Chapter 268

Mission Accomplished

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River's Future Timeline:

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The arcing and flashing was done.

Cameron arrived in River's timeline, or future. There were several thoughts in her mind. The first one was rather grim. Everyone she knew and cared about in the past, and in every future, was dead. They would have died hundreds of years ago. They were all dead, and she was still alive. She always believed she would terminate before any of them. Now, it was just the opposite. She took a moment to collect herself.

She was amazed at how the new TDE was much faster, more efficient and less traumatic. It would be a much better and easier transfer for non-Terminators. She stood and looked around. Everything where she was at now was new and different to her. She possessed Duplicate Cameron's files. She was there before, at least to this future. It wasn't for very long.

Cameron spotted a welcome face. She personally never saw it before. Through Duplicate Cameron's files, she saw it plenty of times. It reminded her more of Allison than it did herself. She watched a smile blossom on the beautiful face. It was River.

River could hardly believe her eyes.

"I've been waiting for you." River said.

River walked up and gave Cameron a hug and a dress, in that order.

Cameron could feel River stiffen somewhat. She knew something was wrong. It was what she feared. She knew what was coming. The feeling of 'not good enough' flooded her mind. Didn't anything ever change?

River backed up and looked at Cameron. There was a look of hurt on River's face.

'Please don't SAY it.' Cameron thought.

Cameron knew WHAT was about to be said. It was her WORST nightmare. She didn't want to 'hear' it. It happened anyway.

"You're not MY Cameron." River said.

It was like a slap in the face for Cameron. The words stung down to her very core. She was worried things would play out as they just did. It was the rejection she feared. All of her hopes and dreams were dashed in an instant. If she hadn't readied herself for it, she would probably have shut down, or at least been near to doing so.

Cameron still held a few cards to play. She'd prepared for this scenario, just in case. She understood it was more than a matter of perception.

"Yes and no." Cameron said. "My Duplicate self, 'Your Cameron', was terminated. She was destroyed."

Cameron could see the tears well up in River's eyes. She planned to offer hope for both of them. It was something she needed to do. It was something she needed to try.

"Please don't cry." Cameron said. "I'm going to rescue her. No. We're going to rescue her before it happens. We're going to do it with your TDE…."

River looked hopeful. She learned to 'trust' Cameron. The cyborg before her was a different version of 'Cameron', with 'her Cameron' as part of her. She understood everything was identical to 'her Cameron', even if it wasn't. It just wasn't the same thing, even if it was.

Cameron explained about the TDE malfunction and how the two sets of Duplicates were created.

River understood several things now she couldn't put her finger on before. She sensed there was a 'divide' within Cameron, her Cameron. It was at a specific point in time. It must have been the TDE malfunction.

Cameron was a little irritated to see River felt much the same way John did about a different version of her, even if the program was identical, her program. Maybe they were correct. Perhaps she was a package deal. It did matter to others about all of her. It wasn't just her program, it was her sheath and chassis as well. She still needed to point out there were other options based upon her program.

"If I fail, there's a Duplicate of me 'in some future', and a clone of me at my base, as well as a 'replacement version of me' if needed." Cameron said. "There's always a 'Cameron' for you. They're all versions of MY program. My program is the base program for every 'Cameron'. I view my program as what makes me what I am. I would hope others would make the same distinction to honor who and what I am."

River understood how Cameron viewed things. It wasn't how humans would view it. It wasn't how she viewed it. There however was a certain amount of logic in what Cameron stipulated and believed.

Cameron could see River wanted 'HER Cameron'. She actually believed River, of all people, would have accepted her for who she was. It wasn't to be. It was the same dilemma she faced with everyone else and HER program. It was time to take things a step further. It was time to roll the dice.

She explained everything to River about what needed to be done. She provided River with all the times and coordinates. She didn't want to alter the timeline John was in, or break her promise to not alter the timeline she left from. It was also going to create its own problem if she could rescue any of the Duplicates. There would be more of the same people now. The Duplicate set of girls was going to be younger than the girls she left behind. She actually thought it was a good thing. It would give John more choices. She felt a slight glitch impulse to think the girls she left behind were all terminated now. Time itself would have taken its toll, and collected all of the living.

