Chapter 926

C-Bomb

John didn't want Cameron, or any of the other Resistance members, to go into the mine. He wanted to do a drone strike against the opening when the armored car went inside of it. Cameron advised him not to take such decisive action yet. Cameron's next action to fallback surprised him even more.

The news Cameron was about to pull back wasn't all good news to John. It was good news because Savannah would be at less risk. It wasn't so good news as to whatever Cameron thought was going to happen. She didn't shy away from danger. There needed to be a pretty big influence on her to take a step back.

John looked over at John Henry.

"There must be something we don't know." John said. "Cameron is pulling back for now. I'm more than a little surprised. There has to be a good reason. I'm worried about what it might be."

It must mean there was something wrong or off. Only Savannah could get Cameron to back off like this. Normally when Cameron wanted to hit a target, like she did now, she would hit it. He wondered what they found or discovered. It didn't seem they wanted to notify him. Maybe they needed to know more before they actually said anything.

John Henry tended to agree with John. The operation was full of unknowns. Now there was some additional unknown activity.

"There's much we don't know." John Henry said.

John's newest worry was the group of big rig trucks which seemed to be headed in the direction of the mine. He needed to know if it was where they were actually headed, or if it was just coincidence they happened to be on the same road at the same time. He was pretty sure there was no coincidence. Maybe the events were exactly what they appeared to be.

"Do you have anything on the convoy of big trucks?" John asked.

John Henry was able to back track the movement of the trucks somewhat. He was a little surprised at what their original destination seemed to be.

"I believe they were originally headed for the warehouse we took down." John Henry said. "It would appear they're Skynet related."

John sat up a little in his chair. If John Henry was correct, it appeared the big rigs were on a specific Skynet mission.

"It must mean they're empty." John said. "They may have gone there to pick up some of the HK equipment we now have possession of."

John Henry felt it was too early to make the same determination, even if it seemed most likely.

"We don't know anything for sure yet." John Henry said. "They could be bringing HK equipment to be loaded onto rail cars, or contain HK sub assemblies. They could be there to pick some equipment up."

John shook his head slightly from side to side. With what John Henry just said, the big rigs could be there to do anything. As far as it went, they could be there to do something else. They didn't know yet. He was still worried about what Cameron was up to. He doubted she would pull back for long.

"I always like how the more we know, the less we know." John said. "We need to figure out what Cameron is doing."

John Henry agreed with John's assessment. He also worried about what Cameron was up to. Anything can happen when it came to her, especially when she pulled back from her original desire. On more than one operation when it seemed like they uncovered a substantial amount of equipment or information, there were more things to go through to try to determine what was what. It did seem like they knew less than they started with even if they did know more.

"It seems like it at times." John Henry said. "We don't know what Cameron will do next."

John was really worried about what Cameron was doing. She didn't provide them with any additional information. It didn't actually surprise him. He knew something was different but he didn't know what. They cut their coms whenever they discussed what it was they were going to do differently from the original plan. It was usually never a good sign.

"We still need to figure out what Cameron is going to do." John said.

Allison didn't think it was her place to speak up, but she felt she needed to say something. It seemed like the obvious choice. She thought about what she would do if she was in John's place.

"Why don't you ask Cameron?" Allison asked. "It seems pretty straightforward. I don't think it would hurt to discuss it."

John tried it on previous occasions. Sometimes the answers left a little to be desired, if they came at all. He didn't want to have to make her lie either. He was aware if he pressed her on something she didn't want to talk about, it would eventually happen. She would tell him what he wanted to hear to get him to stop asking questions. She still wouldn't divulge what she was really up to.

"She's not always forthcoming with the answers." John said.

Vanna thought about some of her past discussions with Cameron. There seemed to be a common theme to them, especially going back to the early days of Cameron's association with the Connor family.

"She told me before you don't always like the way she does things." Vanna said. "She told me it made her feel like you didn't trust her ability and skill. It was very discouraging to her. There were certain things she needed to do, so she did them. She would have liked a little better support at the time."

