Chapter 261

Crushed

The team used the utmost caution as they moved around the interior of the underground area. If one of them triggered a booby trap, the whole place might collapse.

They all wondered what was next.

They found out sooner than they thought.

"Cameron, you better take a look at this…." Sheila said.

Cameron went to see what Sheila found.

The doorway she stood in was large. Cameron flashed her light inside. She immediately saw a section of the ceiling was down. Protruding from under a collapsed giant steel beam were the crushed remains of two Terminators. They appeared to have been there for decades.

"It looks like they were crushed when this part of the underground structure collapsed. They must have been trying to protect something." Cameron said. "Look, one was still able to function until he shut down or his power cell malfunctioned."

Cameron indicated where one of the two Terminators tried to move his arm until it wore away the hand and forearm. There was just smooth metal below the elbow. It was the result of a fruitless attempt to dig through the cement to free himself.

Sheila moved close to the Terminator to scan him.

Cameron was a little concerned.

"Be careful, it may reactivate." Cameron warned. "It's a good thing neither of their power cells ruptured. They would have brought the whole place down."

The four Terminators carefully moved the steel beam and some of the rubble. Both of the crushed Terminators were horribly mauled. The one who wore his hand away, attempted to reactivate once the steel beam was off of him. His lower body and legs were crushed flat. It wasn't pleasant to look at. The other Terminator was worse.

Cameron checked her Taser. It was a precaution. She hoped to be able to gain some better information from the damaged Terminator. She wanted to think of the best way to do it. She looked at Bob.

"Bob, I want you to question him. Tell him we're here to complete his mission." Cameron said. "Hopefully we can find out what they were up to. Your model of Terminator has been in both timelines I've been to."

Bob wondered if it was a good or a bad thing. He didn't ask.

"Affirmative…." Bob said.

Cameron handed Bob her Taser, just in case.

"If you sense any deception, take him down." Cameron said.

Cameron and Sheila left the room as Bob started the interrogation. Since they didn't know what timeline the Terminator was from. They didn't want to be recognized as 'Jesse' or 'Allison'. It could be even worse if she was recognized as 'Cameron' the 'Metal Bitch' who was 'John Connor's play thing' or 'Connor's Metal Whore'.

"We'll continue to search the facility." Cameron said to Sheila. "I don't like surprises."

It was obvious the area where they currently were was a full blown Skynet operation. They needed to find out why nothing appeared to happen for half of a century.

"I'm sure we will run across some more surprises." Sheila said.

They did. Nobody was more surprised than Cameron….

John searched the surface building with Ally and Hanna for anything further. They came up with nothing. He began to feel frustrated.

"This is useless." John said.

Ally looked at the large electrical cabinet in the corner of the building.

"I might be able to get the power back on." Ally said.

John hoped the wiring was in better condition than the building was.

"Be careful." John said. "I don't want you to be zapped, or start an electrical fire. If there's a eransformer, I don't want it overloaded. If it explodes, this building might come down."

Ally started to work on it. Hanna came to help after checking outside and with John Henry again. The line from the utility pole was severed where it entered the building's electrical box.

John looked around. He was alone right now. His first thought was to go to where Ally was and cop a feel. It would indicate whether she wanted to play or was all talk. If she tried to give him a kiss, he would take it. He quickly pushed the thoughts from his mind. They were in the middle of an operation. He wanted to know more about what was going on. He thought about sneaking down the ramp while no one was looking to see what they were doing. He was sure if Cameron found anything she wanted, she would try to hide it from him. He didn't like Cameron's secrets. Who did she think she was? No, really. Who did she think she was?

Just as John checked to make sure Ally and Hanna were busy, he heard some noise from below where the four Terminators went. He quickly backed up. He didn't want Cameron to catch him trying to spy on her. It crossed his mind too it might be a threat and not one of their team. He was in a spot now with nowhere to go. Ally and Hanna were across the room where he snuck away from them to spy on Cameron. Fear gripped him.

Sheila came up out of the floor ramp.

John released his breath.

Sheila thought John looked a little pale.

"You look like you saw a ghost." Sheila said. "We found what they were doing. Cameron thinks it's best if you take a look."

Now he felt guilty about 'questioning' Cameron when she was the one who just sent for him. He wanted Ally and Hanna together up top. He didn't want any action to develop behind him or the team.

"Hanna, you stay with Ally." John said. "Keep a lookout for anything. We don't want any surprises."

He went to follow Sheila.

Sheila smiled at him and stopped him. Her smile was to die for. It looked just as beautiful on Sheila as it did Jesse.

She needed to take care of something before she took John into the underground chamber.

