Chapter 1429
Start The Timers
Cammy didn't like having to leave Savannah behind. She headed back to where Young Allison and Anna were.
Anna looked up as Cammy entered the chamber.
"The bomb is armed." Anna said.
Young Allison looked at Anna. She didn't want to 'tell' her to leave.
"You know what you need to do now." Young Allison said. "Please don't make me say it."
Anna looked at Cammy and gave Young Allison a hug. She could feel the love conveyed with Young Allison's statement. It was very touching. She didn't want to make the moment worse than it needed to be.
"Let's go." Anna said.
Cammy followed Anna out.
Young Allison watched them go. She felt more than a twinge of sadness. She wondered if it was the last time she would see them. She quickly pushed the thoughts from her mind. They were there to do a job. They were there to stop the enemy. She contacted Savannah through her com.
"When do you want to start the timers?" Young Allison asked. "Cammy and Anna left."
Savannah was glad to hear everyone left without incident. She knew the Metal girls still needed to get all the way out. She didn't want them to delay or come back.
"We can start them as soon as Cammy and Anna are all the way out and away." Savannah said.
Young Allison knew the distance was relatively long. A Terminator could cover it quickly.
"They have two miles to traverse." Young Allison said. "They can do it in less than eight minutes if they move at a moderate pace."
Savannah was aware a Terminator could cover the distance a lot quicker if they ran at full speed. It was going to be a different story for them. They would need to move at a fairly fast pace, but not overly exert themselves. Getting out of the passageway was only part of it. They still needed to get a safe distance away afterwards.
"It will take us a little longer." Savannah said.
Young Allison was a little concerned for the drones. She didn't think any specific instructions had been given.
"What about 'Coltan Overcast' and 'Cherry Bomb'?" Young Allison asked.
Savannah discussed it with Cammy earlier.
"Cammy is supposed to make sure they go out with them." Savannah said.
Young Allison wanted to go over their exit plan. She wanted to make sure the door would be open.
"Will Steve and Tom remain at the entrance?" Young Allison asked.
Savannah wanted to reassure Young Allison.
"They want to make sure we can get out." Savannah said.
It still seemed like a lot of things could go wrong to Young Allison. With the earlier action taken against the enemy at three separate locations, their standard procedure could be totally different.
"What happens if we can't?" Young Allison asked. "There was a roving patrol. There could be more. We kicked the hornet's nest earlier."
Savannah wondered how far they would roam. She hoped all the activity hadn't inadvertently alerted anyone.
"Did they seem like they would go out on a patrol for two miles?" Savannah asked.
Young Allison questioned not killing them again. It would be five less of the enemy. She still didn't like what she'd heard the one man say.
"I don't know." Young Allison said. "We only ran across one patrol. There could be more. We also discovered three LPs. There are probably more of those as well."
She wanted to kill them earlier but didn't know what repercussions it would have caused. There could have been preemptive EMPs set off and more patrols sent out.
Cammy and Anna passed by the spraying water. They both got a little wet.
Anna didn't want Savannah and Young Allison to get wet when they came out. There was no way to stop the water.
Cammy and Anna came up to 'Coltan Overcast' and 'Cherry Bomb' in the passage way.
"It's time to go." Cammy said.
Neither drone started. Maybe it was going to be a problem.
Anna decided to give them a reminder.
"You know the rules." Anna said. "They want all of us to be clear."
The drones communicated to Cammy they would exit once Anna and her were out and they made sure it was clear around the exit. They didn't want their power plants to attract any hostiles and alert them to the presence of the passageway and the girls inside. Their departure could pinpoint the girl's exact location.
Cammy could understand it. It was actually good thinking on their part. She said once they were out, they would let them know when it was clear.
The drones remained where they were.
Cammy and Anna continued on.
There was a curved bend in the passageway. They could see it was dark on the other side of the curve. It wasn't dark earlier. It might indicate a problem.
"We're still a quarter of a mile out." Anna said. "This area was lit on the way in."
They soon reached the opening. The door was closed. They didn't know why. They wanted to check before they opened it.
They tried to contact Steve and Tom. They should be on the other side of the door. There was no response.
Richard and Michael were out further. Cammy reached them.
"What's the situation?" Cammy asked.
Richard was concerned about the current turn of events.
"There's an enemy patrol in the vicinity." Richard said. "Steve and Tom needed to avoid them."
Anna knew right away it was the patrol they'd spotted earlier. It was either them, or one like them. With the drone and helicopter activity, something may have been spotted or heard at some point. It was possible there were some type of hidden sensors or listening devices.
"Young Allison wanted to take them out earlier." Anna said. "I was afraid it would raise an alarm when they missed a check in time."
