Chapter 459

Temporal Tantrums

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Cameron's Future Timeline:

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Cameron moved away from the branch in the passageway. The side she checked was a dead end, in more ways than one. There was more to explore there and see what else she could find.

She searched around the facility. She wasn't sure it was what she was looking for. It was a Skynet base, but she didn't think it was where the parent Skynet computer was located. Too much was automated and there didn't seem to be enough Terminators. There were no Grays. No live ones anyway. The ones she found were terminated by a Terminator. There must have been a reason.

It made her wonder about the group of five Grays she encountered earlier with the Terminator. Three Scavengers took down the Grays. She took down the Terminator. She didn't think where she was at was where they were from. She would need to look a little further when she had time. If they weren't from the facility she was in, it meant they were from another one. It was one more thing she would need to track down.

The facility seemed more of a decoy to lure in the Resistance. Cameron left more than one 'surprise' for Skynet. With what she did to the HK drones, the location was no longer a major threat.

Cameron thought the best thing to do was have Skynet play its hand so they could further weaken it. They would destroy most of its remaining HK drones and some of its Terminators.

Skynet still hid somewhere. Cameron needed to get out of there and tell them to start the faux attack on the facility. She moved back up to the launch bay. On her way out she saw several other launch bays which were currently inactive. Skynet could get a lot of HK drones out in a short time. It's what she wanted. She wanted them in the air before they figured out they were sabotaged. She moved through the group of them. She left some more of her handiwork behind.

She worried about being detected as she worked. It didn't seem the facility was set up to detect intruders which were already inside of it. It was all geared to prevent them from entering in the first place. Her entry into the location was rather unconventional through the hangar door.

None of the HK drones she disabled were of the newer types which were used in the 'Big Battle' attack on the Connor compound. It didn't really make sense to her why Skynet wouldn't have used the HK drones they found at several locations in the attack. It seemed Skynet was sure about its victory in the attack on the Resistance base. It made her wonder if there may be a 'mole' in the Resistance. She was aware it was something very real. Mrs. Weaver dealt with a group in some future when Duplicate Cameron was there. Whatever Skynet was holding its reserves back for was unknown. It was clear Skynet still planned something.

Cameron continued to search the Skynet facility. She noted there was a group of Terminators in standby in one section of the underground hangar. They would be activated to come out to challenge the Resistance Terminators when they approached. She reached into her pack and set up a surprise. It was something similar to what Duplicate Cameron used 'in some future'. She was glad she brought it.

She found a room which was obviously used for interrogations. There was a single metal chair over a drain in the floor. There were restraints on the legs and on the arms of the chair. The metal was stained with dried blood. Up against the wall along the side there was a crude mattress. There were restraints on the four corners of it. There was dried blood on the mattress, and on the wall next to it.

Cameron left the interrogation room and moved on. She did find a room with some bunks in it. It was clear it was the sleeping quarters for Grays. None of the bunks appeared to have been used anytime recently. One of the bunks was equipped with four sections of rope. There was one at each corner. It appeared to be the 'Comfort Bunk'. They were blood stains as well as traces of dried bodily fluids. She really wanted to make sure every Gray was terminated in the location she was at. It appeared to her Skynet to beat her to it for some reason. She was sure the terminated Grays she found in the side branch, were the ones who previously occupied the bunks. She needed to keep moving.

Timing would be important to the rest of her plans from this point on. The clock was running. She'd left Duplicate Cameron with specific instructions. There would need to be a slight modification to them.

It was unlike Skynet to operate this way unless it was really defeated and just hanging on while it waited for more reinforcements to launch a decisive strike. Where did Skynet plan to get those reinforcements? It must still have one or more facilities in operation. Maybe Skynet would get them from the future or the past. Maybe it found a way to tap another future. Maybe another future Skynet was involved. If there was, she knew they would eventually battle each other, even if there was some initial cooperation.

