Chapter 1180

Follow Your Instincts

Cameron was a little surprised at how quickly the elevator closed behind her when she entered. She figured it was the handiwork of CamNet. She thought it was done to prevent Gail and Holly from joining them. Right before the door closed, she saw a couple run towards the elevator from the side to try to catch it. They didn't make it. She was glad they didn't. It seemed it was the more likely cause for the rapid door closure.

She was aware CamNet was supposed to have an elevator near where any of the team was at. It would be ready to open on the floor they were on. No one else would be able to access it on any other floor.

Cameron led the team out from the elevator onto the deck where the buffet was located. The stairway was directly in front of the elevators. They walked down a short hall. There were balcony cabins next to them on the side. They were outside in thirty seconds. As soon as they were outside, the smell of food could be detected.

Riley previously looked around a little bit earlier during the sail away party. She didn't really remember where everything was at. There was one thing she would like to try. Well, there were actually a few things. There was a hot tub in their suite so there was no need to use a public hot tub there. She remembered there were at least four of them around the pool. She always wanted to go into a pool. It looked like fun.

"Is this the level where the pool is at?" Riley asked.

John was on the pool deck several times and to the buffet several times. He had a good feel for where everything was at.

"This is the deck." John said.

Cameron was aware there were several pools in their close proximity. Not all of them were on the deck they were on. It was the closest one anyway.

"The biggest one is right on the other side of the partition." Cameron said.

Riley looked around a divider. She was where she thought she was.

"I see it." Riley said. "I remember where this is."

Cameron didn't want them to get sidetracked from their immediate goal.

"Here's the grill and pizzeria." Cameron said.

Derek and Kyle checked out the menus. There was a much bigger selection than they thought there would be. There were also several exotic items. Well, they were exotic for them.

"Can we order anything from the grill?" Derek asked.

Cameron wanted them to know everything on the ship was available to them.

"Yes." Cameron said. "Everything's included. If it's not, show them your card key and it will be taken care of. Everyone is here to have a good time. Nothing is off limits to any of us."

Riley looked over at the pool while the boys checked out the food available to them.

"When can we go swimming?" Riley asked. "Is there a specific time?"

Cameron wasn't sure why Riley wanted to go swimming. She wanted to let her know there were several options available. She figured if she could have Bob block off the front row of the main theater, he could also take control of the one pool in the secluded area as well. It was on the other side of the spa.

"You can go starting tomorrow." Cameron said. "There is another smaller pool on this deck, and one a deck below at the very rear. There is another secluded one. It's one deck up towards the front. I can have Bob reserve it just for you."

Cameron thought back on the time when she took Riley to the beach at night. They visited the Santa Monica pier and then went on a drive up the coast through Malibu towards Point Mugu. They actually skinny dipped in the moonlight and ran into a group of confrontational surfers on their way back to the vehicle. They were dealt with accordingly. It was based on their verbal infractions and disrespect for females.

Riley commented maybe next time she should wear a bikini. She was able to do a very comprehensive scan of Riley's naked body as they walked along the sand in the moonlight. She picked one up for Riley the next day and gave it to her. She felt she picked one which was appropriate and would fit her perfectly. It would also give her a little uplift to accentuate her breasts and show a lot of cleavage.

After they were done with the mouthy surfers, they took PCH to Sunset Boulevard. It was where they were passed by the two vehicles racing. They came across the spot where one of them went off of the road. She went down and uprighted the burning car and removed the driver from it. It was a lot of action for Riley in one evening. It was par for the course for her. Things were usually a little more terminal for those she encountered when she was out on her own and dealt with future Scavengers.

Riley was a little self conscious about her body. Derek still seemed to like it, so she figured it should be the only thing which mattered.

"I might want to get some sun. I brought my bikini." Riley said. "I don't know if it will still fit. I will probably end up with tan lines or get sunburnt."

Derek glanced at Riley when she wondered if it would still fit. He didn't see why not. Unlike Vanna and Jesse, Riley's breasts hadn't increased much in size with her pregnancy. He thought the bottoms would fit just fine as well.