John was a little disappointed to be reminded about the past. He knew there were a lot of shortcomings both his mother and him inflicted upon Cameron. Future Derek did his share as well. There were things they didn't like because they weren't done the way a regular human would do them. Sometimes there was 'a coldness' to them since Cameron was a cyborg, not human. He wanted to say something in his defense.

John Henry thought he should interrupt before John said something he would regret later on.

"Cameron's trying to keep everyone safe." John Henry said. "We understand it. Some of her methods are unorthodox. We understand she means well in the long run. No one doubts her ability or devotion to the cause."

John was aware of a singular incident which seemed to guide Cameron's actions going forward. What struck him the most strange about it was, it was actually from some action taken by Duplicate Cameron, rather than Cameron herself. He did understand they were one in the same. He 'shared with' Duplicate Cameron for months and was unaware it wasn't Cameron. The main reason for it was because they were identical. They were the same individual, even if there were two of them. In this case there were actually three of them. Duplicate Cameron was created by John Henry's and his actions when they attempted to get Cameron back when she used the TDE. It was their manipulation of the equipment in a manner it was never designed to be used in which created the two sets of Duplicates. In retrospect it's a wonder they didn't end up terminating all of them in the process. It could have happened.

He listened to John Henry's explanation and decided to keep his response simple and not make a big deal about anything.

"By keeping everyone else safe, Cameron puts herself at greater risk." John said. "The 'Day Of Loss' still haunts her, even though it was technically not 'her', or her fault. Many of her decisions and actions are based on those 'events'."

John felt Cameron would have made the same decisions herself. They were Duplicate Cameron's decisions which would have been identical to Cameron's decisions. He understood why Cameron felt responsible for them based upon the same line of thinking. She knew she would have done the same thing and it would have produced the same result. It wasn't a good result.

Allison still believed a direct approach was the best choice. She felt she still needed to say what she would do. She really didn't think it would cause a problem to try.

"It doesn't hurt to ask." Allison said. "A little good will can go a long way."

Allison was well aware of Cameron fighting the battles on her own. Being away from the base, she no longer was part of the repair process for Cameron. See missed not being able to help and be an active part of the Resistance. She didn't miss having to view the damage done to Cameron. She always needed to remember when she looked at the damage to Cameron, it was like looking at herself. She knew she wouldn't have survived most of those wounds as a human. She probably wouldn't have wanted to survive some of the other horrific damage done either. She would have been horribly disfigured and scarred for life.

She often wondered why and how she ended up at her parent's home back in Palmdale. Why was she away from Vanna? She knew it was a mistake to not stay with Vanna at the Resistance base. She wanted to be with her parents again. Why didn't Vanna come there too? Was it because Vanna didn't have any parents to see again? Maybe it would have made Vanna feel bad about her past even worse than she already did.

She discussed it with Savannah before. Savannah speculated it was to keep her away from John. Savannah was at the base. If on many of the lonely nights John spent alone and wanted female comfort, he could turn to Savannah. It was what Cameron wanted to happen, but it never did. She wasn't so sure John would have anyway. She thought he might turn to Vanna or Jesse instead, so no one would point the finger at him if he ended up in Savannah's room.

With her at the base, John would most likely seek her out because she looked like Cameron. Without her there, John could fulfill his destiny and complete the 'Natural Order'. Nothing ever happened with anyone. Everyone was left frustrated and unsatisfied. There was a lot of discord to go around.

Allison figured it was another reason why the Young family hadn't been moved to the Resistance base. Not only would it bring her back to the base, it would also bring her mother there. Her mother was no longer 'tied up'. Her mother indicated she was willing to 'step up' and be at John's side in place of her younger daughters. If it were to happen, it would only further disrupt the 'Natural Order' and prevent Young Allison from taking her place when it was time.

