Chapter 506

Nice

Earlier:

John Henry monitored various seismometers around the area. He noted a very minute change in several of the readings. It was followed by a second one a few seconds later. He'd specifically triangulated the area where Cameron was at to watch for anomalies. It was more than a truck going over a bump with a loose load.

"I believe that I've detected an explosion." John Henry said. "There's been a second one now as well."

John was instantly alarmed. His worry was for Cameron. He hoped it wasn't a power cell that ruptured.

"What kind of an explosion? How large was it?" John asked. "Is anyone of our group close to it?"

John Henry didn't have any concrete information, only two minute spikes on several seismometers. He redirected one of their drones.

"I don't know yet. I've dispatched a drone to investigate." John Henry said.

John wanted some answers now.

"How long will it be?" John asked.

The closet drone was almost there.

"There's video for us now." John Henry said.

They could see on the drone video feed that there was a burning figure crawling away from a manhole in the sidewalk next to a storm drain in the street. The legs were missing and the back was burning.

Everyone in the Command Center could see it was a Terminator that was damaged. The metal endoskeleton was partially exposed on the missing legs. The long hair was unmistakable.

"It's Metal." John Henry said. "It's a female Terminator."

Savannah gripped John tightly. The initial fear was that it was Cameron. She refused to believe it was Cameron.

"It's not Cameron." Savannah said. "I know it. It's NOT Cameron."

John really wanted to believe her but there was no way to tell yet. Cameron was severely damaged if it was her. Her lower female anatomy appeared to be 'gone'. Only metal was visible in that area.

A second later a thrashing and screaming burning human figure came half way out of the manhole and then stopped moving. Now it only burnt….

There was an uneasy feeling in the Command Center. Everyone wanted to believe Savannah even if they didn't believe it themselves.

It was sickening to see the female Terminator try and crawl away with her legs missing and her back on fire.

It was a fate fitting for the enemy, not the Resistance.

Hanna and Cammy were in the drainage system. They followed a path that was marked by Cameron. They could see several spots where she'd needed to backtrack. They didn't have to and made good time. They figured that only Cameron was in front of them.

Cammy heard the explosion in front of her. It wasn't that far ahead. Cameron's path was easy for them to follow. They picked up the pace even more since they knew where to go. A few seconds later there was a second explosion and then some screaming.

They knew that wasn't Cameron. It indicated that there must be one or more Grays with the 'Metal Bitch'. It was clear that contact was made in a very violent way.

Cammy and Hanna now moved as fast as they could in the cramped quarters. There was no longer a need for stealth. Cameron may need their help….

Whatever happened up ahead already went hot. It was clear that Cameron faced more than one assailant. They were her backup.

Cammy decided to throw caution to the wind.

"Let me go ahead." Cammy said.

Hanna didn't want to split up. If there was trouble they would face it together.

"No." Hanna said. "We'll stay together. Cameron needs us. Let's go."

Ally and Sheila closed in on the two men they'd tracked. They were sure they were Grays and not a couple of homeless men.

"They've stopped." Ally whispered.

Sheila was concerned that the men stopped suddenly. That was probably not good for them. They may have advanced too quickly.

"Do you think they made us?" Sheila whispered back.

Ally was able to get a good look at them. She zoomed in her vision for a detailed look. It didn't look like a walk in the park.

"Maybe…." Ally whispered. "They have a Stinger and some other heavy armament."

Sheila sensed a set up. There was no reason for the men to stop. They must be about to do something.

"We need to fallback and get out of this channel. We should approach them from the flanks." Sheila said. "They might set a booby trap."

Sheila and Ally backtracked….

They didn't want to trigger an explosive device. They'd checked along the way earlier. Now it would be for real. The parallel route seemed more secure. The Grays would look for their enemy behind them. Not next to them or in front of them.

Cameron heard a drone approach her location. She was sure it was theirs. A second later she was in contact with John Henry.

"I'm clear." Cameron said. "The targets are neutralized."

From The Command Center they watched Cameron come up from across the street and take control of the battlefield.

"We saw you emerge from the other side of the street and deactivate the damaged Terminator." John Henry said. "It appears heavily damaged."

Savannah was relieved to see Cameron up and around. That didn't mean she hadn't been damaged. She needed to know. She beat John to ask the question himself.

"Cameron, are you damaged or undamaged?" Savannah asked. "I want it straight. I need to know."

John knew Cameron wouldn't lie to Savannah since she asked for the truth. He was glad that Savannah asked it. He knew he wasn't as persuasive with Cameron. She would lie to him so he didn't worry. If she was damaged, she wouldn't come around until she was repaired. Every time she was gone for days at a time he figured that was what happened. He understood that was his fault for berating Cameron for being damaged while she was alone. She just left him out of the equation.

Cameron was glad she wasn't damaged worse. It could have been. A quick look at the female Terminator was proof of that.

