Chapter 1016

That Seems Likely

John was pleased at how the events played out. The surprise elements to the operation were rewarding as well. He didn't like the danger that was presented to his troops but it was resolved without any damage to them.

"That all seemed to go better than expected." John said.

John Henry didn't expect any other outcome. He was a little surprised at the way the operation concluded.

"Things did appear to work out." John Henry said.

There was still a nagging thought that John couldn't shake. It was a new foe that they'd encountered that previously hadn't been a problem. It only went back a few days ago when they found out that Skynet operatives infiltrated a Syndicate casino in Las Vegas. They'd used both the casino and the hotel to blackmail certain key individuals in various Industries and organizations. They possess all of that information now. They would need to determine how compromised some of those individuals were. They would try to get them to fix whatever they did to assist Skynet and if they were non cooperative they would most likely be terminated.

"Those Syndicate thugs are going to come back. They've lost several carloads of soldiers at the same location." John said. "They have no idea what happened to them. They know where they were sent and what they were after."

John Henry understood John's concern. If that were to happen to their group, they would want to find out what happened to their troops as well.

"That seems likely." John Henry said. "I don't think they're going to go away anytime soon."

That thought brought up the other location where they'd encountered both Grays and the Syndicate thugs.

"Has there been any other activity at the port location?" John asked as he checked the security feeds.

John Henry reviewed all the data that he'd collected. He was sure that there would be other people to return there to look for answers.

"No, not yet, I've detected nothing" John Henry said. "I think whoever that was will try and surveil the location first."

John wasn't sure exactly how they would do that.

"Do you mean with another sniper?" John asked.

John Henry was aware humans were creatures of habit. In a way he thought that Terminators were as well. When they were sent out to do a specific task, they would keep trying until that task was completed.

"That seems likely." John Henry said. "Each group tends to repeat its same actions."

John wondered if they fell into that category. He felt that they did.

"Do you mean like us?" John asked.

John Henry didn't think they did everything the same. Since Cameron tried to handle most of the operations on her own. it didn't set a pattern for them and apparently it hadn't yet for her.

"We seem to have a varied lot to choose from." John Henry said.

John checked the drone footage. There was still one drone that tracked Derek's team on the way back. He thought that was a good thing. There was no indication that the Syndicate thugs were able to give a description of his truck since all of their communications were blocked.

"Where's the other drone?" John asked.

John Henry sent the current footage of the second drone to one of John's monitors.

"It was sent back to the old supermarket." John Henry said. "I think there is still a threat of Grays or the Syndicate showing back up. I think it will be soon."

John thought that was true. Now he wondered about Cameron and what she was up to. He still wanted to know more about what exactly she'd been up to before she assisted Derek's team with the termination of the Syndicate thugs.

"What about Cameron?" John asked.

John Henry already knew the answer to that one. It seemed like a subject that John would be better off if he stayed away from.

"CamNet has masked all tracking of her flight." John Henry said. "I have no idea where they went after they left the canyon and the two shot up sedans."

John hoped that maybe a drone would have gone with them.

"There's no more drone footage?" John asked.

John Henry checked again for anything. There was nothing that he could access.

"No." John Henry said.

John wondered if that was because Cameron didn't want him to spy on her or if she just wanted to get away from it all. He'd heard her make that statement more than a few times.

He didn't think about the fact that CamNet may have monitored his conversation with John Henry and his doubts about Cameron's involvement in everything that happened. That was all information that would most likely be revealed to Cameron. Then again, CamNet may have decided to sit on the information.

Savannah piloted the B-25. She followed the flight plan laid out by Cameron. She took the Mitchell through a series of maneuvers as directed by Cameron.

Cameron was very satisfied with Savannah's performance. She liked Savannah's style of flying in that she was able to fly by the 'seat of her pants'. She was a pilot's pilot. She thought that about both of the girls. It was time to move on to the next phase of the training. Savannah had already been able to get a first hand look as to what it was like and what the results could be.

"We're going to do target practice next." Cameron said.

Savannah looked around their current location. They were out over the ocean. She hadn't even spotted a ship.

"Do I have a target?" Savannah asked.

Cameron reviewed some satellite images previously. She'd noted some debris floating in the water near where they were at. She wasn't sure of its current exact location.

"We're searching for a target of opportunity." Cameron said.

