Chapter 757
One Ace
Earlier:
Cameron and Tom were the only two Resistance Terminators to remain in the Skynet bunker. They were deep inside of it.
All the other Terminators left the bunker under Cameron's direction. They didn't want to leave without her. Every one of them volunteered to stay behind with her. She sent them out anyway. They were supposed to remove Savannah and Cammy from the danger zone.
She didn't think Savannah would go no matter what they told her. Even if she ordered them to physically pick up Savannah and carry her away. Savannah would be able to countermand her order and she would be able to remain anyway. It wasn't something she could really think about right now.
Cameron wanted to find the heat source. She was sure it was a giant power cell. Whatever the massive electrical surge earlier was, it appeared to have disrupted it. She hoped to find the plans for it. She wanted to make one for the Resistance. She wanted one for CamNet and John Henry. She wasn't sure why the power being disrupted seemed to have a negative effect on them if they were being charged. This appeared to be the second instance of the same event.
There was still no indication what actually triggered the event which knocked Cammy and her offline. It also knocked off the other group of Terminators nearby when it happened. They hadn't found any device which seemed capable of doing it. They only located the Skynet jamming field for their communications. All of their electrical gear was fried because of the massive electrical discharge. The only thing she could think was, once the Grays inside the bunker detected there were others outside, who were armed, they triggered some type of EMP, or similar device. It happened when the SUV was used as a battering ram to bring down the outer bunker door. It appeared to disrupt the large electrical power transmission lines near the location. The loss of energy seemed to trigger whatever event was in progress now and created the heat.
She also wanted to find Skynet, 'a Skynet', if nothing else. She was sure there was some version of it there somewhere.
Tom was given instructions by Savannah on his mission not to leave Cameron alone. He was a little concerned with the continued heat build up. He was in the mine with Cameron and Savannah when the heat build up seemed to lead to a catastrophic explosion. Savannah wanted him to act on her behalf. He was to try and reason with her. Savannah gave him several 'cards' to play to prompt Cameron. He thought it was time to lay some of them out.
"Cameron, it's unwise to continue past this point without a way out other than the way we came in." Tom said. "The temperature is increasing. You may be trapped if something goes 'critical'. This is a great risk for an unknown goal."
Tom knew Cameron didn't want to hear it. He still wanted her to at least think about it. It was a valid point. They all witnessed what happened to the mountain where the mine was located after the internal explosion. The bunker was located against a hillside. If the same type of landslides occurred, the bunker would be buried with them in it, if they were even able to survive the explosion.
Cameron was still irritated she didn't find the heat source in the mine. She was sure it was something important. She wanted to know what it was and what it did. She found one in the future she was from. She was unable to learn more about how it was constructed before she needed to destroy it. She didn't like Tom to question her. She did want to make what her goal was clear to him.
"I want to find out what's overheating." Cameron said. "I think it's a giant power cell like I saw in my future. Somehow it's different. I want the technology. I want to build one. It could aid the Resistance greatly after Judgment Day."
Tom thought the unknown technology sounded too dangerous. If it was the same thing, it seemed highly unstable. There may not be the same resources available in the present as there were in Cameron's future to make it function properly. He figured Cameron needed a reminder.
"What happened to it?" Tom asked. "I mean the giant power cell in your future?"
Cameron knew it went out with a giant 'bang'. She set a plasma rifle next to it, on top of the controls, to overload at the same time the Nike warhead was supposed to detonate. She didn't know if the overloaded plasma rifle set it off, or it was a sympathetic detonation to the Nike warhead.
"It exploded when I set off a nuclear weapon. It increased the yield and destruction." Cameron said. "It brought down an entire mountain."
They both knew of the earthquake which happened at the mine they were in, when whatever was inside of it exploded. The internal blast alone didn't bring down the mountain. It did lower the overall height of the mountain by several inches. Cameron would have used one of her Nike warheads on the mine if she could have brought one there in time. She was sure the nuclear weapon alone would have done more damage. When Skynet was involved, there was only one way to be sure of its destruction. It was to vaporize it.
