True Panic

The next day was not much different from the couple's daily routine, until noon came, Mary Jane sat on the couch and ate while watching a series on TV, after that she would return to work at the modeling agency, they were in the middle of the paperwork, preparing the next campaign in which she would participate. Suddenly the door to the apartment opened and she saw Peter walk in, the couple hadn't talked much, both were uncomfortable after the bland sex of the night before.

–Hi M.J. I thought you were at work, last night at dinner you said you were in the middle of some paperwork chaos.

–Well, I decided to escape for a quiet dinner, away from the chaos.

–Good for you, enjoy your meal.

–And you, what are you doing here, Peter? I was hoping that when I accidentally turned on the news again, you would be out there saving the world.

–Well... so far, it's been a very quiet day– he said as he sat down on the couch with M.J.– Most importantly, when I stopped by the “Daily Bugle” to deliver some pictures, everyone was saying goodbye to Nick Katzenberg, you remember him, don't you?

Mary Jane's blood ran cold as her eyes widened in surprise at Peter's mention of him, but she quickly pulled herself together and said, –Yeah, I think I remember him a little.

–Well, he will no longer be working in the newsroom, but he will continue to work for the “Daily Bugle”, apparently, he will be working on documentaries, he told me that he is currently working on a documentary about the Spiderman villains who are in prison, I am afraid that Jonah will try something to step up his campaign against me.

Mary Jane was very puzzled and began to think about the possibilities that Nick had against Peter if it was true that he was going to work on that documentary, so she could only say subconsciously –Well, if he leaves you alone.

–I think that won't be a problem, we said goodbye well and everything is in peace, I even send you greetings.

Nervously she replied –Yes, how nice of you, well, I'm glad everything is fine, but I'm late, I must go, talk to you later, I love you– right after saying these words she got up and left the apartment as fast as she could, without saying another word to Peter and without even exchanging a glance. He was confused, he did not understand why Mary Jane had acted so abruptly, although maybe it was because of how selfish she had been the night before.

As Mary Jane went to work, she was nervous, her hands were shaking as she desperately searched her phone for Nick's number among the calls from the previous days, but among the many calls she received daily from work, she could not find Nick's number, she was in a hurry to contact him, she did not know what his true intentions were, but she knew that he was not at peace with Peter, as he had told her, and that working on this documentary only made his words stop being empty and start taking on a very serious meaning.

The next 3 days passed with a very tense atmosphere around Mary Jane, she was the only one who knew everything that could happen if Nick mentioned anything, this atmosphere was broken by an unknown number that became familiar to her and she left work to answer quickly.

–Yes, hello, Nick, is that you?

–Wow, I didn't expect you to answer so quickly since you're PARKER'S ASS- he said the words with great emphasis, trying to send a message of superiority to Mary Jane.

–Nick, please stop joking around, just ....

–I don't know if Peter told you about my new project, but I must tell you that great things are coming, I made this especially for you, –he said, interrupting Mary Jane.

–No Nick, please don't say things like that and yes Peter told me about your new project, and I hope it goes very well, I wish you good luck, but you told Peter that everything was fine between you, please don't go any further –she said very scared and nervous.

–I don't understand what you are talking about, you said that Peter is not Spider-Man, why are you so nervous or did you lie to me? But you know I'm about to go in to talk to Rino, I don't know if these walls can stop him, so I think I'll say goodbye, I have a lot of things to tell him, you know the information costs and he won't tell me anything if I don't tell him.

–Wait, no, don't tell him anything, you're a great journalist, I'm sure you have other ways to get information, please don't tell him anything.

–You know I'll get you some time in exchange for 4 things, if you fulfill them, I won't tell Rino anything, do you accept, yes or no?

–How can I accept something when I don't know what it is– she said on the verge of tears.

–We shouldn't have gone to this ****, but the other day you were very aggressive and hurtful, so what's your answer?

–Okay, I accept, please, don't ask for anything strange, please, I beg you.

–I'm glad to hear that, I'm not going to ask you to do anything weird... yet, but let's get started. Number 1, I want you to add this number to your phone with my full name, in case Peter sees it, I want him to know it's me you're talking to, number 2, as soon as I send you a message or call you, I want you to answer as soon as you can, number 3, I want you to realize here and now that Peter is Spiderman and finally I need to get information from Rino and I think if I show him a picture of you where you can see your face and show him the underwear you are wearing right now and that's all for now, now everything is in your hands.

As Nick spoke she became even more frightened to the point where she started to cry, she knew the photo was too much but it was better than betraying Peter, to say those words was too serious and the photo, it was not so different from her modeling, it was a photo for Nick but it was still one that did not show anything compromising, she was silent trying to think things through when Nick spoke again

–M.J. my time is running out, you know Rino won't wait for me, do it or hang up, I don't have your time.

Mary Jane, on the verge of collapse, answered him in tears and with a clipped voice –Please, Nick, don't make me say that, please, I don't want to betray Peter, the picture I can send him, but please don't make me say that.

–It is all or nothing, and do it fast, his time is running out.