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Billion dollar smile

We rushed to meet him, they apparently said that he was fully aware of his surroundings now.

From the tone of the nurse, It seemed like it was a miracle that he had even woken up. She excitedly told us that he had regained full motor functions and passed the psych evaluations with flying colours! He was under temporary monitoring for now, but it really did seem like he did a complete 180.

I entered the room first, and I saw Norman Osborn sitting beside his son with a billion dollar smile on his face.

When I saw Harry’s face turn towards me with the same look, an influx of emotions came over me.

All the feelings of guilt, helplessness and resignation drained from me! Darkness was replaced by hope!

“You Jerk!” I yelled out, almost losing my voice,

“Ow. Pete, I thought friends were supposed to be nice to each other!” He held his forehead, mimicking a headache.

“What were you thinking….I…I..really did think…I really did..” I couldn’t speak as all the bottled emotions started coming out.

“Believe me son, I gave him an earful as soon as he woke up!” Norman Osborn smiled at me.

“Dad! I thought you were going to defend me!” Harry smiled, his face turned grim when his eyes landed on the blonde.

“Jessica, I know you…you warned me from drinking… Geez, I was really stupid. I should have stopped Flash from driving but…I really wanted to make friends with you guys…. You know?.... God, I’m so sorry.”

Jessica nodded, her eyes welling up with tears, “That’s right, idiot. I told you to not....and my stupid brother, that Idiot… It’s alright, the important thing is you’re fine now!”

Norman Osborn looked remorseful about shouting at the girl before. Harry remained oblivious to it all as he and Jessica started talking about something else.

Still, I’m glad that things worked out in the end. I can't imagine a world without Harry Osborn!

Suddenly, Norman's phone started ringing.

He picked it up without a second's hesitation and excused himself from the room.

He had this distressed look on his face as he recognized the number, I don’t know why and frankly right now I couldn’t care any less!

My best friend is alive and well.

I turned towards Harry, who took his father’s absence as permission to hit on Jessica Thompson.

I smiled as he tried his best.

'Aunt May was right. Everything is going to be alright!'

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POV - Norman Osborn, CEO of Oscorp

‘It worked!’ He thought with a smile, ‘It really worked.’

The experimental serum that he had been working on was a complete success. It healed his son from the brink of death.

He knew it would work. He was desperate enough to try it on himself to prove its authenticity!

Alas, there was only one serum available, and his son needed it more than him.

Thankfully it worked. The changes he made at the last second seemed to do the trick!

The board might remove him, perhaps even dissolve his company but with this serum he could make it all back! Perhaps even quadruple it!

The US Army loved their supply of super soldiers.

If he could buy the serum’s patents back, then he could easily climb back to the top.

Fortunately for him no one believed in the idea.

Not the board, and definitely not the investors. He could get the patents of the serum for dirt cheap.

The investors especially, would be glad to give him the rights to it. They just wanted to get rid of the human rights violation tag associated with this serum.

He could maybe even stall the case against him if the military intervenes for him. No prosecutor would involve himself in this case if that were the case.

'Fools… I’ll show them.'

This serum, if the human trials got approved, will put 90% of the weapons dealers in the market out of jobs. The only one who could even hope to stand a chance would be Stark Industries! A titan for sure but Howard Stark wasn’t in charge any more! It was his upstart playboy son. A green boy who prioritized partying and flying out models over his contributing to his father's legacy. There was a time when his biggest fear was his son Harry turning out like that but once he saw his son in the hospital. All of that changed.

His son was now blessed with incredible strength and healing powers. Nothing could hurt him now!

‘Yes!’ He thought.

'That's right Norman! Everything is going according to plan! This serum is truly the answer to everything.'

With enough encouragement, the United States will have his back and then he’ll make it all back. The money, his reputation and the glory! All as if he never lost them in the first place.

Forget the hoverboard, with this serum he would have achieved his life's goal. To be part of the greatest pioneers in human history.

This was why he chose his profession. This science could have saved his dear departed wife like it saved their son. His name was going to be etched into the annals of history.

