Chapter 666

Mark Of The Beast

Savannah, Jesse, and Gail rode up the mountain in the cable car. The view was spectacular. The valley floor expanded before them with every foot in elevation they gained. They could see for miles and take in all the arid land below them.

They all couldn't help but wonder why there were so many things built in the middle of nowhere. There really wasn't any other way to view it.

Savannah was aware of the situation Cameron was in. She knew she should have gone to Cameron earlier like she wanted to do. She knew she was also a team member and needed to follow orders as well. She didn't have the same influence with the 'General' Cameron did, not yet. Cameron already told her how it was possible to 'influence' their mate. John could be 'cut off' as 'punishment'. In such a situation, the girls would always need to stick together. Cameron and her both saw how it worked in the future. Future Allison made it a point to tell them too. It was mainly to make sure Future John didn't try and make a move on Claire or her.

They neared the top after all the 'oohs' and 'aahs'. The cable car slowed, and very slowly stopped. It docked with a slight jolt and thud. There was a pause before the door opened and they all started to get out.

As they exited the station area, there was some commotion by the eating area. It seemed a cell phone experienced a battery overload which caused a small fire and mini explosion. The workers were talking about how it was the second one of the day. They all commented on how they never saw one before, let alone two on the same day only hours apart.

They passed by two men who were talking. They appeared to be hikers or backpackers.

"That's just great, man, that's just great". The first hiker said.

"I don't see anything great about it." The second hiker said.

"Now, no one is ever going to believe us." The first hiker said.

"Knowing us, they'll say it was the 'herb' which made us think we saw what we did." The second hiker said. "Maybe it made us think we saw more than we did."

"Hey, man, I know what I saw." The first hiker said.

"We did all we could." The second hiker said.

"What proof we did manage to record is gone." The first hiker said. "Well, one thing is for sure. I'm never coming back here."

"Ten four to that, bro…." The second hiker said. "I'm also cutting back on the herb."

"That'll be the day." The first hiker said.

The two backpackers burst out laughing.

Gail asked Jesse and Savannah to wait by the small theater for a moment. She took a quick look around her in all directions. She didn't spot any threats or anyone paying them undue attention.

"Let's go outside." Gail said.

The girls passed by the two backpackers and exited the lodge to the rear. It was where the hiking trails were. They actually branched off in multiple directions. They were aware of what John Henry or CamNet did to make those two phone 'episodes' happen.

Savannah wanted to look once around the outside of the structure for anything suspicious. She could only pause briefly to take in the view. She wished Cameron was there to see it with her. Right now, they needed to reinforce their team.

The girls headed up the trail toward the summit. They saw it was a long distance and up a lot more in elevation. It was quite a bit more up. There were a lot of patches of snow along both sides of the trail.

It was clear Jesse and Savannah were in for a long hard slog to get up to the top of the mountain. If they were under any illusions that it wasn't going to be too tough to go up, those illusions were long gone at this point.

For now they decided to remain together as a group. They would stick with the main trail. If for any reason they anticipated there was any type of danger they would immediately head off of the trail.

They checked in with Cammy, Steve, and Bob. They were behind the group of Grays and Bob. Cammy was coming down from the top. Bob was going up on the south side of the trail following Steve's tracks. Cammy was going down on the north side of the trail following her own tracks. The group of Grays was somewhere in between them. So far they weren't located yet.

Cameron was unsure what was happening. So much of the operation made no sense. Was the van a trap, or was there something around there? Maybe it was something else. What else was in play?

She backed her SUV further away from the area until she found a clump of bushes large enough to conceal it from the road. She moved to the passenger's side and looked out. There were no footprints on the ground. She moved back behind the steering wheel. She hopped out. Her foot prints were the only ones on the driver's side. She would check for any other footprints around the SUV when she returned.

She only brought her Glock and Taser with her. She needed to travel light as part of her cover. She left her vest behind. She wanted to look like a hiker if she encountered anyone. She was sure anyone would try to hit on her before they attacked her. It was one of the advantages of her human female appearance, as well as a disadvantage. It was all part of the package.

