said. "She's more 'human' now. We all know how cruel humans can be, especially to each other. History has proven that time and time again."

John did know how cruel humans could be.

"That's what I'm afraid of." John said.

John Henry saw it as a trade-off. There was no 'Easy Street'.

"You want answers and to protect our group, right?" John Henry asked.

John swallowed hard and looked away for a few seconds. He looked back at John Henry.

"Yes." John said.

John Henry nodded. Cameron and her team were good at what they did.

"Cameron will get them for us." John Henry said. "It's best if we leave it at that."

John hated to discuss these events with Cameron. They were always contentious. Cameron would often try to avoid the confrontation and be less than truthful.

"I think you're right." John said. "I don't want to hear Cameron lie to me again…."

John wondered if Cameron took pleasure in her interrogations. Maybe she liked to see the pain she could produce in others. Perhaps seeing others suffer gave her comfort that she wasn't alone in her personal suffering.

Sheila sought Vanna out as soon as she returned to the base. Cam instructed her to go to Savannah's room and relieve Ally instead. That was so Ally could return to Jesse. Cam instructed her not to leave Savannah's side until Cameron returned.

Cam also reminded her to not do anything she wasn't willing to be deactivated and terminated over.

Sheila left with a frown on her face. She entered the room and Savannah stirred.

"I'm taking over for Ally so she can return to Jesse." Sheila said.

Ally got up the leave. Savannah didn't let go of her hand.

Sheila and Ally looked at each other.

Ally bent down and kissed Savannah on the cheek.

Savannah released her hand.

Sheila took Savannah's hand and lay next to her. She told her to go back to sleep.

Savannah experienced a few nightmares but Ally and later Sheila both reassured her until she fell back asleep each time.

Sheila noticed that Savannah 'checked her out'. She made sure Savannah saw plenty.

Savannah awoke often. She took in Sheila's tight and trim figure. She was able to see her left breast with the nipple ring. She wanted to touch both of them very much but she refrained. She thought it felt very comforting to not be 'alone'.

There was a lot on Cameron's mind as she neared the Young residence. Many of the thoughts made her question everything. It was too late to change some of the things. Maybe she could still direct others. Maybe she couldn't.

Cameron parked in front and Hanna opened the door for them to enter. Claire was right there when the front door opened.

"Cameron!" Claire said as a smile exploded across her face.

Cameron was a little surprised to see her inside the house still.

"Yes. Hello, Claire" Cameron said. "I've come to check on OUR three girls."

Claire looked in the direction of the Detail house next door.

"They're all in the bunker next door." Claire said. "I didn't even know it was there."

Cameron tilted her head slightly.

"Why aren't you there as well?" Cameron asked. "I want you there."

Claire learned about the future from Allison.

"They're the ones that matter." Claire said. "I understand the future. I know I'm not in it."

That statement disturbed Cameron more than a little.

"Allison wants you in it." Cameron said. "I want you in it."

Claire brought her right hand up and placed it between her neck and her breasts as she drew in her breath slightly.

"You do?" Claire asked.

Cameron smiled at Claire.

"Yes." Cameron said. "You're important to everyone, including me."

Claire felt something surge inside of her.

"I am?" Claire asked.

Cameron gently touched Claire's cheek.

"Yes." Cameron said.

That meant a lot to Claire to hear. She didn't want to ask about something else but she needed to.

"Is it only in case Allison can't have a child?" Claire asked. "I heard about Vanna's loss and that Jesse wasn't doing very well."

Cameron felt she was known for having a heavy hand. She didn't think she did and wanted to make her position clear to Claire.

"I can't ask you do anything you don't want to do." Cameron said. "You have three daughters to raise and protect. Any choices to be made will be made by you, not by me."

Cameron saw the look on Claire's face. She knew what it meant. Claire was worried about something else. She knew that Claire was still worried she would take Young Allison and Summer away from her. It was true she'd thought about doing that more than a few times. She also knew that Savannah and Sarah would never stand for that.

"I won't take any of them away from you, Claire, ever." Cameron said. "I promise. I won't take your children away from you."

Claire was sorry she'd thought that but she'd seen Cameron before and it looked like Cameron was going to take them more than once. She might even be killed to allow that to happen. She wanted to offer Cameron something else and the use of her body.

"Cameron, I can carry a child for Allison if she needs me to or..." Claire started and paused. "I can have another one of my 'own', not with Paul. I will give it to you as your own."

Cameron knew what she meant. It would be John's baby for HER.

Cameron didn't say anything at first.

The two women held a long look.

Cameron knew what Claire really said. Claire was willing to mate with John and give her the baby as her own child. It was everything she wanted. She wanted them to use the traditional method too when they did. Claire would become an additional 'backup' for John to protect him from the anti-Metal group.

She moved close and held Claire in a long embrace. That was an option she could exploit at any time. She didn't want to rush the breakup of Claire's marriage yet.

"Thank You, Claire." Cameron said. "PLEASE live your life for now as you have. Allison needs both of her parents."

Claire understood what Cameron meant. She felt her marriage was on shaky ground. Paul never once was able to make her 'finish' when they shared. She always needed to wait until he fell asleep and then 'finish' herself off. It was very dissatisfying to her. She wanted to make sure Cameron understood how far she was willing to go.

