Chapter 776

Productive Years

Previously:

Cammy and Sheila arrived at the location where Bob was. He was at the rear of the big rig.

Bob, Sheila, and Cammy all quickly physically disconnected the weapon systems from the HK drones before they were flown out. If there was a problem, or Skynet attempted to regain control of the HK drones, they would be unable to respond with any weapons.

All the captured HK drones were flown out of the big rig. They were under the direct control of John Henry.

John was a little worried about them. All of the ones from the first truck arrived without incident and were already processed and refitted for their weapons. He hoped the new batch went as smoothly. He wanted to make sure they watched them closely.

"Are all the captured drones behaving as they should be?" John asked.

John Henry double checked all the captured HK drones in flight. Everything seemed within the normal parameters. They weren't to fall back into Skynet control. The same order stood for him to crash them into the ground if any attempt was made by Skynet to take control of them as they were taken to a secure location for inspection and refitting.

"Everything is fine so far." John Henry said. "Each will go to a different location for inspection and complete reprogramming. They will be refitted as well for our weapons systems."

Bob, Cammy and Sheila decided not to stand down. They wanted to continue to be a part of the operation. So far none of them experienced any real danger. They were Terminators after all. None of them were a stranger to danger.

"We're ready for the next target area." Bob said. "What better location do you have for us?"

John Henry didn't have an exact address. They only were given the description of the geographic area in which the third big rig was taken. It was an industrial area, with a limited number of buildings. It could be in any one of them.

"We only have a general area." John Henry said.

John Henry filled him in on where to head to.

Bob still kept one eye on the rear view mirror where he could watch Cammy and Sheila share with each other. He needed to make frequent adjustments to the front of his pants as he watched them. There seemed to be a lot more going on down there than there normally was. He just didn't want the front of his pants to tear open due to the current lack of room inside them. It's what it felt like was going to happen down there. He was always amazed at how much things could expand down there, especially when they did it on their own, like now.

Even if he hurried, which is what he currently did, there was still a big time differential. It seemed most likely by the time they arrived, there was a good chance the operation could be over.

"We're still a couple of hours away." Bob said.

John thought Bob, Cammy, and Sheila already did enough in bringing down the first two trucks. There were other teams out now which could take over. They currently searched every location which met the description where the third truck was located. He really wanted the trio to wrap it up for the day.

"You three can return to base. You've all done enough." John said. "How about it Cammy and Sheila, do you two want to return?"

There was no answer.

Bob looked back and could see the girls were totally enveloped with each other. They seemed to be at a point where they didn't want to stop. In fact he was sure they were both currently experiencing multiple finishes. He decided he better answer for them.

"They are going over some things, right now." Bob said. "They said they would do whatever I tell them to do."

John was confused by his answer. It really didn't make any sense.

"What?" John asked.

Bob quickly collected his thoughts and rephrased his answer.

"I mean, they'll go where I go." Bob said. "We've already discussed it. I was involved with the first two big rigs. They want to see things through as I do. We all want to find the third truck, just like you."

Both John and John Henry wanted to ask Bob what they were doing, but it seemed pretty clear. It was even clearer when Sheila turned her body cam back on after she placed it in a strategic location.

John started to watch while trying not to. John Henry turned it off, at least so John couldn't view it. He continued to watch it through the server. He found it most enlightening as well as entertaining.

John Henry thought the images were more of a personal nature than they should be of a public nature. He would continue to view them through his server. He didn't want John to become distracted.

John felt a little embarrassed John Henry needed to turn it off so he couldn't view it. He wasn't sure if he should say anything or not. It seemed like an apology was necessary.

"I'm sorry." John said. "I didn't mean to get distracted."

John Henry thought he should offer a reasonable explanation as to why he turned it off for John. He already needed to make an adjustment to the front of his pants. He was sure the current video feed would aid in his 'research' on females.

"You never know when Jan or Sarah will drop by." John Henry said. "It could be Kyle, Derek, or Riley as well. I don't think it would be an issue for the last three."

John was grateful in that regard. He didn't really think he wanted to explain to Sarah exactly what he was looking at with Jan standing next to her. It wouldn't be anything new for either of them to see, it just wasn't part of what the current operation entailed.

John Henry continued to watch the feed through his server. It would be a file he would often replay. He didn't tell John it was what he would do. Maybe at some other time, he would allow him to view the file in his room when Cameron was away.

He was sure CamNet watched everything too. He wasn't exactly up to speed on what all was going on at Cameron's base. He knew there were some changes being made. He wasn't informed exactly what they were, or who was making them. He knew Savannah was involved somehow. He figured her involvement would help put the brakes on anything which might be a little too extreme. He didn't know Cameron saw Savannah's involvement as just the opposite of what he thought.

