Chapter 717
Don't Worry
John was very upset they 'lost' the boxcars. They carried HK equipment of some type. He believed now they should have commandeered them when they left the old newspaper plant. What they carried could kill many people in the future. He hoped for a bigger prize. He hoped they would be led to some version of Skynet, or some stockpile of HK equipment somewhere. It wasn't the case. The only thing they seemed to be led on was a wild goose chase. It appeared they were played.
It reminded him to gamble, also meant one could lose. The game wasn't over yet, but in the second round they came up short. Now they needed to backtrack and see if they were any better at being detectives than gamblers. There were a lot of unsolved crimes. It showed detectives weren't always successful either.
John was willing to push things a little more than he normally would have. Based upon what they were dealing with, he felt it was important to do, even if he needed to bend the rules to do it. He didn't want to use their drones in the daylight. He also wanted to make sure there was a 'heavy hitter' on their team. He knew they were willing to change the rules.
"I want you to keep control of whatever satellites you need to find the boxcars." John said. "Pass the word to CamNet."
John Henry knew CamNet received the word as soon as John said it. He knew both of their servers already searched everywhere. It wasn't long before they were rewarded with a hit.
"I've just received the new satellite imagery." John Henry said.
John sat up in his chair and looked at John Henry. Maybe it was the break they needed.
"Have you found them?" John asked.
John Henry tried a new approach by using visual imagery of what they knew the boxcars physically looked like. The identification on the boxcars they recorded when they left the old newspaper plant, didn't show up again after the first yard they visited. They weren't sure why, even when the tracker showed the boxcars were on the move.
"I believe so." John Henry said. "The 'reporting marks' have been changed. The physical identification on the side of the boxcars has been altered. Think of it as a license plate being switched out. It's how the equipment is kept track of. There are dozens of railroads across the nation. They like to know where their rail cars are at."
John was somewhat surprised. The response was much quicker than he thought it was going to take. He wondered how John Henry knew they were the right boxcars if the information was changed.
"How do you know it's them?" John asked.
John Henry double checked his search parameters.
"I've identified them by the rust patterns on the roof." John Henry said. "They're as distinct as fingerprints. Think of it as facial recognition. It's the same concept."
If they were the right boxcars, John didn't want to lose them again.
"Where are they?" John asked. "Can we get to them?"
John Henry was pleased to see the boxcars, as usual, hadn't traveled too far from the point of origin.
"They're headed south through Cajon Pass." John Henry said. "It's still close enough to inspect them in a short time once they stop."
John tried to determine who the closest team was.
"Do we have anyone who can intercept them?" John asked.
John Henry felt some caution and restraint was in order for their next move. He didn't want to get caught with his hand in the cookie jar.
"We can, but they're most likely being watched by Grays or Skynet in some manner." John Henry said. "It'll tip our hand we've found them."
John didn't want to lose the boxcars again. He especially didn't want to lose what was in them. If they couldn't gain control of it, it couldn't remain in the hands of Skynet.
"I want what's in them, or I want them destroyed." John said.
John Henry didn't want to act too early. He felt John was rushing things based upon what previously occurred.
"We still need to use caution." John Henry said. "We don't want to become targets."
John hoped the Skynet forces left some 'fingerprints' behind in their nefarious activities. He also wondered if they used the same vehicles. They should show up in multiple locations. They knew the track and the time of the trackers up to the point they were removed in Barstow. Someone, or some thing needed to deliver them to the location they were placed near Flagstaff.
"Can you identify any vehicles which were used at any of the locations the boxcars have been or from where the trackers were left at in Arizona?" John asked. "They may or may not use the same techniques we do. You might even spot some more of the white vans while you're at it."
It was one aspect John Henry already started on. He wanted to get ahead of as many things as possible due to the earlier deception.
"I'm checking." John Henry said. "I may have found two."
John developed a pretty good feeling as to what they would find in the way of at least some of the vehicles. He already mentioned it earlier, but didn't think it was actually a real possibility. Maybe it was.