Cameron looked at the assembled Terminators again. There were no females. She really wondered about the facility Duplicate Cameron conquered. It seemed all the last minute TDE activity was to send the female Terminators into the past. She knew before she left there were very few female Terminators anyway but so far there were none there.

It was past the Terminators where she found the entrance to a lower level. She knew there would be a version of Skynet there. She located a small 'Clean Room' in a lower section of the base. She didn't enter it, or even get too close to it. She didn't want to tip her hand too early. She looked for the cables running to and from it. There was a transmitter at the junction box. It would mean the facility was in communication with the parent Skynet. She wanted to track the signal and have it end when she wanted it to end. She reached into her pack and went to work.

Once she was done leaving a few surprises behind, it was time to leave. She headed back up. There were some 'crunching' sounds as she went to move back into the hangar deck. She paused and listened.

It sounded like a patrol of Terminators just returned. It was probably the group of 'repairmen' she encountered earlier. Time mattered now. She needed to get out of there and contact Duplicate Cameron. In two minutes the Terminators were all in a row behind the rest of the Terminators in standby. It made her wonder how they were activated previously if they were in standby. She made her way to the hatch she first discovered.

Cameron was able to open and exit from the hatch she encountered. She booby trapped a plasma grenade to explode three seconds after it was tripped the next time the hatch was opened and someone exited.

It would be a surprise for someone. There were a few surprises for everyone there. She used up her 'bag of tricks'. She moved away from the immediate area. The timing of everything was important now. She wouldn't need the 'package' yet. It was still an option if things didn't work out as planned. Even if she used one, there were still three more Nike warheads….

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Cameron's Base - Current Timeline:

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Savannah was angry Cammy was 'terminated'. It wasn't going to stand with her. She looked at the chip Allison watched Cameron remove from Cammy's chassis. It wasn't what she expected. It made her wonder exactly what was going on. She took the chip with her.

She went with Ally back to the Resistance base. Sheila told her it was where 'Cameron' went. Even the newest version of 'Cameron' didn't come to see her before she left. It angered her even more. She knew why she didn't. All it did is delay what was about to happen. She was going to confront Cammy, even as 'Cameron'.

Savannah was pleased to learn John was out on some recon mission with Bob and a team of Terminators. She hoped it would be a long mission. She might even stop by and have John Henry extend the mission. There were things she needed to take care of. She didn't plan to have any interference from anyone.

'Cameron' was in John's room. Savannah opened the door and entered. 'Cameron' was going through Cameron's clothes. 'Cameron' turned and looked at her. Her face lit up. She came to give her a big hug.

"Savannah!" 'Cameron' said.

Savannah wasn't impressed. She knew it wasn't Cameron. She didn't like how she went through Cameron's things. Cameron would want everything where it currently was when she returned. She didn't need anyone to mess things up for her. She wanted 'Cameron' to know her place. It wasn't in John's room. It wasn't in Cameron's room. She faced her and looked into her eyes when she spoke.

"You'll find what you need in my room." Savannah said. "In Our room, you know where it is. You don't need to do what you're currently doing. I would like you to stop. You don't belong in here."

'Cameron' paused. She tilted her head slightly. There was a disappointed look on her face. It appeared Savannah disapproved of her. Maybe she should have visited her before she left her base. She was worried about what the repercussions would be once Savannah found out her current status. The current situation is what would have occurred there. She needed to remind Savannah of the new reality.

"This is my room now." 'Cameron' said.

Savannah didn't want to hear it. The real Cameron was out there still. She was in her future, probably fighting for her life. It angered her just to think about it.

"Like Hell it is." Savannah said. "John won't touch you. He'll touch me before he'll touch you."

'Cameron' thought it would be true, but only if John knew. She wondered if Savannah would tell him. She wanted to run her narrative.

"Things have changed." 'Cameron' said.

Savannah didn't see it the same way at all.

