Chapter 723

Past Memories

John needed to worry about the new problem, as well as the troops out in the field related to the boxcar activity. They were all in danger of some sort. He was glad he pulled them out when he did. Whatever was happening out there was a set up. It was a sucker play for them. He was a little concerned about what CamNet uncovered about the hack into the surveillance system at the old newspaper plant. It might be a setup as well. It seemed to him everything was being done to draw them out into the open.

"How soon until Bob is back?" John asked.

John Henry quickly checked Bob's position. He was on the freeway.

"It might be a little over an hour." John Henry said. "It depends on traffic."

He knew the teams who were in the next state would have a much longer drive ahead of them.

"What about the three teams in Arizona?" John asked.

John Henry checked their position. One team was on Interstate 40, another was on Interstate 10, and the last one on Interstate 8.

"They're still a few hours out." John Henry said. "They've all taken divergent routes and acquired new transportation, several times. None of them report any type of a tail. They will all eventually converge on Interstate 10 where it intersects Interstate 15. They will run each other through an ambush. They will also be in the vicinity of the large rail yard near Bloomington soon afterwards. If there's any movement of the boxcars in the area, they can follow up on it. I hope to come up with a few additional hits on all the information I'm going through. I think we should be able to track some more boxcars. It appears they are moved in sets of two. It gives me another search parameter."

John saw the teams on the way back as 'extra' personnel right now. He planned to make use of them. Since Cameron was out he planned to act. There was no indication she was involved with what CamNet uncovered near San Luis Obispo. It was his new mission

"As soon as they're back, I'm going with Bob and them to see what we can find around Avila Beach and SLO." John said. "I want to look into things first hand where we have a location. I'll see what I can find."

John Henry hoped he hadn't heard John correctly, but he knew he did. He could see no good come out of any of it with John in the field. It's going to create a problem, sooner rather than later, with Cameron. He couldn't see the need for John to go and investigate anything firsthand, when there wasn't much they knew.

"I can tell you right now what you'll find. It will be trouble." John Henry said. "I can't recommend you become involved in this process, especially before we know more. It's a bad idea."

John looked a little smug. He flashed John Henry a slight smile.

"You know I'm still going to do it anyway." John said.

John knew it would cause a problem with Cameron at some point. She didn't like him out in the field when there were Terminators available to do those tasks. He felt the need to do more and try to spread the risk. He wanted to take some of the heat off of Savannah as well. From the intelligence they gathered, it seemed relatively low risk at this point. More than likely what they actually found would be where the enemy was previously, not where they currently were at. He was certain once they saw what the surveillance footage was replaced by, they would know someone was on to them. He was sure they would be gone.

So far what they found was something new they uncovered. He wanted to follow up on it. It was a solid lead on several counts. It would be nice to upstage Cameron for once too. He wouldn't mind getting out of the base for a while either. He didn't care to be inside 'four walls' all the time. Next time Cameron said something, he would point out she didn't like being inside 'four walls' when she was inside of a metal box either. Even if it wasn't the same thing, it still was for all practical purposes. If you're stuck some place and can't go anywhere, you're stuck some place and can't go anywhere.

Cameron became more worried as she walked with Savannah. She knew there was probably going to be some kind of repercussions once Savannah started looking around. She knew she took a lot of leeway and was going to ruffle some feathers. Maybe it was time to atone for her transgressions. Everything she did, she did in good faith and with a good motive. It wasn't done to hurt anyone or make them feel bad.

It all went back to the time they were in Charm Acres, the small town established by the Kaliba Group as a community for its employees, through their subsidiary Desert Canyon Heat and Air. It was during the different parts of the funeral, and the wake, when it came to looking at a picture of a departed loved one. It was something humans like to do with those who no longer were alive.

Cameron couldn't take the suspense anymore. She stopped Savannah outside a closed room. It was time to come clean.

"I'm not proud of what I've done here." Cameron said.

Savannah was aware of how choices were made. People always said they would do things differently if they could do it over. She didn't believe it. They had a choice the first time on how to do them. What they did, is what they wanted to do. They usually only thought about doing something different, after they were caught, or held accountable for something.

"But you did it anyway." Savannah said.

Cameron suppressed a glitch impulse. She was guilty.

