Chapter 503

Greatest

Sheila headed outside of the burning building with the deactivated female Terminator. She'd Tasered her and pulled her chip while Cameron drew some gunfire to distract her.

Ally watched Sheila approach with her 'cargo'. It was a new 'Metal Bitch'.

"Who's the new skirt?" Ally asked.

Sheila was just the delivery girl.

"Cameron wants her for parts." Sheila said.

Hanna looked over the new arrival. It seemed like a waste to carve her up. She was complete. She was nothing to write home about in the looks department. There was still some 'appeal' to her.

"She's kind of plain but still sort of hot." Hanna said.

Sheila wanted to do a better inspection.

"I'll inspect her for 'damage' later on." Sheila said.

Sheila already did 'inspect' her as she gave her a 'once over'. She wanted to check out some specific areas since they were all different on every female.

Ally watched Sheila inspect every Terminator that was deactivated before. Sheila spent a lot of time on the females. She would have to think it was more of an 'assault' than an 'inspection'. No part was left untouched.

"I'm sure you will." Ally said. "Just like you inspected all of us…."

It was something that emanated from inside of Sheila. It was almost beyond her control. She was sure the 'Neural Interface' played a big role in it.

"I can't help it. It's the Jesse in me." Sheila said. "Jesse was - is very hungry."

Hanna looked around the compound. There was no more shooting. There were no more screams of the dying. There was only the sound of the burning building.

"Let's let our Terminators finish up here." Hanna said. "This looks like it's over."

Ally wasn't ready to leave yet. She felt they overlooked something. It seemed pretty important to her.

"What about Cameron?" Ally asked. "We should go help her."

Sheila was only following orders.

"She told me to take the 'Metal Bitch', go find you two and leave." Sheila said.

Ally saw it differently. She knew how Cameron operated. She like to take the risks alone. Cameron was still inside the burning building.

"I'm going after Cameron." Ally said.

Ally started to go inside the building. Hanna followed her.

Sheila looked around and spotted the closest male Terminator. It was Al.

"Wait for me." Sheila said.

She handed the 'Metal Bitch' off to Al to take back.

"Where am I supposed to take her?" Al asked.

Sheila didn't care right now.

"Make sure she's searched and is free from any hidden transmitters. Get her to Cameron's base." Sheila said. "You and the boys can take your time and examine everything in detail. You might learn a few things. It beats the internet."

Al looked over the new Metal Bitch. He wondered why her shirt and pants were torn open. All the sections of her sheath that made her 'female' were exposed. He felt a twinge in his groin area. This would call for a closer inspection. When he looked up, Sheila was gone.

Sheila led Ally and Hanna to where Cameron went down into the tunnel. It didn't look promising. The fire was very near the area now. The smoke was thick and heavy.

"You lead and we'll follow." Ally said to Sheila.

Sheila felt she was the pioneer with the Metal girls. She was always willing to experiment and explore, especially another female. She was also aggressive when she dealt with the enemy.

"Isn't that how it's always been?" Sheila asked.

The three Metal girls all giggled. Sheila led the way. They all disappeared into the tunnel after Cameron. The smiles vanished from their faces and they became Terminators. Their weapons were up and ready. They felt Cameron would take too many chances so it was a good idea to back her up.

Into the darkness they ventured.

Down the 'rabbit hole' they went.

The building continued to burn behind them. The fire was bigger now. It seemed doubtful they could go back out that way if the fire worsened.

Cammy calculated that she'd moved under the building now. There was no more gunfire apparent. She slowed as she heard a noise ahead of her.

She readied a Thermite grenade as she checked her Taser and her Glock. She paused to listen. She needed to make sure there was no noise behind her either. She didn't want to end up as the meat in a Skynet sandwich. It still bothered her that she didn't check the side tunnel that was hastily constructed.

Cameron headed down the tunnel. She heard a noise in the distance beyond her. She slowed as she heard the noise a second time ahead of her. It was closer now.

She readied a Thermite grenade as she checked her Taser and her Glock. She paused to listen. She wanted to make sure there was no one behind her. Sheila should be out of the building by now with the deactivated female Terminator.

Savannah didn't like that they were out of communication with Cammy and Cameron. She was concerned when she spotted Sheila exit the burning building carrying a female Terminator. Her breasts were exposed. That was how she knew it was a female. For a second she thought it might be Cameron. It wasn't, the hair was a different color. She did see the Metal girls go into the burning building after Sheila handed the 'Metal Bitch' off to Al.

John saw what Savannah saw. He thought it might be Cameron too. He was glad it wasn't.

"What do we have?" John asked.

John Henry didn't have much to offer him.

"We've lost contact with Cameron and Cammy." John Henry said. "Ally, Hanna and Sheila have all gone to follow Cameron."

