Chapter 429

ALL Of Them

Cameron's actions saved Kyle's team from suffering a loss. No one was killed or terminated. It was a close one. Another ten seconds and it would have been a different story.

Cameron rendezvoused with John. She wasn't happy he was even out in the field. He'd taken the opportunity of her having to do other things to 'slip' out and think he was going to get away with it.

John saw the look on her face as she pulled up. He knew what was next. He didn't want to hear it.

"Don't even say it." John said. "I already know."

Cameron didn't look pleased.

"Get in." Cameron said.

Bob moved to follow John.

Cameron shot Bob an angry glance. She thought he should have kept John out of harms way better.

"Not you." Cameron said.

Bob lifted his hands to shoulder height and shrugged his shoulders as he looked at John. This wasn't his fault.

Cameron took off as soon as John was in.

She drove in silence. The silence was deafening.

John couldn't take it any more. He needed to justify his actions. This was supposed to be a simple recon. It shouldn't have been a big deal.

"OK, we blew it somehow." John said.

Cameron looked at John.

"That could have been you." Cameron said. "That could have been your team that was targeted. You could have been injured or killed."

John was sure her eyes glowed red several times. He knew she was upset. He didn't want to argue and make it worse. That was what normally happened between them.

Cameron pulled into a parking structure and exited the vehicle.

"Let's go." Cameron said forcefully.

John got out and looked back at the vehicle they'd just left.

Cameron transferred to another one with John and went out another exit with a line of cars.

John nodded his head. He always wondered why they could never track Cameron when he wanted her tracked.

"So that's how you do it." John said.

Cameron was still angry. She made her point anyway.

"Do you mean not get terminated?" Cameron asked.

John thought she stayed pretty calm under the conditions. It was clear she was steamed. He really figured it should have 'blown up' by now. He was about to offer some feeble excuse.

"I'm not going to say anything else about this, John. I don't have to, you KNOW." Cameron said and then screamed. "YOU KNOW!"

John cringed a little as he looked over at her. There was no doubt about it now, her eyes glowed red.

"OK, you're right, Cameron. I'm sorry." John said. "I know, more Metal."

Cameron saw she hit home. She wasn't done. She wanted some concessions without negative feedback.

"And?" Cameron asked.

John didn't want to answer. He knew what Cameron was after.

"AND?" Cameron asked louder.

John exhaled slowly before he answered. There was no stopping Cameron.

"You can do whatever the girls want, if they agree on their own." John said. "I might not always be around…."

Cameron smiled to herself. She got what she wanted. Now she could come clean without repercussions.

"I have." Cameron said. "For this very reason."

That sounded serious. He hoped to calm Cameron.

"Have there been any results?" John asked.

Cameron felt 'covered' now.

"Yes." Cameron said.

John swallowed hard. That meant one of the girls was pregnant.

"Who?" John asked.

Cameron smiled slightly.

"ALL of them." Cameron said.

John wasn't sure he heard her correctly. That couldn't possible be right, could it?

"All of them?" John asked.

Cameron was sure that this would be a real 'future shock' to John.

"ALL OF THEM." Cameron said.

John touched his head. That meant all three of the girls carried his child now. He wanted to verify that fact.

"Do you mean it's all three of them?" John asked.

Cameron almost wanted to laugh. She could see John was nervous and worried. The next revelation should add to the 'future shock'.

"It's all six of them." Cameron said.

John mulled that over in his mind. Cameron must have gone after the younger girls too. How dare her.

"It's all SIX of them?" John asked in astonishment. "Allison, Vanna, Jesse and…. No, you didn't."

Cameron didn't reveal all of the information. Some things were already 'finished'.

"It's done." Cameron said. "Young Jesse and Savannah are pregnant, both of them."

John ran the names through his mind. There was Jesse, Young Jesse, Vanna, Savannah, Allison. NO! he didn't think Young Allison was old enough yet. Maybe Cameron used hormones on her. Wait. He'd better play it cool and not give her any ideas.

"That's only five." John said.

Cameron glanced over when she said the next name. She wanted to see his reaction.

"Claire, Allison's mother is pregnant too." Cameron said.

John's mouth dropped open slightly. Did he hear her right?

"Mrs. Young too?" John asked. "Cameron, what have you done?"

Cameron didn't see a thing wrong with what she'd done. The events were dictated by the future, not by her. She was just a cog in the wheel.

"I've done what I have to do. I've prepared for the future." Cameron said. "It's coming and Hell is coming with it."

John sat in silence for a few seconds. He was going to have six kids all about the same age from six different females. How was he ever going to explain that? He didn't even get to create one via the traditional method. That was probably out forever now.

"Six kids." John said. "I can't believe it."

Cameron wasn't finished. John didn't know the entire playing field yet.

"It could be seven, maybe more." Cameron said. "There's the Duplicate Allison in River's future. You did that one on your own…."

John did what Duplicate Cameron wanted on that one. It wasn't really on his own and there was no physical contact on his part. Wait. Did she say it might be more than seven?

