Chapter 610

I Got One

Savannah didn't like being in a pinch. It seemed to be where they were right now. There was a vehicle closing in on them from behind and one headed towards them. She needed to protect something very precious to her.

"Allison, get down on the floor." Savannah said. "Do it - NOW."

Young Allison was going to protest but she could see the seriousness of the unfolding events. The SUV was armored, but it was strongest below the windows.

Anna held the M79. She knew it was time to act. She put her side window down and leaned out along the side a little. She faced towards the rear of the vehicle. She didn't want to become a target, but she wanted to score a hit. She fired the Thumper behind them. The HE round was right on target.

The round exploded through the front window of the trailing vehicle. The windows blew out, along with a small fireball out of the side windows. The trailing vehicle swerved violently and abruptly. It turned sharply to the driver's side. Its high speed and forward momentum caused the now sideways vehicle to continue its forward trek. It rolled over several times. Objects and bodies could be seen flying from it as it rolled over and over. The front end caught a rock along the side of the road and the vehicle flipped end over end as a spectacular finale. Steam and smoke blanketed the rocking remains as it landed on its rooftop and spun around slowly for half of a turn. One of the wheels continued to spin.

Young Allison peeked up over the back seat to look behind them at the carnage. She saw it all. It looked even more dramatic than some of the movie scenes she viewed before. She saw one body was half out the side window after the second roll and smashed into the ground for the third roll before it flew free. She saw a leg come off of it. It was like some 'creepy for real' video game, or an extremely 'R' rated movie.

Savannah didn't want Young Allison exposed to the death and violence. It was front and center right now. It was the world the Resistance lived in to keep Skynet from taking over.

"Stay down, Allison." Savannah said. "There are people dying violently. This is how it is on a combat mission. It could be much worse than this."

Young Allison wondered if Savannah indicated it could happen to them. She knew it could.

Savannah felt it was a lot more violent and extreme when it happened right in front of a person. Being in a moving vehicle put some space between the actual events as they occurred. On more than one occasion there was blood on her from someone she needed to kill. It wasn't a pleasant experience. She figured it was better if it was the enemy's blood on her rather than her own.

Young Allison was aware a lot of Grays died on Resistance operations. She witnessed it all before from body cam images, Terminator visual files, and drone footage. She just never was so close to see it with her own eyes. It didn't faze her. The enemy came after them. The enemy tried to attack Cammy.

"As long as it's the enemy, it doesn't matter." Young Allison said. "They're the ones trying to destroy the world. We're the ones trying to save it."

Savannah looked at Young Allison. She could see she meant it. She knew Cameron taught her early on they were in a war and people died in wars. Machines were destroyed as well. It was a cruel and ugly business. It was clear Young Allison was given the same indoctrination.

She didn't want it to seem like they were death merchants, even if they dealt in death. It was just part of the job. They were the ones who needed to stop Skynet. When Skynet stopped trying to take control, the war would stop. As long as they continue to try to gain control, the war would go on. Mankind would never surrender to the machines which propagated destruction. If Skynet destroyed everything of value or usefulness in the world, what was the point? Was it only to exist in squalor and rubble? She really thought Skynet needed to rethink things.

Cameron sped into the Skynet jamming zone. She was just glad all the vehicles still operated and she did too. It wasn't an EMP based system. Not yet anyway. Skynet would be just as affected as the Resistance would. Even if it was only humans against humans, the Resistance would win in the end. The Grays would need to figure out at some point Skynet would no longer need them. It would view them as a liability and terminate all of them.

She was a little surprised at what happened next. An unidentified vehicle turned off the dirt road she saw on the satellite maps in a cloud of dust and dirt. It was in front of her. They didn't give any indication they spotted her. If they would have, they would have waited for her to pass. They seemed focused on going in the direction all the other vehicles were traveling. She wasn't close enough to engage it. She pushed her SUV and gained on it.

Cameron noted fired brass on the road now as well. It meant the girls must be 'mixing it up' with hostile forces. It couldn't be good in any respect. She didn't know if it was Cammy, or the vehicle with Savannah and Young Allison in it.