"I have." Cameron said.

Savannah wanted to test her theory and see how honest Cameron would be to her.

"Would you do it again?" Savannah asked.

Cameron tilted her head slightly. She was aware they didn't always like the way she did things. She tried to do what she thought was the proper thing at the time.

"Yes, I think so." Cameron said. "I don't think I always do everything the same, when I relive my life. I think sometimes I do different things. I think I would still do what I did in this instance. I think it's the right thing to do. I don't know what anyone else will think."

Savannah would like to know more about what Cameron said, and if it was really true or not. Cameron said she thought she would do it the same, maybe she wouldn't.

"You don't know for sure you do." Savannah said.

Cameron often needed to make a choice when she did something. She wasn't sure she would make the same choice twice. Sometimes there was no choice. There was only what needed to be done.

"I don't." Cameron said. "But I would bet on it."

Savannah knew there was no proof Cameron lived her life over, even if Cameron thought she did. Maybe the future her 'mother', Mrs. Weaver, was in was proof of it. There was no trace of any of them 'in some future'. The speculation was it was the time Cameron took them all to the past to live their lives out in peace. She obliterated all traces of their existence when she did so. She wanted all of them to have a life free from a Skynet future of any type.

Cameron stood before a door with a keypad.

Savannah looked away. She wanted to give Cameron privacy and control. She knew Cameron needed some secrets. Maybe after she looked in the room, she wouldn't still think it.

Cameron noted Savannah gave her privacy. She really appreciated and respected it. It was another reason why she trusted Savannah implicitly. She didn't want to have any secrets from Savannah.

"You may observe the code." Cameron said. "I trust you, Savannah."

Savannah watched as Cameron entered the code.

The door opened.

Cameron closed it again. She wanted to make sure Savannah could open the door on her own. It would also give Savannah the option to do what she wanted with anything in the room when she was tied up on an operation or unavailable. She wanted Savannah to have complete freedom of choice and control if she wanted it.

"You try it." Cameron said.

Savannah did and the door opened. She thought about something else. She knew how the doors to CamNet's bunker opened for her. She closed it again.

Cameron looked at her. She wondered why Savannah closed it again. They didn't go in yet.

Savannah smiled at Cameron. She wanted to see how far her 'influence' reached.

"CamNet, please open the door for me." Savannah said.

The door opened. She looked over at Cameron to see what her reaction would be. Cameron remained stone faced.

"Thank you, CamNet." Savannah said.

Cameron knew CamNet trusted Savannah as much as she did. She wasn't surprised. She went to enter but stopped and faced Savannah. She wanted to give Savannah a heads up, everything may not 'agree' with her. She wasn't sure it all agreed with her. There were still things she needed to do.

"What you're about to see are probably things you might be upset with, some more than others." Cameron said. "You may 'hate' me for some of the things I've done here. I haven't done anything to hurt anyone on purpose."

Savannah wanted to reassure Cameron her love was strong. She didn't want Cameron to think she doubted her. She made CamNet feel she doubted her earlier.

"I won't be angry at you." Savannah said. "I'll never hate you."

Cameron wasn't so sure because of what she did. She didn't want Savannah to have to compromise herself later on if she disagreed with what she did.

"I would ask you to promise me what you just said, but I don't want you to have to break your promise." Cameron said. "I wanted to try something new. I wanted it to be different."

Savannah listened to Cameron's repeated warnings. She became more and more apprehensive of what she was going to see. She really didn't have any idea what was inside the room which would cause Cameron to issue her repeated warnings.

"Is it going to be as bad as you keep indicating?" Savannah asked.

Savannah noticed Cameron's left hand already started to glitch. She moved to Cameron's left side and took it with her right hand. She interlaced their fingers.

Cameron felt she often didn't 'measure up'.

"I honestly don't know." Cameron said. "It is what it is."

Savannah held Cameron's hand tight and smiled at her. She gave Cameron's hand a reassuring squeeze. She wanted Cameron to know how she felt. There was a phrase which was usually used in a specific context. She wanted to infer the specific context.

"For better or for worse…." Savannah said.

Cameron quickly looked at Savannah when she said it and repeated the words. She understood their meaning in the normal context they were used in. She thought it said a lot on Savannah's part and hers.

