Chapter 749

Lighten Up

John was increasingly worried about Cameron. He wished he was with her or back in the Command Center so he could see everything that was happening. Now he could only get information relayed through John Henry. There wasn't enough information coming through fast enough for him.

All he knew was that Cameron was down and there were no communications with any of the teams in that area. The two drones that were there no longer sent any data. They didn't even know if they were still airborne.

"Do we have anything yet on Cameron?" John asked. "Is there anything from the drones?"

John Henry was unable to collect any information from any source.

"There's nothing." John Henry said.

The lack of information irritated John. He wanted to slam his fist down on the dashboard. He was aware to display his anger now wasn't going to accomplish anything.

Bob could sense John's frustration. He also spotted something in front of them.

"The girls are up ahead." Bob said.

John refocused his attention forward.

"I see them." John said.

Bob closed up on the girls.

John hoped for an update from the team he'd sent earlier to reinforce Cameron.

"What about our back up team of Terminators that are near Cameron?" John asked.

John Henry knew that Cameron kept them away from where she currently operated earlier.

"I haven't received any additional reports." John Henry said.

John figured there should be at least something. It seemed like something should start to work again.

"What about the drones that were on station?" John asked.

John Henry continued to search for any signal from the area.

"I don't have any images." John Henry said.

John knew that strange things happened whenever Skynet enacted one of its jamming fields. it didn't seem that the effects were always the same even though the result was that they'd lose all communications with their troops and equipment in the field.

"What would have happened to them?" John asked. "Would they have crashed?"

John Henry knew that was always a possibility. They'd attempted to install multiple redundant systems to prevent that.

"They have multiple backup systems." John Henry said. "They would do nothing but orbit until they repaired themselves."

John couldn't help but think about the time when Cameron was damaged and she came after him. The end result of that was that he needed to terminate her. He could still hear her tell him she loved him and beg for her life. It almost made him want to vomit to recall it all. He still didn't know if she spoke the truth at that time or not. The few times that they ever talked about it, she always said that she'd fix herself and was good again. It made him wonder how everything would be different now if they'd burnt her with Thermite in the junkyard. His mother and uncle had been very close to doing that task. He took the chance that she did tell the truth and was fixed. If not, he still believed that he could fix her. He believed that if he offered her his life willingly that she would reconsider. He blinked his eyes several times. He needed to refocus.

"Our drones won't attack our people will they?" John asked.

John Henry knew there was always the margin of error with anything. That included humans as well as machines.

"I don't think so." John Henry said. "They've been programmed by both Cameron and me."

John was aware of the repressed hatred Cameron felt towards herself. For the very things HE caused or did to her. They weren't things she did but what he'd done to her, both him and Future John. It did bother him that Cameron's problems were all created for her by him in some variation.

"I hope they recover." John said. "What about the drone from my team?"

John Henry checked the progress of the released drone.

"It's still a ways off." John Henry said. "It will be there shortly."

John felt that he could sum everything up with a saying that he'd heard since he was a kid. He didn't think that that would still be a very politically correct term.

"So we're deaf, dumb and blind." John said.

John Henry knew that the choices were limited.

"Yes." John Henry said. "If Cameron and Cammy are down, Savannah is on her own."

John didn't like the thought of Savannah being alone and on her own to face whatever hostile force there was. John Henry didn't say it but he very well knew that Savannah could be down. If she was down, she was down for good. He could no longer contain his anger and frustration. The heel of John's closed fist slammed down on the dashboard. A split developed in the covering.

"DAMN." John said.

John knew a few hours ago, he'd almost 'been with' Savannah. Once again he'd been seconds away from claiming her virginity. They'd dealt with the Grays and then shared a nice meal together with Cameron. Now Savannah was fighting for her life. He knew she would die before she let anything happen to Cameron.

"DAMN." John said again.

The heel of John's closed fist slammed down on the dashboard again, cracking it wide open this time.

