Chapter 59: Initiation of the Plan to Acquire Osborn Group

"Is it that simple?" Nick Fury asked for confirmation.

"It's that simple," Talos replied.

"Alright. Talos, I'll prepare the documents for you to hand over to the Ice Demon, and let him remove the mark from your body." As the Director of S.H.I.E.L.D., Fury had encountered many super-powered individuals and was familiar with their strange and sometimes terrifying abilities.

Talos was one of Fury's most trusted agents, and the idea of him being watched by Ethan Hayes was troubling. Fury had no desire for one of his best operatives to remain under Ethan's thumb.

"Nick, are you sure you want me to go back to him?" Talos asked, hesitating.

"Yes," Fury said firmly. He understood Ethan's weakness: his indulgent lifestyle, which made him comparable to Tony Stark. Natasha Romanoff hadn't been able to get close to Ethan, but Fury had a different plan in mind.

Dr. Connors, the Lizard, was still hiding somewhere in New York, and Fury knew he couldn't afford to let Ethan continue down his unpredictable path unchecked. "Stay away from the Ice Demon after this," Fury warned Talos. "The more distance you keep, the better. He understands your ability now, and he possesses powers far beyond what we expected."

Talos nodded, his discomfort palpable. Fury didn't like the sense of losing control, especially when it came to individuals like Ethan Hayes. Fury had always used others' weaknesses to his advantage, even with those who possessed superhuman abilities. But with Ethan, things were different. The Ice Demon had proven time and again that Fury's usual tactics wouldn't work on him.

Ethan had demonstrated his immense power in Hell's Kitchen, leaving the streets filled with ice-carved corpses, and Fury had seen the chilling remnants of Ethan's abilities on a mysterious frozen island in the Atlantic. Engaging Ethan directly was out of the question.

Fury's only option now was to play the long game. He prepared the requested information on Osborn Group shareholders, gathering all the dirt he could through S.H.I.E.L.D.'s extensive networks. Soon, he had all the criminal details on Osborn's shareholders in hand.

Meanwhile, Ethan was enjoying a relaxing time with Gwen. They had been arguing earlier, but as the saying goes, "fighting at the head of the bed and making up at the foot of the bed." After their reconciliation, Gwen stopped pressing Ethan about his future plans for college. Deep down, she knew that with Ethan's current wealth and power, his future was set.

Gwen still couldn't quite believe that Ethan's abilities stemmed from martial arts alone. She had spent time reading up on martial arts and magic, but the more she learned, the more she doubted that Ethan's powers came from something as simple as martial arts. The Water Dragon that Ethan had unleashed against Dr. Connors didn't seem to fit into the realm of martial arts. It was far too otherworldly.

Gwen began to suspect that Ethan was a Mutant. She knew he would face enormous challenges ahead, especially in a world that was still grappling with the existence of Mutants. Fear of the unknown often led humanity to resort to drastic measures.

"I'll protect you, no matter what," Gwen whispered, clenching her fists as she drifted off to sleep.

Ethan, on the other hand, was far from concerned. He headed downstairs to meet Talos, who had returned with the documents from Fury.

"Talos, looks like Fury cares about you a lot," Ethan said, his tone cold and distant.

Talos nodded nervously. "I've brought the information you asked for. Now, please, remove the mark."

Ethan waved his hand, and the watermark embedded in Talos' skin dissolved into the air. Without looking back, Ethan took the document bag from Talos and headed back to his apartment. It was already past midnight, and Ethan was eager to dive into the information about Osborn's shareholders.

The documents revealed that many major Wall Street firms had pulled out of Osborn, leaving around 30% of the shares in circulation on the open market. Harry Osborn, who had inherited 25% of the shares from his father, Norman Osborn, still held a significant portion. Another 12% was owned by institutional investors.

Ethan calculated that he would need about 8 to 9 billion USD to gain complete control of Osborn. He could easily finance the acquisition through Wealthy Bank or Wells Fargo Bank without using any of his own money. The banks would be eager to back such a large loan, especially given the interest they'd collect on the deal.

The rest of the shares were divided among six major shareholders, with the second-largest holding 18%. Ethan's plan was simple: gain leverage over these shareholders, especially the second-largest, Connery, who had long been a thorn in the Osborn family's side.

"Connery… You're up next," Ethan muttered, eyeing the file. Connery had been a constant rival to the Osborns, pushing Norman to the brink and nearly taking over the company himself. Now that Harry Osborn was in charge, Connery likely saw an opportunity to seize full control.

Ethan knew that Harry's hold over Osborn Group was shaky at best. Harry was little more than a figurehead, while people like Connery and Dr. Connors held far more influence within the company. The true value of Osborn Group lay in its future potential—biotechnology, genetic research, and innovations in energy. Within a few years, the company would be worth hundreds of billions, but right now, it was a sinking ship worth just 18 billion USD.

Ethan was determined to seize control of the company before it was too late.

The next morning, Ethan left his apartment, the file on Connery in hand. He sent Gwen a message, asking her to request time off on his behalf, before heading to Central Park to meet Connery in person.

Connery, who had just finished his morning run, was accompanied by two black bodyguards. The older businessman had been in high spirits lately, confident that with Norman Osborn dead, there was no one left to stand in his way. He had already placed loyalists in key positions throughout the company and was working to secure even more control through backdoor deals on Wall Street.

As Connery approached his villa, he noticed a tall figure waiting by the entrance. Ethan stood, hooded and calm, while Connery's bodyguards lay unconscious on the ground.

"Mr. Connery, I've been waiting for you for twenty minutes," Ethan said with a smile.

Without waiting for an invitation, Ethan walked into the villa. Connery frowned, signaling to his bodyguard, Lucian, to stay close.

"Tea? Coffee?" Connery asked, trying to maintain his composure.

"Coffee, thanks," Ethan replied, taking a seat on the sofa. Connery followed him into the living room, eyeing the uninvited guest warily. Lucian, ever vigilant, rested a hand on his holstered gun.

"You broke into my home, knocked out my bodyguards… What's your game, Mr. Hayes?" Connery asked, setting down two cups of coffee.

Ethan threw a portfolio onto the coffee table. "It's not a game, Mr. Connery. I've come to make a deal."

Connery opened the file, his expression growing more serious as he skimmed through the incriminating documents. Ethan sipped his coffee, watching as Connery's confident demeanor faltered.

"You think this is enough to get the upper hand?" Connery growled. "You're naïve if you think you can bring me down with this."

"Perhaps," Ethan said, swirling his coffee. "But these documents will do more than enough damage to make you reconsider your position."

Connery's eyes narrowed, but before he could respond, Ethan stood up, his eyes cold and unyielding. "I'm not interested in playing games, Mr. Connery. You have two choices—work with me, or get out of the way."

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