Chapter 750

Face The Future

Cameron and her team sought cover inside the bunker which was now smashed open. They were unsure if the new drone was hostile, or one of theirs. It hadn't attacked anything, so it was probably one of theirs. It seemed to have flown away for now. They were unable to communicate with it or anyone else.

She moved inside the bunker to check what else was there. There was a secondary blast door. It was securely closed and impenetrable to the weapons they carried with them. The Grays evidently retreated inside for protection. They must have thought they faced a much larger force than three individuals. They would have been even more surprised to learn their initial encounters were all from a single teenage girl. Cameron and Cammy only joined the 'party' once they rebooted and we're back online. At some point they would come out, especially if there were additional entrances around the area. It was still most likely.

Cameron and Cammy both examined the secondary door with Savannah.

Savannah could see the door was of substantial construction and wouldn't be breached easily. She understood it was the nature of its construction and purpose.

"Will repeated drone strikes even get through this?" Savannah asked. "We can use Thermite on it. Anything built can be 'un-built' as well."

Savannah understood it was the nature of its construction and purpose.

Cammy knew Savannah was correct. It would also take time.

"We don't know what else we will face." Cammy said.

Cameron was still upset Savannah needed to engage the Grays alone. She wanted retribution for it. She wasn't about to let a heavily constructed door stop her. It just might take her a little longer than it normally would. She knew where the Grays were at, and she wanted them. She was also certain there would be at least one Terminator there if not more. She wondered why they weren't part of the initial attack. She figured the Terminator sent them out to see what type of force they were up against. If the Terminator would have gone out, he might have been able to identify it was a single teenage female who repulsed their attack, several times. She looked at the reinforced door with contempt.

"I can get through this." Cameron said. "I'll destroy it. I will destroy all of them."

Savannah knew Cameron thought of using one of her nukes. It seemed like a pretty bad idea based on the fact they were on the grounds of the nuclear power plant at Serrano Point. She wanted to make sure what Cameron actually meant. She knew even though Cameron said she was operating at one hundred percent, it most likely wasn't the case. Any radiation which escaped from the nuke was bound to be blamed on the power plant. It would cause it to be shut down. Unless the nuke was deep underground, it seemed like a really bad idea. She wanted to make sure Cameron thought everything through.

"Do you mean with a Nike warhead?" Savannah asked.

Cameron looked over at Savannah and flashed her sly smile.

"I've acquired others as well of various types." Cameron said. "I now possess both smaller and larger weapons."

Savannah wondered what it meant. Where did Cameron get more? She wondered if it happened in the past. There were always rumors of atomic weapons which 'disappeared' and things were covered up. They were usually reported as a 'dud'. There was even a report of a Hydrogen bomb, or H-Bomb which went missing in Nevada. There was Cobalt missing along with the H-Bomb. Some thought they were really making a Cobalt bomb, or C-Bomb. Nothing ever turned up. Maybe those weapons were still hidden somewhere. Maybe they weren't rumors. Maybe Cameron was the one really behind it all in the past.

She knew there were several other possibilities which could be related. Sheila and Cammy spent eight years in the past. Eight years was a long time for two Terminators to construct several TDEs. She was sure there was a lot of other activity that went on as well. She wondered if she could get a straight answer, especially in front of Cameron.

"Cammy, did you steal some atomic weapons when you were in the past?" Savannah asked.

Cameron didn't want any discussions of the past before Savannah went there herself. She thought the best she could do was reassure Savannah there was no hanky panky.

"What Cammy and Sheila have done in the past isn't to be discussed." Cameron said. "They didn't change anything."

Savannah was about to question Cammy. She would like to hear Cammy tell her the same thing.

Cammy quickly looked away from Savannah. It was clear to Savannah what the real story most likely was. She was fairly certain Cammy and Sheila must have changed things. She didn't know if they were major things, or minor things. Somehow she figured it would be a combination of both.

Savannah knew a guilty conscience when she saw it. She focused her attention on Cammy.

