Chapter 623

Contact

Cammy wasn't ready to give up on the narrow gauge track route yet. The worrisome part was the rotting timbers that helped support the walls and ceiling. The area looked ripe for a cave in. It appeared that most of the large boulders that littered the tracks fell recently. That probably happened when the main entrance was blasted closed.

She saw where the tracks ended in the dried mud. It looked like mostly dirt, not rock. If they started there it would speed the process of digging. That was only if they could obtain some tools. She was sure there were some there. It was just a matter to find them.

First she was going to find Savannah and then worry about everything else later. She was about to step out of the area between the tracks. She stepped on the top of the rail. It was in that moment when she thought she felt something.

She bent down and laid her ear to one of the rails and her hand touched the other rail. She wanted to know what she'd felt.

Cammy waited and was about to stand when she felt it again. She was sure that something metallic made contact with the rails at some point. She also knew it could be more boulders falling from the unstable ceiling. Maybe the ancient trestle collapsed after being disturbed from its decade's long rotting slumber. It did wobble some when she'd crossed over it in both directions.

She would find Savannah and report to Cameron what she'd found. Maybe there was another way out, she doubted it. All she knew at this point was Savannah wasn't going to die in there. Savannah wouldn't die in this Skynet death trap.

Cameron went back to where the increasing heat was at before. It was even hotter now. There was more bad news to go along with that discovery. She now detected smoke. That was even worse news. If there was a fire burning somewhere it would use up all the oxygen that Savannah needed or the smoke would get to her and kill her. She was now aware that Savannah didn't have weeks or months to live underground, it was now down to days or even hours.

She started collecting more of the oxygen tanks from any of the breathing apparatus she found. This would only buy Savannah a few more hours if the fire got bigger. She was going to try and make sure Savannah could get every minute of oxygen that she could.

Cameron moved back out past the deactivated Terminators. She heard movement. She carried a small crate that she'd filled with the oxygen tanks. She carefully set it down and brought her M4 up. It was Tom and Ed. She wanted to alert them to the newest problem.

"This area is a dead end. There's a fire burning on some unknown level as well. I don't know where." Cameron said. "Even if I find it, I may not be able to extinguish it."

Ed told Cameron what Cammy located. He didn't have all the detail. He hadn't gone all the way.

Cameron was aware of the tons of rock at the entrance they'd come in from. Dirt sounded like an easier and faster material to work with.

"We will try to dig our way out from there." Cameron said. "Maybe that area will be more stable."

Cameron knelt and picked up a Terminator, it was the Metal Bitch.

She wanted whatever she could bring out with them.

"Both of you, bring one. We'll head back to Savannah." Cameron said.

Cameron carried the Metal Bitch over her shoulder and picked up the small crate with the oxygen bottles. Ed and Tom each picked up a Terminator. They headed out and went back to where Savannah and Cammy should team up.

Savannah waited in the darkness behind the fallen Terminator. It seemed the air quality was worse. Maybe it was because she'd just breathed some clean air with the mask on. She thought she could smell smoke. She considered putting the breathing mask back on but she didn't want to lose her ability to see. The team was out there and she needed to do her part.

She held her M4 ready to fire. Her Taser was ready and the M79 was next to her.

Savannah thought she saw something coming. It was hard to tell what it was. She flipped the thermal switch and made out three large forms that were moving towards her. They didn't look like people or Terminators. The shapes weren't right….

Savannah moved her finger to the trigger of her M4.

Savannah glanced behind her. She saw figures moving from that direction as well.

She reached over with her left hand and picked up the M79. She bent her arm and laid the Thumper upside down across the top of her shoulder to fire in back of her as well. She sure hoped it would work. She was boxed in. She knew her team members were counting on her….

She would unload everything and retreat into the blind tunnel. She would be trapped at that point but there was nowhere to go in the main passageway.

Earlier:

Bob checked every few feet for signs of ties or rails. So far none were spotted. It took much longer now as they removed the earth above where they wanted to dig. The small 'skip-loader' lifted out chucks of dirt and rock. The little bulldozer shoved dirt and rock away and into a deep gully.

The Blackhawk returned twice more, once with the auger and again with a load of large diameter steel pipe.

