Chapter 1047

Everyone Knows This

Vanna drove towards the address that Bob gave her. She didn't know what to expect. Maybe there was a target they could take down. She was worried about Allison.

"Do we need to armor up first?" Vanna asked. "I need to make sure that Allison is protected before we enter a danger zone."

Allison was pleased Vanna was concerned for her safety. Vanna always looked out for her.

"Let me climb in the back and get things ready." Allison said. "I want to make sure we're both protected and Bob too."

Bob didn't want the girls to worry needlessly. They were getting ahead of themselves.

"Everyone relax." Bob said. "We're almost there."

Vanna turned the corner and she saw the 'target' down the street.

Vanna looked back at Bob.

"Hey!" Vanna said. "That's the pancake place."

Bob smiled and shrugged his shoulders.

"That was our original mission." Bob said.

Allison looked disappointed. She felt she was ready for a little Skynet action. It'd been a long time after all. She was pretty sure someone else was behind that ploy.

"Did John tell you to do that?" Allison asked.

Bob had quietly ran the girl's request through the Command Center from the back seat. He told them where they were headed and what the girls wanted. John personally told him what to do.

"Yes." Bob said. "The General suggested you complete your original mission."

Allison was more than a little miffed about the way events played out.

"What a killjoy." Allison said. "I was ready for some action."

Bob wanted to put it all in perspective for the girls.

"John said there are no replacements for either of you." Bob said.

Bob wasn't really sure about John's statement since there were two sets of Duplicates of both of the girls as well as their younger selves and another set in Cameron's future. He actually thought they were quite a few replacements.

Allison knew what Cameron wanted.

"Great, that's just what we need." Alison said. "We already have one person who thinks that we should be barefoot and pregnant. We really don't need another one."

Vanna looked over at Allison as she quickly started to put her shoes back on.

Allison looked over at Vanna who smiled at her. She currently was barefoot and pregnant. Shrugged her shoulders and finished tying her shoes.

Bob felt John had a good point.

"John said your safety comes first." Bob said.

Vanna knew Allison always liked to 'touch' herself. She thought that she could make a joke out of that.

"I think something else on her comes first." Vanna said.

Allison and Vanna giggled.

"I'll give John an earful." Allison said.

Vanna thought that was a good idea. She wanted to speak with him first. She wanted to set John straight.

"You can after I do." Vanna said.

Bob didn't want the girls to get carried away. He wasn't sure how much of what they said was in jest or in anger. It was hard to tell sometimes. His experience indicated that human females were unpredictable. He didn't think now was a good time to scan either one of them.

"I think everyone means well." Bob said. "You know that John isn't easily swayed."

Vanna knew that to be true. She did think there were a few individuals that could sway him rather easily.

"Maybe we should have Young Allison lay it on him." Vanna said. "He seems awed by her. I bet she could back him down from anything."

Allison frowned a little.

"I'm worried about her." Allison said.

Vanna didn't think now was a good time to discuss Young Allison's future.

"We all know what she wants." Vanna said. "It seems to be her choice at this point."

Allison didn't want Young Allison to face rejection.

"I don't think John will accept her." Allison said.

Vanna didn't see that as a problem. It might actually be a plus.

"Savannah will." Vanna said. "THAT is all she needs…."

Allison and Vanna looked at each other.

Bob understood what Vanna meant.

"That's her true mate." Bob said. "The same as both of you are."

Vanna and Allison took each other's hand.

"Is any of this really changeable?" Allison asked.

Vanna thought about the other sets of Duplicates as well as Future Savannah and Future Allison.

"Apparently not…." Vanna said.

Allison looked at Vanna.

"I hope none of it ever is changeable in that regard." Allison said.

Vanna pulled into the parking lot. She drove once around the building.

"We're here." Vanna said. "Now all we have to worry about is what type of syrup to use."

Vanna backed into a spot with a clean shot out of the driveway. The SUV was parked near the emergency exit of the structure.

"Let's go in." Allison said.

They exited the car. Bob hurried ahead and opened the door for them.

"Thank you, Bob. You're such a gentleman." Allison said.

Bob wanted to use some chivalry.

"Thank you." Bob said as he ushered Vanna in behind Allison. "It's always ladies first."

Vanna was pleased and surprised as well.

"Thanks, Bob." Vanna said.

It pleased him that it pleased the girls.

"It's my pleasure." Bob said.

The waitress seated them at a table by the window where they could watch the front door and SUV both. They could reach the emergency exit easily from where they were located.

