Chapter 995

Special Branch

Savannah was able to calm the girl and inform her that they'd rescued her father. She reassured her they would be reunited soon.

Savannah wanted to know if she was 'injured'.

The girl looked away.

Savannah talked with her and asked her to tell her what she could. She didn't want to make her feel worse than she already did. She told her she didn't need to say some things if she didn't want to.

It turned out that when the girl and her father were abducted. They were held at the old supermarket first. When they took her father away they left her there as a hostage. They originally kept her secured in a closet.

Soon after that, when everyone else was out or in the freezer, one of the Grays gagged her and pulled her out of the closet. He took her to their sleeping quarters. He tied her to a bed.

Savannah could see where this was headed. It wasn't to a good place. She didn't want the girl you say any more than she wanted to. She wanted to find out what happened but she didn't want the girl to relive the experience.

"Did he 'touch' you?" Savannah asked. "You don't need to say anything if you don't want to."

It was clear the girl felt comfortable around Savannah at this point. She looked a lot less terrified and a lot more confident. The girl managed a faint smile.

"He was going to." The girl said. "I knew what was going to happen. He told me what he was going to do to me. He was about to abuse me when the 'big man' came into the room and saw what was about to happen."

Savannah wasn't sure what the girl was about to reveal. It sounded to her like it just went from bad to worse. She didn't want the girl to go where she was uncomfortable.

"You don't have to continue if it bothers you." Savannah said. "I think I understand what happened. I'm sorry we didn't find you earlier."

The faint smile remained on the girl's face.

"No, the 'big man' grabbed him and picked him up with one hand and squeezed his neck." The girl said. "I think he killed him. He threw him around the corner. The 'big man' untied me."

That was unexpected news and Savannah was surprised to hear that. She understood exactly who the girl meant now by the 'big man'. It was a Terminator. It was 'The Enforcer's' twin. She wanted to make sure that she got everything straight.

"The 'big man' helped you?" Savannah asked.

The girl looked somewhat relieved as she spoke. It appeared to help her to have talked about it. It was clear to the girl that it wasn't going to happen again in her present company.

"Yes." The girl said. "He was very cold and unemotional. I thanked him for protecting me. He said nothing and walked away."

Savannah understood the girl escaped her first potential assault. She strongly doubted it was the last. The Terminator wasn't always at the old supermarket.

"Did anyone else try to touch you?" Savannah asked. "We can take you to the hospital or for a medical exam if you want that."

The girl looked at Savannah for a moment. She could see that Savannah wanted to help her but she didn't want to push her. She was very appreciative of that. Since she was taken as a prisoner with her father, no one had shown her any compassion except the 'big man'. She wasn't sure exactly what he showed her but he prevented her from being abused. She knew it was going to happen sooner or later the way the men all looked at her. It didn't. They all gave her plenty of space.

"No." The girl said. "They were all a little less rough with me after that. They didn't even really look at me either anymore. I could feel what they wanted to do to me every time they all looked at me before but not after the 'big man' told them to leave me alone. I won't say that they were nice to me but no one was mean to me anymore."

Savannah wasn't sure if that was the entire story. There were a few unanswered questions. She didn't really want to push the girl but she wanted to make sure. She remembered what Vanna told her happened when she was first assaulted. Once they'd determined that Vanna was untouched, she was savaged unmercifully.

"There were some 'stains' on the bed…." Savannah said.

The girl knew exactly what Savannah referred to. The man who tied her up made a point to explain to her what already happened there and what was going to happen to her. He told her that was her new purpose in life. It was bad enough that he told what all of the men were going to do.. From what she'd seen, there were about seven or eight men there at any given time. What was even worse was the man told her with a smile on his face and laughed at her that this was where she would die, tied to the bed. He said that would happen when the men wanted a 'little more' from her. She wasn't even sure what that meant. She was grateful none of that happened. She was grateful to the big man and his undisputed authority over all the other men.

"The stains were there when he tied me up." The girl said. "No one tried to do anything again. I know I owe that to the 'big man'."

