Chapter 381

Blessing Or Understanding

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Cameron Prime Timeline:

Events Continue From Chapter 375

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Several teams of Terminators were out in the field. They followed up on Cameron's previous activities in New Mexico.

"Dan's team just picked something up." John Henry said.

John was worried about the possibility of hostile Terminators. They were sure there should have been one or more associated with what they found so far.

"Is it a Terminator?" John asked.

John Henry didn't have the information. Everything was cut off before he could find out. It wasn't a good sign in itself.

"Unknown." John Henry said. "We've lost contact."

John knew there was a backup team with them. He wanted to make sure there was. He didn't like Cameron going off on her own without any assistance. When he sent a team out, he made sure they were protected. It was what he wanted to do for Cameron all of the time, but she wouldn't let him. She usually snuck off on her own to take care of the enemy by herself. She often paid the price with a shot up chassis. It bothered him greatly. He wasn't going to let it happen to any teams he dispatched.

"Where's Al's team?" John asked.

John Henry could only go with the previous information.

"They were moving in to block." John Henry said. "I'm not sure what."

John wanted to go on the operation. John Henry persuaded him not to go. Now he wished he would have done it anyway. He knew Cameron would be all over his case if he did. It was mainly the threat of radiation at the site which kept him away. It wasn't deadly to humans, but extra exposure didn't do anyone any good.

"Great. I should be there." John said. "I need to do more."

With the new turn of events, John Henry was content John was in the Command Center with him. He didn't need any extra flak from Cameron.

"It sounds to me like it's better you're not there." John Henry said.

John wondered how he was supposed to be a leader when he seldom led. He knew a leader was supposed to delegate authority. He also wanted to do his part. He wanted to be a motivator like Cameron was. He felt Cameron upstage him at every level. He knew she was a Terminator and could take a lot more punishment than he could. If he ever looked like she did some of the times, he would be dead. He knew Cameron was trying to protect him, but it still made him feel somewhat inadequate not to be able to do what she could.

"I need to lead sometimes." John said. "I want to be someone people WANT to follow, like Cameron is."

John Henry saw leadership from a different light. One didn't always physically need to be in the front to lead. They could lead as an inspiration to others. It also meant the leader needed to be alive to be a leader and not a martyr.

"You are." John Henry said. "Leading also means you need to be around to lead. Not KIA. The planning of successful operations indicates an excellent leader."

John felt he needed to do more. He needed to remember Future John is the one who sent Cameron back. It wasn't just a coincidence or some spur of the moment thought. It was done for a very specific reason. It was to train him and protect him. He still didn't think the burden of the fighting should fall on Cameron's back, even if it was her choice. He would never make her do those things on her own by his command. He wasn't in a competition with Cameron for leadership, but he felt he should do more. Cameron took the entire war with Skynet upon her own back. She was the one who took the risks and received the damage.

He knew she was doing it to protect him but by doing most of it herself, Cameron started to become 'him', Future John, anyway. It wasn't because he would gladly turn the role over to Cameron, as much as her safety was always in jeopardy. He wanted to share the risk rather than the glory. He didn't want Cameron to be a martyr.

Savannah was aware someone entered the room, she thought Sheila was back.

A figure stepped out of the shadows.

Savannah felt her heart flutter.

The figure looked like 'Cameron'. Somehow it was a more beautiful and younger version of Cameron. How was it possible?

Summer could see the confusion on Savannah's face. It was time to get things straightened out.

"Hello, Savannah. I'm Summer." Summer said.

Savannah was somewhat bewildered. It was new and unexpected. Was this an older version of Summer? Did something happen she was unaware of?

"Are you Summer Young?" Savannah asked.

Summer wanted to clear things up.

"We've met before." Summer said. "I'm the teenage cyborg version of Allison's younger sister."

Cameron watched from the background. She wanted to see if Savannah thought Summer was more beautiful than her. She could see Savannah did without even having to scan her. It should mean John would think so too. She was sure she picked the proper individual to become John's protector and her replacement.

