Chapter 1441
It's Tartar Sauce
The girls all settled in at the base. They were soon back 'home'. It's been said, 'there's no place like home'. The ship made a pretty good temporary home for all of them.
Allison and Vanna went to see Precious.
Vanna hoped Precious could use her soon but it didn't look like it would be for an hour or so.
They headed back to their room to get everything put away and cleaned up. They found out Cam and Holly already took care of everything for them.
They discussed what they wanted to do. Vanna decided she wanted to go to the lab and see what needed to be done. Allison decided to tag along.
Claire and Hanna were busy with each other and going over everything Cameron did with John in Hanna's chassis. It all seemed so exciting to Claire. It wasn't anything she hadn't done before at some point. It sounded like the way it was done, and the love behind it, made all the difference.
She was very surprised to learn Young Jesse, Vanna and Allison were all with John more than once.
"Really?" Claire asked.
Hanna thought she'd been quite clear.
"Yes." Hanna said. "They all liked it, even Vanna. I was worried about her."
Claire wondered why Jesse and her hadn't got 'their turn' when they were on the ship.
"I feel short changed." Claire said.
Hanna brought it up to Cameron already. It wasn't something she wanted to happen. She knew Claire did. Sacrifice was the true test of love.
"I asked Cameron about it." Hanna said. "I reminded her you were available and willing."
Claire was a little anxious. More than anxious. She felt like a schoolgirl waiting to get 'popped' on her 'first time'.
"What did she say?" Claire asked.
Cameron reminded Hanna there was no substitute for experience. She'd been very direct about it.
"She felt Jesse and you needed to have your 'turn' after the others went first." Hanna said. "She didn't want Jesse's and your superior performance level make the other girls 'look bad' in John's eyes after he'd experienced you two."
Claire thought about it for a second. It was true. The other girls were mostly experienced with females. Vanna's and Allison's contact with men wasn't anything pleasant. Young Jesse hadn't had any exposure to males in any way previously.
"I understand it now." Claire said. "I want to go after Jesse goes then."
Hanna wondered why. She was sure Claire would have wanted to go before Jesse. She wanted to know more.
"Is there a reason?" Hanna asked.
Claire was aware Jesse would give a better physical performance. She knew how Jesse was in bed with females. She knew she would be just as aggressive with John.
"Jesse will give him the best sex." Claire said.
It seemed even more confusing to Hanna now.
"I would think you would want to go first then." Hanna said.
Claire thought she could offer something better and more meaningful.
"I'll give him the best love." Claire said. "I think it's what he'll want more."
Hanna nodded. She wasn't really sure the direction everything would take.
"Your experience will be deeper and more meaningful than all the others." Hanna said. "You should be his logical choice for a mate then."
Claire wasn't so sure about it. She was aware youth offered a very strong attraction to everyone. It didn't matter if they were a male or female. It wasn't just the physical aspect of it. It was the emotional connection and the feelings which could be shared. They mattered the most in the end. Age became just a number compared to love.
"I think it will go to Savannah when she starts with John." Claire said. "Savannah radiates love stronger than any of the other girls including me. We all know it."
Hanna was ready to continue.
"We have each other now." Hanna said. "It's good enough for me."
Claire was glad there was no mention of Young Allison. It was bad enough Allison was with John already. She knew she would be compared to Allison. She really wondered how long it would be until Young Allison found her way into John's bed anyway. She really didn't think it would be much longer at this point. Since the dam had been broken. All of the water was going to run out of it.
She would offer John as much of anything he wanted if she could buy her daughters a little more time. They didn't need to grow up so fast. There really wasn't anything so special about it anyway.
She really wondered what it would be like to be with John after he'd been with Allison first. It sounded like it could happen if things expanded the way Hanna explained them. It would be natural for him to compare them in every detail. Wait, he already knew what every detail on Allison looked like. Cameron shared her DNA. They were identical physically in all regards.
Claire knew how much she enjoyed her time with Cam, Cammy and Ally. Even though they were identical to Allison, it just didn't seem like it when they shared. They were their own individuals. She knew she liked everything about them too. After she was with one of them, she always got a mirror to compare herself to what she'd just seen.
She wasn't sure if she looked 'better' than them or not to others. What she had certainly seemed to please those who were with her. She was sure it would please John as well.
Gail and Jesse 'caught up' with each other.
Jesse rested for a little while. She asked about the rest of the cruise.
She was as surprised as Claire was about what happened with Young Jesse, Allison and Vanna. They'd already heard the rumors but it was just different to know it was real. She was a little disappointed in one aspect.
"I would've liked to have been there for Young Jesse." Jesse said.
Gail thought it was a good idea. Jesse knew what to do and could have advised Young Jesse for her best experience. She wanted to know exactly what she referred to.
"Do you mean to be in the room with them?" Gail asked. "Would you've given her instructions since it was her first time?"
The question caught Jesse off guard. It was totally bazaar. She would be like a coach giving instructions play by play.
