Christine couldn’t believe how many news stations were outside her door. They all wanted to talk to her about the explosion that occurred yesterday. All she did was pull the people that had been injured out of the burning building. She still thinks it was rather funny. She had been dressed as the Baroness from Cobra when she rescued those people. Everyone knew, that the Baroness wasn’t a good guy. The costume itself had gotten burned in a few places, but otherwise it was in good shape. She could still wear it to finish a few scenes they had to shoot again.

She searched the internet to find out more about the strange designed drones she had found among the ruins, when she had pulled the US Marshals out of the building.

She had dashed back inside to grabbed it. She couldn’t find the design anywhere online or any serial numbers on the drones themselves. She had taken them apart to see if she could find one. Somewhere inside, but there was no serial number or model number on any of the components.

She glances over towards her work bench where both drones were disassembled. In the smaller drone, she had found a small explosive charged. All she could figure out is that it had to be military made. Which, meant the military was using drones like this to kill people. She picks up her cellphone and dials her cousin Wolf, who works for Army Research Laboratory.

“Hello?”

“Hey Wolf, it’s Chris. How’s your day going?” Chris checks out her window again and the news reporters were still out there.

“Okay, what’s on your mind?” Wolf was curious.

He rarely ever got a call from his cousin. Chris family had disowned him when he told them he would rather be a girl instead of a guy.
Everyone at first thought Chris was gay, but when he started wearing his older sister’s clothes and her make-up. They learned the truth about Chris. Being Gay they could accept, being a transgender, they couldn’t.

“Hey, I have something here you need to look at. I can’t tell you over the phone what it is, because it might be something your working on.” Chris snaps a few pictures of the drones and send them to her cousin.

Wolf hears his phone beep letting him know some pictures were sent to him. He opens the file and looks at them. He hadn’t seen them before, but he has heard rumors about these things.

“Where did you find these?” Wolf was curious about where his cousin got these things.

“Would you believe they were used to try and kill fifteen people in a warehouse here in Memphis? I pulled a bounty hunter and her group from Knoxville, three wolves and several police officers and two Marshals out of a burning building.”

“That was you?” Wolf had seen a video someone had gotten of a person dressed as the Baroness from Cobra pulling people out of a burning building.

“Yep, it was me. I was on my way home when it happened, and I stopped to see what happened.” Chris grabs a soda from the refrigerator.

“Why were you dressed like you were?” Wolf had to admit his cousin did look hot. Several of the guys in his unit said they would fuck her.

“I was out with some friends from shooting filming a movie for our art project. It was a live action G.I. Joe movie we got permission to make.” Chris only hopes they could finish it and edit it, before they turn it in for a grade.

“Well, you have all the single men here in my unit wanting to have sex with you.”

“Only if they are good looking and know how to treat a woman.” Chris smiles as she thinks about a few things she could wear to enhance the mood.

“Chris, I hate to burst your bubble, but you’re not a true woman. If these guys found out you still have your penis, you would be dead.” Wolf accepted Chris for what he was, but still had a hard time at times with it.

“You really know how to spoil my fun, cousin. Anyway, can you let me know what these drones are for?” Chris was upset by her cousin’s words, but wasn’t going to let it get to her. He was only a few of her family that accepted her for her choice.

“Look, I’m going to send you a video link to watch. It will answer your question.” Wolf sends the link to Chris. https://www.cnet.com/news/scary-slaughterbots-video-shows-da...

“Alright, thanks.” Chris hangs up and walks over to her computer setup and look up the link.

Chris couldn’t believe what she was seeing. Someone must have done the same thing to those people, but instead of killing them. It ignited the gas she smelled when she went in to rescue them. She glances back towards her work bench and wonder why someone would develop something like that? They would have to be insane to use innocent things like that.

Chris turns back around and look at the time. He had to get to the club and performed tonight. It was the only way she could afford to go to the Art Institute to get her degree and to make her rent payments. Chris locks her computer and heads towards the bathroom and takes a shower. She makes sure all the unwanted hair under her arm pits, legs and crotch area was still shaved cleaned. She didn’t have to worry about any facial hair. She never grew any.

