Chapter 718

Very Ironic

John Henry knew John was agitated that he'd lost control of the boxcars. John didn't blame him outright but he knew John thought that. He should've paid better attention and followed them more closely. He'd relied on the trackers too much and ended up getting played. They'd only kept the surveillance very loose so they didn't end up in an ambush. It looked like a failure on several levels. Maybe it was overconfidence. He really didn't know why CamNet hadn't assisted him more. It seemed she'd been very distracted lately.

He was on top of the boxcars now. He knew their exact location. He'd track them through Cajon Pass to their arrival at the classification yard.

"The boxcars have made it to Bloomington near West Colton." John Henry said. "They're in the classification yard now. They just entered a few minutes ago."

John hoped they could get something now. Skynet tried to pull a fast one. Maybe they could pull one back.

"Do they show some kind of destination?" John asked. "There should be a computer record as to where they're supposed to go. There needs to be something."

John Henry was puzzled at first. Every entry was new or changed. Even the old boxcar numbers were nonexistent. It was as if those boxcars never existed. Every computer record was altered too.

"It's been changed several times as well as the reporting marks and car numbers." John Henry said. "All past information in regards as to what went to or departed from the old newspaper facility has been erased. It looks like the work of Grays or Skynet itself."

John wasn't pleased to hear that. It showed a powerful and widespread foe. That was bad news no matter how it was looked at.

"So everything they've done is erased and hidden." John said. "They can still operate like we do. Who knows what else is happening."

John Henry didn't like it either. He hoped to put an end to that.

"Apparently…." John Henry said. "It seems they can for now. It will give me something to watch."

John wondered what the next move was. He just hoped that the HK equipment was still in them so they could either confiscate it or destroy it.

"Now what will happen?" John asked. "Will they try to disguise them again?"

John Henry reviewed possible options.

"That's most likely." John Henry said. "That's what I'd do."

John was still unsure why boxcars were being used. There must be a specific reason.

"Why aren't they using containers or big rigs for this?" John asked. "It seems to me there are other ways this could have been done and give them better flexibility."

John Henry actually thought it was a good idea.

"That's unknown." John Henry said. "If we hadn't stumbled onto the boxcars in the first place, we never would've looked there for anything to begin with. It was an effective strategy as long as we didn't know. They could move a lot of stuff undetected and off everyone's radar."

John often wondered how Skynet was able to always do so much before they discovered what they were up to. It showed Skynet was still a foe to contend with.

"It always seems like we're missing something." John said.

John felt like they were 'a day late and a dollar short' on some of these operations.

John Henry felt they'd accomplished a lot. It was a matter of tracing all the information they could from every source available. Most of that came from one individual. There were times that the Resistance seemed it consisted of only one individual. Much of what they did revolved around that singular individual.

"We've stumbled into a number of Skynet related endeavors." John Henry said. "Most were based on following up on leads and information gleaned from hard drives or cell phones. Most of that information came from Cameron. She's carried the lead in this battle from the beginning."

John didn't like Cameron doing everything but he needed to admit she did it well. He really wondered if they could ever get ahead of it all.

"Where does this all end?" John asked.

John Henry wasn't sure anything was changeable even if it was delayable. If there were 'tides in time' like Cameron thought there were, some events recreated themselves no matter what was done to prevent them.

"Most likely it will end with Skynet blowing up the world and forcing Judgment Day on everyone." John Henry said.

John wasn't so sure about that. His mother and later the Resistance team stopped that event more than once.

"We've prevented that for nearly a decade." John said.

John Henry still believed that was mainly because of one individual.

"That's mostly due to Cameron." John Henry said.

It was clear to John that Cameron was the key to everything. It all revolved around her. She never asked for much either. She did ask for his help with the 'Natural Order' and he hadn't done that for her. That was probably tearing her apart inside even more. It was the only thing she'd asked for and he didn't assist her with it.

"I think we all understand that now." John said. "I was very selfish at first about her. I don't think I understood the depth of her commitment to the future and to make what Future John wanted, happen. I don't think I understood it all, maybe I still don't."

John Henry knew Terminators were very mission focused.

"It's all in her programming." John Henry said. "She's tried to follow her directives from the start."

John really wanted to speak with one person.

"Is there any way I can ever talk to Future John?" John asked.

He often wondered what he would say to 'himself' in that situation. He would want to know what really happened with him and Cameron for one.

