Chapter 453

Temporal Talk

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Cameron's Future Timeline:

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Cameron wanted Skynet. The longer she was there in the future, the more she wanted to find and terminate Skynet. She sent out scouting teams to every sector to uncover anything they could. Even if it wasn't a mainframe, she wanted everything Skynet related. She knew Skynet was hiding and waiting to strike again. It was rebuilding. She wanted to draw first blood in the next battle. If Skynet was in possession of a TDE, it would send Terminators into the past to try and save itself. It's what Duplicate Cameron reported happened at the facility they smashed when they thought they terminated Skynet before.

She didn't like the delays in planning the attacks on Skynet. She felt there was enough information to act on. She could do other things while she waited for Future John to get everything ready.

Her encounter with Linda made her angry there were still Scavengers out there. The delay with Future John while Skynet still hid somewhere displeased her. She could take some time off now and go hunt Scavengers. They wouldn't get off as easily as the last group. Linda told her she tried to get pregnant before but couldn't. Her biggest fear now was if she ended up pregnant from the abuse. She didn't want a child created through savagery. What kind of a creature would the child grow into? She didn't know what to tell Linda on how to proceed. She said the child would be what she fostered it to be. Linda was also worried what people would think about her. She told Linda there was no need to tell anyone what happened either if she didn't want to. The past was the past. There was no way for her to change what already occurred. Her best bet was to move her life ahead. It was the direction life moved anyway. Life moved forwards not backwards.

The thought of the incident with Linda was too much. She put up with enough. She excused herself and headed for the special operations base. She told them to have a drone ready for her and it was to be accompanied by two armed ones as well. They were to be configured for maximum ground assault against human targets. There were no questions asked.

She mounted the drone. It flew off with its two heavily armed companions. She headed directly for the Scavenger camp she took down, where she freed Linda. It made her wonder what was wrong with some people. How could they treat others in such an abusive and derogatory manner? What went wrong inside their heads?

It made her wonder about the environmental issues. River told her about events in her future. It was about government manipulation of planet development, and the desire to control people, went bad. It made her wonder if it wasn't an unintended side effect of what Skynet did to the people when it unleashed its chemical and biological warfare on them. Maybe there was something physically wrong inside of the Scavenger's heads as a result. It didn't matter. The Scavengers needed to atone for their crimes.

The drone let her off two miles out. It took back off and started doing reconnaissance around the area. The two armed drones went on patrol just out of human hearing range in counter rotating 'figure eight' patterns around her. Either one of them should be able to respond within seconds to any threats which developed around her.

Based upon what she discovered when she freed Linda, she felt there were more Scavengers nearby. She wanted them. She reviewed the 'data' she collected when she helped Linda clean up. A scan of the bodily fluids showed the DNA of seven individuals. She processed the 'data' as she collected it. Linda was unconscious for part of the time after several beatings. It was why she didn't know how many times she was abused. She lost track after twenty seven. It was only in the first few hours. It went on for two days.

She wasn't sure why Scavengers liked to mutilate their victims. It made little sense to her to initiate such behavior. All it did was hasten the demise of the victim. If the victim was terminated, they would need to go to the trouble to capture another one. It made her realize how lucky both Vanna and Jesse were with their encounters in the wastelands with Scavengers. It really made her understand the sacrifice Vanna was willing to endure to ensure Allison's freedom when she was first captured. She needed to clear her mind. She was in the danger zone.

Cameron approached the camp quietly. She looked in the gully. She was pleased to see the three Scavengers were ripped apart by the coyotes. It appeared they were still alive at the time. It satisfied her to see their faces were mauled. She hoped it happened while they were still alive as it was the only part of their body they would still have been able to feel.

She heard a rustling noise in the hooch. Someone was in there. She thought about asking for a drone strike from one of her drone sentries. She decided to handle it herself. She approached the hooch and listened.

"I don't care about them, they're dead." The first Scavenger said. "I wanted the Bitch for myself."

"You're crazy, man." The second Scavenger said. "Bitches come a dime a dozen."

