Chapter 673

It's A Go

The Command Center received an update from CamNet. They were a little surprised at what the proposal was. It definitely merited review and consideration.

John and John Henry went over 'CamNet's plans'. They both figured they were actually from Young Allison. They were daring and bold, which meant they could probably make them work with a little luck.

John was a little apprehensive about the proposal as much as he was enticed.

"Both of those are risky plans." John said.

John Henry could see the risk but he thought that they were sound and workable.

"They both might work." John Henry said.

John thought about the personnel it would involve. It didn't sit well with him.

"I don't want the females to do it." John said.

John Henry thought it was a non issue.

"John, they're Terminators." John Henry said. "It's what they do."

John was sure was going to involve more than just Terminators, female or otherwise. He wanted to lay down the law.

"Savannah's not going in with them." John said. "That's final."

John Henry made sure they were isolated. He didn't want this to become a problem. He agreed with John but for different reasons other than the fact that she was a human female.

"Savannah has to be tired if not exhausted by doing all this high elevation activity." John Henry said. "She's in perfect condition and health but she's not used to being two miles up over rough snow spotted terrain. She's needed to do a lot of running too."

John could see how that would complicate things even more.

"Get me a secure line to Bob." John said.

John Henry signaled to John that the secure line was established.

John wanted to make himself clear.

"Bob, I want you to relieve Savannah for the next phase of the operation." John said.

Bob was aware of the danger that would be involved. He was more than willing to step up and take Savannah's place.

"Affirmative..." Bob said. "I'm heading down now."

John wasn't sure how reluctant Savannah would be to not take part in the raid.

"Take one other Terminator with you so they can accompany Savannah back." John said.

Bob wondered what exactly John wanted to try for. He didn't think any of them would want to be sidelined, not just Savannah.

"I don't think any of the female Terminators will want to be replaced." Bob said.

John didn't want it to become another problem. He hoped that either Gail or Cammy would accompany Savannah back.

"One of them can go back with Savannah." John said. "We both know it won't be Cameron."

It was more than likely that Cameron would be the one to lead the assault. That's just how she rolled.

Cameron received word from John about a plan to walk right up to the bunker. She wondered where that plan came from. She contacted CamNet and found out it was Young Allison's plan. She smiled to herself. It looked like Young Allison's 'Metal upbringing' really showed. It also showed she was willing to act. This wasn't the first time either. The thing she liked best about the plans from the Young bunker we're not only that the ideas were bold but they were all some good ideas and very workable. She wanted to put the plan into effect immediately. The clothing that they needed was close by.

"Gail, head for the Grays you and Savannah took down." Cameron said. "We need some of their clothing."

Cameron went over the plan with everyone.

Savannah listened to the plan. She thought it was very dangerous. It might just work as intended. The Grays were sloppy and would see what they wanted and expected to see.

"That's a risky plan, Cameron." Savannah said. "It does have merit."

Savannah wondered why John would take such a risk. She didn't know where the plan actually originated from.

Cameron hesitated to tell her that it was from the Young bunker. She decided to let it 'slide' for now.

"We're going to take the bunker one way or another." Cameron said. "We need to know what they're doing in there."

Cammy was still upset that she'd seen the female before she was taken into the bunker and was well aware what must have happened to her for the last few hours. It was more than a few hours at this point too. She hoped that she was still alive. The female seemed to know what she needed to do to stay that way as long as possible. She still thought that she was a 'working girl' who got caught up in a little more than she bargained for or signed up for. There was no easy money or free ride.

"I want to get the female out." Cammy said.

Gail was in communication with Jesse and was made aware of a few facts by her and a request.

"It may be too late." Gail said. "Jesse said it's been silent for about two hours. Jesse asked that we try to take some of the Grays alive…. It's personal to her."

Savannah understood what that meant. She didn't protest. Death alone was too good and too easy a form of punishment for the Grays and what they'd done.

