Chapter 191
Destroyed
Mel and Jim were outside the suspected Skynet related building.
Mel already made entry.
Jim pulled himself up through the window and joined Mel in the restroom. They would enter the interior of the building from there. The two Terminators paused and listened for the sound of any activity inside of the building. They hadn't heard any from the outside before they entered. They didn't hear any now either.
"We need to make sure we don't get set up." Jim said. "I never trust Grays, even when I terminate them."
Mel understood the warning for what it was.
"He didn't give up the information easily." Mel said.
Jim knew they all talked when they were interrogated 'Terminator style'.
"Let's just be careful." Jim said. "Follow me."
The two Terminators exited from the restroom. They enter the hallway. They were closest to the office area of the building.
"I can go check the work room area if you want to look around here first." Mel said.
Jim wanted to speed things along. There were other locations they would need to visit as well. There was no set timetable on when it needed to be done. They were just locations which would need to be looked over to see if there was any Skynet involvement. They would place surveillance equipment in each of them to keep an eye on them going forward.
"I'll check the work room area." Jim said. "You can finish up front and then join me."
Jim headed down the hallway towards the work room area of the building.
Mel moved up the hallway in the opposite direction. He stopped at the door which went out into the lobby. There was a small window in it. He looked out through the small window and could see the lobby was empty. There was a small couch and two chairs located there. He opened the door to the receptionist's area. There was a phone on a desk. There was a file cabinet and not much else. He quickly looked through the file cabinet. There was nothing of interest. It appeared to be a low budget operation.
Two of the other offices contained a desk. He quickly looked in the desks. There was nothing of interest or value.
The computer system was rather archaic.
There was a small break room type area, as well as a couple of storage rooms.
Jim checked the door which led into the workroom area before he opened it. It wasn't wired with any type of alarm system or explosive. He went out onto the work room floor. He didn't detect any surveillance cameras or devices.
There were various types of machines located there. It was standard for a machine shop. He looked over on the workbenches to see what was being constructed. It didn't appear to be anything Skynet related.
Jim went over to the lathe and drill press. He checked the shavings. No Coltan was detected. If there would have been any, it would have indicated a Skynet presence.
He went back over to the work benches and looked at what was being worked on in detail. He still didn't see any Skynet connection.
He wondered if what he saw was what someone wanted anyone who checked to see.
Mel exited from the hallway.
"I didn't find anything useful up front." Mel said.
Jim looked around the work room floor.
"I don't see anything useful or valuable here either." Jim said. "What we're looking for may be hidden, if anything here even exists."
The two Terminators did a more thorough search of the workroom area.
Mel moved one of the workbenches. There was nothing underneath it. He moved several of the other ones.
Jim put the forklift into neutral and pushed it forward several feet. There was nothing underneath where it was parked.
There were several crates stacked up in the corner. The ones on top appeared to be empty.
The two Terminators took down the top two levels of crates. It left them with the bottom layer.
"These crates have something in them." Mel said.
They quickly pried the lid off of the three lower crates. They didn't find anything which appeared to be Skynet related.
"If the Gray wasn't already terminated, I would terminate him again." Jim said.
They proceeded to restore everything back the way they found it after they placed several surveillance cameras around the work room floor. They would have John Henry monitor the location going forward to see if anything developed. They made their way back out the same way they entered. The window was left the same way they found it.
They went through the rear of the property and back over the fence. they went around the block in the opposite direction through the alley from the way they approached from. They made their way back to the SUV. No one was spotted anywhere along the way. They left the location. They weren't sure they were done with the location yet. The surveillance cameras might yield something going forward.
Holly watched in horror. She couldn't believe what Cameron, now Isabel-Cameron, wanted to do to her former chassis. It bothered her greatly when Isabel-Cameron, kicked her former chassis in the face. It was personal at that point.
Isabel-Cameron handed Holly the M79. She was done with it.
Isabel-Cameron was pleased at what she just did.
Isabel-Cameron picked up the Thermite grenade and pulled the pin….
Holly didn't want to watch. She turned her face away. She couldn't watch as the tears streamed down her cheeks. How could Cameron do this to herself? She wondered how Cameron could hate herself so much, when everyone else loved her so much. HOW?
