Chapter 504

You Lead

The team knew there was a hostile female Terminator down there somewhere with them. She could have hid in the divergent tunnel and doubled back after Cammy passed or continued through the divergent tunnel to wherever it went. That unknown location was most likely the flood control channel based on their most current information.

Cameron, Ally and Sheila went down the divergent tunnel.

Cammy and Hanna went back toward the opening Cammy entered from. They wanted to make sure no one tried to exit out that way. They cautiously headed for the tunnel opening that led back to the surface.

Since the female Terminator left from that location, it would make sense for her to go back to that location if she didn't know the fate of her fellow Terminator.

Cammy arrived back at the opening. She hoped to find the Resistance Terminators still there. There was a Taser and an M4 pointed at her as she emerged with Hanna behind her.

That was a welcome sight even if somewhat disturbing. She wanted to know if she'd missed much while she was in the tunnel.

"Let me have the report." Cammy said.

Her team filled her in. There wasn't much that changed since she'd left at that spot.

"All is, as it was." The Terminator said. "Nothing has changed since you left this location."

Cammy took a satchel charge from one of the Terminators. She wanted to blow the tunnel closed.

Hanna saw what was about to happen. She wanted to back up the other Metal girls.

"Cammy, before we blow the entrance closed." Hanna said. "Do you want to go back to follow Cameron or advance over land and go directly to the flood control channel?"

Cammy looked at the tunnel entrance and then towards the flood control channel.

"We'll go on the surface." Cammy said. "It'll be quicker."

Cammy armed the satchel charge from one of her group of Terminators that remained there with the Stinger. She told everyone to move away and blew the opening closed.

"Finish up here and clear out." Cammy said to the remaining Terminators. "Come on, Hanna, let's go."

Hanna still looked forward to the after 'action activities'. Right now it was time to backup the other Metal girls.

"You lead, I'll follow." Hanna said.

Cammy looked at her for a long moment and smiled. Hanna smiled back and they moved out seconds later.

They both knew what that meant.

Cameron led the Metal girls through the crudely made tunnel. It was full of loose dirt as they progressed. It was like it was still under construction. That alone sent out plenty of 'red flags'.

The shoddy construction appeared as if it was just worked on in the last few days, maybe even just before they arrived. The soil was still moist and not dried out.

Cameron and the girls reached the end of the tunnel. There was a crude opening broken through the concrete wall with the recently smashed cement lying on the ground.

"This concrete looks freshly broken." Cameron said.

Ally touched one of the broken edges of the cement.

"There's some sheath material and synthetic blood residue as well." Ally said as she wiped her hand on her pants.

Sheila looked at the broken concrete. It was clear this just happened in the last few minutes.

"The other 'Metal Bitch' went through here." Sheila said. "This was an escape tunnel to break out into the flood control channel to flee. She smashed through the wall here."

Cameron felt it was something much more important. She remembered the half completed clean room. There were no hard drives in there. It looked like there should have been.

"I don't think it was for her escape as much as for something else. Maybe she transported something to hide it from us." Cameron said. "Maybe it is some form of Skynet. She may have the processor or hard drives."

Ally wanted to find and destroy a version of Skynet like they all did. Some of the 'Allison' in her expressed itself.

"I hope so." Ally said. "This is when I wish I could have consumed some liquid so I would be able urinate on it when we terminate Skynet."

Cameron remembered that Duplicate Allison kicked the Skynet mainframe 'in some future' and Future Allison spit on it in her future. What Ally said reminded her of Future Allison.

"Have you reactivated your Future Allison programming?" Cameron asked.

Ally remembered her promise. She didn't want to be deactivated.

"No." Ally said. "That's from my Allison, our Allison."

Cameron was aware Future Allison and Duplicate Allison expressed similar ideas and attitudes when they faced a Skynet mainframe. She wanted a 'new' Terminator with that programming. She also wanted one with the 'Neural Interface' with 'Young Allison' when she was older. One at her age might be interesting too. She would look at things differently.

"I would like your Future Allison programming as a separate Terminator." Cameron said. "I want it separate from you."

Ally tilted her head slightly.

"So there would be two of 'me'?" Ally said. "Or would it be two of you?"

Cameron felt it would be distinct from either of them. She knew that Future Allison was a much improved person now than she was when Cameron first met her. The conditions were less than ideal at that time as well.

"No, one would be of the 'new' Future Allison. We can call her 'Fusion' or 'Allure'." Cameron said.

"I like 'Fusion'." Ally said.

"I like 'Allure'." Sheila said.

Cameron knew a Future Allison Terminator would be very alluring.

Ally didn't think she'd changed that much when she ran the 'Future Allison program'.

Everyone else thought she'd changed a lot.

"It would still be 'me'." Ally said.

Cameron didn't see it that way. She thought it would be an improvement over both of them.

"You're different. You're OUR Allison." Cameron said. "She would be different than me as well even though we're from the same Allison."