She drew her Glock. She thought about firing at the vehicle in front of her to get its attention. It might stop its pursuit and turn its attention to her. She could take the heat for Savannah's team or Cammy.

As Cameron gained on the vehicle she saw the windows blow out of it from an explosion inside of it. It was followed by a fireball at the same time. She heard the distinct sound of a Thumper at nearly the same time. She didn't see the vehicle it was fired from because of the curves. She figured it was Savannah's team. She didn't think Cammy could get to a grenade launcher while she was driving. She may have. She could have prepared in advance, or at the first indication something was off where she was at.

The vehicle swerved sharply to the left. It rolled over several times. As it rolled, she saw bodies, parts of bodies, and weapons fly out. The vehicle rolled three times before she was able to see one of the Resistance SUVs ahead of it. The rolling vehicle hit a rock along the side of the road and flipped once before it stopped its forward trajectory. It was actually quite spectacular. It landed on its roof and spun half of a turn.

Cameron aimed her Glock and fired into two mostly intact bodies as she drove through the debris. Her SUV bumped over two partial bodies. It was what she aimed for. They were all most likely dead before her actions. They were for sure now. She wasn't sure if anyone was left alive inside of the destroyed vehicle or not. It seemed unlikely. She saw on front tire was still spinning as she passed.

She closed up on the SUV in front of her. It should be the one Savannah and Young Allison were in. She hoped they realized it was her before they fired another grenade. She flashed her high beams a pattern. It was 'her pattern'. It was what she used in her future to alert the Resistance base.

Cameron started to receive communications again as soon as she cleared the jamming field. She got updates from CamNet, Cammy, and Hanna. They all knew where each other were at. There was still one hostile vehicle between the two groups.

Seconds ago:

Anna loaded another HE round into the Thumper. She was pleased with her marksmanship with the first round into the vehicle behind them.

Savannah glanced back at the bodies and body parts as they spilled out of the rolling vehicle before the final flip and upside down landing.

Hanna kept one eye on the road and one on eye on her rear view mirror.

"There is another SUV behind the vehicle which rolled." Hanna said.

Savannah knew the vehicle headed towards them would be face to face with them in seconds. They needed to divide the targets. She put down her side window. She was better suited to engage the vehicle closing on them

"I'll take the one behind us." Savannah said. "Anna, take the one approaching us. Stay down, Allison. Cover your ears. It's going to get loud in here."

Young Allison already put in a set of earplugs to help deaden the sound. She saw Savannah did as well. She knew there was still a lot of concussive force when a firearm was fired in an enclosed space, especially a small one. It was also very loud because the sound didn't have anywhere to go except back in the direction it came from.

Savannah leaned out some to take aim. She would be better able to get the trailing SUV in the sights of her M4. She didn't have clear identification of exactly who it was yet. If she saw a firearm appear outside of the window, she would immediately open up. So far there was nothing. Her gut feeling told her it was Cameron. They still couldn't communicate with anyone yet. She saw the high beams flash. It was two long flashes, followed by three quick ones. She knew it was Cameron's signal. She was sure it was Cameron. There was no weapon visible yet. She held her trigger finger ready and waited for a positive identification. In seconds her com came to life. Cameron came across the com and said it was her. She immediately turned her attention forward with her M4. It was a target rich environment.

Hanna could see a blind curve ahead. She wanted to try and force the enemy vehicle off of the road. She was sure they would attempt to avoid the impact of a vehicle in front of them. It would be their natural instinct to avoid a head on collision.

"I'm going to stop and block the approaching vehicle." Hanna said.

Cammy wasn't far behind the approaching vehicle. She wasn't exactly sure where Hanna was at. All she knew is they were headed towards each other. She kept up the pressure on the vehicle in front of her.

"I'm closing on it." Cammy reported. "We have them trapped."

Cameron liked Hanna's idea but would take it one step further. She would be the blocking vehicle.

"Hanna, I'm coming around you when you slow." Cameron said. "I'll shield your SUV with mine."

Hanna was ready.

"I'm about to do a hard stop now." Hanna said. "Pass me on my right side."

Hanna stood on the brakes to initiate the roadblock. As their SUV stopped, Cameron's SUV came around the back of them. It slid to a stop sideways in front of them. The road was blocked now.

