Chapter 662
Are You Alone
Steve was further up the trail but alongside of it. He was ahead of the two groups of Grays and Cammy. He spotted a small group of backpackers that we're headed downhill. He sent out the warning to Cammy.
Cammy was relieved to hear there were no females among the small group of backpackers. She was afraid that the Grays would try to put the grab on them. She moved back closer to the trail when she heard the backpackers coming. She was glad to see that there were only two of them. She waited until they passed to see if any of the Gray's decided to follow them. They weren't followed by anyone. She waited a little longer to make sure and then made her move.
She quickly moved back down alongside of the trail and backtracked to get ahead of the backpackers. She wanted to get some information. She figured a smiling face would open the door with the two male backpackers. She moved onto the trail and headed toward them. She wanted them to believe it was a random encounter of someone out for a day hike. She went into full infiltration mode.
Cammy looked like she was headed up the trail to them. They saw the big smile when she looked up and saw them.
"Hi, guys." Cammy said.
The two backpackers we're pleased to see a beautiful girl with a smiling face.
"Hello." They both said.
Cammy wanted to see what they thought of the trail ahead.
"How's the trail?" Cammy asked.
The first backpacker looked disappointed.
"It seems well traveled these days." One said.
The other backpacker looked in the direction that they'd come from.
"Before, there was hardly anyone on it." The other said.
Cammy could see that there was some discord among them.
"What's changed?" Cammy asked.
The first backpacker shrugged his shoulders
"It just seems like more people are on it." One said. "Most of them aren't friendly."
The other backpacker seemed even more upset about the turn of events.
"A few weird things happened up here." The other said.
Cammy wondered if the two backpackers may have seen something out of the ordinary. They might have seen some Skynet activity. She decided to play along playfully.
"What? Was it Big Foot or a UFO?" Cammy asked.
The two backpackers looked at each other.
"Actually, yes, that's what it was." One said.
Cammy's eyes widened and she moved closer to both of them
"Really?" Cammy asked. "You saw Big Foot?"
Cammy nervously looked around.
The second backpacker hesitated before he spoke again
"No, it wasn't Big Foot. It was a UFO." The other one said. "There was one last night. That's why we're out of here."
Cammy feigned surprise.
"You saw it?" Cammy asked. "You saw a UFO for real?"
The first backpacker nodded.
"We saw it and heard it." One said.
Cammy wanted to show genuine interest.
"Did it land?" Cammy asked.
The second backpacker seemed a little unsure.
"It did, sort of." The other one said.
Cammy wanted to give them some options to see if they would change their story.
"Maybe it was part of a military test or something." Cammy said.
The first backpacker shook his head from side to side.
"It didn't look like anything I've ever seen." One said. "I've been to more than a few air shows over the years."
The second backpacker was sure of what they saw, even if it made no sense.
"It carried something underneath it and dropped it off." The other one said.
Cammy feigned surprise and worry.
"Was it a person or a bomb or something else?" Cammy asked.
The first backpacker knew it was something. He just didn't know what it was.
"It was some kind of object." One said.
Cammy wanted to give them another chance to change their story and pass it off as nothing but an elaborate joke.
"You saw all this for real?" Cammy asked. "You guys aren't messing with me are you? Is it safe to continue? Are you going to report it?"
Neither backpacker wished to associate with any of the authorities about anything.
"We saw it all right and no we're not going to report it." The other one said. "We did a little 'herb' last night and today as well, we don't want to get picked up for that."
Cammy wanted to look like she participated in the use of illegal narcotics.
"Do you have any more?" Cammy asked.
The first backpacker let out a short laugh.
"Nope, after what we saw, we used all of it." One said.
Cammy wondered if they'd collected any additional evidence. Just about everybody carried a cell phone these days. If they were 'stoned' they may or may not have had the cognizance to use one.
"Did you get any cell phone video or pictures?" Cammy asked.