Savannah saw the destructive effect of four 'fifties'. She could only imagine the punch eight additional guns would have. Twelve M2 machine guns were a very serious threat to any target.

"When will you have the eight gun nose installed?" Savannah asked.

Cameron wanted the team to do some flying with the Mitchell first. She could have the nose installed soon enough. The A-26 Invader would have its eight gun nose installed on it. She was going to forgo the glass nose on that aircraft. It also had the option to have three M2 machine guns installed in each wing. That would give it the capability to have fourteen forward firing 'fifties' on that aircraft.

"I'd like to wait a little bit." Cameron said. "Twelve forward firing 'fifties' is a real hard hit on a target. Nothing can survive that firepower."

Savannah was able to see that the B-25 was a multi-mission aircraft. There were a dozen or more different configurations for the aircraft. Some of them even had rocket stubs on the wings. In one configuration the Mitchell carried a torpedo as a long-range torpedo bomber. There was one other configuration that caught her fancy.

"In the manuals I studied, I saw some of the different B-25 models sported a 75MM cannon." Savannah said.

Cameron glanced over at Savannah. That was a serious weapon for an aircraft to have as a direct fire weapon.

"That's a really hard hit." Cameron said. "There is a B-25 on the Warbird circuit in that configuration. I haven't attempted to acquire it yet."

As soon as Cameron could get her hands on that aircraft, she would get the cannon functional again.

Savannah understood Cameron, like all Terminators, was about results. How those results were achieved didn't often matter to them. If there was an objective, that was all that they focused on. They wanted to get the job done. They didn't care how it was done. That unfortunately could lead to some ethical issues. She could understand the logic in that when dealing with Skynet related objectives. If they were dealing with unsuspecting civilians, she wanted them to use a little more tact and thought before they acted.

"I hope all your acquisitions have been legitimate and not 'forced sales'." Savannah said.

Cameron quickly glanced at Savannah again before she answered.

"They've been amicable sales." Cameron said.

Cameron felt that everyone was justly compensated for anything that she'd acquired from them. Money wasn't an issue for her. She would gladly pay two or three times the asking price for something. Usually if someone didn't want to sell, a higher price tag would at some point resonate with them. If Judgment Day looked imminent, she might have to resort to more forceful methods for the Resistance Air Force. She wouldn't hesitate to do so.

Savannah glanced over at Cameron. She didn't think Cameron lied to her but she wondered if there was anything she didn't tell her. More than likely there was. She searched the area around her as she flew.

"How soon will I have a target and what am I looking for?" Savannah asked.

Cameron used her superior Terminator vision to scan in front and to the sides of them.

"There's some floating debris up ahead." Cameron said.

Savannah searched ahead of them on the water.

"I don't see it." Savannah said.

Cameron thought she would spot it momentarily.

"You will." Cameron said.

Cameron called Young Allison up to the flight deck and directed her to sit in the jump seat and observe what was about to occur.

Anna dropped down and checked the four weapons in the two gun packs on each side. Young Allison wanted to know how to load and maintain the weapons. She showed Young Allison what to do. She signaled they were good to go.

Savannah went over the arming procedure and Cameron gave her tips for aiming. They were well clear of land at this point. They'd passed to the north and west of the Channel Islands fifteen minutes ago. The coast of California was twenty miles off to their starboard side.

Cameron checked with CamNet and all other flights were directed away from them.

"There is a large piece of white material of some type about three miles ahead. It may be plastic or wood." Cameron said.

Savannah was in a shallow dive now at two thousand feet.

"I see it." Savannah said.

Cameron wanted to make sure there weren't any problems.

"Remember the firing tips." Cameron said. "Don't get target fixation either."

Savannah remembered everything that Cameron told her. She didn't want to fly into the water. She used the same aiming procedure.

The nose dropped slightly and the four fifties barked to life.

Small geysers of water impacted before the target then across it and beyond.

Young Allison watched the target as it was struck with the projectiles. She was pleased to see that Savannah scored on the first pass.

"Hit…." Young Allison said. "This is so cool."

Cameron wanted her to use a cloverleaf attack pattern.

"Come around again, hot." Cameron said. "Hit it from the side this time."

It was the same maneuver Cameron used in the canyon against the Syndicate thugs. It was a method so that the target could be hit from four different sides in a very short time period.

