Chapter 17

Fourteen

Sarah felt a little more comfortable to continue reading Cameron's poems. She'd specifically asked Cameron for her permission to do so. She read poem after poem. She was deeply touched by them and the depth of Cameron's 'feelings'. She left the lab an hour later. She could only absorb so much pain. Her eyes were red from crying.

She stopped reading Cameron's poems for now. Cameron recommended she only read five to ten at a time so she could 'feel' the full impact of what each one said. She didn't want her emotions overloaded. Cameron said there was a clandestine meaning contained in some of them, or the full impact of the poem itself was greater than the sum of the words it was created with. She needed to think about the statement. She was amazed at how Cameron could make another 'feel' what she felt.

She was upset with herself and John. How could they have treated Cameron so poorly and not even cared or known? No. They did know what they were doing to Cameron, and they didn't care. They never gave her fair treatment or treated her as an equal. It was like Cameron didn't matter. It was like Cameron was - Nobody. She knew she was partially responsible for all of it.

Sarah obtained permission from Cameron and Vanna to come back later and finish reading more of Cameron's poems. Cameron only put one condition on her. Cameron asked her not tell John about what she'd read. She didn't understand it. She told Cameron if anyone should read them, it should be John. She felt John should see how Cameron really felt about things and how she was treated.

Cameron was very adamant about what she wanted.

"Please, Sarah, not yet." Cameron said. "It's not time yet. I'll know when the time is right. It isn't right yet."

Cameron explained to Sarah she knew John wasn't ready for all the things she'd planned for him. He wasn't ready for the things she wanted for them. When the time arrived, John could see her poems. Only then would he truly understand her. Only then would he truly understand how he'd hurt her. John wasn't ready yet to see and know the 'real Cameron'. Cameron confided she still wasn't sure John wouldn't pick Allison over her. Allison was 'real', and should be able to produce offspring. Cameron told her Future John was always troubled because he didn't have a family.

What Cameron didn't tell her, was what Future John wanted Cameron to do about it in the past, the present. John could have a family. The fact there was a version of Allison Young as a teenager, and Savannah Weaver, a few years older in the present, altered Future John's long range plans for the future. They could both make viable mates for John. They could give him the family he wanted now. He didn't need to wait for Savannah Weaver and Allison Young of this timeline to mature. The new twist would take away the time Cameron needed to get closer to John. The girls from the alternate feature were an unintended bonus for John.

There was one other problem they needed to address. It was Jim-Cameron, Bob-Cameron and Cameron. There was still some debate as to what should be done about their chips and the fact there was in reality, 'three Camerons'.

Cameron wanted to interface back into one unit. Bob wanted to remain active, but hoped his chip would be put in Cameron's chassis. Jim wanted to be deactivated if he couldn't have his chip installed in Cameron's chassis. They were both still 'Cameron' and wanted 'their chassis' back. It was apparent nothing productive was going to happen if they ended up with three different versions of 'Cameron'. There was still only one 'Cameron chassis' at the end of the day. The fact two of them were currently in a male chassis, was probably the only thing which kept them from actually physically fighting for John.

It was never a good situation with Bob and Jim always at each other's throats. Cameron knew they were both 'her'. She could hardly believe what a 'Bitch' she was. It made her wonder if others saw her the same way. She figured they probably did. Maybe it was one of the reasons she seemed so universally despised ever since she'd tried to help Future John.

There was a lot of abrasiveness in the future as well. Some in the Resistance accused her of being the one in charge. They saw her as a 'Skynet operative' running the Resistance. She'd only advised Future John. She wasn't the one who determined the policy or what operations would be conducted. Future John was the one in charge, even if he'd become somewhat reclusive. Perhaps the reason why he'd become less public was because of what happened to Future Allison. She knew it was her fault.

Cameron seriously wondered what would happen if John would choose Jim or Bob in their present chassis instead of her. It was a strong possibility. None of them were capable of reproduction so it wasn't an issue. Maybe John would prefer a 'male'. She was painfully aware John already rejected her before in her current chassis. He previously chose someone else over her.