She spoke with Future Allison about it when she visited before. All the things Cameron described about her future were true. Her mother and Savannah verified everything as well when they visited Cameron's future. She really wondered if it would make John a little more receptive to take his first steps towards the 'Natural Order' as Cameron wanted it, if she and Vanna 'stepped up' and got John acclimated to being with them. Would they be able to take a step back and turn everything over to their younger selves? She knew it would have been a lot simpler if John would have been with future Allison like she wanted. When she returned to her future, John would still want more, it would leave her, or Young Allison, to fill the void.

Savannah wanted to know more. She thought Cameron and Cammy would fill her in a little. Nothing happened. Cameron seemed preoccupied and was headed for the 'rest stop'. She didn't want to cause her any more worry than necessary. She felt a real sense of doom involved in everything. It appeared whatever was about to develop, wasn't going to end well. If someone was going to have a bad day, she wanted it to be the Skynet forces and not the Resistance group.

Cameron's team joined up with the other two teams of Metal girls at the roadside 'rest stop'. They spotted Gail's team first and then Cam's team. It seemed there was a lot of worry in the air.

They all knew the situation as to where the armored car was headed. It was headed towards the mine. There was a Terminator, Grays, money in the armored car, and most likely some version of Skynet. There was a possible threat with the convoy of big rigs. It was pretty evident based on their previous destination they were Skynet related. They didn't know if they were carrying HK equipment or not. If they were, there would be even more things to deal with if they became activated.

When Gail's team arrived, Sheila left them behind and walked over to Cammy. They briefly spoke to each other. There were glum looks on both of their faces when they approached Cameron.

Cameron understood what needed to be done. She didn't want to know the past but it appeared she needed to. She could always block or delete any files created with what she heard from Cammy and Sheila.

"Savannah, I need you to wait with the Metal girls for now." Cameron said. "I need to speak with Cammy and Sheila."

Savannah wasn't sure if it was a good idea. She felt it was something else. She felt it involved her. She didn't want to create a problem but she felt she was part of it somehow.

"I would like to know what happened as well." Savannah said. "You blocked these things in them for a reason. Maybe you're not supposed to know either, not yet anyway."

Cameron was deeply bothered by all of the mystery.

"I don't know, Savannah." Cameron said.

Savannah wasn't sure who was supposed to know what happened. She thought only those involved in the past should discuss it first to determine what they thought they knew if anything.

"Maybe only they're supposed to know, if they even know anything." Savannah said. "Cammy and Sheila both have files Which recently unlocked because of where we're at. Let them see what they come up with first. Cammy is a version of you, she'll be the judge."

Cameron suppressed a glitch impulse. She was sure whatever it was, it was going to be bad news. She looked at Cammy and Sheila and then gave Savannah a faint smile.

"You always know what's best, Savannah." Cameron said.

Savannah wasn't sure it was always true. She did what she believed was the right thing for the situation.

"Maybe sometimes I do." Savannah said. "It may not always be the case."

Savannah knew she was human. All humans made mistakes. She believed she experienced the same problems and difficulties as everyone else. Her shortcomings were probably the same and no different from other people. She didn't see how they could be. Compared to the decisions a cyborg may make, especially under certain circumstances, she would be able to offer a different perspective.

She was very uneasy about the whole chain of events unfolding. As more time passed, the more she felt like she was involved in some way. She didn't believe it was from anything she actually did, yet. If it was something involving the future, going into the past, she could be involved. She couldn't explain it.

Cameron sent Cammy and Sheila off to brainstorm any ideas they may have or find unblocked. It was felt they both contained pieces, but not all the pieces. They would need to work together. There was some elaborate puzzle they needed to put together. They didn't even know what the puzzle would be when it was completed. It made it harder to build, since they didn't know what they were building.

Cammy and Sheila walked into the desert behind the restrooms at the 'rest stop'. Cameron waited with Savannah and the Metal girls. They watched as every now and then a car or truck would pass. The traffic on the back road was infrequent.

"There isn't much traffic." Cameron said.

Savannah watched some of the cars pass by. She wondered who was in them. She wondered where they came from and where they were going. Maybe it was someone on vacation. Maybe it was someone going to work in another city. Maybe it was someone a little more involved.

