Chapter 1406
Press The Attack
Camille-Holly and Ally split into one pair. Cam-Gail and Hanna were the other pair. They told Jim to take it easy and they made up the rooms. The Metal girls could work fast and accurately when they needed to. They were finished before the group in the dining room received their entrees.
All four of them were going to watch the live stage show later on. They'd all given Jim the choice to go in one of their places. He declined and said he would rather remain in the Control Center. They'd all watched it before but it was worth watching again. The music was good and the showgirls were nice to look at.
Camille-Holly and Ally left the private area and went directly to the private boxes. They would hang out there until the show started. It would give them a chance to get away from it all.
Cam-Gail and Hanna left the private area and made a stop at the casino for a few minutes. They didn't see the same attraction there as Sheila did. They thought Sheila liked to see how far she could push it or have someone 'challenge' her. They decided there were other types of 'slot machines' to play. They weren't in the casino. There was another area with a 'double meaning' where it would happen. They joined Camille-Holly and Ally in the private box area of the main theater.
They passed the time by kissing and touching. They didn't get into heavy sex. They did everything slow and gentle. There would be plenty of time later on for the heavy stuff. If they were lucky, they could snag one of the human females. There was always a layer of emotion and feeling there they sought. It was always a little deeper than they could share with each other. They each hoped to be with the new girls later on.
They watched Bob arrive and block off the front row and keep everyone out of it. They saw the group arrive. Everyone was there but Cameron and Young Jesse. They arrived a few minutes later. They watched Cameron put John's hand and Young Jesse's hand together. They knew it was a simple act, but it could say a lot. Savannah showed all of them it could. There was the feeling of closeness, just by being close. The comfort of one individual who wanted to be close to another was always nice.
The show was about half over. Even though they'd seen it a few times, it was still entertaining and enjoyable to watch. The music was great for the most part too. They really wondered about some of the crap people listened to now.
Cameron was leased John and Young Jesse still held each other's hands. She looked back and up to the private box section. The one way glass was closed earlier. Now it was open. She spotted the Metal girls watching the performance. She looked at the Metal girls seated with her as well. It pleased her greatly to know she'd been in each of their chassis and was able to deliver their virginity to John as herself.
It was the best honeymoon ever for anyone Cameron thought. It seemed John enjoyed everything too.
Everything Cameron did on the ship made her feel 'free'. The constraints of the past were thrown off. Things which were needless 'hang-ups' could be put aside. There was beauty and peace to sharing. As long as no one was possessive, there were no problems. It pained her some to know she'd been possessive most of the time and created many of her own problems.
It made her wonder how many problems for anyone were actually self created problems. It seemed as if many of the ones she'd experienced were self created. When is a problem not a problem? Perhaps it's when it never happens in the first place.
She did believe problems were created for her by the actions of others. It made her realize it was because she didn't matter to them at the time. They went ahead and did what they wanted. She was Nobody to them.
Cameron felt a slight glitch impulse in her left hand. She needed to push the past from her mind. The past was the past. It was in the past. It happened, but it was past. She looked over at John. Young Jesse sat next to him. Every now and then they would exchange a slight hand squeeze and a brief glance at each other. What she looked at was the future. The future is where the future would exist. The future didn't exist in the past.
Maybe it was time for her to make a visit to the various futures she'd been to previously. It would give her an opportunity to see what occurred since she'd been there last and what modifications may be needed for them going forward. She also wanted to see what Savannah's two daughters looked like. She also wanted to see what Young Jesse's daughter looked like as well. She wanted to see what Angel looked like.
'In some future' when she visited, she would need to check with Ginger and Sandy and see about obtaining more Restorator chassis along with more blank chips. She didn't know how much control Mrs. Weaver would maintain on everything.
Cameron blinked her eyes and looked over towards John. Young Jesse looked around him. She'd reached around the back of John's head and touched her cheek. She knew her mind had drifted some. Young Jesse was there to remind her she was never alone.
A new rush of excitement flooded her. She couldn't wait for John and Young Jesse to share. She wanted to see the beauty they would create. She would really like to watch Young Jesse's reaction to her 'first time'. She would like to compare it to the multitude of ones she'd experienced. The 'first time' was always special. She couldn't get enough of them. The smile on her face broadened. She knew there were more for her to have. Nobody could ever have enough 'first times'.
Savannah recommended they move to the business property on the west side of the target building before the cameras were turned back on and taken out of the loop. They quickly took up their new position there.
