Chapter 1046
I Am
Savannah led Cammy away from the commissary. She was sent a message by Cam about how Cammy was going to leave the room naked. It sounded exactly like the incident which happened earlier when she left Sheila's room. Claire made sure Cammy put some clothes on. She decided to keep an eye on her.
They entered the carpool area and Savannah checked over the SUV. She made sure all the weapons were present. She took stock of what everything was. It was a standard package of items. There was usually enough firepower to level half of a city block.
Normally one of the Metal girls drove whenever they went out.
Savannah didn't want to take any chances if Cammy wasn't at one hundred percent. She held out her hand for the keys.
"I'm going to drive." Savannah said.
Cammy looked a little upset.
"I can drive." Cammy said.
Savannah took the keys and moved to the driver's side. She looked back over her shoulder.
"Get in." Savannah said.
Cammy could tell Savannah thought something was wrong with her. She didn't think so. She felt fine. She didn't see what the big deal was about leaving without her clothes on. She was in a hurry. It was a common mistake anyone could make. It's what she tried to tell herself anyway.
"I can drive." Cammy said again.
Savannah didn't want to make Cammy feel bad. She always felt she could use some additional practice. It was what she allowed for Young Allison last night.
"I want to get some wheel time in." Savannah said. "I need to keep my driving proficiency up."
Cammy didn't want to get into an argument with Savannah. She usually drove so she knew where they were headed. Right now she didn't know anything.
"Where are we going?" Cammy asked.
Savannah wanted to give Cammy a little surprise. She might as well tell her now and make sure it was OK with her. She thought it would help boost up Cammy's spirits.
"You wanted to hold a puppy, so we're going back to the pet store in the mall." Savannah said. "You're going to get a chance to do so. There are kittens too."
A big smile blossomed on Cammy's face. It was followed by a look of mild confusion.
"I do want to hold one." Cammy said. "I don't know if I'd like a kitten or a puppy better."
Savannah decided to lay out the facts to make Cammy's decision easier.
"Do they use cats in the future for anything other than catching rodents or to eat as food?" Savannah asked.
Cammy knew the statement to be true. She didn't think felines were trainable like a canine was.
"No." Cammy said. "They seem to have limited usefulness."
Savannah wanted to make her point clear and back it up with some well known facts.
"Have you ever heard of a 'seeing eye cat', a 'watch cat', a 'guard cat', or a 'police cat'?" Savannah asked.
Cammy tilted her head slightly. It was clear one type of animal was more useful than the other.
"No." Cammy said. "Maybe I would like a puppy better. It seems to be able to perform more functions. It must have a higher intelligence level as well since they're able to follow simple commands. Most felines are unable to do so. Their small walnut sized brain seems to be of limited capacity."
Cammy could see her point. Cats were cute when they were kittens. When they grew up they weren't so cute. They then slept for the next three quarters of their lives. If someone had a twelve year old cat, it had been asleep for nine years of its existence. It seemed to further limit the animals usefulness.
"Maybe I can buy a puppy and bring it to the base." Cammy said.
Savannah was worried about the other Terminators. They didn't possess Cammy's special pheromones. The majority of them still used the predator pheromone Cameron developed. She didn't want the animal to cower in fear all the time. It would probably develop a complex and urinate when a Terminator passed near it.
"We have a lot of Terminators around the base." Savannah said. "I don't think pets are a good idea. We're just going to go there so you can see and interact with the small animals for a while. Taking care of a pet is a lot of responsibility."
Savannah was aware there was another major problem with pets. They died. Most pets had a relatively short life span compared to humans. She saw sad children when she was still in school because their pet died. It was usually their first exposure to some type of death. Her first exposure was a little more traumatic. It was her father, and then Future Derek, and her nanny, Debbie. When Mrs. Weaver left, it was like she was 'dead' too for all practical purposes. She was gone. It also meant her real mother was dead as well. She didn't know exactly when it occurred.
There was something else Cammy wanted to see at the mall.
"I want to see the 'wishing well' again." Cammy said.
Savannah recalled Cammy's fascination with the 'wishing well' before.
"What did you wish for last time?" Savannah asked.
Cammy looked quickly at Savannah. She did further research and looked up the 'rules'.
"I'm not supposed to tell." Cammy said.
Savannah smiled. It was one of the interpretations of how it was supposed to work for a 'wish'. She wanted to try a different method. She would try the indirect approach.