"I'm mostly undamaged." Cameron said. "I have some shrapnel damage. It's very minor."

John and Savannah both relaxed. They seemed unaware that they'd been holding each other. It was clear they were both deeply worried about Cameron. They quickly separated.

John looked around nervously and Savannah smiled. He was a few shades more 'red' than she was, quite a few.

Savannah didn't see it as anything other than 'natural'. Humans sought comfort in each other, especially the ones they loved or cared about.

Sarah and Kyle pretended not to notice. That only made it more obvious they'd been staring. How couldn't they? It was their son and his 'destiny'. Besides, they'd done the same thing when the damaged female Terminator was first spotted.

John Henry wanted Cameron to know assistance was on the way.

"Cammy and Hanna followed you." John Henry said. "They should be there shortly."

Cameron figured that someone would.

"I left a trail for them to follow." Cameron said. "It will save them a lot of time."

The drone shot winded out some now. Other things came into view, things that didn't seem to fit in.

"What's that truck parked near you?" Savannah asked. "It shouldn't be there. It's out of place."

Cameron was about to check it out when she made contact with the Command Center.

"I'm going to investigate it." Cameron said.

John was as worried as Savannah was. That truck didn't belong there.

"It may be a trap." John said.

Cameron made that determination the moment she spotted it.

"I'll use caution." Cameron said.

As she approached the truck it started. It squealed its rear tires and took off. It must have been sent there to retrieve the version of Skynet the female Terminator tried to salvage.

Cameron thought of giving chase on foot but decided to let the drone handle it. She didn't want to leave her 'prize' behind.

"Light him up with the drone." Cameron said. "Use the gun."

The drone fired its minigun. It nearly ripped the panel truck in two. It lost power and slowed. It coasted and rolled up on an embankment and then flipped over on its side. It almost seemed to happen in slow motion. It landed with a loud crash as it impacted the ground.

Cameron looked back as she heard two vehicles approach her. John Henry told her it was some of their troops. They'd been out searching for her and responded once contact was established. They knew where to go now.

Seconds later Dan arrived in an SUV, thirty seconds later so did Bob. Cameron loaded the deactivated female in Bob's SUV along with her 'prize'.

Cameron told Bob to remain there as Dan and her approached the panel truck. One bent wheel rotated to a slow, squeaky, wobbly stop as they neared. Their weapons were ready. So far there hadn't been any movement from inside.

They peered inside the panel truck. There was a Gray torn to shreds still strapped in the driver's seat. They wanted a better look inside so they decided to tip the truck back upright.

Dan and Cameron lifted the side on the ground and then pushed the vehicle back onto its wheels. It rocked wildly back and forth a few times before it stabilized. For a second it look like it almost was about to flip onto its other side. They entered the back compartment. They looked at the items scatter about in disarray.

It appeared tonight was full of surprises….

Cameron knew why she didn't like surprises.

Ally and Sheila carefully climbed out of the shallow channel, now one was on each side of it. They kept track of where each other was at in case gunfire broke out. By prearrangement Sheila would engage the front target and Ally would engage the rear target. They watched the two Grays. They hoped to hear something that might be useful. They could take them down at any point now.

"Hold up, Jack." The first Gray said. "This thing is heavy."

The Gray indicated the Stinger.

"I carried it for twenty minutes." The second Gray said.

The first Gray looked back.

"I thought there was someone behind us." The first Gray said.

The second Gray looked back.

"I don't see anyone." The second Gray said. "I haven't heard a drone either for a long time."

The first Gray looked up.

"We should have taken the shot when we had the chance." The first Gray said.

The second Gray was glad they hadn't.

"You didn't see the 'bucket head' take a shot did you?" The second Gray asked. "It would have given away his position. We would have done the same. There were at least three drones. We would have been zeroed in nothing flat."

The first Gray looked back in the direction of the compound.

"Do you think many got out?" The first Gray asked.

"I doubt it." The second Gray said.

The first Gray wasn't satisfied.

"I have a frag and some C-4" The first Gray said. "Let's rig a booby trap in case there's someone after us."

The second Gray looked back and didn't see anyone. He hoped some hiker or kid didn't trip it accidentally later on. If an animal did, he didn't care. He wanted to get it done and keep going.

"Whatever, dude." The second Gray said.

Ally and Sheila watched them rig a trip wire. The C-4 was wrapped around the hand grenade. It would make a powerful explosion.

The two Grays were satisfied with their work. One picked the Stinger back up. They were ready to continue on their trek.

They'd silently moved alongside of the two men who'd paused. Ally remained there alongside of them as Sheila moved ahead of them. The men's only retreat was now the way they'd just come.

"Boo…" Ally said as they turned to face her.

Both men were startled. The two red glowing eyes added to it. They knew it was a Terminator.

One man went to run forward, the other man turned and ran back the direction they'd come from, he dropped the 'Stinger'.

Sheila grabbed one man, who literally ran into her.