"How is it 'more'?" John asked. "Is this some kind of sick joke?"

Cameron thought it was time to get it all out in the open. She planned to have all of the girls become pregnant if possible. Then she would start on their second child and maybe more.

"There are the other five Duplicate girls besides Duplicate Allison and maybe River." Cameron said.

John added the numbers up. It boggled his mind.

"That's like thirteen kids, Cameron." John said. "WHAT have you done?"

Cameron saw this as an opportunity to cover her tracks some.

"Actually it will be fourteen. There's the child Savannah already gave birth to." Cameron said. "In some future, she delivered a baby."

John couldn't believe this. Savannah wasn't that old. Now Cameron did this to her?

"Savannah delivered a baby? In some future?" John asked. "How could you? I knew something was up. I KNEW it. This was your doing. Let me get this straight. Are you saying right now that I have a child?"

Cameron wanted to point out there were some temporal issues at play here.

"Technically you have zero right now. In a decade you will have one." Cameron said. "In a few hundred years, MAYBE another."

Somehow John didn't think that was the point.

"Stop." John said.

Cameron was sure the failure rate would be high. It always was with the girls from the future. They were all damaged.

"John, the girls from the future can't carry a baby to term." Cameron said. "Riley is the only one from the future that might. Look at all the trouble she's gone through. I brought in the best doctors around for her, THE BEST."

The reminder of the failure rate eased John's mind somewhat. There were still three females not from the future in the mix now. As far as Riley went, he did need to concede that Cameron did her a big favor.

"I know you did it to help Riley but why Allison's mother?" John said. "I don't really even know her."

Cameron saw it as simple mathematics. Claire was a proven 'track winner'.

"Claire volunteered because she CAN have children, John." Cameron said. "She's having Allison's baby for her. She currently carries Allison's embryo."

Somehow that made sense to John even if he didn't agree with it. Cameron sidestepped the future and dealt from the bottom of the deck. She always did play to 'win'.

"OK, you made your point, again." John said.

Cameron was as deflated as she was elated by the whole thing. Nothing was written in stone other than what Savannah already accomplished.

"I don't know what will happen for sure going forward." Cameron said. "I think there will be trouble…."

John felt a little less intimidated now. He might not have fourteen kids on the way after all.

"Cameron, what's realistically going to happen with all of this?" John asked.

Cameron knew this next part was tricky. Producing children fell on the backs of three females.

"Young Jesse should deliver for Jesse. Claire hopefully will have Allison's baby. Savannah will have one for Vanna here." Cameron said. "I may have to take all of them into the future, all the futures, for the girls there. Every one of the future girls may be sterile."

John was in such shock he couldn't even process his anger or amazement. Cameron wanted to help the girls in the only way they could be helped. It was just 'wrong' even if it was 'right'.

Cameron figure she might as well lay a little more on John at this point. He couldn't be upset about everything at the same time.

"I found the Duplicate Cameron that was stuck 'in some future' along with the other Duplicate girls and Mrs. Weaver." Cameron said.

John forgot about all his 'kids' for right now. Cameron found something much more important. It could be their biggest threat but he didn't think so.

"You found Mrs. Weaver?" John asked. "Tell me more about her."

Cameron felt on surer ground here.

"There's nothing to tell. I've made a complete report. I don't want to talk about her right now. They're all still there with Savannah's baby for that Duplicate Vanna." Cameron said. "That Duplicate Cameron returned to my future to be with you - Future John. I need to go there again and see if they've been able to have children for you – Future John. I may have to take Savannah and Claire with me there. As for Young Jesse, I may need to take her to either River's future or the one with Savannah's baby."

John sat in silenced for a little while. Cameron just unloaded half of the universe on him. He shook his head to clear it but it didn't help. He looked at Cameron.

"Let me get this straight. Savannah delivered a baby, MY Child, a decade from now but she actually gave birth to my child?" John asked. "I actually have a child?"

Cameron knew it was the only one so far.

"Savannah did have your child, her baby. She gave it to herself - Duplicate Vanna 'in some future'. That's where Mrs. Weaver is at." Cameron said. "It's very complicated."

John wasn't sure if Cameron said the sex of the baby. It was all sort of a jumble at this point. He wanted to make sure.

"Is it a boy or a girl?" John asked.

Cameron looked at John and smiled.

"It's a beautiful girl, John. She's so beautiful." Cameron said. "I wanted her."

He could see the joy and happiness in her face. He didn't want to spoil that. He'd done that enough times.

"What's her name?" John asked.

Cameron got a far off look on her face.

"It's Hope." Cameron said. "Because few children can be born there and fewer live, Duplicate Vanna and Savannah named her Hope. She's hope for that future, John. Savannah gave Hope to that future."

John felt a sense of pride. Maybe it was because Cameron did. He wanted to see his child.

"Can I view your files to see her?" John asked. "I want to see my daughter."

