Chapter 13: C 13
The head of the Life Foundation's Propaganda Department sprang into action, knowing well that the scandal had spiraled beyond containment. His sole hope was to minimize the damage. Yet, neither he nor Carlton Drake had anticipated the explosive momentum of online activism.
In mere hours, netizens rallied, posting relentless messages on the official websites of the San Francisco City Government and even the White House. They demanded a full investigation into the mistreatment of homeless people at the Life Foundation's facility, amplifying public scrutiny.
Meanwhile, an unanticipated force was rising. Citizens, tired of the Life Foundation's influence and keen to hold the city accountable, had organized themselves. Anton, seated at his Daily Bugle office, observed this wave of outrage with a mix of surprise and intrigue as the scandal's momentum exceeded his expectations.
"Looks like Life Foundation isn't just our solo target," Anton mused, glancing at the surging comments and posts online. "It seems we're not the only ones with knives out." He realized that other powerful interests, most likely business rivals, had also joined the fray.
Life Foundation, with its patents and rapid growth, had accumulated more enemies than it cared to know. Now, with the Daily Bugle as the instigator, various factions were quietly fueling the uproar, each hoping to claim a piece of Life Foundation's assets if it fell.
Anton smirked, realizing that he and his newspaper had become the de facto spokespersons for a coalition of hidden interests. This scandal had grown into a public feast, and Life Foundation was the sacrificial lamb. But despite the unfolding drama, Anton's primary concern was rescuing Eddie Brock, who was tangled up in the foundation's web.
"Time to turn up the heat," he murmured to his colleague Betty. "You know what to do."
Betty, dressed sharply and radiating excitement, responded with equal zeal. "Absolutely. Sales are through the roof—triple what we saw last month. People are clamoring for more exposés." She leaned in, adding, "Life Foundation just reached out. They're offering $100 million for us to back off and... fire Eddie Brock."
Anton chuckled darkly. "Tell them they can shove it."
This was no longer just a financial maneuver; it was a battle of principle and power.
On the streets of San Francisco, Phil, another of Anton's associates, wasted no time setting the stage for public action. He orchestrated a protest under the banners "Dignity is Priceless! Boycott the Life Foundation!" and "Homelessness is not a Crime—Fight for Justice!" Within hours, people began rallying, fired up by the truth of what was happening to those society had already discarded. The scandal, with its concrete video evidence of homeless abuse, had struck a nerve, and ordinary citizens poured out in support.
Phil led them to the Homeless Association's premises, now besieged by media personnel and curious locals, each wanting a glimpse of the horrors that had come to light. Video bloggers, local journalists, and even self-styled activists captured every moment on their cameras, creating a digital flood of evidence that quickly spread across social media. For the Life Foundation, it was a nightmare come true. The scandal had become an unstoppable force.
Simultaneously, Anton decided to unleash a final wave of allegations. He orchestrated a Daily Bugle exposé revealing that the Life Foundation had coerced homeless individuals into signing exploitative agreements, agreements that they could not fully understand, which were then used to conduct human experiments on them.
According to the exposé, the rapid growth of Life Foundation was fueled by these unethical experiments, with countless lives lost in the name of scientific progress. The article painted the foundation's "Home for the Homeless" as nothing more than a modern-day human farm, where lives were treated as disposable commodities.
As the story broke, it hit the public like a sledgehammer. Netizens and activists shared the article en masse, rallying around the Daily Bugle and its newfound reputation for justice. Interviews with homeless individuals further corroborated the story, with many revealing that those who entered the Life Foundation's trials never returned.
When pressed by reporters, representatives from the Homeless Association clumsily cited "privacy" as a reason for withholding names and details of those allegedly "returned to normal life." This only served to fuel public suspicion.
Riding this wave of outrage, Phil led another protest. This time, the crowd marched to the gates of the Life Foundation's experimental base. His covert goal, however, was personal—to break Eddie Brock out of this fortress.
….
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