"For better or for worse…." Cameron repeated.

They entered the room together.

Savannah looked in amazement, and somewhat in shock. What she viewed wasn't what she expected to see.

"Cameron, what have you done…?" Savannah asked.

Savannah felt Cameron's hand try to glitch again, even though she held it. She gently squeezed Cameron's hand to reassure her she wasn't going to release it. She wasn't going to 'punish', or forsake Cameron. She drew near Cameron and remained at her side. She wanted to remind Cameron she wasn't going anywhere. She would keep all of her promises. She wanted to remind Cameron if they're going to die. This is how they would be, side by side.

Young Allison was very upset because Anna no longer wanted to go with her into the past. She knew she reached too far and now there was a price to pay for her 'mistake'. It seemed to make everything worse because of the 'mistake' she made with CamNet previously.

"If you don't go with me, who will be the one to go…?" Young Allison asked.

Anna suppressed another glitch impulse.

"I don't know." Anna said.

Young Allison wanted to comment about something else she noticed. She hadn't said anything earlier, because she always 'checked out' Anna whenever she thought she wasn't looking. She didn't want to get caught doing it. At this point she didn't really see what difference it made. She was 'caught' on plenty of things.

Anna tried to hide the changes which happened to her sheath as much as possible. She stood before the mirror every day and watched her beautiful shape slowly start to erode away. Her breasts were only ninety-three percent of their original size right now. She thought it bothered her the most. There was still a lot more regression which could occur. It was very traumatic for her. There was no longer a need to hide it now.

"I'm in the process of Resequencing to a slightly younger appearance physically, but not in height. It was to better match your appearance. We were to 'grow' together." Anna said. "I wanted to look the same as you do now and when you are a little older. I wanted us to be the same."

Young Allison knew it was a sacrifice by Anna to do it, a big sacrifice. She knew how all the human girls, including her mother, felt about their 'womanly appearance'. The more she thought about it, the worse it made her feel. She just went over the issue of sacrifice earlier. Anna clearly sacrificed for her. The true test of love was sacrifice.

"I'm sorry about ALL of this. Everything is all my fault." Young Allison said. "I've learned a lesson these last few days. I've learned a lot of them."

Young Allison figured it was actually quite a few lessons. She wondered how to fix all of it and stop hurting people, especially the ones she cared about and loved. They seemed to be the ones she hurt the most. It was like everyone else needed to 'pay' for what she did. There was no punishment on her part, which somehow didn't seem fair, if she was the perpetrator.

Anna was sure any lesson was short lived Young Allison thought she learned. She possessed Cameron's knowledge of teenage John. She possessed Savannah's 'thoughts' as well from the 'Neural Interface'.

"You'll forget any lessons you think you've learned as your hormones start to take full effect." Anna said. "They'll drive you and control you as they did John. They will force you to make the same mistakes he did. It will cause you to 'take cuts' in what should be your true relationship, as they did for Savannah. It is something which has always bothered her, however it has never stopped her from following her desires. You have seen her actions first hand. Nobody stops what they're doing when they're being driven by nature, even when they know it's wrong or not right."

Cameron made Young Allison aware of what, and how, John betrayed her with Riley - Future Riley. She asked Cameron about Savannah and her promiscuity. Cameron explained she was the one who provided Savannah with her sexual partners. She said as long as she was the one who controlled everything, she didn't have a problem with it. Cameron explained to her the only restriction was Savannah could never be with any other male, other than John. Cameron then looked at her and said, 'it also applies to you.' Cameron paused and reached down to touch her lower belly, 'It especially applies to you.' It was clear what Cameron wanted from her. She was ready to do it. People did it all the time. How hard could it be?

Young Allison knew it was time she refocused. She trained for missions much harder than this.

"I won't endanger the mission." Young Allison said. "I'll do my best to meet every demand, or any training Cameron provides me with. I've tried very hard so far."

Anna nodded her head slightly.

"I'll inform Cameron." Anna said.

Young Allison wanted to show her resolve and commitment. She knew she was better than her current lapses in judgment and obvious failures. She was going to prove it.

"I've neglected my studies the last few days." Young Allison said. "I'll make up for anything I've missed."

