Chapter 55
Time Warp
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Cameron's Future Timeline:
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Cameron left Future John and Future Allison behind in the bunker. She wanted to leave on her own terms. She didn't want to hear Future John beg her to stay. She felt Future John deserved better than her. It was the function of Future Allison and Future Savannah. They would be the ones to share with, and be with, Future John. To join them was an option which was open to her. It was there if she ever did return to the timeline she was currently in. It seemed highly unlikely at this time. She wanted to go back 'home'.
She believed her time in the future was over. It had served its purpose and run its course. It was time to move on. She'd been back to the future, now it was time to advance her life forward, and return to the past.
She was pleased with what she'd been able to do with Future Allison. Not only was she alive, she was also molded into a better person. Cameron felt she worked very hard with Future Allison to improve her in everything from education to combat training. Future Allison previously hadn't been exposed to any formal forms of either. She'd been very methodical and precise, in Future Allison's instruction and training.
Now it was time for her to leave. She wanted to think it was to 'go home'. It was debatable as to how it was going to work, or where she would end up. She would most likely arrive in a different timeline and miss her opportunity to be with John. The more she pondered the idea, the more she wondered where she really would end up when she went back. She doubted it would be where she wanted it to be. There were other factors to consider as well. It assumed there wouldn't be a temporal error. She didn't want to end up in the distant future, or prehistoric times. She certainly didn't want to end up in a future with Mrs. Weaver.
Cameron looked back at the bunker where she'd left Future John with Future Allison. It wasn't too late to go back and join them. It was very tempting to her. Her current location was a known place where she would be welcome. The unspoken question was, for how long. She looked at Unit Two and Unit Three as she thought about going back to Future John and Future Allison. To look at them reminded her life moved forward, not backwards. She needed to get back to John and their future together. The future was the past to her. The past offered her a different future.
She soon passed by the older man again. Something clicked in her mind. It hit her like a ton of bricks. She stopped dead in her tracks.
Cameron thought she just found her 'ticket to ride'. It might just work to get her back to where she belonged.
"Do you mind if I examine your weapon 'Ole' Timer'?" Cameron asked.
To all the personnel at the base, except the 'bubble tech', no one was aware she was sent away a few hours ago. They certainly didn't know she was back after being in the past for a few years. A lot of things happened in the past since future John sent Future Cameron away a short time ago.
The older man was pleased to interact with Cameron. Normally she was somewhat aloof.
"I'll do anything for the General's top commander." 'Ole' Timer' said.
He pushed the lever on the left side of the pistol grip up, and pulled the thirty round magazine out. He put the safety on and handed it to her. The bolt was already back. It was also the firing position. The weapon fired from an open bolt configuration. It currently showed the firearm was clear.
Cameron took the weapon. It was heavy, but not for her. The finish was mostly worn off, but there wasn't a trace of rust. The old man cleaned his prize weapon daily. She pushed the button on the top of the stock, and slid it off the receiver. With its short barrel, it was almost like a giant pistol without its stock. She slid the stock back on.
She believed the firearm represented her ticket home without a divergent timeline. When she passed the old man the first time, and noticed his Thompson, it triggered something in the back of her mind.
The last time she fired a weapon similar to this one, was from the Terminator with the temporal error. His was a 1921 Thompson with a fifty round drum. More specifically, she thought about the building he'd been concealed in for nearly a century. She thought she could go back in time to 2007, when they'd first arrived from 1999. She would then go into standby until the time she left to complete her current task. She didn't believe it would alter anything to use such a maneuver.
She didn't want two of 'herself' active in the same timeline. She also didn't want to alter the timeline. Once she was in the right timeline, she would take a 'short nap' for a few years and be good to go. She would be able to return to the base tight at the time she left. It would avoid the panic of everyone running to the TDE room to try and stop her. She could almost picture everyone running towards the TDE room, half naked, as she left.
She hoped the things she left in each of their rooms wouldn't cause them any distress. They could return them to her or keep them. The one thing she was going to make sure stayed where it was, was her wedding dress. She wanted Savannah to keep her promise to be with John when she was 'old enough'. There were probably going to be some issues as to what 'old enough' meant to some of the people at the base. To her, it meant about two years after Savannah would first be capable of reproduction. It was an age-old measurement which existed for thousands of years in the past. She thought the lifespan of thirty to thirty-five years of the past time period, applied to a Skynet future, if one was lucky. There was a lot of death and destruction associated with Skynet.
