Chapter 604
Right Behind You
There was a lot to this operation that Cameron didn't like. There was a group of Grays after them. They'd set up a ploy to throw the Grays off earlier but somehow the Grays were still onto them. They'd been able to track them somehow. That was bad enough. She wanted the threat neutralized.
"Bob, I want you to move forward and take down the black SUV." Cameron said. "We'll be right behind you."
Bob didn't like that the device they been tracked with was in his vehicle. He was ready for some payback.
"Affirmative…." Bob said. "We have the tracking information from John Henry."
Savannah wanted to make sure everyone else was ready.
"Is everything good with Cam and Gail?" Savannah asked.
Cam looked back at Gail who nodded to her.
"We're both ready." Cam said.
Savannah wanted everyone to be ready. It seemed they'd needed to deal with a lot for one day.
"Watch out for the unexpected or any Terminators." Savannah said. "There've been a lot of unknowns today. There should be at least one Terminator here now."
Savannah remembered the earlier encounter with the three HK Tracks and the big battle a few hours later, the one they were still dealing with. It seemed someone really wanted their cargo back. She knew that Cameron, Cammy and her experienced more than one close encounter with death today. The day wasn't over and neither was the threat, not yet anyway.
She knew she needed to be here for Cameron. She was aware earlier she prevented Cameron or Cammy from being chewed up by minigun fire from an HK Track. That turned out to be more luck than anything. She'd ended up in the right place by default. The HK Track rolled right on top of her hiding place in a maintenance trough. She touched her neck. There were still a few small burns from the hot brass that rained down around and on her. She figured it was better to deal with the fired brass rather than the fired projectiles. She inadvertently touched her torso. The three bruises from the earlier bullet impacts on her vest didn't hurt as much anymore.
John didn't know the full scope of the earlier operations. He did know he wanted his people to remain undamaged.
"I want everyone to use caution." John said. "We've been lucky so far today. Let's keep it that way."
Cameron wanted to give their team some more flexibility. There were three of them in a box truck and three of them in an SUV. She wanted one more vehicle added to the mix and she wanted Savannah a little further insulated from the pending action. She was ready to go on the offensive. She didn't like being stalked.
"Let's move." Cameron said. "I'm tired of playing games. It's time to 'win'. Cam, I want you to acquire another vehicle. Bob and Gail will continue on. When we reach your location, I'll ride with you."
Cameron tried to form a plan to keep Savannah safe and the cargo protected. She wanted to end the threat.
Bob and his team moved ahead of Cammy's group in the box truck. They let Cam off at a pick-up truck. The side window was down. Bob and Gail moved on in pursuit the target, the black SUV. Their vehicle was most likely known to the Grays. The one Cam was about to appropriate wasn't. That would give them the edge.
The occupants in the black SUV looked to the sides of them down side streets while watching ahead. They were looking for the box truck and never spotted Bob's SUV approach.
The fact Cam was now driving a pick-up truck in front of it helped to mask it. Cam acquired it parked on the street. Cameron climbed into the front of the pick-up truck when the box truck arrived. Cameron asked to borrow Savannah's silenced pistol. Savannah handed it to Cameron with an extra magazine.
Savannah let her hand linger on Cameron's hand after she handed her the pistol.
"Be careful, Cameron." Savannah said.
Cameron understood the warning for what it was as well as what was implied. She would be careful, somewhat.
Bob was in back of Cam. He saw Cammy was in back of him by a few blocks. They would move up when Cam made her move.
Cam saw the black SUV was going to get stopped at the next signal. That was by prearrangement through CamNet.
Cameron was in the signal system once. She never left, so to speak. She'd left behind a back door they could always enter to allow 'traffic management' as was needed for a mission.
Bob was ready to move around in back of the black SUV to block it. Gail's M4 was ready to open up on the black SUV if necessary.
Cammy saw what was happening and started to close up on Bob and Cam. It was clear the action was about to go down.
Good news arrived right before they acted. The second of four known threats was no longer a threat.
"The ambush crew has reported the silver sedan has been stopped and the occupants are now in the trunk, terminated." John Henry reported.
Cam zoomed in on the black SUV. Everyone inside was spotted.
"We're making our move now." Cam reported. "I make three occupants."
Savannah was aware they still hadn't come across a Terminator in the first two vehicles that were taken down.
"Watch out for a Terminator." Savannah reminded them.
Cameron's Taser was ready as well, just in case.
At the next light the Cam and Cameron in the pick-up pulled alongside of the black SUV. Bob and Gail pulled up in back of it. It was in the right lane. There was a car in front of it and the curb on the right side of it. They were trapped.