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'I single-handedly turned around everything! I've achieved my dream and saved my son while I'm at it!'

He couldn't help but have the biggest smile on his face.

Harry’s friends came in at that moment and they began their little small talk. He admitted to himself, ‘Maybe I shouldn’t have jumped to conclusions about that girl.’

He didn’t want to apologize, but he feared that if he didn’t his son, it might give his son another reason to hate him.

The girl to her credit deftly handled the situation as she changed the topic to their mundane schoolwork.

His Satellite phone began ringing, ‘Tsk! It's those pesky little insects.’

“Excuse me, I'll be back!” He announced to the room and left outside.

“Yes… Stuart, what’s it this time?”

“Norman…we…the board feels that you have a lot of things going on right now! We…have made a unanimous decision to have you on temporary leave.”

He knew it was coming. Especially with those nosy investigative journalists uncovering the human trials. It was only a matter of time. He knew it was coming, and it still hurt badly.

He built this company, it was almost like his child. To have it ripped from him felt humiliating and wrong. It was almost as painful as losing his own son, almost!

Almost but not quite, that was something he had to come to terms in the last few days!

His son and his legacy was far more important than some corporation with his name. He only needed the serum, which he was sure the fools would gladly give him!

This conviction gave him the strength necessary to not throw a tantrum. To not fight back; to scream that it was still his name on the building.

“Do I have a choice in this?”

“I’m sorry Norman. We’ve known each other for quite some time now, and believe me when I say it’s not personal! There are too many people calling for your resignation and we need to give them someone's head. It just happened to be you this time! It's not personal”

‘LIES! How much more will you lie, Stuart you weasel!!!’ Norman seethed inside but remained calm.

“Norman….since we’ve known each-other for some time, let me tell you something. Oscorp is going to be bought by Quest Aerospace. They’ve taken quite an interest in your glider. This entire mess is still salvageable! You won’t lose any money! In fact, I’m pretty sure you’ll make more than you’ve ever made in your life!”

Stuart kept speaking, and the more he spoke, it became very apparent to him that the man was a snivelling rat. An opportunist snake with no drive to further science or build a legacy.

“Don’t fight us on this Norman. I know you’re a fighter but don’t start one with us. You won’t win!” he said in a slight whisper.

“Okay Stuart!” He played the role of the broken man. The one that the board thought they could control.

“….” There was a silent on the other line,

Perhaps the weasel hadn’t expected him to give up his life’s work that easily.

“Oh…..okay. Glad that you understand.”

“I have to go back to my son now if you don’t mind.” He said monotonously, already done with the call. This conversation was beneath him.

“Oh…Yeah..Of course . We’re praying for Harry’s quick recovery! It’s been some time since I saw the kid, maybe I should visit-”

He cut the call,

"Your prayers don’t mean jack shit! You snivelling opportunistic rat!" He said out loud.

He had to prepare for the legal proceedings. Furthermore, he had to prove that the serum was his invention and belonged only to him!

If there were ever a court case, they shouldn't have shred of evidence saying otherwise.

‘When the dust settles. I’ll be on the top of the world and they’ll consider me one of the greatest pioneers in all of history! The man who cured diseases and helped man ascend!’

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POV - Magneto

He felt the full extent of his power come back in a matter of hours.

He no longer had to remain in hiding like a coward.

His first objective was to free his compatriots and followers. Then they could finally start the revolution to liberate their species.

“Magnus!” A kind voice spoke out, this one he was very familiar with.

He was not wearing his helmet!

He was holding in his right hand instead.

His magnetic field disrupted all psychic attacks for a small duration of time.

It would not stop a psychic of his old friend’s calibre, but definitely slow him down.

From controlling him like a puppet, at least for a few seconds.

“Charles…don’t tell me you’ve come here to convince me about the merits of humanity again!” He spoke with a little bit of amusement.

“No… I've known you longer than that, Magnus. I still feel-”

“That you owed me a warning. Fear not old friend, I’m still the same! My powers have amplified rather than curtailed. So has my cause.”

