Chapter 1562
Better You Than Me
Cam was inside the bottom of the elevator shaft. She heard the Grays outside the double doors. She quickly grabbed the three electrical wires which hung down in front of the doors and moved to the inside corner with them. She should be in the shadow from the doors when they were opened. The light outside was already dim. She didn't think she would be spotted. She held the three wires in one hand and her silenced M9 in the other hand.
The first Gray put his head inside and looked up. He looked around inside too before he pulled his head out.
"I can't see anything but rock." The first Gray said.
Cam was still covered from head to toe with the dirt and dust from the other mine. It seemed with all dirt on her, she was 'invisible' to the Gray who'd looked inside the shaft. She was almost the same color as the surrounding rock.
The Grays pushed the buttons again and nothing happened. They closed the outer elevator doors and left.
"It was a waste of time." The second Gray said.
They Grays moved away from the elevator and went back the way they'd come.
Cam quickly moved to the gap between the doors to see where they went. She knew Cammy, Ally and Sheila were already inside somewhere.
Sheila and Ally emerged from the side of the corridor and follow the two Grays. They each held their Taser in one hand and their silenced M9 in the other hand. Cammy continued down the main passageway.
Cam looked up. Hanna and Samantha were almost down to her. She was glad Young Jesse wasn't with them.
Hanna paused as the other wires were all pulled into one corner. The saw the elevator doors open about a foot and a head poke into the empty shaft. She held the wire with one hand and pointed her silenced M9 at the Gray's head about fifty feet below her.
"I can't see anything but rock." The first Gray said.
The head retracted and the elevator doors closed.
"It was a waste of time." The second Gray said.
Hanna saw Cam move into the center of the shaft and look through the gap of the closed outer elevator doors.
They hurried down to the bottom and joined her.
They filled Cam in on what was happening up top. They held a communication line. It was a direct line to the top.
Cam spoke with Young Jesse and was informed of the latest development with shooting outside the main bunker area. Camille and Gail were sent to deal with it.
Young Jesse said she had control of the elevator now and was ready to send the 'package' down.
Cam told her to wait. They wanted to clear the area down there first.
It was decided to send the elevator up to the top.
Cam directed Hanna and Samantha to follow where Cammy went and she set out into one of the other passageways there. She wanted to catch up to Ally and Sheila.
Young Jesse listened to the gunfire out past the inner blast door. It was very discomforting. She wanted to get the 'package' down to the bottom.
She was relieved when Cam contacted her. They discussed the tactical situation.
"I can send the 'package' down now." Young Jesse said. "I have control of the elevator."
"Not yet." Cam said. "We want to make sure we have everything down here under control."
Young Jesse thought the package should be sent anyway.
"I'm going to bring the elevator up to the surface." Young Jesse said.
"OK. We're moving out now." Cam said. "I'll get back to you."
Young Jesse activated the controls. The winch system started with a heavy whine, it subsided a little. The big drum of cable over the shaft spun and the cable wound itself up as the elevator rose in the shaft.
The firing in the distance stopped for now. She scanned the area with her M4 raised as she searched for a target.
The elevator continued to rise. There was a lot of vibration and a deep electrical hum. She was a little worried it might draw some unwanted attention.
Earlier:
Camille ran out towards where the forklift was at. She passed the inner blast doors and the first HK Track. She made her way through the zigzag and neared the outer set of blast doors.
She thought she'd spotted some movement.
"I may have a hostile on the east side." Camille said.
Camille was almost to the outer blast door when she spotted two Grays. She immediately fired at them. One made it out past the outer blast door into the hangar area. The other one was hit and crawled back into the passageway they'd come out of. She fired and scored again on his feet before he was out of view. She continued forward to pursue the Gray who made it into the hangar area.
'Cherry Bomb' was in hangar sitting on ground. It was pointed at the opening into the hillside.
It was on alert and would keep the hangar area secure. The UH-1 was parked outside the hangar. 'Coltan Overcast' was on patrol around the immediate area.
'Cherry Bomb' bomb heard the gunfire in the direction it was pointed. It aimed its minigun and prepared for a quick start of its power plants. It was primed for a 'cold start' at full power.
A figure ran into view.
The sound of an approaching drone from outside grew louder.