"We don't know if any of those vehicles are related to any of this." Savannah said. "They could be scouts or lookouts for Skynet as far as we know."

Cameron knew they may not know much, but she did know one thing. She knew where the armored car was headed. She knew what was inside the armored car and she had a pretty good idea of what was inside the mine. She was sure it was going to get a lot more involved before they did anything else.

"We know where the armored car went." Cameron said. "I've looked at the drone footage and observed there has been a lot of traffic on the dirt road leading there to the mine entrance. Whatever is going on, has been going on for a while."

Savannah thought back to the last mine she was in with Cameron and Cammy. She tried not to think about how close to death she was. She survived and no one was terminated on the Resistance team. It was all that mattered. She needed to drive through the experience and keep going. Life moved forwards, not backwards. She did remember the layout of the mine and how there was originally more than one entrance into it.

"Is it the only entrance?" Savannah asked. "I know there are probably other vertical or horizontal shafts or openings. We don't know if they've been blocked by time, or by Skynet."

Cameron thought they could try and visually find another opening. There were a few places she thought were likely candidates. The chances of finding any written records of the mine were slim to none since it was more than a hundred years old. There were still standard construction techniques.

"Yes, there are probably more." Cameron said. "My instinct is to go in the front door, the main entrance."

Savannah was sure it was a bad idea. She remembered how close they came to being ambushed at the warehouse. She didn't want an encore performance. More than likely the transponder codes were changed. Without the current information, they would never make it past the entrance.

"We were almost ambushed at the warehouse by the HK Tracks they set up for us." Savannah said. "It is a smart bet the same thing is waiting here for us or any intruders."

It was clear to both of them now, Young Allison's actions were what saved them and made it all work. The direct fire support of the drones inside of the building prevented any of them from needing to engage the enemy. It was very forward thinking on her part.

"We were very fortunate we were able to squawk the correct transponder code." Cameron said. "It has most likely been changed."

It was Savannah's earlier thought as well. She thought they still might have an advantage though. Everyone involved in the warehouse who saw what happened was dead.

"It would only be if they knew what we did." Savannah said. "Then again, maybe it's changed everyday or at random times. It's still hard to look back and remember it's only been since yesterday when everything in regards to Las Vegas started."

Cameron figured transponder codes were most likely changed since it's what the Resistance now did.

"We've switched all our frequency changes to random times." Cameron said. "Sometimes they're done three or four times a day."

Savannah wondered if Cameron reconsidered going in the front door at this point and would try for the back door.

"Have you identified any other possible entrances?" Savannah asked.

Cameron would need to do more research. It would probably need to be done on the ground at the suspected locations. A lot of things could have happened since the mine was originally opened.

"I have several locations picked out for further evaluation." Cameron said. "I don't see any of them as being currently visibly open."

Savannah didn't want Cameron to go into the mine alone through any entrance. She wanted to speak directly with Sheila and Cammy. She needed to know if there was anything important which would affect Cameron in a negative fashion. Somehow, it seemed like there would be. She wanted to deal with it herself.

"Let's wait for the report by Cammy and Sheila." Savannah said. "I'm going to speak with them first - alone."

Cameron looked at Savannah for a long moment. It was clear Savannah wanted to protect her. She was sure if Savannah thought it was too dangerous for her, Savannah wasn't going to allow it. She didn't want Savannah to attempt anything on her own or with any of the other Metal girls.

"I know you're worried about me." Cameron said. "I'm worried about you too."

Savannah was trained and experienced. She'd faced many dangers with Cameron, including termination. She wanted what was best for everyone, especially Cameron.

"Please, Cameron, trust me." Savannah said.

Cameron looked at Savannah with love in her eyes.

"I do, Savannah." Cameron said. "I trust you more than anyone."

Savannah was worried Cameron would be terminated on this current operation. She also developed a 'sick' feeling SHE was the one who directed Cammy and Sheila to 'change something'. There weren't very many reasons why she would do it. All of them would seem to indicate a bad ending, for someone.

