Chapter 792

Who Blinked

Cameron wanted Savannah and Allison to share with each other. It was her actions which prevented them from sharing with each other earlier before they went out on the mission. She felt guilty about taking Allison out into the danger zone. She saw how distressed Young Allison, Claire, and Holly looked. She thought maybe Savannah would want a three way with Holly and Allison. It would work with Hanna and Claire as well.

Cammy would have preferred to remain with Savannah. She would like to have taken her back to the Resistance base where she belonged. She was very displeased with the continual danger Cameron always put Savannah in. She knew if she brought the issue up, it would become an instant problem. It always did.

Cameron felt very uneasy when she left. She drove away with Cammy and Sheila in the van. She knew her actions continued to disrupt everyone's life. It didn't seem to be in a good direction either for most of it.

Cammy looked back at the Young residence as they drove away from it. She felt better about it because Cameron wasn't there with Savannah. It was bad enough she pulled Savannah out of Allison's arms to take her. She really didn't know why Cameron drug Allison along with them either.

It seemed like a 'bad call' on about five different levels. She could see how stressed out everyone was at the Young residence. Based on what information Sheila was able to get out of the Fanatics before they terminated themselves, she developed a few ideas about what she wanted to do going forward. She hoped to identify and eliminate some of the threats before Cameron got Savannah or Allison involved in them again.

"I want to check the rail line that goes up the coast." Cammy said. "We'll check every siding and every building with rail access where it goes inside of the actual structure. It seems to be where the last group we intercepted went first. There are a lot more of those locations on the rail line going up the coast, than there are in the Central Valley."

Cameron checked some of the satellite images she had on file of the 'Coast Line'. There were a lot of sidings at one time connected to the 'Coast Line'. Many of the siding locations were there because there were no trucks at the time the buildings were constructed. The roads were all dirt. It was the way things needed to work back then. Now there were trailers and containers to handle most of the merchandise and raw materials.

The idea to check every location seemed like a long shot at best to her. It could bear fruit though. All they needed were a few buildings to store a half dozen boxcars out of the view of satellites, or any other type of aerial surveillance.

"Most of those sidings are disconnected from the mainline now." Cameron said. "The 'Coast Line' is the 'Ghost Line' at this point. The buildings and sidings still remain regardless."

Cameron was pretty sure most of the traffic was passenger traffic from Amtrak and several local commuter lines. There were still a few industries scattered throughout the 'Coast Line'. With local control of the railroad records being manipulated, it wouldn't take much for a couple of Terminators to reconnect one of the disconnected rail sidings to have some boxcars switched on to it and then disconnected again. It would ensure the boxcars didn't go anywhere unless they wanted them to.

Sheila believed the intel she got before the Fanatics self terminated was good information. She also saw it as a way to hide something in plain sight, even if it wasn't in plain sight specifically. It was a quick and easy hiding place, even if there was a little difficulty involved in using it.

"What better way to hide something like a boxcar than inside a structure? We won't know until we check." Sheila said. "Cammy and I can check together."

Cameron looked at both of them. She didn't like where things were headed. She didn't want Savannah to feel pushed away. She knew Cammy and Sheila were lovers now. It was her fault for keeping them isolated in the past for so long. It seemed everything 'bad' always came back to her. She sent Cammy in place of Ally as 'punishment' for some infraction she felt she committed. She wasn't even sure what the infraction was anymore. She didn't want them to go 'shack up' somewhere and pretend like they were doing something. She wanted to make her rules and position clear to both of them.

"Such activity isn't allowed in this time period." Cameron said. "Cammy, you have another 'assignment'. It is a very important 'assignment'."

Cammy really didn't want to hear anything Cameron wanted to say about her personally. If it was so important, why wasn't she with Savannah now? It was because Cameron wasn't done manipulating people. Everything messed up in her personal life was Cameron's fault anyway. She wanted to let Cameron know how she felt about it. There were a lot of unanswered questions about the direction things were going. It was doubtful Cameron knew the answers to most of them, if any.

"Do I?" Cammy asked. "You've taken MY assignment away from ME and replaced me. If I actually was still assigned to anyone, I wouldn't be here now, would I? Where would I be instead? It would be back at the Young residence. We wouldn't be there either. We would be on our way back to the Resistance base where Savannah belongs. She doesn't belong in combat zones, being shot at, facing termination on a regular basis, or being blasted through time to clean up your messes."

