Chapter 690

ONE MILLION WORDS

Sheila and Ally took off in pursuit of the bobtail truck that left the complex. They would have rather stayed and backed Savannah up. They needed to know where the truck was going. It was Skynet related and would lead somewhere. They followed it for a short time before it became evident where it was headed.

"It looks like the bobtail truck that left is headed back to where we first encountered the other one we first followed." Sheila reported. "It's probably either to pick up more subassemblies or park there until the next one is ready."

John knew that was most likely but there was no guarantee that the truck would actually go there and not make another stop along the way or go to some other place all together.

"Stay with him to make sure." John said. "We want to know if it goes anywhere else."

Sheila glanced over at Ally; it didn't look like they'd be able to back Savannah up after all.

"We're on it, love" Sheila said.

John hoped for a heads up or some new information. Bob was in the best spot to offer that information since he currently had half of the building in view on two full sides of it.

"Bob, what else do you have?" John asked.

Bob only viewed two trucks leave the complex. No more had arrived.

"We saw the big truck depart after the bobtail truck left but nothing else." Bob said.

Cam knew Cameron wanted to tag the boxcars with a tracker. She didn't think sitting where they were at now observing half of the building was going to be productive. She thought it was time to act.

"I want to go in for a closer look at the railcars." Cam said. "That side is deserted looking. I didn't see any activity there."

That sounded extremely risky to John. It sounded like something Cameron would try to do. Then again he had to consider the source. Cam was 'Cameron' or at least her clone anyway, if that actually made any difference.

"That's a negative at this time. I don't want anyone spotted." John said. "Cam, let's wait a little bit."

John Henry searched for any video cameras that he might be able to tap into.

"There may be surveillance equipment." John Henry said.

Cam made her move. She was already out of the SUV. She didn't like sitting around. She'd moved to take area in view.

"There's just a fence with a gate over the tracks." Cam said. "I'm on foot with the east side under direct observation."

John glanced quickly at John Henry.

John Henry looked back and John and shrugged his shoulders.

John wasn't happy with the new turn of events. It was what it was.

"Is there any other activity?" John asked.

Cam was displeased with what she could see from her current location. It wasn't much.

"Zero…." Cam said. "The boxcars are right next to the building. They can be loaded with a ramp from inside the building. Nothing is exposed more than the two feet that the boxcar is away from the wall. When the door of the boxcar is opened, it looks like it will block much of that space."

John would prefer that she withdrew and left behind some video equipment.

"Can you get some surveillance set up to watch that small area?" John asked.

Cam thought John should pay better attention to his screens. She apparently was one step ahead of him.

"Check your monitors." Cam said. "You have a live feed."

John wanted her to withdraw for now. It was still daylight. He thought they could do more after it got dark. He didn't want anyone spotted and give away what they were doing to the Skynet forces. The goal was to find out as much as they could first.

"John Henry just patched it through. Good work." John said. "Stick with Bob for now, unless we need to follow any more trucks. We need to wait until it is darker to try to do more."

John wondered if his words fell on deaf ears.

Minutes ago:

Gail, Savannah and Cameron we're all in the same SUV. Cameron left to procure another vehicle when one of the trucks left the compound. That left Gail and Savannah together. They watched as a Gray went to the big rig, climbed inside, started it and drove away.

"The big truck just pulled out." Gail said. "We can follow it."

John wanted them to track the big rig.

Savannah was concerned that they would get further away from Cameron but they needed to track the big rig. She was still worried about Cameron because they hadn't heard from her in a while.

"Cameron went after the last one." Savannah said. "She's been silent."

Much to Savannah surprise, Cameron responded immediately.

"I'm with it, currently." Cameron said. "I'm on it."

John was a little worried at how dispersed the three teams now were. Technically it was four teams since Cameron went off on her own trek. Wait. It was five teams. Cam was away from Bob currently as well. Now with Cameron's latest transmission he needed to think about what she'd just said.

"Wait." John said. "You're on it, as on the truck itself?"

Cameron didn't think it was a big deal. She'd been underneath another big truck for a long time before when it went to an old helicopter base.

"Yes. I was about to tag it when it started to move. I didn't want to lose it." Cameron said. "I'm fine."

Savannah knew that was too dangerous for Cameron. She looked at Gail and nodded.

"We're coming to pick you up." Savannah said. "Tag it and get off."

John didn't want to lose the large truck. He was sure there was something of value in it.

"Savannah, you and Gail need to follow that big rig for now." John said.