They placed their order when the waitress came back. They passed the time talking as they waited for their food.

Earlier:

John Henry was uncomfortable passing John's message along to Bob.

"I don't think giving Bob the address of where they were already going to eat is going to go over very well." John Henry said. "Vanna and Allison are going to be upset. They wanted some action."

John wanted them as protected as they could be. He was only reinforcing Cameron's policy.

"They're not to have any action." John said. "You can remind them that was Cameron's order. I certainly don't want to have to be the one to explain to Cameron why it was violated."

John Henry checked his monitors. He picked up a new development. It was very disturbing news. CamNet was now in communication with him as well.

"I've detected some action at the casino in Las Vegas where the whole Syndicate thing started." John Henry said.

Anything about the Syndicate was the last thing John wanted to hear. Maybe it was the Skynet forces. It didn't seem that either group was done with each other one yet. They'd both suffered heavy losses with everything related to the old supermarket and the port facility. Not only were the losses massive but all of the perpetrators ended up in the deep blue of six feet under. They'd disappeared from the face of the Earth without a trace.

"Are there any Grays or Terminators?" John asked.

It appeared to be a Family conflict to John Henry.

"No. It's a rival Syndicate group." John Henry said.

John knew that was Young Allison's handiwork. He was aware of the chaos that she'd created worldwide for them.

"It sounds like an internal beef." John said.

John Henry actually thought it might be a good thing in regards to the Resistance.

"It appears the new group has taken over and the entire former group has been terminated." John Henry said.

John wondered why they only found out now. It didn't sound like something that happened in the last few minutes.

"When did it actually occur?" John asked.

John Henry was given an abundance of new information by CamNet. Most of it wasn't recent. He was a little upset about the timing. The Command Center had obviously been kept out of the loop.

"It seemed to have started a few hours ago. It appears to have concluded now." John Henry said. "CamNet just released all the information to me."

It was evident to both of them that CamNet would moderate the results of events caused by Young Allison. They wondered if they would ever know all of the details then the extent all events played out. It seemed unlikely.

"So does that solve our problem?" John asked.

John Henry wasn't sure about that. Any of the remnants of Skynet that were left over may not know one Family group replaced another. If they did, they might try to make a new deal with the current Family in charge.

"It may." John Henry said. "Maybe Skynet will try to get a foothold in there again."

John wasn't sure what they would do. They could also change their direction.

"I'd think they would try a different casino group." John said.

John Henry thought it would be worth watching. He knew he wouldn't be the only one.

"I'll keep an eye on it." John Henry said. "I know CamNet will as well."

John Henry was sure CamNet would get the Cartel to try and take over at the casino next to further eradicate everyone involved with the original group.

It seemed that Young Allison sought justice through vengeance.

They needed to look no further than Cameron to see how she handled a problem. It was always with total annihilation of the enemy. There was no quarter, there were no prisoners. There was only death and termination.

Savannah arrived at the mall. She parked the SUV for an easy exit. She hopped out of the SUV and started to walk toward the mall entrance. She looked back and Cammy was still in the SUV.

She wasn't sure if Cammy was about to have a bigger problem or not. She hurried back and opened Cammy's door.

"Cammy, are you OK?" Savannah asked.

Cammy looked a little dejected.

"I'm fine." Cammy said. "I thought you wanted me to wait here."

Savannah wondered where she came up with that idea from.

"Why would I do that?" Savannah asked.

Cammy wondered if Savannah was about to replace her.

"You said you were getting some things for 'other people'." Cammy said.

Savannah leaned in and kissed Cammy's cheek. She thought maybe she'd better explain herself in detail. She didn't want Cammy to feel that way.

"I meant I'm getting them for other people so they can give them to other people." Savannah said.

Cammy felt relieved to hear that. She hopped out of the SUV.

"Thank you for explaining." Cammy said.

Savannah reached down and took Cammy's hand. She wanted to show her that nothing was different between them.

Cammy smiled and walked into the mall, hand in hand with Savannah.

Savannah headed straight for the pet store. She hoped the pets didn't start to flip out or attack each other. It seemed the new pheromones worked OK last time. She wanted to run it by Cammy before they arrived where the pets were.

"Are you sure this is still going to work?" Savannah asked.

Cammy tilted her head slightly. She didn't see why it wouldn't.

"It did last time." Cammy said. "I used some more before I left the lab this morning."

There were two puppies in a small holding pen at the front.