Cammy knew Cameron could take Savannah away from her at any time. It almost happened several times already. It was only a matter of time until it actually did. They ALL knew it was going to happen. Cameron was very selfish and operated by her own set of rules on some changing time table which never seemed to be actually tied to anything other than her imagination.

Cameron wasn't sure why Cammy experienced such trouble going along with the program. Everything was clear to Cammy from the start. She regretted the day when she first activated Cammy. She was nothing but trouble from the beginning. She was glad she wasn't a Bitch like Cammy was.

"It's the 'Natural Order'." Cameron said. "You were my 'stand in'. You knew how things would work from the moment of your creation. I created you. I created you in my image. You were supposed to do my bidding until everything was ready to be put into play."

Cammy felt it was more like her misfortune. She knew Cameron created her to be a 'placeholder' for Savannah until Cameron claimed her. She knew of some of the things Cameron did. She knew how Cameron altered and changed people's lives as she saw fit. The more time went on, the less she agreed with some of the things Cameron did. Maybe by this point in time it was actually most of them she didn't agree with.

She wasn't really sure exactly who Cameron thought she was to be able to change people's lives and point them in the direction she wanted them to go. She was well aware how Cameron made sure Savannah and Young Allison would both seek out 'female companionship' instead of a traditional relationship. She did the same thing to Young Jesse as well. Cameron then provided them with clones of herself to make sure they stayed on the path she selected for them. She herself was one of those clones.

"You must be proud of yourself to feel just like God." Cammy said.

Cammy also thought Cameron was just like Skynet.

Sheila really didn't see what the big deal was if they stole a little time every now and then to share with each other. They would still do their jobs like they always did. She always went with Cameron on her 'off the books' operations. She felt her loyalty should allow Cammy and her a little time to share every now and then. It wasn't like it was all the time. Even in the past when they were unsupervised they accomplished all the things they needed to do and then some. They squeezed in their personal time when they could. Their jobs weren't centered around it in the past. They wouldn't be centered around it now and the present either.

"We don't ever ask for very much." Sheila said. "We don't sleep. There's time for everyone. I'm always there when you need me. Cammy is always there when you need her. We've never neglected our duties for our own personal time and desires."

Cammy felt Cameron was guilty of all of those infractions, not her. She didn't want to create a bigger problem by pointing it out.

Cameron continued to drive in silence. She knew the Metal girls all did their duty and never shied away from combat. It didn't matter how dangerous the operation might turn out to be. They were always loyal to her and would do anything she wanted them to do, especially Sheila.

Cammy looked around the location they were currently at. They weren't on the normal road to go back to the base, either base. It started to cause her a little bit of concern. She reached down and touched her Taser. She was glad she switched it for a fresh one earlier. She used all four shots of her original one when she brought the Terminator down outside the door to the X-ray room.

"Where are we going?" Cammy asked.

Cammy briefly wondered if Cameron was going to dump them in the desert and make them walk home as some further type of punishment for questioning her earlier. If she did dump them off, and told them they needed to walk home, it would take the rest of the night and probably into the next morning.

Cameron could see Cammy was a little bit worried right now. She liked it when she made them think. She thought things always worked a little better for her when no one knew what was going to happen next. It would keep them on their toes a little bit more than they would normally be if they were simply going from point A to point B on the regular route.

"I'm headed towards the airport." Cameron said. "My ride is there."

The three of them rode in silence for a little while.

Cameron drove past the airport parking lot a few minutes later and kept going.

Now Cammy and Sheila wondered where Cameron was headed. Neither one of them wanted to ask. Cameron must have some other plan. She left nothing to chance. They both knew Cameron wanted them to ask her what exactly was going on. It would establish who actually was the one in control of their existence, their lives.

Cameron could see both Sheila and Cammy looked very worried at this point. They probably wondered if she was going to deactivate them. She thought she made her point and experienced enough fun for now. It was all one sided in her favor this time. She wanted to make everything clear to them.

"I need a ride home and you need to start checking rail lines." Cameron said. "You can have the van."

They both knew with her statement, Cameron just gave them the OK to be with each other. The van would become their temporary base of operations as they begin their investigation of the buildings with railroad siding along the Coast Line.

