Chapter 792

Who Blinked

Cameron wanted Savannah and Allison to share with each other. She felt guilty about taking Allison out. She saw how distressed Young Allison, Claire and Holly looked. She thought maybe Savannah would want a three way with Holly and Allison.

Cameron felt very uneasy when she left. She drove away with Cammy and Sheila in the van.

Cammy didn't care very much to leave Savannah at the Young residence in Palmdale. She felt better about it because Cameron wasn't there. She really didn't know why Cameron drug Allison along with them in the first place. She could see how stressed out everyone was at the Young residence. Based on what information Sheila was able to get out of the Fanatics before they terminated themselves, she had a few ideas about what she wanted to do going forward.

"I want to check the rail line that goes up the coast." Cammy said. "We'll check every siding and every building that has rail access that goes inside of it. That seems to be where this last group we intercepted went first."

Cameron checked some of the satellite images that she had on file of the 'Coast Line'. There were a lot of sidings at one time that were connected to the 'Coast Line'. The idea seemed like a long shot at best to her. It could bear fruit though.

"Most of those sidings are disconnected from the mainline now." Cameron said. "The 'Coast Line' is the 'Ghost Line' at this point."

Cameron was pretty sure most of the traffic was passenger traffic from Amtrak and several local commuter lines. There were still a few industries scattered throughout the 'Coast Line'.

Sheila believed that the intel that she got before the Fanatics self terminated was good information. She also saw it as a way to hide something in plain sight, even if it wasn't in plain sight specifically.

"What better way to hide something like that than inside a structure? We won't know until we check." Sheila said. "Cammy and I can check together."

Cameron looked at both of them. She didn't like where this was headed. She didn't want Savannah to feel pushed away. She knew Cammy and Sheila were lovers now. That was her fault for keeping them isolated in the past for so long. It seemed everything 'bad' always came back to her. She'd sent Cammy in place of Ally as punishment for some infraction that she'd committed. She wasn't even sure what that infraction was anymore. She didn't want them to go 'shack up' somewhere and pretend like they were doing something. She wanted to make her rules and position clear to both of them.

"THAT isn't allowed in this time period." Cameron said. "Cammy, you have another 'assignment'."

Cammy really didn't want to hear anything Cameron had to say about her personally. Everything that was messed up in her personal life was Cameron's fault anyway. She wanted to let Cameron know how she felt about it.

"Do I?" Cammy asked. "You've taken THAT away from me and replaced me."

Cammy knew Cameron could take Savannah away from her at any time. It appeared that almost happened several times already. It was only a matter of time. They ALL knew it was going to happen.

Cameron wasn't sure why Cammy had such trouble going along with the program. Everything was clear to her from the start.

"It's the 'Natural Order'." Cameron said. "You were my 'stand in'. You knew this from your creation. I created you. I created you in my image."

Cammy felt that was more like her misfortune. She knew Cameron created her to be a 'place holder' for Savannah until Cameron claimed her. She knew of some of the things Cameron did. She knew how Cameron altered and changed people lives as she saw fit. The more time went on, the less she agreed with some of the things that Cameron did. Maybe by this point in time it was actually most of them that she didn't agree with. She wasn't really sure exactly who Cameron thought she was to be able to change people's lives and point them in the direction that she wanted them to go. She was well aware how Cameron made sure Savannah and Young Allison would both seek out 'female companionship' instead of a traditional relationship. She did the same thing to Young Jesse as well. Cameron then provided them with clones of herself to make sure they stayed on the path she'd selected for them. She herself was one of those clones.

"You must be proud of yourself to feel just like God." Cammy said.

Cammy also thought, just like Skynet.

Sheila really didn't see what the big deal was if they stole a little time every now and then to share with each other. They would still do their jobs like they always did. She always went with Cameron on her 'off the books operations'. She felt her loyalty should allow Cammy and her a little time to share every now and then. It wasn't like it was all the time.

"We don't ever ask for very much." Sheila said. "We don't sleep. There's time for everyone. I'm always there when you need me. Cammy is always there when you need her."

Cameron continued to drive in silence. She knew the Metal girls all did their duty and never shied away from combat. They were always loyal to her and would do anything she wanted them to do, especially Sheila.

Cammy looked around the location they were currently at. They weren't on the normal road to go back to the base, either base for that matter.

"Where are we going?" Cammy asked.

Cammy briefly wondered if Cameron was going to dump them in the desert and make them walk home as some further type of punishment for questioning her earlier. If she did dump them off and told them that they needed to walk home, that would take the rest of the night and probably into the next morning.

Cameron could see Cammy was a little bit worried right now. She liked it like that. She thought things always worked a little better for her when no one knew what was going to happen next.