"You did change things." Savannah said. "You did something anyway. I find it highly unlikely you may not have expanded the scope of your operation a little further than required at times. I understand things happen. You weren't the only one there."

Cammy knew she wasn't supposed to discuss what happened in the past with anyone. In fact, much of it was blocked from her files by CamNet upon their return. She didn't want any hard feelings or lies between Savannah and her. The best she could do right now was to give Savannah her personal reassurance as her lover.

"We fixed anything we changed." Cammy said. "The timeline events remain unaltered from what they were. We fixed some things which didn't need to be fixed. We went back and unfixed them. The timeline remains unchanged. I made sure of it myself."

Savannah wasn't sure about it at all. If they changed something in the past, it would have been changed in the present anyway. It would seem it was always like it or a new timeline could have been created. It would be very hard to verify anything one way or the other. Unless of course unless she was there herself.

She realized she probably was there for some of it. Since it was the past, it already would have happened, even if she hadn't gone on a temporal mission to the past yet. If she was in the past, Cameron would be as well. Maybe Cammy and Sheila adhered to the rules, if Cameron was there, it was unlikely she did as well.

Cameron didn't want the discussion to go any further. There was to be no talk of what happened in the past when any of the Resistance team was there. She planned to be in the past with Savannah, Young Allison, Young Jesse, and Claire. Most likely it wouldn't be all at the same time, or even in the same location. It was clear what they knew is what happened on each of those temporal trips even though she hadn't conducted them yet. It was why Cammy and Sheila weren't supposed to talk about it. She even asked CamNet to block their files for most of what occurred. She specifically wanted CamNet to block what happened from her.

"None of what occurred will be discussed." Cameron said. "Not until WE get back from the past. CamNet has blocked much of what they did from them. It is only to be unlocked after we return with Young Allison as an older teenager. Nobody is to know anything."

Savannah didn't care for the wording in regards to Young Allison. She was aware if she knew too much, she might change events herself. After seeing the Terminator versions of her 'parents', she even thought of doing it herself. She could save them. She could save her parents. She wanted to see them so much now after seeing the Terminator versions Cameron created. She wanted to replace her parents with their cyborg counterparts before they were killed. Her parents could be alive now and with her. She wanted her mother to brush her hair again, and tell her how pretty she was. She wanted to feel the love from her parents again. She really wanted her 'other Mommy' back, like she told Dr Sherman.

It made her feel somewhat guilty she was all grown up without them now. They never got to watch her grow and turn from a girl into a young woman. She didn't know if they would agree with her current lifestyle. She knew it shouldn't matter since it's who she was. The fact she already had two children probably wouldn't go over well either. Technically she was still a virgin, so hopefully her parents wouldn't be disappointed about everything. It was something she probably wouldn't be much longer anyway. Things nearly progressed beyond her 'innocence' several times.

She was very troubled since she saw the cyborg versions of them. She started to 'dream' of her parents now, more than ever. She now possessed the ability to rescue them herself. SHE could save them, they didn't need to be dead anymore. The people she killed today, and her thoughts started to overwhelm her. They were still in a fight for their lives there. The battle was far from over. She needed to refocus and keep her head in the game.

She was worried about Cameron not being at one hundred percent. It was clear she wasn't either. She was sure a pretty big part of it was because of the female Gray she needed to choke to death earlier. She could still see her eyes look at her as the life faded from them. She literally watched her die. She also knew she could have started CPR and resuscitated her. She was sure Cameron would have snapped her neck before the female Gray could have been revived.

Savannah remembered where she was at. She only let her mind run away for a few seconds. She wondered if it was what Cameron felt all the time. It was very surreal feeling to have a number of events unfold in detail, as if they just happened all in a very short period of time. She thought it was time to get events moving forward. The goal now was to breach the inner bunker door. She took stock of what was available to them. It wasn't much.

"You each have two Thermite grenades." Savannah said. "I used mine already. Why don't we start with them on the door? Even if they can't burn through the metal, they may soften it up for further attacks on it. Red hot steel is a little more pliable than tempered steel doing its job."

