Chapter 625
Massive Explosion
Sheila and Ally watched the massive explosion. The old video store was completely blown apart. There was clearly a bomb inside of that building and it was big one.
Pieces of shrapnel and debris impacted the SUV that Ally and Sheila were in. They were parked down the street at the next intersection.
"Someone needs to pay for that." Sheila said.
Ally agreed.
"That blast was intended for us." Ally said.
They were both sure they would have been terminated in a blast that large.
They asked CamNet to send out a warning that there were two rouge Terminators out there that they knew of. There could be more of them and more Grays as well. There was no way to know how many cells were out there.
It sounded like they could still go to the mine site to check things out.
CamNet processed the hard drives that her Terminator collected earlier and all the data on the Gray's phones. There were some more leads for Sheila and Ally to check out. There were also some drug and sex trafficking operations to run down.
CamNet sent out some new instructions.
"It looks like we won't have any alone time tonight." Ally said.
Sheila rotated in her seat and operated the gas and brake petal with her left foot.
"You can still drop down on me while I drive." Sheila said. "I can finish and drive at the same time."
Ally pictured Sheila piling up somewhere if she did.
"What do I get out of it?" Ally asked.
Sheila smiled.
"You get the satisfaction of having serviced the best." Sheila said.
Ally was offended.
"I'm the best." Ally said.
Sheila still had her right leg in back of Ally seat.
CamNet monitored the conversation. She reminded the Metal girls that she was in a metal box and would be more than happy to appropriate either one of their chassis for herself so she could be like John Henry.
Sheila quickly straightened up and Ally looked ahead. Both girls began to text CamNet with suggestions.
Sheila told CamNet that she would be more pleased with Ally's chassis since it was the same DNA as her creator.
Ally mentioned that CamNet could be unique and exotic in Sheila's chassis.
Sheila looked over and saw what Ally texted. She quickly texted CamNet that if she chose Ally's chassis as her own that she would be the first to share with her and make her feel 'nice'.
Ally heard Sheila giggle. She looked over at her.
"What are you doing?" Ally asked.
Sheila moved her phone so Ally couldn't see it.
"You'll find out soon enough." Sheila said.
Ally continued to type.
"It's you that will find out soon enough." Ally said. "CamNet would like to know what having nipple rings is like."
Sheila quickly told CamNet that she had extra sets of rings and she would put them on for CamNet on Ally's sheath for her. She reminded CamNet that getting pierced was half of the excitement.
Ally looked up.
"Hey, stupid, where are we?" Ally asked.
Sheila hadn't been paying a lot of attention to the road.
"You're stupid, not me." Sheila said.
Ally looked around.
"This is gang territory." Ally said.
Sheila was angry at Ally and excited about what she was going to do to Ally's sheath once CamNet took her chassis away from her.
"I wanted to find some future Scavengers." Sheila said.
Ally laughed.
"Just don't mess up CamNet's new chassis." Ally said. "I want it in good condition for when I pleasure CamNet in it."
Sheila showed Ally her phone and Ally showed hers to Sheila.
It looked like they were both being played.
They drove in silence for a few minutes when an alert flashed on their phones and coms.
They both received an update about a new development at the mine. It wasn't a good one either. The earlier banter and bickering was forgotten.
There was some seismic activity noted near the mine in the Command Center.
John Henry triangulated the findings. He detected bad news from what would be the area inside the mine.
"John, there's been a massive explosion inside of the mine." John Henry said. "It was non nuclear."
The silence that fell over the Command Center and outside room was deafening. They could have heard a pin drop.
John knew without any factual information it was all guesswork.
"We have no way to know what any of this is." John said.
John Henry could only state the obvious.
"All we can do is what we're doing." John Henry said.
This looked more like a 'recovery' operation than a 'rescue' operation at this point.
No one was going to 'say' that but it was something that hung heavy in the air.
Anna and Young Allison received the same information.
Anna wanted to prepare Young Allison for the bad news.
Young Allison saw Anna look at her. She didn't want to hear it.