Cameron crossed the road. She checked around in a complete circle to see what else was happening. She didn't see anything. She made her way over to the dry wash. She took one more look behind her and disappeared into the dry wash. It was shallow but wide. It was several hundred feet across. She knew the washes turned into raging torrents several times of the year. It could rain miles away. There would be no indication for someone in the wash. A wall of water would appear from out of nowhere. It was often refereed to as a flash flood. The initial wall of water was always full of debris picked up along the way. People camping would never even know it rained miles away until the flood waters overtook them. As fast as the water came, it would be gone. It only left the dead and debris behind. It wasn't an uncommon occurrence in the arid landscape. More than one group of hikers, or campers, met their untimely demise. Most of them never even had the chance to figure out what happened.

She continued towards the van through the wash. At one point the wash was shallower and wider. In a few minutes it narrowed up and deepened as she got closer to the van. She paused and looked at some plants along the bank of the dry river bed as she contacted John Henry.

"Has there been any change in the status of the van?" Cameron asked.

John Henry kept an eye on the tracker Cammy placed on it.

"Negative." John Henry said. "It hasn't moved."

Cameron was aware two of her Terminators were on the way to back her up. It was possible the Grays might have someone on the way to back them up. She still saw no reason for the van to be where it was at. She wondered about the movement of any of the enemy's other vehicles.

"Is there anything else we tagged around here?" Cameron asked. "I want to know if there's anything which is even close. I have backup on the way. They might as well."

John Henry checked all the tracking devices. Unless someone found one of the tracking devices and removed it, none of the other vans were anywhere near Cameron. He was aware there was one van Cammy disabled earlier which wasn't tagged. It still appeared to be at the location where it was immobilized.

"Negative…." John Henry said. "There's nothing moving around your position at all."

John could sense Cameron's apprehension. He figured for her to be this leery, they should all be just as leery too. When she sensed trouble, she was normally right on the mark. The current situation didn't appear it would be any different. He didn't know if it would do much good, but he wanted to put a warning out there.

"Cameron, use caution." John said. "We don't know what's going on with much of what we've discovered."

Cameron didn't need any Monday morning quarterbacks for advice. She understood John's concern. She was more concerned about Savannah and Jesse. The Terminators would be able to take care of themselves. She would be able to do so as well.

"I always use caution." Cameron said.

There was a faint sound.

Cameron tilted her head slightly.

"I hear a noise." Cameron said. "It seems to be approaching my position."

John figured it was going to be more bad news.

"What is it?" John asked.

There was a mild amount of alarm in her voice.

"I think it's a drone…." Cameron said.

Cameron looked around her. The wide shallow river bed didn't offer much in the way of cover. She was near the bank. There was no place to hide.

The two helicopters flew in perfect formation for the rest of the journey. Cam let Sheila lead and didn't 'show off' again.

Sheila and Ally were a little surprised. They figured she made her point earlier.

Cam was contacted by CamNet. She was made aware of the concerns and suggestions from the Young bunker. She wanted Sheila to land first since her Iroquois contained several wiring harnesses which they might be able to fix the Blackhawk with.

"Sheila, go on ahead and get the crew for the mountain. I'll check out Cameron's location/ I'll return and land after you've departed." Cam said. "I can take the rest of the crew up if a 'MIKE Force' is needed at any point, or they can join the MST."

Sheila was already briefed on what she would do upon their arrival.

"We'll let off the wiring and pick up half the team for re-positioning." Sheila said.

Cam wasn't sure to what extent they would actually be needed if the repairs could be made in a timely manner.

"Before you return, check to see how the repairs are coming on the Blackhawk." Cam said. "If it looks like they can get it fixed, then we both become redundant."

Ally was aware problems seemed to run in groups as opposed to happen in singular events.

"Or we can hang around as a back up helicopter." Ally said. "It would be in case the problem redevelops. They may need some additional assistance. We might need to haul downed HK drones."

Sheila agreed with everything Ally said. She wasn't convinced the team wasn't going to need some further involvement.

"More troops are always a good thing." Sheila said. "There seem to be a lot of moving parts to the operation."

Sheila peeled off and headed for the temporary desert base.

Cam double checked with John Henry about where Cameron was. She wanted to know the status of what else was happening around where Cameron was at currently.