Bob didn't like to see John this emotional. He could see the depth of his feelings for Cameron and Savannah. He was glad that he lacked that level of programming that the Metal girls all carried. It was times like this that it appeared to be something very painful. He tried to soothe John.

"John, they'll be OK." Bob said.

John regained some level of control. He turned his head towards Bob. He knew none of this was Bob's fault so he attempted to moderate his answer. He could only say what he believed.

"You don't know that." John said. "We don't know what's happened or going to happen. Not yet anyway."

Bob knew of the lengths Cameron and by extension CamNet would go to protect Savannah.

"I know we will go back in time and prevent them from perishing." Bob said.

John wondered at what point things would stop and just be left to be.

"Who gets to play God?" John asked.

Bob thought that the answer was self evident.

"I believe that task would fall to CamNet." Bob said.

John already figured where CamNet's instructions would come from.

"Don't tell me, it will be at Allison's – Young Allison's direction." John said.

Bob was going to remain silent per John's request not to tell him. He remembered that it was just a figure of speech and that John really wanted an answer. He decided to keep his answer simple.

"The 'Natural Order' will not be disrupted." Bob said.

John shook his head from side to side.

'Beautiful." John said. "Absolutely beautiful…."

John was all for that at this point if Cameron and Savannah were both terminated. He would take Young Allison to Cameron's base himself while Young Allison 'rescued' Cameron and Savannah along with Cammy too.

CamNet might not listen to him but it would listen to Young Allison. He could see how much he would need Young Allison. CamNet would do as she requested or 'ordered'.

John was aware that everything that happened seemed to draw the four of them together into an increasing tighter circle. It was as if they'd formed a dependency on each other. Maybe it was just him that formed a dependency on the three of them. It was what Future John wanted for him. It really did seem inevitable. The 'Natural Order' always seemed to knock. It appeared the frequency of that increased as well.

Savannah didn't feel that Cameron was operating at one hundred percent. She was a little shocked with Cameron's latest declaration.

"Cammy, I'm claiming Savannah…." Cameron said. "I want her for my own."

Cameron held Savannah in her arms.

Cammy and Savannah looked at each other.

Savannah knew Cameron was damaged worse than she'd indicated. Her hands touched Cameron's back. She instantly felt some slickness to her hands along with ripped material. It appeared that Cameron had taken some shrapnel damage.

"Cammy, I believe Cameron is having some 'trouble'." Savannah said. "There's damage to her back."

Cameron still held Savannah and Savannah held Cameron. She could feel the damage but not yet see it.

Savannah was very displeased with this latest development.

Cammy moved behind Cameron again to check her out. She didn't like what she was able to view. As to the actual depth of the damage, there was no way for her to observe everything in this particular setting.

"She has shrapnel damage." Cammy said. "There is no way to tell the extent of the damage yet."

Cammy didn't indicate Cameron's power cell was damaged, so that was a good sign. They needed to worry about another assault or a counter attack on their flanks from the Grays or any Terminators.

"WE need to be able to react to whatever develops." Savannah said.

Cammy looked out over the battleground between the drainage ditch and the bunker. The multitude of dead spoke to the true danger of what they faced.

"I'll take the lead." Cammy said. "You watch out for Cameron."

Savannah disliked their options more and more.

"It is only a matter of time before they come out again." Savannah said. "We still have to worry about a second entrance as well."

Cameron perked up and became herself again. She was aware of what she said earlier and how that must have hurt Cammy.

"Cammy, I'm sorry." Cameron said. "I mean about what I said to you earlier."

Cammy disliked what Cameron said earlier immensely. She understood the reason.

"Don't worry about it." Cammy said. "You're damaged."

Cameron ran an additional diagnostic to confirm her status.

"Everything is restored now." Cameron said. "I'm at one hundred percent."

Savannah decided to take Cameron at her word based upon her personal observations. It was time to move the operation forward.

"What do you want to do next?" Savannah asked.

Cameron looked over the battlefield as well. She didn't like what Savannah needed to face on her own. The grievous infraction by the Grays would require payback and retribution.

