Chapter 1103
All Bets Covered
Sheila drove Ally, Hanna and Gail to the target location. They were there to follow up a lead on the female motorcycle rider. They suspected she was a Fanatic but were unsure. She may have only infiltrated the Fanatic's group. She could be a Gray from some version of Skynet or part of the anti-Metal faction. Those three groups were at odds with each other and always tried to infiltrate each other. The Resistance tried to stay in the background and not make itself known to any group. Whenever it came time to confront some version of Skynet, Cameron was usually the one to do it herself. She still tried to keep the heat off of John and Sarah. She didn't want them seen as the threat to Skynet. She wanted herself to be seen as the threat.
Any action they were involved in, they always tried to make it look like it was one of the other groups that was responsible. They always collected weapons and other intelligence from each group that they dealt with. They made sure that some of it was left at the location where they'd dealt with any of the other groups. They wanted to make sure that they all blamed each other and didn't suspect the Resistance.
Ally and Sheila witnessed female motorcycle rider in the process of being interrogated by Cameron's Terminators. All of her teeth were removed to check for the 'poison tooth' that some of the Fanatics possessed and to keep her from biting her tongue off.
That actually happened before with another Fanatic. That Fanatic also blinded himself. They found him with one eye completely pulled from the socket and laying on the ground and the other one still attached, hanging on his cheek but crushed.
The Metal girls discussed what they were supposed to be looking for. They didn't really know.
Gail wanted them to use caution.
"We don't even know what's here." Gail said.
Sheila spotted something that needed further investigation.
"I guess we're going to find out." Sheila said. "Look."
Gail saw what she pointed at.
"I see it." Gail said.
Ally saw it too. She wanted to investigate. She thought she could do better on foot.
"Let me out here." Ally said.
Hanna didn't want Ally to go alone. It was less likely that two of them could be grabbed at the same time. They could watch each other's back.
"I'll go with you." Hanna said.
Sheila didn't want to be spotted letting them out. She wanted to use a little discretion. She didn't with the girls on foot tied to their vehicle in case they'd been observed or were under observation.
"Let me pull around the corner first." Sheila said.
Gail didn't think Ally and Hanna packed enough firepower.
"You're both under armed." Gail said.
Ally tried to blow it off.
"This is recon." Ally said.
Sheila pulled around the corner and stopped. She was worried about Ally.
"Don't forget that, love." Sheila said to Ally as she exited the SUV with Hanna.
Sheila didn't want them to take any chances needlessly. They still didn't know what they were up against at this location. They needed some answers and they needed them fast.
Cameron was 'plugged in' to John Henry's server. She followed all the security footage around the base. She was pleased to see Jesse go to Claire's room. She liked it when everyone was happy. The happier the girls were, the more likely they were to do her bidding. She liked it even better when there was no one to worry about the things that she'd done or wanted to do.
She watched as Vanna went to the nursery earlier. Allison was headed there now. Cam was still in Vanna's room. Holly exited from her room a few minutes after Allison left. She didn't look happy.
Cameron knew Holly was worried about being 'replaced'. She would need to remind Holly that she was a 'replacement'. She glanced over and John was busy with John Henry. She sent a silent message to Cam.
Cam exited Vanna's room and intercepted Holly. Cameron watched them speak. Holly looked around and headed off with Cam. They went to Sheila's room. They went inside. Holly looked around again before she closed the door.
Cameron smiled. She liked to keep everyone happy. She would direct them to Claire's room later on if Allison and Vanna stayed tied up with Precious.
CamNet linked up with Cameron through John Henry's server. She was filled in on all that was happening with Savannah and Young Allison. Some of the events that occurred with them were a little troubling to her. It made her think about what needed to be done and when it needed to be done. She really didn't know what she was waiting for on some of the things. She could actually take care of them now before she went on her cruise with John. Maybe that's what she should do. She didn't know if she could get Savannah to go along but she was pretty sure that she could get Young Allison to go along. That would be even more so if Young Allison completed her temporal mission.
Her thoughts were interrupted by what developed with Sheila's team. Maybe Cam and Holly would need to continue at a later time. Depending on what Ally and Hanna were able to see, she may have to head that way herself. It wasn't something she looked forward to in case she was damaged.
If Cameron damaged her sheath, one of the other undamaged 'Allison based clones' was going to give up their chassis to her, one way or another. The best part about it was that John wouldn't know the difference. She was her program anyway, not her chassis. She'd been in more than a few chassis anyway, both male and female.
