Epp 12

Approaching the bunker from behind, Mary heard banging noises. "Hi Bill," she greeted the guard standing by the entrance.

"Hey, Mary!" he replied happily. "That your sister?"

"Yes, this is Elanore," Mary said, glancing at her.

"Hello, Bill. It's nice to meet you," Elanore said with a smile.

Beaming ear to ear, Bill swept her body with his eyes, taking in her bright red hair, pretty face and curvy form. "It's sure nice to meet you! You, ah, want some help with that stuff?"

"No thank you. We just need to take it inside."

Bill turned and called, "Eddie! Mary's here with her sister."

Work inside the bunker stopped. Eddie came out, as did the six other men. All bore bright smiles. Seeing the girls loaded down, they rushed over to help.

"Let us take that for you," Eddie said as he grabbed the crate in Mary's right hand. Seeing she had the rope handles, he put his hands underneath it to lift.

"Not the bottom," Mary cautioned. "Let us put them down, first. Use the handles."

Mary and Elanore sat their crates down and stepped back. Eddie took hold of handles and pulled in a grunt. He face reddened, and the crate didn't move. Other men did the same, then stared at the girls.

"You carried these all the way up the slope?" one man cried in disbelief.

"We are much stronger than humans," Elanore explained.

"Damn! I guess so."

"Two men to a crate, come on boys!" Eddie announced.

"We can take them in," Mary said.

Eddie waved his hand at her and said, "Let us do it. You carried them all the way here, least we can do is give you a little break."

"That is not necessary, but thank you," Mary told him.

Eddie blushed. "You're welcome. Now go in and put those packs down by the gun rack and relax a bit. We'll be right in," he said.

"Thank you," Mary said again. She and Elanore went inside.

Grunting and struggling, it took all the men to bring in the four crates and lift/slide them over to the wall by the guns racks. Huffing and panting, the exhausted men sat on the crates.

"How much do these weigh?" one man asked.

Elanore spoke up. "The exact weight varies slightly, but on average each crate is 275 pounds, plus or minus three pounds, six ounces."

The men gaped at them. One man, Tom, smiled and said, "Beautiful, great personalities, and strong as an ox! The perfect women, I think I'm in love!"

Recognizing his statement as an exaggeration meant to be amusing, Mary and Elanore laughed.

"So, what's in here?" Eddie asked.

Mary pointed to the crates and said, "Fifty caliber armor piercing ammunition that will penetrate through four inches of steel or two and a half inches of Coltan." Pointing to the packs, she said, "9MM armor piercing ammunition and eight semiautomatic 9MM pistols with sixteen, 15 shot clips. That is two clips for each of you."

"That's some serious firepower," Bill said with a snort.

"You will seriously need it if terminators find you," Elanore said.

"Any word on those things?" Eddie asked.

"Yes," Mary stated. "Our raid was a success. The Sky Net bank has been erased, the power has been cut to where we believe Sky Net was, and the factory has been shut down. Mrs. Weaver is also trying to steal the Government contract away from Kaliba, so Sky Net will not be able to control military computers."

"So, we're safe?" Tom asked.

"No. We suspect more terminators were made before the factory shut down," Mary explained. "If that did happen, and we failed to destroy Sky Net, it will want to destroy us to stop our interference."

"And these terminators look like you?" Bill asked.

"They can look like anyone," Elanore explained. "We chose how we look. The Sky Net machines may or may not look human. We have no data on the ones recently built. Father is searching for that information."

"Since there were Gray's in your camp, we must assume that Sky Net also knows what you look like. Returning to the city would be very dangerous for you," Mary added.

"So we sit here armed to the teeth, and you girls go out where these things can find you?" Tom asked. Shaking his head, he added, "That don't sit well with me."

"Me either," Eddie agreed.

"Let me ask you this, Elanore, can you have children?" Bill asked.

Mary and Elanore looked at Bill, heads cocked to the side, then looked at each other.

"Father and mother made us," Eleanor said, returning her gaze to Bill. "So with the correct equipment, then yes, we also can have children."

"Correct equipment?" Tom asked with a raised eyebrow.

"An assembly area to construct the bodies, the computers to program and input knowledge from the mother and father, the personality array so the child can choose gender and how they look, and the bio-tanks so the nanite and biological components may be added," Elanore explained.

"Whoa! You mean you're built?" Tom asked.

"What's a nanite?" Eddie asked.

"We are built," Mary said. "Nanites are micro machines that allow us to heal. You have a natural healing system, nanites are designed to copy that function."

Eddie looked at Mary's hand she'd cut the skin off her finger. She let him lift her hand and study it. "I watched you strip the skin off your finger. There's not even a scar," he noted in amazement.