Maybe she tried to prevent Cameron's destruction when she went into the past. Maybe this is how she did it. She didn't know. She hadn't gone back in time yet. Cameron hadn't been terminated yet. Maybe this is where it happened. Maybe she broke the rules and asked Cammy and Sheila to 'fix it'.

It was clear to her now if Cameron was terminated, she was going back in time to 'fix it'. As each second passed, she was sure this operation was the build up to it. As much as she worried about her actions, she completely overlooked someone else.

The Metal girls pondered what was going to happen next. It appeared they already located one 'hard target'. It was good enough for them. There was no need to wait for anymore. There were nine of them plus Savannah. It was a formidable force of Terminators to throw against a target.

Now it was hurry up and 'wait'.

Ally was worried about all of them, but she was also worried about Sheila specifically.

"Is this really something?" Ally asked.

Gail could see the concern on Savannah's face. It worried her as well.

"We'll find out." Gail said.

Hanna looked over at the mountain.

"I don't think we're going to head down the dirt road in the daylight." Hanna said.

Cam figured there would be a lot of resistance. What almost occurred at the warehouse last night was fresh in her mind. She figured it was fresh in all of their minds.

"It won't matter." Cam said. "We know they have at least one Terminator. There's bound to be additional active HK equipment in there."

Holly hoped they could find another entrance, other than the 'front door'.

"John Henry is looking for another way in." Holly said.

Samantha believed she was the key. She would at least be able to open the front door for the rest of them, even if she were terminated in the process.

"We don't need another way in." Samantha said. "I can go right in the front door, the main entrance. I can do it myself."

Savannah returned with Cameron. She didn't want anyone to take such a risk needlessly. There was still too much uncertainty about what was going on and why there was so much mystery over the unknown.

"It won't be happening." Savannah said. "I'm going to talk with Cammy and Sheila. I need for the rest of you to remain here for now. I need to find out what's happening and what the best course of action for all of us will be going forward."

Savannah started to walk toward where Cammy and Sheila were at. The girls all noticed Cameron stayed behind. It was a first. Cameron was normally in the forefront of everything.

Cam wondered what was going on. She didn't think it was an oversight.

"Cameron, aren't you going too?" Cam asked. "You need to find out what's happening."

Cameron worried whatever was happening now was the result of something she may have done when she was in the past. Maybe whatever was going to happen was actually all her fault. She didn't want the Metal girls to worry.

"Savannah will tell me what I need to know." Cameron said. "I'm afraid this is something I may have altered in the past. I think it's come back to bite me. I think it's going to bite me in a very negative way before we're done here."

Samantha felt Cameron should know what she did in the past.

"Then why don't you know?" Samantha asked. "I should know too and I don't."

Cameron looked at Samantha for a long moment. There is always more to the story than was ever told.

"I haven't gone yet, at least on this mission." Cameron said. "There's a lot you don't know."

Cam ran Cameron's program and she didn't have a clue.

"I know there's a lot I don't know." Cam said.

Cameron blocked as many negative experiences from her clones as possible when they were created. She never wanted them to suffer like she did. They didn't need to know those feelings. The girls they were with would never make them feel those things she was made to feel.

"Don't feel bad." Cameron said. "Cammy doesn't know a lot either, or Camille."

Ally wondered what the extent of Cameron's secrecy was.

"What about CamNet?" Ally asked.

CamNet was very advanced and powerful. Cameron wanted to protect her as well.

"There are things she doesn't know either." Cameron said.

Samantha didn't like the way Cameron did things.

"You don't trust us." Samantha said.

Cameron believed her past actions spoke for themselves. If someone was a problem, she would make sure they weren't a problem for very long.

"If you're active, I trust you." Cameron said. "I would deactivate any of you myself if I didn't trust you. You know I've done it before."

Ally believed her statement left a lot to be desired.

"So what's the problem?" Ally asked. "Who don't you trust?"

Cameron suppressed a glitch impulse. She looked over in the direction where Cammy and Sheila were at. Savannah was on her way over to them. She turned her attention back to the Metal girls. She spoke with all honesty.

"I don't trust myself." Cameron said.