Cameron didn't want Jesse to regress. She'd worked hard to reform her.

"No." Cameron said. "Jesse's better than that."

Savannah didn't want Jesse to relive her past. She thought of a better plan.

"I don't want Jesse to do that either." Savannah said. "I'll do it…."

Silence was all that followed as the girls moved to their objective.

The Metal girls all knew Savannah was serious.

They were all aware that Savannah could 'order' them to assist her to do that.

John Henry could see the activity at several locations just picked up.

"The reports have started to come in from the old packing sheds, there's activity happening." John Henry said.

John is pretty sure what that activity would be.

"I bet they're getting ready to send up some HK drones." John said.

John Henry thought they should act now.

"We have enough Terminators on the ground around there. I think we should strike first." John Henry said. "Cammy reported new quieter engines, we need one to examine. We can modify the engines on our drones. We should be able to operate them at much lower altitudes without humans being able to hear them."

John was aware that they had more drones on the way to support them now.

"How soon until our other four drones arrive?" John asked.

John Henry monitored their progress

"They're ten minutes out." John Henry said.

John wanted to get everybody on the same page before the action started.

"Let me see if Cameron is ready for the next phase." John said. "We need to get everything into play."

John was a little worried the timing may not line up. He didn't think it would stop Cameron from acting as soon as she thought that she could.

Anna and Young Allison quickly looked at each other with the latest transmission about Savannah.

Young Allison didn't like what she'd just heard. CamNet allowed her to hear what Savannah said. She wasn't going to sit this one out and stay on the sidelines. Savannah's well being and mental health were her prime considerations going forward.

"I want to speak with Savannah." Young Allison said. "I want a secure line to her."

Anna understood Young Allison's concern and reminded her of her place.

"This is outside the scope of our involvement in the operation." Anna said.

Young Allison was adamant. She wasn't about to back down. Not when it came to Savannah. Not over this.

"I know what they are talking about." Young Allison said. "I don't want the darkness to grow inside Savannah."

CamNet circumvented Anna and instantly made the connection with Savannah.

"Cameron will not allow her to do that." Anna said. "You have your secure and private connection."

Young Allison was afraid of a dark side that could develop in Savannah. She was aware of some of the things Sheila did in the past. She knew that darkness came from Jesse through the 'Neural Interface'. She knew that meant Jesse must have done them as well.

"Savannah, it's Allison, YOUR Allison. This is a secure line, don't say anything, just LISTEN." Young Allison said. "You know why I'm calling. Remember who you are. That's all I have to say. Stay safe and good luck. I'm sorry for the intrusion."

Anna was actually surprised that it didn't expand into a longer conversation and was merely a statement from Young Allison.

"That was short." Anna said.

Young Allison felt it was necessary.

"Sometimes it's nice to have help." Young Allison said.

Anna tilted her head slightly to the side.

"Help for what?" Anna asked.

Young Allison knew who Savannah was. She wanted Savannah to remember too.

"To not forget who they are." Young Allison said.

Anna smiled to herself. Young Allison's direct input on this operation said so much, with so few words to both John and Savannah.

Bob arrived with Dan.

Bob hoped to keep things simple. He figured the best thing to do was to just go ahead and say what needed to be said.

"Savannah is to go back to the bunker observation point." Bob said. "One of you needs to accompany her."

Cameron was all for that idea.

"Cammy or Gail can go." Cameron said.

Savannah knew Cameron wouldn't leave and Cammy wouldn't either.

Steve and Al arrived to collect the deactivated Terminators and take them away for extraction later on. They could also replace any of the Metal girls, it appeared none of them wanted to leave.

Savannah didn't want things to turn into a problem. She thought she could handle it.

"Gail, will you escort me back, please?" Savannah asked.

Gail didn't want to leave the team.

Cameron could see that Gail needed a little prompting. She knew just what to do to make it happen.

