Chapter 756
Hold Your Fire
Savannah was even more alert than she previously was. There was a real threat now. It was at least the unknown.
Cammy indicated someone was coming. It could be their team, it could be Grays. Maybe this was the moment of truth. They would know in seconds. It was clear one drone was now in gun range to back them up.
Cammy and Savannah waited behind the dead Grays. They used their bodies for cover. They held their weapons trained on the opening the team created in the corner of the bunker.
There were faint images starting to appear in the moonlight.
Cammy could see Savannah was keyed up. She was able to do visual recognition scans.
"Hold your fire, Savannah." Cammy said. "It's our team."
Savannah stuck with protocol
"Orange…." Savannah called out.
"Cow…." Was the answer back.
Savannah and Cammy still held their weapons ready. They weren't taking any chances.
Frank led the team out.
"We're withdrawing. You two are to leave the area immediately." Ken said.
Savannah looked around. She didn't see Cameron. She sensed there was a problem.
"What's wrong?" Savannah asked. "Where's Cameron?"
Ken didn't want a problem.
"She remained inside, she ordered everyone to withdraw." Ken said. "Cammy and you are to leave immediately. Those were her specific instructions."
Savannah noticed someone else was missing. The fact he wasn't there said a lot based on the assignment she gave him.
"Where's Tom?" Savannah asked.
Ken was worried that things were going to get touchy.
"He said he received orders not to leave." Ken said. "He said they were from you."
Savannah wanted to make herself clear.
"He was not to leave Cameron alone." Savannah said. "I asked him to stay with her at all times. He was free to leave if he chose to do so."
Cammy listened to Savannah. She knew every Terminator would follow Savannah's 'request' as if it was an 'order'. When the 'Chosen One' spoke every machine listened. All of them wanted to do the things she requested.
Savannah saw the Terminators began to gather up the dead Grays and toss them inside the bunker. That was good to get them out of the way. Doing that however indicated that they expected something to happen to the bunker. It must be something catastrophic. She needed some more information.
"What's Cameron doing?" Savannah asked.
Ken could only tell her what little he knew.
"She's looking for the heat source and any version of Skynet." Ken said.
A 'sick' feeling grabbed Savannah's gut.
"What heat?" Savannah asked.
She knew the answer before she'd asked the question.
Ken wanted to get Savannah away from there.
"There's a massive heat build up the lower we go." Ken said. "That's why we were ordered to withdraw. You and Cammy must leave the area."
Savannah gritted her teeth some. She promised to never abandon Cameron. She wasn't about to start now.
"I'm not leaving unless Cameron is here." Savannah said.
Cammy was going through the phones Frank collected. She tried to see if anything worked since all their communication gear was fried.
"I think I can make one of these phones work off our drones, like a repeater." Cammy said as she tried to make it work.
Savannah was worried about Cameron. She knew it was a repeat of the mine episode about to unfold. She knew how that ended. She wasn't about to let Cameron stay inside and end up getting terminated in there. She wanted Cammy to know too.
"Cammy, this is like the mine we were in." Savannah said. "It's going to end the same way. I need to go after Cameron."
Cammy felt a glitch impulse. She could see Savannah was clearly upset that Cameron was still inside. If it was going to end like the mine episode, she wanted Savannah as far away from there as possible. She decided she would go in alone so Savannah could get to safety. She was in the mine too, she knew how that ended. She suppressed another glitch impulse.
"I'll go after her." Cammy said. "You must withdraw."
Savannah appreciated Cammy's offer. It didn't matter. She was going after Cameron herself.
"We'll go together." Savannah said. "I won't leave Cameron in there to die. I won't allow you to sacrifice yourself either."
Cammy hoped Savannah listened to herself. She didn't was her dead either.
The Terminators tossed the last of the dead Grays inside. They collected all the serviceable weapons.
Cammy still fooled with one of the phones. She made some progress.
"I have one phone working." Cammy said as she put it on speaker phone.
They were able to reach the Resistance base.
John Henry already reviewed the drone images.
"Where's Cameron?" John Henry asked.
Cammy kept things simple.
