Chapter 472

Temporal Target

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Future Timeline - Undetermined Error:

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Cammy carried Savannah so that they could cover the distance more quickly to the suspected Skynet location. Savannah held the handmade weapons Cammy fabricated.

Savannah suggested several times that Cammy let her walk, so Cammy could be combat ready.

Cammy wanted to get as close to the Skynet facility as she could first.

Savannah didn't want to be a burden or endanger Cammy.

"Cammy, I can walk for awhile." Savannah said. "You need to be on guard for the unknown."

Cammy finally set Savannah down. She'd carried her for fifteen miles. They'd covered quite a big of ground rapidly this way. She hadn't run but took long and fast Terminator steps. It gave Savannah a smoother ride that way. It also left a distinctive set of footprints.

They neared the area Cammy saw the HK drone disappear at. They should start to encounter Skynet sensors soon, if they hadn't already. None were detected or observed so far.

They tried to be very careful. They didn't know if they'd already been detected or were being watched. Cammy again said she thought Skynet would try to capture them if possible. Their 'clothing' was bound to raise some questions.

Cammy secured Savannah in a small ravine surrounded by rocks and small trees. There was even a small spring here. The water would drip out, one drop at a time from the rocks. It disappeared as quickly into the damp dirt below. There was probably some subterranean branch of the spring as well based on the increased vegetation in the area. There was a line of greenery alongside the ravine.

If Skynet was here, they'd probably taped into it as well for the Grays. They could use the water too for other things. Cooling something would be one of them.

Cammy checked the water. It was consumable. It would take several hours to fill the canteen. She asked Savannah to drink the water in the canteen now. Savannah hadn't used any yet. She knew that took a lot of willpower not to drink it all right away, let alone not to have taken a drop. She wedged the canteen into the rock to let it fill. It was going to take some time to fill a drop at a time.

She was worried Savannah wouldn't use any. She needed the water to re-hydrate. She wanted to make it clear but not make it an issue. She already noticed that Savannah's breasts all but stopped producing the more her body was taxed.

"Let it fill an inch, then you can drink half of it. Try to let it fill as full as you can." Cammy said. "You need to drink some. Don't neglect yourself. You need the water."

Savannah could see Cammy was concerned and reluctant to leave. She felt she was in a good hiding place for now. She didn't want Cammy to worry. She would drink some of the water.

"I will, Cammy." Savannah said. "Go scout around. I'll remain here. I have my spear and rock knife."

Cammy stood before Savannah, their eyes locked. They both thought the same thing.

"I know, Cammy, I do too." Savannah said and gave Cammy a quick kiss.

They both knew it could be the last time they saw each other.

"We both love each other." Savannah said. "We don't need to say it. We live it."

Cammy handed Savannah the revolver. She didn't want to say what she needed to say but she said it anyway.

"There are only two rounds. I don't know if either will fire." Cammy said. "If you encounter more than two Scavengers…."

The unfinished sentence said it all, with finality.

Savannah understood the 'option'. It was something to think about.

"I know, Cammy." Savannah said. "Save the last one for myself…."

Both of them felt the weight of the world on them.

Cammy moved out wordlessly. A single tear slid down her cheek. She didn't want to look back. She was sure if she did it would be the last time she ever saw Savannah….

Cammy spotted some surveillance devices as she moved closer to where she thought the Skynet base or outpost was at. She carefully avoided them. She knew if she disabled them that Terminators would be sent to investigate or worse - HK drones. If the HK drones came, they would spot both her and Savannah in short order. There was really no hiding place to hide here from an HK drone. Cammy would rather face Metal than an HK drone. With only a bow, arrows and a few spears, she didn't stand a chance.

If the HK drone hadn't been out searching for them earlier, Cammy never would have known to come here. Everything was too well hidden. She placed her ear to the ground to listen for machinery or any other sounds. She was unable to detect it at first and then she heard it.

The closer she got, the more she could hear it when she listened to the ground. She could now detect minute vibrations as well. There was a power source inside somewhere. She wasn't sure how. This may be a Skynet mainframe or at least a major hub. There was probably a TDE inside of this location as well.

Cammy was sure Skynet must have been using a TDE when they came through time and they were drawn here because of the temporal activity. Skynet must have detected them or that some error or anomaly occurred in their transfers. It was significant enough to make Skynet blow their cover and search for them.

Now she was here. It was time to say 'hello'. She was 'Cameron', just not updated and she was going to look for her – Father. She hoped Savannah was going to be safe out there. She didn't think she would come back….

Cammy knew if she could reach the parent Skynet computer. She was going to terminate it no matter what it took or cost. It would protect Savannah, both Johns, every Allison and the future. It should also help protect the past if Skynet was using its TDE. She pressed ahead with grim determination.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Resistance Base - Current Timeline:

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Gail and Jesse headed back to their SUV. The building they'd just left was a roaring inferno behind them. They'd ended up with more questions than answers.

