Chapter 633

She Is Not Joking

Cameron's team wondered what happened to the Grays. They hadn't arrived where they'd expected them to. Bob and Frank both moved up their teams to reinforce Cameron's team.

Gail was at altitude in the manned drone as she gave them her report. She filled Cameron's team in as to what happened when the van stopped. Two men exited from it. Both of them wore protective suits. The van immediately turned around and left.

The van that left was a loose end that Cameron wanted dealt with. She also wanted to wrap things up.

"Bob, follow the van." Cameron said. "You can 'leap-frog' with Frank so the same vehicle isn't behind him all the time. If he runs, stop him and question him Terminator style. I want some answers."

Bob wanted a few answers himself.

"Affirmative….." Bob said.

The two SUVs of male Terminators moved out off to the east side of the dirt road. They passed around Cameron's team.

Cameron needed to protect both groups. She needed to make a choice for Gail's protection with the manned drone.

"Gail, I want you to spot for Bob's group. Watch for any ambush or HK drones." Cameron said. "We'll call you if we need you."

Savannah was aware that Cameron just sent all their help away. She wanted to say something but didn't. She didn't want to question Cameron in front of the others. It might cause Cameron to glitch. The risk was low for now. If it picked up, she would say something.

Gail wanted to protect Savannah. She also needed to be a team player.

"Affirmative…." Gail said. "I'll be close."

Ally's team moved up to the location the Grays were let off at.

"We're at the spot Gail told us about." Ally said. "There's nothing here."

Cameron was aware that the other location where Grays were let off at was also hard to locate. It appeared they were both well camouflaged.

"It's there somewhere." Cameron said. "I'm driving up there."

Cameron started the SUV and drove up to the location Gail indicated.

Ally tried to make light of the situation.

"Thanks a lot." Ally said. "You made us walk up here for nothing. Don't tell us the exercise was good for us either."

Cameron reminded them that they complained about how they looked from being inside the mine.

"You volunteered." Cameron said. "You thought we looked too dirty."

Cammy looked in the back of the SUV. There was usually an assortment of munitions.

"I found some C-4." Cammy said.

Cameron knew that the other team used explosives to seal and booby trap the other location.

"Bring it." Cameron said. "We might need to leave a surprise behind."

Cameron walked over to Savannah. She was worried about her.

"Savannah, you heard the report from Dan about the extreme heat in the other tunnel and that the Grays all put protective suits on." Cameron said. "I want you and Cammy to take the SUV and move it up the dirt road one mile. You can come back and pick us up when we come back out."

Savannah was worried about Cameron too.

"Cameron…." Savannah started.

Cameron knew that Savannah was apprehensive about her possible actions. She didn't want to get carried away either.

"I promise to not take any chances. If it is like it was with Dan, we will withdraw." Cameron said. "Ally, Cam and Sheila, you're to remind me if I get carried away."

Cameron gave Sheila her 'shocker'. She figured she would be the one most likely to use it, if for no reason other than she could fondle her between shocks.

"If I get too involved, you can use this on me." Cameron said. "To give you some incentive to use it, you can touch me when I'm out…."

Sheila didn't think now was a good time to tell Cameron she'd already done that during some of the other times she was 'offline'. It was just like touching Ally but better, even if their sheaths were identical.

"Sure, love." Sheila said. "Maybe I'll even try and 'ring your bell'."

Cameron looked at the shocker that Sheila now held and wondered if that was a smart move. Sheila looked like she meant it.

Cam intensified her search. She soon located something.

"It's over here." Cam called. "I found it."

Cammy and Savannah watched the four Metal girls open the fake 'rock'. After they disappeared inside, Cammy drove the SUV only half a mile away. Savannah indicated that was far enough. She wanted to be able to get back to Cameron and the rest of the team in a hurry.

Savannah felt a little remorseful about her earlier discussion with Cammy. She didn't like to seem rude.

"Cammy, I'm sorry I cut you off earlier." Savannah said. "I didn't want to hinder Cameron's decision making. I shouldn't be a factor in it."

Cammy didn't want to revisit that issue. She was more concerned about Savannah's well being.

"Savannah, you need to eat something." Cammy said. "All you've consumed is some water and an 'energy bar'."

This was an issue that Savannah ran up against all the time. She decided to blow it off. She managed well enough.

"I want to keep my schoolgirl figure." Savannah said. "You know I like to look Tight."

Cammy wasn't easily daunted.

"Tight and sick are two different things." Cammy said.

Savannah was hungry. She looked down at herself.

"I would rather be one than the other." Savannah said. "I'm really filthy. We're wrecking these seats."

Cammy flashed a water bottle.

"Let me scrub your hands for you." Cammy said. "There are a few MRE packets I souvenired from the inside the mine. I took them off a dead Gray. He didn't need them anymore."

Savannah didn't was to waste the water to clean with.

"Look at us now." Savannah said. "There is no point even trying to clean up."

Cammy put some water on a clean piece of cloth. She tried to clean Savannah's face a little bit.

Savannah didn't want it to turn into a big deal.

