THREE DAYS LATER

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As the morning sun timidly peeked over the industrial skyline of Varenya, its soft light danced across the steel and glass of the Osborn Industrial Mega Complex.

The sprawling city of innovation transformed into a shimmering sea of silver, where helicopters came and went from those gigantic steel towers, carrying executives, engineers, and vital research materials, each flight a pulse in this living machine.

High above the clouds, Arthur's personal helicopter sliced through the wind,a sleek matte black silhouette adorned with the Osborn crest.

Inside, he maintained his usual calm demeanor, eyes fixed on live global data streams projected onto the seat before him.

Below lay a city sculpted by his vision, factories as vast as districts and biotech towers glowing faintly blue at their peaks.

This was not just a symbol of human progress, it was a testament to his family's legacy.

With a gentle descent, the chopper glided onto the landing pad of Osborn Pharmaceutical and Biotech Group,the crown jewel of this complex.

As soon as the landing gear touched down, security units clad in sleek black suits were already on standby.

The doors opened with an anticipatory hiss. Arthur stepped out, his long coat fluttering lightly in the rotor wind.

The staff bowed in silent formation.

---

Arthur strode through sterile corridors within headquarters, each step deliberate and purposeful.

Glass walls flanked him on both sides, revealing scientists immersed in their work, dressed in white suits with sealed helmets and glowing blue gloves.

Each one was a cog in this intricate precision engine.

He reached his destination:The Primary Gene Laboratory.

Beyond a transparent barrier shimmered sterilization fields that filled the air with an almost ethereal glow.

Holographic screens floated midair like digital specters displaying lines of genome codes and simulation models.

The hum of machines blended seamlessly with soft pulses from scanning lights,a symphony of scientific endeavor.

Standing outside behind the glass wall, Arthur's reflection merged with that of the lab, a man enveloped by science and secrets.

Beside him stood Old Henry,his hands clasped behind his back,eyes tired yet focused on what lay beyond.

Dark circles shadowed his gaze; an unshaven beard hinted at sleepless nights weighed down by months of research.

Neither spoke for a long time, only the soft hum of purification filters punctuated their silence until Old Henry finally sighed deeply.

"It's ready," he said quietly, voice trembling between relief and burden.

"The cure is complete after weeks of refinement and testing,it works in one dose! It eliminates GENEBANE virus completely."

Arthur turned slightly but kept his gaze fixed on the laboratory. "Show me."

Henry nodded solemnly as he summoned a holographic interface that sprang to life between them,streaming biochemical data along with test results and metrics from human trials.

"The compound is called ONCURA," Henry said, his voice steady but charged with urgency.

"It targets the same genome sectors as GENEBANE, but instead of causing chaos, it reverses crystallization on a molecular level. It reprograms infected cells, compelling them to self correct. Within just six hours, viral activity plummets to zero."

He gestured toward the hovering models that danced in the air like futuristic art pieces.

"This nanobiotic structure binds directly to infected gene clusters..see here? It even regenerates the damaged neural links that GENEBANE obliterates. Just one injection is all it takes."

Arthur watched in silence, his reflection stark against the holographic glow,a ghostly figure lost in thought.

"What's the mortality rate among treated subjects?" he asked, breaking the stillness.

"Zero," Henry replied, straightening up with a hint of pride. "ONCURA doesn't just cure..it repairs! Even residual immune damage gets restored."

Arthur's fingers brushed across the hologram as if trying to grasp its significance. "And side effects?"

"None so far," Henry assured him. "But we need advanced synthesis facilities for production. Only Osborn Biotech can scale it efficiently."

Arthur nodded slowly, weighing each word carefully. "How many doses are ready?"

"Six million," Henry answered eagerly. "We could ramp up to fifty million within a month! But…"

He hesitated, sensing Arthur's tension. "You haven't approved its release yet."

Silence enveloped them like a thick fog. Henry looked down momentarily before meeting Arthur's gaze again, this time with an edge of desperation.

"Arthur," he urged quietly, "people are dying out there,children and whole cities collapsing! You have the cure right here! Why are we waiting?"

Arthur didn't respond immediately, instead, he stared at the lab,the scientists behind glass looking like phantoms in white coats.