Cameron handed him back his 1928 Thompson.
"Thanks, Ole' Timer." Cameron said. "You're a lifesaver to me."
He took the weapon and looked a little concerned at the two Terminators with her.
"Anytime." 'Ole' Timer' said.
Unit Two and Unit Three stood behind her. They said nothing and showed no expression. They looked serious, real serious. Then again they always did. They never spoke unless spoken to.
"They're with me." Cameron said. "Carry on soldier."
'Ole' Timer' gave her a salute.
"Yes, ma'am." 'Ole' Timer' said.
He was glad they were on his side. He knew his Thompson was best used on Grays and Scavengers. It wouldn't stop a Terminator. He would continue to use it as he'd done in the past. It kept him alive so far. He preferred to use the 30 round stick magazines around the base. He did have one 50 round drum for it. He would use it when combat was imminent.
It was time to go back. It was where Cameron was concerned she may have an 'issue' with Unit Two and Unit Three. She still didn't know if they had some clandestine agenda they would carry out.
"I need to get to the TDE and get us back to my current timeline." Cameron said. "We're all going back to our current timeline, the one we left from. I want both of you to return with me."
Unit Two and Unit Three looked at each other. It seemed they thought something else should be considered instead.
"We're from a future which is different than this one." Unit Two said. "Maybe we should stay here to help. We could provide additional security for General Connor and his mates."
Cameron didn't want any trouble and she didn't want them to assist Mrs. Weaver to be able to get back to her future with Future John.
"No. I'm bringing you both back with me." Cameron said. "John will need our help when Judgment Day comes. We must protect John. It will be your primary mission once we return."
There was no further discussion on the topic. It was fine with her. She was still a little unsure of them, even though they'd proven loyal and were very helpful so far.
Cameron planned out what she wanted to do. She'd previously studied the plans for the building, where the Terminator with the temporal error, was in standby for decades. There were other blank compartments built into the building. They were probably constructed for contraband of the time period. Prohibition was in effect. The secret rooms would have made great storage locations for different types of alcoholic beverages.
She would take Unit Two and Unit Three with her and pull their chips after they sealed themselves in one of those 'secret' compartments. She didn't want any surprises. They'd proven trustworthy and useful so far. She wasn't going to take any chances. She decided to arrive just after the time when she'd first time traveled ahead from 1999 to 2007 with John and Sarah. Nothing should be different for her timeline if she did. Nothing was changed yet. She would at least be in her correct timeline.
Cameron now felt something she hadn't felt since the start of the adventure. It was hope.
"I'm coming home, John. Please wait for me." Cameron said softly to herself. "I've found a way to get back to you."
She wasn't sure if it would work, or how it would play out. It was the only choice she seemed to have to guarantee she would end up where she wanted to be. There was always the fear Skynet, or the anti-Metal faction, could still send people back and mess things up for her. Since she'd already lived what happened, she didn't think anything would be different.
The years she would need to remain in standby weren't promising. She didn't want two of 'herself' again, especially with two female 'Cameron bodies'. It was bad enough with a copy of her program in Jim's chassis and Bob's chassis before. A few years in standby would be a short nap for her. It was worth the price to pay to get back to her John, her lover, and her husband. It was her 'ticket to ride' back to the past, and to her future with her husband.
Cameron went over the details with what she wanted to do with Unit Two and Unit Three. She would remain in standby until it was time to arrive back at the base, just as she was leaving. It would be as if she was never gone. It was what she'd planned on, now she would be able to do it. It wouldn't be a big deal. Everything would go on as normal. It would be just another day. The day after her marriage to John…. They were to assist her with this upon their reactivation. There was to be no deviation from the plan.
They entered the TDE facility. She got a few strange looks since 'she' had just been there a few hours ago for a 'mission'. She didn't want to offer any type of explanation. She didn't want anyone to know what exactly it was she'd done.
Cameron told the 'bubble tech' to step aside. She entered the coordinates and date.
"After we're gone, I need you to delete this entry from your log and all the records. You are to deny all knowledge of this transfer to everyone. You are only to start the transfer and not look at the entries. You are then to delete them. Remember, this mission never happened. Everything involving this mission is 'Top Secret'."