Bob was given the updated information and continued to head in the direction of the target. He pushed the speed limit on the back roads. He did slow down whenever he went through a rural community. John Henry could control most law enforcement agencies. Some of the smaller ones wouldn't be tied into a big dispatch system. To change their area of patrol, or what was reported, would be a little more problematic.

John checked the feed again, but it was blank. He wondered why John Henry seemed fidgety and needed to adjust his position several times. He normally sat for hours without hardly moving. It was very unlike him.

Cameron and the two girls were outside of the malt shop now. The mood was very pleasant.

Savannah, Young Allison, and Cameron carried all the things they were going to take home for everyone else.

"I'll drive." Savannah said. "You both can ride."

Savannah kept a straight face. She wanted to give Cameron a little payback on her earlier statement regarding Young Allison and her.

They carefully placed all the goods inside. Cameron and Young Allison needed to make sure nothing would tip over. There were lids on everything, just in case.

Young Allison wanted to drive back to her house. It didn't seem like Savannah would be too keen on the idea. Normally if she was alone with Cameron, she would be allowed to drive. There was no need to create an issue and spoil the pleasant atmosphere.

Savannah saw Young Allison look at her for a moment as she held the keys in her hand. She didn't think now was the time for Young Allison to be behind the wheel. Maybe if it was dark she would have considered it. It seemed it would be best if she didn't even comment on it. She climbed into the driver's seat and took the wheel again as they left the malt shop with the 'take out' items. She noticed the waitress stood at the window. She watched them depart. She didn't really think about it.

Cameron experienced a peaceful, easy feeling. It was such a feeling of calmness. She felt 'happy'. It was more than a feeling of contentment. She usually only ever felt this way when she was around Savannah or Young Allison. She remembered she first felt the feeling of 'happiness' when she was in the halfway house when she thought she was Future Allison. She also remembered it was John who confronted her and spoiled the feeling for her. Why did he have to tell her she was a robot from the future? Couldn't he have waited until some other time to do it? She was pretty sure he could have. She was so happy in the moment.

When he grabbed her arm to take her away, she gave him a shove. She slammed him up against the wall. The other people there noticed. The security guard escorted John out of the building. It all started to fall apart after the encounter with him. So much for being happy, it never seemed to last long anyway. There was always something to spoil it. She hoped nothing would detract from her current feeling with the girls.

"I really shared a pleasant time with both of you." Cameron said. "I feel so comfortable with each of you. It's like everything else doesn't matter."

Right now to Cameron, everything else didn't matter. THIS was the only thing which mattered, spending time with Savannah and Young Allison. She wished she could feel like this all the time. She hoped when they were in the past without the threat of Skynet hanging over them, or the possibility of needing to deal with Grays, or hostile Terminators, she could feel the same way more often.

Savannah looked back at Cameron and then at Young Allison. Their eyes locked for a few seconds before she spoke.

"You know I'm here, we are here for you for anything, Cameron." Savannah said. "This is beautiful to both of us too. To see you happy makes both of us happy. I know you need to carry a big burden on your back. I try to help alleviate some of it for you. I can only do so much."

Young Allison wanted more out of life. She wanted her future now. She was more than ready to step up and fulfill her duties. What she looked forward to the most was being able to share with Savannah. She would do the other things too with John, but she really didn't look forward to them. She would try them out a few times and maybe she would be more acclimated to experience more things with him. So far what she viewed on the internet seemed more like an 'attack' on the female body than an actual pleasurable experience. Why did some of those things need to happen? No really, what was the point of some of them?

"We both know our functions." Young Allison said. "By protecting John and you, we protect the future. I want to start helping out with operations too."

Savannah shot Young Allison a quick glance. It was about the last thing she wanted to happen. Actually it was a toss up between combat operations and Young Allison assuming her other 'functions'. She would prefer to keep Young Allison as far away from either one of those things as possible.

Cameron wanted to ask them how they would feel about staying in the past when they were all there together. She knew she carried the responsibility to return to the current time period and do what was 'expected' of her. The desire to stay with them in the past, often called to her. How she felt now, only reinforced the feeling.

She was pretty sure she could get Vanna and Allison to take over the 'duties' Savannah and Young Allison were supposed to do with John in the present. It was the same thing in reality, since they really were the same people. The only difference was they were a little older and a little more 'used'. She really wished she would have pushed them a little harder when she returned with John from the alternate future. She would make a point to try and remember it the next time she lived her life over again, if the event really actually occurred.