The other man that fled back the way they'd come tripped the booby trap they'd set for the Metal girls.

There was a violent explosion and a muted scream. The man died nearly instantly. His lower body was torn apart.

Sheila disarmed the man she took into custody. Ally retrieved the fallen armament.

The man cussed and screamed at them.

Sheila refrained from ripping his tongue out. She choked him out instead. She could still do that later.

"Watch him." Sheila said.

Sheila went to where the dead man was at and bent down.

Ally saw Sheila's knife out. She looked away.

Sheila came back with a section of the dead man's shirt.

"I'm going to gag this moron." Sheila said. "I don't like what he called me and said he was going to do to us. He called me a 'Metal Whore'."

The Metal girls were sensitive about terms like that. Cameron forbid them from sexual relations with a male. They were technically all virgins still. The only male they would ever be allowed to be with was John. That seemed like a dim prospect. They were all glad there were plenty of females around.

The man regained consciousness.

Sheila already gagged him. He passed out when he saw the two sets of red eyes.

Ally checked over the armament. The Stinger was undamaged.

Sheila hoisted him up and carried him away. The gag kept him quiet.

Ally cleared Cam to overfly the area. They wanted to make sure there was no one else.

Cam returned to their location once they'd made their move. She directed one of their group to pick them up. They could be reached by a vehicle after it traveled down a dirt service road to their location. That was going to take a few minutes. They'd gone quite a ways.

Cammy and Hanna came up from the storm drain where Cameron came up from earlier at the same manhole. Hanna returned the manhole cover to where it belonged.

They looked over at the burning figure that was still half in and half out of the manhole.

"I'm glad that was a Gray." Cammy said.

Hanna looked at the near skeleton.

"Better him than one of us." Hanna said.

Bob was aware of the drone images being transmitted back to the Command Center. There was one image he didn't want them to see further. He walked over to the burning manhole on the other side of the street.

He used the manhole cover to shove the still burning remains of the Gray back inside. He placed the manhole cover back on as well. It would be the man's tomb. That was only until the next heavy rain. At that point, the runoff rain water would carry his remains away. He would then 'sleep with the fishes'.

Cammy joined Cameron while Hanna took the SUV with the deactivated 'Metal Bitch' in it and drove up to where Cameron was at. Bob did the same with the other SUV.

"Look what we have here." Cameron said to Cammy as she looked inside the panel truck.

Cammy took a look. She didn't like what she looked at.

"Nice…." Cammy said.

Hanna joined them and looked too.

"Who don't think so?" Hanna asked.

None of them liked what they saw. It was clearly bad news for the Resistance.

Savannah watched the feed from Cam as Sheila went to the fallen man. She was disappointed in what Sheila apparently did. She thought that was an issue that should've been resolved based on their earlier discussion. She looked closer. She then realized Sheila removed a piece of his shirt. Sheila then picked something else up off of the ground. She saw from Sheila's body cam what it was as she jammed it into the other man's mouth. She made him think she'd done 'something' to him that she actually hadn't done.

John was pleased that they'd captured a prisoner. He hoped to get some answers. Sheila was good at that.

"Sheila, I want you to interrogate him." John said and then added. "I mean properly interrogate him."

Sheila wanted some specialized assistance. She wanted Savannah to watch her work.

"Sure, love." Sheila said. "I'd like Savannah to come as well."

Savannah looked at John. He nodded. She was ready to go right now.

"I'll be there." Savannah said. "I'll go with Gail or Jim and meet you at Cameron's facility."

Savannah knew she couldn't go anywhere alone and always needed a Metal chaperone. It was like that for most of her life. It was a part of her life.

Sheila was pleased that Savannah would assist her.

"I'll keep him quiet for now. He has a very foul mouth." Sheila said. "We should get a lift soon."

John Henry nodded at Savannah. He indicated a Terminator would be ready to take her.

"I am headed out now." Savannah said.

"See you soon, love." Sheila said.

"I'll be there too." Ally added. "Don't worry."

Savannah wasn't worried about anything as much as she was Cameron who was damaged in some way and her Metal lover.

"I'm worried about Cameron and Cammy and the others." Savannah said.

John gave Savannah a quick final hug. Their hands lingering as they slowly drew apart.

"We all are, Savannah." Sarah said. "And we're all worried about the rest of them too."

"We're worried about ALL of them." Kyle said

John thought about how much his mother 'evolved'. It was a good thing.

Nice

When people looks at art
Few see the same thing
Even though it is the same
Different interpolations it will bring

There are many different faces
There is no universal beauty in all
Some may catch a fancy of another
While others never get that call

Some of the faces are beautiful
On that most people can agree
Maybe not at the same intensity
But to a different degree

Physical beauty is transitory
It will wither and fade with time
Such is the nature of existence
No one is forever in their prime

To speak ill is not good advice
One should always think twice
From the pie of life enjoy a slice
Always try to be thoughtful and nice

Nobody