Chapter 1633
Instead Of The Past
Camille-Hanna wanted to get Dee to rehab.
Gail checked the drone image over them. She hoped a problem wasn't about to develop.
"It looks like we might have some trouble." Gail said. "There's an Escalade which just pulled out."
Camille-Hanna checked in her rear view mirror.
"I see him." Camille-Hanna said.
Dee quickly turned around.
"I don't think it's part of their crew." Dee said. "It's probably a rival crew. They probably think we scored a buy from his crib. The different groups don't like competition from each other. They don't like the people who support the competition either. They probably want to teach us a lesson. It won't just be a robbery and a beating either. You know what I mean."
Gail touched her silenced M9 but didn't pull it out. She wasn't about to let anyone touch her in a sexual way. She would literally tear them apart limb for limb first. She watched Sheila stand on the back of a perpetrator before and literally tear their limbs off one at a time. The action itself was bad enough and rather bloody and messy. It was the smile on Sheila's face, and the laughter as she 'worked', which was what was unnerving. She was ready for any type of altercation. If someone wanted to fight, the outcome was already predetermined.
"They will lose." Gail said.
CamNet informed both of the female Terminators the Escalade was locked up for a missile strike. She wasn't worried about collateral damage because of the neighborhood they were in. It was prone to all types of crime and violence. Since the DA stopped prosecuting criminals, the police didn't even usually respond to the area. What was the point? She decided a gravity shot of 'metal hail' would probably draw fewer questions.
Camille-Hanna didn't want to get ahead of themselves. So far there weren't any threatening moves directed at them. The perpetrators would need to do something first in order to seal their fate. With Dee in the vehicle, they weren't looking for trouble. If trouble came looking for them, someone was in for a surprise.
"Let's see what happens." Camille-Hanna said. "I want to get Dee out of this environment and into rehab. I hope she never has to see another location like we're in ever again."
Dee turned around and continued to look at the Escalade. She wanted to try the help the two females offered her. She knew they were part of some type of clandestine team. She knew it was going to be up to her to break the cycle she was stuck in. It wasn't one she entered into by choice. It was one she was forced into by circumstances. There was no one to help her when she needed help. There was help now.
"I'd like to get there too." Dee said. "I want to start my life over and get as far away from all of this as possible. I didn't choose any of it."
Dee was a little surprised when there were a series of sparks on the ground around the Escalade. She saw it swerve back and forth several times and then roll over. She was sure she saw at least two bodies ejected from the vehicle when it hit the curb and flipped. Her mouth dropped open a little bit as she watched it all go down. She was finally able to speak after a few seconds.
"Did you see what just happened?" Dee asked. "I'm sure some of them were just wasted. I saw bodies fly out and bounce around on the ground. I'm sure the vehicle rolled over at least one of them."
Gail turned around and smiled at her.
"I wouldn't worry about them." Gail said.
Dee slowly began to realize the group she was with was responsible for what just happened. She never heard them talk about it to anyone else other than her. She really wondered what secret government agency they actually worked for. Surely they were secret agents of some type to be able to pull such things off. Their confidence in their abilities seemed to indicate what they could do. They didn't seem to be strangers to danger. They also didn't show any fear either.
Camille-Hanna made a turn at the next street. The drones around them didn't show any other possible threats. She wanted to point out to Dee what was necessary going forward. What needed to happen next wasn't something they could help her with. Dee would need to help herself.
"We're going to be at the facility soon." Camille-Hanna said. "You need to determine what your goals are and how hard you're willing to work to meet them. It needs to be a long-term commitment on your part to make it all work."
Dee wanted to get away from the violence and drugs. What she just witnessed was a reminder of the violence all around her. She knew what would have happened if the individuals in the SUV would have gotten their hands on her if she was alone. She wanted to break the cycle. She wanted out. She wanted to be free.
"I'm going to do my part." Dee said. "I feel a lot better about things since justice has been served. I won't have to keep looking over my shoulder."
They arrived at the rehab facility after a short time period.
Gail checked with CamNet about any updates on Dee's mother. So far there were none.
"If we locate your mother, what do you want us to do?" Gail asked. "You've had some time to think about it."
Dee felt some vindication with Jamal and his crew's demise. Her mother was still her mother. The enemy was the drugs.
"If you find her, you can take her to a different rehab facility." Dee said. "I have no desire to see her unless she's my mother again. I don't need to see the junkie. I don't want to end up like her. I don't want her to die a needless death if she could be helped. I don't know if she can still help herself at this point."
Gail thought it was something they could do if they ever came up with some free time. Maybe it was something she would involve Jesse with.
"We will see what we can do." Gail said. "We don't normally follow the progress of those we try to help. You already know you need to help yourself. If we do find your mother and get her into a facility, you will be notified. What happens afterwards is between you and her."