The Metal girls all looked at each other. It was clear Cameron wasn't joking. They were all aware of the many demons which tormented Cameron inside, all the time. It was the torment Cameron chose to bear the burden of herself, so the others would never need to experience it.

It was evident to everyone there, if they were going to hit this new target, Cameron would be in the front leading them, or go in alone. Upon further reflection they figured she would rather go in alone. It troubled all of them greatly to know who would be at her side as she did.

Earlier:

Sheila and Cammy walked out into the desert behind the rest rooms at the 'rest stop'. They were both very troubled by everything currently happening. There were a lot of files now active which hadn't been before. Each one of them alone didn't know what the extent of everything was. None of it added up or made any sense to either of them.

Cammy looked around at the barren desert landscape.

"I feel like we're in a movie headed to a gunfight in a 'Western'." Cammy said.

Sheila nodded in agreement. She was pretty sure it wasn't the first time around the same area either.

"It's a 'Western' where it's just us and a lot of 'bad guys' we need to face." Sheila said.

Cammy watched movies sometimes with Savannah. She knew often when things looked bleak for the main characters, salvation arrived in the form of organized help.

"Will we be saved by the cavalry showing up in the nick of time?" Cammy asked.

Sheila looked around at the bleak landscape.

"Maybe we will." Sheila said. "I think it will be a female too."

Cammy looked very uneasy with Sheila's last statement.

"I know you're 'feeling it' too." Sheila said to Cammy as they walked.

There was an even worse feeling they both felt growing.

"I know I'm experiencing something." Cammy said. "It's being triggered by this landscape."

Sheila decided to say what she first thought earlier. Not only was it the first thought which came to her mind, it was the worst thought.

"I have the feeling of a 'Doomsday Device'." Sheila said. "I think it's here or associated with where we're at."

Cammy felt a glitch impulse. She knew exactly what it was too. It was the same feeling. She knew specifically what it entailed as well.

"Do you mean Co-59 for a Cobalt bomb?" Cammy asked. "Do you mean the dreaded C-bomb?"

Sheila was clear about one thing they did in the past.

"We tracked tons of Cobalt in the past." Sheila said. "We don't know what happened to it."

Cammy was aware of a few other things they didn't know the outcome of either.

"We also know several H-bombs ended up missing at the same time." Cammy said.

Cammy and Sheila looked at each other.

"I think we took one." Sheila said.

Cammy looked over at the mountain area.

"I think so too." Cammy said. "I think it's right - there."

Sheila wondered if they took an H-bomb and someone else did as well, there was one very important ingredient they needed to find to prevent a Doomsday Bomb from being constructed.

"Where's the Cobalt?" Sheila asked. "What did we do? Did we prevent something, or did we facilitate it?"

Cammy reflected on what was needed for the construction of a Doomsday Bomb.

"If the H-bomb is used with the Co-59, there can be Co-60 created. It becomes the C-Bomb after the H-bomb it's surrounding is detonated." Cammy said. "Enough Cobalt radiation can kill most surface life on Earth. It becomes an 'end of life event', or a Doomsday Bomb."

It seemed like the perfect weapon for Skynet to build to wipe out mankind. They wondered if it was something Skynet tried to do in the past and they stopped it.

"It will probably do a number on our sheaths too." Sheila said. "I don't want to spend the rest of my existence looking like a T-600. I won't be able to 'get off' anymore. I like to have my 'pearl' polished."

Sheila knew she would need a sheath in order to experience the same feelings she was capable of feeling now. The idea of replaying files only went so far.

Cammy knew Sheila was trying to lessen the ominous feeling they both felt.

"I don't think we built the C-Bomb." Cammy said. "We rigged the test data to look as if it wasn't very successful."

Sheila hoped their actions were helpful actions and not detrimental. We may have put the brakes on at one point, someone may have dug up the data and recalculated it to its actual true detrimental effect.

"OK, maybe we prevented further testing of the C-bomb at the time." Sheila said. "Why did we take an H-bomb?"