Savannah made sure her com was off as she talked to the girl. She would make a report after the interview. She informed John Henry that the girl was only roughed up and not abused as they'd feared. She didn't share all the details yet. She just wanted everyone to know that the girl hadn't suffered as they'd all thought.

It was a relief for everyone.

Earlier:

There was a lot of concern in the Command Center about the operation. Everything appeared to have gone smoothly and the team was out of there in six minutes. They'd accomplished a lot in that short time. They were even able to remove the bodies from the scene. The refrigerator truck served as a temporary tomb for the deceased Grays along with the charred remains of the attack force.

So far everything was done in the darkness. This lessened the chance of what they were doing from being spotted by anyone. They were on the lookout for anything else to happen around that area. They needed to watch for any reinforcements to show up from either group. They thought there might be something else headed to that port facility. As to exactly what it was, they didn't know.

Right now Savannah dealt with the girl. There was a lot of concern from all of them about her and her condition.

John wanted to hear what the girl had to say firsthand. That wasn't the case.

"I understand why Savannah has cut her com." John said.

John Henry thought it was a prudent use of discretion on Savannah's part. He understood humans were especially vulnerable to past events in their lives. He wasn't really sure why they would remain concerned about something that was done and over with. Whatever happened already happened and was fact. Mr. Ellison taught him that he needed to show concern and compassion for others and that all life was sacred.

"It's a sensitive issue." John Henry said. "We shouldn't worry about it or dwell on it. It's something personal."

John still feared the worst. He was glad he wasn't there to deal with it in person.

"Savannah will tell us what we need to know." John said. "I'm not about to push the issue."

A short time later John Henry received an update.

"I have Savannah." John Henry said. "She has her report."

Savannah gave them a report. The girl wasn't assaulted.

John wasn't sure he understood Savannah correctly at first. She made it very clear to him. He was more than relieved to hear that. He hoped that would make Cameron and the other Metal girls a little less reckless going forward as the operation unfolded. He was sure they weren't done with it yet.

"That's good news for a change." John said.

John Henry was able to listen to the 'interview' with her father.

"They're questioning her father right now." John Henry said.

John hoped that the interview turned out well and the father and daughter would be able to be together again.

"I want them reunited as soon as possible." John said.

John Henry didn't know if that was going to happen. He viewed the father as a collaborator. He understood there were extenuating circumstances involved to influence his decisions. He needed to remember what Mr. Ellison taught him.

"What are we going to do with them?" John Henry asked. "We may need to terminate the father. It's a possibility."

John was aware of that. If the father was really a willing participant in any of this, he would need to be terminated or he would end back up doing the same thing again. Either way the girl was innocent of his crimes, if he'd even committed any. He wanted to make his position perfectly clear.

"I don't know." John said. "We're not going to terminate the girl. That's an order."

John Henry tilted his head slightly. He wondered why John needed to say that.

"Savannah wouldn't let that happen." John Henry said.

John didn't know where this would end. If they did need to terminate the girl's father, they would need to release her where she could be 'found' and cared for. That would result in some type of investigation. The less the authorities knew about anything, the better.

"That's probably the main reason Cameron wanted Savannah to take charge of her." John said. "So far it's been dark and they haven't seen what any of our group looks like in detail. Let's keep it that way. I don't want any police sketches of our people."

John thought back to an earlier operation where they'd come across sketches of them. There weren't any photographs but someone made police type sketches based on their descriptions. He hoped that was one group they'd been able to eradicate. So far they never encountered anything else like that again. He really wanted to keep the police out of this.

He sincerely hoped that the girl's father wouldn't need to be terminated. They would need to let the girl off at a hospital or some other agency where she could receive help. They weren't about to take her to a police station. Maybe they would just leave her at a homeless shelter. There were plenty of those. They didn't know if she could describe either of the two locations where she was held to the police. They currently had surveillance at both of those locations and the cryogenics lab where she'd stopped on her way to the port facility. He was sure that the Terminators would just as soon eliminate any loose ends. He already ordered that wasn't going to happen. He knew that Savannah wouldn't stand for it either.

