The John Connor Chronicles: Aftershocks: Chapter 5: Feelings

…

I don't own the Terminator franchise, nor derive any reimbursement from it whatsoever. If you think I do, I've got some beachfront property in Utah you might be interested in.

…..

Chapter 5: Feelings

The chess club meeting was grueling for John, and, true to her word, Cameron attended every meeting. She often played him, and he noticed she made some deliberate mistakes, so as not to beat him quite so quickly. She would hesitate over certain moves, and occasionally threw the game. Of course, he realized, she was doing that to maintain her cover story: an ordinary human girl who played a mean game of chess. But not unbeatable. That would have been out of character

Occasionally, he played some the others, but it turned out that there were more females than males in the group, and he could have sworn he saw a peculiar look on Cameron's face when she realized that. Uncertainty? In a Terminator?

He also noticed that, whenever one of the girls challenged him to a game, that Cameron was close by, watching. Usually, if she saw it coming, she would get in her challenge first, if at all possible. Possessive? Cameron? Or is this more of this "protectiveness" she's been exhibiting lately?

"Okay," he whispered. "What's this about a ring?" He'd heard rumors. At the moment, the two were off by themselves, the others concentrating on their own games.

"We're engaged."

"Oh, god. Cameron, you didn't!"

"Actually, I only told one girl that we were saving up for the ring. I did not specifically say that we were engaged. However, the rumor seems to have spread."

"And you did this why?"

"She was showing an unhealthy interest in you. I reasoned the best, least aggressive way of dealing with that was to imply that you were engaged to me. Of course," she shrugged, ever so slightly, "that does not guarantee other females will not try to approach you, but this tactic seems to have worked with this one."

"Cameron…okay, I'm a little overwhelmed here. You didn't use to be this way. Where did all this, this…overkill come from?"

"I have killed no one." She paused, and made a move. "This month, anyway."

"You know what I mean, and quit stalling. All of a sudden, you're acting…well, you're acting jealous."

"I am a machine. I cannot be jealous."

"Yeah? Tell me something. If this person you told this to had been a guy, a boy, would you have said the same thing?"

"No boy has showed an unhealthy interest in you, John Connor."

"Again, you know what I mean. Isn't it true that you told this girl we were engaged—okay, okay, implied it—because she was a girl?"

Silence.

"That's jealousy, Cameron. You're exhibiting jealous behavior."

"I am?"

"Yes, you are."

Another pause, while she made yet another move. "I…you are perhaps correct. I am analyzing my subroutines now. It seems there are flaws in my programming that I seem unable to account for or correct." She looked up at him. "I am sorry if I have distressed you, John." Another pause, while she made another move. "Check in three." Here she sighed a very human sigh. "I know I am an obsolete model. Perhaps a later model would be more acceptable to you."

"Now, Cameron, don't start that routine. I've made it clear I love you. I don't care if you're steam-powered, you're still the one I love. Organic or not."

"But I have distressed you. Obviously, I am unacceptable to you, on some level, for some reason." Another pause, while she made yet another move. "I am sorry I am not a real girl."

He reached across the board and touched her hand. "Cameron. You're all the girl I need or want." For you, I would do anything. He made a move. "Checkmate."

Her look of surprise didn't seem to be feigned.

…

"So what's the plan, now?" The two nondescript men were once again meeting in the small room.

"We gotta separate him from the robot. Then, we put the snatch on him. Simple."

"Yeah? That thing follows him everywhere. It's almost like it's married to him." The speaker shuddered, slightly. The thought was not a pleasant one, for him. "But okay. Just how do we do that?"

"He's a high school kid. With all the details my informant has given me, it'll be simple. You'll see."

"Alright. Supposing. Then what?"

"My informant has a hefty sum waiting for us upon delivery of a live John Connor."

"Yeah? And how do we throw off that machine? It'll follow us to the ends of the Earth."

"We're going a bit further than that."

