Attack on John Raymond

The Attack on John Raymond was a confrontation between Jessica Jones and Elektra Natchios that began when missing architect John Raymond broke into her apartment and held Malcolm Ducasse hostage.

Background[]

Working for Duncan + Dotter Design, John Raymond was tasked with designing a headquarters for Midland Circle Financial at the specific location in New York City. However, while working on the building, he found out about the Hand that was behind it all, as well as their plans to destroy the whole city to excavage from underneath it. Raymond was threatened by the Hand into silence and was forced to continue on designing Midland Circle, which was detrimential to his mental health. As he submitted his project, Raymond suddenly went off the grid and started stacking up on explosives, as he intended to destroy the Midland Circle and stop the Hand, afraid that he and his family became their targets.^[4]

His wife Michelle Raymond sought Alias Investigations to find her husband, but Jessica Jones dismissed her, saying that Raymond was likely a cheater and advised her to see a divorce lawyer. However, Raymond called Jones' number from a payphone and used a voice changer to warn her not to look for him, which only convinced her to properly investigate Raymond instead. Jones was able to look up the address where that payphone was located and Malcolm Ducasse told her that it was a known hangout spot for shady invididuals. Jones followed the lead and found Raymond's hideout and a supply of explosive charges, however, at that moment the whole city was rocked by a earthquake, created by the Hand.^[5]

The next morning, Jones called the New York City Police Department and told them about the explosives, while the FBI and Homeland Security also joined the investigation, with Raymond being placed on a watch list. Jones managed to steal some explosives from a crime scene and continued to look into Midland Circle but after checking the public records, but they have been moving their assets through shell corporations, making it difficult to find anything tangible about their business. Jeri Hogarth tried to persudade her into dropping her case, as Raymond is being investigated as a potential terrorist, which could bring trouble to both her and Hogarth, but Jones did not pay attention to her.^[6]

Attack[]

Returning to Alias Investigations Office, Jessica Jones found the door open and saw John Raymond inside, holding Malcolm Ducasse at a gunpoint. He said that he already warned Jones to stay away and questioned if she was working for the Hand, but Jones had no idea who he was talking about. Jones tried to passify Raymond but he insisted that he knew what was going on and that the Hand was going after him, after which his family would be targeted as well. Jones asked him who was he talking about, but Raymond could not talk about the Hand and only asked her to tell his family that whatever they hear about him, he is a good man.

Jones kept trying to reason with Raymond, assuming that he was talking about the authorities, saying that he should be fine if he just explains the explosives. Raymond replied that there was nowhere to hide from the Hand and they will hurt him, to which Jones said that she will hurt him worse unless he lets Ducasse go. Cocking his revolver, Raymond claimed that the Hand is planning to level the entire New York City but before Jones could question his words, Elektra came for Raymond. She broke into the office and deflected Raymond's bullets, grabbing him by throat, but Raymond then shot himself so the Hand would not be able to get him. Jones tried to confront Elektra, but she effortlessly kicked her away and escaped, and as Jones failed to chase after her, she was apprehended by Misty Knight.^[6]

Aftermath[]

Both Jessica Jones and Malcolm Ducasse were taken to 29th Precinct Police Station, where Misty Knight told Jones that she interrupted a city-wide investigation and stole evidence from a crime scene, as well as getting John Raymond killed. Knight attempted to press Jones into telling her what happened with Raymond and who she was chasing, but Jones warned her that the case she is taking on was too complicated. At that time, Matt Murdock arrived to the precinct, being asked by Foggy Nelson and Hogarth, Chao & Benowitz to be her legal counsel, and advised Jones to not say another word.^[6] Jones was not interested in having Murdock as her lawyer, so he informed that since she is not a murder suspect, Jones should be free to go.

Jones then visited Michelle Raymond, who was still grieving, and tried to ask her if there was anything suspicious about Raymond to find out who was targeting him, but she insisted that her husband was completely clean. She then went to Duncan + Dotter Design, pretending to be a client to find more about Raymond and what he was working on, and found out that he worked on Midland Circle. She arrived with the building and encountered Murdock again, before he heard gunshots upstairs and both of them rushed there. They joined Luke Cage and Danny Rand in their fight against the Hand and Elektra, before retreating and taking refuge at Royal Dragon.^[3]

References[]