Chapter 72: An Unusual Meeting
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To be honest, Link had never thought much of Richard Parker, a man whose character left much to be desired.
Parker had joined Oscorp alongside his friend, Dr. Curt Connors, both working on the cross-species gene splicing project. Connors, in particular, was driven by a personal quest—to regrow his lost arm. Oscorp had provided the funding and equipment, while Connors put in the work, with the military also investing in the project.
When Richard Parker finally made a breakthrough, instead of sharing the success, he used his own DNA to complete the research, making it unusable for anyone else. Then, he fled with the results.
In doing so, he left Oscorp, Connors, and the military's investments in shambles. Oscorp lost its military funding, and Norman Osborn, facing his own genetic disease, found himself ousted from the company by its board. Desperate, he resorted to using an unfinished serum on himself, giving rise to the Green Goblin.
Peter Parker, Richard's son, inherited his father's research and became Spider-Man, eventually defeating the Green Goblin and later, Harry Osborn as well. The Parker family seemed destined to oppose the Osborns, and it was clear that Richard Parker had been in the wrong from the start.
His excuse for fleeing—that Oscorp planned to sell the research—didn't hold up. After all, with the U.S. military as a client, Oscorp could have profited immensely, especially in terms of stock value. Even if Parker had tried to sell it secretly, how much could he have realistically gained compared to the long-term profits?
Oscorp wasn't even aware of his breakthrough, which made his story even less believable. When Richard Parker was intercepted and killed while trying to flee the country with the research, it was clear something much bigger was at play. Parker had betrayed everyone, and Link, after acquiring the stolen research, had left a video for Peter Parker. It was more than enough; he could have destroyed it all instead.
...
After spending an entire day monitoring Norman Osborn's movements, Link and Frank tailed him as he left Oscorp and returned to his estate. They carefully observed the security systems from the outside. Using his X-ray vision, Link mapped out every detail of the security setup, forming a comprehensive understanding of its layout.
The two men then departed, grabbed dinner, and Link dropped Frank off before heading back to his own apartment.
When he arrived, Jessica greeted him at the door, helping him out of his coat. "What have you been up to?" she asked.
"Making money," Link replied, then explained his plan to take over Oscorp and why he was going to such lengths.
Jessica was puzzled. "Why do you need to do this? Aren't you a SHIELD agent?"
Link sighed. "SHIELD isn't as secure as it seems. I've noticed a lot of irregularities, especially regarding the massive sums of money being moved around. The trail often goes cold, and it's clear there's something rotten inside SHIELD."
He continued, "Besides, you know what makes us different, Jessica. We need power and influence. In this country, money brings all of that. Owning a major corporation like Oscorp will give us leverage. Once I've got control, I'll start developing new technologies. You know my mind's capable of far more than people realize."
Jessica was concerned. "Aren't you afraid of getting into trouble?"
Link smirked. "What kind of trouble could I really get into? Worst case, I'll have to reveal my true abilities. But that won't be my problem. It'll be theirs."
"Imagine their fear if they discover a real-life Superman exists."
Jessica laughed. "That would be something."
...
The next evening, Link and Frank once again parked near Oscorp, waiting for Norman Osborn to finish work. He left around 8 p.m., driven by his lone chauffeur back to the Osborn estate. After parking their car a short distance away, Link and Frank made their move, approaching the estate on foot.
The security system was top-notch but predictable. Using the blind spots in the surveillance, Link and Frank scaled the wall and moved stealthily toward a side entrance, a staff-only door that was conveniently unlocked.
Wearing gloves, Link opened the door quietly. They navigated through the halls and into the mansion's study without incident.
At the same time, Norman Osborn was in the kitchen, having a simple, late dinner. He wasn't a man of luxury when it came to food; his work left him with little time for such indulgences. After finishing, he headed toward the study, his mind weighed down by stress.
The pressure on him was immense. His genetic disease, inherited by his son, loomed over him like a dark cloud. His son, Harry, didn't understand the weight of their predicament, but Norman couldn't help but wonder—what would happen to Harry if he wasn't around?
His thoughts were interrupted as he pushed open the door to his study and turned on the lights.
There, standing in his study, were two figures. One of them was unmistakable.
"Mr. Osborn, no need to panic," Link said with a smile.
"Mr. Lin?" Osborn, though surprised, remained composed.
"That's right. I'm here to discuss a potential partnership," Link explained.
"Why not meet at my office?" Osborn asked, his tone measured.
"Simple. The basis of this partnership is my ability to cure your family's genetic disease." Link pulled out a piece of paper. "Here are the details of several patients who've had similar conditions. They've all been cured."
"You can investigate this yourself. My number is at the bottom."
Norman's heart skipped a beat as he quickly scanned the paper. The names, the hospitals—all of it seemed legitimate.
Looking up, his eyes locked onto Link's. His expression was a mixture of hope and skepticism.
Could it really be possible? Could his family's curse finally be cured?
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