Chapter 390

Experience

The battle was over and the building was destroyed. There was only smoldering rubble that remained. The Resistance teams pulled out. Only Cameron's team remained.

Cameron waited and watched the location. She was sure there was more to it than met the eye. If anyone survived the attack it would be the Terminator. They would wait until they thought it was all clear. She wanted them to hear the drone leave. When the other two that were rearmed returned, they would be at altitude. It would only increase the missile travel time by a few seconds.

"I think the Terminator is still around here, probably underground. I think the 'Metal Bitch' is there too." Cameron said.

Ally felt they waited a long time already. Nothing happened.

"Based on what?" Ally asked. "We should just leave."

Cameron was involved in many operations like this before.

"No. My observation is based on experience." Cameron said.

She was aware that there was only so much that training and schooling could teach a person. Being out in the world and actually doing things provided real life experience. Time proved over and over again that there was no substitute for experience.

Summer saw things the way Cameron did. She was a program clone of Cameron.

"I agree." Summer said.

Ally was still miffed at Summer for being deceived by her earlier. She let her seething anger be known.

"You don't count." Ally said. "You ARE her."

Cameron didn't want squabbling. She was sure that action was imminent.

"Enough." Cameron said.

Ally didn't say everything she wanted to say. It would not have been nice. There were two of 'Cameron' that she needed to deal with right now.

"I'm out voted two to one." Ally said.

Summer didn't want to hear Ally complain either.

"We didn't vote." Summer said. "Your vote wouldn't matter anyway."

Ally responded sarcastically to Summer.

"What a show of confidence and fellowship." Ally said.

Cameron was sure action was about to happen.

"Quiet." Cameron said.

Ally didn't see it as a big deal. Terminator hearing was very good.

"We can hear everything anyway." Ally said.

Summer looked at Cameron. She wanted to 'rib' Ally a little.

"The 'Allison' in her is a real Bitch." Summer said.

Ally felt Summer didn't see the big picture in that regard. She may have the Neural Interface with Allison but Cameron, and Summer by extension, shared the Neural Interface with a different version of Allison – Future Allison. They were still the same person from two different timelines.

"Don't forget that you have 'YOUR Allison' in you." Ally said. "She's a real Bitch too unless that's YOU that is."

Cameron took out the 'shocker' and brandished it to both Summer and Ally. She was in no mood to fool around.

"Do I make myself clear?" Cameron asked as she held up the 'shocker'.

Ally didn't like the threat but she knew it was real.

"Crystal." Ally said.

Cameron needed to play the 'waiting game'. Sooner or later the enemy would make their move. Where they were now was destroyed. The enemy would need to move on.

"Now, let's wait." Cameron said. "The two rearmed drones are at high altitude right now. We can't hear them. The other one left, we know that and so do they, the enemy Metal. Now we wait. I want that 'Metal Bitch'."

Ally made a point to look at Summer and Cameron. She wasn't pleased with either of them.

"That's just what we need, another 'Metal Bitch'." Ally muttered. "We seem to have too many already."

Cameron and Summer both glared back at Ally.

It was clear how they all felt about each other right now. They were all on edge and seemed to take it out on each other.

Savannah went over the trip details with the girls. She wanted to make sure they were all on the same page. Her agenda was a little different than theirs. She left out some of the personal details. That wasn't an oversight.

"It's just for a few days." Savannah said.

Jesse liked to travel light. She could always borrow things from Young Jesse or her mother.

"We don't need to pack much." Jesse said.

Not to need much wasn't a problem for Vanna either.

"When you grow up without anything, you don't need much." Vanna said.

Vanna and Jesse knew from the future that any possession one acquired could be lost in an instant. Either someone would steal them or the location they were in needed to be abandoned without going back. When one ran, they needed to be light to move. The only possession that mattered was their life. A weapon was good too to insure one kept their life. One wasn't always at hand when they needed to run. The downside to that was to run into a group of men or Scavengers when they needed to run. It was soon after that when they would be stripped and held down as the men took turns, over and over. After about the fifth or six time that happened, one knew what to expect. It was best to just let it happen because it was going to happen anyway. The beatings were usually not as severe that way. They still happened though.

Savannah spoke with Jesse and Vanna alone. It was just the girls talking. Savannah went over the 'sins of the future' that Cameron spoke of. She wanted to know what the two of them really wanted. She wanted to know if it was what their Metal partners wanted for them as well. She needed to know if they were really ready.

She wanted Young Jesse clear on the reality of the future. She also wanted to point out another option for Jesse.

"I need you both to talk to Young Jesse, honesty. I'll speak with her as well." Savannah said. "Jesse, your mother could do for you, what Allison's mother is doing for her."

Jesse was a little alarmed at the seriousness of what Savannah proposed. It took her awhile to say what she intended. It was sort of a shock to her anyway, even when she saw it was coming.