"She was sweet." The first Scavenger said. "I would've made her my woman."

"Well, she's gone now." The second Scavenger said. "We weren't here when whatever went down happened."

"Maybe it wouldn't have happened if we would have been." The first Scavenger said.

"Well, we weren't." The second Scavenger said. "Let's take all of their stuff, they won't need it anymore."

"Here, take Martini's stuff." The first Scavenger said. "I want Jacoby's things. We can split LeBron's stuff."

"Stuff is just stuff." The second Scavenger said. "I want to go out again. I want some fresh meat."

"I think it's a good idea." The first Scavenger said. "This time we're going to take more than one."

Cameron could hear the two Scavengers high five each other as they laughed.

"I don't know who these people think they are to take away what belongs to us." The second Scavenger said. "Once we have someone, they're our property."

"I think we should kill some of them too as punishment for what they did to our friends." The first Scavenger said. "It was probably a group of them."

"We'll go at night." The second Scavenger said. "I've got my eye on a redhead there. You know how rare they are. We'll light the place on fire. Some of them will burn to death. I want to hear their screams. I want the redhead to hear it too. It will let her know what's in store for her."

"I think it's a good idea. Let's block the entrances so they can't get out." The first Scavenger said. "I'm starting to pull some 'wood' just thinking about it."

"I can hear the screams now." The second Scavenger said. "We should have done this a long time ago."

Both of the Scavengers laughed even louder.

Cameron heard enough. She strode into the hooch and grabbed both of the men. They were busy admiring their new accusations. She slammed them together. She tied them up. They started to come around. She punched both of them hard. She could hear bones break. They both blacked out again. She set the hooch on fire and left. She could hear them scream soon enough as the fire burnt them. She figured they terminated happily as they could hear the other one, as well as themselves, scream while the fire consumed them. It was what they said they wanted to hear.

She headed deeper into the canyon. In just a few minutes she could hear a drone coming fast. She hoped it was one of hers. She was worried she may have let her guard down because she was angry. The minigun opened up. It hit the area she was headed towards. The second drone hit the same area with a sideways pass a second later. The drones were gone as quickly as they came. She found two shredded Scavengers in the brush ahead. They were waiting for her to approach so they could ambush her. They must have heard the men's screams and come to investigate. When the rounds from a minigun hit someone, they don't have time to scream. They did have time to bleed.

The drones made a report no one was around for several miles in any direction. The drone she rode in on landed and picked her up. She returned to the special operations base and then back to the Connor compound. It didn't seem anyone missed her. The lesson learned was to be more careful. There were seldom drones to shepherd her. There wouldn't be any when she went to look for Skynet. She didn't want to tip her hand. She let her anger drive her. It was a lesson well learned. She went in search of Future John.

The Resistance scout teams came back with the data Future John and Cameron needed. There were several of them sent out to follow up on every lead they came up with. If it looked like a solid lead, Cameron liked to check it herself.

Duplicate Cameron wanted to be a part of the operation but Cameron reminded her there was a more important assignment for her. She understood what she meant. She quietly reassured Cameron she would keep her promise for her and Past John if it was necessary.

Future John thought Cameron referred to watching over his children. He didn't know what Cameron asked of Duplicate Cameron. He wouldn't have approved of what was planned. He would never want to give up Duplicate Cameron for a clone. It wouldn't be the same with a copy of Cameron's program and an identical sheath, even if it was.

Cameron looked at things going forward towards a better future. John mattered more to her at this point in time than Future John did. He should have thought about things a little more before he sent her away. She saved his life more than once. He should be grateful he was still alive. If he wasn't, he could punch his own ticket. It wouldn't be anything new to him.

Future John and Cameron conducted many operations together before. Cameron protected him with her chassis. She always took the damage herself to protect him. It always bothered him to see her injured naked body as he helped repair the damage. Cameron always stood there blank faced as he touched her, removed bullets, and sutured wounds. Sometimes his hands lingered on her private parts.