She was sure she did it before in a previous life, if it ever really happened. She wondered how she could ever know. If she could ever find a bunker or some hidden place with a supply of her chassis in 1999, she would know for sure. There was no proof. It was all speculation. Maybe it was nothing more than wishful thinking on her part.

Young Allison would have liked to have gotten some wheel time in. It didn't matter if it would be on either the way there, or on the way home. She didn't want to make a big deal about it.

"I'd ask for you to give me some more time behind the wheel, but we have ice cream, we need to get home." Young Allison said. "I don't want it to melt."

Savannah turned and looked at Young Allison and then at Cameron. She was a little surprised to hear Cameron allowed Young Allison to drive.

"You've allowed Allison to practice driving?" Savannah asked.

It sounded like more than practice to Savannah but she understood how things worked.

Oops!

Young Allison and Cameron quickly looked at each other.

Cameron didn't think it was a big deal. She allowed Savannah to drive at the same age as well. She didn't want to lie. It was more for Young Allison's protection than anything. It wasn't about going to some place. It was about being able to run.

"Yes." Cameron said. "It wasn't on city streets. Not all of it anyway. Allison needs to know the basics in case she needs to acquire a vehicle and flee. I did the same for you. There are situations where both of you may need to run to save your lives. It was something Sarah taught John as well, at an even younger age."

Savannah knew it was true. Cameron did teach her how to acquire a vehicle and drive it at a young age. She needed to be able to escape from a pursuing Terminator, or Grays, if the situation ever arose. She faced one of those events first hand as a girl. If it wasn't for the intervention of Cameron, Sarah, and John, she would have been killed. As it was, Future Derek was killed instead, along with her nanny, Debbie.

Cameron already did quite a bit of training so Young Allison already knew how to acquire a vehicle, start it, and flee in it. Her experience was a little more than Cameron let on to.

Young Allison didn't say anything much about it either.

They didn't want to cause a problem.

Savannah thought she would like to spend the time and take the opportunity to go with Young Allison on her next practice session. It could allow them to spend some more time together. She would actually like to see what all Cameron pushed on Young Allison.

"I'll go with you as well, next time." Savannah said. "Allison is learning so much at an accelerated rate, compared to me."

Savannah hoped it wouldn't be the same way for 'everything'. She didn't even want to bring the subject up. She really didn't want to see Young Allison get pregnant, even earlier than she did. She knew there was a pretty good chance it could happen. She knew Cameron wanted her baby more than anything. She would prefer Young Allison not need to go through all of the pain, both physically and mentally, along with everything associated with it.

Cameron felt justified in all of her actions. She didn't think she pushed Young Allison or Savannah too far or too fast on anything. She wanted them ready for the future and she wanted them protected. The safety and the survival of the girls was paramount.

"We don't know when Judgment Day will come." Cameron said. "I want her protected, as I do you."

Young Allison was ready for her temporal mission now. She would leave right now if she could.

"Cameron, when are we going to go?" Young Allison asked.

Cameron felt all the pieces were aligned for the temporal mission as she planned it.

"It will be soon." Cameron said. "Your mother and Savannah are both 'ready' to go on their missions."

Savannah saw Young Allison 'thinking'. It wasn't a place where she wanted her mind to go, let alone anything else.

"Don't even think about it, Allison." Savannah said. "I won't allow it."

Young Allison looked a little guilty, even as she tried to look innocent.

"I didn't say anything." Young Allison said.

Savannah wanted to make herself perfectly clear without actually saying anything.

"I know what you were thinking." Savannah said. "I don't demand much, but I demand you not do 'that'."

Savannah could think of a half a dozen reasons not to do it, most of them weren't even physical either.

Young Allison believed she was justified in her thoughts. She hadn't contemplated anything different than Savannah already did. She felt she needed to say something about it. She was somebody and she mattered too.

"You have, several times." Young Allison said.

Savannah knew her skin was more than likely turning a little red right now. She felt as defensive as she did offensive. There was also a certain amount of logic in what actually worked out, even though it wasn't her original intention as to why she got pregnant in the first place. She wanted to give the baby to Cameron and John as their own child. The temporal missions and the situations caused everything to work out differently than she planned. It was a subject she really didn't want to get into right now.

"It was because I NEEDED to." Savannah said. "I seem to be the only Savannah Weaver who 'can'."

Cameron suppressed a glitch impulse. She didn't want Young Allison to do anything like it either, especially at an early age. Just because she could, didn't mean she should.

