Chapter 343

Need A Friend

John and Bob were on a recon operation and discovered an HK Track that looked like it was just put together. It appeared it was being tested and run through some trials. They both knew it was bad news.

John wanted to act on his own now. He didn't like being held back.

"We need to destroy that thing now and this shop where it's being fabricated. There must be some Metal there as well." John said. "I think this is only a small part of it."

Bob didn't want to act too soon. He was pleased that they were given some additional Terminator support by Cameron, even if John didn't like it.

"Now you know why Cameron insisted on the extra Metal." Bob said. "I must notify her."

John thought about that. He didn't like Cameron babying him but he did understand she was worried about him. She always reminded him of the future that Vanna, Jesse and Allison all came from. She said he needed to think about the future and the females. Cameron reminded him that future was more violent than the one Future John was in. He also knew it his fault it even existed. It stemmed from when he time jumped and created that timeline.

He wanted some additional support before Cameron became involved. He figured some air power would be nice.

"Let's call John Henry first and get at least one drone here, maybe two." John said. "Make it two, with two on standby."

Bob would make the arrangements. He still thought Cameron needed to be notified of this development immediately. It was something new and significant. He didn't think John acted rational in this regard. He shouldn't see Cameron's concern for him as a bad thing.

"Affirmative." Bob said. "We need to call Cameron."

Bob said it so John Henry could hear it. Bob knew John wasn't going to call her or let him either. That was a mistake. This was serious.

John Henry received the 'message'. Cameron left very strict instructions she was not to be disturbed.

John Henry called Hanna instead….

Nobody - wanted to be deactivated….

Cameron and Savannah left the Young residence.

Savannah was able to spend some time with Allison before they left. Vanna and Cam would stay for a few days. Cam could pose as 'Cameron'. Cam was really a clone of Cameron right now anyway, she just wasn't updated. The 'Ally programming' in her was currently inactive.

Hanna would stay at the Detail house until Vanna and Cam returned. She was there for extra protection.

It seemed Holly took the news as hard as Allison. Cameron knew that would cause a problem. Every time Holly thought about it, it would be as if it just happened - again. She knew this would leave a permanent scar in Holly's mind. She felt she already seemed to have plenty of them herself. There was no shortage with more being added all the time. Everything took its toll and made an impact of some type.

Cameron gave Cam strict instructions to watch over Holly and help her. If Cam noticed Holly start to glitch she would go and 'comfort her'.

Cam asked for Vanna's permission and blessing. She was given it as well as for Allison.

Vanna would sacrifice anything for Allison. She once again proved that sacrifice was the true test of love.

If it took 'a Cameron' to help Allison and share her love, then that was what would happen.

Cam planned to try to help Holly and Allison anyway.

Savannah knew it was time for her to act. All of the other girls failed. It was time to make Cameron listen to HER. She didn't want to make a big deal about it or seem confrontational. She would speak from her heart and try to use logic and facts.

"Cameron, I know you don't think I'm ready but I am." Savannah said. "I'll give the baby to you as your own. I'll have it for you like I promised. I need to step up for the girls. I know all of them have 'failed'. The more you keep trying with them, the more you're hurting them. You're making them feel 'not good enough'."

Savannah felt the SUV swerve slightly. Cameron moved her left hand off the steering wheel. She lowered it to her side.

Cameron knew Riley also couldn't conceive. That was probably because of Derek's 'problems' as well.

It appeared that all of her plans for the girls failed so far. That seemed to be Skynet's fault, not hers. She wanted what Savannah offered. She also didn't want to steal Savannah's future from her. She wanted Savannah to understand and look beyond 'now'.

"Savannah, I want that more than ANYTHING." Cameron said. "Please wait, don't go behind my back. I know you're thinking about it. I won't take your future from you for what I want. It's not fair to you."

Savannah swallowed hard. She really wondered how Cameron knew everything. She felt since it was her body that she should still have the final say. She could 'visit' John and he could do what was needed to be done in two minutes. Allison told her how she tried to get pregnant before in the future. She was on her knees and the male just did his business and left. There was no love or even really sex for pleasure. It was just breeding sex. She said, none of them lasted longer than two minutes and one was only about twenty seconds from start to finish. No one Allison asked ever turned her down. Maybe she'd better bring that up later.

"I want all the girls to try again. Claire has offered to be a surrogate for Allison or even a mother for me." Cameron said. "I want you to have a loving relationship first, as it should be."

Savannah looked over at Cameron. She tried to catch her eyes.

Cameron noticed and looked into her eyes as she drove.