"Tell me," he finally said, his voice low and contemplative, "what do you think will happen if I release it now?"

Henry blinked in surprise at the question. "What will happen?"

Arthur turned slightly towards him, his expression was calm.

"You've been in this business longer than anyone else here," he pointed out calmly.

"You know how things work in our world. So tell me: if I release this cure now, what follows?"

Henry straightened up as if bracing himself for an uncomfortable truth.

"Billions of lives will be saved! The world will celebrate Osborn Pharmaceutical as a savior! Your name will be etched alongside history's greatest figures! The company stands to earn trillions and maybe those scientists who worked tirelessly on it might finally get some peace… perhaps even a Nobel or two!"

A faint smile flickered across Arthur's face.

"That's quite an optimistic view," he remarked.

Henry frowned, a shadow of concern crossing his face.

Arthur's voice dropped to a calm yet icy whisper. "Now tell me the other side."

Henry hesitated, confusion flickering in his eyes. "The… other side?"

Arthur stepped closer to the glass, their reflections merging into one.

"If I release this cure," he said slowly, "the first question they'll ask is,how did we get it so fast? The second will be, were we involved in creating the virus?"

Henry opened his mouth to respond, but Arthur pressed on.

"Competitors won't seek the truth, they'll weaponize suspicion. Governments will turn on us to deflect blame. Corporations that thrive on fear will band together against us, flooding media networks with accusations. And let's be real,the public won't care about evidence. They never do."

Henry lowered his gaze, feeling the weight of those words.

Arthur's eyes darkened as he continued, his voice unwavering. "We'd be painted as monsters,the saviors who created the disease just to sell the cure. Once that seed of doubt is planted… even truth can't uproot it."

The old man's shoulders slumped slightly under the burden of reality.

For a brief moment, Arthur's gaze softened, just a hint of empathy shining through.

"Do you understand, Old Henry? The world doesn't reward those who save it; it rewards those who control the narrative."

Silence hung heavy between them as Henry stared through the glass at a young assistant adjusting equipment in the cooling chamber.

Arthur spoke again, quieter now. "If I act too soon, we lose everything my family has built. Conglomerates will coordinate their attacks; governments will impose sanctions while the public cheers,thinking they're punishing villains."

Henry let out a long breath laden with frustration and resignation. "So you'll do nothing?"

Arthur turned to him, expression inscrutable yet firm. "Not nothing,waiting isn't inaction; it's timing."

He shifted away from the glass and shoved his hands into his pockets. "Those who created this virus already have a weak cure ready for sale at outrageous prices,they'll claim it works and bleed the world dry until people are begging for something better."

He paused and looked back at Henry with intensity.

"And when they do," he said softly but firmly, "we'll give them one."

Henry frowned deeper now. "So we wait for them to make their move first?"

Arthur nodded decisively. "Exactly! Let those vultures feast! When they've taken enough and their greed drives them into the open, then we strike! Not out of charity but for order."

Henry's voice dropped lower still. "You sound… almost like them."

Arthur's expression remained unchanged, a mask of resolve.

"No," he stated firmly. "They toy with lives just to amass wealth. I intend to use my wealth to save lives but not at the expense of my family's legacy."

He turned his gaze back to the window, where scientists below continued their diligent work, blissfully unaware of the ethical tempest brewing just outside their glass confines.

Henry's voice quivered with emotion. "You'll carry that blood on your hands."

Arthur stayed silent, his attention fixed on his own reflection in the glass,calm, composed, and distant as if he were observing a stranger.

After a heavy pause, he replied quietly, "I've carried worse."

The two men stood side by side in the sterile corridor, the soft hum of machines creating an almost eerie backdrop to their conversation.

Old Henry's eyes studied Arthur closely. There was something complex in that gaze,a blend of sorrow and reluctant admiration.

Finally, he spoke softly. "You've changed, Arthur."

Without missing a beat, Arthur shot back, "The world changed first."

Silence enveloped them once more.

Outside, the sun cast golden rays through the glass and illuminating the polished floor.

The lab lights flickered on and off,tiny sparks reflecting in Arthur's eyes.

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