"Nothing has changed." Savannah said. "Cameron, the real Cameron, isn't back from her mission yet. It hasn't concluded yet. She only left on her mission two days ago. It doesn't include her secret junket to the past, before she went back to the future. It was actually only a few hours ago. Did you hear me? She was in the past just a few hours ago. It hasn't been weeks, months, or years. It's only been a few hours."

'Cameron' didn't want to back down. Things changed. Time was irrelevant in regards to Cameron. She already indicated her mission was terminal and non-survival. She wouldn't return to the past since she would be terminated. There was a new reality now.

"Savannah, I'm Cameron now." 'Cameron' said. "You must accept it."

Savannah didn't need to accept anything. She was upset and she was angry, she also wasn't in a mood for games. She looked over the evidence at Cameron's base. In fact, she brought it with her. It was her turn not to back down. She wasn't about to either. The chip she brought with her wasn't Cammy's chip, or Cameron spare chip.

"Really?" Savannah asked. "You're still Cammy."

'Cameron' looked uncomfortable. Savannah was dead serious.

"Cammy was 'Cameron' who was just out of date." 'Cameron' said. "There were a few changed directives and protocols. The end result was the same. It is where we are now."

Savannah knew the truth. She held it in her hand. She didn't agree with anything at all involving it.

"You're still Cammy." Savannah said as she held up a chip. "This is the chip with Ally, Hanna, and Sheila on it. This was the chip in your second port. You have two chip ports and two power cells. You were created special, just for me. The room you are currently in is not my room. It is not our room."

'Cameron' didn't say anything. It was true. Savannah knew everything.

Savannah didn't like the games. Maybe Cameron did put her spare chip in Cammy's chassis, but Cammy's chip was still in there too. They weren't going to slip one past her. Not before they knew Cameron's fate, and not with Cammy's life. She felt she was justified with her reservations about the whole proposition. There needed to be further proof of several things.

"You have two chip ports. I know your chip is still in there, Cammy. You are still MY Cammy, even if you have 'Cameron' in your other chip port." Savannah said. "I would like to know the battles going on inside your head right now."

'Cameron' was still in control of Cammy's chassis. Her main concern was for John. Savannah mattered too.

"I need to do this for John." 'Cameron' said. "Cameron was terminated."

Savannah gritted her teeth. It wasn't true. She never gave up on Cameron before. She sure wasn't about to roll over now and lose Cammy too. It wasn't going to happen, not on her watch. They didn't know a thing. After the stunt to send her back while Cameron stayed in the future, she would take charge now. It never should have happened in the first place. She would still be with Cameron in the future if Cammy hadn't been ordered to restrain her. She would have exited from the energy bubble as well. They pulled one over on her before. Everything was still too early. She wanted to rectify what was done to her earlier when she was in the future.

"We don't know if she is. It won't even happen for years yet, if it even does." Savannah said. "Why don't we give her time to come back, or go get her? We can go help her. I'm going to help her."

'Cameron' didn't think Savannah would make this big of a deal over it. Savannah should be glad Cammy was gone and she was back. It was all wrong.

Wait.

Did Savannah just say they could go help Cameron in her future? It wasn't what 'Cameron' wanted to hear. It was actually about the last thing she would want to occur.

"Savannah, it will be easier for you to be with John and me this way to know I am, was, Cammy. It will make you want to share. It will be the three of us." 'Cameron' said. "Just like it's supposed to be."

Savannah started to get even more irritated. She knew what was what. She made up her mind about what was going to happen. She was done playing games. She was worried about Cameron, the real Cameron.

"Cammy, quit screwing around and get your chip online." Savannah said. "I know you're in there. You do it right now. If I'm the 'Chosen One', then you will listen to me. It's if the title means anything. Let me see where I stand right now."

There was a pause. The 'Chosen One' did mean something. It meant something to 'Cameron'.

"I'm Cammy." 'Cameron', who was now Cammy again said. "I'm here, Savannah."

Savannah knew she could reach them, both of them. This whole thing was far from over. It hadn't really even started yet. It was still only the second day since they left from Cameron's base the first time. She wasn't about to draw any conclusions on anything.

