Disclaimer: I own nothing but Eve, Tessa, Jessica, and the other original characters.
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Chapter Two - Just Business
"Why are you wearing sneakers?"
Leonard stood in front of me, scrutinizing my outfit.
"I was running late," I said, trying to move backwards without him noticing. "Don't you need to go and polish Victor's ego or something?"
He scoffed at me, but backed off. I was standing in the office he and I shared adjacent to Victor's, trying to set up my desk. Settling into my chair, I pulled the report out of my bag and tossed it to Leonard. "Hard copy," I said, before turning to the screen on my laptop. In front of me was a list of people I needed to run through the background-check software I wrote back in collage. I typed in the first name – Dr. Wesley Tohns – and glanced out the window.
About an hour ago, Victor had convinced the NASA director to reject Dr. Richards' idea and kick him and his friend Ben Grimm out. Since then, I had been checking up with my allies in other companies with space stations to see if Reed was going to them. So far, there was nothing.
I looked down through the glass and nearly fell out of my seat. Standing in front of the colossal statue of Victor were two men. One was tall, skinny, and dark haired, and the other shorter, huskier, and bald. Reed and Ben.
"Oh, my God," I said.
"What?" asked Leonard, coming up next to me. I pointed.
"Richards and Grimm are here."
Leonard sprang into action. He nearly ran to Victor's office, and judging by the lack of yelling and smashing items, our boss was pleased. The door opened and Leonard beckoned me inside. I groaned and entered.
Inside, Victor was smoothing his hair back and looking at himself in a mirror. "Tell Miss Lowell at the front desk to personally escort them to the main conference room," he said calmly. "Get someone to cover for her. Also, alert Susan and Dr. Zawn about these new developments. Tell the good doctor to prepare for a visit to my space station as soon as possible. Have Susan come up to the meeting. Evonna, make sure the conference room has the right equipment to power his presentation, and get the necessary information for the meeting to me before they get up here." He looked up from his reflection. "Well, get going!"
We scurried out of the room. Actually, I scurried, Leonard strode. Within seconds he had his cellphone to his ear, talking to Jessica, most likely. We entered our office, and while he spoke quickly on his phone, I opened by laptop again and did a quick search on Reed. The first thing to come up was the WIRED website with the recap on their new issue. The main article – "Reed Richards Bankrupt."
Not taking the magazine's source for granted, I accessed the Baxter Building's tenant information, which I had been monitoring off and on during my first few months as an employee to "prove my worth," so to speak. Sure enough, Reed was behind on several mortgages.
The next plan of action? Get proof. Jessica had a collection of magazines at her desk, ranging from Time to Playboy. Surely she had the newest WIRED.
I dialed her number and closed up my computer again.
"Hey, Evie, what do you need? The big news is walking through the door."
"Don't call me Evie. Do you have the newest WIRED magazine?" I said, frowning.
"Yeah, you need it?" There was a rustling sound as she dug through the pile on her desk. "Ah, here it is. Oh, that's why. Okay, I'll bring it up with Mr. American Dream and his sidekick, the Big Bad," she said, hanging up. I rolled my eyes and checked in on Victor. He was adjusting his shirt and was about to pull on his jacket.
"What news do you have?" he asked, smoothing out nonexistent wrinkles.
"Reed is basically broke. Behind on mortgage, and on the cover of WIRED. Jessica – or Miss Lowell – is bringing it up right now."
"Good, good. Get them settled. I'll be waiting in the conference room," he said, leaving his office. He punched in the security code that allowed him to use the stairs, leaving me behind to use the elevator Jessica, Reed, and Ben were occupying.
I pressed the up button, and the doors slid open to reveal Jessica and the two people who had caused today to become extremely eventful. I slipped in and moved to the back, only to find myself hidden behind Ben Grimm. I mentally cursed the architect who thought it was a good idea to have only one elevator that went past the fourth floor as the doors closed and Jessica smiled at me.
"So, what brings you two to Von Doom Industries today?" asked the blond.
"Business," replied Reed, smiling nervously at her.
"It's always business," I murmured. Of course, Ben heard me.
"And who are you exactly?" he asked, turning to face me. I frowned and crossed my arms.
"Who wants to know?" I asked.
Luckily, the elevator came to a stop, and Jessica led us through the hall and into the giant conference room. She held the door for them, but stopped me.
"Go easy on them. He was just curious."
"Next thing you're going to tell me Jefferey Dahmer was just hungry," I said, glaring at her. She ignored it and smiled.
"Oh, here's your light reading," she said, handing me a People magazine. "It's inside."
I closed the door on her smile, and moved up to where Victor sat, shrouded in darkness. I pulled out the WIRED and handed it to him, then stepped back to face Reed and Ben, who looked awkward standing at the end of the long table.
"Do you need an external power source?" I asked Dr. Richards, eying the metal case in his hand.
