Part 12

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All night while organically repairing and rebuilding my own body, all I could think about was how weak I was compared to the same trainer. At least it kept me from getting cocky. What do they say, you get two dead men for one?

I needed a certain genetic material to strengthen me, but where to get it? Mutants. Other strong people. Or maybe aliens? Admittedly, I didn't know where to start. So I habitually studied the news feed. But even there, it was empty. And there are so many strong beings in this world. Where are they all? I've also heard of a boarding school for special children, but is it worth breaking into? From what I understand, they work for the government. So is it worth it?

I finished my invigorating coffee and started to get ready for school. Harry had come to pick me up today, recovered and ready to dig in again.

- Hello, old chap. - Opening the door of the new Bugatti, Osborne smiled slyly. - Need a lift?

- You're a sweetheart. What, you got a thing for younger French women again? - I smiled wryly back.

- You've got it all figured out, bro. - Harry laughed softly. - In fact, tonight is a business dinner with the Hardy matriarch. So we need to be ready, or we'll be one less prospective investor. - his friend said, 'I'll be fine.

As I settled into the comfort of the car, I deftly connected my phone via bluetooth to the car stereo and started playing music to find something epic. And yes, it pissed the hell out of Harry, but sometimes even he recognised the importance of having an awesome playlist for the road. After half a minute of active searching, I settled on the brutal Blues Saraceno and his sombre The River.

- What do you think of Tooms' lecture tonight? Will he surprise or inspire us? - my mate asked thoughtfully. - I'm more interested in a lecture by Stark or Sapolsky. They are great lecturers, I've seen them on YouTube. - Harry immediately explained his fascination with one engineer and neuroscientist.

- I'd listen to the Stanford professor, too. By the way, we could go to California for his lectures sometime. Just the way you like it: hot girls, nice climate and legolysis in the whole state. And to top it off, a lecture by Robert Sapolsky. - an old friend immediately thought about the sudden prospects of going to California and attending a lecture by one of his idols.

- One of these days we'll definitely go on a road trip and party hard, old chap. But, alas and alack, today I'm busy being diplomatic with a hot lady. By the way, you know her daughter is studying with us? - Harry said sadly, clearly saddened that he couldn't go on an adventure right now.

- Hardy, you say? I seem to recall a platinum blonde with that last name. Felicia or Felicity, something like that. But I don't know her myself, and neither do you, apparently. Do you think I should go for her? - I said with a smirk.

- Is my best friend really an alfonso? I never thought he would, and here we are again. - Osborne laughed, but he gave me a critical look. - You know, if you got a little muscle and took a couple of pickup lessons from Flash Thompson, you'd have a good chance and a pretty face. - Harry said extremely seriously, trying hard not to laugh. But when he saw the doubt in my eyes, he continued. - You're right, though, I was overreacting. And indeed, where is football and where is street pickup, so let me teach you! - the guy said firmly, with full confidence in his words.

But then I got a message.

- From a girl. - I immediately explained at the questioning look of my mate. - So thank you, oh wise teacher, but I'll do it myself. - I smiled sweetly, calmly looking into the surprised face of my old friend.

- The little one has grown up. - said the mate respectfully. - I should have known from those chicks at the club. Peter, I'm so glad that you've finally become so independent, and I feel the pride of a father who gives his son his first condom for school dances. - Osborne wiped away a tear and smiled kindly. - We should celebrate with a week of bar and massage parlours, but first a lecture and a business meeting. - Harry grew sad again.

- Maybe over the summer holidays? We'll get out of school and go somewhere. - He decided to cheer his mate up.

- Sounds like a plan. - the camaraderie smiled immediately. - Look...' Harry said excitedly.

There was a real battle in the sky. A huge grey-skinned 'man' on a high-rise was trying to shoot down something remotely similar to Stark's armour, albeit of a different design. The monster was hideous and agile, and its hypertrophied vertebrae on its back already resembled a slightly protruding ridge. Suddenly leaping sharply at his opponent, the monster still knocked him down and, once on the ground, tore him apart violently, but the suit was empty.

- Fucking hell...' said a shocked Osborn.

Soon another 'suit' appeared, but the creature picked up a taxi from the road and threw it at the enemy, then another and another, until it hit the 'bird'. Growling menacingly, the abomination confidently approached the trapped armour and tore it in half. But the armour still managed to fight back at the last moment and burned the mutant's entire side, which, however, immediately recovered. Having satisfied his thirst for battle, the monster calmly walked away, scratching his back and healing side with a lamppost.