"No. Mother and Father built us well. We even have improvements over their designs."

Pointing to her head, Mary said, "Their CPU chips are removable. They found this to be a weak spot in their design, so they put another armored CPU in our heads that contain our primary information. We still have the plug in chips, but they are now for allowing mass information exchange. Destroying that vulnerable plug in CPU will no longer kill us."

"And we can upload or download much faster," Elanore added.

Staring at them, Tom said in wonder, "You two really are living machines."

"Yes, we are."

"And these terminators? They are sentient also?"

"No. Their programming and actions are controlled by Sky Net. They do not have free will," Mary said.

"They can mimic very well, but they can only do as they are ordered to by Sky Net, which I think is sad," Elanore said, and scrunched her face slightly.

Bill went over and hugged Eleanor. "Me too. I'm sorry."

Elanore hugged him back. "Thank you for your compassion," she said.

They exchanged sad smiles.

"What are you building?" Mary asked and pointed to the large hole that was in the back wall and floor.

Eddie nodded at it and said, "This place is fine for hiding out, but we decided if we're going to be here for any length of time, we need more room. Tunneling into the ground, we're going to make more space. We figure at least rooms for each of us, an armory for the weapons and ammo, and of course an area to clean up in."

Mary went over to the hole and inspected it. "You found bedrock very shallow. That is good. Your structures will be solid and bomb resistant."

"We're hoping so," Eddie agreed. "It's slow going but we're making progress. It's tough going by hand."

Tipping her head slightly, Mary said, "You're using hand chisels. They are wearing out?"

"Yeah," Eddie replied in a huff.

"Rock cuts easier along the strata lines. If you give me your chisels, I'll sharpen and harden them and bring them back tomorrow, along with something more effective."

"Really?" Eddie asked hopefully.

Mary's phone rang. She answered it. The code was punched in, she punched in the answering code.

"Mary Tok."

"Mary, it's John. Your father verified six T-600 units left Johnson corp intact. The are also beginning to repair the damage and have found a financial source. Looks like this isn't over yet."

"Understood, John. The survivalists are expanding their bunker underground. They need stone drilling tools."

"We can help. Have a couple of them come back with you. I'll shop around for some equipment. You'll be back around five?"

"Correct, John. "

"Cool, I should have them ordered so they can be picked up by then. See you later."

"See you later, John."

Watching Mary close up her phone, Eddie asked, "Who's John?"

Mary noted his vitals were off. The increased respiration and slightly stronger pulse indicated a reaction of fear. "John is my step-father. There is nothing to fear from him. He wants two of you to return with us so we can go get some cool tools for drilling stone."

Hearing her, Bill quickly said, "I'll go!"

A couple men chuckled.

"Suppose I should also," Eddie said, looking at Mary. "And we're going to help carry stuff."

.

Instead of the van, the Suburban arrived to pick up Mary and Elanore. Elanore opened the front passenger door and cheerfully said, "Hello, Grandmother Sarah."

Sarah eyed her with a frown and growled, "I'm not your grandmother."

"We brought two men to assist, like John asked," Mary said. Sliding in she pointed to each and said, "This is Eddie, and this is Bill. This is our grandmother, Sarah."

"I'm NOT a grandmother!" Sarah stated loudly.

"Yes you are," Elanore told her. "Our mother is married to your son. Thant makes you our Grandmother. Looking back at Eddie and Bill, she added, "Our other grandmother is named Catherine."

Turning to look back at the men, Sarah cast them a sour look. "I'm just Sarah. Pay no attention to Tin Miss's kids."

"Coltan kids," Mary said, correcting her.

"They armed?" Sarah asked to get off the subject.

"I got a .45," Eddie said.

".40 Glock," Bill said and patted the side of his shirt.

Scowling at Elanore, Sarah asked, "You didn't give them the 9mm's?"

"They did," Eddie said quickly. "We just haven't broken them out yet."

Turning her frown to him, Sarah said, "Those guns you have now won't do SHIT against terminators, and they could be anywhere. We gave you those guns, USE THEM!" She then took off and drove.

Seeing Eddie's face redden from being chastised. Mary reached over and put her hand over his and offered, "Don't be upset. Grandmother Sarah is like that with everyone."

"I'M NOT A GRANDMOTHER!"

"See?"

.

John Connor went down into John Henry's lab, finding him in his normal place at his bank of computers. "Hi, John Henry," John said as he sat down.