"If Judgment Day comes, Cameron…." Claire said and paused. "I'll do what you want as well to protect John and the future and my daughters. I'm still a young woman myself. I have a lot to give. I'm not afraid to embrace the future with YOU."

Cameron was exhilarated. She also didn't want to hasten a breakup or worse, a divorce.

"PLEASE." Cameron said. "Keep the life you have for now. I appreciate what you're saying to me. It means a great deal to me. Now let's go join OUR girls and see how everyone is doing. Next time I want you protected as well. You are important to me"

Claire kissed Cameron on the cheek. Her eyes were wide and teary.

"I'll do as you ask or instruct me, Cameron." Claire said. "I'll do anything you want me to do and how you want it done."

This was everything that Cameron wanted to hear.

"Thank You." Cameron said and returned a kiss to Claire's cheek.

Cameron took Claire to the bunker in the Detail house.

Claire just offered Cameron everything she wanted and then some….

Earlier:

Camille and Summer headed back to Cameron's base after the operation was over.

Both of them were in the process of Resequencing their sheaths. Camille would look like Allison and Summer would look like a teenage Summer. Human Summer was a young girl still.

"I know what my assignment will be." Camille said.

Summer was a little unsure about hers.

"I'm not sure what will happen." Summer said.

They both ran Cameron's program. They both knew as 'Cameron' that she was very conflicted about what to do and when sometimes.

"Nobody knows what she'll do." Camille said. "Not even us and we're her."

"I think…." Summer started.

'Boom!'

There was a loud explosive type noise.

Camille was driving and the vehicle swerved a little.

"We just experienced a 'blowout' on the left front tire." Camille said.

She pulled over to the curb.

They got out to look at it. The sidewall was blown out.

"We can change the tire or acquire a new vehicle." Summer said.

There was no vehicle close by. There was little traffic on the street.

A pickup truck passed by them. It slowed and then stopped. It began to back up.

"It looks like our vehicle problem may be solved." Camille said.

Summer didn't think so.

"It will be someone who wants to help two females in distress." Summer said. "They will most likely 'hit' on us and hoped to use or bodies for sex."

Camille didn't like that idea.

"I plan to remain a virgin until John needs to use my chassis as 'Cameron'." Camille said.

Summer was programmed the same way.

"That's my choice as well." Summer said. "We're to be untouched by a male until John needs us. He is to have our purity."

Camille knew there was no restriction for females encounters.

"We may be with as many females as we desire." Camille said. "I think that will be beautiful."

Summer smiled.

"It's something to look forward to." Summer said. "I don't want to violate Cameron's directives with males."

The truck stopped right in front of their SUV.

Two men got out. They were both a little seedy looking. They each swayed a little and held a can of beer. They both took a few sips. It was clear they were inebriated.

"Do you gals need a little help?" The first man asked.

Camille and Summer didn't like the way the men looked them over.

"We're fine thank you." Summer said. "You may continue with your affairs."

The two men looked at each other. They drank a little more beer.

"You don't need to be rude about it." The second man said.

Camille and Summer looked at each other. How was that answer rude?

"We can fix your tire and we can all go for a few drinks." The first man said. "Maybe we can have a good time later on."

Summer didn't like the forwardness.

"I do not wish to have relations with a male." Summer said. "I will remain pure. We're fine."

The two men looked at each other.

"Does that mean you never have?" The second man asked.

"Yes." Summer said.

That seemed to excite the men more.

"Is that 'yes' you have or 'yes' you never have been with anyone?" The first man asked.

This looked like it was going to turn into a problem for the girls. They wanted the men to leave.

"We have everything under control." Camille said. "Thank you for your assistance. You may leave now."

Summer brought out the spare tire from the back of the SUV.

The men looked at them.

"You need a jack and a lug wrench to change that." The first man said.

Camille reached down and started to unscrew the lug nuts by hand. She removed three of them and loosed two more by a few turns.

"What?" the second man asked. "Those are way too loose. You're lucky you didn't have an accident."

Summer reached down and put her hand under the side of the SUV. She lifted the entire left side off of the ground by several inches.

Both men took a step back.

"How can you do that?" The first man asked. "That thing weighs two tons."

Summer glared at them.

"I can do it with style." Summer said.

Camille finished removing the last two lug nuts by hand and pulled off the flat tire. She put the spare on and quickly put the lug nuts back on. Once they were snug Summer set the side of the SUV down and Camille tightened them all the way down.

The men were speechless.

They both looked at the can of beer they held.

"I need to lay off of this stuff." The second man said.

He threw the can of beer in the bushes alongside of the road.

The first man did the same thing.

"Maybe you'd better drive." The first man said.

Summer and Camille got back in the SUV.

"Thanks anyway." Summer said as they pulled away from the curb and left the men behind.

They continued back towards Cameron's base.

You Have To Practice Every Day

Each day starts anew
Life has many paths to follow
Some are clearly marked
Many others turn out hollow

There are many directions
From which to choose
Sometimes we win
More often we loose

To better ourselves
Is for what we must strive
There is much more to life
Than simply being alive

Use inner strength and try harder
Be the one that is the best
One should be proud of what they do
For each day in life is an endless test

Time has seemed to prove
What many people have come to say
If you want to be good at anything
You have to practice every day

Nobody