"Did you get what you wanted?" Savannah asked.
Cammy looked at Savannah. She did get one of the things she wished for. She reached up and touched below her left breast. She received a heart. Savannah gave her a heart. No. It wasn't a heart, it was her heart.
"Yes." Cammy said. "I did receive one of the things I wished for. I don't think the other people who threw coins into the 'wishing well' are going to obtain the things they wished for."
Cammy folded up a hundred dollar bill and secured it with a paperclip before she put it into the 'wishing well'. She'd heard somewhere, 'you only get what you pay for'. She was pretty sure it was the case. She thought a 'C note' went a lot further than a penny.
Savannah looked at Cammy with some seriousness. Since she was able to pick up her spirits, she wanted her to know what the real reason was. She didn't want to seem like she was pulling a fast one on her.
"I really need to go to the jewelry store and pick something up." Savannah said. "The pet store is right near there so there's no reason we can't do two things at once."
Cammy reached up and touched where her heart was at inside of her sheath.
"Is it something different?" Cammy asked.
Savannah could see Cammy looked worried.
"I need to pick some things up for some other people." Savannah said. "It's a surprise."
Cammy wasn't sure she liked surprises. She only liked them if they were good surprises.
Savannah didn't want Cammy to over think it. They were just a few other things she ordered. They weren't a priority at the time like the things she gave out on Valentine's Day.
John was glad to get back to work. He felt in control in the Command Center. He couldn't say the same thing about his interaction in the commissary. He didn't think Young Allison played him at all. She was very confident in her beliefs and actions. She did make him very nervous. It hadn't helped any when she opened her top up a little more than it was. He knew he shouldn't look at her body, but he couldn't help it. There was just something enticing about the way she looked as compared to Cameron, her clones, or Allison.
He didn't get it was the physical aspect of comparing the cyborgs, or even Allison, to Young Allison. It was the vibrancy of her personality which touched him in a different way. She didn't need to carry any of the baggage of the future. She wasn't a cyborg. She was a highly educated and knowledgeable individual who was used to dealing with other humans all of the time.
Claire made a point for him to look down her top as well when she served him an omelet. He was pretty sure Young Allison did it because it's what her mother did. He believed Young Allison saw it as a 'challenge' and met it. He did note she waited until Savannah left the room before she did it. Once Savannah and her mother were out of the commissary, there was no one to put the brakes on Young Allison.
He shook his head to clear it. He needed to refocus. He needed to find out what the latest was on the different pending operations, recon, and surveillance.
"What's the latest?" John asked.
John Henry quickly did an in depth check. He was pleased to see everything was the same. It meant no immediate action was necessary.
"Not much is happening." John Henry said. "Everything is the same since you last asked me."
John felt it was good news, but it didn't usually last long. There was always something which would turn up along the way.
"It will pick up." John said. "It always does."
John Henry watched much of the activity in the commissary. He observed what Claire did, including unbuttoning her top. He thought it was somewhat strange when Young Allison did exactly the same thing later on. He noticed they both did it when John wasn't looking. He did note John noticed right away when he did look. It seemed John spent a lot of time looking at both of their bodies. Maybe it was a subject to stay away from for now.
He made a point of studying females. He was fascinated by the female body. He was also intrigued by its various functions. It seemed superior to the male body in everything but strength. He always wondered about the obsession humans seemed to have over the size of breasts. He wondered if it was some carry over from thousands of years ago when the size of a female's breasts may have determined whether an infant would survive or not. There was no baby formula back then. The infant needed to rely solely on the mother. He was sure it was the reason why both males and females seem obsessed with the size of a female's breast. He read females spend as much time looking at other females breasts as men do. They were usually a little more clandestine about it. Nonetheless, they still checked everyone else out anyway.
He thought about Riley and all the trouble she experienced and realized size didn't always matter. He didn't know there were other factors in play including the toxins Skynet released into the future. You seem to affect females in a very negative way. From what he could gather, it appeared they affected males just as much. He knew he was drifting.
"How did your breakfast go?" John Henry asked.
John quickly looked at John Henry then back to his monitors. He wasn't sure if it was a 'loaded question' or not. He wasn't going to say he had an omelet, with a 'side of breasts'. It was nice to have some real food for a change, especially where everything was warmed up to the proper temperature when it was served. Usually when he made his own meals, things were either too hot or too cold.
