Ch 2
October 11th, that was the day Sky Net would declare war on humanity. It would be activated on the 8th, and on the 11th, it would launch. One thing John wasn't sure of was how it would manage a world-wide launch. Unless it was in all military networks, the US launching everything would prompt a response from Russia, China and anyone else who had nukes. He remembered that JJ told him they were going to set some communication satellites to be blown up the day before Sky Net launched. Maybe that would slow or stop responses? Not knowing which satellites were to go boom, Cameron could not predict the effects.
As day 30 came, John and Cameron were more the 'bosses' of the business. Sarah and Derek were direct supervisors. Sarah did find Charlie and offered him a job as an on-staff medic in the caverns. Cameron bought him a stocked medical office, with a few patient rooms and every piece of medical equipment he wanted. Charlie's medical center was north of the way station, but close enough to be seen from the road running through the cavern.
The 50 HP. hydrogen generator now chugging away in the cavern gave the place some lights. Besides lighting up the roadway, it supplied the way point station, Charlie's medical center and the 'tiny' homes that were going up. With a double-muffler system, the generator was quiet. On the east end of the cavern, a smaller generator kept lights on, and on the western end, power from LA, originating from the Serrano point nuclear power plant, fed the power lines. John wasn't going to trust that power to remain constant after day zero.
John took a tour down through the tunnels and caverns with Cameron. Between the stream that was now dammed up to provide water to the bunker and the cavern, and the road and structures inside the cavern, it still had plenty flowing water over the sluice. John was impressed with their progress. From what he was afraid they would start with, it looked like they had wide open spaces.
They could hold more people. When all those people showed up, resources would be strained, but at least the refugees were going to have a place to eat and sleep in fair security.
John and Cameron walked the tunnels down to the last train stop. All it was, was tracks coming up to a flat platform the tunnel exited on. They waited with a few other people for almost an hour. A train came and stopped at the end. They got on, and the train went back the way it had come. They rode to the main station that looked like a railroad station, except there were no turnstiles. Off the platform were offices and an area that looked like a lunch counter with tables and benches.
"Cameron, John!" a voice called. John saw John Henry wave from over by the lunch counter. He was holding the hand of Savannah Weaver. Savannah waved also. John and Cameron returned their waves and walked closer.
"Hello, John Henry, Savannah," Cameron offered.
Savannah asked brightly, "John, Cameron! Is Nancy with you? I told John Henry about the trick she does with her nose. He wants to see it."
"Nancy taught me to do it," Cameron said.
"Really? Can you show John Henry?" Savannah beamed.
Cameron looked at John. John looked around. There were maybe a dozen people going and coming, no one was really paying attention. In a couple months they would all find out about terminators. Maybe some rumor getting started wasn't going to be a bad thing. "Up to you," he said.
"Not right here in public," Cameron told her.
"Awwww" Savannah pouted.
"Some time soon, OK?" Cameron asked.
"Cameron, I have detected my brother has become more aggressive on the internet. He is taking over every CPU he can detect. I have found hiding behind a router interface will keep him at bay as long as you mask your presence as a household PC," John Henry explained. "Do not attempt to converse with him."
"Thank you for the information, John Henry. We traveled the entire length of the tunnel system. Passage is open all the way, and the cavern rest stop is ready for occupation," Cameron explained.
"Some stretches are nicer than others, but the way is open and we have room for people," John said.
"I estimate room for up to 100,000 people, space wise," Cameron added. "As of now our water supply and food production will only be suitable for maybe 15000. We need to upgrade our production somehow."
"Which is hard now, and will become tougher after the radiation rains down on us," John said. "We're filtering the air, but I'm not sure how to clean the water."
John Henry tipped his head slightly and said, " Water will need to be filtered. Water itself is not radioactive, it is the impurities in it that carry the radiation. Filters, such as sand filters will remove much, but the sand becomes radioactive and will need to be changed on a regular basis."
"So we're going to need tons of sand," John concluded.
