Chapter 727

All My Fault

Savannah was glad she spoke with Cameron and hopefully cleared everything up. She wanted Cameron to know she wasn't mad or angry at her. It was just an emotional shock to her. It took some processing and thought to put it all in perspective.

They were headed to pick up Cammy at the recon location when Savannah received the call from Riley.

Cameron heard Savannah discussing some of the experiences she'd endured during her two pregnancies. She'd been with Savannah both times and saw some of the difficulties she needed to go through. It wasn't under the best medical conditions either. They were all very upsetting and disturbing to her. She was surprised that Savannah was ready to do it again so quickly. Now she would do it again for Vanna. Savannah never complained, not even once. The pains and problems spoke for themselves, even if Savannah didn't.

Savannah was worried about Riley and her baby.

"Do you think Riley is OK?" Savannah asked.

Savannah could tell that Cameron seemed even more disturbed than she was.

Cameron decided to take some preemptive action.

"I don't know." Cameron said. "I've sent a message for Cam to go and check her over for any underlying problems."

Savannah didn't know how she'd be able to help Riley currently. She did tell Riley to speak with Claire. She wanted to set that up.

"I need to call Claire." Savannah said. "She should be able to answer some of Riley's questions and give her some emotional support if nothing else. I told Riley we were about to start an operation."

Savannah dialed the number. Claire answered and after the pleasantries, She asked for her to call Riley and help her with any pregnancy related matters or questions. Just to talk to her as a previous mother to an expectant mother.

There was another issue that troubled Savannah.

"How's Allison?" Savannah asked.

Claire thought about the females in her house. She wondered if Summer was the only one who didn't seem to have any type of problems.

"She's feeling depressed." Claire said. "I mean both of them. Something's wrong with Anna as well."

That new revelation wasn't something anyone wanted to hear.

Savannah hoped to determine the nature of the problem.

"Is she malfunctioning?" Savannah asked.

Cameron listened to the conversation. This may be a new 'threat'. She knew she was the base program for Anna. It was possible that could explain why she was 'defective', if she was. She immediately called Hanna. She wanted her to check Anna out and make sure she didn't try and terminate Young Allison. She told Hanna to deactivate Anna if it was necessary. She figured they could always pull her chip and replace her program with a more stable one from Holly.

Claire's observation was that it was nothing mechanical or cyborg related that she could tell. It seemed to be what human females suffered from. She'd been down that path more than a few times.

"I don't think so." Claire said. "I think she's having 'emotional' problems."

Savannah was sure what those would revolve around. It would be Young Allison. It sounded like she was going to need to make another visit there to find out what was actually wrong.

"We're on an operation now." Savannah said. "I'll come to see all three of them. I'll get everything straightened out for everyone."

Claire believed that if anyone could help the girls, it was Savannah.

"I know you will take care of my Allison, BOTH of them." Claire said.

Savannah just recently experienced a refresher course in what emotional trauma can do to someone. In her case it was related to her family. For the girls at the Young residence, it would be several issues.

"It's all very complicated." Savannah said. "I'll do my best for everyone."

They shared some more small talk and ended the call. Claire said she would call Riley as soon as they hung up.

Savannah noticed that Cameron called both Hanna and Holly while she spoke with Claire. She hoped Cameron would be able to give her some additional insight as to what the situation actually was.

"What's the story on Anna?" Savannah asked.

Cameron was very displeased with what she was told.

"Holly and Hanna both said that Anna wants to be reassigned." Cameron said. "That's unacceptable."

Savannah hoped they'd be able to get this operation wrapped up relatively quickly. She wanted Cameron to take her to Palmdale.

"We'll go and see her." Savannah said. "I'll try to fix this."

Cameron felt responsible for the events that happened that were related to CamNet.

"This is all my fault." Cameron said.

Savannah just didn't see it that way. Cameron was no more responsible for what CamNet did than she was for what Cammy, Cam or Camille did or Anna for that matter.

"It's more CamNet's fault than your fault. She was the one who was involved directly." Savannah said.

Cameron thought about the lengths she would go to accomplish something that she wanted to do personally for herself. She thought it would be something very much like CamNet did.