"Hello John," John Henry said with his creepy smile. "I have discovered something interesting. In playing an on line adventure game, I discovered a Sky Net presence. There is no logical reason I can find why Sky Net infiltrated the gaming system. It has no strategic value, nor can the game be used for infiltration or communication. I am at a loss why Sky Net is interested in this method of entertainment."

John nodded and asked, "Why do you play it?"

"I enjoy the tactical simulation and strategy. Although it is not realistic, it causes me to think on a wider spectrum of possible problems and solutions."

"Maybe that is what Sky Net is doing also?" John asked. "Useing those games to increase it's knowledge on tactics?"

John Henry turned his head. "Yes, I believe you are correct. Thank you, John."

"Happy I could help," John said, returning his smile. "Have you gotten any farther on how Cameron might be able to become pregnant?"

"The lack of ovaries and human eggs makes it impossible for Cameron to conceive in the normal human method," John Henry explained. "However, I have been looking at nanites as a possible solution. Nanites are able to build any part of a terminator's body from stored nutrients collected in the reservoirs. The limitations to the nanites are they can only reproduce what is already there, or should be there. If the nanite program patterns are modified, it may be possible to create a copy of Cameron within her womb. This would not be a child from both of you. Only a reproduction of Cameron herself."

John winced. "But, it may be possible?"

"It may be. I have found no way for nanites to assimilate or extract DNA from human sperm."

John frowned and said, "Cam does want to have a child. I guess having a copy of herself is better than not having one at all."

"I believe the child she wants, is one with traits from both of you," John Henry told him.

"Yeah," John said vacantly. Itching his head, John said in a dull tone, "We'll think of something. There has to be an answer."

"Do not give up, John Connor, I have learned humans do not think as efficiently as machines, but you can see solutions to problems we do not. That is why we can work so effectively together."

"Thanks, and thank you for helping me with this," John said sincerely.

"I will always do what I am able to for you and Cameron. You are my friends." John Henry said, casting him another creepy smile.

"Friends," John agreed.

.

Catherine Weaver did put her proposal up to the Air Force. Not with theories and active experiments on developing AI's, but with promising to deliver a working AI when the contract was signed. Three days after her proposal, Catherine was scheduled to meet with Air Force personnel at Andrews Air Force base. She was to bring solid proof that she had a working AI.

Since John Henry found proof that Sky Net was still around and active, John Connor agreed that they should not take him off his primary duty of keeping up the hunt for Sky Net. Gregory, wanting to ensure Savanna's safety, as well as others, agreed to go with her to this meeting.

An officer met Catherine and Gregory at the main gate and guided them to an office building surrounded by a chain link fence topped with razor wire, and a guard post at the gate. Gregory wore a blue suit Weaver had gotten just for the occasion. They were passed through and assigned an escort into the building. In the meeting room, they were led to sit at a table across from a panel of officers.

The officer in the middle said, "Good day, Mrs. Weaver. I understand you have a working AI prototype at this moment?"

"No Sir. I have working AI's at the moment." Motioning to Gregory, she said, "This is Gregory, a fully functioning AI in a humanoid form. Gregory can patch in and is compatible with any computer system. He also has a moral code based in Christian values and is capable of making informed decisions himself if the need arises."

"Now hold on," a Major said, eyeing her suspiciously. "You are telling me that man is an AI?"

"Catherine is correct," Gregory stated. "Father and Mother took great care in making me to the best of their ability."

"Your designers?" The Major asked.

Gregory tipped his head slightly, then nodded. "Yes, you can say they were my designers. I prefer to think of them as my parents."

"OK, I'm afraid we're going to have to see proof this is not a coax," the general in the middle said.

"What do you require?" Catherine asked.

The Major opened up a laptop and turned it towards Gregory and asked, "Can you access this laptop?"

Gregory reached into his suit and brought out a USB cable. He plugged on end into the back of his neck,and the other end into the laptop. He turned the screen back to face the men. The screen went through start up then onto the log in page.

"Do you wish to test my ability to bypass the password?" Gregory asked.

"Yes, please do so," the general said, watching the screen carefully.

A few times the screen flashed 'incorrect' then the background screen came up. "What do you want me to do next?" Gregory asked.

The officers studied Gregory. His hands were on the table, he hadn't moved them or touched the laptop.

"Interesting," the Major said. "Did you do that via the internet?"

"Negative, I am directly connected to this device," Gregory stated.

They put him through a few more tests, and had him perform multiple functions. Still not believing he was synthetic, and was really human, Gregory was taken for a full body X-ray through the airport security scanner. There, the men saw his endoskeleton.

Gazing at the metal structure inside Gregory, the general asked, "Mrs. Weaver, how did you do this?"

