Chapter 43: Chapter 43: The Secret Behind Norman Osborn
"Done. Lift them into the car, and then each of us takes a vehicle and drives away."
The mission was successfully completed. Within three seconds of being injected with the tranquilizer needles, they would collapse.
Thud.
All three men fell almost simultaneously. The mob boss received no special treatment in this regard.
The agents quickly moved the unconscious men into the vehicles and drove away in a convoy towards Overwatch headquarters.
...
When Martin Lee regained consciousness, he found himself in an interrogation room at Overwatch.
Warren stood behind a one-way mirror, observing a special agent questioning him.
"Martin Lee, founder of FEAST Homeless Shelter, philanthropist, and leader of the Maggia."
"Where am I? Who are you?" Martin Lee asked, his voice calm as he assessed his surroundings.
The agent in charge of the interrogation ignored his questions and began his own line of inquiry.
"Did you steal and sell weapons to terrorists?"
"No, I did not," Martin Lee replied.
Beep, beep, beep.
The nearby instruments lit up with red lights. Martin Lee then noticed some devices attached to his arms and chest.
"Lies. Next question: How did you become involved with the terrorists?"
"Is this a polygraph test? Hmph!"
Martin Lee closed his mouth.
"Planning to remain silent? Buddy, you'll regret it," the agent warned.
The agent stood up and approached Martin Lee from behind.
Martin Lee sensed something was amiss, but he was securely restrained in his chair and couldn't move.
A pair of hands rested on his head.
"Reading someone's memories isn't my strong suit, and it can be quite painful, but..."
The agent whispered into Martin Lee's ear, "Who cares."
Shhhhh...
Like the noise of ten thousand speakers blaring at maximum volume, a barrage of mental noise inundated Martin Lee's mind. He saw countless fragments of memories, yet it felt as if he saw nothing at all.
"Ah!"
Finally, he delved into his own memories, witnessing the scenes of his dealings with the terrorists.
A shape-shifting creature composed of black smoke appeared in his memory, waving its hand to accelerate and decelerate the entire memory world.
"What are you doing!"
Martin Lee seethed with anger. His memories were being freely examined as if they were part of a movie. In response, he swung his fist.
Undoubtedly a mob boss, he displayed remarkable courage. Most people would cower in a corner trembling after experiencing such a scene.
Although the black smoke creature seemed ethereal, Martin Lee's punch landed on something as solid as steel.
"Shh..."
A black smoke spear materialized and pierced through him, one even protruding from his mouth.
The sensation of real pain and helplessness overwhelmed Martin Lee, making him acutely aware of his own mortality.
To be subjected to such humiliation, with his most secret memories scrutinized, and witnessing moments he'd rather forget, Martin Lee felt a deep loathing for his own humanity. At that moment, he despised himself for being a mere mortal.
...
In the real world, only a split second had passed, but Martin Lee slumped in the chair, his mouth drooling, as if he had been played with and broken.
The agent tidied up the memories he had viewed and reported to Warren and Garrett.
"So, Martin Lee was just a middleman?"
"That's right. He was only doing the bidding for the mastermind behind the scenes. He delivered weapons to terrorists and received items from them on behalf of the mastermind."
"And who is this mastermind?"
"Norman Osborn."
The name sent a chill down Warren's spine. How did Norman Osborn become involved with terrorists?
"What did the terrorists give Norman Osborn?"
"I don't know. At least Martin Lee didn't know."
Garrett analyzed the situation. "What could be so enticing to Norman Osborn that he would sell weapons to terrorists?"
"That remains unknown. However, sir, Martin Lee is the only person who has seen Norman Osborn. Without any other evidence, it's..."
"Impossible for us to accuse Norman Osborn. He operates from behind the scenes, leaving no direct evidence."
Martin Lee alone as a witness was not enough. They needed more substantial evidence.
Garrett immediately arranged for an investigation into Norman Osborn. Meanwhile, Warren contemplated what exactly Norman Osborn had traded with the terrorists.
Did the Ten Rings have anything valuable to offer?
Their weapons, the high-end ones, mainly came from Hammer Industries and Stark... Wait a minute. Iron Monger?!
If he remembered correctly, Tony Stark had left the prototype armor in the desert, and it was discovered by the Ten Rings terrorists.
"Oh, never mind then."
That prototype armor lacked the critical Arc Reactor. Moreover, the current available power sources couldn't drive it. Even if Norman Osborn obtained it, it would be useless.
Unless he was mad enough to attack Tony Stark himself. But to gain Tony's trust, he would need someone like Obadiah Stane, who had a good relationship with him. He would have to infiltrate Tony's home, steal the Arc Reactor... What did Norman Osborn have to accomplish that?
"I should inform them."
Besides notifying Tony Stark to be on guard, Warren also needed to contact SHIELD. Nick Fury would take Howard Stark's face into consideration and issue a warning to Norman Osborn.
In addition to Overwatch's involvement, if Norman Osborn intended to use underhanded methods, he would have to think twice. After all, when it came to force, Osborn Industries was no match.
The agent who had searched Martin Lee's memories informed Warren of their findings. Warren then left to find Tony Stark.
As for Garrett, he was responsible for communicating with SHIELD. He was familiar with them and would inform Nick Fury about Norman Osborn's intentions, extinguishing any thoughts in his head.
...
"Any leads?"
Even though it was late at night, Tony rarely displayed such patience. After all, Warren had invited him out, and that piqued his curiosity.
"I obtained information from the mob regarding their method of trade with the terrorists. I plan to impersonate the mob and engage in a transaction with them."
"And then take them all down?"
"That's right."
"Just the two of us?"
"No, the mob boss and his underlings will be present. I should bring a few people along."
"Oh, that's great. That way, Pepper won't worry. You can handle the transaction with the terrorists while I provide support from a distance. You give the signal, and I'll eliminate them all."
This outcome suited Tony perfectly, and he believed Pepper would agree.
"First of all, I'm inviting you to observe. If we take action, you won't have any involvement. Also, it seems Norman Osborn has traded for your prototype armor with the terrorists. Be cautious during this time and strengthen your defenses."
"What? Norman Osborn actually traded with terrorists? But that's alright. That prototype armor isn't anything special. The important thing is..."
Tony tapped his chest.
"Without this, it's just a pile of scrap metal."
"Alright, then. I'll contact the terrorists and confirm the date and location of the transaction. I'll inform you."
"Good."
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