Chapter 1213

Lights On - Lights Off

Steve and Tom were pleased to have drone support. The sun was up so the drones would remain at altitude. It would only slow a missile strike by a couple of seconds. The back up team arrived at the location a short time ago. They were ready to make their move.

"Al and Ed are here now." Steve said. "Let's go take a look inside."

John Henry's server, JH, communicated with them the same as if John Henry was in the Command Center in person. There were no additional changes since the first 'hit' came in. Someone or some thing was detected moving in the building. The building was secured when they left previously. Nothing was left open after the initial operation. If there was movement inside, it meant someone needed to break in to be in there. If someone broke in, they needed a reason.

Their initial external inspection didn't turn up anything. It didn't show any place which appeared to be broken into or forced open. It was time to go inside and take a look. All of the doors were secure including the doors for the rail cars, and the doors for the trucks.

It was decided Al and Ed would enter from the north side where the office area was located. Steve and Tom would come in from the west side. It was the loading dock area for trucks. They previously were on the outside of the east side with the railroad siding before they pulled back.

Both teams entered the building at the same time.

Al and Ed would take the north and east side. Steve and Tom would search the west and south side.

The two teams wore large military style coats to cover over their vests and gear. They would enter ready for combat. Once they entered the building, each of them pulled their M4 out from under their coat and held it.

In case any Liquid Metal Terminators were encountered, the M203 below Steve's M4 was loaded with an acid round. Al carried an identical set up. Tom and Ed each carried a Thermite grenade for immediate use. They didn't know what to expect but they were ready.

Al and Ed entered the office area. The office area was previously converted into sleeping quarters by Grays who lived there. Nothing in the area was different from how they left it when they pulled out the night of the raid.

After the raid, the dead were loaded into a boxcar which was sent to Mexico. The boxcar's records were changed so it never showed being in California. They only showed the car was the southern extent of the rail line in Mexico for several months. The indication was it's where the bodies were loaded into them. The Cartel would get the blame.

They were able to track down most of the other boxcars loaded with HK equipment. They thought there were a few more out there. They believed the loads were transferred to trucks once the Skynet forces figured out someone was on to them. It was doubtful if they knew it was the Resistance.

Steve and Tom entered the structure from the loading dock. It was where the main team entered from the back of a captured bobtail truck during the initial assault. They spotted Al and Ed exit from the office area.

Al and Ed moved out of the office area onto the workroom floor. They spotted Steve and Tom on the west side by the loading dock area. The two groups silently acknowledged each other.

They wouldn't remain in visual contact for long. It was a big structure.

Steve and Tom moved towards the south side. It was a large building. Everything so far looked unchanged to them. They arrived at the area where the HK Treads were hand assembled from sub assemblies by two Terminators. The area was clear right now. Everything Skynet related was removed when they pulled out.

Al and Ed advanced along the center and east side of the structure. It wasn't long until they spotted something. They weren't able to identify exactly what it was yet.

"We have movement." Al whispered. "It's on the east side headed toward the loading area for the railcars."

Steve and Tom silently moved in their direction. It wasn't the news they wanted to hear. It was the news they expected.

"We're moving to block or intercept." Steve quietly replied.

The two teams of two converged on the area the movement was detected in. There was something there inside the building. Everything seemed secure where they checked outside. Someone or something found a way in and was still there. They didn't entered through any of the doors or windows.

With the trouble at the port area facility yesterday, the current 'hit' needed to be checked out. It may turn out to be a 'set up' like yesterday, or it could be an opossum. They never considered it could be a test to check their response, or a diversion to keep them from looking elsewhere.

Only Steve and Tom knew about their earlier involvement with CamNet and her clandestine operation. It was done the way it was to keep Savannah from going out again during the darkness. The activity at the current location was bound to draw Savannah in.

Derek and Riley stood on the balcony of their suite. The morning air was crisp and cool. The speed of the ship created its own feeling of wind. They were blocked from the actual wind by the superstructure of the ship.

Riley was glad she was able to share the experience with Derek. They never shared a sunrise just to share a sunrise. If they both were together on a sunrise before, they were on a training mission, or doing recon, or surveillance.

