Buying back shares of Oscorp?
When Bren saw the message from Harry, he let out a contemplative hum and quickly understood Norman's intentions.
He knew Norman Osborn's situation better than Harry did.
It was clear that Norman planned to use this opportunity to reacquire Oscorp shares and regain control of the company.
This plan was undoubtedly risky. If Oscorp suffered significant damage, it might never recover. In that case, Norman would essentially be cleaning up the mess for the board.
And the likelihood of that happening was high.
Still, Bren wasn't too worried.
Norman Osborn had built his company from scratch. Although his father had been a prominent businessman, the family fortune had crumbled by the time Norman was young. Oscorp was a product of his own grit and determination.
Plus, Norman was a scientist at heart. If he had to start over, it wouldn't be impossible.
With that in mind, Bren briefly considered putting up some of his own money to buy Oscorp shares at a low price.
But on second thought, he decided it wasn't necessary. The future of Primus Tech, the company he was building, was bound to surpass Oscorp. Even if he didn't have complete confidence in himself, he had unwavering faith in the tech.
For now, his funds were better spent elsewhere.
"Tomorrow's the weekend. Let's go after Dr. Connors and Dr. Amino." Peter suggested.
But Bren didn't immediately agree. His workload was overwhelming, and while finding Dr. Amino was important, establishing Primus Tech felt even more crucial.
If only I could turn into Ditto or Multiplex, he thought wistfully.
Both Ditto and Multiplex were heroes with the power to create clones of themselves. Even though Ditto wasn't particularly strong, just having clones could make life so much easier.
"You go ahead; I've got plans on Saturday." Bren replied.
From his perspective, setting up Primus Tech outweighed dealing with Dr. Amino. After all, Dr. Amino was only a B-tier villain. Last time, the Chronometer had still been cooling down, otherwise, Bren wouldn't have let him escape.
Besides, Wu's goal was to alter the DNA of all life on Earth and return the world to a prehistoric state. Even if he succeeded, the Chronometer's genetic repair function could undo the damage. There wasn't much to worry about.
Still, it's strange that Amino has gone completely off the radar after leaving Oscorp, Bren mused.
Dr. Amino wasn't the type to stay under the radar. His original goal had been fame and recognition for his groundbreaking research.
He always made a spectacle of his work, often accompanied by his mutated frogs.
But in this world, Wu was far more cautious.
Despite scouring the news, Bren hadn't found any reports of mutated creatures. Tracking Amino down seemed impossible.
"What are you up to on Saturday?" Peter asked, noticing how busy Bren had been lately.
"Sorry, Peter, your cousin's coming to watch our band practice this weekend." chimed in Mary Jane.
She had been watching Bren and Peter walk together and couldn't resist approaching them, her vibrant red hair swaying as she spoke.
"Performance? You guys?" Peter's expression turned curious and envious.
Before he could say more, Bren shook his head at Mary Jane.
"Sorry, MJ, I've actually got something else going on."
Bren had completely forgotten about Mary Jane's invitation amidst his busy schedule. Fortunately, he hadn't agreed to it at the time, so this wasn't technically breaking a promise.
"Really?" Mary Jane's excitement faded into mild disappointment, but she didn't push further.
"Well, I suppose you won't miss the school festival, but that means I'll only get to see the same performance as everyone else."
Bren: ???
What's this about a "special" performance?
"Uh, sorry." Bren coughed awkwardly. "I really do have something important this weekend."
He didn't elaborate. The company plans weren't something he wanted Peter, or anyone else, to know about just yet. He preferred to save it as a surprise for when Peter truly needed help, like with college tuition.
After all, affording a good university in this country wasn't easy, especially for someone from a modest background. Even a former president famously took years to pay off his student loans.
Mary Jane simply shrugged and let it go.
This universe's Mary Jane was different from the one in the first Spider-Man film. She had a strong sense of pride and didn't like showing vulnerability, her fiery red hair reflecting her determined personality.
After parting ways, Bren headed to class.
Felicia Hardy leaned over to him, her face slightly flushed, and whispered, "Bren, are you busy this weekend?"
Her fair complexion turned a deeper shade of pink as she continued nervously, "I just wanted to ask if you're... uh, free for the study group."
"Sorry, Felicia. I don't think I can make it this weekend." Bren replied, shaking his head.
"Oh." Felicia's face fell, and her fluffy blonde hair seemed to droop as she retreated back to her seat.
Watching her, Bren suddenly had an idea.
Originally, he had planned to go equipment shopping with Harry, but since Harry couldn't make it, he'd have to handle it alone.
However, Felicia might have connections. As the daughter of the Hardy Foundation, she could potentially help negotiate better prices.
"Wait, Felicia!" he called out.
Felicia perked up, her face lighting up with hope.
"Do you think you could help me with something this weekend?" Bren asked. "I remember you're really into science, right?"
Felicia blinked in surprise. She wasn't interested in science per se, but she was definitely interested in someone.
Still, she nodded enthusiastically. "Uh, yeah! My mom's invested in a few labs and thinks science is super important."
Bren's eyes lit up. "Great! Then you probably know where to get affordable scientific equipment and materials, right?"
Felicia froze for a moment.
She had no idea.
That wasn't her responsibility, heck, even her mom wouldn't know. She just signed checks.
But faced with Bren's eager expression, Felicia didn't hesitate.
"Of course! I totally got this!"