John Henry wasn't sure what would happen. Certain individuals were key players in 'time'. They were sure some of the Skynet groups they'd battled were from a further future. That might create new futures.

"Maybe if he came here but then Cameron's Future may not exist then as we know it." John Henry said. "It may be much like what happened when you went into the future if Future John comes into the past."

John knew he would need to send a surrogate. He wanted one that was impartial and that he could trust. He didn't think that was a job suitable for Cameron since she'd already visited there several times that he knew about. He figured there were other times she probably visited there as well. He really didn't know.

"I want you to go to Future John and question him in detail about everything." John said.

John Henry was pretty sure what was on John's agenda.

"You really want to know what Future John and Cameron's 'relationship' was." John Henry said. "You want to know if he's the one who 'busted' Cameron or if she was turned into a 'Metal Whore' when she was first captured."

John was sure he already knew that answer, one of them anyway. There were other things too. Maybe none of it really mattered. What was done was done. Maybe what was done in the past should just stay there. At this point, what difference did it make?

"I want to know that as well." John said. "I want to know what else we're supposed to do."

John Henry thought it would be the same as they'd already done.

"It should be what we're doing." John Henry said.

John never felt they held the upper hand or were actually winning.

"So we just keep treading water?" John asked

John Henry didn't ever see a Skynet victory.

"If Judgment Day hasn't happened, we're winning." John Henry said. "Remember that happened in Cameron's future. It hasn't happened in our future."

John heard that before.

"I really wish I could believe that." John said.

John wanted to know more about things from Future John. He wanted to hear it directly from him and nobody else. He really wondered if he could trust himself. For some unknown reason, he actually doubted it.

Savannah spent a lot of quality time with Young Allison and reassured her love and commitment for her. She apologized for some of the things that happened in her life. Young Allison told her she understood. She doubted that she did then again maybe she really did.

Savannah and Cameron left the Young Residence. For some reason, it didn't seem there was a whole lot to talk about or say.

Cameron could see Savannah was deeply troubled and not her usual self. She was going to ask her about it but thought that would make it worse. She didn't know how to address the issues or what advice to offer. These were human emotions and feelings that Savannah dealt with. Young Allison's issues were too for that matter.

Savannah was very conflicted over what to do and how to do it. She looked at Cameron several times before she made a decision. She always came to the same conclusion.

"I need to go back to your base." Savannah said.

Cameron suppressed a glitch impulse. She looked over at Savannah.

"Is this about Young Allison and CamNet?" Cameron asked.

Savannah looked straight ahead.

"Yes." Savannah said.

Cameron was worried where that was headed.

"I'll communicate with CamNet." Cameron said.

Savannah didn't want any other influence involved.

"I want to speak to CamNet first." Savannah said. "I'd like to do this my way."

Cameron wasn't sure what Savannah would do.

"Please don't hurt 'her'." Cameron said.

Savannah looked over at Cameron.

"Have I ever hurt you on purpose?" Savannah asked. "I know some things I haven't done YET have hurt you but I honestly believe doing them will hurt more."

Cameron knew Savannah never hurt her intentionally, ever. She understood what Savannah meant. It all went back to John and Future Riley. That wasn't her choice. The 'Natural Order' was.

"They won't affect me negatively." Cameron said. "You must mate with John before we mate." Cameron said. "I'm afraid if we mate first that I'll NEVER let John touch you. I won't want him to 'defile' you."

Cameron didn't think John deserved a virgin after what he'd done to her with Future Riley. She thought about borrowing a male chassis again. If she did that, she would be able to take Savannah's virginity from her herself. That way John would never get it. It would be a 'first' for both of them. She wouldn't even need to switch chips. She could use a tether through the neck port and control the male chassis that way. Now she felt aroused with the thought of that. Savannah could be her 'first' with a male and female chassis.

Savannah wondered what restrictions Cameron would place on her. She didn't want to give up the girls but she would for Cameron.

"Will you still let other females touch me?" Savannah asked. "You know that I'm very active sexually with all of the girls."

Cameron tilted her head slightly.

"Yes, of course. I don't have a problem with that." Cameron said. "I want you to be happy AND satisfied. Future Allison and Future Savannah are both very promiscuous with other females. We've seen it."

Savannah felt a little self conscious about that. She'd partaken in that activity heavily. She may have been carried away at times. She'd been with half a dozen females a day sometimes.