Cameron decided Gail and Holly should accompany Riley in their bikinis tomorrow in case John went swimming with her. Their bikini clad bodies would keep John's eyes off of Riley, at least a little. She didn't think John needed to reminisce about the past.

John knew there was a way around tan lines. It sort of just slipped out.

"There's nude sunbathing." John said.

John felt a little embarrassed as soon as he said it.

Cameron looked quickly at John. She would have preferred the comment hadn't come from him. Maybe it would have been better not to come from anyone. She was a little concerned Riley may want to try it anyway, if she didn't feel her bikini fit properly. The option was open for her to go nude in the secluded area.

"Some form of appropriate apparel is necessary in all of the public pools on board the ship." Cameron said.

Derek thought about what Cameron said. He remembered the discussion he had with John and Kyle earlier. He wanted to see the nude sunbathing area. He tried to get a look at it earlier in the day, but it wasn't open.

"I'm in." Derek said.

Derek didn't think it hurt to look.

Riley didn't want to compete with a bunch of naked teenagers with her body from the future, and not too long out of childbirth. If she was going to compete with a group of females, she wanted to be the youngest of the group. She also wanted to remind Derek he didn't need to look elsewhere for sexual gratification. It was what she was for. She wanted to give him something else to think about.

"You won't be, if you go there." Riley said as she gave Derek a stern look. "I might go alone, though."

Derek understood the warning and the challenge. Maybe it did hurt to look. He didn't want Riley to feel self-conscious about herself. He didn't want her to think he wanted to look for something 'better'.

'I would rather be in than out.' Derek thought.

If they would have been alone, he would have said it. With John and Kyle there, he didn't want to take the ribbing. Sometimes they could all be a little cruel to each other, especially when they didn't need to be. He was just as guilty as anyone else if not more so.

Cameron decided all the Metal girls would be there in case Riley went there. It would keep any eyes from lingering on Riley for too long. She knew John might go there. She knew he would think about it anyway. She was fairly certain he would get cold feet if he actually wanted to go there. If he did make it, she didn't think he would stick around long. She would go there as well. She would make sure there weren't any troubles associated with his visit.

Sarah sensed Cameron's apprehension about John going there and Riley being there too. She thought she could put the brakes on, without needing to push down on the brake pedal too hard. She looked at Cameron and winked.

"I might go there." Sarah said. "I don't like tan lines. I think I can hold my own with the other girls. I'd like to find out. John can be the judge. I want him to take a good look at all of us and make an impartial decision, and not just award me the title because I'm his mother."

John didn't want to sunbathe nude with his mother. It was actually a thought which intrigued him at one point. He didn't want to think about it right now. He still did. It would really give him the opportunity to check out his mother in detail. He wasn't really sure how anyone would take the scars from knife wounds and bullet wounds on her body. There was no doubt about it. He knew what his answer was. He glanced at Sarah and frowned.

"I'm out." John said.

Cameron smiled at Sarah.

Sarah winked at Cameron again.

Kyle wondered if Sarah really would go there. She might not be as young as she once was, but she could still turn a few heads. He witnessed it earlier tonight. She was fit, trim, and solid. There was no droop or sag anywhere. He could see the people around them look at their group and try not to look, but they all looked back again anyway at some point. He never thought about them when he looked at her nude, but she knew there were a few scars she needed to deal with. He doubted most of the people would notice them. He didn't think anyone would even ask about them.

Cameron wanted to redirect the conversation. She wanted to move things along. She thought a quick reminder about what was available would help them make a few decisions.

"You can try the pizza if you want." Cameron said. "There are several different types. One of them just came out of the oven."

Derek looked over in the direction of the pizzeria.

"Wow!" Derek said. "I don't think it can get any fresher than what was just set down."

Derek headed over and took a slice of pizza. He brought it back over to the group on a plate. It was the one just freshly baked. Steam rose off of it. The cheese on top still bubbled.

Riley wasn't really hungry, but the piece of pizza looked really good. It was a temptation she couldn't resist. She could tell right away it was better than a frozen pizza warmed up in the microwave. She was pretty sure the instructions on the box indicated an oven should be used to do it. She didn't want to spend the time or effort to do it.