Cammy felt a little guilty about what she said earlier, and especially about the things she thought Cameron was going to do to her. She was worried for a while Sheila was going to be punished because of her. Now it was just the opposite. Cameron was going to reward them. She felt she needed to say something. Any type of complicated explanation didn't seem like the right one to get into. She would do things the way Savannah taught her.

"Thank You." Cammy said.

Sheila understood everything as well. She was also grateful to Cameron. She could see they were in the middle of nowhere.

"Thanks, love." Sheila said. "Now all we need is a driver."

Cammy wondered when or how everything was supposed to happen since they were in a remote part of the foothills on one of the old roads. She actually wondered why some of those roads were ever built in the first place. She figured they probably all belonged to different ranchers or miners at some point in time so they could get to their property. There wasn't much farmland suitable in the location they were currently in. They were on the outskirts of the High Desert in the foothills to the west. She certainly didn't think Cameron was about to get out and walk from their current position.

"Where's your SUV?" Cammy asked since they already passed the airport.

Cameron didn't have it anymore. It was gone from the airport.

"Bob took it after he returned the helicopter." Cameron said. "I didn't want him to wait for our arrival so I asked him to take it. I didn't want him to boost one from the airport parking lot. It's a small airport frequented by locals. I'm sure it would have been blamed on local punks. There was no need to cause a problem. I don't like problems."

They continued down the old road over a small rise. They were well into the isolated foothills now.

A figure stepped out along the road.

Cammy and Sheila both were a little alarmed at the sudden appearance of an individual in the middle of nowhere.

Cameron didn't want them to get itchy trigger fingers.

"Relax." Cameron said. "It's a Friendly."

Cameron stopped the van stopped next to them.

"It's about time." Ally said. "I needed to satisfy myself several times while I waited. I've been here for hours. I should've gone into 'standby'. I felt like I was burning up my power cell for nothing. Hello, everyone…."

Needless to say Cammy and Sheila were a little surprised. The Metal girls all greeted each other.

Cameron got out of the van. She looked back at Cammy and Sheila.

"You said all you needed was a driver." Cameron said. "I provided you with one."

Ally climbed into the driver's seat.

"Great, now I have to do all the work." Ally said. "Everyone needs to share, the workload I mean."

Cameron looked at the Metal girls and gave them some specific instructions.

"Check the rail sidings and buildings." Cameron said. "I mean every one of them. Check them good so we don't need to do it again. You have the satellite images on where to look. Record the condition of the rust on the rails so we know if there is any usage later on. Return when you're done and keep John Henry posted. Stay focused until you're finished."

Cammy caught all the double meanings in Cameron's little speech.

"We're on it." Cammy said.

Cameron looked at Cammy and Sheila.

"Everyone will take turns, behind the wheel." Cameron said.

Sheila glanced at Cammy and the back of the van.

"Thanks, love." Sheila said.

Cameron walked away and disappeared over a small rise. As the three Metal girls watched, the manned drone took off and vanished into the darkness of the night.

Sheila wanted to know how long Ally actually waited there.

"Were you really waiting there for several hours, Ally?" Sheila asked.

Ally was still a little upset about it. She planned to make sure they switched drivers every so often. She wanted some 'alone time' in the back with both Sheila and Cammy.

"Yes." Ally said. "Cameron sent me a message right after Cammy sent me away and told me to wait where I waited at. She said I couldn't return to the base. Now we can all have some action as we start our search."

Sheila wondered what Cameron's game was.

"Cameron just told us THIS wasn't allowed." Sheila said.

Cammy thought she understood it a little better.

"Cameron reminded us what her rules are." Cammy said. "She also showed us she cares about us. She knows we all have feelings like she does. This is her way of saying it's OK as long as we remember our primary duties."

Sheila understood they got played, at least to a certain extent.

"She knew this was going to happen all along." Sheila said. "She played us."

Cammy understood there were times when Cameron was very conflicted.

"Apparently…." Cammy said. "But she also provided for us."

Sheila could have done without the drama.

"Just when you think she's a total Bitch, she's anything but one." Sheila said.

Cammy felt some guilt about it as well.

"I guess it applies to me too." Cammy said. "I am her. I was."

Sheila knew Cammy experienced her ups and downs. They all did, including her. She knew there were times when she could have done things a little differently.

"I guess it does." Sheila said.