She definitely preferred to be in a female chassis. A male chassis was bulky and cumbersome. She didn't care for the 'junk' between the legs either. Not only was it in the way, it also left a lot to be desired aesthetically. She'd actually thought about removing the entire 'package' from the male sheath. The only reason she didn't was because she knew the next owner of that chassis would need to wait a long time for everything to regenerate. It only sped up her resolve to be out of the male chassis back into a female chassis.
Cameron glanced over at John and John Henry.
She wasn't going to give up her honeymoon with John. The Metal girls were all going to help her, one way or another. The most exciting thing about that was she planned to strip each of them of their virginity with her program in control of their chassis. John would have the best honeymoon ever. She could be someone 'different' and it would still be her. Well, her program anyway.
Cameron definitely wanted to use Sheila's chassis. She desired to use that one over any of the other ones. Her next choice after that would be Holly. That would probably be followed by Hanna and Gail. The more she thought about it, the more she realized that John would probably like her to use Anna's chassis first. She was pretty sure that she would run into some negative feedback from Young Allison if she got wind of what she was up to. The key there would be not to tip her hand.
She thought it was even more reason to get Young Allison onto the cruise ship because Anna would accompany her. John wouldn't need to watch anything any longer. He would be able to live it and it was actually going to be her. Move over and make room for Anna-Cameron.
John Henry could tell things were about to change if not heat up.
"We may have a situation developing." John Henry said. "It looks like Sheila's team has a solid lead."
It was daytime and the girls were on the street.
John knew that on a city street in daytime the girls wouldn't be properly protected.
"None of them have their vests on or body cams." John said.
John Henry wanted to stress this wasn't combat, at least not yet.
"This is a recon." John Henry said. "I may be able to get some footage."
John looked over at Cameron. She seemed to be watching the same thing.
John quickly realized if they had a drone at altitude they could at least get some additional perspective.
"Maybe it's time to get a drone up." John said.
John wondered if there was a solution a little closer to them.
"It would be nice to have a drone overhead." John Henry said. "Young Allison isn't currently in her bunker. She's out doing her exercises and swimming. She wants to build her endurance and stamina."
John felt this was still his job and his responsibility. Young Allison made calls from her bunker to assist them greatly through CamNet. She was doing things that he and John Henry should have done. That was just it. They didn't make any of the calls that Young Allison did on her own accord. They all helped the team immensely. HE didn't make those calls. SHE did.
"We should have done that as a precaution." John said. "Young Allison has a life to lead too. I don't want to overuse her."
Cameron heard that last statement by John. She was willing to bet once there was a teenage Young Allison in his bed that he would overuse her.
They looked at one of the screens.
John tried to determine what he was actually looking at.
"Is that from a body cam?" John asked.
John Henry wanted to try an option that he thought might still be available based upon its previous usage.
"Yes." John Henry said. "I've activated Sheila's body cam. I let her know. That may have been a mistake."
There was some movement and they were looking at the front of a shirt. A hand came up and lifted the front of the shirt showing it was Sheila. Her breasts with her nipple rings were in full view. She flashed the camera and let her top go back down.
Nobody said anything.
John Henry was sure that incident was his fault. It wasn't his fault that Sheila was totally unpredictable but what she'd just done was very predictable for her.
"I should have asked her before I activated the camera." John Henry said.
John wasn't sure why Sheila even wore her body cam with street clothes.
"I guess that was her way of showing she found out after you activated it." John said. "How did you know she took it with her?"
John Henry thought a diplomatic answer was the best answer. He didn't want to mention that she'd been showing off her private parts whenever she could get the chance to do so. It was mainly for the benefit of CamNet and him.
"It was an educated guess." John Henry said.
Cameron went through some stored files that she'd come across in John Henry's server. They were of Sheila and her antics with her body cam. She silently watched them through her connection. She found them to be quite fascinating to view. As she watched everything that there was to watch about Sheila, it only reaffirmed her earlier decision. She decided she was going to use Sheila's chassis even if hers wasn't damaged. She wanted to give John some variety and it would still be her. She was her program. She also went about trying to determine what was happening with Sheila's team now. The fact Ally and Hanna were out on foot only added to her worries.
Cammy was in the pool with Savannah, Young Allison and Anna. Cammy used the flotation rings that Young Allison purchased for Anna to use. They worked quite well once she got the balance right. That had been the hardest part to do. There were times when the devices wanted to flip her over. She needed to compensate quickly for any such motion. It seemed to happen very quickly.