Camille-Hanna and Gail got out of the SUV along with Dee. The administrator of the rehab facility was waiting for them. She took custody of Dee. She gave both of them a hug and a tear filled thanks. She thanked both of them for everything they did for her before she left to go inside.
The Metal girls drove away from the facility. They left Dee behind.
"Do you think she'll make it?" Camille-Hanna asked.
Gail thought it was too early to tell. She believed it was promising.
"I think if we can find her mother, and get her into a rehab facility, it will give her more motivation to clean herself up." Gail said. "It might actually give them both motivation to clean things up."
CamNet informed Camille-Hanna and Gail of a new development. It appeared there were some new targets which surfaced in the community they left earlier. There were some more future Scavengers who would need a little attention before the night was over
Jesse and Vanna arrived at Riley's quarters a few minutes later. The door opened as they approached. Samantha was there to greet them.
"We just stopped by to see if we were needed." Vanna said.
Samantha took them to see Precious.
"I think she's good for now." Samantha said.
Jesse looked around.
"Where's Riley at?" Jesse asked. "Is she busy?"
Samantha knew Riley was very busy recently. It wasn't the current situation.
"She went to the Command Center." Samantha said. "Sarah's there as well. Derek and Kyle are on an 'off the book's' mission involving some future Scavengers."
Jesse wanted to know more. It seemed highly unusual. The mention of future Scavengers piqued her interest. There was an inner fire which still burnt in her to seek justice.
"I wonder if they need any help." Jesse said. "Do you know where Gail's at?"
Vanna could see Jesse's interest just picked up. It was clear she wanted to be involved in an operation against future Scavengers. It was what everyone suspected Gail and Jesse did with their off time. They never seemed to do anything else. They never seemed to actually go anywhere or do anything. They didn't talk about what they did. They often returned in clothes different from what they left in.
"I'm sure the boys have this one under control." Vanna said. "Let's just stay here with Precious for a while."
Samantha knew Young Jesse and Savannah each carried a baby for Jesse and Vanna.
"You need to think about the future instead of the past." Samantha said. "You two can spend some time with Precious. I'll check things out myself.
Vanna picked up Precious and handed her to Jesse.
"This is the future." Jesse said.
Samantha exited the room and headed for the Command Center.
XXXXXXXXXXXXXX
Temporal Mission:
Past Timeline:
November 26 1963
XXXXXXXXXXXXXX
Cameron left plenty of room for the tailgating vehicle. There was room on both sides of her.
The 55 Chevy pulled up on Young Allison's side. The exhaust was very loud. It sounded as if he was running uncorked headers. It could have been straight through 'glass pack' mufflers as well.
Cameron took a careful look around. The traffic was light.
"I think he's going to say something." Cameron said. "I don't think he's looking to race, but I don't think he'll turn one down."
The driver of the 55 Chevy wore a cowboy type hat.
Young Allison found it somewhat amusing.
"Check out that hat." Young Allison said.
Cameron tilted her head slightly. It was the same thing Eric said before when they watched a vintage newsreel about Rupert Chandler. It was a different kind of hat. She was certain the 'cowboy' would have looked more absurd wearing a top hat.
"See what he wants." Cameron said.
The driver of the Chevy looked over at them.
"I'm looking for a yellow 32." The Chevy driver said. "Everyone says the Deuce Coupe is the fastest car around. I'm here to find out. Nobody's faster than me."
Young Allison didn't care for the driver very much. He looked like a troublemaker. She was sure Cameron was faster.
"You mean the second fastest car around." Young Allison said.
The driver of the Chevy smiled. He thought Young Allison referred to him as being the fastest.
"I like it when someone recognizes the new king." The Chevy driver said.
Cameron wanted to find out more. She thought she could get the driver to be a little more talkative if his power plant seemed rather impotent.
"Find out what engine he has." Cameron said. "Tell him it looks pretty fast for a small block Chevy."
The Young Allison understood Cameron didn't want to tip her hand.
"Your car sounds pretty loud." Young Allison said. "What do you have in there? Is it a 283 or 327? I heard a small block Chevy can really wind it up."
The driver of the Chevy laughed.
"I don't fool around with those toy engines anymore." The Chevy driver said. "I graduated up to the biggest engine Chevrolet offered. I got a 409. I can tell you she's real fine too. I'm a lot lighter than an Impala. I can walk away from them like they're parked."
Young Allison tried to find out a little more.
"Does it have a 4-speed, dual quads, and positraction?" Young Allison asked.
The Chevy driver kicked in the clutch and revved the engine up a couple of times.
"You really know your stuff for a 'Chick'." The Chevy driver said.