After her shower, she runs back to her bedroom and look at all the costumes she had. Tonight, she’ll dress like Scarlett from the first G.I. Joe movie in her black armor. Since, all the performers were supposed to be dress in costumes of their favorite person real or fictional tonight.
Getting into the outfit took some work, but she managed to get it on. It’s amazing at what talcum powder does to help the process. She picks up her crossbow she built herself and the handguns she got off the person she pulled out first. She meant to give them back to that person, but the paramedics had already put her in the ambulance.

“At least they fit my holsters.” As Chris straps on the holster and grab her red wig.

She double checks her make-up and the wig. It had taken her several tries to get the right color for the wig to match Scarlett’s hair color from the movie. Once she was satisfied with her look, she grabs her keys and helmet and heads downstairs to her 2016 Indian Scout with fat tires she had won in a contest drawing. They don’t tell you when you win the prized you had to pay the taxes on how much the motorcycle was worth, before you could claim the prized.

She was lucky her tax returns had come back, and it was enough to pay the taxes on the motorcycle. At least the company she won the motorcycle from, gave her a lifetime tune up contract on the motorcycle she didn’t have to pay for as long as she owned the motorcycle.
She locks up and arms the security system. She heads off towards her job.

It doesn’t take her long to arrive at work. She parks her motorcycle in its’ usual spot and head inside to start her shift. She knew tonight was going to be extremely busy. They had a costume contest going and employees weren’t permitted to enter. She liked working at a gay bar. She didn’t have to worry about the guys hitting on her. They all knew she was a T-girl and wasn’t interested in them. Since she was dressed as a girl tonight, she wasn’t going to get hit on.

She was greeted by several of the regulars that spent most of their time up at the bar as she walked into the bar. A big hairy Smokey Bear guy walks up to her and gives her a hug.

“I like the outfit Bear. It suits you.” Chris has known Bear since she first discovered that she really wasn’t gay, but a trans person.

“Thanks Chris. I like your costume. It fits you. I saw the video on YouTube pulling those people out of that burning building. Do you know who they were?” Bear had been surfing the internet when he came across the video and knew it was Chris dressed as the Baroness.

“All I know about them, was that they all were either bounty hunters or law enforcement. You should had seen the cat lady from Knoxville. I took pictures of her, so I could replicate her looks for our Halloween party next year. You should had seen those three huge wolves I pulled out. Those guys were big. I’ve seen wolves at the zoo and they had nothing on those three. They were huge and wearing body armor. I was glad they were unconscious. Otherwise, I would be dog meat right now.” Chris loved how the cat woman looked. He wanted to dress up like her for the comic con she was planning on going to in a few months.

“Do you know what they were doing there?” Bear was curious.

“No idea, but whatever it was. It must have been important, because someone tried to kill them because of it.” Chris makes her way behind the bar and starts taking order.

Bear just watches Chris as she works. He has known Chris for a while. He was there the night her parents told her to move out. Chris had gone to the prom dress in a handmade prom dress that she made herself. Her parents had told her they would pay for a tuxedo, but not a prom dress. If she wanted one, she would have to buy it herself.

So, Chris did just that and bought the material to make it herself and got his help fitting it. Even Chris sister wouldn’t help her. Chris had gone to the prom dressed up and had fun with a few of the people that didn’t care what she was. On her graduation day, her parents and sister didn’t show up. That was the day they told her to leave and never come back.

Chris is kept busy all-night long. By the time the bar shuts down. She was exhausted, tired and her feet were hurting. She counts out her drawer and leaves enough for the morning cashier and writes the profit down and place it in an envelope for the morning manager to double check and deposit in the morning.

She has a drink before she leaves and walks outside to mount her motorcycle. As she is heading home, she remembers she needs milk and bread. She didn’t like going to stores dress in the costumes she normally wore, but she wasn’t going to get up early tomorrow. She wanted to sleep in some.

She stops at the convenience store near her place and goes inside to purchase what she needed.

“Hi Ralph, I’m just picking up a few items.” Chris waves to Ralph as she walks past the checkout counter.

Ralph looks up when he hears Chris’s voice. He notices that she was dressed like Scarlett from G.I. Joe. He has seen her dress a lot of different outfits before. He knew she was a Drag Queen and that she did special effects.