Young Allison challenged Cammy to a swimming contest. She set the rules that Cammy needed to follow. The wording was what usually limited the Terminator to not surpass Young Allison in the contest. She basically played from a 'stacked deck'.
Cammy wanted to get the rules down to some specific wording.
"So I can swim at the same speed as you, right?" Cammy asked.
Young Allison thought that was fair.
"Of course you can." Young Allison said. "I want to be fair."
Anna and Savannah looked at each other. They knew Young Allison was setting Cammy up to lose. Cammy was a Cameron clone and would play to win. Like Cameron, she would bend the rules to suit her needs.
Cammy wanted to make sure the rules were clear.
"We will start out from the end here and swim. We can't use our feet to kick off the wall at any time." Cammy said. "We will swim back and forth two times each way. I can't swim faster than your fastest speed."
Cammy saw that Young Allison took all her advantages away. Being able to push off the wall with her feet would have propelled her past Young Allison in a flash. She was sure it would propel her from one end of the pool to the other. She wasn't sure if it would damage the tile on the end of the pool if she did that. It would be more or less like jumping. Instead of going vertical the motion would be horizontal. The effects and results should be very similar. There would be much more resistance from the liquid than there would be from the gas, the air.
Young Allison felt the rules were very straightforward.
"You got it." Young Allison said. "What's fair is fair."
Cammy didn't think she would lose. She should be able to match Young Allison in everything.
"I'll tie you then." Cammy said.
Young Allison saw an opportunity to further her agenda and desires. She wanted to up the stakes.
"What if I win?" Young Allison asked.
Cammy thought their ability should be equal.
"It will be impossible for you to beat me." Cammy said.
Young Allison was sure she'd hooked Cammy now. She pushed it.
"I bet I'll win." Young Allison said.
Cammy wanted to see where this would go. She was up to any challenge. Now that there would be some type of bet involved, it only furthered her resolve to conduct the competition.
"What's the bet?" Cammy asked.
Young Allison looked at Anna. She didn't want Anna to hear what she wanted for the bet.
"Anna, turn your audio off for a little while." Young Allison said.
Savannah didn't like this development. She didn't think that there should be any bet involved. It should be a friendly competition and nothing more.
"What about me?" Savannah asked.
Young Allison decided to whisper to Cammy so Savannah didn't overhear her. That was about the last thing that she wanted to happen.
"I'm going to whisper in Cammy's ear." Young Allison said. "It's private."
Savannah was more than a little worried with that revelation. She could think of a dozen things Young Allison would want to do in that regard. There was also another group of them that she could make Cammy do.
Young Allison went to Cammy and whispered in her ear.
Cammy looked at Young Allison. She was surprised at the request.
"Are you sure?" Cammy asked.
Young Allison was clear to Cammy what the bet was.
"I'm positive." Young Allison said.
Young Allison turned to prepare for the start of the race.
Cammy could play dirty too. She would make Young Allison think twice about betting on the unknown. It was a mistake to enter into 'combat' thinking you held the upper hand and couldn't be defeated.
She wanted something in return based on Young Allison's request if she won.
"What if I win?" Cammy asked.
Young Allison was overconfident. She didn't think it was possible. The best Cammy could do was tie her. She would like to see what Cammy thought was worth betting on with her.
"Tell me what you want." Young Allison said.
Cammy looked at Young Allison and placed her mouth next to her ear.
Savannah watched everything with extreme apprehension. She didn't like whatever secrets were being discussed. She didn't like it for two reasons. First it involved her Metal lover. The other one was that it involved her future human lover. She was jealous of whatever it was they were discussing. She wanted to know what it was.
Cammy whispered in Young Allison's ear.
Young Allison looked a little ashen. Her eyes widened as she looked at Cammy.
Cammy set the stakes high. She planned to make Young Allison lose big if she lost the challenge she'd set up. She wanted something special from Young Allison.
Young Allison looked at Savannah and back to Cammy. She swallowed hard.
"That's not what I planned." Young Allison said.
Cammy whispered in Young Allison's ear some more. She wanted to keep her in the bet. She sweetened it some for Young Allison.
Young Allison wanted what Cammy added.
"I get to do that whenever I want?" Young Allison asked.
Cammy glanced at Savannah and Anna.
"When it's appropriate…." Cammy said.