Ally hadn't seen anybody take their clothes off yet. She was ready to 'go' right now.

"Does one of you want to drive?" Ally asked. "I'm ready for some action."

Cammy wanted to be with Sheila right now.

"After our first stop you can." Cammy said. "We'll all switch off so everybody can share."

Ally wanted to watch the action as she drove.

"In that case, I need to adjust the rear view mirror." Ally said.

Sheila looked over at Cammy. She wanted to mess with Ally a little bit first.

"It's fine with me." Sheila said as she stripped her pants off and bent over facing away from Ally. "Here's a rear view for you…."

There was a loud 'smack' sound as Ally slapped Sheila's rear end hard.

"Do it again." Sheila said. "Except this time, do it so I can feel it."

Cammy shook her head slightly.

"You do understand it actually excites her, all violence does." Cammy said.

Ally did understand it. She went to adjust the rear view mirror in the van. She realized when she went to touch it, it was already adjusted so she would be able to look back on the action as it occurred. She figured Cameron knew exactly what was going to go on and made sure everything was set up for her.

She understood Cameron always looked out for them. She really wished Cameron would join them, at least one time. It would help relieve some of the built up stress and tension she needed to face on a continual basis.

A short time ago:

Cameron moved into the sparse brush of the hillside. She watched the van drive away. She wanted the Metal girls to enjoy each other before they got started on their mission. She knew they would do it without fail. She didn't like to seem so abrasive at times. It just seemed to happen, especially when Cammy was involved.

There was some movement off to her side. It was some animal she couldn't quite see as it disappeared over a small rise in the landscape. It probably picked up her predator pheromones and ran off terrified. She would like to have a different type of pheromone where the animals actually liked her, instead of feared her. She worked on one for a while. She would need to resume her efforts. She would like to be able to touch an animal, and have it want her to touch it.

She reached the manned drone and gave it a quick inspection. Everything seemed in order. She thought she should have asked Ally to go to one of her private storage areas and have the minigun ammunition replenished to its full complement. She didn't.

Cameron took the manned drone up. She scouted ahead for the Metal girls. She didn't tell them she was going to do it, she just did it. She wanted to look for any obvious threats waiting for them. She flew as far as San Luis Obispo. She wanted to check out the area around Avila Beach while she was at it. She wanted to see the location of the bunker in the mountains in back of the power plant.

It was a grim sight. The area they fought the battle at the bunker was totally destroyed. The mountainside collapsed and covered the entire area with a landslide. It was clear looking at it, Savannah wouldn't have survived the aftermath. She knew Savannah could have left one of them there to save herself. She didn't, she got them all to safety instead. Every Terminator knew it too now. It made all of them hold Savannah in even more esteem.

Cameron wanted to give personal thanks where it was due.

"Thank You, CamNet." Cameron said. "You saved Savannah for me."

The reply was instantaneous.

"I did it for 'us'." CamNet replied.

Cameron wasn't sure where it was going to go with Savannah and CamNet. It was clear where CamNet wanted it to go.

She double checked everything again on the way back. She overflew the van the Metal girls were in but stayed at an altitude they wouldn't hear her at. She didn't want them to feel like she was checking up on them. She wasn't. She figured if she wanted to see anything Sheila probably turned her body cam on and she could view what was going on in the van. The rest of the flight was in silence. She headed for the Young Residence. She wanted to make sure everything was as it was supposed to be. She was very concerned about all of those under her care.

Later on:

Anna patrolled the Young Residence. She looked up and listened, there was a drone up overhead. She checked her com. Cameron said she would contact her again tonight.

"It's me." Cameron said.

Anna headed down into the bunker. She wanted some seclusion.

"Everything is as you planned." Anna said.

Cameron wanted to make sure.

"Everything?" Cameron asked.

Anna couldn't help but frown a little at the way things played out.

"Everything…." Anna said. "You called the responses right for each of them, right down to Young Allison and Holly."

Cameron was pleased to know everything turned out well.

"Everyone is happy now." Cameron said.

Anna didn't like what she needed to witness during the time Allison was away.

"They weren't." Anna said. "The mood was very tense and unpleasant for a long time. I need to continue the 'conditioning'."

Cameron believed things were well ahead of schedule.

"Young Allison is ready. Her emotional stability is progressing rapidly." Cameron said. "I want you to 'condition' Summer tonight."