The arguing and pushing worsened between Bob and Jim. What made it even more disturbing, was both of them seemed ready to challenge her. She kept reminding them she was 'Cameron Prime'. As long as there was only one John, more than one 'Cameron' was a problem. All three of them wanted him.

It was decided after the first mission there would be only 'one Cameron'. There was only one Cameron chassis and only one John. Everyone thought it would be best. Jim again commented that Bob should be terminated for being a 'Bitch Whore' in the future. Bob always said it wasn't his fault. He wasn't the one who chose the chassis his chip was placed in. He could only respond after the fact.

Things soon escalated between Jim and Bob. Cameron needed to step between them again and physically separate them. It couldn't go on. It appeared 'Cameron' couldn't get along with 'herself'. There was too much friction. She was glad the other two copies of her chip were in male bodies. If one or both were currently in a female chassis, there would be 'war'. They would treat her as they treated each other. Things would spiral out of control.

Neither one of them challenged her directly yet, but she knew it was coming. They may gang up on her and deactivate her. They could then both take turns being in her chassis. She figured it would end with one terminating the other at that point to claim sole possession of her chassis. It looked like a 'nightmare' from any angle.

Since John was back, he decided it was time to take the fight to Skynet. It was the purpose of Cameron allowing John Henry the use of her chip to go into the future.

John Henry and his server, which he was usually tethered with, were able to come up with potential targets.

John and Cameron went over the information and planned some specific targets to strike. The information John Henry obtained from the future gave them a detailed list of objectives. Allison, Bob and Jim would act as one team. John, Sarah and Cameron would be the other team.

John didn't want Allison to be involved in any potential combat. Cameron noted his extreme concern for her. Allison refused to be sidelined. She was adamant Vanna wouldn't see any combat. Allison reminded him she'd been conducting combat operations long before he was in her future. He knew it was true. He also knew she was good at it.

The mission was planned and was ready to be initiated. It was a strike intended to take out some future Gray leaders.

The team arrived at the location and split into the two groups.

Cameron, John and Sarah entered the front of the building.

Allison, Bob and Jim entered the rear of the building.

They'd gone in clandestinely, rather than making it a bold assault. The Terminators wanted to go in hot. John and Sarah wanted a little more caution used. Allison was good with either option. She'd done plenty of both.

Cameron kept a careful watch over John. She wanted him to use caution. When they were in the alternate future together, they went on multiple combat operations. John had proven himself in combat before she'd arrived. Allison had also done the same thing. It wasn't what she wanted for John, but it was necessary for his development. If he was going to be the leader of the Resistance, he needed to have combat experience and know how to fight the enemy.

John didn't feel he needed to prove himself in front of Cameron. If anything, he needed to prove himself in front of his mother. He wanted her to understand his development in the future. He thought he'd done a good job with tactics, as well as the application of them.

The target wasn't a hard target. The enemy hadn't expected them to arrive. It was a relatively uneventful operation.

The strike went according to plan. As they were leaving, Allison's team was ambushed. Jim stepped in front of Allison to take a shotgun blast meant for her. He then crushed the skull of the man who'd fired at them. Bob moved behind two others and emptied his M4 into both of them.

Allison was concerned when Jim was damaged protecting her. She asked Jim if everything was still functional, when another man pointed a revolver at her back. He'd come out of hiding behind her.

"Goodbye, sweetheart, you lose." The man said.

Bob appeared from nowhere.

"Wrong." Bob said.

Bob put his left hand in front of the blast. He shot the Gray once in the head with his AMT Hardballer Longslide.

"Us girls look after each other." Jim said as he used Cameron's voice.

Allison appreciated 'Cameron' looking after her and 'saving' her.

"You both saved my life tonight, twice." Allison said. "I won't forget it."

Jim and Bob looked at each other and then to Allison.

"It's the least I could do for you. I owe it to you." They said in unison using Cameron's voice.

They looked at each other again in surprise. It hadn't been planned. It still showed how similar they were, even if they were becoming separate 'Camerons'.

Allison looked slightly puzzled. She knew it was more involved with something else.