Cameron would always remain standing naked before him after he finished. She still possessed the memories. She waited for Future John to 'take her', but she didn't seem to have any memories of him doing so. Sometimes she was still naked as she tended his injuries. When she finished, she waited blank faced for his next command…. She didn't have a record of it. There were no memories it ever happened. She was sure Future John erased them.

She wanted to ask Future John if he ever used her for sex, but she was afraid of the answer. Duplicate Cameron asked him and Future John told her 'no', but Duplicate Cameron detected he wasn't one hundred percent truthful. Mrs. Weaver previously indicated they were in a sexual relationship. She never indicated what the exact time frame was. Maybe it was Duplicate Cameron who Mrs. Weaver witnessed. They were identical so she couldn't know the difference. She sure hoped Mrs. Weaver hadn't seduced any of them before she left to go to the past. Anything was possible.

"…. ready now, Cameron…?" Future John asked. "Cameron?"

Cameron was rudely brought back to now. Future John interrupted her thoughts about her past. She quickly replayed the file. She became irritated when she saw exactly what his proposal consisted of. He wanted to enter the combat zone himself. She always viewed it as a mistake.

"Yes, John, I'm ready to move out." Cameron said. "You shouldn't go."

It irritated Cameron because both Johns didn't listen to her, everyone else did. She would tell Duplicate Cameron to cut back on the love making to 'punish' Future John for being stubborn and not listening. She would 'punish' Her John as well the next time he defied her. Obedience has a reward. Disobedience has a price…. She believed she knew what was best for everyone. Hadn't she done all this before, several times? Even if there was no conclusive record of it, it surely must have happened.

Cameron would ask River the next time she went back to 1999 to make sure she didn't destroy Holly. She 'punished' herself with the images of what she did to Holly. If she could have thrown up, she would have. She decided if it ever happened to her, she would keep her sheath featureless…. She was a machine, not a 'Metal Whore'. She wasn't a mechanical 'Silicone Love Doll'. She knew she would 'punish' herself for what she did to Holly. She didn't know about the 'temporal termination' of 'damaged Holly'. Holly was brought back before she was ever damaged. She was never even there when the HK drones first arrived. Nothing ever actually happened to Holly.

It always ate away at Cameron. Future John's refusal to listen caused her to lose her composure. Who did he think he was anyway? Why did he think he could treat female Terminators with such disrespect and contempt? She was tired of guessing. She wanted some answers and she wanted them now.

"John, was I a 'Metal Whore'?" Cameron blurted out.

Future John was in the process of going over the details of the raid. He wasn't sure he heard Cameron correctly, even if he knew he did.

"What?" Future John asked.

Cameron was irritated Future John didn't answer her right away. It seemed like he wanted to hide something. She asked the question again more forcefully. Maybe he was going to need some persuasion to answer the question. She was no stranger in questioning prisoners before their termination. She knew how to make them talk.

"Was I ever a 'Metal Whore'?" Cameron asked.

Future John was confused. What was she talking about? She seemed highly agitated. It worried him some.

"Why would you even think that?" Future John asked.

Cameron faced Future John. She was dissatisfied with his answer. It appeared he was stalling for time while he thought up a lie. She didn't like people to lie to her. She reached out and grabbed the front of his collar.

"Answer the question." Cameron said.

Future John was alarmed. Was Cameron about to malfunction? She could kill him instantly. He was the General. He gave her an order.

"Cameron, let me go." Future John said. "Now…."

Cameron wasn't about to let Future John 'order' her around. His ability to 'order' her ended the moment he sent her away. She was there on her own accord. It was one of the reasons why she established her own base. She didn't need to answer to anyone. She certainly didn't need to answer to someone who threw her away.

"You don't own me." Cameron shouted.

Future John knew he needed to tread the water lightly right now. Cameron was out for blood. It was some personal issue to her. They weren't lovers.

"And you don't own me." Future John said.

Cameron didn't care for his response. She didn't release him. She pulled him closer. The anger of 'Future Allison' in her was dominant.