"It was a beautiful sunrise." Riley said.

Derek felt it was too. Something as simple as a sunrise seemed so easy now. There was a time when it was impossible.

"I used to dream about them." Derek said. "They were there when I was younger, then they were gone. Everything was gone."

There was a far off look on Derek's face. Did the 'other life' really exist for him? Look where he was at now. He was on a cruise ship in the middle of the ocean with a beautiful woman. It almost made him feel guilty. There was the active fight with Skynet and the protracted fight with Scavengers in his past, the future. There were a lot of dead people too. Many of the people he knew were dead. They were dead, and he was on a cruise ship. Somehow he tried to make himself feel better because they hadn't died yet in his current time period. A lot of those deaths were still in the future. It didn't seem to make a difference. Even though it was yet to happen, it still already happened for him.

It always raised the question if they would be able to prevent Skynet from gaining control and recreating everything they escaped from in the past, the future. Right now most of those people were already born and alive. Billions more were alive as well. Could it all change in a matter of hours? Maybe it was something he shouldn't think about. It still crept into his mind no matter how much he tried to hold it back.

Riley could see Derek dip back into the past, the future. It made her relive some of the past too. There was nothing good about the past, the future, when it was compared to now, the present. She reflected on things she heard about growing up.

"When I was younger I heard people talk about them. I didn't have any concept of what a sunrise was like. I heard there were stars in the sky at night. They told me it was little dots of light." Riley said. "You can't understand some things until you really see them."

Riley heard about the moon too. They said people went there a few times. To her it was in some fairy tale and there was something about a 'cow jumped over the moon'. Maybe there was something too about a 'cat and the fiddle'. It was all a long time ago. It was all before her first abuse. She was 'lucky' on the first one. It was the only time there was only one person. It was over quickly. It was less than two minutes. At the time it seemed like ours. The physical pain was intense. It lasted a few days. The mental pain never went away. She didn't want to think about it now or the ones which followed. What was done was done. Life moved forward not backwards, even if she moved backwards in time. She felt the move backwards in time was more like a move forward as far as her life went.

There was always a lot to think about. There were so many things now which were impossible a few years ago. Precious was one of them. It was a concern of hers to be away from Precious but she was regularly updated as to the situation. She knew precious was in good hands at the Resistance base. Right now she needed to focus her attention on Derek.

Derek wondered about having something and then having it taken away as opposed to never having it at all. He couldn't help but think about somebody who was born blind, or someone who was blinded on the battlefield. One person didn't have a clue what it was like to see. The other person did. It was all gone and taken away from them.

"I don't know what's worse, if it is to know about things and experience them, and then have them taken away or not to know about them at all in the first place. I thought they were gone forever." Derek said. "Maybe some things are better if we never know, than to know about them and lose them."

Riley wasn't exactly sure what Derek wanted to get at. She heard people often talk about love the same way. Some people said it was better to have loved and lost the love, than to never have loved at all. She wasn't sure if it was true or not. It made her think about Precious. She thought if some things were to be lost, it was better never to have known about them in the first place. Maybe it was a reference about Skynet. Everyone who was alive now knew how things were. After Skynet took control, everything was different. Everything they knew was lost.

She moved over and held onto Derek. Their future going forward wasn't written yet. There was no need to equate it with the future they left. Their old future was their past. She hugged him and laid her head against his chest. She wanted him to think about where they were now.

"That was then, this is now." Riley said.

Derek nodded. It wasn't always easy to see it the same way, even if he knew it was true.

"I guess it is." Derek said.

Derek wondered where the present was headed at times. Would it be a repeat of his future? So far it wasn't. So far it wasn't a repeat of Cameron's future either. Now he had a daughter. They needed to keep Skynet down.

Riley knew there was some more good news to give to Derek.

"Holly checked on Precious for us." Riley said. "Everything is fine."

The good news made Derek think more about the future. It was never a pleasant thought. Things needed to be better somehow.

"I want Precious to have a better future than what we came from." Derek said. "I never want her to experience what we experienced."

Riley didn't either. Precious would need Terminators to protect her. Derek and her wouldn't be able to do it on their own. She needed to stop thinking about it. She refocused on what she felt right now.