Anna nodded again.

"I'll explain everything to Cameron." Anna said. "My replacement can take over your training."

Young Allison was caught off guard. She hadn't believed what Anna indicated earlier. Now it seemed to be a fact.

"Your - replacement…?" Young Allison asked.

Anna felt her mentoring fell short of Young Allison's needs and requirements. She almost engaged in a breach of protocol earlier. She couldn't stop herself.

"I'm unfit for my current assignment." Anna said. "I've failed."

Young Allison couldn't believe what she heard. Everything wrong was all her fault. It wasn't the fault of anyone else. She tried to 'fix' it. Somehow it all seemed to get worse.

She didn't know it was a feeling Cameron often experienced as she tried to 'fix' things. It was a feeling she felt often. It didn't feel good to fail, when something was done to 'fix' something.

Savannah looked around the room in amazement, if not in mild shock.

"Cameron, what have you done…?" Savannah asked.

Cameron looked around the room with a sad look on her face. She hoped to 'fix' some things in the past with temporal management. She would need what was in the room to assist her.

"What I failed to prevent." Cameron said.

There were a number of work benches. They all contained a still figure resting on them. Each of them was covered with a sheet.

It looked like some type of morgue to Savannah. It was kind of creepy. She was there and they were all machines. There was nothing to fear, she hoped. What if they weren't all machines under the sheets?

"What will I find under the sheets?" Savannah asked.

Cameron felt some sadness as she thought about why what was in the room, was in the room. She failed others in the past. It was unacceptable to her. No one should have ever died because of her. Maybe she should have assigned the blame to Skynet and all the destruction which followed it around, both directly and indirectly.

"You will see some you know, some who have fallen. There are some who are dead. Some are from the future, or past." Cameron said. "I have a few other 'projects' I'm working on as well."

Savannah went to the first figure. I was obviously a female. The shape of the sheet over the chassis reminded her of Cammy in her bed.

"May I?" Savannah asked.

Cameron moved around to the other side of the work bench. She was ready to atone for her transgressions. She knew everything came with a 'price'. It was time to 'pay the Piper'.

"Yes." Cameron said. "It's why we're here."

Savannah and Cameron moved the sheet together down just past her breasts.

Savannah felt a rush of excitement at what she looked at. It looked just like Cameron.

"She's beautiful, Cameron." Savannah said.

Cameron was sure it was her replacement.

"This is 'Allure'." Cameron said. "She is the improved Future Allison Terminator, with the improved and updated 'Neural Interface'."

Cameron really said it was the 'improved version of 'her', in so many words.

Savannah wondered where the most important part of 'Allure' was at.

"Where's her chip?" Savannah asked.

Cameron moved the sheet down further. She indicated a slight bulge in her very flat stomach area.

"Here, in her abdomen." Cameron said.

Savannah was curious. She moved the sheet down a little further. She was a little surprised at what was there. It was actually something she didn't care for, not any longer.

"I can see you didn't use the laser on her." Savannah said.

Cameron ran her hand over the growth. She was glad hers was gone forever. She liked how she looked now. She knew she could Resequence her sheath again if the need ever arose for her to have any hair other than on her head. She hoped it wouldn't be necessary until it was time to return to the past and relive her life over again. Maybe she should spice things up one time and not Resequence her sheath before she returned to the past.

She would like to see how John and Sarah reacted when they noticed. She wouldn't have any idea why the only hair on her was on her head. They would probably all think it was part of her design to only have hair on her head. She really didn't think anyone would complain. Besides, it was always the hardest thing to get right, hair.

"When she's activated, she's programmed to not know she's a Terminator." Cameron said. "She'll think she's Future Allison, as I once thought I was. It's actually been more than a few times."

Cameron reflected it was the one time in her life when she felt truly happy in spite of all the other events associated with it.

Savannah wondered what it was supposed to be for. It seemed like at some point when 'Allure' found out she wasn't a human female, there was going to be a problem, a big one. They were going to be a number of indications in a relatively short amount of time her body didn't have the same functions as other humans, and females specifically.

She glanced at Cameron and carefully covered 'Allure' up. She straightened the sheet as neatly as possible.

Savannah moved to the next one. This one was a female also with noticeably smaller breasts.