Ally wanted to point out they were ALL the SAME person. They just had different experiences growing up. She didn't want to cause a bigger problem at this point. They needed to find the 'Metal Bitch' and whatever she took with her.

Sheila didn't want Cameron to get steamed. She also liked Ally how she was previously. She saw some new possibilities for hookups as well.

"I liked you how you were before too, love." Sheila said. "Beside we could use some 'fresh meat' around here."

Ally thought she had a quick solution for that.

"You can put my chip in the 'Metal Bitch' you took down with Cameron when we get back." Ally said. "That should be 'fresh' enough."

Sheila liked that idea. She wanted to try it as well.

"OK, then we will switch." Sheila said.

"It's a deal." Ally said.

Ally and Sheila liked to 'razz' Cameron a little.

Cameron didn't want to listen to any more of this banter.

"Enough." Cameron said. "Get ready. I'm going out."

Cameron could hear a drone approach as she was about to step out. She hoped that they still owned the sky.

Cam completed her search in the manned drone and returned back up the channel. She wanted to back the Metal girls up.

"I see movement coming from the side wall of a drainage inlet." Cam said.

Cameron didn't want any 'friendly fire'.

"Relax, Cam." Cameron said. "It is Ally, Sheila and me."

Cameron emerged from the new opening that was freshly broken into an inlet tunnel. She looked around then up at Cam.

"It appears that the female Terminator broke through the concrete wall and into the inlet tunnel to get into the flood control channel." Cameron said. "She's made her escape for now."

Cam's search only spotted the footprints where someone crossed the center of the channel. That was further away from where Cameron was at now.

"They may have also gone up the other inlet tunnel." Cam said. "I haven't detected any movement in this area, only further downstream."

That sounded like the most likely scenario to Cameron. She needed to act now. There was more assistance on the way.

"Sheila, I want you to come with me up the inlet tunnel." Cameron said. "Cammy and Hanna should be here shortly. Ally, I want you to join with them and follow Cammy's instructions."

Cammy was on her way. She carried one more satchel charge. She wanted all the exits from the tunnel system sealed. She was still upset she hadn't found the other female Terminator herself.

"We'll be there in a short while." Cammy said. "Hanna and I will jump down to where Ally is and search from there. We can blow the exit closed."

Ally thought they should search more than one section.

"Do you want us to search in both directions?" Ally asked.

Cameron liked that idea. They could cover more ground quicker. She didn't want either team of Metal girls to be short handed. She would give up her help and go alone after the 'Metal Bitch'. It was how she liked to operate anyway.

"Yes, that's a great plan." Cameron said. "Sheila, you go with Ally and you two can search in one direction. Cammy and Hanna can search in the other direction."

Sheila didn't like the sound of that. It put Cameron in the greatest risk.

"That leaves you alone in the unknown." Sheila said.

Cameron wasn't even sure what they were after or where they were. It was all a gamble at this point.

"I think I'll be OK." Cameron said. "It's probably a lead to nowhere anyway. Your two teams will have more luck. There were footprints spotted downstream."

Savannah looked over at John in the Command Center. She saw the change in plans for what they were.

John saw it too. It was too risky for Cameron.

"Cameron, can you wait for more Metal?" John asked. "It's best if you have some backup since we don't know what it is you're about to face."

Cameron didn't want to argue with John. That was why she normally operated on her own. Things needed to happen and they needed to happen now.

"No. I need to get moving." Cameron said. "I'll lose contact with you again as this inlet tunnel heads underground."

Savannah knew this is where Cameron pushed it and risked damage or termination. She didn't want to interfere with the command structure but she did want Cameron to know that she would go after her.

"Cameron, don't make me come for you." Savannah said. "You know I will."

Cameron didn't want endanger Savannah. She would try and play it safe.

"I know you will, Savannah." Cameron said. "I'll use caution."

Savannah and John were both worried about Cameron. They both wanted to hug each other for comfort again but with Sarah, Kyle and John Henry there they felt awkward to do it again. If they were alone they would have. They both loved and cared about Cameron and each other. The feelings didn't diminish. They seemed to keep growing.

John looked at the satellite map. He also looked at the drone images. Cameron could be anywhere underground. It seemed like there should be some kind of a map somewhere that showed the storm drain system. He looked at John Henry.

"Do you have any diagrams of where that inlet tunnel comes from or how many branches lead into it?" John asked.

John Henry hadn't found one yet. He'd already begun a search. It wasn't as clear cut as it seemed it should be. Some of the feeder lines were put in by the land developers and not the city or county.

"I'm searching now." John Henry said.

Savannah could see that John was as upset as she was. She decided to act. She went to John and took his hand. She wanted to give him some encouragement, even if she had her doubts.

"She's good at what she does, they all are." Savannah said.

"I am worried about all of them too, Savannah." John said.

Savannah leaned her head onto John's shoulder. She didn't care about the others now.