Savannah increased her speed as she banked and came around. She hit the target using only half as many rounds this time.

They made several more passes at both slower and faster speeds and from different altitudes. Cameron let Young Allison fire the guns on one pass.

Cameron commended Savannah on her flying and marksmanship.

She told Savannah to head back to the private airstrip they took off from. Cameron moved to the jump seat. She let Young Allison sit in the copilot's seat for the rest of the flight until ten minutes before landing.

Savannah previously let Young Allison take the controls for fifteen minutes.

Cameron moved back into the copilot's seat as they approached the private airstrip.

Young Allison hoped to have one last thrill before they landed.

"Cut the grass." Young Allison said.

Savannah was very pleased with the entire flight and everything that happened during it. She didn't want to 'showboat' at the end of the flight and end up causing a problem.

"I'll do that next time." Savannah said. "I want to get the landing right. I don't want to come in too hot or at the wrong angle."

Savannah told Cameron everything she was going to do before she did it and for Cameron to correct her or physically take control if necessary. She would have done more if Young Allison hadn't been along, she didn't want to endanger her needlessly. She also didn't want to set a bad example. She wouldn't be able to reprimand Young Allison for reckless behavior if Young Allison witnessed her do the same thing.

She set it down perfectly and taxied over toward where the Detail waited. The fuel truck was still there. Savannah pulled up and swung the plane around to face back the way she'd come. She shut everything down and inspected the plane with Cameron and Young Allison.

Savannah noticed something that she didn't want to be a problem.

"There are some soot marks on the sides of the fuselage now." Savannah said. "There's burnt gunpowder residue from the gun packs."

Steve and Tom were out now and started to clean them off. They didn't want to raise any eyebrows when they returned to Van Nuys.

Savannah wanted to be part of the process. Young Allison assisted her.

"We will do this side." Savannah said. "Then I'll help fuel it up before the return flight."

Cameron always liked how Savannah was never afraid to get her hands dirty and help out. Young Allison was the same way. She knew that the two girls would always do their duty whatever that duty was.

She watched the two girls and smiled. John didn't know how good he was going to have it.

Cameron focused on the two girls as they worked. She hoped that she would have it as good for herself as well.

Derek wanted to check out the old supermarket again. John directed him to run through an ambush that was set up and return to base.

He didn't like the threat that he'd been under but he did like the way it was resolved and how.

Derek hoped that Cameron would take him on another flight sometime. It was something he would look forward to. He didn't know who else would go along with them but he hoped at least Kyle would be able to. He wanted his brother to have a break every now and then as well. He still felt guilty that Kyle needed to pick up the slack when he needed to stay and deal with Riley and Precious. He was very thankful for all the help the girls gave them and he was even more thankful that Cameron provided them with Samantha.

He really liked the look of Samantha's sheath. They told him it would need to be Resequence. He remembered the trouble with Isabel and understood the reasoning behind that. He thought Isabel was a real find specimen of a female Terminator as well. As long as Samantha could provide assistance to Riley and allow Riley to build confidence in herself, it didn't matter what she looked like.

The plane was inspected, fueled and the gunpowder residue removed. They didn't want any questions about the 'inert replica' guns.

Steve and Tom were going to fly the B-25 back to Van Nuys.

"Do you want to go with them, Savannah?" Cameron asked.

Savannah wanted to go. She looked at Young Allison. She'd promised to spend time with her. She needed to remember her priorities and responsibilities.

"We need to get Allison home." Savannah said.

Young Allison could see Savannah wanted to fly the B-25 a little bit more. She didn't want to make Savannah choose between the plane and her. She thought that she would see if she could get a little something for herself out of it as well. She'd like to get a little 'wheel time' in if she could.

"I can drive back with Anna." Young Allison said.

Savannah looked at Young Allison and Anna. A very distinct thought popped into her head.

"That would probably look like some 'under age' version of 'Thelma and Louise'." Savannah said.

Young Allison didn't look amused.

"I know what that is." Young Allison said.

Savannah knew that Young Allison was well versed in multiple fields and subjects.

"I think there's very little you don't know." Savannah said.

Young Allison looked at Cameron and Savannah with loving eyes.

"There's a lot I don't know and need to learn." Young Allison said.

Cameron caught Young Allison's drift and tried to brush it off.

"At least she's modest." Cameron said.

