Chapter 632

I'm Fine

John Henry kept track of everything. There was now an additional development which looked like it would need further investigation. He followed the movements of the van which let the two men off earlier. It appeared to drive away. It was no longer the case. It seemed to have a new destination.

"John, the drone following the other van shows it's taken a side route." John Henry said. "It's now following the power line maintenance road. It might be inspecting the illegal Skynet power taps which were put into place. It appears to be doubling back towards the mine."

John recognized it for the threat it was. It could be headed for the mine itself. Maybe there was another way out for any Grays and Terminators who were left in there. All communications were jammed, but they could have a contingency plan which went into effect. Maybe they would try to check what happened to the power feed. It was cut by the Resistance. They might even try to bring down a high tension power line.

"We need to send a team to intercept them." John said. "They're up to no good."

Cameron was with her team who were in the mine, plus Bob. They were in three SUVs. They were the closest Resistance team to the area. They were the logical choice to respond.

"We're close." Cameron said. "My team has it covered. We haven't gone far."

John was afraid of what Cameron suggested. It didn't seem like a coincidence. Cameron would put her team back in the danger zone in an instant. What about Savannah? He didn't want to get too specific when he addressed the issue. It was something he felt he needed to mention. Cameron's entire team faced termination multiple times.

"Your team's done enough." John said. "It's time to wrap it up. I can direct another team to go there. You can continue out of the target zone."

Savannah understood John's hesitation. She was sure it was about her. It wasn't the way she wanted things done. She was a Resistance member, just like everyone else. The goal was to stop Skynet. It is what she intended to do. There was risk involved with everything. There would be risk involved with driving back to the Resistance base. They could be involved in a traffic accident. Someone could run a red light. She would make her position clear. They were the group best able to investigate.

"John, we are the closest team." Savannah said. "Our team will respond. It's important we don't allow the Skynet forces to do anything else. We may even be able to find out what their goal actually is. We should try to find out where they came from, if we can."

John cringed at the thought. He was going to try and talk them out of it. He could call in a drone strike at any point in time and destroy the enemy vehicle with a missile. He also needed to think about what Savannah said. What was their mission? Where did they come from?

John Henry could see it for the logical response it was. Under the current circumstances it was the best choice. He wanted John to get past his trepidation.

"They're all armored up and armed." John Henry said. "There are seven Terminators and one skilled Resistance fighter. They have drone support, from multiple drones. We're going to lose the advantage of darkness in a very short time. The drones can still deliver a missile from a higher altitude, even if we do. You need to use your assets to their fullest extent."

John knew it was time to act. They were the closest team. It was a sizable force as well. There were even more Terminators in the area which could be moved there in a relatively short amount of time. More drones could be directed to assist them.

"Cameron, I want your team to proceed with extreme caution. I mean for everyone too." John said. "We don't know what they're doing or what they're up to."

Cameron tilted her head slightly. She was more than a little irritated with his comment. What did John think she did normally?

"I always use caution." Cameron said.

Nobody responded.

Ally followed Bob's SUV. The rest of the team members were behind them in the third SUV.

Cameron looked over at Savannah. She was covered with grim, soot and dirt. Savannah looked back at her. Savannah smiled at her and took her hand and gave it a squeeze.

Cammy reached over and gave Savannah's other hand a squeeze. Savannah turned and smiled at Cammy.

Cameron couldn't help but think about what John said. She understood his warning. It wasn't so much about her as it was about Savannah. Maybe she needed to reconsider what they were about to do. She knew she was pushing Savannah too hard. As soon as Savannah released her hand, it started to glitch. Savannah immediately took it again.

They were all aware of the peril they were in. It was touch and go several times. The experience in the steel tubing was very traumatic for all of them. They were all trapped with no way out. Even a Terminator would rather face a situation where they could fight their way out. Even if they sustained heavy damage, or were terminated in the process, it would have been doing something to respond against the enemy. Trapped under tons of earth was a dead end.