She reached to move the sheet.

Cameron stopped her.

"I did this for you." Cameron said. "I asked Cammy and Sheila to construct a 'Neural Interface' in the past, it was used on the DNA donor during a 'doctor's visit'."

Savannah wondered what Cameron tried to tell her. She noticed there was almost a look of terror on Cameron's face. She really wondered what she was about to see.

She saw the red hair as she started to move the sheet. She stopped. It hit her like a sledgehammer between the eyes. It felt like she was gripped in a vice. The shape and figure wasn't of Vanna or her. It was much slimmer in every regard. It reminded her of 'someone else'. Someone she missed very much and thought about often.

Cameron saw Savannah stop and just stand there for a short time.

Savannah looked up at Cameron. It was difficult for her to speak. She finally managed to get the words out.

"Is this my - mother?" Savannah asked.

Cameron wondered how much Savannah was going to hate her. The deed was already done.

"It is." Cameron said.

Savannah carefully moved the sheet down to her neck only. She felt a rush of something shoot through her body. She wasn't sure what it was. Her mother was much prettier and more beautiful than she could possibly remember. She knew beauty when she saw it. Her mother was gorgeous.

"She looks so young and beautiful." Savannah said.

Savannah reached out and gently touched her face.

Cameron didn't know what to say.

Savannah was at a loss for words as she tried to put it all together.

"You sampled her DNA? You did the 'Neural Interface' in the past?" Savannah asked. "Was it before I was born? She looks like a late teenager, or in her early twenties. I can't believe how beautiful she is."

Cameron made sure she covered all of the bases in regards to the 'Neural Interface'. It also reminded her of a promise she failed to keep to Savannah.

"The 'Neural Interface' was done before, and after your birth. She can be activated either as your mother before her death, or as she was before she was married." Cameron said. "I never was able to bring your 'mother' back to you like I promised when you were growing up. It still troubles me."

It was a shortcoming which always bothered Cameron. It was Mrs. Weaver she referred to, not her birth mother. There were still some possibilities which could be used.

Savannah saw it as a promise fulfilled. It was just a little different than she imagined it would be. She was fairly certain it probably was the best in the long run.

"You took me to her." Savannah said. "I saw her 'In Some Future'. I know where she is whenever I want to see her again."

Savannah reached down and touched her 'mother's' lower abdomen through the sheet. She could feel the slight bulge of the chip. She knew it was her 'mother', at least a 'part' of her. She wondered what she would find upon her activation.

"If I put her chip in, will she also not know she's a Terminator?" Savannah asked. "Will she wonder how she looks 'younger'?"

Cameron did the 'Neural Interface' twice to try to cover all eventualities.

"She will not know she's a Terminator." Cameron said. "I don't know how we can explain everything to her. If I activate her prior to her marriage, there are many things she will not know. You will be one of them."

Savannah wondered how she would get along with her 'mother' as a 'friend'. There were a lot of questions. Cammy and Sheila we're just back from the past. There hadn't been enough time for all this to be accomplished so quickly.

"Everything didn't all happen in the last few days." Savannah said. "I know how long some things take. I also know there are shortcuts. I don't believe any of them were used."

Cameron saw everyone's death as her failure. She was determined to fix all of them. She didn't want to hide anything from Savannah.

"I've planned this for years." Cameron said. "I've been on a few temporal missions myself. I collected DNA samples and used the 'Neural Interface' on others as well. I was very careful not to alter the timeline - this time."

Savannah looked around the room. It really was like a morgue. From what Cameron indicated, what she viewed were mostly 'dead' people. She understood the depth of Cameron's feelings and emotions were much greater than she ever anticipated. She wanted to do something to bring back the fallen.

She was fairly certain Cameron wasn't going to stop with a cyborg version of them either. More than likely the cyborg version would replace the human before their death. She wasn't sure if it was the right move. She hoped Cameron would tread lightly when she did it, if it was her plan.

It would depend upon all who Cameron 'saved'. She wondered if there was a version of Future Kyle there. He was really John's father. How would Kyle deal with another version of him with Sarah? It was really Future Kyle who she loved for all those years of loneliness. She tried to push the thoughts from her mind.

"Do I want to see the rest?" Savannah asked.