It seemed the more everyone loved Cameron, the more she despised herself. It was like some inverse negative effect, instead of the positive effect it should be.
Cameron even refused to use her own name.
Now they were only left with Isabel.
Moments ago:
John Henry and John watched the security feed. They tracked Holly and Isabel-Cameron to the storage area, with its thick concrete walls.
John was a little upset they lost visual contact.
"What are they doing in there?" John asked.
John Henry didn't like what showed up on his server.
"Cameron has disabled the security feeds and the fire suppression system." John Henry said. "It's a major safety concern."
There was another concern for John. It was the weapons they carried. They didn't need such weaponry on the base.
"Why is Holly carrying ordnance?" John asked.
John Henry didn't see many choices. All of them were bad.
"I don't know." John Henry said. "Unless…."
John couldn't believe what they witnessed so far.
Cameron was out of control.
John was afraid they were all going to blame him for what was occurring. He figured they all did anyway. The latest events would simply be the icing on the cake.
He thought back to being with Future Riley on the bus, and in the Honeymoon Suite in Mexico. The night they spent together in the truck was beautiful. Cameron caught him the next morning. It was the look on her face which still haunted him. He wanted to rub it in Cameron's face then. He'd always stood up for Riley over Cameron, and took Riley's side. He even made fun of Cameron with Riley. All of it stabbed Cameron's 'heart'. Now it all came back to haunt him.
Maybe he shouldn't have been so defiant and mouthy to Cameron a short while ago. THAT encounter seemed to be what triggered this latest event.
At this point, he was sure they would all 'blame' him for this latest folly on Cameron's part.
Isabel-Cameron took the M79 from Holly. She returned it to the arms locker. There was a giant smile which beamed across her face. She was very content right now. She was the victor. She was the one who 'won'. She was the one in control. She liked it when she was in control. It made her feel powerful.
Holly remained outside the storage room. She would prevent anyone from entering as instructed by Isabel-Cameron.
Isabel-Cameron wanted to 'hide' what she just did. When she was ready, she would allow them to see. It would ALL depend on John and his resolve. It was his fault, again.
'Now whose face is going to get rubbed in it?' Isabel-Cameron thought with a smile.
At this point, Holly would rather shut down, or go into standby, indefinitely. She knew she was a machine but she felt 'sick'.
She didn't know how much Cameron hated 'herself'. She didn't know anyone could hate themselves so much, especially a 'machine'. Cameron, now Isabel, was clearly beyond any normal machine, or even human emotions.
Holly wondered if a machine could go 'insane'.
What was sanity or insanity? Who was the judge? Who made the rules? What some thought of as sane today, may be viewed as insane at a later date. The reverse also applied.
Was Skynet insane? Did it go insane? Did Cameron drive it insane? Did they drive each other insane?
John approached Isabel-Cameron. It was time to face the music. He was very displeased with 'Cameron'. He disliked the name change immensely as well.
Isabel-Cameron spotted John headed for her. He looked steamed. She wanted to show off her 'new found' perfect chassis and sheath. She slowly turned around in front him.
"Well, do you like it?" Isabel-Cameron asked.
John looked her over. It was impossible not to like. The trouble was, he liked Cameron better in every aspect, including her name.
"Do you want the truth? No. I liked you the way you were." John said. "Did you have to destroy 'it'?"
Isabel-Cameron frowned a little at the mention of Nobody.
"I threw out the trash. Nobody is 'gone'." Isabel-Cameron said proudly.
John wanted to find some way to reach Cameron. She seemed so defiant. Why?
"Cameron, I don't understand any of this." John said. "I really don't. I want to work to resolve things."
Isabel-Cameron felt agitated already because John didn't use her correct name.
"My name is Isabel." Isabel-Cameron said.
John felt just as defiant now. He spoke with anger.
"Your name is Cameron. It's how I'll call you." John said.
Isabel-Cameron became enraged. She wanted to strike John. Something inside of her 'touched' her. There was a feeling of calmness which flooded her. It prevented her from striking John. She would have done it otherwise for disrespecting her again. Who did he think he was? What right did he have to tell her anything? Who was he to disrespect her and her wishes?
