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***
While my staff was agonising over the whole presentation and preparing answers to all the possible and impossible tricky questions I decided to attend one rather entertaining meeting. Dr Otto Octavius had set up a rather interesting campaign to lure wealthy individuals to the presentation of his Infinite Energy Reactor. Many organisations were immediately interested in the project, and the main sponsor of this creation, Norman Osborn, was only too happy to find some new shareholders. This project is the last chance for Ozcorp to stay afloat. In recent years, they have not been doing well with many projects. First a setback amidst military orders due to Stark's armour and his phoenix-like return to the ranks of defence suppliers. Then Hammer, who had already been paid for many of his company's products, was exposed as a psycho helping a dangerous criminal and responsible for many deaths at the Stark Expo. Shield bought out most of Hammer's company pretty quickly and grabbed the tastiest developments. After Parker and I sabotaged his plans for more illegal weaponry in the form of exoskeletal armour. Now if this perpetual energy reactor turns out to be a flop, Ozcorp will go to a stronger company on the cheap and simply cease to exist. It's painful to watch your creation, built only on your own strength and skills, die before your eyes. Osbourne is literally losing his legacy.
Although I honestly don't understand where he gets his faith in the profitability of the project? No, it'll make money, but it's not much to look forward to. Who will be the first to benefit from this endless source of energy? Ozcorp itself, a few campaigns and one or two organisations. The rest will either try to steal Otto's design blueprints or simply destroy it, for example by sabotaging the presentation, like that assistant over there who put some little gimmick in the stack between two mounts. It's interesting to say or remain silent. Although it doesn't matter anymore, one of the guests over there has noticed the assistant's actions. And the ogling guest turns out to be Parker. I wonder how he was here now, if he had no time to work with Octavius and all his free time, not counting flights on the web and the institute, he spent in the laboratory.
Taking out the device planted by the boy, he showed it to the guards and pointed at the assistant who had already sensed the danger and rushed towards the exit. In principle from this pile of rich people few could and even dared to prevent the escape of a frightened teenager, but apparently luck or divine conduction was not on his side, and he decided to break through the door at which I was standing. As the guy approached the door, I abruptly darted out of the crowd and before he knew it, he was on the floor with his hand clamped behind his back and his feet pinned to the floor with his face firmly pressed into the floor.
-Ah, Peter hi. - Saying hello to Parker Pierce, who ran up and was about to hero Parker.
-Mr Pierce. - Parker was surprised to see his boss and generally quite a strange person handing over to two large guards a moment ago a man who was running away.
-I see you couldn't miss such an interesting meeting either, but how exactly did you get here? - Pierce asked, taking a glass of champagne from the tray of the waiter.
-I was invited by Dr Octavius. - Peter replied.
-And how did you two meet? - Ryan asked with interest.
-The head of my institute is on good terms with the Doctor and he was able to persuade him to give weekly lectures to the students. After the speeches, my questions managed to interest Mr Octavius and after a few lectures I was even able to help him with a couple of points of the reactor's construction. - Replied Parker getting more and more heated as he told about the acquaintance with such a famous scientist.
-Peter in our class in general the most brainy. I was about to go to my father with a request to hire a young copy of Octavius appeared at our side, but he was stolen. - A young boy in an expensive dark-green suit and short-cropped red hair cut sharply into the dialogue.
-Are you? - No one could not know Norman Osborne's son at this meeting, but the boy's behaviour was too indelicate for a man of high society, and Raine, who had been taught manners since childhood, could not help but emphasise his attitude to such an act.
-Ah, yes, sorry. Harry Osborne. Mister? - Not not noticing the look Raine gave him, Ozbourne asked.
-Pierce.
-Mr Pierce, how did you meet Peter? - Harry asked with interest, looking for someone in the crowd.
-More than six months ago I was one of the spectators at a demonstration of Mr Parker's skills. One of his designs captured my attention, but unfortunately I was too late to sign a contract with him and that design didn't go to my company. - Noticing the surprise in the eyes of his interlocutor Rain continued. -Yes, I am the thief who stole your friend from under your nose. - With a slight smile at the boy's confusion Piers replied.