Bob saw the 'skip-loader' struggle. There was a loud metallic 'clang'. He motioned for it to stop. He signaled for it back away, then he saw it. It was a small rail. Maybe this was it. This might be the break they'd hoped for. If they could see the tracks ran straight that would be the direction to send in the auger.

He indicated the 'skip-loader' needed to remove a section of earth above where the rail was. It backed away when there was a small amount of earth above the lone rail. They moved in with hand tools and found a section of track. They dug it back a few more feet. They obtained the angle of the tracks now. They knew that should lead inside the mountain and to the tunnels within.

It was time to bring the auger up.

A level of 'hope' flooded through all of the Terminators. The main problem was that they didn't know how extensive the cave in or mud slide was. It could be twenty more feet or two hundred more feet. The entire section of the tunnel could be collapsed in on itself.

Savannah hoped what was behind her were 'Friendlies'. It was time to find out.

"Cow…." Savannah said.

There was a reassuring voice.

"White…." Cammy said. "Savannah, it's me."

Savannah switched her attention to what was in front of her. There were three shapes all much bigger than any human form.

"Something is coming in front of me." Savannah said. "There are three of them and they're big. I don't think they're HK Tracks. I don't hear any clanking.

Cammy moved up next to Savannah. She took the M79 from her.

"Wait." Savannah said.

Savannah needed to check to make sure it was or wasn't Cameron.

"X-Ray…." Savannah called out.

Cameron could see Cammy and Savannah were about to light them up. She needed to let them know what they looked at.

"Black…." Cameron said. "Savannah, we're carrying deactivated Terminators."

Savannah and Cammy covered them anyway. It was Cameron, Tom and Ed.

They set the deactivated Terminators down where Savannah was at.

Cameron was instantly worried that Savannah didn't have her breathing gear on. She didn't know if the smoke would become toxic or not. It all depended on what was burning.

"Savannah, put your breathing gear on. You'll need to leave it on from now on." Cameron said.

Cammy looked at Cameron in the darkness. She understood the warning for what it was. Savannah had even less time than they'd ever imagined.

Cameron could see the 'knowing look' on Savannah's face. She understood the bad news for what it was. Her life was on a timer.

She wanted to consolidate what they could take with them. She sent the four male Terminators to get the rest of the deactivated Terminators and see if any more small oxygen tanks could be located. They would also search for tools or anything that could be used to dig with.

Cammy filled Cameron in on what she'd found in more detail.

Cameron wanted to know more about the vibration.

"I felt it several times." Cammy said.

Cameron was sure it was falling rocks.

"You don't know." Cameron said.

Cammy thought otherwise.

"I think it was metal on metal." Cammy said.

Cammy and Cammy both understood what that could mean. There might be someone working from the outside. There was no need to get any hopes up yet. It could be the enemy. It was most likely falling rocks.

Cameron went with Cammy to the four dead Grays and collected their lights and oxygen bottles.

"There's smoke and heat building up where we were at with the deactivated Terminators." Cameron said.

Cammy didn't understand why.

"Is there a fire?" Cammy asked.

They both knew it was bad news for Savannah.

Cameron wanted to stop the fire from using all the oxygen. Since they didn't know where the fire was or if they could put it out, their options were limited. There was only one way to do that.

"Yes." Cameron said. "We need to seal the tunnel."

Cammy thought about the rock that fell and almost hit her earlier in the section with the narrow gauge tracks. Everything there was unstable.

"You may end up collapsing even more." Cammy said. "It is too risky."

Cameron would try and seal it at the location where she'd detected the problem. There was another route to where the fire was at somewhere. No. She would need to do it at the end of the tunnel they were in. It would seal off the rest of the mine complex.

"I'll attempt it at the tunnel location as it enters the first cavern." Cameron said. "In addition it should prevent the appearance of more Grays or Terminators."

Cammy held the M79 and the bandoleer of rounds. She knew that Cameron was going to need a bigger punch than the Thumper.

Cameron and Cammy looked at each other for a long moment. It was clear what needed to be done. There was only one way to do that with a big enough explosion to collapse the first cavern. It was most likely non survivable.