"We have and I've experienced it." Savannah said.

Cameron looked over at Savannah and smiled.

"I was very pleased with that." Cameron said. "I have all the files from Duplicate Cameron."

Savannah wondered about that.

"Are you ever going to review them?" Savannah asked.

Cameron flashed Savannah her sly smile.

"What makes you think I haven't?" Cameron asked.

Savannah giggled. She knew that Cameron hadn't.

"I know you haven't because we're not together yet." Savannah said. "If you would've reviewed them, we would be."

Cameron moistened her lips slightly.

"Now I really want to." Cameron said.

Cameron hadn't reviewed them because she wanted to make her own files first.

Savannah knew when Cameron was 'ready' she would act.

"You know where my room is." Savannah said.

Cameron frowned slightly.

"So does John but he's never gone back since Cammy tried to 'steal' him." Cameron said.

Cameron quickly remembered they weren't supposed to talk about that incident. She wouldn't forget what that Bitch, Cammy tried to pull off. She smiled to herself. Sheila and Ally were to go on a mission. She'd pulled Ally off and sent Cammy in her place. That would give that Bitch, Cammy something to think about for a long time.

Savannah ignored what Cameron said. She'd tried to call Cammy a few times.

"Where is Cammy?" Savannah asked. "I can't reach her."

Cameron looked over at Savannah quickly. She wasn't about to admit what she'd done or why.

"She's working on something." Cameron said.

Savannah remembered that CamNet and Cameron recently 'punished' Cammy. That wasn't supposed to happen again.

"Cameron, remember that Cammy is 'YOU'." Savannah said. "I don't want you to hurt her. When you hurt her, you hurt me. I love her."

Cameron didn't want to have this conversation. She'd punished Cammy big time.

"She's working on something important." Cameron said.

Savannah was a little worried.

"Does she have your spare chip in?" Savannah asked.

Cameron looked nervous.

"Yes." Cameron said. "Please leave it at that."

Savannah was concerned about Cammy. She hoped that Cameron hadn't sent Cammy on a one way trip somewhere.

"Is she coming back?" Savannah asked.

Cameron quickly glanced at Savannah.

"I hope so." Cameron said. "What she's doing is very important."

Savannah was gripped by an inner fear. That could only mean one thing.

"Is she in the future or the past?" Savannah asked.

Cameron looked straight ahead.

"She's in the past." Cameron said.

Savannah was bothered by that information.

"Are you planning for our trips into the past?" Savannah asked.

Cameron wasn't sure why Cammy wasn't back yet.

"Yes." Cameron said. "Sheila's gone to join her."

Savannah wanted to ask about Sheila's nipple rings for the temporal trip but figured Sheila could come up with a few 'places' to stash them for her time travel. She was aware plenty of things ended up inside Sheila at times in more than one place. She could see Cameron was uneasy about it.

"They should be back soon." Savannah said.

Savannah wanted to ask why they weren't back yet. They could have returned right after they left. They could have returned before they left. That would be something to think about. She would see if she could do that with herself. There could be two of her at the same time and they would both be her. One would be a little older than the other. It could be by just a few minutes. She would definitely 'knock one off' with herself.

Cameron could see Savannah wanted a better answer.

"They're building something." Cameron said.

Savannah figured they would construct a TDE in the past so they could get out in an emergency and not wait for a time bubble to pick them up. She knew that was in case Claire or her started to go into labor before the scheduled 'pick up'.

She knew there must be some kind of problem. She wondered if it was one they encountered or one they'd created themselves. She needed to say something. She wondered if a rescue mission needed to be mounted. She knew that the risk of a temporal error was always there whatever the TDE was used.

"They should be back by now then." Savannah said.

Savannah thought of another way to 'clone' herself. She could send herself back in time and then return before she left and prevent herself from leaving. There would be two of her in this timeline and they would both be her. She could theoretically do this with anyone or as many times as she wanted.

Cameron felt a glitch impulse.

"Yes, they should have returned by now." Cameron said. "They aren't back yet."

Savannah saw that as bad news. She decided to focus on her earlier thoughts. She was unsure how many timelines would be created using the procedure. When Gail went to visit Duplicate Jesse in River's future, she would tag along and run it by River. She didn't want to mention it to Cameron as she might try it to find out herself. She felt there were enough 'Camerons' already.

