Chapter 621

Waiting

Savannah was bored out of her mind and felt cooped up in the control booth. She started to have wild thoughts. She wondered if she was low on oxygen already. She stood up.

She saw a light and heard some talking.

Wait….

Were these more of her crazy thoughts?

No.

Her mind was clear.

Savannah knew that wasn't anyone from her group. They didn't need to use light, especially not that much light. There was a lot of talking. Some of it sounded like arguing.

Terminators didn't need light. They wouldn't talk that loud either.

This looked like bad news and it was headed her way.

Savannah crouched back down. In the ever growing brightness, she could see the air was still thick with dust. It wasn't as bad as it was but there was still a lot of dust. She hoped it would help conceal her for now. She didn't think so. She needed to know what the strength of the enemy force she was about to face was. She peeked an eye up to the glass and took another look.

There was a group of men. It looked like four of them. Two of them wore some type of breathing apparatus.

That could mean the other two were Terminators.

Wait….

They argued over the use of the breathing equipment. They entered the area she was in. Savannah held her Taser in one hand and her M4 in the other. Cameron left the M79 with her as well. It was loaded with a 'buckshot' round.

She switched from the M4 to the M79. If the door opened, she would fire the Thumper point blank. She would then switch to the M4. The first person who looked in would be totally devastated. It wouldn't matter if they were a human or a Terminator.

As Savannah listened there seemed to be some panic. The Grays found the deactivated Terminators. They all pulled weapons out now as well. Great, this just went from bad to worse.

She remained ready with the M79. She wasn't going to go out without a fight. She didn't plan on being assaulted by a group of Grays either. Now she feared that she wouldn't die a virgin. It seemed a few minutes ago she didn't want to die one. Conditions could change perspective fast.

Cameron teamed up with Tom. Cammy and Al were together. Ed and Frank were a team.

They all agreed to search out areas that Cameron hadn't previously searched. Cameron directed them where to go. They would meet up at a preselected location in one hour and fifty minutes. At that point Cammy would return for Savannah.

Cameron checked on the collapsed tunnel she'd first noticed. The steel beams were still there on the ground, not buried. Cameron knew they would need them at some point. They would need them to reinforce the tunnel that they would try to make to get out. They could always remove other beams from different areas as well. They would need a lot of them.

She headed back to the way they'd come it. It was blocked several hundred feet in. If it was blocked all the way to the entrance, it would take a long time to dig their way out. The face of the mountain over the barn and entrance could be down too. If it was collapsed it add would to the debris. None of this was going to be an easy fix. She would need to see what tools they could find to work with.

Cameron and Tom moved along. They both knew they needed to get Savannah out of there. It was unspoken but every Terminator there knew it. If they didn't get Savannah out before too long, she was going to die in there.

Cammy and Al went down a different route. It was one that hadn't been explored before. There was a boarded up section with a lot of rocks and small boulders on the ground.

They moved some of the boulders and Cammy knocked down the rotted wood barrier. There were more boulders on the other side. This area was probably unstable and was blocked off to prevent people from getting hurt. None of the tunnel walls were braced with steel here. There were only the old wood timbers that were rotting away.

Al didn't like the way the area looked. He understood why it was sealed off.

Cammy cautiously moved past the boulders. There was a loud 'crack'. She dodged to the side as a large rock fell next to her.

"Use caution." Al said. "This area is unstable."

Cammy didn't have time to be cautious. Savannah needed to get out of that mine. It was a deathtrap. She'd seen how unstable the lower level was.

She looked around in the new section.

"This area is different." Cammy said.

There was a ramp. It sloped down to a lower level. There was something on the ground. It was a set of very narrow railroad tracks. Cammy looked around, there were some old mining cars there. They must have used these tracks to transport ore outside of the mine.

Cammy noted the ramp she'd come down on and thought that looked too steep to move the small ore cars up. The tracks must go somewhere else. Maybe it was a way out. Maybe it was the way to dusty death.

"I'm going to see where this goes." Cammy said.

Al could see right away that it looked like a bad idea. They were up against the clock right now.

"It looks unsafe. We don't have time." Al said. "We made plans for reuniting."

What he was really said was that Cammy needed to keep her commitment.

Cammy thought she was onto something. It might be a way out. If it was, she needed to find out now so they could get Savannah out. She didn't want to spend weeks digging. The whole mountainside could be down over the entrance.

"I'll be back in a short while." Cammy said. "You can remain here or backtrack to see if you spot any of the others."

Al wanted to point out that wasn't the plan. He knew Cammy was 'a Cameron' and arguing would be pointless. He knew where she was. He would wait as long as possible and then go back. He hoped he didn't hear the sounds of a cave in from the direction Cammy went.

Cammy disappeared down the tracked passageway.

Al would wait where he was for now. He decided to make use of the time. He began to clear some of the boulders out of the way as he waited. If they needed to go that way later, it would make the passage easier.

