Chapter 390

Experience

The battle was over and the building was destroyed. There was only smoldering rubble which remained. The Resistance teams pulled out. Only Cameron's team remained.

Cameron waited and watched the location. She was sure there was more to it than met the eye. If anyone survived the attack it would be the Terminator. They would wait until they thought it was all clear. She wanted them to hear the drone leave. When the other two that were rearmed returned, they would be at altitude. It would only increase the missile travel time by a few seconds.

She specifically wanted to find the female Terminator. She was sure there was one. So far only the male Terminator was spotted. At a different location, there were female garments spotted. She believed the female Terminator was with the male Terminator, and both of them were in hiding. They wouldn't be too concerned about the Grays fate. The destruction of the building and the resulting fire destroyed everything above ground.

"I think the Terminator is still around here, probably underground. I think the 'Metal Bitch' is here too." Cameron said. "I want to apprehend both of them. I'm sure they haven't left yet."

Ally felt they waited a long time already. Nothing happened. She didn't see any evidence one way or the other.

"Based on what?" Ally asked. "We should just leave. The operation is concluded. Everyone is terminated."

Cameron was involved in many similar operations before. She needed to think about what another Terminator would do. She tried to put herself in the same spot.

"No. My observation is based on experience." Cameron said.

As a rule in general, especially when it came to humans, there was only so much training and schooling could teach a person. Being out in the world and actually doing things provided real life experience. Time proved over and over again there was no substitute for experience.

Summer saw things the way Cameron did. She was a program clone of Cameron. She sided with Cameron not Ally.

"I agree." Summer said. "This operation hasn't reached its conclusion yet. You're out voted two to one."

Ally was still miffed at Summer for being deceived by her earlier. She let her seething anger be known. It seemed like a weighted vote to her as well.

"You don't count." Ally said. "You ARE her."

Cameron didn't want squabbling. She was sure action was imminent.

"Enough…." Cameron said. "We need to remain alert. The enemy is probably waiting to make a break for it. It could happen from any direction."

Summer agreed they needed to remain alert.

"When the breakout comes, it will be from where we least expect it." Summer said.

Ally didn't say everything she wanted to say. It wouldn't have been nice. There were two of 'Cameron' she needed to deal with right now.

"I'm out voted, two to one." Ally said. "It's really one to one since an 'echo' doesn't matter."

Summer didn't want to hear Ally complain either. She didn't care for her comment about an 'echo' either. She wanted to set her straight.

"We didn't vote." Summer said. "Your vote wouldn't matter anyway."

Ally responded sarcastically to Summer.

"What a show of confidence and fellowship." Ally said.

Cameron was sure action was about to happen.

"I need for both of you to be quiet." Cameron said. "The action isn't over."

Ally didn't see it as a big deal. Terminator hearing was very good.

"We can hear everything anyway." Ally said.

Summer looked at Cameron. She wanted to 'rib' Ally a little.

"The 'Allison' in her is a real Bitch." Summer said.

Ally felt Summer didn't see the big picture based on her statement. She may have the 'Neural Interface' with Allison. Cameron, and Summer by extension, shared the 'Neural Interface' with a different version of Allison, Future Allison. They were still the same person from two different timelines.

"Don't forget you have 'YOUR Allison' in you." Ally said. "She's a real Bitch too unless it's YOU who is."

Cameron took out the 'shocker' and brandished it to both Summer and Ally. She was in no mood to fool around.

"Do I make myself clear?" Cameron asked as she held up the 'shocker'.

Ally didn't like the threat, but she knew it was real.

"Crystal." Ally said.

Cameron needed to play the 'waiting game'. Sooner or later the enemy would make their move. Where they were now was destroyed. The enemy would need to move on.

"Now, let's wait." Cameron said. "The two rearmed drones are at high altitude right now. We can't hear them. The other one left, we know it and so do the enemy Terminators. Now we wait. I want the 'Metal Bitch'."

Ally made a point to look at Summer and Cameron. She wasn't pleased with either of them.