Bob could see how the situation started to fall apart. He decided that he would go after the big truck. He hoped it would avoid any problems or conflicts that seemed sure to arise.

"I have the big truck." Bob said. "They need to get Cameron."

John knew that Cam previously moved to the east side of the building to observe the boxcars that were parked there. He didn't want anyone left behind on foot.

"What about Cam?" John asked.

Bob was unsure of her exact location.

"She hasn't returned yet." Bob said.

John Henry made several attempts to contact Cam.

"I can't reach her." John Henry said.

Bob thought he was going to have to come clean as to what Cam wanted to do next.

"She may be underground." Bob said.

John shook his head with disgust. Cam acted just like Cameron right now. He figured there was only one place she could be.

"Is she in the flood control channel?" John asked.

Bob could only report what he'd witnessed.

"That's where I saw her go." Bob said.

John viewed where Cam was at as the biggest threat to the team. He didn't want to but he was going to have to let the big truck go. It appeared that both Cameron and Cam overextended themselves.

"Hold your position there, Bob" John said. "If Cam gets in a pinch, we need to go in after her. Gail, forget the big truck."

Savannah hoped that John wouldn't be too surprised by their current situation. She wanted to follow his orders to stay with the big truck and she wanted to pick Cameron up. They needed to get a little creative to be able to accomplish both of those things.

"Gail is on foot after it. I let her off on an intercept course." Savannah said. "I'm headed for Cameron with the SUV now. We can collect Gail after I get Cameron."

John Henry felt several warning signals go off in his server with Savannah's latest revelation. It was something that was against Cameron's orders. Savannah was currently unprotected.

"You're alone…." John Henry said.

Savannah was sure that information would cause every Terminator a lot of worry. The whole point was as soon as she picked up Cameron, everything would be fine.

"As soon as I have Cameron, I won't be." Savannah said. "I'm going after her. Then we're going to get Gail."

All was not well in the Command Center.

John was very angry. He slammed his fist down on the table, shaking it. He was upset the teams were being split apart. He was upset Cameron and Savannah were alone. Bob, Cam and Gail were all alone as well. They were all alone and split up. None of them could quickly reinforce the others. Help was minutes away for all of them. If any of them encountered a Terminator, it could be catastrophic.

John Henry was able to get some more teams into the area. They were close now.

"John, we'll have two more teams arriving shortly." John Henry said.

John let out a long sigh. He looked over at John Henry who looked very worried.

Now it was John's turn to shrug his shoulders. He really wondered how much control he had over anything at times.

"Leave one where Gail and Savannah were and send one after Gail." John said. "I don't like people out there alone…."

John Henry checked everyone's current position. He saw that everything would work out very soon. The only one he didn't have a fix on was Cam.

"John, Cameron and Savannah will be OK." John Henry said. "The other team will have Gail soon."

John knew that the Terminators could take care of themselves if they got into a bind with a better than even chance against Grays or an enemy Terminator. That wasn't the problem.

"I'm not as worried about Cameron and Gail." John said. "It's Savannah that worries me. She shouldn't be alone. I'll have to speak with Gail."

John Henry knew that it wasn't Gail's fault. She'd been very reluctant to leave Savannah alone. Savannah didn't 'order' her but she made it clear that was what she wanted her to do. So she did it.

"Don't bother." John Henry said. "Savannah told her to do it. I heard the conversation."

John wondered why John Henry didn't notify him at the time. He'd have to ask him about that later on. He wasn't sure that he liked Savannah being able to redirect a Terminator after he'd given them a specific assignment.

"If Savannah tells one of them something, you even, you'll do it?" John asked.

John Henry knew the rules.

"It's the same as if Cameron told us." John Henry said. "Those are our orders. It's our prerogative to follow what the 'Chosen Ones' tell us, that's even without it being an 'order'."

John wondered how they could supersede his orders. He was the General. It was clear Cameron could take charge at any time. It was also clear that Savannah could stop her. Savannah was Cameron's 'fail safe'. Everyone knew Savannah earned that right in combat alongside Cameron. Savannah's input was worth more than one million words from him. He knew Cameron trusted Savannah more than she did him. He trusted Savannah more than he did Cameron and himself as well, to do the right thing. He still wondered if he should say something.

"Cameron's my wife, so I can't yell at her." John said. "Savannah is not."

John Henry tilted his head slightly to the side. He wondered why John seemed so forgetful.

"Isn't she?" John Henry asked. "It's just a matter of time…."

John slammed his fist down on the table again.

"I'm sorry." John Henry said.

