Chapter 225

Complicated

John Henry was very disturbed by what Cameron mentioned to him about 'appropriating' the F-16 fighter from the Air Force. What she was able to do with it compared to the two F-18 fighters from the Navy wasn't too surprising. The F-16 offered much better performance than the F-18 was capable of. The ability of the F-16 to climb could only be matched by a few aircraft. The F-18 wasn't one of them. It wasn't even close. The F-18 was also considerably slower as well as less maneuverable. The fact she did it, is what was surprising. It was as reckless as it was careless.

Based upon Cameron's earlier performance with the two drones, it showed it wasn't always the aircraft itself, but the pilot who controlled it which mattered more. While some aircraft were more capable than others, a good pilot could make a difference. There was no need to take a risk for amusement.

He didn't want Cameron damaged needlessly. He was unsure how to tell John. He laid it out as fact. He told John about the incident.

John listened to John Henry. He was shown the military reports of the incident. Even with all of it laid out for him, he found it hard to believe. On the surface, it seemed like outright insanity. It reminded him of a movie he saw one time about how two individuals would race towards the edge of a cliff, to see which one of them jumped out first. The one who jumped out first was the 'chicken'. The one who stayed in the longest could end up dead and going over the side of the cliff. At what point did the risk outweigh the reward? He needed to refocus.

"Cameron was the one behind it?" John asked. "It's difficult to comprehend."

John Henry thought he was quite clear. There was no guess work.

"It's just what it sounds like." John Henry said.

John could see deeper implications for the Resistance. Even when Cameron did things 'outside the scope of the Resistance', because she didn't want to taint it, her actions still could if they were traced back to her and who else she was associated with. It didn't matter if it was an official Resistance operation or not.

"She's going to bring unnecessary attention to us." John said. "We don't need more people looking for us."

John didn't want some version of Skynet to pick up on anything being done by the Resistance in the past. They tried to keep everything low-key and in the background when it came to Skynet. The goal was to make Skynet believe John Connor, Sarah Connor, and any other known associates of the Resistance in the past were terminated. It was one of the reasons why Cameron always made sure every time she destroyed a Skynet mainframe, it knew it was her, not his mother or him.

John Henry got on top of events and tried to clean them up.

"I've already gone in and scrubbed everything since I found out." John Henry said. "I've changed the records. It's as if the plane never existed. It's now listed the airframe was used in 'destructive testing' when the block of aircraft was constructed. There is always testing at various stages, or changes, in aircraft construction or design."

John was good with it, but there were safety considerations for Cameron. There were always a number of things which could go wrong.

"What if she miscalculated the drift of the parachute and ended up in the Pacific?" John asked. "She could have missed the jet stream or it could have not been as strong as she calculated."

John Henry saw the answer as easy.

"Then she would've experienced a wet walk home." John Henry said. "It could have taken a while. She did make it all the way to Nevada. It was her goal to go further east. It didn't happen. It was a miscalculation on her part."

John was aware of the root cause of it. It was the same story they often 'fought' about.

"It's because she still feels she's in the way of me being with the girls instead of me being with her." John said. "She feels she interrupted the 'Natural Order'. It's only because of my actions why Vanna, Allison, and Jesse are even here now. It would still be Savannah and Young Allison who would be the ones a little further in the future. She's taking things out of context. She's trying to shake a shortcut she doesn't need to take."

John Henry felt the problem was deep in her Resistance programming.

"She's obsessed with her duty to protect you, John. It's in her base programming. It's what she lives for and exists for." John Henry said. "She does everything to protect you and protect the future for you."

It always caused John an immense amount of frustration. It was a 'no win' situation for both of them. In order for Cameron to 'win', she would need to 'lose'.

"I know she loves me. I know it. I don't know how to help her. I don't." John said. "I want to help her, but I CAN'T hurt her to help her. I know what she wants, but I KNOW it will hurt her."

The solution seemed quite straight forward to John Henry. There were worse alternatives which could come about

"Hurt is better than terminated." John Henry said.

The same issue haunted John for years.

"Don't you think I know that?" John asked angrily.

John Henry felt the ball was in John's court. He held the key to the solution.

"Life is about choices." John Henry said. "Few of them are easy."

John really wondered what he was supposed to do. Whatever he did would be wrong, whatever he didn't do would be wrong. It was a 'no win' situation.

Cameron started to find enjoyment in her terminations. It seemed to be especially so if she could make the target suffer some first. It was very unlike her. It wasn't standard Terminator proficiency. After the events, it always made her feel worse about herself. She remembered Jesse told her much the same thing about the things she did to other people, just because she could. None of them ever made her feel better once they were done. Things didn't play like she thought they would. It made her want to spend more time at the Young residence instead.