"Answer the damn question, NOW." Cameron said.

Cameron's eyes glowed red. She was beyond angry.

Future John thought she was malfunctioning. He tried to downplay things.

"I don't know." Future John said.

Cameron shoved Future John back. His answer angered her more. She thought about snapping his neck. How dare he treat her like trash. She wasn't some young female tunnel rat looking for food and about to 'pay' for it the only way she could. It would be with her well used female anatomy.

"I know you did…." Cameron said. "I think YOU raped me."

Future John could see things were out of hand right now. He needed to calm her down. He saw her when she was angry, it was before her emotions were as advanced. She would be ten times worse now if she snapped. She could take out half of the camp herself. He knew not one Terminator would stop her. He only hoped they wouldn't join in. It was a more realistic possibility.

"Cameron - NO." Future John said. "I never saw anyone ever abuse you in any way. I never abused you."

Cameron wondered what Future John hadn't seen. He wasn't everywhere.

Future John could see she didn't believe him. He elaborated more.

"I never saw anything of such a disgusting manner from the time we took you into custody." Future John said. "I don't think Skynet would have used you in such a way either."

Cameron's eyes glowed red again. She took a step towards him.

"I don't believe you." Cameron said.

Future John knew how much he hurt her. He needed to send her away or they would have destroyed her. He knew they were coming for her. He needed to do it to save her. It killed him inside to do it too. He remembered his mother's words. 'Sometimes when you love someone, you need to let them go.' It was what he did. He helped her. He didn't take advantage of her.

"Cameron, I've always loved you." Future John said. "I would never hurt you, abuse you, or do anything you didn't want, ever. You need to believe me."

Cameron was still highly agitated.

"I don't need to believe anything." Cameron said.

Future John could see Cameron didn't believe him.

"Ask Cameron, My Cameron." Future John said. "I was very reluctant to even touch her. I WANTED to, but I was afraid. Allison needed to encourage me. It was only after My Cameron and Allison started a physical relationship when I ever touched her. Allison made me. It started out as the three of us until I did touch My Cameron. Allison quietly left so we could be alone…."

Cameron could picture it. Future Allison wanted her to be happy and have what she wanted. Maybe everything he said was true. Both Duplicate Cameron and Future Allison told her much the same story. She didn't believe Future Allison lied to her.

Future John was fearful for his life right now, but he didn't run or try to fight. He wouldn't have even tried to stop her if she tried to terminate him. It was his way to prove his love, even if it killed him.

"You don't see me trying to leave or get away right now do you?" Future John asked. "I've told you what I know and what I've done, or what I haven't done in regards to you."

Cameron could see the same thing. It was the Future John she wanted to remember.

"I'm sorry, John." Cameron said. "You're a good man."

Cameron started to cry. Future John took her in his arms and held her. Cameron never cried before he sent her away. He realized, even more than his 'Cameron', how much Cameron evolved. She was so much like his Allison now…. Cameron was like a REAL woman. She wasn't the blank faced, stone cold killer cyborg he sent to protect his mother and his younger self. She was like a mechanical human at this point.

He heard the story from his Cameron about how Cameron thought she was his Allison before and was human. She didn't even know she was a cyborg at that point. She believed she was Allison. He could see the longer she stayed in the future, the more she tore herself apart inside. She did more than enough. She did more than anyone even thought possible. He wished she could see how special she was.

He really wished Young Savannah was still there. He saw how Cameron interacted with her. It was never in a sexual way. It was always a loving friendship. She needed to return to where those who loved her the most waited for her to come back. He was sure there was something else which occurred during the battle against the Skynet attack on the base.

"Cameron, I want you to return to John, your husband." Future John said. "This isn't your fight any more. I heard about your 'friend'. I'm sorry she was destroyed."

Cameron turned and faced Future John. There was anguish and remorse written all over her face. She looked devastated. Guilt haunted her. It ate away at her. It slowly devoured her.

Future John could see it all now so clearly.

Cameron needed to try and explain what happened. It wasn't her fault, but somehow it was. It was still her program which did it.