Cammy needed to decide if they wanted to retreat back to where their SUV was or stay at the building on the west side. If it was a hit, there could be bullets flying in all directions. It would be especially so if there were HK Tracks involved.
She decided to stay where they were. They were closer to the target building and could be there in seconds if they needed to be. If they needed to fight, there would be a full drone response. They were to seek shelter while the drones destroyed the target building. Steve was still only twenty two seconds away if they needed a quick extraction in his SUV.
They were concealed on the other property to the west now. There was a sturdy block wall between them and the target property. They could also retreat into the building on the west side and put a further layer of thick concrete between them and any errant bullets. They should be out of direct involvement if the group about to arrive decided to attack. They still didn't know what was about to happen.
Young Allison was dissatisfied with the currently available information.
"We need some better answers." Young Allison said.
Anna looked at all the information they possessed. She didn't know how it was supposed to happen.
"There aren't any." Anna said.
Young Allison wasn't convinced everything was all it seemed to be. Something seemed off to her.
"There could be other vehicles coming from different directions right now." Young Allison said.
Anna looked over the monitors.
"None have been identified." Anna said. "It doesn't mean there aren't any."
Young Allison always worried about hostile drones.
"Keep watching the sky and the deck for any HK drones." Young Allison said. "The group we're watching has known HK equipment. They could send a few up from one or more of the buildings around there."
Anna knew both John Henry and CamNet were on the lookout for everything. There were still a few drones at high altitude to be able to respond to any long range threats at any altitude.
Claire made dinner for the group at the base earlier. Much to her surprise Sarah came to assist her while Jan and Summer practiced. It was clear Sarah and her were both ready for a little 'extra'. She was pretty sure Jan and Summer were headed the same way as well.
Sarah wanted a 'little more' out of life. The few days on the cruise ship reminded her there were other things in life still. It wasn't all the narrow box she'd spent a lifetime painting herself into. She'd spoken with Kyle about it. He didn't have a problem if she wanted to 'share a little' with another female. It was common in the future and around the base.
Everyone left when the dinner was done. Claire and Sarah stayed to do the clean up. Summer and Jan volunteered to do it. They wanted the girls to have some free time. They were done now.
Claire was always ready to be with a female. It didn't matter if she was human or a Metal girl. She wanted to do whatever Sarah was comfortable with.
"So what's next?" Claire asked.
Sarah wasn't really sure. It seemed like a self explanatory open ended question. She was ready for a whole lot more. She really didn't know how to proceed.
"I don't know." Sarah said.
Claire could sense the hesitation. She didn't want to force the issue.
"We can just hang out for a while." Claire said. "We can work on some music or dance if you want. Dance will allow us to be in close physical contact as part of the routine. It will be the same with music. We're friends. Friends help each other and share with each other."
It was clear what the term 'share' referred to.
Sarah didn't think she was good at 'girl' things. She used to be before the night when Future Kyle arrived. It all changed. Everything all changed. She wasn't sure where to start. She just knew she wanted to start.
"You can show me some dance moves." Sarah said.
By the look on her face, Claire could see Sarah wanted some other moves as well. They could just do a little touching and maybe share a kiss or two. She would like to get a real kiss in. It would be special to share a long slow deep kiss with Sarah. It would remind Sarah how nice her mouth would feel 'elsewhere'.
Claire previously spoke with Jesse about it, but not with specific names. It was clear who she referred to since the choices were limited at the base. The only choices were Riley or Sarah.
Jesse didn't have a problem with it. She felt she'd been close a few times in the past with Sarah. It didn't happen. Maybe if it did happen with Claire, she might accidentally 'walk in' and be able to join them. It was worth any sacrifice. She wanted to be with Sarah from the moment Sarah first slapped her and then knocked her down. She knew a real woman when she saw one. Her first encounter proved to her Sarah was a real woman.
She always liked to feel each new adventure was a conquest. She didn't feel the same way about the females at the Resistance base. None of them were conquest. They were all mutually shared love. They were all much better than a conquest. Something given was much more rewarding than something taken.
John Henry watched the drone footage as the girls took up their new positions on the west side. He gave them an update on the location of the two vehicles on approach.
"The vehicles are one minute out." John Henry reported. "So far they haven't slowed."
Savannah listened to the report.
"Do we let them pass or take them down if they enter our area?" Savannah asked.
Cammy wanted to act.
"We take them down." Cammy said. "We do it silently if possible."
They watched their phones with the drone footage while John Henry filled them in with details on their coms.