Cammy didn't feel she actually had anything to lose if she lost. She felt she would actually gain. It would be Young Allison that would lose if she lost.
Young Allison thought about the rewards if she won. Cammy sweetened the deal to her enough so that she was willing to risk 'everything'.
"It's a deal." Young Allison said.
Savannah didn't like what she heard. She disliked what she couldn't hear even more. She was sure whatever the bet was from each of them that it was completely inappropriate. That was why they needed to whisper about it. She thought that she should demand to know what the bet was for both of them. Maybe she didn't want to know. She wasn't going to sit by and do nothing. She needed to protect her future lover. She wasn't going to let Cammy teach Young Allison an unchangeable lesson.
"I'll be the judge." Savannah said. "The final say is mine if Cammy wins. Is that understood?"
Cammy felt Savannah would be fair and honor her win if she won.
"I agree to that." Cammy said. "Savannah is the 'Decider'. I know she will honor anything that was agreed to and won fairly."
Savannah and Young Allison shared a long look.
Young Allison knew Savannah was watching out for her. She was pretty sure that Savannah wasn't going to approve of the bet.
"I know you will do what's fair." Young Allison said to Savannah.
Cammy and Young Allison were three feet from the end of the pool.
It was time to get the competition underway.
Savannah checked to make sure they were both ready. They were. It was time to get the ball rolling.
"Get ready. Get set." Savannah said. "Go."
Cammy and Young Allison took off down the pool.
Savannah and Anna watched them.
Savannah hoped Anna listened to what the bets were. She wanted to know what was at stake for both of them.
"What was the bet?" Savannah asked.
There was a stern look on Anna's face. She was sure that everything involved would be inappropriate for Young Allison, regardless of who won.
"I don't know. I didn't listen because Young Allison asked me not to." Anna said. "I have a pretty good idea what each of them asked for."
Savannah figured she did as well. Neither was good for Young Allison. It was only speculation on her part currently. She was pretty sure she understood how each of them thought.
"I do too." Savannah said. "That's what I was afraid of."
Anna was sure her 'order' from Young Allison was going to cause a conflict, when either Young Allison or Cammy came to collect their win.
"It can't be allowed to happen." Anna said. "I have a directive to prevent that."
That sounded good to Savannah. She needed to step up.
"Then make sure you follow your directive." Savannah said. "I'll cover Young Allison's bet."
Anna thought that was impossible at this point for Savannah. She didn't want to get too specific.
"You don't know what it is." Anna said.
Savannah would do what was necessary somehow.
"It doesn't matter." Savannah said. "I'll cover it."
Cammy and Young Allison reached the other end and started back again. They could not kick off the rear wall. So far it was a tie.
Savannah was displeased with both Cammy and Young Allison at this point. She thought both of them acted recklessly and without regard for each other or their own actions. She wasn't sure it would do any good to have a 'talk' with either of them after this event was over. They were both clearly beyond 'talking'.
She thought about it a little bit more and it further upset her. Cammy ran Cameron's program, even if it was out of date. Cameron's program was infused with the data from the 'Neural Interface' with Future Allison. In a way, Young Allison was actually competing against herself with Cammy.
Jesse and Claire were all over each other. It was like a volcano waiting to erupt. They both wanted each other desperately.
Claire tried to catch her breath. Her anticipation and excitement for Jesse overwhelmed her and she finished in seconds. That was a first for her. She was usually much more giving.
Jesse was a little surprised at how rapidly the first 'finish' came.
"That was quick." Jesse said. "I could tell it was going to be."
Jesse moved back around so her head was next to Claire's head.
Claire wanted to give Jesse an explanation. She actually thought it sounded pretty lame once she started to say it but she wanted to say it anyway since it was the truth.
"I'm sorry." Claire said. "I've been thinking about this non-stop since the last time we were together. You lay back and relax. I want to make you happy."
Jesse was always in for that.
"A 'happy ending' is a good ending." Jesse said.
Claire moved over the top of Jesse and looked in her eyes. She moved her head down and gently kissed her. She'd wanted to say something to Jesse for a long time but she hadn't. The need to say it overwhelmed her now.
"Jesse, I love you." Claire said.
Jesse smiled. She loved all the girls.
"I love you too." Jesse said.
Claire looked at Jesse with total seriousness. She wanted Jesse to know the depth and commitment of her love.
"Jessie, I love, love you." Claire said.
Jesse realized the full magnitude of what Claire just indicated. She could see that she was dead serious.