Savannah wanted to play it safe. She didn't want any of the animals injured or distressed. If one of them was going to become panicked and bite anyone, she wanted it to be her. She didn't want Cammy to crush it or snap its neck if it bit her.

"Let me pick one up first." Savannah said.

Savannah didn't see any distress with either puppy and asked the clerk if she could pick one up. They nodded for her to go ahead.

Savannah picked one puppy up. There was a white spot on its head. She thought it felt soft and looked cute.

"I haven't been around a whole lot of animals myself." Savannah said. "My present company doesn't usually allow for that to happen."

Cammy looked at the puppy with wide eyes. She looked as thrilled as she did apprehensive.

"I don't want to hurt it." Cammy said. "Look how adorable it is."

Cammy looked very unsure of herself.

Savannah picked up on Cammy's uneasiness.

"Are you afraid?" Savannah asked.

Cammy didn't think afraid was the proper word.

"No." Cammy said. "I'm worried."

Savannah carefully handed the puppy to Cammy. It licked her hand and sniffed her.

There was a smile on Cammy's face. She quickly realized what the puppy was doing.

"It's scanning me." Cammy said.

Savannah understood that was the instinct in the canine family. Their sense of smell was many times greater than that of a human.

"That's what dogs do." Savannah said.

Cammy's eyes widened a little more.

"Look at its tail." Cammy said. "It's malfunctioning."

Savannah looked around to see if anyone heard that. She didn't want to draw any unnecessary attention. No one was close to them.

"That means it's happy." Savannah said. "It likes you."

Cammy watched Savannah pick up the other puppy and hold it up to her cheek. She then did what Savannah did with the puppy she held.

"It is so soft." Cammy said.

Savannah carefully placed her puppy back in the pen and Cammy did too a short time later.

Savannah thanked the clerk and they moved on towards the fountain, the 'wishing well'.

Cammy looked thrilled. She took another look back at the enclosure where the two puppies were at.

"Savannah, that was beautiful." Cammy said. "I've never held another type of living creature before."

Savannah was going to comment that Cammy held her quite frequently but didn't want to spoil Cammy's moment.

They watched a small girl get a penny from her mother and throw it into the fountain.

Cammy looked at the excitement on the girl's face for a long moment.

"I wonder what she wished for." Cammy said.

Savannah was aware there was one person who could answer that question.

"If River were here, we could ask her." Savannah said. "She would know."

Savannah watched Cammy place something in the fountain.

"Did you make a wish?" Savannah asked.

Cammy looked at Savannah as if she was going to tell her but didn't.

"Yes." Cammy said. "Are you going to make one? Are you going to make a wish too?"

Savannah wished for something. It was impossible without time travel into the past and the resulting divergent timeline that would be created. Her heart felt heavy. She wished she could have her parents back, the real ones. She was sure any Terminator that she asked to assist her would. She was sure CamNet would do everything to help as well. She didn't think saving her parents would be a problem. It was the resulting alternate future that would be created that was the problem. Then again, maybe there wouldn't be an alternate future. She didn't want to get into that right now. She was sure if Cammy or any of the other Terminators found out what she wanted to do, that they would probably act on their own and do it for her. She wanted to keep it simple for now.

"Maybe later I might." Savannah said.

Cammy looked back at the pet store.

"Can I go back to the pet store while you go into the jewelry store?" Cammy asked.

Savannah touched Cammy's cheek. She felt bad about the earlier mix up. She wanted to allow Cammy to see what she was up to.

"You can or you can come with me." Savannah said. "I have no secrets from you. I should be out very soon."

Cammy looked back at the pet store again.

Savannah could tell Cammy wanted to hold the puppy again.

"You can go there, just be gentle. Remember all animals can bite or scratch, even little ones." Savannah said. "They don't know much other than what their instinct and nature dictates to them."

That thought made Savannah wonder about humans. Much of what they did, especially to each other, wasn't instinct but learned behavior. She'd been in two different futures and both of them were ugly and cruel places. She honestly didn't think that the current timeline was really that much different as far as the way people treated each other. She thought humans were supposed to be civilized. Her experience showed that they were the most savage animals on the planet.

Gail pulled into the parking lot a minute after Savannah did. She parked across the way and entered the mall. She spied Cammy and Savannah holding small dogs. That seemed unusual.

She thought they both looked very happy holding them. She quickly moved to the stairway and headed for the upper level. She watched Savannah go into a jewelry store and Cammy return to the pet store. She didn't see them at the fountain, the 'wishing well'.