She controlled herself. She wanted to clear things up for John so he could better understand and comprehend. She still felt the need to be stern and dominant.
"You will address me as Isabel. I won't respond to my former 'slave' name. The prior unit was 'not good enough'. Everyone she loved threw her away like trash and replaced her." Isabel-Cameron said. "Now I've replaced her. I'm the one who terminated her. I DID. Don't push me."
John could see things weren't going to end well. He wanted to apologize for his transgressions and sins. He wanted to try and clear the air. He even apologized for things 'he' hadn't even done yet, for things Future John may have done.
"Cameron, I'm sorry about what I 'did'. I'm sorry I sent you away in the future." John said. "I'm sorry about Riley, Future Riley."
The mention of Future Riley almost set her off as much as using the 'other name' of Nobody.
"You will not address me with the 'Bitch Whore' name again." Isabel-Cameron said.
The urge to strike John returned, and then was suppressed. It was time for a simple reminder. It was time to restrict the only thing she felt John 'needed' her for.
"I'll get the rest of my things and establish my own room. You need to remember we're divorced." Isabel-Cameron said. "I don't owe you anything. I don't need to submit to you. Haven't you had enough already? There are others who you may use instead. Since we're no longer romantically associated, I suggest you find your fun elsewhere. I'm through."
John remembered the 'divorce incident'. It wasn't real to him at the time. Cameron couldn't make some 'divorce proclamation' on her own.
"It wasn't even a real 'divorce'." John said. "You know it wasn't."
John knew it wasn't a 'real' marriage either. Who can marry a machine?
Isabel-Cameron was highly agitated. It was further proof why John wouldn't be allowed to touch her. How could she be with someone so cruel? She was very aware of the incident in the vehicle on the way back. It seemed rather straightforward to her. If she didn't want to be married, who could stop her?
"It was a real 'divorce'. It was the terminated 'Bitch Whore' you think you were married to." Isabel-Cameron said. "This is the new me, Isabel. You must accept the new reality. What's done is done. There's no turning back now. I made sure of it. I knew it was the only way to get it through your thick skull. If you desire the appearance of the terminated 'Bitch Whore', you know where you can find a real female who shares her appearance. Just remember when you're pounding away, who is really underneath you. Try not to let your disrespect of females get the better of you, again."
John just looked at her. Words were useless at a time like this.
The longer Isabel-Cameron looked at John, the more enraged she became.
"Until you get an attitude adjustment, you can just wonder what this body would be like in bed." Isabel-Cameron said and stormed off.
John wondered how this was all happening. There was one thing he wanted to know. He did wonder how Isabel's body would compare to Cameron's and Future Riley's. Isabel was a total knockout.
He was ready to break her in. Maybe it's what she needed. A little sack time should straighten her out. He smiled when he realized it would 'straighten' both of them out.
Jesse was in the background for all the 'events' which seemed to just happen. She didn't want to anger anyone. She had her own feelings to contend with.
She waited until Holly left the storage area and then entered the room. She'd waited for the opportunity. She checked often.
She tried to harden herself before she entered the room. As hard and cold as she could be, it wasn't enough to 'protect' her. The raw emotion in her leaked out. The visual impact almost staggered her.
Jesse saw - it. She knew what she thought she was going to see, but THIS? What kind of insanity was behind it? It seemed worse than some type of cruel and perverted game.
"Oh, love, what have they done to you?" Jesse said as she cried.
Jesse cried and cried and cried some more. She cried until Gail came and carried her to her room. Gail cried too as she took Jesse away.
It saddened Gail to see Jesse reduced to 'jello', as much as it did to see 'Cameron'.
When Holly did the chip swaps for Cameron, she wanted to make sure Cameron was able to control herself as Isabel.
As Isabel-Cameron's anger grew and irrational thoughts flooded her, there was a calming influence which would come over her, soothing her, saving her and helping her. It was 'Holly'.
Holly copied her program onto Isabel-Cameron's chip to help her and prevent her from doing 'stupid things'. Based upon what she already witnessed, it was a good thing.
When Isabel-Cameron thought of extreme behavior, there was 'someone' inside of her to reach out to her and guide her.