Cammy was sure Thermite would severely weaken the door. There was a backup team in close proximity to them as well. Cameron told them to hang back earlier, maybe she would change her mind now. She wondered if they were afflicted with the same energy surge which brought down Cameron and her. There was still no way to communicate with anyone to find out. She would mention the other resources available to them, even if it wasn't immediate.

"The other team of Terminators will have more weapons and explosives too." Cammy said.

Cameron wasn't so sure about bringing more of the Resistance Terminators into the area. She was afraid they could all become targets. The group they were dealing with may be contained currently, but to think they could keep them the same way forever was probably not possible. They didn't know if they had a second exit out of the bunker system, but it was most likely they did. An escape route meant there was a good chance of a counter attack.

"We know these people have HK drones." Cameron said. "John Henry is jamming all their communications. They will eventually get word out. We don't know their strength. They are going to send an HK drone or HK drones at some point. We know where they are, they also know where we are."

Savannah wanted to turn what Cameron felt was a negative into a positive.

"Then let's use this as bait." Savannah said. "We have drones and we have Stingers. John Henry can control security at this location. We're very remote and secluded in the mountains here. We can detect them coming. We may even be able to detect where they came from. It's what we were looking for anyway. We can turn this into our advantage. More drones can be scrambled and scattered throughout the area. It wouldn't hurt to have some additional backup in case we needed it."

They still didn't have any communication ability with anyone. They were still on their own. It didn't appear it was going to change anytime soon.

Cameron was aware as long as they weren't in communication with John Henry, everything was up in the air. They didn't have any idea as to what was or wasn't happening. Until they re-establish some type of communications, everything they would do was totally in the dark with no correlation with anyone else. It was possible the backup force was engaged in the battle of survival right now. If they were, it was certainly going to be bad news for them. She needed to make a choice.

"I don't want to endanger anyone." Cameron said. "We should withdraw."

Savannah was aware it was the last thing Cameron would want to do. She knew she only said it for one reason.

"You mean me." Savannah said. "You want me to withdraw."

Cameron looked directly at Savannah. She was concerned about her.

"I'm worried about you most of all." Cameron said. "You matter MOST of all, Savannah."

Savannah glanced out at the dead men littering the ground. They already got a solid foothold on the operation. There was no need to give it up now. She understood Cameron's concern for her, but it was the same concern she felt for Cameron and Cammy as well. At the end of the day they were there to do a job, so they might just as well do it. She wanted to make her position clear.

"We'll do it anyway. We won't withdraw." Savannah said. "We have to protect the future. We have to protect John. Cameron, it's our duty, it's our function. We can't allow this opportunity to slip away from us. We need to uncover what's going on here and destroy it."

Cameron clearly heard Savannah's words. They disturbed her somewhat. The responsibility didn't belong to Savannah. It belonged to her.

"It's my mission." Cameron said. "Not yours."

Savannah saw everything differently. Cameron trained her for most of her entire life.

"It's my mission as well and to protect you." Savannah said. "Cameron, without you there is no future."

Cameron nodded. She knew things didn't get done thinking about them.

She took one Thermite grenade from Cammy and placed it with both of hers against the metal blast door. She took the metal door from the outer bunker wall the SUV knocked off and placed it against the Thermite grenades and the blast door to contain the Thermite.

Cammy carried in a torn off section of metal from their SUV and set it up against it as well.

"We will start with this and see what happens." Cameron said.

Cammy tilted her head slightly.

"I hear vehicles…." Cammy said.

Cameron listened too. It sounded like trouble to her.

"It's not a sound I want to hear." Cameron said.

Savannah could see the alarm on both Cameron's and Cammy's face. It was evident to her by their wording they referred to land vehicles as opposed to HK drones. There weren't many land vehicles which put fear into a Terminator. Unfortunately she was aware of what this group possessed. It was two different types of those vehicles.

Bob could see John was still troubled and conflicted.