"I'm still five minutes out." Cam said. "Where are her Terminators at now?"

John Henry passed along some more information. It was disturbing.

"Cameron has just issued a warning." John Henry said. "Watch for any drones…."

Cam looked over at Hanna as they flew towards Cameron's last reported location. They both felt like they were one big giant flying target at this point. They didn't have any type of defensive weapons other than what they carried on them personally. It wasn't the best conditions conducive to a firefight.

Cammy moved back down the mountain to try to catch the Grays who Bob followed. They were somewhere between the two of them. They wanted to engage them and terminate them silently if it was possible.

So far there wasn't any contact with the enemy.

"Bob, where are you?" Cammy asked.

Bob followed the instructions Cammy gave him earlier about where to go.

"I'm almost to the big rock with a split face. I'm near where you told me to meet you." Bob said. "I haven't caught up to them yet."

Cammy was already in position. The Grays should be between Bob and her. It didn't appear they were. It was very odd and something was definitely off. Neither one of them actually moved on the trail itself as they attempted to make their move against the Grays.

"I'm already at the rock across the trail from it." Cammy said. "I haven't encountered them. It would appear they have eluded us. Something may have actually happened to them on the trail itself. I really don't see how they could have gotten lost. I don't think they could have gotten past either of us."

Bob was nearly at the location Cammy indicated she was at. He wanted to move over to her position.

"I'm coming across the trail." Bob said.

In twenty seconds, Bob met up with Cammy.

Cammy checked all around them. There was no sign of the enemy anywhere. They should have been between them.

"Where did they go?" Cammy asked.

Bob looked around them in a three hundred and sixty degree circle as well.

"I don't know." Bob said. "I never caught sight of them. I never even heard them."

Cammy was afraid the Grays pulled a fast one. She knew Savannah's team was already at the upper station and headed up the trail. There was a chance the Grays 'made' some of them and might be in the process of setting up an ambush somewhere along the way. It was probably right on the trail itself. It was something both of them avoided so they wouldn't be detected. They didn't want to get caught in an ambush.

"Savannah is up to the top at the header station now with Jesse and Gail." Cammy said. "They're moving up the trail leading here."

Bob wasn't sure what to make of it.

"Maybe somehow they got past you." Bob said.

Cammy didn't think it was possible, unless she hadn't paid good enough attention. There was a lot on her mind as she made her way back down alongside the trail. It was her responsibility if they got by her unnoticed. She needed to go back to where she left from. Steve was all by himself.

"I'll go back to check on Steve." Cammy said.

Bob thought he could take care of things himself and help Cammy out as well. He knew she wanted to see Savannah. He didn't want to actually say it.

"Maybe I should go to check out the area with Steve myself." Bob said. "I'll know what's happening. You can continue down the trail to make sure the Grays haven't set up an ambush for the team approaching. If nothing's detected, you can form up with them. You might need to split up into two teams if the situation warrants it."

Cammy knew Bob wanted to give her the opportunity to be with Savannah. He made it sound very professional. She was grateful for the offer. She flashed him a big smile.

"Thank you, Bob." Cammy said.

Bob thought they could make three separate teams.

"It's a sound tactical decision." Bob said. "You and Savannah can be one team. Gail and Jesse can be the other team. You're all comfortable 'working' together. I can team up with Steve. We know the biggest concentration of the enemy is where he is located. We don't know where any of the other players are at, other than there."

Cammy knew Bob and Savannah could be a team as well. Since they arrived together, it actually would have been the logical choice. She appreciated Bob's concern for Savannah and her.

Bob gave Cammy the description of the three men.

Savannah and her team all heard it as well.

Cammy reached up and touched Bob's cheek and smiled. She silently disappeared down the trail. She was still very uneasy about not being in communication with Savannah for so long earlier. It made her feel very inadequate. The situation with the female captive also bothered her immensely. She knew by her inaction earlier, the female was being abused right now, even as she thought about it. She would personally terminate everyone involved if she was given the opportunity. She really wanted to get her hands on the 'Metal Bitch'.