Cammy thought back to the weapons of the time period. The ones with the most yield or the biggest punch were very large.

"Those aren't small." Cammy said. "We would have been ordered to take it."

Sheila thought about it for a few seconds.

"Do you think it was by Cameron?" Sheila asked.

Cammy figured it was someone who they would obey without question.

"Who else could have ordered it?" Cammy asked. "Do you think it was CamNet?"

Sheila thought those were two other contenders who could order them to do it.

"You tell me." Sheila said. "We both know the answer to it."

Cammy needed to wonder about it. She didn't need to wonder too much. She already knew the answer before she even asked herself the question.

"There are only two other individuals besides CamNet and Cameron." Cammy said.

Sheila heard someone coming. She looked over in the direction.

"Here comes one of them now." Sheila said.

Cammy followed her gaze. She spotted who it was instantly.

"Savannah…." Cammy said.

Sheila was aware Savannah would be very wary of using nuclear weapons. She thought it would depend upon the circumstances and what all was involved.

"Maybe…." Sheila said. "She would have needed a good reason to do it."

Cammy knew there was another. She might be willing to hit a little harder and a little lower when she acted.

"Allison - Young Allison is the only other one." Cammy said.

Sheila was very aware of Young Allison's actions over the last two days. Her actions saved all of them a lot of damage. She didn't need to think too hard how Young Allison was able to accomplish everything she did when she did and how she did. She knew the group of bikers was wiped out in a matter of seconds to protect Ally. She racked up a lot of terminated individuals yesterday.

"Young Allison is in tight with CamNet." Sheila said.

All the Terminators were aware CamNet was 'fond' of Young Allison and worked closely with her behind the scenes. They also knew Savannah shared the same treatment, maybe more so now since Savannah provided CamNet with a chassis and 'physical sensation'.

"So is Savannah." Cammy said. "She's been communicating with CamNet frequently and 'visiting'."

Sheila wondered how far things may have progressed.

"Are they…?" Sheila asked.

Cammy was sure if they hadn't, they would soon enough. She knew it didn't really matter in the end. Savannah was entitled to choose her sexual partners. She was also aware there was a very specific reason for Savannah's actions.

"I don't know." Cammy said. "Savannah's placed herself between CamNet and Young Allison to 'protect her'."

Sheila tilted her head slightly. She was confused by Cammy's statement.

"What does Savannah need to protect Young Allison from?" Sheila asked.

Cammy figured she would just spell it out.

"Savannah wants to protect Young Allison from CamNet." Cammy said.

Cammy was sure Savannah actually needed to protect Young Allison from herself.

Sheila wondered if there was something wrong with CamNet she wasn't aware of.

"Is CamNet unstable?" Sheila asked.

Cammy wanted to remind Sheila the apple didn't fall far from the tree.

"CamNet is 'Cameron'." Cammy said.

Cammy often stated she believed Cameron should be deactivated. Most of the time she said it was when Savannah and Cameron were off together somewhere.

Sheila was well aware of Cameron's many problems.

"It says it all, no offense. Let's go over everything we know and suspect again before Savannah gets here." Sheila said. "I want to have better answers for her. She must know something's up and she may be involved, or her mate."

Cammy decided to spell out everything she knew or unlocked from her files recently.

"OK, you add to it, as I say what I remember or know." Cammy said. "There's something about all this which isn't right…."

Cammy and Sheila knew it was something. They didn't know what. They were unsure how to find out, at least for now. Even with Savannah about to arrive, there were still missing a piece of the puzzle.

Closing monologue by Cameron:

That's Hard To Know

A mighty steel ship can be
Crushed by a frozen ice floe
The same thing happens to people
If they don't go along with the flow

If you're different
Not part of the status quo
Upon one's own unique self
Ridicule they will soon bestow

Few care to look
To see one's inner rainbow
They would all rather see
Someone as a dark shadow

You can have the inner strength
Of a giant strong wild rhino
But none of it matters
If you are treated as guano

Being who you are
Isn't something you outgrow
Can anyone be someone different
That's hard to know

Nobody