Hanna and Anna were ready to engage the enemy on foot at Cameron's SUV once Hanna was parked.

"Savannah, take the driver's seat." Hanna said as she exited the SUV. "Be ready to move in a moment's notice."

Hanna wanted to make sure there was immediate mobility in case it was needed. The SUV could be used as a battering ram to get Young Allison out of danger if things went 'south'.

Anna already was out with the Thumper and her M4. Anna joined up with Cameron. She was out of her SUV now as well.

Cameron took the Thumper and bandoleer from Anna, who immediately brought up her M4.

"It's loaded with an HE round." Anna said.

Hanna joined both of them a second later. Her M4 was ready as well.

Savannah scrambled into the driver's seat. She was ready in case she needed to move with Young Allison. The SUV was still running. It was ready to roll if necessary.

She was worried about Young Allison. They were in a fluid and uncontrolled environment right now. She had confidence the Metal girls would hold the line. The next threat was headed towards them head on.

Savannah looked back to make sure Young Allison was still down. She knew there would be bullets flying soon.

The reports into the Command Center from the Terminators on the ground seemed to indicate an extensive force of at least four enemy vehicles. They contained two to four individuals each. There were at least a dozen of them. So far indications were all of them were Grays. The assumption was based on the fact they were all dead.

John was aware of all the Resistance personnel at the scene. It seemed like they would have the upper hand. He did know anything could go wrong at any point.

"I don't know what they've stumbled across." John said. "But this is turning into a major event."

John Henry was aware how the events seemed to unfold. It appeared they disturbed a 'hornet's nest'. There were bound to be more 'hornets'. They were definitely going to have to find where the nest was at.

"It seems likely this is not almost over, but just getting started." John Henry said.

John knew they needed to be ready. It was daylight but he wanted additional support for the troops.

"Send some drones." John said. "It's a fairly remote location. We'll deal with the repercussions later."

John Henry already dispatched two drones seconds ago because of the number of vehicles involved. He was sure there would be more. He was also worried about something else. It was HK drones.

"I already have two on the way." John Henry said. "Two more are just leaving."

It looked like it would turn into a 'maximum effort' event.

"Get everyone on alert." John said. "The scope is going to keep getting bigger. We need to worry about Skynet Terminators as well as HK drones."

Holly received the alert. She immediately went to Allison.

"There's an alert." Holly said. "It appears to be an expanding event. We will most likely need to go to the bunker. I don't know what all is involved yet."

Allison understood the implications. She wanted to get everyone as calmly as possible.

"Let's get Summer and my mother." Allison said. "I want everything to be downplayed for both of them. At least until we know more."

They went to Claire. She was upset instantly. One of her girls was out there somewhere.

"What about Allison?" Claire asked. "She's out with Savannah, Anna, and Hanna."

Allison didn't know where Young Allison and the others were currently at, but two Terminators with them was a force to be reckoned with.

"I think Allison will be safe as possible, Mom." Allison said. "Hanna, Anna, and Savannah are pretty safe company to be with."

Claire took out her phone. She wanted to make sure she was safe. She wanted to know where she was at.

"I'm going to call her." Claire said.

Holly received more information from CamNet. It didn't look promising. A call seemed like a really bad idea right now. It was going to complicate things for everyone.

"Wait." Holly said. "They're going to have to deal with enough things. We should keep all the lines open for an emergency. It's times like these when you need to think of the bigger picture. It's just the way it works. It's never about any of us as individuals. It needs to be a team effort. When it's not a team effort, it will be Cameron by herself. It's time the team takes some of the heat for Cameron."

Claire lowered her phone. She could picture what it would be like if everyone started to call all of those they were concerned about. Everyone's phone would be tied up in seconds.

Allison wasn't sure if Holly's explanation was the best one to use. What Holly said was logical and the way it worked. It was the way of the future. She tried to calm her mother. She didn't know if anything she added would help or make it worse for her. Hanna was out there as well. She understood her mother's concern for one daughter and her lover.

