Norman H. Osborn (
legacy_of_evil) wrote in
nextgenerationmarvel2014-11-28 07:35 pm
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The Deal (Ariadne)
"Okay, Stella. Be safe. I'll see you when you're back."
Norman hit "END" and the call closed down. Stella was away for an indeterminate time on business, meaning that he needed to handle things for himself. He could get another assistant, yes, but no one had Stella's ability. He sighed and set the phone down, then pulled out his appointment book and looked over today. Breakfast meeting. Lunch meeting.
Dinner meeting with the representative from Typhon Group, followed by a meeting with his contact from the Organization.
His return to New York after another hiatus was low-key this time around. OsCorp was ready to make a major announcement but he needed to put a few other things in place. He flipped on the TV in his office and watched Christina Frost's new reality show with a smile.
She was already doing better than he hoped. E! owed him one for the suggestion.
He pressed the intercom button on his desk and waited for Lucy, his secretary, to answer.
"Lucy, please get a representative from Typhon on the line. I need to iron out some final details."
"Right away, Mister Osborn." Lucy said.
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Mattie, one of her
minionsassistants brought the phone over to her. "It's a Mr. Osborn."Ariadne nodded, took the phone, and shooed Mattie away.
"Mr. Osborn. I do hope we're still on for our meeting tonight," Ariadne said. From the corner of her eye, she watched as SHIELD chased down a rogue mutant on one screen. On another, she saw Spider-Man swinging through Midtown, engaged in a minor squabble with a villainess calling herself Silkworm. Ariadne turned her attention back on the phone. "We both have terribly busy schedules, and I'm not certain how easy it would be to set up another meeting." Granted, Ariadne hadn't even been in New York a week, but she had plans, and Osborn would play into them nicely, if she could make it work.
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Ariadne Sarkissian wasn't impressed by the Osborn name or money. Her attitude was cool, distant but still charming.
In short, Norman liked her. He read people well and he knew someone who liked to dish it out when he saw them. But could she take it?
"Yes, we're still on for tonight. But I need to propose a change of venue for the meeting. See, my original plan was to wine and dine you until you told me what I wanted to hear." Norman said, his smile growing in the face of his double entendre.
"But our last meeting gave me the vibe that it isn't about money for you. It's about more. I'm the same way. So I'd like it if we met somewhere...simpler."
He provided her the address of a Chinese restaurant in Hell's Kitchen, in a really bad part of town.
"If you're still interested, I'll take you wherever you like on the next date." Norman teased.
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Her mother had been Madame Hydra. Perhaps not of the New York branch of operations - Madripoor had always been Ophelia Sarkissian's stomping grounds - but once the Grim Reaper had stepped down from leading the New York branch, a small vacuum had opened up.
One which Ariadne had intended to fill.
As Osborn gave her the address, she typed it into her special edition Baintronics tablet. An eyebrow went up with interest. This was only a few blocks away from the apartment where all those people had been killed, courtesy of her. It was right where the town went from tolerably bad to terrible.
"Testing me, Mr Osborn?" Ariadne asked in a calm, affable manner. She may be someone who liked to hide in the bushes before she struck, but she never liked to beat around one. Besides, Ariadne had never met a test she hadn't passed. "I have to admit, it's an interesting move. I'll be there." Probably a few minutes early so she could skulk around in the shadows, make sure he didn't have anything else up his sleeve.
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But the first part of things was getting OsCorp back in the black.
"Testing you? Always, Ms. Sarkissian. Everything in life is a test, whether we or not we like it. You passed this one. Seven o'clock. I'll see you then." Norman said.
He planned to be there early as well, just in case she thought to strong arm him on this deal.
He'd let her get in the last word before hanging up and finishing his remaining business at the office. He directed Lucy to advise other callers that he'd return tomorrow. At home, he took time to go over all of the information of the heroes and villains in New York that he'd worked to obtain. He paid special attention to the information on Spider-Man, making a phone call to Lucy.
"Advise Mister Smythe that I accept his offer. I'll buy his company and the patents for his designs." Norman said.