"We're going to attack them." Cameron said. "They tried to hurt us, hurt you."

Savannah looked at Cammy, she was still unsure about Cameron being one hundred percent again.

Cammy noted Savannah's concern. She also knew she was capable of doing everything that Cameron could do. She literally was 'Cameron'. That meant she was going to have to take the heat.

"I'll lead." Cammy said.

Cameron felt she was perfectly capable of doing the job herself.

"I will." Cameron said as she climbed out of the ditch.

Cameron advanced on the bunker.

Her sudden action caught Savannah and Cammy off guard.

Earlier:

The Metal girls took the initiative to disengage from John and go back to where Cameron and Savannah were at when they'd heard Cameron was down. They figured that was going to cause a problem for them later on with Cameron. It was somewhat ironic as it was Cameron that they were headed back to help.

They'd already driven for some time.

Gail spotted something in her rear view mirror.

"John and Bob are behind us." Gail said.

Ally and Sheila were about to get dressed.

Sheila was a little dissatisfied that her 'session' with Ally was so brief. She wasn't able to finish more than five times before the change in plans.

"That was a little shorter than I would've liked." Sheila said. "I was just getting started."

Ally was thrilled that she pleasured Sheila. She would have liked a longer session as well. Sheila hadn't even been able to start in on her.

"I have to say your new look is really hot." Ally said.

Sheila was pleased Cammy. She hoped that it would share a little inspiration to any of the other Terminators who shared Allison's DNA.

"If you want to know what it would look like on you, ask Cammy." Sheila said. "We're both the same now."

Ally already received a short preview.

"I saw a little earlier." Ally asked. "I want to do a thorough exam. You two were able see it all the time."

Sheila understood that Ally was a little jealous. Based on the circumstances she didn't think that she should be. Eight years was a long time in any timeline.

"Cammy and I spent the last eight years in the past working together, building TDE's and the other things Cameron wanted done." Sheila said. "We've 'shared' a lot."

Ally looked around at the clothes that it hadn't been put on yet.

"I think you have my underwear." Ally said.

Sheila purposely took them earlier. She figured Ally was a little frustrated that she'd only 'given' and not 'received'.

"You can take them off of me 'again'." Sheila said.

Gail wanted to help Savannah and Cameron. She didn't want to listen to Sheila and Ally. She could listen to them banter anytime. Now wasn't the time.

"Stop fooling around." Gail said. "Cameron, Cammy and Savannah are in trouble."

Ally felt their interaction was justified based upon the current circumstances

"We're trying not to glitch out." Ally said. "Lighten up."

Sheila felt maybe if Gail would have had a turn with her that she wouldn't be so high strung.

"She's upset because she didn't get her turn yet." Sheila said. "There is plenty to go around, Gail."

Gail's thoughts we're a little deeper right now.

"You know I'm worried about them." Gail said.

Gail was worried about all of them. She was most worried about Savannah.

"For all of us before it would have been Cameron we were most worried about." Ally said.

Gail was totally infatuated by Savannah.

"Now it's Savannah." Gail said "For me."

Ally felt the same way.

"It is for me too." Ally said.

Sheila was love struck as well.

"Me too, love." Sheila said.

Ally wondered about that.

"Is it because Savannah's the 'Chosen One'?" Ally asked.

Gail felt it was a compilation of everything that made up who Savannah was as a person.

"I think it is because of her beauty, her charm, her good nature, her bravery, her abilities, and EVERYTHING about her." Gail said. "She's like no other."

Ally was aware that Cameron wanted all the girls to find the greatness within themselves.

"That is not all Cameron's doing either." Ally said. "Cameron guided her and taught her but everything that makes Savannah who and what she is, came out of Savannah - herself."

Sheila believed there was even more to it.

"I'd say she's one of a kind." Sheila said. "But Cameron is creating another one that will be 'her'. It will be 'Cameron' in human form. It will be Young Allison."

Gail could only see beauty and ability emanate from the two human girls.