Anna looked at Young Allison and scoffed.

"Hardly…." Anna said. "You don't spend all day, everyday with her."

Cameron didn't want any bad things indicated about Young Allison. She looked at Savannah and then back at Anna.

"I will." Cameron said. "Both of us will."

Young Allison looked at Savannah and then focused on Cameron as she spoke.

"I'm ready." Young Allison said. "Make it happen."

Savannah shook her head. It wasn't a subject she wanted to get into. She thought Young Allison was fine just the way she was.

"Do you want to grab a bite to eat?" Savannah asked.

Young Allison saw this as her opportunity to sell the full extent of her vendetta against the Syndicate and the Cartels by extension.

"We could. There is something I want to run by you about the Syndicate." Young Allison said.

Savannah saw Cameron's hand experience a glitch but it stopped in a few seconds. She wondered if that had anything to do with what Young Allison just said.

They watched the B-25 start up. There was the usual cloud of gray smoke when the big R2600 engines started up.

Cameron stood ready with one of the fire extinguishers. There were no problems but she always knew it was better to be safe than sorry.

The B-25 taxied past them and took off. It came back again and cut the grass before it climbed up to altitude.

"This is so cool." Young Allison said.

Young Allison was even more thrilled than Savannah was.

"One day I'm going to fly that plane under the Golden Gate Bridge." Young Allison said.

Savannah thought it was good that it had just left without Young Allison.

"Not today." Savannah said.

They piled in the SUV and took off. The Detail was in front and in back of them. They increased their spacing as they drove.

Cameron was behind the wheel and both Savannah and Young Allison were in the back seat. Anna sat next to Cameron in the front.

Everyone seemed in a good mood from the flight that they'd just been on. It was really a training flight like no other.

Cameron received all the latest information from John Henry and CamNet. She wanted to pass the information along. She explained the threat of the Syndicate dogging the Grays and getting mixed up with them, like the events that happened in the last few days. She didn't mention the part about robbing the Syndicate at the casino. That was really why the Syndicate was after the Grays, they blamed them for the robbery. What followed with 'The Enforcer' and the casino wasn't of their creation, even if their actions put everything into motion.

"John wants a solution." Cameron said as she received the information from John Henry.

Young Allison saw this as the perfect opening to tell Savannah what she'd wanted to tell her.

"I have a few ideas." Young Allison said

Young Allison laid out her plan.

Savannah sat and listened. Young Allison talked about taking billions from the Syndicate and the drug Cartels and put them at a war with each other. She was worried that the repercussions of such a global event didn't seem to bother Young Allison at all. The plan was a good one. It would hurt both the Syndicate and the Cartels.

"You are talking about thousands of deaths that would result from such a global endeavor." Savannah said.

Young Allison didn't see a problem with that at all. They were all most likely future Scavengers or Grays anyway. She didn't see anything wrong with thinning the herd ahead of Judgment Day.

"I know." Young Allison said. "They tried to hurt our people. I want to hurt them back."

Savannah could see that it was personal to Young Allison. That was never a good way to enter battle but she understood it happened all of the time. She wanted to point out the scope of what exactly Young Allison proposed.

"This is a battle that will go on for years." Savannah said.

Young Allison didn't see that as a problem. She thought it would be beneficial to them as well.

"It would get them out of our hair and give CamNet billions more to work with. They're all future Scavengers anyway." Young Allison said. "ALL of them."

Savannah wasn't sure a global event was the way to go right now. The immediate threat was around them or even the states that were around them. It didn't matter to them what happened in Europe, Africa or Asia.

"Maybe it would be better to start it out on a smaller scale." Savannah said.

Young Allison wanted to make it clear what the nature of the threat they dealt with was. She didn't like doing things part way. She felt she'd shown enough restraint as it was.

"When someone has cancer, you don't only cut a piece of it out." Young Allison said. "You remove the whole thing or it grows back."

Savannah knew that was true but some operations were more involved than others.

"You also may have to remove it in several operations." Savannah said. "I haven't heard any input from you two."

Savannah waited for Cameron or Anna to say something.

Anna thought it was prudent to let them know why the plan wasn't already in effect.

"My input was to have Allison run this by you and Cameron first instead of directing CamNet to do it yesterday like Allison wanted to do." Anna said.