"It was different." John said. "I found it to be quite an enjoyable experience."
John thought about how comfortable he felt around Claire. Her presence was very satisfying. She was really charming and pleasant to be around. She was very soothing. The fact she was good looking only added to her appeal. The sneak peek inside her top she gave him was a nice treat too.
"How did your conversation go with Savannah and Young Allison?" John Henry asked.
John was impressed at what he witnessed. He felt very comfortable around Savannah. When he was around Young Allison, he always felt very nervous. He realized he used to feel the same way about Savannah when she was younger. Maybe it was from watching the movie too many times. He knew social norms and circumstances were quite a bit different from the time period depicted in the film. He wondered how many people realized they were really looking back on the very recent history when they watched the movie. What was he thinking? He needed to stick with the questions John Henry asked him.
"The conversation was mostly with Young Allison." John said. "How would you feel about working with her if I go on the cruise with Cameron?"
John Henry didn't think it would be anything new. Maybe it would be a little more direct.
"I've worked with her before, but it's usually through Anna and CamNet." John Henry said. "She prefers to remain in the background."
John hoped to bring her to the Resistance base and into the Command Center.
"I mean here, in my spot." John said.
John Henry thought she would like to 'work' from her bunker with Anna and CamNet.
"She might be uncomfortable doing it here at the Resistance base." John Henry said.
John wondered what the difference was.
"Why?" John asked. "She doesn't seem to have a problem doing it from the Young bunker."
John Henry would like the opportunity to watch her in action. It would also give him a chance to study her. He wanted to compare her to Cameron every way he could. He even wanted the physical aspect. He wanted to know how big of an influence this version of 'Allison Young' actually had on Cameron.
"I'd like to work with her directly." John Henry said. "She feels more confident dealing with Anna and CamNet. I don't want to force the issue."
John remembered what Young Allison indicated to him in the commissary. It was her appearance, based upon her age. She was worried how others would perceive being told what to do by someone younger than them.
"Maybe she's worried it might cause a problem." John said.
John Henry believed it would have just the opposite effect on Terminators. They were aware age and appearance didn't matter when it came to ability and results.
"Not with the Terminators it won't." John Henry said. "They all know of her multiple decisions which assisted Cameron and Savannah. They've seen both of the 'Chosen Ones' in action. They know Young Allison's place in the future."
John let out a slight sigh. He wondered if he was the only one with a 'hang up' about the future, the future Cameron wanted. It pained him to remember Cameron carried out his wishes from the future, from Future John. He also was concerned about some of Young Allison's decisions. He wondered how much of it was actually from Young Allison and how much of it was from CamNet. He was always a little hesitant to push things or take chances. It didn't seem John Henry was too different either.
"How much of what she did would you have done?" John asked.
It was an easy answer for John Henry. He either didn't contemplate some of the things she did, or didn't implement them on his own if he did. The bottom line was, Young Allison acted when the Command Center didn't.
"I think because of the fact she needed to act through CamNet answers the question." John Henry said. "Every call she made was a good one, even if it was extreme. They are all things I didn't act on."
John figured it was because of Cameron's meddling in her life. He didn't know the extent of what Cameron did to any of the girls. What little he knew about was enough to cause him a lot of concern. If he were to know the full extent of Cameron's 'conditioning' he would be appalled, especially if he knew what the 'conditioning' consisted of.
"Is it all because of what Cameron has done to her?" John asked.
John Henry saw it differently than something being done to someone. Cameron never 'made' them do anything. He understood Cameron may have planted the seeds and opened the doors, but it was the girls who walked through the doors on their own.
"Cameron has only ever allowed Savannah and Young Allison to find the greatness within themselves." John Henry said. "Their abilities and intelligence, along with their compassion and love are their own. They have never been forced to do anything."
John felt it was a little more involved. Once there was meddling started, it was something which never seemed to go away.
"I think there was a lot of 'push' to it." John said.
John Henry always 'watched' Savannah and Young Allison practice different things.
"Have you ever seen her dance or play music?" John Henry asked.
John only heard a few things from Cameron regarding it.
"Not really." John said. "I've only ever heard or even seen a few snippets."
John Henry possessed a multitude of files of both girls practicing music as well as dancing. He watched them often through his server.
"I have a file with some of it on it." John Henry said.