Cammy saw it as a bad omen.
"They must be right outside if Steve and Tom needed to go 'dark'." Cammy said.
Anna heard what the anti-Metal personnel wanted to do if they caught another female Terminator.
"I don't want to be captured." Anna said.
Cammy looked at her. She wondered where her statement came from.
"What?" Cammy asked. "Why would you be captured? The anti-Metal group will terminate you."
Anna knew otherwise.
"They want to get their hands on a female Terminator so they can program her to be a 'Metal Whore'." Anna said. "We heard them. They laughed about it. They said they would make her do what they wanted with a smile on her face."
Anna gave Cammy a brief rundown on what they'd done and wanted to do again.
Cammy would have terminated them herself if she'd heard them say it. Maybe it was the 'Cameron' in her 'talking'. She still wanted to terminate them. She was very pleased Young Allison felt the same way. She was sure if Young Allison would have been there on her own, she would have killed all of them. She would need to tell Young Allison it was the right thing to do when she saw her. She looked back down the passageway. She wondered if she would see Savannah or Young Allison again. It was a very uneasy feeling. She looked at the closed door in front of them. She wanted to get outside. She wanted to make sure the door was open when Savannah and Young Allison needed to come out.
Earlier:
Steve and Tom waited near the exit from the passageway. Richard and Michael came out. They thought the door should be closed. They closed it.
"Will the girls be able to open it?" Tom asked. "It looks heavy."
It was actually something they'd prepared for.
"We oiled the hinges before we closed it." Richard said. "Cammy and Anna need to come out first anyway."
Richard and Michael moved further out from the opening.
One of the drones at altitude picked up a patrol when it was only a quarter of a mile away. It was an unexpected turn of events.
John Henry was surprised when he received the report.
"There is a patrol headed for the opening." John Henry said.
Summer received the information at the same time he did. There'd been no indication of anyone moving around the area earlier. They didn't just magically appear. They'd needed to come from somewhere close.
"They must've come out of a hidden opening to get in so close all of a sudden." Summer said. "Maybe the anti-Metal group did complete an escape route."
They received a report from Savannah and Young Allison. The weapons were armed. They were ready to set the timers once everyone was clear.
"We need to inform them of this development." Summer said.
John Henry didn't want to get specific on the nature of the threat. He didn't want the girls to set off the bombs manually if they thought they couldn't get out. He was sure they'd both do it.
"Things could get more complicated." John Henry said.
Summer looked over at John Henry.
"Not if I can help it." Summer said.
John Henry knew she actually referred to his thought about the manual detonation. He wondered what she would do. No. He wondered what she wouldn't do. He didn't think much would stop her on anything.
Cameron checked the time. They were a few hours from port and a few hours from sunrise. If the ship was on time, which it was, it should be near the harbor channel at sunrise. It would be near the breakwater.
John and her shared a few more times. They spent a lot of time just hugging and kissing. It was special in its own way too. There was closeness without the sexual aspect. It was the closeness of them, not what their bodies could provide.
Cameron didn't want John to expend himself any more for a few hours. She wanted him to be recharged and in good condition when Sheila brought Leticia in. Maybe she should just carry him to Leticia's suite.
She tried to contact Sheila. For the response, she could hear two females sharing deeply with each other. It made her wonder what Sheila was going to do with Leticia after the cruise. She was sure Sheila would use her as a 'play thing' until she was 'tired' of her. She would probably terminate her then. It would end any future problems. It was probably for the best. She hoped not to be involved with the decision when it was time to make one.
John was about to doze off. She thought the espresso would have kept him awake longer. A little sleep would do him some good. It should help him in his next encounter to get a little rest in.
Cameron carefully got out of bed. She would go to the Control Center and see what was happening. She started towards it and then paused. She looked at the door of her suite to the private area and went that way instead. She wanted to see Sheila and Leticia together again. It made her think of Savannah and their long overdo coupling. It was something she always thought about whenever she saw Vanna with Allison or Hanna with Ally. She knew it was what Savannah and her would look like and what they would share. She lightly moistened her lips in anticipation.
Allison and Vanna were a little confused at what happened at the anti-Metal base.
It didn't seem like there was anyone there any more.
"Where's Savannah's team?" Allison asked. "Are they on the way out yet?"
Jim was aware CamNet controlled what they could and couldn't see. There was a new kink and CamNet was going to cover it up for now.
"Everyone's pulling out." Jim said. "The attack should commence soon. You don't need to wait here. If there are any delays this could drag on into later in the day. It's already very late."
Allison quietly reminded Vanna that Young Jesse specifically asked to see her.