"Can I have a bite?" Riley asked. "I can see it's fresh."

Cameron wanted to issue a warning. The cheese on it was bubbling when it came out of the oven. It wasn't bubbling any longer on the piece Derek held, but there was a steam coming off of it she could see without having to use any of her Terminator abilities.

"Remember it's right out of the oven." Cameron said. "You don't want to get burnt."

Derek switched hands with his plate. His hand was uncomfortable from the heat.

"It feels really hot." Derek said.

John remembered how hot his slice was before.

"Be careful, it's very hot." John said. "I tried one earlier. I think I burnt my mouth a little. It's really hot."

Kyle went to the grill. He looked at the choices available. There were a few things he was unfamiliar with the name, but there was a description provided below them. He ordered a specialty burger.

Sarah was at the pizza station to see what other choices there were. She saw where Kyle was. She went over to him.

"What did you order?" Sarah asked.

Sarah looked at the open grill. She didn't think it looked like a hamburger.

"I ordered a venison burger." Kyle said. "I never tried deer as a burger."

It sounded interesting to Sarah. She was game. No pun intended. It was something which wasn't often encountered unless someone went to a specialty store or restaurant to find it.

"I'll try a bite." Sarah said. "I haven't eaten any deer meat in years."

John recalled when it was. He wasn't too old, but he remembered it. They hadn't eaten in days at the time. He was a little uncomfortable with the decision. He knew they needed to eat.

"I remember when you killed a deer for us to eat." John said.

Sarah remembered it bothered John somewhat. It troubled her to think about the time. She wasn't sure if there was a machine after her or not. She thought there was. She tried to disappear as best as she could. They were off the grid for about four months. They both looked pretty ragged when they hitched a ride on a freight train and ended up in another state.

There was a little trouble with a couple of hobos. She finally needed to pull a gun on them to get them to back off. She spotted their bodies the next day. There was still a hypodermic needle stuck in one of their arms. It appeared both of them overdosed. She wondered if they ended up with fentanyl instead of heroin. She pushed both of their bodies out of the boxcar when they were in a remote area. She wondered how long it was before their bodies were found.

"We were hiding out in the hills then." Sarah said. "There was no store there. We needed food."

John wanted to put her at ease. His mother did what she did back then to keep them alive. He remembered it was quite an adventure and they ran into trouble with a couple of hobos when they were on the train. They weren't there when he woke up the next morning. He wasn't sure what exactly happened to them. He figured the train must have stopped during the night and they got off.

"It's cool." John said. "I understand now. I didn't then."

John realized there was a lot he didn't understand back then. He looked down on his mother at the time for a number of her actions. He just didn't get it back then. He now realized the actual courage and fortitude his mother exhibited to protect him.

Cameron wanted John to make a selection. They were there, so he might as well choose something. He didn't need to eat the whole thing if he didn't want to. She would see what his reaction was when he started in on it.

"What are you going to get, John?" Cameron asked.

John wanted Cameron to try a taste. He decided to let her pick for him.

"Do you want to try anything here?" John asked. "I'll eat whatever you want."

Cameron was about to say what she wanted John to 'eat' when she remembered there were others present. It made her wonder why she almost forgot. It was the first thought which popped into her mind. She actually didn't try anything the first time around when John got something from the pizzeria and grill.

"I'll wait for the buffet and try some dessert." Cameron said. "I just want a small taste."

John saw Derek was about to get a second slice of pizza. He wanted to remind him what else was available.

"Hey, don't overdo it here." John said. "We can always come back after the buffet. It will be different from lunchtime."

Derek looked around and set his empty plate down on a table. He remembered what John said earlier about people who were around to collect them. He also remembered the vast selection available at the buffet for lunch. He wondered what the dinner buffet would have to offer. He figured it could only be better.

"I like your idea even more." Derek said.

John started to move along the side of the pool.

"Let's head over there now." John said.

Kyle was at the grill still. He hadn't received his order.

"My burger isn't done yet." Kyle said.

Sarah ran her hand across Kyle's rear end as she passed by him to follow John.

"Bring your burger when it's ready and catch up to us." Sarah said. "We won't be very far away."