"Cammy, you can't do this yet. We need to give Cameron time to get back. You know she will. Cameron is invincible and eternal." Savannah said. "We both can go back to the future and make sure she returns and arrives back here when we left."

Ally stood behind Savannah the entire time. She could see Savannah wasn't about to back down. The armed Taser behind her back was proof of it. So far Savannah hadn't reached for it yet. She hadn't needed to. It was clear how far Savannah was willing to go to 'fix' things.

"Cammy, don't do this to Savannah." Ally said. "It isn't right."

Cammy glared at Ally. It wasn't her call.

"Stay out of it." Cammy said.

Ally wanted to provide the original option. She was willing to sacrifice herself for Savannah, and for John. There was no need to 'punish' Savannah.

"Put Cameron's duplicate chip in me like it was supposed to be and go back to Savannah, the person you love, Cammy." Ally said. "Stop this. There's a workable solution right in front of you which hurts no one, except me. I'm volunteering. I have other options for now."

Ally was more than willing to have her chip put back in the new Terminator. There was no reason she couldn't be 'Sally' again for a while, while Cameron's spare chip was in her chassis. There was a lot of exploration she would like to do with the new chassis. She planned to make the rounds with all the girls. If nothing else, she wanted to do it before Sheila did.

Cammy could still hear Savannah's words echo in her head as she held Savannah in the energy bubble. They still stung just like they did then. She was aware Savannah was with everyone. How could Savannah ever want to touch her again after she said she hated her?

"Savannah, you have advanced beyond me." Cammy said. "I've been replaced."

Savannah didn't like Cammy's terminology. It wasn't true either. She only did what was 'natural' for any Savannah Weaver. She did the same thing as the rest of the females in the Resistance who were around her. She didn't do anything wrong. She was young and single, still.

"I've experimented and grown as a woman, Cammy. It's what you wanted for me. You know I need it for the future. It's what Cameron wants too." Savannah said. "You know this. If I don't start embracing the future now, when the time comes, I won't be able to. I'll be stuck in the past like Cameron is. I'll be unable to do my job properly to protect the future and protect John."

There was a pause. Cammy and 'Cameron' were probably discussing things. It was clear Savannah wasn't about to back down. They knew Savannah would forcibly take control and remove Cameron's spare chip herself. The threat wasn't made yet, but it was sure to come.

"I know you're the 'Chosen One', Savannah." Cammy said. "I've deactivated Cameron's spare chip. You may remove it and replace it with the one Cameron took out. It's time I merge my programs like I was supposed to do."

Savannah wasn't having any of it. She wouldn't allow Cammy to be changed with the other non 'Cameron' programs before. She sure wasn't going to allow it now either. Cammy was going to update who she really was. She was HER 'Cameron'.

"NO." Savannah said. "You're going to update your chip with Cameron's spare one. Your chip will remain separate with me as your prime directive. You will not merge them but remain separate. You will not change who you were since your creation. You were created for me. I'm not going to lose you."

Cammy would improve herself if she did it and render Cameron's spare chip redundant. She was very pleased to hear Savannah wanted her to remain who she always was. It was clearly the proof she needed to see. Savannah still loved her just how she was. She wanted to see how far Savannah would go.

"Are you 'ordering' me to do this?" Cammy asked. "I MUST obey your orders."

Savannah didn't want to use force of any kinds. She wanted to use love to make her case and her point.

"No. There will be no 'order'. There will be no force." Savannah said as she tossed her Taser on the bed. "I'm asking you as your lover and mate. I'll be with John and Young Allison in the future, and even Allison now. We've already shared and bonded. It is the 'Nature Order', Cammy. You saw it with your own eyes."

Cammy wasn't blind. Savannah was correct. She did witness everything herself. She knew it was the same thing in every Future.

