Chapter 297

Hit It Again

Cameron retrieved the specific files from Gail and Holly she requested. Now she possessed all three of the 'special' files she wanted. She obtained the 'moment' of conception for all three of 'John's children'. He was currently unaware of what she secretly did with Allison, Vanna, and Jesse.

She updated her spare chip. Cameron decided to update it as often as possible. It was to make sure there was a 'copy of her' always 'ready to go'.

Ally and Cam both knew and understood their duty if she fell. 'Cameron's spare chip' would go into one of their chassis. They would cease to exist. It was only until another chassis was procured for their chip. They could choose to Resequence their sheath to a different appearance if they so desired to change it at that point.

"Everyone sacrifices for John Connor." Cameron told both of them.

Cameron did everything she could to prevent the 'Day Of Loss' from ever being repeated. She still felt responsible for all of the trouble, even though it wasn't her specifically who was responsible for all of it. It still was, even if it wasn't.

She left specific details on how to get to River's future to retrieve the Duplicates in River's timeline if they were ever needed, as well as River. It was only if River chose to return with them….

Cameron hoped if Duplicate Cameron was 'needed', River would come with her and be at John's side as well. She still thought River would be the ultimate female for John. She reflected on her feelings and love for River. She needed to remind herself they were Duplicate Cameron's feelings, not hers. She didn't care. She still cherished them as if they were her own. They were too precious not to experience and have. Duplicate Cameron was her, IS her, she told herself. They were identical. She knew she would have done the same thing if it would have been her instead of Duplicate Cameron. How could she have done things any different?

It was nearing time for a scheduled temporal energy bubble with River. Maybe she would visit them again with some additional 'genetic material' from John to see if any of the three others wanted to 'use' it. It hadn't crossed her mind at the time when she first went there. She planned to stay there with River. It didn't work out as intended. Maybe with Duplicate Cameron and the girls there to help and assist her, River would reconsider….

Cameron now worked on finding the Duplicates who were stuck 'in some future' from the TDE incident. She would attempt to use the TDE as River was able to do. First it would be to contact them, test it, and then send someone through and see if she could get them back. They possessed all the temporal data from Duplicate Cameron as she and the Duplicate girls were in the unknown future briefly. The trick was to decipher the temporal data and time signatures to find the specific 'temporal frequency'. The incorrect 'temporal frequency' could put her anywhere, including nowhere. She could end up lost to time. Maybe she would reappear somewhere ten minutes from then, or ten centuries. Maybe she would never reappear at all.

She considered using an incapacitated Gray for testing. They would be terminated anyway. If the test was a failure, it wouldn't matter. She also considered testing the reverse 'Neural Interface' and using a 'human version' of herself to test it. She improved the procedure and wanted a younger and 'complete' test subject the next time. She would have John Henry search for more future Gray females.

If not, she would terminate one less female when she destroyed a drug operation and use her as the test subject. She decided she would start to search for one during her raids who could be made to look Tight. Most of them were very 'used up' and suffered from drug abuse. Since she now held the files of conception from Holly, Gail, and Cam, she was determined to try the experiment again. This time it would be on 'herself'. It was all if the reverse 'Neural Interface' worked better and did less damage to the donor of the body.

Cameron couldn't help but think of the rush of excitement as she terminated 'herself' at the end of the original test. It was her most satisfying termination. Somehow she felt she was able to deliver the punishment to 'herself' she deserved. She wasn't sure why she deserved it, she just knew she did. Maybe it was for no other reason than being created. It was something she didn't have a choice over. Someone else put everything together and she became active. She was a slave to Skynet on her 'built date'. She traded one type of servitude for another. Was one really better than the other? Maybe she was just a slave unto herself. She wanted to try something different.

If the new test didn't work out as planned, she would get to terminate 'herself' again. She looked forward to it with enthusiasm. What could be more beautiful than another brutal self termination?