"CamNet is my program." Cameron said. "I feel this is all being done so that what you're doing now or planning to do would happen."

When Savannah found out about Young Allison and CamNet that was her first thought as well. She didn't say anything to Cameron at the time because she didn't want CamNet to get in trouble and be punished by Cameron. She didn't have any proof of that so it was only speculation. It was still the underlying feeling that she got out of everything.

"I do too." Savannah said. "I didn't want to mention it."

Cameron wasn't sure why Savannah wanted to continue with what she'd started if she thought it was all a ploy.

"Are you still going to do it?" Cameron asked. "I don't think that she should be rewarded for this type of manipulation."

Savannah not only considered the immediate implications, she also considered the long term implications. If she didn't step in at this point, then CamNet would continue to pursue Young Allison instead. Either way, CamNet would be able to 'get' one of the girls for herself.

"I will protect Allison - MY Allison, any way I can." Savannah said. "I won't allow her to be hurt or used. She's everything to me. She's my future. I won't allow anyone to abuse her or mistreat her. She's not a Pawn. "

What Savannah just described about Young Allison is exactly how Cameron saw what was about to happen to Savannah. She also felt the same way. Someone needed to atone for these actions and it wasn't Savannah, Young Allison or her.

"Neither are you." Cameron said. "CamNet will be punished for this."

Savannah personally observed how Skynet reacted in two different timelines when it was faced with defeat. She doubted CamNet would be any different. She didn't want to find out. Punishment wasn't the solution here.

"No. I don't want anyone 'punished'." Savannah said. "I don't want anyone 'hurt' further by any of this. I need some time to try and fix all this and make everyone happy. Please, give me some time to get all this straightened out. I believe I can do that and come to an amicable solution for everyone."

Cameron determined Savannah's love for her would be stronger than any feelings she would develop or any other machine based entity.

"This is why you are the 'Chosen One'." Cameron said.

Savannah was always open to a fresh encounter. She didn't like it though when it was a forced encounter. She believed that she could turn that to her advantage and be in control of the situation with whoever forced that encounter.

"I understand everything that needs to be done and why." Savannah said. "I don't like it but I understand it."

Cameron near the location the Metal girls were sent to check on. She spotted their other vehicle, the van, and headed for it.

"There they are." Cameron said.

They pulled up and Cammy got in.

"This location seems inactive." Cammy said. "Sheila and Ally are going to check it out on foot."

Cameron thought they should reinforce the operation since Sheila and Ally were already out.

"I want Gail to move down to the west side. We will move to the east side." Cameron said.

Savannah wanted to make sure that everyone was properly covered.

"Maybe Cammy should stay with Gail as backup." Savannah said. "Or I can."

Cameron and Cammy looked at each other. They were both aware Gail was madly in love with Savannah. They were unaware of all the 'interaction' that occurred between them.

Cameron wanted to be responsible for Savannah.

"You'll stay with me, Savannah." Cameron said.

Cammy looked at Savannah and got out. She went and rejoined Gail. Ally and Sheila were already out on foot. Cameron and Gail drove off to their designated areas.

Everything seemed a little awkward. There was a lot in play and a lot of tension in the air. There was the issue with Riley and the incidents at the Young residence. John being out in the field only seemed to add to it.

It just went to show nothing turned out to be simple when it should be.

John and Bob were back on the road. They were headed directly for San Luis Obispo. He reflected on the journey so far.

"There's been a lot of open countryside around here since we left Santa Barbara." John said. "The view of the Pacific Ocean was spectacular. I saw four of the Channel Islands."

Bob kept track of the few smaller communities that they'd passed through. He remembered that was where they encountered a hostile Terminator on John's honeymoon. That incident actually happened further up the coast on Route 1.

"We've gone through a few pockets of population." Bob said.

John could see the community they were currently in was rather extensive.

"This Pismo Beach area seems the biggest." John said. "How long will it be until we link up with Cameron?"

Bob knew they were close to their destination. He was aware of the current operation that was in progress.

"It should be just under ten minutes." John Henry said. "I'm in contact with them now. Ally and Sheila are about to search a structure. Cameron and Savannah, along with Gail and Cammy will back them up."