"Allison, as long as your mother can 'help out', there's no need to contemplate anything like it." Cameron said. "I forbid it as well. I don't want your body taxed unnecessarily."

Cameron knew it wouldn't just be her body which was taxed either. It would be her mind as well.

Young Allison was confident time itself would take care of everything. She knew what her future was and she planned to embrace it. She was pretty sure then when she was in John's bed naked, things would happen for sure within a month or two through the traditional process. She didn't want to bring it up, but she knew she needed to stay ahead of Judgment Day as far as everything on this subject was concerned.

"When I get back from the past, I'm supposed to 'be with' John." Young Allison said. "It will 'happen' then."

Savannah didn't see Cameron glitch when she looked.

Cameron wanted to fulfill her mission as assigned to her by Future John. She felt she was close to doing it. There would be plenty of variety for the four of them. As long as things were done in pairs, there should be someone for everyone. Nobody would have to be alone.

"It will happen, for both of you." Cameron said. "It will be the traditional method."

Young Allison was thoroughly 'conditioned' as to her primary duty to John and Cameron. She wanted to make it clear to both Cameron and Savannah right now what was going to happen. She didn't know when, but she did know it was going to happen.

"I still promise to have a baby for you, Cameron." Young Allison said. "John and you will have YOUR own baby."

Savannah remembered making the same promises to Cameron at an early age. It's totally different when it happens. It always stung her to think of Hope and Joy. It was a pain she never wanted Young Allison to experience. She wondered for how long of a time period Cameron made Young Allison give the same promise.

It actually angered Savannah some the more she thought about it. She felt she needed to be forceful about it.

"NO, I will. I will do it." Savannah said abruptly. "I will NOT allow you to do it, Allison. You don't know what it's like. You can't ever know what it's like. I won't allow you to do it to yourself. I'll do it again."

Young Allison was afraid she opened up a can of worms. Savannah was highly agitated right now. What happened to the good time they shared earlier? It seemed all the hard feelings were from things she said or indicated she wanted to do.

Cameron experienced a glitch impulse as she felt Savannah relive her pain over what she needed to do in two different futures. She could still hear Savannah cry sometimes at night when she looked over the images of Hope and Joy in her room. She was aware at those times Savannah didn't feel any joy and certainly didn't have any hope about her children. Somehow it was all her fault.

"I can never take a child from either of you." Cameron said. "Those promises are no longer binding. You are both free of them. I will never take your children from you. I would rather self terminate than take a child from either of you. It's never going to happen again."

Cameron remembered when she tried to download her program into a human female. It was her plan to have a child herself as a surrogate. She also considered using the 'test subjects' to have John's baby for her. She would have taken it from them and disposed of the mother. They were going to die anyway. Once they provided her with the 'service', their termination order would be carried out. Savannah prevented her from further research and testing with humans.

It was something she thought should bother her more than it did. It didn't. It never did. If someone sentenced themselves to termination, it was their doing not hers. Whatever happened on the route to the actual termination was insignificant. Maybe it was a little Skynet related in a roundabout way. Maybe it wasn't. Maybe it was all on her.

Savannah and Young Allison said nothing, they both still planned to do it for Cameron anyway. They both promised nearly as long as they could both remember. Neither ever wondered if Cameron manipulated them into making those promises. They both felt they made them on their own. As a child, the depth of the specific nature of the promise was beyond their comprehension. It seemed their promise to Cameron was as much a part of them as was their name.

Cameron was more than a little upset about the way events turned around on the way home. Everything which was a 'problem' seemed to point a finger at her.

Savannah was ready to tone down the conversation. She wanted to see if Young Allison was paying attention on the drive home. With the earlier mildly contentious atmosphere, it would be easier to lose track of their surroundings.

"We'll be back at home soon." Savannah said. "Allison, how far from this spot are we from home?"

Young Allison was always trained to keep track of her surroundings so if she needed to escape from hostile forces, she would know which direction would be best to go. The more she knew the area over the enemy, the better it would be for her.

"We are three blocks, two right turns and seven houses away." Young Allison said. "I keep track of where I'm at."

Savannah knew Cameron trained her to do the same. They were always to know where they were, and how to get away. It was to escape and evade, until they gained the advantage, then it was time to attack.

Cameron smiled. She could see how fine the two girls truly were. Everything since she been out with them was a wonderful part of the day for her. The only part which bothered her was the talk of the girls getting pregnant, both of them wanted to provide her with a child. It was something she wanted more than anything at the earlier point in her existence. She needed to think of the ones she loved first, before she thought of herself. That was then, this was now.

