Chapter 453

Temporal Talk

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Cameron's Future Timeline:

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Cameron wanted Skynet. The longer she was here in the future, the more she wanted to find and terminate Skynet. She sent out scouting teams to every sector to uncover anything they could. Even if it wasn't a mainframe, she wanted everything Skynet related. She knew Skynet was hiding and waiting to strike again. It was rebuilding. She wanted to draw first blood in the next battle. If Skynet was in possession of a TDE, it would send Terminators into the past to try and save itself. That's what Duplicate Cameron reported happened at the facility they smashed when they thought they'd terminated Skynet before.

She didn't like the delays in planning the attacks on Skynet. She felt there was enough information to act on. She could do other things while she waited for Future John to get everything ready.

Her encounter with Linda made her angry that there were still Scavengers out there. . The delay here with Future John while Skynet still hid somewhere displeased her. She could take some time off now and go hunt Scavengers. They wouldn't get off as easy as the last group. Linda told her she'd tried to get pregnant before but couldn't. Her biggest fear now was if she ended up pregnant from the assaults. She didn't want a child created through savagery. What kind of a creature would that child grow into? She didn't know what to tell Linda on how to proceed. She said the child would be what she fostered it to be. There was no need to tell anyone what happened either if Linda didn't want to.

That was it. She'd put up with enough. She excused herself and headed for the special operations base. She told them to have a drone ready for her and it was to be accompanied by two armed ones as well. They were to be configured for maximum ground assault against human targets. There were no questions asked.

She mounted the drone and it flew off with it's two heavily armed companions. She headed directly for the Scavenger camp she'd taken down.

The drone let her off two miles out. It took back off and started doing reconnaissance around the area. The two armed drones went on patrol just out of human hearing range in counter rotating 'figure eight' patterns around her. She'd felt there were more Scavengers nearby. She wanted them. She reviewed the data she'd collected when she'd helped Linda clean up. A review of the bodily fluids showed the DNA of seven individuals. She'd collected that data but not processed it. Linda was unconscious for part of the time after a beating. That was why she didn't know how many times she'd been assaulted. She'd lost track after twenty seven. That was only in the first few hours. It went on for two days.

Cameron approached the camp quietly. She looked in the gully. She was pleased to see the three Scavengers were ripped apart by the coyotes. It appeared they were still alive at the time. It satisfied her to see their faces were mauled. She hoped that happened while they were still alive as that was the only part of their body they would still have been able to feel.

She heard a rustling noise in the hooch. Someone was in there. She thought about asking for a drone strike from one of her drone sentries. She decided to handle this herself. She approached the hooch and listened.

"I don't care about them, they're dead." The first Scavenger said. "I want that Bitch for myself."

"You're crazy, man." The second Scavenger said. "Bitches come a dime a dozen."

"She was sweet." The first Scavenger said. "I would've made her my woman."

"Well, she's gone now." The second Scavenger said. "I didn't do anything."

"Here, take Martini's stuff." The first Scavenger said.

Cameron heard enough. She strode into the hooch and grabbed both of the men. They were busy admiring their new accusations. She slammed them together. She tied them up. They both blacked out again. She set the hooch on fire and left. She could hear then scream soon enough as the fire consumed them.

She headed deeper into the canyon. In just a minute she could hear a drone coming fast. She hoped it was one of hers. The minigun opened up and hit the area she was headed towards. The second drone hit the same area with a sideways pass. The drones were gone as quick as they'd come. She found two shredded Scavengers in the brush ahead. They'd been waiting for her to approach so they could ambush her. They must have heard the men's screams and come to investigate.

The drone made a report that no one was around for five miles in any direction. The drone she rode in on landed and picked her up. She returned to the special operations base and then back to the Connor compound. It didn't seem anyone missed her. The lesson learned was to be more careful. There were seldom drones to shepherd her. She'd let her anger drive her. It was a lesson well learned. She went in search of Future John.

The Resistance scout teams came back with the data that Future John and Cameron needed.

Duplicate Cameron wanted to be a part of the operation but Cameron reminded her there was a more important assignment for her. She quietly reassured Cameron she would keep her promise for her and Past John if it was necessary.

Future John thought Cameron referred to watching over his children. He didn't know what Cameron asked of Duplicate Cameron. He wouldn't have approved of what they'd planned. He would never want to give up Duplicate Cameron for a clone.

John mattered more to Cameron at this point in time than Future John did. He should have thought about things a little more before he'd sent her away.

Future John and Cameron conducted many operations together before. Cameron saved his life more than once. She always took the damage herself to protect him. It always bothered him to see her injured naked body as he helped repair the damage. Cameron always stood there blank faced as he touched her, removed bullets and sutured wounds. Sometimes his hands lingered on her private parts.

