Chapter 507

If It Happens

Cameron, Cammy, and Hanna all looked in the back of the panel truck. What they found was very disturbing. There was what looked like police sketches of some of them. There was one of Cameron, and one of Mrs. Weaver, which looked sort of like Vanna or Savannah. There was another one of who must be Sarah.

Hanna held one of the images which resembled her.

"At least they don't have photos of us." Hanna said. "Do you think this one is supposed to be me? It doesn't quite look like Mrs. Weaver or Vanna."

Cameron knew right away what they just uncovered was deep rooted trouble. Someone was after them specifically. They were all targeted. She tried to prevent this very thing. It may have worked to an extent. It appeared the descriptions were based on survivors, or eye witnesses to some of the past events. She didn't think they were from the future. She thought they were from the past of the present. She really didn't know where they were from or what it was about. It was definitely something she was going to need to look into. Anyone associated with the new group would need to be terminated and all of their records destroyed.

"John Henry and my servers scrub all feeds anywhere we've ever been." Cameron said. "Those drawings look like information based on when we first time traveled into this timeline from 1999 and a younger Mrs. Weaver, the human one."

Cameron knew it actually represented Catherine Weaver, Savannah's real mother. She wasn't sure how she would go over it with her. She knew she would need to. She knew it was a touchy subject for Savannah. She was very upset with what Skynet did to Savannah and her family.

There appeared to be a crude rendering of Derek and Jesse as well, both of those could be anyone. The closest sketch was of Cameron.

It was something Cameron feared. She made herself the target instead of John and Sarah. It was always a risk and the others warned her about it. It was her job to protect John. It might entail a few sacrifices along the way. She called Holly immediately. She knew there was a bullseye painted on Allison's back as well as Young Allison's back.

Holly was a little surprised to get the call. Cameron normally didn't contact her this late at night. If she did, it was never good news.

"Hello." Holly said.

Cameron skipped the pleasantries and got right down to business. There was no way to sugarcoat what could happen going forward. It was a very serious matter.

"Holly, double the watch on both Allisons, Summer, and Claire." Cameron said. "There are to be at least two Terminators for each one if you go out. I will try to make more available in case you all go out at the same time."

Holly was immediately worried about Allison. It sounded like a specific threat. She thought Cameron would be a little more explicit as to what the issue was. She didn't want to wait around to hear it. She wanted to know now.

"Is there a problem?" Holly asked.

Cameron wasn't sure how widespread the search would be. The Young family was somewhat isolated in Palmdale. It seemed like a good thing at this point. Then again, there was a directed attack against 'Isabel' when she was in Palmdale. The threat was so serious it even yielded a daytime HK drone strike. It was an extreme step, even for a variant of Skynet to take. She wanted everyone on board, but she didn't want to panic everyone.

"No, it's a precaution." Cameron said. "Sheila and Hanna will be back soon. I'm sending both of them at once. There's still a few things they need to tie up on the current operation they're on."

Holly knew how Allison and Claire looked at Jesse. They would do the same with Sheila. Sheila didn't have any inhibitions or a moral compass. If any female wanted to be with her, she was more than willing. Sheila knew what rang her bell. She also knew how to ring a bell. Now she was more than a little worried.

"Sheila will be there too?" Holly asked.

Cameron wondered what her question was about. The issue was about protecting the Young girls, all of them. She wanted more Terminators there as well.

"Yes." Cameron said. "Ally will join you, as well as another Terminator. I want everyone protected."

Holly developed another bad 'feeling'. Claire and Allison were attracted to females. There was about to be an influx of them into the Young residence. The Detail for the Young family was almost always male Terminators. They never were a sexual threat or issue. The female Terminators were all a different story. They were always ready for some female action. She couldn't blame them. It was what she wanted as well. On her recent trip into Cameron's future, to watch over Claire and Savannah, she greatly expanded her sexual habits. It made her wonder about the unnamed Terminator.

"Is the other Terminator a female Terminator?" Holly asked.

Cameron didn't care for the tone of the conversation. It irritated her. Maybe it was because of the nature of the threat she uncovered. She didn't have time for petty squabbles or unfounded insecurities. It didn't matter what happened or with who as long as everybody remembered who they belonged to at the end of the day. It was how they normally operated anyway.