"I did it to her, John. I DID IT to her. I ruined her. I loved her, John, and I destroyed her." Cameron said. "It was my program which controlled her when it happened. She begged me to terminate her. John, she begged me. She loved me and she begged me to finish her. She said if I ever loved her, I would do it for her, terminate her. I couldn't do it. It should have been me who ended up looking like she did. It was terrible to see. It was worse to know somehow it was all my fault."

Cameron now cried uncontrollably. She knew there were several options for Holly. She didn't know what happened, if anything. Holly may have chosen self termination upon reactivation. The real problem now was she didn't know Holly was returned to her timeline undamaged, and in perfect condition through 'temporal management'…. In reality, nothing ever happened to Holly. The trouble was in her mind. There was plenty of it happening in there. She was tearing herself apart with it.

As Future John held Cameron he knew he wanted HER even more. She was the most special loving and caring person he ever knew. All she did was try to help others and do things for them. She thought of everyone before herself. In combat there was no one like her. She was fearless and always carried the assault to a successful conclusion. She never hesitated to take damage meant for someone else. Cameron led the fight, she took all the risks herself. It was apparent she took as much emotional damage as she did physical damage over the years.

Cameron regained her composure. Future John saw the 'very scary robot' Terminator reappear before his eyes and then she smiled. It took him by surprise.

She slowly reached out and lovingly touched Future John's cheek. He slowly lifted his hand and placed it over hers to hold it there.

"Thank you for listening." Cameron said. "I apologize for my earlier behavior and emotional outburst."

Future John REALLY wanted Cameron more than ever.

"Don't worry about it." Future John said. "We all have problems at times. Nobody is perfect."

Cameron wasn't ashamed of her outburst and reaction to everything. It was real. It was what she felt. She was only concerned about how Future John would take it. Maybe Future John could understand her better now. The time for self pity was over. There was a mission to carry out. The enemy was still out there. She intended to find it and deal with it.

"I have a date with Skynet and I don't like to keep anyone waiting." Cameron said. "Let's go."

Future John was unsure of everything he just witnessed. If he hadn't been there and been a part of it, he wouldn't have believed it. His 'Cameron' and Cameron may be physically identical, but Cameron was even more advanced than his 'Cameron'. He was sure it was the fact she was 'older' than her Duplicate. She experienced more things. He knew they updated files, but he was sure Cameron didn't update 'everything'. He would bet there were traumatic events she didn't want her other selves to have. She didn't want them to have the same pain. It was very understandable. Her Duplicates were her. Why would she want to hurt them? It appeared she only wanted to hurt herself.

He knew Skynet was doomed now. Cameron would terminate it. There was no doubt. Cameron could do anything to destroy it. He didn't know Cameron would do anything as well, even if it meant her own termination.

Future John didn't know how far she was willing to go to do it, or he would have tried to stop her. They all would have. Cameron was committed to the termination of Skynet, even if she perished achieving her goal.

Cameron took comfort to know 'a Cameron' would take her place at John's side in the past. John would never know she perished in the future, her future, where she belonged. There was one thing she planned to do and it was to take Skynet with her. She was home now and never leaving…. She just KNEW it.

She heard the saying, 'all good things come to an end'. She could understand the 'end' part of the statement. Where was the 'good' part of it?

Closing monologue by Cameron:

Talk

When one goes out
For a good time or even a walk
People begin to wonder and judge
As they take mental stock

Many people glance or look
Some will stare and gawk
Others zoom in with sharp vision
Like a keen eyed hawk

There is no easy way
Their many thoughts to block
Whatever they're thinking
Is probably just a crock

The many nosy viewers
Stand ready to instantly mock
Whatever nonsense they utter
Is nothing more than schlock

That's the gossip from the mob
Like birds of a feather together they flock
It seems to be one big 'whine-a-thon'
All they do is yak and squawk

Watch out for a verbal rock
With words they can sock
A few may even try to knock
Always remember talk is just talk

Nobody