"That's good for now." Savannah said. "I think we'll all need a 'pressure wash'."

Cammy flashed Savannah a look down her top.

"We could always strip and throw these clothes away." Cammy said. "You must be very tired."

Savannah was tired and hungry. The team was still on maneuvers so her needs would have to wait. The team came first.

"I'm fine." Savannah said.

Savannah scanned the horizon with a pair of binoculars. She handed them to Cammy.

"Use these and tell me what you see." Savannah said.

Cammy could use her zoom vision with the additional zoom of the binoculars. She used her unaided zoom vision first.

"I see everything." Cammy said.

Savannah was worried about what could happen inside of the mine itself.

"Is there anything different about the hill with the mine?" Savannah asked.

Cammy looked and then she looked with binoculars.

"I can see that one section of the hillside looks 'bulged'." Cammy said.

Savannah thought about the Metal girls underground now.

"Is Cameron's team in danger?" Savannah asked.

Cammy continued to study the hillside. It appeared the real danger would initially be above ground if there was a blowout.

"I think we are." Cammy said.

Savannah was even more concerned now.

"How or in what way?" Savannah asked.

Cammy could only speculate. She'd seen the aftereffects of similar things in Cameron's future.

"If whatever caused the heat blows out the side of the hill, we're at risk." Cammy said. "I don't know if there will be an increase in radiation."

Savannah was unsure where this was headed.

"Are we safer underground?" Savannah asked. "Are you saying this so we'll join the mission?"

Cammy felt it was more proximity related.

"It's an option." Cammy said. "I think we need to be somewhere else right now or very soon. Cameron's team needs to hurry."

Savannah didn't want to leave Cameron and the team for her own safety. She didn't know if they would be safer in the tunnel or if there would be a fireball traveling through it from the explosion. Maybe if there was an earthquake the tunnel might collapse.

"It sounds like we all need to be away from this area soon." Savannah said.

Savannah never saw the extent of the collapsed mountain in Cameron's future. She would have been a lot more worried with that image in her mind.

John needed to worry about the girls and the van that left the area. Nothing much seemed to develop. He was a little frustrated.

"Gail, do you see anything new?" John asked.

Gail was in the manned drone. She was on the lookout for anything out of the ordinary.

"No. You have the video feeds." Gail said. "All is as it was."

John Henry did look at everything. It didn't seem to offer much assistance.

"We're looking at the satellite maps." John Henry said. "We don't see any destination we can identify."

Bob was ready to take things further.

"We're still behind them." Bob said. "If we intercept him, I can get some answers."

John was worried about things too. Time didn't seem to be on their side.

"I don't like being led around." John said. "The longer we wait, the more likely we are to run into an ambush."

Bob liked the more rural location they were at currently. It seemed like a better place to make things happen.

"I agree." Bob said. "If they make it into the city, everything becomes even more problematic."

John Henry was updated by CamNet.

"John, CamNet has informed me that there are several of Cameron's Terminators in front of the van now." John Henry said.

John wasn't surprised. He liked the new options it offered.

"Bob, do you want to question them or have Cameron's Terminators do it?" John asked.

Bob didn't mind conducting an interrogation. Maybe John might want him to do something else.

"You decide." Bob said.

John didn't want Bob to have to do the 'dirty work'.

"As soon as Cameron's Terminators take them, you can return to the base." John said.

Bob felt they'd overlooked an important part of the current operation.

"What about Cameron and Savannah?" Bob asked. "We need to think of the other Metal girls too."

John wondered when that subject would come up. It didn't really matter. He already knew the answer.

"We both know you're going back there anyway." John said.

Bob smiled to himself.

"Affirmative…." Bob said.

John wanted to make sure the Resistance teams were provided with plenty of support.

"Gail, make sure Cameron's Terminators make it away and then backup Bob and Cameron."

"Affirmative…." Gail said.

They all knew she was going to do that anyway as well. Everyone wanted to look after Cameron and Savannah.

Minutes ago:

Cameron led the Metal girls down into the tunnel. There wasn't that much light on the surface. There was none where they were at currently.

Ally tried to lighten the mood.

"Did they forget to pay the electric bill?" Ally asked.

Cameron thought of the hours her team and Savannah spent in trapped the darkness. She knew that must have been very hard on Savannah. She never once complained. She only asked her to look out for her girls when she thought she was about to die. She needed to suppress a glitch impulse with that last thought. For a few seconds she'd thought Savannah terminated. It was a very troubling experience.

Sheila wanted to take it a little further.

"It's hot in here." Sheila said. "I could go topless but nobody would see me. It would spoil the thrill."

Ally knew the Terminators could see. She wanted to mess with Sheila some.

"We could." Ally said. "But it would be nothing new. That's 'old news'."

Sheila didn't like the lack of interest. Maybe she'd spent too much time naked with them. She wanted to give them all something to think about.

"I went to a larger diameter and bigger gauge nipple ring." Sheila said.

Ally was with Sheila recently. She thought otherwise.

"You did not." Ally said.

Sheila didn't like the affront.

