Chapter 620
Air
Cameron arrived with Savannah in the chamber where everyone waited at except Cammy and Tom.
Everyone was aware that something happened. It was clear there was an explosion that may have caused a cave in.
"Ed, check the way out." Cameron said.
Cameron and Savannah continued on to where Cammy was at.
Tom peered down the shaft Cammy was in. Dust drifted up from the shaft in the ground.
Savannah feared the worst because she didn't see Cammy.
"Where is Cammy?" Savannah asked. "Is she OK?"
There was movement on the cable attached to the hoist.
"She's on her way up." Tom said.
Cameron went over and looked at the shaft. She wanted to speed things up.
"Help me." Cameron said to Tom.
They lifted and moved the cage up and off to the side.
Tom held it there as Cameron moved forward.
Cameron bent over and extended her hand down. She straightened and Cammy came up with her out of the shaft. More dust started to come up. There was a lot of it.
Savannah looked at Cammy's dust covered form. She could tell that it must have been a close one for Cammy.
"Cammy!" Savannah said.
There were more rumbling sounds from the shaft and even more dust began to billow out.
Cammy was pleased to see Savannah. She wasn't pleased at what seemed to continue to happen from the chamber she'd just been in. It continued to collapse.
"Savannah." Cammy said. "Get out of this chamber."
Tom let the cage move back over the shaft. It would stop some of the rising dust but not all of it.
Savannah moved away and out of the chamber. Cammy, Cameron and Tom all followed behind her.
Cammy took one last look back. She expected to see the chamber they'd just left began to break up or collapse. It held for now.
"The area below 'caved in'." Cammy said. "A lot of it collapsed."
That meant the area they were in could be compromised as well.
They met Ed on the way back. He knew he was the bearer of bad news.
"The way we came in from is blocked. It's completely caved in." Ed said. "It appears to be extensive. It was a controlled detonation to seal the passageway. We need another way out."
Cameron and Cammy looked at each other. Their biggest concern was Savannah.
The other Terminators heard the news. They'd found food and water for the Grays in their searches.
"There's food and water here. There are enough provisions to last for months." Al said.
The bound Grays began to look nervous with the latest news.
"Not for all of us." One Gray spoke.
Frank reached down and snapped his neck.
Cameron and Cammy looked at each other again.
"He's right." Cameron said.
They both moved in back of the four remaining Gray prisoners. They reached down and snapped the necks of all four of them.
Savannah watched with a little shock on her face but she understood.
"It's not the food or water." Cammy said. "They aren't the problem."
Savannah looked around her. It was something she needed the most every second.
"It's the air." Savannah said.
Cameron was unsure of the actual size of the mine. It would all come down to the cubic feet of air that was inside the mine. That is what would determine Savannah's survival.
"There's enough air for you for a few weeks at least now." Cameron said.
Savannah looked at the five terminated Grays.
"Thank you…." Savannah said.
They all noticed the heat build up increased.
Cammy pointed out a possible threat.
"That's unless there's a natural gas leak or fire somewhere in here." Cammy said.
Savannah could have done without that news but she'd already factored that in. Since her last adventure with Cameron, in her future, she'd done extensive research on mines. She figured with Cameron's past experiences and hers as well that they'd end up in more of them at some point. She hadn't expected it to be quite this soon.
She'd learned that mines made the perfect hiding place for Skynet. They were all deep underground and already excavated out. Skynet only needed to show up and find a power source.
Cameron retrieved her vest. She ripped the lining out of it and made a bandanna type mask for Savannah to wear. The dust increased. It seemed to come from everywhere.
"The dust will settle in a few hours. This material will filter out most of the particles. The heavy dust is starting to make its way into this area." Cameron said.
Cammy looked at Savannah. She knew that every Terminator would do what they could to get her out.
"They'll come for us." Cammy said.
Cameron thought of the 'Day Of Loss'. They all came for her, well, Duplicate Cameron. There was a steep price to pay for that failed attempt. She'd fixed it but it still happened, even if it didn't.