"John, Savannah is your 'mate'." Bob said. "YOU have chosen her."

John was very upset about the danger Savannah just needed to face, most of it was on her own. He didn't want to have this discussion right now.

"I KNOW." John said. "There will be no discussion or comment on it, or about it, by ANYONE."

John didn't want to talk about what Future John did, even if it was - HIM.

Bob could see John was already irritated and it seemed like a good time to get away from the subject. He looked at the giant split in the dashboard in front of John and could see that it was a touchy subject.

"Affirmative…." Bob said.

John Henry hoped to avoid any further confrontations or meltdowns on John's part. He didn't want to deal with the subject himself.

"I'll pass the word if it comes up." John Henry said. "I'll handle it the same way I do for Savannah and her requests."

John was sure some of this was in reference to what everyone thought happened between Savannah and him. Actually nothing happened. He didn't know Savannah already came clean with Cameron and Cammy about their non-union.

"Thank you." John said. "Some things aren't always what they seem."

John really wondered what everything was all about anymore. He was supposed to be in charge, but he seemed to have little control. At least he didn't have any control of events. He sure didn't have any control of the current operation.

John Henry felt he was able to establish a little more order as events unfolded. Some things started to return to normal.

"Since the first two drones have restored themselves, I've sent the third to communicate with our Terminator force in the area. It has landed and we're passing communications and instructions as we speak." John Henry said. "Their vehicles are inoperable as is all their communication gear. They were also all offline for a time."

John really wondered what the nature of the electrical attack was which affected all of their machines. It didn't really matter right now. He wanted additional help up to where Cameron and Savannah were at. They were the closest ones. It made him question his earlier decision to send them. Since they were all taken down by the same event which took down Cameron and Cammy, it would have been an even bigger problem for Savannah to try to defend everyone.

"Get them up to Cameron. It is just the three of them facing who knows what." John said. "Is there anything around them they can 'appropriate'?"

It worried John there could be another electrical discharge of whatever nature it was. It could knock Cameron and Cammy offline again. It would leave everything to Savannah once again as far as defense or offense went. It was totally unacceptable to him

John Henry knew the team of Terminators was on an active fire road. It led into the area. He would need to investigate what was around them further. He was aware there were often resources staged in certain areas to help combat a wildfire before it got out of control. It would allow the firefighters to have quick access to the equipment. It was usually of a specific nature. Contract equipment could also be brought in from the neighboring area as necessary.

"I'll have the drone take a look." John Henry said. "I'm checking all satellite photos as well."

John knew they needed to get up to Cameron's team and back them up. If they could appropriate any vehicles along the way, It would be even better. He wasn't sure if anything they found would be able to start after the electrical discharge. If it wasn't on at the time it occurred it might just work. If not, he wanted them to get there on foot as fast as possible, even if they needed to run.

So far there was no indication there were any enemy Terminators involved in the combat where Cameron's team was at. He wondered if it was because of the nature of the electrical attack. If one didn't appear soon to combat Cameron's team, it might be an indication another electrical discharge was on the way. It might even be bigger than the original one if it was deemed successful. It was sure to spell bad news to their team.

He couldn't help but think it would be nice to have Derek or Kyle with the other group of Terminators. If they were knocked offline again, they would be a human there who would be able to help protect them. He couldn't blame anyone but himself.

It wasn't lost on him he was the closest human to the area, even if he was still some time out. He would need to link up with the other force of Terminators so he could provide adequate protection for them. It was strange how some of the things he disliked and fought against, often proved to be exactly what was necessary. He would keep his thoughts to himself for now. He didn't know if Derek or Kyle were in the Command Center. There was a strong possibility they could be. He didn't want them to take it as the green light to become involved. He really hoped they weren't involved and he didn't know about it yet. There was still one person there who could make sure they were given a chance to come to where they were. He really wondered exactly what Young Allison was up to right now.

With the approach of the vehicles, Cameron waited before she armed the Thermite grenades. They may have to fight their way out. She didn't want a raging Thermite fire behind them. The smoke and fumes would be toxic to Savannah in an enclosed space.

