Chapter 536

Bad To Worse

Savannah entered the target area, Cameron was at her side.

Everything was smooth so far. Any of the enemy that was encountered was taken down silently. It almost seemed that things were too quiet.

"I would have expected stronger resistance." Savannah said.

Cameron thought about it.

"I would have too." Cameron said.

John and John Henry were worried about that as well.

Everything changed soon enough.

They heard shooting in one part of the building and then in another part.

"I guess I spoke too soon." Savannah said.

Cameron wasn't so sure.

"Maybe they wanted to draw us in." Cameron said.

Savannah remembered her earlier fears.

"This may be a trap." Savannah said.

Savannah checked on all her team members.

"All personnel are accounted for and functioning at one hundred percent." John Henry reported.

Savannah wasn't sure as to what the damage was to anyone. She needed to remember Terminators could function with a lot of damage.

Reports began to come in as to records and hard drives seized and some Coltan was located. The enemy seemed to fade away again.

Savannah went over the goals of the mission.

"We want all threats neutralized, to take control of their electronic and paper records and supplies of Coltan." Savannah said. "So far we have accomplished that."

Cameron could see that Savannah wasn't satisfied with that so far.

"What else is it?" Cameron asked.

Savannah hadn't been able to place it since they'd arrived.

"This seems off." Savannah said. "Then again, I guess it always does."

The shooting started again. It was closer now.

Savannah switched to her M4 from her silenced pistol and Taser. They hadn't encountered any Metal yet. It sounded like more Gray and they were close.

Cameron was ready for them.

"They should be right around the corner." Cameron whispered.

Savannah spotted a target. She fired half a magazine from her M4. She saw she scored hits on a Gray. He was down.

Cameron opened up as well on another target. He dodged off to the side after a few shots. She anticipated his next move. When he sprang up again to fire at them she hit him in the upper torso with three rounds and he fell back out of view.

Savannah replaced her magazine with a full one. They continued to move forward….

They moved closer to the two fallen Grays.

Savannah wasn't sure if they were both dead. She pumped a single shot into the head of both of the downed Grays as they passed. It was the only way to be sure.

Cameron watched and nodded.

Holly was back near the strike zone. She was closest to the machine shop so that was her first objective. Savannah asked her to do a wide recon around the area. They wanted to make sure no one slipped out or any reinforcements were on the way.

She did a wide recon around the machine shop that Cammy's team was at. She'd heard the reports that resistance was light. There were two drones on station and nothing was detected.

Holly headed for the primary target. It was the small foundry. She thought she caught some movement near the ground. She was midway between the two targets.

"Is there anything in the air besides our drones?" Holly asked.

John Henry checked all the radar screens.

"Nothing is detected except the two drones at each location and you." John Henry said.

Holly went in for a closer look.

She'd decided to come in on a wider sweep to the small foundry. She noticed something below her off to the side. The objects moved rapidly. She did see something. They were right on the deck, just feet above the terrain. She immediately engaged her weapons systems.

"I have two hostile HK drones moving very, very low to the ground." Holly reported.

John and John Henry both checked everything again. This sounded like bad news.

"We haven't detected them as of yet." John Henry said. "They must be right on the deck. They're not our drones."

Holly tried for a lock on them. It was difficult to get a good lock. She made some adjustments to her equipment. She was too far away for the minigun to be used. She would need to close the distance some more.

"They won't have far to fall." Holly said.

Savannah recognized this for the bad news that it was. There was bound to be more than two HK drones headed their way. She gave the order to scramble the Blackhawk. She changed the mission of their four drones from air support of the troops on the ground to air to air combat.

"I want all four drones in 'air to air' combat mode." Savannah said. "I want one at each location to go high and the other to prepare for an immediate engagement. All weapons are to be hot."

Holly was able to clear the ground clutter. The targets were acquired with good 'tone'.

"I have the targets locked." Holly reported. "They are two miles out and closing fast."

Savannah needed to worry about collateral damage. There were structures scattered around the area.

"Holly, as soon as there's little below them in the way of structures, flame them." Savannah said.

Holly saw it was clear so she took the shot.

"Two missiles are away." Holly reported. "The track on them is good."

A few seconds later she added.

"There are two smoking holes in the ground." Holly said. "Scratch two."

Savannah specifically brought Stinger crews with each team to both locations. She wanted to be ready for any HK drones that might slip through.

"I want the Stinger crews to stand ready." Savannah said. "All personnel need to be prepared to seek cover. Continue your assignments."

Holly gained some altitude. One alarm went off followed by a second one. She was 'painted' somehow. Something streaked towards her.

"I've been targeted." Holly reported. "Countermeasures away, a missile just missed me."

John Henry tried to find out how any of the HK drones avoided detection. There were multiple targets now.

"Our drone high over the foundry has engaged two drones." John Henry reported. "One target was destroyed, one has gotten away. Our drone is damaged. It must withdraw. It may not make it."

