Chapter 678

Sounds Like Trouble

Cameron attempted to get some answers and determine the strength of this group. The man that was just taken prisoner was uncooperative. She was tired of waiting. His reluctance and contempt irritated her. She didn't like the things that he said either. She knew there was one way to take care of that problem forever. The man didn't want to talk. Now he couldn't. The man's body still vibrated and contracted as he died. She'd crushed his windpipe before she left. He terminated gagging and gasping.

She looked over the inside of the trailer. There were a series of lockers that indicated a larger group than what they'd dealt with so far. There was also the number of vehicles to consider.

"Based on the motorcycles and vehicles that are parked outside, there are at least four more people here, there may be a dozen or more total." Cameron said. "We don't know how many we're facing."

Bob didn't think they needed to become too active just yet. More than likely they could get some of the enemy to show themselves on their own.

"We can wait for some more to come out." Bob said. "That will thin the herd. Someone should come to check on things or the sentry. You would think they would have a patrol. We also don't know how many are out."

Cameron didn't want to wait. She wanted to get things resolved.

"I'm going in after them." Cameron said. "I want this over with."

Cammy expected no less from Cameron. She was impulsive and would make mistakes because of that. She wanted to remind her who else was there with them, even if they weren't currently with them right now.

"Don't make Savannah come up here for you." Cammy said. "That's why I'm here so she doesn't have to be. Don't get sucked in or carried away."

Savannah asked Cammy to protect Cameron and watch out for her.

Cameron didn't want anyone to second guess her. She was the one in charge and she would remind everyone of that if she needed to, one way or another. She wanted to remind Cammy of her specific duties.

"As soon as I'm done here, I'm taking Savannah away to have Vanna's baby." Cameron said. "You'll need to do it for me, as me."

Cammy felt a little apprehensive at Cameron's comment. She wanted to know more specifically what Cameron planned to do.

"Why?" Cammy asked.

Cameron became irritated with Cammy.

"Because you have two chip ports, that's why." Cameron said.

Cameron's plan sounded illogical to Cammy.

"But I already am – you." Cammy said. "What do you have planned?"

Cameron didn't want a bunch of questions right now.

"Now isn't the time for this discussion." Cameron said.

Cammy ran Cameron's program. She quickly deduced what Cameron was really going to do. She was pretty sure it was going to cause a problem.

"You want to take Young Allison into the past and you want me to bring Savannah to visit her." Cammy said.

That was exactly what Cameron planned. She didn't want the two girls to grow apart or become fixated with other female lovers. Each girl would be allowed to share with any female that she wanted to. They just couldn't make it too personal or get too involved. There would be no males involved other than John. The main goal was to make Savannah and Young Allison inseparable.

"Yes, several times." Cameron said. "I want their bond to expand. I want it unbreakable."

Cammy knew Cameron wanted Savannah and Young Allison to become lovers. She knew Cameron could always break that bond herself, with anyone. She also knew how Savannah thought, felt and acted. She wanted to make that clear to Cameron.

"Savannah won't want to do that." Cammy said. "She's very respectful and wants Young Allison to make all of her own choices."

It was clear that Cameron was either off on her own tangent or disregarded Cammy all together. She kept speaking as if Cammy hadn't said anything.

"I need to remain with Young Allison her entire time in the past. I won't let anything happen to her." Cameron said. "You'll need to bring Claire and Savannah every so often. I want Savannah and Young Allison closer in age. I want them both still teenagers for John."

Cammy doubted that was true. She saw it more as Cameron's own desires, wants and wishes.

"And what is it exactly that you want for yourself?" Cammy asked.

Cameron looked at Cammy with irritation. She appreciated her assistance earlier in the day and evening. She didn't want any backtalk right now. Cammy seemed to have a problem with that.

"I often wonder why I ever created you." Cameron said.

Cammy wasn't about to back down. She decided to push the issue. She wasn't going to mince words either.

"YOU created me, really yourself, to share with Savannah. It was to do the things you didn't and still don't have the 'guts' to do." Cammy said. "You don't know what you're denying yourself."

Cameron knew what she wanted. There were programming conflicts within her that seemed to prevent that. She knew that was the fault of John - Future John. It appeared even in the future that he was still able to cause problems in her life in the past.

"Future John has programmed me…." Cameron said. "He's restricted my development. That's why I have so many problems."

Cameron tried to fix or circumvent those issues with her clones. It appeared she was rather successful.

Bob listened to Cammy and Cameron but also watched the mine entrance. He thought that it was a good thing that one of them was diligent and concentrated on the job at hand, instead of petty squabbles. It was time to get them back in the game.

"There's someone coming." Bob said.

Cameron glared at Cammy in the darkness. She was very upset with Cammy. The main reason for that was probably because everything that Cammy said was true. She'd heard before that 'the truth hurts'. She knew that statement to be true. She was actually able to feel it now.

A man walked out of the mine entrance. He looked at his watch. There was a disgusted look on his face.

"I have to do everything myself…." The man muttered.

