"Gentlemen."
"We are not seizing control of a company; we are containing a runaway crisis that's threatening the entire city of New York."
In front of the shattered glass doors of Oscorp, General Ross, flanked by a large contingent of soldiers, was holding a press conference. He addressed the reporters gathered below the steps in a booming voice:
"The illegal human experiments conducted by Norman Osborn and his team first created Squid Man, and then a monster we've dubbed the 'Green Goblin.'"
"We have substantial evidence that highly dangerous unfinished projects are still underway inside the company. I must stamp them out before the threat fully emerges."
"I will prevent a catastrophe, and anyone who interferes with this operation is endangering the public."
"Just like Batman, who just tried to force his way into Oscorp but was driven back by my courageous soldiers."
The reporters below erupted into a frenzy, jostling to fire off questions, but General Ross ignored them all. Dressed in his crisp military uniform with a steely expression, he dropped another bombshell without missing a beat:
"From this moment on, until all hidden dangers within Oscorp are fully neutralized, I am declaring the Oscorp Building and its surrounding areas a military restricted zone."
"Anyone who approaches and fails to withdraw after a warning from my soldiers will be treated as a terrorist suspect posing a threat to public safety..."
Having chased the Hulk for years, General Ross had become a master of these public relations maneuvers, painting himself as the hero averting disaster.
"Of course, researchers with valid Oscorp employee identification can still enter freely after verification by my soldiers. I won't hinder their work."
"Just like this gentleman here."
General Ross shifted gears, gesturing toward a somewhat familiar-looking researcher passing by.
He was about to turn back to the reporters when something felt off. He shot a quick glance at his soldiers, who promptly halted the familiar researcher.
"Mr. Clark, I recall seeing you in Professor Connors's lab. When did you leave, and why are you back?" General Ross asked in a low voice, eyeing the ID badge dangling from the man's chest.
The individual who had re-entered Oscorp right under General Ross's nose, using the alias "Clark," was none other than Batman.
In response to the general's question, Batman casually lifted one hand, holding several pizza boxes:
"General, this is our lunch."
After the soldiers pried open the pizza boxes, flipped each pie over for inspection, and confirmed they were nothing but pizza, a faint smile crept across General Ross's face:
"Let him through."
Sporting glasses and an earnest, affable expression, Batman hurried into Oscorp with the pizzas once he received General Ross's nod.
General Ross resumed facing the reporters.
"Excuse me, General Ross, but from what I understand, your actions have caused Oscorp's stock price to nosedive. Wall Street's financial titans are leaning on the White House and Congress. How will the losses Oscorp incurs during this period be addressed?"
A reporter from below shouted the question.
Harry Osborn had flawlessly carried out the two steps Batman had instructed him on: applying pressure through capital and filing a lawsuit in federal court.
Now, every action at Oscorp was under intense public scrutiny. Harry's moves hadn't gone unnoticed by keen observers, and someone brought it up during General Ross's press conference.
"The legal heir to Oscorp, Harry Osborn, is suing you in federal court over your actions, General Ross. Do you have anything to say about that?" another reporter pressed.
"General Ross, you brought troops into New York. Was this operation authorized by the President?"
"General Ross, you mentioned that Oscorp employees can enter freely. Can they leave just as freely? Are you effectively holding Oscorp's scientists under house arrest?"
"Ro..."
The reporters' questions grew increasingly pointed, with some even trying to slap General Ross with various charges, which left him fuming, his face and neck flushing red with anger.
Meanwhile, on the twentieth floor of Oscorp, in Professor Connors's laboratory.
"Peter, I've transferred all the core data to this hard drive. Take it and get out of here."
Professor Connors said, handing over the hard drive with his sole remaining hand, a trace of fatigue etched on his face.
Batman had just caused a distraction downstairs, drawing General Ross's attention, while Professor Connors had raced against the clock in the lab to copy Oscorp's core biotechnology data.
With only one hand, he could handle experiments at a measured pace, but in the frantic situation moments ago, Professor Connors had once again keenly felt the agony of his missing arm.
"What about you, Professor?" Batman asked as he took the hard drive, wrapped it in plastic film from the lab, and tucked it into a pizza box.
"I still have work to do, Peter," Professor Connors replied.
Professor Connors started to turn away, but Batman reached out and stopped him:
"Professor, we both know General Ross wants to weaponize this. You need to halt all research immediately."
"No, Peter, this isn't about research this time," Professor Connors said. "It's something else."
"I'm listening," Batman said.
Seeing that Harry Osborn's close friend wouldn't budge without an explanation for why he was staying at Oscorp, Professor Connors reluctantly pulled out a stack of documents:
"Peter, take a look."
It was a collection of files on reptilian gene research for human medical applications, but unlike Professor Connors's ongoing work on limb regeneration, these focused on organ failure.
"This is another project I'm overseeing, and it's a 'Temporary Regeneration Stabilizer' that's already in use for medical treatment."
"Seven critically ill patients with organ failure at Metropolitan Hospital rely on it to stay alive."
Professor Connors's concern was plain on his face:
"I need to produce enough for half a month to a month to ensure they don't die from a supply shortage."
Batman fell silent.
If Professor Connors left with him, he and the core data would be secure, but those patients who trusted him would perish without the stabilizer.
If he stayed, Professor Connors might secure the chance to keep producing this batch of stabilizers and save the patients' lives.
"Peter, we can't just stand by and do nothing," Professor Connors said. "Thank you for risking everything to come to Oscorp alone and reveal General Ross's true intentions to me."
"But I can't leave. There's no better biotechnology firm in New York than Oscorp. Only here can I successfully manufacture viable Temporary Regeneration Stabilizers."
To Professor Connors's surprise, Batman didn't react with emotion or keep pressing with other arguments, but remained unusually composed:
"Understood. I've already prepared a contingency plan for situations like this."