At five o'clock, he readied himself to meet with Ariadne, showering and getting dressed. He dressed in business casual clothing, a dark-blue polo and black slacks along with black Italian loafers. He'd worn a suit all day and, where he was taking Ariadne, he didn't want to stick out too much.
He arrived at the restaurant at 6:45pm and took the booth by the window, where anyone walking by might see him. He filed away the six new ideas for his glider and wondered how long she'd make him wait before arriving. Some executives had no concept of time and others were so obsessed with it that they thought of little else.
Norman looked at his Cartier watch and listened to it tick. It ran two seconds too slow. He'd take it to a watch-maker soon.
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Besides, this was a business meeting, not a supervillain illuminati catch-up. So there she was, dressed in blacks and greens, but still somewhat business-like and professional.
Ariadne slinked over to where Mr. Osborn was sitting. She'd already been in the restaurant when he'd arrived, though she'd stayed out of the way, hidden. Waiting to strike as it were. So far, she sensed no danger. Granted, she had set things up here so that things were, quite unerringly, in her favor.
"Mr. Osborn," she held out a hand, her perfectly manicured fingernails painted a deep, luminescent green. He wasn't hard to recognize. How could you be when you the scion of New York's more infamous families? Besides, HYDRA always did their research.
Even if no one outside of HYDRA knew where the Typhon Group's origins lay.
"You're here early. I always appreciate a man of his word." She wouldn't sit until he had stood up and greeted her.
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"You look wonderful. I'm partial to green myself." Norman said, regarding her bracelet, shoes and earrings. He studied her expression and her posture, trying to get a better read on what kind of person she was. He would sit down after she did and the waitress stepped over and nodded.
"Good evening, Mr. Osborn. What can we start you off with?" she asked.
"I'll start with a Coke." he said, waiting for his guest to make her own order. Once the waitress left, he smiled.
"I was raised to keep my word and I like the look of surprise on people's faces when I do. So many of them expect less. But please call me Norman, Ms. Sarkissian. People call me Mr. Osborn and I look around for my grandfather." he said, chuckling a little.
"I hope your day went well. Have your people worked out the distribution matter on the new medication? I'd like to hold a press-conference on it in the near future." Norman said.
"Perhaps a representative from the Typhon Group could appear and speak as well. The whole partnership and all."
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"Well, Norman," she said, trying out the name, "given the reputation that you rich New York boys have, I can't say I fault them." Ariadne knew better, though. HYDRA knew a good deal about the Osborn family. Ariadne herself had read up on the history ever since talks of a meeting had come up. "Most of your set are either known as flakes, hardcore party boys, or worse." There was a reason why Midwestern boys tended to make such good soldier-types.
"We're looking at our options," Ariadne said. "One or two leads seem promising, but I should have something more concrete by the end of the week. Certainly, I don't forsee a problem with a press conference on it. I'll have my people contact your people when we've got a clearer idea of when everything will be ready."
She took another sip and pondered that for a moment. "Hmm. Perhaps. I will send someone along." Or perhaps she'd do it herself. She'd just need to see how dangerous it would be to appear on tv. While the general public wouldn't know the weight of the name "Sarkissian", people like the Avengers and SHIELD would. They didn't need to be tipped off that she was in town.
Neither did a certain hairy Canadian X-Man.
"Couldn't hurt. I like to think that this will lead to a long, steady partnership."
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"I'm not a New York party boy. I never really got into that scene, as I spent a good portion of my life overseas. Lots of time in France and Greece, Ms. Sarkissian. That's a Hungarian name." Norman said simply.
"I had to go through a maze of records just to garner that little bit of information and nothing shows up on you. Nothing. Even your fellow execs call you 'Ms. Sarkissian'. The question before me now is...what kind of game are you playing with me?" Norman asked.
