Chapter 81

Scruples

Cameron started to distance herself from John, again. It seemed to be something she was good at. She knew she wouldn't be around much longer and didn't want her 'absence' to hurt John too much. She worked hard to put the two girls back into play, and now Jesse as well. Since Vanna and Allison didn't listen to her, maybe Jesse would.

She worked to groom Jesse to be more 'responsive' to her desires, requests and demands. She thought Jesse would be more pliable to carry out her plans. It appeared Jesse was well rounded in many areas, and possessed superior 'bedroom skills'. She should be able to please John.

The goal now was how to achieve the new 'function' for Jesse.

Cameron came up with several plans. Some of them were quite long range goals. It was always a good idea to have a long game plan to go with the short game plan. She wanted Jesse to learn new computer skills from John to broaden her usefulness to the group. It was really a guise to have Jesse work closer to John, and hopefully expand their relationship.

Allison noticed what was happening and decided to act on her own. She joined in as well on the 'advanced training'. She didn't want Jesse to take 'cuts' in front of Vanna and her. It seemed to be the case with Cameron's blessing.

She couldn't fault Jesse for what was happening. She knew it was Cameron who was the one behind it all.

Allison and Jesse eyed each other. They each sought to find faults in the other as they looked for motive and blocked opportunities for each other. They were both in a 'Cold War' over John's affections. Even as they 'competed' for John's attention, they also grew friendlier to each other.

Jesse apologized to Allison several times for all of the past episodes of abuse and unwanted sexual attention.

Allison believed Jesse meant it. She understood much of what happened in the past was based upon circumstances. There was a lot of uncertainty in the future.

Jesse was changing, no, already changed. Allison saw as she worked around her Jesse was a better person. She also saw how Cameron 'pushed' Jesse harder than she pushed Vanna and herself. She knew Jesse could 'clean up' really nicely and she was naturally seductive. The more she was around the 'new' Jesse, the more she liked what she saw. There was something beautiful there, even if it was unrefined and 'locked' away.

Cameron worked with Jesse to make her look Tight. It was soon clear she could turn anyone's head when she looked Tight. Even Terminators noticed when Jesse looked Tight.

Nobody was immune to Cameron's meddling.

Vanna and Allison talked about the transformation they watched take place. They were unsure if it was 'directed' at them specifically to get them to act. It seemed to be the case.

"Jesse sure seems to be very friendly with John." Vanna said.

Allison saw a bigger 'threat' to her desires.

"Not as friendly as she is with Cameron." Allison said.

Vanna paused for a short time and then looked at Allison. She'd noticed how Jesse and Allison 'looked' at each other. She thought some of the events actually hit a little more closer to home.

"You two seem pretty friendly as well." Vanna said.

Allison didn't think she'd done anything wrong. There hadn't been any sexual activity between them. It was clear it was the implication, even if it wasn't the fact.

Vanna just gave Allison an emotional jab. It was evident her statement said more than the actual words spoken.

Allison and Vanna eyed each other for a long moment. They both knew where it could lead…. It could be straight to the bedroom.

Vanna secretly had her eye on Jesse as well. She liked what she saw from the moment she first encountered her. It was under somewhat adverse conditions. Somehow it actually made it a little more enticing.

Allison wanted to justify her actions some. There was more at play than a long term seduction. She could tell when someone wanted to get out of the gutter and step on solid ground. She couldn't fault anyone for such a desire.

"Jesse is trying to be a better person, Vanna." Allison said. "She's changed and changed a lot."

Vanna had been around enough to see what the underlying tone was. She could see there were several tentacles associated with the behavior. She wasn't really comfortable with all of them. Maybe it would be different if one of the tentacles sought her out.

"Is Jesse trying to seduce Cameron or John or both?" Vanna asked. "Is Jesse trying to seduce you?"

Allison thought she knew a little about how Cameron operated. Most of it was not direct action. She made things happen without being direct about it. She set things up and then put them into play. Maybe there was a bigger picture they'd missed. It could also be viewed as a message sent to them, to get their act together and do something.

"I really don't know. Has Cameron seduced Jesse and orchestrated the whole thing?" Allison asked. "It's how I read it. We aren't acting fast enough for her. Cameron is going to replace us with Jesse for her plans to be with John."

Vanna knew they were all closer now to each other. There were no hard feelings and anger anymore. They were all closer to John as well. There was actually nothing unpleasant about any of it. The only thing which could be viewed as unpleasant, was each person wanted to be the one who was in the lead.

"We are certainly more involved with John again, aren't we?" Vanna asked.

Allison could see and feel it.

"Yes we are, and Jesse is lapping at everyone's heels." Allison said.

Vanna knew where it could lead.

"It's not the only thing she wants to 'lap' at." Vanna said.

Both girls giggled. They knew some things were more pleasant than others.

"Can you blame her?" Allison asked. "It's every girl's dream."