The 'bubble tech' thought it sounded pretty extreme. He wondered how it correlated with what he'd done a few hours ago. He briefly wondered if there'd been some type of malfunction on the temporal transfer, and it didn't work as intended. Maybe the General's 'top aid' ended up in a different location, rather than a different time period. It wasn't his duty to question anything.
"Yes, ma'am." The bubble tech said.
Cameron hoped everything would go as she intended. She didn't want anyone to attempt to follow her.
"Thank you, soldier." Cameron said.
They removed their clothes. She saw the 'bubble tech' look at her nude figure. She noticed he soon concentrated on the nude figures of Unit Two and Unit Three instead. It wasn't her place to make a judgment. She just wanted him to follow her orders.
They climbed on the platform. The arcing and flashing started. The time bubble enveloped them. A few seconds later they were gone.
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Current Timeline:
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2007:
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The energy bubble appeared in a back alley. The arcing and flashing dissipated, the time bubble was gone. The three of them were what remained.
Cameron looked up to the stars. It was a few minutes after her first time jump forward with John and Sarah. She should be in John's current timeline. Now they needed to acquire some clothes and seal themselves inside the building. The wait would then begin. She would be in standby until the time period she left from.
She wanted to pick up a few supplies. There was a location not too far away from the building which she intended to go into standby was located. It would have everything they would need.
They made their way through several back alleys until they arrived at a 'sporting goods' store. They were in the alley behind it. There was a roof access ladder with a metal cover over it for the first ten feet. Cameron was going to jump up and grab one of the exposed rungs above it.
Unit Two stepped forward.
"I'll go first." Unit Two said.
Cameron could see they wanted to help. She nodded.
Unit Two jumped and caught the second exposed rung. He went up first. She followed him up. Unit Three gave her a boost, while Unit Two reached down and gave her his hand. She thought it was very helpful for them to assist her in such a way. She could see her time with them also had a positive effect. They thought about helping others, as opposed to just accomplishing the mission.
They entered the 'sporting goods' store through the roof access. They only took what they needed to get dressed.
Cameron picked up a hunting knife and some plastic bags. They left the same way they'd entered. They tried to make sure everything was secured behind them.
They made it to the selected building. They entered through the basement.
Cameron located and entered a hidden compartment in the structure, it was empty. She decided she was going to remove their chips. It would deactivate them. She told Unit Two and Unit Three to lie down, they did. Unit Two and Unit Three both told her it was an unnecessary step, but neither of them challenged her. It was her mission and they were there to assist her. She removed their chips and placed them in the plastic bags. She then opened, and inserted the chips, into their abdomens. She wedged the knife into the hidden access panel to jam it closed. She figured it would cause sufficient noise to bring her out of standby, if someone attempted to force the panel open.
Cameron stood and faced the panel. She would be able to reboot out of standby in fifteen seconds if there was a problem. She double checked the knife she wedged into the hidden opening to jam it closed. It was jammed tight. Cameron took one last look around and went into standby.
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Current Timeline:
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2009:
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Cameron snapped out of standby when the building began to rumble. The building shook a few times, and some plaster dust drifted around her. It was the time period when she'd encountered the Terminator with the temporal error. She located and brought the 'Self Made Man' down. She heard the Thompson submachine gun fire its fifty round drum magazine on full auto. She smiled and went back into standby. Everything happened at the correct moment in time. It would only be a few more years she thought, as the darkness took over. She filled her mind with the new 'sensations' John made her feel on their wedding night.
She would relive them over and over until she came out of standby to return to John. It should be a beautiful 'rest' for her. She wondered if they would be like 'dreams'. She remembered John told her sometimes dreams seemed real. It's what she hoped for.
Closing monologue by Cameron:
Time Travel
Time travel is real
Look at a photo
It's a moment in time
The past frozen forever
Time travel is real
Look at a dream
Moments recreated
From the past
Time travel is real
Look at a dream
Moments created
For a hoped future
Time travel is real
Look into your mind
Moments relived
From the past
Time travel is real
Look into your mind
Moments wished for
With hope they come to pass
Time travel is real
Even if the body can not go
The mind still can
All you need to do is believe
Nobody