"What?" Jesse asked.
Upon further reflection, it actually sounded totally hot for her to do, but not for John and Young Jesse. She would end up tagging herself in at some point if it were the case. She didn't want to steal anyone's thunder.
"I would've just liked to have been with her before and afterwards to talk with her about everything. I want her to have a good experience." Jesse said. "I'm glad she learned from John and not in the Wastelands at the hands of brutal strangers."
Gail could see Jesse's past still could come out to haunt her.
"It won't be the case for her and you don't need to think about it." Gail said. "She became a woman by her own choice and on her own terms. I think it's all anyone needs to remember."
Jesse managed a smile.
"Sure, Gail, it's in the past." Jesse said.
Jesse, like Vanna, thought about it at some point everyday of her life. She always hated when they held her down and took turns. It was always the worst. Why did they have to say so many ugly things and hurt her?
Gail knew Jesse always thought about it and it was why they hunted future Scavengers when they went out. They never did 'fun things' with each other. She really hoped it would change some day. She hoped it would change for Jesse's sake. She didn't think Jesse would ever get past the past as long as she saw the present as the past on those outings.
Cameron opened the front fuselage hatch on the B-25. She went up and Young Jesse followed her in. John was going to go up but let Camille go first instead.
Camille looked at John for a long moment. Her eyes wandered from his face down to his feet and back up to his face. She wanted her 'one time' like Cameron promised her. She smiled at John.
"Thank you." Camille said. "You're a real gentleman."
John felt like anything but a gentleman after what went on the last week. He was pretty sure Cameron wasn't done yet either. He actually wanted to finish 'making the rounds'.
Cameron allowed Young Jesse to look around first. She let her go through the short tunnel into the nose. She came back out to look out of the top turret. She then showed her the pilot's seat.
"Here." Cameron said and pointed.
Young Jesse was very excited. She wanted to make sure.
"Do you mean for me?" Young Jesse asked. "I can sit here?"
Cameron let Camille check out the nose and the top turret as well and then allowed her to sit in the copilot's seat next to Young Jesse.
She looked down at John.
"OK, John, you're up." Cameron said.
John still stood on the ground looking up inside the front fuselage.
He climbed up inside and Cameron let him go where he wanted.
Young Jesse was thrilled to sit in the pilot's seat.
"This is so cool." Young Jesse said.
John headed for the nose of the B-25. There was a lot of room for one person there and the view which was possible was great. The current view inside of the hanger wasn't much to see.
Cameron went into the nose after a few minutes. She left Camille and Young Jesse to go over all the instruments and flight procedures.
Camille started her instruction process.
Young Jesse could tell Camille must have flown the plane before. She didn't see how or when. They were together all of the time.
"Wait." Young Jesse said. "You know all this stuff like you've done it already."
Camille smiled.
"In a way I have." Camille said. "I have some files from Cameron. She transferred them to me when she 'popped me'. Well, John did when Cameron was in control of my chassis."
They knew 'popped' was a technical term for both of them. It was still the 'first time' for Young Jesse and Camille's chassis to have been with a male.
Young Jesse still found it somewhat intriguing they could share each other's experiences as if they were their own. She knew it was the reason why the Metal girls allowed Cameron to use their chassis. It was the same as if they'd done it themselves, even if they weren't in control. The same thing must apply to flying an airplane.
"So you have all of Cameron's flying experience in this aircraft?" Young Jesse asked.
Camille knew she had more than just the flying experiences from Cameron.
"Yes." Camille said. "It is the same as if I'd done it myself. It's like the file with her and John. Her experience, was my experience. It applies to flying or making love to John."
Young Jesse would like to be able to learn all the flying skills the same way. She learned the love making with John on her own. Now when she'd thought of it again, her body began to respond. It wanted more of the love making. She needed to think of other things instead. She understood the takeoff procedure would definitely redirect her mind.
"I want to go over every procedure. Tell me why something is done in the order it's done too." Young Jesse said. "You tell me first and then I'm going to do it one thing at a time as I talk about it. I'll do it until I can do everything from start to finish without a word spoken. I want the copilot's functions as well."
Cameron heard what Young Jesse said as she entered the nose. It meant Young Jesse and Camille were going to be tied up for a while.
There was room for both John and her in the nose but now it was crowded.
Cameron kissed John.
"There's more room in the back." Cameron said.
John wondered where things were headed.
"What would we do there?" John asked.
Cameron reached down and touched him. There were other things she could do right where they were at.
"I can get you 'started up' here too and finish it." Cameron said.
John looked around. He tried to look up and back at the cockpit. He wanted to see if they could see them.
"Do you mean right here?" John asked.
Cameron didn't want John to over think it. It was actually a very simple procedure. She could accomplish it very quickly. She had a lot of experience.
"Just relax and sit right there." Cameron said. "Even if they could see anything, it would just be the back of my head moving up and down."
John wasn't so sure about it.
"What if they finish early?" John asked.