Cameron was up to that on several levels. She also needed to respect Savannah' privacy in some regards.

"Sure, John, I'll plug in and you can see her. You can see all the footage of her, even being born. I was there for everything. I'll have to ask Savannah if she wants you to see her like that first. You will see all of her…." Cameron said. "It was painful for her as well. It was harder for her than it was for Claire. I was there when they both delivered. I was very worried for Savannah. She's still very young, John. I wanted her to wait a few more years but she didn't."

John still couldn't believe he was a father. It was all mind blowing. He wanted his mother to know.

"Cameron, I don't know if I'm angry or elated." John said. "I'm still trying to process all of this. Can I tell my mom she's a grandmother? I don't want to step on anyone's privacy."

Cameron thought she might like to have a little time on that one.

"Why don't you wait until Savannah returns and you can both tell your mother together." Cameron said. "I'll have all the files for everyone to review then."

John thought a little harder about what Cameron said and didn't say.

"Savannah was going to have the baby for you, wasn't she?" John asked.

Cameron looked a little sad when she looked at John.

"Yes." Cameron said. "I didn't know she was pregnant until after we were 'in some future'. She did it without my knowledge. It broke my heart, John, to have to leave the baby there. I think the time transfer may have hurt the baby. That is why she decided to give it to that Vanna – herself. John, she gave Hope to herself."

John ran some of the timeline through his head. It didn't quite add up.

"It sounds like you started all this a little sooner than the other day." John said. "It also sounds like you didn't push Savannah, if you didn't know. Thank you for that at least."

Cameron felt somewhat justified in her actions. She also felt everyone was given a free choice.

"I may have facilitated Savannah and the girls but I've never pushed them to do anything they didn't want to do for themselves and their partners." Cameron said. "John, I've tried with the girls several times each already over the years. It always ends the same. They can't carry the baby to term, ever. They all have failed multiple times. My fears of the future are worse than I thought. If Judgment Day comes before you have a family, you never will…."

John could see Cameron was sincere. She didn't act out of malice or selfishness. She'd acted out of love.

"OK, Cameron, I understand. It's now or maybe never." John said. "Anyone pregnant now may need to have the baby in another future for the girls that can't. Is that what you're saying?"

That was Cameron's biggest fear. She didn't want to expose the younger girls to the future if she didn't have to.

"Yes. I need to investigate further." Cameron said. "I'm trying to help everyone as best as I can. I'm not trying to hurt you or anyone. This is all necessary because of Skynet, John. I'm trying to fix what I can to help the girls I love. The girls you love too, John. They're all part of OUR family."

Cameron stopped.

John looked around. He'd been so worried about everything Cameron unloaded on him that he hadn't paid attention to where they were headed. Now he didn't have a clue.

"Where are we?" John asked.

Cameron didn't want any secrets from John. She loved him.

"It's my base." Cameron said. "Here it is. I wanted to tell you the truth about everything."

John and Cameron got out.

John went to Cameron and held her in a long embrace. He realized she'd reached out to him in her own way. This was all as personal to her as it could get.

"I love you, Cameron, and you love me."

"I love you, John, and you love me."

John knew he needed to up his game.

"Cameron, it's time I start being Future John." John said.

Cameron was glad to hear that. She wasn't sure he was ready.

"Yes." Cameron said.

John felt he needed better direction and help from Cameron to do that.

"Tell me what I need to do and guide me. I'll start listening better. The futures you have been to are all Hell on earth."

THAT was what Cameron wanted to hear. He was ready.

There was a long moment of silence.

"John, if you ever see an energy bubble appear near you, I want you to enter it." Cameron said.

That sounded dangerous to John.

"Why?" John asked.

Cameron laid it out plain and simple.

"I'll be saving your life or River or a Duplicate Cameron will be." Cameron said. "After what almost happened to Kyle today, I made up my mind. If he'd been killed or seriously hurt I decided I was going back in time and fix it. I love my family and I'm not going to let any of them die or be hurt again. I want to make sure they can have the families they want as well. John, I'm trying to protect and fix the future. I need you to understand that I'm doing what I was meant to do. I'm doing what YOU programmed into me to do. I need your help and support."

John briefly wondered if that was what Cameron did today. Wasn't she in Palmdale? He decided not to ask.

He knew Cameron was torn and conflicted over what she was supposed to do as programmed by Future John - HIM. He knew he hadn't listened to her before. He realized how much that must have hurt her. It made him feel awful.

"I love you, Cameron." John said. "You have it, you have my support."

John and Cameron held each other as they both cried.

All Of Them

Some things work out
Some things don't
When someone says can't
Can't really means won't

What is it actually
That everyone wants
They'll do many things
Even pull crazy stunts

Love seems to bring out
Every form of irrational behavior
What they actually seek
Will not be their savior

It most likely will lead
To a path filled with doom
Most tend to sink fast
Very few will zoom

Nobody knows which one to choose
As they search for life's gem
They wonder which one will fail
The answer is easy, it's all of them

Nobody