Savannah looked over the drone feeds as well as those from Cam. She was worried about Cammy and Cameron. She was relieved to know the Metal girls went to follow Cameron. Cameron needed to have someone with her to prevent her from pushing too hard or risking too much. It was just how she operated. She knew Cameron wanted to take the risks herself and not let others take them.

John worked with John Henry to coordinate the 'clean up' of the compound. They used their Terminators to gather any information they could. They would make sure any bodies outside ended up back inside the burning building.

Kyle could only see what happened on the outside of the building. He hoped there was something of significance inside.

"Is there a Skynet mainframe located there?" Kyle asked.

John Henry received the updated from the Terminators as they collect any information along with hard drives and phones. He hoped that something could give them a clue.

"It's not apparent if there is. There was a 'Clean Room' under construction." John Henry said. "There may be some version of Skynet but it will be an infant if it is."

Sarah thought of all of the grief that Skynet caused her over the years. She was aware that Cameron took all the risks to track down and terminate any version of Skynet she could find. She would like some personal payback herself.

"I'd like to terminate Skynet myself one time." Sarah said.

Kyle moved over and gave Sarah a hug. He knew right then that she thought about John's 'actual' father, a different timeline version of him.

Savannah listened to that statement from Sarah and would let Cameron know about it. She knew closure helped some people 'heal' a lot. It was the closure she'd never experienced from losing both of her parents and then her 'other mother'. She'd been at the destruction of two different Skynets. Neither of them made her feel any better.

John continued to direct operations but 'NEEDED' to keep glancing at Savannah. Something changed today. Things were somehow 'different'. He was aware he looked at Savannah the way he'd looked at Allison in the alternate future. Allison would see him look at her but pretend she hadn't seen anything. He was sure Savannah did the same thing to him. He needed to adjust his pants when no one was looking. It was the wrong place and time for his hormones to kick in.

Savannah was distracted now. She kept glancing at John. She'd catch him check her out. She knew they were both doing the same thing. She knew they both wanted the same thing. It was going to happen, she could feel it. She could feel her body 'respond'. It called to her to act. She knew if they were in a different setting that it would happen. It wouldn't be tonight.

John Henry saw everything. He would let Cameron know it was time. The 'Natural Order' asserted itself. The call of nature was at play now. Human instincts called for action.

Cam acted on Savannah's suggestion. She overflew the flood control channel to search for targets. There could be Grays or Terminators that used it as an escape route. She spotted something.

"I think there was someone down in the flood control channel." Cam said. "I see wet footprints where someone crossed through the small amount of water."

Savannah wanted Cam to use caution. The flood control channels were where some of the homeless resided. There was usually very little water in them. Some always drowned when it did rain heavily. They didn't realize how fast the water could rise and the force behind it. Cameron worked to get the females into shelters. She didn't want them to end up as prey.

"It could be 'homeless' people." Savannah said as she checked Cam's feed. "I've been with Cameron before when she's tried to get them into shelters after feeding them."

Sarah, Kyle and John all stopped and looked at Savannah. They didn't have a clue that Cameron did that. It showed a level of care that they couldn't imagine.

Sarah wanted to cry when she heard that but only for a second. It made her think of all the terrible things she used to say about Cameron, many of them were to her face. She'd called Cameron out before for doing things at night while they slept. Now she wondered if that was one of them.

Kyle and John were both stunned.

Nobody knew Cameron helped people, especially the 'homeless'.

Savannah saw all their looks. She was a little insulted. Cameron wasn't just a stone cold killer. She was very dynamic. She understood the need to help people who were down on their luck. She wanted to prevent people from becoming Scavengers in the future.

"Cameron does more than kill people." Savannah said. "She does a lot more. A lot of appropriated 'drug money' goes to charity and air museums. I've helped her many times. She mainly goes alone or with other Terminators. They don't sleep."

The respect they all held for Cameron just went up another few notches. They'd no idea. They all knew that was something THEY should be doing too. If they were supposed to help people in the future, they should do it now as well.

John wasn't sure what to say.

"I didn't know." John said.

Savannah didn't see it as a big deal. It was all about protecting the future.

"Cameron wants to help people to better themselves and it may prevent them from becoming Scavengers or Grays in the future or keep them out of prison." Savannah said. "Remember she never sleeps. The younger females are often abused by everyone."

John wondered about Cameron's clones. They were her in reality. They were only different in detail.

"Do Cammy and Cam also do this?" John asked

Savannah looked a little irritated. They didn't know what happened around them.

"Of course they do." Savannah said. "Don't you keep track of things?"

Now John felt guilty because he wanted Cameron to stay with him even when he was asleep. He knew every Scavenger Cameron prevented helped the females of the future. It seemed very selfish that he just wanted Cameron to lay there next to him and do nothing. She refused to go into standby because of past bad experience.

"Not as good as I should." John said. "I need to step it up."

Savannah didn't know of anyone who did as much as Cameron to protect them and help strangers. She did things to protect the future.

"I love Cameron." Savannah said. "THAT is why we all love her. Cameron is the greatest."