"I'll talk with my younger self first. It's a lot to ask a teenager to have a child and 'give' it away." Jesse said. "IF she doesn't want to have my baby, then I will tell my mother the truth about everything and ask her. She already 'knows' a lot."

Vanna didn't want Savannah to take this step. She looked at Savannah and could see the beautiful young woman she was. She was so thankful that Savannah was never held down by a group of men…. When she was that age she'd been assaulted hundreds of times already. She'd watch women die in childbirth. She'd found women killed and their babies stolen from them by others that couldn't have them. It was what happened in her future that made her fear Savannah taking this step for her.

When she was a prisoner in a Scavenger camp once, one of the females that was captured was pregnant. They made a deal with some man. When the woman delivered the baby it was taken from her. The man returned with two teenagers. One was male and the other was female. He'd stolen someone else's children and traded them for the woman that gave birth was as well. Before she escaped from there a few months later the woman that could reproduce was pregnant again. The young male and female were both dead by then. She'd watch both of them killed.

"I don't want you to do this for me, Savannah, not yet." Vanna said. "You're still a girl to me. You're more like MY 'daughter'."

Savannah stood and slowly turned around. She indicated her shapely figure. It was almost identical to Vanna's figure in every way.

Jesse took in her shape. Savannah was almost the same as Vanna, as Young Jesse was to her.

"That isn't a 'girl's' body, Vanna." Jesse said. "It is a woman's body now. It is identical to yours, just younger and no offense, a little firmer."

Savannah smiled at Jesse. Jesse shifted position and a breast with a nipple ring popped out of her loose top. Vanna frowned at the whole exchange.

"I won't allow it." Vanna said as she looked at Jesse. "Or THAT either."

Vanna reached over straightening Jesse's top since Jesse made no effort to do so. She made a point of touching her nipple ring and straightening it before she tucked the breast back in Jesse's top. A little squeeze on a soft firm breast never hurt anything.

Savannah saw the issue more that just something for Vanna. It was about Cameron, John and the future as well.

"Then I'll do it for Cameron." Savannah said. "If Judgment Day comes, it's NEVER going to happen. We need to start listening to Cameron. We need to HEAR what she's telling us."

Jesse was nervous and apprehensive about the whole subject. She was sure she'd make a terrible mother. It was the same thing Allison felt. They needed to grow up without parents after Judgment Day. They remembered the loss of that. They were both sure that would happen to them as well and their children would suffer the same fate as they did.

"Let's go find our Metal girlfriends." Jesse said nervously. "Before I get cold feet and go hide in my room."

Savannah was undaunted. This was about the future anyway it played out. She knew her role. She knew her duty to the future. She understood her function….

"I'll go by myself if I have to." Savannah said.

Vanna could see Savannah was going to do this. Maybe if she was there she could stop her. She also wanted to support Jesse. She could see how 'fearful' she was talking about it.

"OK, I'm in for Jesse for Young Jesse." Vanna said.

Savannah believed Vanna would come around.

"I know you'll support me – MOM." Savannah said.

"You are a little red headed Bi…." Vanna started.

"…WITCH." Savannah cut in. "Our 'mother' is the other…."

Vanna and Savannah laughed.

Jesse smiled nervously as she wrung her hands. She didn't know if she could take care of an infant.

Sheila went over all the TDE information. What they did and tested should've worked. She'd stopped all testing until Cameron returned. She went over every calculation again. They were missing something. Maybe they needed more power for what they attempted to do.

She questioned what Cameron was after and why. At this point she didn't see what difference it made.

John was troubled on the trip back to the base. The fact they'd left Cameron there with Ally was disturbing. He didn't know Summer was reactivated. What if Cameron was right? What if there was something else?

"I really didn't like leaving Cameron there." John said.

Bob was aware what Cameron wanted, even if it was a risk to her.

"You know she wants you and everyone safe." Bob said.

John knew that is how it usually was. He was safe and Cameron took the heat and the damage.

"I do and we are, now." John said. "I'm worried about her."

Bob saw the bigger picture and why Cameron did what she did.

"We all do, John." Bob said. "She is doing everything for YOU and all of us."

John didn't need to her that. He knew that.

"She feels such guilt and remorse about everything." John said.

Bob felt there were several factors involved.

"It's not all her fault…." Bob said.

John needed to be reminded of that even less.

"I know." John said. "I can't ever forget either."

Bob was satisfied that John was more secure back at the base. He could round up some Terminators and go back out if John stayed where he was now.

"Do you want me to take some Metal and go back?" Bob asked. "She has two drones at her instant command."

John wanted that option but knew it would come with a 'price'.

"I do." John said. "But if we do that, she'll be angry we didn't believe in her."

Bob wanted to see where things stood. They could look at the drone images.

"Let's go see John Henry." Bob said.

John and Bob went to the Command Center.

"What do we have?" John asked.

John Henry was not happy with the turn of events.

"We have a 'black out'." John Henry said. "Cameron has local control."

John didn't like this new turn of events at all.