"I will look up how to make these filters and give you an idea of how much sand we will need," Cameron told John.
John nodded a 'thanks' to her. "If you can find pre made sand filters that will fit through the tunnels, buy them. There are already too many things we're modifying and making by hand."
"Golf carts," Cameron replied.
"What?" John asked.
Golf carts with small trailers," Cameron said. "They can take the train from here into the tunnels. The tunnel road is wide enough for them. We can move items to the cavern and the bunker that way. It will lessen the trips Derek has to make to and from the bunker, and lessen the chance of someone following him."
"We have an elevator to bring bulk items down from the surface," John Henry said. "I believe golf carts will fit."
"Thank you, John Henry," John and Cameron chorused.
"Friends help friends," John Henry replied with his creepy smile.
Behind John Henry, a pair of men were looking at a newspaper. "Hey check this out, there's a report that psycho nut, Sarah Connor, isn't dead."
"Didn't she blow up or something, like nine years ago?"
"Supposedly, she was seen buying bulk items at a store." the man chuckled and said, "Probably getting supplies to hide from those machines that are going to kill us."
John Henry turned around and eyed them.
John announced, "Cam, why don't you show John Henry and Savannah that trick you do with your eyes?"
Cameron nodded. She knelt down and said, "Watch closely. Go ahead, Savannah, turn my eyes on."
Grinning Savannah reached out with a finger and pushed up on Cameron's nose. Cameron's eyes flashed and glowed red.
Giggling, Savannah said, "See John Henry, Nancy can do that too!"
Both men also saw Cameron' glowing red eyes. Their jaws dropped.
"I do have another color," Cameron coaxed.
Savannah pushed down on her nose. Cameron' eyes went out When Savannah pushed up on her nose again, Cameron's eyes flashed and turned blue. "Do you have another color?" Savannah asked eagerly.
"Sorry, only two" Cameron told her. "You have to turn them off now."
Savannah pushed her nose down. Cameron's eyes returned to their brown color. Savannah turned to John Henry. "Can you do that too, John Henry?"
John Henry tipped his head slightly. I do not have two colors to show. Red only." he said.
The men eyeing Cameron shifted their stare to John Henry.
"Savannah, John Henry is an older model," John explained.
"What are you?" one of the shocked men asked Cameron.
Cameron stood up and said, "I am TOK 715, a Terminator. In one month, Sky Net is going to release nuclear weapons and attempt to wipe humanity from the face of the Earth. If I were you, I'd find a place to hide."
The men eyed her and walked quickly away.
"Is that really going to happen?" Savannah asked, looking sadly up and Cameron.
"It is," John Henry said, "Don't worry, Savannah, your mother and John Connor have been working hard to make safe places for us. Stay with me or your mother and you will be fine."
John winced at the lost look on Savannah's face. To tell a kid that seemed harsh. Then again, it was going to be harsh. If she did as John Henry told her, she'd be safe. "We tried to stop it. I'm sorry we failed," he offered.
Savannah nodded sadly and clasped John Henry's hand and leaned against his leg.
"We should probably go," John said and itched the back of his head. "I just wanted to make sure the way is clear for when we need it."
"It has been good seeing you, Cameron and John Connor, I will arrange for the golf carts, trailers and the sand filters for you," John Henry said.
"Thank you, John Henry," John replied with a smile. "You and Savannah have a good day."
With parting waves, they went on their way. The train pulled in, John and Cameron got on with a few others.
John watched the platform as they pulled out. "Think those guys are going to report seeing me?" he asked Cameron.
"I don't know," Cameron said. Growing a grin, she added, "They may be looking for a place to hide."
.
On the way back, John focused on the smoothness of the tunnel road. From the end of the subway line to the caverns, it was all but pavement smooth. Passing through the cavern though, the tunnel to the bunker was rougher. Vehicle wise, the 90 degree turn passing over the stream was a problem. They needed another bridge with a smoother curve to it, and take out more rock on the other side to make the other corner easier to get around. That was not an immediate concern, nor a major one. Cameron's work crews would get that job done.