They watched the vehicles slow and then separate as they neared. It looked like a hit. The vehicles would attack from two different sides. It's what it looked like.
One of the vehicles turned and headed for the street on the backside of the target building. The other stopped at the corner down the street.
The first vehicle stopped in back of the target building. It looked like they were going to turn into the business Cammy's SUV was parked at in the back behind the building.
Cammy was now glad Savannah refused to wait there earlier.
Savannah was afraid they were going to spot their vehicle.
"Maybe they're after us." Savannah said.
Cammy didn't like where the first vehicle was at.
"If they turn up the driveway maybe they are." Cammy said.
The first vehicle turned around and backed into the driveway behind the target building. They were now in the same spot the team observed the target building from earlier.
It was good news in the sense they weren't after the Resistance group. Then again, they might not know where their vehicle was actually parked. All possibilities still needed to be considered.
Two figures emerged from the first vehicle. It put them at the rear of the target building. It was on the north side.
Two figures also emerged from the second vehicle parked at the corner. It was on the east side. They moved toward the front of the building which was on the south side.
"It's definitely a hit." Savannah said.
Tom didn't think it was a friendly visit either.
"I agree." Tom said.
Much to their surprise the two groups of two held their position and waited. It didn't make any sense.
There was something else in play. They didn't have a clue what it was. Then again, maybe they did. It left all of them with an uneasy feeling.
Anna and Young Allison poured over all the data.
"Keep checking for anything." Young Allison said. "I don't think this is it."
Anna received an update from CamNet. More Terminators were directed to assist Cammy's team.
"CamNet has sent Richard and Michael along with Hank and Larry." Anna said. "Al and Ed are on the way as well."
Young Allison saw it was a big influx of Terminators.
"What does CamNet know we don't?" Young Allison asked.
Anna checked.
"It's just a precaution." Anna said. "Brian and Randy are now also on the way."
It seemed like more than a precaution to Young Allison. It didn't appear as if the new arrivals knew of the surveillance equipment. They would be detected as soon as they made their move.
"Make sure Cammy's team knows and is kept up to date." Young Allison said. "The attacking force is going to be spotted as they approach the building."
With the cameras restored back to their original function, it seemed like a good bet.
"It appears they will." Anna said.
Anna wondered what the 'attackers' were holding for. It didn't make any sense.
John Henry watched the two teams of attackers deploy. They were going to be sitting ducks once they advanced on the building. He didn't see how they were going to approach without being detected.
The two men in the target building were most likely Grays who were originally associated with the old newspaper plant. The force which just arrived was either the Fanatics or the anti-Metal faction.
There was a battle between the two groups yesterday. Maybe this was a continuation of the same battle. Either way, their team was right alongside of the target building.
"It's a trap."
John Henry jumped.
"You startled me, again." John Henry said.
Summer smiled.
"I'm sorry." Summer said. "There are two more vehicles headed for where our team is at. They are coming from the west side. They're going to box them in."
John Henry looked at all the monitors. Neither CamNet nor he could make the same determination. He still couldn't.
"Where?" John Henry asked.
Summer pointed out things on several different monitors.
"There and there." Summer said. "Warn the team."
John Henry was about to when CamNet actively became involved again. She beat him to it.
Summer quickly looked over all of the available information. She made her determination almost instantly.
"You are going to need a drone response immediately." Summer said. "Do it now."
John Henry knew she was right. He didn't understand how they could all look at the same images and information and not 'see' what Summer could. He wondered what else was going on behind the scenes since she'd entered the Command Center and joined the operation.
Cammy's team watched their phones and waited for something to happen. Nothing did.
"What are they waiting for?" Cammy asked.
Savannah felt it was more involved at this point.
"I think they are waiting for reinforcements." Savannah said. "All the communications are supposed to be cut."
Cammy double checked.
"All communications are cut in a five mile radius." Cammy said.
Savannah looked at the images on her phone. The true nature of what was about to happen hit her. She could see their situation for what it was. They were in a trap.
"They aren't an attacking force." Savannah said. "They're a blocking force. We need to move."
Tom and Cammy looked confused.
"How do you know it?" Tom asked.
They gathered everything and were ready to leave.
"I just do." Savannah said.
Cammy and Tom knew not to question human intuition. It had played a decisive part in several of their battles.
They received the alert from John Henry about the other troops before they started to move.
"They're trying to block us in." Savannah said. "This is a sucker play and we're the suckers."
They received confirmation two more vehicles were about to box them in on the west and south side.
Cammy didn't like the sudden turn of events.
