Chapter 724

Not Now

Bob returned to the Command Center. John was glad he was back safely. He went over everything with John and John Henry. He indicated he didn't feel he was followed or tracked by anyone in the rail yard or when he left under the train. He believed he was able to slip completely past the Skynet forces undetected.

John was satisfied with that aspect of the operation. He waited for the rest of his teams to return that were in Arizona. They could move on to the next phase of the operation and head for San Luis Obispo.

"How far out are the rest of our teams?" John asked.

John Henry verified that the teams all ran each other through an ambush after they'd reunited. They were much closer to the base at this point.

"It should be about one hour." John Henry said.

John was a little antsy. He was ready to take off. He wanted to make sure Cameron wouldn't catch him or try and stop him.

"Is Cameron still tied up?" John asked.

John wanted to head out before Cameron knew what he was up to. He really disliked all the restrictions Cameron placed on him.

John Henry still thought it was a bad idea for John to go out into the field. He checked to make sure that Cameron wasn't available yet. He knew that Cameron would take John's lack of responsibility out on him.

"Yes." John Henry said. "Cameron is still away from the base."

John saw it as his chance to make a break now that Bob was back.

"I need to slip out of here with Bob." John said.

John looked at the satellite map. He wanted a general overview of the lay of the land for the area that they were headed to.

"We will head out on the '101'." John said. "The other teams can catch us in Buellton. There is a place there with good 'split pea soup'. I ate there with Cameron on our honeymoon. I think it's called Andrew's."

Bob shadowed John and Cameron on their honeymoon. He knew exactly where and what the name of the place was where John went.

"It's called Anderson's." Bob said. "I was there too."

John was reminded of a government installation that they were nearby at that time.

"That's it." John said. "We'll also skirt Vandenberg Air Force Base. I bet this ties in with something there as well."

John Henry hadn't found anything to link Skynet to the Air Force Base. That didn't mean he wouldn't at some point.

"It's possible." John Henry said. "Skynet or 'Sky-whatever', likes the military."

John was ready to roll. He wanted to make sure John Henry covered for him.

"Run some interference for me." John said to John Henry.

John Henry was a little dissatisfied with his new choice. He didn't think John thought everything through before he assigned others to do questionable tasks.

"You don't have to worry about being deactivated." John Henry said. "I do."

John knew it was always risky out in the field.

"No. I only need to worry about being maimed or killed." John said. "Let's roll, Bob."

Bob was sure the biggest threat to John was going to be Cameron once she found out he'd gone out in the field again. He was very aware of how upset she became.

"Affirmative…." Bob said.

It always made John smile whenever Bob said that.

"Yup…." John said. "I wouldn't have it any other way."

John was glad some things never seemed to change. He was about to leave the base happy. As to how long he would actually remain that way was yet to be determined. He was pretty sure that he would have some type of negative contact with Cameron sooner rather than later.

Cameron watched Savannah walk out of the cyborg holding area without turning to look back. It was clear she was angry or upset with her. She was at least unhappy with her. She was sure it was her fault in some way. Savannah usually didn't act or respond this way at all, even if she was upset about something.

She didn't know what to do. Savannah never acted this way before. She felt the need to communicate with Savannah somehow.

"Savannah…." Cameron said.

Savannah didn't look back. She was in a very high emotional state currently. She felt she needed some space.

"Not now." Savannah said. "I want to be alone. I need to be alone."

Cameron was sure Savannah hated her now. She feared this was going to happen and it did. She hurried after her as she carried Fusion - CamNet.

"Savannah, I'm sorry." Cameron said.

Savannah still did not turn back to look at her. She was overwhelmed with emotions right now. She wanted to try to hold it together for just a little bit longer. She didn't know how to make Cameron understand.

"I need to be alone for a little while." Savannah said. "Please, Cameron. I just need some time alone."

Cameron stopped and watched Savannah hurry away. She'd wanted to try and stop Savannah from this endeavor with CamNet. Now it seemed it would be a bigger problem if she did stop it. She took Fusion-CamNet to the lab to have the work started on her. She directed her Terminators to start at once. Everything was to be done as Savannah requested.

Her biggest concern was Savannah. At this point in time, CamNet was the least of her worries.