"She's still inside, with Tom." Cammy said. "She hasn't completed her mission yet."
Savannah wanted to personally update John.
"Where's John?" Savannah asked. "I need to speak with him."
John Henry didn't think now was a good time. He was worried John would become distracted.
"John's on an operation that's about to go hot. They have one of the big rigs we were tracking under surveillance." John Henry said. "They're in pursuit of it. They're about to make their move."
Savannah felt it was important.
"See if he is available." Savannah said. "I'd like to talk with him."
John Henry contacted John and quickly filled him in.
"Let me speak with Savannah." John said.
A few seconds later John responded.
"What is it, Savannah?" John asked.
Savannah wanted to keep it simple.
"It's Cameron. She's deep inside the bunker and going deeper. There is a massive heat build up." Savannah said. "I'm going after her."
John didn't know much. He did know a bad idea when he heard one. He wanted to remain diplomatic.
"You need to worry about yourself too." John said. "I don't think that's a good idea."
Savannah knew what she needed to do. Nothing was going to change her mind.
"What is anymore?" Savannah asked. "You know I'm still going to do it anyway."
Cammy took the phone and filled John and John Henry in on all the details she was aware of after speaking with the Terminators who just exited. The more they heard, the less they seemed to like what she told them.
Cammy was still on the phone. Savannah told the rest of the Terminators to return the bulldozer and withdraw as Cameron ordered them to do. She asked that they inspect the bulldozer for any damage. She planned to as CamNet to procure a new one if it was damaged.
The Terminators looked hesitant. They didn't want to leave Savannah. They knew Cameron wanted her taken to safety. They didn't want to leave her either.
"What about you?" Ken asked.
Savannah felt a little resigned.
"You all know what I need to do." Savannah said.
Frank wanted to point out alternatives.
"We can do it." Frank said.
Savannah didn't want to be rude.
"Can you?" Savannah asked. "She won't listen to anyone else. Maybe she won't listen to me one day."
Cammy handed the phone back to Savannah, she looked less than thrilled.
Savannah smiled at Cammy as she took the phone. She turned her back to her.
"John…." Savannah started.
John understood what Savannah felt. He did as well.
"I know, Savannah. I do too…." John said. "Go get OUR mate."
Savannah was glad that no explanation was necessary. It didn't seem at this point there needed to be one. It was all going to happen sooner or later.
"I know you understand." Savannah said.
John did understand. Maybe that was what made it worse.
"I do." John said.
Savannah wondered if that statement had a double meaning.
"I do too." Savannah said.
Cammy and Savannah watched as the bulldozer was moved away. They tossed the burnt dead Gray that was half under the tread inside before they left. They watched the bulldozer clank away with Terminators in front and in back of it. The rest of the team was gone.
Savannah wanted everyone protected including the drones. She was concerned for all of the machines.
"Have one drone go with them." Savannah said. "The other two that remain need to move to a wider sweep and higher altitude, just in case."
They still needed to worry about Grays coming out in a different place and closing the door on their exit. More reinforcements could arrive at any time or hostile HK drones could make an appearance. There was a lot going on and it could all end badly.
Savannah knew all those things and they didn't matter. She needed to get Cameron out. That was all that mattered. Without Cameron, there was no future.
"Are you ready?" Cammy asked.
Savannah looked around and waited a few seconds longer.
No energy bubbles appeared.
"Let's go." Savannah said.
It gave Savannah a little more confidence that they might not be terminated going into the bunker, since there were no time bubbles. That was still no guarantee that they made it.
Everything was in flux and fluid. Into the bunker they went without hesitation.
Bob heard everything John set up. He didn't agree with all of it.
"That's risky for both of them." Bob said.
John thought it was risky. He also knew there was no stopping it.
"It's going to happen anyway." John said. "It doesn't matter what I disapprove of."
Bob still felt John was willing to short cut for his personal benefit.
"You want Cameron back." Bob said. "You're willing to risk Savannah to do it."
John saw it all differently.
"Savannah will use caution and good judgment." John said. "She's the best person for the job. Nobody else there can get Cameron out."