Tom was still concerned with Cameron's disposition. It was clear she was not going to withdraw. Savannah told him to act, as she would act. He wanted to remind Cameron what was going to happen if she didn't withdraw. Savannah was going to come after her.
"Savannah knows about the heat build up by now. She knows what happened at the mine and why. The rest of the team is out now. Savannah knows you're not coming." Tom said. "You KNOW she's coming for you. She's not going to leave or abandon you. She never has, even in the face of certain termination when she could have escaped. If she didn't leave you then, it's proof she's not going to leave you now either. Your continued pursuit of an elusive goal is going to put Savannah in extreme danger."
Cameron frowned. It wasn't what she ordered.
"Savannah and Cammy are to withdraw." Cameron said. "I gave the order."
Tom was aware of Savannah's love and perseverance. He figured his presence next to Cameron should indicate it.
"Cameron, you KNOW it won't happen. She can countermand any order by you." Tom said. "She's not going to abandon you. You know it as well as I do."
Cameron knew it was true. Still she was being driven by her core programming by Future John to destroy Skynet. It was something she needed to do. She couldn't turn her back on it. No version of Skynet could remain in existence. If it did, the threat of Judgment Day wasn't much further behind.
"I must destroy Skynet." Cameron said.
Tom felt the heat continue to grow. He pointed out the obvious. It seemed to him it was an issue which would take care of itself. Based upon the continued heat buildup, he figured it was going to be sooner rather than later.
"When this place blows up, it's going to happen anyway." Tom said. "Whatever is in here is going to be destroyed. It includes us."
Cameron continued onward. She hadn't reached her goal yet.
"I want Skynet." Cameron said.
Tom knew he still needed to play a few more cards. Cameron wasn't up to listening yet.
"Affirmative…." Tom said.
He would try again in a few minutes. He wanted Cameron to mull over everything he mentioned so far. He hoped it would resonate. He didn't want Savannah to enter the bunker, especially now.
Cameron did mull over what Tom said. She needed to suppress a glitch impulse. She increased her speed. She at least needed to find and destroy 'Skynet'. The heat source was probably going to remain elusive. She needed to accomplish at least one goal before she withdrew.
John Henry watched everything from drone feeds around the big rig. He relayed the information along to John.
"Ally and Al have moved on top of the trailer. They're now at the front of the trailer." John Henry said. "They're ready to make their move."
John knew they wanted to wait for a specific spot.
"Where are the curves in the road at?" John asked.
John Henry could see things all around them.
"They're still a mile ahead." John Henry said.
John wanted action. He wanted to feel empowered.
"Take the truck down now." John said.
Ally was ready to act. She moved forward. She was surprised John waited as long as he did before he gave the command. Maybe he wanted to make sure they were in place. They were in place thirty seconds after they were on the top of the trailer of the big rig.
"We're on it." Ally said. "We are going to make our move now. It will only take a moment."
Ally and Al each swung down alongside of the cab on different sides.
Al was on the driver's side. Ally was on the passenger's side.
Ally opened the door and punched the Gray in the chest. She collapsed his lungs and ruptured his heart. He died instantly. There was never a chance for him to even raise his weapon.
Al tried the driver's door but it was locked. He saw Ally climb into the cab. His hand smashed through the glass. He grabbed the driver. He ripped him out of his seat belt and through the broken window. The broken glass dug into the driver's body.
Ally climbed over the dead passenger and reached for the steering wheel as the truck started to drift.
Al flung the driver onto the street. His body cartwheeled twice as it bounced along the pavement.
John Henry was a little surprised to see one of the Grays forcefully removed from the vehicle, especially since it was the driver. He knew Ally was already inside of the cab.
"John, one Gray is now in the street." John Henry said.
John wanted to make sure Al and Ally were covered.
"Steve, stay with the big truck." John said. "Bob and I will check the Gray out."