Cameron smiled. The idea intrigued her.
"I can let one of them take over." Cameron said. "It's not like it would be anything new for either of them. Camille has the file, she knows what to do."
John knew it was true.
He looked around again and didn't spot any of the Terminators moving around in the hanger. He wanted to establish a few rules and restrictions.
"If anyone else enters the hanger, or gets out of the seats in back of us, you need to stop and I need to get 'everything' put away." John said. "I don't want anyone to see us."
She was good with his rules.
"It's a deal." Cameron said.
John could see Cameron moisten her lips slightly in anticipation. He figured he probably had done the same thing.
Cameron was pleased to see John anticipate what was about to happen. She was very excited herself. She positioned herself in front of him and reached to unzip his pants….
Savannah went inside the restaurant with Al. She drew a few looks but they were just in passing. She was OK with it. She placed a 'to go' order.
The cashier put the order in after giving her a once over.
"I want to pay now." Savannah said.
The cashier was used to completing the transaction when the food was ready.
She rang everything up.
Savannah handed her a 'C note'.
The cashier let her eyes run up and down Savannah's body.
'What did you need to do to earn it?' The cashier wondered.
Savannah noticed the way the cashier looked at her. It made her feel a little uncomfortable. She already developed a back story as to why her clothes were dirty. She got back the change and handed the cashier a ten dollar bill.
"I want to give you the tip early since I'm in a hurry." Savannah said. "My car got a flat and I tried to change the tire myself. It didn't work out so well. My brother came and helped me."
Savannah left the cashier with the ten dollar bill in her hand and Al who was very 'stone faced' currently. She headed for the bathroom. It was a welcome sight right now for her.
The cashier thought maybe she'd prejudged Savannah. Now she felt a little guilty. She looked at Al and decided he didn't look like the conversational type.
Savannah rejoined them a little while later. Her face was clean and she'd fixed her hair a little. It was just her clothes that looked a little worse for the wear.
She stood next to AL. The food was ready in a few more minutes. She thanked the cashier and left with AL and her meal. She got a large black coffee to go with it. She hoped it would help her with her sleep deprivation but doubted it would do much. It never seemed to.
They went out to the SUV and Cammy got out of the driver's seat and moved into the back where Savannah was going to sit.
Al got in and buckled up. He looked back at them.
"Where would you like to go?" Al asked.
Savannah wanted to get back to where they were at earlier.
"Somewhere within a quarter of a mile of the port facility would be good." Savannah said. "Not too close and someplace out of the way. We can arrive there very quickly if we need to."
Cammy frowned. She would rather stay further away.
Savannah put her coffee in the cup holder and opened the take out container.
"Would you like a bite?" Savannah asked Cammy.
Cammy wanted Savannah to get the full nutritional value of the meal.
"No." Cammy said. "What is it?"
Savannah made her own order. She was a little surprised she could get fresh fish. She took advantage of it. They were at the port after all.
"The meat is Swordfish, the eggs are scrambled and the hash browns are well done." Savannah said.
Cammy looked at a small circular container with some whitish sauce in it.
"What's that?" Cammy asked.
Savannah smiled when she looked at it.
"It's what makes the fish taste good." Savannah said. "It's tartar sauce."
Cammy nodded. She'd heard about it before.
"Cameron said she tried some before with John." Cammy said.
Savannah looked at her for a few seconds. She wasn't sure if it was a joke or not. She wasn't sure what Cameron may have actually referred to. Maybe it was tartar sauce or maybe it was something else….
She started in on the food. She offered Cammy a taste every few bites but she didn't take any. The black coffee wasn't her preference but she hoped it would help keep her awake. It felt like she could use all the help she could get.
Al headed for a holding point.
Young Allison tracked Savannah to the restaurant.
Anna received an update from John Henry.
"The drone signal has been found and commandeered." Anna said.
It was good news to Young Allison. She wanted to go on the offensive. She'd already made plans and backup plans.
"I want to use it to take out the sniper." Young Allison said. "If it fails, we'll use a missile with a partial burn. The rest of the journey will be a gravity strike so it isn't spotted as a missile. The sniper is our biggest threat around there."
Anna doubted it would stay that way.
"For now it is." Anna said. "How do we know when to deploy it so we can reach where he is?"
Young Allison wasn't sure about it. They didn't know the yield or type of explosive the bomb was. It could be C-4 plastic explosive or an IED shrapnel bomb.
"I'd like to fly it right in his window." Young Allison said.
Anna checked the drone footage.
"They're all currently closed." Anna said.
Young Allison needed another recreational drone. She needed a big one to smash the glass so the explosive laden one could enter unopposed and detonate near the sniper.
She was aware Summer was away from the Command Center. She wondered what her plan was.
Ally decided to tag along the route Leticia took back to her new place. If they were going to 'watch out' for her, they might as well make sure she got back OK.