Savannah knew it was time to spell it out for Cameron. It was brewing for a long time, now was the time to spill it. She was very aware what everyone else her age was doing and she wanted that for herself too. She was very lonely at times. She'd learned to pleasure herself a few years ago. That only seemed to make her want 'more'. She knew she did that way too much now. It was never enough either. She was aware of what Cameron wanted for her. That was still a few years away. She didn't want to wait that long.

"I can't wait for Young Allison, Cameron." Savannah said. "I need more now. If I was in school, I'd be in High School now. John was about my age when he was 'involved' with Riley. He was only a few years older when YOU got married to him. I have feelings and desires too. I'm lonely. I feel so alone at times. I want to love and be loved. I need more than images and my fingers."

Savannah really wanted someone to touch her and for her to touch them back. She really didn't care who it was at this point. She just needed someone.

Cameron looked away and back at the road. She knew what Savannah really said and wanted. She knew this day would come. When it got to the point that Savannah said something, she really did need someone.

"You know what I want." Savannah said. "Cameron, I'll give you what you want no matter what and unconditionally. I promise that. I have a heart and feelings too. I also have wants and needs. I'm a teenager now. I need more than 'myself'. Everyone has someone to love and love them back except me. I am all alone."

Savannah would try sex with John but she was more attracted to females. It was what she saw around her all the time too. She knew she wanted to be with a female ever since she'd seen Isabel-Cameron nude and with nipple rings. That was a few years ago.

Cameron knew what feeling alone did to someone. It tore them up inside and made them start to question everything about themselves. They soon found everything that was 'wrong' with them an allowed that to eat them up from the inside. The faults devoured them and left them 'hollow'.

She quickly took the next off ramp from the freeway. As soon as she was parked off of the road, she fell apart. She turned off the SUV and burst into tears. She cried uncontrollably. She felt she'd lost control and nothing worked out. It seemed that all she did was hurt more and more people. All she wanted to do was help.

Savannah tried to console her, nothing worked….

Cameron was headed for a melt down.

Savannah didn't think this was her fault but it sure felt like it. She needed to be honest and open with Cameron. They would spend the future together at some point. The four of them would anyway. They would need to deal with and work through the tough times like this.

Hanna received a call from John Henry. The timing was off for what he wanted.

"They left a few minutes ago. Cameron wasn't doing well. It was her and Savannah." Hanna said. "Savannah is the one that's best to be around Cameron when she's upset."

That wasn't what John Henry wanted to hear. Now it was going to need to be a more direct approach.

"I'll call Savannah then." John Henry said. "Cameron is going to be angry at all of us."

Hanna could see things taking a much worse direction. They needed to act preemptively.

"She is going to be angrier if anything happens to John." Hanna said. "Get more Metal on it. Have the Blackhawk ready to fly with a group of Terminators on it."

John Henry did that right after his conversation with Bob.

"I've already done that." John Henry said. "There are two drones on the way and two more on standby."

Hanna tried to think of a few more options.

"I'll talk to Cam and call Cameron's Terminators as well." Hanna said. "They're all 'Cameron' anyway."

John Henry hoped he could gain a little more insight as to what Cameron was up to at her base.

"How many are there?" John Henry asked.

Hanna was out of the loop since her assignment to Allison. Even with that, she needed to be careful about what she revealed.

"I really don't know." Hanna said "Her TDE is ready as are her massive computer systems, there are several, they are ready to go online. I know she tested a smaller version a few weeks ago for some off the books operations. That was before my current assignment."

John Henry was worried about how far Cameron was going to take things.

"Is she going to become Skynet?" John Henry asked.

Hanna was afraid of that answer herself. Nobody knew for sure.

"Worse, if she malfunctions." Hanna said. "I'll follow her no matter what."

That was news John Henry could have done without.

"Let me call Savannah." John Henry said and hung up.

John Henry was deeply troubled now. He too would follow Cameron, they all would…. She was their natural leader. She was the main force behind the Resistance in the past. She ran it in the future too. There was no other choice. It was either follow Cameron or face defeat and destruction.

Hanna went back over to the Young residence. Claire opened the door.

Claire soundlessly stepped aside. She'd been talking to Vanna.

Hanna stepped into the room.

Claire looked back and forth between them. She couldn't tell them apart.

"You two are identical." Claire said.

Hanna felt that was the whole point. Sheila, Ally and her were to 'replace' or 'stand in' for Jesse, Allison or Vanna if there was a threat.

Vanna knew there was one difference.

"I have a scar, Hanna does not." Vanna said.

Hanna tried to be identical before in every way.

"I've tried to give myself the scar repeatedly. Every time it heals and leaves no trace." Hanna said. "I want to be the same as Vanna."

Claire thought that must cause pain to some extent.

"Ouch." Claire said. "Did it hurt?"

"Yes." Hanna said. "I left my pain receptors on each time I did it. It was intense. I asked Ally to hold me down and Sheila to make it worse each time after that. She was very robust."