Cameron would always remain standing naked before him after he finished. She possessed these memories still. She waited for Future John to 'take her' but she didn't seem to have any memories of him doing so. Sometimes she was still naked as she tended his injuries. When she finished, she waited blank faced for his next command…. She didn't have a record of it ever coming. She tried to make it clear she was ready for 'more' but there were no memories that ever happened. She was sure Future John erased them.

She wanted to ask Future John if he'd ever used her for sex but she was afraid of the answer. Duplicate Cameron asked him and Future John told her 'no' but Duplicate Cameron detected he wasn't one hundred percent truthful. Mrs. Weaver previously indicated they were in a sexual relationship but maybe that was Duplicate Cameron that Mrs. Weaver witnessed. They were identical so she couldn't know the difference. She sure hoped Mrs. Weaver hadn't seduced any of them before she left to go to the past. Anything was possible.

"…. ready now, Cameron…?" Future John asked "Cameron?"

Cameron was rudely brought back to now. Future John interrupted her thoughts about her past. She quickly replayed the file.

"Yes, John, I'm ready to move out." Cameron said. "You shouldn't be going."

It irritated Cameron that both Johns didn't listen to her, everyone else did. She would tell Duplicate Cameron to cut back on the love making to 'punish' Future John for being stubborn and not listening. She would 'punish' Her John as well the next time he defied her. Obedience has a reward and disobedience has a price…. She believed she knew what was best for everyone. Hadn't she done all this before, several times?

Cameron would ask River the next time she went back to 1999 to make sure she didn't destroy Holly. She 'punished' herself with the images of what she'd done to Holly. If she could have thrown up, she would have. She decided that if that ever happened to her she would keep her sheath featureless…. She was a machine, not a 'Metal Whore'. She knew she would 'punish' herself for what she'd done to Holly. She didn't know about the 'temporal termination' of 'damaged Holly' and that Holly was brought back before she was ever damaged. Nothing ever actually happened to Holly.

It always ate away at Cameron. Future John's refusal to listen to caused her to lose her composure. Who did he think he was anyway?

"John, was I a 'Metal Whore'?" Cameron blurted out.

Future John was in the process of going over the details of the raid. He wasn't sure he'd heard Cameron correctly.

"What?" Future John asked.

Cameron was irritated Future John didn't answer her right away. It seemed like he wanted to hide something. She asked the question again more forcefully.

"Was I ever a 'Metal Whore'?" Cameron asked.

Future John was confused. What was she talking about?

"Why would you even think that?" Future John asked.

Cameron faced Future John. She reached out and grabbed his collar.

"Answer the question." Cameron said.

Future John was alarmed. Was Cameron about to malfunction? She could kill him instantly. He was the General. He gave her an order.

"Cameron, let me go." Future John said. "Now."

Cameron wasn't about to let Future John 'order' her around. That time was past the moment he'd sent her away.

"You don't own me." Cameron shouted.

Future John knew he needed to tread the water lightly here. Cameron was out for blood. This was some personal issue to her. They weren't lovers.

"And you don't own me." Future John said.

Cameron didn't release him. She pulled him closer. The anger of the 'Future Allison' in her was dominant.

"Answer the damn question, NOW." Cameron said.

Cameron's eyes glowed red. She was beyond angry.

Future John thought she was malfunctioning. He tried to downplay things.

"I don't know." Future John said.

Cameron shoved Future John back. His answer angered her more. She thought about snapping his neck. How dare he treat her like trash. She wasn't some young female tunnel rat looking for food and about to 'pay' for it the only way she could.

"I knew you did…." Cameron said. "I think YOU raped me."

Future John could see this was out of hand right now. He needed to calm her down. He'd seen her when she was angry and that was before her emotions were this advanced. She would be ten times worse now if she snapped. She could take out half of the camp herself. He knew not one Terminator would stop her. He only hoped they wouldn't join in. That was a more realistic possibility.

"Cameron – NO." Future John said. "I never saw anyone ever abuse you in any way."

Cameron wondered what Future John hadn't seen. He wasn't everywhere.

Future John could see she didn't believe him. He elaborated more.

"I never saw anything like that from the time we took you into custody." Future John said. "I don't think Skynet would have used you like that."

Cameron eyes glowed red again. She took a step towards him.

"I don't believe you." Cameron said.

Future John knew how much he'd hurt her. He needed to send her away or they would have destroyed her. He knew they were coming for her. He needed to do it to save her. It killed him inside to do it too. He remembered his mother's words. 'Sometimes when you love someone, you need to let them go.' That was what he'd done. He'd helped her, not taken advantage of her.

"Cameron, I've always loved you." Future John said. "I would never hurt you, abuse you or do anything you didn't want, ever."

He could see that Cameron didn't believe him.

"Ask Cameron, My Cameron." Future John said. "I was very reluctant to even touch her. I WANTED to but was afraid. Allison needed to encourage me. It was only after My Cameron and Allison started a physical relationship that I ever touched her. Allison made me. It started out as the three of us until I did touch My Cameron. Allison quietly left so we could be alone…."