Cameron previously rolled her window down in the truck as they approached the black SUV. She held Savannah's silenced pistol in her left hand ready to fire. It was propped on the window sill aimed into the interior of the black SUV. Cameron's right arm lay on top of the silencer as if she were resting her arm there. The pistol was hidden from view.
The windows in the black SUV were down to give the Grays inside a better chance to look down the side streets.
The driver of the black SUV looked over at Cameron. She smiled at him. She marked her targets, calculated her firing angles and fired three times. All three targets were neutralized in one second.
In a flash Cameron was out of the pick–up truck. She opened the driver's door of the black SUV and shoved the dead driver over against the dead passenger. She looked in the back and the third man was down as well. They'd all taken the silenced round through the left eye.
When the light turned green Cameron drove away as if nothing happened. Bob was behind her and Cam was in front of her. The box truck moved up. Bob and Gail dropped in back of it.
Cameron was pleased at how swiftly they'd been able to act. She sent her report back to the base. There was still one more known threat.
"The black SUV has been neutralized. The three men in it were terminated. Where's the white van?" Cameron asked. "Is there any change in air activity?"
John Henry followed the white van with a drone. It appeared it might be about to conduct the prearranged meeting with the other two vehicles.
"The white van appears to be stopping on the main road you were on earlier. It's slowing down." John Henry reported. "No hostile air activity has been spotted."
Cameron knew the speculation about a meet. There could be some other reason as well.
"Can you tell why they're stopping?" Cameron asked.
John Henry could only speculate what they'd already thought.
"No, they may be waiting to join up with the other two vehicles that were with them." John Henry said. "All communications are down, except ours. They can't call each other."
Cam quickly thought of a ploy to fool the occupants of the white van.
"There's a closed electronics store up ahead. I saw it when we passed by earlier." Cam said. "Let's pull around in back and dump the bodies that are in the black SUV and I'll ride with Cameron. We will pull up behind the white van like we're rejoining them."
Cameron liked the plan. She wanted to act now. They would save one step and get into place sooner.
"No, just pull over and leave the truck. We will toss the dead Grays into the back of this SUV for now." Cameron said. "It will save us time."
Bob wanted to make sure Cammy and Savannah were covered.
"I will stay with Cammy's team." Bob said.
Savannah looked at Cammy who nodded back at her. She wanted Cameron and Cam protected. They were good where they were at for now.
"No. Cammy and I will be fine." Savannah said. "I want Bob and Gail to assist Cameron and Cam. There may be more people or a Terminator in the van."
Cameron wanted this to end now. She formulated a new plan. John and John Henry agreed it was the best course of action for the amount of time that was available
John and John Henry cut their coms.
"I don't like it." John said. "It's all spur of the moment."
John Henry knew that was how Cameron thought. They all did.
"It's just the way she's programmed." John Henry said. "It is a sound plan for such short notice."
John hoped so. It still seemed pretty 'iffy' to him.
"We'll see." John said.
Cameron maneuvered the black SUV into position to approach the white van from the rear. The ambush crew would join them with the silver sedan as well. The ambush crew's two vehicles would move to back up Cammy and Savannah in the box truck. Bob and Gail would move to a preselected position and get ready to strike.
It was as good a plan as could be quickly implemented and draw minimal attention to them. Cameron would switch to a direct approach next to end the threat if this plan didn't quickly pan out.
The white van sat waiting. The driver of the van spotted the silver sedan and the black SUV approach from behind. They were both a few minutes late but it was no big deal. The driver of the van saw they were getting near but seemed to be taking their time about it. He wanted to set up a new plan of action.
On the side street up one block the driver of the white van saw the box truck they were trying to intercept. It passed across the main road and continued down the side street.
The driver of the van flashed his lights and honked his horn twice. He stuck his hand out the window and motioned for the two vehicles to follow him. He'd just spotted their primary target. He sped away from the curb. The black SUV and silver sedan weren't far behind him. He closed up on the box truck. It hadn't seemed to have 'made' him yet. He checked his mirror and the black SUV and silver sedan were still behind him. They closed up to reinforce him. This all turned out better than anticipated. Their prey was just delivered 'gift wrapped' right into their hands.
The box truck made another turn. The driver of the van was sure they'd 'made' him now. The three vehicles all followed it. There was no one else around. It was time to make a move.
The box truck turned again and went down an alley and was soon in back of a building. The building looked abandoned. There was an SUV that came from around the side of building. The box truck stopped at a crazy angle, the driver's door opened and a figure hopped into the SUV. The SUV quickly sped off. The box truck was just left sitting there. The drivers' door was still open. It looked like they'd given up. He wanted the occupants of the SUV but he wanted the cargo more.
The white van closed on the truck and waved for one of the vehicles following him to go after the SUV. The silver sedan cut around the side of the building with the tires squealing. The black SUV followed it.