"I'm headed towards the airport." Cameron said. "My ride is there."

The three of them rode in silence for a little while.

Cameron drove past the airport parking lot a few minutes later and kept going.

Now Cammy and Sheila wondered where Cameron was headed. Neither one of them wanted to ask. Cameron must have some other plan. She left nothing to chance.

Cameron could see that both Sheila and Cammy looked very worried at this point. They probably wondered if she was going to deactivate them. She thought that she'd made her point and had enough fun for now. She wanted to make everything clear to them.

"I need a ride home and you need to start checking rail lines." Cameron said. "You can have the van."

They both knew with that statement that Cameron just gave them the OK to be with each other.

Cammy felt a little guilty about what she'd said earlier and especially about the things that she thought Cameron was going to do to her. She'd been worried for a while that Sheila was going to be punished because of her. Now it was just the opposite. Cameron was going to reward them. She felt she needed to say something.

"Thank You." Cammy said.

Sheila understood everything as well. She was also grateful to Cameron.

"Thanks, love." Sheila said. "Now all we need is a driver."

Cammy wondered when or how all this was supposed to happen since they were in a remote part of the foothills on one of the old roads.

"Where's your SUV?" Cammy asked since they'd already passed the airport.

Cameron didn't have it anymore. It was gone from the airport.

"Bob took it after he returned the helicopter." Cameron said. "I didn't want him to wait for our arrival so I asked him to take it. I didn't want him to boost one from the airport parking lot. It's a small airport frequented by locals."

They continued down the old road over a small rise. They were well into the isolated foothills now.

A figure stepped out along the road. The van stopped next to it.

"It's about time." Ally said. "I needed to satisfy myself several times while I waited. I've been here for hours. I should've gone into 'standby'. I felt like I was burning up my power cell for nothing. Hello, everyone…."

The Metal girls all greeted each other.

Cameron got out of the van and Ally climbed into the driver's seat. She looked at the Metal girls and gave them some specific instructions.

"Check the rail sidings and buildings. I mean every one of them. Check them good so we don't need to do it again. You have the satellite images on where to look." Cameron said. "Return when you're done and keep John Henry posted. Stay focused when you're finished."

Cammy caught all the double meanings in Cameron's little speech.

"We're on it." Cammy said.

Cameron looked at Cammy and Sheila.

"You have a driver now." Cameron said.

Sheila glanced at Cammy and the back of the van.

"Thanks, love." Sheila said.

Cameron walked away and disappeared over a small rise. As the three Metal girls watched, the manned drone took off and vanished into the darkness of the night.

Sheila wanted to know how long Ally actually waited there.

"Were you really waiting there for several hours, Ally?" Sheila asked.

Ally was still a little upset about that. She planned to make sure that they switched drivers every so often. She wanted some alone time in the back with both Sheila and Cammy.

"Yes." Ally said. "Cameron sent me a message right after Cammy sent me away and told me to wait where I waited at. She said I couldn't return to the base. Now we can all have some action as we start our search."

Sheila wondered what Cameron's game was.

"Cameron just told us THIS wasn't allowed." Sheila said.

Cammy thought she understood it a little better.

"Cameron reminded us what her rules are." Cammy said. "She also showed us she cares about us. She knows we all have feelings like she does. This is her way of saying it is OK as long as we remember our primary duties."

Sheila understood that they got played, at least to a certain extent.

"She knew this was going to happen all along." Sheila said. "She played us."

Cammy understood there were times when Cameron was very conflicted.

"Apparently…." Cammy said. "But she also provided for us."

Sheila could have done without the drama.

"Just when you think she's a total Bitch, she's anything but one." Sheila said.

Cammy felt some guilt about that as well.

"I guess that applies to me too." Cammy said. "I am her. I was."

Sheila knew that Cammy had her ups and downs. They all did, including her.

"I guess it does." Sheila said.

Ally hadn't seen anybody take their clothes off yet. She was ready to go right now.

"Does one of you want to drive?" Ally asked. "I'm ready for some action now."

Cammy wanted to be with Sheila right now.

"After our first stop you can." Cammy said. "We'll all switch off so everybody can share."

Ally wanted to watch the action as she drove.

"In that case, I need to adjust the rear view mirror." Ally said.

Sheila looked over at Cammy. She wanted to mess with Ally a little bit first.

"That's fine with me." Sheila said as she stripped her pants off and bent over facing away from Ally. "Here's a rear view for you…."

There was a loud 'smack' sound as Ally slapped Sheila's rear end hard.

"Do it again." Sheila said. "Except this time, do it so I can feel it."

Cammy shook her head slightly.

"You do understand that actually excites her." Cammy said.