"You know they'd all die first before they let anything happen to Allison." Allison said. "We both would too, Mom, as well as Holly. Allison will be as protected as possible with those she is with."

Claire wondered how serious things would become. She looked at Summer and the bunker entrance.

"Should we go to the bunker?" Claire asked. "Isn't it what we did last time?"

Claire realized it was just yesterday. She wondered if it was going to become an everyday occurrence. It made sense to her now why there were living quarters connected to the bunker all underground. She wondered how long they could survive down there.

Holly cringed a little after the most recent update from CamNet.

"We can, but let's wait to see if the alert becomes critical." Holly said. "The current situation is a little different so far."

Holly didn't want them to view the monitors and what was really happening. She was now aware Young Allison was right in the middle of it. She felt a glitch impulse. Her left hand started to glitch. She hoped no one noticed. She needed to hold it together.

If things went bad and the Detail, the house, and bunker were compromised, she needed to make a choice. She would need to leave Allison and Claire behind and run with Summer. The glitch impulse increased. She didn't think it would expand into anything so drastic. She hoped not anyway. Right now the event seemed very localized based upon a chance encounter. It wasn't an actual move by Skynet, but a reaction. There was no guarantee the current incident would remain in such a small Geographic area. There was always the worry it might spark something bigger.

Savannah sat waiting behind the wheel of the running SUV. She was ready to drop it into gear if necessary and run. She needed to protect Young Allison as much as possible.

Cameron, Hanna, and Anna all took up firing positions behind Cameron's SUV. There was an enemy vehicle approaching.

She saw Cameron fire the Thumper. Anna and Hanna began to shoot as well. She also noticed Young Allison popped her head up. She still held her Taser in her hand. She understood Young Allison's desire to see what all the shooting was about.

"Stay down." Savannah said. "This isn't over yet."

Savannah turned her attention forward to where Cameron, Hanna, and Anna all just opened up. The target must almost be to them. She knew it wouldn't be able to go far with the sustained gunfire directed at it. She didn't think it would reach their position. Maybe it could. She thought about the vehicle she was in. It was armored and could take a significant amount of small arms fire. What if the enemy vehicle was so equipped? No. Cameron just fired an HE round from the M79.

The Gray's vehicle which turned and ran from the ambush took a hit from the M79 and lost control. Hanna and Anna opened up on it as well. It swerved wildly back and forth. It coasted up on the small hillside next to the road and stalled. It was a flaming wreck.

Young Allison wanted to take another look. She wanted to check the area around them. She popped her head up and looked behind them. Her eyes widened in realization of what she observed.

"Savannah!" Young Allison said. "Behind us, it's a Terminator."

The pursuing vehicle behind the flaming wreck began to honk its horn. Cammy attempted to warn them. She spotted the threat too.

"There's a Terminator behind Savannah." Cammy said.

Savannah glanced back in the side view mirror. There was a Terminator rapidly approaching on her side. She could see he was bloody and most of his left arm was missing. There was metal showing on his face as well. He was right on top of them. His right arm was about to reach through her window.

The window was lowered earlier by Hanna so she could engage a target. She left her window down as well when she was prepared to shoot at the vehicle which came from behind the wrecked SUV. It turned out it was Cameron. The integrity of the armored SUV was compromised with two open windows. It wouldn't really matter in the long run. A Terminator would be able to smash through it very quickly.

Savannah held her M4. There were only moments to act. She grabbed for her Taser. She knew she wasn't going to get it up in time….

She knew she was inattentive about what was around and behind her. She was watching the action in front of her and not paying attention to everything as she should have been. She should have been watching behind her as well. It was clearly a case of 'target fixation'. Cammy saw the threat as she approached and warned them.

Young Allison was the one who saw it first.

Seconds ago:

Cammy closed up on the fleeing Gray vehicle when she saw the interior of it explode. She knew Cameron, or one of the girls, hit it with an HE round. She watched the vehicle do its crazy dance and end as a flaming wreck stalled on the side of the small hill. The passenger door opened and a burning body fell half out of the door at an angle and stayed there. The arms moved once, but it was all.

In the distance behind Cameron's SUV, and the one parked behind it, she spied a figure moving down the road. She could see the exposed metal on it and the missing arm. It was almost to the SUV that Young Allison and Savannah were in. Cammy blew her horn several times.