Cammy looked at Savannah. She wanted her protected.

"I'll do it." Cammy said.

Cameron looked at Savannah.

"It's my job." Cameron said.

She took M79 and bandoleer of grenades. She headed back to the Terminator Savannah destroyed.

"Savannah, I'm going to turn on a light." Cameron said. "Shield your eyes."

Savannah wore the breathing gear but covered her eyes anyway. She'd been in total darkness for sometime now.

"Cammy is going to take you to a possible escape route." Cameron said.

Savannah looked at Cameron, she knew it was bad.

"How bad is the fire?" Savannah asked.

Cameron thought she'd better make Savannah understand that things were terminal. There was no sugar coating what was about to happen.

"It's bad enough." Cameron said. "It'll use all the oxygen at some point. The smoke will build up as well. You won't be able to breathe. There are only so many oxygen bottles."

Cameron started to cut into the Terminator in front of Savannah.

Savannah knew Cameron was going after his power cell. She knew Cameron was going to use that as an explosive. It was sure to collapse the tunnel where Cameron would be. She wouldn't be able to make her escape. Unless…. Cameron planned to use her power cell as well.

Savannah tried to appeal to Cameron on a different level other than herself.

"No, Cameron, you can't use that." Savannah said. "It will endanger all of you. I'm only one person…."

Cameron saw it all differently.

"You're the only one that matters, Savannah." Cameron said.

Cameron removed the power cell.

Savannah knew what was going to happen.

"I can't let you." Savannah said.

Cameron looked at Savannah. She didn't want to perish. She would try to get away if she could.

"I should be able to get away from the blast." Cameron said.

Savannah looked at pieces of rock that now littered the ground. They weren't there when they first came in.

"What about the falling rock if this tunnel gives way?" Savannah asked.

Cameron looked at Cammy and then at Savannah.

"You have my spare chip…." Cameron said.

Cammy knew that Cameron was more important than she was. She was 'one Cameron too many'. She'd just thought that earlier. She reached for the power cell.

"Let me do it, Cameron." Cammy said. "Only Savannah and you matter to the future, I don't."

Fear gripped Savannah. One of them wouldn't make it.

"I won't allow that either." Savannah said.

The four male Terminators returned with more oxygen bottles and the remainder of the deactivated Terminators. They'd heard the discussion and Savannah's anguish. The females mattered. They didn't.

"I'll do it." All four of them said at the same time.

Cameron had copies of their programs. They could even switch their chip out with one of the captured Terminators and their original chassis could be taken out and a replacement chip with their program on it put back in it. They would have only lost a few hours of time. It was the same thought that they all had at the same time.

Bob made sure that they'd found the tracks before he made his report back to the Command Center. He didn't want to give false hope.

John Henry was pleased he could deliver some good news for a change.

"They've found the buried mine tracks." John Henry said.

John stood up. He was done waiting. Now there was something positive. The suspense of not knowing ate away at him.

"I need to go there." John said. 'I'm going there now."

John Henry still worried about the lack of a Skynet response to their attack. He was sure it was to come.

"I must advise against it." John Henry said. "That area can turn into a battle zone at any time."

John was aware of that. What he wanted most was inside that mine, trapped.

"Cameron and Savannah are in there." John said. "I have to be there."

John Henry knew the anguish that the 'Day Of Loss' caused Cameron.

"That's the LAST thing that Cameron would want." John Henry said. "You KNOW this."

John spun around and faced John Henry.

"I do KNOW it." John said. "It's a human shortcoming."

John was so involved with the operation and what was happening elsewhere that he didn't notice everyone was now gathered outside the Command Center until he'd spun around.

They'd all remained silent as they watched and listened. They all knew there was nothing they could do. They were all willing and ready to go anyway.

John Henry quietly sent a message to CamNet, it was a gamble. There was only one person that could stop John and ALL of them from going. He needed to act fast.

Sarah stepped forward.

"If you go, we're all going too." Sarah said.

John knew they were setting up for another 'Day Of Loss' by all of them doing this.

John looked at everyone.

"Then we'll all go." John said.

John's phone rang.

He looked at it as it rang a few more times.