"I miss her." Riley said.

Derek did a rough calculation on the time. It wasn't even very long since they left Precious at the base. For everything they did so far on the ship, it seemed like they were gone for weeks. They hadn't been. It wasn't even close to a day yet.

"We've only been away about sixteen hours." Derek said. "Vanna will take good care of her. You know she will. Samantha is there with her."

Riley felt good about it. There was one thing she didn't feel good about. She looked down at her breasts. They disgusted her. It seemed like it was her fault they didn't function properly. At least it's how she felt. Her body failed her from the malnutrition she experienced when she was younger. It wasn't her fault there wasn't any proper or healthy food to eat. It was Skynet's fault. Boiled tree bark left a lot to be desired in the way of nutrition.

"I do know Precious is in good hands." Riley said. "Did you get much out of me when we made love this morning?"

She didn't think so. She still felt she needed to know.

Derek worked on both of them for a long time.

"No." Derek said. "There was almost nothing."

He didn't notice anything from one side at all. He didn't want to say it and upset her further. If she asked specifically, he would tell her the truth.

Riley squeezed both of them. She used two hands on each one. She did the right one and then the left one. There was nothing. It didn't leave her with a good feeling.

"I just can't produce." Riley said. "I feel like my body is worthless sometimes. If it wasn't for Cameron, we wouldn't even have Precious. At least my body could still do something a female body is supposed to do. Maybe it was the most important thing. I need to tell myself to be thankful for what we have."

Riley felt it was a debt she would never be able to repay. She owed Cameron a lot on multiple levels.

Derek didn't like to see Riley berate herself over something they couldn't change.

"It's not your fault. Blame Skynet, most of the things messed up are related to it." Derek said. "Put the blame where it belongs. It's not on you or us. It's on Skynet."

Riley wasn't going to allow Precious to suffer what happened to her. She always felt dirty and unclean after her first abuse. It was a feeling which never went away. It only got worse with each new one. She couldn't let history repeat itself.

"We can't let Precious grow up here if Skynet wins." Riley said.

Derek wanted to attack Skynet. It needed to be defeated.

"We need to fight Skynet." Derek said. "It won't win."

Riley wanted to choose a different path. She knew it was very controversial to various individuals for different reasons. It usually created a problem when the subject came up. Maybe the trip wasn't the time to get into it. It was still something she felt very strongly about. She felt what she wanted mattered as well.

"I want what Cameron has offered me, us." Riley said.

Derek looked at Riley. He could see she was serious. He really wished a different subject would have come up. It didn't.

"You want to run." Derek said.

Derek was aware they could run into the past to escape Skynet. He was aware Kyle felt the same way about Jan. It was often an argument between Sarah and Kyle when the subject came up. Sarah didn't want to choose between her two children when it came time to protect them. She felt she needed to support John. It was the sole purpose of her life since the first night a Skynet Terminator came to kill her. He was unable to offer Kyle any useful advice. He didn't want to get into the same argument with Riley.

It seemed like a 'no brainer' to Riley. What was the point of endangering her daughter's life and well being if there was a way to avoid it?

"I do want to run." Riley said. "It's about survival. I want Precious to have a better life than what we grew up in. I don't want some of those things to happen to her I faced…. I never want her to be 'held down' by a group of men. It's terrible. They hurt you for 'fun'. You think you're going to die. They laugh and cause pain just to hear you scream. A lot of females didn't survive. Pretty soon you want to die. You curse still being alive afterwards. Precious must never feel those things, ever."

Riley didn't want to bring up the abuse caused by Scavengers. It was often a fate worse than death. She was lucky never to have been captured by them. Many others were less fortunate than her.

It made Derek think about Vanna and Jesse. They were both heavily 'abused'.

"Skynet scars the mind and the body." Derek said.

He was sure it scarred the soul.

Riley saw it as something different. She wanted to reinforce her earlier point.

"On those who survive it does." Riley said. "A lot didn't make it."

Riley sometimes used to wonder if those were the lucky ones. All their troubles and problems were over. The story was over when it ended. Everything was over, lights on - lights off.