"We'll fight our way out." Cammy said.
Cammy didn't want Savannah in a major battle. It was probably going to be one soon enough. Right now they were out in the open. They had room to fight. They weren't in the confines of a mine or stuck in a tunnel. They owned the sky, at least for now. Without their drone benefit, they would be at a disadvantage to hostile HK drones without good cover. John Henry and CamNet would watch over them. Young Allison, and now Summer, would make sure there was an adequate response to everything.
The Metal girls watched the performance. They kissed and touched each other in pleasant ways. They put the one way glass back up. It usually meant they would be naked.
Once it happened, things got a little more involved.
Hanna was pleased to be in the company of three female Terminators and all of them looked like 'Allison' or 'Cameron'.
Cameron checked on the people in her care.
She was pleased to see Young Jesse rest her head on John's shoulder between songs. Somewhere along the way Sheila moved next to Young Jesse. Maybe she was giving her advice. Leticia was next to Sheila. Maybe it was the motivation Young Jesse needed to stake her 'claim' for John.
Cameron wanted Young Jesse to get pregnant the way she wanted to. Young Jesse asked for a traditional conception. The child created was to be given to Jesse. If it didn't happen on this cruise, it was never going to happen. John was acclimated to using different chassis at this point. Young Jesse was a 'different chassis'. It didn't matter if she was human. He'd already experienced her in control of Sheila's chassis. She knew he would want more. It was one of the reasons for borrowing each of the different Metal girl's chassis. John would be more inclined to try the real thing.
When it came to the culmination of events between John and Young Jesse, the only thing different was Cameron wouldn't be a part of it.
They heard the call in the Young Bunker.
"It's a trap."
Young Allison was a little surprised, but not much.
"Summer is there." Young Allison said.
Anna recognized the voice immediately as well.
"Yes." Anna said.
Young Allison wasn't going to take any chances. She knew Summer's advice was always correct. She was ready to make a statement. She wanted to hit hard from the first moment of contact.
"If the Grays start to move from their positions, I want them hit with a missile strike." Young Allison said. "When the other two vehicles stop, I want the same thing as soon as the first door opens to let anyone out."
Anna wondered why she didn't hit them now. If they were going to be hit, now seemed like a good time. She wasn't sure what the point of waiting was.
"Every target is locked up." Anna said. "CamNet is ready to act."
Young Allison wanted to make sure the killing field was contained. There was always the aftermath to consider. They tried to clean up what they could, or pin the blame on drug deals gone bad or gangs.
"We need to think of any clean up if it's required and innocent people." Young Allison said. "Once those two vehicles start to slow down, it will show their intent is clear."
Anna double checked everything again.
"Everything is ready." Anna said.
Young Allison wanted some personal insurance for Cammy's team.
"I want 'Coltan Overcast' and 'Cherry Bomb' to stay with Cammy's team and not engage anything but a direct threat to them." Young Allison said. "They may need firepower to clear the area or press the attack."
The last part was a surprise to Anna.
"Press the attack?" Anna asked.
Anna wondered what else was supposed to happen.
Young Allison didn't think Savannah, Cammy and Tom would retreat. They would go on the offensive and bring the fight to the enemy.
Cammy's team was advised on what was happening around them.
"We can fall back from where we are now to the west a little." Cammy said.
Savannah was sure how events were about to play out. She was used to operating with Cameron.
"We don't need to go too far." Savannah said. "We're most likely coming back to the target building. It's what we're here for. We need to finish our job."
Tom and Cammy liked Savannah's aggressive thinking.
Anna was a little confused.
"Press the attack?" Anna asked.
Young Allison was sure how this would play out going forward. The current situation was a minor setback, even if it appeared to be quite major.
"You heard me." Young Allison said. "Everything is far from over. They went there to do a job. I think they intend to finish it."
Young Allison checked over their resources. There were eight drones on station plus 'Coltan Overcast' and 'Cherry Bomb'. Two of the drones were at altitude. They could still fire their two 'air to surface' missiles. They would just need an additional second or two to reach the target.
It left six drones for close combat. Two of those would target two of the four groups of Grays who looked like they were trying to box the team in.
Young Allison made plans for the other four drones. She wanted to try a less drastic approach, which would be just as deadly.
She instructed Anna to send CamNet and John Henry the new targeting information. It was a proven concept, but at a much closer range.
Frank and Dan were still in San Francisco. They would leave later in the early hours of the next day to follow the ship back to Los Angeles. Ken and Lou already moved the Blackhawk to Monterey. They were a short flight from the ship if necessary. Both teams had drone support.
