Chapter 573

Evacuate

Savannah and Team One headed down toward the lower level. She asked Cammy to use extreme caution. She was sure that someone must still be alive or a Terminator was still active.

Cammy reached the lower level. She paused and listened. She looked around the corner both ways before she stepped out.

The lower level was dimly lit. There was only some type of emergency lighting that was functioning. It seemed somewhat intermittent at times.

There was a body lying on the floor. It was another Terminator. He was shot up badly. His head was blown open. There were also half a dozen lifeless Grays scattered about. There were weapons lying next to all of them. It was obvious there was a big fight down there. It appeared everyone that was down there was dead or terminated.

Savannah motioned for Cammy to go one way and Steve to go the other way.

Gail stayed with Savannah. She checked each of the fallen that were in front of them. She collected their weapons as Savannah watched their six.

Cammy soon returned.

"There are only more dead Grays that way and nothing else." Cammy said. "There was a major battle fought around this area."

Steve soon returned.

"I think there's a 'Clean Room' my way. The wall has been blown apart and has blocked the path." Steve said. "I can hear electricity arcing inside."

The mention of a 'Clean Room' sparked a new quest. If there was some version of Skynet down there, Cameron would have gone after it.

"We need to check it out." Savannah said. "If there's any version of Skynet here it must be destroyed."

Savannah wanted to make sure the way out remained open and that no surprise visitors descended to their level. She was sure if Cameron was anywhere there it was inside the 'Clean Room'.

"I need you remain here." Savannah said. "Watch our backs, Steve."

Steve would rather have gone with them but he knew that Savannah entrusted him with their protection or escape if it was necessary.

"Affirmative…." Steve said.

Savannah looked in the direction of the collapsed wall. They needed to find out what was on the other side.

"Follow me." Savannah said to Cammy and Gail.

They knew if Cameron was there that she was on the other side of the blockage. If she was active, she would know they were here now. There hadn't been any indication or any attempt to communicate with them. That could only mean Cameron was deactivated or terminated. That's if she was even there. So far there was no indication she was except for all the dead.

It appeared those who survived the carnage above sought shelter here. Other than the blood trails spotted on the way down, it was hard to tell where the wounds of the fallen were inflicted. It was clear where they all died.

No HK Track could have made it down to the lower level. Cameron's Terminator was on the upper level. They didn't know if he been down there or not. If he didn't make it to the lower level, that meant that Cameron did. Where was she? She still must be there. There was no other place she could have gone. Was there?

Sheila tried to watch the areas where the two drones on long range patrol weren't on their wide orbits. They left a hole that wasn't covered for a time. The drone that was twelve miles out was at its furthest point away from the main road. She zoomed in with her vision. It was what they'd expected. It was bad news.

"I see a convoy of vehicles and small trucks headed toward the junction from the highway." Sheila reported. "I'm moving to engage them."

John didn't have any contact with Savannah, only the troops outside. He didn't think a vehicular convoy would be the biggest threat. He believed it would be from the sky. The convoy would still take time to get closer to the building once they made the turnoff.

"Sheila, hold your position." John said. "Watch for HK drones. They'll be the bigger threat."

John Henry was notified of that very threat three seconds later.

"Our drone that's out seven miles has picked up a force of HK drones moving in at low altitude." John Henry said.

Sheila knew the convoy would need to wait. She picked up a group of HK drones.

"I've spotted a force of HK drones at altitude as well." Sheila said. "I'm engaging."

Their drones sprang into action using the programming from Cameron and John Henry. They would be a match for the larger force of HK drones that was about to attack.

The enemy convoy drew closer to the junction.

"I make eight vehicles approaching the junction." Cameron's Terminator reported.

He was aware his fellow Terminator fell in combat and Cameron was missing. He was ready to fight.

"Take the last three vehicles with your LAW rockets and finish any survivors with the Barrett Light Fifty." John said. "I hope that keeps any of them from retreating."

Cameron's Terminator already laid out his weapons. He was ready for action.

"Affirmative…." Cameron's Terminator said.

John Henry wanted to cut the odds down for their troops at the building. They would be overrun in short order.

"Sheila, if you are able to break free you need to make a strafing pass on the remaining vehicles." John Henry said.

The two drones with Sheila moved in for the attack. It was long odds to start out. They were outnumbered three to one.

"I have ten bogies." Sheila said. "Even with two of our drones assisting me I'm going to be busy for a few minutes. This is about to turn into a 'fur ball'."

Ed's team was able to get two HK Tracks operational. They already loaded one into the truck. He received the warning of the approaching force.