Cameron didn't care for the reference. She hit the brakes hard. She dropped in back of the 55 Chevy. She gunned it and moved up so she was on his passenger side now. It all happened within a couple of seconds.
"You got a nice car for a 'Hick'." Cameron said. "Just in case you don't know how to spell, 'Hick' is 'Chick' without the 'C'."
The Chevy driver seemed upset with Cameron's maneuver more than he did with what she said. He recognized the threat for what it was with the vehicle. It wasn't too dopey broads. It was competition.
"What do you have in that thing?" The Chevy driver asked.
Cameron resisted the urge to take out her Hi-Power and shoot the driver for the way he insulted Young Allison. If they weren't driving, she would grab him by the neck and lift him up off the ground. She might do it anyway. She wanted to get in another dig.
"More than you can handle." Cameron said.
The driver of the Chevy seemed to become further upset. He thought 'Chicks' were best in the backseat of a car, rather than in the driver's seat.
"It looks like someone needs to teach you a lesson." The Chevy driver said.
Cameron looked around.
"Is the Deuce Coupe here now?" Cameron asked.
The Chevy driver understood it for the insult it was.
"I'm here now." The Chevy driver said. "I'm the one behind the wheel."
Cameron shook her head in disgust.
"What a waste of machinery." Cameron said.
The Chevy driver was further angered.
"I'm the fastest around." The Chevy driver said.
The two cars slowed for a red light.
The driver of the Chevy revved up his engine.
"It's go time when the light turns green, baby." The Chevy driver said. "Nobody's faster than me."
Young Allison looked over in his direction. She thought she already mentioned it
Cameron checked around and did so as well.
"Come on, boy, let's go." Cameron said. "Prove it."
The Chevy driver revved up his engine.
Cameron calculated he was probably at about 3,000 rpm. It was time to show him what four-bolt mains, a forged crank, rods, and pistons were all about. Giant valves, along with mechanical lifters were the icing on the cake. The high octane avgas would only add to it.
Cameron revved the big FE up to 5,000 rpm. She dumped the clutch when the light turned green. She immediately moved a car length ahead of the 55 Chevy. She heard him shift into second while she was still in first. She pushed it all the way up to 7,000 rpm. She moved another car length ahead of him. It was her calculation his performance was very similar to the performance of the fuel injected Stingray. She actually thought the Cobra and the XK E-Type were all very similarly matched.
Young Allison was sure Cameron wanted to make a point. It seemed more so than the other races she'd been involved in. It wasn't so much machine against machine, as it was personal.
Moments ago:
The driver of the Chevy was sure he was going to teach the two mouthy 'Broads' a lesson. He decided to push it from the start just to make a point. He was more than a little surprised when the Ford immediately pulled away from him after his high RPM burnout. He ran it up to his red line and needed to shift. The Ford was still in first gear and pulling away from him. It shifted into second and pulled further away from him. He knew he was in trouble. He figured he must have got a bad start or something. He was sure he would be able to catch it. It wasn't the case. With every shift he fell further and further behind.
He was sure his last tank load of fuel must not have been the best quality. He was hoping to get a better grade of fuel in Oildale, since it's where the fuel actually was refined at.
The driver of the Chevy reached his red line in fourth gear and needed to let off the gas. There was no way he could catch the Galaxie. It was out of this world. It was still accelerating away from him. He thought it was a fluke when Ford dominated the Daytona 500 with the top five positions earlier in the year. Evidently it wasn't. Now he understood what FORD meant. It was First On Race Day.
He turned off at the next cross street. He didn't want to hear any mouth from either Bitch. He thought his best bet was to head back to Clovis before word got out about what happened. He looked in his rear view mirror at his hat. He wondered why anyone would think someone from Clovis was a Hick. He heard someone say one time it was quite cosmopolitan. He wasn't really sure what cosmopolitan meant, but it sounded important.
The driver of the Chevy knew the Deuce Coupe was fast and was considered the King. He was pretty sure the King was about to be dethroned by the Queen. Damn, those two chicks really did look sweet. He was pretty sure they were probably both the Queen Of Hearts as well.
Cameron looked in her side view mirror.
Young Allison looked back.
"He's gone." Young Allison said.
"Where did he go?" Cameron asked.
"He's just gone." Young Allison said.
Instead Of The Past
Unknown events on the horizon
Are very difficult to forecast
When they start to occur
They can leave everyone aghast
When things happen quickly
They usually don't last
Things which take off early
Can crash and burn just as fast
Often what it comes down to
Is who will be the one to outlast
The one who comes up short
Will become the outcast
It will do little good
To shout and lambaste
Once the mold has been broken
The other is already typecast
It's time to grow up
Don't be so steadfast
Think about the future
Instead of the past
Nobody