John Henry knew the 'Natural Order' was unchangeable. It was John that needed to accept the reality of the situation and the future.

Jan and Summer were off playing together. Hanna and Holly watched over them. Cammy and Allison decided to tag along as well.

Once everyone was busy with each other upstairs, Young Allison retreated with Anna back into the bunker.

That left Sarah and Claire alone to talk. Sarah wanted to make it clear she was no expert on children.

"You know, I'm never going to win the 'Mother Of The Year' award." Sarah said.

Claire thought about all the time that she spent with Hanna and Holly in her bedroom throughout the day. It was a lot.

"I won't either." Claire said.

Claire and Sarah talked about a lot of things.

Something really bothered Sarah. She needed to ask about it.

"Can you tell me what's going to happen with Allison - Young Allison?" Sarah asked. "YOUR daughter…."

Claire let out a long sigh. She looked directly at Sarah.

"You already know or you wouldn't ask me that." Claire said.

Sarah thought Claire, as Young Allison mother, should have more input as to what happened with her daughter.

"Do you agree with that?" Sarah asked. "She's your daughter. You need to have some say in all this."

It was clear that Claire was frustrated.

"It's going to happen no matter what I want or do." Claire said. "I've prevented it this long."

Sarah hoped she could talk some sense into John or Cameron. She'd never had much success before.

"I can speak with John and Cameron." Sarah said.

The look of frustration on Claire's face was replaced with a look of fear.

"NO. I don't want to lose Summer too." Claire said. "That was the agreement I made with Cameron, she can't take Summer from me too. I want to keep one of my daughters at least."

Sarah couldn't imagine having to barter off her children, one against the other.

"This is wrong." Sarah said.

Sarah knew Claire needed to 'sacrifice' one daughter to keep the other or risk losing both of them. She knew it was Future John's fault. Cameron was merely the 'tool' to carry out his wishes.

Claire could see that Sarah was angry. She wanted to offer at least a partial explanation.

"I've lived with Allison - Future Allison in the future." Claire said. "I delivered her baby there for her. If Judgment Day comes, who will be there for Young Allison? I wasn't there for Future Allison or Allison, I was dead. My Allison will be better able to protect herself as a teenager or an adult, than as a girl. Do you know what was done to them, ALL of them – as girls?"

Sarah swallowed hard. She knew that all the girls were abused, some worse than others.

"I've talked with them before. I know some of the treatment was brutal." Sarah said.

Claire felt the anger well up in her.

"It was worse than that for Vanna and Jesse. It was savage. It was brutal enough for Allison." Claire said. "Ask Vanna and Jesse to tell you everything and you will want to protect Jan from THAT as well. At least my Allison will have a chance."

Claire went on to explain that Allison and Vanna were going to leave to be with Allison's baby in the future, when her pregnancy terminated. She wanted to take Sarah into her confidence.

"Nobody knows this yet. This is between us only. I'm pregnant with Allison's baby again." Claire said. "I have to do this for her. If I don't, My Allison will. She doesn't want Allison and Vanna to leave either."

Sarah could see how it all added up and what the common denominator was.

"This is all about love and sacrifice." Sarah said.

"Everyone sacrifices for the Future." Claire said. "Everyone…."

"Yes, they do." Sarah said. "We all do and have. Sacrifice comes in many forms."

Sarah thought her whole life was nothing more than a sacrifice, from the moment she met Kyle - Future Kyle. He was sent back by John - Future John, her son. Everything in the present - the past, revolved around Future John and the things he set into motion. She was the one that raised John - Future John. Was all of this really on her? She really wondered what she wasn't indirectly responsible for.

Cammy was aware of what Allison wanted to do. She didn't think it was a wise decision. She felt she needed to say something on her behalf and on Savannah's behalf.

"I was in the future you want to go to." Cammy said.

Allison wasn't sure she wanted to have this conversation.

"I know." Allison said. "I just feel I don't belong here any more."

Cammy knew that events would have been altered if things hadn't played out the way that they did.

"It wasn't a pleasant place." Cammy said. "If not for your child Destiny being there, Future Allison wouldn't have gone back to where she belongs. She would have stayed here and taken her place alongside John and Cameron. She would be with Savannah now."

Allison felt like she was trapped in a box. She felt confined. She didn't like how events played out. It seemed that no one had any control over them other than Cameron. That concept seemed questionable at best.

"Cameron 'fixed' all that, didn't she?" Allison asked. "Cameron has trapped everyone where she wants them. If I stay here, Cameron's going to breed Young Allison and take her child from her to give to me."