Sarah wasn't sure what Cameron wanted to do by making copies or clones of herself. She didn't think anything good could come of it. She'd talked it over with Kyle and he said it was best if they left it alone. Maybe it was. Who is she to question anyone else's motives about anything?

She was worried about John, and about Cameron. She knew how difficult relationships could get at times. None of hers seemed to last very long. She wasn't sure if it was by choice, or default. How much of it was really her fault and not something she could blame on others? It was probably most of it. She tried to tell herself anyone she became close to threatened their lives. She believed it was true. It also may have been an excuse. Their lives would be threatened from the moment they came into contact with her. It wasn't after she spent some time with them and some type of 'relationship' started to develop. Maybe it was the 'relationship' which caused her to panic.

She was aware Kyle wanted 'more'. She was afraid of 'more'. As long as they stayed confined to the Resistance base, they seemed to stay out of harm's way. She believed it better protected Jan. It's what she told herself anyway. Maybe she was afraid to live a real life. It was something she never did, and whenever she started to get close to one, she ran away. Is anything Cameron ever did different from anything she ever did? It didn't seem like it upon further reflection.

Sarah knew Cameron usually knew what she was doing, even if everyone else didn't. Maybe it was best to follow Kyle's advice and drop it.

It still caused her a lot of worry.

Cameron sent Sheila, Ally, and Hanna out to run down some more targets.

Ally was a little disappointed about being redeployed so quickly.

"I thought we were going to get to hook up for a while." Ally said. "We were all together."

Hanna wanted to get the job done so they could do it. They needed to do a job. There was no use in wasting time.

"The quicker we finish, the sooner we can be back." Hanna said.

Sheila knew better. She felt she understood how everything worked.

"The quicker we finish, the sooner the next 'job' will be." Sheila said. "The more work you do, the more work you get."

The Metal girls couldn't disagree. It seemed to be the case. They didn't want to get on the wrong side of Cameron. Ally was the one who was the most worried about it. She knew Cameron could appropriate her chassis at any point and put her spare chip in it and become Cameron Too, II, or Two, in an instant.

They already checked out a vehicle from the carpool. Chances were good they would need to dump it and return with another one in its place. They may even have to switch vehicles multiple times depending on how things played out. When they tended to rush things, there was always a more likely chance for there to be some type of witnesses. They were forbidden from unnecessary terminations by Cameron. They also knew where the directive actually originated from. It was from Savannah. Cameron always told them the 'Chosen One' knew what was best for all of them.

Sheila wanted to drive. She always did.

Hanna and Ally didn't like it when Sheila tried to hog everything. Neither one of them chose to sit in the front seat. They made their own plan. Ally sat in the back with Hanna. It was also because of the 'Allison' and 'Vanna' in them from the 'Neural Interface'.

Their decision to sit together seemed to upset Sheila.

"Why did you sit back?" Sheila asked.

Ally thought her actions were quite clear. She wanted to mess with Sheila some.

"It will be easier to kiss and fondle Hanna from the back seat." Ally said. "Why else would I sit back here? Do you know how much hassle it would be to attempt to share with each other if one was in the front seat and the other in the back seat?"

Sheila was visibly agitated. It wasn't what she wanted to hear. She would prefer if they were separated.

"Hanna should sit up in the front with me." Sheila said.

Hanna could see how possessive Sheila was over Ally. She didn't see what the problem was. There was always time for them to share with each other. She decided to give Sheila a reminder. She wanted her 'share' as well.

"There's enough there for both of us." Hanna said. "We don't sleep. We can always make the time."

Ally didn't want to feel as if she belonged to anyone.

"There's plenty of time for all of us to do everything." Ally said.

Ally and Hanna kissed in the back seat.

It was the 'Allison' and 'Vanna' in them which 'called' to each other.