…

"Engaged?!" Sarah exploded. "John! What the hell?"

"It's a cover story, mom. Relax." The two had just come home, and John felt it was better to be up front about the matter rather than let his mother find out through the rumor net. "It's just a variation on the old brother-sister thing. Doesn't mean anything." Or does it, John?

"Whose bright idea was this?"

"Uh, well, actually…"

"Thaaaat's what I thought." And Sarah stormed off down the hallway to Cameron's room. She flung open the door, surprising Cameron in the act of changing her clothes. Sarah couldn't have cared less. "Cameron. We need to talk."

"Of course, Sarah." The Terminator calmly finished dressing, and sat on the edge of her bed. "Will this take long? John and I had planned to go to a movie."

Sarah was so mad she was sputtering. "What's this about you and him being engaged?"

"It's an ideal cover story. This way, I have reason to accompany him to all social functions. I can better protect him from predatory females in this manner." Cameron's perfect face displayed no emotion whatsoever.

"'Predatory females', Cameron?"

"Social predators of any kind. But it makes logical sense that any assassin would attempt to approach him from an unexpected direction, such as a girl showing an interest in him. He, all of us, would be more likely to be on guard for any male intruder. Really, Sarah, it is only logical. How else could I justify my continued presence around him?

"Wasn't this the whole point of our registering as non-siblings this time?"

Sarah fought to control herself. She knew she was reacting emotionally, and began breathing in and out, in and out, deep regular breaths, calming herself. "Cameron. You once told me you and John had not had sex. I've a question.

"Why not?"

For once, Cameron seemed hesitant to answer. Then, "I…am not programmed for the mating act, and John…I receive the distinct impression that John is afraid of sex."

Sarah shook her head. "No, Cameron. He's not afraid of sex. He's afraid of sex with you."

"What? Why? I would never hurt him."

"Because," again, Sarah strove to control herself, "with you, it would mean something. I told you John's in love with you. He's told you the same thing.

"One thing about human males, especially young ones: sex is great, but meaningful sex, sex with someone you truly care about, is…scary. Because more's involved than just inserting the genitalia."

"I don't understand."

Sarah sighed. "I sorta figured you wouldn't."

…

Back in the kitchen: John and Derek were preparing dinner. "Kid, uh, maybe we need to have a talk."

Sigh. "I know what you're going to say, Uncle Derek. But nothing's really changed. I still love Cameron, and I'm going to keep on doing so. I don't care that she's a machine. I know you believe she can't love; I believe differently. But even if she can't, it makes no difference. I feel what I feel."

"Feelings can get you in a heap of trouble, kid. Have you asked yourself just why she's doing all these things?"

"What do you mean?"

"Kid…there's always more than one way to accomplish a goal. Suppose…just suppose Cameron," he so clearly wanted to say "the metal," "is out to, to demoralize you? She wouldn't have to kill you, if you were so discouraged, so…heartbroken…that you couldn't lead the resistance in the future. That, too, could easily be in keeping with her original Terminator programming. They're not usually that subtle, but…remember, it's not your body that's gonna make the difference. It's you. The whole John Connor. She changes that…mission accomplished."

John shook his head. "I can't really believe that of her."

"I can. And maybe you'd better."

….

The next day: Cameron went to her assigned seat in history class when she noticed that John was not in his. "Where is John?" she asked of the boy sitting next to her.

"Connor? He got called to the principal's office, right before class."

Immediately, Cameron's senses were on high alert. She raised her hand. "Excuse me, Mrs. Lewinsky? May I be excused? I'm not feeling well." She managed to make it look as though she were about to throw up.

"Uh, yes, Miss Phillips. Go ahead, tell the hall monitor. But go straight to the nurse's station as soon as you can."

Cameron practically ran out of the room, leaving her books behind. Somewhere in the depths of her processors, she knew, beyond a shadow of a doubt, that John was in trouble.

To be continued…