Now Riley wondered about her younger self here. If they needed to escape into the past, what about Young Riley? Should they put the grab on her and take her with them? Should they do nothing and leave her to her fate? What about her family? What about Young Derek and Young Kyle? What were they all supposed to do? Were they just supposed to let everything happen again?

Derek and Riley stood together and watched the sun rise higher as the ship passed through the water.

Riley silently took Derek's hand and led him back towards the bedroom. They could at least find some comfort in each other. There was always one way to forget about the pain and the suffering. There was always one way to forget about everything. There was the moment of ecstasy to live for. It was only during those moments when everything really didn't matter. Nothing mattered but the moment itself. If there was only some way to make the moment last forever, forever was a long time.

Kyle watched the sunrise earlier with Sarah. Jim and Hanna were there too.

As soon as the sun was above the water, Jim and Hanna left. They both thanked Sarah and Kyle for sharing it with them.

Kyle was alone with Sarah and his thoughts. He needed to choose which one to spend time with at this point. Right now it was both. At times he experienced some heavy thought. Maybe now was one of those.

"Sometimes I wonder when it will be my last sunrise." Kyle said.

Sarah didn't like the conversation, and it just started. It was a thought which crossed her mind more than a few times. Her life only seemed to gain some true stability once she moved to the Resistance base. She still needed to worry about Skynet, but she didn't need to constantly look over her shoulder. There were others there now to assist her to do it Once Cameron was operational and returned from her mission into the future was the point where it all started to get better. She returned with John, just like she promised. Kyle's words brought her back to rougher times.

"You sound very morbid." Sarah said. "We're supposed to be on vacation for a couple of days."

Kyle didn't mean to sound so fatalistic. He meant it more as a general statement as opposed to something specific. He didn't want things to turn contentious.

"You know what I mean." Kyle said.

Sarah did know what he meant. It was the same thing she dreaded.

"You mean if Skynet wins." Sarah said.

It was all a lot to think about.

"They may win a battle or two or even a lot but they'll never win the war." Kyle said. "Humans will never surrender to the machines."

Sarah thought back to her first battle with Future Kyle. There were quite a few since then too.

"I hope we've prevented it." Sarah said.

Kyle wasn't so sure. There just wasn't one enemy to fight.

"There is always another Skynet." Kyle said. "There is always the same thing or some offshoot of it."

Sarah needed to think a little more positive. She didn't want to dwell on something they seemed to have very little control over. She wanted to focus on where they currently were. Isn't it what mattered the most?

"What's next?" Sarah asked. "I mean for us here and now?"

Kyle thought Sarah referred to the future. He didn't want to get into an argument with her again about what to do with Jan if Judgment Day happened. He wanted to take Cameron up on her offer to go into a further past and live a Skynet free life. They would only need to worry about the meaningless wars which were fought over nothing and crime on the street. He figured he would let her be more specific.

"What are the choices?" Kyle asked.

She could tell Kyle missed her drift. She decided to spell it out.

"I can think of two, the buffet or the bed." Sarah said. "It's where we are now."

Kyle looked over at Sarah and smiled.

"It's an easy choice." Kyle said.

Kyle scooped Sarah up in his arms.

Sarah thought of a movie she saw on TV. For some reason, they made the same movie about three or four different times. She knew where they would be headed later on. It was the Honeymoon Suite. She didn't look forward to a 'Deadly Honeymoon'.

"You aren't going to throw me overboard are you?" Sarah asked playfully.

Kyle figured Sarah would more likely throw him overboard if it ever came down to it. He figured maybe it was wiser not to point it out. He was reminded of a movie he saw several times on TV. He was aware all of their things would be moved to the Honeymoon Suite later on. He didn't look forward to a 'Deadly Honeymoon'.

"Nope, not today anyway I'm not." Kyle said. "I would jump myself before I would ever throw you overboard."

Sarah liked his answer. She gave him a deep kiss as he carried her. She pulled his head into hers to intensify the kiss.

He carried Sarah to the bedroom.

"This will be our last time in this bed." Sarah said. "Claire and Jesse will be in here later on."

