Chapter 746

Closer Look

John always worried about the collateral damage they caused on an operation. Most of it was 'borrowed' vehicles that vanished from the system so they would never show up as 'stolen'. He knew people needed to pay money for what they took and they usually needed to work for that money. He was surprised to learn that Cameron instituted a policy to put the money for a new car back into the accounts of the owners of any vehicle that they'd ever 'borrowed'. With the multi-millions she'd taken from crime lords over the years, it was no problem. It was the same with buildings that they'd taken down. If any were uninsured and being used without the owner's knowledge, Cameron covered the loss.

He explained the problem to John Henry dealing with the property manager. He wanted to make it look like the property manager left for good with his 'girlfriend'. If there was no evidence the wife was involved, he didn't want her terminated or punished. He was unaware Sheila nearly 'punished' her for life in a different way.

"I can show he left the country with an unknown female. There are plenty of countries without extradition treaties with the USA. There are many more that are unfriendly and will not cooperate with any investigations." John Henry said. "I can cover up the rest of his 'dealings'."

John Henry would watch for any investigation and prevent it from ever seeing the light of day. Questions would never reach their intended destination, even though it appeared they did. That happened with anything domestic or foreign. He would go into any of the systems where records were kept or originated from and erase them. Over time they were forgotten and no longer pursued. If anything remained a problem that could be directed at them, he turned the information over to Cameron and the problem soon went away. He was aware that anyone who was too persistent ended up in prison as a child abuser or drug dealer. The ones that went in as child abusers usually were 'punished' by the inmates within the first week of their incarceration. The other inmates made sure that they would never abuse another child again.

It also gave him pause to review everything that the property manager was involved with since his employment at the nuclear power plant. Every transaction would be looked at and all forms of payment would be traced to the origin. It should give them better clues into some of Skynet hidden dealings. He still couldn't help but feel that he'd dropped the ball on this one since he oversaw the overseers at the nuclear power plant. All of these dealings still happened under his nose without his knowledge.

John was still worried about the future of the wife. Based upon what Sheila heard, she wasn't a collaborator or in on it. The initial financial checks seemed to indicate the property manager wanted to bank a few million more before he dumped his wife and moved on without her. That quest which was driven by greed was what turned into his downfall with Skynet.

"I want some money left for the wife." John said. "This wasn't her fault."

John Henry was about to prepare all the documentation when CamNet informed him it was already done. She asked him to take credit for doing it. He found that somewhat strange but knew not to question CamNet.

"It's taken care of." John Henry said. "I even sent a 'goodbye' note that appears to originate from his phone to his wife. It tells her to keep the cars, the house and the money. There's even a document leaving 'everything' to her."

John nodded his head in the darkness as Bob drove.

"Thank you." John said. "What about your vehicle, Ally?"

Ally and Sheila were both back in the van with Gail.

"We returned the Escalade back to where we borrowed it from." Ally said. "It's only a few gallons short on fuel. I left a twenty between the seat and the counsel. Someone will find it at some point in time."

John was a little surprised to hear that especially that they'd left some 'gas money' behind. He was sure that all that 'generosity' was all due to Savannah 'leaning' on Cameron.

Bob didn't want John to get sidetracked on trivial matters.

"Where do you want to go now?" Bob asked.

John stared out into the darkness as Bob drove. There was one thing that didn't sit well with him. Actually it was three things.

"That depends." John said. "John Henry, is there any update on the three trucks?"

John Henry was a little concerned that he hadn't been able to get any positive hits.

"There's nothing conclusive." John Henry said.

John was afraid that they'd gone to ground and we're no longer moving. The trucks could be parked inside of buildings or already unloaded and dumped somewhere else away from where HK equipment was stored.

"I really want to find at least one of them." John said.

John Henry was displeased with his lack of progress. He didn't want John to get his hopes up.

"Based on how much time has elapsed, it seems slimmer all the time." John Henry said.

John wanted to say it was no use 'crying over spilt milk' but that was how he felt. He wondered if they'd be able to assist Cameron's operation.

"Update me on what Cameron is up to." John said.

John Henry brought John up to speed on Cameron's endeavor. They were no longer operating in the dark.

It was information he didn't want to hear. It sounded like they were in extreme danger and taking bigger risks than necessary. He was concerned about all of their safety especially Savannah's. He knew that Savannah would back Cameron up in whatever quest she set out on. He knew how extreme some of them could be.

Then again, that was the nature of all of Cameron's operations.

Cameron carefully approached the target area. There was a chain link fence she jumped over to get inside. She made it to one of the small outbuildings. There didn't appear to be anyone around. They were either hiding and waiting to ambush her or they'd pulled out. She checked for surveillance equipment but spotted none. From past experience she was aware that didn't mean there wasn't any.