Vanna noticed what Cameron orchestrated and saw it for what it was. She'd been around Cameron enough to know how she operated. Even if something was evident in the foreground, the real story tended to be the one in the background. Cameron was a master of manipulation.

"It's almost as if we're all being manipulated." Vanna said.

Allison tried to be funny and made a crack about Savannah.

"Next thing you know, Cameron will give growth hormones to Savannah." Allison joked.

The smile disappeared from Vanna's face. It was a fear of hers. It was something she wouldn't put past Cameron.

"It's not funny." Vanna said.

Vanna looked defeated. She didn't want to see Savannah manipulated by anyone. Unfortunately it seemed as if Savannah would be open to try whatever Cameron put in front of her.

Allison felt bad about her wisecrack.

"I'm sorry, Vanna. I was just joking." Allison said.

Vanna felt there was something deeper and sinister to the thought. It could be real at any time. She explained how she saw it. She didn't like being manipulated either. She believed it would be the ultimate form of coercion.

"No, it would FORCE me to 'act'." Vanna said.

Allison could see it was a real issue for Vanna. It was a line she shouldn't have crossed, or even mentioned. The reality was a little too close to home.

"I was only fooling about, Vanna. Please forget it. I'm sorry." Allison said. "It was a bad joke."

Vanna was aware of what Savannah 'promised' Cameron. She seemed very intent on keeping those promises as soon as she was 'ready'. Savannah made it clear to her when they'd talked about it. It seemed Savannah planned to have a child for Cameron very soon after she was physically able to have one. She couldn't talk Savannah out of it. It wouldn't be too much longer in reality, especially if Cameron fooled around with her hormones. No one ever got any younger. Everyone got older, even if they wanted to or not.

She noticed one thing about being in the past, the present. It seemed as if all of the girls wanted to be older and grow up faster. Strangely enough, once they achieved the goal nature dictated for them, they attempted to do everything to reverse the aging procedure. It was a process which continued throughout their life. It applied to her as well. It wasn't her current concern, Savannah was. Savannah was her, even if in the current timeline they were separate individuals.

"Allison, Cameron is grooming Savannah to be with John when she's older, at his side, in his bed, and as one of his 'wives'." Vanna said. "I can see what she's doing. I want Savannah to be a girl longer and not rush her into womanhood. It would actually be motherhood at that point. I don't want Savannah to need to respond to Cameron on her soon to start 'biological clock'."

Allison could see Vanna's frustration and concern.

"What can we do?" Allison asked.

Vanna saw it for what it was.

"We can do what Cameron wants us to do…." Vanna said. "I think she's pushing Savannah to motivate us, me anyway."

Allison wondered how it would play out.

"Will it work?" Allison asked.

Allison was always worried she wouldn't be a good mother. She didn't seem to do as well around small children as others did, especially Vanna. She didn't want Vanna to be forced to do anything either, especially if there was no direct force. Somehow the indirect 'force' made it worse.

Vanna knew what it was like to be forced into womanhood younger than Savannah was now. She couldn't imagine motherhood on top of it.

"Yes. I can't allow Savannah to be rushed into 'anything' of such a nature." Vanna said. "I think Cameron is playing to win, like always. I'll do what needs to be done to protect Savannah. It's myself in reality."

Allison knew Cameron only played to win. The game was never over until Cameron won.

"You know she will win." Allison said. "Cameron always wins."

Both women feared Cameron was going to do something radical this time.

Allison noted Cameron stopped wearing her body armor when John wasn't around. She was unsure if it was to hasten Cameron's termination, or give her an excuse for not being around John because she was shot up.

She knew it would be tempting for John to be with one of the girls in Cameron's absence from the bedroom, especially when Cameron was the one pushing it. It would be hard to say 'no' to someone under such circumstances.

Allison didn't think what Cameron wanted was too different from the 'breeding sex' she attempted earlier in her life. The difference would be the love behind it this time. Who was she to sit on the sidelines and wait for something to happen?

Cameron was about to go on a mission. She didn't put her body armor on.

Allison decided to act.

Cameron wasn't going to get shot up on Allison's watch.

Allison could 'play' too. She'd put the 'game' into terms Cameron could understand.

Cameron stopped what she was doing and stared at Allison in disbelief.

"Allison, what are you doing?" Cameron asked.

Allison glanced at Cameron as she continued what she'd started.

"I'm taking my body armor off." Allison said.

Cameron was confused. It made no sense to her. She didn't want Allison to be injured or killed.

"Why?" Cameron asked.

Allison was ready to remove the body armor.

"If you don't wear yours, I won't wear mine." Allison said.

Cameron quickly put hers back on and double checked Allison's.

'You win this round, Allison.' Cameron thought.

Allison smiled to herself. She'd made her point in the only way she thought she could. Sometimes a picture needed to be painted in someone's mind which they could clearly see. Hearing it was different from seeing it. It did make a difference.