Frank drove the van around the streets of San Francisco.
"The night is still early." Dan said.
They wanted to scope out additional targets for when it was later.
"We need to look for any threats or targets first." Frank said.
Dan was aware of a target rich environment.
"I think we can find plenty in the big park." Dan said.
They hoped to spot some more taggers. So far there weren't any.
"I think we took care of most of the tagging crews last night." Frank said.
They were sure more would be encountered later on. They didn't think they were dealing with intelligent individuals. They wondered if they were a byproduct of generations of substance abuse. The use of alcohol and narcotics during pregnancy seemed to have a proven negative effect on the offspring produced. Both were heavily encountered in the inner cities. There were also a number of reported cases of pregnancies from both immediate family members and extended family members. There was generally a negative genetic impact with such conceptions.
"They seem to be slow learners." Dan said. "Time will turn up more."
Frank figured it was part of their civic duty. There was no need to watch 'Rome burn' when the fire could be put out with a little effort.
"Let's hope so." Frank said. "Someone needs to do something to help this city. The politicians have given up on it."
Dan believed past practice proved itself going forward into the future.
"The politicians who survive J-Day will most likely become Grays." Dan said. "Records indicate individuals who become a 'sell out', are always a 'sell out'."
They were a little surprised when CamNet informed them of another 'street takeover'. It was in an area they'd passed through only a few minutes ago. They parked their SUV near a security camera so it could be monitored. They quickly set out to the location on foot.
"I thought I noticed a few more vehicles around the area earlier than there should have been." Frank said.
Dan needed to agree.
"It appears in this city, anything that looks off, is off." Dan said.
Frank tilted his head slightly.
"Everything looks off in this city." Frank said.
Dad nodded.
"It was my point." Dan said.
The two Terminators were one block away from the street takeover. They could hear the tires squealing on several of the vehicles.
"Let's do like we did last time." Frank said.
Dan liked the results from the previous encounter.
"It's better to have them wreck their vehicles themselves." Dan said. "It proves how unsafe the imbecilic act actually is."
Frank hoped it would involve some of the spectators as well. Maybe if a few more of them were terminated, not such a big group would be willing to attend in the future and fuel the unsafe incidents.
They arrived near the intersection. There were at least fifty spectators cheering on the two cars doing donuts in the intersection. The air was thick with burnt rubber from the spinning tires.
Dan was about to fire a round from his silenced M9. Before he could pull the trigger, one of the vehicles engaged in the illicit behavior lost control on its own. It got too close to the corner and clipped a light pole. It caused it to spin around. It slammed head on into the second vehicle doing donuts with it. Both vehicles careened in opposite directions.
The crowd attempted to scatter. Not everyone was fast enough. Both of the errant vehicles mowed down several of the spectators. One man was pinned up against a building. The tires on the car were still squealing as they crushed him more and more. The other car was on top of several individuals. It was no longer in motion.
After the initial panic ended, the threat of further danger appeared to be minimized. Several of the spectators attempted to help.
Dan and Frank could have easily moved both of the vehicles by themselves. They chose not to get involved. There needed to be some type of punishment and penalty for such irresponsible behavior.
They left the area and continued back to their vehicle. They would check for other targets of opportunity as they made their way back to the big park.
Jesse was finished with Precious. She left Riley's room and went in search of Claire. The last she saw of Claire was Sarah trying to get a little 'closer' to her. She didn't have a problem with it. She still saw it as her best chance to be able to get closer to Sarah herself.
She could hear music playing in the rec room. She advanced slowly to peek around the corner. Even before she got close, she could hear them laughing. It was the sound of two people having a good time together. She didn't want to disrupt it. It wasn't a sound often heard around the base. It wasn't the normal mood of Sarah. It appeared the time on the ship gave everyone a more positive outlook on things. It was a good thing. It reminded them there was a little more in life than what their 'world' consisted of. There was still a lot out there to offer them a broader view. It was also a reminder to them of what they were trying to preserve. It was worth the effort of stopping Skynet.
Jesse decided not to even peek in on them. Anytime anyone could find some joy was a good time. She'd heard plenty of misery and suffering in her time already. She was bothered by not only what she'd experienced, but what she'd dished out. In retrospect she probably would have done things a little differently. Some of the individuals deserved what happened to them based on their own actions. Some of the other individuals didn't deserve what she'd done to them. She always hoped it would make her feel better about herself. It never did. It only made her feel worse. She tried to shrug it off.