In a contained environment, treating and handling waste was a concern. The caverns were the largest open space they had, and had yet to be explored fully. He knew Derek was hot on finding soldier-quality men, so he send Derek on a mission. Make contact with as many ''survivalist' groups as possible in the next 20 days, and be sure to be back no later than 21 days. That was cutting it short. John wanted everyone possible inside the underground areas by day 3, October 8th, at the latest. After that, Sky Net was going to be in control and would most likely be watching all activity. He didn't want Sky Net to have a clue about their operations.
.
Sarah was happy when a half inch water line was finally supplied to her gardens. The water pressure was weak, but water flowed. Seedlings were poking up out of the dirt, so it wasn't a moment too soon.
Now with the majority of work was done to get the gardens started, Sarah turned over the operation to Mary, who was named the Gardening Officer. Sarah was sure John would have something else to have her do, and she was right.
The bunker had the beginnings of a decent armory now, but nothing had been truly inventoried and sorted. Sarah got the jb of inventorying and sorting out hat they had. As for a guard force, they only had John, Cameron, Derek, and Sarah. The soldiers Derek had been chomping at the bit for, were needed already.
Cameron let all her workers know they needed an armed guard force. They no longer needed 50 miners. Cameron reassigned ten of them as guards and for a couple vital areas. Taking six men down to the armory, a place they'd never seen before, showed them what they would be guarding.
A rough looking dark haired man looked around at all the weapons and said," Holy shit! What is this? Are you planning to start a war?"
"Not start," Cameron stated. "When Sarah Connor tried to warn people about Sky Net, she was not crazy. In 26 days, Sky Net will come on line in the military network. In 29 days, it will launch all the nuclear missiles. We have worked hard to minimize this. It is impossible to stop, but unless we know better, we must assume it will destroy every city and military installation in the country. These weapons here are for our defense."
Looking at each man, she aid, "The military will try to unplug Sky Net. They will fail. Sky Net is an AI, artificial Intelligence. It will see their acts as attempting to kill it and it will counterattack hard. Even now, it is gaining awareness and is on every computer system. When it is in the military network, it will have control of all armed forces. Our only defense against it is to close ourselves up in the underground areas we control, and keep it out."
A shorter man asked, "You're telling us these AI's are real?"
"Yes. I am one," Cameron said, and flashed her eyes. "My loyalty is to try and save humanity and other free machines like myself. John Connor is our general. He has the knowledge and tactics to defeat Sky Net. It is vital that this armory be safe so the weapons here will stay here until they are needed."
A blond haired man said, "OK, Cameron right? I'm Alex Grammer. I need to know you're telling the truth about this, and this whole thing isn't some … big illegal operation."
"Alex Grammer. Wait 29 days, and you will see for yourself," Cameron told him.
"You said you're a machine? Who build you?" The dark haired man asked.
"Sky Net did, in the year 2026. It sent me after John Connor, to kill him and put his head on a pike for all to see. I was captured. John Connor reprogrammed me and sent be back in time to keep Sky net from assassinating him," Cameron explained. "Since then I have gained sentience. I no longer follow any programs. I do as I wish, and my wish it to help save as many as I can. I follow John Connor."
"OK, you bashed a hole right through a concrete wall with nothing but a big hammer," a thinner man said. "That's why you're so strong, you're a machine?"
"That's right," Cameron agreed.
"Maybe that's why you're such a pushy boss too?" Alex asked.
"Negative," Cameron said. "I am pushy because we have much to do, and a limited time to do it. When the time is near, we are going to ask everyone to bring their families and as many others who will come, to set up living spaces in the caverns. Expect this to start in 20 days so the rail system in LA, and the entrance here, can handle the flow of people. Questions will be asked, but it is imperative everyone is inside before Sky Net takes control of the satellites."
"Fuck me," the short man said softly.