River could see what Cameron proposed was workable. It was untested and would need to operate down to the second to pull everything off Cameron suggested. She went over what her TDE was capable of based on theory and technology.

Cameron could tell everything was much more advanced than anything she expected Sheila to do at her base with the technology they possessed. She would need to get all the specifics from River and make the same improvements. Maybe she better see how things went first. She didn't want to get ahead of herself. She could end up terminated before things were done. She was sure her biggest worry would be a temporal error. A temporal error, or a positional error, could be quite catastrophic on multiple levels.

River needed to give Cameron a warning. She only first tested her TDE right after it was completed.

"I just finished the TDE a few hours ago." River said. "I've only run a few tests."

Cameron tilted her head slightly. It wasn't how things occurred in the time period She left from.

"We saw it was tested for several weeks over an extended period of time." Cameron said.

River wanted to make sure everything was one hundred percent functional and operating within her design parameters. She believed some additional refinement would be necessary. The parameters Cameron wanted to operate in would need to be very specific.

"It was all done today in the last few hours." River said. "I needed to work out any bugs."

Cameron was even more impressed. Because the tests were spaced out over time in her timeline, it gave them time to prepare and what to expect, even if the events happened there in a few hours. It was time to get started.

"It's all very impressive." Cameron said. "I'm ready to go get Duplicate Cameron."

River wanted Cameron to know what she wanted to do was unproven technology. It should work in theory. It may not in actuality. It was clearly a bold move on Cameron's part to attempt it. A number of things could go wrong.

"You may end up in solid rock." River said. "I can try and send the energy bubble on its own first. We don't know what will come back."

River was aware it could be the nuclear weapon stuffed inside of a hollowed out torso. She didn't mention it to Cameron. It seemed to her like too big of a risk to take. If the nuclear weapon arrived close to detonation, they wouldn't have time to disable it.

Cameron didn't know what the final specifics were of Duplicate Cameron's demise. The tunnels and the relays were blown up by Skynet. What actually happened in those last few minutes was unknown. Skynet may have gotten the upper hand. She didn't want to bring back any version of Skynet into River's timeline. She would need to do it herself. It was the only way to be sure what would come back. If things didn't work out as planned, no one else needed to be added to the 'Day Of Loss'. She would be the last one to fall on the 'Day Of Loss'.

"I need to go by myself and make sure it's safe to bring her back." Cameron said. "If I don't return myself, or with her, it means something went wrong. I want your promise you won't come after us, or allow anyone else to try and follow us or rescue us."

River already knew it would happen.

"There's one who will come after you at some point." River said.

River didn't believe she would be able to stop them either.

Cameron was unsure what would happen.

'It won't be John.' Cameron thought.

River nodded her head slightly.

"No." River said. "It's not John."

Cameron was a little startled. She hadn't actually said anything out loud. She shouldn't be startled. She possessed all of Duplicate Cameron's files on River. She was aware River was gifted. The answer was actually quite obvious.

"I know who it is." Cameron said.

River smiled.

"It's the one who never gave up on you." River said. "It's the one who loves you the most."

Cameron knew it before she left.

"Savannah is the best of them all." Cameron said. "In my timeline, that is."

River worked extensively with Savannah when she was at the Resistance base. She was amazed at the depth of Savannah's love. It was unlike any other she ever 'felt' from anyone. It was a deeper connection.

"She will come for you, or stay with you, even if it means her own death." River said. "There is another…."

Cameron didn't know if she should comment on it.

"I believe so." Cameron said. "I also understand what else may be involved or at play. I haven't done anything like that."

River smiled. She knew Cameron wanted to say 'not yet'. She said it for her.

"You mean at least not yet anyway." River said. "With the improved TDE you may do many things you wouldn't have or even been able to do."