"It's just what we need, another 'Metal Bitch'." Ally muttered. "We seem to have too many already."

Cameron and Summer both glared back at Ally.

Summer decided to give Ally something to think about.

"If the shoe fits, wear it." Summer said.

It was clear how they all felt about each other right now. They were all on edge and seemed to take it out on each other. The enemy would feel their wrath soon enough. It was what all of them hoped anyway.

Savannah went over the trip details with the girls. She wanted to make sure they were all on the same page. Her agenda was a little different than theirs. She left out some of the personal details. It wasn't an oversight.

"It's just for a few days." Savannah said.

Jesse liked to travel light. She could always borrow things from Young Jesse or her mother.

"We don't need to pack much." Jesse said.

Not needing much wasn't a problem for Vanna either.

"When you grow up without anything, you don't need much." Vanna said. "You learn to get by with what you have. It's because it's all you have."

Vanna and Jesse knew from the future any possessions one acquired could be lost in an instant. Either someone would steal them, or the location they were in needed to be abandoned without going back. When one ran, they needed to be light to move. The only possession which actually mattered was their life. A weapon was good too, to help insure one kept their life. One wasn't always at hand when they needed to run.

The downside to it was to run into a group of men or Scavengers when they needed to run. It was soon after when they would be stripped and held down, as the men took turns, over and over. After about the third or fourth time it happened, one knew what to expect. It was best to just let it happen because it was going to happen anyway. The beatings were usually not as severe if the resistance was minimal. They still happened though. It seemed some men wanted to hurt someone, just to hear them cry out in pain. The real pain wasn't what was done to their bodies, it was what was done to their minds as they needed to live through it.

Savannah spoke with Jesse and Vanna alone. It was just the girls talking. Savannah went over the 'sins of the future' Cameron spoke of. She wanted to know what the two of them really wanted. She wanted to know if it was what their Terminator partners wanted for them as well. She needed to know if they were really ready.

She wanted Young Jesse clear on the reality of the future. She also wanted to point out another option for Jesse.

"I need you both to talk to Young Jesse, honesty. I'll speak with her as well." Savannah said. "Jesse, your mother could do for you, what Allison's mother is doing for her."

Jesse was a little alarmed at the seriousness of what Savannah proposed. It took her a while to say what she intended. It was sort of a shock to her anyway, even when she saw it was coming.

"I'll talk with my younger self first. It's a lot to ask a teenager to have a child and 'give' it away." Jesse said. "IF she doesn't want to have my baby, then I'll tell my mother the truth about everything and ask her. She already 'knows' a lot."

Jesse's mother whispered to her she didn't know how it was, but she knew she was her daughter, even if her daughter who lived in her house was still a teenager. She acknowledged to her mother she was. She said she would explain it someday.

It made her wonder how she would explain to her mother she died. Her father died, and her sister died. She was the only survivor. The men in protective suits came and drug her away from them. Her life took a downward spiral from then. It only got worse as time went by. There were some things she just couldn't tell her mother. She was also embarrassed by her own actions as well as some of the things done to her. A Skynet future was an ugly place from any perspective.

Vanna didn't want Savannah to take such a step. She looked at Savannah and could see the beautiful young woman she was. She was so thankful Savannah was never held down by a group of men…. When she was her age, she was abused dozens of times already.

She watched women die in childbirth. The screams of pain were terrible to listen to. It seemed to her to be one of the most terrible ways to die. She found women killed, and their babies stolen from them by others who couldn't have them. It was what happened in her future which made her fear Savannah taking such a traumatic step for her. No matter how she looked at it, it didn't seem like a good idea.

When she was a prisoner in a Scavenger camp once, one of the females who was captured was pregnant. They made a deal with some man. When the woman delivered the baby, it was taken from her. The man returned with two teenagers. One was male, and the other was female. He stole someone else's children, and traded them for the baby the woman gave birth to. It was for his wife. Before she escaped from there a few months later, the woman who could reproduce was pregnant again. The young male and female were both dead by then. She watched both of them get killed over time. There was nothing she could do to intervene without the same thing happening to her. It would actually be worse if she said something or tried to stop it. All of the terrible thoughts were in her mind right now.