Cameron knew they could go into 'standby' for decades and hope to be located at some point. If not, their power cell would eventually run out and they would be terminated in their 'sleep'. It sounded like a horrible way to be terminated. It would be better to perish in combat. It was a warrior's death. Not to rot away somewhere and fade off into nothing.

Savannah was bothered to see Cameron's hand glitch. She felt it was because of her. She didn't want Cameron to feel like she did. She was there for Cameron. It was what she wanted to do, and where she wanted to be. Nobody made her go there and do the things she did. The things she did were of her own free will.

"It's OK, Cameron." Savannah said. "I'm here by choice. I'm here for you. You're not to worry about me. I'll do my part. You know it. I'm not a Terminator, but I can help hold up my end of the situation fairly well. We're all here to work with each other and support each other. It's the way a team works."

Cameron felt guilty. Savannah did do her part. She did more than her part. She faced nearly as many fatal dangers as she experienced. Maybe some of her own actions were a little extreme at times. She did what needed to be done, when it needed to be done. She watched Savannah do the same thing.

Cammy watched the interaction between Savannah and Cameron. It bothered her. She knew she was only a 'place holder'. She hid her glitching hand between the seat and the door. She understood the future. She witnessed the 'Natural Order' with her own eyes when she visited Cameron's future. She knew she could fight the enemy. She also knew she couldn't fight the future.

She would ask Cameron to integrate their chips and to have her chassis used for the Future Allison clone. Cameron previously suggested they would use 'Fusion' or 'Allure' for her name. She liked 'Allure'. She thought it would be fitting for the allure Future Allison presented and radiated. Both of the names were based on a play of the words and letters which actually made up 'Future Allison'.

Cameron appreciated Savannah's positive attitude and support. She didn't want to get sidetracked in a world of her own thoughts. They were irrelevant right now. Savannah helped remind her they were a team. There were Grays. There was a job to do. It was time they got started. Nothing got done thinking about it.

"How much further will it be until we make contact?" Cameron asked.

John Henry checked the drone images with the satellite map. He saw an opportunity which could give the Resistance team a big advantage.

"I think you can wait and set up an ambush." John Henry said. "It looks like they are coming towards you."

Cameron found it suspicious. Was there another way into the mine? She still hadn't been able to take a good look at everything inside of it. She would really like to know what they were actually up to. She still wondered about the TDE they attempted to construct. She thought about the report how the other opening the two Grays went into was heavily concealed. Perhaps the other Grays were about to do something similar.

"I want to know where they're going." Cameron said. "I want to find out what they're trying to do. They wouldn't be there unless there was a good reason."

John hoped to keep Cameron's team out of combat. They could strike the van at any time.

"We still have the drone on them." John said. "I think it would be best if we use a missile. The Blackhawk can recover the wreckage of the vehicle afterwards and take it to the quarry."

Cameron looked at the eastern horizon again. She wanted to act and have some backup.

"I want to hold off on the missile strike. It will be daylight soon." Cameron said. "Maybe we can have two drones return to the gravel pit and wait as you have the others withdraw. It will still provide us with a quick response if we need it."

John didn't like the implication. It seemed Cameron wanted to send additional personnel away. It was what she normally did so she could take the heat herself. She wasn't alone. Savannah and others were with her.

"As soon as we find out the extent of where the first two Grays went, or what they're doing, we'll know more." John said. "I need to know before we decide."

Cameron wanted to split her team. They could wait while she moved forward. It would keep them out of immediate danger.

"I want Bob's team and Frank's team to wait back where we are now. We will continue alone in case they don't make it this far." Cameron said. "I've experienced too many close ones today. I want to get some better answers. I want to know what everything was about."

John felt they were all too close to the mine. It would be safer if they put some distance between them and the mine. No one knew what was going to happen.

"It still leaves you and the others in close proximity to the mine itself." John said. "What if there's an explosion…."

Cameron didn't need John to second guess her or interfere with anything.

"I'll watch for an energy bubble. Mark our position at this point now." Cameron said. "I have work to do."

John could see Cameron was about to endanger everyone with her. It looked like a bad idea.

"You also have team members to look after." John said. "You need to think about the others too."

