Chapter 918

Threatened Already

Savannah checked around them as they exited the Syndicate casino's parking structure.

Cameron noted Savannah was uneasy.

"We're good, Savannah." Cameron said.

Savannah knew that things could change in a hurry.

"Maybe we are for now." Savannah said.

Cameron looked around again and checked her mirrors one more time.

"We are." Cammy said.

Cameron headed down the main street. She started out in the opposite direction they needed to go to get to the airport.

Savannah figured since they were going to take a roundabout way to go to the airport that they might as well check out where they were yesterday and earlier today.

"Can we drive by the casino hotel we stayed at?" Savannah asked. "It's almost across the street."

Cameron decided she would take a few side streets and enter into the parking lot from one of them.

"We can." Cameron said. "We'll come in from the back."

Savannah was a little concerned as to what the fallout was from the earlier activity when they'd captured the 'Metal Bitch'. They left behind some damage that they couldn't fix because they needed to get out of there.

"What does any of the security footage show as to what's happening in there now?" Savannah asked.

Cameron knew that CamNet contacted a firm to do the repair work. The two main areas that showed damage were inside the stairwell and in one of the halls on the floor below their floor, right outside the elevator. The paperwork was arranged to make it look like it was to repair damage that happened several days ago and not in the early hours of the morning. That was to prevent the damage from being linked to them.

"They have a maintenance team fixing the damage to the two walls that were 'modified'." Cameron said.

Savannah wasn't exactly sure that 'modified' was the correct term.

Cameron took three more side streets to make sure they didn't have a tail.

Sheila wasn't sure why they needed to drive by there if they already knew what was being done. She wanted to get back to the airport so they could take the minivan.

"What do we need to look for?" Sheila asked.

Savannah thought that when 'The Enforcer' returned and found out that the 'Metal Bitch' was missing and where she'd headed to last, was probably where he would start his investigation to determine what happened to her. That may be one of the reasons why he hadn't actually returned to the Syndicate run casino yet.

"We're looking for 'The Enforcer'." Savannah said. "I think that is where he would go first to see what actually happened."

The Metal girls all became more alert. That wasn't why they thought they were going to return to the casino hotel where some of them stayed previously.

Cameron looked a little uneasy.

"I'm having CamNet triple check everything there." Cameron said. "Do you think that's where he went or is at now?"

Savannah could only say what she thought was the most logical choice.

"He may be at the last known location that the 'Metal Bitch' went to." Savannah said. "If I couldn't find her, that's where I would go first since that's where she was known to be last."

Cameron determined that she would do the same thing.

"That makes sense." Cameron said. "He should go there and then to his casino."

Savannah wasn't sure how close the Syndicate kept track of the casino hotel where they'd stayed. That was where they picked up the original tail that followed them. They were still in the same vehicle and were back at the same location. She wondered if it would trigger anything.

"Maybe we will pick up a tail again from our casino." Savannah said. "We didn't have one from the Syndicate casino."

The Metal girls all looked a little uncomfortable and checked all around them as they did their drive by.

Ally could tell what Savannah wanted to accomplish. It seemed a little risky to her.

"Do you mean we're bait?" Ally asked. "You didn't just paint a target on our backs did you?"

Savannah wanted to see if anything different would happen other than what happened before when they left from there. That was where they picked up the tail from the two Syndicate thugs that were now in the trunk of their car in a deep ravine alongside a deserted road in the desert. She figured they'd be able to set up a little surprise for anyone who followed them this time.

"The girls at the airport can set up an ambush if we do." Savannah said.

Gail saw it as a way to eliminate some more of the opposition unopposed.

"I like the way she thinks." Gail said.

Sheila tried to be funny.

"I like the way she looks." Sheila said.

Ally believed she felt more towards Savannah than Sheila did because of her 'Neural Interface' with Allison and her long association with Vanna.

"I like the way she looks more than you do." Ally said.

Sheila didn't like when Ally tried to 'one up' her .

"No you don't." Sheila said. "I said it first."

Cameron was in no mood for nonsense. They were there to see if they could spot 'The Enforcer'. She wanted everyone to pay attention

'ENOUGH!" Cameron said.

The Metal girls all looked at each other but said nothing further.

They entered the parking structure from the back street and drove through it. They passed alongside of the casino hotel lobby entrance and out onto the main street.

Cameron took three more side streets at the next light. She didn't spot anything when they did the 'drive by' nor did it appear that they had a tail

"I don't see anything." Cameron said.

Savannah looked around herself one last time. She was relieved to hear that.

"That's a good thing then." Savannah said. "I feel more comfortable now."