"They're the 'Chosen Ones'." Gail said. "They've been chosen by John and Cameron."

Ally wondered what it all meant.

"Where does that leave us?" Ally asked.

Sheila looked at Ally and Gail.

"It leaves us right where we were three minutes ago." Sheila said. "It leaves us with each other."

Gail wanted to move things along.

"It's time to armor up." Gail said. "Then one of you is driving so I can get ready."

Ally believed that Gail needed something to calm her down and refocus her.

"I'll drive." Ally said. "Sheila could use some 'help'."

Gail did a quick calculation of their current location and how far they needed to travel to get to where Cameron and Savannah we're at. She could use a little distraction for a few minutes.

"We're still a ways away." Gail said. "Maybe I need to wind down as well."

Sheila stripped off her pants again and took her underwear off.

"I'm game." Sheila said. "It's a long drive. Here's your underwear, Ally."

Gail wanted to be with Sheila right now. Sheila was the Terminator version of her lover anyway. She could use the comfort of Jesse right now too. Jesse wasn't here, Sheila was.

"This will help take my mind off what is happening. I'm going to overload otherwise." Gail said.

Ally finished dressing and armored up. She switched places with Gail. They still needed to drive quite a ways to get to where Cameron, Cammy and Savannah were.

They didn't want to go into combat wound up.

There was nothing like a few good 'finishes' to relieve the stress and tension of everything.

Savannah and Cammy were caught off guard as Cameron quickly scrambled out of the drainage ditch.

Cameron was 'over the top' and moved toward the bunker entrance.

Savannah and Cammy each raised their M4 to provide suppressing fire but no targets presented themselves.

Cameron approached the smoldering SUV and moved around it. She moved up and looked inside the smashed open entrance. She saw that it was currently clear for Savannah and Cammy to join her.

"They've retreated to a secondary position inside." Cameron said. "Move up."

Savannah was a little concerned about all three of them being concentrated at the entrance. She was worried about what could appear behind them at that point.

"Cammy, I think there's another entrance or exit." Savannah said. "We need some intel from our drones."

Savannah didn't even glance at the men she'd killed as she'd passed by them.

Cammy did and they were all deceased. She noticed Savannah seemed unconcerned. She thought that Savannah would be more troubled about what she'd needed to do earlier.

"Are you alright?" Cammy asked.

Savannah didn't want to focus on the body count. That wasn't what any of this was about to her.

"I killed at least ten people today, one was in cold blood. I murdered her. I watched her die by my own hands. I felt her die." Savannah said. "I did what was necessary to protect our group. I'm not 'alright' but I would do it all again. I'll do whatever I have to do to protect the ones I love."

Cammy was a little concerned as to how far Savannah would go.

"Would you do it even if it means your own life?" Cammy asked.

Savannah looked at Cameron and then looked back at Cammy.

"I'd do it even if it meant my own life." Savannah said.

Savannah felt 'a hardness' as well as 'a coldness' inside her.

Cammy was aware Savannah almost did that several times when she'd 'saved' Cameron. Savannah would perish for what she believed in and those who she loved. She looked around at the dead scattered around her. Savannah was responsible for most of that.

Cammy paused and looked up.

"I hear a third drone." Cammy said.

Cameron quickly ushered them inside the bunker. Her biggest fear was that it would be an HK drone that came to assist the Grays in the bunker. They knew that this group possessed them.

If it was a hostile drone, they were between a rock and a hard place now. There were Grays in the bunker behind them and an HK drone in front of them. There was nowhere for them to go.

John Henry watched the footage from the third drone as it arrived where Cameron's team was at. There was a scene of death and destruction. It was general chaos. There were dead that littered the area, some were on fire still. There was no sign of the girls. He thought that he should alert John to this latest development.

"The third drone is on station, John." John Henry said. "It looks like a battle took place below. There are at least fifteen dead. Some of them are still burning."

John felt a kick in the gut at John Henry's summary of the battle zone. He wondered what would be burning.

"Is it Cameron or Savannah?" John asked. "Is it Cammy?"