Vanna didn't want to miss the opportunity. She figured Young Jesse would be busy with Savannah when she was at the base. Everyone else would try to be with her too. She knew Jesse and Claire would be after her time as well.
CamNet specifically instructed Jim to tell Allison and Vanna to leave. He took it as a bad omen.
He decided to pass the buck.
"CamNet has indicated the attack was launched. Everything is resolved and everyone is OK." Jim said. "There were no problems."
Allison and Vanna looked at each other. It seemed like they'd missed something.
"Do you mean that's it?" Allison asked.
Jim only reiterated what CamNet instructed him.
"Yes." Jim said. "CamNet indicated everything was taken care of."
Vanna thought the ending was a little abrupt.
"I guess we're done here." Vanna said.
It was good enough for Vanna and Allison. It seemed anticlimactic in the end to them. There was almost a lot of hoopla about nothing. They both thanked Jim as they departed.
Vanna headed straight for the Honeymoon Suite. The deadbolt was thrown to keep the door in the unlocked position. It was an invitation to enter without knocking. She opened it and went inside.
Allison thought maybe she would check on Mary, Laura and Leticia. She smiled at Vanna as she left her at the Honeymoon Suite and went to exit the private area. She paused at the door. She was surprised to see Cameron outside Leticia's suite. Maybe it was Camille or Cam. She would need to get closer. She could see it wasn't Ally.
She still looked out the door of the private area. She was sure it was Cameron. She watched her use her card key to open the door. She looked around as she entered.
Allison wondered what Cameron was doing. Was she going to be with Leticia? She knew it would be a beautiful experience for her. Leticia knew her way around a female body. They all thought Savannah would be Cameron's first, maybe not. Things change and life moves on. Then again, what happens on the ship, stays on the ship.
It left her with a choice to make. She could go back to bed and get some sleep, or join one of the other rooms where the Metal girls were. They would all be active at this point. They were probably switching partners every so often. She would like to get in on some of it.
She listened on the outside of the spare room of the Honeymoon Suite. There was a lot of activity there. She went to check out the spare room on the Master Suite. When she passed by the Owner's Suite she noticed the deadbolt was thrown as it had been on the Honeymoon Suite. It was an 'open invitation'. She knew Cameron wasn't inside. She'd watched Cameron use her card key to be with Leticia. It was clear it was Cameron who left the 'open invitation' for anyone to visit John. She felt a rush of excitement at the thought. She could feel her body start to respond.
Allison thought about what she wanted. She went to the door and opened it. She looked both ways before she entered. She didn't realize she looked exactly like Cameron did a few seconds ago. She turned the deadbolt and closed the door. It would indicate the 'open invitation' was taken.
She looked in the bedroom and John was in bed alone. She didn't know when she would get the opportunity again. She stripped and silently slid into bed alongside John. She didn't know what would happen next. She was there if John wanted her. She was ready to be his.
She'd explored with him earlier. Things were a little different than she thought they would be. She was willing to give it another shot. What could it hurt? No really, what could it hurt? It was just a little shared loving sex. It was no different than she did with all of the girls. Besides, she'd heard Cameron say more than a few times: 'What happens on this ship, stays on the ship.' She looked over at John next to her. She strongly doubted it would remain on the ship. She could feel her body really respond in anticipation of their union. It was clear she was ready.
Vanna entered the Honeymoon Suite and went to the bedroom. Gail and Young Jesse were talking. Gail looked over at her. She gave Young Jesse a slow soft deep kiss and excused herself.
Gail nodded at Vanna when she passed her on the way out.
Vanna walked into the bedroom.
"Hello, Jesse." Vanna said.
She could see Young Jesse's eyes open wide. It was clear she was excited.
"Vanna…." Young Jesse said.
Young Jesse got up and came over to her. She helped her undress. They stood naked before each other.
Vanna took in Young Jesse's tight trim figure. Did it get any better than this?
They kissed and then moved to the bed.
Young Jesse was all over her like there was no tomorrow. She figured she was 'Savannah' to Young Jesse right now. It was fine with her. She was Savannah Weaver too. She wanted to use her experience on Young Jesse. She also wanted to share her love with her. She might not be able to compete with a Metal girl for sex, but she could for love.
Cameron listened outside Leticia's suite. She could hear Sheila and Leticia inside. They sounded like they were really enjoying each other. She took out her card key and opened the door. She wanted to watch them again. It was very stimulating to her when she'd observed them before. She took one look in each direction before she entered the room.
She silently moved into a position where she could watch them together. She stood there and took it all in. She knew it was something she wanted to try. She made up her mind right there to be with Savannah when they got back. She would put Claire in with John and she would go to be with Savannah. Everyone would be happy.