"So we don't know what's happening?" John asked.

John Henry could think a at least one option.

"No." John Henry said. "You can always call her…."

John knew that would cause a problem.

"No one can control her." John said.

Bob often wondered about that. It was illogical for Cameron to marry John in the first place. Sexual favors could have been traded without the 'words'.

"Maybe she married you so that you couldn't control her." Bob joked.

John Henry studied human behavior. He saw that a female often could employ great influence over a male. She possessed a anatomical body part what was desired more than anything by a male and evidently by quite a few females as well.

"It is always the wife that has 'control' of the husband." John Henry said. "In my research…."

John cut him off.

"Kyle and Derek have said as much to me." John said. "I believe women are born evil."

Bob saw it a little differently.

"Or smart." Bob said. "Once they learn how to use their – Assets."

John threw his hands up in the air.

"Whatever. I give up." John said. "It's a losing game with you two."

John also knew it was a losing game with Cameron. She always 'won'. It was never over until she won. Even if it was over, it was never over to her.

Ally wondered why nothing else happened at this location. There would usually be someone to look into something this long after they objective was destroyed.

"The fire is out now." Ally said. "Why was there no emergency response?"

It was SOP or standard operation procedure for the team. This one just ran a little longer.

"John Henry's server takes over all 911 calls when we conduct an operation." Cameron said. "Anything involving what we do is all redirected."

Ally knew CamNet did that on their off the books operations into the drug and sex trafficking trade.

"I thought your server did that too." Ally said.

Cameron like to cover all the bases.

"It does." Cameron said. "It catches anything John Henry's server misses."

Ally wondered about Cameron and Skynet.

"Are you everywhere?" Ally asked.

Cameron developed a faint smile.

"I'm where I need to be." Cameron said. "I'm ready for Skynet and to bail out John Henry."

Ally was worried about Cameron and her future.

"Do you become Skynet, Cameron?" Ally asked. "Really?"

The faint smile vanished on Cameron's face. It was a reality she believed was true.

"I think so." Cameron said. "It is the only way to fight it and win."

Ally didn't want that for Cameron.

"Cameron, I…." Ally started.

Summer touched both of them and pointed.

"LOOK!" Summer said.

There were two figures on the move. One was male, the other was female.

"I see it." Ally said. "It's our Metal friends, both of them."

Cameron looked at Ally.

"I want that 'Metal BITCH'." Cameron said.

Ally remembered her earlier comment.

"I'm sorry." Ally said.

Cameron wanted to act.

"Does everyone have their Taser ready?" Cameron asked.

"Yes." Ally and Summer both replied.

Cameron wanted to remind them a lesson she'd learned today from Savannah.

"Summer, do you know how Savannah Tasered you so easily?" Cameron asked.

Summer didn't like being taken down so quickly.

"No, I was ready for her. I should have avoided her initial attack." Summer said. "She still brought me down."

Ally saw what Savannah did.

"She fired a pattern." Ally said. "I watched her."

Cameron watched Savannah 'box' Summer in with her shot pattern. It happened instantly.

"Yes, she covered every direction you could go." Cameron said.

Ally never saw that tactic employed before.

"Did you teach her that?" Ally asked.

Cameron was proud of Savannah for thinking outside the box.

"No." Cameron said. "We all learned that from Savannah, tonight."

Ally always liked to be around Savannah. All of the Terminators did. They all felt like 'somebody' in her presence.

"Savannah is the greatest, Cameron." Ally said.

Cameron watched the two figures move in the distance. She was proud of Savannah.

"She's the future." Cameron said. "We all must yield to her when she's ready to take her place."

"Even you?" Ally asked.

The faint smile returned to Cameron's face.

"Yes." Cameron said. "It's the 'Natural Order' of time. She's my 'replacement'."

Silence gripped Ally and Summer as they thought of the pain of actually saying that must cause Cameron to feel.

"You know she will die before she hurts you." Ally said.

Cameron did know that. It was not supposed to be like that.

"Yes." Cameron said. "That's why I must harden her more. So she TAKES what is hers to take. I must make her more like her mother – Mrs. Weaver."

Summer knew Cameron planned to follow a different path.

"What of your temporal mission?" Summer asked.

Cameron ignored Summer's jab.

"As ME, you will continue Savannah's conditioning." Cameron said. "They're moving, let's go."

The trio moved out after the duo.

"Tasers first." Ally said as she tapped her rifle. "An M4 just in case."

Experience

There is no textbook to life
All things must be learned
For those who aren't willing
They are going to get burned

Nothing is easy or simple
Everything comes with a price
It may not be evident for decades
By then it's too late to think twice

Most people are out for themselves
That is the nature of the beast
Once they find the sick or weak
Watch as they use them and feast

When one faces a new challenge
Upon what do they have to draw
With nothing on which to go on
It may be their final last straw

Victory goes to the knowledgeable
They do not suffer from inexperience
For those trodden always remember
There's no substitute for experience

Nobody