John Henry tried to make sense of everything around the bunker.

"None of them have been identified yet." John Henry said. "Some are burnt beyond recognition. I believe some type of electrical discharge happened."

John wondered what type of electrical discharge occurred. There seemed to be a limited number of options.

"Was it an EMP?" John asked.

John Henry needed more information to come to any reliable conclusions.

"I'm not sure what it was. There are some power lines inactive now as well." John Henry said. "There may have been a massive arc or overload or flying debris. Until I can get some footage from the other two drones, we have no idea."

John figured he'd just have to wait for some better answers. He was glad to know that the other two drones hadn't been taken down.

"At least the other two drones are there." John said. "It sounds like a mess."

John was sent some images of the battle zone by John Henry. He looked at the image of carnage and destruction. He wondered what happened there and if the girls were down. They went down fighting if they were down.

John Henry was able to get the drones to communicate with each other.

"The fresh drone is communicating with the two drones that were already on station." John Henry said. "I'm getting data from them as well now. I saw Cameron go down before and then lost everything. I'm receiving the footage they recorded while in standby."

John Henry fed the raw footage to John. Bob viewed it with one eye as he drove. He kept the other eye on the road.

John felt sick as he watched the scene unfold. His stomach felt like it was in his throat. There are goose bumps over all of his skin. There was a chill that flooded his body.

"I can't believe this." John said. "Savannah's by herself. She took the fight to the enemy alone."

Bob recognized Savannah's actions for what they were. They were totally selfless and showed her willingness to 'go all the way' to protect the others. It didn't matter that she was human and the others were Terminators.

"She also drew off the attackers away from Cammy and Cameron." Bob said. "She's using herself as bait to protect them."

John felt a knot in his gut as he watched her in action. Her actions nearly brought tears to his eyes. A few hours ago he was one second away from claiming her virginity. Now he watched her fight for her life to protect Cameron and Cammy.

"Where are they now?" John asked.

John Henry was unable to identify any of the fallen as Resistance members.

"They must have gone inside." John Henry said.

Bob was sure that even worse news awaited the girls once they entered the structure.

"That is the last place any of them need to be." Bob said. "The third drone must have spooked them and they retreated into the bunker."

John was totally captivated by the footage that he viewed. It seemed the only time that he'd seen bravery like this before, it was always Savannah.

"Has anyone else seen this footage?" John asked.

John Henry was aware of the restriction that Savannah placed on her actions as viewed by others.

"Savannah's asked not to have what she's done viewed by others." John Henry said. "She said she was only doing what anyone else would have done."

John honestly didn't think he would be able to do the things that he knew that Savannah had done. He might be able to do some of them but he didn't believe he could have done all of them.

"We all know she's gone far beyond that." John said. "Savannah really is the 'Chosen One'. Chosen by her actions and chosen by who she is."

"John, Savannah is your 'mate'." Bob said. "YOU are the one who has chosen her."

John really needed to wonder about that. He knew that both Vanna and Future Savannah were part of the Resistance. He didn't think that either one of them ever faced the same trials in combat as Savannah had. Maybe he needed to know more about Future Savannah. He knew that he sure liked Future Allison. Cameron always told him that Young Allison would be everything that Future Allison was but even more. He really wasn't sure what that actually meant. He could hardly wait to find out. Thoughts like that would need to wait. Right now he needed to focus on Cameron, Savannah and Cammy.

It's The Hardest Thing To Get Right

Kind words can be spoken
Or it can turn into a fight
Can a moment of irrationality
Be justified with hindsight

Empty days can grow long
Never as cold as a hollow night
It only clears the path making it easier
For another to get an undeserved invite

Somehow a frigid icy path
Stimulates a new fire to ignite
Is it out of feeling or desire
Or a hidden form of spite

Is not the real appeal
What is viewed with sight
So open up your eyes
And turn on your heart's light

After all things are said and done
What will matter most is to look Tight
It takes a lot of time and effort
It's the hardest thing to get right

Nobody