The more she thought of it, the more she knew Cameron would try this. Maybe she better stop thinking about it herself. Not everything involving the TDE turned out as planned. There was a lot that could go wrong. Cammy and Sheila currently 'missing' was a good reminder of that.

Allison knew Young Allison hurt inside. She wanted to help her. She wanted to help 'herself'. It could all get very confusing thinking about it. She felt the need to explain her relationship with Savannah and Vanna for that matter. They were all the same people, even if the ages were different.

"Savannah looks exactly like Vanna did, when I was around your age. She prevented me from being assaulted. It would have been my first assault. She sacrificed herself for me." Allison said. "You know I love Savannah, too."

Young Allison hoped she was never assaulted. She knew all the females were in Allison's future. She knew what made the first assault worse too. She hoped to have Savannah take care of that 'issue' for her. She was aware Young Jesse and Savannah 'popped' each other. She wanted Savannah to 'bust' her the first time that they shared.

She loved Savannah dearly.

"I do too." Young Allison said. "She always seems to know how to make things happen without conflict. To try and fix them I mean."

The look of love was in Allison's eyes.

"There's just something about her…." Allison said.

Young Allison believed that Savannah was special.

"She's the 'Chosen One'." Young Allison said.

Allison looked intently at Young Allison.

"You are too, Allison." Allison said. "You will be."

Young Allison thought that was a two way street.

"Then you and Vanna are as well." Young Allison said. "YOU are me, us."

Allison felt used, spoiled and tainted. She knew Vanna felt ten times worse.

"I am you but you're not me." Allison said. "You can be thankful for that."

Allison wasn't proud of all the decisions she'd made over the years. There were a few things she wished never happened. There were some things Young Allison didn't need to know that happened to 'her'.

Young Allison could see Allison start to slip into a bad place

"I've studied what men do to women all over the world, they always have and they always will." Young Allison said. "Little has changed except in a few countries. Much of the world is still the same as it was a thousand years ago in the treatment of females."

"It's a lot worse when it happens to you." Allison said. "It's happened to me, several times. Vanna and Jesse suffered a lot worse than me. They were both younger than you when it started."

Young Allison was told some of the stories. She couldn't even imagine that. No, she could imagine it. It was a very scary and frightening prospect. What she'd watched on the internet looked like a physical attack on the female body anyway, even when the female was a willing participant. Did they really need to do all that other stuff? Why did the slimy stuff need to end up on the female's face? What was that supposed to do other than degrade the female? She hoped to avoid a few of those things.

"I hate Skynet and all it's spawned." Young Allison said.

Allison absent mindedly touched her lower abdomen.

"It's ruined all our bodies." Allison said. "I mean those of us from the future."

Young Allison looked Allison straight in the face.

"If things don't work out, I'll have your baby for you when I get back." Young Allison said. "I don't want you to leave."

Allison swallowed hard.

"Is that what you really want to do?" Allison asked. "Make yourself 'older' in the past?"

Young Allison wanted her future now.

"It is." Young Allison said. "Mom has to agree first."

Allison felt the need to guide and protect Young Allison.

"I can go with you." Allison said.

Young Allison didn't think so.

"Are you trying to catch up in age with Vanna?" Young Allison asked. "I don't think you want to get 'older'. Cameron and Anna will be there for me. Anna is Resequencing to a younger physical age appearance. She will remain the same height but look more like a 'tween' physically.

There was a far off look in Allison's eyes.

"I wish I could do that again." Allison said. "Be a girl again."

Young Allison could see the dilemma.

"You want to be me and I want to be you." Young Allison said.

Allison wanted to start over.

"It's very ironic." Allison said.

Both girls looked each other over in detail. They both wished they could switch bodies. They could each have a new life with all the things they wanted or didn't want.

"I would trade in an instant." Young Allison said.

"I would too." Allison said.

Young Allison thought it was too bad Cameron didn't continue her 'work' on human females….

Actually I Don't Have Any Friends

I live in isolation
It's not by my choice
I have called out
Nobody can hear my voice

Emptiness and loneliness
Seen to be my way of life
Sometimes when I'm all alone
The silence cuts like a knife

I've been asked about friends
I know of no one who is or would be
My prison cell is my home
Nobody can reach me

How the emptiness shouts
It screams within my mind
I'm seen by everyone
Somehow they all remain blind

I deal in painful reality
I'm not one who pretends
I have no one to do anything with
Actually, I don't have any friends

Nobody