Cameron continued to scan around her. She took three more side streets and came back around to the strip

"Let's head for the airport." Cameron said.

There were better weapons at the airport that the other Metal girls brought with them from the Resistance base.

Cam was behind the wheel of the 4X4 truck at the airport. She was pleased when she spotted Cameron's team.

"They're here." Cam said. "I see them coming."

Vegas was a little irritated at the delay. She thought things should have happened a little quicker.

"It's about time." Vegas said. "They took too long to get here."

Cam doubted Cameron would appreciate that tone and attitude from anyone.

"You'd better watch your attitude." Cam said.

Vegas wasn't too concerned about her future. She didn't believe that she had one.

"What will happen to me?" Vegas asked. "My time is limited, one way or another. This is a temporary existence for this one mission. What can anyone do besides pull my chip and deactivate me? It seems like a case of easy come easy go to me."

Cameron pulled up with the SUV.

Cam and Vegas got out to greet them.

Cameron and everyone else got out of their SUV.

Cam wanted to get right down to business.

"I have the weapons ready." Cam said.

Cameron looked around at the girls, the vehicles and the weapons available.

"We will split into four teams." Cameron said. "Each team will have a grenade launcher with acid rounds."

Cam set down a large metal container.

"There is also a case of Thermite grenades to dispense." Cam said.

Savannah felt they should be a little better protected.

"Cameron, I'd feel more comfortable with only three teams." Savannah said. "We're facing the unknown here. I want our personnel protected, at least to start out with."

Cam and Vegas exchanged glances after Cameron and Savannah spoke. It went down exactly like Cam said it was going to.

Cameron looked at Savannah as the Metal girls worked with the weapons. The weapons were allocated and transferred.

"Three teams it is. The 'Metal Bitch' is with us." Cameron said.

Vegas didn't care for the way that Cameron addressed her. It irritated her immensely.

"I have a name." Vegas said.

Cameron stood in front of Vegas and 'eyed' her from head to toe and back up again before she spoke. It was an unspoken challenge as to who was supreme.

"I don't like it." Cameron said. "You will change it."

Vegas didn't like the way that Cameron looked at her and how she did it. She decided to issue a challenge of her own in return.

"Do you feel threatened already?" Vegas asked.

Cameron instantly disliked the 'attitude' she received from Vegas. She looked at Vegas with a smirk on her face.

"Hardly…." Cameron said. "Cheap invitations don't threaten me at all."

Savannah didn't like the developing situation. Vegas was going to be on their team and she didn't want any animosity to be in the air before they even started.

"Hi." Savannah said to Vegas.

Vegas glared at Cameron one more time before she turned her attention to Savannah. She smiled when she looked at her.

"Hello, Savannah." Vegas said.

Savannah thought of the best way to take control of the situation. She wanted to make an impression.

"I don't want any trouble." Savannah said. "I like your other name better."

Savannah went over and touched Vegas on the cheek. She let her hand linger there.

Vegas reached up and touched Savannah's hand as it touched her cheek. It was the first real compassion anyone showed her. She felt that Claire wanted to but didn't feel comfortable to do so in front of her Metal lover, Hanna.

"You do?" Vegas asked.

Savannah looked directly into her eyes.

"I do." Savannah said. "Samantha is a beautiful name."

Vegas wanted to accommodate Savannah.

"I'm short lived for this operation." Vegas said. "I can use Samantha if it pleases you."

Savannah increased the pressure of her hand on her cheek.

"It does." Savannah said.

Savannah slowly removed her hand from her cheek.

"OK, I'm Samantha again." Vegas, now Samantha said. "Thank you for explaining."

Savannah looked at Samantha's breasts. She reached around and touched her back. She looked at Samantha with real concern.

"How's your sheath damage progressing?" Savannah asked.

Samantha looked at Savannah and absentmindedly touched her left breast.

"It's regenerating nicely. It's about twenty seven percent healed." Samantha said. "My left breast sustained the most damage. I can show you."

Samantha started to remove her top.

Savannah stopped her.

"I'll personally check later when this operation is better under control." Savannah said. "We still have too many unknowns. I want everyone to cooperate with each other and get along without any problems."

Samantha smiled at Savannah.

The mood and atmosphere was noticeably better. The feeling of contention was gone.

Samantha checked the files that were transferred over to her chip. Everything she'd thought earlier she was able to verify.

"The files I have don't show Keith, also known as 'The Enforcer', as being Liquid Metal." Samantha said.