"I like steady partnerships where everyone knows what's expected of them. People didn't like my grandfather but they don't deny that he got results. I get results. Your company wants to make a lot of money distributing the cure I invented? Fine. I'm all for it. Let's get filthy rich. But I want /you/ to play a couple of cards face-up for me." Norman said, taking a sip of his Coke. His gaze leveled on her and shifted to something predatory, as a wolf eyes a gazelle prior to striking.
"Leon Durance has called me three times a week for two months to tell me we're on track and that things are on schedule. Jessica Halford follows up those calls on the off days to tell me how glad she is we're working together. Brandon Singleton, Robert Barlow and Jennifer Daniels have met me for drinks twice a week for three months for small talk and ironing out little details. Miss Daniels certainly doesn't mind working overtime, especially when it lets her embezzle from the company. Those three are having an affair by the way. Singleton is functional alcoholic. He called me the other night after he hit a homeless kid with his BMW. He was drunk out of his mind. Barlow has a funny little...pastime of his own. But we'll cover that during the second part of our evening." Norman said simply.
He unwrapped his napkin and took out the butter-knife. He turned it vertically, point-faced down and began tapping out a rhythm on the wooden table.
Ariande might recognize it as Morse Code.
"There are twelve executives on the Board of Directors at the Tyhpon Group, counting you. I'm sure I've had dinner with the entire board, individually, at least once, except for you. I've seen the collective board four times since we first opened discussions and you were there only three times." he said, tapping that insistent rhythm.
"In fact, the meetings never started until /you/ entered the room. In three meetings, you asked four questions total compared to the 928 questions asked by the remaining eleven members." Norman said, the tapping continuing.
"Your four questions were the hardest to answer. The other members either asked variations of those questions or asked base-line questions that were answered in the information briefs I provided at each meeting, usually in the first three paragraphs or first six pages for anyone who read them. Everyone followed your lead, though I'm sure Paul Breckenstall flips alternately between hating you and staring at your legs when you wear that black skirt with the green necklace that brings out your eyes." he said, referring to four Mondays ago at the last joint meeting.
"So which am I, Ariadne? Am I a flake, a party boy...or worse?" Norman asked, the Morse code tapping continuing as he stared her down.
"I'll tell you who I think /you/ are. I think you're the most put-together person on that board and you're willing to overlook a few personal foibles for unquestioned loyalty. Typhon Group grows at 9 percent every year without fail. It's part of why I chose you to distribute. You're either cooking your books or you've got outside funding. I don't care which so long as your people don't wreck my triumph." Norman said.
"I think you're a dangerous woman who needs this to work as much as I do because you have your own plans in this town. That gives us a starting point. Help me get what I want, I'll make sure you get what you want in equal measure." he finished.
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But the fact was that as Madame Hydra's daughter, Ariadne had a certain cachet at the Typhon Group, and within that specific branch of HYDRA in general. She'd already proven herself a capable and willing agent - smart, shrewd, cunning.
She took another slow sip of water, mulling Norman's words over just a bit more.
"I do assure you," she said finally, "we're not cooking our books. Typhon's funded by our own original investors - there's nothing fishy going on with us." Monetarily, at least. HYDRA was a lot of things, and lacking for money wasn't one of them.
"I'm curious. What is it that you want help getting, Norman? You practically have everything as it is."
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"Money and big houses don't do it for me, Ms. Sarkissian. Take them both away and I can get both working from scratch. I want power. I want to run this town and then I'd like to extend my reach to other places." Norman said.
"Problem is...those things don't always come from clean living and hard work. I know a lot of men who've done the right thing, lived well and ended up with nothing to show for it." Norman said.
"I'll get what I want. Those who help me will profit greatly."
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"Domination, Norman? I wouldn't expect anything less from a man of your breeding." Nor a man with his family history.
Once she was certain that he had understood what she'd been tapping out, Ariadne set her fork down.
"I believe we can work together to meet our goals."
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When his guest returned the coded tapping that he'd started, his grin became impossibly wide. It was infectious, charming and somewhat predatory in its mien. Still, his night was made now. The Typhon Group would work with him and that meant he could start focusing on other matters.