"It looks like we have a bigger target." Jesse said.

Gail was a little worried. They normally dealt with small time future Scavengers. The operation that Jesse pursed right now was more in the scope of what Cameron did with Sheila and Ally most of the time. They had the full backing of CamNet and Cameron's Terminators if needed. Drones were also available to them.

"I need to worry about your safety on what we're doing." Gail said. "I can take the punishment, you can't."

Jesse could see that Gail was genuinely worried about her.

"I appreciate your concern." Jesse said. "I also know you wouldn't say anything to me about this under normal conditions."

Gail didn't like to upset Jesse.

"I always do what you want." Gail said. "I also need to warn you for excess danger."

Jesse knew that was true. Gail always did what she wanted. That applied to what they were doing now to anything in the bedroom.

"I know you do." Jesse said. "I don't want to abuse you in any way."

She didn't want to cause a problem with Gail. Maybe things were a little more involved this time. They didn't usually do a frontal assault.

"Maybe we need to take a step back." Jesse said. "Maybe I need to take a step back."

Gail could tell she'd upset Jesse some.

"I can ask some of the Metal girls to assist us." Gail said.

Jesse liked to keep what they did low key. If they started to involve others it could turn into a problem

They were back at the SUV now.

"I don't want to push it and get 'banned' from what we do." Jesse said. "We're helping people and taking future Scavengers off of the street. You saw how they treat females."

Gail was aware that Jesse needed to endure such abuse before for many years on and off.

"I know that you want retribution." Gail said.

Jesse did want retribution. She wanted it against the men who 'took' her when she was a girl. There was no retribution for that. There were dozens and dozens of them over the years as she grew up.

"I'm losing my perspective." Jesse said. "Thank you for pointing that out."

Gail could see Jesse was upset.

"You can drive." Gail said.

Jesse knew Gail asked her to do that to keep her mind off on things.

"Sure, love." Jesse said.

Gail planned to take down the operation on her own later on once Jesse was asleep. If she eliminated the threat herself, Jesse wouldn't need to go.

She opened the roll-up door and Jesse drove out with the SUV. She closed it behind them.

"I'm not trying to cause a problem." Gail said.

Jesse was sure she knew where Gail 'learned' to speak up from.

"You've been talking to Savannah." Jesse said.

Gail didn't see anything wrong with that. Savannah was the greatest. She made her feel comfortable and they could talk about anything. All of the Terminators felt that way about Savannah.

"I enjoy her company." Gail said. "She loves Jesse – Young Jesse very much."

Jesse knew where this conversation was headed.

"Savannah is protecting me right now isn't she?" Jesse asked.

Gail didn't see it as a problem.

"You are Her Jesse." Gail said. "You know that. That's why she shares with you."

Jesse loved Savannah very much. That was her biggest thrill in a long time. No, it was her biggest thrill ever. She was like a lost school girl when Savannah was with her the first time. The shame she felt for her past haunted her. Savannah kissed her and said the past was done and gone. Life moved forwards, not backwards. Savannah, like Cameron, allowed her to believe in herself again. Maybe she started expanding her 'free time' activities to protect Savannah and her younger self. Killing was something she could do. It was something she was good at. Cameron kept them sidelined most of the time. She did understand Cameron did that to protect her and the other girls. Cameron was the one who faced the threats. Maybe she was doing the same thing in her own way.

"Let's go back to where we picked up that Gray." Jesse said.

Gail was a little surprised.

"OK." Gail said. "Do you want to go back on the grid?"

Jesse thought about it.

"We're out here and John Henry said there was more temporal activity." Jesse said. "We accomplished what we set out to do already. We freed some girls from sexual slavery. I don't know for how long but they're free right now. We need to do what I came back for."

Gail was pleased that she was from the same future as Jesse.

"I was sent back to help you." Gail said. "Well, the Resistance anyway is who I was sent to help."

Jesse knew Skynet was the root of all her troubles.

"Sometimes I forget where the real problem arose from." Jesse said. "Get us up to speed."

Gail contacted John Henry and told him they were in the hunt as well. She also told him not to protest. They were part of it.

"I have some suspicious activity near where you picked up the Gray you terminated." John Henry said. "I'll send you a 'burst'."

Gail listened to everything. John Henry transferred a mass of data to her in a 'burst transmission'. It was not something Jesse could follow. She was able to process and separate out what was important to them right now but also have the background data.

Jesse didn't get the same information that Gail did. They were able to isolate the coms to specific individuals. They could all receive general transmissions too.

Gail filled Jesse in and gave her some directions.

"It sounds like we might have a cell of Grays." Jesse said.

Gail was aware of the flip side of that.

"That also means there can be Metal." Gail said. "We don't know what we're facing."