She headed back towards her room. She thought she heard some muffled gunfire from the armory. She headed over to check it out. She found Kyle in there with Jan. She decided to join them. A little target practice went a long way in relieving stress. Maybe it was better to punch holes in paper than in other humans. Then again, some humans needed holes punched in them. It was what they were there to do. Skynet didn't build itself and get established on its own. Humans were involved in every part of the process.
Savannah kept a watch on her phone and the four groups who were about to attempt to try and box them in.
CamNet selected the screens for her to watch.
Tom and Cammy kept watch around them. They knew they were being protected by the drones right now.
"I hear minigun fire." Cammy said. "It's in the distance over us."
Tom and Cammy both looked up.
Savannah heard nothing.
The screen she looked at split into four smaller screens. She knew something was about to happen.
"Look at this." Savannah said.
Cammy and Tom looked. They watched the four groups of two Grays all fall at the same time. The dirt, or the pavement around, them flew up or sparked. It looked like a 'metal hail' attack. It was done at a much closer range.
"CamNet reports the attacking force has been neutralized." Cammy said. "It was a direct down on shot to minimize collateral damage."
The images now focused on the target building.
Savannah didn't like the pickle they'd been put in.
"It looks like we are back to where we were." Savannah said. "Let's take this place down."
John Henry reported the security camera feeds were looped again.
Right now the Resistance held the advantage. The real battle was yet to begin.
Summer heard John Henry give the team clearance to advance since the security feeds were looped. She thought there was more in play.
"Wait." Summer said. "Not yet."
John Henry immediately told the group to hold. He wasn't going to question Summer's advice at this point.
"What is it?" John Henry asked.
Summer considered the possibilities as to how their team was targeted in the first place.
"The Grays needed to know our team was in the area." Summer said. "They have some way of tracking them or surveilling them."
John Henry tilted his head slightly.
"It would appear to be the case." John Henry said.
Summer considered some of the possibilities and the possible repercussions.
"Even if the feeds on the building are disabled, there needs to be some cameras somewhere else which are sending someone information." Summer said. "With the Grays down, they may know it too."
John Henry wondered if any of the recent events bothered Summer. She'd just seen eight Grays killed with a direct fire, long range minigun attack from four drones. The results were instantly deadly. It was doubtful the Grays even knew what happened. It was a soundless attack from the ground for humans. John Henry checked over all of his preventative efforts.
"I've blocked every known communication presently in a five mile radius." John Henry said.
Summer thought it needed to go one step further.
"Cut the power too." Summer said.
John Henry knew it would cause a major disruption since it wasn't late in the night.
During his moment of hesitation, CamNet acted.
Young Allison came to the same conclusion as Summer.
"They're still getting a signal out somehow from somewhere." Young Allison said. "Cut the power too."
CamNet instantly acted. She bypassed Anna and John Henry.
"CamNet just did." Anna said. "You know it will cause a problem."
Their team came first to Young Allison.
"As long as the problem isn't with our team, I don't have a problem with it." Young Allison said.
Anna was unable to determine if things were being escalated or deescalated at this point.
"I wonder what the response will be now." Anna said.
"I wonder what the response will be now." John Henry said.
Summer believed it was the very thing they were there to check on.
"It will be HK equipment on the ground and probably in the air." Summer said. "It's most likely in place there already."
John Henry thought it sounded logical, even if it was illogical.
Savannah, Cammy and Tom all heard the transmissions from the Command Center and the Young bunker. CamNet sent them to the group in a coherent manner in near real time.
Based on the current theory, they needed to be anywhere else but where they were.
"We need to get away from here." Savannah said.
They were still ready to move from before.
"Follow me." Cammy said.
Cammy took off. She was followed by Savannah and Tom. They moved south across the street and to the east. They held at two buildings over.
There were several things which seemed to happen all at once.
They heard the clanking of HK Tracks. It sounded like more than one and the whine of HK drone power plants. Everything sounded very close.
They heard Tom arm the LAW rocket.
John Henry previously provided Cammy with a new device to experiment with.
"I have two rounds for my M203 John Henry gave me to try out." Cammy said. "I didn't think I would test them on the same day."
It was news to Savannah.
"What are they?" Savannah asked.
Cammy would have liked to have had one yesterday.
"They're 'sticky shockers'. They can be fired at a greater range than I can throw one." Cammy said.
Tom thought two people each using one would be better.
"Savannah, do you want the LAW?" Tom asked.