"There's a Terminator behind Savannah." Cammy said.

Cameron, Hanna and Anna all started to turn around. They saw the Terminator was about to grab Savannah as they raised their weapons. They weren't going to make it before he grabbed her. He was right on top of her.

Savannah used her agility and dodged away from the mostly metal hand which reached in for her in the initial grab.

She managed to pull her Taser and went to fire.

The mostly metal hand made a second grab for her. It reached for her leg. She knew her leg would be crushed if it got her.

There was the distinct 'ZAP' of a Taser being fired. There was another 'ZAP'. She heard it fire two times, even before she fired her Taser. Hers was a third 'ZAP'.

Young Allison saw the threat for what it was. She rose up as she fired her Taser. She struck the Terminator two times. His body crashed forward into the SUV door. She could feel the SUV rock from side to side a little more than she thought it would. She heard another Taser fire. The Terminator fell like a rock to the ground.

Cammy's SUV screeched to a stop next to Savannah's SUV at the same time.

Cameron and the girls lowered their weapons. Cameron told Hanna and Anna to go check the burning wreck on the hillside for any more 'surprises'. One was enough for now.

Cammy jumped out of her SUV. Cameron and her arrived at Savannah's SUV at the same time. They both saw it was Young Allison who used her Taser and stopped the Terminator first.

Savannah and Young Allison both climbed out on the passenger side as Cameron and Cammy moved around to the Terminator on the driver's side.

Savannah knew the extra second where Young Allison acted first made the difference.

"Thanks, Allison." Savannah said. "It was close. You saved me."

Savannah knew Young Allison already held her Taser armed in her hand ever since a threat was determined. It paid off. She didn't think it was going to be necessary. It turned out it was.

Young Allison was pumped with adrenaline. She didn't think it was a big deal. She thought maybe she should have acted sooner. She needed to get a clean shot. She was happy to see Cameron and Cammy.

"I did what I needed to do, when I needed to do it." Young Allison said. "Hi, Cameron. Hi Cammy."

Savannah's heart pounded. Young Allison seemed to take it all better than she did right now. She was impressed. She was glad the Terminator went after her instead of Young Allison. Either way Young Allison was ready for him.

The sight of the battered and bloody Terminator didn't seem to bother Young Allison. She was ready to do more. There were some things which needed hands on experience to master.

"Let me deactivate him." Young Allison said. "I'll 'Zap' him again and you can tell me what to do. I've seen the video files of it being done, but I've never done it. I know it's harder than it looks."

Cameron grabbed the Terminator's shoe-less foot and drug him out in the open space between the three SUVs.

Anna returned. She waited until Young Allison 'Zapped' him again and then told her what to do. Savannah stood on her other side with her Taser ready. The first time someone went to pull a Terminator's chip usually took longer than anticipated. It was a certain amount of uneven easiness involved with cutting someone's head open, even if it was a machine. It still looked like a person.

Young Allison cut his scalp open after two tries and a few more instructions. Young Allison removed his chip. She just terminated her first Terminator. She couldn't help but feel a sense of victory. It didn't bother her with the knowledge she just ended the existence of a cyborg. She knew if the chassis couldn't be repaired, it would be turned into projectiles.

There were more vehicles approaching them now, from both sides….

The girls all raised their weapons.

It appeared things weren't over yet. The three SUVs were parked in a loose triangle. It reminded Young Allison of a group of circled wagons from a 'wagon train' which was under attack. The girls were in the center of it with targets which just appeared on two sides.

Closing monologue by Cameron:

I Have Tried

I have tried
To crack your shell
To help you escape
A never ending Hell

I have tried
To strengthen your armor
While polishing it to shine
Restore all its interior garner

I have tried
To make you feel special
To praise your existence
To show your value is substantial

I have tried
To convey you matter
That you have meaning and worth
Your beauty is more than flatter

I have tried
To show there can always be a path
A purer better safer way
And taken the wrath

I have tried
From the outside to reach the inside
With all that hurts you I too have died
For your future happiness I have cried

Nobody