Chapter 26: Eddie Brock
"So that's why you were going after Tony Stark?"
"How could that be?" Christine replied, shaking her head. "Tony Stark gave me a sum of money afterward. I'm grateful to him, if anything. Why would I target him? I'm just… puzzled. I just don't understand why someone as brilliant as Tony Stark would devote all his energy to creating weapons."
She paused, her voice faltering. "He could succeed in any field he chose, but he insists on researching weapons." As she spoke, tears slipped quietly down her cheeks.
Peter watched her in silence. He suspected she had someone who had been harmed by weapons manufactured by Stark Industries.
If even someone he had met by chance carried such pain, then across the United States, even the world, how many people had suffered because of weapons manufactured by Stark Industries?
"What Mr. Stark said this time has to be true," Peter said firmly. "There's no way he's lying."
"You really believe him?"
"I do," Peter replied with conviction. "He's someone worth trusting."
Christine let out a bleak sigh. "If what Tony Stark said is true and Stark Industries really shuts down its weapons division, the military won't just stop buying weapons. They'll partner with another company. Hammer Industries and Oscorp will start a new arms race. Heaven knows how many high-tech weapons will be born from that."
"Oscorp?" Peter tensed instantly.
Across the many universes he had experienced, Oscorp was always causing trouble. Norman Osborn was never a good person.
"Yeah. Aside from Stark Industries, those two companies are the strongest. Once Stark Industries withdraws, they'll swallow up its market without hesitation."
Peter fell silent. If Oscorp ended up working with the military, it might be the worst news he had heard since arriving in this universe.
"We're here," Christine said, pressing the brakes.
"Oh, thank you, Christine," Peter said as he pushed the car door open.
"No worries."
Once Peter stepped into the Daily Bugle building, Christine's expression darkened immediately.
She had deliberately brought up her past, hoping Peter would let something slip about Tony Stark. In the end, she had gotten nothing.
Christine had personally seen Peter enter a room in Stark Tower before the press conference. Her instincts told her that Peter Parker from the Daily Bugle must have had firsthand information.
"All that effort for nothing…" she muttered, then drove away from the Daily Bugle.
Inside the Daily Bugle, in J. Jonah Jameson's office.
"Peter, what were you thinking?" Jameson snapped. "I handed you a golden opportunity to interview Tony Stark, and you came back with nothing. All you gave me was news every media outlet in New York already knew!"
"I'm sorry, Mr. Jameson," Peter said, lowering his head. "That was my fault."
"Jonah, let it go," Ben interjected, trying to smooth things over. "Tony Stark has always been an eccentric man, and he'd just been rescued. It's normal that Peter couldn't get much out of him."
"Normal or not, it shouldn't have been nothing," Jameson grumbled. "If he'd gotten even one solid detail, that would've been something."
In truth, Jameson wasn't all that angry. He knew Tony Stark's temperament well enough.
He didn't have high hopes for Peter Parker's interview to begin with. His outburst was more for show.
"Tony Stark announcing the shutdown of Stark Industries' weapons division is already huge news," Ben remarked calmly.
Seeing Ben steer the conversation elsewhere, Jameson followed along.
"That guy really turned over a new leaf?" Jameson found Tony Stark's behavior unbelievable. "Making a decision like that."
"People can change, Jonah."
"Sure, but this feels a little too complete, don't you think?"
Knock. Knock. Knock.
"Come in," Jameson called.
"Boss, I've got a scoop on a New York police scandal!" A blond reporter burst into the office, breathing hard.
"Easy there, Eddie. Take a breath," Jameson said, waving him down.
"I got an interview with John," Eddie Brock blurted out.
"John? One of the two officers who had contact with Spider-Man before?" Jameson asked, eyebrows lifting.
"That's the one," Eddie replied eagerly. "I waited outside his place for two hours before he finally came home."
"And? What did he say?"
"He admitted it himself. Both incidents were entirely Spider-Man's doing. The NYPD didn't accomplish anything," Eddie said, barely containing his excitement. "He even said Spider-Man is a true hero."
"That's it?"
"Well…" Eddie hesitated, lowering his voice. "He also said he hopes the Daily Bugle will accept this superhero and stop smearing him."
Then Eddie straightened, his eyes shining. "Boss, this is huge. A New York police officer openly admitting Spider-Man is a hero and acknowledging the NYPD's incompetence. If we run this story, it'll destroy their credibility. The entire city will be shaken."
In Eddie's mind, Jameson had always been at odds with the NYPD. This interview, he was certain, was a major achievement.
To his surprise, Jameson fell uncharacteristically silent.
He did believe the police were often incompetent, but he didn't want them to lose all public trust. If that happened, New York would descend into chaos.
"You did good work. You still have the footage, right?"
"Yes, boss." Eddie quickly pulled out the camera's memory card and placed it on Jameson's desk.
"Excellent," Jameson said, nodding. "You've done the Bugle a great service. I'll remember this."
Eddie smiled triumphantly. That was exactly what he wanted to hear.
"All right, Eddie. Get back to work," Jameson added.
"Yes, sir." Eddie left the office, practically glowing with pride.
"Mr. Jameson, you're not really planning to release that video, are you?"
John's words would be a devastating blow to the NYPD. Peter genuinely didn't want the police to lose their standing. If criminals ran rampant, even Spider-Man couldn't save everyone.
"Relax, Peter," Ben said reassuringly. "Jonah won't do that."
Ben knew Jameson well enough. He was certain Jameson wouldn't publish that interview.
"You think you know me best?" Jameson muttered, glancing at Ben.
He picked up the memory card and slid it into his desk drawer.
As Jameson and Ben continued talking, Peter suddenly felt a strange pull.
Something indescribable was drawing him in.