Claire was due soon. Cameron was there everyday at the Young residence. Maybe it was an excuse 'to get away from it all'. She was excited about the baby. She couldn't wait to see little Summer and hold her. She wondered what it was like to have a living being inside you. How special was it to have your body provide nourishment for it, to feel it grow and to have your body feed it after birth….

Since there was no further threat, or action taken against the Young family, or the Resistance, things settled back down to 'normal'. What was normal? Was anything associated with Skynet or the Resistance normal? It seemed to be more of a case of 'no news', was 'good news'.

Gail and Sheila were put back in rotation. There were still three Terminators on the Young Detail, plus Holly.

Holly asked to stay on as she enjoyed taking care of Young Allison and being alone with Allison. They spent every night together when Allison didn't have 'visitors'.

Allison wanted to stay with her mother until after the baby was born.

Cameron brought Vanna at least twice a week to visit. Sometimes Jesse was there as well.

Allison talked it over with Vanna and received her approval for a plan to share with Holly. She asked Holly if she wanted to be with Vanna and her together at the same time. Holly said 'no'. She only wanted to be with her. It wasn't what she really wanted to hear. She understood Holly's devotion and commitment. It wouldn't allow her to expand and grow if she stayed focused on only one individual.

Vanna and Allison would spend the night together. When the event occurred, Cameron would always sit with Holly. Usually they sat on the bed sideways with their feet on the floor, often lying back as they stared at the ceiling. She would take Holly's hand sometimes and hold it in silence. She knew it's what she would feel herself when John would be with Allison, Vanna, or Jesse in the future. There was nothing to say. It's just how it was. Holly knew it. She knew it's what would happen to her. It was inevitable. It was fate. Life was very complicated at times.

"I will be there for you when it's your 'turn'." Holly said to Cameron.

Cameron tried to put on a brave face as she responded.

"Thank you, Holly. I'll need it." Cameron said. "I know it MUST be done to protect John."

Before Vanna or Allison would come out of Allison's room in the morning, Cameron and Holly would find something to do. They would pretend they'd been busy all night and not lying in silence as someone's heart was ripped out. Even if there was no actual heart, there were still the feelings of a 'heart'.

Holly missed Isabel who she could interface with and be able to touch the 'Cameron' inside of Isabel. The only thing more special than it would be for Cameron and her to tether together. Cameron never volunteered. She never could muster the nerve to ask. To touch Cameron's mind was more than 'special'.

It was time to get breakfast ready and check on Young Allison. Cameron and Holly got up and resumed their duties as if nothing happened. There was no need to make the girls feel self-conscious or guilty for being who they were. Vanna's and Allison's relationship was long established. Even with its ups and downs, it would probably outlast every other relationship around them.

Holly felt a little jealous of Cameron as she KNEW Cameron could take any one of the girls, at any time if she wanted to, from their partner. Everyone wanted Cameron, even her. She knew Cameron knew. Cameron gave her what she could as she did to all of the team. Cameron did all she could without compromising herself to John.

Holly didn't think John appreciated what a fine woman Cameron was. She would then think it was her jealousy talking, as she wanted to be with John herself when Cameron was 'on' her chip. John was right there in front of her THEN. He was right THERE for the taking.

Why were things which should be so easy and beneficial to everyone so difficult and hard?

'Life is so complicated.' Holly thought.

Kyle and Derek went out on operations with Jim and a rotating Terminator. Sometimes Bob and John would join them. They were still tracking down Grays from both futures. Cameron provided them with a list of people suspected in her future and Riley brought back additional information from their future when she came.

The Reese brothers liked to deal with the future Grays from their future if they could be the ones to get the assignment. It was a little more personal to them since they were the individuals who created the death and destruction in what they grew up in. They wouldn't hesitate to deal with a future Gray from Cameron's future either if the opportunity presented itself. It seemed Cameron liked to deal with most of those herself. It was probably for the same reasons they felt.

Cameron made it a point to interact with all of them, including Riley, on a regular basis. She always liked to surprise them, especially Derek, with something.

They all thought Cameron was the greatest.

To hear people praise her made Cameron feel good about herself, even if it was for a very short time. She still couldn't see what they could possibly see in a walking pile of junk.

Cameron felt her hand glitch when she thought about it.

Savannah learned vast computer skills from John Henry and Vanna. She would work with Mr. Murch and Vanna when they repaired Terminator damage.

Vanna was always there to answer any 'girl' questions Savannah might have. She was usually able to answer them before Savannah even asked. After all, they were the same person with the same body. She was well acquainted with everything Savannah's body could do and everything she might want to do with it.