Kyle liked the idea of sharing the cruise with the others.

"We don't have a lot to move to the Honeymoon Suite." Kyle said. "I don't mind doubling up. The other rooms attached to the giant suites are actually the same size as regular suites. It's not like we need a lot of room or anything."

Both Sarah and Kyle shared a little longer look at the mention of the Honeymoon Suite. It made both of them think about the movie 'Deadly Honeymoon' again. Neither one of them verbalized their thoughts. Maybe it was a good thing.

Sarah looked forward to seeing Jan.

"Jan will be here soon." Sarah said. "I want her to have a good time with Summer."

There were a lot of places she would have liked to have taken both John and Jan. She never did get to most of those places. She knew Jan lived a much more isolated life than John did. She tried to give John a normal life. It just didn't work out. Skynet always got in the way. She tried to give Jan a protected life instead of a normal life.

Kyle was glad they were going to get some assistance. It would allow Sarah and him to have some more alone time.

"Holly and Hanna volunteered to watch the girls for us and Claire." Kyle said.

Sarah was aware of the arrangement was made before it was decided Claire would come on board the ship. She didn't want to take someone away from their lovers.

"Hanna will want to be with Claire. I know Jesse will want to be with Gail." Sarah said. "Ally or Sheila can help instead if they want."

Kyle was a little surprised Sarah mentioned Sheila. He did need to cut her some slack when it came to the children. She was just as watchful and protective as any other Terminator when she was around them. He didn't doubt for a second she would be a fearsome defender of them if the situation arose.

"It will all work out." Kyle said. "Somehow it always does."

Kyle laid Sarah on the bed.

Sarah pulled Kyle down onto her and kissed him.

"Right now it's just us…." Sarah said.

Sarah decided she would lead. She got Kyle started up and climbed on top so she could face him. She was pleased there was a lot of light now so Kyle could watch her please him. She liked him to see her trim body. His responses would drive her responses. She could better time her finish to match his, if she could watch his face. Those were always the best kind of finishes for her. It left here with an immense sense of satisfaction and contentment.

Allison finally got Savannah to leave the Command Center. Cammy assured both of them she was fine. She led Savannah by the hand and made sure she arrived at the commissary. She didn't want her to get sidetracked before she could eat something.

Vanna noticed the way Allison led Savannah into the commissary.

Savannah ate the food Samantha prepared. Samantha made some waffles from a mix. They turned out quite well. None of them were burnt or irregularly shaped. They looked like the ones on the box or a TV commercial.

She thought of some of the things she needed to do. She needed to see CamNet and see Young Allison. Allison wanted to be with her too. She was afraid events at the old newspaper plant would draw her away. It appeared it would be sooner rather than later. It all never ended.

Cammy was going to follow Savannah but stayed plugged in. She wanted to get all of the last minute updates before she unplugged. It was the best way for her to get all of the information she wanted, if not necessarily needed.

Savannah figured Cammy wanted to find out more about Sheila. If the current events played out, it wasn't what she wanted for Cameron and John. Cameron at times wanted to be 'someone different'. It appeared she would be now in Sheila's chassis. She was pretty sure John would want to be with Jesse and especially Young Jesse after being with Sheila and Cameron in Sheila's chassis.

She knew of Cameron's desire to have John be with human females. It was actually an obsession on her part. She knew Cameron was going to work hard on both Claire and Jesse once they arrived on the ship. If Young Jesse wanted to try it on her own with John, she wouldn't stand in her way. Maybe Young Jesse's desire to be with a male would be greater than hers was since it appeared to be for Jesse.

Whatever happened was going to open a whole new can of worms for everyone. She knew if Cameron used all the Metal girls on the ship, she would come for Cammy and Cam soon enough. If Samantha remained active, she would be included as well. It was probably part of Cameron's long term plan. It would be especially so as soon as she looked identical to Claire. She wondered if Anna would be spared. She doubted it. It would take direct intervention on Young Allison's part to prevent it. If it was what Anna desired, she didn't think anyone should interfere.