Cameron passed John and led the group towards the buffet. She chose the side with the ice cream bar. They would need to pass by it now.

Riley moved up to look at the ice cream bar. Ice cream fascinated her. It was something she always liked to try whenever there was any in the freezer at the Resistance base. Whatever there was, didn't stay there for very long. There was none in the past, the future.

"I never tried ice cream until I came back in time." Riley said. "I heard people talk about it, but I didn't have a good concept of what it was really like until I tried it. It was amazing. It was sort of like I imagined, but about a million times better."

She felt the same way about sex when she had a choice with Derek.

Cameron quickly looked around to make sure no one paid any attention to what Riley said about time travel. She indicated the selection of ice cream available.

"What flavor would you like?" Cameron asked.

Riley looked at the selection. She wanted to stick with what she knew she liked.

"I think a chocolate ice cream cone would be good." Riley said.

Cameron wanted to suggest Riley try several different choices, but decided not to. She looked at the worker.

"Can we have one chocolate cone please?" Cameron asked.

Riley stepped forward and the attendant handed her a chocolate soft serve ice cream cone.

Sarah looked back and Kyle hurried over to them with his venison burger on a plate.

Riley offered the first bite of her ice cream to Cameron.

"Do you want to try a lick?" Riley asked Cameron.

John looked away from Cameron and Riley when she said it. It seemed she indicated a little more than the ice cream by the way she said it.

Cameron wanted to wait. She thought it was nice of Riley to offer her a lick.

"Not just yet." Cameron said.

Riley looked at John who stood next to Cameron.

"Do you want to try a lick?" Riley asked John.

It brought back some memories to John. He felt 'goose bumps' on his arms with her question. He felt somewhat embarrassed. He quickly looked at Cameron. He was afraid of what she might say in response to what was said.

Cameron just looked at John and walked away into the buffet.

Derek missed all the unspoken drama. His eyes were focused on the ice cream cone.

"I will." Derek said.

Derek leaned over and took a big bite. His mouth was still very warm from eating the hot pizza slice.

Riley quickly pulled what was left of her ice cream cone away from him.

"Hey, it was like a third of it." Riley said. "I said you could try a lick. I didn't say I was going to hold it while you consumed the entire thing."

John watched Cameron walk away. He glanced over at Riley.

"You can always get another one. It's free." John said. "We should try the buffet to see what they have. They usually have a large selection of desserts."

Kyle took a bite out of his venison burger and gave Sarah one. It was cut in half by the cook.

Derek reached over and took the other half.

"Thanks." Derek said.

Kyle was left with what looked like two bites of his burger at this point.

"Don't feel bad Derek ate a third of your ice cream, Riley. He just took half of my burger." Kyle said. "I'll have to go back and order another one when we're done with the buffet."

Derek ate half of the half in one big bite. He offered the remaining section to Riley.

She took a small bite. She made a little face at the taste of the venison.

"I'll stick with my ice cream." Riley said. "Well, what's left of it."

John was halfway to the buffet doorway. He wanted to say something to Cameron but wasn't sure what. He knew what she was thinking about right now and it wasn't good for her or him.

Sarah was right behind him. She witnessed the unspoken encounter and could see things weren't headed for a good resolution. She thought a little passive intervention would help out. She took John's arm.

"Will you escort me to the buffet, sir?" Sarah asked.

John was a little surprised.

"Sure, Mom, for you I'll do anything." John said.

Sarah moved close to John as they walked into the buffet, arm in arm. She understood why Cameron walked away. She wanted to make sure John didn't complicate things.

"You need to drop it." Sarah whispered to John. "You'll only make it worse."

John looked at her and nodded slightly. There were times where he didn't want to hear any advice from his mother. It was no longer the case. He realized his mother always looked out for his best interest, even if he didn't understand it at the time. He still contemplated trying to explain things to Cameron about what was said earlier on several occasions. Now his mother indicated it was best if he didn't address any of it at all.

There was some rustling noise behind them.

Kyle, Derek, and Riley caught up to John and Sarah.

Riley looked around as they entered the buffet.