She moved to another small outbuilding. She forced the door open and carefully entered. It looked like most of the equipment was hastily pulled out. There was a lot of money invested here. It seemed Skynet and the Grays were playing it extra safe these last few operations. They choose to run rather than fight. They'd been able to hit the Skynet forces hard in all of the last operations in which they confiscated or destroyed a vast amount of their resources. She'd really hoped to find a little more than she'd been able to so far. She was a little reluctant to issue her report.

"It appears they've pulled out of here." Cameron said.

Cameron gave a detailed report to John Henry as to what she'd seen and encountered so far.

John Henry wasn't necessarily sold that they pulled out as much as they made the appearance that they'd pulled out.

"Use caution." John Henry urged. "These things have a way of escalating."

Cameron wasn't sure if that statement was specifically directed at her. It sounded like it. She was done with the outbuildings so it was time to move on what looked like the central attraction.

"I'm headed for the main complex." Cameron said. "It may be a reinforced bunker."

Cameron headed for what may be a bunker or some type of underground complex. It was the gateway to whatever this was about. There was a sign indicating that it was a restricted site used for radioactive waste, poison and toxic chemical storage. That would keep most people from looking further. She wasn't most people. If anything that piqued her interest even more. It was clear that they didn't want any visitors there.

Savannah worried when she heard less and less. Cammy and her were nearby.

"Cameron, wait for us." Savannah said.

At this particular point in time Cameron wasn't sure that this was going to pay off.

"You can hold from half a mile out and come down if I need you." Cameron said. "I don't think this is anything."

Cameron wasn't sure what it was. Maybe it was all a trap. She figured after all the damage they'd done to Skynet recently that its operatives really wanted to get their hands on her. It seemed everyone was on the lookout for a 'Metal Bitch'. In regards to Skynet, that was a title she relished.

Savannah and Cammy coasted downhill. They wanted to approach the area silently as per Cameron's recommendation. The only sounds were those of the tires crushing the brush underneath them as rocks occasionally flew up and hit the undercarriage.

Cammy slowed to hold.

Savannah didn't want to stop a half mile out. She felt that was too far to render effective assistance if it became necessary.

"Don't stop." Savannah said.

Cammy quickly glanced over at Savannah. This was a direct violation of Cameron's order.

"Cameron wants us to wait." Cammy said.

Savannah hated to use her 'influence' to go around Cameron. She felt it was warranted in this case.

"I don't. Keep going." Savannah said. "I'm not letting her go inside anything underground on her own."

Cammy was reluctant to comply. She was sure it was going to cause a problem for her with Cameron later on.

Savannah became agitated at Cammy's slowness to respond to what she wanted.

"DO IT." Savannah said forcefully.

Cammy continued the advance. She would do what Savannah wanted but also wanted to let her know she didn't agree with it.

"I think this is a bad idea." Cammy said.

Savannah didn't see events as the ones that occurred in the moment, she pictured the events that we're about to occur with Cameron on her own.

"Maybe so but you know we are still going to do it anyway." Savannah said. "It's better than the worse idea that Cameron is about to do."

Cammy knew that Savannah would proceed on foot if she didn't comply. She would have to get out and go with Savannah anyway. She figured at this point they might as well bring the vehicle with them.

There was a loud 'thud' and metallic 'clang' sound. The SUV began to pick up speed.

The Metal girls in the van all seemed to be lost in their own little worlds right now.

Ally looked over at Sheila.

"You still seem upset." Ally said.

Sheila glanced over at Ally. She was more than upset, she was disappointed. She almost had the opportunity to do a few more things. None of those bore fruit. .

"I am." Sheila said.

Gail was irritated as she drove. She hoped that Ally and Sheila didn't get into a bickering match. They seem to do enough of that as it was anyway. Her main concern was for Savannah's safety.

"I want to go help Savannah and Cameron." Gail said.

Ally didn't see how that was going to be possible. Cameron would be all over them if they pulled off of John.

"We've been assigned to watch over John." Ally said. "You know as well as I do that there's no way around that."

Gail wasn't satisfied with that answer. It didn't do anything to assist Savannah.

"He has Bob." Gail said. "He shouldn't even be out here anyway. He's drawing help away from Savannah."

Sheila stopped thinking about her lack of 'personal souvenirs' that she didn't collect tonight.

"Relax, love." Sheila said. "You're letting your 'feelings' blind you."

Sheila's statement irritated Gail.

"And you don't?" Gail asked.

Sheila was aware her inattentiveness almost caused her to get jumped by the male Terminator earlier. She'd been careless in her attempt to check out the property manager's wife and the Terminator evidently spotted her. He'd then set her up for a sucker play.

"I do as well." Sheila said. "I'm trying to overcome them."