They quickly removed the HK Track from the truck and directed both of them to head down a ramp near the dock. One stayed there on that side of the dock, while the other crossed the length of the building and took up station on the other side. They were to engage and disable the vehicles. The goal was to contain everyone in a concentrated area. They were then to focus on any hostile Terminators that emerged from the wreckage. That was their primary function. If no Terminators was spotted, they were free to attack Grays and HK drones.

Team Two moved in to reinforce Team Three and get away from the direct view of the enemy HK drones that would arrive. Ed ran and shouted down to the lower level they were about to be under attack.

Savannah directed Steve take charge of the operation and to join Ed and his team. They were to try to keep this level secure while Team One searched for Cameron. Steve took the deactivated Terminator with him.

Sheila led her two drones towards the force of HK drones.

The Resistance drones scored first blood. They each carried two air to air missiles and two air to ground missiles. That gave them an advantage over the HK drones. The HK drones were always set up for ground attack. Each drone brought down two HK drones before they switched to the 'gun'. Sheila already dropped four.

There were only a few of the attacking HK drones left. They'd taken evasive action but still continued toward the building the Resistance group was in. That was their target. They didn't attempt to engage the aerial targets.

The HK drones that they'd encountered so far in the few engagements that they been in were always configured the same. None were armed for aerial combat. That might change at some point. So far it hadn't. That was probably because Skynet ruled the sky in the future and didn't make the change for the past. The Resistance did and it always made a difference.

Their drones moved in for 'gun' kills along with Sheila.

Sheila needed to make an attack on the convoy once their aerial targets were down.

Cameron's Terminator engaged the last three vehicles. The others continued on as they expected. None of them stopped to assist the stricken vehicles. After he fired his three LAW rockets, he picked up the M82A1 and selected individual targets. Some were on fire as he dropped them. He'd saved them for last. He knew they weren't going anywhere.

Cammy and Gail started moving debris. More soon collapsed in their place. Savannah came over to help them.

Cammy spotted something that disturbed her.

"There's a Terminator under this debris." Cammy said.

Savannah felt fear grip her.

"Is it Cameron?" Savannah asked.

Gail was able to tell it was a male Terminator.

"No." Gail said.

Savannah did the math. That might have been the third 'specialist'. That didn't mean there weren't more enemy Terminators. She knew that they still needed to locate Cameron.

"Do you detect any movement or sound?" Savannah asked.

Cammy looked at the mess of debris that they tried to move. Since there was no contact from Cameron it didn't look promising. She wanted Savannah to be prepared for the truth.

"There's electricity crackling and sparkling in back of all of this." Cammy said. "That's all I can detect. Savannah, if Cameron is in there, she may be terminated…."

It wasn't what Savannah wanted to hear but they needed to find out one way or another.

"Keep digging." Savannah said. "She's going back with us no matter what."

Gail and Cammy could see Savannah's resolve. They worked faster and harder.

Savannah needed to check on what was happening up top. She left Cammy and Gail to keep moving debris.

"I'll be back." Savannah said.

Savannah quickly looked up the stairs. There was the sound of fighting outside. Steve indicated to her that everything was good for now. She went back down and joined Cammy and Gail.

Cameron's Terminator terminated all the targets from the three vehicles he'd destroyed. He was about to disengage when he spotted four HK drones coming in low. He notified everyone. They flew past him. He hit one of them and brought it down with his M82A1. It was now a smoking hole in the ground. He damaged two more but they continued on towards their objective, the building.

Sheila disengaged from the remaining attacking HK drones. She fired her air to ground missiles on the convoy. Only two vehicles were still able to advance. She detected three more HK drones on their way after the warning from Cameron's Terminator. One of them smoked profusely but still continued on. She needed to break off to engage them. She was aware their teams on the ground were able to get two HK Tracks to back them up. The Resistance team made sure they all squawked the same transponder code.

She went after the lead HK drone which was undamaged. She hit it from the side. It was hit in the power plants and fell to the ground in an instant. The other two continued on as if nothing happened. One still smoked profusely.

Sheila fell in back of the two remaining HK drones. She fired on the one that wasn't smoking and it went down. She slid in back of the smoker and fired a short burst from her minigun,. The smoker went down as well.

She was low on ammunition and out of missiles.

Cammy and Gail moved enough debris to look further inside the collapsed rubble.

Cammy pushed up on the side as more debris started to fall. She spotted a figure down on the floor.

"I see Cameron. She's down and not moving." Cammy said.

Gail shoved hard on the other side. There was a small opening.

Savannah returned from upstairs and saw where they were at.

"I think I can get through there." Savannah said.

Savannah took off her vest and left her gear. She thought she could make it if they could just hold it a few more seconds. She just needed a little more room.

"Hold these metal sections up and I can pass through." Savannah said. "I think I can."