"Where's Cameron?" Riley asked.

Cameron appeared from off to the side

"I'm right here." Cameron said.

She held a tray with several dessert items on it.

Riley liked everything she saw on the tray.

"Those look so good." Riley said.

Cameron didn't want to be upset at Riley. She wasn't Future Riley.

"We can share them. What's mine is yours." Cameron said as she looked at John. "There are many things we can share."

John quickly looked away.

Sarah urged him to play it cool.

"Drop it." Sarah whispered to John. "Don't take the bait."

Riley looked at all the food and desserts. She was impressed by the vast selection available. There were several things she wanted to try. She looked down at her body and frowned. She wanted to get Derek's support before she got carried away.

"I don't need to get my schoolgirl figure back too soon do I?" Riley whispered to Derek. "A few extra pounds shouldn't affect anything you desire."

Derek didn't think two days with a lot of food would matter. He remembered a saying he once heard when he was in school before J-Day.

"The more cushion, the more pushin'." Derek whispered.

Cameron tilted her head slightly as she thought about what Derek meant. She wondered if it was true. She calculated the excess body material must have some effect. There was only so much room in some places. She actually wondered if it would make things more pleasurable or not for the male. She wondered if they would for the female as well. She quickly pushed the thoughts from her mind.

"I'll get us a table." Cameron said.

John watched Cameron walk away as he headed for the buffet.

"Follow me." John said to the others.

John led the group to the buffet starting point. He indicated they should each grab a plate. The silverware and napkins were on the tables.

"Ladies and gentlemen you may proceed." John said. "Just remember not to overdo it. I recommend you take a little bit of everything and share with each other. Remember you can always come back for more. If there's something you try and don't care for, just leave it."

John knew it was easy to get carried away. He wasn't sure if they would heed his warning or not. He didn't think it really mattered. A multitude of small scoops added up quickly on the plate.

He ushered Sarah and Riley in front of him, followed by Derek and Kyle.

John brought up the rear.

Cameron found a big table and waited for the assistant to clear it. It was out of the way and in the corner. There was no foot traffic by it. There was a smaller table next to it. It was empty and clear. it wasn't big enough for their group.

Right before she sat down someone crowded in front of her and sat down. It upset her a little more. She was already standing there and waiting. Her first instinct was to snap their neck. She needed to remember where she was and exhibit a little self control. Besides, it would be hard to dispose of the body with others around. It could lead to a mass of terminations.

"Excuse me. I was waiting for this table." Cameron said.

Two people brushed by Cameron from two different directions. They carefully but swiftly lifted the person, still sitting in the chair, and sat them gently at the next smaller table.

It was Gail and Holly.

The person still hadn't been able to respond to Cameron.

The person looked at Gail and Holly and back at Cameron. They looked a little pale at this point.

"I'm sorry." They said. "I didn't know."

Cameron was a little surprised with the swiftness of the action. She didn't want things to get out of control.

"It's no problem." Cameron said. "Unexpected events happen at times."

The person got up and left without looking back. They took their plate of food with them.

Cameron glanced over at the buffet. The rest of the group was still in the line, they hadn't noticed what happened.

"Thanks." Cameron said.

Holly looked in the direction the person they moved went.

"We're just doing our jobs." Holly said.

Gail looked around the immediate area for any additional threats.

"We will protect the Resistance members." Gail said.

Cameron understood how they felt and their sense of duty. She really hoped they would seek something different.

"I appreciate everything. You can do something else." Cameron said. "Please, at least try something. This is a rare opportunity for all of us."

Holly was pleased they were able to keep Cameron's table available for her.

"This is our assignment." Holly said. "It's what we want to do."

Gail kept track of the individual when they left the area.

"We will deal with any additional thread." Gail said. "This one seems resolved."

Cameron wanted to make sure things didn't get out of hand.

"Don't terminate them and throw them overboard." Cameron said.

Holly and Gail both tilted their heads slightly.

"I don't think things need to go quite so far." Holly said.

Gail and Holly vanished as rapidly as the appeared in two different directions.

Cameron smiled. The Metal girls were the greatest.

Ally, Hanna, and Sheila wanted to see what else was available for them to do.