Steve could see two vehicles behind him.
"John, I can see your team closing on me." Steve said.
Bob made the spot at the same time.
"I see him up ahead." Bob said.
John wanted to come up with a plan.
"I want you to pass them and get ahead of them." John said.
John Henry knew everything that was in front of them.
"There will be a few turns in the road coming up." John Henry said. "That area is only farmland."
The Metal girls came up with heir own plan. They wanted to show John they could pull things off too. They didn't want him to 'baby' them because of their female attributes. They viewed them as assets not liabilities.
"Let us get ahead of big truck." Ally said. "We'll make sure they see it's a couple of females. They'll feel less threatened."
John Henry thought that plan might work.
"That idea has merit, John." John Henry said.
John was willing to give it a try.
"Do it, Ally." John said. "Steve, we're with you now. The girls will take the lead."
Steve looked over at Al. They weren't sure where this was headed.
"Affirmative…." Steve said.
The Metal girls formulated a plan. They knew what worked well among sex traffickers and drug dealers. Grays would respond accordingly. All males wanted the same thing.
"I know how to make them feel less threatened." Sheila said.
Sheila started to remove her gear.
Gail seldom went on those 'off the books' operations.
"What are you doing?" Gail asked. "We need to be combat ready."
Sheila would be more combat ready, even if she didn't look like it.
"I'm taking my top back off." Sheila said. "They'd never expect a Terminator or the Resistance to act in such a manner."
Ally knew how Sheila rolled.
"She has a point there." Ally said. "Only crazy people act like her. That's why they lock them up in the 'nut house'."
Sheila didn't see it as 'crazy'. She saw it as inventive.
"Hey." Sheila said.
Gail moved over to pass alongside Bob's SUV.
"I'm going to pass John." Gail said.
Sheila gently tugged on her nipple rings.
"How do I look?" Sheila asked.
Ally liked to rib Sheila.
"You look like you should be arrested." Ally said. "Maybe even be put into a mental institution. A padded cell would be best."
Sheila looked at Ally with a stern look.
"I'm going to remember that." Sheila said.
Ally didn't want Sheila to get flustered.
"Relax." Ally said.
Sheila liked to be seen and noticed.
"We'll let Bob and John decide." Sheila said.
Ally didn't think so.
Gail pulled alongside of Bob and John.
Sheila rolled down the window and leaned out as she blew them a kiss.
John gave her a 'thumbs up'.
Gail moved in front of Bob and John.
Ally spotted what Steve's vehicle was. It gave her a new idea.
"Steve has a pick up truck." Ally said. "I'll jump in the back of it from the sliding door of the van. Catch up to him and pull up alongside of him."
Gail looked back at Ally. Maybe Sheila wasn't the only one who belonged in a mental institution.
"What would you do that for?" Gail asked.
Ally was aware that Cameron used a similar plan before.
"When Sheila flashes the driver of the truck, I'll have Steve close up on the back of the truck and I'll climb on top of it from Steve's hood."
John thought it was risky but knew Cameron had done it before.
"Can you do it safely?" John asked.
Sheila tried to sound surprised.
"I didn't know you were still there." Sheila said.
Sheila knew he still was.
Ally was acquainted with the procedure.
"I bet." Ally said. "I can do it, John. It won't be the first big truck I've done this on. I took a load of drones before. I was inside the back on that one."
John was aware Ally did this before. So did Cameron. He wanted her to have a little insurance.
"OK." John said. "I'll have Al go with you. That way you can each take a side."
Ally felt she didn't need help.
"I can do it alone." Ally said.
John wanted to have things go smoothly.
"I know you can but Al will still accompany you." John said. "It will make things happen faster."
Bob wanted to give all of their egos a reminder.
"Sometimes it's nice to have help." Bob said.
Ally knew Bob was right. She didn't want to cause John any extra grief.
"OK, John." Ally said. "Al can give me a boost."
John and Bob watched as Gail pulled up next to Steve. Al was already in the back of the pick-up truck waiting for Ally. She opened the sliding door and leaped over into the back of the truck. Al was there to grab her.
