Chapter 51: Townhouse 227, Jackson Heights, NYC

                                    

                                          
  The subway ride to Queens Village from MJ's flat in Jackson Heights was a short one, thirty minutes at most, but it couldn't have felt any longer to her. The train cart seemed to be crawling through the tunnels, with the watch strapped on her wrist ticking two times as fast. It was almost as if the world knew she was in a hurry and was more than willing to do anything to slow her down.
                          
  And if only to make matters worse, her paranoia seemed to have followed her. Everywhere she looked, she was met with strangers and couldn't help but feel uneasy. Were one of these people the one blackmailing her? Did they know what she was trying to do? Were they watching her?
                          
  MJ swallowed thickly. 
                          
  The train came to a stop a few moments later and MJ found herself standing on wobbly legs, being jostled through the crowd. She let the mass of bodies push her to the exit where she stumbled up the steps into the open air gratefully. Never had the subway felt that suffocating before. 
                          
  From there on, she was walking. MJ pulled her hood over her head and set a quick pace down the sidewalk. Her conversed feet hit the pavement methodically, quicker and quicker until she was sprinting. Her brown eyes turned up to the darkened sky, scanning the line of townhouses lining the street. 
                          
  224, 225, 226...
                          
  227. 
                          
  MJ bounded up the steps, taking them two at a time, and practically collapsed against the front down. She slammed her fist into the wood, not caring who answered it at this time of night.
                          
  After three or maybe four knocks, the door opened. A woman stood there, a white bathrobe wrapped tightly around her and a look of disgust mixed with fear on her face. She opened her mouth to say something but MJ beat her to it. 
                          
  "Is this the Leeds' house? I need to talk to Ned. Please," MJ blurted. 
                          
  The woman took a wary step back, her face hardening. Although she hadn't answered MJ yet, she knew the answer was yes. The woman's features were strikingly similar to that of her friend's. They had the same chestnut skin and small, almond eyes. The woman was aged though, with smile lines etched into her face. 
                          
  MJ spoke up again. "I know it's late," she said, "but it really is an emergency. Please, Mrs. Leeds."
                          
  Mrs. Leeds took a moment to study MJ. Her eyes flitted over her distressed form before calling out. 
                          
  "Ned! There's a guest here asking to speak to you!"
                          
  A loud thump echoed from above and then, "At 12:30 in the morning, Ma?!"
                          
  Mrs. Leeds glanced at MJ before yelling back. "Yes."
                          
  A chorus of identical thumps ensued as Ned descended the stairs. He appeared a moment later in his pajamas looking rather flustered. He blinked when he spotted MJ at the door. "MJ?"
                          
  MJ smiled weakly. "Hey, loser."
                          
  "What are you doing here? Shouldn't you be sleeping?" Ned continued, stepping aside to let MJ into the house. Mrs. Leeds exchanged a look with her son before retreating back up the stairs to go back to bed, most likely. 
                          
  MJ hugged herself self consciously. "Kinda hard to do when you're being watched, haha."
                          
  Ned blanched. "What?!"
                          
  MJ glanced at the boy out of the corner of her eye. "I need your help. It's about Peter."

                          
Holy fuck it took me forever to get this chapter out. I'm so sorry. But i hope you enjoy and return for the next one. Leave some love before you go. Thanks, love you guys. 
                          
12/27/19