Ally moved into the driver's seat and unlocked the door. Al opened it. He slid in and took the wheel. Ally moved back over the dead man to the passenger's side. She started going through his pockets and the cab. She wanted to look for any type of tracker or surveillance device. It was doubtful it was located in the cab if there was one.
John Henry already picked a spot for the big rig to leave the road and go to a spot of semi seclusion.
"Al, take the next turn off in two miles, it will be after the curves. It's on the right side of the road. There are some large buildings." John Henry said. "They appear to be in disrepair. You might be able to park between them to remain somewhat obscure. It's possible it may fit inside one of the buildings. We don't know what is in them."
Gail and Sheila were ahead of the big truck. They were almost to the junction John Henry indicated.
"We see the road ahead." Gail said. "We're almost to it."
John wanted to make sure there were no surprises.
"Take it." John said. "Scout the area and make sure it's clear to bring the big rig in there. I don't want our team to run into some old farmer with a double barrel shotgun. There's no need for anyone to sustain unnecessary sheath damage, or have the farmer terminated for protecting his property."
John figured it would end with the old farmer's death. It would be a death which would solely be on them, specifically him.
Gail headed down the dirt road. They were blacked out. She didn't need to use lights to see.
"We're on the road now." Gail said. "There are no lights anywhere around."
John Henry informed Bob and John where the body of the Gray ended up at.
Bob stopped when they arrived at the Gray lying in the road. He noticed John reach for his safety belt.
"Wait here." Bob said. "Let me check it out first."
It seemed like a good idea to John. He remained vigilant and looked around them for any threats.
Bob checked the Gray over. His phone was broken, as were numerous bones. It appeared he terminated on impact with the road. He loaded him in the back of their SUV for now. They would dump him at a later time.
John looked at Bob when he got back in the SUV.
"He's terminated." Bob said.
John and Bob resumed the chase. He notified John Henry of their findings.
"Bob collected the Gray from the street." John said. "He's dead."
Steve backed off of the rear of the big truck when Al moved into the driver's seat. He slowed and waited for John and Bob to catch up as soon as Ally and Al took control of the big rig.
"The drones scan nothing at the site we want to go to." John Henry said. "There are no heat signatures. Everything is clear."
John wanted to make sure one other loose end was wrapped up.
"Send one drone to check out the other area we thought there might be an ambush set up at." John said. "I want to know what was there, if anything. It may still pose a threat on the backside of the operation. I don't think Skynet wanted to lose track of this truck."
John didn't want any Skynet operatives close to where they would be near the old outbuildings.
John Henry was curious as well. He didn't think they were done with Skynet at all either.
"One drone is on the way." John Henry said.
John wanted to take decisive action. He wanted to thin the herd.
"If there's anyone there and they're bunched up, hit them with a missile." John said. "I'm tired of fooling with these people."
John Henry was aware they could be in several positions.
"I'll use the gun if I need to." John Henry said. "No one can escape it."
Al spotted the turn off up ahead. He started to downshift to slow the vehicle. He drove the big rig to the preselected dirt road. There weren't any new events. He slowed and made the turn.
"We're on the side road." Ally said. "We are headed toward the structures."
Gail and Sheila scoped out the remote and isolated location. They were there for a few minutes.
"We have a barn large enough for the big rig." Gail said. "Two vehicles should be able to park in back of it."
Steve decided to provide perimeter security. He would prevent any vehicles from approaching the rendezvous point.
"I'll remain at the junction of the roads." Steve said. "We can observe or stop anyone who takes the road you're on. We can trap them between us if we want to capture them."
Sheila perked up at the thought of prisoners. She wondered where she would start. She didn't want to get ahead of herself.
"It would give us some intel if we could interrogate them." Sheila said.
John Henry pointed out the lack of any live detainees. He was a little concerned Sheila might take things too far with John present.
"So far there's no one." John Henry said.
At the turnoff, John and Bob passed Steve. He concealed the pick-up truck from view as they passed him.