The second backpacker smiled and nodded at the first backpacker.
"We sure did." The other one said.
Cammy was a little worried about evidence of Skynet in the hands of drug users.
"Can I see it?" Cammy asked. "I'm afraid to go on up and not know what I'll face. That way if I see anything, I'll know to turn around and run."
The two backpackers never saw anything out of the ordinary during the daytime.
"They're long gone." One said. "They probably only come at night."
Cammy was in contact with John Henry and CamNet. They both heard everything she said. She knew both of them would erase the phone after they gleaned the pictures or video from it and probably overload the battery like she'd seen earlier.
One of the backpackers showed her the images on his phone.
Sure enough, there was a video of a modified HK drone and it was hauling something. It came in low and set the object down as it hovered briefly before it flew off.
Cammy could see that it was a pretty clear and distinct image that showed an HK drone. It was more than likely the one she saw land last night at the old packing sheds. She was curious as to how much evidence that they'd inadvertently collected.
"Did both of you shoot video of it?" Cammy asked.
The second backpacker looked a little bit embarrassed.
"No." The other one said.
The first backpacker playfully punched the second backpacker in the arm and tried not to laugh.
"It was just me." One said. "Dufus forgot to charge his phone before we left."
The second backpacker seemed insulted. He thought he'd done something better for both of them than worry about charging his phone
"I got the herb for us. You liked that." The other one said. "Don't call me Dufus."
Cammy was a little bit worried about how much of the information may have already been disseminated. John Henry and CamNet may have to get to work to change what already was done.
"Did you send it out to any social media?" Cammy asked.
The second backpacker seemed somewhat amused and rubbed it in to the first backpacker
"He wishes." The other one said.
There was a look of disgust on the first backpacker's face.
"Not yet, the signal's really bad around here now." One said. "You would think it would work perfectly with all that crap on the mountain top now. It's actually worse."
Cammy didn't want them to start to wonder about all the questions she'd asked them. She tried to make herself look innocent and somewhat helpless.
"You guys aren't trying to fool me or do anything are you?" Cammy asked as she looked around.
The two backpackers looked at each other and then back at Cammy.
"That depends." The other one said. "Are you alone?"
Cammy sensed danger. She didn't want to have to make any unnecessary terminations.
"No, my brother is on his way up with my girlfriend." Cammy said. "I got ahead of them. My brother isn't acclimated to the high altitude. I'll go on a little further and wait for them. Thanks for telling me about all that stuff. We won't spend the night like you did."
The first backpacker took another long look at Cammy.
"Good luck." One said.
The two backpackers headed down the trail. Cammy moved off of the trail and headed back up alongside it. She wanted to catch up with the Grays. She needed to remain out of sight and not be heard by the 'Metal Bitch'. She hoped to prevent them from terminating the female detainee if she couldn't keep up with the rest of them.
Cammy made sure it was clear around her before she communicated with John Henry. She wanted to make sure the backpackers didn't try and follow her. She could see the 'hunger' in their eyes as they looked over her and took in her beauty. If they did try to assault her, she would terminate them. It still bothered her the way they'd looked at her. She made the connection with John Henry
"I take it you heard every word of that." Cammy said.
John was sure at this point that the Skynet operation was much bigger than any of them thought.
"We did. That was some very disturbing news." John said. "More Skynet activity is the last thing we need."
John Henry went over the satellite photos one more time.
"It makes no sense what they'd be doing up there." John Henry said.
John was displeased at the never ending battle with Skynet.
"None of this makes sense anymore." John said. "For every step forward, we get shoved back two steps it seems."
John Henry wanted to give Cammy a heads up on the weather forecast for the evening.
"It will snow tonight at the elevation you're at." John Henry said. "You're up almost two miles up in elevation."
Cammy was pretty sure that the cold would soon face the wrath of Cameron and the Resistance. Things were bound to escalate.
"I have a feeling there'll be a lot of heat up here tonight." Cammy said.