Sheila led the trio towards the back of deck seven. There was music playing somewhere.

Hanna looked in the rear lounge. It looked like a small theater.

"There are people singing in there." Hanna said. "They look like passengers."

Ally looked in. She wanted to see exactly what Hanna meant.

"This is the karaoke area." Ally said.

Hanna liked what she saw. Being around Claire taught her to appreciate people's individual talents, especially when it came to artistic things.

"Let's watch them for a little bit." Hanna said. "I really think this is something Claire would like to see."

She actually wondered if Claire might not try to give them a few tips or coaching.

Sheila planned to do more than watch them. She would look for any prospective females.

"Sure, love." Sheila said. "Let's check it out."

There was a drum set, with a bass and guitar in one corner, they weren't in use.

Hanna looked at the unused instruments.

"They could at least have live music." Hanna said. "They did in the other theater."

They watched a teenage girl sing a popular 'country' song by a female artist.

Ally really liked the tonal quality of what she heard.

"She's really good." Ally said.

Sheila looked the teenage girl up and down.

"Yes she is." Sheila said.

Sheila wondered what her tonal quality would sound like in bed.

Ally thought Sheila and her looked at two different things.

They watched a few people try it.

Sheila wasn't really interested in amateur hour. She wanted to step things up a little bit.

"We can come back later and play the instruments ourselves." Sheila said.

Hanna tilted her head slightly. She wondered how. They didn't have any first hand training.

"We've only seen the piano played and an acoustic guitar." Hanna said. "We don't know how to play those instruments."

Sheila pointed at a little screen.

"There is a little video playing of the trio which will perform later." Sheila said.

Ally looked at the small screen.

"We can't learn from watching it." Ally said.

Sheila came up with a better idea. They needed a little first hand experience. They could watch and listen to the trio actually play. They should be able to emulate their movements, as well as their sound.

"No, but we can watch them play." Sheila said. "They're up in an hour. We can learn everything we need to learn. How hard can it be?"

Ally was sure they could watch and copy the movements of the group as they played. They would at least be able to emulate the group, movement for movement.

"It sounds like fun." Ally said. "We can come back and play after everyone is asleep."

Hanna worried it might be a problem. Someone may not want them to touch the instruments.

"We might need to have Bob make sure the area is off limits to any of the crew at the time." Hanna said. "I don't want any trouble."

Sheila didn't think it would be a problem. Right nowhere was an hour to kill.

"We can stay here for sixty minutes, or go up to the top deck and visit the Sky Lounge." Sheila said. "You two decide."

Ally and Hanna wanted to keep Sheila away from the casino.

Hanna wanted to see what the actual talent was of some of the passengers. She knew none of them were professionals. It should be just regular everyday people trying to emulate a song they like, or from their favorite group.

"We can stay here for a few songs. It's what I would like to do." Hanna said. "Then head up to the Sky Lounge."

Ally wanted to come back later on.

"We will come back to watch the trio play." Ally said.

Hanna never attempted to sing before. She wasn't sure how it would work out.

"Are we going to try and sing?" Hanna asked.

Sheila looked at Hanna and Ally for a moment before she spoke.

"Maybe we can." Sheila said. "I know, 'Tie Me Kangaroo Down, Sport'."

Ally found a reference to the song. It was an obscure song from Australia.

"Is that a joke?" Ally asked.

Sheila tried to seem a little indignant.

"It's a great song from the Outback." Sheila said. "There's a lot that goes on Down Under, other than just 'down under'."

Ally wanted to indicate Sheila should be 'punished' for her crude joke.

"You should be taken 'out back' to the woodshed for a spanking." Ally said.

Hanna wanted to get her crude joke in.

"Here I thought you were going to take her 'out back' to the woodshed for something else." Hanna said. "It actually used to happen."

Sheila gave both of them a big smile. She was always ready for a little more. She didn't mind pushing the limits because she didn't have any limits.

"We can do both of those things back in my room later on." Sheila said. "I don't care in which order or if they're at the same time."

Hanna didn't like how tiny Sheila's room was. It made her wonder if all of the crews' quarters were as small. She was sure there were at least two to a room, if not four.