Cammy was upset Savannah removed her protective vest. She didn't think they could hold the small opening much longer. It was very unstable.

"What if it collapses back down again?" Cammy asked. "This whole area may collapse. You'll be trapped or worse."

Savannah needed to get to Cameron. That was all that mattered to her right now.

"Just do it, Cammy." Savannah said. "Please."

Cammy and Gail struggled to hold the collapsed section to make a path for Savannah. They both thought it was a mistake. They did what she asked.

Savannah squirmed through in a second.

As soon as Savannah was through, more debris fell into the area forcing Cammy and Gail back. The opening closed.

Savannah was trapped on the other side of the blockage. It didn't matter. She was where Cameron was at.

Cammy was unsure if any of the debris landed on Savannah. She didn't make a sound if they did.

The remaining two vehicles from the convoy pulled up off to the side away from the big rig. The two reprogrammed HK Tracks rolled out to engage them. Both vehicles soon exploded. Men and Metal scrambled from the wreckage.

Team Two moved out to finish them off. It was over in seconds. Frank retrieved a deactivated Terminator from the group they'd just finished off. It would go back with the other three.

They could hear the manned drone as it engaged several HK drones. They grew closer by the second. From somewhere off to the side one of their drones shot down an HK drone. It was almost to the target area. It fired a missile as it spun around in a circle. The missile was a 'moon shot'. It went off to parts unknown.

The HK drone that was shot down crashed into the side of the building. There was a crashing and tearing of metal sound as it came through the side wall. It tumbled once and slammed into a destroyed HK Track. It come to an abrupt halt. It didn't blow up or explode. It began to smoke. It started a fire. The fire spread and got larger. The automatic fire suppression system was already expended from the original battle that took place earlier. The fire seemed to grow and expand every second. It was still on the far side of the building

Team Three recalled the two HK Tracks and loaded them into the big rig. The four damaged Terminators were loaded on as well. They wanted to be ready to roll as soon as they could. Some ammunition began to 'cook off' where the HK drone and HK Track were smashed together in the flames.

Steve was able to get the fire suppression system to come on again in that section. It only lasted about ten seconds but it stopped the fire on the two HK units. The fire that spread to the building in that section still burnt. At least the ammunition still wasn't 'cooking off'. As the fire on the building itself expanded. It probably would again.

John watched the battle unfold from the various body cams and drone footage. John Henry was able to feed the highlights to John so he could have some order to what he viewed. The newest development was a problem, a big one.

"Great, now the building's on fire." John said. "I want our teams out."

John Henry hadn't received any information on Cameron. There was no communication from Team One.

"What about Cameron?" John Henry asked.

John didn't want to lose any troops for nothing. They hadn't spotted Cameron. That was the last report he'd received.

"How many of our group do you want to lose?" John asked.

John told Steve to have someone drive the big rig out with the four deactivated Terminators and the two HK Tracks. Two other damaged HK Tracks were also loaded into it. They would serve as a parts source. All the power cells and chips were collected and taken with the load.

They were to make sure any Terminators at the other vehicles they destroyed was collected as well when they passed them. Steve sent two team members. He sent two more to retrieve the two SUVs that Cameron and Savannah's teams arrived in.

That left Ed and Steve at the burning facility with Team One below. The fire would reach that location soon enough but they still had some time.

John wanted Team One out. It was over.

"Tell them to withdraw if they don't have Cameron now." John said.

Steve listened to the order.

"Affirmative…." Steve said.

Steve took a quick look around and saw they might have ten minutes before the flames reached the access to the lower level. He planned to give Team One as much time as possible.

"Ed, come with me." Steve said.

They headed below.

Cameron's Terminator heard the order to evacuate the facility. He returned to his SUV and headed for the burning building. He passed by the damaged and destroyed vehicles along the way. He saw one wounded Gray crawl from under an overturned truck. He aimed his SUV at them and felt a bounce as he ran over them. He looked back and they lay unmoving in the dirt.

He wasn't ready to abandon Cameron. He knew it was his duty to protect Cameron and Savannah Weaver. No matter what the cost was.

That cost might be his existence. So be it.

Fix Bayonets

We are tired cold and hungry
The supply lines are cut
We are surrounded by the enemy
Ragged as a stray mutt

We can see them massing
There are many more than us
It has grown quiet
There is no more fuss

We divide the remaining ammunition
There is not very much
We will be overrun
To our battered weapons we clutch

The order is given
Fix Bayonets - fast
A dull metallic clicking sound
Death does not recognize caste

Shots ring out, explosions blast
Shouts cries and screams fill the air
Blood and pain everywhere
May in death we all share

Nobody