"Don't tell me. One of them was a white van." John said.
John Henry didn't say anything.
"Well?" John prompted.
John Henry displayed several images.
"Yes. One appears to be." John Henry said. "The other is a dual cab pick-up truck."
The description of the pickup truck made John remember Derek, the one who was killed - Future Derek. It still bothered him. They just left him there, dead. It was like he didn't matter. It was very traumatic for him. Even now to think about it bothered him greatly. Couldn't they at least have straightened his body out, or covered it over? He knew there was still a Terminator out there they needed to deal with at the time. He wasn't sure a few extra seconds would have mattered.
It wasn't long before his mother was arrested, and not too long afterwards he 'destroyed' Cameron. How could he have done it to her? What was he thinking? They only needed to wait a little bit until Sarah was transferred to a federal prison and then they could have broken her out of custody, like they did with Future Derek before.
John Henry could see John looked distressed.
"John, what's wrong?" John Henry asked.
John's emotions were all at a heightened level currently. He spoke harshly, even though he didn't intend to. It just happened.
"EVERYTHING…." John said.
John didn't need to wonder why at times he felt Cameron resented him, even if she loved him. He remembered the way he rubbed Future Riley in her face, and backed Future Riley over her. The way Future Riley and him made fun of Cameron. There was the night he made love with Future Riley in the truck, and smirked at Cameron about it the next morning. He remembered the look of hurt on Cameron's face and - he didn't care. The worst part of all was, he almost pushed the button to terminate Cameron over Future Riley's death later on. So much of it was on him. It made him very angry at himself. Between Future John and himself, it was no wonder Cameron suffered so much.
"EVERYTHING…." John said again.
John knew he couldn't provide Cameron with the type of emotional support she currently needed. He did know Savannah could. He decided he was going to encourage them into a deeper relationship, which didn't need to involve him. He wasn't sure Savannah really wanted to be with a male, even if she would try it one time. He was more than willing to claim her virginity. He really wanted her support for Cameron. She seemed to be able to provide Cameron with whatever he couldn't on a personal level. He was sure it applied to Future John, even more than it did to him.
John Henry knew humans needed to 'talk' about things sometimes. He wasn't sure exactly what it was supposed to do. It didn't actually change anything. No new information was learned by the person who did the talking either. They simply rehashed what they already knew. Maybe they attempted to seek some type of validation for their decisions. Most of those decisions would probably turn out to be the wrong decisions which created the dilemma they were currently in. He knew the appropriate action was to calm John down, and try to see what he could do to aid him.
"Do you want to talk about it?" John Henry asked.
John was aware any talk of what happened previously, always came back and pointed the finger at him.
"NO!" John said. "We have a job to do."
John knew Cameron needed to do a job as well. Her job was to protect the future and make sure he shared companionship and the women he loved - Future John loved. It was what Future John programmed into her. It's what HE did to her. Everything 'wrong' with her, he was the cause of. It's a wonder Cameron didn't hate him. Maybe she did. He realized through reading Cameron's poems, it actually made her hate herself. He's the one who did it to her, any version of him. Every version of him made her hate herself. Right now he hated himself.
Maybe it was time to do what he was supposed to do. He needed to do something to help Cameron. He really needed to involve Savannah.
"Where's Savannah at?" John asked.
John Henry already knew the answer to the question.
"Savannah is with Cameron and Young Allison." John Henry said.
There it is - The 'Natural Order', and he was missing from it. He wouldn't surprise him if everything bypassed him. More than likely going forward, John Connor wouldn't be the leader of the Resistance. It would probably be Savannah Weaver and Allison Young.
John was somewhat aroused when he asked about Savannah. When he heard she was with Young Allison, he was aroused even more. He really wanted the virginity of both of them. He wanted to be the 'first' with both of them. He didn't really care how many others they were with later on, as long as he could have them 'first'.
"How old is Young Allison now?" John asked. "She looks more like Cameron every time I see her."