John Henry started the file for John. While John watched and listened to it, he quickly checked out the action in Sheila's room. He was really captivated watching them. It was to the point of distracting him. He closed the screen and would review it later, when everyone was asleep.
John was moved by what he saw. It was mostly Young Allison and Savannah. He could see the ability of each of the girls alone and he could see the harmony of both of them together. The sum of both of them together was much greater than either one of them alone if they weren't together.
"She's beautiful to watch dance." John said. "Young Allison and Savannah interact beautifully together."
John Henry was aware of Claire's abilities. They were mostly domestic abilities. It seemed Cameron found a new function for her. Claire could carry and deliver children for Cameron, or to where Cameron wanted them delivered. Even if it was to someplace in the future. It didn't seem like a good thing to bring up right now. It didn't take too much for John's attitude to become somewhat negative.
"Claire was a music and dance instructor." John Henry said.
John's thoughts went back to Claire again. He still remembered looking inside of her top earlier. He really liked what he saw. He knew it wasn't an accident the way she did it. If she wanted to get his attention, she did. He didn't know how things were going to play out.
"They're all special." John said.
John Henry wanted to mention there was another but didn't. He believed Summer was the most intelligent of them all. She was also very gifted at everything she did. She was very much like River in those regards. He really wondered what exactly was going on and who was responsible. He thought all humans were unique in their own ways. He thought they were much more than special.
"Very." John Henry said.
John was aware Cameron MADE him want all of the girls. He just couldn't understand it. Things were really good between them right now and she still hinted at the girls. Was it really for his protection against the anti-Metal group? At this point in his life he was more than willing to take them. He wasn't going to turn anyone else down anymore. He didn't care if they were a Terminator, or a human. He wanted Cameron and what she could offer, but he was tired of the dry spells. He never knew when she was going to disappear for a week, a month, or fifteen months. Maybe it would be forever. He understood why she wanted to provide him with comfort. She was worried about her own demise.
"I want to go with Cameron." John said abruptly.
John Henry tilted his head slightly. He watched John bid Cameron farewell earlier. He wondered if John already forgot. He was aware some humans didn't remember things very well. Other ones seemed to have a selective memory. It seemed there were quite a few individuals who only wanted to remember what they wanted to remember. It was usually the things which reflected positively on them.
"She already left for the park with Young Allison." John Henry said. "You watched her leave earlier."
John chuckled to himself slightly. He knew he should have been a little more explicit. There were a lot of thoughts coursing through his mind when he made the statement a few moments ago. He thought he needed to say it out loud for his own benefit rather than for John Henry to hear.
"I meant on a cruise." John said. "I want to go with Cameron and spend time with her on the ship. It will be a chance for us to get away from it all, even if it's only for a short time."
CamNet provided John Henry with some new information. He was a little surprised at the nature of it as well as the origin.
"You're already booked for the next sailing." John Henry said.
John didn't say anything for a few seconds. It was news to him. He knew it was something they talked about doing, but he didn't think there was actually a set time table.
"I am?" John asked.
John Henry verified the date with CamNet and was provided additional information.
"Yes." John Henry said. "Cameron and you are booked for the next voyage".
John was a little surprised. He would have thought Cameron would have mentioned it to him. He wondered if something might change going forward.
"Cameron didn't say anything concrete yet about it." John said. "I thought everything was still in the discussion stage."
John wondered if he now knew something he wasn't supposed to, at least not yet. Maybe she was going to tell him later on. He didn't want to spoil anyone's surprise for him. Maybe he should play it cool.
John Henry was further surprised with the latest revelation from CamNet. It was a surprise earlier when CamNet purchased the cruise line. It obviously gave her great flexibility to make a last minute booking.
"Savannah and Young Allison, independently of each other, booked both of you through CamNet." John Henry said. "It appears both of the girls wanted to do something special for Cameron and you and didn't tell anyone, including each other. I think it says a lot about how much they care about both of you to do so."
John wanted to know more.
"Did they do it for Cameron or for me?" John asked.
John Henry tilted his head slightly.
"I think we both know the answer." John Henry said.
Cameron moved away from the girls with Anna. She wanted Young Allison to interact with Jan and Summer on her own.
Anna watched Young Allison as she played around with the girls. It was something she didn't see her do enough of in Palmdale.
"Young Allison is very torn over what to do." Anna said.
Cameron remembered what Savannah told her earlier. She believed it was a correct assessment.
"Young Allison will return to the Young bunker and see how she does on her own." Cameron said.