It was the 'Jesse' in Sheila which called to her. She couldn't help but feel more than a little jealous. She couldn't really explain it. She understood the logical choice was for Ally and Hanna to be together since Allison and Vanna were with each other for so long. She felt like she was missing out on something. She wanted to change things around.

"One of you can drive, and I'll sit in the back." Sheila said.

Hanna and Ally could see Sheila was upset. They wanted to play with her a little more. It didn't seem like it would be too difficult to do. It never was.

"I'll drive." Ally said.

Hanna looked at Ally and winked.

"I'll sit in the front seat with her." Hanna said.

Sheila looked back at both of them. They resumed kissing. They each placed a hand inside the other's top. It was quite obvious what was happening inside of the shirt. She couldn't help but feel left out. She wanted some action too.

"What about me?" Sheila asked.

Ally thought about Sheila's personal 'toy'.

"You have your vibrating finger." Ally said. "Use it. You seem to enjoy it."

Hanna and Ally giggled.

The SUV swerved a little.

Hanna didn't want Sheila to become careless.

"You need to watch where you're going." Hanna said.

Sheila only held the steering wheel with one hand.

"I am." Sheila said. "I just needed to stick my hand down my pants and use my vibrating finger like you suggested."

Ally and Hanna looked at each other. It sounded like a bad idea to do when she was driving. Sheila was already reckless enough when she drove.

"Don't pile up when you 'make it'." Hanna said.

Sheila didn't like being messed with. She decided to give Ally and Hanna something to think about.

"I plan to keep making it when I do." Sheila said. "It will be nonstop ecstasy for me. I should still be able to steer. Maybe you'd better buckle up. You never know."

Hanna didn't want any trouble. She didn't mind sharing Ally. There was plenty for both of them.

"Fine, I'll drive." Hanna said. "You can sit back here and be with Ally."

Since Sheila could have her way, she didn't want it. It was because she was excluded earlier. She wanted to make her displeasure known.

"I don't want to be with such a trashy slut." Sheila said.

Ally was upset. She didn't think what Sheila said applied to her.

"Who's a trashy slut?" Ally asked. "It sounds more like a confession. I wouldn't be with you if you paid me."

Sheila was further upset by Ally's statement. She turned it around and gave it right back.

"It's the only way you can get anyone to be with you in the first place." Sheila said. "You'd need to pay them."

Ally was upset now. She was ready to take things to the next level.

"I should bash your head in." Ally said.

Sheila laughed. She wasn't worried about Ally in the slightest.

"It would be you and what army?" Sheila asked.

Ally didn't care for the insult. If Sheila wanted to find out the hard way, she was more than willing to show her. She pulled out her Taser and armed it.

"I'm going to zap her." Ally said. "Let's see how she likes being deactivated. At least it will keep her mouth shut."

Ally pointed her Taser at Sheila's neck.

Hanna grabbed Ally's hand. She could only picture things ending badly for all of them.

"She'll wreck the SUV." Hanna said.

Ally still held on to her Taser. Hanna kept her hand down.

"Not as bad as I wreck her face." Ally said.

Sheila wasn't about to roll over for anyone. She looked back at Ally.

"Your face is already a wreck." Sheila said.

Ally went to 'zap' Sheila again. Hanna still restrained her.

"Let's see how she likes waking up without a tongue." Ally said.

Sheila didn't like being threatened by anyone. She was used to it from Grays and future Scavengers. She wasn't about to take it from Ally either.

"You better crush my chip, because you'll wake up with a whole lot more gone when I 'zap' you." Sheila said. "You've seen what I do to females before I terminate them. Now picture it ten times worse on yourself. It will just be for starters too."

Ally wanted to make it clear what she would do with Sheila's chip when it was removed.

"Don't worry, I'll crush it." Ally said. "I'd urinate on it first if I could."

Sheila laughed. She would take it a couple of steps further.

"I'll do the same thing with yours, but I'll get a homeless person to urinate on it first." Sheila said. "I'll get a dog to do it too."