It was what she pictured as she watched Sheila and Leticia together. She touched herself and imagined it was Savannah and her. Every time one of them finished, she did too.
She really wished Savannah was there right now.
Savannah and Young Allison received word Cammy and Anna were at the entrance and ready to go out.
It was time to get started.
"Start the timers." Savannah said.
They coordinated their efforts and acted together. They both started the timer on their bomb. They wanted them to explode at the same moment.
Savannah hurried to where Young Allison was at. The girls received word there was a patrol near the exit.
They had forty minutes to get out of the area.
Savannah wasn't pleased to find out Cammy and Anna were still at the entrance. She hoped the patrol would pass and they would get out. Young Allison and her were both at a steady pace and should make the entrance in less than twenty minutes. They should be two miles away when the underground explosions occurred.
She'd sent the timing information to John Henry and he would have the LPs hit with a missile strike a minute before the bombs went off. The anti-Metal group should all be hunkered down in the bunker at that point. It should insure their termination.
Steve and Tom were alerted to the patrol which was in the vicinity of where they were. They were glad the door to the passageway was closed. It looked like the rock around it.
As the patrol drew near, they needed to move. They needed to remain out of sight. The patrol would more than likely have EMP grenades. They wanted them to pass and move along. They could take them out, but a missed check in time would cause some type of an alert. The base would probably go on lock down. There could be preemptive EMPs set off.
Steve and Tom were provided with drone images of where the patrol was at in proximity to them. They didn't want to move too far from the opening. If it was discovered, they would need to take out the patrol.
They currently had the patrol under visual observation from a place of concealment. They heard Cammy and Anna call from the inside of the passageway. Richard and Michael explained the situation to them.
Right now they were in a 'dance' with the patrol. They didn't know if there was anything specific they were looking for. They did head right to where they were only a short time ago.
It may come down to them taking out the patrol anyway. If the patrol discovered the opening, they knew they wouldn't be able to open the door. It would most likely send out some type of an alert. They would need to terminate them before any type of warning was issued.
Savannah and Young Allison kept their same pace. They needed to get out of the passageway, if nothing else, before the bombs went off. The passageway would surely act as a chimney of some sort for the blast. They both wondered if the heat would kill them before the shock wave hit. The passageway would more than likely collapse seconds later. There wouldn't even be a charred corpse to be buried. It would most likely be vaporized. Neither one of them mentioned it.
The patrol approached the area they were sent to investigate. It seemed like a waste of time to them. The first man looked a little disgusted.
"There's nothing here." The first man said.
"Is there ever?" The second man asked.
"No." The first female said. "There never is."
"They did lose contact with the two ambush teams which were sent out to the remote locations." The second female said. "We need to be on high alert. Every threat needs to be taken for real until we know otherwise."
"Those clowns were all EMP happy." The third man said. "They probably fried their communication gear. You know they were brought here recently from the future."
"We should be all done for the night." The first female said.
"You just want to get some 'slot time' in with your new lover." The second man said.
"We're just friends." The second female said. "It's no big deal."
"Why did 'Central' say we needed to go here again?" The third man asked.
"Grow a pair." The first female said.
Both of the females laughed.
"Look, we just do what we're told." The first man said. "Keep your eyes open and stay alert."
Summer established grid coordinates all around the area of the passageway and the escape routes for the team.
"We need to draw the patrol off." Summer said. "The team needs to get out of the passageway. The clock is ticking."
John Henry hoped to find their command and control frequency. He would issue a recall for them if he could.
"I'm working on it." John Henry said.
Summer thought of a few other things they could try. She sent a plan to CamNet. CamNet liked the plan. She told John Henry of it once CamNet 'approved' it.
John Henry thought the move would be very bold. With boldness came danger.
"It is a risky venture." John Henry said. "Richard and Michael will be in harm's way."
Summer saw it differently. They needed to get Cammy and Anna out of there and they needed to get 'Coltan Overcast' and 'Cherry Bomb' away from there as well. Savannah and Young Allison needed to get out too.
The patrol was a problem, dead or alive.
Vanna really liked the way Young Jesse shared with her. It was very meaningful. Vanna returned the same love back to her. It wasn't about sex right now.
It was two people sharing and silently communicating with their bodies and their actions.
Both Vanna and Young Jesse wanted to make it a four way with Jesse and Savannah added to the mix. For dessert, they could throw Sheila and Hanna into the selection.
Cameron really wanted to join in with Sheila and Leticia. She was sure Sheila would yield Leticia to her. She thought maybe this would be better for when she was with Savannah. She would know more on how to satisfy her if she learned from Leticia.