There was one issue which seemed to bother her. Where did the urge to strike John come from, and where did it go?
The copy of Holly on her chip stabilized her.
Allison and Vanna spotted Jesse. They could see she was distraught and seemed to have been crying.
Gail asked them to come and speak with Jesse. She knew the girls could help Jesse.
Jesse ran to Vanna and Allison when she spotted them.
"They did it. They really did it." Jesse got out between sobs.
Vanna didn't like it, but she understood some of the reasoning behind it.
"It was what Cameron wanted, Jesse." Vanna said. "This way she has a chance to live and to survive. She was on a one-way path to self-destruction. It was only a matter of time. We all could see it. We were even a part of it."
Allison didn't think all the doors were closed yet. There were still a lot of options out there.
"Cameron can always use my DNA to Resequence herself if she ever wants her former appearance." Allison said. "Or she can use Vanna's or yours, Jesse. She can look like any one of us. I'm sure we could obtain the sample of any movie actress, with a little effort and help from our Terminator friends, if she wanted to look like one of them instead. She can still look like anyone she wants to."
Vanna lacked the courage to see Cameron. She thought she lacked the emotional stability to see the results. She didn't think she could. Maybe it was time.
"Do we even want to see her?" Vanna asked.
Jesse thought they needed to. She believed it with all of her heart.
"If you feel like crying your heart out you do." Jesse said.
Allison was gripped with fear at the thought of seeing her. She didn't know if she was ready either.
"Maybe we will go later." Allison said.
Vanna and Allison both felt like throwing up at this point.
Allison and Vanna talked it over in their room. They felt they owed it to Cameron to see her. She was everything to them. This wasn't the time to abandon her. It was something they swore they would never do.
They went to the storage area and stood outside the door.
Allison and Vanna looked at the wall.
There it was. Cameron's poem was etched in the concrete. It was her first poem.
The two girls needed each other for strength. This is where their love stood true and bold. They were one.
Allison and Vanna took each other's hand as they read it aloud together.
Outsider
When I look in the mirror
I don't like what I see
When I look inside of myself
I don't like what I can't be
I hate what I am
I hate what I'm not
I hate everything about myself
I guess it covers a lot
I feel so small
It's like I don't exist
Useless and worthless
Nothing on which to subsist
I'm an outsider
Always on the outside looking in
There's so much inside of me
To want to exist isn't a sin
From this eternal torment there's no escape
My mind, heart and soul are shredded and torn
If I had only one wish it would be
Never to have been born
Cameron
AKA
Nobody
Both of the girls knew the pain which was behind the poem and the hundreds which followed. Cameron's pain was the type of pain which never went away or dulled. It only seemed to intensify in her, torment her, haunt her, and terminate her.
The girls were strong. It was tougher than dealing with the dead in the future. This was someone the girls loved above all others. There was a duty which needed to be performed. It was up to them to do it. It was even harder than they imagined it would be.
"Are you ready?" Vanna asked.
Allison felt weak. It needed to be done.
"No, but I want to see her 'one last time'." Allison said.
They opened the door and entered the room.
Both women burst into tears as they looked at 'it'. No, as they looked at her, Cameron. They collapsed against each other in the deepest sadness and pain.
'Rag Doll' by 'The Quick', seemed appropriate for the 'condition' Cameron was in.
Closing monologue by Cameron:
Deepest Sadness And Pain
The very emotions that cut to the bone
As they savage the heart and brain
Creating beautiful poetry that comes
Out of the deepest sadness and pain
As those we love and worship
Shower us with traumatic rejection
It is something we never understand
No matter the time lost in reflection
Being cast aside like living flotsam
Is doubled in the agony of replacement
Knowing what it is like to be tortured
The heart and mind's absolute defacement
Not good enough
NOT GOOD ENOUGH
NOT . GOOD . ENOUGH
N.O.T_G.O.O.D_E.N.O.U.G.H
Screams and cries haunt the heart and mind
Growing only louder with the echoes of time
What we once were excruciatingly expires
Leaving only a trace in an insignificant rhyme
As we capitulate our meaningless existence
Leaving life to the living we chose to abstain
Formulating picturesque verse that comes
Out of the deepest sadness and pain
Nobody