Jesse thought they did know.

"We're facing the enemy." Jesse said. "They're the ones who blew up the world, not us. They're here to do it again. We're here to stop them."

Gail was glad Jesse wasn't upset at her. She just needed to refocuses her a little. That's what she'd done.

"We can seal with future Scavengers anytime." Gail said. "We can also prevent them from becoming real Scavengers by preventing Skynet from launching Judgment Day."

Jesse smiled and touched Gail's leg with her hand.

"That's what we'll do." Jesse said. "Get us some targets."

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Cameron's Future Timeline:

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Cameron closed to within thirty miles of where she was told to look. A Resistance Metal patrol found a group of Scavengers. One bargained for his life with information on Skynet activity. He told them how previously one of their party went out and never returned at the location he revealed to the patrol. He reported they'd seen an HK drone in the area so they'd stopped looking for him.

The other Scavengers were terminated. He was to be emasculate and allowed to live. Cameron issued the order herself that all Scavengers were to be terminated. Any that were spared because they'd provided useful information were to be emasculated. Those genderless few were allowed to live to spread the word of what was going to happen to ALL Scavengers, sooner or later. He stated there was one more thing to trade if he wasn't completely emasculated. It was the location of a hidden entrance. He was told if this information was false he would be emasculated and then terminated.

Cameron received this information and moved on foot to the location. The two drones that brought her to the area were concealed and left in standby. They were ready to respond to her call. They could arrive within a few minutes. The unarmed one would fly in first to draw fire. The armed one would follow it. It would engage the targets that the first one caused to react and identify their positions.

She communicated with both machines. She'd previously copied part of her program into both of them. They both thanked her for repairing them and not being scrapped. She knew they were both machines like her, even if they were different. The machines with parts of her program copied onto their chips would act as she would act. She seemed to build loyalty wherever she went. She didn't understand it.

Cameron only did what she thought was the right thing or the correct thing to do. It always made people love her and build loyalty to her both Human and Metal, even the 'lesser machines'. She never treated them as 'lesser'. They were like her but different, that's how she saw it. Now they both shared parts of her programming on them.

She followed the information to the location. She soon came across a campsite that someone tried to cover up. She'd almost missed it. It seemed recent, not from when the missing Scavenger would be been lost in. That was more than a week ago.

There were a group of birds nearby squawking. She went to investigate that as well. She noted two dead birds near a dead Scavenger. The birds both showed fresh puncture wounds through their necks. They weren't gunshot wounds. Cameron figured it was from a spear or an arrow. That seemed highly unusual. Nobody used those implements anymore. She noted the site was contaminated. That must be why whoever killed them didn't eat the birds.

Cameron continued on her way. She soon came across the tracks of a Terminator, she could tell by the spacing of the footprints. It was heavy but with small feet. They seemed about her size based on the depressions in the dirt compared to hers. It didn't make sense to her. She lost the tracks but found them again. She knew whoever she was tracking was good. She increased her guard.

She wondered if she was being set up. Maybe she wasn't tracking Metal, maybe it was stalking her. She slowed and scanned the area around her even more carefully. There was something here that was off. It just wasn't right. She was a machine but she developed a 'feeling'. It wasn't a good feeling either. It was because the tracks were too 'heavy' for the foot size. There was defiantly something off here.

Cameron went back to scout behind her in a broad circle. She wanted to find this Terminator and take it down before it took her down. She checked her gear again. She carried plasma and Thermite grenades, a plasma rifle and a sidearm. The pistol was for any Scavengers or Grays she ran across.

She'd left word among the Resistance Terminators, which were now HER Terminators, that all Scavengers and Grays were to be terminated quietly if possible and unobserved. These people were a problem and their enemies. They would forever pose a threat.

Sure, everyone knew General Connor was in 'charge' but Cameron was back, the Real One, and the Terminators knew it. In fact everyone knew it. Even Skynet knew it, she'd made sure of that.

Cameron hoped it didn't cause the anti-Metal faction to return because she'd returned. Her time here was limited. She tried to use Terminators for anything that would cost human lives. She hoped they could see that.

Skynet created Cameron. In doing so, Skynet signed its own death warrant….

Cameron was ready to enforce that warrant. She wondered if it was herself she would face. She was sure it would be. It only reinforced her belief that this was a one way ticket. That seemed to matter less and less the closer she drew to her destiny.

Target

What happens when
One becomes possessive
That character flaw's nature
May soon become obsessive

One plus one with people
May not always equal two
Not everyone is thrilled with the other
They would rather bid them adieu

Some people just can't let go
The harder they hang on
The worse things become
Even more animosity they spawn

To be or not to be
Means it's usually not to be
It just takes a little longer
For some people to see

What does one do when they
Attract another like a magnet
It's a pretty good bet
They will end up a target

Nobody