"I don't want you to do it for me, Savannah, not yet." Vanna said. "You're still young to me. When you were younger, some people thought you were my daughter. You're more like my younger sister."

Savannah stood and slowly turned around. She indicated her shapely figure. It was almost identical to Vanna's figure in every way.

Jesse took in her shape. Savannah was almost the same as Vanna, as Young Jesse was to her. The only differences between them were probably related to their slightly older age.

"It isn't a young body, Vanna." Jesse said. "It's a woman's body now. It is identical to yours, just younger, and no offense, a little firmer."

Savannah smiled at Jesse. Jesse shifted position and a breast with a nipple ring popped out of her loose top. Vanna frowned at the whole exchange.

"I won't allow it." Vanna said as she looked at Jesse. "Or THAT either."

Vanna reached over straightening Jesse's top since Jesse made no effort to do so. She made a point of touching her nipple ring and straightening it before she tucked the breast back in Jesse's top. A little squeeze on a soft firm breast never hurt anything.

Savannah saw the issue as more than just something for Vanna. It was about Cameron, John and the future as well. She believed if Cameron was given a child as her own, it would help to anchor her in the present. Hopefully it would make her think twice about taking any rash moves. There was no guarantee. It should make Cameron think twice in some situations.

"Then I'll do it for Cameron." Savannah said. "If Judgment Day comes, it's NEVER going to happen. We need to start listening to Cameron. We need to HEAR what she's telling us."

Savannah was very attentive to the things Cameron talked about, even if Vanna and Jesse weren't. Maybe Cameron spoke more frankly with her when they were alone at times. It was during those times when she wouldn't know Cameron was a cyborg. She was so much like her when they talked. They talked about everything. She knew one thing more than anything. She was the one who needed to help Cameron. She could do it now.

Jesse was nervous and apprehensive about the whole subject. She was sure she would make a terrible mother. It was the same thing Allison felt. They needed to grow up without parents after Judgment Day. They remembered the loss of it. They were both sure it would happen to them as well, and their children would suffer the same fate as they did.

"Let's go find our Metal girls." Jesse said nervously. "Before I get cold feet and go hide in my room."

Savannah was undaunted. It was about the future anyway it played out. She knew her role. She knew her duty to the future. She understood her function….

"I'll go by myself if I have to." Savannah said.

Vanna could see Savannah was going to do it. Maybe if she was there she could stop her. She also wanted to support Jesse. She could see how 'fearful' she was talking about it.

"OK, I'm in for Jesse with Young Jesse." Vanna said.

Savannah believed Vanna would come around. She thought about Vanna's earlier comment. She remembered some people did think Vanna was her mother when they went out. They always commented on how much they looked alike. She remembered the same thing happened with Allison and Young Allison. People couldn't get over how much the mother and daughter looked alike. None of them knew it was actually the same individual, one was back from the future.

"I know you'll support me, MOM." Savannah said.

Vanna was a little miffed at Savannah's response. She wanted to make her displeasure known.

"You are a little red headed Bi…." Vanna started.

Savannah wanted to keep the language tame. She also wanted to state a fact both of them knew.

"…WITCH." Savannah cut in. "Our 'mother' is the other…."

Vanna and Savannah laughed. They knew Mrs. Weaver tended to rub everybody the wrong way she encountered. For them things were a little different. She tried to act like their mother, even if she wasn't and didn't do a very good job at it. She still tried. It was something which mattered to them, even if it was an illusion. Sometimes an illusion was better than nothing. Dead was dead and it was never good.

Jesse smiled nervously as she wrung her hands. She didn't know if she could take care of an infant. It seemed like it was a lot of work. It wasn't the part which scared her. She knew there were a lot of things which could go wrong. It seemed to her when things could go wrong, they usually did.

Sheila went over all the TDE information. What they did and tested should have worked. She stopped all testing until Cameron returned. She went over every calculation again. They were missing something. Maybe they needed more power for what they attempted to do.