Savannah didn't want an HK drone to follow their drone back to their base. There was a contingency plan for such and event.

"Have it proceed to the remote location." Savannah ordered. "Don't have it return to base."

Holly closed up on the earlier engagement. She spotted the HK drone that escaped. She locked it up two seconds later. She fired another missile.

"I have engaged and defeated a third HK drone." Holly reported. "I believe it was the one that targeted me."

John Henry looked at John with the latest report from Holly.

"Previously all HK drones have only been equipped for ground assault." John Henry said. "None of them had air to air capability other than to use their minigun."

John wondered about the missile fired at Holly.

"Could it have fired an air to ground missile at Holly?" John asked.

John Henry knew that was a possibility. It was also a long shot.

"Yes." John Henry said. "It missed, that's all that matters."

One of the teams on the ground spotted another HK drone low on the ground.

"A new target has been acquired, Stinger away." Al reported. "Scratch one."

Savannah was worried the HK drones were able to get in so close. One of their drones was damaged and Holly was almost hit as well.

"Are there any other HK drones?" Savannah asked.

A new target inside the foundry appeared off to the side of Savannah before anyone could answer her.

Savannah fired her M4 and scored. She then fired a second time. The bolt locked open. She hit the magazine release and inserted a new magazine and hit the bolt release. She was good to go again.

"Holly, watch for a trap." Savannah said.

Cameron engaged two targets off to the other side when Savannah fired on her targets. She was impressed that Savannah never paused in her conversation. She would have to commend Sarah again for her training of Savannah.

A new threat reared it ugly head. It was what they'd been expecting all along - Terminators.

"Metal!" Cameron said. "There are…."

All communications went out….

That wasn't the news they wanted to hear in the Command Center. First it was HK drones and now there were Terminators.

John and John Henry heard there was Metal spotted and then all communications were lost. Somehow all of their systems were blocked. That was something new. They always controlled the narrative before as far as communications went. They'd previously cut all Skynet communication at the two target areas. Now they were blocked.

"What just happened?" John asked.

John Henry knew they were blocked but he didn't know how. He couldn't get a signal in or out around the foundry.

"We're being jammed somehow." John Henry said.

John couldn't believe they'd lost contact without any warning.

"Do you have contact with anyone at the foundry at all?" John asked.

John Henry checked everywhere. It wasn't just the foundry where communications were lost.

"Negative." John Henry said. "I've lost contact with everyone around that area."

John feared the worst. It could be an EMP attack. With Skynet Terminators spotted it seemed unlikely. They could have also been bait.

"What are we facing?" John asked.

John Henry knew it was the unknown.

"There's no way to tell yet." John Henry said.

John wanted his troops out of there.

"Issue a recall." John said.

John Henry tried.

"There's no response." John Henry said.

John hoped that Holly was unaffected.

"Holly, relay a recall if possible." John said.

There was nothing but silence.

Cammy picked up on the problem.

"I've lost contact with Savannah." Cammy said. "I can't reach anyone around the foundry either."

John was glad they still had some contact.

"We're jammed too." John said.

John Henry checked a few things with Cammy.

"It's just the foundry and surrounding area." John Henry said.

Cammy felt things were under control at her location.

"We've finished up at the machine shop." Cammy reported. "Two thirds of my team are headed to the foundry already. The rest will gather the information and materials from here and torch the place. How extensive is the communications loss?"

"Affirmative." John Henry reported. "I've lost contact with the foundry, both of the drones as well as Holly."

Cammy knew that was extensive.

"Take both of our drones and see what's happening there." Cammy said. "They may need to withdraw if they start to get jammed. We don't want to lose them too. They can operate autonomously."

John Henry sent the two drones from the machine shop. It took a few minutes.

"The two drones from the machine shop are near the area of the foundry." John Henry said.

They soon lost contact with them and then regained it as they flew into and then out of the affected area. There was some kind of jamming field in place. It did have a boundary. The third drone began mapping its perimeter. The fourth drone sought out targets.

"The damaged drone has returned to the fight. It still has use of the 'gun'. It flew out of the jamming field and I updated it." John Henry reported. "The four drones are operating autonomously off the programming from Cameron and myself now."

John was glad to know it wasn't an EMP of some type. The Terminators should still be in the fight. He pictured Savannah fighting alone. He knew she wouldn't leave her troops or Cameron.

"This just went from bad to worse." John said very worried. "Savannah withdraw…."

There was no answer.

"Metal." Cameron said. "There are two that have joined the fight. I don't know where they came from. One is a 'Metal Bitch'. I want her."

Savannah lost contact with the Resistance base, the machine shop and everyone else at or around the foundry including Holly.

"I've lost all communications." Savannah said.

Cameron checked her coms.

"I have too." Cameron said. "Everyone now needs to follow the plan."