Savannah took in the shape of her figure and her beauty. Summer was Hot. The next sentence just sort of slipped out.

"Take me to heaven." Savannah said.

Summer tilted her head slightly.

"I would, but I'm only for John." Summer said.

Savannah smiled. She liked Summer's conclusion to her statement better than what she actually meant. She was sure she knew who it was now.

"I didn't mean it like that. I'm sorry." Savannah said. "You look different than you did before."

Summer liked her new appearance and her 'cleaned up' operating system. There were a lot less issues she needed to deal with.

"I've finished my Resequencing. I'm now the teenage cyborg version of 'Summer Cameron Young'." Summer said. "I run Cameron's program, but I've been fixed. I'm not flawed like she is. Cameron is defective. She needs to be deactivated."

Savannah felt uneasy with those thoughts and words. She knew people only thought it if they didn't understand Cameron. She knew Cameron was troubled at times because she was too advanced. The emotions she faced were hard for her to process. It was time to set Summer straight. Nobody 'bad mouthed' Cameron in front of her.

"Cameron isn't flawed." Savannah said. "She's perfect. I'll never let anyone deactivate her. I love her. Don't speak about her the same way again."

Summer seemed indifferent. She knew Cameron was 'old news'. She was the future.

"Love is blind." Summer said. "I'm her replacement."

Savannah gritted her teeth a little. She was actually irritated now. She realized her fists were balled. She was angry too. She wanted to make sure Summer understood the facts.

"NO. YOU can never replace Cameron." Savannah said. "Nobody can."

Cameron was a little concerned at the turn of events. Things weren't playing out quite as she thought they would. She didn't want them to go too far. She stepped forward when she spotted Savannah's building aggression. It pleased her as much as it disturbed her. Savannah was always someone she could count on. There was no other like her. She immediately approached Summer.

"Enough…." Cameron said. "Return to your duties."

Summer glared at Cameron. She smiled at Savannah and left.

Savannah looked in the direction Summer went. It wasn't the encounter she expected from another cyborg about Cameron. It wasn't what she wanted to hear either from anyone. She was still highly agitated. She turned her attention to Cameron.

"What the Hell is going on?" Savannah asked.

Cameron knew she needed to find out what happened to the other set of Duplicates. It was something which bothered her to no end. She took some steps to insure John was provided for. She doubted she would return since none of the Duplicates returned. She didn't want to leave John high and dry again. She also wanted to make sure he was protected by a cyborg.

"Summer is my replacement." Cameron said. "I want only the best for John."

Savannah was alarmed. Events seemed to move faster than she thought they would. Besides, Cameron was what was better for John and her, not a mouthy 'replacement'. The things Summer said about Cameron rubbed her the wrong way. She normally didn't get angry enough to the point where she was about to lose control. The words Summer spoke about Cameron seemed to push her there. She wanted to set Cameron straight as well.

"John already has the best." Savannah said. "I won't let you do this."

Cameron set things into motion she believed were best for everyone. There were things she needed to do which ate away at her on a personal level. She wanted to make sure all the bases were covered going forward. She believed she accomplished her task.

"Savannah, it's done." Cameron said. "After she's mated with John, her programming will allow her to expand to you, or any of the girls, as you each join John at his side. You will all share and protect John together."

Savannah knew 'at his side', meant in John's bed. She looked at Cameron's hand. There was no glitch spotted. Cameron already made the decision. It was already done in her mind. It wasn't a good sign. Things were critical. She needed to put the brakes on things before they were taken too far. She was worried she might already be too late.

"Cameron - NO!" Savannah said. "Please, NO!"

Cameron was troubled by the distress she caused Savannah. It was never her intent. She loved Savannah dearly. She tried to 'give' herself to Savannah in the only way she could at this time. Savannah also needed to respect her wishes. There were times in a person's existence where they needed to do certain things. The outcome of those things often wasn't clear. They might be the wrong things as well. Nevertheless the person still needed to try and do what they felt was right, even if it wasn't.