There were some things she couldn't talk about with Savannah. There was still a lot of shame and guilt involved with the things which happened to her. She didn't want Savannah to be tainted by them. Most of all, she never wanted any of those things to happen to Savannah.

Savannah often missed her parents. Vanna and Cameron shared in the role of her 'mother' at times. Sarah, Allison, Jesse, and Riley all helped out. Gail and Holly would be there in a flash if needed. She still missed her mother, both of them.

Everyone wondered what ever happened to Mrs. Weaver. Where was Mrs. Weaver? All they knew was she was 'in some future' with an army of Terminators. She only helped everyone so far. She hadn't done anything to betray them. It still seemed there were a lot of apprehension and trust issues involved. It was actually more of a personal problem than anything.

It was Mrs. Weaver's personality which irritated everyone, not her actions.

Cameron wondered about it. She was very aware she continued to evolve and be 'more human'. She wondered what Mrs. Weaver's programming evolved into. She knew it wouldn't stay the same. Would she end up better or worse in her dealings with humans? Would she become more like a human, or more like Skynet? It was a legitimate question. It was one she continued to ask about herself.

Bob was always near John on an operation or when they went out. Either Cameron or him was always there with John to protect him.

He understood he was closest to John because of the previous Terminator with the same DNA who protected John when he was younger. In the alternate future John picked his model to put a copy of Cameron's chip in. He was chosen by John. The knowledge always made him feel special.

Cameron took Bob out on a few 'fun nights'. They did have 'fun' first, and then Cameron went 'hunting'. The hunting seemed to be the 'fun' for her. He knew Cameron tested him and the other Terminators. He thought back on one incident recently. He was still somewhat bothered by it on several levels.

Cameron approached Bob with a smile on her face. He wasn't sure if it was a good sign or a bad sign. It seemed Cameron didn't often smile anymore unless it was deliberate.

"Are you ready for some fun tonight, Bob?" Cameron asked.

Bob already knew no one said 'no' to Cameron.

"Affirm…Yes." Bob said.

He remembered she wanted more 'normal' human speech.

"It's what I like to hear." Cameron said.

Bob wasn't sure if it was the 'yes' answer or the word 'yes' itself she liked to hear. He wondered what direction things would go.

"What fun will we have tonight?" Bob asked.

Cameron wasn't usually specific. He wasn't even sure she knew herself at times. He was sure she looked for targets of opportunity to engage with. She probably thought it was more challenging to go into something unknown and prevail.

"I'm working on a few things." Cameron said.

Her statement didn't give Bob much of a clue. More than likely it would be targets of opportunity. He didn't have a problem with it. Sometimes there were individuals who needed to be put into their place. Depending upon their actions, 'their place' could be the ground, permanently. The future could always do better with fewer Scavengers.

They went out and watched a movie. It was about vampires. He would personally terminate any vampires they ran across. He was sure he could rip their head off. He would do it and then crush it. He didn't think he needed silver bullets or a wooden stake through their heart. He thought he could reach in and rip their heart out too. It would explode in his hand as he crushed it. Vampires might be strong, but they were no match for a Terminator.

He was very unsettled as he watched the movie. What if he was attacked and 'infected' by a vampire? Could there be a Terminator vampire? He thought one of the female Terminators would be more suitable for it than a male Terminator.

He originally thought it would be more efficient to 'plug in' and download the movie. It would all happen very quickly. Now he was glad he didn't do it. The files he wanted to delete would be easier to do without the download. There were certain things he could make himself 'unsee'.

When they left the theater it was late. They attended the last show. Usually the troublemakers and crazies were the only ones out at such a late hour. The closer it got to the 'Witching Hour', the more likely the individuals they encountered deserved some type of interaction, 'Terminator Style'.

Bob looked around when they left. He didn't care for the surroundings.

"This theater is in a bad neighborhood." Bob said.

Cameron smiled. It was a genuine smile.

"Imagine that." Cameron said. "Here we are all alone on the wrong side of the tracks."

Bob wondered why they used the rear exit and didn't return to their SUV. They were on some side street now near the theater. He realized it was part of the test. He was being tested and evaluated. The movie must have been to throw him off some. It did. He found some of the images disturbing. Death should be much more efficient than what he witnessed on the movie screen. Maybe a Terminator vampire would be a better choice to go with. He quickly refocused on their surroundings.

"This location looks like trouble." Bob said.

Cameron nodded. She believed it was a self perpetuating problem. She didn't blame the police as much as she did the prosecutors. If the DA's office didn't prosecute the criminals, what was the point in the police arresting them? Once the need for bail was eliminated, the perpetrators were back out on the street committing more crimes before the police could even finish their reports about the earlier incident.

