Vanessa Fisk

"Who are you?" said the raven-haired woman who was aiming a gun in Gwen's direction. "Why do you pretend to recognize me? I have never seen you before in my life."

"I'm sorry, Mrs. Fisk," said Gwen. "My name is Gwen Stacy. I come from a distant er- country and I recognized you from an old magazine article."

"Why should I believe you?" asked the woman known in Gwen's home world as Vanessa Fisk. "For all I know, you're an assassin come to take my husband's life."

"Well, for one thing, I'm hardly dressed to be an assassin," said Gwen. "I mean, I could hardly conceal a weapon in this outfit. In fact, if I wasn't so **** for clothing, I never would have trespassed on your property."

Vanessa stared at Gwen for a long while.

Then she asked, "How exactly did you lose your clothing? I'm guessing you did not come to this country dressed like that."

"No, of course not," said Gwen. "I lost my clothes in the woods when I was attacked."

"Attacked, huh?" asked Vanessa. "By moths?"

"Why, yes," said Gwen. "How did you know?"

"It happens to many local women," said Vanessa. "It's one reason why I choose to wear a dress made from metallic thread."

"Cool!" exclaimed Gwen. "I don't suppose I might be able to borrow one. Especially if it was an old dress that you were going to throw out anyway."

"Hmm," said Vanessa. "Maybe."

Vanessa then lowered her gun and said, "I think we'd best discuss this inside. Would you please follow me?"

"Of course," said Gwen, secretly pleased by how well things were going.

Then a man in a tight-fitting red costume suit appeared at the patio door. His costume seemed like that of a devil.

Judging from the way Vanessa's face got pale at the sight of him, the devil comparison seemed quite apt. Even more apt when Vanessa raised her gun and the man in the devil suit chose not to flee or surrender but rather to throw a croquet mallet that knocked the gun out of Vanessa's hand.

Then he noticed Gwen.

"Who the hell are you?" he asked.

"Nobody special," said Gwen.

The man in red smiled. "Well, Miss Nobody Special, you're not anybody I was expecting to meet here though you do remind me of a blonde I once tried to kill. I guess that makes you a viable target."

Then the man picked up a lawn dart. "Not that it matters much in the long run. You're still going to die."