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Norman basically spent a week completely locked up in his office, although it had actually become his makeshift laboratory.

With the blueprints in his hands he really didn't think he would need anyone's help to recreate the reactor, and he preferred to keep his personal project a secret.

Besides eating and getting some sleep, he really didn't do anything else besides concentrate on recreating the Arc reactor.

And the fact that Tony was able to create it in a cave made him even more determined to do it.

By the end of the week he had at his disposal a rudimentary yet functional arc reactor, of course this might be nothing compared to the ones Tony would have in the future, but Norman knew he could recreate it just as well and even give it his own design.

Although he highly doubted he would end up with armor like the Stark's it would always be nice to have a hidden card, plus he would have an almost unlimited power source at his disposal and would only get better once he could get his hands on the Badassium blueprints.

For the moment the Osborn looked at a wall clock that was in his office, it seemed that it was already a little late and if he didn't hurry then he wouldn't be able to attend the charity event, he wondered if he would be able to see Anthony on this occasion.

With that thought in mind he started moving to take a shower, he needed to be presentable for such an occasion otherwise he might sully Oscorp's reputation.

The Arc reactor was locked in his personal vault, besides it was set up by Osborn himself, and it would be difficult for anyone to open it and even if they tried by that time Norman would have been notified and would simply use his teleportation to return immediately.

…

On the way to the location where the charity party would be held on behalf of Stark Industries Norman was informed of Anthony's sudden appearance at the party, it seemed that just like in the movie no one expected him to attend.

No doubt the press was a nuisance and Norman had already anticipated that his arrival would also cause a bit of a commotion, whether it would be more than Tony did was questionable, but it would certainly be something to talk about for a while.

The trip didn't take long and before getting out of the car there were already reporters pointing their cameras at the vehicle, really a nuisance.

The moment he got out the reporters seemed to go into a frenzy, after all since he had woken up from his accident he had hardly ever shown himself to the media in such a direct way and adding the fact that in the past months he had bought a large part of Stark Industries it was understandable why they acted that way.

Anyway, Norman simply walked across the red carpet on the floor, not caring about the questions, shouts or even pleas that the reporters were saying to him.

Once inside the place he could see a variety of people, Osborn took his gaze all over the place while looking for Anthony, however when he found him he realized that he was in a conversation with a redhead that he assumed was Pepper Potts.

Well he would have time to chat with him more when Tony found out he was at the party, it was unlikely he would pass up an opportunity to chat with the man who took advantage of his disappearance.

Norman could see that many people were approaching him in order to have a chat, possibly looking to try to create a connection with him, be it for work, friendship, or something else.

So he resumed his steps once again in the direction of the bar, he needed a drink to get him through this.

…

A short time later after a few drinks and a nice chat with an older man Norman watched as Tony settled into the chair next to him.

"Anthony" mentioned Norman as he watched the Stark order a drink: "Norman" likewise greeted the Stark.

"So you were turned away?" asked Norman at Tony's presence, "Not really, she just mentioned that she had to leave, but that she would certainly make it up to me" he replied calmly.

Norman just shook his head at the fact that Tony was being so cheeky.

Soon the Stark was handed his drink and brought it to his lips, after taking a sip he spoke again, "So why did you do it then?" he asked, and although he didn't specify both men knew what he meant.

Norman just shrugged his shoulders: "I saw the opportunity and I took it, I'm sure if you had had it you would have done the same" he explained and then pointed to the action that Anthony was sure he would have taken.

Anthony just smiled a little at the Osborn's words: "Yes, I would have, but even years ago you had made your company an individual one, you really are a greedy bastard" he mentioned without any kind of filter.

"It's not my fault that your father decided to make his company public, if it wasn't then even if I wanted to then I couldn't pull it off" replied Osborn.

Anthony just shook his head as he took another drink from his glass: "Is that all?" asked the Osborn at the Stark's lack of reaction.

"I don't need to ask to know the answer you'll tell me, because I already know" he explained calmly, "Only an idiot would be willing to sell his shares in the company now that I'm back" he added with a hint of arrogance.

Norman took a drink while nodding his head, he agreed with Tony's words, it was very likely that all the shareholders who sold him their shares are regretting it right now.

"Besides I'd rather have someone similar to me holding the company's shares" the Stark told him sincerely and his words managed to confuse the Osborn a little.

"Similar?" questioned Norman wanting to satiate his curiosity Tony only nodded: "We both went through similar situations" he answered quickly to then stop a little and give a sigh: "We were both on the verge of death, you must have died in the hospital bed while I must have done it in that cave" he explained in detail before drinking the remaining content of his glass and asking for another one.

Norman understood the thought process Tony had, although he was a little weirded out by it, but well it was simply a small deviation from the timeline.

"But we didn't, we're alive whether it was a miracle of God or not, the fact is we're still alive and that's all that matter" the Osborn told him.

"So tell me what are you doing with your second chance?" asked Tony after a brief silence.

"Trying to be a good father, being a better man, just trying to live better than I did before" answered the Osborn with sincerity: "And you, what are you going to do with yours?" he questioned shortly after.

"I'm trying to figure it out, I'm just still in the planning phase" he replied in a few words.

In the end Norman and Tony just kept talking for a while and a strange camaraderie formed between them.

…

At the end of the party Norman said goodbye to Stark and simply returned to the Oscorp subsidiary.

Norman was about to meditate a bit as he almost always does when he received a call from his personal phone, it was none of his contacts and none of his employees knew his number.

As soon as he picked up the phone he heard a man's recognizable voice, "You've improved, it took me a while to be able to get your number" Ducard's words echoed through the room.

"I wasn't expecting you to contact me" he mentioned calmly as he looked calmly at the floor he was on, "So what are you calling me for?" he quickly questioned.

The answer took a few seconds to come, "A warning" he replied simply, "You need to start being careful in your city, there will be a bit of chaos in it for the next few months" he continued and before Norman could say anything Ducard had already hung up.

The Osborn didn't even attempt to return the call or locate where the other man was, even if he were facing him he wouldn't say any more words to him than he already did.

However, he would listen to Ducard's words, after all he didn't think his character was that of a liar, maybe a manipulator but not a liar.

Norman really thought he needed to start creating his own intelligence network to keep himself informed of all the things going on in the underworld.

Just as he was thinking about that he received a message from a number he knew perfectly well, "I found it" a simple and short message plus several numbers were attached to the words.

A smile formed on Norman's face, it looked like he would have to make another emergency trip.