She was worried about Sheila. She knew Sheila wanted 'more'. She couldn't blame her for it. She could also see Sheila knew it was a bad idea to expose Leticia to anything involved in their lifestyle. Skynet, its offshoots, and anyone from the future was bad news to expose anyone to.
They were only a few minutes behind Leticia.
"You don't need to do it." Sheila said.
Ally didn't want to seem too obvious. Maybe it was too late.
"Do what?" Ally asked.
Sheila looked at her and frowned. She didn't want to make a big deal about it.
"You don't need to follow Leticia back." Sheila said. "She did what she needed to. She stood up for herself. I'm not good for her."
Ally reached over and touched Sheila's arm.
'You're good for me." Ally said.
Sheila knew it was true. There was a base full of fine human females and machines there waiting for her. Ally was usually by her side. She loves her dearly. She wouldn't ever tell it to her though.
"Thanks, love." Sheila said. "Break off. We can return to the port and back up Savannah's team. We have jobs to do."
Ally was surprised.
"It's really big of you." Ally said.
Sheila felt they did what needed to be done. There was no need to push it further.
"Sacrifice is the true test of love." Sheila said.
Ally changed her direction.
"I guess you just proved it." Ally said.
Sheila checked on Savannah.
"Savannah took a brief food break." Sheila said. "Maybe we can replace her."
Ally was in no hurry to get shot up, but duty called.
"Maybe we can." Ally said. "Let's get crackin'."
The Metal girls were itching to join the fight.
Sheila wanted some blood. She wanted to punish the enemy. She knew it was because of her personal feelings about Leticia. She hoped combat would take her mind off of everything. It usually did. She also knew she needed to focus when she was out in the field. She didn't want anything to happen to Ally or her if she was distracted.
One of their drones over the collapsed anti-Metal bunker picked up a small flying contact as it approached the area.
Hank and Larry received the warning.
CamNet was prepared to bring it down with gravity minigun fire. A solution for a 'metal hail' strike was set up.
Anna and Young Allison received word about the small unidentified drone which approached the previous area of action early this morning.
"It looks like we have a new problem." Anna said.
Anna was sure it was from someone who lost contact with the bunker.
"What's the range on the unidentified drone?" Young Allison asked.
Anna needed better information to give an accurate answer.
"It's currently unknown." Anna said. "Smaller drones only have a five mile or less range from their controller."
Young Allison knew it was fairly close to the target area.
"It would tend to be something launched from the road which passes by there." Young Allison said.
Anna was aware it was currently under investigation.
"It's most likely." Anna said. "We have a drone searching around for the operator."
Young Allison was disappointed they wouldn't be able to use the drone at the port facility.
"As soon as we find them, bring the drone down." Young Allison said.
Anna wanted to gather additional intelligence.
"We can let it return and follow the operator." Anna said.
It looked like a loose end.
"I'll think about it." Young Allison said. "If it gets near Hank and Larry, I want it taken down."
Anna wanted to know for sure what they were going to do.
"And if it doesn't?" Anna asked.
Young Allison hoped they could identify a few more targets.
"We'll follow it back and follow the operator to wherever they go." Young Allison said. "Whoever it is, they're the enemy."
Kyle noticed Sarah seemed a little happier today. It was unlike her. Normally there was a certain amount of coldness. There was always a 'wall' between them. Some days it was taller than others. It seemed very short right now.
"You look chipper today." Kyle said.
Sarah felt she was. She felt there was a weight lifted off of her shoulders. There was a sense of satisfaction and fulfillment for what she'd done with Claire.
"Well, there was no burnt food at breakfast today." Sarah said. "That's something."
Kyle didn't think Sarah cooked too much of it. She wasn't there very long. It was probably the main factor. He decided not to mention it.
"I guess it is." Kyle said. "I'm glad to see you seem happy for a change."
Sarah was a little upset by what he'd just said. Then again maybe she didn't seem as worried and concerned with everyone's future.
"I'm happy." Sarah said. "I have Jan, John and you."
She also knew there was something else she'd 'found' and she intended to have more of it too. Just the thought of being with Claire again excited her immensely. She looked forward to their next encounter. She wondered how it would be. Would it be open and straightforward, or would it be mysterious?
Camille was aware as to what Cameron was up to in the nose of the Mitchell. She leaned forward at one point to see what was visible.
She could see Cameron's back and the rhythmic movement of her head. She briefly thought she could offer to 'take over' for Cameron.
She needed to refocus on Young Jesse and her instruction. So far Young Jesse hit the nail on the head with everything.
Young Jesse finished the checklist for the third time.
"How did I do?" Young Jesse asked.
Camille was very pleased with her performance.
"You did better than the 'Ruptured Duck' did, you always made sure your flaps were extended for takeoff." Camille said.
Young Jesse caught the reference.
"The 'Ruptured Duck' was Lieutenant Lawson's B-25 in the Doolittle raid." Young Jesse said.
Camille smiled.
"You've been studying." Camille said.
Young Jesse sighed. It seemed it was all she ever did.