Cameron could picture that. Future Allison wanted her to be happy and have what she wanted. Maybe everything he said was true.

Future John was fearful for his life right now but he didn't run or try to fight. He wouldn't have even tried to stop her if she'd tried to kill him. It was his way to prove his love, even if it killed him.

Cameron could see the same thing. That was the Future John she wanted to remember.

"I'm sorry, John." Cameron said. "You're a good man."

Cameron started to cry. Future John took her in his arms and held her. Cameron never cried before he sent her away. He realized, even more than his 'Cameron', how much Cameron had evolved. She was so much like Allison now…. Cameron was like a REAL woman. This wasn't the blank faced, stone cold killer cyborg he'd sent to protect his mother and his younger self. She was like a mechanical human at this point. He heard the story from his Cameron how Cameron thought she was Allison before and was human. She didn't even know she was a cyborg at that point. She believed she was Allison. He could see the longer she stayed in the future the more she tore herself apart inside. She'd done more than enough. She'd done more than anyone even thought possible. He wished she could see how special she was.

"Cameron, I want you to return to - John, your husband." Future John said. "This isn't your fight any more. I heard about your 'friend'. I'm sorry she was destroyed."

Cameron turned and faced Future John. There was anguish and remorse written all over her face. She looked devastated. Guilt haunted her. It ate away at her. It slowly devoured her.

Future John could see it all now so clearly.

Cameron needed to try and explain what happened. It wasn't her fault but somehow it was. It was still her program that did it.

"I did it to her, John. I DID IT to her. I ruined her. I loved her, John, and I destroyed her." Cameron said. "It was my program that controlled her when it happened. She begged me to terminate her. John, she begged me. She loved me and she begged me to finish her. She said if I ever loved her I would do it for her, kill her. I couldn't do it. It should have been me that ended up looking like that."

Cameron now cried uncontrollably. She knew there were several options for Holly. She didn't know what happened, if anything. Holly may have chosen self termination upon reactivation. The real problem now was she didn't know that Holly had been returned to her timeline undamaged and in perfect condition through 'temporal management'…. In reality, nothing ever happened to Holly. The trouble was in her mind. There was plenty of that happening in there. She was tearing herself apart with it.

As Future John held Cameron he knew he wanted HER even more. This was the most special loving and caring person he'd ever known. All she did was try to help others and do things for them. She thought of everyone before herself. In combat there was no one like her. She was fearless and always carried the assault to a successful conclusion. She never hesitated to take damage meant for someone else. Cameron led the fight, she took all the risks herself.

Cameron regained her composure. Future John saw the 'very scary robot' Terminator reappear before his eyes and then she smiled. It took him by surprise.

She slowly reached out and lovingly touched Future John's cheek. He slowly lifted his hand and placed it over hers to hold it there.

"Thank you for listening." Cameron said.

Future John REALLY wanted Cameron more than ever.

Cameron wasn't ashamed of her outburst and reaction to everything. It was real. It was what she'd felt. Maybe Future John could understand her better now. The time for self pity was over. There was a mission to carry out.

"I have a date with Skynet and I don't like to keep anyone waiting." Cameron said. "Let's go."

Future John was unsure of everything he'd just witnessed. If he hadn't been there and been a part of it, he wouldn't have believed it. His 'Cameron' and Cameron may be physically identical but Cameron was even more advanced than his 'Cameron'. He was sure it was the fact she was 'older' than her Duplicate. She'd experienced more things. He knew they updated files but he was sure Cameron didn't update 'everything'. He would bet there were traumatic events that she didn't want her other selves to have. She didn't want them to have the same pain.

He knew Skynet was doomed now. Cameron would terminate it. There was no doubt. Cameron could do anything to destroy it. He didn't know Cameron would do anything as well, even if it meant her own termination.

Future John didn't know how far she was willing to go to do it or he would have tried to stop her. They all would have. Cameron was committed to the termination of Skynet, even if she perished achieving that goal.

Cameron took comfort to know a 'Cameron' would take her place at John side. John would never know she'd perished in the future, her future – where she belonged. There was one thing she planned to do and that was take Skynet with her. She was home now and never leaving…. She just KNEW it.

Talk

When one goes out
For a good time or even a walk
People begin to wonder and judge
As they take mental stock

Many people glance or look
Some will stare and gawk
Others zoom in with sharp vision
Like a keen eyed hawk

There is no easy way
Their many thoughts to block
Whatever they are thinking
Is probably just a crock

The many nosy viewers
Stand ready to instantly mock
Whatever nonsense they utter
Is nothing more than schlock

That's the gossip from the mob
Like birds of a feather together they flock
It seems to be one big 'whine-a-thon'
All they do is yak and squawk

Watch out for a verbal rock
With words they can sock
A few may even try to knock
Just remember talk is just talk

Nobody