She'd heard more than one reference about Cameron 'owing' her something. It seemed like there was some debt which needed to be paid to her. She wondered if it was Cameron's Future Allison they were indebted to. There was more to the story which hadn't been told yet. Maybe she didn't want to know. Maybe she shouldn't know. Maybe there was a good reason it hadn't been. Maybe it would never be told.

Allison looked at the weapon she was almost shot in the back with. She felt her heart flutter. She knew instantly she wanted the revolver for herself. It reminded her of an 'old friend'.

"I'm taking this. It's a Smith and Wesson Model 66. I carried one like this for years. Derek gave it to me. I took down my first Scavenger crew with it." Allison said with satisfaction. "You should have seen the looks on their faces when I pulled it out. Two of them already pulled down their pants since I was cornered. I could see they were both 'ready' for what they intended. I guess they found out even a mouse can bite. All I can say is, 'scratch three'."

It troubled Bob and Jim to hear it.

"How old were you?" Bob asked.

Allison looked defiant.

"I was fourteen. I didn't intend to be abused again." Allison said.

Allison looked like she was a million miles away as she remembered the incident.

Bob and Jim both saw the look on her face.

They were concerned Allison was abused at such an early age. Her statement seemed to indicate it happened more than once. They would quietly inform Cameron about it later on. It appeared all the girls from the alternate future became 'women' at a young age.

Allison showed the Model 66 to Bob.

Bob thought of a way they could make the weapon more effective. It was a very powerful handgun to begin with. With a better projectile, it could prove terminal against a Terminator

"We can make up some Coltan rounds for it." Bob said.

John, Sarah and Cameron arrive at their location. The six of them returned to the base.

Bob and Jim quietly spoke with Cameron after they got back and informed her what Allison revealed about her past.

The information angered Cameron. It confirmed her suspicion Vanna was previously abused and brutalized by Scavengers. It was now obvious both Vanna and Allison were forced to become women against their will. She thought about their actions in the future.

"We did the right thing by cleaning the place out from the scourge of mankind." Cameron said.

Bob wondered if they should have done more.

"Maybe we should have cleaned out another five hundred square miles while we were at it." Bob said.

Jim nodded.

"I think it was the fact we did it as Terminators by using only our hands to terminate the Scavengers." Jim said. "It sent a specific message."

Bob was in agreement.

"It was because we left their dead bodies, and all their loot behind, which scared most of them off. They knew they were all being explicitly targeted by Terminators." Bob said. "We ran out of targets."

Cameron liked the message they'd sent.

"Once the Scavengers knew they were the target instead of the Resistance from Terminators, it did make them run." Cameron said. "They didn't know which side we actually worked for."

Jim wanted to remind them what the score actually was.

"They all ran except for the six hundred and twenty seven we terminated." Jim said.

Cameron made a vow.

"If I ever go back to the other future, I'll finish them all off myself." Cameron said.

If Cameron knew the whole story then about Allison and Vanna, she would have stayed in the timeline longer and expanded her cleansing.

Everyone else was on board to do the same thing.

"I'll go with you." Bob and Jim said in unison.

Cameron would appreciate the additional assistance and what would be done.

"Payback is a Bitch." Cameron said.

"And there are three of us." Bob and Jim said in unison.

There was a loud thunderous sound as all three of them high fived each other.

Closing Monologue By Cameron:

Intercede

The sky is cloudy
The rain begins to fall
I see a person walking
They seem in some type of thrall

They step into the street
They seem confused or lost
I see a big truck coming
To approach them may seem to accost

I see what's going to happen
I must shout out a warning
Before something bad occurs
I don't want anyone mourning

It's my fault
I encouraged them to go
I should have warned them before
How the darkness would everywhere grow

What have I done AGAIN
To one I wanted to protect
Another life damaged
That I've caused to wreck

I see others stand and watch
Why won't they lend a hand
I know they want a future
This isn't what they'd planned

There's no time
I must now intercede
I cling to them pulling them back
It was meant as a good deed

I only timidly speak
Because I saw this happened before
I can't do NOTHING
For one I so adore

Nobody