Cameron assigned Cam, Hanna and Holly as one team and let Gail, Ally and Sheila remain the other team. She was originally going to allow Hanna to join with Ally and Sheila but she thought things might get out of hand. She knew that Gail would hold Ally and Sheila accountable and keep them in line.

Cameron, Cammy, Samantha and Savannah would all be on the last team.

Savannah wanted to make sure there wouldn't be any problems.

"I'll sit in the back with Savannah." Samantha said.

Cameron thought about Samantha's earlier statement about feeling threatened already.

"Savannah will sit in the front with me." Cameron said as she gave Samantha an icy look.

Gail looked over Ally and Sheila.

"Where do we go to now?" Gail asked. "My team is ready."

Cam looked over Holly and Hanna.

"My team is ready as well." Cam said.

Cameron didn't think there was anything they could do yet. They wanted to take down 'The Enforcer' and then return to the Syndicate run casino.

"WE don't have a location on 'The Enforcer' yet." Cameron said. "We wait."

Ally figured if they were going to wait and might as well make the most of it in a location where they could.

"Can't we get some hotel rooms and wait there?" Ally asked. "This place is 'Deadsville'. We're totally out in the open as well."

Sheila knew where she could go right now.

"We can use the 'bed' in the back of the minivan." Sheila said. "The seats fold down. I'll take a turn with anybody who wants one. Savannah can go first."

Gail was irritated at Sheila's comment.

"We're taking the other SUV." Gail said. "You can use the minivan for now if you want. If we need to go, you will go like you are, even if you're naked."

Ally thought it was a mistake for Gail to tell Sheila that.

"Oh brother, don't tell her that. She's already an exhibitionist." Ally said. "Now she'll do it on purpose."

Savannah found Sheila's offer somewhat amusing. She looked over at the minivan and saw that they would both be on display if anyone looked in the side windows. She wanted to deal with the immediate threat first. They needed to be ready when it was identified.

"Sheila doesn't need to do anything like that now." Savannah said. "We have a threat and we all need to be ready."

Sheila realized that her statement was ill timed. She still wanted it to happen but it would obviously need to be at a later time.

"I'm sorry, Savannah." Sheila said. "Sometimes my hormones run crazy."

Ally snickered at Sheila's statement.

"Hormones my hiney, get real." Ally said. "It is more like 'whore moans' if it comes from you."

Samantha tilted her head slightly as she looked at Sheila.

"You don't have hormones." Samantha said. "You're not a biological creature."

Sheila attempted to use terminology that Savannah taught her to use.

"OK, my electrons then." Sheila said. "I tried to use better infiltrator terminology. You might want to loosen up and learn a few lessons. I think there are a few I could teach you."

Sheila started to give Samantha a real 'eyeballing'.

"What would those lessons be?" Samantha asked.

Sheila figured she could be busy in the backseat with Samantha while Ally drove the SUV. She knew where Gail would rather be. It seemed like a 'win-win for everyone.

"Maybe you can ride with us. I will show you." Sheila said. "Gail would rather ride with Cameron's team."

Cameron already made the decision as to who would ride with whom. She didn't want any backtalk or insubordination and she certainly didn't want anyone fooling around.

"The teams are already set." Cameron said. "Don't push it."

Savannah didn't want there to be any more contention. She'd already taken care of that problem once.

"Everyone needs to mellow out some." Savannah said. "We're all concerned about 'The Enforcer' and the other things we don't know about this operation. I am anyway."

Savannah didn't want there to be any more anger or playing around, at least not until they were able to learn more or bring down 'The Enforcer'.

The audio transmissions that drifted back to the Command Center from the girls in Las Vegas made them very uneasy.

"It sounds like a powder keg there." John said. "The girls are getting antsy. It's because they don't know more about 'The Enforcer'."

John Henry knew that Cameron wanted action.

"Cameron doesn't like waiting." John Henry said. "Her attitude affects all the others."

John felt there was a counterbalance there with Cameron.

"It doesn't affect Savannah." John said. "Savannah counteracts Cameron's rashness."

John Henry listened to the earlier conversations and how Savannah smoothed things over.

"That's true." John Henry said. "She does have a way of diffusing a situation."

John wanted to focus on the central issue.

"Has anything turned up yet on 'The Enforcer'?" John asked. "Something has to be there somewhere."

John Henry didn't know what else to tell John. They'd been looking nonstop since 'The Enforcer' was first identified.

"Both CamNet and my server are on it." John Henry said. "There've been no positive hits."

John was afraid the atmosphere would grow even more contentious as the girls just sat at the airport and waited. If they were going to wait he thought they should do it under better conditions.