The white van slowly crept up to the box truck. Four armed figures emerged, a fifth appeared unarmed. The four armed men moved forward to the rear of the box truck. The box truck seemed abandoned. The unarmed man moved to the back of the truck to open it as the four armed men raised their weapons.
The unarmed man released the latch and the rear door rolled up. The four armed men stood ready with their weapons. They all concentrated on what they expected to be inside.
Someone took something from them and they wanted it back. It looked like now they would have it. They other two teams with them would attack the SUV that ran. They would have it all. It was clear that the victory was theirs.
Everyone was stunned as the rear door rolled up. It just began to dawn on all of them that they'd been played. It was a 'sucker play' and they'd fallen for it hook, line and sinker'.
The back of the box truck was empty. The man who opened the door spun around as the armed men all looked at each other. There was now a Terminator standing behind each one of the armed men. They all died without ever firing shot. It was a 'Sunday punch' on top of a 'sucker punch'.
The man at the back of the empty truck tried to pull a pistol when he was hit with a Taser. He went down with a thud and was immediately hit with barbs from another Taser.
The Terminators checked the van as they moved past it to come up behind the armed men, it was empty. No shots were fired. The Grays and Terminator stalking the Resistance team were neutralized. The current threat was terminated.
Cameron's plan worked perfectly. She made her report to the Command Center.
"No shots were fired and all current threats have been neutralized." Cameron said.
Cameron liked it when a plan came together.
The Gray was still reluctant to deluge any useful information.
Sheila was tired of the delay. She'd use moderation because Ally stood right there to scan the Gray as he was questioned.
"It's your last chance to die with dignity, love." Sheila said.
The Gray cursed her.
Sheila's hit him hard.
The man screamed.
Sheila laughed and moved closer to him.
She was satisfied with the agony the Gray was in.
"Let me see if I can find some flammable liquid to dump on this whacker." Sheila said. "I want to burn him alive."
Sheila walked away.
The Gray heard what she'd said. He'd seen people burn to death before. It was the worst way to go. He looked up at Ally. He was a mess.
"Finish it." The Gray pleaded.
Ally looked down at him with a blank face.
"I need the locations." Ally said. "I know if you're lying."
The Gray was in agony. He knew it was about to get worse.
"She's insane." The Gray pleaded." "IT is insane."
The blank look remained on Ally face.
"She's going to burn you alive." Ally said. "You don't need to suffer any more. I can give you the escape and peace you desire. I'll end it before she does that to you. You can die with some dignity. You've done enough for your master. Now it's time to do something for yourself. Help yourself and I'll help you too."
They could hear cans of some type being set on the floor.
"I found something." Sheila called out. "I have some paint thinner, alcohol and petroleum jelly to make sure it sticks good. It's like homemade napalm. It should burn hot."
The Gray looked up at Ally.
"Do you promise?" The Gray pleaded.
Ally smiled faintly.
"I'll save you from further pain." Ally said. "This's the right thing."
The Gray gave Ally several addresses. Ally asked him a few questions. He seemed truthful.
Ally snapped his neck.
Sheila appeared from around the corner. She was cleaned off and dressed.
"I can't believe they always fall for that 'good cop, bad cop' routine." Sheila said.
Ally went to the sink and washed her hands off. They were covered with blood.
"Well it worked." Ally said. "I think you put him in enough pain. We don't throw them around like Cameron does."
Sheila smiled.
"I've actually had them thank me before when I've paused." Sheila said. "The pain is less intense. It allows them to refocus and rethink how they want to die."
They headed for the SUV.
Ally went and opened the roll up door and Sheila drove out. She pulled the door down and got into the SUV.
She looked back and shook her head some.
"I didn't like it." Ally said.
Sheila shrugged her shoulders. They got the address. The Gray wouldn't have given it up otherwise.
"What's the first location?" Sheila asked.
She knew it was the 'good cop, bad cop' routine. The way it was done the enemy couldn't figure it out. The enemy was the enemy. What else was there to know?
Across My Universe
My jumbled thoughts cascading
Into a tangled rambling mess
They collided within my sad mind
Across my universe
Floods of remorse joy of hope
Are mixing through my hurting head
Restraining and reshaping me
Across my universe
Where can the true one be
Love will change my world
In my mind I am singing this song
Makes me wonder where I belong
It echoes restraints and drifts
Across my universe
Emotions grind and sting like gravel
On a winding dirt road
They collide and ricochet unevenly
Across my universe
Where can the true one be
Love will change my world
Burdens of work daily drudge of life
Are tearing through my empty heart
Cringing through thoughts of tomorrow
Across my universe
Love or lust seems to remain unknown
Hope and fear cutting to the bone
Yet to come dreams exist
Across my universe
Where can the true one be
Love will change my world
Nobody