"I never see any action." Young Jesse said. "It seems studying is all I do. I study and train. I learn about Skynet and how to fight it and I learn about past battles and tactics."
Camille could see Young Jesse was ready to inspect the rest of the aircraft.
Cameron heard it also. She'd just about brought John to Heaven. She increased her speed and pressure. He quickly made it.
Cameron lifted her head and wiped the back of her hand across her mouth.
John was very pleased about Cameron's performance.
"You were dynamite." John said.
Cameron would rather be a more powerful explosive.
"I'd hoped for nitro." Cameron said.
John didn't want her to feel short changed.
"I'll go with thermonuclear." John said. "Maybe it was a supernova."
Cameron was pleased with the more powerful analogy.
John was glad she 'took care of' everything. There was no mess for him to deal with. It was something he needed to deal with when he went solo. Hopefully those days were behind him forever.
Cameron wiped her mouth with the back of her hand a second time.
"I'd have to say everything has been taken care of." John said.
Cameron looked at him and smiled. She remembered their encounter on the beach several weeks ago.
"We can always say it's tartar sauce if I missed any." Cameron said.
John tried not to laugh. He remembered the reference as well.
He could hear Young Jesse and Camille moving around behind them.
"I guess it's time to go." John said.
Cameron made sure John got everything tucked away and restored back to how it was.
"It is." Cameron said.
They emerged from the nose in time to see Young Jesse go over the crawlway to the rear fuselages of the Mitchell. Camille had already gone over.
They both followed her over.
John was very pleased to check out the 'rear view' of Young Jesse's figure. The more he saw it, the more he liked it. He liked it even better when he could get his hands on it.
Young Jesse looked back at John.
"It's smaller than I thought." Young Jesse said.
John looked down at his groin area. He hoped she wasn't talking about him.
Cameron noticed John's reaction.
"She's referring to the aft fuselage." Cameron whispered.
Camille turned around and looked when Cameron said it.
Young Jesse soon found herself in the tail gun position. It seemed a little crowded to her. The view looked pretty good though.
Young Jesse came back out from the tail gun position. She winked at John.
"I'll let you be a 'tail gunner' again, John." Young Jesse said.
Cameron suppressed a snicker. It was one of John's favorite positions. It looked like Young Jesse found it out too.
John was a little surprised with what Young Jesse said. He was even more taken aback with Cameron's reaction.
"I know it's a tight fit." John said.
Young Jesse giggled.
John went and checked it out again. He liked being in the nose better. Now after what Cameron just did, he could think of a few reasons why it was better. He did like being a 'tail gunner' though for other things.
Young Jesse exited out of the rear hatch after Cameron opened it. She did a final 'walk around' the B-25 with Camille before they left.
When Camille and Young Jesse were on the far side of the plane John asked a few questions.
"Would she be able to fly this plane now on her own?" John asked.
Cameron thought about it for a second. She knew it would be a new experience for Young Jesse to do so. Even if she was trained on other twin engine aircraft, they were still different in their performance and handling.
"Yes she could, but having someone who was experienced in the actual handling of the plane with her would be much safer. They could give her advice." Cameron said. "There's no substitute for experience."
With what Cameron just did up in the nose, he knew it was true if he compared the girl's performances to Cameron's for the 'same thing'. He was anxious to see how Jesse would do.
Once Cameron was satisfied Young Jesse was satisfied, they went out to the waiting SUV.
"Can I drive?" Young Jesse asked.
John was a little worried. She would be used to driving on the other side of the road.
Cameron handed her the keys.
"Things are different here. If Camille tells you something, it's what you need to do." Cameron said. "I know you're skilled and extremely proficient. I don't think there'll be any problems."
Young Jesse smiled.
"I want to see how I do." Young Jesse said. "I think I'm ready."
She'd thought the same thing about being with John. She was right then too, she was ready and everything was beautiful.
She buckled up, checked her mirrors and started the SUV. She made sure everyone else's safety belt was fastened. She looked around carefully and pulled out. She headed for the base.
John was surprised. Young Jesse's driving was perfect. She was clearly a better and safer driver than Allison. He was more surprised when no one gave her any directions. She must have studied the route at some point.
They reached the base with no problems.
"Do I turn in here?" Young Jesse asked.
Camille could see she'd picked the right driveway.
"Yes." Camille said.
Young Jesse parked where Cameron told her to.
John was very impressed with her driving.
"You did perfect." John said as they headed inside.
Camille was very proud of Young Jesse.
"Jesse is perfect at everything." Camille said.
Young Jesse shrugged her shoulders.
"I try to do my best." Young Jesse said.
Jesse was there to greet them when they entered. It looked like she just put her top on. It wasn't buttoned yet. The fact, and view, wasn't lost on Young Jesse.
"Wow!" Young Jesse said. "Look at the size of those things. You went from norks to knockers."
Jesse looked down and smiled. She held her top open. Everyone could see everything clearly.