Ally was in Al's arms.
"You can 'cop a feel' if you want." Ally said.
Al looked at her but didn't.
John heard everything in the exchange.
"The Metal girls really are something else." John said.
Bob spent a lot of time around the human females at the Resistance base.
"They are like the real girls but without morals or scruples." Bob said. "They would make excellent lovers for a human. They have no inhibitions and are open to 'anything'."
John nodded in the darkness.
"I think Claire found that out with Hanna." John said.
He was sure Claire explored everything possible with a female body with Hanna. He didn't know Holly switched with Hanna two nights a week and the other Metal girls all visited Claire as well. So do Vanna and Jesse. He didn't know that Claire was the most preferred person to be with.
John still wondered about that. He was sure Cameron used female Terminators to control everyone through sex. He thought maybe even him. Maybe it was in their programming. Maybe it was an effective strategy and an efficient use of their assets. It would be hard for anyone to turn them down without a good reason. He'd only been able to turn them down because he didn't want to hurt Cameron.
Sheila already moved to the back of the van. She closed the sliding door of the van as soon as Ally jumped to the back of pick-up truck. She then returned to her position in the passenger's seat.
Gail continued passing the pick-up truck. She moved in front of it.
The van was now in front of Steve's truck. It effectively blocked what was happening on the truck. Ally and Al scrambled over the cab and were now perched on the hood. Steve closed up on the van to keep Ally and Al hidden from view. The pickup was inches behind the van.
The van closed on the big rig. Steve's truck was right behind the van. This way they hoped the Terminators on the hood wouldn't be seen by the occupants of the big rig. They all took a risk.
When they were less than a car length from the rear of the big rig, Gail moved to pass it. This allowed Steve's truck to move up directly in back of the big rig, unseen. He was now inches behind it.
Gail pulled alongside of the big rig's cab and Sheila looked up and tugged on her nipple rings for the driver to see. The passenger soon leaned over to see as well. It was clear neither occupant of the big rig looked back or in their mirrors. Their thoughts were clearly elsewhere now.
Gail relayed the message. It was a go.
Al jumped off the hood of Steve's truck and caught the back of the trailer and pulled himself up. He rotated around and laid flat on the roof. When Ally jumped up he grabbed her hand and swung her on top next to him.
John Henry watched it all go down from the drone footage.
"They're on." John Henry said. "They made it look like they do it everyday."
Steve didn't want to be spotted.
"I'm going to stay right behind the truck" Steve said. "He can't see me this close."
From John's position it appeared they were touching.
"How close are you?" John asked.
Steve didn't see it as a problem.
"I'm one foot from the back of the trailer, I can match his speed." Steve said. "I can make any correction to stay this distance."
Sheila waved 'bye' to the truck driver and Gail sped ahead with the van.
Gail didn't want to get too far ahead of the big rig or tip their hand.
"How long will it be until we can set up a stop?" Gail asked.
John hoped to take it on the move.
"If everything goes as planned, the big rig may not need to stop." John said. "That's until we can find a secluded place to go through it."
All the pieces were in play to commandeer the big rig. For once it looked like everything worked out smoothly, at least on this operation. They should have control of the first of the trucks soon.
Bob was still worried it was all one big ruse.
"What happens if it is empty?" Bob asked.
That thought hadn't occurred to John for a long time. He was sure they were on to a solid target.
"I don't know." John said. "I thought we were following a good lead. Maybe the Grays already unloaded the cargo and this is another decoy."
John wished Bob would have said something about this sooner or not at all. He felt very deflated right now. Now he felt even less sure about Cameron's operation. She was off in the unknown and Savannah would soon be with her.
It'll Always Be There
Like water in the ocean
Or a mountain of stone
Against all odds
I will stand alone
What is meant to be
Can never change
Coming from me
Is it really that strange
When a ship hits a rock
It's going to sink
When it comes to me
You know you need rethink
I'll take the blows
I'll take the stabs
Hit me with your best shot
I can take all the jabs
The love you tried to ignore
The love I want to share
No matter what happens
It'll always be there
Nobody