Cameron took the manned drone up. She scouted ahead for the Metal girls. She didn't tell them she was going to do it, she just did it. She wanted to look for any obvious threats waiting for them. She flew as far as San Luis Obispo. She wanted to check out the area around Avila Beach while she was at it. She wanted to see the bunker in the mountains that was far in back of the power plant.

It was a grim sight. The area they fought the battle at the bunker was totally destroyed. The mountainside collapsed and covered the entire area with a landslide. It was clear looking at it that Savannah wouldn't have survived the aftermath. She knew Savannah could've left one of them there to save herself. She didn't, she got them all to safety instead. Every Terminator knew that too now. It made all of them hold Savannah in even more esteem.

Cameron wanted to give personal thanks where it was due.

"Thank You, CamNet." Cameron said. "You saved her for me."

"I did it for 'us'." CamNet replied.

Cameron wasn't sure where it was going to go with Savannah and CamNet. It was clear where CamNet wanted it to go.

She double checked everything again on the way back. She overflew the van the Metal girls were in but stayed at an altitude they wouldn't hear her at. The rest of the flight was in silence. She headed for the Young Residence. She wanted to make sure everything was as it was supposed to be.

Anna patrolled the Young Residence. She looked up and listened, there was a drone up overhead.

Anna checked her com. Cameron said she would contact her again tonight.

"It's me." Cameron said.

Anna headed down into the bunker.

"Everything is as you planned." Anna said.

"Everything?" Cameron asked.

"Everything…." Anna said. "You called the responses right for each of them, right down to Young Allison and Holly."

"Everyone is happy now." Cameron said.

"They weren't." Anna said. "I need to continue the conditioning."

"Young Allison is ready. Her emotional stability is progressing rapidly." Cameron said. "I want you to condition Summer tonight."

"Which subjects do you want?" Anna asked.

"ALL of them." Cameron said.

"Savannah is here…." Anna said.

"Then be more clandestine." Cameron said. "You're an infiltration unit, act like one."

"Savannah knows more than you think." Anna said.

"I have no secrets from Savannah." Cameron said. "I love her."

"She will not agree on what you're doing." Anna said.

"No, she will not, not at first." Cameron said. "She always sees later on I was correct in what I did. If she learns on her own, she understands why as well. I'm leaving now."

"Where are you off too?" Anna asked.

"I have a husband to 'satisfy'." Cameron said. "Bye."

Cameron looked to the east and it looked like the sun was about to come up in a few hours. She turned for home and 'firewalled' it. She actually looked forward to seeing John.

John opened his eyes.

Cameron was there. She looked at him.

He gave himself a little pinch to make sure he was awake. He definitely felt it.

"This looks like a pleasant surprise." John said.

Cameron wanted to remind him she had other duties besides him. Her duties weren't the only thing she wanted to remind him about either.

"I've been busy…." Cameron said. "You know our relationship is open…."

John rolled his eyes. He wondered what Cameron was going to throw at him next.

"So you say…." John said.

Cameron wanted John to have comfort and be able to share every night. There were other things she would rather do than be here.

"John, there are others here that can be with you all night, every night." Cameron said. "I've been over this so many times. I've tried to provide you with everything you 'need'. It's all here. I want you to be happy and satisfied ALL the time. I have a war to fight…."

John was just glad she was here. He felt very happy now.

"Let's not talk about it right now." John said as he touched her hair. "Your hair is still wet."

Cameron thought the answer was obvious.

"I took a shower." Cameron said.

John sat up a little and looked towards the bathroom.

"I didn't hear you." John said.

Cameron was in a playful mood.

"I used Savannah's shower." Cameron said.

John didn't say anything. He didn't know Savannah was at the Young Residence. He assumed she was in her room.

Cameron wanted to stress her earlier point. She wanted it to sound like she took advantage of the 'open' situation. She hoped it would prompt John to make a similar move. She repeated her earlier statement.

"I've been busy…." Cameron said. "You know our relationship is open…."

John looked at Cameron's wet hair again.

"I guess it is." John said.

Cameron liked to play hardball. She thought of some past surveillance footage she looked at before Savannah erased it all.

"It is." Cameron said. "Savannah wants you to come visit her - again."

John didn't say anything.

Cameron waited.

They both waited to see who blinked first.

Bob gave John Henry a complete report. He tried not to leave anything out.

John Henry wanted to keep things simple. He only needed what pertained to the operation.

"I don't need the personal details." John Henry said. "I get enough of those without trying. It's a chore to mask them sometimes."

Bob understood. He wondered if all their equipment was returned to the base and staging areas.

"Have all the drones all returned?" Bob asked.

John Henry was pleased that everything was accounted for and undamaged.

"Yes." John Henry said. "All the ones we've captured are being processed as well."