Savannah thought about what Anna indicated. She knew that there was very little restraint on Young Allison. Now that her family was away, she would probably make decisions that were a little more harsh or rash than she would have previously.

"I'm glad you did." Savannah said. "Cameron, what do you think about all of this?"

Cameron was on board for everything. She quickly checked with CamNet and CamNet was ready to act.

CamNet didn't volunteer that she'd already started the campaign. She knew what Young Allison wanted. Young Allison wanted the Syndicate 'hurt'. She planned to 'hurt' it.

"I'm with Allison on this one but you get to make the final call." Cameron said. "You're the 'decider' on this one."

Savannah understood the need to do something. There was no reason they couldn't start locally and in the surrounding area.

"Start with California, Nevada and Arizona. That's where the immediate threat is at to us." Savannah said. "We will see about going nationwide after that before going global."

Cameron felt they should go at least nationally including the entire North American continent. She could see Savannah wanted some restraint.

"That will get the Syndicate out of our hair immediately." Cameron said.

Savannah felt that there was someone else that mattered that wasn't part of their discussion and plans.

"Do you want to run this by John?" Savannah asked.

Cameron felt this was more like one of her 'off the books' operations. It was just going to be of a much larger scale.

"He'll be notified." Cameron said.

Savannah wanted John to be in the loop. She wanted Young Allison to present the plan to him too.

"I want Allison to run it by him first." Savannah said.

Cameron didn't want to do that.

"No." Cameron said.

Savannah stood firm.

"Yes." Savannah said. "It's the right thing to do."

Young Allison was ready to see John. She wanted to look Tight for him. She wanted a very low cut top. She was aware that when they went out that most of the males tried to look at what wasn't there on Anna and her. It happened even if Hanna and Allison were there as well and they had everything already.

"I need to go home and change first." Young Allison said.

That was about the last thing Savannah wanted. She didn't want Young Allison to attempt to seduce John to go along with her proposal.

"NO!" Savannah said. "We can do it from the Young bunker after we eat. We don't need to go there."

Young Allison was pleased she could strike back at the Syndicate, even if it was 'local'.

"So it's a go?" Young Allison asked.

Savannah wanted to make sure there were no problems with the Command Center.

"After John's approval it will be." Savannah said. "I don't want to step on his toes on something this big. It's out of the scope of our normal operations."

Cameron was reminded of another local issue that she wanted to deal with.

"Speaking of that, I need to borrow Anna next week." Cameron said.

Young Allison wanted to start going out on operations. If they didn't want her to go on Resistance operations, there was no reason that she couldn't go on some of Cameron's operations. They were outside the scope of the Resistance so no one should be able to say anything about what she did on them.

"I know what you want her for." Young Allison said. "I want to go too."

Savannah quickly looked at Cameron. She wondered if any more went on that she didn't know about in that regard. She wanted to make her position clear.

"That's not going to happen." Savannah said.

Savannah figured Cameron would take down a child trafficking operation. Anna's current appearance would make her prime bait. Younger girls always brought top dollar. It seemed that the less used the females were, the more demand there was for them.

Young Allison didn't like Savannah to hold her back.

"I want Sheila to come visit me then." Young Allison said.

Cameron tilted her head slightly.

"What would you need that for?" Cameron asked.

Savannah had a pretty good idea of what Young Allison was after. She wasn't going to allow that either.

"I know what she asked for." Savannah said. "That is not going to happen either."

Young Allison was more than a little defiant right now.

"There's more than one way to get noticed." Young Allison said.

Savannah gave Young Allison a stern look.

"Not for you." Savannah said. "On ANY of them…."

It was clear that Young Allison was going to be a handful once her hormones really kicked in. It was doubtful anyone was going to be able to contain her for very long.

Savannah wondered if Young Allison would be with John before she was. She wasn't even sure if she was 'with' Young Allison at this point that it would dissuade her from pursuing John on her own. She realized that Young Allison literally sat on a real 'cherry bomb'.

That Seems Likely

Are things over
Before the ever begin
The answer to that
Actually resides within

When two start out
They want to be as one
The chances of that lasting
Are about zero to none

Each person will grow
They don't grow the same
Other things guide them
They might find a new flame

Things happen fast
They can happen quickly
Depending what they are
Can leave one feeling sickly

When things affect the psyche
Don't take things lightly
Does everything wreck
It's safe to say that seems likely

Nobody