Cammy knew that there were already other plans in progress. That information was currently confidential. She still wanted Allison to know that there were options available.

"It's what you want." Cammy said. "Your mother can help you too."

Allison was still upset that the last time her mother 'helped' her that her baby ended up in the future with another version of herself - Future Allison.

"I don't know." Allison said. "I don't know anything anymore."

Allison didn't like people having to sacrifice or suffer for her. She KNEW both her mother and Young Allison would. It was clear that whatever they did, Cameron would be behind it. She did want a child and she wanted Cameron to help her. She just didn't like Cameron making others help her. She knew to Cameron it was about accomplishing the task. Whatever she did was what she thought was logical. The morality of it was not a consideration. The goal was all that mattered to Cameron. It didn't matter how that goal was achieved to her.

Jesse noticed how Kyle looked at her exposed breast and focus on her nipple rings when she had her top off. She decided to tease Kyle a little.

"Come on, love. You know you want 'a go at it'." Jesse said.

Kyle felt a little embarrassed at her suggestion. The truth of it was is he always did want to have 'a go at it'. He just never had the chance. If Derek hadn't been his brother, he was pretty sure that he would've had more than 'a go at it'. He would have had a lot of them.

"I just looked." Kyle said. "How could anyone not look?"

Jesse was very proud of the way that she looked. She knew she wasn't just anybody anymore, now she was somebody.

"They can't resist." Jesse said. "They all look and look again. Not for the same reasons they all do with Cameron but for the reason Cameron gave me."

Vanna was aware that Cameron made sure everybody received what they wanted, even if they didn't ask for it.

"She's given you everything you want." Vanna said.

Jesse wanted to mess with Vanna a little now.

"Do you want me to get your underwear?" Jesse joked.

"I'm good without it." Vanna said. "I grew up without it."

"We all did." Jesse said.

At this point Kyle was incredibly uncomfortable. He hoped that Derek and Riley would come out soon. He wasn't sure if the girls were trying to make him uncomfortable or just messing with him. It did take his mind off the problems with Riley and Derek anyway.

Derek looked at Riley with concern and fear. He knew there were so many things that could go wrong.

Riley stirred a little and opened her eyes.

Derek sat next to Riley as she woke up.

He bent down and kissed her.

"We're all here for you, Riley." Derek said.

Riley was very pleased with all the support that she'd been given. Everyone was there in an instant for her.

"I know." Riley said. "We're like a big family."

Derek believed that was all because of Cameron.

"The family we all lost and Cameron gave back to all of us." Derek said. "She's protected our real families too."

Riley touched her lower abdomen.

"Isn't she the greatest." Riley said. "I hope her baby is OK."

Derek didn't really want to hear this again. He wanted to set Riley straight.

"Riley, you know Cameron will never take your baby away from you." Derek said. "Even if you give it to her, she won't accept it."

Riley felt a sense of love and an overpowering sense of guilt.

"I owe it to her." Riley said. "For what I – did."

Derek didn't like the way this conversation was headed. Riley wasn't responsible for what happened before.

"That wasn't you." Derek said.

Riley didn't feel good about what happened.

"I feel like it was." Riley said. "I feel the shame for that and for hurting Cameron."

"It wasn't you." Derek said.

Riley could see Derek just didn't understand. She wanted everybody to go back to what they were doing before they came to attend to her.

"I need to let all these people get on with their lives." Riley said. "I feel better now."

Derek figured his brother was probably the one taking the brunt of the girl's whims.

"I need to get Kyle out of there before Jesse seduces him." Derek said.

Riley didn't think that was a fair assessment.

"She wouldn't do that to him." Riley said.

Derek pointed out the obvious.

"She did it to us." Derek said.

Riley felt a sense of elation.

"I don't regret it for a minute." Riley said.

Derek felt a sense of longing.

"Nobody does." Derek said.

Same

Blood drips from my wounds
Wounds deep within the mind
Pain fills my heart and soul
Eyes can see yet remain blind

We all know we can do better
Looking around I wonder how
Failure, misery, rejection, torture
All of which I disavow as I avow

Not good enough
Not Good Enough
NOT GOOD ENOUGH
N_O_T - G_O_O_D - E_N_O_U_G_H

It screams through my mind
I KNOW it, shut up, STOP
Trade nothing for even less
That is only an illusion swap

Ramble, babble, scramble, gamble
The destination remains the same
The journey may differ always ending in
Game, blame, defame, lame, shame

Nobody