Cameron wanted John to have a 'look' at Jesse. He took a good look before she ushered him away.
Gail went off with Camille.
Young Jesse and Jesse went to Jesse's room to 'catch up'.
John decided to go to the Command Center first and get caught up.
Cameron saw where he was headed. She didn't want him to get involved in the current operation. Right now there was a lull.
"Not so fast." Cameron said.
She wanted him to get all his things put away first and see if he wanted 'a little more' once they were in the room alone.
John wondered if there was something else.
"What is it?" John asked.
Cameron took his arm.
"The honeymoon isn't over yet." Cameron said. "Everything can wait a little longer. It's waited a week already."
John knew Cameron kept him in the dark for most of the week. He was going to be surprised, shocked and awed when he went over the reports. Right now he looked forward to being with Cameron.
"It sounds good to me." John said.
A little more 'sack time' sounded good.
Al found an out of the way place to park. They could either go forwards or backwards in an instant.
Savannah finished her meal. It didn't take long. She'd eaten half of it on the way there. She took a sip of the black coffee.
"This stuff tastes awful." Savannah said.
Cammy took the cup from her and took a sip.
"It's standard for this type of beverage." Cammy said as she handed the drink back to Savannah. "We should have gone to 'Stop and Shop' and purchased some 'NoDoz' instead."
Savannah didn't want to start taking anti drowsy tablets.
"I don't want those." Savannah said.
Cammy thought the caffeine content was the whole purpose of coffee. The over the counter tablets contained as much caffeine as a couple of cups of strong coffee. It seemed to eliminate the need to drink the bitter liquid to achieve the same results.
Savannah took another sip.
"Just a drink of this every so often would keep me awake. It tastes so bitter." Savannah said.
Cammy caught up on what was happening and filled Savannah in.
It raised a few questions for Savannah.
"What about the drone where Hank and Larry are at?" Savannah asked.
Cammy checked for an update.
"It's left the area and our drone is following the vehicle which recovered it." Cammy said.
Savannah wondered if there was a team on it.
"Do we need to send some of our personnel to intercept them?" Savannah asked.
"Sheila and Ally have been directed to follow them." Cammy said. "They were on their way back here. They were going to back us up."
Savannah wanted to make sure Sheila took care of everything.
"Did they get all their business taken care of?" Savannah asked.
Cammy could only speculate. She didn't really care for the idea of Sheila having new suitors, especially human ones.
"I guess they did since they were on their way back here to assist us." Cammy said.
Savannah hoped it was true.
"I guess we'll just wait for now and see what develops here." Savannah said.
Sheila and Ally were a little surprised to receive an 'intercept' mission. They'd wanted to back up Savannah. It would no longer be the case.
"It looks like we have a new job." Ally said.
Sheila hoped she could see some action.
"It looks like it." Sheila said.
They followed John Henry's instructions.
Earlier:
The small drone from over the area of the collapsed anti-Metal bunker was recovered by a vehicle and it drove away. They sent one of their drones to follow it.
Young Allison made the decision to send Sheila and Ally to intercept the vehicle.
"Are you sure you don't want them to back up Savannah's team?" Anna asked.
Young Allison did, but they needed to see where the vehicle they tracked ended up at and if any immediate action needed to be taken. These were most likely someone from the anti-Metal faction and she wanted them dealt with. There may be others they needed to take down as well.
"We need to deal with the threat they pose too." Young Allison said.
Anna was pleased Young Allison didn't 'hog' all the help for Savannah.
Much to their surprise, Savannah offered a suggestion about getting the hostile drone which was parked next to the van inside of the building where the sniper was. It was a rather direct approach.
"She just found out about the plan a short time ago." Anna said.
Young Allison wanted to make something happen with it.
"You know she is always on the ball." Young Allison said.
She also knew Savannah was tired and sleepy.
Young Jesse went with Jesse to get caught up.
Jesse asked about their parents and their sister first. She was pleased to find out they were all well.
They talked about some personal things and they talked about Young Jesse being with John.
Jesse offered her all kinds of advice and suggestions for things to do.
"I'll have to remember those for next time." Young Jesse said.
Jesse seemed surprised.
"Will you get a 'next time'?" Jesse asked.
Young Jesse thought about what Cameron asked her to do.
"Yes." Young Jesse said. "Cameron wants me to move in with John. I told her I'm not ready for it yet."
Jesse thought she was. She was at least ready for some more. After hearing Young Jesse's experiences, she wanted to do the same things. She was going to make it happen. Young Jesse came first right now. She opened her top up and exposed her nursing breasts. The two girls looked at each other. It was clear what each of them wanted.
Young Jesse kissed Jesse and things took off from there. It was what they both wanted.
Jesse always ran her hands over Young Jesse's body where her scar was at on her. She liked how smooth and beautiful the spot was on Young Jesse. She liked everything else too. She really hoped she looked half as Hot to everyone she shared with.