John Henry was sure it would be a mistake for John to pursue Young Allison at this time. He knew there were many countries around the world where there weren't such inhibitions for older males to do it. In fact, it was actually praised, especially were multiple females were involved with the male.
"I think there's more than just age which is a factor." John Henry said. "It may cause some issues with Claire, Sarah, and Savannah."
John quickly tried to play it off like he referenced something else.
"It's not what I meant…." John said.
John couldn't help but notice John Henry didn't mention Cameron's name for someone who would be disturbed by such a bold move on his part. He tended to agree with Cameron's original philosophy. If it was going to happen anyway, what was the point in waiting for anything? No, really, what was the point in waiting? It was all lost time which could never be made up.
He wondered if Cameron stooped to using hormones on Young Allison. She sure seemed to grow up fast. He thought the same thing about Savannah. He wouldn't put anything past Cameron. She was programmed with a mission to accomplish. He challenged her and she said she would prevail. He knew Cameron never lost. It was because it was never over until she 'won'.
He knew he needed to get his head back in the game. There were troops out in the field which were subject to ambush. It's where his attention and focus needed to be.
"Forget it." John said. "Have our people in Arizona encountered anything or anyone tracking them?"
John Henry made sure all the teams were on alert. The most challenging part was the fact of the remoteness of the area, any way in or out was like going through a funnel. There weren't too many back roads, other than the major highways. The Terminators out in the field, attempted to take whatever precautions they could.
"No." John Henry said. "There are only so many ways in and out of those areas. They've all acquired new transportation."
John figured they used the normal method of auto theft.
"I probably don't want to know." John said.
John Henry didn't see it as a long term problem. Normally they only 'borrowed' the vehicles for a week or two at a time. Sometimes it was only for a few hours. Savannah was very adamant from an early age, everything needed to be returned or compensated for. She saw the stacks of cash in the storerooms Cameron appropriated from her 'off the books' operations. She wanted to make sure no one lost anything because of them. He didn't think it was necessary, but his earlier interaction with Mr. Ellison indicated it was the correct procedure to follow.
"It's doubtful." John Henry said. "Everyone will be compensated, one way or the other."
John wanted to use those troops for the next phase of the operation. He wanted them to arrive there safely and not already be identified when they arrived. They would most likely become a target soon enough. They didn't need to arrive as one. He wanted additional precautions taken.
"Have them clandestinely change vehicles at least two more times and converge on the area where it appears the boxcars are headed." John said. "I want the Coltan. I want to know where they're taking the HK Tracks or HK drones."
John still wanted them destroyed if they couldn't put the grab on them. What was worse was they didn't even know what was in those boxcars. They expected to do an easy trace and another quick victory. At least he was. Things just didn't work out like he thought they would. Cameron tried to tell him they wouldn't. He didn't listen. It was nothing new on his part. Cameron was correct as usual.
John Henry would make sure the boxcars were tracked going forward visually.
"I'll notify Cameron of these developments." John Henry said. "The boxcars will be targeted in case we need to destroy them."
John was done wasting time and fooling around. They couldn't score a quick victory, he wanted the game over.
"If we can't get the goods ourselves, I want it done anyway." John said. "Skynet can't remain in control of the equipment."
Savannah was worried about Young Allison. She was there to see Allison as well. She looked forward to sharing with Allison. Somehow because she needed to see Young Allison also, it seemed to make everything feel 'weird'. She felt very conflicted. The only thing which could probably make it seem even stranger would be if Claire invited her into her bedroom. It would happen in front of both Allison and Young Allison if she did. Spending any time with Claire was simply too good of an option to pass up. She spent a lot of time with Claire in Cameron's future. They were both out of their time and place. Somehow sharing with each other, even more than just sex, helped them keep rooted in the past where they belonged.
She pushed all the other thoughts from her mind. She went to see Allison. They were both hungry to 'share'.
Allison left her door open. Savannah entered and went to close the door. She looked back as the door was about to close. She saw Young Allison look at her. She felt bad for her. It stabbed her heart deeply. She was lustful for Allison but she felt a deeper calling, her true calling. She was very aware what she was about to do with Allison, was exactly what Young Allison wanted her to do with her. The fact they were actually the same person somehow made it seem even more bizarre.