Cameron heard the exchange with Cammy and the backpackers. She wanted to go up there and see what was happening herself. Right now the old packing sheds needed to be dealt with as well.
She checked on where the vans took off to in such a hurry. One headed toward the aerial tramway and two went towards the Salton Sea.
Bob and Savannah we're close to the Palm Springs area.
"We can intercept the van headed towards the tramway." Bob said. "Do you want it neutralized?"
Cameron didn't want to tip their hand too early that they were onto the Grays.
"Not yet." Cameron said. "We need to identify what else they're involved with."
Savannah wanted to link up with Cameron. She thought one of the other Terminator teams could deal with the vans headed towards the Salton Sea or the aerial cable car. She wanted to reinforce Cameron.
"Maybe someone else can take the vans…." Savannah said.
John Henry checked the satellite overlay map with the positions of all the Resistance teams.
"You're the closest team to the one headed to tramway." John Henry said.
Cameron received a call. She knew who it was going to be before she looked at her phone.
"Cameron, I should be with you." Savannah said.
Cameron didn't want Savannah to worry about her needlessly.
"I'll be fine." Cameron said. "I have some Terminators here near me."
Savannah knew how reckless Cameron could be at times. She was worried about her and how she would act on her own.
"I don't want you to take any chances." Savannah said. "I want you to promise me."
Cameron didn't want to cause Savannah any unnecessary stress.
"I promise, Savannah." Cameron said. "Bob and you need to go and backup Cammy and Steve. Cammy needs you more right now. They have hard targets and the Grays have a female hostage."
Savannah knew that was true. Cammy and Steve needed to deal with two different groups of Gray's that were already up on the mountain. She knew what the female hostage was in for.
"OK." Savannah said.
Cameron moved around from in back of the parked vehicles and headed toward the first packing shed…. She wasn't done looking around yet. She wanted a few more answers before she left.
Bob and Savannah neared the turnoff to the aerial tramway in their SUV.
"I see it coming." Bob said. "I see a white van anyway."
Savannah saw that the van approached them from in front of them. She wanted to get ahead of it so the van wouldn't think that they were following them when they turned up the canyon road.
"Turn ahead of him so he follows us up." Savannah said. "They won't know we're onto him."
Bob turned up the narrow canyon road. The van was about to make a left hand turn to fall in behind them. A sports car almost ran the light and cut in front of the van.
The sports car went into the oncoming lane to pass Bob and Savannah's SUV on the narrow canyon road.
Bob noted the speed of the sports car is it passed them
"He's fast." Bob said.
Savannah saw the move as unsafe and reckless.
"He's fast but he's stupid." Savannah said. "He can't see what's coming around a curve and react to it in time at those speeds. Speed kills on a twisty mountain road."
Bob didn't think that reckless driving would be the source of all the deaths that would happen very soon.
"I have a feeling there will be a lot of that tonight." Bob said. "I mean killing."
Savannah didn't think that that was their fault. It was the fault of the Grays for choosing to follow their evil master Skynet.
"I'm afraid you're right." Savannah said. "We're going in light."
Bob was aware that they'd be limited in the weapons they could bring with them. They would be around other patrons that would ride the cable car up to the top of the mountain. They didn't want to get discovered if they tried to bring too many weapons with them.
"We will acquire any weapons we need from the enemy." Bob said. "Only bring your vest, pistol and Taser."
Bob was still troubled by Savannah's earlier statement. He would need to be extra careful and watch out for her. He wondered if maybe by him doing that, that it would cause him to miss something and Savannah would act to protect him. He could see how these things created their own narrative, even when nothing was happening.
Young Allison tried to put it all together. The action from yesterday is what led to this. An HK drone led them to the location where Cameron was at now and the hilltop location was spotted on a recon mission by Cammy.
"As usual this is getting bigger by the second." Young Allison said.