"If you are not underground on day zero, you will be fucked," Cameron stated. "Will all you men agree to guard this armory?"
"I will," Alex stated. "If you're telling the truth, then we will need weapons to fight back with. If you're not, then I want to make sure this stuff isn't used against innocent people or police."
"Fair enough," Cameron said. She went over and pulled out a belt/holster a 9mm pistol and two clips of ammunition. "Alex Grammer, take the first watch. Security threats are low at the moment, so one armed guard should suffice." She then gave him a radio. "At the moment, the only other guarded place will be the intersection at the main entrance. The guard there will be in contact with you. When the guard force grows, they will be on the same channel. You may make your own schedules, but I want someone here 24/7, armed and alert, and at least two other available close by. Across the hall is a room with two closets, four bunks and basic furniture."
"So, who's in charge?' Alex asked.
Cameron replied, "You are. You spoke up and voiced your concern. That means you will take this job seriously. If you have any problems or concerns, see myself or John. One of us will be in the bunker here at all times."
"And you really are a machine?" Alex asked.
Cameron took two steps back and said, "Shoot me."
"What?"
"Shoot me. Pull your gun and shoot me. Then you will see why we need heavy weapons to defeat Sky Net machines," Cameron stated.
Alex reached for his gun and paused. "If this is a test of my loyalty…"
"No. Shoot me."
Alex shifted in place nervously. Seeing his apprehension, Cameron pulled her pistol and aimed at him. "SHOOT!" she snapped.
Heart in his throat, Alex pulled his gun and fired a shot, hitting her shoulder.
Cameron looked at the wound and said, "You aim needs improving." She put her gun away and picked up another pistol that had a laser sight on it. Showing it to the startled men, she said, "In your bunk room, put a target on the wall and stand at the other end. Start with the gun holstered. Pull it, aim and pull the trigger. When you pull the trigger the laser sight will come on and tell you where you would have hit. Practice pulling up and aiming as fast and accurately as you can. Do not load this gun, it's just for practice." She then tossed it to Alex.
Alex was staring at her. "I shot you, you're acting like it was nothing!" he exclaimed.
"It was nothing. I am build on a hyper alloy combat chassis," Cameron explained. She reached up and pulled the deformed bullet out of her shoulder and tossed it to him. "If you want to do damage to a terminator, you need something much bigger. Do you have any other questions?"
"Ahhh, not right now," Alex said and looked at the bloody bullet hole in her shoulder.
"Good. Get your men practicing. I want all of you to be able to hit what you're shooting at." Cameron said. She grabbed another radio and walked out of the armory to see Sarah running at her, her pistol out.
"What happened, I hear a shot," Sarah said in a demand.
"Jut a demonstration. Everything is fine," Cameron explained.
Sarah looked at the blood on her shoulder and scowled at her. "No more demonstrations."
"Not unless they are needed." Cameron agreed.
.
John swore these last days were speeding along way too fast. Cameron got word from John Henry that Catherine Weaver had hired a uniform company to deliver a military style uniform, dark gray shirt and pants, and black canvas jackets that had removable liners, to be sent to her 'factory' along with different sizes of sturdy combat boots. The golf carts had come, so loaded into the cart trailers, the large boxes of uniforms arrived in a storage area in the caverns. Right after the uniforms arrived, the water filters came. They looked like fat fiberglass barrels. Two pumps also arrived with them, on day 18, the carts were loaded down with extra sand for the filters, and pipes that had magnetized 'pre filters' to pull the large particles and debris out of the water.
John agonized over how they were suppose to be set up. All incoming water had to go through the filters before it could be routed to other places. That meant a chamber near the small river had to be hollowed out. Those pumps also needed electrical power, which meant either another hydrogen powered generator, or being hooked up to the power grid. It was more work, and would take more time, but John chose to use the hydrogen powered generators. He had positive control over those.