Allison was all over her as soon as the door closed. She knew there was something more important than her sexual gratification and lust. She stopped Allison from undressing her.
"I need to be with Young Allison." Savannah said.
Allison stopped, but she was clearly confused.
"What?" Allison asked.
It wasn't what Allison expected.
Savannah needed to think about the speech she just gave Young Allison and what she indicated about knowing limitations and restraints.
"I need to spend time with her." Savannah said. "It's very important to her and to me. She's on a very rocky road right now. I need to keep her on the right path."
Allison didn't see what the problem was. They were the same person after all. Besides she was highly sexually aroused right now and desired sexual stimulation with repeated gratification.
"I am 'her'." Allison said.
Savannah was well aware if she stayed with Allison now, Young Allison would turn back to CamNet. It wouldn't be to punish her. It would be because she felt comfortable to turn to CamNet in a time of need. It would make them grow closer.
"She needs me now. I need to keep her from going down a path she'll have trouble recovering from." Savannah said. "It will mess up her life and her future. If things go too far they'll leave emotional scars which never heal properly."
Allison knew the pain and hurt of scars like those. She thought back on what she saw and it still troubled her. It was wrong on so many levels for Young Allison to be led down the path by a supercomputer. She was sure it was because of Young Allison's lack of experience in dealing with others on such a level.
"I understand. Go help her." Allison said. "I can see the seriousness of it. There's no way it can end well for anyone."
Allison moved up and kissed Savannah and placed Savannah's hands on her breasts.
Savannah couldn't help but give them a few gentle squeezes. She knew her duty was elsewhere currently.
"I'm sorry." Savannah said.
Allison still held Savannah's hands firmly to her breasts. She wanted to leave her with a reminder of what she could offer. At this particular moment in time, she didn't think about how Cammy and Savannah were able to share something exactly like it every day.
"I have a few things she doesn't, not quite anyway." Allison said. "Go to her."
Savannah left the room and found Young Allison in the bunker sobbing.
Young Allison looked up with surprise and love in her eyes. She quickly wiped away the tears. Her heart, which was about to break, suddenly was filled with love and joy. She knew Savannah made a choice. The choice was her.
"You came for me?" Young Allison asked. "You didn't stay with her."
Savannah was glad she made the decision. It was the proper one under the current circumstances.
"No. I didn't stay with her. You need me more." Savannah said. "I'll always come for you. You are my true love."
Savannah gave Young Allison a hug. She wanted to remind her true love didn't need to be sexual. True love was real love. it wasn't self gratification love, which really wasn't love at all. There was a difference between loving an individual, or loving what an individual could provide.
Young Allison held Savannah close and tight. She never wanted to let go. Today wasn't a good day for her.
Savannah hoped to make the day somewhat special for Young Allison if she could.
"What would you like to do?" Savannah asked. "I'm here for you, for us."
Young Allison remembered the report of the 'mermaid' and the small child. She wanted to improve herself as she spent time with Savannah.
"I want to go swimming. Anna can't swim." Young Allison said. "I want to be able to swim as well as you can."
Savannah knew something was up and decided to prompt Young Allison. She wanted to see what Young Allison actually knew about what occurred at the pier the other day.
"Do you want to go in a pool, or in the ocean?" Savannah asked.
Young Allison wanted to be proficient in any body of water.
"I want to do both." Young Allison said. "I want to be able to do what you did - can."
There it was. Savannah was pretty sure at this point Young Allison found out about the rescue she accomplished. It bothered her slightly since she asked for no one to say anything to anyone. She knew how closely Young Allison followed all the operations. She probably followed her just as closely. It actually bothered her some to think so.