"I saw Savannah limping a little." Cameron said. "Maybe you can carry her for part of the way. She won't ASK for help."

Gail wanted to hold Savannah in her arms. It wasn't in a setting like this but it was better than nothing. She didn't want to overstep her bounds. She looked at Cammy and Cammy nodded. She needed to suppress a smile with Cammy's approval.

"OK. I'll assist you." Gail said.

Gail headed away with Savannah behind her.

Cameron and her team put on some of the non bloody clothing that the men from the patrol were wearing when they left the bunker. Some of it was distinctive.

They wanted to disguise themselves to look like the patrol returning.

Cameron asked for an update as to what was happening around the bunker.

"They have two sentries out." Jesse reported.

Steve knew it was only one that was still alive.

"We just took care of the one on the south side." Steve said.

Savannah realized that Gail and her would pass by the remaining sentry.

"We'll take the one on the north side as we pass." Savannah said.

Cameron looked at her team. It looked like everyone was ready.

"Let's go." Cameron said.

Cammy wanted retribution. She wanted the Grays to pay for what they'd done.

"Everyone dies." Cammy said. "That's except the detainee, if she's even still alive."

Bob wanted to say 'no problemo' but checked himself.

"That won't be a problem." Bob said.

Cammy was unsure of the mutilation that probably occurred to the female by her not acting sooner. She knew that carnage was on her. She could've prevented the female from ever leaving the upper station of the cable car. It would've put the entire operation in jeopardy and alerted the Skynet forces that they were on to them. She didn't do it. Whatever happened to the female was her fault.

Cameron can see that Cammy was bothered by her previous decision to stick with the plan. She had her own ax to grind. She intended to grind it.

"I want that 'Metal Bitch'." Cameron said. "She's going to pay for what she's facilitated."

Cammy looked at Cameron and silently nodded. She knew Cameron felt her pain. The unspoken words between them were, what would they done if it would've been Savannah or Young Allison that was the female captive? They both knew that the plan wouldn't matter at that point, nothing would. They would've gotten them out.

John wanted to make it a double strike.

"I want to hit the packing house at the same time as they hit the bunker." John said.

John Henry thought they could limit the risk to the Terminators on the ground.

"We can always do a drone strike." John Henry said.

John wanted to make sure the helicopters were set to go.

"Is the Blackhawk ready?" John asked.

John Henry knew the exact flight times. He also knew there was another option available.

"Yes." John Henry said. "It's ready to go. They'll be there in six minutes from wheels up. Sheila can be there sooner. The drones can do the dirty work."

John didn't want anyone to jump the gun until everything was ready to go.

"Cameron, how soon until you hit the bunker?" John asked.

Cameron didn't doubt that they would take the objective. She's also worried there was a lot of cleanup that needed to be done on the mountain side.

"We have it in sight now. Both sentries are down and we will be within striking range in four minutes." Cameron said. "Send the Blackhawk. We'll have a lot of bodies to collect."

Sheila and Ally powered up and we're ready to go.

"We are burning and turning right now." Sheila said. "We can arrive whenever we need to start hauling the trash."

Cam and Hannah were all set too.

"Hannah and I are ready as well." Cam reported.

John wanted to make sure that everybody was ready to go at the same time.

"Ed, are you ready at the packing house?" John asked.

Ed quickly looked over his team, everyone was on the move.

"We have two Stinger teams ready to go. Our ground forces are moving into position." Ed said.

John knew that the two Iroquois weren't part of the original plan. He decided to have them hold for now.

"Everyone, it's a go, Cam and Sheila will hold for now." John said. "We have six drones for support."

It was 'Showtime'.

Cameron led her team right up the trail to the bunker. In the darkness, it looked like the patrol returned.

No one in the bunker thought twice about anything because the patrol passed by one of the two sentries and no alarm was sounded.

The door opened for them.

"Where have you guys been?" A Gray asked. "It sucks that all the communications are still out."