“I might give you a discount tonight if you let me take a picture of you, before you leave.” Ralph liked how she looked.

“Sure, but promise me you won’t put this up on your Face Book page please. I don’t need to be sued by Marvel or Hasbro for using one of their characters for promoting a store or person.”

She almost got in trouble once for using one of their characters in a homemade movie. Lucky, they were understanding and said to ask from now on.

Chris heads towards the back of the store to grab a 1-liter Pepsi for herself, when she hears the door open and close. She just glances up front for a second and notices two African Americans coming in. She turns back around to grab her soda, some milk and bread.

As she is heading back up front to pay for the items, she hears gunfire. She looks towards the counter and see one of the guys jumping over the counter after shooting Ralph. His partner was turning towards her with a shotgun in his hands.

Chris drops the items she has in her hands and draws the guns from their holster and fires at the guy. She has only practice a few times to be able to fire two guns at the same time. She needed the move for the movie she was in. Both guns go off as she hits the one guy that had turned towards her. She missed the other guy behind the counter.

She charges towards him and slide along the floor towards the counter. She fires through the thin wooden wall of the counter, hitting him three times with her shots. She had felt some power from the guns that she was using. She waits a few minutes, before standing up and holstering her weapons, before checking on Ralph.

She grabs the store phone and dials 911 for him. He had been shot in his left shoulder. She grabs the dirty rag he kept back behind the counter to put pressure on his wound to slow the bleeding. She stays with him, until the paramedics show up and take over. The police show up and takes her statement. A lot of them couldn’t believe the way she looked and asked to take pictures with her.

One of the police officers recognizes her from the warehouse fire.

“Hey, weren’t you dressed at the Baroness the other day over at Locust Street?” Officer Johnson was there helping with the people she pulled out of the building.

“Yes sir. I was on my way home and stopped here to get some milk, bread and a soda when these morons shot Ralph and was about to shot me as well.” Chris had gone and picked up the milk, bread and soda she wanted. She changes the soda out for another one.

“What is it with you and these costumes? Do you think some type of superhero or something?”

“No sir. I’m just an average girl trying to make a living. Bad things just happen around me. The warehouse fire was pure dumb lucky. I was just lucky that I was over near there when it happened. I could had taken a different route, instead of going that way.” Chris takes a sip of the soda and closes it back up.

“Well, you need to start being more careful. Someone might mistake you for the causes of these things.”

“Trust me officer Johnson. All I want to do right now is head home and get some sleep. I’ve been up since five this morning and I just got off from serving and making drinks all night.” The owner of the store had shown up and told her she could have whatever she wanted for saving Ralph’s life. If she ever needed anything, it was free for her.

“Well, here’s my card. If something happens while your around. Give me a heads up and try not to kill anyone?” Officer Johnson hands the business card to Chris.

“Thanks, and I’ll try not to kill any one, as long as they don’t try to kill me.” Chris accepts the card and tucks it into a pocket.

She walks out to her motorcycle and secures her groceries, before mounting it. She was tired and couldn’t wait to get back home and out of the costume. She was going to have to clean it tomorrow, because it had the guy she shot first blood on it. Luckily, there was no one there to catch her shooting the guys. Once she arrives home, she parks her motorcycle in the area she set aside for her vehicles. She had managed to buy the old city garage real cheap.

She had just won money from a scratch off ticket. There was enough money from the winnings to buy the place and do some repairs to it to make it livable. She walks into the kitchen area and put away the groceries. After she puts everything away before she heads to bed. It was almost five thirty in the morning. She’s been up for almost twenty-four hours straight. She strips out of her costume and crawl into bed, after slipping on her favorite night shirt with Garfield on it.

Five Hours Later:
Chris is woken up from someone knocking on the door of the garage. She moans as she picks her phone up and looks at who it could be. She sees a weather tanned man with very short black hair, wearing a black suit standing in front of her door. Next to him was an oriental woman with shoulder length black hair and dressed in a nice designer dress that stopped mid-thigh. It was a nice purple color. She was wearing a matching pair of three-inch-high mid-calf boots.

“Hello, what can I do for you?” Chris kept watching the video feed.