"They will but they shouldn't." Cameron said. "It's Savannah they will come for."
The other Terminators began to search the crates that were there. They wanted to find anything that could help them escape or help Savannah.
"Cameron, you'd better take a look at this." Mel said.
Cammy and Cameron went over.
There was a large crate. The Terminators all worked together to open it up. It was a small control booth.
It reminded Cammy of the one she was inside of in Cameron's future when she sabotaged the Skynet TDE with River's encryption. It looked like a good spot to place Savannah until some of the ever increasing dust settled. The booth wasn't completely airtight but would greatly restrict the dust that reached Savannah.
Cameron looked at Savannah. She didn't want it to cause a problem but she wanted to help protect Savannah some.
"Savannah, you can wait in here for a few hours." Cameron said.
Savannah didn't want special consideration. She wanted to assist them in their search.
"I need to help you look for a way out." Savannah said.
Cammy moved up.
"It's just until some of the dust settles." Cammy said.
The four male Terminators talked quietly among themselves.
Tom approached Cameron, Cammy and Savannah after conferring with male Terminators.
"Please, Savannah." Tom said. "It's just for a few hours. It would make all of us feel better about the current situation."
Savannah could see that all the Terminators were worried about her. She was sure the conditions were worse than she knew or anyone was going to say.
"It will be just for two hours." Savannah said. "Then I'm going to help all of you."
Cameron looked at the male Terminators.
"One of you will remain with Savannah." Cameron said.
All four of them stepped forward.
Savannah could see she was indirectly hindering everything right now. She hoped to set a few safety rules for them.
"No. They're all needed to search." Savannah said. "Everyone works in a pair as well. I don't want anyone to go off alone anywhere. I don't want anyone getting trapped somewhere alone. One should be able to return for help this way. That means both of you as well. You should work together…."
Savannah looked at Cameron and Cammy. They both nodded.
The three teams departed. The bodies of the Grays disappeared with them. Savannah stood in the booth and watched them go. She also saw the air thicken with dust. She finally sat down on the floor and waited. This didn't look good. She turned off her light. She was in total darkness. She figured she better get used to the darkness. She was sure she would experience a lot of it. She didn't know how long this was going to last. She knew they could be in here for months She was also aware that she could be in here forever.
Savannah knew forever was a long time….
John still wondered if there was another way into the mine or actually a way out at this point.
John Henry hoped he'd come across something.
"Perhaps…." John Henry said.
John felt a twinge of hope, it was a small one.
"What do you know?" John asked.
John Henry thought about all the information he'd looked at so far about the mine.
"You asked me to review old satellite photos, vintage aerial photos and maps of the area." John Henry said. "I've including old county maps and topographical surveys."
John was desperate.
"Get to the point." John said.
John Henry called up a current satellite map. He pointed out some observations to John.
"This trail here goes from the backside of that hill and runs to this area." John Henry said.
John looked. It was different from the other trails on the images.
"I see it." John said. "It leads to a larger trail. It looks like a dirt road with gravel on it."
John Henry indicated a few things as he looked at the images.
"These objects here are stacked up neatly in groups. All of them are roughly the same size." John Henry said as he pointing out his observations. "They're old railroad ties. They're the wooden cross sections that hold the rails. They were once set in a bed of gravel known as ballast."
It all began to click for John.
"This is an abandoned rail line." John said.
John wasn't sure where this observation was headed.
John Henry continued his briefing.
"Yes it was. The other smaller 'trail' is a much older one that was abandoned long ago." John Henry said.
John felt some hope but there was nothing else in the images.
"Does that mean it once served the mine from a second entrance?" John asked. "I don't see any opening."
John Henry pointed out some historic satellite images.
"Not anymore but there was." John Henry said. "There was a 'wild fire' thirty five years ago that burnt through that canyon. The wooden portal supports burnt and collapsed. 'El Niño' rains the next year covered the opening with a mud slide from the now barren slopes devoid of vegetation."