She knew how it worked. She did the same thing in her own way. It starts out with one person, and then it's two. Soon number three and four happen, and pretty soon it's everyone. It's what they all wanted and all of them shared. It was actually quite beautiful, everyone loved each other. What did it hurt if they all want to share and enjoy it?

Vanna's words brought her back to the present.

"I want to bring Precious with me to the lab." Vanna said. "There are some things I want to work on."

Allison looked at Savannah. She wondered if she could be with Savannah while Vanna was in the lab.

Savannah knew she was going to need to leave soon. She nodded in Vanna's direction.

Allison understood. There would be another time. It was one thing it didn't take her long to learn. There was always another time. Right now she needed to support her longtime lover.

"I'll go with you, Vanna." Allison said.

Samantha wanted to be with Precious. She didn't want to be excluded. If something needed to be done in the lab, she was well qualified to do it.

"I'll be there as well." Samantha said. "I want to help."

Savannah waited for some additional information from JH, John Henry's server. She wanted to make clear to everyone what might occur.

"I need to go out with Cammy." Savannah said. "There are some things I need to take care of. We may need to follow up on a target we took down before. There's been some unknown type of contact inside of the location. It hasn't been determined what it was yet."

Vanna, Allison, Precious, and Samantha left.

Savannah quickly finished off her food. She washed the few dishes left. Samantha finished all of the others before she departed.

She went back to the Command Center to find Cammy. She really didn't know the direction things would turn. Most often they didn't turn in a good direction. She doubted the current ones would be any different.

John wasn't sure about the current events. He was about to have sex with Sheila. It would be Cameron too. It seemed very complicated when it should be simple. Sheila looked totally hot wearing nothing but her jewelry.

Cameron's chassis was right next to them. It was covered and inactive. It made it somewhat awkward for him. The sheet slipped a little bit and he could see part of Cameron's breast exposed on her inactive chassis. His original impulse was to reach over and 'cop a feel'. He restrained himself. He was there with Sheila now. She needed to be his focus.

He needed to remind himself Cameron was plugged into Sheila's chassis. She would experience everything Sheila did. She would also see everything Sheila did. He was sure she would compare his actions with Sheila to his actions with her. She would then take control of Sheila's chassis later on as her 'own'.

It was still a lot for him to process. Maybe it was the fact it wouldn't just be Sheila he was about to be with. He actually thought it would make a difference if it was. It was time to get started.

John was going to have sex with Sheila first. Sheila wanted her first experience to be her own. She was going to share it with Cameron. It was being done with Cameron's blessing so she could take control of Sheila's chassis herself in a few minutes.

Right now Cameron was 'JAFO', literally. She waited eagerly to feel everything Sheila felt both physically and mentally as she lost her virginity to John. It would be the same as if it was actually her this way. She wouldn't have any input or control.

John was unsure if he wanted to get into any foreplay. He would want to wait for Cameron to take control before he did. He tried to think what would be the best course of action for Cameron. He just wanted to get things started and over with so Cameron could be her 'new self'. Was it going to be fair to Sheila if he did? The best she could hope for was his 'second best'. He wanted to save his best for Cameron.

Sheila waited with extreme anticipation for something to happen. She wanted some action. She wondered what John was waiting for. She would take anything at this point. So far the only thing he did was touch her jewelry and fondle her. Most of it was earlier when he thought Cameron's chip was in her chassis.

"Kiss me." Sheila-Cameron said. "Or just go for it."

Sheila urged John forward.

He reached for a ring to fondle and play with. He felt a rush of excitement. He reached down to touch her elsewhere. He actually did so earlier when he thought she was 'Cameron'.

John knew if he did this, Cameron wouldn't stop there until she was in the chassis of all the Metal girls. He knew she always wanted to be 'someone different'. This way she could be.

There was still something he didn't think was right about everything. He knew what Cameron proposed was morally wrong on several levels. He didn't think he had many morals to stand on. Maybe he was unsure of himself.

John stopped. Everything began to weigh on him. The guilt and remorse became very overpowering. He felt he needed to say something. He wasn't really sure what. Maybe he should just say what he felt right now.

"I don't think I can do this." John said.