Savannah hurried away from Cameron. She went to her room at Cameron's base. She hoped Cammy and Sheila weren't in there. She listened outside the door and it was quiet. She opened the door and went in. She was so glad to be alone right now. There were millions of feelings happening inside of her.

She stood in front of the mirror and looked at herself. She tried to process all the feelings she'd just experienced. She was overwhelmed by memories from the past. She'd just viewed her 'parents'. They weren't really her parents but her parents were identical to them.

Savannah lay on her bed and stared at the ceiling. The tears started to flow silently down the sides of her face. The sound soon followed. She'd tried to hold it in but she couldn't. It was too overpowering for her. She moved the pillow over her face to try to mask her sorrow. She didn't want anyone to hear her. She didn't want anyone to feel her pain.

There were times where she felt she may have grown harsh and cold inside. With the emotions she experienced currently, she knew that wasn't the case. She was still who she always was. Even if she'd put it on the back burner.

Cameron silently arrived and stood outside Savannah's door and listened. The sounds she heard from Savannah terrified her. She knew this was the deepest sadness and sorrow a human could experience. Maybe she went about what she wanted to do the wrong way. She really didn't know. She did know it was because her parents were dead that was the basis of the sorrow and pain that Savannah experienced now. The goal of the cyborgs in her 'menagerie' was to go back in time to replace those individuals who perished with cyborgs so the timeline wasn't disrupted. The individuals that died because of her or her lack of being able to protect them could be brought back to life and returned to their timeline or another of their choosing. The bottom line was that those people didn't need to die because she'd failed them.

She was sure she'd made a big mistake. She'd deeply hurt Savannah. The only other time she'd heard Savannah cry like that was when Cammy and her physically fought in the hallway at the Resistance base or when Savannah thought about her children. The children she needed to leave behind with her other future selves. That last reminder caused her to experience a glitch impulse. That wasn't her doing but she still felt responsible for what happened and followed. It really made her wonder how much Savannah could hate her for any of those events. She really thought it could be a lot. She felt she needed to do something to comfort Savannah. It was times like this she knew she wasn't equipped to deal with humans as other humans could. She was determined to do her best.

Cameron tried the door and it was unlocked. She silently entered and moved to Savannah. She sat on the bed next to her. She reached out and took Savannah's hand. Savannah moved over and she lay next to her. She still held her hand. The noise slowly stopped and Savannah moved the pillow back under her head.

Savannah was very self conscious about showing her weakness in front of Cameron. She tried very hard to be the person Cameron wanted her to be. There were still times where her real self was able to escape the hardness of her shell.

"I'm sorry I'm not stronger." Savannah said. "It was very emotionally overwhelming."

Savannah never thought she'd see and touch her 'parents' again.

Cameron was highly disturbed and unsure of what she should do or say. She still felt her motives behind what she wanted to do were the right thing. It wasn't her goal to cause pain and grief. The goal was to eliminate what caused the original pain and grief. It was the termination of those individuals.

"I'm sorry." Cameron said. "I don't know what to say."

Savannah was able to get things under control somewhat but she was still highly emotional.

"I never expected to see my parents again, both of them, young and beautiful." Savannah said. "All of that was taken from me."

Cameron often focused on her feelings of pain and the trauma on what she viewed others inflicted to her. It was the few times that she viewed Savannah like this when she realized she really didn't know the depths of pain, sadness or sorrow that a human could experience.

She realized the pain Savannah felt was worse than the pain of Future John sending her away. The events of her parent's deaths happened to Savannah when she was young and less emotionally able to deal with that kind of pain.

It was a pain worse than she'd felt when she was banished from the future and worse than when John betrayed her with Future Riley. It was the pain of losing someone you love forever. She knew that forever was a long time.

Cameron's phone buzzed a different tone.

She didn't move and still held Savannah's hand.

Cameron's phone buzzed again.

She still didn't move and held Savannah's hand.

Cameron's phone buzzed again.

Savannah understood not everything was about her. She didn't want to become the problem. She didn't want to be a problem for Cameron.

"You better take that." Savannah said.

Cameron still held Savannah.

"I promised you that if it was you or the end of the world, I would choose you." Cameron said.

Savannah promised Cameron the same thing. This wasn't the time to find out if it was the end of the world or not. She sat up.