The two Grays each entered a separate cavern on opposite sides of the main passageway. They weren't in alignment with each other. One man was on a forklift. The other man was on foot. He'd just been shot at. The HK Tracks were closing rapidly.
The first man scrambled into the chamber. It was big enough for one of the HK Tracks to enter. He wasn't sure why they were attacking them. He didn't know if they were enemy HK Tracks or not. He was aware sometimes they went bad. Nobody knew why. It looked to him like there were two of them. It seemed to him unlikely more than one of them would go bad. He was sure it wan an enemy attack. He was equipped with a transponder.
He ran across the ground. He noticed something as he passed over. It was one of the caverns they only stored small things in. There was a wooden floor right inside the entrance of the cavern. One of the other men told him there was an old shaft underneath it. He knew there were dozens of them throughout the mine. They'd dumped a few bodies in one of them.
He wasn't sure how the HK Tracks were programmed. He didn't know if they were alerted to different dangers or not. If the HK Track knew it couldn't go into the cavern, it might just fire a missile instead. It could also fire the minigun and a ricochet may hit him.
The second man turned the forklift into the closest passageway next to him. There was nothing he could do about the man who fell off. He drove into the cavern. He didn't know what he was going to do once he got inside. He just knew he needed to get out of the main passageway. The HK Tracks were on a rampage. It wouldn't have been so bad if there was only one of them. From what he saw as he went into the passageway was there were two of them. He couldn't hear much over the roar of the forklift's engine.
The HK Tracks spotted two targets. One of them was able to take a shot at one man as he scrambled away. The other one was on a forklift. They communicated with each other and they each selected a target. The HK Track which fired at the running man would continue the pursuit. The other HK Track would go after the man on the forklift. All human targets needed to be terminated.
The second man pulled into the chamber with the forklift. There were crates stacked on top of each other. He figured he could hide behind some of those. He figured the HK Track would either shoot into them with the minigun and try to hit him. It might just simply slam into them and knock them over on top of him.
He wondered if he could use the forklift as a weapon. He wouldn't be able to attack the HK Track directly. He backed up along the side of the entrance. He turned it off. He got off of the forklift. He went in back of the crates the forklift was parked in front of. He looked around on the ground and saw a few stones. He picked them up.
Seconds later he could hear the HK Track coming. It moved cautiously into the chamber. It focused on the forklift when it came in. He threw one of the stones across the cavern to the other side. It made an impact noise. He saw the HK Track turn in the direction of the noise. He threw the other stone to the other side of the cavern away from him. The HK Track turned more in the direction of the second noise. It's back was to him currently.
He figured it was only a matter of time until the HK Track began to use the scanners on it to look for heat signatures. He made a dash for the forklift. He quickly climbed onto it and started it. As soon as he did the HK Track begin to pivot around.
There was a loud 'crash' noise he could hear over the roar of the forklift engine from somewhere outside of the chamber he was in. It sounded very metallic, whatever it was.
Seconds ago:
The first man waited inside of the cavern he was in. There were only a few smaller boxes and a lot of junk inside of it. He could hear the sound of the HK Track. He knew it was right outside. He could hear it coming closer.
He wanted it to enter all the way in. He knew he was going to have to gamble. He made a mad dash across the entrance into the chamber. He expected the minigun to open up on him. It didn't. Instead he could hear the HK Track accelerate. It was what he wanted. Two seconds later it roared into the chamber. The minigun rotated into the direction where he was at. He heard the splintering noise of wood. The front of the HK Track dipped down as the wood underneath it gave way. It slammed into the side of the now open shaft. It was hung up for a few seconds before gravity caught up with it and carried it down. It landed with a terrible 'crash'.
He didn't even look to see what happened to it. He needed to get out of the chamber before the other one came. He could hear it in the distance. It must be inside of the chamber where the forklift went. He made his way down the side passageway to the main passageway. He didn't see it. He knew he needed to get away from where he was at. He ran past the chamber where the forklift went back towards the entrance. He wanted to get out of the mine.
Seconds ago:
The second man had just started the forklift when he heard the terrible 'crash' from somewhere outside. He put the forklift into gear. The HK Track already had begun to spin around. He started forward. He figured his only hope was to try to flip the HK Track onto its side. It continued to move in front of him. It didn't look like he was going to make it. Before he could reach it with the forklift, it fired its minigun towards him. He jumped off of the forklift. Bullets impact around him. The forklift continued its forward motion and hit the HK Track. He didn't think it was going to slow it down for long. He made a mad dash out of the cavern he was in.
He could hear the sound of metal on metal behind him as the HK Track tried to free itself from the forklift. He didn't know how far he was going to be able to get before it was able to get out of the chamber. He doubted it would be very far. He ran out into the main passageway. He was surprised to see the other man out in front of him. The other man headed towards the front. He didn't see where the other HK Track was at. He wasn't sure if it was responsible for the 'metal noise' he'd heard earlier or not. The 'metal noise' he was worried about right now was the one behind him. He had a choice to make, he could either run in the direction of the other man or go in the other direction. Once the HK Track was free, it might go in the direction of one of them.