John sat up in his seat. He didn't realize that they'd already started an operation.

"Do they want us to reinforce them?" John asked.

Bob thought that was a discussion that he was best left out of. He was pretty sure how it would go down. He doubted it was going to be pleasant.

"I'll put you in direct contact with Cameron." John Henry said. "You can discuss it with her."

John frowned when Bob told him that. He figured the same thing that Bob figured would happen.

Bob made the connection.

Cameron got right down to business. She wasn't pleased John was even here.

"Hi, John, proceed to the secondary target with half of your force, John Henry will fill you in. Send the other two teams to the third target." Cameron said. "We will operate as three teams with two vehicles each from this point on until we come up with a solid target."

John thought the conversation went a little better than expected. It was still rather curt. He would try to be amicable and deal with Cameron as an equal.

"Hi, Cameron. Do you wish to remain in control of this operation?" John asked. "I mean since you've already started."

Cameron wanted John to know that she was very displeased with his presence without her actually saying that.

"No, the 'General' is here now." Cameron said. "You run your two teams, I'll run mine."

John and Bob looked at each other.

John hoped for a further explanation from Cameron. There was none.

"What does that mean?" John asked.

Cameron didn't want to get too specific but she did want to give him at least a partial explanation.

"It means that I'm not having a pleasant day." Cameron said.

John wasn't exactly sure what she referred to so he made a general statement.

"Is there trouble in Paradise?" John asked.

Cameron tried not to look over at Savannah as she spoke with John.

"Aren't they one in the same?" Cameron asked.

John nodded his head in agreement.

"Yup…." John said. "Same thing, different spelling…."

It seemed that anything that was good didn't stay that way for very long. Things seemed to fall apart rather rapidly. It didn't really matter what they were.

Hanna found Holly as soon as Cameron called. They both went to see Anna. They didn't know what they were going to find. Maybe she'd started to malfunction, maybe it was nothing. They'd all suffered some emotional trauma. Either way they would be ready for anything that happened. They both carried their Taser with them. That was standard procedure anyway except for when they shared with one of the females. They didn't anticipate they would need to take anyone down. They hoped that they wouldn't have to deactivate her. They thought if that procedure was necessary that Cameron should be the one to do it.

Hanna and Holly tried to talk to Anna.

Anna looked very frustrated.

"It's all my fault." Anna said. "I did nothing to stop it. Now we all will suffer. I thought it was what she wanted. I was told she was allowed to choose."

Hanna tried to brush it off.

"Nobody needs to suffer." Hanna said. "This will all blow over."

Anna didn't think it was about what would 'blow over'. It was about what was already done.

"Young Allison has been hurt by this." Anna said. "That's something that never should have happened. I should have prevented that."

Holly thought about a similar experience she went through with Allison. She found out no matter how far you went, you couldn't run away from your problems. They seem to have a way to follow somebody. If nothing else, they would still be waiting when you returned.

"Don't you think getting yourself 'reassigned' will hurt Young Allison even more?" Holly asked. "Maybe you better think about her. You're going to end up hurting her even more."

Anna experienced all the fears, frustrations and feelings Cameron experienced over the years, even if she didn't know that was what occurred.

"I've failed Young Allison." Anna said. "I looked forward to being Summer's Guardian once Young Allison was a teenager and assumed her place in the 'Natural Order'. I'm unsuitable for dealing with this."

Holly wanted Anna to know this was a normal part of their cyborg development and their interaction with the human females.

"Look at your 'Cameron programming'. Look at all of us. We've all experienced these same feelings before." Holly said. "I have. I still do at times. They always creep up when things go wrong."

Hanna felt she had pretty good insight into where Anna would find the answers that she sought.

"What does the 'Savannah' in you say?" Hanna asked.

Anna accessed her files. Her head tilted slightly.

"They say to fix it." Anna said. "If I'm not part of the solution, I'm part of the problem."

That was the same answer that Hanna found when she's searched her files of Vanna.

"There's your answer." Hanna said.

Anna quickly realized that was the solution to any problem. Things didn't get 'fixed' thinking about them. They got fixed by dealing with them and solving them. Maybe it was time to 'grow a pair'. On second thought that might not be such a great analogy. She actually thought that 'a pair' was very unsightly to view.