"Your room is too small." Hanna said. "I bet the rest of the crew has it even worse than you do."

Ally thought so as well. She believed the spare bedroom of the Owner's Suite would be a better choice.

"We can use the Control Center. There are two big beds in there." Ally said.

Hanna remembered Jim was in there.

"Won't Jim be working?" Hanna asked.

The smile on Sheila's face broadened.

"I hope so." Sheila said.

Sheila was ready to expand her sexual diet. She didn't mind giving anyone a 'taste' of what was available. She felt she had something to offer everyone. All they needed to do was ask.

Earlier:

John Henry followed the trek of the unknown motorcycle rider. He wondered why Cammy's team hadn't taken them down yet. He was sure they would have acted by now. It was clear the influence of Savannah was the only thing keeping them from doing it.

He watched Jesse bring the girls back to Summer's room. A short time later there were three naked females in the hall.

John Henry did a double take.

Jesse led Claire and Samantha along. All three of them carried their clothes.

He felt a sudden urge to see them up close. He wanted to see them in person. He wanted to do an updated visual scan of the three of them.

He checked the monitors one more time and unplugged from his server. He took off on an intercept course to face them head on. He wasn't sure why he did it, or what he was going to tell them when he encountered them. He hoped to get them to stop so he could scan all three of them in detail. He really wanted to compare Claire and Samantha. Their bodies looked identical. He would really like to compare them side by side. He looked at all the same close up images John viewed. He also looked at hundreds of thousands more.

John Henry wasn't used to impulsive behavior. It made him feel somewhat uneasy. Even with the thought, it didn't slow him down any. He needed to hurry to intercept them where he wanted to. He really wondered what he was doing.

Claire tried not to laugh as they moved down the hall.

"I feel like a 'streaker'." Claire whispered.

Samantha was unfamiliar with the term and exactly what it meant.

"What is it?" Samantha asked. "What's a 'streaker'?

Claire first 'streaked' when she was in high school. She did it on a dare with some of her female friends. She knew the tactic was used to disrupt sporting events as well as gatherings of all types, including religious and political ones. She wanted to keep it simple.

"It's someone who runs naked, usually in public, for the fun of it." Claire said. "It makes a statement."

Samantha tilted her head slightly. She wondered what the statement would be. She could see it was a bold and daring move. She didn't see what the payoff was. She was unsure as to how it was to be directed.

"Are you suggesting we do this when the others are back?" Samantha asked.

Claire laughed.

"I won't." Claire said. "It's the idea though. I haven't done this since high school. It wasn't even really still a thing then."

Claire knew some ideas died a little harder than others.

The idea intrigued Jesse. She liked to be noticed.

"Really?" Jesse asked. "There was a lot of nudity in the tunnels and bunkers, but none of it was for the fun of it. There weren't a lot of clothes. We usually needed to wait for someone to die to get additional ones. I like the idea of being naked just for the thrill of it. I like people to see me nude. I know they all wish they could look like I do."

Jesse believed any behavior like streaking would be very dangerous in the future. It would most likely lead to the females being abused. It would only be something which could be done in the past, the present.

Claire was aware there was a 'lot done' in the tunnels and bunkers to most of the females in the future based on what Jesse and Allison told her. It made her body shudder a little bit. Allison didn't usually specifically talk about the abuse she suffered. She did mention waking up with a knife pressed to her throat, or a gun jammed up against the side of her head. She was told to just lay there and take it.

It reminded her of some of the things which occurred to her when she went to the drug and alcohol fueled parties from school. There were no actual weapons used against her other than the drugs and alcohol. Somehow it seemed better not having a knife or gun involved. There were still others who used her body against her will, even if she was unconscious. None of it should have happened to anyone.

The three nude females walked side by side.

John Henry came around the corner.

Jesse and Samantha stopped and stood there. They didn't have anything to hide. Claire tried to cover herself.

Once Claire saw it was only John Henry she wasn't so modest. She faced him naked like Jesse and Samantha did.

"Hi, John Henry." Claire said. "Did you come to see us naked?"