Savannah's touch, closeness, warmth and the same perfume Cameron used flooded over John. It was all very 'alluring'.

Sarah and Kyle watched silently. They saw the transformation into the future take place before their eyes. What was strange was that this seemed like the most natural thing they'd ever seen. It was like it was meant to be. It was just like Cameron told them, for YEARS.

They both knew this WAS the 'General Connor' and 'Colonel Connor' that they'd heard the anti-Metal faction leader speak of not too long ago. The difference was this was the present, not the future and it was the same people.

John stood there as he held and comforted Savannah; he felt this was how it was meant to be. The 'Natural Order' of time started to assert itself. It felt comfortable and right. In fact it felt like it already 'was'.

Savannah couldn't stop herself. She wanted to walk away but couldn't. This was nothing she'd planned or that Cameron orchestrated, it just happened. It was organic, natural, unexpected and it just felt 'right'. She wanted more….

John was aware of the others around him as well. He didn't care. The moment was right. He could feel it. Cameron told him for years that this is how it would be; now it started on its own, naturally….

John and Savannah looked at each other and knew if this moment happened at any other time; they would be 'all over' each other. Now they were both worried to death about Cameron, it kept the mood somber. Nonetheless the groundwork was laid. They both needed each other as much as they both wanted each other. This was what Cameron wanted for both of them. They needed to be together to protect the future.

Cameron headed up the inlet tunnel. It was a feeder line for storm runoff to flow into the flood control channel. She'd only gone a short way before it branched into two halves. Each half was smaller than the one she was in now. She figured she would have to proceed crouched or on her hands and knees at some point. She knew at each branch that the feeder tunnels would get smaller and smaller.

She was aware that the 'Metal Bitch' cut her hands or forearms when she broke through the concrete wall to enter the flood control channel. She now looked for any traces of synthetic blood, sheath tissue or scuff marks.

Cameron searched and found nothing. This may be a dead end she thought. Then again, that is what she would want someone pursuing her to think. She made a choice and decided follow the smaller tunnel on the right side…. The logical choice would have been to follow the bigger branch. That was why she chose the smaller one. She was after a cyborg like she was herself. She needed to think what she would do to throw off a pursuer. It wasn't to take the easier route but the route that would be harder for someone to follow her.

Cam continued her aerial patrol. She searched for targets and was mindful of another possible Stinger out there, maybe more. She should have picked someone up by now. They must have a way to detect her or the other drones. If there were homeless people down there she was sure she would have spotted them by now.

"I have nothing." Cam reported. "I don't see any movement on the ground."

John Henry had four drones in the area.

"The drones have come up empty as well." John Henry said.

Earlier, Cammy and Hanna met up with Ally and Sheila at the bottom of the flood control channel. They split into two teams and headed out in opposite directions to search the flood control channel and the feeder and inlet openings. It would take some time.

"Hanna and I have found nothing." Cammy said.

Ally and Sheila hadn't done any better.

"It's a negative as well for us." Ally said.

John Henry made the conclusion that Cameron was the one on the trail of the 'Metal Bitch'.

"I'm afraid Cameron must be on her trail." John Henry said. "That inlet tunnel has dozens of feeder openings from around the area."

John looked at the satellite map. It was taken during the daytime. The probable drainage area that the feeder pipes could cover was immense. He figured if the enemy planned to use the drainage system that they must have an escape plan for once they got out into the open.

"Send the drones to search for probable openings. Look for vehicles or structures around their beginnings." John said. "Someone may emerge where they have the drains in the streets and curbs."

Kyle was experienced in the storm drain systems that remained in the future. He also received a 'refresher' recently. There'd been an HK drone after his SUV. He'd retreated into the drainage system. Cameron was the one who brought the HK drone down.

"I was in one of those not too long ago, John." Kyle said. "Those storm drains run everywhere; there are dozens of openings on some of them, some run for miles. There could be a hundred inlets, which could be used as exits in this case."

Sarah remembered some of the things Kyle told her.

"Are you familiar with any where Cameron is at?" Sarah asked.

Kyle hadn't been in this area ever.

"No." Kyle said. "Even in the future there isn't much out here of value."

Sarah pictured Cameron moving through the darkness in search of her prey.

"So it's cat and mouse now." Sarah said.

John Henry didn't think this was much different than usual.

"Isn't it always?" John Henry asked.

They all knew Cameron was the cat, a big and ferocious one too.

You Lead

Can the blind lead the blind
That often seems to be the case
Maybe that's just how it is
In life's convoluted race

Everyone wants something
Even if they don't know what it is
They reach out in all directs
They fail at life's quiz

Even when they find it
The search never seems to end
What kind of a message
To the other does that send

Some like to be in the front
Others like to follow
Maybe the ones in between
Are empty, shallow and hollow

Everyone is very different
Some operate at a different speed
Somehow in the end it is better
When they let you lead

Nobody