Vanna decided she could send a message too. She found Cameron sitting alone and approached her. She sat down next to her. She moved the chair very close.

"I don't like Jesse hanging around John so much, Cameron." Vanna said.

Cameron frowned.

"I dislike her spending so much time with you too." Vanna continued.

Vanna let her hand rest on Cameron's knee.

"Keep Jesse away from John and you." Vanna said. "I don't want her too close to either of you."

Cameron wondered where things were headed.

"And?" Cameron asked.

Vanna smiled at Cameron.

"It would make me 'happy'." Vanna said.

Vanna squeezed Cameron's knee and got up. Her hand trailed up the inside of Cameron's thigh. It went all the way up.

Vanna looked back at her and winked.

'We can all play.' Vanna thought.

Cameron sat with her head tilted slightly.

'What just happened?' Cameron wondered.

Vanna smiled even broader as she went out of the room. She wanted to give Cameron something to think about. She believed she made her point.

Cameron sought John Henry out and ran her plans for the future by him.

John Henry was mystified at what Cameron told him. None of it made any sense to him. There was no logic which he could derive from it. He ran thousands of possible scenarios and they all came back with the same conclusion. What Cameron planned was illogical and served no purpose.

Cameron planned to go back to her future and take Derek with her.

"Why would you take Derek with you again?" John Henry asked.

Cameron was ready for the questions.

"Derek was Future John's right hand man." Cameron said.

It was all still illogical to John Henry. The circumstances were completely different.

"It was YOUR Derek, Future Derek, not the one here." John Henry said. "Your Derek, Future Derek, was killed. Future John doesn't even know the current version of Derek. Derek only knows John, he doesn't know Future John at all."

Cameron saw it differently. She tried to justify her proposition. It actually seemed as feasible as it was logical to her.

"He could help Future John with the planning and administration. I'll be staying in the future as well to help." Cameron said. "It will be a big boost to Future John. It will help ensure the future is protected from any subsequent rise of Skynet. We all know how hard it is to keep down."

John Henry went over everything and shook his dead in disbelief. He didn't see any logical outcome possible as Cameron depicted it. It seemed as confusing as it was unnecessary.

"I must say your proposal is the worst idea I've heard so far." John Henry said. "There's no clear cut goal. It's simply unnecessary based upon our current knowledge of your future."

Cameron saw things differently. It was something personal to her.

"John Henry, I need to do this." Cameron said.

John Henry believed the Resistance here and now needed Cameron. Her best usefulness was in the present, not the future.

"No, you don't. You're needed here." John Henry said. "John needs you HERE."

John Henry monitored Cameron. He noticed she spent more time with Jesse. It was a lot of time. It was with her nicest outfits on, as she ran in full infiltration mode. He was aware Cameron wore no undergarments when she did the 'infiltration missions'. Everything was on display and available. He saw where things were headed. He still couldn't understand it.

"What about Jesse?" John Henry asked. "She would be alone if Derek was sent away."

Cameron looked away. She knew what she was doing, and why. She tried to make it sound plausible.

"She should be able to step right in and fill his shoes in all of our operations." Cameron said. "She's needed here in Derek's place."

John Henry spelled it out.

"You really mean in YOUR place don't you?" John Henry asked.

Cameron looked down. She needed to do what she felt she needed to be done.

"Maybe I do." Cameron answered softly.

John Henry wanted to put an end to the madness.

"Cameron, you need to STOP doing this." John Henry said. "I won't assist you."

Cameron brushed the hair from her neck in an innocent motion.

John Henry saw her neck port was visible. The tiny section of sheath covering was removed.

Cameron was in full infiltration mode.

He saw what Cameron was doing.

John Henry understood the 'offer'. He wanted to explore more of Cameron's program and what it was able to provide. He didn't want to sound too eager.

"I'll think about it." John Henry said.

Cameron smiled at John Henry and walked away slowly. She looked back once.

John Henry needed help from Mr. Ellison to counsel him on morality and scruples again. He knew he needed it SOON.

It was a 'death match' Cameron was about to play.

'Cameron knows how to win before the game is even started.' John Henry thought.

Cameron looked back towards the Command Center as she walked away. She didn't really know what she was doing, even if she did. She believed it was what needed to be done. Maybe it was time to pay all of the girls another visit. She would stop by her room and make the hem a little higher on her skirt. She knew what motivated the girls. She might borrow John's razor while she was at it. She would check to see if it elevated the excitement level of the girls when she scanned them.

Closing monologue by Cameron:

Scruples

It seems to be more
Of an abnormality
To find someone
With true morality

People seem to take
The things they want or desire
The behavior when questioned
Is often answered with satire

When it comes down to ethics
Most people come up short
They can always find a way
For something else to extort

In a world of duplicity
It will tax one's sanity
To find someone
Who exhibits honesty

It seems that everyone
Is always looking for loop holes
It appears to be a sad fact that
Nobody has any scruples

Nobody