Under moonlight conditions Savannah felt Tom held the advantage over her even more so in the use of a grenade launcher. She felt she could do better with the LAW rocket.
"I think you're a better shot under these conditions with the M203 for an accurate shot." Savannah said. "You'll be able to gauge distance and trajectory better than I can."
Savannah slung her M4 and Tom handed her the LAW.
"I think I can hit something with this." Savannah said.
Cammy handed Tom the other 'sticky shocker' round for his M203.
From the building behind them, an HK Track crashed through the front office area. One did the same from the target building across the street.
An HK drone rose out of the target building as well.
Savannah decided to engage the closest threat to them.
"I'll take the HK Track behind us." Savannah said.
She turned and fired the LAW. She made sure Cammy and Tom were clear of the back blast. She heard both of the M203 launchers fire at the same time. There was a loud crash sound across the street a second later.
The LAW rocket hit the HK Track behind them. It stopped dead in its tracks. The warhead seemed much more effective. It must be one of the enhanced versions she'd heard discussed. It was specifically designed to attack Coltan armored targets.
A minigun opened fire overhead and in back of them. There were two figures who'd followed the HK Track out across the street. There was still the sound of one HK drone somewhere close. There was more minigun fire and the drone noise stopped. There was a second loud crash a few moments later.
It sounded like both 'Coltan Overcast' and 'Cherry Bomb' were protecting them. They'd engaged Grays and HK drones.
From the two drones at altitude they watched everything happen in the Command Center and the Young bunker.
An HK Track was sent out from each side of the street and an HK drone tried to lift off from each of the locations. An HK drone and an HK Track were stopped with a shocker. One HK Track was stopped with the LAW rocket and the last HK drone had its power plants disable by minigun fire. Both HK drones crashed back through the roof of the building they'd tried to leave from.
Steve pulled up in front of them. He was there in twenty two seconds from the moment the first HK Track crashed through the front office area of the building.
Cammy thought they were going to leave.
"I have more LAW rockets in the back." Steve said. "I was instructed to bring them up."
It was good news as far as Savannah was concerned. She didn't feel their job was anywhere near done.
"Park the SUV." Savannah said. "We have two buildings to search."
Savannah directed Tom and Steve to take the building behind them. Cammy and her advanced on the target building.
The other teams of Terminators would be on the scene shortly. The first team would be there in forty seven seconds. The rest were a minute or two apart after them.
Cammy and Savannah continued toward target building.
The drone scans didn't show any thermal activity. It didn't mean there wasn't some. Something, or someone, could be masked, hidden or concealed somewhere.
Cammy paused to deactivate the HK Track she'd hit with the sticky shocker while Savannah covered her. The two dead Grays lay nearby. The minigun rounds did a number on them.
Cammy finished the deactivation of the HK Track.
"Let's go." Cammy said.
There was still an HK drone in the building they needed to worry about. They needed to get to it before it rebooted.
CamNet's Terminators decided to see what else they could hear before they moved in. More than likely, the two men wouldn't be leaving the location alive.
Both of the men produced firearms.
"We better take a look around to see what we can find." The first man said.
The second man scoffed.
"I don't think it's going to be much." The second man said.
The two men started off towards the burnt out remains of the building. They climbed up on the dock and began to look around.
The drone over them tracked their progress through the building.
Tina followed them in. She didn't get too close. She wanted to listen to what they discussed. They were much more likely to divulge information on their own than when they were being questioned.
Lena took the opportunity to go through the van to see what else she could find inside of it. They hadn't locked it, even if they'd taken the keys.
She opened the sliding door on the side and looked around in the back. There were several firearms as well as some explosives. It appeared they might have been going to blow something up. She wasn't sure if it was the building where they were at. It didn't seem like it. It was possible it was one of the other locations they'd already visited or the female Fanatic visited and dealt with.
Tina stayed close enough to the men to hear what they said.
"Everything here is wrecked." The first man said.
"I don't see anything of value actually here to be wrecked." The second man said.
"It's possible they cleaned the place out and torched it themselves." The first man said.
The two men continued towards the front office area of the building.
"This area has a lot of hot spots." The second man said.
"It appears it burned later on." The first man said. "They probably started the fire in the warehouse area."
"There was more than just a fire." The second man said. "There was a sizable explosion to go along with it."
The men could feel the heat radiate off of the steel door in the front. The metal was now warped.
"It took some heat to warp the steel reinforced door." The first man said.
They couldn't proceed beyond the entrance due to the intense heat from the rooms the Terminators set on fire a short time ago.