John Henry looked uneasy. He caught the choice of words. It was actually what he planned. He wasn't sure exactly what would happen afterwards.

"I'm sorry." John Henry said.

Jesse pointed out what John Henry already knew. She never thought it hurt to have an audience. She wanted to give John Henry a reminder.

"If he did come to see us, I never close my door tight. He can drop by anytime and take a look." Jesse said. "I have something to offer everyone, even if it's a sneak peek."

Claire really wondered what it would be like to 'try' a male Terminator. She figured they would stay with it until they were able to send her over the top. She knew they wouldn't get tired or need to stop. She just wanted to have a 'normal' experience like all the other females claimed to have. She knew it wasn't true, but she still wanted it to happen. She read in Cosmo it didn't happen often through intercourse alone. She just wanted it to happen one time.

"In that case, he should drop by in a few minutes." Claire said. "There will be plenty available to see."

Samantha didn't see why he couldn't watch them in action.

"Can't we just invite him in?" Samantha asked. "I haven't been observed by an audience before. I want to know what it's like. Somehow I believe it will make my experience even better. Others will be able to share it with me, even if it is vicariously."

John Henry offered a feeble excuse. He knew he blew it by going there. He just couldn't help it. He needed to. He felt a compulsion to do it.

"I was about to follow up on some security improvements." John Henry said.

Claire gave Jesse and Samantha each a kiss on the cheek. The three naked girls continued down the hall.

John Henry held some papers in front of his groin area and watched them.

Claire looked back at John Henry and winked.

John Henry was surprised. He dropped the papers he was holding.

Claire could see what he was trying to hide. There was a noticeable bulge in his pants.

She wondered again if male Terminator could finally get her 'there' through traditional relations. She looked at Jesse and Samantha. It didn't really matter, they could and would. A female was always good for a finish. They knew what it took and they delivered. Being with a female was a shared experience as opposed to being with a male. It was more often like 'abuse' to their body with little reward.

Savannah's phone vibrated. She looked at it and it was a text message from Young Allison.

Neither Cam nor Cammy tried to see who it was or what it was about. Savannah asked for privacy before if it was something personal. It seemed personal.

Once she saw what the nature of the conversation was about, she asked Young Allison if she wanted to use the com so everyone could hear.

Young Allison said not yet.

Savannah understood Young Allison wanted to act with a drone to take down the motorcycle rider. She was worried they didn't know who they were and what they were doing. It was clear they were making themselves known. Young Allison wanted to make their team known.

'Are you going to kill them?' Savannah typed.

'Yes.' Young Allison typed.

'Are you asking for my approval?' Savannah typed.

'I want your advice.' Young Allison typed.

'They know about every place we've encountered the Fanatics. They most likely are a Gray or Fanatic.' Savannah typed.

'I don't want any of our team to approach them.' Young Allison typed.

'Good call. It seems risky at this point.' Savannah typed.

'Do you think I should bring them down now?' Young Allison typed.

'I want you to make your own decision. It's a hard call.' Savannah typed.

'I understand.' Young Allison typed.

'Follow your instincts.' Savannah typed.

'I knew the answer all along then.' Young Allison typed.

"I think you did.' Savannah typed.

'Thanks.' Young Allison typed.

The messaging ended.

Savannah glanced at the Metal girls.

Cam and Cammy didn't ask.

"The motorcycle rider is about to be terminated." Savannah said.

Cam and Cammy looked at each other. They wondered what was behind the new development. They were both a little disappointed they wouldn't be able to be the one to do the termination. They didn't like being led around. They also didn't like the prospect of being led into an ambush. They didn't know exactly what was going to happen, but as long as something happened, they were satisfied.

Closing monologue by Cameron:

Follow Your Instincts

There is a time when one shows
What's really inside
It's all the things
They want to hide

When they're watched
They fear the truth
To discover what's real
Shouldn't take a sleuth

What passes the smell test
Why does it stink
Maybe it's all because
They know what people will think

Everyone casts an aurora
They give off a vibe
To change that feeling
They might try a bribe

Follow your instincts
When you know they aren't true
Otherwise the mess created
All ends up on you

Nobody