"I'm glad we understand each other. I have plan on various ways we can aid each other, most of them the purview of your organization or a that of an associate of mine." he said.
"But before we got any further, I need to answer a question for me." Norman said, leaning in conspiratorially as if he was about to share a secret.
"What's your first name?"
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"Ariadne," she said. "Ariadne is my first name." She could have lied, and indeed, she had almost been tempted to. She could easily have been Adrianna or Anoushka or Amelie. But he knew her last name already. What would have been the point?
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Ariadne.
Norman's expression became still. Was she joking? She had to be. This...this was too perfect. So very, very...
"Perfect."
He let the word hang for a moment between them.
"Ariadne helped Theseus kill the Minotaur in Greek mythology. I always loved the story. But this lines up too well with what I have planned." he said, sipping his Coke as he considered.
" I have a plan that will net us wealth and power that can be folded into the organization's plans. Reach, legal reach, that will put us in every country in the world." Norman said.
"How would you like to honor your namesake and help me kill a Minotaur?"
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Good. She liked that.
"I know the myth," Ariadne said. "In some places, she was also considered a snake goddess." This was, clearly, where Viper had gotten the idea of Ariadne's name from.
Well, that and the fact that it had once been an alias that the original Spider-Woman had gone by.
"What Minotaur did you have in mind?"
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He liked that a lot.
He nodded as she also spoke of Ariadne being a snake goddess. Norman liked the idea of goddess of poison. He liked the idea of poisons in general, but his R&D division was behind the curve on making deadlier ones. He needed some new info to funnel them.
"The CEO of Roxxon Energy Company. His name is Dario Agger. I don't propose we kill him outright. That would be hard. And stupid. What I do propose is weakening Roxxon's hold in a few areas while we let some of the more law-abiding masked-types handle the illegal things that we know Roxxon does." Norman said.
"And when the time is right, then we bring him down."
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"Killing him outright would be faster, but you're right. That's not the smartest move to make here." She smiled, then. "I do like the idea of keeping the capes busy, though. Out of my way." She folded her arms in thought. "I can help you out with resources, but I'm sensing that you have some sort of plan here. Care to share the details?"
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"I do have a plan but it's got a lot of moving parts. Pieces need to be moved into place. Roxxon's environmental record is terrible. A small, independent watchdog group bombarding the airwaves with that information would put their PR machine to work on keeping up their rep. That's part one." he said.
"The Mayor of New York is also in Agger's back pocket. He gets the City Council to sign off on legislation proposed by Roxxon's chairman. Didn't the Mayor deny Typhon Group's bid to be the city's pharmacy benefit manager recently in favor of Winstead Medications? I know you researched Winstead while they were bidding. Guess what company owns Winstead? And guess who's funding the mayor's reelection campaign in violation of campaign finance laws?" Norman asked.
"The Mayor needs to be neutralized or bought off. Make him toxic and Agger will drop him like a hot potato."
"You want to keep the super-types busy, that part is a little easier. Roxxon is a slow burn until I can net a hostile take-over. Then Agger can be killed but we need soldiers. He's got an army working for him. Literally." Norman said.
"So, we need soldiers, a new mayor, and a major distraction for our costumed friends. Let's kill three birds in one shot."
Norman leaned in close and whispered.
"We need a war. A bloody one. Turn New York into Bosnia and the capes won't have time to worry about anything else. Dead bodies get them all up in arms." he said.
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Helped with that whole world domination thing.
It was definitely a project that Ariadne could hand out resources to, and help oversee. With one caveat.
"I'm all for helping out with this, Norman," Ariadne said. "Certainly, you've got a lot of cogs turning, and I can see where HYDRA would be able to lend support. Here's the thing, though. Publically, in any matter, I don't want any of this to lead back to HYDRA. I'm on your side here, because the fallout of this is certainly something that interests me. But for now, HYDRA's a silent, non-public partner. Deal?"
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"The first is copies of the Mayor's campaign donation records. I've requested them several times over the last couple of months but I'm getting stonewalled. If those get over to the Daily Bugle, I'm sure they'll run with the story." Norman told her.
