January 1st 2004

June Ironwood

I was originally called Ice C... yeah in my defense it was the 90s and I didn't have a whole lot of choice in the matter. I didn't have a whole lot of choice in a lot of things, but I'm more or less happy now, except for days like this. There's an attack on Mexico city today and Woody's out there fighting and once again I don't know if he's coming home. That's honestly the worst part of the relationship, his family sucks. Seriously they suck, and he would agree with me.

A lot of people are pissed at me for making the calls I did, but honestly? I ran out of fucks years ago. I knew what I wanted and I went for it, and if that enrages a bunch of small-minded assholes, so be it.

"Juno, it's bedtime."

She's a runner, this is so much easier when Woody's here, he would create some fluffy, leafy walls and we would catch her, or he would create some kind of creature to help us out. Justin never does this, he might whine a little but when it's bedtime, it's bedtime.

"NEVAR!"

She runs around the corner giggling, I feel like screaming at her but I keep it inside. I'm trying to give her a better life then I had.

"Gotcha!"

She giggles as I grab her and carry here to bed.

"I don't wanna."

"Bedtime."

I put her in her room and let the door close, I lock it. I close my eyes and take in a breath.

"Security systems log."

Discrepancies, log errors nothing much on their own but taken together it was more then enough. I put the house on lockdown and went into my equipment locker. I looked at my blue parka and remembered the horrible neon pink one I had originally been cursed with. I put on the outfit and checked out my equipment.

I know I don't look like much, but I've still been forced fed a diet of science and martial arts since I was a child. I resented it, I still do, but on days like these it's necessary.

"Scan thermals."

I'm a cryo Tinker, people think I can only make freeze guns, they're wrong. Robotics, computers, thermal imagers, armor, I have a theme but you would be surprised how much that theme has going for it. Lasers, sonics, chemistry, and a bunch of other things. Like any Tinker, I'm damned dangerous if I'm given time to truly build up and I have had over 3 years to indulge my paranoia.

"This is Queen of Hearts, we have company."

I really wish I could use that name instead, my district codename is so much better.

"Queen, what are you talking about?"

"S9 protocols, activate them."

"But we-"

"ACTIVATE THEM!"

I tap a few buttons and listen as my drones come to life, you know what I normally use them for? House work, I once made a robot who's sole purpose was to cut and pass butter. I named it Butter Bot. I smiled at my collection of weapons, one benefit of being married to Woody was being able to have any plant made to order. So weird obscure chemicals and power sources were grown to my speficications.

"Come on."

I listen to the hum as my ice turrets sent out shards of ice into the air, I listened to the scream of bugs and insects and continue making my rounds. I see a woman in black and white ahead of me, she charges and-

"Surprise motherfucker!"

Three years, I have drones, an almost unlimited budget and the help of a wonderful husband. Hiding weapons in the very walls of our family home? Not a problem. Asking certain pointed questions just in case? Not a problem. They pop out of the ceiling, walls and floor, I watch as the projection freezes and then pops like a ballon. It's not a kill but then again that's not what I'm looking for.

I grab a couple glass bottles and clink them together, tree of them all on fingers and thumbs, the noise continues.

"Come out Warriors, come out and play, come out warriors, COME OUT AND PLAY!"

I may have watched that movie a few times too many, it was on the list of things that I watched when I left 'Frisco.

"What?"

Jack, Jack Slash, the edgiest of the edge lords.

I shoot him in the leg, he stares as me as I charge, he tries to move but I'm fast, too fast. Another benefit of being married to Woody, enhancements, lots and lots of enhancements and no, the PRT hasn't bothered to update my ratings, which really helps now. He's not fast enough to get away and when I stomp on his leg and shatter it like glass, he screams.

I point my gun at his head and get tackled by the goddamned clown. He's fast strong, but I keep punching him, pummeling him. I get my hands around his neck and choke him. I smile as I hear that satisfying snap. I use the momentum to get back onto my feet as he slams against the wall. There's a dent there now... I have to say, I've never liked clowns.

I hear a scream.

"I don't use anything with glass, bitch."

I run forward, and the bitch has the decency to look worried, it's a tight, inclosed space and I'm angry. I hear her ribs break as I punch her.

"Fuck, she's a brute, no one-"

My teeth grip her left ear and I taste copper as I rip it off with my teeth, I think she screams. I'm ripped off of her as she holds her bleeding ear.

"The whole plan's fucked... Chuckles, the bitch killed-"

I toss the grenade and a shower of ice showers them with pain, and one of them grabs my ice gun.

"You're going to-"

It's keyed to my heat signature, and it blows up in his hands. I think he's new and now he doesn't have an arm anymore.

I'm back up to my full height and their leader looks at the stump that used to be a full leg.

"Run... we need to run."

It doesnt matter that I'm outnumbered, I have plenty of drones and they're out and about. The zebra girl returns.

"Get me out of here."

She grabs him and they run, I feel a tap on my shoulder.

"Hey, maybe you should, you know..."

I stare at him, he's shorter then me, he's the stranger I know him.

"That isn't going to work on me."

His eyes widen as I grab him and slam him to the floor.

"But-"

"Shut up."

I hear gunfire outside, as all hell breaks outside and I look at the little shit that helped them get through the defenses.

"You're fucked."

I smash a chair and free a table leg.

"You're a hero, you can't."

I smash the table leg against his head, and continue on until he's more of a blood stain on the floor instead of a human being. I look at his corpse... I can't resist the pun.

"Nice guys finish last."