"They're not dead." Young Allison said. "I know it."
Anna decided to moderate her response.
"We don't know what's happened yet." Anna said. "The operation can still turn in many directions."
Young Allison needed to believe. Cameron and Savannah were both inside that mine.
"Cameron is invincible. Cameron is eternal." Young Allison said. "My future won't be stolen from me."
Anna needed to be realistic.
"Maybe only you are the future." Anna said.
Young Allison believed what she'd heard her entire life that she could remember. Cameron told her often.
"No, it's the four of us." Young Allison said. "The 'Natural Order' can't be disrupted, it's inevitable."
Claire listened to them at the entrance to the bunker. She couldn't take it any more. Her daughter already accepted her future as Cameron planned it. The future she'd seen herself with her own eyes. She'd lived in it even.
What saddened her the most was that she knew Her Allison would soon be in situations like the one unfolding. She knew if Her Allison could have her way that she would be inside that mine right now with them.
She didn't fully understand that was why Savannah personally brought Young Allison home. She would be in that mine right now if Savannah hadn't.
A small hand reached up and took her trembling hand. Claire looked down at Summer.
Summer led her away.
Claire looked back at the bunker door.
"They can't have you." Claire said.
Summer looked up at her with her big brown 'puppy dog' eyes.
Claire scooped Summer up in her arms and started crying.
"They can't have you." Claire cried.
Tom waited at the junction of the opening with the mine tracks in back of him.
He heard the three smaller explosions. There was a delay then a massive explosion.
The area shook and debris began to fall.
Tom ducked back inside the tunnel leading to the mine tracks as the opening collapsed in front of him. Cameron was on the other side of that rock now, if she was even still functional.
Rocks still fell around him as he started to move the boulders and rocks that blocked the opening to the tunnel where Cameron was. A few more hit him but they did not slow him down. He began to move rock after rock.
Cameron's survival deepened on him opening that passageway back up.
Earlier:
Savannah heard the three smaller explosions. A little later there was a big one. She felt the area around her shake a little. Dirt began to rain down from above her. Rocks landed here and there around her. It seemed only a matter of seconds until they would all be hit.
Cammy hurried over and led Savannah between the two mine cars that were still on the track. She asked Savannah to kneel between them. She piled two of the deactivated Terminators over Savannah between the mine cars to shield her. Their chassis made a protective cover or roof.
Savannah crouched and waited. A large rock 'clanged' against the metal of one of the mine cars. It rocked from side to side but remained on the tracks. She was sure she could hear impacts on the two Terminator chassis over her.
From the area where they were digging they could now hear more noise. It was clear that someone was on the other side of that dirt and both sides were getting closer.
Savannah knew she wasn't leaving without Cameron. She waited until they were occupied digging and made her move. She slipped away and headed back the direction they'd come from. She needed to find Cameron.
As she crossed the trestle it began to sway. She'd left her lantern between the mine cars. She hoped they wouldn't notice she'd left. She used a small flashlight now. She made it across the swaying trestle and didn't look back. There were more 'cracking' and 'splintering' sounds. It didn't matter. She knew she wasn't coming back….
Savannah could hear rocks crashing at a regular pace in front of her. It was one after another at the same fast rhythmic pace.
Now what?
She didn't have a clue of what awaited her. She just knew she wasn't leaving there without Cameron.
Tom looked at the sealed entrance to the tunnel he was in. He started moving rocks at the top corner.
It seemed as soon as he move one, another one took its place.
He kept up the fast pace. He never slowed.
At some point he hoped to create an opening. He was also aware he could be crushed under a bigger cave in. It didn't matter. If Cameron was to get out, there needed to be an opening.
Cameron squeezed into a depression in the tunnel wall. She survived the initial blast and collapsing rock. There was more dust in the air but no more smoke. She went back and inspected the blockage. It was much more extensive that she'd imagined. She'd blocked the fire from using any more of the air Savannah would need and from sending more toxic smoke their way.