Anna wasn't so sure of it. She could see how much Young Allison cared about Summer.
"I don't know." Anna said. "Look at her."
Cameron watched Young Allison interact with both Savannah and John earlier.
"I am." Cameron said. "She knows her future and wants it, now."
It sounded to Anna like Cameron was ready to act.
"When do we leave?" Anna asked.
Cameron watched Young Allison for a while longer before she spoke.
"I don't know." Cameron said. "I really don't."
Cameron wondered what she was doing sometimes. It was what she was programmed to do. She was sure of it. The files must be hidden since she couldn't find them directly. She saw how hurt and lost Future John was without Future Allison and Future Savannah. Her being there wasn't enough for him. She knew she made herself 'available' to Future John every chance she could get. There were no files showing he ever did anything. If he did, they were all erased. There were a lot of erased files in her system. Part of her life was gone and missing forever. Who does it to someone? Who steals their life from them?
It did make her wonder if she went bad and whatever she did he erased so she wouldn't know. Maybe if she terminated a number of individuals there was no one left to tell the tale of what she did. What if she was sent on some type of secret mission? Isn't what she was doing now a secret mission? Would it be erased as well? Without any facts, it was pointless to think about it.
Anna was a little puzzled by Cameron's answer. She could see Cameron was lost deep in thought. She saw two figures approaching in the distance.
"Here comes Sarah and Jim." Anna said.
Anna's statement interrupted Cameron's thoughts.
They exchanged greetings when Sarah and Jim arrived.
Sarah was a little surprised to see Cameron and Young Allison were both there now. She looked over at the three girls. Summer and Jan were very happy with each other and they both looked up to Young Allison.
"They all look so happy together." Sarah said.
Anna was worried how long the happiness would last in any of them. With the threat of Skynet always looming over them, it seemed there was always a shadow to avoid.
"They do." Anna said. "They all look very happy."
Cameron wondered if Sarah would say something about her plans for Young Allison.
Sarah looked around.
"Cameron, can I speak with you privately?" Sarah asked.
Cameron thought maybe Sarah was going to chastise her. She looked at Sarah and thought she looked very fatigued. Now she wondered if something was wrong with Sarah. She immediately wanted to scan her. She hesitated. She knew it was always a touchy subject for Sarah. She would try a different approach first.
"Is everything alright?" Cameron asked. "How are you feeling?"
Sarah was a little surprised she asked.
"What?" Sarah asked. "Do you mean with me? I'm fine. I think I am."
Jim and Anna moved away. They went back closer towards the girls.
Cameron was ready for an earful. Here it comes….
"I spoke with Claire." Sarah said. "She's a very special woman. I want you to think about what you want her to do."
This wasn't the conversation that Cameron expected from Sarah. She watched the footage of Claire interact with John in the commissary. She felt she was on solid ground as far as what any of the individuals wanted.
"It's her choice." Cameron said.
Sarah had her eye on Claire herself. She wondered if it influenced her viewpoint. She still felt she needed to say something. She thought things were a little deeper in the way they were done by Cameron. It wasn't a free choice.
"Is it?" Sarah asked. "You're coercing her to act."
Cameron suppressed a mild glitch impulse. The issue was much deeper than coercing a human female.
"I want John protected." Cameron said.
Sarah wanted John protected as well. The issue to her was the way it was being done.
"She's a person too." Sarah said. "Don't use her daughters against her. Don't make her feel obligated to do what you want. If it's her choice without any other type of obligation, it's something different. I know you understand how everything works. You also have to understand people are willing to do a lot on their own without being forced to do so."
Cameron didn't say anything. She knew she was guilty of what Sarah indicated. She knew she used Summer 'against' Claire on multiple occasions. She didn't think it was too big of a deal. There was no threat or anything.
"There are some things I could have done differently." Cameron said. "Isn't it how everything is?"
Sarah could tell Cameron knew exactly what she meant.
"All I'm saying is she's a woman like me, and a mother like me." Sarah said. "We'll do anything to protect our children, even if it is something we don't want to do. I needed to do a lot of it to learn how to protect John. I hated most of it. I did it for John's protection. I needed to be able to protect him. I hated what I needed to do to get the training, but I did it for John. I want John protected too. I just want you to know how you can make someone feel without really thinking about it."
Cameron thought maybe she did push a little bit too much. She didn't want to cause any deep rooted resentment.