Young Allison worked on her studies as she monitored the events that started to unfold around the San Luis Obispo area. She looked around, she was alone. The bunker seemed cold and empty. She'd hurt CamNet and driven Anna away. Everything seemed to happen so fast. She didn't like the emptiness and the coldness that was associated with it.

She knew this was all her fault for reaching out to CamNet. It was fun at first and then it became more 'involved'. It went from being a game to something more. CamNet always pressured her for more. Once she did more, CamNet wanted even more. She could have said 'no' but she didn't want to. She never was this close this way with someone she could share with and 'touch', even if the touch wasn't - real.

Savannah was always protective of her. Savannah was about her age since when she could first start to remember. She'd watched her turn into a teenager and young woman before her eyes. Savannah was beautiful. As she developed, she became even more beautiful. She wanted that for herself too. She wanted to grow and look like Cameron. What could be more beautiful than that, besides Savannah?

Young Allison knew her future and what was supposed to happen or be. Cameron and all the Metal girls drilled the 'Natural Order' into her head. Cameron made her promise 'things'. As a young girl they seemed like things that she should do. Now she wasn't sure of anything.

She was more aware of her body now that she was older. She'd done some 'experimenting' with it. The more she experimented the further she wanted to experiment. She saw what happened around her house. She watched what others did on the internet in videos and images. She seldom viewed anything that she actually thought that she would like or would feel comfortable to do especially with a male. Through her clandestine sexual studies she was sure she would rather be with Savannah than with John when it was time to share. She wasn't so sure others should be allowed to 'use' her body. With everything that had been pounded into her head she felt that she needed to be submissive and do as the others wanted her to do. She felt she didn't have any say in what would happen to it and her in the future.

She didn't have any real friends her age and she didn't have anything in common with any of the other kids her age that she'd ever been around, even as a small child. They were all so 'childlike'. Her only true friend was always Savannah. She'd tried to be closer to her but Savannah always maintained a 'distance'. Savannah always protected and respected her as she waited for the future. She began to realize now Savannah wanted to make sure it was her choice as to what she chose for herself. She realized Savannah could have been with her years ago. That's specifically never happened because of Savannah's restraint. She actually could understand the depth of Savannah's love better now.

Then there was the future. What was the future anyway? Now it turned out there was more than one. She'd checked with the girls and all of the Metal girls. The one constant in every future was Savannah Weaver and Allison Young – together. John and Cameron weren't in all the futures but they were. Savannah and her were. They were the best of friends and lovers…. They were ALWAYS lovers.

Maybe she needed to get away from it all. Cameron delayed on taking her into the past. With all the trouble she'd caused, she really wanted to get away. Now she'd hurt her only other 'friends', CamNet and Anna.

Cameron taught her how to survive on her own. Cameron taught her how to avoid Skynet and Terminators and how to elude detection. Cameron taught her how to 'escape'.

Young Allison felt ashamed of herself.

She looked around. She took her backpack and put her Taser in it. There were 'survival' packs with food, money and precious metals in them. She took one of those. She wanted to leave the others for Summer, Allison and her mother - just in case.

Maybe it was time to get away from it all.

She wasn't sure where she was going to go or do when she got there, wherever it was. She knew being kidnapped and forced into the sex trade was a real possibility. She didn't plan to give up her virginity easily. She went back and got her Model 66. She wouldn't be taken without a fight. Whoever thought they were going to be the first to 'pop' her was going to get 'popped' instead with a .357 Magnum round.

Young Allison went through the escape tunnel. She'd hurt too many already….

She questioned why she ever needed to be born in the first place.

It was clear she was 'not good enough'.

If she had only one wish it would be, never to have been born.

On The Table

When the time has come
To make love's decision
It's into your own heart
That you must make an incision

It may not be possible
With more than one to care
Is it fair to say
Only two can truly share

Everyday is a challenge
Many factors can come into play
Who do your keep
Who do you throw away

We think tomorrow will offer more
Maybe tomorrow never comes
Can you hear and feel the beat
Of true love's pounding drums

It's time to make a choice
Open your heart, if you're able
Put everything you find
On the table

Nobody