John wondered how Savannah must feel after the entire ordeal. John Henry already filled him in on some of what Savannah experienced from the reports of the male Terminators, especially Tom. They would still have the body cam footage to review.

Cameron didn't like John to pressure her to leave before the operation was concluded. There were still loose ends. She made others available for John's 'comfort' if anything happened to her.

"You have many from which to choose…." Cameron said.

John didn't want to get into a discussion about it. It always became heated and tense.

Nobody wanted to go there….

Cameron was ready for some more action. It was all personal to her because of the Skynet attack on them during the rescue operation. She took it as a personal affront. There were a lot of unanswered questions about the things she encountered in the mine. She didn't even know what the extent of the operation was. She wanted to act.

"Look alive girls." Cameron said. "I want some answers."

Cammy knew it all started with her. Her glitching hand was still hidden between the seat and door. She didn't want anyone to see it. Maybe everything was all her fault.

"I want to know how this turned into a major operation from what started as a simple recon." Cammy said. "It was just a 'drive by' to check on some tire tracks."

Savannah knew all the things she looked at inside the mine. There were a lot of things which were ready to be put into play. It appeared to her most of it was incomplete. They severely disrupted Skynet's plans.

"It's good we found the operation." Savannah said. "I don't even want to think how far they would have gotten in a few more weeks."

Cameron wanted to know more about some of the equipment which was ready to be hooked up. It appeared to be the most sophisticated Skynet variant they came across yet. She was sure it was from a further future. It was most likely from a different future. She needed to find out if it was one of the ones they knew about, or a different one they didn't know about. If it was a future they didn't know about, she wanted to know who was in it. Was John in it? What about the girls? What about Mrs. Weaver? What about her?

"I want some answers." Cameron said. "There were many unknown things in the mine."

Savannah wanted Cameron to act freely and not be restrained by her presence. She knew John put indirect pressure on Cameron because of her. It wasn't how she wanted things to play out.

"Do what you need to do." Savannah said. "I understand and I support it. I want you to conduct the operation like you normally do. We need answers."

Sheila listened to everything as it unfolded. She was excited. The prospect of interrogating some Grays always stimulated her. She was very displeased about being able to question more Grays in their search earlier. The last one she went to question experienced a heart attack and died before she could even start on him. She wanted to remind Savannah she could get the answers they needed.

"I'm here, love." Sheila said. "They ALL talk to me."

Savannah reached forward and squeezed Sheila's shoulder gently. It was a signal it was OK to do what needed to be done. She didn't like it because she almost died several times over in the mine. She went through a lot of personal discomfort as well. She was highly disturbed by much of what she experienced. She wanted some answers too. Cameron and Cammy terminated the Grays they were going to interrogate further. They didn't want them to use any of the air she would need. She wanted to make her position clear to all of the Metal girls.

"Everyone will do what needs to be done to get some answers." Savannah said. "We need to find what Skynet was up to. We need to know what else was planned. We need to know what other locations are involved. We need to know where to attack."

Cameron was very pleased at what Savannah said. They were all the things she wanted as well. She also wanted some personal payback. She would like to beat the information out of every Gray they could get their hands on.

She was in a steel box once without a chassis. She could go anywhere the electrical wires for the internet went. She felt it was very limiting as to what she could do. She didn't like being in a steel tube with a chassis, and nowhere to go. It was actually worse than being in the steel box. She knew it was all a matter of perspective. If she was given a choice between the two, she would prefer the steel box to the steel tube. It was never something she thought she would choose if there was a choice for anything else.

Previously:

Dan and his team found the hidden entrance. They needed to investigate where two Grays in some type of protective suits went. There were no security cameras evident. He was able to bypass the entry code and open the 'door'.

The area was hot. It was also unlit and dark. There was no smoke, just the heat. It was much like Cameron described in one cavern of the mine she was in. She was unable to locate the source of heat. He wasn't sure if the heat they currently experienced was from the same source or not. They were actually some distance from the mine Cameron was in earlier. Most likely there was some type of connection.

"We're going to lose communication." Dan said as he passed along all they noted so far. He made sure the issue with the heat was forefront.