She finished again as she watched them.
It was too much. It was too enticing. Cameron stripped off her clothes. She was about to have her first experience with a female. It was what she wanted right now. It was almost as if she couldn't help herself. It was all right there and ready for her.
Sheila was aware Cameron was watching them again. She could also tell Cameron finished whenever one of them did. She worked Leticia hard. She was using all of her Terminator attributes to drive Leticia over the top time and time again. She knew she was pushing it. She didn't let up.
She actually began to wonder about Leticia's well being at one point. She'd driven her past normal human stimulation and endurance.
She was aware Cameron stripped off her clothes and was headed for the bed. It seemed to her Cameron was about to 'upgrade'.
Sheila felt Leticia's breathing become very erratic. She still continued to stimulate her.
Cameron was next to the bed right now. She looked at Leticia. Her eyes were wide and glassy looking. Her mouth moved erratically. It seemed she experienced a little trouble breathing. She could see Leticia finish again and again. Her breathing stopped.
Sheila didn't let up.
Cameron recognized what she'd just witness. Sheila pushed Leticia too far.
"Sheila, stop. She isn't a Metal girl." Cameron said. "You just terminated her."
The patrol reached the area they were directed to investigate. They moved in quietly and looked around. They were alone.
"See." The second man said. "There's nothing anywhere."
"Just do your job and stay alert." The first man said.
There was a 'snarl' sound.
"What was that?" The first female asked.
"Who needs to grow a pair now?" The third man asked.
"My body produces more testosterone than yours does, 'Mister Wet Noodle'." The first female said.
"I think she nailed it. He's a real softy." The second female said. "What was that noise?"
Everyone in the patrol looked around.
"I don't know." The first man said. "It sounded like an animal."
"It wasn't just any animal." The third man said. "It was a mountain lion or a cougar."
"It's probably what Central picked up." The second female said. "Those big cats hunt at night."
"We all saw Ramirez." The first female said. "He was a mess."
"We're armed." The first man said. "Keep it together."
"So was Ramirez." The first female said.
The 'snarl' was heard again.
"It's closer now." The third man said. "We've disturbed its hunt."
"We didn't disturb its hunt." The second female said. "We're the hunt now."
"Keep it together." The first man said. "Let's try and pull back to our base. We found what was out here. It's not the enemy."
They started back. The 'snarl' grew closer to them. They picked up their speed. Sure they'd be able to kill the big cat, but what would it do to one or two of them first? If it became angry, it might try to take them one at a time.
Steve and Tom watched the enemy patrol depart. Richard and Michael led them off under the ruse of being a cougar.
Tom returned to the door of the passageway. Cammy and Anna opened it and came out. It looked like Tom was about to close it.
"Leave the door open." Cammy said. "'Coltan Overcast' and 'Cherry Bomb' need to exit."
Steve thought it was too soon. The enemy patrol should go back to their enclosure first. He explained the situation to them.
Savannah and Young Allison still had over a mile to go.
As long as the patrol was gone, they should be out in less than ten minutes.
Savannah decided to ask the other Terminators to withdraw. Once the patrol was gone they needed to be as well.
Young Allison didn't like to see the others leave, but they needed to be away if there was a giant or massive EMP attack from the enemy. The twin nuclear blasts were going to add to any EMP effect with their own EMP which would be released.
"I think 'Coltan Overcast' and 'Cherry Bomb' can exit in front of us and be the only guards we need to get out and away." Young Allison said.
Cammy, Anna, Steve and Tom reluctantly left the area. It was decided they needed to get moving since the Blackhawk wouldn't be sent to pick them up. They didn't want to chance the patrol would come back to investigate.
Michael and Richard shadowed and 'snarled' at the retreating patrol to keep them moving.
They spotted them enter some type of opening. They sent the targeting information to John Henry with the best angle for a missile attack. It would happen when the LP positions were hit.
Richard and Michael pulled out and soon joined Cammy, Anna, Steve and Tom. They should all be well in the clear when the bombs went off.
Allison lay in bed next to John. She wanted him to be with her again. She felt a very special connection to him when they'd shared earlier. It was something she'd wanted for so long. It was her first time to actually 'make love'. She felt something very beautiful was shared.
She could feel the long time love between them. It was unspoken in its implications. They both knew there was love which needed to be controlled and contained. They both knew who they 'belonged' to. Maybe it was what made it easier to happen. There wouldn't be any awkwardness or the 'morning after' to deal with.
Allison was glad she was with John before her mother was. She was especially glad she was with him before Young Allison was. She already knew she wouldn't be able to compete with her.