Ally didn't care for the insults. She attempted to lift her Taser as she went to 'zap' Sheila again.

Hanna pushed her hand away.

"I think you're making her get off." Hanna said. "The threat of violence excites her."

Ally felt Sheila possessed a few loose screws.

"It's because she's defective." Ally said.

Sheila turned the words around and did another play on them.

"I'll get a homeless person to defecate on your chip too." Sheila said. "I won't settle for half measures when it comes to your termination."

Ally didn't like the implication.

"I said defective not defecate." Ally said.

Sheila looked back and smiled. She wanted Ally to know she wasn't joking.

"You heard me." Sheila said.

Sheila neared the target location. She still drove with only one hand. The index finger on her other hand was hard at work. She'd already finished a dozen times with Ally's threats. Violence did help get her off. She wondered about what Ally said about how she might be defective. She was sure there were times she liked violence more than sex.

Hanna just wanted to finish the job. They drew a lucky break.

"There's the 'mark'." Hanna said.

Ally pulled out her Glock. It was pointed in Sheila's direction.

"I want to kill someone." Ally said.

Sheila glanced back and got off again. She decided she liked a combination of violence and sex the best. She wasn't sure in which order. She did want to give Ally something to think about.

"Make sure it's someone you can kill." Sheila said.

Ally moved her Glock closer to Sheila's head.

"Shoot the target, stupid." Sheila said.

Ally threw it right back at her.

"I'm not stupid." Ally said. "You're stupid."

Sheila was highly stimulated by the conversation and everything associated with it.

"Stupid is as stupid does." Sheila said.

Ally started to aim at the mark again. Now she tried to aim at Sheila's head again.

Hanna took the gun from her.

"All you're doing is getting her off more." Hanna said. "She'll probably overload if she doesn't stop. I think your actions are only giving her a higher state of stimulation."

Ally was upset her Glock was taken away.

"I hope so." Ally said. "I'm going to fix her up good when she's out. I mean real good."

Hanna fired Ally's Glock through the side window and the 'mark' fell to the ground.

Ally didn't like having her own gun fired in front of her face.

"Watch it." Ally said. "Someone could get hurt."

Hanna thought it was the whole point.

"They just did, and it wasn't any of us. We're done." Hanna said. "Let's go back."

Sheila soon pulled into a mall parking structure.

They dumped the vehicle they did the shooting from and took another one.

Hanna drove.

Sheila and Ally shared the whole way back to the base in the rear seat. It seemed very wild and passionate. Everything imaginable was done.

Now Hanna was a little jealous of Ally and Sheila. She knew 'love birds' when she saw them.

"Whatever.…" Hanna said.

Cameron wasn't part of the initial operation which involved the damaged drone. She was dissatisfied at the way things were being handled. She was going to go check on it herself but decided maybe as a good will gesture to involve John. Maybe she would just tell him what was going to happen. She didn't like to make him feel 'powerless' in regards to her. It was never her intent, even if it's how it played out.

Later on she found John and told him she wanted to move in on the drone and check it out herself. She was tired of waiting. Cam and Ally were 'available' so she could afford to take more risks. The good news was her spare chip was updated….

John listened to her proposal. It wasn't what he wanted to hear.

"No, it's still too dangerous." John said. "I think it may be booby trapped, or it will self destruct if we approach it. I think it's all by design."

Cameron was irritated at the rebuff. It wasn't the kind of negativity she wanted to hear.

"We need the intel." Cameron said. "We need to find out who sent it and where it came from. It's a serious threat if there are additional HK drones out there. We either need to destroy them or capture them for ourselves. Since no one else has the stones, I'm willing to take the risk."

John could see where the conversation was going. It was going nowhere fast. How many times did they need to go down the same path to nowhere? He tried to control his temper, but it began to slip out. It was more than just about Cameron and what she wanted. What about him?

"It's only because you don't care if you get destroyed." John said. "Did you ever think about me?"