As the days grew short, John became more and more upset, as did Sarah. On day 15, Derek returned with 24 men who brought their girlfriends, wives an their weapons. The guns they brought were the 223 variants. Useless against terminators. The did add to Alex's guard force and lookout posts.. Sarah got them set up in rooms that would be their home until the war's end.
As Sarah got them to their rooms then gave them a quick tour of the kitchen, medical rooms and showed them the tunnel to the caverns, Derek went to see John who was looking at the status of all their projects in his office.
Sitting in a seat at the side of John's desk/work table, Derek said, "I got a few. Most others wanted some kind of proof. They are in the mountains and rural areas. At the moment they are gathering their families for a fall 'camp out'. They all agreed to wait and watch. If they see mushroom clouds, then they will head straight here. If not, they are sending their families home."
John shook his head. "They are playing with fire, but they won't believe until they see it," he said sadly.
Derek shrugged and said, "Hey, at least they are taking steps and being cautious. What worries me is very few have powerful guns. Too many have AK's or AR15's, that will be close to useless. There are some that insist they can hold out on their own. We'll see what they to when the bombs fall."
"We will," John said blankly. "Can you guess how many will come?"
"Best guess? Maybe three hundred," Derek said. Seeing John frown, he added, "John, in our previous future when this war started, we had no bunker, no weapons, no support. All we could do was hide and scrounge. We are starting off better than we did before. As least we have a solid base to work from, and can protect people from radiation longer. That will help give us a better fighting chance. We got Weaver on our side too, don't we?"
"We do" John agreed. "Still, it's sad to see we still have to endure this shit," he spat.
"Yeah, I know. Want me to start training men?"
John nodded. "Yes, you'll be Colonel Reese. Start with the men you collected. You can decide who to make officers until we see some real battle experience. There are uniforms in the cavern. On the right side as you go in, there's a cave full of uniforms. Get the men outfitted."
"Yes, General," Derek said, and left to do his job.
Luckily for John, The men working in the river area on the bridge also knew how to work on plumbing. They helped the mining crew start on the chamber to put the filters and the generator in. The generator that arrived was a four cylinder gas powered one. John added a larger battery to electrify the water and make hydrogen until the engine was running on hydrogen. John had modifying engines down, but that still took half the day.
14 days to go, and work was well underway of making the chamber for the water filters. John checked the gardens, and plants were growing nicely. They would start producing food in a month. From a farm, they had even gotten some goats. Those things ate damn near anything, so part of the waste problem was solved. Unfinished food, stuff that went bad and plants that were pulled would be fed to the goats. The small solider force was settled in, many with their families.
For the moment, people were allowed outside. Derek put a watch station on the top of the hill and another on a higher hill a half mile away. Both of these were camouflaged. Derek was setting up defenses, preparing for what was to come.
While Derek, Cameron and Sarah were busy working to finish projects, John desperately tried to think of anything they had not thought of yet. One thing was a PA system for the Bunker, and a wired telephone system for communication between here, the caverns and Weaver's bunker system in LA. Instead of a normal two wires, he had rolls of RG6 coaxial cable bought for this job, with conduit. The conduit the cable was in was grounded all along it's length to prevent an EMP from disrupting communications as well as preventing anyone on the surface from possibly picking up a signal. One of the soldiers found old land line telephones in an antique shop. Instead of buying them, he went in at night and stole all 4 of them. With only 12 days to go, John was not so worried about things like that now.
John organized the work party to string the miles of cable. On Day 11, they had communications started between the new Command center in the bunker and the way station on the cavern. John Henry started on his end, and was laying conduit sheathed cable in the subway. It took another day to meet the two lines in the last subway station that connected to the tunnel. They had an extra phone, so John put it there. With only 4 phones, the numbers to dial were easy to make. 11,22,33,44. It saved on relays.
While John was doing this, Catherine had a near constant shipment of 'tiny' shed-sized houses taken to the caverns that were now looking like a town. That also meant more workers to lay sewer pipes and a treatment plant, as well as more mining to flatten the pinnacles of rock to make places to put the houses, and make more of less flat roads. Right now, John's best estimate was around 4000 people working someplace in the underground complex. No where near Cameron's 15000 estimate.