Cameron sat up next to her.

Savannah felt a little self conscious about her display of weakness in front of Cameron. She actually thought she was stronger than that. It was clear she wasn't. She wanted to explain herself.

"I'm fine." Savannah said. "You've helped me to be stronger and hardened me. It was a moment of weakness. I know better. I'm sorry I buckled. I'll try not to let it happen again."

Cameron wanted to let Savannah know those feelings are what made her human. She understood that this was the very fabric that created who Savannah was inside. It was feelings like these that made Savannah special.

"It's part of being human." Cameron said. "It's about being REAL, with REAL feelings and emotions."

Cameron's phone buzzed again.

Savannah felt she was almost back to normal.

"You better take that." Savannah said. "It sounds important."

Cameron looked at the messages.

Savannah noticed that Cameron's jaw clenched tightly for a moment.

Cameron put her phone away.

Savannah dried the last of her tears.

"Well?" Savannah asked.

Cameron still held her jaw tightly.

"It's nothing." Cameron said.

Savannah could see that wasn't true. It was something that bothered Cameron greatly. She could see Cameron needed to push through her anger to not take anything away from her 'moment'. Maybe this was a time where they actually helped each other and made each other stronger by being there for each other.

"What is it?" Savannah asked. "Please, tell me."

Cameron thought about her phone and looked at Savannah.

"It's about someone who won't listen to me." Cameron said. "I really don't care."

Savannah was able to reach inside of herself. It was time to be there for Cameron now.

"That's not true." Savannah said.

Savannah lifted Cameron's left hand by the wrist, it glitched steadily.

"Tell me, Cameron." Savannah said. "I'm here for you, like you're here for me. We're here to help each other."

Cameron felt strength and comfort from Savannah's words. Her physical closeness to Savannah right now only added to those feelings.

"John left with Bob. There are three teams of Terminators following him to back him up." Cameron said. "He shouldn't go out in the first place."

Cameron went over what was happening.

Savannah heard enough. The budding operation sounded like a good way to bury the past.

"Let's go." Savannah said and stood. "We have a job to do."

Cameron wasn't sure Savannah was in any condition to face potential combat.

"What about you?" Cameron asked.

Cameron knew Savannah was still filled with grief.

Savannah believed it was just the opposite. The threat of potential combat would help her refocus and strengthen her from inside.

"Everyone sacrifices for John Connor." Savannah said.

Cameron didn't want to push Savannah.

"You don't feel well." Cameron said.

Savannah knew everything was not about her. She never wanted it to be that way. She understood how other people felt about issues that they needed to deal with as well. Cameron was the most important person in her life.

"Do you?" Savannah asked. "Do you ever feel well?"

Cameron didn't even need to think about this. She'd pondered and mulled over it many times. Everything came back to the same conclusion.

"No. Most of the time I don't." Cameron said. "The only time that I do is when I'm with you."

Savannah wondered what that really meant. She doubted she made Cameron feel well. She did know that she didn't want Cameron to feel like she appeared to feel right now. It was better for both of them to get out in the field and deal with Skynet. She knew it was best to jump right back into the middle of the 'game'.

"Where are they headed?" Savannah asked.

CamNet already provided her with all the details.

"Avila Beach, it's near San Luis Obispo." Cameron said.

Savannah thought about the locations. She'd read all the reports.

"That's by Serrano Point…." Savannah said. "How long ago did they leave?"

Cameron double checked the timeline.

"Not too long ago." Cameron said.

Savannah thought of a plan to get ahead of John and it would help Cameron feel better too.

"I could get some time in on the Blackhawk." Savannah said.

Cameron looked at Savannah and smiled. They could both smile at each other now. Things were good between them.

Cameron used her phone and sent some commands.

"It will be waiting for us." Cameron said.

Savannah wanted to do everything on the Blackhawk herself this time.

"I'll lift off this time, myself." Savannah said. "Bring a crew to fly it back."

Cameron was glad that everything was good between them now. She still felt the need to say something about what Savannah witnessed at the special room earlier.

"Savannah…." Cameron said.

Savannah knew Cameron wanted to say something about her 'parents'. It was a subject that she wished to avoid at this current time.

"I don't want to talk about it." Savannah said. "Maybe later on I can but not right now. Please, I need some time."

