Chapter 359

Hear What

Derek's team carefully approached the truck that was hit with the missile strike. They didn't know what they would find. There was no indication there was an ambush. The Grays tried to do something here before the missile strike. If there was an HK drone or several of them inside, they were probably not all destroyed. He knew it was hard to take them down.

"We are coming up on the truck." Derek said. "It's still burning."

One of their drones was nearby. It was ready to assist them.

John Henry monitored the ground from the drone. He didn't detect anything out of the ordinary.

"Use extreme caution." John Henry said.

Derek decided to send one of the Terminators forward.

"Al, check it out but use caution." Derek said.

Al nodded and silently moved forward.

Derek went to move up as well.

Jim needed to watch out for him.

"Take it easy for a minute." Jim said.

John Henry watched one of them move closer.

"Remember we don't know for sure what is inside." John Henry cautioned them.

Derek moved up a little more anyway.

"Al is investigating it now." Derek said.

Al reached the truck and paused. He quickly looked back.

"Derek, you'd better take a look at this." Al said.

Derek was afraid it wasn't going to be anything good. While Al didn't indicate an immediate threat, anything Skynet related was a threat in itself. He moved up with Jim.

"Stay behind me." Jim said.

Derek didn't like to 'play second fiddle' but he followed Jim's instructions.

John, Bob and the new female clone of Cameron watched the building that Cameron and two more of her clones entered. There was movement behind them and the female clone went to investigate.

John watched as Cameron's clone started to head for the new problem that was detected. He wasn't sure of her name other than he'd heard the 'three months of summer' mention. Maybe that was it – Summer. The name just popped into his head.

"Summer, be careful." John said.

Cameron's clone looked back and smiled. She then vanished in the brush.

Bob looked for any closer threats to John. He was puzzled by what John called the clone. He didn't hear anyone mention that name earlier.

"Why did you call her that name?" Bob asked. "You called her 'Summer'."

John just thought it seemed logical since it covered all the names he'd heard so far.

"The names that were used were like the ninety-three days of a season." John said. "June, Julia and Augusta are like the three months of 'summer'."

Bob didn't want to say anything but he knew what her Resequencing would turn out to be. Cameron must have cloned the young girl Summer, Allison's sister. Cameron probably used her DNA set as a teenager for the Resequencing. He knew that was going to be a problem later on for someone. He wondered if Cameron knew the can of worms she'd opened by doing this. He was aware that Summer was going to be more beautiful than her sister Allison. That meant she was going to be more beautiful than Cameron.

John received word more of their Terminators arrived.

Dan was now nearby John and Bob. He protected one of their flanks.

"Do you want me to go with her?" Dan asked.

John didn't think it was necessary. He was worried the real threat was where Cameron was at.

"No. Since she's 'Cameron', she can handle it." John said.

John Henry tried to determine what actually was going on inside the building. He couldn't tell. There was no indication where Cameron was at.

"I'm detecting some additional activity inside the building." John Henry said.

There was gunfire from inside the building one second later.

"We can hear it as well." John said. "It just went hot."

The sounds of battle filled the air.

Cameron entered the building a few minutes ago. There was only one guard. His dead body was still lying at his post. He'd been watching the activity in the far corner and not doing his job. She'd simply walked up behind him and snapped his neck. She briefly looked around her for any additional threats or guards. There was an office area she wanted to check out but that would need to wait.

She watched as a group of men worked to get something into operation. It was a much larger tracked HK. It was bigger than an HK Track. It was an HK Tread. She remembered a saying from the future, 'Dread the Tread'. It was capable of being manned or able to operate on autonomous control.

Cameron moved closer as she searched for any Terminators. She hadn't spotted any yet. She knew there would some in here somewhere. She'd lost communication with the group as she entered the building. There was some type of jamming field going on. It may have been from the giant HK Tread itself. They were designed to dominate the battlefield. She knew one of those machines was capable of great destruction. If there was a group of them on the battlefield, they would soon 'own' it.

She heard some movement behind her. She quickly turned around and looked. It was Ron and Ronny. She wasn't surprised to see them.

"I can't communicate with the outside." Cameron said.

Ron and Ronny faced the same issue.

"We've lost communication as well once we entered the building." Ron said. "That's why we're here. It seems to be localized. It might be the HK Tread."

Cameron nodded. She watched the technicians work. It appeared they neared completion of their task. The HK Tread was 'buttoned up' and all the panels were put back into place. It gave her a look at what was inside some of them before they were covered.

"We need to strike now before they get that HK Tread working." Cameron said. "It will be harder to stop once it is active and moving."

There seemed to be some manual control for the set up and testing. They could hear verbal commands given and then the HK Tread did them.

"Is there a Terminator or a Gray inside of it?" Ron asked.

Cameron didn't have that information. It could make a big difference in an attack. She thought someone was inside of it.

