Chapter 76: C 76
The next day, Anton arrived at the Daily Bugle.
Eddie and April had already been waiting in his office for almost an hour. But of course, being the boss meant Anton had the privilege of being late.
"Anton, I called April like you asked. What did you want to talk to her about?" Eddie asked, looking at Anton curiously.
Thinking back to what Anton had described last night, Eddie had a gut feeling this would be an interesting discussion.
"April, you've been investigating the Foot Clan for a while. Tell me, why are they going after Oscorp's chemical supplies?" Anton asked, leaning forward with a piercing gaze.
It was an old question, but one that carried weight.
Anyone not paying attention might assume the Foot Clan was simply looking to profit by selling the stolen chemicals on the black market. After all, the materials were highly valuable.
But smart people knew better. The Foot Clan wouldn't risk angering a corporate giant like Oscorp for petty cash.
April hesitated before answering. "Oscorp has been buying up chemicals on a massive scale recently—rare materials that are hard to come by. Even black market prices have skyrocketed, and some of these materials are completely unavailable now. When I couldn't find anything through black market channels, I started to wonder..."
"So, the Foot Clan is using these materials for chemical experiments? Maybe even biological gene experiments? That's why they're desperate for them?" Anton asked, his voice calm but deliberate.
April shook her head. "I don't know. My knowledge of the Foot Clan is limited to their name and the crimes they commit. I don't have any insight into what's happening behind the scenes."
Anton frowned and asked, "Have you heard of Shredder?"
April shook her head again. "No, I haven't."
"Alright," Anton sighed, turning to Eddie. "Did you find out anything from your own sources?"
Eddie nodded. "Shredder is apparently a martial arts master who operates under the guise of being a ninja. He has a dojo in Brooklyn, New York. But he's rarely seen. What's interesting is his connection to Sacks Industries. My source told me they've seen Eric Sacks—founder of Sacks Industries—visiting the dojo multiple times to meet this 'master ninja' personally."
Hearing this, April chimed in. "Sacks has recently signed cooperation agreements with the New York Police Department. They're using Sacks' technology to support the task force targeting New York gangs, especially the Foot Clan. That's all from Channel 6—it was on this morning's news."
"Sounds good," Anton muttered, processing the information. He mentally pieced together the facts, blending them with his knowledge of the original plot, forming a coherent theory.
Finally, Anton looked at both Eddie and April. His tone grew serious. "Eddie, April, if I told you that the true leader of the Foot Clan is this 'Shredder,' would you still think Sacks is as righteous as he claims to be?"
The room fell silent. Eddie and April's eyes widened in disbelief as the realization hit them. Their expressions were a mixture of shock and incredulity.
This morning, the news reported that Sacks Industries had partnered with the New York Police Department's task force to combat crime.
Now, Anton was claiming that the mastermind behind the Foot Clan was Shredder, and that Shredder had a close relationship with Eric Sacks.
Was Sacks Industries playing both sides?
"Eric Sacks grew up in Japan," Anton began, turning to his computer and pulling up information on the man. "He came to New York with his adoptive father as a teenager. After graduating from university, he founded Sacks Industries, which has since grown into a massive enterprise spanning multiple fields."
He scrolled through the details and added, "His adoptive father is Shredder."
"So they're really shouting to catch the thief and fooling the world!" Eddie muttered, taking a deep breath.
He didn't doubt Anton's conclusion. Since meeting him, Eddie had learned that Anton's instincts were sharp and his deductions reliable. Sure, Anton had a lazy streak, but when it came to serious matters, Eddie knew he could trust him completely.
"This is big news!" Eddie said, his eyes gleaming. He turned to April, who was sitting in silence, lost in thought. "April, are you okay?"
April hesitated, her expression conflicted. "Eric Sacks... is really the bad guy? When I was a kid, I thought he was a good person. This doesn't quite match what you're saying."
"Your father used to work for Sacks," Anton said, leaning back in his chair. "But there was a fire at the research institute. Your father and all the experimental results were lost in the flames. Afterward, Sacks shut down the research and sealed everything, didn't he?"
April's eyes widened. "You've been investigating me!" she exclaimed, her voice rising in surprise and a touch of anger.
She glared at Anton. "What does this mean? I thought we were friends!"
"April, don't get the wrong idea," Anton replied with a shrug. "When it comes to work, we always keep a few cards up our sleeve."
The truth was, Anton hadn't investigated her at all. He was simply pulling this information from the original plot, revealing what he already knew about April O'Neil.
"Eddie, help me look deeper into the Foot Clan," Anton said, directing his attention back to his friend.
Then, turning to April, he added, "Friendly reminder: the new superheroes you mentioned last night at the bar? The ones in New York? That's right—they're the ninja-dressed, talking turtles. I think they're connected to your father's research. They might even be the result of Sacks' old experiments."
"Turtles?" April blinked, her expression shifting as a thought struck her. She became visibly excited. "Yes! Yes, it's the turtles! On the day of the institute fire, I saved them! So, my father's research worked? It didn't fail?"
"Eddie, I'll go with April to investigate the Foot Clan," Eddie said, standing up. "What about you, Anton?"
"I have other things to handle," Anton replied, his tone calm. "That mess from yesterday? I haven't had the chance to deal with it yet."
"Got it. Be careful. Leave the Foot Clan to us," Eddie said with a nod, clearly thinking ahead.
With that, Eddie and April left Anton's office, leaving him alone with his thoughts.
Anton watched the two leave, then turned back to his computer and began searching for the latest news about Oscorp.
After some time, he noticed that Oscorp's recently announced experimental plans contained no mention of biological genetics.
'Then why is Oscorp purchasing chemicals related to genetic research?'
The question lingered in his mind. Was it possible that Oscorp was conducting secret experiments that couldn't be disclosed to the public?
Anton's thoughts drifted to the genetic illness afflicting the Osborne family. He also recalled something peculiar: on the night of the Lizard incident, Dr. Connors had been broken out of his way to prison.
Norman Osborne.
It was almost certain that Norman Osborne had orchestrated Connors' escape, intending to use his research to cure the family's genetic disease.
And it seemed like Norman had succeeded... but also failed.
He may have cured his family's genetic illness, but in doing so, he likely triggered something far worse—a split personality.
A violent, deranged alter ego: the Green Goblin.
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