"I think this wraps up our tour of this place." The second man said.
"There's nothing of relevance here at all." The first man said.
Tina retreated behind some burnt out debris. She let the men pass by her. She followed behind them as they made their way out of the building.
Lena already retreated from the interior of their van before they started back from the front area.
They could let the men leave and follow them, or they could interrogate them now. It was decided to interrogate the men now. They needed to get to where the big rigs were headed.
Tina closed up on the men as they walked back to the van.
Lena waited on the back side of the van as the men approached.
The two men neared the van. They'd already put their weapons away.
"Sometimes I think we're on a wild goose chase." The first man said.
"Things happen." The second man said.
Lena and Tina made their move.
"Things happened here too." Lena said.
CamNet's Terminators each grabbed one of the men. They were both promptly choked out before they even knew what really happened. They each took one to a different area to begin the interrogation. It was going to be a swift one.
Jill continued her trek into the unknown. She wanted some payback for what was done to her.
Something ran across the road in front of her. She hit the brakes slightly to slow down. Whatever it was, was gone as fast as it appeared. She thought it might have been a coyote. It was probably in pursuit of its dinner.
She looked up in front of her after the brief encounter. She became a little concerned. She didn't see the tail lights in front of her. She wondered if the trucks may have turned off. She quickly realized she was going uphill. It wasn't very steep but it was uphill. Maybe the trucks had gone over the crest of the small rise. It could be why she couldn't see them.
It also occurred to her they may have pulled off to the side and parked. They could be waiting for her to pass. They didn't know for sure she was following them. Then again, maybe they figured it out. They would probably try to stop her. If they managed to stop her, they were going to recognize who she was. She was already extremely sore from what happened over the last two days. Everything seemed to feel even sorer now. She could only imagine what it was going to feel like if she needed to go through another episode like she'd already experienced. She reached over and touched the cold metal of the pistol on the seat next to her. She imagined the metal wouldn't stay cool for very long once she started to use it.
She knew if their lights were off she couldn't see them. She also new trucks had reflectors on the back of them. She doubted anyone would have gone to the trouble to cover them. She quickly turned on the high beams. Nothing showed up on either side of the road ahead of her. She quickly turned the high beams off. She continued her uphill climb.
She reached the crest of the hill. She could see the tail lights in the distance. It appeared there were a series of small dips and rises on the road ahead.
Jill kept her distance as she kept the tail lights in sight.
The female Fanatic focused her attention on the closest HK Track. She rushed over the tops of the crates to it to try to see if she could prevent it from completing its power up cycle. She wasn't sure what actually triggered it. Maybe it was because she'd been on top of the crates opening them.
When she reached the HK Track, she quickly realized it wasn't the HK Track which made the noise. It wasn't the one in front of it either. It was in the crate behind her.
She quickly pried the lid off of the crate. There were electrical components stacked in rows. One of them was lit up. She pulled it out and placed it on the crate next to her. She used one of the phone's lights to look at it. She couldn't tell what it was. It wasn't hot. It continued to buzz and vibrate. She was sure it was some type of sensor. Why it was activated and the other ones weren't, was beyond her. The other parts in the crate all looked identical.
She looked for some way to turn it off. There were no switches of any type. The part suddenly stopped making noise. It went dark. She looked at it for a few long moments. She decided to return it to the crate. She put the lid back on. She sat down back between the tracks of the HK Track behind her.
Everything felt a little tilted. She could hear the truck downshift. She wondered if they were going to stop. She realized they were actually going up some type of an incline. It wasn't very steep, but it was noticeable. It was probably a small hill.
A few minutes later she could hear the truck shift again. They were now on a slight downhill segment. She was surprised they hadn't been over more of those.
The female Fanatic continued her wait. She sat in the darkness as the truck bounced and vibrated along. Her right hand rested on her knife. Her left hand rested on the Beretta. More than likely before the night was over, there were going to be some dead people. She wondered if she would be among them.
Press The Attack
Some people try to hide
Behind a joke or a wisecrack
It would be much better
If they didn't even yak
It should be a crime for one
Another's feelings bruise and ransack
It often plays out the same
Like some crazy flashback
Things can turn ugly
When one acts like a maniac
Maybe there are times
When everyone can sound like a quack
Most would rather see color
Than watch things fade to black
More often than not
It's hard to stay on the right track
Some will stand up for what is theirs
They'll take the heat and dodge the flak
When it's time to take up the slack
They will advance and press the attack
Nobody