Sheila-Cameron grabbed for him. She was going to make it happen. She was so close before. She didn't want to be denied the experience. John was going to 'have' her somehow. She wasn't leaving his bed a virgin, no matter what she needed to do. Before she left the room, John's essence would be where it belonged. She was ready to make it happen.

Cameron was connected to Sheila's chassis as if it were her own. She was in the background now and experienced everything Sheila did and would do. It was a strange experience for her. It was different from watching a movie or watching someone else. She could feel everything Sheila did. It included what she thought as well. Sheila's file was her file.

Sheila's anticipation and excitement level were much greater than hers ever were. Those alone were a new experience for her. She wondered how Sheila's feelings could be so much greater than hers. She figured it was from the 'Neural Interface' with Jesse. Maybe it was because Jesse experienced consensual relations with males before. Many of those experiences delivered a climatic finish. She could feel the want and lust Sheila felt. She actually wondered how Sheila could even contain herself. She wanted more herself right now the same way Sheila did. Sheila's feelings and desires, we're now her feelings and desires.

Currently Sheila felt highly frustrated because nothing happened yet. John hadn't really touched her or even kissed her yet.

Sheila broke protocol and communicated with Cameron.

'He's not responding.' Sheila thought.

'He's worried about me.' Cameron thought.

'He's going to back out.' Sheila thought.

'It looks like it.' Cameron thought.

'I want this.' Sheila thought.

'I do too.' Cameron thought.

'I want it bad.' Sheila thought.

Cameron saw the opportunity she wanted all along. It appeared things were about to happen the way she anticipated they would happen. It was time for her to make her move. It was worth a try if nothing else.

'Do you want me to take over?' Cameron thought.

Sheila thought about the options currently on the table in front of her. They actually seemed rather bleak as each second passed. She wanted something out of it if Cameron took control.

'Can we switch so I may remain active in the background and experience everything you do?' Sheila thought. "I know you often reset yourself."

Cameron wanted to make it clear what was about to happen.

'It will change your first experience. It will become my first experience.' Cameron thought.

Sheila knew Cameron was about to claim her virginity with John. If she could experience everything Cameron did, it would almost be like it was her who did it.

'I'll still have it through you.' Sheila thought. 'Your file will be my file.'

Cameron wanted to be fair. Young Allison's words still resonated within her mind.

'I want you to try again.' Cameron thought.

Sheila wasn't sure what else there was to try.

'Everything is right there in front of him.' Sheila thought.

Cameron knew the dynamics were about to change. She wasn't sure how they would be received by John.

'Do you want me to ask, or just take over?' Cameron thought.

Sheila didn't want things to get complicated. John looked like he was on the verge of backing out completely. She was sure the only way to salvage the situation would be for Cameron to take control.

'I want you to take over.' Sheila thought.

Cameron wanted to make sure Sheila had a choice.

'Are you sure?' Cameron thought. 'You need to be absolutely positive.'

Sheila didn't want her chassis to leave John's bed a virgin.

'I want it bad.' Sheila thought. 'Do it - now.'

Cameron was about to get everything she wanted.

'I'm taking control.' Cameron thought. 'You will now be along for the ride on my first experience with a male, in a virgin chassis.'

Sheila desperately wanted the experience. She would share it with Cameron.

'Please, Cameron.' Sheila thought. 'You are now me.'

Cameron took full control of Sheila's chassis.

Sheila's chassis was now 'Cameron'.

Sheila-Cameron smiled. It's what she wanted all along. She was now in charge of Sheila's chassis as her own. It was the same thing as when she was stuck in the server and operated her chassis through the tether. This was no different. It was Sheila who was now along for the ride. She was the one who would deliver Sheila's virginity to John.

It was a little more complicated than she planned. She really thought John could pull it off with Sheila. It would have been a very small price for her to pay to be 'someone different'.

Right now she was where she wanted to be and the one in control.

Cameron was very pleased she was finally 'someone different'. She was 'someone different' in a virgin chassis and she was the only one in control. She couldn't help but run her hands over her 'new' sheath. Everything she touched only excited her further. She wasn't Cameron anymore, even if she still was.