Cammy wanted Savannah safe too. She decided to engage the new threat herself.

"I will investigate what's happening." Cammy said. "I'll stop it."

Cammy moved out.

Savannah went to protest but Cameron stopped her. She was aware if she went herself, Savannah would accompany her and probably face even greater danger. Cammy knew it as well. It was why she went on her own. She wanted to give Savannah an important assignment to keep her where she was for now. It would allow her a little freedom to check things out herself.

"Savannah, watch our backs in case the Grays want to come out and 'play'." Cameron said. "If it's the only way in or out, they may not want to stay trapped and wait to see what their fate is."

Savannah looked at the inner bunker door.

"Do you think there's a version of 'Skynet' here?" Savannah asked.

Cameron didn't know what was there or what wasn't there. She did know the Skynet forces expended a lot of personnel to attempt to protect it. Whatever it was, it was valuable to Skynet.

"There's something here." Cameron said. "I'm going to destroy it."

Savannah was still a little concerned about their situation.

"Let's keep an open mind about what we may need to do." Savannah said.

Cameron touched Savannah's cheek and smiled at her.

"Thank You for what you did today." Cameron said. "I'll go and assist Cammy."

Cameron exited after Cammy.

Savannah wondered what specific thing Cameron was talking about. Was it what she did? Or was it what she didn't do? She did a lot of things in the last few hours. She certainly wasn't proud of many of them.

Earlier:

Young Allison was worried about what happened. She was aware Cammy and Savannah experienced vehicle problems and how Cameron used the SUV to attempt to breach the bunker. She watched Cameron go down before the feeds went blank.

They too needed to wait and not know what happened. They could only hear John Henry and his conversations.

Anna expected Young Allison would be a little more emotional than she seemed. She knew she would be worried about Savannah and the Metal girls.

"You seem very calm." Anna said.

Young Allison felt she should be by Savannah's side.

"I'm STUCK here." Young Allison said.

Anna wanted Young Allison to use good judgment. Some things needed to wait for time to pass before they could happen in the proper order.

"This is your place for now." Anna said. "You'll have many 'functions' to perform."

Young Allison was ready to 'perform' most of them right now. She didn't have the same 'hang ups' most of the other people seemed to have. She really didn't understand what the big deal was. If she was going to do it all anyway, then why couldn't she do them now? Since she was the one who was going to have to do them, she thought she should be able to choose when she did them. Right now she felt she should be by Savannah's side.

"I NEED to be there with them." Young Allison said. "I know what my 'functions' are or will be. I'll do them as I've promised."

It always pleased Anna to know Young Allison hadn't forgotten her obligations to the future.

"Your time will come." Anna said.

Young Allison looked at Anna and then looked at the security monitor.

"MY time is now." Young Allison said.

They 'discussed' it until they received a video feed from the third drone. Young Allison wasn't about to back down. She was appalled at the carnage they witnessed from the third drone. She didn't believe Savannah, Cameron, or Cammy were among the fallen. She was pretty sure they caused the destruction.

"Look at the battlefield." Young Allison said. "A battle was fought down there. Are any of the dead identifiable?"

Anna looked at the zoomed in images.

"Of the ones burning, I can't tell. The rest look like males." Anna said. "Those are not our outfits or gear. There are no Terminators down there."

Young Allison was a little surprised at her next communication. She wanted Anna to know up front what was about to happen.

"I've received a 'private message' from CamNet." Young Allison said.

Anna was instantly alarmed. She knew of the earlier 'trouble' which occurred between CamNet and Young Allison and the inappropriate behavior.

"CamNet has been instructed not to communicate with you in such a manner any more." Anna said. "I'll report this to Cameron."

Young Allison felt the information must be important. She knew CamNet wouldn't contact her unless it was.

"It's for 'my eyes only'." Young Allison said. "I wish to view it."

Anna looked at Young Allison.

"Please, for me." Young Allison said. "I think it's important."