John took it all in. It sounded like there was a problem of some sort and the Grays went in to try and fix it. They may have been sent to retrieve something too. He still needed to worry about something inside the mine which might explode. He just got his troops out of one death trap. He didn't want to turn around and send them right back into another one, especially since it was related to the same thing.

"Maybe we should just blow the entrance and leave the Grays and anyone else trapped in there. It can be their tomb." John said. "Our team could be trapped or lost if the mine actually does have an explosion of some kind. I don't think there's any benefit to justify the danger level we would need to face."

Dan wanted to give it a better look. The more they could uncover, the more they could fight Skynet going forward. It was better to know what the enemy was working on before they could implement it.

"If it looks too unsafe, we will withdraw." Dan said. "Mel still has some demolition charges."

Dan led his team forward. It was a newer tunnel. It sloped down as it went. Dan sent word back up with a runner to inform John they were headed back towards the mine.

The heat increased. It would be unbearable for an unprotected human. They would need to turn around or die.

As they moved forward there were some muffled explosions. They weren't sure what caused them. His main concern was the instability of the heat source. He knew of the heat generated by the giant power cell in Cameron's future. He also knew what happened to it. It exploded along with the nuclear warhead and took down an entire mountain.

It was enough for Dan. He wanted his team out. They wouldn't go any further. He hoped to contain whatever was ahead where it was. He calculated the time it would take them to hurry out.

"Everyone is to withdraw. We're pulling out." Dan commanded. "Mel, plant a charge here in the wall. I want a two minute timer."

Dan waited. He watched for anything which might come back up the tunnel as Mel set the charge. The rest of the team already started back up at a run.

When Mel was done planting the charge, Dan and Mel headed back. They ran too.

Dan wanted to make sure no one else made it out of the tunnel.

"We are almost at the exit. Leave one more charge." Dan said. "Give it thirty seconds and set it down."

They hurried out of the exit. The two charges they'd left should both go off at the same time. There were two muffled explosions and some dust came out of the opening.

Dan knew the entrance was concealed. The chances of anyone finding it on their own were slim. He figured only Skynet operatives would be able to find it. It would be because they knew where it was.

"Booby trap the opening with the rest of your charges." Dan said. "We will leave a surprise for the next group which tries to go down there."

The entrance was well hidden. The lock needed a code to open the hatch. They left a transmitter on the booby trap. If it wasn't tripped, they would blow the hatch and entryway up in a few weeks if nothing further happened there.

Dan made a full report to John and John Henry. The mine hadn't shown any major explosion yet, so they didn't know what to make of the explosions they'd heard before they withdrew. It was either something which went wrong inside, or someone wanted to make sure what they did was covered up.

John felt there were still too many variables. It was time to withdraw and see what happened from a distance.

"I want to withdraw everything and everyone." John said. "There's been enough activity for twenty four hours."

John issued a recall of all the drones and teams. The Listening Posts all came in as well.

Only the bulldozer from the gravel pit was returned. The other bulldozer and skip-loader were left at the rescue site. With the fear the mine might explode, they figured the problem would take care of itself. They would both probably be buried under tones of earth and rock. New equipment would be procured for the locations where they were 'borrowed' from.

Everyone was headed back to the base or their previous assignments. It was everyone except Cameron's team. She disregarded John's instructions to return.

Cameron ignored the recall. They were in the middle of an operation to stop the van and find out what the Grays were up to. She wasn't about to go anywhere when there were such variables in play. She glanced over at Savannah. Savannah gave her hand a gentle squeeze.

"My team won't return just yet." Cameron said.

John was sure they wore out their welcome. Things needed to get back to normal. There were other areas they needed to release control of.

"I want to wrap this up." John said. "We've kept the roads blocked for too long."

John Henry was well aware of the issue.

"We have already needed to report, 'Officer needs assistance', three times to keep the Sheriff patrols away." John Henry said. "There has been no further Gray activity."

Cameron disagreed. The van was coming towards them. The other Grays it left off were involved in some explosions where they went.

