4

It's been a week since I talked to that kid about the billionaire. So far there are no leads on where this guy is. I mutter curses as I run through the shit Peter gave me. "Maybe you need more help," Trish had told me over the phone when I mentioned the problematic elements in this case. "I'm telling you there is nothing about him except how rich and famous he is. There is nothing to clue where he is," I had told her.

I finally decide to give up and call the kid. I dial his number. I hear a knock at my door. I groan. I begin my groan count. One. "Who is it?" I call out. "It's me," I hear Trish's voice. "What the hell is it?" I ask as I open the door that Malcom has freshly fixed. "I think I found something to help," Trish says. "What's is it?" I ask. "More like 'who is it?'." Trish says. "Fine, who is it?" I go with Trish's insane ideals. "I think I know who can find Tony Stark," Trish says. "And I asked who the fuck is it?" I say, my voice irritated. "Doctor Stephen Strange," Trish says with a look on her face that is filled with pride and excitement. "Trish, I told you that I am not going to search out some wizard guy," I say. Trish sighs with frustration. "Jess, come on," She says. "Trish, are you fucking kidding me?" I ask sharply. "Why not?" Trish asks. "Because he's a magician. Do they even frigging exist, for real?" I ask. "Do women with super strength exist? Do bullet proof men exist? Do blind men fighting expertly exist? Do monks with a glowing hand exist?" Trish says. "That's different," I say. "How?" Trish's question seems slightly ridiculous. What's more ridiculous is that I have no answer for it. "Exactly," Trish says when I don't say anything. I mean he is a fucking magician. I don't know how that even works. Trish looks at me with questioning eyes. "Are you going to listen to me, for once?" She asks. I groan, two, and tell her I will. She smiles and walks out. As she leaves I feel my phone buzz with a text. It's a location. "177A Bleecker Street." I groan, three. Maybe I can break the groan record from yesterday.

I walk through the streets of New York looking for the address. I eventually text Trish to ask for a picture of what the building looks like. Moments later an image of a weird ass building with a giant window on the top. I look around and see it a few blocks down. I walk to it and sigh.

I knock on the door. It swings open by itself. Ok, not gonna lie, a little weirded out by this. "Uh, hello?" I say walking in. "Doctor Stephen Strange?" I call out. I sigh and look around, stuffing my hands in my jacket pockets. It's a brisk day in New York today. I walk in a little further before I hear a familiar voice.

"Miss Jones?" I hear the voice of Peter Parker say. "Hey kid," I say when I see him at the top of the stairs. He is wearing a similar outfit to the way he was dressed that day in my office. A hoodie and jeans. He is standing next to a tall man dressed like he's at a fucking Renaissance Fair. "Who's this guy?" I ask, feeling stupid a second later when he introduces himself as, "I'm Doctor Stephen Strange." I curse under my breath. "I believe you were looking for me?" He asks. "Uh, yeah. I was. A friend sent me to find you to help find this kid's dad," I say. "He's not my dad," Peter says, whining and looking at the floor. "Miss Jones," The magician starts. I stop him and say, "Jessica." He pauses for a minute before continuing. "Jessica, Peter came here to also ask for help. I was just about to help him," Strange says. "Well tough. He paid me to do it. And I don't do refunds," I grumble. "Now I came to ask you for help so that this kid finds that guy so he can pay me the full value," I add. "Jessica Jones, I feel like our interests align here. Tony Stark is a part of the Avengers and there are a few of them that are extremely concerned for his safety," Strange says in his dignified voice. It's ridiculous. "Listen Harry Potter, I just want to get this over with," I say. "I hear you have extraordinary abilities," Strange changes the subject. "Yeah, and?" I say. "I was just thinking that maybe you could help," Strange tells me. "Ok, so this child came to me for help and then you for help so we can be some sort of superhero group?" I ask. I glare at Peter. He shrugs. "Is that what you wanted kid?" I ask sharply. Peter shakes his head. "I just want to find Mr. Stark," Peter says. "Miss Jones, I," He starts to add. "My name is Jessica, always has been," I snap. If it isn't clear, I hate being called Miss Jones. Especially by people under twenty. "Sorry, Jessica," Peter says. "It sounds weird," I grumble. "Sorry," Peter apologizes. "Don't apologize kid," I say with a groan, four. "Jessica Jones," A voice says from behind me. "Who the hell are you?" I say when I see the man who belongs to the voice. He wears a sort of Asian outfit and he himself appears to be Asian. He walks in followed by a woman wearing a red outfit with a crown of some sort, also red. "I'm Wong, this is Wanda Maximoff," The man introduces them. "Wanda Maximoff?" I say in a high pitch voice, my acting voice. "I am such a big fan! I know everything about you!" I feign a squeal. "Really?" The woman asks. "No, I have never heard of who the fuck you are. What's with the get up?" I ask. "I'm also known as The Scarlet Witch," The woman, who's named Wanda, says. "Why are you called The Scarlet Witch?" I ask with a scowl. The Witch holds up her right hand and some red energy appears. "Woah," I whisper. I am not going to try to lie, I am very impressed. "So all of you know this 'Tony Stark'?" I ask. The four people in the room nod. "He's a complicated man," Maximoff says. She has an accent that I have never heard of before. "Hey, Blondie, what is that accent?" I interrupt. "Sokovian," Doctor Strange says from the top of the stairs. I look in his direction just to see him floating down. "What in the fresh hell?" I say loudly. "The Cloak of Levitation," The magician explains, which gives me no explanation because I don't know what the fuck any of that shit means. "What?" I say, my yes squinting as I say this. "Jessica Jones, we need your help," Wanda Maximoff says. "What the hell do you need me for? I mean there has to be some other person who can track this asshole down. I mean why me? What makes me so special?" I am practically screaming. "Jessica, we know about what you can do," Wong says. I want to just scream at him for only having one name. Is he Beyoncé or something? "So what the fuck are we all going to do? A witch, two magicians and a kid?" I say. "And you want me to do, what, detective work on all of this?" I say sharply. "We know about your strength, Jessica," Doctor Strange says. "It's not like I make any attempts to hide it," I say at him, scowling. Scowl number two, I think? "I really don't want to be part of some team of heroes. I like to work alone," I say. "Did it work so well when you took down Killgrave by yourself?" I hear a voice that is all too familiar. "Jeri Hogarth," I say, turning around. "Hello Jessica," My sometimes friend says. "How's your latest affair?" I ask. "Jessica, that's behind me," Hogarth says. "I hear you're helping that kid at Rand now," I say. "Danny Rand?" Peter asks. Jeri nods. "The one and the same," She says. "He's Iron Fist!" Peter squeals. It's unnatural sounding coming from that body. "What do you want Hogarth?" I ask her. "I am here to help find Tony Stark. Peter Parker went through all the resources he could find, including a lawyer without a detective status. I told this young man that I am a lawyer and that I don't take on missing persons but he was relentless and would not fucking give up," Jeri's voice is filled with irritation. "Sounds like him. I met him like a week or so ago and he was so persistent that I eventually took it just to shut him up," I say. Peter cries out in frustration when he hears this. "Kid! The adults are talking! Quiet yourself!" I scream at him. He obeys. "Now how are we going to find someone who just vanished off of the face of the earth?" I ask Hogarth to which she replies, "You've done it before." I know exactly what she is talking about. Killgrave. Funny thing though, Killgrave found me. I was actually avoiding that assclown.