"Yes." Cameron said and hung up.

Holly knew everything she just heard was bad news….

"OK." Holly said to nobody.

She was worried greatly now about the threat of some unspecified attack, and additional female competition. She was sure it was Cameron's fault for everything.

Cameron looked through the rest of the items in the panel truck. There were few additional clues to anything. They would need to thoroughly check all of the phones and material taken from the Grays and Terminators which were taken down earlier. It was important they didn't let anything slip through the cracks. They needed to find out who all of the individuals were, and who else they were in communication with.

Two more of their group arrived and awaited Cameron's instructions.

"Hanna, meet up with Sheila. I want you to go back to the Young residence now." Cameron said. "I'll inform Sheila of her new mission. Ally will join you later with the new Terminator I've Resequenced. I'll have to get her chip ready."

Hanna was a little confused as to the rapid change in plans. She could see the new threat for what it was. It put everyone at the Young residence in danger.

"Where are you going?" Hanna asked Cameron.

Cameron needed to find out the extent of the new threat. It put all of the principal members of the Resistance in danger. She needed to take some type of corrective action immediately. She wasn't sure exactly what it would entail.

"I'm going to get some answers." Cameron said.

John listened to the com traffic and watched the body cam footage. He was sure some of it was blocked from him so far. He didn't know of the conversation between Cameron and Holly. He wasn't sure what Cameron found exactly. He needed better information. It seemed she was reluctant to discuss it.

"Cameron, what is it?" John asked. "What did you find or uncover?"

Cameron didn't want to discuss it. It was more of a visual thing. She also knew Savannah was about to leave the base. It needed to be halted. There were a few other things she wanted to do.

"I'll show you. It's something which must be seen." Cameron said. "Have Savannah wait there for Cammy. She's not to leave before Cammy returns. Tell her I said so. It's very important."

John wondered what everything was about. Things seemed to be going in their favor until a few minutes ago. He knew Cam cut her mission short. She would be back soon and the manned drone could go back up unmanned if necessary. It was a drone after all. It didn't need a pilot, even if it could take one.

"Cam is on her way back now." John Henry said.

It was welcome news to Cameron. She wanted her two clones with both Vanna and Savannah. There was a new threat. It involved both of them. Cam and Cammy were 'her' for all practical purposes. They would be targeted as such if they were found by the enemy. They would also act as such.

"Good." Cameron said. "They're to remain together at all times."

It was a significant threat. The more she thought about it, the more it worried her. In fact, the threat almost proved fatal earlier for Savannah and Cammy. They never expected what they ran into. It was only due to Cammy's Terminator reflexes why they were spared.

Cameron spoke with Cammy. She was worried about Savannah.

"I want Cam and you with Savannah and Vanna." Cameron said. "I don't like this. If you go out, take extra Terminators. I think the group who attacked you got lucky and almost succeeded. We need to be extra careful about stumbling into any survivors of this group who now possess the information we do."

Cameron called Camille and told her more Terminators were on the way and to be extra careful. She wasn't going to take any chances with Young Jesse either. One of the sketches indicated an Asian female. An Asian female with Camille, if they were spotted by the enemy, would be a sure target.

Camille was disturbed by the news. She wondered what else was in the works for Young Jesse. She would like to have a 'heads up' on any new plans Cameron might have. She tried to ask indirectly.

"Are you sending 'anything else' for Young Jesse?" Camille asked.

Cameron didn't like how close together Savannah was pregnant between the first and the second time. She didn't like how young she was the first time either. She wanted the girls to be healthy to sustain their reproductive capability longer, and with the best results. She wanted healthy mothers and healthy children. There was no need to rush things.

"I will soon, not yet. I want her body to be at one hundred percent." Cameron said. "It has to be what she wants too, not just for me or you. I don't want more things to happen behind my back. If they're going to happen I need to know about it. I need to be a part of it."

Young Jesse asked Camille each month when she could reproduce again. She wanted to provide for Jesse what she promised her. She didn't like the delays. There were a lot of unanswered questions without any definitive answer.

"It's for your Jesse." Camille said. "She keeps asking me. She's ready."