“Me and my Friend here, would like to talk to a Miss. Christine Pyle.” Jack had spotted the video camera mount that uses your cellphone. Him and Chester had come by to thank Christine for what she did and too retrieved Julia’s guns. The tracking device in the handle had said the guns were here.

“Why do you want to talk to me?” Christine wanted to make sure they weren’t reporters.

“Because you saved the lives of our daughters and wolves. I also believe you are in possession of a set of guns that belong to my oldest daughter.” Jack couldn’t blame the girl. With all the excitement that had happened, she might have forgotten to turn them over to the police.

“Dam! I was hoping to keep them.” Good thing the mic was off. She buzz’s them in.

Jack opens the door when he hears the buzzing sound. Him and Cheshire could tell what the building use to be used for. It was opened, so the occupant could see whoever walked in, but had section of the converted garage to be used for a kitchen, bedroom and bathroom. They also notice racks and racks of clothes and costumes. In one area with a sewing machine and streamer set-up. The washer and dryer were against one wall. There was an area set aside for the persons computer system. He spotted the work bench which had parts of a disassemble of the drone on it. It was like the ones he and Cheshire had found in the wreckage of the warehouse. They had gone over to investigate the area for clues.

Chris had slipped on a pair of sweat pants and her slippers before she came out of her bedroom. She had grabbed the handguns she had used last night out of the holster to return them to the man. She walks over towards the older man and the oriental woman standing near him.

“Sorry for not returning them to your daughter sir. During all the excitement I forgot to give them back.” Christ hands the guns to Jack.

“No need to be formal with me Christine. You can call me Jack and this young lady next to me, is my good friend Cheshire Patel. You saved her daughter the other day.”

Cheshire holds out her hand to shake Christine’s

“You can call me Chris, Mr. Jack and Ms. Cheshire.” Chris shakes Cheshire’s hand.

“Oh, I had to use them last night.”

“Why did you have to use them?” Cheshire was curious.

“Please have a seat and I’ll tell you. Would you guys like anything to drink? I have bottle water, tea and cherry cool aid.”

“We’re fine Christine. Now, why don’t you relax and tell us why you had to use them?” Cheshire was trying to get Christine to relax.

Christine sits in her favorite recliner “I was on my way home from work last night and I need to stop at the convenience store just up the street from here for a few items I needed. Well, while I was inside shopping. Two African American thugs came in and decided to rob the place. One of them shot the cashier behind the counter and his partner was going to shot me. So, I dropped what I had and shot him first. The guy behind the counter had turned and was about to shoot me, so I slide across the floor towards the counter and shot him, before he could shoot me. So, you might get a phone call about the guns being used by me.”

“Don’t worry about it. We’ll handle the matter. Why did you help my daughter and her friends?” Jack was curious what drove this girl to run into a burning building.

“To be honest, I didn’t think about it. I just did what needed to be done. I wasn’t sure they were still alive, but I was hoping they were. Also, if I was in a situation like that. I would want someone to help me.” Chris really didn’t know why she did it.

“Christine, what do you do for a living?” Cheshire had spotted several things.

“Well, I work full time down at the Rainbow lounge as a bartender. I work part time making special order costumes for people on-line. I attend school at the Art Institute. I’m working on my Bachelor degree in movie production. I do some computer repair on the side. I have my
Associates degree in Electrical Engineering from ITT Technical Institute.” Chris was rather proud of the degree she had. She learned a lot from her instructor.

Jack and Cheshire knew that both those schools had a reputation for ripping students off. As for the Rainbow Lounge, both knew the place was a gay bar that catered to both gays and lesbians. They even had Drag Shows sometimes.

“Christine, how old are you and what are your plans for the future?” Cheshire was thinking Christine would make a good operative or support person for one of the teams.

“I’m 18 years old and I’m hoping to get into the movie business after I graduate from the Art Institute.” Christine wanted to work either as a special effects make-up artist or as an actress herself.

“Well, I can tell you that it’s a hard business to get into, but if your serious. I might know a few people I can put you in touch with. How much longer do you have left on your lease here and in school?” Cheshire was thinking about a few people her and Jack knew that might be able to help.