"There very well could be. It's big enough for an operator." Cameron said. "Ron you come with me. Ronny watch our backs. If we can't stop them, get outside and have the drones flatten this place."

Ronny looked at Cameron for a few seconds then nodded.

"Let's go." Cameron said to Ron.

The quietly discussed a plan of action as they crept forward.

Vanna sought out Jesse. Cam followed her. She spotted Jesse. Gail was nearby as well.

Jesse looked up and saw Vanna headed towards her.

"Hey, Vanna." Jesse said.

Vanna walked up to Jesse with fire in her eyes.

Jesse felt threatened. Vanna never looked this angry before. She wasn't sure where this was headed.

Vanna wasn't sure where to start. She just blurted out a statement.

"I want to hear it from you." Vanna angrily demanded. "Don't lie to me either."

Gail was nearby and heard the threat. She walked up behind Jesse.

"Hear what?" Gail asked.

Gail could see the atmosphere was 'poisoned'.

Jesse looked at Vanna but said nothing.

Vanna could see Jesse was hesitant to talk. She wanted both of the Metal girls away from the area. Maybe there was something personal that needed to be discussed.

"You two, wait outside." Vanna said to Cam and Gail. "NO audio either."

Gail looked at Jesse and Jesse nodded.

Cam followed Gail out. She looked back once and closed the door behind her.

"What's this about?" Jesse asked.

Vanna didn't back down.

"Well?" Vanna asked. "Spill it - NOW."

Jesse was afraid Vanna was going to strike her. At this point she knew what Vanna was after. There could only be one thing to set her off like this. It was something that Vanna warned her about before. This must be about Savannah and her sexual overtures. She thought she'd acted appropriately.

"Nothing happened." Jesse said. "Savannah hit on me real hard. I needed to run from the room, literally. I ran AWAY from her."

Vanna looked at Jesse for the longest time and then moved forward and gave her a long hug.

"Thank YOU, Jesse." Vanna said. "I know you wanted 'to be' with Savannah."

Jesse was reminded of her past. It wasn't something to be proud of. She would never have treated Savannah like she'd done to more than a few girls in the future. She'd busted half a dozen cherries on the girls that hadn't already been assaulted. She told them it was for their own good. They all cried when she'd touched them.

"I'm not her anymore, Vanna - The old Jesse." Jesse said. "You know that."

Vanna did know that but it was easy for people to revert. It only took one weak moment and the right conditions. Things could happen fast.

"Thank you." Vanna said.

Jesse wanted the best for Savannah and her younger self. She was pretty sure of what happened but she hadn't asked. She thought it was a personal choice. If one of the girls wanted to talk about it, that was up to them.

"I wanted Young Jesse and her to learn together." Jesse said. "They did. It sure seemed like it…. I didn't ask."

Vanna wanted Jesse to know there was another new development.

"Savannah has a Metal lover, a 'Cameron clone', now as well. She's called Cammy." Vanna said.

Jesse felt a little jealous but Camille was with her before Gail's program was added. Cameron kept her promise as only Cameron could, indirectly. She was with Cameron, 'a Cameron'. It was her dream come true.

"That's great news." Jesse said. "She will be better protected as will Young Jesse with Camille."

Jesse and Vanna looked at each other but neither spoke. They both thought the same thing. A Metal lover was something they wished they would've been protected by.

"We both need to thank Cameron." They said at the same time and then started laughing.

Both of the girls were happy their younger selves would be protected if Judgment Day came. They knew neither girl would ever fall into the hands of Scavengers. That alone was worth anything. The things they were forced to endure were terrible. Vanna was unable to be with a male. She tried to get closer to John. She wanted to break that stigma and regain her personal freedom.

Vanna looked around. She was a little excited about all the talk and in Jesse's presence. She felt bad about her earlier anger and aggression.

Jesse felt the same way. They should share instead of fight.

"As long as we're here alone…." Jesse said.

Vanna reached over and pulled off Jesse's top. It always excited her to see Jesse topless.

Jesse noticed Vanna stare at her nipple rings. She lifted Vanna's hand up to them. They both became stimulated as Vanna fondled her.

"I gave Camille my extra set of rings." Jesse said. "They're for when Young Jesse is ready. She'll look so Hot."

That new information along with touching Jesse already took Vanna about half the way there and things hadn't even gotten started yet.

"Stop!" Vanna said. "I am already excited enough…."

That revelation further excited Jesse. The girls wanted each other bad right now. They knew the first finish would be very quick.

Cam and Gail looked at each other. They listened to the conversation anyway but only for signs of an altercation. They didn't want the girls to damage each other. It was clear there wasn't going to be a fight at this point. It was time for the girls to 'kiss and make up'.

Cam didn't want to stand outside the room for a few hours and listen to Vanna and Jesse please each other.