Cameron was pleased to hear it. Jesse would be provided for and then Young Jesse could produce for John and her.

"Thank you. It's good news." Cameron said. "Watch everyone's back. I'll make sure you have everything you need."

Cameron liked it when a plan came together.

Now she needed to refocus on the current events. They weren't anything she could previously plan for. They were definitely something she needed to plan to counter. There was currently one prisoner from the group. Sheila and Ally took him into custody. He would need to be interrogated to find out more about the specifics of the current group.

Cameron wasn't happy about all the events of the evening. Her plans to hit a different target were disrupted. The new evidence she found was even more disturbing.

It appeared someone was after them specifically. She would get to the bottom of it and terminate everyone involved. She would eradicate the threat once and for all. She tried to put together everything she could. There weren't any answers. There were more questions than answers.

There was a lot on Cameron's mind as she neared the base. She began to question her actions since she made the temporal jump to 2007. Maybe she took the wrong approach. Every Allison Young, and every Savannah Weaver, was at risk now. It was her doing. She did get one call on the way back which pleased her.

Cameron walked into the Command Center.

John was pleased to see her. He was about to ask her how she was, and how everything went. He could see she wasn't in a talkative mood yet. He'd give it a few minutes.

Cameron wasn't in a talkative mood. She wordlessly handed John the drawings.

John looked at what Cameron handed him. He took a moment for everything to register as he looked at the sketches. He noticed someone was missing. He thought it was someone important. He thought it was a mistake.

"Beautiful." John said. "They didn't have one of me? I would think there would be."

Cameron was pleased and puzzled by it when she searched the panel truck. She double checked everything before she left.

"I didn't find one, I looked twice." Cameron said. "I don't know if it's good or bad."

Sarah and Kyle looked at the sketches. Everything seemed somewhat vague to them.

"Where is this coming from now?" Sarah asked. "Where did this information come from to begin with?"

John Henry looked at the sketches. They indicated how everyone looked years ago.

"It's unknown at this time." John Henry said. "These people are from the recent Skynet temporal transfers. They appear to be working with some old information from 2007 or so, maybe even some from 1999 for Cameron, Sarah, and Mrs. Weaver."

Kyle saw things a little deeper. What about his family? Derek and he requested a 'hands off' approach to them. It could all turn bad real fast.

"Where are they getting this old information from?" Kyle asked. "Is there any danger for Derek's and our younger selves, my family?"

John Henry knew the Reese Detail was always out of sight, and in the shadows.

"It's unknown at this time." John Henry said. "We have Terminators with them all the time. They always remain in the background. Cameron has already sent extra Terminators to assist."

Derek and Riley got wind of what went down. They both arrived in the Command Center. They heard most of the discussion.

Riley looked at the sketches. She felt her own concerns. She was more concerned about her family than she was herself.

"What about me?" Riley asked. "What about my family?"

Cameron reached out and touched Riley's cheek and smiled. She treated everyone the same.

"They've been covered as long as Jesse's family has been covered." Cameron said. "I take care of all our team members. I don't leave anyone behind. I help everyone I can."

There was a moment of stunned silence.

Cameron went up even 'higher' in everyone's book.

Riley loved Cameron even more. She owed so much to her and now she owed her more. Cameron always took care of her. She provided for her.

"You did it for ME?" Riley asked. "It's because of you Derek and I are going to have a baby too. You're always looking out for me, for us."

Riley reached out and hugged Cameron.

Derek did as well. He already knew Cameron was the greatest.

"I appreciate everything." Derek said. "We appreciate everything, Cameron. I really mean it."

Cameron smiled at them. It hid her true feelings. She was sorry both Future Derek and Future Riley died. She never would have killed either one of them herself. She would have allowed John to have what made him happy, and the girl he loved more than her. It was Future Riley. She wasn't there to cause trouble. She was there to protect John and assure his development going forward with others. It applied to everyone, even if it wasn't her.

She felt a glitch impulse when she remembered how John smirked at her when he went up the stairs after she caught him with Future Riley the first time they made love. It still stung. It wasn't where she wanted her mind to go.

Cameron gathered herself and faced her 'family'. There were more important issues to deal with right now than the past.

"We fight together or die alone." Cameron said. "I will terminate every version of Skynet myself."