Larry checked on the progress of the van. It slowed down after it took a series of side streets. So far it didn't look like the van was headed to a set destination. It could be the driver was just taking additional precautions.

He went back out to check Hank's progress with the Fanatic.

Hank waited for the Fanatic to regain consciousness after he used his Taser on him. He already began the interrogation process when Larry returned.

Larry gave him a brief rundown on the status of what happened and the fact the bomb was attempted to be detonated.

Hank continued his interrogation with a little more enthusiasm once he found out the Fanatics tried to set the bomb off. It most likely would have terminated Larry and him.

The Fanatic was unwilling to give up any information as to where they came from and where they were going.

Larry received an unusual request from CamNet. He was instructed to hold his phone up so only the Fanatic could look at it. Hank and him weren't supposed to look at it.

He told Hank to back off for a few moments. He held his phone in front of the Fanatic's face. He watched the Fanatic's eyes open wide with terror. He repeated what CamNet instructed him to say through his com.

"They're here and they're coming for you." Larry said. "Do you understand? Tell us what we want to know and you will be spared a violent death. You know what will happen when they arrive. It will be out of our hands when they do."

The Fanatics body convulsed violently several times. He bent over double. His hands were secured behind his back. His body jerked several times and fell sideways to the floor. His heart stopped beating.

Hank and Larry looked at each other. They were told to do nothing and not to look at the phone. It was now blank anyway. They wondered what image could terminate someone without the need to actually touch them. They actually wondered if somehow the image would damage them if they were to view it. They really wondered how something could be so visually powerful to terminate someone through the terror and fear in their own mind. It was possible he may have suffered a stroke simultaneously.

They set up a few surveillance cameras and made sure the bomb was moved to a different location in the building. It was under their control. It could be remotely detonated by CamNet when it was desired to do so. The three bodies were moved so they were next to the bomb. There would be no traces of them left once the bomb was actually detonated.

"It looks like we're done here." Larry said.

Hank checked the drone image of the van.

"We have a new target anyway." Hank said.

They took one more look around the building and exited. They closed the roll up door on their way out. They hurried back to their SUV and took off.

They were a little worried the van with the female Fanatic would seek a parking structure to lose any pursuer. It was still early in the morning. None of the malls were open. They weren't near one yet anyway.

The van resumed normal driving and followed all of the rules. At one point it stopped and started back in the direction towards the building. It drove on for approximately two minutes before it stopped and turned back around the way it was going. It appeared they developed some second thoughts about the fate of their comrades. Maybe one of them was more than a comrade.

It soon became apparent the van was headed for the structure located by the hillside. It was the one with the new addition which was built into the hillside. Steve and Tom were going to check the location earlier before the new developments.

"It looks like we have a target." Larry said.

Hank didn't see it as a problem.

"We were going to have to go there anyway." Hank said. "It looks like we'll arrive a little sooner than we anticipated."

They were under the impression the new hillside facility was associated with Skynet as opposed to SkyMaster.

They rapidly closed up on the van. They were less than four minutes away from it.

They received a warning to use extreme caution.

"What just changed?" Larry asked.

They were currently on a parallel route as much as they could be. Since they were headed towards the hillside, there were fewer and fewer routes to take.

Hank was the driver. Larry continued to look at the drone images on his phone. He not only checked the drone images over the van, but those around them.

"The van has stopped one mile away from the hillside facility." Larry said.

They both realized the van wasn't going there, to go there. The van was there to do something else. Most likely it was going to be a retaliatory strike. Perhaps the hillside facility was Skynet related after all. Now a SkyMaster operative was about to pay them a visit. It was quite clear there was a personal score to be settled in the process.

She wasn't the only one.

Closing monologue by Cameron:

Lights On - Lights Off

Many emotions and feelings
Happen on their own
There can be so many
Yet one can still feel all alone

Not everything is clear
The path is often in a fog
No one wants a watchdog
They'd rather have a lap dog

Who makes the decisions
Why is it their choice
Is not everyone is entitled
To have their own voice

Only those who stand up
Will not be left seated
To do nothing at all
Means history will be repeated

Take nothing for granted
Don't be the one to scoff
Things can end quickly
Just like lights on - lights off

Nobody