John stirred. He rolled a little and his hand bumped into her. His eyes opened.
Allison looked at him with loving eyes. She would let him decide if they would share again.
John looked into the beautiful brown eyes. He could see the life and love in them. He knew it wasn't Cameron or any of the Metal girls. It was the real deal.
Allison wanted to set the stage.
"I'm here, but it is up to you, John." Allison said. "I wouldn't be here again if I didn't want to be. Nobody knows I'm here."
John felt such beauty when he'd touched her earlier. She actually was the one to take him and was in complete control. Now it could be his turn to take her.
Their heads moved closer and they kissed.
Allison hoped John wouldn't make love to her right now like he did with Cameron. She wanted them to make their own love. She wanted it to be organic and original.
She was very pleased to feel his hands move to her breasts. Things were going to go somewhere. It was going to be somewhere nice.
'Coltan Overcast' and 'Cherry Bomb' were ready to move up to the opening which was open.
They communicated with each other.
'Coltan Overcast' powered up and moved forward and stopped a hundred feet from the opening and powered back down. Its weapons were hot.
'Cherry Bomb' waited where it was. It still faced the direction the girls needed to come from.
The girls didn't hear 'Coltan Overcast' power up and move. It appeared the drones were quieter than they'd thought. CamNet and Summer were correct in their calculations. It was the fact the drones seemed loud when they were right next to them in the confined space of the passageway.
They came up to the spraying water. They passed by it quickly. They were both a little wet now.
"Is it worse than it was earlier?" Savannah asked.
Young Allison wondered the same thing.
"Steve tried to redirect the spray away from us earlier." Young Allison said. "I really don't know."
It seemed the water on the ground was more widespread.
They both spotted a drone ahead. It was 'Cherry Bomb'.
Young Allison and Anna both touched it.
"You shouldn't be here still." Young Allison said.
Savannah understood its intentions by the direction it was facing. It would make sure no one approached them from behind
"'Cherry Bomb' wants to be the rear guard." Savannah said.
Young Allison wanted an update on the patrol.
"They're back inside wherever they came out of and the area is locked up." John Henry said. "The other Terminators are all away and in the safety zone."
Young Allison touched 'Cherry Bomb' again.
"When you're told to come out, you must obey." Young Allison said.
Savannah caressed 'Cherry Bomb' too.
"Let's go. We'll be out shortly." Savannah said.
Savannah and Young Allison left 'Cherry Bomb' behind for now.
They knew they wouldn't need to worry about any of the enemy catching up to them from behind.
Savannah remembered how each of the drones fought in Cameron's future. They used up all of their ammunition and then overloaded their power cells to do as much damage as possible to the attacking force. The one she'd rode in on did the same thing and wedged itself in the shaft which led down to where Cameron and her were at. When they tried to pull it out, it overloaded its power cell. It collapsed the shaft to prevent the enemy from following them down to where Skynet was located. She was sure they all did it because she was there. They all made the maximum sacrifice to protect her.
She took one look back at 'Cherry Bomb' it hope it wasn't the last time she saw it.
Cameron was very alarmed when Leticia appeared to have terminated from the excessive stimulation by Sheila. She'd pushed her too far for too long.
She recognized what she'd just witnessed.
"Sheila, stop. She isn't a Metal girl." Cameron said. "You just terminated her."
Sheila didn't stop what she was doing.
"She'll come back." Sheila said. "Let me switch with you. It can be you she 'wakes' up to."
Cameron didn't like to see the extreme level Sheila pushed Leticia. She'd never been with a female, but she knew she wouldn't go so far.
She remembered the extreme level of stimulation Sheila pushed Cammy to one time. It overloaded all of her systems and incapacitated her severely.
Cameron reached out and touched Leticia's left breast. She was about to caress it. It looked so beautiful with the nipple ring.
Wait.
Something was missing.
"There's no heartbeat." Cameron said.
Sheila quickly moved up next to Cameron.
"Oh, no…." Sheila said. "She begged me to stop earlier. She's dead."
Sheila knew two things right now. One was, Leticia died happy. The other was, she was in deep trouble. It was sure to cause a major problem for everyone, especially her. She glanced over towards the room where Mary and Laura were at. She wondered if she would need to terminate them to prevent things from getting worse before they got off.
Both of the men used the restroom before they got back into the white van. They pulled onto the freeway.
They each started on some of the snacks and drinks they'd purchased.
"I got the message through." The first man said.
The second man was about to take a bite out of an energy bar. He paused.
"I take it we're not going to the port first." The second man said.
The first man would rather not go there at all.
"Not since we ran into those clowns from the Mob." The first man said. "We're going to stop at a few places along the way and then check out what happened in Palm Springs. There's several locations there we need to go to."