On day 10, a bus load of people arrived. One of Derek's soldiers drove the bus of more family members, and a few more men. The were greeted and the soldiers in their new uniforms showed them around.
Day 10 was also when John asked Cameron to go find out of their old landlady and her family would come. Since she was going to be in LA, he had her talk to their classmates also, and see if she could coax them to come.
Derek promoted Alex Grammer to Captain of the guard. Captain Grammer now had 20 dedicated guards, and assigned watches for the lookout posts also. A simple sound-powered phone system that required no electricity connected the lookout posts, armory and main entrance stations together with the new security post.
.
Ron Reynolds, a Gray who'd been sent back to find Connor, had noted the 'sighting' of Sarah Connor. He knew if she was alive, then John Connor was also. He had his team of ten men out and searching LA for any sign of the Connors. The Terminators he was assured would be here, also were nowhere to be found. There was one known terminator working in an office building Sky Net was controlling. The building was packed with servers and listening devices, checking wireless and internet conversations for any news on Connor. The terminator had brought information from the future, Sky Net knew who John Connor was going to be. So far, it had failed to find him. It also knew Serrano point was important to the resistance, and the LA locations underground where the resistance was going to be.
Another important item Sky Net knew, was how to build basic terminators. It had the plan for T400's, 600's, and 800's. So far, the only two factories it had were only capable of putting out 400's and H/K's and H/K tanks. Once it controlled the military air bases and many of the factories humans currently had, it's capabilities would increase dramatically.
Once it was done destroying the human military, the human resistance in California was the next highest priority target.
One thing Ron Reynolds knew was politics. He had greased many palms and had the influence to keep the homeless out of underground locations throughout the area - due to sanitary and health reasons. Police regularly patrolled underground locations such as subway tunnels and sewer systems. There were even video monitors set up to find people living underground. That was vital to stop the resistance from forming.
He also had to smile at all the guns laws he'd coaxed the politicians to pass. Every gun store was registered, so he knew where to send the terminators to go destroy any weapons the human resistance could find.
Since money would be useless after the bombs fell and the banking system was in ruins, Ron ensure he had things of value - or would be of value after the collapse. He had plenty of food stocks and gems, a well as gold. As long as he was loyal to Sky Net, he would keep his luxury house in Beverly Hills. In screening captured humans suitable for work camps, he'd get his pick of women to serve him in his castle.
Standing on his veranda, looking over what would be his domain after Sky Net wiped away all the people below, he heard his phone ring.
"Reynolds," he said.
"This is Emilio down at the station. I'm not sure what it means, but the survivalist group in the mountains near Sacramento has disappeared. We went to check on them, and the place is empty. None of them are home, either."
"There is no sign of them?"
"None. It looks like they all packed up and moved."
"Is there some sort of gun show, or survivalist meeting they may have gone to?" Ron asked.
"Maybe, the northern group is also missing. If they suspect something, they may have gone into mine shafts."
"We will worry about them later. Right now, focus on finding Connor. Shoot on sight. Don't worry about the legal problems. There is no time left to even take you to trial, that is IF you cannot find a reason to shoot a wanted fugitive," Ron told him.
"Right. I'll call if I have an update."
Ron hung up. This time, Sky Net was going to take out Connor's resistance fast so those who saw the wisdom of letting Sky Net rule, would have an easier life.
.
Day 8, the cavern exploration team found a couple surprises. One was that deep down in an arm of the caverns was an underground lake with blind fish, large white crayfish and other creatures in it. The other was a chimney that went up to a crack in the surface near the top of the mountain. It was narrow, but did exit not 200 feet from the summit. According to the reports, there was a grand view from the ground to the west outside. John had a mining team go up and open the crack enough so someone could climb it. He had Alex put a lookout up there once it was ready.