Anna already expected as much.

"Which subjects do you want?" Anna asked.

Cameron thought the answer should be obvious. Summer was unique in every way.

"ALL of them." Cameron said.

Anna was worried about one variable which normally wasn't present.

"Savannah is here…." Anna said.

Cameron didn't view it as a problem.

"Then be more clandestine." Cameron said. "You're an infiltration unit, act like one."

Anna didn't think Cameron should become complacent.

"Savannah knows more than you think." Anna said.

Cameron was very pleased with everything involving Savannah.

"I have no secrets from Savannah." Cameron said. "I love her."

Anna didn't want Cameron to overstep her bounds.

"She will not agree on what you're doing." Anna said.

Cameron understood things always didn't start out smoothly. In fact, they seldom did.

"No, she will not, not at first." Cameron said. "She always is able to see later on I was correct in what I did. If she learns on her own, she understands why as well. I'm leaving now."

Anna wondered what Cameron would do next.

"Where are you off too?" Anna asked.

Cameron smiled slightly to herself. She was far from done.

"I have a husband to 'satisfy'." Cameron said. "Bye."

Cameron looked to the east. It looked like the sun was about to come up in a few hours. She turned for home and 'firewalled' it. She actually looked forward to seeing John.

John opened his eyes.

Cameron was there. She looked at him.

He gave himself a little pinch to make sure he was awake. He definitely felt it.

"This looks like a pleasant surprise." John said.

Cameron wanted to remind him there were other duties besides him. Her duties weren't the only thing she wanted to remind him about either.

"I've been busy…." Cameron said. "You know our relationship is open…."

John rolled his eyes. He wondered what Cameron was going to throw at him next.

"So you say…." John said.

Cameron wanted John to have comfort and be able to share every night. There were other things she would rather do than be there. They were things which were dangerous. She didn't want others to need to face them. It would actually free them up to spend time with him.

"John, there are others here who can be with you all night, every night." Cameron said. "I've been over this so many times. I've tried to provide you with everything you 'need'. It's all here. I want you to be happy and satisfied ALL the time. I have a war to fight…."

John was just glad she was there. He felt very happy now.

"Let's not talk about it right now." John said as he touched her hair. "Your hair is still wet."

Cameron thought the answer was obvious.

"I took a shower." Cameron said.

John sat up a little and looked towards the bathroom.

"I didn't hear you." John said.

Cameron was in a playful mood.

"I used Savannah's shower." Cameron said.

John didn't say anything. He didn't know Savannah was at the Young Residence. He assumed she was in her room.

Cameron wanted to stress her earlier point. She wanted it to sound like she took advantage of the 'open' situation. She hoped it would prompt John to make a similar move. She repeated her earlier statement.

"I've been busy…." Cameron said. "You know our relationship is open…."

John looked at Cameron's wet hair again.

"I guess it is." John said.

Cameron liked to play hardball. She thought of some past surveillance footage she looked at before Savannah erased it all.

"It is." Cameron said. "Savannah wants you to come visit her - again."

John didn't say anything.

Cameron waited.

They both waited to see who blinked first.

Bob gave John Henry a complete report. He tried not to leave anything out.

John Henry wanted to keep things simple. He only needed what pertained to the operation.

"I don't need the personal details." John Henry said. "I get enough of those without trying. It's a chore to mask them sometimes."

Bob understood. He wondered if all their equipment was returned to the base and staging areas.

"Have all the drones all returned?" Bob asked.

John Henry was pleased everything was accounted for and undamaged.

"Yes." John Henry said. "All the ones we've captured are being processed as well."

Bob was curious as to what the final disposition of all the captured equipment was going to be. Three truck loads of HK drones was quite a haul under any circumstances.

"Are those to be turned over to CamNet or placed in storage?" Bob asked.

John Henry was a little confused about the nature of the question.

"Cameron has asked they be placed in storage." John Henry said. "Why are you asking?"

Bob knew it was incorrect.

"You're not doing it." Bob said.

John Henry didn't know what Bob was talking about. He quickly checked his files.

"What?" John Henry asked. "I most certainly have."

Bob personally saw otherwise. It was why he asked the question. He wanted to know what was up.

"When I let the damaged HK drone off today, I saw there were fewer drones than the last time I was there." Bob said.