"As soon as we have something conclusive about the girl's father, I want to know." John said.

He really hoped that there would be a positive ending.

Cameron listened to the report from Savannah and was relieved it wasn't what they'd thought. They were able to help someone before it was too late. Now it all came down to what the father was doing and involved with.

She kept getting updates on what was happening around the area they were in. So far nothing was spotted or seemed headed that way. There were no additional 'hits' on any more of the containers. No one came looking for the group that launched the assault. All communications were blacked out for a mile around them.

Cameron directed the two teams of her Terminators that were on the outskirts of the area to go back and check the other containers inside the port facility. One was to use the forklift that was inside the building to move all the damaged cars into the building where the rail siding was. The doors over the rail siding would be lifted back up into place to conceal as much of everything that was inside the building as possible.

It would further 'clean up' the location of obvious damage or that some type of an attack actually occurred there. For the record, it was the location of where a movie was filmed after all. That should explain the 'condition' of the building and any 'props' inside of it.

The troops on the ground would continue to have drone support and be warned of any vehicles that approached the area while they quickly did the container check and cleanup procedure.

Cameron started to get tired of the wait. She wanted answers and they weren't coming quick enough.

Sheila questioned the man and reassured him he would be reunited with his daughter once it was safe. That was if he was telling the truth.

He said he didn't even know what they were having him work on, only that it was some kind of 'moving metal'. That's what he thought anyway. They provided him with the samples of 'Liquid Metal' and tried to get him to reverse engineer it. He didn't have any idea how to do that and strung them along so they wouldn't hurt his daughter. They threatened to torture and hurt her if he didn't deliver. He made it clear to them that if his daughter was touched in any manner that he wouldn't cooperate with them at all.

Sheila and Holly questioned him about what else happened at the port facility. She specifically wanted to know what was supposed to happen that night and who the other group was that attack them.

The man didn't know what they were waiting for or who the other people were that attacked them. He was forced to spend all his time in the makeshift 'lab'. He was allowed to see his daughter three times a day when they ate a crude meal together.

Sheila scanned him the entire time and didn't detect he was lying. Everything he said appeared truthful and he answered every question and didn't try and dodge or deflect any. His main concern was for his daughter and her safety.

Sheila left her com on, so John and John Henry could hear the entire interrogation. They gave her specific questions to ask him. He kept asking about his daughter and who they were.

Sheila told him they were from the 'Special Branch' with Interpol. She said the group that held him was trying to manufacture synthetic drugs. She told him that the other group was terrorists that they'd been in league with, who attacked them.

The man was very worried about his safety and that of his daughter.

John wanted the father and daughter reunited. Savannah said that everything was ready on her end.

Sheila and Holly met up Cammy and Savannah and reunited the father and daughter. One of Cameron's Terminators arrived to collect them.

Savannah quietly informed the Terminator they were not to be hurt and released before daybreak in San Diego. They could enter Mexico if they wanted to lay low for a while. They were to be given some money and told they needed to remain out of sight so the 'bad guys' didn't grab them again. They couldn't guarantee their safety if they were 'picked up' again.

The father and daughter didn't know where either location was at specifically, so they wouldn't be able to pinpoint any locations for the authorities.

Savannah made sure that they understood the group that abducted them was known to have informants in the police departments. She said their story would not be believed and they would be identified and targeted again. She pointed out this was one of the less violent groups.

Cammy took the father aside and spoke quietly with him. She informed him that the next time that they were picked up by the group of drug dealers who had him or the terrorists that they dealt with would be more aggressive with his daughter. She clearly indicated he would be made to watch as she was held down and assaulted by twenty men, one after another. She made it clear that there wouldn't be much of his daughter left alive after that. If she lived, she would most likely be severely disfigured. She reminded him that the drug dealers had their cronies in place with all of the local and state police agencies. If he was identified as having been associated with the group, he would probably be picked up again or killed to keep him quiet. She reminded him that 'dead men tell no tales'.