"Bad?" Jesse asked.
Claire swallowed hard and looked at Jesse with wide eyes.
"I have it real bad." Claire said.
Jesse liked to keep her emotions in check. Normally she could. When she was around Claire things were a little different. Claire wasn't from the future. She wasn't tainted by the hardships and challenges the girls from the future needed to go through. Claire was different.
"We're all one big happy family." Jesse said. "I have to admit I'm real sweet on you."
Claire wanted a better answer.
"Do you love me?" Claire asked.
Jesse reached up and touched Claire's face. She felt it deep in her heart and decided to tell Claire the truth. It wasn't something that she said lightly. In fact, it wasn't something that she said much at all.
"Yes. I love you, Claire." Jesse said. "I've been trying to deny it. I already stopped fighting it."
Claire didn't understand that. She didn't know why Jesse would do that. She thought about it a little bit more and realized that she'd done much the same thing. She wasn't sure why either. She wanted to know what Jesse's reasoning was.
"Why?" Claire asked.
There was a lot of pain Jesse felt over time. Most of it wasn't physical either. When she got too close to someone in the future, it was almost like she'd signed their death warrant. People died often and usually without warning. The more she loved them, the more painful it was.
"I know how love can hurt." Jesse said. "There was a lot of loss in the future. You don't know what it was like to grow up there. You don't know what it was like to live in the Wastelands. Almost everything ended badly."
Even though Claire had been to Cameron's future, everything was well controlled and orchestrated for her. She was never in any real danger or faced any threat while she was there. She didn't see what Jesse previously saw. She knew the alternate future was even worse.
"It's just us and the Metal girls." Claire said.
Jesse wondered about the other 'players'. She felt that there were two of them. She didn't want to cause a problem for anyone so she only mentioned one of them.
"There's Vanna…." Jesse said.
Claire didn't see how that was a problem. Vanna shared with both of them.
"She and Allison are lovers." Claire said. "We both share with Vanna. You share with Allison as well."
Jesse knew Vanna was in a little deeper.
"I know Vanna is sweet on you." Jesse said.
That excited Claire. She'd been attracted to Vanna from the moment that she'd first seen her. It was only because Vanna was her daughter's lover that she hadn't pursued it beyond a sexual relationship. There was a lot of love shared during their sexual unions but they both kept it in check for Allison's sake.
"Did Vanna tell you that?" Claire asked.
Jesse learned how to 'read' people. It helped her survive. It also allowed her to manipulate them how she saw best to benefit herself more. It was a skill that was necessary to survive in the Wastelands. If she read someone the wrong way, she always had her knife close by. She'd used it more than a few times when things didn't go her way.
"I can tell when Vanna talks about you." Jesse said. "Vanna is the human version of your Metal lover. They've shared the 'Neural Interface'. Part of what Hanna feels for you is the 'Vanna' in her. You've cultivated the rest of it yourself."
Claire knew how much Hanna cared for her. She needed to think of her daughter too. She loved Vanna and she loved her daughter as well. She wanted to reaffirm her position and why.
"I don't want to hurt Allison." Claire said.
Jesse just wanted the 'water' clear so everyone knew where they stood.
"Vanna doesn't want to hurt Allison either." Jesse said. "We all share here, you know that."
Claire felt so much love since Cameron entered her life and everything Cameron brought with her and provided her with. Many doors had been opened to her.
"I do." Claire said. "It's beautiful. There's so much love here."
Jesse wanted to remind her they were all in close proximity.
"We're a small group." Jesse said.
Claire wanted to move forward. She wanted more. She liked to have a Metal lover. She liked to share with all of the girls, both the human girls and the Metal girls.
"What do we do?" Claire asked.
Jesse wanted to make her lifestyle clear. She was who she was. She was ready to take it one step further but she wasn't willing to leave anything behind. She'd lost too much in the future to ever give up anything willingly.
"I get around a lot. It's part of who I am." Jesse said. "You have to accept that. I'm with everyone often. That's something that I'll continue to do."
That didn't seem like an issue to Claire. They all got around.
"I do too." Claire said. "We all do. I just wonder if there can be more."
Jesse could tell where this was headed. She wasn't opposed to expanding a relationship further but she also needed to think about her prior commitments.
"Are you asking me if we should move in together?" Jesse asked.
Claire wanted that but even to spend more time with Jesse would work for now. She also needed to think about others as well. It wasn't just Jesse and her.