Cameron knew the more of Skynet, and its illegitimate offspring she terminated herself, the safer John was. He wouldn't be seen as a threat.

She made herself the target, not John. She did it to protect him. So far he didn't appear to be on Skynet's target list from the latest group they took down. All of the information from the phones and on the person of everyone terminated would need to be thoroughly reviewed.

Cameron set down the specific item the damaged female Terminator tried to take away. It was the very thing which cost her, her existence as she tried to protect it. She would have been able to flee if she hadn't stayed with the Gray. It really made her wonder who they were and why they were important to the female Terminator.

She looked at John, Derek, Kyle, and Sarah. She indicated the metal box she held.

"This is 'a Skynet'. It's an infant." Cameron said. "Once John Henry finds out everything we can about it, Sarah is going to help me terminate it."

Savannah informed Cameron about Sarah's desire as she drove back to the Resistance base. Savannah wanted a 'real' report from her as to her condition and damage. The real report wasn't too much different than the report she gave to the Command Center. There were only a few small wounds from the exploding fragmentation grenade further down the passageway from where she was at. A couple small ones were just fragments of concrete. A few pieces of metal were easily removed and would heal quickly.

Sarah looked at what Cameron held. She was speechless at first. She wanted to hurt Skynet for a long time. She took Kyle's hand. Future Kyle was dead because of Skynet. Both John and her were nearly terminated several times as well. It was personal to her. She wanted Kyle there with her.

"Kyle, it will be you and me." Sarah said to Cameron. "We'll do it together."

Cameron planned to have it up and running in one of the storerooms as it happened. She wanted Skynet to know who terminated it. It wouldn't just be her this time. It would be someone else who Skynet targeted on more than one occasion.

"It will be active and isolated so it knows who we are." Cameron said. "Only we will know the fate of this version of Skynet. How this one is terminated will never be known to the outside world."

Cameron didn't like how Skynet always seemed to know who she was. If she was going to involve Sarah, she wanted to make sure the version they terminated wouldn't be able to send out any type of record. She looked forward to its termination.

John was amazed at how Cameron always seemed to give everyone what they wanted, everyone except herself…. He also knew if Cameron gave herself what she truly 'wanted', it wouldn't be him. It would be someone who ALWAYS showed her love, caring and compassion. Someone who didn't make fun of her and get her 'destroyed'. Someone who would die in her place, or even perish with her. It wasn't him. It was Savannah.

He wondered if he should act first. If he didn't, Cameron would leave with Savannah for the past at some point. If he moved on Savannah now, he would be able to have both of them. It looked like any choice he made was going to be a 'bad' one for him. Cameron told him thousands of times it was what she wanted for him. Maybe it was time to 'harvest' Savannah. He really wanted her virginity. He wanted to be the 'first'.

John Henry knew he needed to act. He wasn't sure what the best approach was or what the 'reaction' was going to be. It was about the future and it was happening now. He quietly spoke with Cameron when they were alone.

"I have some security feeds I'd like to review with you." John Henry said.

Cameron was more concerned about the recent developments.

"Later." Cameron said. "I don't have time for it now. It seems unimportant."

John Henry tried to be diplomatic. Maybe he needed to be a little more forceful and direct.

"I wouldn't mention it unless it was important to you." John Henry said. "It is about what you think you want."

Cameron already knew what she would see. Savannah was honest with her already. She spoke with her on the way back to the base. It was why she could trust Savannah over all others. Savannah would always do the right thing.

"It's not what I WANT." Cameron said. "It's what is, what will be, what MUST be. I WANT John protected."

John Henry didn't know what Cameron knew. Savannah went through CamNet.

"Let me review it with you." John Henry said. "In case…."

Cameron would do anything for Savannah. She already saw Savannah would do that for her, more than once. She wanted the same protection for John. Savannah would save John's life.

"I love Savannah." Cameron said. "There will be no 'in case'…."

John Henry was surprised. Maybe CamNet told her. She was in his system.

"You know?" John Henry asked.

Cameron saw it as the best of both worlds. She was ready to expand her personal feelings. They were held in check for far too long already.

"I know everything." Cameron said. "Once Savannah 'bonds' with John, I'll bond with Savannah as well. It's what I want."