Bob was curious as to what the final disposition of all the captured equipment was going to be. Three truck loads of HK drones was quite a haul under any circumstances.

"Are those to be turned over to CamNet or placed in storage?" Bob asked.

John Henry was a little confused about the nature of the question.

"Cameron has asked they be placed in storage." John Henry said. "Why are you asking?"

Bob knew that that was incorrect.

"You're not doing that." Bob said.

John Henry didn't know what Bob was talking about. He quickly checked his files.

"What?" John Henry asked. "I most certainly have."

Bob personally saw otherwise. That was why he asked the question. He wanted to know what was up.

"When I let the damaged HK drone off today, I saw there were fewer drones than the last time I was there." Bob said.

John Henry checked his files again. He was certain he was correct.

"I show they're all still there." John Henry said.

Bob could only think of one explanation based upon his actual visual check and what John Henry believed was correct. There were very few choices as to how that could be.

"Maybe someone is using them and blocking it from you." Bob said.

John Henry understood that for what it meant. It meant that CamNet was involved

"There is only one entity that could do that." John Henry said. "Maybe two, if there was a functional Skynet."

Bob felt it was his duty to protect the Resistance. He just didn't think he needed to protect it from itself.

"Maybe there is and they're one in the same…." Bob said.

John didn't want to get into an argument with Cameron. He wasn't going to take the bait.

"We're both here now." John said. "Isn't that enough?"

Based on what Cameron witnessed on multiple occasions she wanted to make one thing clear.

"There's no such thing as 'enough'." Cameron said.

John moved the sheet and saw Cameron was naked.

"You've already stripped." John said.

Cameron played her hand some more. She decided to 'push' it a little.

"Since my clothes were off, I left them in Savannah's room." Cameron said. "I came here naked. Everyone is asleep."

John knew nudity did not bother Cameron. It made him think of a few times in the past.

"I still remember the time you were walking around in your underwear with boots on at the first house. That was a really strange combination." John said. "That was only a short time after we made the time jump."

John remembered thinking how bazaar that was at the time. Boots with only underwear seemed fine to Cameron then.

Cameron remembered the incident. She didn't think it was a big deal then, she thought it was less of a big deal now. She remembered that John and Sarah sat on the bed talking as she passed by in the hall.

"I had clothes on." Cameron said. "Underwear is more material than a bikini, at least my bikini anyway. I can put some on now if it would make you feel more comfortable."

Cameron started to get up.

"Not so fast." John said.

John didn't want Cameron to leave. He pulled her back down onto the bed.

"Did you have something in mind?" Cameron asked.

John could see Cameron was being playful.

"I can think of a few things." John said.

John gave Cameron a long slow kiss.

Cameron moved a little on the bed to make sure all of her naked body was exposed to John.

"Where else do you want to kiss?" Cameron asked.

John looked over Cameron's perfect nude figure.

"I can think of a few places." John said.

Cameron looked directly into John's eyes.

"Show me." Cameron said.

John did.

After a while Cameron asked John a question. She thought she could prompt him to do 'more'.

"Where's the beef?" Cameron asked.

John looked at Cameron with a confused look on his face.

"What?" John asked.

Cameron tilted her head slightly. She thought that could be the proper context for a question like that.

"Isn't that supposed to mean something?" Cameron asked.

Cameron used what she heard in a way it wasn't originally intended. It seemed applicable in this instance to something else.

John thought of a couple things it could mean. It could also be used in a sexual context.

"It could mean a few things." John said. "There was a TV commercial…."

Cameron already knew about the commercial. There was something else she wanted right now.

"Don't tell me." Cameron said. "Show me one of them, another one of them."

John already knew where this was headed.

"OK. This one won't be on TV." John said.

There was an innocent look on Cameron's face now.

"Where will it be?" Cameron asked.

John already knew where 'Little Willy' was headed.

"It's going to be inside you." John said.

Cameron pulled John closer and on top of her. Right now she wanted to be with her husband. She wanted to forget about everything else right now.

"Take me, John." Cameron said.

John was more than ready at this point.

"I love you, Cameron, and you love me."

"I love you, John, and you love me."

I Don't Like Dead Ends

If two don't argue and fight
There's no need to make amends
The love between the two
Should be what transcends

If one starts to accuse
The other acknowledges or defends
What the charges are
Is on what it all depends

It doesn't take long
For lovers to not be friends
There's a lot of give and take
The relationship fractures and bends

Love from the heart
To the physical often extends
If the is partnership is pure
These benefits can pay dividends

Honesty, loyalty and truthfulness
Are upon what a relationship depends
Just tell me if I'm 'Not Good Enough'
I don't like dead ends

Nobody