Gail almost laughed. She'd watched what Sheila nearly did to the male Terminator a very short time ago. She didn't even know about the property manager's wife.

"You're trying to overcome them because Savannah has asked you too, not on your own accord." Gail said. "Don't forget, we were there. We know how you 'roll' on your own."

Sheila shrugged her shoulders. She responded to a 'calling' deep inside h

Ally was aware of the draw that Savannah had on all of them.

"It looks like we've all been 'bitten' by the 'Savannah bug'." Ally said. "I think we're all in love – love with her."

Gail was aware that Savannah wasn't the only one who seemed to make everyone feel that way.

"Just like we all are with Cameron." Gail said.

Sheila was tired of babysitting. She still wanted to get her hands on someone tonight. It wasn't going to happen chasing around a bunch of elusive trucks as they followed John.

"Let's see if we can break off." Sheila said. "I want to go help them as well."

Ally thought it sounded like a good idea.

"What do we tell John?" Ally asked.

All the talk of Savannah made Sheila hunger for her. She was more than ready to play 'Young Jesse' for Savannah anytime. At the base there was a readily available 'stand in' for Savannah. It was her older self.

"I don't know…." Sheila said. "I really wish Vanna was here now…."

Gail spent more and more time with Vanna recently. She actually sought her out more than she did Jesse and Jesse was her lover.

"She makes an excellent 'substitute'." Gail said. "I can't ever get enough of her. You know what I mean."

Ally didn't think the apple fell too far from the tree.

"They are the SAME person…." Ally said.

They knew physically they were the same, even if Vanna was a little older. Savannah was different as a person. Maybe it was because she'd never needed to suffer the abuse that Vanna did. Abuse like that for YEARS seemed to have a way of changing someone from who they once were. They were all aware that it was Allison that prevented Vanna from slipping into the world of darkness that she would have never escaped from.

John went over the report where Cameron was at. He hoped it was nothing but he knew that was not usually the case.

"It looks like Cameron is at a dead end." John said.

John immediately regretted his use of those words.

"I mean a road block." John quickly added. "I hope."

John Henry didn't want John to worry too much about it. He'd been able to move several teams into closer proximity of the area.

"There are teams of Terminators to assist her." John Henry said. "They will take some time to get there. They are on the way."

John's first instinct was to go to where Cameron and Savannah were at. He didn't want to do that for two reasons. The first reason was that it looked like a dead end. The second reason was Cameron would send all of her help to protect him and end up endangering Savannah and herself even more. He figured they'd better stick with a less violent target.

"I want a lead on one of the trucks." John said. "We'll follow up on that. I still have Gail, Ally and Sheila with me."

John Henry didn't know if he should make John aware of their private conversation or not. He would just float it out there a little bit and see what John wanted to do.

"They've expressed interest in backing Cameron up." John Henry said.

John set up a little straighter in his seat. He wondered if this was a new development.

"It sounded like the Grays pulled out." John said. "Is there something we don't know?"

John Henry quickly went over all the information he possessed so far.

"Not that I'm aware of." John Henry said.

John would have allowed them to go if he knew that there was a need for them. He figured it would cause a bigger problem with Cameron if he sent them away and then Bob and him made contact. He decided to stick with the plan.

"The girls will remain with Bob and me." John said. "At least for now that's what I want."

John didn't feel like he was drawing Cameron's help off.

John Henry allowed the Metal girls to hear the conversation. The news didn't go over well in the van.

"You heard it." Sheila said. "We're stuck here."

Gail didn't want to go against the General's wishes.

"There's not much we can do about that now." Gail said.

Ally looked around at the interior of the van, it was rather Spartan.

"We should've kept the Escalade then." Ally said. "At least we could have driven around in style."

Sheila liked the elegance of the Escalade as well.

"If we see another one, we'll take it and dump this tub." Sheila said.

Gail thought that the van still offered several perks. She decided to choose her words carefully.

"At least this has room in the back, without the seats, for you two to 'spread out'." Gail said.

Sheila and Ally both immediately looked in the back of the van. Maybe everything wasn't a bust.

Ally knew what she wanted.

"Sheila, can I get a closer look at your jewelry?" Ally asked.

Sheila began to unbuckle her pants.

"You can as long as you do more than 'look'." Sheila said.

Gail looked back at both Ally and Sheila.

"It looks like we're going to be driving around a lot." Gail said. "I should be able to do more than 'look' as well."

Sheila started to strip.

"I can't think of a better way to kill some time. I've got plenty for everyone and them some." Sheila said. "We can still fight with our clothes off if we're needed."

Ally pictured the three of them going into combat nude with automatic weapons. She wasn't sure that anything would look hotter than that.

"Now you're just trying to turn me on even more." Ally said.