John Henry felt there would be one problem. He was sure it was going to be a point of contention with Cameron, sooner rather than later.

"What will happen to Cammy?" John Henry asked.

Cameron already knew what would happen. Cammy knew it too. She was 'her' after all.

"Once I've bonded with Savannah, Cammy will become part of my program and cease to exist." Cameron said. "Her chassis will be reprogrammed with the Future Allison programming from Ally. She can become 'Future Ally', 'Fusion' or 'Allure'."

It seemed to John Henry as if Cameron knew quite a bit and how things would play out.

"Have you done this before?" John Henry asked.

Cameron felt a lot of frustration over the question. It was something she asked herself millions of times. There was no real answer.

"I probably have." Cameron said. "I'm afraid I have done a lot of things…. I don't remember any of them. I only find fragments…."

Jesse came over to where Cameron was with John Henry.

"Excuse me." Jesse interrupted.

Cameron already knew what Jesse came to 'offer'.

"Yes, Jesse?" Cameron asked.

Jesse knew of the prisoner and help was in short supply.

"I know you sent Sheila and Hanna away." Jesse said. "Do you need my help?"

Jesse knew they needed answers from the captured Gray.

"I do." Cameron said. "But I'm not going to ask you to do it. It's not you anymore. You're better than who you once were."

Jesse wished it was true. There were often times when she relived the events of her past. It was normally when she was asleep. Somehow she wished all of it was a dream she could wake up from. It wasn't. She remembered when she was first drug from her hiding place by the group of men…. It was just the start of things to go wrong, and get worse from there. The screams echoed through her mind. They were just the screams of the ones she hurt either. They were her own screams. They were always the worst. The darkness still lurked inside of her. It would always be there.

"I can still find the 'old Jesse' if you need her." Jesse said. "She will forever be inside of me."

Cameron pulled Jesse close and kissed her cheek. She wanted to give her some positive reassurance and keep away from the negative overtones.

"I like how you are now, better." Cameron said.

Jesse didn't want to cause any issues for Cameron.

"Thank you, love." Jesse said and turned to leave.

Cameron motioned for John Henry to turn off his audio.

"Jesse, if Savannah wants to get to 'know you better' and it's what you want as well…." Cameron said. "Remember Savannah loves Young Jesse…. You ARE the same Young Jesse too, only older."

Jesse knew there was a lot of water under the bridge. She would never hurt Cameron. Savannah and her continued to grow much closer all of the time. There were a lot of sexual overtones. There were a lot of overtones which weren't sexual either.

"I WAS her. I don't want to cause any problems for YOU or anyone." Jesse said. "I love Savannah and you too much to hurt either of you."

Cameron wanted Savannah to have more human contact. She watched her in both futures and Savannah was always happier when she was with the human females.

"Savannah misses HER Jesse sometimes…." Cameron said. "I want her with humans too. Allison isn't near. She has other obligations to fill."

Jesse was ready for more. Savannah accepted her for who she was. What she was before, along with what she did previously, didn't matter to her.

"If it happens, it happens." Jesse said. "I won't stop it anymore. I have every other time with much difficulty…. Savannah has 'knocked'. She's begun to knock more often."

Cameron gave Jesse another hug.

"Answer the knock, open the door. Help her." Cameron said. "Help yourself."

Jesse smiled and left.

Cameron smiled as Jesse walked away….

She wanted to make sure Savannah felt loved and could share her love and feel love. She never wanted Savannah to feel lonely, unloved or unwanted. She never wanted Savannah to feel like she did - does….

Cameron wanted as much love for Savannah as possible.

'Everyone sacrifices for Savannah Connor.' Cameron thought.

Closing monologue by Cameron:

If It Happens

How much control
Does anyone really have
Can feelings for another calve
Or do they only halve

The fall is usually the greatest
For the one who is at the top
It's only when they hit the bottom
That the fall will actually stop

People are merely puppets
Who actually pulls the strings
When hearts and minds should sing
Instead everything stings

The kaleidoscope of life
Keeps things in a jumble
Everything begins to crumble
Yet very few seem humble

Is there ever any real focus
Through life's cloudy lens
Maybe it all comes down to
If it happens it happens

Nobody