The two Grays had eluded the initial attack of the HK Tracks. One of HK Tracks had fallen down a shaft. The other one was struggling to free itself from the forklift which rammed it.
The female Fanatic wasn't sure what was about to happen. There was a loud 'crash' sound up in front of them. It sounded metallic.
"What was that?" Jill asked.
The female Fanatic wasn't sure what it was. She doubted it was anything good. A few seconds earlier she though she'd heard a very muffled burst of minigun fire. She wondered if the HK Tracks she'd reprogrammed had started out on their deadly deed. It seems like it.
"I think it was an HK Track. It may have fallen down a shaft." The female Fanatic said.
It didn't sound like anything good to Jill.
"Should we go back the other way?" Jill asked.
The female Fanatic wanted to know more. She paused and shined the light behind them. There was even more dirt sifting through the boards of the passageway. It didn't look like a good idea to go back.
"Let's check to see if there's a way out first." The female Fanatic said.
Jill didn't want to face one of the machines. The earlier one was scary enough.
"Are you sure?" Jill asked. "Won't it try to attack us?"
The female Fanatic was unsure what they would find. There hadn't been any more minigun fire. She didn't know if it was one of the HK Tracks she'd modified or not. If it was, it wouldn't attack her. If it was one of the other HK Tracks it would.
They continued their approach forward. The female Fanatic tried to shield the light as much as possible. They still needed to be able to see. They could hear a metallic spinning noise ahead of them. It would happen from time to time. It wasn't continuous.
The female Fanatic and Jill approached the metallic noise. It was somewhere close to where they were at.
CamNet's Terminators watched the base station get smaller behind them as they went up. They were afforded a view of the desert area behind them as the cable car continued up the hill.
They completed the journey to the top. The cable car slowed as it reached the header station. It approached very slowly as it had done when it reached the base station earlier. There was a slight thud and it stopped. In a moment there was a tone and the door opened. There was an attendant standing there to direct people where to go when they got off. They let all of the other passengers get off first before they exited. They were in no hurry. They needed to wait for the next cable car to come up.
There were only a handful of people waiting to go down. All of them carried a backpack. They moved into the main part of the station. They paused once they were inside of the doorway.
They continue to watch the drone footage above the base station with their phones. They wanted to make sure the men didn't leave. If they did, they would need to get back on the cable car. CamNet was able to provide them with footage of the inside of the base station. They could see the men were still in line. They watched them board the cable car.
They could hear the buzzer next to them as the door closed and then the cable car slowly pulled away from the header station. They watched the surveillance footage of the cable car at the base station pull away as well. The men were on it. They would be up to their position in a short time.
"How do you want to play this?" Lena asked.
Tina thought it was pretty straightforward.
"One of us can be ahead of the men, the other one can be behind them." Tina said.
Lena was aware the Resistance group previously shadowed the Grays they followed on parallel routes. They could do the same. They would also have the added advantage of the drone overhead. It would be able to track the position of the men at all times. They wouldn't need to worry about being inadvertently discovered.
"I'll follow them." Lena said. "You can move out ahead of them."
Tina knew she didn't need to worry about the air at the high altitude. She wouldn't get tired either.
"I'll start out now." Tina said. "The drone has already moved up above us. It will alert me of any potential threats along the way."
Tina exited from the header station and headed for the trail which would lead up to the communications array. Lena found a small theater showing a movie about the construction of the Aerial Tramway. She decided she would wait there.
Earlier:
The two men moved into the line for the cable car. There were now about twenty people ahead of them.
"I didn't expect to see so many people here." The first man said.
The second man was a little surprised as well.
"I didn't expect to see tour buses arrive." The second man said.
They watched the other cable car come down. In a few minutes the line began to move. They followed the people in front of them and were soon at the cable car. The cable car was rapidly loaded. A buzzer sounded and the door closed. There was a slight jolt and it pulled away from the station.
"How long is this right anyway?" The first man asked.
The second man wasn't sure it really mattered.
"It lasts as long as we're on the cable car". The second man said. "Unless you want to get off early."
The first man looked down as the cable car began its climb.
"I'll pass on the early exit." The first man said, "There's not much to break my fall."
The second man needed to agree.
"There's always the ground." The second man said.
The two men took in the scenery as the cable car began its climb. It reminded them too much of the future. They would be at the top soon enough.
Things Took Off From There
Every individual is unique
There's no need to compare
It can be very cruel
It's not just and is unfair
When it's done by another
It's time to beware
The results are bound to make one
Feel some inadequacy and despair
When one feels tarnished and used
It is very difficult to repair
It builds an invisible wall
Events going forward it will impair
Everyone wants to be equal
They want to be treated fair
Sometimes the cost is greater
They are willing to pay the fare
When everything is going smooth
For a great future prepare
When the beginning was good
Things took off from there
Nobody