Cameron and her team sprang forward. Her captured silenced MP5 sputtered to life. The man was hit and disappeared back inside.

She crashed through the door. She spotted several computer monitors and a few sets of bunk beds, there was a female in one of them.

Cameron fired several more times. The three men inside all died without ever firing a shot.

She could tell right away that something was off. Things didn't appear as they should.

"Where are the others?" Cameron asked as she looked around.

She pulled her Taser out.

"The 'Metal Bitch' isn't here." Cameron said.

Cameron looked for a trap door or an escape hatch. She couldn't locate either.

Bob followed Cameron in. He'd expected heavier resistance.

"This installation is nothing." Bob said.

Cammy followed Bob in. She immediately spotted the female and went to check on her. She was pleased to see the female's eyes slowly open.

"She's still alive." Cammy said. "We're here to help."

Cameron wanted some answers.

"Where did the female go and the others?" Cameron asked.

Cammy move to the female. She felt guilt about not assisting her earlier.

The female captive pointed at the back wall.

"Take her out of here to safety." Cameron said.

Cameron moved to the back wall. She looked around and found a latch. A door opened to a passageway with a camera pointed at her.

"Cammy you hold here with the female. Bob and Dan are with me." Cameron said.

They could hear the Blackhawk arrive with more troops.

Cameron entered the passageway. She'd already traded the silenced MP5 for her Coltan loaded M4.

It was Payback Time.

The operation at the old packing sheds was given the go.

Ed led the Resistance Terminators into the packing sheds and office building.

Two of the old packing sheds contained machinery. Most of it was still in shipping crates. The third old packing shed contained three drones. One attempted to power up as they reached it. Ed stuck a shocker on it and it shut down. The power source was disconnected from all three drones. None of them were going anywhere, not on their own.

There'd been only a little sporadic gunfire. It appeared the Grays were taken by surprise.

The two white vans that were still out were stopped by the Terminators that were tracking them. The occupants were terminated. The vans were checked and then taken.

Four of their drones orbited overhead but weren't needed. The two above the mountain summit also waited for targets.

John was pleased with the success of the operation but everything seemed a little off.

"This was all too easy." John said.

John Henry hoped that following the plan for once paid off.

"Maybe we're getting better." John Henry said. "We waited a day and it paid off."

John hoped that the answer was where Cameron was at. It didn't seem to be anywhere else.

"Cameron's team has to be after the answer." John said.

John Henry hadn't heard much from Cameron after she'd entered the bunker.

"We lost communication with her, once she entered the passageway." John Henry said. "The remainder of the Metal Strike Team has moved in to follow Cameron's team."

John was left with an uneasy feeling about who was left outside.

"That leaves Cammy, Gail, Jesse and Savannah outside on the mountain." John said.

Cammy communicated what was and wasn't in the bunker as she came out of it with the nude female detainee.

"And the freed female." John Henry said. "They can't find the 'Metal Bitch'."

John was instantly alarmed.

"Cammy, pull your Taser now and make sure the female isn't the 'Metal Bitch'." John said.

John was afraid this may be a trap. Maybe the 'female' was really the 'Metal Bitch' trying to act as a 'Trojan Horse'. He was very worried for Savannah's and Jesse's safety. There might be a 'wolf' in the middle of the 'hen house'.

It's A Go

There's seldom a pot of gold
At the end of life's rainbow
Sometimes one will be lucky
To get a simple 'hello'

There are many things in which to indulge
Most of them one must forego
Some think they've made it to the top
They don't realize they ended up below

Does one go against the current
Or buckle and go with the flow
When they do that they shrink
They never expand or grow

Some will hold steady and continue
Onward through the hardships they mow
They don't intend to be satisfied
With everyone else's status quo

With perseverance they find
The one who sets their heart aglow
They're sure that they've found the one
Their heart tells them - it's a go

Nobody