"We can go work in the lab for a couple of hours." Cam said. "Cameron wanted me to take care of a few things for her."

Gail listened to things get underway inside the room. She was ready for some action.

"We could join them." Gail said.

Cam wanted that too but she wanted to girls to reaffirm their closeness and share with each other.

"Maybe the next time we can." Cam said. "Let them work things out alone. This didn't need to happen like it did."

Cam wanted them to work the tension out. She didn't want any trouble in Paradise.

Cameron could see it was time to act. The HK Tread was ready to be tested. She set up preselected targets with Ron. They moved forward and each shot their designated targets. The group of technicians was down and dead.

"Where's the Terminator?" Ron asked as he looked around.

They looked over the dead clustered around the HK Tread. They were all human. They were sure there should be a Terminator amongst them.

Cameron would have liked to have had some additional time to look around and see what else was inside the building. She still wanted to check out the office area.

Suddenly the HK Tread started to move.

"Get back." Cameron shouted.

Cameron jumped up on it.

Ronny watched Cameron and Ron from where they'd entered from. When he saw the HK Tread come to life, he made it outside and told John Henry and everyone else to get ready for a drone strike.

John already heard the shooting. Where was Cameron? How could he call for a strike yet?

"What about Cameron?" John asked. "She needs to come out first."

Ronny carried out the orders that Cameron gave him. He witnessed things get worse.

"She said to hit the building if things went bad. They just went bad." Ronny said. "There is a giant HK Tread in there and it's active."

Ron watched Cameron jump on the back of The HK Tread. He ducked as the HK Tread swung around and nearly hit him.

Cameron moved to the side of the HK Tread and ripped off a panel. She started to rip wires and hydraulic lines out.

The HK Tread spun wildly around. It ran over the bodies of the technicians. It pivoted wildly as their bodies were crushed under the treads

Ron needed to keep moving to stay behind it so he wasn't targeted. There was a shower of sparks from the side of the HK Tread and it headed for the closed door.

Cameron ripped another panel off and pulled some more wires loose. She saw the HK Tread was about to leave the building. It was headed for the wall instead of the door. She slid off its side as it crashed through the wall. It missed the door completely. Debris flew in all directions. She must have at least damaged it since the control seemed erratic. It would be easier to take down now.

The HK Tread spun around again once it was outside. The minigun fired wildly, the rounds just missed Cameron. If she hadn't been moving so fast they would have gotten her. If a human would have been with her. They would have been killed at that point. She was glad that John hadn't come down with her.

In and instant there was a new threat. A port opened and a missile popped out.

Cameron was already on the move back toward the HK Tread. She only got off because it crashed through the wall. If she got in close again, its weapons were useless. She mangled its targeting systems with the damage she'd already inflicted on it. That's why the minigun missed her. Otherwise she would have been shredded. She saw Ron look out through the hole in the wall.

"Ron, get away." Cameron shouted as she jumped back onto the HK Tread.

This looked like it was about to be one wild ride.

John's team heard the gunshots inside the building and then watched the HK Tread smash through the wall. It seemed erratic and out of control. It spun around then fired a burst from its minigun.

'Cameron!' John thought.

Just a second later Cameron appeared in the hole in the wall. She emerged and ran towards it. She jumped up on its back….

Ron and Ronny moved away as instructed. They weren't about to leave but tried for a better firing position. They both fired their weapons at one of the cog wheels inside on the left tread. The wheel cracked under the sustained fire and then half it if broke off. The tread on that side bunched and then buckled. The tread broke and spewed out on the ground like a giant metallic snake. The big HK Tread could only spin around in a circle now. It was stuck and not going anywhere. Its weapons were still active.

Bob saw the missile emerge. It was about to fire. The minigun roared back to life as well.

"There is a missile out." Bob said. "Fallback NOW."

No sooner than he said that, than a burst from the minigun hit a few feet away from them. John ducked down.

Cameron was on the HK Tread again. She needed to disable its weapons now. She balled her fists and slammed them down on the barrels of the minigun and bent them. The gun tried to fire again but jammed.

Dan left his flanking position to come and shield John.

Bob moved John and Dan behind the ridge and then rapidly off to one side. Dan headed in the opposite direction once they were better shielded.

John called for Cameron to get away from the HK Tread.

Ron and Ronny moved back to assist Cameron. They rapidly approached the HK Tread now that the minigun was disabled….

They needed to stop this thing Terminator style.

Hear What

Everyone can hear
Not everyone listens
Those that actual do
Are like a jewel that glistens

From one to another
There is just so much noise
To make sense of it all
One may need some poise

There is what one says
There is what one does
Actions speak louder than words
Actions make the words just buzz

Promises are just words
Most never happen as said
When promises become lies
They are words one will dread

When communication fails
It's like punch in the gut
One asks do you hear me
The other asks, hear what

Nobody