Gail thought Cammy should pay better attention to Savannah. Cammy seemed very distracted to her. She was aware of the earlier incident that happened with Cammy at the Resistance base. She'd been made aware that it happened a second time as well. That's why she was there. There was someone else who monitored all the communications that was worried about Savannah too. CamNet didn't want there to be any problems for Savannah. That was who she was contacted by and given the current priority mission.

She looked for any threats but didn't spot any. She couldn't see what Savannah was doing but she could see Cammy back playing with the small dogs. That was poor protection for Savannah at the moment. She was glad she was there to assist if needed.

The way Cammy held the animal reminded her of how Jesse acted with Precious and the gentle way she handled her. She realized that the animal was a baby animal. It appeared that all babies, regardless of the species, were treated the same way.

She needed to ask Savannah if Young Jesse was ready to help Jesse out with her own child. It seemed the more Jesse was around Precious, the mellower she became. She liked Jesse the way she was before but Precious seemed to make Jesse happy. She wanted Jesse to be happy. It seemed a small child and Claire both did that for Jesse. They both made her happy. She didn't like the competition but she understood that the true test of love was sacrifice. She was willing to sacrifice for Jesse.

Gail checked the jewelry store again. Nothing was different.

She looked back at where Cammy was a few seconds ago and didn't see her. She didn't think that was a good development. She checked to see what else was different.

Sarah decided to head out on an additional run with Jim. She checked with Anna and Cameron and they said it was fine.

She glanced back once at Cameron as she headed out again. She really hoped Cameron knew what she was doing.

"They will help her." Jim said as he looked at Sarah.

Sarah was a little confused. She'd been lost in her own thoughts.

"What?" Sarah asked.

Jim understood the 'Natural Order'. He could see why it was necessary.

"Savannah and Young Allison will help Cameron and John." Jim said.

Sarah thought John needed all the help he could get. She really wished there was some other way for it to happen. She wanted the girls to have their freedom for as long as possible.

"I think John and Cameron need it." Sarah said. "They've shared a lot of pain and heartache."

Jim studied all the couples and their interactions over the years at the Resistance base.

"Is there any relationship that doesn't?" Jim asked.

Sarah saw the females have trouble from time to time. She'd never seen a Metal girl upset at a human one. She'd seen the Metal girls upset but never at a human girl, even if they'd done something to cause it. She couldn't say the same about John and Cameron.

"I guess we all do but you know it's different." Sarah said. "It seems the Metal girls don't have as many problems with the human girls."

Jim believed there was an explanation for that.

"The girls all have others to turn to for 'help' in times of need." Jim said. "John and Cameron only have each other. When things get rough, they only seem to make them rougher."

Sarah understood that. When there were only two people, they tended to make things worse when they didn't need to. That was just the way it worked out. Everybody wanted to be right. Everybody wanted to win. All they needed to do was talk it through and everything would have been a lot simpler. She thought about what Jim said. It made sense. She hoped that might really be what John and Cameron needed. Two others that loved both of them unconditionally and could help smooth out any problems. They all could turn to each other for 'help' in the rough spots. They could turn together instead of on each other.

"Cameron is trying to 'fix' that." Sarah said.

Jim was well aware of what Cameron's goal was. All of the Terminators were aware of what the end game was. They weren't the problem. It was John who continually refused to act and accept the 'Natural Order' for the inevitability that it was.

"John needs to help her do that." Jim said.

Sarah understood that. She figured why Cameron tried to use Claire in place of Savannah and Young Allison. It was because John was more likely to accept Claire now than he was either of the girls. It actually made sense to her. Now she felt bad that she'd admonished Cameron earlier about it. It made her wonder if she should talk to Claire herself. She was always very aroused and stimulated by Claire's presence. It made her long for the old days. She understood John's safety came first. That's what Cameron was trying to do.

Sarah and Jim discussed it further as they ran.

Cameron and Anna stood side by side.

Anna watched Young Allison.

"Look how they both look up to Young Allison." Anna said.

Cameron could see how they existed in two different worlds, even if it was the same world.

"They don't even know how she's assisted the Terminators." Cameron said.

Anna could feel a pending sense of loss.

"They see Young Allison for the person she is now as a girl." Anna said. "Are you going to take that from them?"

Cameron felt her hands were clean. She may have set the stage and opened the doors but she wasn't going to make anyone walk through them unless they wanted to. She understood all of the things that Savannah taught her.