Anna got up and looked at the security camera and walked out of the room.

'Prepare yourself.' CamNet typed across her screen.

Young Allison swallowed hard. She wasn't sure what she was about to witness. She could feel the bottom fall out of her stomach slightly in anticipation of whatever it was. She knew if she wanted to be a big girl, this was all part of it.

'I am ready.' Young Allison typed. 'I'll face the future and protect it.'

Young Allison watched, as CamNet showed her the footage Savannah asked John Henry not to show anyone of past events.

She thought it was like some 'creepy for real' video game. She watched Savannah fight for her life while she protected Cameron and Cammy. She watched her draw the enemy away. She watched Savannah use herself as bait to protect the ones she loved. It was clear Savannah was willing to die for them.

Young Allison wiped her silent tears away.

'Thank you. You know what needs to be done.' Young Allison typed. 'I NEED to be with them.'

CamNet allowed Young Allison to see all the footage of Savannah in action again.

Young Allison vowed to let Cameron harden her as much as possible so she could fight the same way. Savannah was the bravest human she ever saw. The fact Savannah was still a teenager wasn't lost on her in the slightest.

'I don't think things are close to being done in any way.' Young Allison typed. 'Take some pre-emptive action on your own. I will take responsibility for it if it becomes a problem. I'm the one who asked for it. Do it now. Don't hesitate or waste time.'

Young Allison wasn't sure exactly what would happen, but she knew something would.

Cameron was desperately worried about Savannah's safety. She was aware how much Savannah already risked herself earlier to help her. She and Cammy were both away from Savannah currently. They were together now.

"We need to get Savannah out of here." Cameron said. "I need to protect Vanna's baby."

Cammy was aware of what Cameron really wanted.

"You want to protect Savannah, more." Cammy said.

Cameron wasn't sure she could reach Savannah on a personal level.

"I do. She won't listen for her safety, maybe she will for Vanna's baby." Cameron said. "I love her, Cammy. I love her more than ever."

Cammy knew her place and she knew her future looked bleak. It's just how it was.

"I know I must yield to you." Cammy said. "If you won't merge our chips, I ask to be deactivated permanently. I can't exist without her. I would prefer you do it when I don't know. Just get it over with quickly."

Cameron didn't like leaving Savannah alone at the bunker entrance. She came to join Cammy to confront whatever the vehicles approached their position. There were two things they were able to tell. The vehicle sounded tracked and it sounded big. They could definitely hear 'clanking'. They needed to keep Savannah away from the threat.

"We will worry about all the other stuff later." Cameron said. "I make it as a large vehicle headed our way. It sounds like a tracked vehicle. We still both need to survive whatever happens here."

They encountered an M-113 APC before at one location. They knew this group possessed HK Tracks and the dreaded HK Treads.

It sounded big whatever it was.

"It might be an HK Tread." Cammy said. "We know this group has them. This must be why they retreated. They decided to wait for reinforcements. It sounds like they're here."

At this point Cameron was sure the threat was bigger than they were going to be able to handle with the weapons they possessed.

"We need to get Savannah and pull out NOW." Cameron said.

If HK Tracks or an HK Tread showed up, and they were trapped out in the open or in the bunker entrance, they were in grave peril.

Whatever it was, it was big and it was near. They could even feel the ground vibrate and shake as it approached.

"Maybe we can stop it here." Cammy said.

Cameron looked back in the direction where Savannah was at.

"Maybe we can't." Cameron said. "We're sure going to try."

Closing monologue by Cameron:

Future - Past - Now

The FUTURE hasn't happened
The PAST is long gone
What happened to NOW
Why can't it spawn

My mind is trapped
It must be set free
From this dreaded NOW
It so seeks to flee

Is there love in the FUTURE
There was in the PAST
I must have it NOW
But will it last

I rip, tear and gnaw
My life stuck in a trap
Why need NOW exist
I beg for a scrap

The FUTURE looks bleak
The PAST is dead
Is to live in NOW
Just a moment in bed

Nobody