Cameron silently followed him. He seemed unaware of the two other SUVs that were now parked next to their own vehicles in the darkness. She wondered if he was tired or just careless. It was probably both.

The man entered the trailer. Cameron was right behind him. He stopped in his tracks as his brain tried to process what he currently looked at. His associates were dead and the trailer was ransacked. She didn't allow much time for that to happen. She slammed him down onto the floor. It shook the entire trailer.

The man was stunned. He attempted to collect his thoughts which seemed very hard to do. He started on a string of curses as Cameron grasped his throat to keep him from screaming or calling for help. She tried to question him. He didn't want to talk. There were a few muted screams. Now he couldn't speak. She was tired of waiting.

Cameron returned back to the entrance of the mine. She rejoined Bob and the others.

Bob noticed there was fresh blood on Cameron's hand. He figured the captive was uncooperative but may have provided some information before his termination.

"Is there any word on how many more are inside?" Bob asked.

Cameron shrugged her shoulders. She wanted action and to get this operation concluded as soon as possible.

"One less than there was a few minutes ago." Cameron said. "I'm done waiting, let's go."

Cameron led the team into the darkness of the opening in the hillside. She was headed back into another mine. She was angry and irritated. That was a bad combination for the start of a mission. Maybe it was a mistake that Savannah wasn't with her right now. It was doubtful she would listen to anyone else if things started to go bad.

John and John Henry waited. They'd expected to hear more as to what would actually happen at the location of the anti-Metal group.

"They've been quiet." John said.

John Henry knew that there was a very good reason for that. He'd blocked all of the conversation between Cameron and Cammy from John and everyone else. Cameron previously made it clear any private conversations were to remain that way. He remembered his conversation with Cameron.

"But I'll hear them." John Henry said.

"You'll help me make what the girls want to happen - happen." Cameron said. "You've been on my chip, you've seen everything."

"I have, even if I don't agree with it." John Henry said.

"I want to know everything that happens and with whom." Cameron said. "You'll report everything to CamNet."

"Why not report it directly to you?" John Henry asked.

"I want to give everyone space to grow." Cameron said. "CamNet will notify me if there's a problem. I'll then be given the specific information if I need to fix it."

Cameron previously indicated she knew what was best for everyone and when.

John Henry came back to the present. He still found the conversation disturbing. Maybe it was even more so now than when he'd heard it the first time.

"Yes, it's been quiet…." John Henry said.

John was still irritated by the entire operation. This didn't appear to be a group of Gray's but the anti-Metal group. Cameron didn't need to go into the mine. She just needed to destroy it. There were drones on station. It could all be done remotely.

"I don't think this is anything." John said. "It's not like there will be a 'Skynet' in there."

Since John Henry was on Cameron's chip for a time, he thought he possessed some insight as to how she felt about things. It was more likely that she was even more against the anti-Metal group than she was Skynet. She felt that the anti-Metal group was a personal issue to her as opposed to an operational issue. There was a difference between those two things to Cameron.

"It's personal to Cameron." John Henry said.

John wasn't pleased to have the finger pointed back at him even if indirectly. He knew Cameron would never forgive him for his previous transgression with Riley - Future Riley. It always appeared there were some things that bothered her more than others and that was one of them.

"I know. I know." John said. "I know…."

John knew it was the fault of the anti-Metal group that tore Cameron away from the man she loved – HIM - Future John. Somehow he didn't see himself as Future John, even if he was.

Sometimes he wondered if Cameron settled for second best with him. It wasn't a pleasant feeling.

Cameron was done waiting, it was time for action. She moved into the opening. She didn't want to call it a 'mine' but that's what it obviously was at one point. She was still 'bothered' by what happened in the last one and another one before…. It didn't matter if that one was Duplicate Cameron. She possessed all those files now. It was as if they were her own. She would have done the same thing so it really didn't make a difference.

There was a noise up ahead. Cameron stopped her team. Cammy moved up alongside of her.

Cammy didn't want any unnecessary problems. It was time to take action on her own.

"I'll take point." Cammy said as she moved past her.

Cameron grabbed her arm to stop her.

"Wait." Cameron said. "Listen."

Cammy reluctantly stopped and did listen.

"That sounds like trouble." Cammy said.

Cameron thought so as well.

"I've experienced enough of that today." Cameron said.

Cameron quickly looked over her attack force. There were eight Terminators that accompanied her. This was a bigger force than she normally would have with her. She knew it was Savannah's doing. She knew Savannah wanted her to be safe.

Savannah personally directed each one of them to make sure Cameron was protected.

The 'Chosen One' indicated her wishes. Every Terminator there was going to follow them and watch over Cameron. None of them wanted Savannah near that mine either. They were all more than willing to keep Savannah from having to go there under any circumstances. They all still remembered the condition she was in and how terrible she looked when they'd rescued her from the last mine. It was something that didn't sit well with any of them.

The team at the base of the canyon waited. There was little to do but wait. They shared some small talk but not much. They wanted to remain alert and not get distracted. There was also another reality they needed to think about. There would be people dying soon.