"It will be Young Allison's choice." Cameron said. "I'll never make her do 'anything'."

Anna saw it differently. It was because of her 'Savannah' programming from the 'Neural Interface'. She was aware of the unspoken agreement between Cameron and Claire about Summer. Claire had ceded 'control' of Young Allison to Cameron. Cameron wasn't supposed to try and take Summer as well. That was exactly what Cameron was doing but tried to keep it hidden.

"You've 'conditioned' Young Allison since she was a small child." Anna said. "You're doing the same thing with Summer."

Cameron wanted to protect John, the girls and the future.

"They must be better protected." Cameron said. "John needs to be protected."

Anna really thought Cameron should look a little deeper into herself.

"Maybe you're only protecting yourself." Anna said.

Anna wondered if Cameron knew the answer to her question.

Cameron tried to put it all together in her head. She couldn't do it. There were too many variables.

"I don't know." Cameron said. "I really don't."

Anna wanted to point out a flaw in Cameron's thinking.

"You sound unsure of yourself." Anna said. "You don't know."

Cameron reflected on what Sarah said about Claire. She didn't believe that Claire acted on the unspoken threat about Summer. She believed Claire acted because she loved her.

"I'm making Claire do what she doesn't really want to do but she's doing it for me." Cameron said. "That's wrong."

Anna knew it was more than just Claire.

"You've tried to make Allison, Vanna, Jesse and Savannah all do the same thing…." Anna said.

Anna didn't want to mention Young Allison.

Cameron knew the future because she was from there.

"It's Savannah's 'right'." Cameron said.

Anna knew that Cameron was blinded by her own programming.

"Just like it will be for Young Allison?" Anna asked.

Cameron wasn't sure what Anna was driving at. Whatever it was seemed to irritate her. Maybe Anna needed to be reminded the future is what drove the past in regards to them.

"The future has already happened." Cameron said. "Everyone knows this."

Anna didn't need the reminder. She thought that Cameron needed a reality check.

"Aren't we changing the future every day?" Anna asked.

Cameron didn't like to be challenged, even indirectly.

"We can only delay it." Cameron said. "It can't be changed, any of it."

Anna didn't believe that. She may run Cameron's program but the influence of Savannah was very strong in her programming from the 'Neural Interface'. She believed everything was changeable and nothing was set in stone. The only absolute in life was death. Everything else was up for grabs.

Jesse was on her way to the lab. She wanted to see Claire. She finally decided to call her.

"Hello." Holly said.

Jesse wasn't that surprised when someone else answered the phone.

"I was trying to call Claire." Jesse said.

Holly didn't want to get into any details.

"She's 'busy'." Holly said.

That seemed pretty evident to Jesse at this point

"I she busy with you?" Jesse asked.

Holly looked over at Claire and Cam.

"She will be soon enough." Holly said.

Jesse hoped for an invite.

"Oh." Jesse said.

Jesse could hear Claire ask for the phone, she was worried about Precious. It was her motherly instinct pushing through everything else.

"Hello." Claire said. "Is everything OK? How's Precious?"

Jesse wanted to reassure Claire that there weren't any problems. She also wanted Claire to know that she was available once she'd 'finished'.

"Everything's fine." Jesse said. "I was looking to see you, maybe when you're 'done'."

Jesse could hear them talking in the background.

"We have room for one more." Claire said. "We're in Holly's room."

A rush of excitement shot through Jesse's body. She didn't even ask who else was there besides Claire and Holly. She realized it didn't matter. As long as she was female, that was all that she needed to know. She could ring anyone's bell. In the future, there were some females who's bell had never been rung. Some of them she needed to work with for hours on end but she didn't stop until they made it. It excited her greatly to know that she was the one who gave them their first finish. Then there were some who she had personal problems with. She would worry about that another time. That was then, this is now. Savannah taught her that life moved forward not backward.

"Thanks." Jesse said. "I'm coming…."

A smile blossomed on her face. She knew she would be doing that soon too.

Everyone Knows This

Will one look forward
Will one look back
Will they see white
Will they see black

They know what's right
They know what's wrong
Will anything make them stay
Will they leave and move along

What makes it fall apart
When does it all change
Everyone knows the outcome
But still finds it strange

Most try to hang on
No one can stop time
The end draws closer
It's little more than a crime

When things go bad
It's easy to be led amiss
Sooner or later it happens
Everyone knows this

Nobody