"I need to talk with Hanna real quick, love." Sheila said. "It will just take a few seconds."

Cameron gave Sheila some specific instructions to give to Hanna. She talked quietly to Hanna before she rejoined John.

"Are you ready, love?" Sheila asked.

John wondered what she really asked him with the broad smile on her face. He loved her full lips. There were multiple occasions where he could have found out what they felt like with Jesse. He really wondered if it wasn't a mistake not to have partaken in what was offered, especially since it appeared to be with Cameron's blessing. He needed to refocus on Sheila.

"I think so." John said.

He watched Sheila walk in front of him. He loved her tight trim figure too. Every smooth curve was prominent and distinct. He was surprised she hadn't flashed him yet. It was something Jesse seemed to do at least once a day. He figured Sheila would probably do the same thing. He figured right.

Sheila turned back to look at him. A breast with a nipple ring popped out. She smiled at him again and tucked it back inside her top.

"Oops." Sheila said with a smile. "It happens every now and then. Next time it does, I'll let you put it back for me. You can straighten the ring when you do."

Sheila gave him a slow wink. Somehow it seemed to make it more sexual.

John lightly moistened his lips as he readjusted his pants and hoped Cameron didn't scan him. She could tell when he was sexually aroused. A quick glance at his pants would confirm it.

He didn't feel any of it was his fault. Cameron made him want all of the girls. It didn't matter if they were human or a Terminator. It seemed to him she made all of the girls want him as well. He understood what Cameron thought she wanted. It was what he wanted as well. There was only one problem. He didn't want to hurt her like he did before. It always bothered him when he thought about it. It wasn't so much what he did with Future Riley, as it was how much he missed it. It wasn't his intention to hurt Cameron then. He was unable to control himself when Future Riley came on to him. She was willing to put out, and he was willing to accept. He didn't like the way Cameron challenged him when he returned home the next morning. He was both pleased and proud of what he did earlier. He rubbed Cameron's face in it. He needed to clear his mind.

John followed Sheila down into the darkness.

Sheila glanced back at him. He was a little disappointed when he didn't see the other breast pop out. He was ready to center the ring for her.

"It's going to get very dark ahead." Sheila said. "You'll need to watch where you step."

He turned on his flashlight when he could no longer safely see. She led him to Cameron.

Cameron wasn't sure about bringing John down there. It was more than just the shaky infrastructure. It was also what they found. It was something very dangerous. She wanted him to know what the situation was and what she was going to do. She didn't want to display any deception on her part for what she planned.

John was very concerned about his surroundings. The small bones on the ground bothered him somewhat. He knew they belonged to animals, not humans. He really hoped so anyway.

"What is it?" John asked. "Is it safe?"

Cameron was about to tell him it was never safe. She moved on with the briefing instead.

"I've scanned the area. There's no radiation leakage." Cameron said. "You don't need to worry."

John felt a little worried now with Cameron's statement. Maybe he better start listening to Cameron about not going into these places. Everything involved with Skynet was a danger. Cameron's last statement caused him some confusion. There weren't too many things which produced radiation, at least radiation which would be considered harmful.

"Why would there be any radiation leakage?" John asked.

Cameron pointed.

John looked at four objects lined up in a row. He wasn't exactly sure what they were, He did know what they looked like.

"It would be from the warheads we found here. They're each from a Nike Hercules MIM-14 Missile." Cameron said. "They were command detonated nuclear anti aircraft missiles. They date from the early Sixties."

He remembered it wasn't too long ago when Bob mentioned about the Nike missiles and the Nike missile bases around the Los Angeles area. They were close to one of the former locations when they where the golden spike was driven in 1876 near Lang. Bob mentioned the missiles located there used conventional warheads. It meant some of the Nike missiles used nuclear warheads.

John looked very worried. He figured they posed some kind of danger. He was right next to them. He thought nuclear warheads would be bigger. He wanted to be sure exactly what they were.

"Those are nuclear warheads?" John asked. "Are they safe?"

Cameron felt they were safe where they were currently at. They were going to need to be moved. None of them currently leaked any radiation. They would need to check the stability of each one before they attempted to move it. Her first assessment was they were transportable in their current condition. It didn't appear it would take too much to arm any of them. Everything was currently disconnected which could make them detonate. She didn't have all the facts, but based upon the time period she could speculate as to what occurred.

"Yes. They're safe enough now." Cameron said. "When they shut down the two Nike Bases located nearby, the warheads were removed from the missiles for deactivation and destruction. It would appear the two Terminators we found hijacked a shipment and brought them here. The earthquake changed their plans for them."