"Maybe the girls should get a room at one of the hotels to wait." John said.

John Henry felt that was unnecessary.

"They don't need to." John Henry said. "They can go into standby while they wait if they need to."

John felt they all overlooked something important.

"What about Savannah?" John asked. "She needs to eat and use the restroom sometimes. Cameron is always pushing her too hard."

John Henry believed Savannah was well acclimated to a combat environment.

"Savannah is resilient and adaptable." John Henry said.

John really wondered when the last time Savannah's needs were met.

"She shouldn't have to be." John said.

John Henry understood Cameron's endgame.

"Cameron is preparing Savannah for the future." John Henry said. "She will be able to survive and thrive better than other human females."

John felt that everything they did was to keep a Skynet future from happening.

"That's the future we're trying to prevent." John said.

John was in the future, a future. There were plenty of harsh realities there. Savannah visited two different futures from the one he was in. They were as bleak and desolate. They lacked most of the creature comforts everyone took for granted here in this current time period. It was a painful reality that females suffered a lot in each of those futures.

Allison and Claire finished up with the phone call to Young Allison and returned to where Vanna was.

When they entered the living area, Vanna was in the process of nursing Precious.

Allison didn't want Vanna to get carried away. She didn't want her to become obsessed with Precious.

"Does she need that?" Allison asked. "Riley needs to do it more often to increase her production."

Riley looked down at her breasts with disgust. There was one thing that she noticed during her pregnancy. Her breasts never really got any bigger than they were. She was clearly larger than the other girls there including Vanna with her nursing breasts.

"I'm out." Riley said. "These things are all but useless. It really bothers me more and more. I must be a low producer. I don't know if it's genetic or Skynet related."

Claire was a little worried about Riley's attitude.

"Maybe you should rest." Claire said to Riley.

Allison saw Derek look at Riley and then back at Vanna nursing Precious.

"Vanna, maybe we can take Precious into the other room so Derek and Riley can get some 'rest'." Allison said.

Vanna saw the smiles on Allison and Claire's faces and the uncomfortable look on Derek's face.

"Sure." Vanna said. "I'll take Precious back to our room. Grab the diaper bag."

Allison went and retrieved the diaper bag.

The four of them exited into the hall.

Allison looked at her mother.

"Maybe you can check on Jesse." Allison said. "Make sure she's doing OK."

Claire's face lit up with anticipation. She didn't want to seem too forward.

"If you girls don't mind…." Claire said.

Vanna tried not to laugh. She didn't think it was up to them, one way or the other.

"If you move here to the base, it will be a common occurrence." Vanna said. "We all get along and all share. There's plenty for everyone. The Metal girls are available twenty four hours a day when they're not on assignment. They are more than willing to accommodate us. They always deliver."

Claire lightly moistened her lips. She was highly stimulated. She did have one worry, well, actually it was two.

"What will my daughters think?" Claire asked.

Allison was very aware of the fact that both Young Allison and Summer spied on all of them at the house in Palmdale. They both knew what was happening to whom and with whom.

"It will be the same thing they SEE and THINK now." Allison said. "The only thing different will be a larger 'selection'. They both know what's happening."

The three of them giggled.

"Let me go check on Summer first." Claire said.

Allison wanted to give her mother a little reassurance.

"See, you ARE a good mother." Allison said.

Claire left as Vanna and Allison headed back to their room.

Allison watched Vanna talk to Precious as they went.

They reached the room and entered.

Allison watched Vanna interact with Precious. She was unsure what to say.

"Cameron wanted to do that with Young Allison and Summer." Allison said.

Vanna stopped talking to Precious and looked up at Allison.

"What do you mean?" Vanna asked.

Allison wanted to be blunt but not mean.

"She wanted to take them as 'her own' from their mother, my mother." Allison said.

Vanna knew what she meant. She didn't like the implication.

"WHAT?" Vanna asked. "I don't want to take Precious from Riley."

Allison wanted to keep Vanna from drifting that far.

"You wish she was your own." Allison said.

Vanna didn't want to lie but she felt she was under control.

"I do." Vanna said. "How could Cameron MAKE Savannah part with her babies? That must have really hurt Savannah. After being around Precious and nursing her, I would rather die first."

Allison tried to talk with Savannah about it before. It was a subject that always seemed to cause Savannah a lot of pain. She always needed to back off and give Savannah some room. Savannah told her she needed to do what needed to be done for 'herself'. She was sure that Cameron hated to leave those two babies behind as well.

"I'm sure it hurt BOTH of them." Allison said. "They did what was necessary. They did what needed to be done."