Claire needed to think about that. Why would Hanna do it that way?

"Why did Sheila do that?" Claire asked.

Hanna felt it was the 'darkness' that Jesse warned Sheila about.

"Sheila is stimulated when she inflicts pain." Hanna said. "She did a very thorough job. I cried. That seemed to make her do more damage."

Claire didn't understand the agony that was endured.

"You can turn your pain off." Claire said. "Cameron told me about this before."

Hanna left the pain receptors on for the same reason that Cameron did.

"I wanted to feel alive." Hanna said. "If I can feel pain, I know I'm alive."

Claire looked at Vanna. That sounded terrible to her. Those were the same words that Cameron used too.

Hanna tried to call Cameron. There was no answer. That looked like an additional problem.

"I need to talk with Cam." Hanna said. "Cameron isn't answering her phone."

Hanna explained what was happening.

Vanna tried to call Savannah and then Cameron. Neither one answered. That was highly unusual in itself too.

Claire watched it all. She could see the girls all became very worried.

"That can't be good." Claire said.

Vanna knew Savannah would always answer her call. She thought Cameron would too. That indicated there was a serious problem of some type.

"No, it's not." Vanna said. "Something is wrong."

Hanna figured this was going to need a Terminator response. Cam and her were 'extra' right now. She sent an alert to the Young Detail. They would step up their patrols around the area.

"We need to get Cam." Hanna said. "I've warned the Detail to step things up."

Vanna didn't think so. Allison needed comfort right now. Cam as 'Cameron' provided that to her. She was available.

"NO! Allison NEEDS her now." Vanna said. "So does Holly. I'll go with you instead."

Vanna didn't want that. Cameron would be all over her if she endangered Vanna. She called John Henry back and told him they couldn't reach Savannah or Cameron either.

John Henry tracked their phones location. The results of that were even more alarming.

"Their vehicle is off the road. It isn't moving." John Henry said. "Their coms are off as well."

Worry and panic began to develop in everyone. It sounded as if they'd been attacked.

John Henry was about to sound the alarm.

Vanna's phone rang, it was Savannah.

"Wait." Vanna said. "It's Savannah. Let me see what happened."

Savannah went over what happened. There was no problem. She told them they needed to change a tire.

Cameron didn't want them to know she hurt so much or why specifically. She asked Savannah to cover for her.

Savannah would have done that anyway. She was ready with the 'cover story' right away. She would always protect Cameron, no matter what it took.

Vanna relayed the message to all of them and everyone was able to relax.

Claire looked at her hands, they were trembling. She felt she needed Cam as well.

"I feel weak and terrified now too." Claire said. "How often does something like this happen?"

Vanna gave her a long hug.

"Things like this happen all the time to us." Vanna said. "They're usually real events involving combat. This was just something simple."

It didn't look simple by everyone's response.

"How do you deal with it?" Claire asked.

Vanna liked to share when she was stressed once the issue was resolved.

"We all have a friend." Vanna said. "It's a great stress reliever to get a few finishes in."

Claire looked at Vanna. She would love to share with her. She was secretly in love with her. It was her daughter's lover so she tried to keep some distance. If she ever got the chance to secretly be with Vanna, she was going to take it anyway.

"I NEED a friend right now." Claire said.

Hanna noticed the way Claire looked at Vanna before. She thought maybe she could 'assist' in some way. She thought Claire was beautiful. She knew that Vanna felt the same way from her 'Neural Interface' files.

"There are a few 'friends' here now." Hanna said as she winked at Claire.

Claire sucked in her breath a little. She understood what Hanna just indicated. This was something she really wanted to try. She'd wanted to be with Holly and see what a Metal girl was like but Holly was always with Allison. She really wanted to be with Cameron.

"Can you watch the girls?" Claire asked Vanna.

Vanna could see where this was headed.

"Yes." Vanna said.

Claire looked at Hanna. Hanna looked at Vanna. Vanna nodded.

Hanna and Claire left together. They headed straight for the Detail house….

Vanna would've liked to have gone as well but Allison would never forgive her if she 'did'. Not with her mother anyway. She found Claire very appealing. She knew Claire felt the same way. If she could ever secretly pull it off, she was going to do it with Claire.

Need A Friend

One tries reach out
A message they can send
That can happen in the beginning
Or it can happen at the end

Things can bind up fast
Not everything can one mend
One reaches out a hand
But there's no help to lend

Poor choices and bad actions
Are impossible to defend
To believe it doesn't matter
One must make believe and pretend

In almost every case
It is easy to offend
It is much harder
To make an amend

Soon upon another
One needs to depend
With joy and glee
They watch the other bend

There's only so much inside
That one can expend
Before they decide they
Need a friend

Nobody