Bob watched her go. He moved off of the trail and back alongside it as he headed towards Steve's position. He made sure Steve knew he was coming. He continued up on the side Steve went up earlier. He figured if there was anything to spot on the other side of the trail, Cammy would have already located it.

Earlier:

So far in the Command Center they came up with a bunch of pieces of a puzzle and none of them fit together.

John looked over all the information they gathered so far.

"I'm not even sure what this operation was about." John said.

John Henry pointed out the starting point. Everything else which happened was based on follow up of the initial encounter.

"This segment of the operation started from the drone which ran away at our last battle site." John Henry said. "This is all some follow up which is rapidly expanding."

John could see it was expanding. The trouble was, he couldn't tell what it was expanding into. It didn't seem anybody knew the answer. There were still a lot of questions. There were no answers.

"It appears Skynet is more widespread than we imagined." John said. "It seems like we never really get ahead of them, even when we think we are. There always seems to be a lot of activity going on in the background which we only end up stumbling across."

Based on the unusual drone activity, John Henry was pretty sure there was more than one Skynet they were dealing with at this point in time. He was sure they were at least two different groups, if not more, which were all involved around the area where they were currently at.

"I think we have elements of different Skynets here now." John Henry said. "I have a feeling we're going to see some combat between them, and them between us, probably not all at the same time."

John was aware it was always speculation. He would like to see a little proof.

"We've thought it before." John said.

John Henry read the reports from Cameron which involved some of her Skynet terminations.

"Cameron said some of them have communicated with each other somehow, even when it should have been impossible." John Henry said. "They seemed to know things which occurred by her hand."

John was worried it would all go back to temporal malpractice or manipulation based on Cameron's past, present, or future activities.

"Depending on how many timelines Cameron has been to, if she is reliving her life over and over, it could be dozens." John said. "She may have encountered different versions of Skynet, at different times, with different versions of herself."

John wondered how many of those divergent timelines were ones Cameron may have created herself. He decided to keep the thought to himself. He was under the belief he was responsible for creating at least one himself. There were a few good things associated with it. Unfortunately most of the events which occurred to the individuals in it were very abusive. He was pleased they were able to retrieve some of the 'fallen' from the alternate future.

John Henry independently made the same speculation John did. He didn't say anything either. He didn't know exactly who was responsible for anything as far as creating different futures. The finger might even end up being pointed at him.

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

John looked at where the trackers were at for the different Terminators.

"Nobody does…." John said.

They were a little concerned when they heard Cameron's report about a drone near her location.

Anna could see Young Allison intently looked over all the information on her monitors.

"How do you read the battlefield?" Anna asked.

Young Allison was as confused as anyone else, but she was glad Cameron took a less aggressive approach to the white van.

"Cameron made a wise choice to back off." Young Allison said.

They soon received the information Cameron reported about hearing a drone.

"With this new development, Cameron is exposed and under armed." Anna said.

Young Allison thought it would depend on how aggressive the drone was. Based on Cameron's current appearance, she should look like a hiker. She wasn't wearing any combat gear, nor carrying a long gun.

"She would be a target in the SUV as well." Young Allison said. "She can still pass for a hiker if she does nothing to give herself away. She's not carrying visible weapons and not wearing any combat gear. It was a wise decision to do the recon the way she chose to do it."

Anna checked with CamNet and John Henry for further information about the drone. Nothing showed up from either one of them. There was no indication of a drone of any type, other than Cameron's report. She could only come to one logical conclusion.

"I don't think this is an HK drone." Anna said. "John Henry would have picked something up."

Young Allison knew not every drone needed to be an HK drone.

"Do you think it's a small drone?" Young Allison asked. "It could be an observation drone from some type of Skynet facility located near where the van was. The van is where it is for a reason. We just don't know what the reason is yet."

Anna thought a small drone would be less of a problem than an HK drone, but it could still be a threat. They didn't know where it came from or what its intent was.

"Yes." Anna said. "It still poses danger and can be used to carry a small explosive. We've seen the type used by various Third World Nations, against other glorified Third World Nations around the globe."

She was sure the biggest problem associated with Third World Nations' behavior was they all thought they were much more important than any of them actually were. If any of them ceased to exist five minutes from now, few would notice.