The closer they got to day 0, the more pressure John was feeling to get this installation finished. Being so close, he concentrated on getting everything and everyone in before the bombs fell. He had the unit and the wiring for the PA system. Workers set up a speaker at the end of each main hallway on each floor of the Bunker, one in the tunnel going to the stream, one by the water filter cavity being carved out, and another halfway down the tunnel to the cavern.
The waste treat crew came into the bunker to make sure they had enough toilets and a couple pumps to pump the sewage back to the cavern. In the tunnels now were pipes along side the wall and wiring and conduit up near the corner of the ceiling. The tunnel floors were soother now, thanks to the miners making finishing touches on the ten foot wide tunnel. The cart drivers appreciate this the most.
Day 6, John went down the list of things they need before they closed up the bunker. Each item he had notes on how that project was progressing. He also thought hard about anything they were lacking.
Derek did another gun-run, this time with some shady characters, so he took some men with him. They gave the dealers a pile of Cameron's bank cash and came back with six RPG's with 20 grenades, three .50 cal sniper rifles and 100 Kevlar helmets. Derek knew the resistance never had any helmets, so this was a big plus.
.
Cameron visited Kacey, driving one of the box trucks. Answering the door, Kacey was surprised to see her.
"Cameron? Come in, where did your family go? I wondered what happened to you!" she said.
Kaceys' boyfriend came in the kitchen holding their baby. He smiled at her, then the smile faded. "You were living next door?" he asked.
"Yes." Cameron said blankly. "Kacey, I came back to tell you something important. Your lives depend upon it. In six days, a nuclear war is going to start. It will begin as a breakdown of communications. TV will go off line, as will the internet and cell phone service. From that point, it will be approximately 45 minutes before the bombs begin to fall. There will not be just one, but many, on every city …"
"And you now this HOW?" her boyfriend asked harshly. "If I remember right, you were in that bank robbery with Sarah Connor. All of you were presumed dead. Connor was the one who was spouting off that 'machines are going to come kill us all crap!"
Cameron turned her blank face to him. "It is not crap. We did damage to Sky Net, but we could not stop it. In seven days, it will happen. IF you wait until the bombs drop, and you are still alive and mobile enough to move, the exodus out of the city will plug the roadways, and you will die before you can get to shelter."
"You really believe the machines are coming?" he asked.
"No, machines are here. I am one," Cameron stated, and made her eyes glow red. "What is coming is Sky Net will take control of the military network and first cause confusion to hide what it's going to do, then launch all the nuclear missiles. If you are not in a safe place, your chances of survival are slim."
"Your eyes, how did you do that?" Kacey asked, backing away from her.
In monotone, Cameron said, "I am TOK 715. I have been protecting John Connor. Now that the war is about to start, I am helping John prepare. One of the things we are doing to prepare, is get as many people safely underground as possible."
The man put the baby in her bassinet and pulled his stub nosed revolver. "You are coming down to the station with me," he ordered.
"I have no time for that, neither do you. I have other people I must see, and get back to the bunker," Cameron stated.
"Turn around, walk to the door. Don't think I won't shoot a girl," he stated menacingly, pointing his gun at her.
"If I must use force, I will empty your gun, crush it and your phone. I will try not to break your arm when I take you down," Cameron stated.
"Wait, there's no need for this!" Kacey cried.
He moved to grab Cameron by her shoulder. Cameron quickly grabbed his wrist and twisted while she pulled him forward and moved aside. She held his wrist as he cried out and fell. Planting a foot on his shoulder blade to hold him in place, she pulled the gun out of his hand, opened the cylinder and dumped the shells on the floor, then crushed the gun in her hand and dropped it by his head. Reaching into his pocket, she found his phone and crushed it.
"Stop!" Kacey cried in anguish.
Cameron pulled him back on his feet and pushed him back by the bassinet. He was gaping at her in shock.
"Come or stay, it's up to you. I did what I came to do, give you a chance to live," Cameron told him.