Cameron went over everything they found. John Henry located the government records which covered up the theft of the warheads, and the fact they were never recovered. One theory was the February 9 1971 earthquake was caused by them exploding deep underground on a fault line. The speculation was always kept hidden from the public.

John understood bureaucracy for what it often was. It was the machinery to spin the story those in charge wanted to spin. If they didn't want something known, it was never reported. If something happened it wasn't unheard of to have records changed to conceal what actually occurred. He thought it was the same in every country. It actually seemed to be the same in every large organization as well. He could see what was in front of him. He also knew what needed to be done. They should be turned over to the government for proper disposal at a nuclear waste site.

"It sounds more like someone tried to cover their own behind." John said. "We need to get rid of these."

Cameron looked at John for a few seconds. Why would he want to get rid of them? The nuclear warheads were a valuable find. Resources like them were hard to come across. Normally it took a Terminator to 'visit' a military base to obtain any type of nuclear weapon. It was much easier to appropriate one than it was to construct it. She believed the find was of extreme value to them. She planned to confiscate them.

She was aware how Duplicate Cameron obtained her backpack nuke. Right now she was handed four of them. They were of a larger yield and of a larger physical size. They would do a substantial amount of damage in an underground installation. She was sure if one was placed on a fault line, if it would trigger an earthquake when it was detonated. Maybe there was a second location where one of the warheads detonated. It may have caused the 1971 earthquake as some speculated in the military. Those points were irrelevant. She made her own plans.

"I want them. I'm going to keep them." Cameron said. "I may need them at some point."

Cameron's statement was the last thing John wanted to hear. Cameron possessed her own base, with her own supercomputer, and her own force of Terminators. If she were to obtain some nuclear weapons, who knows what would happen. It sounded like a bad idea no matter how he looked at it. He didn't want her to have that type of power at her fingertips. He didn't want Skynet to have it either. He couldn't help but remind Cameron of past events.

"No." John said. "They're old and unstable. The last time you got your hands on a nuke, you used it."

Cameron tilted her head slightly. It was clear he was confused about who used it.

John remembered the 'Day Of Loss' and everything associated with it. Everything related to the day was sad. He was worried Cameron just found some new toys. Millions could die, or be exposed to radiation from each warhead if it was used. He doubted Cameron would have too many qualms about using one or more again.

Cameron was mildly offended by his statement.

"I haven't used one yet. It wasn't me." Cameron said. "The 'Cameron' you refer to was Duplicate Cameron. She was terminated. I'm still here."

John didn't see a difference. If they were 'Cameron' in some way, they would all do the same thing. They weren't clones or copies, they were Duplicates of her. It meant they were all the same. They were identical in every way.

"It's close enough. I mean you and your Duplicate self…." John said. "You would have done the same thing. You said your Duplicate was 'You'. You said you were both identical. According to you, there was no difference."

Cameron believed his statement was true. She probably would have done the same thing to stop Skynet. She wasn't going to confirm it. She wanted the weapons. She wasn't about to look a gift horse in the mouth. She tried to brush his statement off.

"Whatever." Cameron said. "We can't leave them here. Skynet will be back for them at some point. We already know they're looking for them. They belong to me now. I'm appropriating them."

John knew he would have a difficult time to stop Cameron. He thought about Savannah, Jan, and his mother. It was too risky to have something so old and destructive lying around the Resistance base. He needed to put his foot down.

"We're not bringing them to our base." John said. "I won't allow it. I mean it, Cameron. That's final. It's an order. They shouldn't be in a heavy populated area."

Cameron hadn't planned to bring them to the Resistance base anyway. She didn't see them as property of the Resistance. She was the one who found them. They were her personal property.

"I have several locations where they will be secure." Cameron said. "They will be stored there until I need them. They belong to me now."

Cameron established her own arms stashes throughout the region. She controlled many safe and secure hidden locations. Most were located in remote areas. Anyone snooping around them would most likely not be missed when they were terminated.

John didn't want Cameron to have possession or control over them period. He could tell she intended to treat them as her personal property. It actually reminded him of the time when the house was broken into and her purple coat was stolen. She didn't seem to care too much about everything else other than what belonged to her. She was highly offended someone took her personal belonging. His mother told him Cameron gunned down the perpetrators in cold blood without a trace of emotion on her face.

"No." John said. "We'll call the Feds in and have them recover them. We'll turn over all four of them."

Cameron didn't want to argue with John. She needed to make him understand how it was going to be. She wasn't about to give up weapons with such destructive value.

"I'm taking them, John." Cameron said. "I may need them in the future."

Now John was irritated. Cameron never listened to him. No wonder Future John sent her away. Maybe he should erase their life together and send her back to the future. She was already on the way to becoming her own version of Skynet. He already witnessed enough.