John hoped that a mudslide would be easier to penetrate than a controlled demolition to seal the mine's entrance.
"That's our best way in." John said. "That was good work."
John Henry only followed up on John suggestion.
"It was your idea." John Henry said.
John was just glad there was some hope now.
"We make a great team." John said.
John Henry didn't want anyone to get their hopes up too high yet. There were a lot of unknowns. They were a long way off from a rescue attempt.
"We still don't know where they are or what their condition is." John Henry said.
The unspoken message was that they didn't know if anyone on the team was still alive and still functional.
John tried to put a positive spin on events.
"There haven't been any time bubbles to stop them from going in, so we know they mustn't have perished yet." John said.
John briefly wondered if that was really because they ALL perished too before that method could be used. Maybe this was the first shot by Skynet and they just triggered what would be Judgment Day. Maybe none of them made it. He wasn't ready to give up yet.
"We're going to need some construction equipment." John said.
John Henry was assisted by CamNet.
"I've just procured some heavy equipment." John Henry said.
John could see John Henry was serious.
"That was fast. Do I want to know from where or how?" John asked.
John Henry would 'borrow' whatever was needed right now any way he could.
"It's doubtful." John Henry said. "It will be returned if possible. If not, new equipment will be purchased and sent in its place at a later date."
John Henry learned from Cameron that when you needed something NOW that you 'borrow' it. You can always make it 'right' later.
To make it 'right' later on was a 'firm suggestion' from Savannah.
Savannah pointed out that there were millions of dollars in cash stacked up in rooms at both bases. She wanted people compensated for what they needed to 'borrow'. That applied to everything they appropriated including vehicles.
Savannah waited in total darkness for what seemed like weeks. She felt cooped up in the control booth. She stood up and looked but there was only blackness. She felt bad that she wasn't doing her fair share of the work. When she checked the time, she saw it'd only been an hour and a half. She knew if they were trapped in the mine for weeks or months that she was going to go stir crazy.
She would give it another half hour like she said she would and then she would head out. She knew the Terminators all looked out for her. She also knew each one would work non stop to get her out no matter how long it took. There were the extra power cells from the captured Terminators. She knew if they needed to use those that she would've been dead for a long time.
Savannah sat back down and waited. It seemed like forever. It gave her too much time to think about all the bad things that happened in her life. It seemed like there were a lot of them. She tried to think about the good things instead.
She checked the time again. It was only ten more minutes. That short amount of time was a heart breaker. If she were stuck down here for weeks or months it would drive her insane for sure.
She needed to focus. She needed to hold it together. She appreciated what the Terminators all did and would do for her. She didn't want to die down in the darkness alone. Cammy and Cameron would be with her. She wondered if she neared death if Cameron would be with her before she perished. She might even ask one of the male Terminators to be with her so she didn't die a virgin. She also knew there were several captured male Terminator chassis. Cammy or Cameron could switch chips with one of them and they could be with her as a 'male'. She just wanted to try it at least once.
Savannah shook her head. What was she thinking? What was wrong with her?
She checked the time again. She wondered if she was running low on oxygen already. Maybe the control booth was airtight and she was breathing carbon monoxide at an elevated level. She started to stand.
She saw a faint glow from one of the tunnels that led into the cavern she was in. The glow grew brighter and brighter. There were lights moving. There was talking….
Wait….
This was all wrong.
Young Allison looked at Anna.
They both received the same information.
"This isn't good." Anna said.
Anna expected to see Young Allison more emotional but she wasn't. She'd done this enough to know it was never over until Cameron prevailed.
"There's nothing we can do is there?" Young Allison asked.
Young Allison knew there was. It was a TDE rescue mission. She wanted to prompt Anna. She was aware there was the possibility of creating another divergent timeline.
There was a long pause before Anna answered. It was clear she didn't want to 'go there' yet.
"There is." Anna said. "I'm not ready to call for that option yet."