She questioned what Cameron was after and why. At this point, she didn't see what difference it made.

John was troubled on the trip back to the base. The fact they left Cameron there with Ally was disturbing. He didn't know Summer was reactivated. What if Cameron was right? What if there was something else? Two Terminators could handle quite a bit of action. There was the possibility they would need to face two Skynet Terminators and maybe even more Grays if something developed.

"I really didn't like leaving Cameron there." John said.

Bob was aware of what Cameron wanted, even if it was a risk to her.

"You know she wants you and everyone safe." Bob said.

John knew it's how it usually was. He was safe and Cameron took the heat and the damage.

"I do and we are, now." John said. "I'm worried about her."

Bob saw the bigger picture and why Cameron did what she did.

"We all do, John." Bob said. "She is doing everything for YOU and all of us."

John didn't need to hear it. He knew it. It still seemed like a heavy load for Cameron to carry.

"She feels such guilt and remorse about everything." John said.

Bob felt there were several factors involved.

"It's not all her fault…." Bob said.

John needed to be reminded of it even less. He was more than aware of some of the blame pointed back to him, and Future John.

"I know." John said. "I can't ever forget either."

Bob was satisfied John was more secure back at the base. He could round up some Terminators and return if John stayed where he was now.

"Do you want me to take some Terminators and go back?" Bob asked. "She has two drones at her instant command."

John wanted the option. He knew it would come with a 'price'.

"I do." John said. "But if we do it, she'll be angry we didn't believe in her."

Bob wanted to see where things stood. They could look at the drone images.

"Let's go see John Henry." Bob said.

John and Bob went to the Command Center.

"What do we have?" John asked.

John Henry wasn't happy with the turn of events.

"We have a 'black out'." John Henry said. "Cameron has local control."

John didn't like the development of the situation at all.

"So we don't know what's happening?" John asked.

John Henry could think of at least one option.

"No." John Henry said. "You can always call her…."

John knew it would cause a problem. He doubted it would have any effect.

"No one can control her." John said.

Bob often wondered about it. It was illogical for Cameron to marry John in the first place. Sexual favors could have been shared without the 'words'. It should have been part of her infiltration programming. He often wondered why it wasn't activated as such.

"Maybe she married you so you couldn't control her." Bob joked.

John Henry studied human behavior. He saw a female often could employ great influence over a male. She possessed an anatomical body part which was desired more than anything by a male, and evidently by quite a few females as well.

"It's always the wife who has 'control' of the husband." John Henry said. "In my research…."

John cut him off. He didn't need to hear what he already knew. It was something he figured out a long time ago. There wasn't much he could do about it one way or the other. It's just the way it was. He believed John Henry's research was accurate without needing to actually hear it.

"Kyle and Derek have said as much to me." John said. "I believe women are born evil."

Bob saw it a little differently.

"Or smart." Bob said. "Once they learn how to use their assets."

John threw his hands up in the air.

"Whatever…." John said. "I give up. It's a losing game with you two."

John also knew it was a losing game with Cameron. She always 'won'. It was never over until she won. Even if it was over, it was never over to her. She was a very determined individual with a one track mind. Then again, it's exactly how a Terminator was constructed. Once they were assigned a task, they stayed with it until they completed it.

Ally wondered why nothing else happened at the location. There would usually be someone to look into something this long after the objective was destroyed.

"The fire is out now." Ally said. "There was no emergency response. There wasn't even some type of follow up by anyone who may have observed something earlier."

It was SOP or standard operation procedure for the team. This one just ran a little longer.

"John Henry's server takes over all 911 calls when we conduct an operation." Cameron said. "Anything involving what we do is all redirected. If he monitors anyone, or any type of emergency response later on after the fact, he continues to redirect them."

Ally knew CamNet did it on their 'off the books' operations into the drug and sex trafficking trade.

"I thought your server did it too." Ally said.

Cameron liked to cover all the bases.

"It does." Cameron said. "It catches anything John Henry's server misses."

Ally wondered about Cameron and Skynet. Specifically she wondered when the former would become the latter.