He paused and listened. He didn't hear anything from the way Cammy went. He looked at one of the wooden support beams. It looked very weak. He hoped there wasn't some covered over shaft that she'd fallen down. The rotted wood would collapse easily.

Ed and Frank came up empty. They found two sets of breathing apparatus in a locker as well as MRE packets and bottled water. This would give Savannah mobility now and additional sustenance. They headed back to the rendezvous point. They met Cameron and Tom along the way.

They looked around and waited. Cammy and Al were nowhere to be seen.

They heard some noise after a few minutes. All of them held their weapons ready. It was Al as he hurried back.

Al was a little worried that Cameron might be upset with him because Cammy went off on her own accord. He needed to make his report anyway.

"Cammy found a set of old mining tracks. She went off to follow them. I waited as long as I could and not miss the rendezvous." Al said. "She thinks the small tracks lead to another entrance or exit in our case. She said they must have went somewhere."

Cameron figured the mining tracks did lead to somewhere. They wouldn't be there otherwise. She wanted to know more. She needed to check back in with Savannah since Cammy wouldn't be able to. She looked at the male Terminators.

"You three, go with Al and report back here in thirty minutes." Cameron said.

Frank and Ed departed with Al.

Tom still remained with Cameron.

"I must remain with you." Tom said.

Cameron looked at him but said nothing.

It was clear Savannah ordered Tom not to leave her alone.

Tom could see that Cameron looked less than pleased. He wanted to explain himself.

"I'm only following orders." Tom said. "I have to do this."

Cameron smiled at him faintly.

"I understand." Cameron said.

Cameron knew Savannah wanted to look out for her. She also knew that was because of her past 'reputation'.

Tom held everything that was found earlier.

"Let's get Savannah." Tom said. "I'll carry the breathing gear for her until she needs it."

Cameron and Tom headed back toward Savannah in the darkness.

She didn't know what Cammy would find. She was afraid it was a dead end.

Earlier:

Savannah watched and waited. The M79 was ready to fire.

The men turned off all but one light. They must have thought it would make them harder to find.

They began to argue over where to go.

Savannah ducked back down as one of the men started to walk over to her location. She followed the sounds of his movement with the M79.

He passed by but returned a minute later. He now carried two sets of breathing gear. He handed one to the other man without one and kept one for himself. They headed off with the other two. They were headed in the direction her team went. That wasn't a good development. She knew she needed to protect her team members.

Savannah slung the M79 in front of her for easy access and secured her Taser. She double checked her M4 and headed out after the four men. She was very aware that if there were Grays here now from somewhere, that there could be more too. There were most likely more Terminators as well. There was something about that aspect that nagged at the back of her mind.

She briefly thought of looking for any additional breathing gear but decided she should be able to get some from the four men she would follow. She thought it would be very soon.

Savannah peered around the corner after them. They all held weapons at the ready. They only looked to the sides and in front of them. They never turned to look behind them. They were bunched up.

Savannah looked around behind her and headed out after them. It was still fifteen minutes until the time to meet up with her group.

Wait….

Savannah looked behind her again.

Cameron and Tom moved back swiftly to check on Savannah. They both knew with the breathing gear she would be better protected.

Wait….

Cameron slowed and motioned for Tom to stop.

They both heard and saw what it was. It was trouble from the area that Savannah was in.

There was light in front of them. It was a faint glow at first. There were sounds of metal striking metal and talking.

There was an unknown force that approached them. It could only be Grays.

Cameron figured the best course of action was to allow the Grays to approach them. She placed Tom in a blind tunnel and moved to one across from him. They waited.

There was gunfire.

All Hell broke loose.

The only person the Grays would shoot at was Savannah.

Cameron and Tom both rushed forward.

Seconds ago:

Savannah closed up on the Grays. She was close to them. It was time. She looked in the darkness behind her again. She made sure her ear protection was in. She knew in this confined space the gunfire would be deafening.

She went prone and aimed toward the group of four men. They were silhouetted by the light they carried. She fired half her magazine at waist level. She fired the second half at ground level. She ejected the magazine and inserted the next one she'd already laid out. She hit the bolt release. She searched for a target but none moved in the glow of the light. It appeared that all four Grays were down.

Savannah moved to a kneeling position and fired two rounds into each of the four figures, no one moved. There was a loud 'hissing' sound from where they lay. One of the air tanks must have been damaged. She stood and prepared to go to where the fallen Grays were.

Wait….

Savannah developed an uneasy feeling. She glanced behind her again. She instantly saw why.

There was a set of red eyes coming right at her.

At that point she remembered what the thing was that she wanted to remember. Cameron told her the first Terminator she took down in the mine used the Grays as bait. This one did the same thing.

Savannah didn't have time to move. She attempted to bring the M4 around as it was yanked out of her hands and the Terminator grabbed for her.

He looked right at her as he reached for her throat.

Savannah reached for the M79 that was slung in front of her.

Wait….

He moved too fast….