The second man still wondered about the port.
"Are they going to send a team to the port?" The second man asked.
The second man wasn't sure what they would do. It seemed it would most likely be a full team which was sent.
"I think they will." The first man said. "I think they're going to run into some more contact as well."
The second man thought they'd already experienced enough close ones.
"Better them than us." The second man said.
The first man knew they would need to drive for a while.
"Try to get some shut eye." The first man said. "You can lay down in the back if you want."
The second man thought the ride was bumpy enough as it was. He figured it would be more comfortable in his seat.
"I'm just going to lean this back." The second man said. "Wake me up before we get too close to our next target location."
The first man concentrated on the road ahead. He passed the turnoff for the freeway which led towards the port area. He continued on to the east. He glanced over at the other man. He was already asleep. It had been a long day.
CamNet's Terminators continued to follow the white van. They watched the drone footage over it as well as the drone footage over the hillside location where the big trucks entered. They could see the female Fanatic and her female associate carefully made their way towards the entrance. It looked like they would still face a few challenges.
It soon became evident the two men in the white van weren't going to go to the port. They certainly weren't going to take the direct route there. They hoped was a good thing for the team which would arrive on the cruise ship.
Lena checked her files about the Resistance activity which occurred going eastbound where they were at.
"I think they're going to stop by the old steel mill." Lena said.
Tina knew it was actively monitored by John Henry through the surveillance devices the Resistance team who was there left behind.
"I take it CamNet is going to keep us off the Resistance radar when we arrive there." Tina said.
Lena figured CamNet did a lot to keep them off everyone's radar. The whole point of their endeavor was to keep the Resistance forces out of it.
"I think it's guaranteed." Lena said.
CamNet informed them they might need to make another stop along the way as they followed the van. The data they were able to send her from the captured phones of the Syndicate soldiers produced some targets. A few of the targets were along the route they were on. The drone would continue to follow the white van to make sure it wasn't lost.
Tina and Lena were ready for any mission they were assigned. They hoped they could get some better drone support at some point. It seemed the Resistance operation underway needed all of them.
The female Fanatic watched as the first man moved towards the entrance. She wanted to see if he went through any procedure to enter. She could hear some more scuffling inside of the shed as the second man entered it. She hoped he would stay inside of it for at least a few minutes.
"Get ready to move." The female Fanatic whispered.
Jill was ready to go.
"I'll be right behind you." Jill whispered.
The female Fanatic started over towards the entrance. She stayed up against the side of the hill. She kept watch in front of her as well as towards the guard shack. There was no sign of the new sentry. They made it to the entrance. There was a large door inside once they entered. It completely blocked the entrance. It looked like a dead end. She knew it wasn't.
She hadn't been able to get a look inside of the other mine she'd been at before the HK drones destroyed it. It was actually set up much the same way. She spotted a pass door. She hoped it wasn't locked. With a sentry outside, she figured it wouldn't be. She tried the handle, it turned. It wasn't locked. She knew it was a lucky break.
The female Fanatic cautiously opened the door a few inches. She poked her head inside. She could see the back of the big rig she'd been in. There was no mistaking the blue stripe on the rear door. She could see it was still padlocked closed. If Jill wouldn't have let her out earlier, she'd still be in the back of it with no way to get out. If they'd left it parked somewhere and didn't open it, it would most likely have been where she would have reached Ascension. It wouldn't have been a proud way either. She probably would have died from dehydration.
"Get ready to follow me." The female Fanatic whispered.
Jill was a little surprised at the size of the cavern when they'd entered. She thought it was going to be very narrow and confined. There were several other vehicles parked in there besides the three big trucks. The area was very dimly lit so it was hard to see anything beyond where the three big trucks were. She was more worried about who they might run into.
"Do you see any of the men?" Jill whispered.
The female Fanatic took one look back out the way they'd come. There was no sign of the sentry coming or anyone else. It looked like they'd made a clean entry.
"I don't see anyone right now." The female Fanatic whispered. "We know there's a man in front of us somewhere. We know the truck drivers are in here. There's other vehicles. We don't know their strength. Stay with me and watch where you step. I know it's hard to see."
The female Fanatic started forward. She looked at each of the vehicles inside the big wooden door. All of them had the keys in the ignition. She spotted a forklift off to the side. The keys were in it as well. She could see they had the ability to load or unload things from trucks. It made her wonder what else was inside.
She moved past each of the three big rigs. All three of them were locked with a padlock. There were a couple of other vehicles parked further back. The size of the cavern shrunk dramatically past the other vehicles.