“Oh, I own this building. I know I would have to sell it if I went out to Hollywood, but I like the place. As for my schooling, I’m almost done with it. I only have one semester left to do and I get my degree.” Christine couldn’t wait till she was done.

“How about this. You finish your schooling here and when you are done. You give me a call and send me some of your work. I’ll have a job waiting for you. Since you have been involved in two situations already, I was thinking it might be best if you get some training to protect yourself better. I’m going to make some arrangements for you to attend a self defense class. The instructor is a good friend of mine and will train you well. That’s if you don’t mind.” Cheshire is hoping she’ll agree.

“Sure, thank you.” Christine couldn’t believe the offer.

“Along with what my friend is going to do for you Chris. I want you to not worry about your finances. I’m going to have my bank get in touch with you to have an account set up to handle all your living expensive. However, there is a catch with this account. It can’t be used to buy you an expensive car or to tear this place down and rebuild it. It’s only for your expenses. That includes maintenance of your vehicles, the insurance on them and the place here and any reasonable repairs. If it goes above a certain cost, I’ll be informed to approve it or not.”

Christine couldn’t believe it. These two people were offering to take care of her.

“Does that include any medical or cosmetic expenses I might have?”

“Depends on what the cosmetic expense it is. Is there something you need to have done?” Cheshire could already guess, but wanted Christine to tell them.

Christine looks at the two people and wonder if she should tell them. She really only told her close friends.

Cheshire could see that Christine was having a hard time telling them. She reaches forward and touch Christine’s hand.

“It’s okay Christine, you can tell us. I have a younger daughter that is going through the same thing as you are.” Cheshire was referring to
Tizzy’s younger sister she just adopted.

Christine looks at Cheshire “But I thought your daughter.”

“You mean my oldest daughter, Tizzy? She used to be just like you as well. Both my daughters are transgender. So, I know how you feel. So, does Jack. He has four daughters that are transgender. Just let us know when you get the approval from your doctor and I’ll, send you to the doctor that did my oldest. We’ll pick the tab up.” She pulls Christine to her and hold her.

“Thank you.” Christine just cries against Cheshire’s shoulder.

While Cheshire is holding Christine, Jack checks out the disassemble drones on the work bench. He takes a few pictures of them and now understood what his daughter had told him. He picks the circuit board of the smaller one and notices it was equipped with a three-gram explosive charge.

“Christine, do you know anything about these pieces?”

Christine wipes the tears from her eyes as she leans back from Cheshire’s shoulder and over towards Jack.

“No sir. I took those drones apart to see who built them, but I couldn’t find anything. My cousin sent me a link about them.” Christine stands up and heads over towards her computer and replay the video on the website.

Cheshire had walked over to look as well as Jack. They both watch the video and couldn’t believe it. Having these drones meant you didn’t need people like them anymore. You could take your target out at your leisure. You could take an entire school or government out with them.

“If this guy is using these things. Then, we need to find him and kill him before he can strike again.” Cheshire glances at Jack.

Christine turns around to look at Jack and Cheshire “Miss. Cheshire what do you and Mr. Jack do?”

“I’m a zoologist that specialize in big game cats and Mr. Jack Bounty is an investor of sorts.” Cheshire had a mischievous smile on her face.
Christine looks at Cheshire and Jack. Normally, she could tell if someone is lying to her, but she can’t tell if Cheshire was lying or telling the truth.

“Christine, it’s best if you don’t know what we do. That way your life won’t be in danger. The reason we said we need to get the guy using these devices. He can cause a lot of problems which will caused a lot of people to die. Do you mind if I take these drones with me?” Jack hopes she says yes.

“Sure, Mr. Jack.” Christine didn’t see why he couldn’t.

“Thank you, Christine.” Jack’s phone beeps letting him know Julia had woken-up.

“We got to go Ches. Julia just woke-up.” Jack was glad his daughter woke-up.

Cheshire looks at Christine “call me if you ever need someone to talk to Christine or anything else.” She kisses her forehead and give her a motherly hug.

“Thank you, Miss. Cheshire.” Christine looks at the card and notice’s it had the Cheshire from Alice in Wonderland blinking at her.

Christine watches as they leave. She wonders what they really did. She calls the local Chinese restaurant and places a delivery order.