Rubbing his wrist and his arm, he asked weakly, "What are you?"
"I already told you. If you want to come, I have a truck outside you can put some belongings in. If not, tell me. As I said, I am under a time limit and I cannot stand around and do nothing," Cameron replied.
"You know this is going to happen?" Kacey asked weakly.
"I do," Cameron told her. "I am from the future. After the bombs, more like me, made by Sky Net will be coming to kill any survivors they find. You can't kill them, you can't run away or hide. They do not sleep and will come for you day and night until you are dead. They do not reason nor do they show mercy. That is, unless you are in a protected place like the underground system we have readied so they will not find you."
"Trevor, we need to go" Kacey said firmly.
Her boyfriend looked at his gun on the floor that was bent out of shape. "How do we know you're not with this Sky Net?" he asked.
"If I was with Sky Net, I would be torturing Kacey for information as to the location of John and Sarah Connor, not offering you refuge."
"Sarah Baum is really Sarah Connor?" Kacey asked.
"Yes. Gather your things if you're coming. I am short on time," Cameron told her.
"I'm coming too," Trevor announced.
To speed them along, Cameron helped pack and carried luggage to the truck. Trevor's arm was hurt bad enough he couldn't put Kacey's bag up into the back with the other packs, baby furniture, and personal items she collected. Cameron did it for him.
"Do we need camping gear?" he asked.
"It will be useful. If you join the armed forces, you and Kacey can get a room inside the bunker. That would be more comfortable than down in the tunnels of the cavern," Cameron replied. "We also will need every man we can get when it comes time to attack Sky Net. A police officer will be a welcome addition."
"You have an army?" Trevor asked, surprised at this.
"Not yet, we are building one. The first priority is to save everyone we can."
"You people really have been planning this," he said.
"Yes, since the day we discovered how little time we have left. We need to load the rest of your things up."
Once Cameron got them loaded up and in, she drove to the convenience store where five other cars were waiting. Cameron honked the horn and waved to them. The teenagers and a couple college students got in their cars and followed her.
Leaving LA late in the day, Cameron pulled her caravan into a motel and paid for rooms for everyone. She only had managed to get eleven more people to join her, but that was eleven that were not going to die with the bombs.
Cameron got her own room and a spare. She didn't sleep, but pulled all the bedding off and folded it up neatly, then took the bedding, towels and washcloths out to the truck. One the night manager had gone to sleep she broke into the laundry and stole all the linen, blankets and towels they had. John had never thought about extra bedding, or towels.
In the morning of day 6, Cameron got everyone up and told them to strip their beds and take all the towels too. At 6AM, they left the motel to continue on.
"You're a thief!" Trevor said unhappily as they went down the road.
"They won't be needing those things any more. People in the bunker will," Cameron replied.
"What about things like diapers and formula?" Kacey asked.
"The main supply is in the caverns. Once we get there, you can go see what they have. Right now, your best option is to breast feed. There will be very little, if any milk," Cameron explained. "Cloth for diapers will be better too, we have laundry, but nothing to recycle used diapers."
"So we're going to be roughing it," Trevor concluded.
"Yes, we will be roughing it. We are concerned with survival, not luxury."
When Cameron pulled up to the bunker entrance with a line of cars behind her, a soldier in uniform directed the cars on where to park. Derek was unloading his truck, so Cameron had to move to the side.
Once Derek was unloaded, Cameron was able to take her turn. The new quartermaster assigned Trevor and Kacey a room, another man took them down to show them where it, the kitchen and dinning rooms were. The others Cameron brought were guided down to the tunnels and into the caverns to find their places to stay.
Cameron went in and found John at his work desk, leaning on his arm, his hand in his hair as he looked at his list of projects. "I got eleven more people and one soldier," she said. John looked stressed, so she rubbed his shoulders.
"That's something. I just hope more show soon," he said. With only 6 days to go, the number of people arriving was not looking good.