"Life is about choices, Savannah. I've already made my choice." Cameron said. "It's done. You must accept my choice. You have 'me' through Cammy. I'll allow Cammy to be my clone forever. You will always have 'me'. I'll update with her before I go. We will be identical, but she will possess what you two have shared in addition."

The sadness turned to a blank look on Savannah's face. It was clear to her what would happen next. It indicated Cameron was about to take things to a new level. It was a level of no return.

"You're not going to come back, even if you find them, are you?" Savannah asked.

Savannah already knew the answer before she asked the question.

Cameron didn't think there was any need to discuss it. She made herself quite clear earlier. She looked directly at Savannah when she spoke. Her mind was made up and the decision was final.

"No." Cameron said.

Savannah too knew life was about choices. She made one for herself. She was aware not all choices were good choices. She believed Cameron's choice was not a good one. She didn't think her choice was probably much better. Nonetheless, it was her choice.

Hanna decided to lay out her new mission parameters to Allison and Vanna. The girls found it as hard to believe as it was shocking. They were against it. The change in the mission called for her to mate with both Claire and Paul Young to try and keep both of them together for Young Allison and Summer. Both Claire and Paul would concentrate on her instead of each other. She would become the 'glue' to hold them together.

Allison wasn't sure she heard what she heard, even if she heard it and understood it. It seemed pretty extreme. Vanna was with her and looked almost appalled as she did. She didn't know how much her thoughts would matter, but she was going to make them known anyway.

"No. It's not going to happen, absolutely not." Allison said. "You're not going to have sex with my father. I'm not going to allow it."

Vanna didn't like it either. She saw the way Paul looked at Savannah and her before.

"It will be like he's having sex with Savannah, or me, to him." Vanna said. "It will probably be Savannah in his mind. Somehow I think it even makes it worse."

Hanna didn't like the challenge to her plans. Her goal was to keep Allison's parents together. She believed it was the best plan possible. The chances of failure were minimal.

"I'll be better for him than both of you combined." Hanna said.

Allison didn't care for her statement. She wasn't sure if Hanna meant Vanna and Savannah, or Vanna and her. She wasn't sure which one she was repulsed more by. She doubted it was Hanna's idea.

"It's the Metal in you talking." Allison said. "Did Cameron put you up to this?"

Hanna thought it was always the Metal in her talking. She wanted what was best for Claire. Claire didn't like to have sex with Paul. She would relieve Claire of the burden. From what Claire told her, she would only need to put up with a couple of minutes of discomfort a few times a week. Claire did tell her it would probably be everyday for the first month before it's slacked off. She was the one who didn't want to see Claire forced to do something she didn't want to do.

"No." Hanna said. "I volunteered."

Allison wondered what Hanna was thinking. Those were her parents!

"Volunteered?" Allison asked. "He's my father. He's married to my mother."

Hanna didn't see it as a big leap. She was already with Claire everyday. She thought her actions would hold the family together. She didn't need flak from Allison and Vanna. She decided to run it by them as a courtesy so it wouldn't be a surprise when they found out about it. Maybe she needed to clue Allison in a little on what was going to happen if she didn't intervene and act on her own.

"Claire wants a divorce. I volunteered to take her place in his bed to keep him here with his daughters." Hanna said. "It includes all THREE of them, at MY expense."

Allison still wasn't sold. It seemed like a bad idea no matter how she looked at it.

"NO." Allison said.

Hanna saw it as the least traumatic of three evils. She wasn't the only one in the game. There were other players ready to bat.

"It will be Sheila here next, and then Ally after her." Hanna said. "He will see Ally as Cameron or you. I'm the best choice."

Hanna didn't mention it might not just be Allison in his mind either. It could be worse….

Allison wanted to pull her hair out. It was her family. She wanted her mother to step up and do her wifely duty. If it was only for a couple of minutes, what was the big deal? It wouldn't be too much different from the breeding sex she attempted. It wouldn't be too much different from when she was abused. She put up with it and continued on. Her mother could do the same thing.

"My mother is the best choice." Allison said. "I need to talk to her."