Riley watched Jan. Sarah came to take Jan out for a walk.

Sarah didn't think Riley looked so hot right now. She thought she should say something about it.

"Are you OK?" Sarah asked.

Riley tried to give Sarah a smile but couldn't quite pull it off. She didn't want to be a problem.

"I've felt better." Riley said.

Sarah knew there weren't many people around the base. She was pretty sure the only other non Terminator there was John.

"Kyle and Derek are out with Jim." Sarah said. "Maybe I should call them. They've gone to inspect another one of the facilities John Henry has constructed."

Sarah was aware Cameron was having others built as well. The locations of those remained unknown to the Resistance. It bothered her somewhat but Cameron always took John to see all of them at some point. He just didn't know where he was exactly. Cameron provided him enough clues so if he wanted to, he would be able to figure it out. She asked him not to do so until it looked like it would be necessary. Cameron still wanted a Resistance presence which lacked a connection to Mrs. Weaver. It was the entire idea behind her base and CamNet.

Riley seemed to have days which were on and off. She did have to admit most of them lately seemed like they were 'off'. There wasn't much she could do about it. She knew she wasn't in top shape. She was far from being the 'prime specimen'.

"No. I have days like this every now and then." Riley said. "I don't mind as I know how lucky I am to even be able to have this baby."

Sarah looked Riley over. She seemed pretty far along to her.

"I think you'll be having it soon." Sarah said.

Riley felt guilt when she didn't need to. She told herself she didn't need to feel any guilt, but she still did. It was all based on circumstances beyond her control. None of it was her doing, one way or the other. It still made her feel uncomfortable no matter how she looked at it.

"I feel bad for Vanna, Allison, and Jesse." Riley said. "They're all sterile. I thought I was too, but Cameron was able to get this one to 'stick'."

Sarah believed Cameron would come through for all of the girls.

"Cameron will help them." Sarah said. "It may take more time for them."

Riley thought about it for a few seconds.

"I'm sure she will." Riley said. "Who will help Cameron?"

Riley was willing, and tried, to give her baby to Cameron. Cameron refused every time. They didn't know how much it bothered Cameron to have witnessed Savannah have to give up her two babies. She only allowed it to transpire because they went to 'a Savannah Weaver'. Savannah's babies went to other versions of herself. They were all the same person, but in different timelines.

Cameron even looked into having a compartment constructed in her abdomen to try to transport the baby back from 'In Some Future'. She worked with Ginger and Sandy on the project in secret. Savannah found out about it and didn't want to risk the infant's life. She wanted Duplicate Vanna to have it instead. She didn't want another version of herself to be childless forever.

"We all will help Cameron." Sarah said.

Sarah wondered if maybe she should think of helping Cameron herself. She couldn't even imagine the pain Savannah must have been put through, twice already. Then again, maybe Kyle and her could get lucky for themselves. She knew she was running out of safe productive years. They never used any birth control, but nothing else happened. Maybe she could ask for Cameron's help.

The fear of cancer always crept into her mind when she tried to think long term down the road. What would become of Kyle and Jan if she ever found out she developed cancer and then died from it?

Sarah knew Cameron created cyborg versions of most of the girls. They were really like them too in most ways, even if the morals and scruples were lacking. She contemplated asking Cameron to make a cyborg version of her. If there was one, both Kyle and Jan would be provided for and protected. No matter how good of an idea she tried to tell herself it was, she just couldn't do it. She could never ask Cameron to do it. The words just wouldn't come out of her mouth. She knew it was because of the events in her past. She was able to get past a lot of them. Maybe in time she would be able to get past all of them.

She didn't know what was in Cameron's menagerie at her base. In fact she didn't know about it at all. It most likely would have been a problem.

Savannah didn't know what was there other than the four Terminators she looked at. Cameron gave her the opportunity to inspect things further if she wanted to. Somehow it didn't seem like the right time to learn more. It was enough to deal with seeing her 'parents' again. She knew Cameron played the long game. Maybe some things wouldn't be set into motion in a few years. Maybe some of them already were in motion. She didn't want to disrupt Cameron's plans.

Nobody knew what was there.

Closing monologue by Cameron:

We Don't Know

Of what can we be sure
It remains a mystery
Do we move ahead
Or end up as history

The search is within
The heart, soul and mind
Do we remain blind
Or have the stars aligned

We each have a part to play
In life's daily struggle
Much can happen to one
With so many things to juggle

Yesterday is done and finished
Leaving us with now, today
Can we stay on the path
Or by others be led astray

Life is but a stage
We are part of the show
What tomorrow will bring
We don't know

Nobody