Chapter 3, as promised. I'm kinda disappointed with how short it is, but I just had to introduce Tess! R&R please!

Chapter Three - No Martians

"... I'll have you schedule the launch, so we need to talk about resources, the crew, and expenses soon. We need suits – where's Leonard? We need to check..."

Victor, Susan, and I were talking while Reed shut down his presentation. Actually, Victor was talking, and we were just waiting for him to shut up and dismiss us. Or, at least, I was. I was barely listening, considering I wouldn't even be on the mission.

"... and, of course, fittings for them. Evonna, how's your schedule? Can you get a fitting in next week?"

I was jolted out of my thoughts and openly stared at Victor. "I'm going?" I asked, shocked.

"Yes, you are. We need you for communications and sending the data back here for analysis," said Victor, looking over at Reed and Ben, who were talking to each other as they left for the elevator. "Susan, you can go. I need to talk to Evonna and Leonard about the launch." I looked back and saw Leonard step through the door on the left, while the two men exited through the right one.

Sue glanced at me, then back towards Richards and Grimm. "O... kay" she said, hesitantly following them. The closer she got, the more confident her stride. She smiled at Leonard as he passed her. He glanced back at her and stepped up beside me, smiling.

Victor was walking to stand by his elevated seat, a smug grin on his face. "If Reed's right, this little trip will double our stock offerings."

"And if he's not?" Leonard sounded nervous about putting the whole company on the line for a far-fetched-sounding project.

"Reed's always right." Victor stopped and looked at the right-hand door that closed after Susan. "Good thing he doesn't always know what he's got." He put his hand on his hip and rubbed his chin. "Evonna. Keep an eye on them. Another reason why you are coming with us – you are going to watch them. Keep them occupied, and don't let Reed think he has a chance."

I smiled for real at him. It's cruel, it's mean, but what else am I going to use my knowledge for? Surprise parties?

"Do you want me too..?" I said, gesturing back towards the door.

"Go. Watch them, monitor their e-mail, phone calls, the usual."

"Does that mean I need to come to work?" I couldn't help but feel hopeful.

Victor sighed. "Only if we need you to. Leonard will send you the schedule tomorrow."

I can always tell when Tessa walks through the door. Everyone in the room turns and stares. Sometimes, a strange smell or sound comes with her, but usually it's what she's wearing. So when the book store's door chime rang and the clerk at the front stopped mid-greeting, I knew my best – and only – friend had arrived.

Sure enough, she dragged a big, purple beanbag (stolen from the kid's section) in front of me and plopped down on it. Her hair was bright magenta and held up in a side ponytail, and she was wearing neon green pants, suspenders, and a pink, fishnet shirt over her snoopy bra. Classy.

"What are you wearing?" I glanced down at her shoes and frowned. "Are those my boots?"

"Yeah, so?" she asked, blowing a bubble with her gum. I sighed and rubbed my forehead, then closed my book and set it down. "Didja get my message? Daddy's gone and hired Loony! At Stitches! My baby! Isn't that just terrible!"

I stared at her in confusion. Stitches was the art gallery her father owned, I knew that, but I had know idea who "Looney" was. Then it dawned on me: "You mean Alex West? The guy you claimed was your soulmate?"

"Yes! I told you, he's a weird-o! Completely off his rocker, lost his marbles, not a full deck at all! He's dating..." She paused and leaned forward, looking around as if she was worried someone would listen in. I glanced around – we were the only ones in the store at the moment. "The Plastic."

"Who?"

"Reagan Dorren, weren't you listening?"

I rolled my eyes and leaned back. "That is the reason I don't talk to people, right there. They're untrustworthy. Unreliable."

"Are you calling me a liar?"

"I'm not calling you specifically a liar. I'm just saying that everyone has a secret. No one is who they seem to be on the outside. Ever."

Tessa scoffed at me. "You are so paranoid. God."

I threw the book at her.

"Hey! That hurt!" she cried, rubbing her shoulder. I just glared at her, trying to remember why I asked to meet her here anyway.

"Oh, yeah, Tess, I'm going to space in six weeks."

"SPACE?"

The clerk looked up in shock, dropping the pile of books in his arms. The old lady coming through the door stopped, turned around, and left. I jumped back and promptly fell backwards, the seat landing on its side. Tess stood above me, her hands on her hips and an angry scowl on her face.

"You're going. To space. Without me? How could you!"

I just stared at her. "Wha-"

"No fair! No fair at all! Why do you get to go and meet Martians while I have to stay here on boring ol' Earth with Looney and The Plastic and sewer crocodiles and Britney Spears?"

"Tess, calm down. I'm just going to Victor's space station for a few days. No Martians."

At that, she lightened up. But that's Tessa Marshall – a bundle of moods. "Ooh, Doom's gonna do somthin' with you in space. Ha!" She pointed at me like she had just caught me doing something bad. "Told you he's gonna take over the world. There's probably a super laser or something in the sky, and he's gonna blow up the White House or somethin' with it, betcha anything. Or maybe he's gon-"

"We're going up there with Dr. Reed Richards to study some cosmic cloud that could have been the basis for evolution or something." Tessa just grinned like she had too much sugar.

"You're part of an evil plan! You're part of an evil plan!" she sang, clapping her hands. I glanced over to the clerk, who was looking at us like we were crazy.

"Uh, Tess, we should go-"

"Oh, let's! Go, go, go!"

She skipped out, nearly slamming the door in my face. I sighed, shrugged at the clerk, and followed my crazy friend into the street.

That, readers, is Tessa Marshall.

Quick bio - She's 5'5'' and naturally bony. Her hair is naturally brown and straight, and she has gray-blue eyes. She is an aspiring painter, a free-lance photographer, and helps run Stitches, an art gallery, with her father (Louis Marshall). She always wears crazy clothes because she wants to stand out.

Character pictures of Eve, Tess, and Jessica are on my profile!

Review, or Tess may get you!