Big Fish on the Hook

"Don't let Tiger roam the streets!"

A mischievous kid shouted a seemingly correct slogan, accompanied by throwing several water balloons. It was as if he had stood on a Moral high ground, condemning those who didn't follow the rules.

In fact, ever since Henry started calling the police whenever something happened, this group of troublemakers has become a little smarter, knowing how to find reasons that seem reasonable instead of stirring up trouble for no reason.

The advantage of doing this is that even if they get caught, their community service sentence will be shorter. These insignificant little people, though seen as disposable toilet paper by powerful figures, will still seek ways to protect themselves.

No one is inherently stupid. Knowing full well that they're at a disadvantage, they still blindly rush headlong towards ruin and disgrace.

The umbrella blocked the water balloon, and the most troublesome kid had already run away in a flash, disappearing from sight. Before, he would hide a little further away to spy from a distance, and then come out to provoke others when he had the chance.

However, the Kryptonian ' detection abilities are not to be underestimated. Even with their eyesight deteriorating, they still have Super Hearing to rely on. Whenever that brat hides nearby, Henry will call the police, and then deliberately create an opening when the police approach to lure him out.

"By sheer coincidence," the police caught him a few times! This brat learned his lesson; after causing trouble once, he ran far away instead of hiding nearby and spying.

Although she was not frightened or hurt, a somewhat frustrated Catherine Hepburn sat on a park bench and stroked Kitty's innocent tiger head.

"Kitty, you're such a well-behaved kitten, why does everyone hate you? It's not your fault. It's those people's fault."

The old lady's favoritism and doting were beyond question.

She hadn't considered not taking Kitty out. Because essentially, those people were just using this as an excuse. Whether or not the Tiger was with her today, those troublemakers would still find a pretext.

Secondly, isn't it pitiful to keep such a large animal confined to that small home?

Despite Henry's repeated expressions of concern, Catherine Hepburn had never witnessed Kitty's outbursts. Therefore, she still hoped her big cat could enjoy more freedom, rather than being confined to jumping on the cat tree or Sun Pharma by the window.

The Kryptonian, as composed as a rock, was resting on a bench on the other side. He was pondering whether, What If...? he didn't get a bite from his target fish soon, he should just find any big fish to reel in and end the game.

Just then, a black man carrying a briefcase and dressed in a sharp suit walked over and greeted him, "Good day, Mr. Brown."

He didn't seem to be here to cause trouble, so Henry politely replied, "Good day, Mr...?"

"Wilson, Cotton Wilson. I'm the head of the business department at Oscorp. I believe we can do some business." The black man produced his business card and politely handed it over.

Looking at the company name and trademark on the other party's business card, it shouldn't be a case of a fake pretending to be the real deal. So, has the target taken the bait?

Before the black man could say anything more, Henry stopped him with a gesture, saying, "Mr. Wilson, I know why you're here. But this won't do."

Henry refused outright, and he didn't see much disappointment on the black man's face. This was because many people like him had faced the same fate during this period; it was common knowledge within the industry.

Oscorp, after all, a top-ranking conglomerate in the United States, and even the world. So the black man didn't fly into a rage and utter any threats, or leave in a sorry state.

Cotton Wilson nodded and said, "In that case, I won't disturb Mr. Brown's leisure any longer." Just as he was about to turn and leave, he heard Henry speak again.

"But!"

Stopping in his tracks, the black man flashed a standard business smile, waiting for Henry's response.

"What If...? you can arrange a face-to-face meeting between me and Mr. Osborn. Norman Osborne, this deal isn't out of the question."

Although Black people are considered part of the management team within the company and have the potential to move up to higher levels, Norman Osborn, the group's chairman, remains someone he can only look up to.

The person in front of me wants to speak directly to Norman Osborn?

However, compared to the treatment offered by other companies, this is already considered a breakthrough. His task is to relay these demands to the company. What decision the chairman will make is beyond his control.

Cotton Wilson nodded and said, "I will relay Mr. Brown's request to my superiors. I sincerely hope for a good outcome and that I can work with Mr. Brown in the future."

"I hope so too." Henry flashed a business smile that was just as impressive as any Black man's.

Watching Old Black's departing figure, his gait was remarkably steady, revealing nothing of his inner turmoil. One could only say that people from these large corporations have all cultivated themselves into shrewd and calculating individuals.

As the man walked away, Catherine Hepburn suddenly said, "Henry, is this the big fish you wanted to catch?"

Henry, who was contemplating how things might develop, replied, "There are fish of all sizes in the pond, and everyone wants to take the bait. What If...? I just randomly pick a small fish, I'll end up being swallowed whole by the big fish."

"If that's the case, why don't I just wait for the big fish to bite the bait before pulling the hook? That way, I save them the trouble of dealing with the small fish, and I don't have to get eaten twice. It's not like the more fish bite the bait, the greater my benefit will be."

The old woman continued, "Norman Osborn isn't like Tony Stark or Old Man Stark, he's not as easy to deal with. You'd better be careful if you want to face him."

"Kate, have you met Norman Osborn?"

"Yes. Although I only met him once, that meeting left a deep impression on me."

"Can you tell me?" Henry asked.

Catherine Hepburn recalled, "It was a Democratic Party fundraising dinner, with people from all walks of life in attendance. People of his stature always looked down on us actors."

"Actually, we didn't have a chance to meet face-to-face; I just saw him walk by from afar. But a mutual friend introduced us, which gave me the opportunity to exchange a few words with her."

The old woman seemed lost in thought and didn't continue speaking. Henry waited a moment before asking, "What were you talking about, Kate?"

Catherine Hepburn frowned and said, "It was just a very polite compliment. But his attitude wasn't pleasant; it was cold. It was the first time I'd ever seen such darkness in someone's eyes."

"That's not greed. You should know that kind of lust that craves female celebrities, that thinks you can manipulate them at will with your power. Nor is it contempt, that feeling that you're not even worthy of being in his sight."

"I can hardly describe that darkness. It gave me a sense of terror, and I couldn't bear to look directly at it. If I had to compare it to someone, it would be Edgar Hoover. Of course, I'm referring to his private self, not his public persona."

Henry exclaimed in surprise, "Wow, you think so highly of Norman Osborn!"

Catherine Hepburn remained silent, only nodding.