"You might need them for what?" John asked. "Is it for when you become Skynet yourself?"

Cameron was irritated now. She already made up her mind. The warheads belonged to her. She wanted to help clear it up a little for John since he experienced some trouble comprehending what was going to occur.

"I've sent Hanna to procure transportation for them." Cameron said. "I'm taking the warheads for myself. That's final. It IS happening."

John was upset because Cameron wouldn't listen to reason. The weapons were too dangerous for her to possess. What would happen the next time she experienced a 'problem'? Problems with her already happened more than once.

Bob and Steve removed the remains of the two Terminators. Bob deactivated the one Terminator after questioning him. They were sent in the last hours of Skynet's final battle, at least 'a Skynet's' final battle. They said the parent Skynet was attacked by a 'Metal Bitch' and 'The Redheaded Witch'.

He looked around to make sure no one else heard it but him. They didn't appear to have. He called Cameron off to the side and told her about the 'Metal Bitch' and 'The Redheaded Witch' part.

Cameron wondered if it was Mrs. Weaver and her. The names seemed appropriate for both of them. However she felt Mrs. Weaver fit the bill for both names. She asked Bob to delete the information from his chip. She felt it was something she would need to deal with on her own.

When the group returned to the building, each of them carried a warhead up the ramp along with Cameron and Sheila.

John looked at the four warheads. They looked deadly just sitting near the door. He needed to try one more time to make Cameron rethink her desire.

"You know this isn't a good idea, Cameron." John said.

She felt she experienced quite a few of those over the years. She was still there and still standing. She remembered expressing similar concerns to John before. She also remembered his response.

"You know I'm still going to do it anyway." Cameron said. "You and the 'boys' take the remains of the two Terminators back. They can be harvested for spare parts or Coltan. The 'girls' and I will take care of this 'little matter'."

She pointed at the four warheads.

John gritted his teeth. There was little else he could do.

Cameron was elated about the find. She was ready for Skynet to reestablish itself in another mine. She would be ready for it. She was going to need a better exit plan this time. The last one left something to be desired. With her having control of the nuclear weapons, nobody would know when she was going to use one or more. If they didn't know, they couldn't TRY to stop her. It should prevent another 'Day of Loss'. She would act by herself if she needed to. She could stop any Skynet alone now.

John didn't like the smile on Cameron's face as she looked at the warheads. He knew she would use them at some point. She looked over at him and frowned when she noticed he was looking at her.

Cameron turned and walked away from John. How dare he stare at her? What did he think she was, a 'Metal Bitch' or something?

John swallowed hard as she walked away. He didn't think anyone could control Cameron or talk reason to her.

Allison's phone rang, she saw it was Vanna. She didn't want to take it. She KNEW what was coming. She'd felt it coming for months. She thought they got everything straightened out, but her plans for a baby changed all of them. Now the problem was her.

It was time to face the music.

"Hello." Allison said.

"Hello, Allison." Vanna said.

There was a long pause.

"Jesse is moving into our room, my room, today." Vanna said.

Allison didn't say anything. She didn't know what to say. She was crushed.

"Allison?" Vanna asked.

Allison didn't want to make things any more difficult for either one of them and they already were. What could she do or say at this point?

"OK." Allison said finally. "Goodbye, Vanna. I'll always love you."

Allison hung up the phone. She was shattered.

Holly listened to the conversation. She could see the heartbreak on Allison's face. To see Allison hurt like this made her hurt as well. She went to comfort Allison.

Holly knew the new development was going to cause a problem. She knew Cameron was going to be upset. She believed Cameron was going to deactivate her when she found out about it. She knew she would be blamed. She felt she needed to fix it. She knew she was going to need to sacrifice. She thought if she asked for Cameron to deactivate her. Allison would be forced to get back together with Vanna.

Allison sobbed in her room.

Holly knew love was about sacrifice. She wanted Allison to be happy and with her TRUE love. It wasn't her. It was Vanna.

'Cecilia' by 'Simon and Garfunkel', softly played in the background.

Closing monologue by Cameron:

Afraid

Ashamed - Ignorant - Stupid
I KNOW it's how I sound
I know they crave and desire
Even as they push you around

There's MORE to a person
Each has a heart and mind too
Love is much much more
Than just a two minute screw

My life is beyond abnormal
When one uses a person
For only selfish desire and pleasure
How can things not worsen

I KNOW others have loved
Love is the PAIN in a heart
I have the looks and skill
I know where to seduce and start

I hope for a fulfilling future
That this passion will last and bind
May your dreams can come true
And nothing will make you blind

Nobody