Cameron still felt she'd committed a serious grievance against Savannah.

"I'm sorry." Cameron said.

There was something else that bothered Savannah. She knew that she was only one person.

"Cameron, if it is really ever me or the world, you must choose the world." Savannah said.

Cameron suppressed a glitch impulse. Savannah was everything to her.

"I don't know." Cameron said.

Savannah wanted Cameron to see the big picture. If she looked at the big picture everything would make sense that happened after that.

"Saving the world protects John and protects the future." Savannah said.

Cameron was aware when it was time for a hard choice there was seldom a choice. There was only what needed to be done.

"I'll try to remember that." Cameron said.

Savannah looked at Cameron with all seriousness.

"Everyone sacrifices for John Connor." Savannah said again.

Cameron tilted her head slightly as she thought about everything Savannah said. She really didn't know what she would do if it ever came down making that choice.

Cammy and Sheila were alone as they shared in Sheila's room. It was something they'd looked forward to.

They tried a position that gave them mutual stimulation at the same time with the same motions.

Cammy experienced a sharp tugging and stretching motion.

"I think our rings are tangled." Cammy said.

Sheila wanted to finish.

"I don't care." Sheila said.

Both of their phones started to buzz.

"Now what's happening?" Cammy asked as she reached for her phone.

Sheila reached for hers but was 'hung up' with Cammy.

"We really are stuck." Sheila said.

Cammy looked at her phone. She wasn't happy with what she saw.

"Great." Cammy said. "Cameron's dragging Savannah around again."

Sheila finally managed to get to her phone.

"CamNet has alerted us to go with them." Sheila said.

Cammy didn't think there was much difference between Cameron and CamNet.

"CamNet is as defective as Cameron is." Cammy said. "They should both be deactivated."

Cammy was worried about whatever new danger Cameron was about to drag Savannah into.

Sheila didn't comment on the fact that Cammy also ran Cameron's program. That meant in reality that she wasn't that much different from Cameron or CamNet. She didn't think that Cammy viewed herself as defective.

"Do you think you could do a better job?" Sheila asked.

Cammy looked a little insulted at the question.

"Of course I could." Cammy said.

Sheila wondered how since Cammy was an 'outdated' version of Cameron's program. Maybe being around Savannah so much made Cammy 'better'. She would like to have a full time human lover like most of the other Metal girls shared. Right now Ally and her only had each other. She worked between her legs to get untangled from Cammy.

"OK, we are free." Sheila said as she moved away from Cammy.

Cammy quickly inspected herself for any damage. It looked like everything was OK and there were no rips or tears this time. That hadn't always been the case in the past.

"Next time we do that, we better remove some of our jewelry first." Cammy said.

Sheila didn't have a problem with it. She'd even experienced some ring damage before. Everything healed up OK she didn't think it was a big deal. It did get her attention when it happened though. She'd purposely left her pain receptors on during the entire ordeal. She certainly knew she was 'alive' at that point in time.

"You can." Sheila said.

Cammy remembered Sheila as she looked at the loose ring one time.

"Maybe I will." Cammy said.

Sheila never hesitated to mix a little pain with pleasure. It actually excited her more.

"I like how I look." Sheila said.

Cammy wanted to make sure that Savannah was protected.

"Let's get dressed and go." Cammy said.

Sheila thought the delay of untangling their rings cost them too much time. They needed to get moving.

"We can get dressed in the helicopter. We need to hurry to make the lift off." Sheila said.

Cammy pictured them running down the hallway naked.

"Everyone will see us." Cammy said.

Sheila felt an additional rush of excitement.

"What could be Hotter than that?" Sheila asked. "LOOK at us."

Cammy tilted her head slightly.

"You're right." Cammy said. "Grab your stuff and let's go."

They both headed out of the room naked carrying their gear.

"If you've got it, flaunt it." Sheila said as they passed other Terminators.

All of them did look at the two of them. It was impossible not to.

Ally got the alert from CamNet too.

She headed off to catch up with Cameron and Savannah.

As she passed Sheila's room, Cammy and Sheila exited. The only thing that they wore was their jewelry. They carried all their clothes.

"Are you trying to make up for lost time?" Ally asked.