The female Fanatic could see light coming from the side of the passageway up ahead. There was light on the other side of it as well. She had a feeling it was going to be where they would find the men.
She moved up to the first opening on the right. There was a door several feet in. She moved up and tried the handle. It turned.
"Stay here and let me know if anyone enters the main passageway from either direction." The female Fanatic whispered.
Jill could feel her heart pounding. She knew she was in the lion's den right now. She still wanted revenge. She hoped to be the lion when the time came for action.
"OK." Jill whispered.
The female Fanatic carefully opened the door a little more. She could see there were several bunks in the room. There were three men on them. She wondered if they were the truck drivers. She spotted something else in a corner of the dimly lit room. It was a 'comfort bunk'. It wasn't occupied. It was what the men outside complained about. She wondered where the body of the last victim was at. It was probably in a shallow grave outside. There were probably a few of them out there.
"Take a quick look but don't go in." The female Fanatic whispered. "I want to know if those are the men from the warehouse. I think they're the truck drivers. Don't do anything yet."
Jill felt a rush of anger. If they were, they were some of the men who'd abused her. She moved up and looked in the doorway. The first thing she spotted was the 'comfort bunk'. She felt the bile rise up in her throat. She knew if she blew it, she would end up tied to it. She could see what looked like dried blood up by where a person's head would be on the bunk. She wondered if it was where someone became a 'double veteran'. More than likely it was.
She looked at the men asleep on the bunks. It was hard to tell because there was only a dim light on in the corner. She spotted something on one of the men's wrist. It was some type of a gold chain bracelet. She didn't know what it was called for men. She moved her head back outside of the door.
"One of them is for sure." Jill whispered. "I can't tell about the other two."
The female Fanatic was sure it was the three truck drivers. She paused at the opening back into the main passageway. She looked both ways before she moved across it and down to the next opening on the other side.
"Follow me and stay alert." The female Fanatic whispered.
It was the same setup as the last opening. She tried the door. The handle turned. There were men asleep in there as well. There were four of them. There were two empty bunks. The room was even more dimly lit than the other one. She didn't think anyone could be identified unless someone stood right over them.
A figure moved from the side and sat on one. It must be the guard who'd been outside. He looked around and lay down. She noticed a rhythmic motion at his waist area seconds later. She moved away from the door.
She still had the grenade with her. She thought about rigging it up as a booby trap. She doubted the men would come out in a group. At the most, it would only kill one. She decided not to use it yet.
The female Fanatic moved against the one wall of the passageway as we went further down it. There were other openings along the way. None of those had doors on them. The openings are all larger. She could see there were crates stacked in all of them. It was clear the mine was being used as a storage area.
The lighting was very sparse in the passageway as they moved through it. There was enough light to see. The side caverns grew more sparse.
Jill constantly looked behind them as she followed Jackie.
"How far does this go?" Jill whispered. "It looks like someone could get lost in here."
The female Fanatic knew the dangers of a mine.
"You need to be careful if you go into any side caverns or passageways which are dark." The female Fanatic whispered. "There can be shafts which drop straight down. I think getting lost is the least of our worries right now."
The female Fanatic went past several junctions. None of them were lit. She didn't have time to explore each one right now. She was in search of any HK equipment. She'd heard the two guards talk about unloading the trucks. She figured there needed to be more things inside.
She continued down the lit passageway. She could see there were more junctions along the way. She decided to check one of them out.
"I'm going to go down one of the side passageways. I want you to remain here." The female Fanatic whispered. "If you hear anyone coming, I want you to follow me in. Use the light on your phone. Don't wait until you can see them. Remember to watch out for any shafts."
Jill I was very worried. She could feel her heart pounding. She was pumped full of adrenaline. She wanted to go back to the room with the three men who'd abused her and kill them. She'd told Jackie she would follow her instructions. She didn't want it to turn into a suicide mission, but it might end up that way.
"I'll follow you in if I hear anything." Jill whispered.
The female Fanatic turned on the light on one of her phones. She didn't think anyone was in front of her because of the time and what she'd viewed earlier. She went down the junction for a short distance and stopped. She saw what she didn't want to see.
Start The Timers
Life isn't like chess
It's a game of checkers
It's not controlled by facts
It's haunted with druthers
What once was nourished and watered
Is no longer cultivated and withers
So are current acquaintances
Who were one time loving partners
When the world turns bland
There are no longer any wonders
The narrow path forward for some
Is spiked and laced with blunders
There isn't a guide or rule book
Nothing can be played by the numbers
The best one can hope for
Are someone else's leftovers
How much time is left
Without any commands or orders
The final countdown is at hand
Go ahead and start the timers
Nobody