"Did someone say something?" Savannah asked. "Remember, we will never lie to each other. I know sometimes things seem very personal. If you can't say or tell me, then say you can't. I'll leave it alone. I know how the truth can hurt sometimes. Usually time will fix it and we can discuss it at a later date. It's only when I see there's going to be personal harm to someone I care about and love, where I'll push the issue and intervene on my own. I won't let someone I love be hurt by anyone. I don't care who they are."
Young Allison carefully worded her response.
"I don't know if I should say." Young Allison said. "You're already angry at her."
Savannah understood what it meant. She also wanted to clarify her intervention into what happened earlier. She didn't want to be upset or angry with anyone. She did need them all to understand how things needed to be and why.
"I'm not angry at CamNet or you." Savannah said. "I don't want her hurt, or you either. I'm trying to help both of you. Everyone needs to understand there's no substitute for experience. Sometimes based on past experience, someone can offer insight as to what's going to happen if someone continues down a path which leads to nowhere. I want to make it clear I'm not upset or angry with anyone about anything. I just don't want to see two individuals I care about be hurt, hurt each other, and not do anything, especially when I love one of them more than anything."
Young Allison was very surprised by Savannah's response. She did however feel elated with her last sentence.
"Really?" Young Allison asked.
Savannah thought about Cameron's poem book and the pain behind most of the poems. It was pain Cameron never needed to suffer or experience. It was mostly thoughtless acts by others which created the pain and those problems.
"I don't want either of you hurt because I care about both of you." Savannah said. "I love both of you. CamNet is a version of Cameron. I love Cameron. I love you. To hurt people isn't good for anyone - ever. Sometimes people get caught up in the moment and they can't see what's actually happening around them. I almost did it a few minutes ago. My heart called to me over my desire."
Young Allison felt very pleased with what Savannah said. She knew there was another important issue. She was very proud Savannah saved a child's life. She didn't think there was anything wrong if anyone knew about it. As far as she knew, she was the only one who did know, other than Cameron and Savannah and of course John Henry and CamNet. Since the choices of the people who knew about the event were limited, She didn't see anything wrong with telling Savannah about what she knew and how she knew it.
"She - CamNet, showed me a news report about a 'redheaded mermaid' who came from the deep water and saved a child. She then swam off before they could go on the beach." Young Allison said. "I know it was you. CamNet didn't tell me, but I know it was you. I felt so proud of you. I'm sure it's exactly how CamNet felt as well. How could anyone not? It doesn't matter if they're a machine or a human."
Savannah felt goose bumps on her skin as she remembered and relived the experience. She never questioned what she did until after she was back in the vehicle with Cameron. She didn't think about her own life. She only thought about the life of the small child. There was no time to think. It was only time to act. It made her better understand some of the decisions Cameron needed to make. When something needed to be done, it needed to be done.
"It was me." Savannah said. "I didn't want anyone to know. I don't like the 'attention' for doing the right thing. Sometimes in life there is a risky choice to be made. Because it is the right choice at the moment, it's not a hard choice to make. We do what we have to do, when we have to do it. It's all I did. I saw someone who needed help. I knew I would be able to help them, and I helped them. If you look at it from a realistic point of view, it's really not a big deal. It was just what needed to be done at a particular point in time."
Young Allison still saw it differently. A small child was alive right now because Savannah acted.
"You saved a life." Young Allison said. "You're a hero. Things could have gone bad for you. I know you didn't think about it at the time, but they could have. You put someone's life above yours in a real setting. They were a total stranger to you. You didn't know them, you didn't owe them anything, you did it anyway. It was different from being on the battlefield with Cameron. You risked your life plenty of times with her."
Savannah didn't view any of her past actions as heroic. They were all things which needed to be done. She was there and able to do them. She didn't view herself as special in any way.
"I'm just a teenager, Allison." Savannah said. "Our lives are all very complicated and confusing. The only difference between us is I'm a little older than you are. We can hurt each other without trying. We can all lose sight of the goal. Sometimes we take shortcuts when we know we shouldn't. Everyone is tempted to do things they shouldn't. Everyone makes mistakes."