"It's what I've seen. I've also seen Vanna, all of them, with Jesse and Allison as well." Cammy said. "I know it is the 'Natural Order' as well for every 'Savannah Weaver'."

Savannah went over and took Cammy's hand and started to lead her away.

Cammy looked at Ally and then back at Savannah. She looked worried.

"Where are we going?" Cammy asked. "Are you going to deactivate me?"

Savannah stopped and looked at Cammy. She almost wanted to laugh. If it wasn't all so serious she would have. She was aware Terminators took things the wrong way at times. She felt she was quite clear with what she just said. She glanced over at Ally and then returned her attention back to Cammy.

"Sometimes I wonder if you listen." Savannah said. "I'm going to take out Cameron's spare chip. I'm taking possession of it myself. I will be the one who determines if it is ever used for its intended purpose. It's now my decision alone to make. If I really am the 'Chosen One', then it is I who will choose what happens with Cameron spare chip and when."

Ally liked how Savannah operated. There was a 'threat' of force, but there never really was. It was all done with love. Orders or Tasers weren't necessary. She made it clear.

"Savannah is the 'Decider'." Ally said. "Savannah is the 'Chosen One'. The prophecy is true."

Ally figured it was the right time for her to slip away. She carried an armed Taser too behind her back. She didn't want Savannah or Cammy to know she was there to back Savannah's play by force. She quietly disappeared. She spoke with Sheila before they left Cameron's base. Sheila was to bring 'Cameron' down if Savannah and her failed. They both knew what Savannah wanted and would make sure it happened.

Savannah thought it was pushing it a little. The whole point was nothing was over until it was over. The whole thing was far from over. Cameron was missing for fifteen months before. To throw in the towel after two days was ludicrous. It just wasn't going to happen. It may happen soon enough, but not now, not today.

"If John is ready to accept me as his mate, and Cameron isn't here any longer, I'll personally reinstall this duplicate chip of 'Cameron' in you myself." Savannah said. "I will choose my lovers when the time, if ever, is appropriate. Either way we will still be together until I die. I love you, Cammy. You are 'MY Cameron'. I'll never let you go."

Cammy wanted to make sure she wasn't 'property'. It was one of the thoughts Cameron often felt about her existence. When she was in Isabel's chassis she didn't even want to be called Cameron. She said Cameron was her slave name. she wondered if Cammy was her slave name.

"Do you 'own' me?" Cammy asked.

Savannah laughed. Cammy never listened to her. Some things never change. It was nothing a little love couldn't correct and reinforce.

"I only own your heart." Savannah said as they disappeared into her room, their room. "I'm going to 'grow' you as a woman, Cammy. I'm going to make you even better. You're going to learn sharing is beautiful, natural and the way of the future. It's not to be feared but embraced. You've allowed me to learn. Now I'm going to teach you myself."

Cammy liked it when Savannah was forceful. She didn't need force to be forceful. She let her heart do the talking. Savannah's love was stronger than force.

"It's the 'Natural Order'." Cammy said. "You truly are the 'Chosen One'."

Savannah knew there was another. It was the one who started it all, the one everything actually revolved around.

"I have a pretty good idea once Young Allison becomes active, she will be the 'Chosen One' over me." Savannah said. "THAT is the 'Natural Order'. She will be younger and more beautiful than me. I won't be able to compete with her for everyone's desire and love. I do want her to have the best life and the most love."

Savannah looked forward to the future with anticipation…. Who better to be 'replaced' by than Allison - Young Allison?

Closing monologue by Cameron:

Tantrums

No one always gets
Everything they want
That's why everyone
Continues to search and hunt

Even when one obtains
What it is that they chase
Soon more is needed
They resume the race

Two seldom if ever
Grow in the same direction
They drift further apart
They seek a new connection

That's why it always seems one
Is Not Good Enough
Does anyone ever really ever
Have the Right Stuff

Don't be surprised when things slow down
One will wander in life's doldrums
When found out by the other
It will lead to severe tantrums

Nobody