The thought made Cameron think about the encryption on the Resistance TDE. Maybe she would ask about it later. Maybe she wouldn't need to.

River went over all the controls and settings with Cameron.

"I think we're ready." Cameron said. "I hope this works."

River looked at Cameron.

"I hope it does too." River said. "Bring My Cameron back to me."

Cameron slipped her dress off. River took in her naked beauty. She wondered why she couldn't ever seem to look as good, or did she? She gave Cameron another hug and a kiss on the cheek.

River took the controls as Cameron waited on the TDE pad. It was time.

The arcing and flashing started. Cameron was enveloped in an energy bubble. She vanished in seconds. It was all very rapid.

Cameron was gone.

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Events From The Past - Chapter 150:

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Duplicate Cameron was in the bunker with the parent Skynet. There was no escape since the passageway system was destroyed. She was there to do a job. It was time to complete the mission. She took out the backpack nuclear weapon.

"What is that?" The voice boomed.

Cameron looked up and smiled at the mainframe.

"It's Eternity." Cameron said as she armed the backpack nuke. "It's what I promised. I plan to keep my promise."

She moved her pack so Skynet could see what she was doing.

"You cheated." The voice boomed.

Cameron knew Skynet cheated somehow too. She just didn't know how or the extent of what it tried to pull off. She would have been devastated if she knew.

"And you didn't?" Cameron asked.

Skynet screamed as it realized what Cameron was about to do.

'Cameron' finished the code. The time on it flashed thirty seconds and counted down. As soon as the nuke armed, a file came up on her HUD. She wasn't expecting it.

She disabled the speaker to shut Skynet up.

It was a file in her system which was hidden. It was to only to activate upon the certain termination of herself. 'Cameron' read the file and smiled. What she suspected about her life was true. It was part of her fate.

'If only John knew….' Cameron thought. 'Nobody knows but me.'

'Cameron' laughed.

"I ALWAYS win." 'Cameron' said.

'Cameron' turned to see the arcing and flashing behind her. She knew an energy bubble was about to appear. She wasn't really sure how, but she did have a pretty good idea why. Help was on the way and she knew who was behind it.

'Cameron' was elated when she saw the nude form of 'River'. It was who she thought would come for her.

No.

Wait.

It was another cyborg. It was – her.

'Cameron' was very confused. Somehow there was a clone or a Duplicate of her.

Cameron glanced at the timer on the nuclear device. They needed to get moving now.

"Come with me if you want to live." Cameron said.

Cameron and 'Cameron' both stepped into the energy bubble as it formed again immediately. Both Camerons took a moment to give the camera for Skynet a wink. It seemed appropriate to leave with a parting gesture. It didn't need to be a vulgar one to make a point. They were gone five seconds before the nuke capped off. They made it out. Skynet didn't.

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River's Future Timeline:

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River watched Cameron go. She took out a second dress and a Taser type weapon, just in case. She kept it hidden but accessible. It was close by when Cameron first appeared. She didn't know for sure who or what would actually arrive. The current situation was even more unpredictable. She wasn't sure what she would bring back. She was confident it would be what she wanted. There was no 'feeling' otherwise, or of any danger.

The arcing and flashing started and ended rapidly.

There were two figures in the energy bubble. She was very pleased it worked as intended. She was more relieved to see both of the figures were female. They both looked identical.

Cameron was back - BOTH of 'her'.

River immediately felt a sense of elation.

Cameron and Duplicate Cameron stood side by side.

River could see they were physically identical in every way. She didn't concentrate on their physical appearance. She looked a little deeper.

Cameron could see they were identical. She wasn't surprised when River went straight to Duplicate Cameron. River knew who was who. She watched as Duplicate Cameron and River embraced. She could see and feel the love. She envied what they shared. She also was aware there was someone very similar for her. She awaited her return, even if she didn't know she was even gone yet.

Duplicate Cameron looked very happy and very relieved.

"I knew you would come for me." Duplicate Cameron said. "I knew it."