Young Allison was. She wanted to bring the others in first for some support.
"You will confer with John, John Henry and me." Young Allison said. "We will also involve CamNet."
Anna wanted to help too. She just didn't want to jump the gun.
"I will." Anna said. "It's an option. If we use it too early without knowing, we may create an alternate timeline. We must be careful."
Young Allison would do it on her own if she needed to. She thought maybe she should make that known now. She was sure that CamNet would back her play. She was pretty sure that every Terminator would too.
"I want to make it clear that they won't stay stuck in that mine." Young Allison said. "That isn't an option."
Anna didn't like to be the bearer of bad news but there were other things to consider.
"You must also accept the possibility they've already perished…." Anna said.
Young Allison felt her anger rise.
"THAT is not an option." Young Allison said.
Young Allison looked at the security monitor.
"WE are going to get them out no matter what is necessary to do it." Young Allison said. "Failure isn't an option here. This isn't over until they're out safe, ALL of them."
Young Allison knew CamNet would assist her even if everyone else was reluctant to.
The light on the security monitor quickly flashed twice.
Young Allison nodded.
If she'd learned anything from her Metal upbringing, it was to act and act decisively. She planned to do just that.
Sheila and Ally met up with CamNet's Terminator and handed off the hard drives and phones. He left with them. They left too.
The Metal girls needed to rethink their options.
"We still need to get some answers and those Grays are the best bet." Sheila said.
Ally didn't think it was that simple anymore.
"What about the Terminator associated with them?" Ally asked. "He'll blow them up to get to us."
Sheila used herself as 'bait' many times for the sex traffickers. She headed back towards the homeless camp with the SUV.
"What are you doing?" Ally asked.
Sheila stripped off her vest and adjusted her top. Her right breast was clearly visible. The nipple ring was prominent.
"I'm going to have the Grays pick me up." Sheila said. "I'll 'pass out' as they pass by." Sheila said. "I bet they'll stop and put the grab on me."
Ally was sure it was a bad idea. They needed some answers. They needed to know where the Terminators went. It just might work.
"Let's switch." Ally said.
Ally moved over and lifted up. Sheila moved under her. She copped a feel on her way by.
"I guess some things never change." Ally said.
Ally pulled into a gas station a few minutes later.
Sheila slipped out and headed for the homeless camp on foot. She moved swiftly but with caution.
Ally took her time about filling up the gas tank. It was almost full anyway. She went inside and bought some snacks to kill time and not make it look like she was stalling.
Sheila was in the middle of the homeless camp but on the sidewalk. She picked up a dirty blanket from somewhere.
"I see the van." Sheila said.
The side door opened and a half dressed girl was pushed out.
"What about my money?" The homeless girl asked. "You said I'd get ten bucks if I did all of you."
Some bills were thrown out of the side door before it closed.
"Hey, that's only four dollars." The homeless girl said.
"Next time act alive." A Gray said.
The van moved along the curb before it started to pull out. Sheila staggered and 'fell' half way into the street. Both of her breasts were exposed as the dirty blanket slid off. The van stopped with a screech.
The side door opened and two Grays went to pick her up. She rose to her feet. They ushered her into the van and burnt rubber to leave.
Sheila appeared to black out again.
"Hot Damn…." The first Gray said.
"Look at her." The second Gray said.
"Let's get started." The first Gray said. "This is like a gift from Heaven."
Ally could see the van approach her. She pulled out in front of the van. She would let it pass her. She looked for a tail vehicle on the van to see if the Terminators followed it. She hadn't spotted one yet. She hoped that the Terminators weren't still in the van. She hoped the Grays didn't have a Taser.
Communicate
I miss you
I miss your touch
Everything about you
I miss so much
The pleasure
The pain
The love
Almost insane
I have never forgotten
I will never let go
In times of darkness
How your heart did glow
Please free your mind
The pain is past
Can you see now
My love will forever last
I do not ask much
No demands to dictate
Just something as simple
With me to communicate
Nobody