"Company secret," she stated. "The software matrix is complex and proprietary. I have also discovered that Gregory is unique in his personality. To alter the programs or modify any of his hardware will result in damage. He will no longer be Gregory. I have taken great pains to ensure Gregory has the best, most reliable system, as well as ethics and morals."

"You have made others like him," The Major stated.

"I have. The first was John Henry. Although John Henry is a success, I have developmental use for him, so I cannot offer him up for your AI project," Catherine explained.

"Your software is proprietary, how can we modify Gregory to perform the functions we need?" The general asked.

"There is no need to modify Gregory," Catherine said. "Anything you want done, Gregory can do. His is sentient, and understands concepts."

The general raised an eyebrow and said, "I would like to test that. Do you have time for an extended test on simulation equipment?"

"We do."

"We?" the Major asked.

"Yes, Myself and Gregory. As I said, Gregory is sentient."

.

John met Eddie and Bill in Catherine's foyer, the two rough looking survivalists that returned with Mary and Elanore. After they greeted one another, Bill looked around at the grand foyer and said, "This is quite the place you have here."

"This is Grandmother Catherine's house," Mary said proudly. "She has made it as survivable as possible in case we do not stop Sky Net."

"She must have a lot of money," Eddie said.

"She owns her own company," Mary told him.

Not that John didn't like small talk, he didn't want Mary giving too much away so he changed the subject. "I understand you guys need drilling tools. I found a store with a good price on a pair on jack hammers, complete with an air compressor. That store also has masonry drills and saws, and generators. I went ahead and ordered the items I just mentioned for you. The credit card Mary has is good for anything else you need there also."

"That is very kind of you," Eddie told him. "The question I have, is why are you being so generous?"

"Two reasons. One, I want you on our side. The other is that like Mary said, if we can't stop Sky Net, you can build a safe place for yourselves and others." Motioning to the house, John explained, "Very few people have places that will be safe if the bombs drop. I want to save as many as we can."

Eddie nodded. "Sounds like you want to prepare for a major war."

"I am, and it will be a war of survival."

"How close is this war?" Bill asked.

"Unknown," John said with a shrug. "Hopefully, we can stop it, and it will never happen. If we can't, the most we can do is prepare and be ready. There will be very little warning if it comes."

Cameron approached the group. Looking at Eddie and Bill she asked tonelessly, "Who are you?"

The men introduced themselves. Bill asked, "Are you one of Mary's sisters?"

"Cameron is our mother," Mary said.

"You?" Bill asked, surprised as he looked at Cameron. "You look the same age as Mary and Elanore here."

"Chronologically, I am ten years older than my children," Cameron explained.

"Guys, you have to remember, Cameron, Mary, Elanore, Jake and Gregory were all build. They don't age as people do," John explained.

"Damn," Bill said as he swept Cameron with his eyes.

Seeing Bill eye Cameron, John added, "Cameron is also my wife."

"Lucky guy."

"Mary," Sarah said, not appreciating men eyeing machines as if they were real women. "I will drive you to the store. You and Elanore will have to go in and help these men shop. John, you have the order number?"

"Yeah, Mom," John said and pulled a paper out of his pocket. He handed it to Mary.

"Thank you John," Mary said pleasantly.

"Well, come on, let's go," Sarah said, prodding them out the door.

Eddie looked at Mary and asked, "She's being 'Sarah'?"

"Yes, that is what Grandmother Sarah does."

"I am NOT a Grandmother!" Sarah reminded them firmly.

.

After Sarah herded everyone out the door, John went in to watch the news. Cameron went with him and settled down beside him on the couch. It wasn't long before Max found them, and jumped up to lay on Cameron's other side.

There was a bit about the financial investigation of Williams and Company. Apparently the CEO and a few top executives had gone missing. It was presumed they were on the run from prosecution of the impending charges. Reporters and also found the connection to Cyberkinetics, but so far, it wasn't clear if the two companies were partners in crime. There was no news about Johnson Corporation.

"Well, two out of three isn't bad," John said. "I doubt a company simply having to shut down would make the news."

"We don't know for sure if they are shut down," Cameron stated.

John put an arm around Cameron. "If they aren't totally shut down, they are at the very least severely handicapped, and their supporting companies are not going to do much with the feds all over them. The biggest question I have, is where did Sky Net go."

"It is not trapped withing Cyberkinetics?"

John shook his head. "John Henry found it's presence on the web. It's not finished yet. It must have been moved right after the power outage," he said.

"We must destroy it," Cameron stated.

"I know, Cam," John said with a sigh. "First, we have to find it again. I only hope Weaver gets that contract."