"It's part of the problem." Cameron said. "Everyone knows it is, but no one wants to take out the trash. Someone needs to stand up for justice. Someone needs to protect the innocent."

Bob figured it was what they were about to do.

"It looks like it will be our job tonight." Bob said.

Cameron looked around her with disgust.

"Problem areas don't fix themselves." Cameron said. "These are Scavenger breeding grounds."

With their predator pheromones all the dogs ran off or cowered in their own urine as they walked down the street.

They soon heard some yelling and a lot of cuss words. There was a scream.

It was obvious a male was abusing a female.

They entered an alley and spotted three individuals. Two of them were males and one was a female. Her clothing below the waist was missing. Her top was ripped and torn.

They moved up close to the trio.

Cameron looked at Bob. It was time for action.

"Is that anyway to treat a lady?" Cameron asked.

Bob didn't like what he saw.

"No." Bob said.

One of the men pushed the female to the ground. She let out another scream.

The three thugs looked in their direction.

"Who are you?" The first punk asked.

Bob moved forward between the men and the female.

"Retribution…." Bob said.

Cameron assisted the female. She reached down and handed the female her pants.

"Take off." Cameron said. "Get away from here as fast as you can. Don't look back."

The female ran down the alley and turned the corner. She still held her pants in her hand.

The men issued a string of threats and cuss words.

As soon as the female made her turn and disappeared, Bob acted.

Cameron watched as Bob took action. He slammed the first punk up against a garage with his fist. He went down like a rock and stayed there. His heart and lungs were crushed. The second punk tried to run. Bob rabbit punched him at the base of his neck. His spine snapped. His head rolled off to the side at a crazy angle. The third punk took off in the other direction. He was too slow. Bob grabbed him and threw him to the ground. He put one foot on the punk's chest and applied a substantial amount of force. The punk could neither inhale or exhale.

"I can't breathe." The punk gasped.

Cameron figured it was the least of his worries.

"I hear it a lot." Cameron said. "You soon won't need to breathe at all."

Bob reached down with his hands and twisted the punk's head. They could hear the neck snap.

Cameron watched the whole event.

"It was quite spectacular." Cameron said.

Bob thought about the movie they watched earlier.

"I wanted to make sure they couldn't come back as vampires." Bob said.

Cameron tilted her head slightly.

Bob could see Cameron didn't know if he was serious or joking. He wasn't sure himself. It just seemed like the right thing to say based upon the earlier events.

"I think we are done for the night." Cameron said. "It was a little more complicated than I imagined."

Bob was ready to have some more 'fun'. He didn't like how the three men treated the female. At least the movie didn't bother him as much now. Humans were soft targets. He really didn't think vampires would be able to resist any better.

Cameron always liked to target drug operations. She was able to get plenty of cash and equipment. No one knew how extensive of an operation she put together on her own.

She was afraid she became Skynet. Now, with her own clandestine force, maybe she would one day become Skynet. She'd already laid the groundwork.

Bob pressed Cameron on it once. Cameron assured him all she wanted was an operation which would be separate from anything Mrs. Weaver was ever involved in. Cameron wanted a back up ready. Cameron wanted a back up for everything, including females for John. She wanted a backup for herself.

He knew she was thrilled with the new baby on the way, Allison's sister. He watched the female Terminators with babies and children before. They all were very good at taking care of them. He was glad he didn't have to do it. He knew he could if he needed to. It would simply be another challenge. Terminators didn't want to fail any challenge.

Bob noticed how Cameron kept all the girls with each other. Even the female Terminator's were 'allocated' to the girls. Cameron made sure all the females were happy and 'occupied'. All the females were being kept in 'reserve' for John. It included both humans and the Metal girls. Cameron was in control of everything, even if she didn't know it herself. He was sure she was well aware of everything. He knew Cameron was ruthless in achieving her ends, regardless of the means. If Cameron ever did become Skynet, they were all screwed.

Game Over.

'Secret Agent Man' by 'Johnny Rivers', came to Bob's mind.

Nobody knew everything Cameron did.

Closing monologue by Cameron:

Complicated

It seems few things work out
As they were carefully calculated
Creating uncertainty and doubt
Leaving one to feel frustrated

To seek the one we want
Should make us feel elated
For they are the one whom
We've become infatuated

Little by little we feel them grow
Until we are slowly captivated
The weight from within is lifted
We feel exhilarated and liberated

Around them we are motivated
We feel quite stimulated
What two together have created
Seeks to be shared and consummated

Things can happen and go wrong
Leaving us deflated and devastated
It will make us feel aggravated
Our future annihilated and terminated

It must be fated even if belated
The love once anticipated
Has suddenly evaporated
Why is life so complicated

Nobody