Cameron didn't look around the room. She kept her eyes on Savannah's eyes.

"I don't know." Cameron said.

Savannah looked at the covered forms in more detail. It was clear some of them were taller and built differently. They didn't have female attributes.

"Some of these are males." Savannah said. "Like the one next to my mother."

Cameron's eyes remain transfixed on Savannah. Savannah looked up at her and their eyes locked again.

"Some are males." Cameron said.

Savannah felt the emotions run wild inside of her again. Her heartbeat was already elevated. It began to pound now. She could hear it in her head. Her mouth suddenly became dry. It was hard to swallow. She knew what it meant.

"Will I find my father under the next sheet?" Savannah asked.

Cameron could see Savannah's face change somewhat.

"You will." Cameron said.

Savannah's next words surprised Cameron.

"I don't want to do this right now." Savannah said. "I want to go."

Savannah suddenly looked very distressed.

Cameron was sure Savannah was going to hate her.

"I'm sorry." Cameron said.

Savannah turned to leave but composed herself. She was here for CamNet.

She wiped a few tears away and calmed herself. She was there to do a job and she was determined to do it. She wanted to make the best choice for CamNet.

"Is there another cyborg version of 'Allison' here?" Savannah asked.

Cameron moved to another table and pulled the sheet down to her waist.

"Yes." Cameron said.

Savannah thought she looked identical to 'Allure'. There was something which attracted her slightly more than it did the sheath of 'Allure'.

"Who was she supposed to be?" Savannah asked.

Cameron wasn't sure if it would be a point of contention or not. It was really no different than what was created for all of the other human females from the future, and Savannah.

"She is to be 'Fusion'. She will be the Terminator version of Young Allison when she returns from the past. She has no chip yet. I wanted to wait to do the 'Neural Interface' when Young Allison is an older teenager. She will have a broader range of 'experience' at that point in time."

Savannah started to reach out to touch her breasts. She checked herself and didn't.

"She looks beautiful." Savannah said.

Cameron could see the sheath produced the effect she wanted it to.

"She's been Resequenced to a slightly younger age." Cameron said. "It's why she looks slightly different. Nothing else is changed."

Savannah thought 'Fusion' was more alluring than 'Allure'. She didn't have a chip currently to be placed into her as 'Allure' did.

"Are there any other versions of 'Allison'?" Savannah asked. "I don't want to use 'Allure'."

Cameron moved the sheet down a little further so Savannah could look at all of 'Fusion'. The only hair was on her head.

"We can use Fusion, the teenage Young Allison." Cameron said.

Savannah nodded. She wanted work to begin immediately.

"You will make sure she has four chip ports." Savannah said.

Cameron would comply with Savannah's demands. She did have one request regarding the procedure at the current time.

"I will, but I do not want the chips in yet." Cameron said. "I need to see how things play out first."

Savannah wanted to make sure everything for CamNet was taken care of. She looked nervously around the room one more time. She needed to go.

"When the work is completed with the extra power cell, I'll take her to CamNet." Savannah said. "I want to leave where we are for now, please."

Savannah went to leave and stopped. She went and stood between her 'parents'. She carefully moved the sheet from her father's face and gently touched his cheek and then her mother's face. She then gave each one a kiss on the cheek and covered them over.

"Bring Fusion, soon to be 'CamNet'." Savannah said and walked out of the room without looking back.

It took all of Savannah's resolve to hold herself together. She didn't know how long she'd be able to hold it all in. She just looked at things she thought she would never see again. She wasn't sure she wanted to see them under the current circumstances either.

Closing monologue by Cameron:

Past's Past

It was once said
I was stuck in the Past
That is so very true
To make things last

Living in the past
To advance or relive the contrast
To hide from reality
The future is my past

I can feel once again
The times that were good
The happiness, joy and love
For things I once stood

From within the past
I can HURT and punish myself
Inflict pain and damage for
The torment of being put on a shelf

To feel the agony of the past
I know that if I can bleed
Then I'm still alive
Sharing my feelings as you read

There is no today
There is no tomorrow
Everyday is yesterday
Little joy but plenty of sorrow

I have always felt this way
Except when they loved me
For I was able to bury the past
A today and a tomorrow to see

Nobody