Cameron looked up at the hillside and saw the SUV still moving down it toward her location. She frowned at the fact they hadn't listened to her and held back at the location where she wanted them to wait a half mile out. She knew that Savannah was the one behind it. She couldn't fault Savannah for her loyalty and devotion to her. There was a chain link fence that was going to present a problem for the SUV.

"Let me make an opening in the fence for you, Cammy." Cameron said. "Slow down."

Cammy hadn't had much luck with the brakes for the last two minutes.

"I may have ripped a brake line loose. I don't have much hydraulic pressure." Cammy said. "I've restarted the SUV and have it in 'first gear'. I'm using the engine as a brake. It's not slowing it much. The engine is nearing maximum RPM before it will start to disintegrate."

Cammy wasn't sure if they'd spin a main bearing first or throw a rod.

Cameron wondered if that was true or an excuse to come to her. It sounded like an excuse that she would use. She headed for the fence anyway.

"Can you see me?" Cameron asked.

Cammy spotted Cameron come out into the open.

"Yes you're almost at the fence." Cammy said.

Cameron knew a chain link fence seemed to wrap around the front of a vehicle like a steel net when rammed. She'd experienced that event on more than one occasion.

"I'll split the chain link fence so it doesn't wrap around the front of your SUV and you drag it with you." Cameron said.

Cammy thought things stabilized with the downhill track of the SUV as the ground leveled some.

"We're holding at thirty miles an hour." Cammy said. "If I can slow it more I'll use the parking brake. Maybe I'll be able to turn us in the opposite direction to stop us."

Cameron was a little worried that the SUV was top heavy.

"If your speed is too great you may roll it." Cameron said. "Is Savannah secure?"

Savannah double checked her restraints again. She'd actually done so several times as the downhill speed increased.

"I'm buckled in, Cameron." Savannah said. "This thing has airbags as well."

Cameron could clearly hear the whine of the engine and transmission as the SUV closed on her position. She split the chain link fence and stepped back as the SUV passed through it. She momentarily felt like a bullfighter in the ring and the SUV was the bull that nearly gored her. She ran after the SUV on foot. It seemed like it was accelerating still.

Moments ago:

Savannah was worried they were going to plow into Cameron along with the fence. She was directly ahead of them.

"Be careful, Cammy." Savannah said. "Cameron is right in front of us."

Cammy watched as Cameron ripped the fence apart and stepped out of the way. It reminded her of a matador fighting a bull. She thought that Cameron was able to move away with elegance and style as the mirror nearly brushed her.

Savannah looked at Cameron as they passed her.

Cammy slowed more as the ground leveled. When the SUV slowed to twenty miles an hour, she applied pressure to the parking brake. That slowed the SUV even more. Cammy pulled hard on the parking brake and turned the wheel. The move brought the SUV around in half circle and it stopped almost instantly in a cloud of dust. It rocked violently back and forth but stayed upright.

Cameron was right behind them. She took a look around to make sure no one was about to attack them.

Cammy and Savannah exited.

"Get all our gear." Cameron said.

"We don't have a lot." Cammy said.

Cameron came over and hugged Savannah as she scanned her.

"I'm fine, Cameron." Savannah said.

Cameron didn't want Savannah to get upset at her.

"I'm just making sure." Cameron said. "I still have one building to check and it is the gateway to whatever is inside the ground or hill."

Savannah looked over at the objective.

"We'll all go in together." Savannah said.

Cammy still checked over the operational ability of the SUV.

"The SUV is still drivable, it just doesn't have brakes." Cammy said. "We can still run if we need to. We can head back uphill where we don't need brakes. Gravity will slow us when we need it."

Savannah hoped that didn't come to that but it looked like they're in a good position if it did.

"At least it is pointed in the proper direction." Savannah said. "We have all our gear."

Cameron wanted to lay down a few rules that she didn't want changed.

"Let's go." Cameron said. "I have point and Cammy has tail. If I tell you to stop or fallback, I want both of you to do that immediately."

Savannah could see that Cameron was still being overly cautious. That was never a good sign.

"Do you still think it is a set up?" Savannah asked.

"Yes." Cameron said.

Cameron wasn't sure what this was. It still seemed off to her. She looked around them again for anything she could spot.

You Apologized

When something done wrong
Is identified and recognized
If not corrected and rectified
One will be soon despised

The events that occurred
Can be dissected and analyzed
Fixing what was done
Does not leave one compromised

There's no need or good
Leaving two people polarized
Making one feel 'Not Good Enough'
Like Nobody or disenfranchised

To the one who created the situation
It would be best advised
That everyone get on the same page
And everything be harmonized

Knowing who you have become
I was more than surprised
For lying to me
You apologized

Nobody