She needed to get back. She hoped there was a 'back' at this point. The blast seemed rather violent in the confined space. She may have collapsed some other areas as well. She thought of the rotted timbers along the mine tracks. Maybe it was far enough away to not be affected. She didn't really believe that.
There were boulders and rocks everywhere. Cameron avoided the debris that now littered the path and headed for the tunnel that sloped down to the mine tracks.
As she approached she slowed. Even from the distance she could see it.
The opening was gone….
Something slammed into Cameron. Her vision fluctuated and went blank.
Only the darkness remained.
She didn't even have time to reflect she was in her final resting place.
Savannah heard rocks plunking down around her. There were showers of dirt in some locations. As she passed one of the old timber supports, it let out a loud 'crack'. She moved on. She was NOT leaving without Cameron.
She approached the noise of the rocks impacting at study rate, she slowed.
Tom saw the light approaching and knew it was Savannah.
Tom called to her.
"I'm up ahead." Tom said. "I'm OK."
The rock noise continued.
"Where's Cameron?" Savannah asked as she approached.
Tom told her Cameron was trapped.
Savannah was appalled as she saw the opening was full of rocks.
She came up to help.
"Let me help you." Savannah said.
Tom saw a small gap. It closed with new rock but he opened it again.
"No, I can work faster this way and not worry about injuring you." Tom said. "I've started to create an opening."
Savannah directed her light at the area. She saw the small opening. He made it a little bigger as he worked. This was it. This was her destiny. She immediately slipped off all her equipment including the breathing gear and vest. She coughed and pulled her scarf up.
"Help me up. I can get through there." Savannah said.
For every two rocks Tom moved one more fell in their place. He still made progress.
"It's unsafe." Tom said.
Savannah wasn't about to back down. She'd faced off with a nuclear warhead before. That didn't stop her. This wasn't about to stop her either.
"Cameron's on the other side." Savannah said. "I'm going to find her. Help me up NOW."
Tom thought it was a bad idea. He'd go himself if the opening was bigger. it wasn't. He also knew that Cameron should be back by now if she was still operational.
"Don't go far." Tom said.
Tom helped her up and she squeezed through.
"Savannah…." Tom said.
He handed her the flashlight.
He reached down the get her breathing gear. When he turned around, he saw her hand rapidly withdraw as a new pile of rocks closed up the opening.
Tom started back to work moving even faster this time….
This just went from bad to worse.
Cammy went to check on Savannah. She was gone, only her lantern remained.
"DAMN." Cammy said.
The other three Terminators turned to see what was wrong.
"SAVANNAH!" Cammy shouted out.
She was answered by silence.
Cammy looked back at the three Terminators.
"Savannah's not here." Cammy said. "She must have gone after Cameron."
Cammy was ready to go after her.
The earth in front of them began to vibrate.
There was a loud screeching and rumbling sound. The Terminators backed away from there they were working. Maybe the whole excavation was about to collapse and bury them.
Along the path they were digging the dirt exploded inward.
A giant solid cylindrical object suddenly appeared and came into the area they were at for about three feet.
"What the Hell?" Cammy asked.
The Terminators all stopped and looked at it.
"It is steel tubing but it is plugged with dirt." Al said. "It's from the outside."
Cammy ran over and picked up the wheel she'd been digging with. She started to pound on the exposed metal.
She wanted to signal them that they were in contact. She didn't know all of what they were doing on the outside. She didn't want the tunnel to collapse. Dirt rained down all around them at this point.
Bob and his crew lined up the next large steel pipe and placed it against the flaring they'd made along the edge of the previous one.
Four Terminators held it in position as the bulldozer brought its blade against the back of it and started to push.
Bob signaled for the bulldozer to stop.
They started to get ready to flare the edge on the new pipe.
Bob touched it. He thought he felt an impulse and then another.
"Everyone be quiet." Bob shouted. "Turn off all the machinery."
Bob could feel an impulse come through the pipe. Someone was beating on it. Someone was signaling them.
"There's someone there." Bob shouted.
A cheer sounded around the work area.