Savannah seemed to have a 'dreamy' look in her eyes as she thought about Cameron. It was soon replaced with her concern for Cameron and the unknown she faced right now.

Cammy was aware there was Metal ahead. She pulled her Taser.

The two Terminators were headed for each other. They didn't know who they were about to face.

Cameron was aware there was Metal ahead. She pulled her Taser.

Sheila, Hanna and Ally moved silently down the tunnel. They knew Cameron was in front of them and Cammy was in there too.

There heard a commotion up ahead of them and rapidly increased their speed.

Savannah recommended the drones search either side of the flood control channel and in the opposite direction that Cam went. Activity was detected from the feed on the drone headed north up the flood control channel.

"I have movement." John Henry said. "It's from the drone to the north."

Cam wasn't done with her sweep yet. She just needed to go a little further.

"I will fly this route for another minute and then turn around to go investigate." Cam said. "Keep the drone high."

Savannah was worried about Cam. The earlier near Stinger attack bothered her. She knew if the Grays possessed one Stinger it was a good bet they might have more.

"Use caution, Cam." Savannah urged.

Cam was at altitude and planned to stay there for now.

"I will, Savannah." Cam said. "Don't worry."

Cameron and Cammy both sprang on each other at the same instant. Each went to press the trigger on their Taser at the same time. Both stopped short when they saw it was – themselves.

"Did you find the "Metal Bitch' that was in this tunnel?" Cammy asked. "She wore gray overalls and had brown hair."

Cameron found one 'Metal Bitch' but she wasn't dressed like that. The hair color was different too.

"We found one but not that one." Cameron said.

Cammy was upset she hadn't checked the side tunnel that was a new addition.

"The 'Metal Bitch' must have taken the side tunnel." Cammy said.

Cameron thought about how close they'd been to taking each other down.

"That was close." Cameron said. "It's nice to see we still act identical."

Cammy didn't see any real difference between them other than their lovers.

"We're identical right now." Cammy said. "Is there a 'Clean Room' here?"

Cameron didn't have a lot of time to look around. It didn't look completed yet from what little she'd observed.

"I haven't located it yet." Cameron said. "It appeared one may be under construction."

They both turned toward a new noise that came from the direction Cameron just came from.

Cameron handed her Taser to Cammy and pulled a Thermite grenade.

Cammy stood read with both Tasers.

"It's the girls." Cameron and Cammy both whispered at the same time.

They both relaxed. Cameron thought she should give them a 'head's up'. They might not be as quick to stand down as Cammy was.

"I'm up ahead." Cameron said.

The voice that responded sounded just like her voice.

"I guess I can put the pin back in this Thermite grenade then." Ally said.

The three Metal girls approached with weapons ready anyway. The pin was still out of the Thermite grenade when they came around the corner. It was clear they weren't taking any chances.

The two groups looked each other over.

"You never can be sure." Sheila said. "I gave the 'Metal Bitch' to Al."

Hanna didn't like that Cammy and Cameron were unaccounted for.

"We were worried about you and Cammy." Hanna said to Cameron. "We didn't know what happened down here. We knew there should be one more Terminator down here."

Cammy was worried she'd dropped the ball.

"There's a divergent tunnel back the way I came." Cammy said. "She must have taken that."

Ally didn't know much other than the last com transmission.

"Last we heard on the com was Savannah tell Cam to check the flood control channel." Ally said.

Cammy was very upset with herself now. She was worried that she'd let the 'Metal Bitch' escape.

"That is the direction the divergent tunnel goes." Cammy said. "I knew I should have taken it."

Cameron didn't think Cammy did anything wrong.

"I would have done the same as you and thought the same thing, Cammy." Cameron said. "I would have come back to the building to check first."

Cammy was worried about her troops she'd left at the opening where she went in. They could be in danger.

"You four can take the divergent tunnel and I will go back the way I came to make sure no one doubled back." Cammy said. "I'll 'spike' the opening when I go back to seal it closed."

Cameron didn't want Cammy to go alone.

"I want one of you to go with her." Cameron said.

"I will." All three of the Metal girls said at the same time.

All five of them giggled at that.

"Hanna, you go." Cameron said.

Cammy hoped it would be Hanna. They needed to do some 'catching up' later on.

Cammy and Cameron both winked at each other.

The five Metal girls moved back in the direction Cammy came from. They'd one opening to explore and one to make sure it was clear.

Greatest

Some people enter one's life one day
They appear and they're just there
Even if things blossom and happen
Neither one might not care

What is important one day
No longer is the next day
One tries desperately to hold on
The other doesn't care what they say

Some people are better
Some people are worse
Does it really matter in the end
As they're carried away in a hearse

Every new encounter
Turns into a type of test
Everyone wants more
They all want the one that's best

One should consider themselves lucky
Even if they're the latest
Maybe they played the game the straightest
To be the one seen as the greatest

Nobody