The big rig was already in the barn with Gail's van in back of it on the right side. Bob pulled up on the left side. The headlights of their vehicles illuminate the area. Sheila closed the doors behind them.
John didn't want to get burned or an HK drone strike called in on them. He knew they needed to act swiftly. First he wanted to know what was inside of it.
"After we open it, we will search it for a GPS device or any other trackers." John said.
Sheila stood back a ways with John to keep him from getting too close. They needed to make sure it wasn't booby trapped in some way.
John noticed she was still topless with her vest on.
Sheila smiled at him when he noticed. It wasn't an accident.
"I wanted to be ready in case there was another diversion necessary." Sheila said. "I can slip my vest off very quickly. A topless female is going to catch everyone's attention. Whatever direction I go, all of their heads are going to turn. It will provide the rest of our troops with the opportunity to take the appropriate action."
Sheila wasn't sure they would be able to see her jewelry in the darkness. She would try to pass in front of any headlights so they could all get a good look at her. The rest of the team should be able to respond to the targets when she distracted them. Hopefully they would be able to capture someone alive.
Bob, Al, Gail, and Ally moved to open the back. They all held their weapons ready.
John wanted to make sure the area was clear.
"John Henry, is there anything happening around us?" John asked.
John went to move closer to the truck.
Sheila's arm came up and physically stopped him.
"Take it easy, love." Sheila said. "We need to see what is what first."
John looked at Sheila and nodded. He knew she was protecting him. It wasn't the first time one of the Metal girls physically stopped him. There were a couple other instances where they prevented him from moving from a certain spot and shielded him with their chassis. Cameron physically stopped him when he went to help the cheerleader when she was on the roof. He tried to focus on the current mission. What was done was done. He wondered how Cameron was doing right now. He really needed to push the thoughts from his mind.
John Henry checked the drone footage, as well as all of the local radar.
"There's nothing in close proximity to your current position." John Henry said. "There's no sign of HK drones."
John worried about the other area. He didn't want any Skynet troops around.
"What about the other possible ambush area?" John asked.
John Henry checked the location twice from different angles.
"Nothing was located." John Henry said.
John wanted to use a trick Cameron used before.
"Have one drone ready to land." John said. "If we find any trackers we can put them on it to simulate the truck movement. We'll do it with their phones as well. We did it once before."
John Henry previously flew the drone over the top of the streets and even had the drone wait at traffic lights. It was all done at an altitude just out of human hearing range.
Bob stood at the back of the truck.
"Are you ready?" Bob asked.
John was more than ready.
"Open it." John said.
They didn't know what they were about to find. It could be anything, or even an empty truck. He figured as long as it wasn't a bomb they were OK.
Savannah and Cammy were now inside the bunker. They were going after Cameron.
Cammy professed to Savannah several times it was a bad idea to be where they were.
Savannah knew Cammy's caution was accurate.
"I'm not leaving without Cameron." Savannah said.
The bunker was dimly lit with fading battery powered emergency lights.
Cammy noted there was a lot of debris.
"Can you see well enough?" Cammy asked. "I don't want you to fall on all of the rubble."
Cammy saw Savannah experienced a little trouble getting past some of the debris. They were from the explosion of the missile inside of the bunker. She bent any sharp or jagged pieces of metal away from where Savannah would pass. The further in they went, the more things tended to clear up.
"For now I can." Savannah said. "Once we moved past the dead bodies, and the debris in the front part, it hasn't been too big of a problem."
Cammy would rather Savannah remained outside the bunker. It wasn't the case.
"I don't know how far we can go." Cammy said.
Cammy didn't think they should go far at all. It was already hot inside where they were.
Savannah could feel the heat. She planned to go as far as it took to find Cameron.
"I'm fine for now." Savannah said. "It is hot, but I can manage."
Cammy planned to keep a close watch on the heat. It could get life threatening to Savannah at some point. There was also the strong possibility whatever was causing the heat was about to explode.