'Coltan Overcast' was outside the hangar when it detected gunfire from inside the hangar.
It immediately headed for the large opening.
It spotted 'Cherry Bomb' sitting on the ground. 'Cherry Bomb' opened fire towards the hillside opening with its minigun.
'Coltan Overcast' flew over the top of 'Cherry Bomb' and passed beyond it. It opened up too as it closed in on the opening. There was a Gray who was shredded. He ended up shredded even more.
It flew right up to the outer blast door.
Gail was sent off by Young Jesse to assist Camille. She wasn't happy about leaving either. It was true the fighting was out where Camille was at by the blast doors and not where Young Jesse was at.
Gail heard Camille's M4 fire and it was soon joined by the sound of a minigun and then by another minigun almost at the same time.
She hoped it was the two drones and not one of the HK Tracks. It may have reverted. They didn't need a problem like that.
Gail could hear a drone in close as she passed the inner blast door. She could hear Camille off to her right side as she approached the outer blast door. One of their drones was right there a few feet off of the ground. A thoroughly shredded Gray lay in a spreading pool of blood.
She didn't see Camille right away. She heard some more gunfire off to her right and spotted bloody drag marks on the ground. She started in the direction and paused. She looked back at 'Coltan Overcast'.
"Go inside and protect Young Jesse." Gail said.
No sooner than she said it, 'Coltan Overcast' backed up into the hangar. 'Cherry Bomb' hugged the ground and flew in past it.
'Cherry Bomb' quickly negotiated the zigzags without any trouble.
It was at that point when she realized Young Allison already sent 'Cherry Bomb' to do the very thing.
'Coltan Overcast' dropped back down and covered the exit into the hangar.
Gail followed the blood trail. It ended soon with a dead Gray. There was more firing up ahead.
Moments ago:
Camille heard the minigun fire as she approached the outer blast door. She figured it was 'Cherry Bomb'. The Gray was shredded. She saw 'Coltan Overcast' enter the hangar and open up as well. It sped in her direction. It allowed her to go after the Gray she'd shot inside and any others with him.
There were bloody drag marks on the ground so someone else pulled the Gray away. She rounded the corner and fired at another Gray who drug the wounded Gray. He disappeared behind a wall and left the wounded Gray. Camille promptly shot him in the head as she neared.
She ran past the opening at full speed. She fired her M4 on full auto as she passed in front of the opening. She started to take fire but it was all where she was, or would have been, if she'd looked around the corner.
She saw another Gray go down and another was hit before they disappeared behind another corner.
Gunfire tore through the corner of the wall where she was at. She backed up a step and dropped flat to the floor to return fire. She was aware of running footsteps from the way she'd come. It was Gail.
She was upset Gail left Young Jesse. She did hear Young Jesse tell Gail to go and help her or she would go herself. She soon heard the com traffic. 'Cherry Bomb' was in there now with Young Jesse.
Ally and Sheila watched the two Grays leave the elevator area. They'd both pointed their silenced M9 at each of the Gray's heads. If the Grays would have spotted Cam in the shaft, or Hanna up on the wire, they would have 'dropped' them.
Cammy signaled for them to follow the Grays. It was what they did. They were joined by Cam soon enough. One look at Cam only served to remind them how filthy she truly was. She looked like a 'dirt person'.
Cam filled them in on what Hanna and Samantha told her and there was a direct line to the surface inside the southwest corner of the shaft.
The two Grays led them to a small area filled with computer gear.
"I'd better go talk to 'Bucket Head'." The first Gray said.
"Better you than me." The second Gray said.
"I'm 'doing' the "Metal Bitch' if Robby is offline." The first Gray said. "I just wanted you to know that."
"I'll go tell Robby if you don't want to." The second Gray said. "I want some of that too."
"Believe me, there's plenty there for both of us and the others too." The first Gray said.
The three Metal girls looked at each other. They wondered how many 'others' there were down there.
The first Gray went off and Cam followed him with Ally. Sheila stayed behind to deal with the second Gray.
Hanna and Samantha hurried to catch up to Cammy. They passed a few junctions along the way.
Cammy indicated they should fallback and she was soon headed back their way. She joined them in an alcove. They watched as a Gray passed by where she'd been twelve seconds ago. They filled her in on everything up top. There was also now a way to communicate.