"Are you everywhere?" Ally asked.

Cameron developed a faint smile.

"I'm where I need to be." Cameron said. "I'm ready for Skynet and to bail out John Henry."

Ally was worried about Cameron and her future.

"Will you become Skynet, Cameron?" Ally asked. "Really?"

The faint smile vanished on Cameron's face. It was a reality she believed was true.

"I think so." Cameron said. "It is the only way to fight it and win."

Cameron believed she would need to become Skynet's replacement.

Ally didn't want it for Cameron.

"Cameron, I…." Ally started.

Summer touched both of them and pointed.

"LOOK!" Summer said.

There were two figures on the move. One was male, the other was female.

"I see it." Ally said. "It's our Metal friends, both of them."

Cameron was pleased she waited around. It's what she thought would happen. She looked at Ally.

"I want the 'Metal BITCH'." Cameron said.

Ally remembered her earlier comment.

"I'm sorry." Ally said.

Cameron wanted to act.

"Does everyone have their Taser ready?" Cameron asked.

"Yes." Ally and Summer both replied.

Cameron wanted to remind them of a lesson she learned today from Savannah. She believed it was an effective strategy.

"Summer, do you know how Savannah Tasered you so easily?" Cameron asked.

Summer didn't like being taken down so quickly. She wasn't exactly sure what happened to her.

"No, I was ready for her. I should have avoided her initial attack." Summer said. "She still brought me down."

Ally saw what Savannah did. She fired all four cartridges of her special Taser. They weren't fired at random either. There was a very specific geometric matrix which she used.

"She fired a pattern." Ally said. "I watched her."

Cameron watched Savannah 'box' Summer in with her shot pattern. It happened instantly.

"Yes, she covered every direction you could go." Cameron said. "She also correctly predicted the direction you would go. It's why you were struck with three separate sets of barbs. You took quite a jolt."

Ally never saw the tactic employed before.

"Did you teach her how to do it?" Ally asked.

Summer was sure if Cameron would have taught Savannah the technique, she would have known what to expect herself.

Cameron was proud of Savannah for thinking outside the box.

"No." Cameron said. "We all learned it from Savannah, tonight."

Ally always liked to be around Savannah. All of the Terminators did. They all felt like 'somebody' in her presence. Savannah made all of them feel very comfortable, it seemed to be something the male Terminators appreciated greatly.

"Savannah is the greatest, Cameron." Ally said.

Cameron watched the two figures move in the distance. She was proud of Savannah.

"She's the future." Cameron said. "We all must yield to her when she's ready to take her place."

Ally glanced over at Cameron in the darkness.

"Even you?" Ally asked.

The faint smile returned to Cameron's face. She wanted Savannah at John's side.

"Yes." Cameron said. "It's the 'Natural Order' of time. She's my 'replacement'."

Silence gripped Ally and Summer as they thought of the pain of actually saying it must cause Cameron to feel.

"You know she will die before she hurts you." Ally said.

Cameron did know it. It wasn't supposed to be what happened.

"Yes." Cameron said. "It's why I must harden her more. So she TAKES what is hers to take. I must make her more like her mother, Mrs. Weaver."

Summer knew Cameron planned to follow a different path.

"What of your temporal mission?" Summer asked.

Cameron ignored Summer's jab.

"As ME, you will continue Savannah's conditioning." Cameron said. "They're moving, let's go."

The trio moved out after the duo.

"Tasers first." Ally said as she tapped her rifle. "An M4 just in case."

Closing monologue by Cameron:

Experience

There's no textbook to life
All things must be learned
For those who aren't willing
They are going to get burned

Nothing is easy or simple
Everything comes with a price
It may not be evident for decades
By then it's too late to think twice

Most people are out for themselves
It's the nature of the beast
Once they find the sick or weak
Watch as they use them and feast

When one faces a new challenge
Upon what do they have to draw
With nothing on which to go on
It may be their final last straw

Victory goes to the knowledgeable
They do not suffer from inexperience
For those trodden always remember
There's no substitute for experience

Nobody