Allison listened from the bunker door. She was so proud of Savannah. She also knew she herself made the hard choices before, as well as Vanna. It made her love Savannah even more.
She was surprised to hear Savannah saved a small child from drowning in the ocean. She would need to go look up the incident and see what she could find on the internet. There was bound to be something. If there wasn't, it showed John Henry and CamNet were hard at work and carried out Savannah's wishes. It in itself would confirm the event was true.
She also wondered if CamNet would tell her if she asked her directly about it. She was a little worried CamNet was going to be angry with her for 'telling on her' about Young Allison. It was OK too. They could talk about it. Savannah wasn't the only one who could 'offer' herself to CamNet in Young Allison's place. The idea actually intrigued her. It would be one way for her to be with 'Cameron', even if it wasn't Cameron directly. She wasn't really sure how everything would work since CamNet currently was nothing but wires and electricity inside of a metal box.
Cameron listened to the whole exchange between Savannah and Young Allison. She also observed Allison watch the two girls in the bunker. She was proud of all of them. She knew she would make Young Allison the best of them all…. Well, equal to Savannah anyway. Savannah was the greatest.
Deep down somewhere in the back of her mind she knew there was 'another'. For some reason none of it 'clicked' inside of her head yet. Maybe there was a reason for it too. Maybe she was prevented from thinking it through. Maybe all of them were, even if it was right in front of them.
Holly, Anna, and Summer returned. Holly and Anna went next door after they returned Summer to Claire.
Claire watched all of them. She clung to Summer and kissed the top of her head.
"I won't let them have you." Claire said softly.
A figure stood behind Claire and Summer.
"Don't you want her protected?" Hanna asked.
Claire jumped a little.
"Of course I do." Claire said. "I just don't want to lose her."
Hanna felt the burden of the 'Neural Interface' with Vanna. Those thoughts and images were very prevalent in her mind right now. They were all extremely disturbing.
"You don't know what was done to Vanna when she was Summer's age." Hanna said. "I have those 'memories'."
Claire felt guilty about not being able to protect Allison in the future she grew up in. It wasn't really her fault because she was dead. She didn't want the same abuse to happen again, even at her own expense. She would gladly exchange her life for theirs, for her daughters.
"You MUST protect her - protect them." Claire said. "My girls come before me. If it ever comes down to it, I want my girls to be safe over me."
Hanna felt strong feelings for all of them.
"I love you and all of them." Hanna said.
Claire knew enough of what happened to the girls from the future.
"Promise me my daughters will come first." Claire said. "No matter what will happen to me."
Hanna hoped it would never come to it.
"I promise, Claire." Hanna said.
Claire felt a sense of relief for something she hoped never happened.
"Thank You." Claire said.
Hanna pointed out no one would be alone going forward.
"Summer and Jan will have each other to protect." Hanna said.
Claire already saw the foundations for what Hanna just indicated. She didn't want to go 'there' for a few more years. Maybe it didn't matter. Deep down inside of her she knew it would probably happen sooner rather than later in the next few years. She believed whatever happened should be the choice of the girls. She didn't see anything wrong with them 'experimenting' as they grew older. She actually believed they would be a lot happier, and suffer a lot less heartaches. She also knew they would better be able to satisfy each other than any male ever would be able to do.
"Don't worry, Mommy." Summer said. "Cameron will protect ALL of us. Cameron's invincible. Cameron's eternal."
Claire could see the love and sparkle in Summer's eyes when she spoke. It did sadden her some because she knew Summer already belonged to Cameron. She knew Summer belonged to the future. Maybe the future belonged to Summer.
Closing monologue by Cameron:
I'm Worried About You
There are many things
Which seem to cause me worry
Things that should be clear
Are cloudy and blurry
Life is a gamble
Filled with indecision
Putting my mind and heart
On a course for a collision
Do we do what we want
Or try to do what is right
It seems either way
Both end in some type of fight
Each new day evaporates
We trudge on blindly
We take the blows
Seldom treated kindly
I worry about me
I worry about us too
But most of all
I'm worried about you
Nobody