- So much for a great start to the day. By the way, do you need an arc reactor in the garage? - With a wink to my mate, I got out of the car. - I could use one of those. - Putting a hoodie over my head and covering my face with a medical mask, I headed towards the cars torn apart by the creature.

- Wait. - I was soon joined by Harry, who'd decided to conceal his identity with a scarf tied around his face. Humming at his disguise, I went to the distant suit that still managed to hit the monster.

Surprisingly, the armour was still functioning. After inspecting the suit, I quietly pulled out the reactor and discreetly collected samples of the monster's DNA, taking some blood on a regular napkin. It'll come in handy.

- Give me a hand, bro. - Osborn's voice came from behind him.

Harry tried menacingly to open the iron man's armour, but to no avail, so he had to help. We quickly finished collecting our souvenirs and headed off to study.

- Now I have enough energy for the armour to work. - a comrade accidentally said.

- Hmm?

- You're imagining things, and I'm not building a heavy suit in my garage. - Harry laughed nervously, and I just hummed understandingly.

- Whatever you say, man, whatever you say. I'm going to do something like that. - I laughed wickedly and turned on another track from the upbeat playlist.

Soon we reached the abode of knowledge and hurried to the lecture, bumping into a cute blonde at the door. The lecturer wasn't there yet, and I had time to have a word with Gwen, who was saddened by Connors' refusal to recruit lab technicians. Citing health problems, the professor had suspended his teaching activities. It was strange, because at the time of our last meeting he had been in good health.

Just a moment later, Adrian Tooms burst into the classroom. His leather pilot's jacket, with its dashing vulture emblem on the chest and the flag of Italy on the shoulder, put him on a par with Connors, at least in terms of eccentricity. The sound of heavy army boots echoed through the hushed audience, and Tooms' predatory gaze scrutinised everyone through his anthracite-black aviators.

- How many of you there are. - The lecturer grinned, stroking his grey hair. - Today we will talk about such a dubious thing as success. I will not tell you fairy tales or stories that business coaches feed their faithful flock. Oh no, today we're going to talk about labour and its importance in building your business, career or whatever it is. - A predatory smile crept back onto Tooms' face and he took off his aviators.

- My old friend Herman was a great expert in electricity and its transmission. He was also an extremely skilful mechanic, and even got himself a Methodist wife, just think of it. And where did he get her, you ask? - the lecturer smiled again. - It turns out that Eastern Europe is full of beauties, and he got a Ukrainian or a Uruguayan, but she cooks great borscht, so I even envy him. - the first chuckles came from the audience.

- And now let's move on to Schultz himself. Herman couldn't get a job. Even though he was a high-class specialist, but he was not hired anywhere without work experience. It seemed like a vicious circle, didn't it? But he found his associates from among his old friends, colleagues and former colleagues. - Tooms spoke in a mentor's tone. - That's how he opened his workshop for customisation of various kinds, and I became his first investor. It is by investing in others that we make money for ourselves. Effective management and competent personnel policy as the basis of your success. You can be a genius, of course, but without a good base you will simply be drowned out by your competitors. - The lecturer grinned predatorily.

- My first business was destroyed by the Stark empire. Like a road roller, that corporation swept away everything we'd built over the years, and most importantly, I guess, without even noticing. - with fire in his eyes, the lecturer began to speak. - However, we will talk about the acceptance of defeat next time, but now let's get back to the subject. Herman did not give up, and literally from some alien rubbish collected an unprecedented sample of gravitational platform, which allowed us to rise, like a phoenix, from the ashes of poverty and fear of unemployment. And now to summarise. Work hard and don't give up, because work has made people what they are today. I am not a scientist, only a skilful manager, but still I strongly recommend you to pay attention to this sphere, because it is much better to manage than to run on other people's errands. Isn't it? - Tooms grinned and ended his lecture with a provocative question, pulling out an empty flask from the inside pocket of his jacket. He sipped greedily and, with a final nod to the students, left the classroom with great agility.

As I tried to digest the strange lecture, I started to get ready automatically, but Harry called out to me with the blonde girl I'd seen earlier, who was studying me curiously. There was something gracefully feline about her, and her green eyes were watching me predatorily, as if trying to see if I was a mouse or a new friend. It was the first time I'd ever felt that way, and it was curious enough to make me curious about Harry's new acquaintance. Could it be Mademoiselle Hardy?