In the back of all of their minds they knew it could be Grays or Skynet Metal. They all hoped it was their team. The needed to hope it was their team.
Bob's report reached the Command Center.
A cheer rang out in the Command Center.
John Henry didn't want them to get overly excited.
"The pipe will be filled with earth." John Henry said. "They will have to dig it out. The first pipe is probably solid at this point, maybe even the first two."
John wanted to expedite the process.
"Have them shove one more pipe in." John said. "They'll have less digging that way."
John Henry thought about that. It might work. The first pipe filled with earth should be able to be rolled away once it was pushed in further. There was also another even more grim reality.
"John, there 's the possibility that…." John Henry started.
John cut him off. He didn't even want to hear it.
"Don't even say it." John said.
In the back of all of their minds they knew it could be Grays or Skynet Metal.
They still needed to hope it was their team.
John Henry suggested they send a message the old fashion way before they shoved more pipe into the area.
Bob received the notification.
"I've got it." Bob said.
Bob picked up a shovel and began to beat on the metal.
"Let's flair this piece and get the next one in. I'm sending 'Morse Code' to them to prepare for ten feet of pipe to come through." Bob said.
As soon as the flaring was completed the bulldozer fired up again ready to push as the next piece of pipe was lifted into position.
The blade made contact. The bulldozer pushed very slowly this time. The pipe started to move into the hillside real slow and steady. It seemed to push in easier now too.
The bulldozer turned its lights on as did the 'skip-loader' to illuminate the area. They needed to be real cautious of everything they did going forward. The hillside above them seemed to have a lot of 'dirt rivers' running down it.
Cammy could feel the message impulse through the pipe.
"They're sending ten more feet of pipe through." Cammy said.
She still touched the metal.
In moments, the pipe began to move forward. The front end began to sag. The four Terminators all grabbed it to keep it from digging into the ground and binding up at an angle. Once the new pipe was spotted they moved back and let it drop. Al and Ed hopped over to the side Cammy and Frank were on and they rolled the earth filled pipe off to the side.
Cammy beat on the pipe again to signal they were OK.
Al started to remove dirt from the new pipe. He was already about two feet into it.
In a few more minutes there was a small opening at the top of the pipe and a hand reached through.
There was one spoken word.
"Ausgezeichnet…."
It was Bob.
Everyone crowded around the monitors in the Command Center now that they were using light at the site. They could all see what was happening. They watched the next pipe go in.
They saw Bob go into the pipe with some buckets and others Terminators followed him. Soon there were full buckets of dirt and rocks coming out, as empty ones went back in.
Then they all saw it. It was an ominous sight. Thick black smoke began to pour out of the pipe.
No one spoke. They all knew there was a fire burning inside the mine.
The smoke seemed to thicken the longer they worked. It was just that more could escape as the opening inside the pipe was enlarged.
Then it started. It was a grim sight to see.
As they watched one slack body came out, then another and another. They were laid on the ground. Another one came out and then one with its head destroyed. They didn't know which ones were male or female.
Then they all saw it. Another body came out. This one was identifiable as a female. The shirt ripped and the medium sized breasts were exposed momentary. They were the same size as Cameron's or Savannah's breasts.
The six bodies were lined up on the ground side by side. They were all black with soot and dirt.
The weeping turned to crying.
Nobody cared who saw or heard them cry….
Get Back
Daily life goes on as always
Sometimes it fades to black
Why must every moment
Seem like it's an attack
Each new challenge
Turns into a drawback
When is one given a break
When is one cut some slack
Do moments of happiness exist
In only a fleeting flashback
Maybe to question the norm
Leaves one feeling like a quack
Maybe the reality of love itself
Is something one can only hijack
For surely in the end like always
It will dictate some type of payback
The mind may buckle and split
The heart will wither and crack
Words of love seem like a hack
No one wants to hear another yak
One can take life's blows
Absorb the endless forms of flak
Things are easier with a full rack
Everything else is only a setback
Does one forge boldly ahead
Or only retreat and fallback
Maybe everyone is only a snack
When one gives what do they get back
Nobody