“I…see.” His friend said with a sad look.

“Let us begin the game again.” Magneto challenged his friend, his metal helmet floating upwards.

He didn't want to risk it any more, Charles Xavier is not a man you underestimate!

“We’ll stop you, Magnus!” He answered his challenge.

“We shall see, old friend! We shall see! Until we meet again.”

“It’s still not too late, I have connections now we can strike a deal with the gover….” his voice petered out as the cold metal helmet slid upon his head.

He let out a heavy sigh. He was getting old, older than he wanted to be!

‘How long are we going to bicker around like an old married couple!’

All he wanted was for his people to be safe, you can only hide for so long. His dear old friend could not see this simple truth.

Man fears what they don’t know, Mutants are things they fear and they don't know.

‘I have seen first-hand the atrocities that man inflicts upon his fellow man. Imagine what they would do to us if the masses knew about us!’ he remembered arguing with Charles.

Why couldn’t that brilliant man understand this! Why couldn’t he trust me in this!

'I know them better than he thinks he does!'

Why must he resist me every opportunity he gets!

‘Humanity will not thank you for saving it Charles. They are lesser than us, crueller and more ungrateful.’

A point which even he conceded, and yet he and his ‘X-Men’ oppose me. Instead of fighting together for our united cause.

He had powerful mutants who could greatly aid us in the war for the planet. Yet what does he do? Play the soft-spoken kind professor.

‘If Charles Xavier so wished, he could have the entirety of humanity wiped out with the cerebro and yet what does he do?…’

Every time they had this conversation, he would always ask him this question. The answer he always got was the same. That he was only partially right and would go on to say,

'We are better than them! That's why we must never sink to their level!'

If only he could somehow convince his friend of Humanity's true nature. If only he could convince him of that simple irrefutable fact. Then their species would rule supreme without anyone challenging it.

‘Agh..just thinking about it grates me! I need to focus on things I can control!’

It was not without effort, he did try his best to convince his misguided friend. Humanity was not worthy of Charles kindness but the naive fool would not relent.

Instead of ending up convincing him, in every conversation, Magnus walked away feeling less sure of his own cause!

Charles did always have that ability to sway people to his side. He made you believe in something larger than yourself.

Charles could get inside your head without his powers, perhaps that was his greatest gift!

He shook his sideways with a small laugh saying out loud,

“I can’t wait to play another game of chess with you, old friend!”

He thought with a sad smile,

'Perhaps one day, when my work finishes, I could apologize for the harsh words I've said to you in anger.'

Charles Xavier was the one man who ever gave a damn about him and for all of their disagreements, he still respected him tremendously!

“I have a suggestion!” The mysterious voice that helped him break out spoke again,

He wasn’t startled or angry at the sudden intrusion this time though but simply focused on the task at hand.

“Have you finally decided to ally yourself with me? That is the only reason I tolerate wearing this helmet any longer!”

“I wouldn’t call it an alliance but rather offer you a valuable piece of information.”

“Which is?”

“The location of each of your men!”

“What do you seek in return?”

“Like I told you before! All I want is some entertainment!”

“And I am supposed to be your entertainment!” Magneto flared.

The voice didn’t say anything for a few seconds.

“If you do not seek my help, then I will no longer contact you!” It said with finality,

He applied a strong magnetic field around his head and thought calmly

‘No, I can’t lose such a valuable piece! I must quell my anger and bide my time. My pride is nothing compared to the struggle of the mutants.’

He gripped his hand tightly and said with gritted teeth,

“I apologize, I didn't mean to spurn you or your help. Forgive me!”

The voice satisfied with his humiliation responded,

“Do not worry, Max Eisenhardt! I also happen to have a fail proof plan that would help your cause!”

“Oh, and what would this ‘fool-proof’ plan involve?” He said sarcastically, knowing full well that there could be no such thing!

“First, you need to capture a particular mutant who can control time.”

This made his ears perk up. He simply said,

“Elaborate”