"The other is the names of a couple of assassins who are good at what they do. I'll handle the contact through another associate of mine."
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Well, good bad people.
And they had spies everywhere.
"Though I have to say. HYDRA's best assassin is sitting right in front of you."
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And that was probably why she was good.
"You're the best? I've known a couple of good assassins. I might even be able to use your talents sometime soon." he said.
"What's your favorite implement? Knife? Sword? Gun?"
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"I'm trained to kill in a variety of ways," she said after a moment. "Whatever's most convenient, depending upon the mark. I would say that I'm not a fan of guns, though. They're so impersonal. Death is the last conscious thing a person experiences. They should go out while someone's there to hold their hand, don't you think?"
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"A crushed windpipe lends a certain powerful terror to the act." Norman said.
"Do you enjoy killing people?" he asked her, his tone suddenly very genuine and inquiring.
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"Sometimes, it's a necessity," she replied. "Sometimes, sport."
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"There's nothing wrong with it, if you do. Death isn't a source of fear. It's liberating, if you think about it a certain way." Norman said.
"And murder can be a form of stress relief if you have no others."
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Well, unless he was in a goblin suit.
Was that a thing he did?
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Norman gave her an appraising look, weighing her question.
"Only if I'm left with no other means, Ariadne." he said.
"Serial killing is boring. If you're going to devote the time to killing someone, you need to know the person. Get to know their routine. Learn all of the things they love and fear. And like you said, hold their hand at the end and watch them go. It's like a relationship, except that you already know how and when it's going to end." he said.
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Just then there was a flash of movement outside the window they sat near. A black-and-red blur swung past the restaurant, up and away, but Norman's eyes tracked the movement as it happened.
The red blur was in the image of a spider.
He slid out of his seat without warning and ran outside.
He saw Spider-Man swing away from their location and simply watched hero move along to whatever was happening next in the city. His eyes remained focused on the direction he'd left in even after he disappeared from sight.
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Ariadne raised her eyebrow as Norman rushed to the window. She followed him at a leisurely pace, and stood behind him, arms crossed, patiently waiting.
"Saw something that interests you?"
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"Sorry. Thought I saw a spider." he said, shrugging.
"I hate spiders."
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Norman turned to face Ariadne, looking down at her slightly.
"And what do you think about them?" he asked.
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"My family has some history with...cousins...of your species," she said. "They don't matter to me, though. I mean, what's a spider to a snake?"
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He raised a sable brow as she said she had some experience with spiders.
"Spiders and snakes both possess venom. I've been trying to increase my immunity. Spiders have been killing Osborn men since before I was born." Norman said.
"He killed my grandfather. He killed my father." Norman said quietly.
"He will not kill me." he vowed.
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If Norman only knew of her true nature.
But Ariadne was a woman full of secrets, and that was one of them. No one ever needed to know one-hundred percent of her business.
"As long as you don't give him reason to, I'm sure he won't," she said, in a matter-of-fact tone. "You've heard of self-fulfilling prophecies, I'm sure. They're in many of the Greek tragedies. The protagonist sets out to stop something heinous from happening - something that's happened to family members before, you know. Anything. But instead of preventing it, they only invite the inevitable in."
She looked out the window again. "If you haven't engaged him yet, then maybe you can break that cycle."
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"Unfortunately, I'm not that lucky." he said, finally heading away from the window to go back to his seat.
"Heroes impose their morality on the world without regard to the feelings of others. Simply because they believe it's right, it's right. If I do the same, I'm ruthless or amoral. But simply because a man puts a spider or a star on his chest, that somehow makes it okay." Norman said, shaking his head.
"I can't stand for that. Life is about freedom. Freedom to live how you choose, so long as you aren't a threat to others. But heroes are a threat to our bottom line. The vision we have doesn't exist in their world and theirs doesn't match up with ours." Norman told her.
"The only inevitable thing here is that they'll try to stop HYDRA when the real work begins." he said.
"When that time comes, we have to be ready to make examples of as many of them as possible."