Anna knew that John took preemptive action and moved a group of Terminators into place at the temporary desert outpost that they'd established.
"The Blackhawk will be on standby only a short time away with a Metal Mike Force." Anna said. "They have two drones at the desert base. More will be dispatched when it gets dark."
Young Allison needed to agree with Cameron assessment that something was off about the whole situation with the mountain top. There must be more than they've been able to determine so far.
"I want you to go over the current satellite images again and the historical ones as well." Young Allison said. "Everyone is missing something."
Anna watched the trackers of where the different Terminators were at. She saw that Cameron was on the move. They could also view the surveillance cameras that were pointed at the old packing sheds from the side of the hill.
"Cameron's moving in." Anna said. "Look, she's entering the first packing shed now."
Young Allison knew that Cameron would take several different types of explosives with her.
"At least she has plenty of C-4 and several Thermite grenades." Young Allison said. "I've seen Cameron use both and I've been instructed on the use and placement of explosives."
Anna knew that no amount of training was ever enough.
"One day you'll need all of this training to survive while you protect the future and John." Anna said. "John will depend on Savannah and you to lead the Resistance with him."
Young Allison I heard all of the stories ever since she could remember about what her future would be. She was aware of her 'domestic' duties as well.
"You know that I know all that." Young Allison said.
Anna was troubled by Young Allison's earlier statements.
"I want to make sure you know what will be 'yours' when the time comes." Anna said.
Young Allison knew that she'd let her anger get the best of her earlier. She shouldn't have been so outspoken and told the others that they should do more.
"I need to apologize to everyone for my earlier outburst and selfishness." Young Allison said. "The future requires many things to be shared. The future has already started…."
Anna thought that was a good first step. Young Allison could get that out of the way right now.
"Why don't you do that real quick and make your apologies." Anna said. "Remember, Allison is YOU."
Young Allison headed upstairs to make amends with everyone. She knew Anna wanted to do something and wanted her away from the area. It must be important so she'd go along with it and take care of her earlier rudeness.
Anna quickly contacted CamNet with some disturbing things she'd just uncovered.
Young Allison returned a short time later. Everyone was all back on the same page and there were no more hard feelings. Now it was time to find out what really happened.
"OK, I'm back." Young Allison said. "Now tell me what was so secret you wanted me to leave. Don't make me ask CamNet."
Anna didn't really think she would be able to fool Young Allison. She might as well come clean now.
"There's no getting anything by you is there?" Anna asked.
Young Allison knew that she might be fooled sometimes but she wasn't going to be fooled all the time.
"Not when I've been raised with cyborgs…." Young Allison said. "I can't remember a time in my life before there wasn't always one or more here. Most have been based on Cameron. Well, at least her program anyway."
Anna felt that her program was superior to Cameron's program alone.
"You know I'm 'Cameron' and 'Savannah' through the 'Neural Interface'." Anna said.
Young Allison wanted to propose an intriguing idea that she'd mulled about in her mind more than a few times.
"Why don't you use the 'Neural Interface' with John and I can have a package deal." Young Allison said.
Anna knew that was a proposal that had been kicked around for quite some time.
"It's been discussed." Anna said.
Young Allison wasn't sure if Anna was joking or serious. The more she thought about it, the more she thought Anna wasn't kidding.
"Oh, brother…." Young Allison said. "I'm sorry that I said anything. Now tell me what I missed when I was away."
Anna looked a little unsettled.
Are You Alone
There are many things in life
That one will put off and postpone
When they try to figure out why
The answer remains unknown
Different events can occur
That make some want to disown
It seems that others must forever
For their past events always atone
Feelings that grow inside for one
Does not their past condone
It only goes to show that
A heart's not made from stone
Everyone has thoughts and opinions
They don't act like a mindless drone
That's why they stick around longer
When all of the rest have flown
One always needs to remember
That truth can cut to the very bone
When all others have abandoned and fled
Look all around and ask, are you alone
Nobody