Samantha was surprised Cam and Cammy were both worried about a direct assault on everything down there. They didn't know if this version of Skynet was hooked up to a doomsday device or not. They needed to identify the power source as well.
"Do you want the backpack nuke yet?" Hanna asked. "They can send it down in the elevator."
Cammy did want it. She thought they at least needed to look around.
"Let's give this a few more minutes and see what we can find out first.
Cammy sent Hanna after the Gray they'd watched pass by and sent Samantha down a dark corridor. She went back to where she was at earlier and resumed her search.
All six Metal girls at the bottom of the shaft searched with their Taser in one hand. They all held it close to their body so it couldn't be knocked away easily. Their silenced M9 was in their other hand in front of them. If anyone went to grab for their weapon, their Taser would 'zap' them. They knew there were at least two Terminators down there.
Young Allison didn't like when Young Jesse sent Gail away to reinforce Camille but she understood why.
"Send 'Cherry Bomb' into where Young Jesse is at." Young Allison said. "I think it will fit without any problems. 'Coltan Overcast' is inside the hangar now. It can watch the hangar and the Huey."
Anna understood the extra protection for Young Jesse would be nice but the drone hovering around her down low was going to be loud.
"It should keep a little distance for the noise factor." Anna said. "Young Jesse won't be able to hear in detail."
Young Allison thought the protection benefit was worth the loss of hearing temporally. She turned her attention to Brian and Randy. They neared the downed HK drone on the dry riverbed.
"She'll manage." Young Allison said. "Has there been any movement on the downed HK drone?"
Anna hadn't detected any.
"No." Anna said. "It's facing towards the bridge and the road next to it. The UH-1 should be able to set down a mile or two out. It's almost there."
Young Allison wanted the Huey to let Randy out two miles away from the downed HK drone and take back off. The helicopter should move about five miles away.
It was what they would do. Randy would make his approach on foot and try to disable the HK drone before Brian returned with the Huey.
John Henry was concerned about what was in 'The Hole' and the Grays who'd appeared near the blast doors. The girls appeared to have been through all of the areas there at least once. Some of them they'd been through a few times. There were some passageways early on which weren't checked. Proximity charges were left behind and the combinations on the doors were changed. There must be some other place they came from. There was something they'd missed.
Summer was most concerned about Young Jesse being alone. It was covered for now. She'd also sent Brian and Randy to deal with the downed HK drone. She'd stripped away some of Young Allison's Detail. She'd replaced them with four drones. They would be able to engage any threat on the ground or in the air.
Camille saw another Gray go down. Another one was hit before they disappeared behind another corner. She was aware of the running footsteps from the way she'd come. It was Gail. She was aware 'Cherry Bomb' was in the main area now with Young Jesse.
Gail saw the dead Grays.
"How many more of them are there?" Gail asked.
Camille knew of one for sure. She didn't know the total.
"There's at least one Gray maybe more." Camille said. "I wounded another one."
Gail was on the other side of the passageway.
"Can you get a shot with your M203?" Gail asked.
Camille knew she could. She wasn't sure if she wanted to do it yet.
"I can get an HE round in the doorway." Camille said.
Gail wanted to wrap things up and get back to Young Jesse.
"Do it, or let's advance." Gail said. The hangar is covered by 'Coltan Overcast' and 'Cherry Bomb' is with Young Jesse."
Camille didn't want a fire to start and fill the area with smoke. It would necessitate the removal of Young Jesse earlier than anticipated.
"Follow me." Camille said.
Camille started towards the doorway where the Gray went into. She hoped the body armor worked.
Young Jesse worked the controls to bring the elevator up. It was on its way.
She heard the loud noise of a drone as it approached. It came into view at the far end of the room. It was an intimidating sight to see it move towards her just two feet above the ground. Once it was fifty feet into the area, it paused and scanned around in a three hundred and sixty degree circle before it continued towards her.
She could see the name 'Cherry Bomb' on the side of it. There were a couple of hearts drawn on it as well. The metal of the superstructure possessed a few small dents and some scratches. It appeared to be well used and was obviously in close contact with other objects to show wear. She knew it was Young Allison 'personal' drone and it was here now to protect her.