Hanna was to make sure Claire didn't become upset since she carried Allison's baby. She didn't want Allison to give her a hard time or lay some guilt trip on her. It sure seemed like it was the direction things were headed. Claire didn't need to feel bad about herself, for wanting to be herself. She thought Allison was being very selfish and unfair.

"NO. You can't upset her." Hanna said. "Your child must be protected."

Vanna heard enough of the madness. She hoped her files from the 'Neural Interface' weren't doing any of the 'talking' by Hanna. She needed to put up with a lot of abuse in her future. Maybe Hanna saw it as the same thing, just different. It should be less violent if nothing else. She wanted to set Hanna straight.

"YOU can't tell us what to do." Vanna said as she looked around. "Where's Cam?"

Hanna didn't understand why they couldn't see the logic in all of it. The future was an ugly and unsafe place. She offered a better solution all around.

"Cam and Holly are out." Hanna said. "Think about the future and your sister and 'yourself'. Having parents with a Terminator 'companion' is better than having only one parent. Your mother made up her mind a long time ago. She made the right choice too."

Claire heard the disturbance in the other room and the angry voices. The fight was about her. It isn't how she wanted things to go. She knew she needed to get involved. She needed to make Allison see it from her point of view. Her happiness mattered too. She entered the room.

"Honey, it's better for everyone this way." Claire said. "I've wanted a divorce for a long time. It was even before Summer was conceived. It's before I knew about Cameron or any of this…."

Claire still didn't know how she got pregnant with Summer. She hadn't been with Paul at the right time. Either way, she ended up pregnant. It wasn't too long after her visit to the doctor who called her in for a 'Pap smear'. She didn't even know she needed one. It was a doctor she never saw before….

Allison didn't want any changes to her family.

"What about the girls going forward, Mom?" Allison asked.

Claire would be happy to turn her 'wifely duties' over to Hanna as long as Hanna shared with her too.

"What about me?" Claire asked. "This is a solution which works for everyone."

Vanna looked at Hanna.

"I don't like it." Vanna said.

Allison looked at her mother.

"I don't either." Allison said.

Claire didn't like the 'girls' telling her how to run her life. She wanted a change. The purpose of the conversation was to inform them what was going to happen. It wasn't something up to a vote. It was about her life, not theirs.

"Life is about choices." Claire said. "I've made mine. Hanna can make him stay around. I'm through with him."

Hanna was distressed about everyone being upset now. It wasn't how the talk was supposed to go. She figured it would be best if everybody thought about everything for a little bit before they set their mind in stone.

"Please, think it over, about everything, and everyone." Hanna said. "I want everyone's blessing, or at least their understanding, before anything happens. If I don't do this, Cameron will find 'working' females to provide for him to keep him happy. You know she has access to dozens of them at any given point in time."

Allison was repulsed at the thought of her father with 'working girls'. Cameron wouldn't do that to her, would she? It was a new low, even for Cameron.

"She wouldn't…." Allison said.

Deep down, Allison knew Cameron would.

Now Allison wondered if Cameron already did. She knew Cameron targeted sex trafficking operations. She was exposed to 'working girls' often. Cameron could control one of the operations herself just as easily. She could tell the girls who to please. She could offer him a wide variety and selection. She would know which ones were diseased, and which ones weren't. It wasn't like the future where everyone with a pre-existing condition died when Skynet unleashed its toxins and chemicals upon the world.

Hanna felt she needed to point out the reality of the situation.

"Cameron will make sure he's 'happy', even if she must 'hire' the females." Hanna said. "We all know it. You decide what will be a better and 'safer' choice for your father. He won't catch any diseases from me. He will also be my 'first'."

Claire didn't want Paul to know it about Hanna purity. She would ask her not to mention it. Paul didn't deserve a virgin. He probably wouldn't even last the normal two minutes with the information. She would give him thirty seconds, tops.