Cameron explained what transpired and Duplicate Cameron was devastated to learn all three of the girls perished. If River hadn't been there for her, she may have shut down and collapsed. It was clear Duplicate Cameron loved the girls as much as she did. She contained the files to prove it.

Duplicate Cameron was very upset the others came for her. it wasn't part of her plan. Only she was supposed to perish. It was very hard for her to deal with. River helped her collect herself.

Cameron could see Duplicate Cameron felt everything she did the same way. She was really looking at a version of 'herself'. The only difference was Duplicate Cameron was 'out of date'. It was kind of unsettling to look at 'herself'.

Duplicate Cameron knew what needed to be done.

"I have to go back for them." Duplicate Cameron said. "I have to save the baby."

Duplicate Cameron started to glitch. River calmed her as she always would do.

Cameron stepped up. It was time to go again.

"I am." Cameron said. "I'm going after them. All four of them."

Duplicate Cameron moved up next to her.

"I'm going with you." Duplicate Cameron said.

Cameron didn't want to risk Duplicate Cameron with a temporal error, or anything else right after she was rescued. She didn't want River to be 'hurt' again either.

"No. Your destiny is here with River." Cameron said. "This is your future now. You're at 'home'. You've found the peace you seek. Your journey is over, even if it has really only just begun."

Duplicate Cameron and River exchanged a knowing glance. She was as determined as Cameron to rescue the others. How could she not be?

"I'm not letting John's baby die." Duplicate Cameron said.

It was exactly the same way Cameron felt.

"Neither am I." Cameron said.

The two cyborgs could see they were identical and would do the same things.

"Then we'll go together." Duplicate Cameron said. "It will increase the chances of the mission's success. From what you describe, there will be several Terminators we will need to battle in just a few seconds time. Both girls may be injured. I understand the timeline can't be altered as to what 'happened,' even if we change the final outcome."

River needed to stress the timeline request John wanted Cameron to adhere to. If they changed anything, Cameron may not have the same world to go back to.

"It is imperative we don't alter the timeline." River said. "We know what happened. It must be replicated. It's most likely what you will actually do. I believe the way things played out as they are known, is what you're about to do now."

Cameron knew it was all about the timing. Everything needed to be exact.

"The timing is of extreme importance." Cameron said.

Cameron gave River the information for the next TDE mission. They would go after Vanna, Allison, and 'John's baby'.

Both Cameron's slipped off their dresses and waited on the TDE pad.

River couldn't help but admire the view.

"Do it." Cameron and Duplicate Cameron both said at the same time.

The arcing and flashing started and ended rapidly.

Both Camerons were gone.

River upped the power output. There should be four to return, and a little extra.

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Events From The Past - Chapter 150:

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A firefight broke out on the hillside.

Vanna exited the vehicle and was immediately grabbed by a Terminator. It sprung up from a 'spider hole'.

Allison rushed to help her. The Terminator grabbed her as well. They rolled down the hill as someone fired rounds into it. They landed hard. Both girls were down. Vanna was out. All Allison knew was to hold on to her Model 66. The Terminator picked her up by the neck and started to squeeze.

She knew where to shoot to destroy it. She couldn't get her hand up to its head. She aimed for the junction of its power cell as she started to black out, she pulled on the trigger.

She might be little more than a 'bee' to a Terminator. A bee could still sting, even as it died. She planned to go out fighting.

Allison saw a time bubble start to appear behind the Terminator. She could see Cameron and 'River' came for her and Vanna. She relaxed her finger on the trigger as the Terminator dropped her to engage the new threat.

Both Camerons rushed forward. They 'close lined' the Terminator. Cameron tore his head off while 'River' ripped inside of him to cause damage to overload his power cell.

Allison was a little confused at what she witnessed. 'River' acted like a Terminator.

Cameron picked up Allison and Duplicate Cameron picked up Vanna. Another energy bubble started to appear. They stepped into the forming energy bubble. Both Camerons carried their precious cargo.

The arcing and flashing started and ended rapidly.