The father looked over at his daughter as she laughed and joked with Savannah. She'd told him how she was tied to the bed and almost assaulted but that the 'big man' stopped it that time. He was terrified of the 'big man'. He seemed emotionless whenever he dealt with him. He looked like a stone cold killer. He appreciated the compassion that he'd shown his daughter.

Savannah watched as Cameron's Terminator drove them away. She was confident that he would follow her instructions. She thought that the girl had been very lucky. She was able to survive being held captive by a group of Gray's and remain a 'girl'. That almost changed except for the Terminator to intervene. It really made her question mankind in general.

Savannah and the Metal girls headed back to where Cameron was at.

They still waited for something to develop at the port location. The girls formed back into three teams. They reformed into their original teams.

Cameron, Savannah and Gail were Team One.

Cammy, Hanna and Holly were Team Two.

Cam, Sheila and Ally were Team Three.

They waited for a target.

It always seemed like the waiting was the hardest part. What made it worse was that they didn't know what they were waiting for. There'd been several short battles so far that night. One was at the old supermarket and the other one was more involved at the port facility. They didn't know if that was the brunt of the fighting or simply the appetizer. Only time would tell.

The mood in the Young bunker was noticeably improved with the latest news.

Young Allison was satisfied at the way the events turned out as related to the girl and her father.

Anna wanted to remind Young Allison that they may have jumped to conclusions too quickly about what may have happened to the girl. She wanted Young Allison to be less emotionally involved in her decisions. She knew that Young Allison would have acted more harshly because she believed the girl had been assaulted. She needed to keep the brakes on Young Allison and keep her within the framework of the command structure and to deal with the Command Center.

"It wasn't what we thought." Anna said.

Young Allison pestered Allison for years to tell her exactly what happened to her in her future. She wanted to know because whatever happened to Allison is really what happened to her. It was a sobering thought to know what could have happened to her already. She could only imagine what it was like to have a gun pressed against the side of her head or a knife pushed against her throat as someone ravaged her body for two or three minutes. They all told her if she resisted or fought back that they would kill her and do it anyway. It was a sickening thought. When they were done, they would simply pull up their pants up as if nothing happened and walk away. She wasn't going to stand for that type of behavior.

"That's a good thing the girl wasn't savaged." Young Allison said. "Allison told me some of the things that happened in the Wastelands. I'm glad this wasn't one like that."

Actually Young Allison knew what happened in the Wastelands was way worse.

"John Henry can deal with Cameron's teams for now until something else happens." Anna said.

Young Allison wasn't sure what would happen at the port facility. There was another current problem that needed to be dealt with. She already put her plan into motion through CamNet.

"We can focus on the sedans at the old supermarket now." Young Allison said.

Anna kept track of what occurred at the old supermarket and the cryogenics lab.

"The operation is already underway." Anna said. "It will proceed as you planned it."

Young Allison's plan involved minimal personnel. She'd been able to use a few Terminators who had done the cleanup work by removing the bodies from both of those locations. She would need to rely on drone support and the use of the Blackhawk which was on its way to the rendezvous point.

"We'll see how it turns out." Young Allison said.

The refrigerator truck that collected the bodies from the port location, drove back toward the old supermarket. It was to rendezvous with the Terminators who cleaned up the bodies at the old supermarket and the cryogenics lab. There was a 'borrowed' delivery van that was used for that purpose. It had left only minutes before the first black sedan arrived.

The sedan from the cryogenics lab drove to the old supermarket and joined up with the one that was already there.

The occupants of the two sedans felt like they'd been waiting for hours. Actually it'd only been an hour since they'd first arrived. They thought about checking out the building when they spotted a delivery van at the end of the alley. The delivery van looked like it turned around and took off when it 'spotted' the two sedans. The sedans immediately followed it.

The delivery van drove slightly above the speed limit and used some evasive maneuvering. It was just enough to keep the two sedans hooked. The delivery van led the two sedans that were having their communications blocked towards one of the canyon roads that led to the ocean in the northwest area of the city.