Cameron held her M4 up at the ready as she ran. Anything other than Savannah she was going to shoot at.

There were two bursts of automatic fire and then eight shots in pairs in rapid succession. That sounded like Savannah firing as she'd taught her.

Cameron saw the four men sprawled out on the ground. There was a loud 'hissing' sound coming from one of them. They all scanned back as deceased.

She spotted Savannah. It was what she saw behind Savannah that made her worried. There was no mistaking the red eyes about to grab Savannah.

Cameron didn't have a clear shot with all the movement.

The Terminator reached for Savannah. He was right on top of her. He stepped on the pile of fired brass from Savannah's M4. It caused him to lose his balance momentarily as the casings rolled under his foot.

Savannah dove into his lower legs. It caused him to miss as he grabbed for her and topple over. He slammed into the ground but rolled over to face her. He held her M4 that he'd pulled away from her. He sat up with her M4 to fire at her. She'd already brought the M79 up that was in front of her and fired point black into his face. They were only a few feet apart.

His head turned into a deformed mass of twisted metal and what little bloody synthetic covering remained on it.

He fell back on his rear end in a sitting position. He still held her M4. He didn't move.

Savannah let go of the Thumper as soon as she'd fired it. She moved away from the direction her M4 was pointed as she drew her Taser and fired. It was a clean hit.

The Terminator didn't move.

Savannah was aware there was movement from the direction the men she'd shot were headed in. It could be more Grays on their way back to see what happened. She snatched the M4 from the Terminator's grip and used his unmoving body for cover as she prepared to engage the new threat. She hoped his chassis would stop most of the rounds once the shooting started. She again briefly looked behind her. She brought her M4 up over the deactivated Terminator's shoulder. She was aware he may reboot before the targets were identified. If they fired first, she would return fire. Her Taser was close by. It was very hard to keep track of the time. Time was important right now. How much longer did she have until the Terminator would reboot? She still used his chassis for cover.

Sheila stumbled and fell in front of the Gray's van. It stopped next to her.

The side door opened. Two Grays got out to pick Sheila up. She rose to her feet and staggered. They pulled her into the van and closed the side door as they took off.

Sheila appeared to black out again.

The blanked slid off Sheila's torso.

The Grays looked at her exposed breasts with the nipple rings.

"Hot Damn…." The first Gray said.

"Look at her." The second Gray said.

"Let's get her pants off." The first Gray said. "I'm going first this time."

Ally waited in the gas station. She 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.

Sheila could see the Grays with thermal imagery with her eyes closed. It was clear they'd lost all focus as they fumbled with her pants.

She could tell there were two Grays in the back and two in the front seats. The passenger in the front seat unhooked his safety belt and moved into the back as well. It was clear they were about to pull a 'train' on her.

The van stopped at a red light.

She slammed the first two Grays heads together as they fondled and groped her. They went down on each side of her as she punched the passenger in the throat. He'd been in the process of unhooking his pants. He slammed against the sliding door.

She reached forward and snapped the neck of the driver and pushed the selector into 'Park'. She didn't want the van to roll through the red light.

Only two of the men in the back were still alive. She quickly bound them and yanked the dead driver out of his seat and climbed into it. The light turned green. She moved the selector back into 'Drive' and drove away from the signal.

She saw that Ally was still in front of the van. She flicked the high beams switch twice. She looked behind her for a tail but didn't spot one.

CamNet used traffic management to cause a traffic jam behind them.

She followed some instructions from CamNet. They were directed to the rear of some industrial buildings.

Ally was already there. They pulled the two live Grays out and put them in the back of their SUV and drove away.

Ally looked over at Sheila. Her breasts were still exposed.

"Are you going to close your top up?" Ally asked.

Sheila looked down at herself.

"I like the way I look." Sheila said.

One of the men began to stir.

Sheila reached over and choked him out. She overdid the choke. His heart stopped.

"Oops!" Sheila said

She pushed on his chest a few times.

"I almost lost that one." Sheila said. "Neither one of these Grays is going to get off that easy."

Ally saw they let the homeless girl go.

"They paid the girl didn't they?" Ally asked.

Sheila looked disgusted.

"The paid her four dollars." Sheila said. "That was a dollar for each of them or fifty cents a pop since they all went twice."

Ally knew that Sheila would be brutal.

"At least they all got off one last time." Ally said. "They should all die content."

Sheila searched the men as they drove. She disabled their phones and made sure they didn't have 'trackers' on them.

"Let's find a spot so I can start in." Sheila said.

Waiting To Go Off

People never change
They say that they can
But they never actually do
It is really just a scam

They think who they are
Is someone they are not
They pretend to be different
They learn to lie a lot

For a very short time
They may seem to pull it off
But who they really are
Lurks inside like a Molotov

So everyone will pretend
Give them another chance
They only regroup ready to strike
As they do a hocus pocus dance

Inevitably sooner or later they rearm
The real creature will to emerge to scoff
It's like a bomb
Waiting to go off

Nobody