"I did so." Sheila said. "Here give me your hand, you can feel it."

Cameron needed to worry about enough things already. She didn't need any unnecessary banter.

"Enough." Cameron said.

A sound began to develop in the background.

"Listen." Cam said. "What's that?"

Sheila was mildly aroused.

"It's somebody screaming." Sheila said. "In agonizing pain…."

Ally heard screams like that plenty of times when Sheila interrogated people. Sheila usually did something to make them scream. It always seemed she enjoyed it too.

"Who would know that better than you?" Ally asked.

Cameron was aware she'd done her share of 'enhanced interrogation'.

"Nobody…." Cameron said. "Drop it for now."

Sheila didn't see anything wrong with her techniques.

"The pain ends when the truth comes." Sheila said. "It's just that simple."

Cam wanted to keep everyone focused on the current situation.

"I think whatever these people thought they were going to fix is something they can't." Cam said. "It's gotten away from them."

Ally didn't like the new direction that the events just took.

"I think that means we should probably leave now." Ally said.

Cameron wasn't ready to cut and run.

"We don't have any answers yet." Cameron said.

Sheila looked at the bigger picture.

"If this place melts down or blows up, we never will." Sheila said. "That's especially true if we're around it when it does blow up."

Cameron didn't know what was what at this point.

"I don't think these tunnels lead to the mine." Cameron said. "I think they lead to what all that energy was going to."

Sheila was aware of Cameron's earlier report.

"You said the mine was hot and a fire started." Sheila said.

Cameron was still displeased about some of the things she was unable to uncover about the mine.

"I think they were connected to the same thing." Cameron said. "I couldn't find where the heat originated from in the mine."

Ally thought about the reports from Cameron's future.

"You've been in situations like this a few times." Ally said.

Cameron knew that implicated some of the things done by Duplicate Cameron as well as herself.

"I used a nuclear device both times." Cameron said. "Neither event ended well. I was lucky both times. I should've been terminated."

Ally wanted to see how far Cameron was willing to go now.

"If you could get back into the mine, would you use one again?" Ally asked.

Cameron already made her mind up about that very thing.

"Yes." Cameron said. "It is the only way you can be sure."

Sheila and Ally looked skeptical.

Cam knew how Cameron thought since she ran Cameron program and thought the same way.

"She is not joking." Cam said.

Cameron knew what needed to be done.

"No, I'm not." Cameron said.

Sheila hoped to gain a little information out of Cameron. She knew John and John Henry wanted to know more. Every time there was an 'earthquake' of moderate magnitude, they all wondered if Cameron just used one of her nukes.

"Do you still have the four Nike warheads?" Sheila asked.

Cameron decided to keep her answer simple.

"Yes." Cameron said. "For now I do."

Cameron wanted to tell them that the more nuclear weapons she controlled, the less Skynet could get a hold of and use going forward. That's unless she became Skynet herself. It didn't seem like a good time to remind them of that.

Cam motioned for everyone to be quiet.

"There's someone coming." Cam said.

It was clear whoever it was, was in a hurry.

"They're running." Ally said.

Sheila thought about the reports from the passageway the male Terminators were in earlier.

"Maybe it's a good time to make our exit and question them outside." Sheila said. "This tunnel may be a chimney soon."

Cameron wanted some answers still.

"We need to know more first." Cameron said.

Sheila took out the shocker and brandished it.

"Does this thing really work?" Sheila asked. "I can't wait to get a hold of those things."

Sheila looked at Cameron's perky breasts.

Cameron pictured Sheila 'copping a feel' when she would be offline. She thought maybe she would rather be functional so she could see how Sheila touched her as compared to John. She quickly blinked twice. She needed to refocus.

"OK, I get it." Cameron said. "It's unsafe and unwise to continue on down here. The goal is unknown and the outcome looks bleak."

Ally figured the male Terminators would put the grab on the two Grays in the van if they didn't snag someone soon.

"We have someone with answers coming to us." Ally said. "I really don't think there are many live ones down here, unless they're Terminators."

The screams of agony seemed to intensify.

"Can Terminators scream like that?" Sheila asked.

Cameron briefly reflected on some of her past 'adventures' when she'd thought she was Future Allison. Some of those thoughts were very unpleasant.

"Yes, especially when they don't remember they're Metal." Cameron said. "A lot of things can happen…."

The girls silently made for the way out. They would nab whoever was coming near the exit.

The screams continued to get closer.

Not Complicated

It's not complicated
It's simply fear
Fear of rejection
Love causes many a tear

For we never feel equal
We never feel we are a peer
Rejection cuts so deep
Even the slightest sneer

When Cupid shoots his arrow
He misses the one we hold dear
He laughs as into our heart
He shoves and then twists a spear

The fear of rejection grips us
Crushing our minds tiny sphere
Is it ever what is inside of us
Or only to use our veneer

To the one we love
We try to make their heart steer
As they see the direction is us
Away from us they violently veer

It's not complicated
As it seems to appear
It's fear of rejection
It is simply fear of fear

Nobody