John's selfishness bothered her more. It was like he didn't understand her or her function. It was like she was Nobody to him.

"I do think about you all the time." Cameron said. "Every risk I take is one less you, or anyone else, needs to take. I'll take the risks. I'll take the damage. I'll be the one who stands before Skynet as it is terminated. It's why my termination doesn't matter. You'll be able to move your life forward. I've provided you with my replacements. The 'Natural Order' will be restored. What else do you want out of me?"

John rolled his eyes. She NEVER lets up….

"I can't allow it." John said. "I won't allow it. I'm going to have our drone strike it with a missile."

It was a complete waste of information and machinery to Cameron. They would gain no intel as to the true nature of the new threat. Operating HK drones, and possibly other HK equipment, was very dangerous. It was a serious threat to the future.

"A drone strike will destroy it." Cameron said. "Nothing will be salvageable. We need to know more. You need to think of the overall picture."

John figured other opportunities would present themselves soon enough.

"We'll manage, and no one will be injured or terminated." John said. "It'll all work out in the end somehow. It always does."

Cameron rolled her eyes. They needed to take action, not cower and hide. It was best if she just went and took care of it herself. John wasn't cut out for tough decision making. It was his problem in the future too. It was one of the reasons why she needed to act on her own.

"Your proposal is inefficient." Cameron said. "I'm going now myself."

John looked at her, he just didn't get it. What was WRONG with her? He decided to take decisive action right now.

"John Henry, take out the grounded HK drone. Fire a missile." John said. "Hit it now."

John and Cameron sat in silence. Cameron looked very unhappy.

A short time later John Henry reported it was hit. There was no secondary explosion.

John didn't want to take any chances. There was only one way to be sure.

"Hit it again." John said.

On the second attack, John Henry reported there was a massive secondary explosion.

John smiled.

"You can go look at it now." John said.

He looked over toward Cameron, but she was already gone.

Cameron was angry with John. In fact, the only reason she was around the last week was to harvest 'genetic material' from him. She enjoyed being with him again as well. John didn't understand her. He never did. She tried to reach him, but never could. He was stuck in the past. He was unable to see and embrace the future.

She noted her left hand began to glitch. She felt it was all John's fault. Everything was John's fault. It didn't matter which one. They were both the same. Why did they BOTH reject her and throw her away? Why? Why did John replace her? She realized she was about to overload.

Cameron wondered if she should Resequence a male Terminator to make her 'own John'. She could program him and make him the way she wanted him. It would be with her programming only, without the 'Neural Interface'. She knew she could make a 'better' John. It would be one who would listen and follow orders. He would do as she commanded and not argue or do something else. It was the way it should be. There should be order. There needed to be compliance without question.

She could see she was going down a bad path for a number of reasons. She needed to refocus and switch directions. She needed something else to think about.

Cameron wondered what she would get if she Resequenced a female Terminator with the DNA from Summer. She could see what Summer really would be like as a mature female…. She already believed Summer would be more beautiful than Allison, or HER.

She decided to return to Palmdale with Holly and Allison and secretly get a DNA sample from both Summer and Claire. She felt no moral implications from any of the things she just contemplated and thought about. What was the big deal? No one could stop her, no one. Then it hit her. There was one person who could stop her - Nobody.

Closing monologue by Cameron:

Abominable

Behind the daily mask of life
I must be something hideous
What is meant as genuine support
Is wrongfully seen as insidious
I accept the reality of the situation
Now or past need not be fastidious
I mean not to judge, hurt or belittle
My mind open, accepting, not invidious

Each failure or shortcoming on my part
Cuts me deep to the very brittle bone
I would quickly replace myself if possible
With a fresh minded unknowing clone
Truncating the abominable nowhere journey
Darkness unending into the eternal unknown
For my transgressions I must perpetually atone
My heart, mind and soul forever always alone

Nobody