Cammy wasn't sure she cared for Ally's comment.

"Did you want to join the party?" Cammy asked.

Ally would have liked an invitation.

"I wasn't invited." Ally said.

Sheila thought about her eight years in the past with Cammy.

"We've become accustomed to 'working' alone." Sheila said.

Ally was able to take a good look at Cammy and noticed both of her sets of rings.

"That looks really Hot, Cammy." Ally said.

Cammy and Ally share the same DNA.

"You can look exactly like me." Cammy said.

Sheila asked Ally to do that many times.

"I've tried to get her to do that." Sheila said.

Ally never could seem to pull it off and ever look exactly like Cameron or her clones.

"Hurry or we are going to miss them." Ally said.

Cammy didn't see it as a problem.

"We can take another vehicle." Cammy said.

Ally watched as an SUV left the car pool area.

"Damn, they just left." Ally said.

Cammy pointed to another SUV.

"You drive and we can get dressed." Cammy said.

Ally hoped for a little more action on the way to the rendezvous. She really wanted to check things out.

"I'll drive while Sheila gets dressed and then I'm coming back there to check everything out on you, Cammy." Ally said. "I want to see and touch how I could look."

Cammy was very pleased with her new look. She wanted Ally to look at her with envy.

"I can wait a few minutes to get dressed." Cammy said. "Then you can see and feel what you're missing."

Cammy's statement reminded Ally of what happened the last time she switched chassis with Sheila. When it was returned to her, there were a few things that were 'missing'.

"I'm not missing what I was when Sheila was in my chassis." Ally said. "I think that was the whole reason she wanted to switch chassis."

Sheila didn't think it was a big deal. She wanted to experiment a little with one of the new trends that was quite popular among young women these days. It was a simple outpatient procedure in a clinic.

"I just wanted to see what it would be like to be a little different." Sheila said. "Women pay a lot of money to have what I did to your sheath, done."

Ally still wasn't happy about what happened.

"They only have them trimmed." Ally said.

Sheila wanted to see what the 'Barbie look' actually looked like.

"It was no big deal." Sheila said. "Everything regenerated. I checked."

Ally remembered all the concern the modification cost her initially.

"Then why didn't you try it on your own chassis?" Ally asked.

She looked at Ally and smiled.

"I didn't want to chance the sheath material not regenerating on me." Sheila said.

Ally was even more upset now.

"I knew it." Ally said. "You used my chassis like a Guinea Pig."

Sheila laughed and shrugged her shoulders.

"You were the one who said, 'Let's try something new'." Sheila said. "I did."

Something else caught her attention. It was Cameron's SUV.

"I see them up ahead." Ally said.

Cammy was surprised that they'd caught up to the other SUV so quickly.

"Savannah must be driving." Cammy said. "Cameron is much more reckless."

Ally was now in a sour mood.

"Shut up and get dressed." Ally said.

Cammy was still naked.

"Don't you want to see?" Cammy asked.

Ally glanced at Cammy and then fixed her gaze on Sheila.

"I will later when the 'butcher' isn't around." Ally said.

Sheila thought it was a bunch of hoopla over nothing.

"I would rather be a 'butcher' than a 'Bitcher'." Sheila said.

"You're both." Ally said.

"Everyone relax." Cammy said. "There is plenty for everyone…."

Not Yet

You can throw me away
I'm not the one who's trash
Here is my wrist
Why not give it a slash

You know my love will never die
So you will do what can kill it
Here is my neck's juggler
Why not give it a slit

Your finger on the trigger
My mind awaits your bullet
Laugh as you aim
Why not just pull it

Grab my neck
Make it snap so it's broke
Your thumbs on my throat
Why not give it a choke

You think I'm gone
Don't place your bet
You haven't killed me
Not yet

Nobody

Deepest Sadness And Sorrow

Every beginning
Must have an end
To think otherwise
We would have to pretend

There are no Human words
That can express true condolence
It brings down to Earth
Our own shaky relevance

Life forever must always repeat
These moments of sorrow
It is then from each other
Whose strength we can borrow

At times life seems
To be bulging with madness
There are times of joy
There are times of sadness

Never forget and eternally remember
There will always be a tomorrow
Friends and family remain during the
Deepest sadness and sorrow

Nobody