"It's one hundred and five degrees Fahrenheit." Cammy said. "If it goes above a hundred twenty five degrees, I'm taking you back, even if I have to carry you. I'm not going to watch you die needlessly."
Savannah didn't plan to leave without Cameron.
"We need to find Cameron first." Savannah said. "You know it's what I want to do."
Cammy frowned. She hoped to stop Cameron from going any further. She decided to attempt to communicate with Cameron in the only way possible.
"Cover your ears. I'll fire a patterned group of shots. She should be able to hear them and know we're coming." Cammy said. "In an enclosed space, the gunfire always seems louder."
Savannah covered her ears.
Cammy fired a series of timed shots.
'Bam - Bam pause Bam - Bam - Bam'
"Cameron should know we're coming." Cammy said.
Savannah already resumed her trek.
"Let's keep moving." Savannah said. "I'm not stopping."
Savannah moved ahead. She was determined to bring Cameron out.
She hoped to hear a return volley of shots, but there was none. It wasn't a good sign. In fact, it was very discouraging. She picked up the pace.
Moments ago:
Cameron heard the shots fired in a pattern in the distance behind them.
It meant only one thing. Someone from the Resistance was behind them.
Cameron stopped.
Tom did as well.
"It's Cammy." Cameron said. "It's my pattern the shots were fired in."
Tom fired the same pattern for Cameron before. It was under less than ideal conditions. The conditions right now weren't much better.
"I remember doing it when we were inside the steel tubing at the mine." Tom said. "I fired the same pattern on a timed basis. I'm going to signal them back. They'll be worried if they don't hear from us."
Tom started to reach for his pistol.
Cameron felt a glitch impulse.
"Not yet." Cameron said. "I need a little more time."
She was worried Savannah was going to die inside the pipe. It didn't seem to them there was any way out. There was no air. Savannah would have only survived as long as the air lasted.
"Did you think we were going to get out of the mine?" Cameron asked.
Tom didn't need to even think about it. They were trapped with no way out.
"No." Tom said.
Cameron knew all the Terminators remained calm.
"You didn't panic." Cameron said. "We were finished."
Tom felt it was over. One person gave all of them hope and purpose.
"Savannah didn't panic." Tom said. "Because of it, none of us did and tried to dig our way out. We would have got stuck in the dirt as it collapsed around us. We would have been buried under tons of earth. Savannah's coolness saved all of us. If we would have left the pipe, they may not have been able to find us before whatever caused the explosion inside the mountain brought thousands more tons of dirt down on top of where we would have been."
Cameron flashed her beautiful smile.
"Savannah's the greatest." Cameron said.
Tom remembered how Savannah scrambled through the collapsing rocks to search for Cameron. He was sure at the time he would never see her again. He knew no one else would have taken the chance.
"She went after you with near certain death awaiting her. I didn't want her to go, she insisted." Tom said. "She loves you dearly. She's not going to stop until she finds you."
Cameron felt elated as she thought of Savannah.
"I love her too, Tom." Cameron said. "I'd do anything for her."
Tom didn't like to play 'dirty'. He did see the need to play another card. Cameron should have let him respond to Cammy's signal earlier.
"You're endangering Savannah's life by continuing." Tom said. "We're on the path to destruction. She will follow you to your doom and never look back. You're going to kill her, Cameron."
Cameron stopped and looked at Tom. She knew what he said was true and in progress now. She needed to acknowledge the fact.
"You walked me right into it." Cameron said.
Tom gave it to Cameron straight.
"Savannah asked me to remind you of the mine, and what happened with Skynet in your future. I did." Tom said. "Both events ended with near catastrophe. Savannah was nearly terminated both times as well. She never left your side then. She's not going to do it now."
Cameron was a little displeased.
"You made your point very well." Cameron said.
Tom continued to spell it out.
"We must protect the 'Chosen One'. It's our duty and function." Tom said. "You're not doing it currently."