Once they were in an isolated section of the canyon road, the delivery van stopped. The sedans did too. The men in the sedans all looked around and then up to see what the increasing whine sound was from. Two drones dropped down and strafed both of the sedans with short bursts from their miniguns.

The delivery van backed up to the two sedans and collected the bodies and any intel.

The Blackhawk arrived a short time later and dropped a cable down. It was run under the roofs of the two sedans and secured back to the bottom of the helicopter that was in a hover.

The helicopter slowly lifted the two shot up sedans and headed out towards the ocean. Its cargo was headed for Davy Jones' locker.

The delivery van drove away with the bodies. They linked up with the refrigerator truck from the port. All of the bodies were transferred to the refrigerator truck. It headed for a remote spot to dump its cargo. They needed to 'borrow' a skip loader to dig a big enough grave.

None of the people or vehicles was ever found. It was as if all the people that were involved simply vanished from the face of the earth.

Earlier:

At the Young residence they followed the events on the canyon road.

"That went better than expected." Young Allison said.

Anna felt it was because of Young Allison's plan that it was a success.

"It went as you planned." Anna said. "It was a sound plan and well thought out."

Young Allison didn't have many Terminators to work with.

"It was low risk to our personnel." Young Allison said.

Anna knew what made it all work.

"CamNet is very responsive to you." Anna said.

Young Alison didn't want to seem as if she was operating on her own, even if that's exactly what it was.

"She was supposed to be working with John and John Henry." Young Allison said.

Anna was aware that before anything actually happened they were notified in the Command Center. She was also aware that they didn't have much notice on what was about to happen. They did have the opportunity to put the brakes on it even if what they learned was only seconds away from happening.

"Everything was run through John Henry in its entirety." Anna said.

It sounded to Young Allison as if John was bypassed.

"Do you mean it was run by John Henry but not by John?" Young Allison asked.

CamNet thought it was best if only John Henry knew of all the details in their entirety.

"The details were left out, the operation wasn't." Anna said.

Young Allison was glad that the girl and her father were away. She'd silently communicated with CamNet that she didn't want anything to 'happen' to the girl or her father. She was aware that Savannah communicated directly to the Terminator who took them away with the same message. She let out a slight sigh and turned her attention back to the drone footage near the port facility.

"Now we need to worry about what's happening around Cameron." Young Allison said.

Anna saw things a little differently. She was responsible for Young Allison's well being.

"I need to worry about you eating, getting cleaned up and sleeping." Anna said.

Young Allison knew her personal responsibilities. She also was aware there was someone else who couldn't do those things right now.

"What about Savannah?" Young Allison asked. "I worry about her doing those same things. Who will look out for her?"

Young Allison hoped that prompted CamNet to relay her concerns. She knew how to play the system to get things done and make her wishes known without having to express them directly. She knew that no one liked a nag.

Cameron was contacted by CamNet a few seconds later with Young Allison's concerns. They were legitimate concerns too. She quickly looked over at Savannah. She realized that once again she'd neglected Savannah's needs.

"We can get some food or you can rest for a while." Cameron said.

Savannah had started to doze off a little. She was surprised at Cameron's statement.

"I'm fine, Cameron." Savannah said. "I can hack it."

Cameron looked at Savannah's lower mid section. She decided to do something for Savannah anyway. She knew that Savannah would never say anything about her personal needs. It was time to act anyway. She quickly contacted the Command Center.

"Team One will be out of the operation for a short while." Cameron said. "Notify us if anything important happens."

Cameron started up and drove off.

Why Would You Fix Me ?

Fix me ?
Why would you fix me ?
There's nothing wrong
I'm bouncing with esprit

Can't you see I'm happy
Can't you see I'm having fun
There's nothing broken
For once I feel like I've won

Everything is beautiful
What's there to fix
Upon my very spirit
You've dropped a ton of bricks

I don't know you
Why are you in my face
Please don't disturb me
Or make me feel disgrace

It pains me greatly
In my gut it kicks
That who I am now
Would need some type of fix

Nobody