"Except for the van of Grays heading towards us, it's some additional Gray activity." Cameron said. "I want some answers."

Cameron knew the Grays weren't out for a sunrise drive.

Ally spotted something up ahead.

"I see the van." Ally said

Ally quickly pulled off the dirt road behind some bushes.

They waited for a while. The van never arrived where they were.

Sheila didn't see them.

"Where is it?" Sheila asked.

Savannah thought maybe the Grays reached their destination already.

"They must have stopped." Savannah said. "They're probably where they wanted to go. We went past the location already."

Cammy wanted to point out a grimmer possibility.

"Maybe they made us if there was a Terminator with them. If we saw them, they saw as well." Cammy said. "It's just the way it works."

Savannah didn't like their current location. The eastern sky was very bright now.

"The sun is about to come up." Savannah said. "There's no cover around here."

Cam looked back towards the mountain. It was right in back of them. They hadn't gone too far.

"There's also a mine waiting to turn into a volcano behind us." Cam said.

Ally wanted to take some preemptive action. She looked at the five females in the SUV.

"Let me take Sheila and Cam. We can investigate on foot." Ally said. "Our appearance isn't quite as shocking as you three."

In the near daylight, the three girls from inside the mine looked awful.

Cammy didn't like the condition Savannah was in.

"Savannah needs some…." Cammy started.

Savannah cut her off. She didn't want any special consideration. They were there to do a job.

"Cammy, I'm fine." Savannah said. "The operation comes first."

Cameron knew Savannah would push through everything. She was as tough as they came. She thought about going with the other three Metal girls. She thought they would only take a look first. She wanted to keep Savannah as safe as possible. She decided to remain there with Cammy and Savannah for now.

"You three go." Cameron said.

Cam, Ally, and Sheila took off. They moved alongside the road off to the side.

Cameron slid over into the driver's seat. She wanted to consolidate her force. It would also move the other two SUVs further from the mine.

"Bob, move your two teams up to where we are." Cameron said.

Bob took some preemptive action of his own.

"We'll be there in twenty seconds." Bob said.

It was obvious they followed Cameron anyway.

Bob was aware of what the girls went through. He was worried about them.

Cameron let it slide. She knew they were looking out for her, Savannah and Cammy. Most likely John gave them some instructions without her knowledge. She would check with CamNet later and see when. She was usually privy to all transmissions.

Twenty seconds later the other two SUVs pulled up in back of her.

Ally was able to see the van clearly from the side of the road as she moved up on foot.

"The van turned around and is about to leave." Ally reported.

Cameron was afraid they missed something.

"Did they let anyone off?" Cameron asked.

Cam was a little disappointed.

"We didn't see it." Cam said. "The drones are already gone."

It appeared Cameron wasn't the only one to disregard orders.

"All of them are gone except the manned one." Gail said. "I'm up high, but I still saw everything."

Gail hadn't followed orders to return. Instead she chose to head to a higher altitude to avoid being spotted. She wanted to make sure Savannah stayed out of harm's way. The camera on the drone was able to zoom in and see everything.

Savannah knew Gail stayed because of her. She knew she needed to talk to Gail about being so 'protective'. She felt she actually endangered Gail, by Gail looking after her. Now wasn't the time for any rebukes.

Cameron was as surprised as she wasn't the manned drone was still over them. It would be able to give them some fire support if it was necessary. She was informed previously it used two of its missiles. They were still others. There is also the minigun if they needed close in support.

"Good job, Gail." Cameron said. "Fill us in."

"After the van stopped…." Gail started out.

She soon filled in all the blanks.

Closing monologue by Cameron:

I'm Fine

How well is well
Is there any way to tell
Maybe it's a state of mind
Maybe it's no place to dwell

Is good really good
It depends on what is understood
Everything is in a state flux
Is it would when it should be could

Then there is bad
Sometimes things turn out sad
Sometimes 'bad' is good
It can all drive one mad

They there are feelings
Maybe they're just dealings
It's but a game to some
They throw rocks at glass ceilings

How am I doing you ask
I don't want to whine
No matter how bad I am
I will say that I'm fine

Nobody