He looked down at it, surprised. "Uh, no, just an outlet." I sighed and pointed him in the right direction.
"You do know that's considered an external power source?" I said. They just looked at me. I sighed again.
We were saved by Victor, who said, "Begin."
Reed plugged in, then opened up his case. He pulled out a remote-type thing and powered it on. With a quiet hum, it sprang to life. The solar system hovered over the table. As Dr. Richards began his speech about "a high-energy cosmic storm," I stepped back to the back corner to watch the captivating technology at work.
"My research suggests that exposure to a high-energy cosmic storm borne on solar winds might have triggered the evolution of early planetary life." Reed paused for effect, and I saw Ben glance back at me. I glared at him as his friend continued. "In six weeks, another cloud with the same elemental profile will pass Earth's orbit. A study, conducted in space, could fundamentally advance our knowledge about the structure of the human genome, cure countless diseases, extend human life, give kids a chance to live longer, stronger, healthier-"
"Turn it off. Please." I frowned. Victor wanted Reed to turn off the only thing in the whole presentation that interested me. I could see that Reed was unhappy as well.
"I don't think I've explained my proposal fully-"
"Oh, I think you have. Same old Reed, always stretching, reaching for the stars with the weight of the world on his back. But dreams don't pay the bills, do they?" I smiled at where he was going with this. My smile grew wider as Victor tossed the WIRED magazine across the table so that the headline was visible. Then my smile faded.
Reed was flustered, but he persisted. "You remember, when we were in school," he said, backing up to the other end of the table once more, "we talked about working together. Well, that's what I was about to explain." He pressed a button on his remote, and the solar system was replaced with none other than Von Doom Industries' space station. "The storm is deadly, but the shields on your station's control room are designed to protect any occupants inside."
As Victor lit up the area around him, revealing his face to the visitors, I heard the quiet sound of the door opening. In stepped Susan, looking at Reed with an unreadable expression. "What do they want, exactly?" she whispered.
Victor, in reply to Dr. Richards, unknowingly answered her question. "So it's not just my money you want," he said smoothly. "It's my toys."
A knowing look came over Sue as she figured out what was going on.
Victor smirked, then threw out another bone. "Tell me, if NASA doesn't trust you, then why should I?" It worked. Reed and Ben exchanged a nervous look, losing confidence. Victor stood and laughed. "That's my job, to stay a step ahead. To know what other men don't." At this I frowned and crossed my arms. Although I was grateful he didn't throw my name out like he did his own, I really hated it when he took credit for my work. That's what everyone got when they worked for Victor, though.
Ben wasn't happy either. "I can't take this," he murmured to Reed.
"Ben, this is business," replied the taller of the two. "Just work."
Sue stepped in front of me. "He's right Ben," she said, moving towards them. Both men froze and turned to look at her. "It's just business."
"I think you both know my Director of Genetic Research, Susan Storm," introduced Victor, moving closer.
Ben whispered something to Reed, then smiled warmly at Sue. "Hey, Susie," he said, enveloping her in a hug.
"Hey! Oh, it's so nice to see you." She pulled away. "How's Debbie?"
"Great."
"Great," she said, then turned towards Reed.
One of the greatest minds alive was at a loss for words. "Uh, how have you been?" he finally asked.
Sue smiled tightly at him. "Never better," she said, offering her hand. He took it, and they shook awkwardly.
"This isn't going to be a problem, is it?" asked Victor, smug as ever.
"Oh, not at all."
"No, I-"
"Good." He moved to stand next to Sue. "Then you are just in time to hear the great Reed Richards ask me," he said, pausing as if to rub it in more, "for help. You made a lot of folks at MIT feel like a junior high science fair so you'll excuse me if I savor the moment." Victor glanced back at me and smiled like a predator, then turned to face Reed and Ben fully.
Reed looked extremely uncomfortable, but still sounded professional. "You back this mission, and I'll sign over a fair percentage of any applications-"
"The number is 75, and it applications and patents." There it was. The final blow. An act of mercy, on Victor's part. Anyone else, he would have asked for much more. All, if it was an employee. Reed deflated a bit, but Ben was fuming.
"What about his firstborn?" asked the bald man angrily. He looked like he wanted to knock Victor out.
"Ben," said his companion, cautioning him.
Victor just laughed. "Come on. Twenty-five percent of a billion is enough to keep the lights on for a while, isn't it?" My smile returned. "Maybe even pay off your fourth mortgage on the Baxter Building." And it grew. Victor extended his hand. "Deal?" Reed looked conflicted, but when he glanced up at Sue, his face hardened.
"Deal," he said, taking Victor's hand. They shook, and Victor looked like he was squeezing just a bit to hard. Rubbing it in.
They pulled apart, and Victor put an arm around Sue, who looked uncomfortable. "Well then, to our future. Together." He smiled, squeezing Susan's shoulder. "Funny how things work out, isn't it?"
Reed looked at his feet. "Hilarious."
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