Sarah could see that John was uneasy about the call. It stopped him in his tracks. She wondered if it was Cameron or Savannah. Not much could affect him like that.

"Who is it?" Sarah asked.

John swallowed hard and went to answer the phone.

"The - Future…." John said as the phone rang. "The future is calling me."

Everyone was confused.

"Answer it." Sarah said.

John looked at everyone gathered and answered the phone.

"Hello." John said.

"Hello, John. Put your phone on 'speaker phone', please." The voice said.

John did.

"It is." John said.

"John, I'm aware of what's happening and what everyone's planning." The voice said.

"Is that Cameron?" The whispers went around the room.

"I'm asking everyone there to stand down." The voice said. "John, I'm asking you to keep everyone safe."

"I don't know…." John said.

"Yes you do." The voice said. "I need you to protect the future, not only for yourself but for Savannah too."

There was a long pause.

"And protect it for Cameron." The voice said. "The future needs the four of us."

A small gasp went around the room. It was Young Allison!

Future Allison was the voice of reason and compassion to Future John. It was the same thing now.

"OK, Allison, we'll let it play out some more first." John said.

"Thank you, John, and thank you, everyone." Young Allison said. "You all need to have faith in Cameron. Cameron is invincible. Cameron is eternal…."

Everyone felt tears in their eyes.

It was the future calling.

Ally and Sheila both 'worked' on their own Gray.

There were a lot of screams from where Sheila was at.

Ally listened to Sheila.

"This can still end the easy way." Sheila said.

There was a muted curse and then some muffled screams.

Ally could hear gagging.

There were more muted screams.

"Just answer the questions." Sheila said.

There was crying and sobbing.

"Let's hear it." Sheila said.

Sheila laughed.

Ally looked at the Gray before her.

The screams continued in the other room.

"She's unstable." Ally said. "Let me help you."

The Gray already told her several things about what he knew. It seemed all the Grays operated in cells and didn't know what the other cells did. He didn't seem to know about the mine or the attack on it. She'd scanned him closely as she questioned him.

He could only tell her that there were two Terminators and they'd left with the RPG launcher and a dozen grenades. He thought they may have a LAW rocket as well. He didn't know for sure. He'd seen several once but didn't know what happened to them.

There were more screams from the other room the entire time Ally questioned her prisoner.

There was a sobbing whimper that didn't stop.

The Gray looked at Ally.

"Please…." The Gray said. "I told you everything. Make it quick."

Ally wanted to know about the homeless girl.

"How many times were you with the homeless girl?" Ally asked.

The Gray looked nervous.

"It was twice, like everyone else." The Gray said. "We didn't force her."

Ally thought it was more a matter of perspective.

"She was cheated." Ally said.

The Gray didn't think so.

"I slipped a 'fifty' into her pants pocket after my first turn." The Gray said. "No one saw me do it."

Ally was confused.

"Why?" Ally asked.

"She reminded me of my sister." The Gray said. "She died on J-Day. I felt as guilty as Hell."

Ally still scanned the Gray. He was truthful.

"Close your eyes and think of your sister and the good times before Judgment Day." Ally said.

The Gray closed his eyes and a slight smile developed on his face.

Ally snapped his neck.

Sheila emerged from the other room. She was fully dressed.

Ally looked at her. She expected to see her covered with blood.

"The Gray had a heart attack and died before I could start." Sheila said.

"But…." Ally started.

Sheila smiled.

"That was all me, love." Sheila said in the Gray's voice.

"You're demented." Ally said.

Sheila smiled.

"Maybe so but we did the job." Sheila said.

Ally went and looked in the other room. The Gray was naked on the table and untouched.

"I'll be…." Ally said.

They headed out for the last location the Terminators were known to be at.

Sheila looked back once. The Grays all feared the "Metal Bitch' that stalked them. The thought alone seemed enough for those with a weak her to check out on their own.

Incarcerated

Bound
Trapped
Imprisoned
Shackled

I am what I am
I do what I can
Into your arms
I sought and I ran

Captive
Confined
Jailed
Unfree

I may be many things
None are useless
Life slips away quickly
There is always ruthless

Tethered
Fettered
Indentured
Prisoner

Nobody