Vanna didn't agree with Allison's statement. She knew it would be different if it was her baby. She didn't think now was the time to point out that Allison wanted to go to Cameron's future where her baby was at that Future Allison now had as her own.

"How can YOU say that?" Vanna asked. "You know you wouldn't."

Allison didn't want to cause a problem. She just didn't want to see Vanna get into a bad place that she would have trouble to get out of.

"All I'm saying is don't get overly 'attached'." Allison said. "Precious belongs to Derek and Riley."

Vanna wasn't sure how to fully explain it. The ability for her body to actually do one of its female functions meant a great deal to her.

"I know that." Vanna said. "Allison, I feel ALIVE again."

Allison could have done without that terminology. She was painfully aware that Vanna 'danced with the darkness' for most of her life. She knew it wasn't Vanna's fault but the fault of others who made her feel that way.

"What?" Allison asked.

There was a look of happiness on Vanna's face.

"I feel ALIVE again." Vanna repeated. "I felt so dead before."

Allison always clung to Vanna when the darkness tried to take her.

"Did you feel that way with me at your side and in your bed?" Allison asked.

Vanna knew that she was alive because of Allison and her love.

"They KILLED me inside." Vanna said. "You know this."

Precious started to cry.

"See what you've done." Vanna said as she soothed Precious.

Allison was still worried about her longtime lover.

"I don't want to see you get 'hurt'." Allison said.

Vanna held Precious close as she looked at Allison.

"I'm a big girl." Vanna said.

Allison was painfully aware that things happened to 'big girls' as well. She wanted to change the subject.

"I think Precious needs to be changed." Allison said.

Vanna wanted to do everything that was necessary for Precious.

"Bring me the bag." Vanna said. "I want to do this."

Allison picked up the diaper bag and brought it over to Vanna.

"I'll help you." Allison said. "We'll share everything."

Vanna looked at Allison. She understood the reference was they would share Allison's baby when it was born, if it was born.

The two girls changed Precious.

Vanna started to nurse her again.

"Allison…." Vanna said.

Allison was a little worried about the tone of the conversation.

"Yes." Allison said.

Vanna looked at Allison with a very serious look on her face.

"I'm going to ask Cameron if John can try and impregnate me." Vanna said.

Allison couldn't help but think about all the 'failures' that both Vanna and her experienced. Vanna couldn't take it anymore and needed to stop trying. She said she felt like an 'embryo serial killer'.

"She tried that before." Allison said. "Are you sure you want to go through all that again?"

Vanna desperately wanted to be like a 'normal female'. She wanted to be like everyone else.

"NO, I'm going to ask Cameron for John to try the traditional method." Vanna said.

Allison was more than a little surprised.

"What?" Allison asked.

Vanna frowned a little at Allison.

"You heard me." Vanna said. "I'm going to have sex with John. It will be more than sex to me. It will be love…."

Allison was pretty sure THAT wouldn't go over well with Cameron or Savannah. It almost sounded like desperation to her. She wasn't even sure if Vanna could be with a male. She knew there were several times before when she was going to be with John but it didn't happen.

"Vanna, listen to yourself." Allison said. "You're not thinking any of this through."

Vanna thought about the future a lot. It was the same individuals but in different timelines.

"No, I've thought about it a lot." Vanna said. "If Future John is with Future Savannah and John is supposed to be with Savannah, I'm BOTH of them. We are all the SAME person."

Allison still didn't believe that Vanna was thinking straight.

"I don't know what to say." Allison said. "Listen to yourself."

Vanna didn't want to get upset at Allison. She wanted Allison to support her.

"I HAVE been." Vanna said. "The voices in my head NEVER stop telling me this…."

Now Allison was really worried. It looked like Vanna was trying to create her own reality.

Allison couldn't blame her. For all the things that were done to Vanna, it was a wonder she could function at all sometimes. She was painfully aware that Vanna held it together and drove through the pain, hurt and abuse. She didn't cross the line and go to the dark side either.

She always wondered if she could have endured everything that Vanna did. The scary part was that there seemed to be even more that Vanna hadn't been able to tell yet, not even to 'herself'.

Threatened Already

Two start out as two
Soon they become one
That's when they learn
There's more than just fun

Things work smoothly
At least for a time
Maybe that's when
Everyone is in their prime

Soon the mystery is gone
Everything becomes routine
Things aren't always happy
Sometimes they turn mean

The same old face
Devolves into toleration
It seems with each other
There's a lot of stagnation

The uneasiness grows
Anger makes things feel unsteady
It's soon after that
When one feels threatened already

Nobody