There was the sound of an approaching vehicle.

"There's someone coming." Gail said. "They're slowing down."

They saw a set of headlights that went off as the vehicle crept closer. The driver seemed to use excessive caution. Maybe they were tipped off somehow about the ongoing operation at the mine. Perhaps somehow someone may have been alerted. If that was the case, there might be even more trouble on the way.

Their SUVs were concealed down the embankment below the side of the road. They would be visible in the daylight but they didn't plan on being there that long.

The drone high overhead was able to view everything. The vehicle was a truck.

They heard a reassuring voice over their coms.

"I have the truck targeted." John Henry. "I can strike it at any time."

Savannah knew they needed to act silently at this stage of the operation.

"Not yet." Savannah said. "I don't want to endanger Cameron. If there's an explosion, it will alert those on the hillside."

Savannah and Jesse were with Gail. They watched everything from a place of concealment.

John Henry was a little surprised when the vehicle stopped short of the turn off.

"It's stopped." John Henry said. "Cameron's Terminator has moved behind it now."

Gail didn't intend to let it pass under any circumstances.

"We're in front of it." Gail said. "It won't go any further."

Savannah found the driver's behavior highly unusual as well. Maybe they'd missed something. There still seemed to be quite a few unknowns associated with this current mission.

"It has to be connected somehow to this operation." Savannah said. "No one else would be out here at this time."

Jesse smelled a rat for sure. The behavior of the driver was highly unusual under any circumstances.

"Especially the way they turned off the lights and are creeping up." Jesse said.

Savannah wondered if they were up to something else. If they did think something was wrong, they might call in additional personnel to help.

"Is there any cell phone traffic?" Savannah asked.

John Henry previously put the jamming field into place.

"They've attempted to make some calls but I have everything blocked." John Henry said. "I think they're trying to call in reinforcements. I've intercepted and blocked their text messages."

Gail thought about what John Henry just said. It was an implication that looked like it would cause more trouble for them.

"Do you mean this is a Gray?" Gail asked.

If it was a Gray, then they needed to worry about more Skynet Terminators.

"We've found the anti-Metal group tried to infiltrate the Grays before. The Grays may have done the same to the anti-Metal group." John Henry said.

Maybe the hunters were now hunted - by the hunted.

Cameron moved ahead with Cammy and Bob behind her. The rest of the team was to hold their position for now.

There was a 'pounding' noise from the direction they were going. They could hear men speaking where they were headed.

"Where the Hell is Max at?" Someone asked. "He should have been back here five minutes ago."

"He's probably 'cuffing his dummy'." Another voice said.

"Ted, go check it out." Someone said. "I'm getting tired of this crap."

"You two take it easy for a few minutes." Ted said.

It was a different voice from the other two.

Cameron and Cammy moved back. Bob pressed himself back into a depression in the rock wall.

'Ted' walked out briskly. He passed by Bob in the darkness.

Cammy and Cameron grabbed 'Ted' when he passed the crates they hid behind. Cameron snapped his neck. They left his body behind the crates.

Cameron quickly formulated a plan. She told Cammy and Bob what she wanted to do.

They both agreed it was a sound concept to acquire unsuspecting targets.

Cameron decided to use 'Ted's voice' to draw them out.

"Hey guys, I'm going to need some help." Cameron said in Ted's voice.

"Now what is it?" One man asked angrily.

"Shut up and let's go." Cameron said in Ted's voice.

There was some cursing and grumbling.

Another man walked out and received the same treatment as Ted, a snapped neck. His body joined Ted's behind the crates.

Cameron boldly walked into the room.

The man that remained in the room froze up when he spotted Cameron.

"It's YOU." The man said.

"Me?" Cameron asked.

There was no one else in the room with him and Cameron.

The man looked at his gun across the room. The man looked thoroughly befuddled.

"How are you here?" The man asked. "We left you in the future."

Cameron shrugged her shoulders and flashed a faint smile.

"It wasn't me." Cameron said.

The man didn't believe that. He didn't think it was true.

"You're one of a kind." The man said.

Cammy walked into the room.

"Not really." Cammy said.

The man looked at both of them. His eyes bugged out like a Volkswagen.

Cammy covered the man with her M4. Cameron went out and told Bob to bring the team up.

Cameron entered the room again.

"It's time you tell us everything…." Cameron said.

The man looked at her bloody hand. He wondered what she'd done to the others. He was afraid he was about to find out himself.

He was right.

Sounds Like Trouble

Everything starts off nice and cozy
Everyone shows their best side
Even without it being said
Each wonders what the other will hide

Not to say that it's something bad
It's just the way things work
One needs to be wary
And watch for that first smirk

Everyone wants something
It may be different for both
If the goal is similar for each
It will help the relationship's growth

More often than not
One will seek quick gratification
That usually leads to more
Than simple and harmless flirtation

So keep an ear open
One may burst the bubble
Cut out on the double
If it feels or sounds like trouble

Nobody