Young Allison communicated to CamNet what she wanted Cam to do with her UH-1. It would involve some risk on her part. Since they didn't think there was an HK drone involved it wouldn't be as serious as it could have been.

"Cam is on her way." Young Allison said. "She can help check things out. She can do a 'flyby' and repeat it if necessary."

Anna knew why Young Allison wanted it done. She thought it was still a risk to the Metal girls. She wanted Young Allison to remember her actions also affected other people.

"It will expose Cam and Hanna to danger also." Anna said. "There are people who love both of them. They are worried about them as well."

Young Allison looked at the bunker entrance and thought of her mother and Vanna. She didn't feel guilty about her decision, but she wanted everybody to use an extra measure of caution anyway.

"Have CamNet inform them they are not to take any risky chances." Young Allison said. "Remind Cameron of it as well. Remind all of them why too."

Anna thought it was very sound advice from Young Allison on several levels.

Cammy moved back down the trail. She was no longer off to the side. She encountered a few people. She moved a little bit off the trail when she did. She wanted to see Savannah. She decided to move off the trail all the time again for the seclusion of the rocks and trees.

The whole operation was 'off', Cammy thought.

She nearly tripped over something which hadn't been there before. It was a body. She drew her Glock as she searched for a target. Someone was dead and she walked right into the middle of it.

The body was located off the intersection of a divergent trail. The man was killed with a knife. Cammy went through his pockets but there was nothing of value. There was no phone, money, or identification. She found no weapons.

Savannah's team still moved up the trail and followed the directions Cammy provided her with previously.

"We're approaching the divergent trail you mentioned." Savannah reported.

Cammy reported what she just came across in the last thirty seconds. She figured whoever used a knife would probably try to attack from the rear. She wanted them to take the appropriate precautions.

"Take the side trail and be on the highest alert. I have one unknown down and terminated. They were knifed." Cammy said. "You lead and have Gail cover the rear."

Savannah glanced at Jesse who was between Gail and her. She knew Jesse liked to use a knife and so did Sheila.

"Do you think it was a Terminator?" Savannah asked.

It looked like the work of a human to Cammy. She also knew of the other dangers which were actually there.

"No. There is at least one Terminator here." Cammy said. "There could be more. We don't even know for sure how many Grays are up here."

Cammy informed Steve and Bob to be on the lookout as well. It appeared there were a few more players on the field and they didn't have any idea who any of them were.

As soon as Savannah's team got the word from Cammy, Gail moved in a circle and scanned all around them. She hoped to detect a threat if it was close to them. She used multiple vision spectrums to look at everything.

Jesse drew her silenced pistol and held it in her hand. Savannah drew her Taser. Her pistol was ready as well.

"I don't detect anyone around us." Gail said when she returned.

Her M4 was visible inside her now open coat. She would be able to bring it up and fire in less than a second.

Savannah expected to see Cammy any second.

"Cammy should be near this trail in three hundred feet." Savannah said.

Savannah led the team and headed off onto the snow covered ground, rocks, and bushes.

Cammy appeared off to her side. Gail made a sweep of the area again.

Savannah checked around her and moved up to Cammy.

Cammy gave Savannah a quick hug.

"This is what I found." Cammy said as she showed the girls the dead man. "His termination happened in the last thirty minutes. Bob and I moved in a converging fashion earlier and didn't spot anyone between us. It means they're still around here somewhere. There could be another location we don't know about."

Jesse looked at the dead man. It disturbed her the way he looked. She saw the same look before, many times.

"He looks sickly…." Jesse said.

It was a look Jesse knew well.

Cammy pulled up the sleeve of his coat.

Jessie already knew what she was going to see.

"It's the mark of the beast…." Jesse said.

Closing monologue by Cameron:

Mark Of The Beast

What makes up the fabric
Of anyone's mind
When one looks into it
What is it they will find

Maybe deep down in everyone
There's a dark secret inside
The cause or the results
Are what they must hide

Everyone starts out the same
Time and events change them
Not everyone's troubles
From the same place stem

By nature people are good
Some become cruel and evil
The answer to that enigma
May be purely primeval

Each individual is different
Everyone can agree at least
That some people carry
The mark of the beast

Nobody