At seven in the morning, Harry saw his father on television.
No suit. No assistants waiting on either side.
Norman wore a blue hospital gown as two police officers escorted him into a transport van. His handcuffs struck the door, and he paused. A reporter beside him immediately thrust a microphone toward him.
"Mr. Osborn, do you admit to organizing illegal human experiments?"
Harry muted the television.
The news ticker at the bottom of the screen kept scrolling.
Murder. Kidnapping. Illegal human experimentation.
He changed the channel.
The same van.
He changed it again.
Beside his father's photograph was another, showing the ruins of a welfare facility.
The fried eggs on his breakfast plate had gone cold. Harry held the remote until the old butler gently touched his shoulder.
"Young master, Mr. Peter is here."
Harry didn't turn around.
"Tell him I'm not going to school today."
At nine thirty, the US stock market opened.
Oscorp's share price plunged almost straight down, triggering one trading halt after another. The financial news anchor kept taking calls. Some callers demanded an emergency restructuring of the board; others asked whether the military procurement contracts would be canceled.
Harry turned off the television.
The dark screen reflected the pajamas he still hadn't changed out of.
On his phone, his father's number remained at the top of his recent calls.
Their last call had lasted only nineteen seconds.
Norman had asked which courses he would take next semester. He had said he hadn't decided yet.
His father had said, "Then come see me when you have."
Harry dialed again.
Still no answer.
Several weeks later, at the federal courthouse.
Before Harry could enter, he was asked to remove his wristwatch.
His father had given it to him when he came of age.
It took