"I'll speak with Claire and clear things up." Cameron said. "I'll make it perfectly clear to her she is free from any obligations or implications from me in regards to John."
Sarah wondered if maybe she overstepped her bounds. It was something she felt she needed to say. She cared about Claire as well. It was a personal issue on her part.
"I just wanted to mention it." Sarah said. "I want John protected too."
Cameron looked at Young Allison and Summer. She believed the stage was already set.
"Her daughters will act on their own in time, both of them." Cameron said.
Sarah was aware of the 'Natural Order' and Young Allison's involvement. She wondered what was in store for Summer.
"Did you say both of them?" Sarah asked.
Cameron needed to remember all of the things Savannah told her. Everything needed to be the choice of the individual involved. It didn't matter what it was for.
"I don't know." Cameron said. "They will all have freedom of choice. I never want to make anyone do anything they don't want to do, especially if it will have a negative impact on their life. I have tried very hard to keep some distance with everyone, even if I don't want to at times."
Sarah would really like for all the girls to have a real life. As much as she was pleased to watch them interact, it still saddened her some.
"We need to protect them." Sarah said. "Look at them."
Cameron did look at them.
"I am." Cameron said. "They're all the future. The children are the future."
She knew if Skynet ever took control, it would need to face the girls in the future. It was in for a real surprise when it did. The girls were the future.
Vanna, Allison, and Bob headed out.
Allison saw an opportunity she didn't normally have.
"I want to drive." Allison said. "I never get to."
Vanna quickly looked at Allison. She knew why Allison didn't get to drive very often.
"It's because no one wants the car wrecked." Vanna said.
Allison was offended by Vanna's remark.
"It's not like it's their car." Allison said.
Vanna saw it a little deeper.
"It doesn't matter who the car belongs to, it's the fact they're in it." Vanna said.
Allison didn't see what the problem was.
"I'm a good driver." Allison said. "No one was ever hurt on the Resistance side. I haven't hit anything for a long time."
Vanna was sure the reason for the good news was because no one let her drive for a long time.
They did a quick inspection of the vehicle and its complement of weapons. Everything was fully stocked along with several protective vests.
Bob would have rather driven himself. He could see there was some tension in the air.
"You two ride in the front." Bob said. "One can drive to where we're going, and one can drive back."
It was all Vanna needed to hear. She at least wanted to be able to reach the establishment to eat 'her last meal' before Allison drove.
"I'm driving then." Vanna said.
Vanna took the keys from Bob.
Allison didn't say anything.
Vanna liked her to be a little submissive, but not too much.
Allison still wanted to drive. She didn't want Vanna to look down on her.
Vanna drove away from the carpool and headed out.
Bob still didn't know where they were headed. He would like to know the destination so he could plan any escape routes necessary.
"Where are we going?" Bob asked.
Vanna was just glad to be away from the base.
"Out." Vanna said.
Allison knew they hadn't decided. They'd discussed a few places but hadn't settled on one.
"We don't know yet." Allison said.
Bob could tell they were traveling over the speed limit.
"You're speeding." Bob said.
Vanna glanced into the back seat.
"Just what I need, a back seat driver." Vanna said.
Bob felt justified with his comment.
"Your safety is my responsibility." Bob said.
Vanna didn't think it was a big deal. She didn't want to get stuck in traffic.
"I just wanted to pass a slowpoke." Vanna said.
Allison thought everyone drove too slow. She passed all of them when she drove. It required a lot of lane changing. She believed in 'skill driving'. She seldom used her turn signals as she passed and maneuvered through the slowpokes. She didn't think Vanna did anything wrong.
"There are a lot of slowpokes." Allison said. "There are a lot of lollygaggers. They should ride the bus."
Bob was aware Cameron helped Allison learn how to drive. He understood the root of her unorthodox driving skills. It seemed like a better idea to change the subject.
"Are you going to eat somewhere?" Bob asked.
Allison wanted to go to a restaurant. She narrowed it down to three choices. She thought about the place with the yellow sign with the red lettering. There was a country deli not too far away. Right now her mind fixated on something specific to eat. She knew the place where it was their specialty.
"Yes." Allison said. "I'm hungry."
Vanna looked over at Allison. She wanted her to pick
"Where to?" Vanna asked. "It's your choice."
There was one place which popped into Allison's mind over the others.
"I haven't been to the pancake place in a long time." Allison said.