John Henry checked his files again. He was certain he was correct.

"I show they're all still there." John Henry said.

Bob could only think of one explanation based upon his actual visual check and what John Henry believed was correct. There were very few choices as to how it could be.

"Maybe someone is using them and blocking it from you." Bob said.

John Henry understood it for what it meant. It meant CamNet was involved

"There's only one entity who could do it." John Henry said. "Maybe two, if there was a functional Skynet."

Bob felt it was his duty to protect the Resistance. He just didn't think he needed to protect it from itself.

"Maybe there is, and they're one in the same…." Bob said.

John didn't want to get into an argument with Cameron. He wasn't going to take the bait.

"We're both here now." John said. "Isn't it enough?"

He really didn't think anything else was necessary.

Based on what Cameron witnessed on multiple occasions, she wanted to make one thing clear.

"There's no such thing as 'enough'." Cameron said.

John moved the sheet and saw Cameron was naked.

"You've already stripped." John said.

Cameron played her hand some more. She decided to 'push' it a little.

"Since my clothes were off, I left them in Savannah's room." Cameron said. "I came here naked. Everyone is asleep."

John knew nudity didn't bother Cameron. It made him think of a few times in the past.

"I still remember the time you were walking around in your underwear with boots on at the first house. It was a really strange combination." John said. "It was only a short time after we made the time jump."

John remembered thinking about how bazaar it was at the time. Who would wear boots and underwear? He remembered his mother and him exchanged a long look but didn't comment on it.

Cameron remembered the incident. Boots with only underwear seemed fine to her at the time. She didn't think it was a big deal then, she thought it was less of a big deal now. She remembered John and Sarah sat on the bed talking as she passed by in the hall.

"I had clothes on." Cameron said. "Underwear is more material than a bikini, at least my bikini anyway. I can put some on now if it would make you feel more comfortable."

Cameron started to get up.

John didn't want things to get away from him.

"Not so fast." John said.

John didn't want Cameron to leave. He pulled her back down onto the bed.

Cameron didn't resist.

"Did you have something in mind?" Cameron asked.

John could see Cameron was being playful.

"I can think of a few things." John said.

John gave Cameron a long slow kiss.

Cameron moved a little on the bed to make sure all of her naked body was exposed to John.

"Where else do you want to kiss?" Cameron asked.

John looked over Cameron's perfect nude figure.

"I can think of a few places." John said.

Cameron looked directly into John's eyes.

"Show me." Cameron said.

John did.

After a while Cameron asked John a question. She thought she could prompt him to do 'more'.

"Where's the beef?" Cameron asked.

John looked at Cameron with a confused look on his face.

"What?" John asked.

Cameron tilted her head slightly. She thought it could be the proper context for a question like it. She was confused when Allison said it earlier. Perhaps she got the context or the meaning incorrect.

"Isn't it supposed to mean something?" Cameron asked.

Cameron used what she heard in a way it wasn't originally intended. It seemed applicable in this instance to something else.

John thought of a couple things it could mean. It could also be used in a sexual context.

"It could mean a few things." John said. "There was a TV commercial…."

Cameron already knew about the commercial. There was something else she wanted right now.

"Don't tell me." Cameron said. "Show me one of them, another one of them."

John already knew where things were headed.

"OK. This one won't be on TV." John said.

There was an innocent look on Cameron's face now.

"Where will it be?" Cameron asked.

John already knew where 'Little Willy' was headed.

"It's going to be inside you." John said.

Cameron pulled John closer and on top of her. Right now she wanted to be with her husband. She wanted to forget about everything else right now.

"Take me, John." Cameron said.

John was more than ready at this point.

"I love you, Cameron, and you love me."

"I love you, John, and you love me."

Closing monologue by Cameron:

I Don't Like Dead Ends

If two don't argue and fight
There's no need to make amends
The love between the two
Should be what transcends

If one starts to accuse
The other acknowledges or defends
What the charges are
Is on what it all depends

It doesn't take long
For lovers to not be friends
There's a lot of give and take
The relationship fractures and bends

Love from the heart
To the physical often extends
If the is partnership is pure
The benefits can pay dividends

Honesty, loyalty and truthfulness
Are upon what a relationship depends
Just tell me if I'm 'Not Good Enough'
I don't like dead ends

Nobody