Cameron's internal programming drove her.
"I need to find the 'Clean Room'." Cameron said. "I need to terminate Skynet. Give me five more minutes."
Cameron knew what she wanted to do and what she must do to protect Savannah. They created a major conflict for her.
She felt a major glitch impulse shoot through her left hand. It wasn't something wasn't something she needed to happen right now. She needed focus. She needed Savannah.
Cameron knew she should respond to the signal from Cammy but didn't.
The further Cameron and Cammy went, the higher the temperature went.
Cammy knew how hot it was for Savannah.
"Savannah, it's one hundred fifteen degrees now." Cammy said. "The temperature could rapidly increase at any point. Since we don't know what's causing it, we don't know how it will respond, other than the fact it continues to get hotter."
Savannah forged ahead. She was still in fairly good shape.
"It's hot. It's not too hot yet." Savannah said. "I can hack it."
Cammy felt it was about more than 'hacking' it. There were a number of unknown variables involved, as well as several absolutes.
"We need time to get out of here." Cammy said. "You must take it into account."
Savannah wanted a signal from Cameron.
"We can go a little further." Savannah said. "Fire another volley."
Savannah covered her ears.
Cammy fired again.
'Bam - Bam pause Bam - Bam - Bam'
It was answered this time.
'Bam - Bam pause Bam - Bam - Bam'
The return volley worried Cammy.
"It was Tom." Cammy said. "It wasn't Cameron."
It sounded the same to Savannah.
"How do you know?" Savannah asked.
Cammy was sure there were other factors in play.
"The timing and spacing was slightly off. It was the same pattern he used in the steel tubing we were trapped in at the mine." Cammy said. "I think he did it without her approval."
Savannah was aware the other Terminators feared Cameron as much as they loved her.
"I'll prevent his deactivation if it becomes a problem." Savannah said. "I don't think it will."
Savannah wondered if maybe she should fire the next volley. Cameron would know it wasn't Cammy who fired them. She would have to know it was her.
Cammy wondered how she could prevent Tom's deactivation if none of them made it out.
"It may be necessary depending upon how irritated Cameron is." Cammy said. "What did you tell him to do?"
Cameron gave Tom an Ace to play as a last resort.
"I told him to prevent Cameron from being terminated, to do any thing he could." Savannah said. "I don't know if he's used it yet, but he still has one Ace to play to get Cameron to withdraw."
Cammy knew how stubborn Cameron could be. She knew Cameron was a total Bitch. She was glad she wasn't like her.
"What is it?" Cammy asked.
Savannah looked right at Cammy.
"It's the same one you are going to use on me in a few minutes." Savannah said.
Cammy paused and looked at Savannah. She did plan to attempt a new approach in a short time.
"You're very shrewd and 'persuasive'." Cammy said.
Savannah felt Cammy wanted to say something crude.
"You were going to say manipulative." Savannah said.
Cammy knew Savannah wanted to help.
"I was, but you're not." Cammy said. "I am. Cameron is."
Savannah thought everyone would do what they needed to do. Sometimes things needed extreme action. They were all willing to go 'all the way'.
"We all are in a way, Cammy." Savannah said. "Even if we don't want to be, it happens."
Savannah wanted Cameron out of the mine and was willing to play all the cards to make it happen. She hoped Tom played the Ace soon. It was sure hot and getting hotter the deeper they moved. It was affecting her more than she wanted to admit. She knew they needed to get back to the surface as well.
Closing monologue by Cameron:
I'll Show You
One day something is important
The next day it's not
Is there really any meaning
To all the things one has got
I don't think it's just me
Or the many things I don't understand
It seems those who surround me
Have their head stuck in the sand
I know what it is I'm supposed to do
It now causes me much confusion
There is more to see as I know you
Turning known realities into a delusion
I'm right in front of you
I preen before your very eyes
Open your heart and mind
Stop believing your own lies
I have more than one function
As I watch another you pursue
I have everything they do
I'll show you
Nobody