Bob could think of only one place with the word 'pancakes' in its name.
"Is it the one with the blue Alpine roof?" Bob asked.
Allison looked back at Bob and smiled.
"It's the one." Allison said. "It is rather international."
Vanna thought it was a good choice since she hadn't been there in a long time.
"OK." Vanna said. "It works for me. I want to be out in the fresh air a little."
Bob viewed the air in the future.
"It may not be there forever if we can't stop Skynet." Bob said. "I mean the fresh air."
Skynet was a thorn in Allison's side. She didn't like the burden to always fall on Savannah to deal with Skynet. Everyone else needed to help out, including her.
"I want to do more." Allison said.
Bob didn't think it was any longer a concern for Allison.
"Cameron removed you from all off base duties." Bob said. "You know this."
Allison didn't feel it was her decision. She was a trained Resistance fighter. She spent plenty of time dealing with Skynet in her future. She thought now was as good as any time to look for some action.
"We're out now." Allison said. "Have John Henry find something. The SUV has everything we need. We checked it before we left."
Bob looked at his phone and gave Vanna an address.
"Are you giving us a target?" Vanna asked.
Bob thought the address would be self evident when Vanna arrived.
"It's what you said you wanted." Bob said.
Vanna and Allison looked at each other. They both wondered if they might be in combat soon. It wasn't what they intended to do when they started out. If the mission parameters changed from breakfast to Skynet, they were up for it.
Jesse called Riley to see how things were going.
Samantha answered.
"Riley is indisposed currently." Samantha said.
Jesse wanted to ask why. It could be anything from being with Derek to taking a shower. She knew most people needed some privacy. She actually liked an audience when she did things, especially if it was with a female in front of other females. It always turned her on. She knew it was good advertisement to be able to share with additional females. They all wanted to try what she could provide. She didn't disappoint them. She thought maybe she should stick to business.
"When will I be needed?" Jesse asked.
Samantha thought everything was under control currently. She hadn't noticed any anomalies with Precious.
"Not for a while." Samantha said.
There were a few things Jesse wanted to take care of.
"I might head over to the lab to do some work." Jesse said.
Samantha wondered if Jesse would be alone or not.
"Will Gail be with you?" Samantha asked.
Jesse was with Gail earlier. It seemed she needed to leave rather urgently. She figured it must be something important.
"Gail left a short time ago." Jesse said. "She said she needed to take care of a few things."
Samantha would monitor everything and make sure Jesse was in place before Precious needed her.
"I'll give you a heads up." Samantha said.
Jesse dressed and headed out.
She worked on some things for Vanna in the lab but she felt a little lonely. Gail left suddenly right before they were going to share again. Gail told her Precious would need her soon and left alone.
She decided to see where Claire was at. She really liked spending time with her, even if it wasn't for sex. It usually was though. Claire taught her some of the fundamentals of music. There was a keyboard Savannah used to have before she got a new and bigger one. It was in the lab.
She decided to discreetly find out if Claire was 'busy'. She made a quick trip to the Command Center.
"John Henry, is Claire up?" Jesse asked.
John Henry was a little surprised at the inquiry.
"Yes." John Henry said.
Jesse expected more of an answer.
"Well?" Jesse asked.
He didn't think it was his place to say. Cameron told him everyone needed some private time.
"I don't want to invade her privacy." John Henry said.
Jesse laughed at John Henry's statement. She didn't think there was anyone who didn't know what everyone else did or with whom.
"There's no privacy here." Jesse said. "We're all one big happy family."
John Henry felt there was a solution to her problem which didn't involve him.
"Perhaps you should call her directly." John Henry said.
Jesse thought about it for a few seconds.
"I don't want to bother her." Jesse said.
John Henry was surprised to hear it.
"Really?" John Henry asked.
Jesse smiled and shrugged her shoulders.
"Everyone deserves some privacy." Jesse said.
Closing monologue by Cameron:
I Am
Who likes to keep track
Of what someone else does
Maybe they're obsessed
Perhaps they get a buzz
Either the person is there
Or they're not
How that plays out
Can indicate a lot
It can leave one high and dry
Or chasing the wind
Sooner rather than later
It will leave a heart skinned
What is perceived as being there
May not really be there
Another person close by
Doesn't mean they still care
People always move on
It's easy to scram
They don't think anyone's watching
They don't know that I am
Nobody