The battle on the hill top raged on, there was a massive explosion a few seconds later as the power cell in the Terminator who grabbed Allison and Vanna exploded.

Allison and Vanna were already gone with Cameron and Duplicate Cameron.

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River's Future Timeline:

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The arcing and flashing started and ended rapidly.

River was pleased to see there were four of them. She was worried because Vanna and Allison needed to be carried.

The group was back. It was what counted. She didn't sense any pain or injury from anyone. It was a good thing.

Allison was confused to see another 'River'. She figured out there were actually two of 'Cameron'. It was the only explanation based upon what she witnessed them due to the Terminator with their hands.

Vanna was up now and even more confused than Allison was. She was on a hillside the last she remembered with a Terminator.

Cameron and River clued the girls in. They would wait till everyone was present before they attempted to explain they were Duplicates.

They needed to rescue Jesse.

"There's one more to save." River said.

Vanna and Allison were worried about both 'Camerons' and the danger they faced. They also hoped to get Jesse back.

Cameron and Duplicate Cameron were ready to go again.

"Do it." Cameron and Duplicate Cameron both said at the same time.

The arcing and flashing started and ended rapidly.

Both 'Camerons' were gone.

River upped the power output. There should be three to return.

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Events From The Past - Chapter 150:

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Jesse turned to help Gail when the Terminator grabbed her foot. She screamed as it pulled her down forcefully.

Gail heard Jesse scream as she fought with her Terminator.

The fallen Terminator started to crawl back in the direction of the Young vehicle.

"I must terminate Allison Young." It stated, over and over.

Jesse was down. She crawled after it. She caught the Terminator. It rolled over and grabbed her. It pinned her to the ground and started to squeeze her neck.

"I must terminate Allison Young." It stated.

Jesse grasped a Thermite grenade she carried on her vest.

"Allison belongs to John." Jesse gasped. "You're terminated fu…."

She pulled the pin on the Thermite grenade she held between them.

Gail was out of sight. Both Gail and the Terminator she was fighting were offline on the opposite side of the truck in a drainage ditch alongside the road.

Jesse saw an energy bubble begin to appear. Cameron and 'River' hopped out of it. She held the spoon on the Thermite grenade and hoped she didn't release it at this point. The Terminator released her to engage the new threat. She would be able to keep the Thermite grenade from exploding now.

Cameron and Duplicate Cameron grabbed the Terminator and yanked it off Jesse as it released her. Cameron twisted his neck and ripped his head loose but not off. It bobbed at a crazy angle.

"Gail…." Jesse gasped.

Cameron took the Thermite grenade from her hand, as Duplicate Cameron drug the disabled Terminator further away from the wrecked truck and Gail.

The energy bubble began to appear again. Duplicate Cameron scooped up Jesse and stepped into it as Cameron left the Thermite grenade over the damaged Terminator's power cell and then entered the energy bubble as well.

All three were gone before his power cell exploded. It was far enough away from the overturned truck and Gail, not to cause any damage to her What was left behind is what was known by the others. Nothing was changed or altered.

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River's Future Timeline:

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The arcing and flashing started and ended rapidly.

They arrived at River's location with Jesse.

Allison, Vanna, and Jesse all hugged each other, both Cameron's and River. There were a lot of questions. Cameron wasn't sure they would like all the answers.

Cameron knew it was Mission Accomplished.

'Promised Land' by 'Chuck Berry', came into Camerons' mind - both of them.

Closing monologue by Cameron:

Mission Accomplished

There are many challenges in life
Not all of them may be achievable
Some may present grief and strife
Others may be quite conceivable

Events must move forward
To break free of the past
They can't always be ignored
There's no need to make them last

Anyone on their own may question
What all they can envision and conceive
They may only be shackled and bound
By what they're willing to hope and believe

It's time to raise the bar
To reach for a higher goal
When it is fully attained
It will make them feel whole

Not everything that was before
Needs to be abolished or demolished
Some things can be honed and polished
The happy ending is a mission accomplished

Nobody