Savannah couldn't reach anyone. She wanted to retreat under the unknown threat. She didn't want some energy field to build up and render the Terminators inopreatable.

"I want them to withdraw." Savannah said. "I've lost contact with our drones."

Cameron was aware that things like this happened in the future. That was what the plan was for.

"Everyone knows their job." Cameron reported. "They will finish it first."

Cameron was off to the side of Savannah.

Bullets began impacting around Cameron. Savannah turned and fired. She scored hits. It was a Terminator. She concentrated her fire on one leg. She disabled him and watched him topple over. He struggled to get up. She armed a Thermite grenade. She waited a few seconds and threw it. It exploded right above the struggling Terminator's head. It thrashed around violently for a few seconds. It now lay there unmoving as it burned. The head took most of the damage.

Cameron moved to engage the two Terminators she'd spotted. Savannah covered Cameron's six as they advanced.

Savannah knew Cameron was in too big of a hurry to go after the female Terminator. She thought Cameron should have gone wide around the machinery. It would have given her a better view.

Cameron turned quickly to go around a large piece of machinery. It was a blind spot. Savannah saw Cameron get grabbed. They'd been waiting for her. She quickly checked behind her and moved to assist Cameron. She pulled out her Taser.

Savannah was shocked at what she saw as she made a wide turn around the equipment.

The male Terminator held Cameron. She was pinned as the female Terminator tore into Cameron's sheath. She wasn't sure if she tried to rupture her power cell or not. Maybe she just wanted to pull it out. Cameron was now offline.

Savannah fired her Taser twice and the 'Metal Bitch' went down.

The male Terminator flung Cameron at Savannah. She dodged as Cameron slammed into another piece of machinery. Her Taser was knocked out of her hand when she dodged Cameron being thrown at her like a rag doll.

The male Terminator headed towards Savannah. She brought her M4 up and emptied most the magazine into its legs. He fell to its knees but continued to advance. He was almost to her.

He made a lunge for Savannah. He grabbed her M4. She fired off the last of the magazine into his arm as the M4 was pulled from her grip. The arm of the Terminator fell with it. She'd just blown it off as he grabbed her weapon.

The Terminator looked at its shoulder missing the arm and made another grab at Savannah. She rolled away and came back up to her feet as she moved behind him. She pulled her silenced pistol and emptied the magazine into his head. The Coltan rounds found their mark. He slumped slightly backwards still on his knees, his head leaning at a crazy angle off to the side. It was a very disturbing sight.

Savannah saw Cameron's M4 and picked it up. The 'Metal Bitch' was gone. She'd rebooted and moved away. She quickly looked around for her. She saw the 'Metal Bitch' moved over to where Cameron was flung. She was about to rip Cameron's head off. She put both her feet on Cameron's shoulders and started to pull on her head to tear it off.

She needed to protect Cameron. Savannah screamed as she ran forward firing her M4. The 'Metal Bitch' looked up at the Banshee sound. She fired the M4 and struck the 'Metal Bitch'. The 'Metal Bitch' let go of Cameron's head and came after Savannah. She headed straight for her.

Savannah held her ground and fired again. The 'Metal Bitch' staggered but continued towards her. Her left foot drug behind her and left arm flopped uselessly.

She still possessed mobility, speed and agility. The dance lessons from Cameron really paid off now for evasive movement. She moved around the 'Metal Bitch' back to Cameron and came up with Cameron's Taser. She fired it twice. The 'Metal Bitch' fell at her feet as her right hand grabbing for her. She dodged again as the 'Metal Bitch' impacted the floor.

Savannah reloaded her M4 as she searched for additional targets. She quickly checked on the other two Terminators and both were still down. They were terminated.

She found her Taser and holstered it. She held Cameron's Taser and M4. She moved to check on Cameron, she was still off line. Her torso was a bloody mess. It was shredded and torn open.

Savannah listened and it was quiet now. The firing elsewhere stopped. She moved forward and cut open the chip port of 'Metal Bitch'. She pulled the chip out and it self destructed. She wanted to run her knife across the cheek of the 'Metal Bitch' and slice open a deep wound down to the metal. She refrained from the act of vengeance.

She moved back to Cameron. There was a noise off to her side. She brought the M4 up with her right hand and the Taser in her left hand.

It was more Metal….

Savannah was in a fight for a life. She was fighting for Cameron, not for herself.

Bad To Worse

Most people think the grass is greener
On the other side of the hill
Perhaps the journey there
Is what's the real thrill

It's all a matter of perception
The ignorance of recognizing fact
It's the blind leading the blind
It's often done without tact

Few are content with what they have
No matter how much it is
It's never enough for long
They quickly fail life's quiz

Just a little bit more
Is never enough when it occurs
What now belongs to them
Was once his, hers or yours

Enjoy what life can offer
Don't waste time to curse
Everyone needs to remember
Everything goes from bad to worse

Nobody