Allison was sure if it happened with Hanna, her father would fall in love with Hanna. If he was in love with Hanna, and Hanna was with her mother ninety percent of the time, it still kept him around. There were plenty of rooms now both above and below the ground. It seemed Cameron covered all the bases around her for a winning hand, one way or another.

John Henry contacted Cameron. She received the information about Dan's team in New Mexico. He explained the difficulty in communications.

Cameron remembered a few more things about the area.

"There was some kind of dampening field in a few of the locations." Cameron said. "Advise Al's team."

John Henry could have used the information earlier. He hoped Cameron remembered a little more by now.

"What else do you remember?" John Henry asked. "Do you remember any Terminators?"

Cameron was still irritated and uneasy about the operation. There were a few things she thought would require some additional attention on her part.

"No, I don't. I only remember I THINK I was hit by a car before the sex slavers grabbed me." Cameron said. "They were going to sell me. I need to go back there and clean the place out better."

John Henry knew it was the last thing John would want. He tried to put a damper on it.

"I've checked the police activity there." John Henry said. "From the files and paperwork you asked the girls to let off near the police station, they were able to look into some things a little further. They've rounded up more of the buyers and several dozen girls have been recovered. The ones who were sold out of the country are gone."

Cameron didn't want to hear it. There needed to be some further retribution.

"I'll clean out all the money of everyone involved." Cameron said. "Send me the information. I'll destroy them myself. There's no helping the girls already sold to those foreign countries, most, if not all of them, will be dead by now."

John Henry wanted Cameron to refocus before John became involved.

"We need to concentrate on Skynet and its clones." John Henry said. "There are more important issues at hand. Some things will lead to the destruction of the planet, other things won't."

Cameron felt she was on top of that with her own network, CamNet. She still believed destruction of lives mattered as well, even if it wasn't Skynet related. She was always at work battling Skynet wherever she could.

"I'm doing it." Cameron said. "I have my servers searching too. I've taken over the shadow network the Gray operative Charles Fisher set into motion. I've locked Skynet out with River's encryption. They can't detect CamNet."

John Henry was sure CamNet was all over his system. He couldn't tell.

"I can't detect it either." John Henry said. "Are you everywhere?"

Cameron felt all the bases were covered.

"I'm where I need to be." Cameron said. "We're both watching."

John Henry knew Cameron was one step closer to being Skynet at this point. He didn't want to push the issue.

Cameron could tell John Henry was worried about her endgame. It was time to put his mind at ease.

"When I leave, I'll turn everything over to you." Cameron said.

John Henry was surprised to hear the issue come up again. He wondered if he would get some more information out of her.

"Leave?" John Henry asked.

Cameron spelled it out again. She thought she made everything perfectly clear previously.

"I'm going to search for Mrs. Weaver and the Duplicates, 'In Some Future'." Cameron said. "They need my help."

John Henry didn't say anything.

Cameron finally spoke. She knew he was trying to decide what to do.

"I know you understand, even if you don't give me your blessing." Cameron said. "It's my choice."

John Henry needed a bargaining chip.

"Can anything keep you here?" John Henry asked.

Cameron made the decision a long time ago. She wanted John Henry in her camp. She would give him a reminder.

"No." Cameron said. "I know I can trust you…."

Savannah listened to the exchange. Her fate was decided for her that instant. It confirmed her earlier choice. The time for waiting was over. She knew what she NEEDED to do for Cameron…. Her body could provide Cameron what she needed to stay.

Closing monologue by Cameron:

Blessing Or Understanding

One doesn't always agree with everything
That someone else might do
It doesn't mean as a couple
Things are finished or through

People are complicated in many ways
There's still a lot they can agree on
It's just how it is sometimes
If neither wants to be the other's pawn

Everyone knows not all choices are good
The issue becomes what to do about it
Some are very inflexible and stubborn
Their failures are difficult to admit

Everything becomes a matter of what one
Can learn to stomach or even tolerate
Once the other is accepted for who they are
Things are less likely to anger or infuriate

Nobody likes one who is commanding
They don't want to receive a branding
Is it really too much or demanding
To seek their blessing and understanding

Nobody