Young Allison told her 'Cherry Bomb' would fight as fierce as any Terminator. Cameron gave them advanced programming once the girls, Young Allison and Savannah, 'chose' them for 'special duty'.
Much to her surprise it set down at an angle so the minigun could cover the main door in the front and the side door her team entered from. It shut down its power plants. The room grew eerily silent. There was only the hum of the hoist as it wrapped up the cable and lifted the elevator car.
She walked over to 'Cherry Bomb' and touched the side of it. The lights on it came on and went off. It was aware she'd touched it. She moved in front of the camera.
"This is just for you." Young Jesse said.
Young Jesse blew 'Cherry Bomb' a kiss and went over and looked down the shaft. She could see the elevator car was almost to the top. She went over to the controls and stopped the elevator as soon as the top of it was almost even with the floor of the outer area. She opened and blocked the outer elevator doors open. She moved over to the backpack nuke and went to lift it. It was heavy. She drug it over instead and onto the top of the elevator car. She looked at the hatch which opened into the interior. She opened it once to see how it worked.
She went back to the controls and allowed the elevator to rise to its normal position to enter. She looked around and found a three foot section of metal electrical conduit. She leaned it up against the side of the propped open outer doors. She also cut about twelve feet of the heavy wire off and coiled it up.
Young Jesse checked in with John Henry for an update and then with Camille and Gail. They were currently hunting Grays in an area which was once clear.
There was no current contact with any of the Metal girls down in 'The Hole'. They were going to need the 'package' soon enough.
Young Jesse went over to 'Cherry Bomb'.
"You're in charge up here for now, love." Young Jesse whispered. "Don't tell anyone I'm going down to deliver the 'package' for a few minutes."
She gave 'Cherry Bomb' another long touch. She'd found a felt marking pen on the counter near the electrical conduit she'd procured. She drew a heart on the side of 'Cherry Bomb' next to the other two which were already drawn there. She put her initials in it.
Young Jesse went to the controls of the elevator and pushed the 'down' button on the control panel Gail rigged.
The elevator doors closed and the elevator car started down. She moved to the edge of the opening. She picked up the electrical conduit and a ten foot coil of heavy wire. She stepped onto the roof of the elevator car as it went down.
She didn't know what would be at the bottom but she wasn't about to take any chances. She didn't want the elevator to open and be faced with armed Grays or worse, A Terminator. She thought the ride on the top of it would be a little safer, at least in one regard.
As the elevator car went down she stuck the electrical conduit through the top of the hatch and into the central mount for the cable which held the elevator. It would prevent anyone from opening the hatch from the inside. It got dark a lot faster than she thought. She looked back up and the opening of the shaft looked a lot smaller now. She put on her night vision goggles and tied the electrical wire around one of the straps on the 'package'. She would be able to brace her feet against the opening of the hatch and lower the 'package' onto the floor once she knew the area was clear. She hoped the Metal girls would be there.
Either way she was headed down. The package wouldn't be coming back up. She hoped she would be. She went over the arming procedure in her head as she descended. She also went over the manual detention sequence.
Cammy sent Hanna after the Gray they saw pass by and sent Samantha down a dark corridor. She went back to where she was at earlier and resumed her search.
Claire just experienced several finishes with John. She wanted more of the same everyday.
"I'm - moving - in…." Claire said with labored speech.
She rested her head next to his as her arms slid under him and pulled them even closer together.
John was sure at this point he needed a bigger room. All of the girls wanted to move in and the Metal girls all wanted more as well. He really should have listened to Cameron a long time ago when she'd first indicated what was 'available' to him. He looked at his right hand and smiled. He was pretty sure 'Rosie' was retired at this point.
He checked the time. It was almost morning.
Claire noticed him do it. She didn't want to overstep.
"Do you want me to leave?" Claire asked.
John wanted her to stay. He needed to get a little sleep.
"I need to rest." John said.
Claire went to get up.
John reached up and touched her.
"You can stay longer." John said. "I do need to get a little sleep."
Claire gave him a hug and a kiss on the cheek.
"I'll be a good girl." Claire said.
Claire figured he would be good to go in a couple of hours again. She really wanted him again. She curled up next to him. Their naked bodies pushed against each other. They were both soon sound asleep.