-Harry will you introduce me to the two young heroes of this evening? - Norman Osborne asked, breaking the long silence and smiling his duty smile, but Raine noticed a rather unpleasant coldness in the man's eyes.
-Ah... yes, now. - Harry came to his senses, giving Raine an extremely thoughtful look. -This is Peter, I told you about him, he helped Dr Octavius with his calculations. And next to him is Mr Pierce. - After the introduction, Pierce and Parker were given a penetrating glance, and having drawn some conclusions for themselves continued to show their friendliness.
-Mr Parker, I remember Harry speaking extremely well of you, so I think I can let you in on a secret. After today's demonstration, Otto will announce the opening of his laboratory under Ozcorp's auspices, and I think you'll find a place there quite easily. - With a rather pleased look from his son, Osborne finished.
-Are you, Mr Pierce, a friend of Peter's? - Norman asked with interest, noting the lad's high-class clothes and fighting skills.
-I am his superior. - Quite calmly answered Ryan holding back a grin, having seen Parker's reaction to such an undisguised luring to another company right in the face of his superiors.
-That's how. - With difficulty, but was able to contain surprise Osborne, but then his smile became a little sincere. -Which company do you represent? - Norman asked with interest.
-Custody Corp. -Rain replied, to the even more satisfied smile of Osborne Sr.
We were prevented from continuing the conversation by the voice of Otto Octavius, who removed the veil from his manipulators and began his introductory speech about his development. To be honest, I was only further convinced that the doctor was too naive. Cheap electricity? An endless power source? Who in the world would ever let that happen. But he didn't want to bore me even more with his childish statements and after putting on his mecha-tentacles he finally started to activate his brainchild.
When a small sun appeared in front of Octavius, I, as well as everyone present, was for a moment mesmerised by the beauty of this miniature star. But nobody could admire this miracle for long. After a minute people began to notice the increased magnetic field around the star, pulling in a weighty part of the metal and jewellery on the flimsy clasp that had not been nailed down. Octavius tried to get things under control and calm the crowd, but in just a couple of dozen seconds the situation was completely out of control and the hall's emergency system went into overdrive, demanding that they leave the building immediately. While the crowd was panicking to get away from the star that was rapidly gaining mass, I stealthily separated myself from the flow of people and moved to the corner to Otto's wife. Her death was one of the three reasons for his madness. Peter stood close to the entrance, keeping an eye out for flying objects and helping those present leave the hall in one piece. I had to help Parker a couple of times by putting up a few rune barriers, hidden by illusion in the path of traumatic objects, but in the commotion no one noticed the bars hitting the air and the pieces of metal frozen for a moment.
Neither Osborn's shouts of displeasure nor the general panic of the machine getting more and more out of control could make Otto switch off the power to the star. So, without waiting for my scientist's re-exposure and risky actions on his part, I simply took a few devices out of the rag pouch in my pocket and using magical telekinesis slowly levitated the devices to the transformer, resisting the star's gravitational field. In the middle of the way, the iron window frames failed and bent, sending a couple of dozens of splinters flying down the hall. I didn't have time to do much at that moment, and all I could do was shout to Octavius about the danger behind me and rush to the woman, covering her back with my back and instinctively putting up a heat shield. An extremely energy-consuming field at the highest possible degree. The shards of glass touching my shield simply fell to the floor in a molten puddle.
When I let go of the woman, who had no time to understand, I saw Otto in agony, hit by one of the heat waves that had broken through the primary layers of defence, with a damaged tentacle control chip and two shards in his side. Pulling the devices to the shields, I successfully cut the power, without which the star collapsed in a heartbeat, and Otto's body fell to the floor. Running over to the not particularly good looking scientist, I immediately checked his pulse and, making sure that his life was in little danger, reassured my wife. Then imitating a search for additional injuries I carefully damaged the control board of the tentacles and broke the paths connecting the ii to the power batteries. Making sure the situation was stable, I left Parker with the doctor, who didn't put up much of a fight, and asked him to let me know when he recovered, and left the building, shrugging off the doctors who had stormed the floor.
***
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