"I don't want to hurt Gail or Hanna." Claire said. "I just want you to know you're special to me and I want to be with you more, not to hurt those around us. That's all I'm asking. I want to spend more time with you and do more things together. Everything else can remain the same."
Jesse wanted more from Claire. She felt there were a lot of missing parts to her life. She thought in the past that she would have been able to fill some of those missing pieces in. She actually didn't think that she'd done much of that. She seemed to be stuck in the same rut. The things that trouble her we're all in the future. The future still troubled her greatly. Her future was her past which was the future. She wanted to get out of the rut. She wanted to break free. She wanted to be who she could be, not who she was. She wanted more. The human touch was always nice.
"I want that too." Jesse said. "I don't want anything to get complicated and I don't want to hurt anyone. Most of all I don't want to get hurt. There's been too much hurt in my life."
Claire wanted to be there for Jesse emotionally. She believed she could offer Jesse more than she'd been able to find so far. She believed they could feed off each other's strengths and help prop up each other's weaknesses. They were two very different individuals. They were most likely polar extremes from each other. She thought that was part of the attraction. Each one wanted parts of the other one's life that they hadn't been able to experience on their own. It was the ultimate 'good girl, bad girl' combination.
She wanted to reach out to Jesse. She wanted to reach into Jesse. She wanted Jesse to open up. She wanted Jesse to let her in. She wanted more.
"Share your pain with me." Claire said. "We can share the good, the bad and the ugly."
Jesse was afraid she might scare Claire away from her. There wasn't much good. There was a lot of bad. There was an awful lot of ugly. She knew the 'real Jesse' wasn't a good person before. She was actually very ashamed of her past now. She didn't used to be. She felt everything she'd done was necessary to survive. She knew that she'd hurt people that she didn't need to hurt. She hurt them on purpose too. She wanted them to suffer. She wanted to hear them scream. That was because others had done that to her. She always thought that would make her feel better inside but it never did. It only made everything worse. She felt with Cameron's help and guidance that she was somewhat reformed. Vanna and Allison gave her a lot of love when she needed it. They never took anything from her in return. They'd only shared everything.
"There's a lot of darkness." Jesse said. "I've done a lot of things and a lot has happened to me."
Claire wanted Jesse to leave the darkness behind.
"You've shared some with me. Now is the time to face the darkness." Claire said. "Let me face it with you."
Jesse thought of the people she'd hurt and what she'd done to them. She wanted to tell Claire the truth about many. She was sure it was a bad idea. She still wanted to come clean. She wanted to be honest. She wanted the truth out there.
"You probably aren't going to want to be around me if I'm honest." Jesse said.
Claire thought if Jesse addressed the past that she could see the past wasn't her future even if it was her future before.
"I want you to be honest." Claire said. "I want you to be true to yourself. Believe in who you are now. It's time that you control the darkness and not let the darkness control you. You're out of the future. You get to make your own future now. Stop reliving what has already been done. That's behind you now even if it is still in the future, a future. That was then, this is now."
Claire was still over Jesse and looked into her eyes.
Jesse looked at Claire for a long moment. She figured she might as well find out where she stood for real. She was who she was at the end of the day.
"I guess I'll start with Judgment Day. That's when it all fell apart." Jesse said. "From there it only got worse and worse, until I became the darkness and the evil myself. I hurt people. I maimed people. I killed people."
Claire wanted to be the light at the end of Jesse's tunnel of darkness.
"I know who you are now. Love is blind." Claire said. "There won't be any 'judgment' on my part."
Jesse really hoped that could be true. She didn't know if it could be or not. Maybe it was time to find out.
"There will be 'judgment' on my part." Jesse said. "There always is. I can never escape it. It's forever a part of me."
Claire took Jesse in her arms.
"Things are different now." Claire said. "I'm here now and I'm not going anywhere."
Jesse wondered where she should start. She could hear the screams again in her head. Most of them were hers….
All Bets Covered
Some people's egos write checks
That their bodies can't cash
There will be a lot trouble
Along with a backlash
No one knows when to stop
Even when they hold the winning hand
The real prize before them
Slips through their fingers like sand
They can't comprehend
Whey the gamble they lose
They make the wrong choice
When it's time to chose
The easy way is the wrong way
The road to riches is just a myth
The one that is already before them
Stands out like a monolith
As life plays out over time
The truth is discovered
One needs to make sure
That all bets are covered
Nobody