Chapter 10 The Mysterious Woman? That's the clue the doctor wanted...
Meanwhile, Dick was unaware of what was about to happen to him. He hurriedly changed into Officer Grayson's uniform in an alley outside the police station, and was immediately summoned into the office by the angry chief as soon as he stepped into the station.
Then came a torrent of abuse, beginning with suspension and ending with dismissal. The fat bureau chief's trembling beer belly looked like it wanted to ram him into the air.
"What do you think you're doing?" The chief spat, his saliva almost hitting Dick's face. "'Squid' is not someone you can mess with. If you dare to sign an arrest warrant, then you'd better clean up your own mess."
Dick thought to himself that the chief had personally reviewed every arrest warrant. He couldn't have been unaware that Eric had applied for the 'Squid' arrest warrant; it was just that now that something had gone wrong, the police department needed someone to take the blame.
This lowly officer with no connections became a convenient scapegoat. The chief's implication was that he should take the blame, admit that the BPD was innocent, and that he had made the wrong arrest on his own initiative.
Eric, leaning on his cane beside him, suddenly spoke up: "I also agreed to arrest 'Squid'; he's a drug dealer, and the evidence is irrefutable."
"Don't think I don't know what you're up to!" the chief roared, his anger rising. "You're seeking revenge! Eric, that's all in the past. You should know you're just a cop, a bastard. Squid can let you go like a fart, but you... you idiot, you can't do anything!"
Dick glanced at Eric with surprise.
However, Eric had no obligation to explain everything to Dick. He simply lifted his eyelids lazily and, as usual, put on a sly old fox look. "He got off easy, but I really didn't kill him."
Looking at Eric, Dick suddenly remembered something. Eric had a habit of taking bribes from the underworld and then turning a blind eye to their illegal transactions. Wasn't the person who maintained a 'business' relationship with Eric Hossen previously the 'Squid's' most trusted second-in-command?
However, Eric would never admit to this in front of the chief, and the chief had no evidence to prove that Eric was indeed involved in the murder of 'Squid'.
Just like the boring meeting Allen faced, Dick's side didn't make any real progress after receiving a scolding. They left the office after the director told them to "get out."
In the hallway, Dick asked the question that had been puzzling him for a long time, "...So, you're cooperating with 'Squid's' henchmen?"
That might make sense.
'Squid' did indeed contact his men to hijack the car, but he clearly didn't expect that his men were police informants...
Calling him an informant isn't entirely accurate. Eric likely approached the Black Gang members seeking cooperation, with the true aim of killing 'Squid'. The Black Gang members who escorted 'Squid' that day must have betrayed him... Besides Officer Leo, there was also a prison guard named Simon, who was probably Eric's planted agent.
But Simon died, and Officer Leo died too.
It was the 'squid' who discovered the betrayal of his subordinates.
Eric glanced at Dick. "I warned you before: eat and drink well, and don't meddle in things that aren't your business—that's the secret to the longevity of the Broodhaven police."
Dick stared at him coldly as he continued to question, "You collaborated with 'Squid's' henchmen, having them pretend to kidnap 'Squid' while actually killing him in the chaos? No, your plan failed... 'Squid' killed Simon instead; he was murdered by another group that arrived later."
“Greed is human nature. ‘Squid’ has been in this position for too long, so long that people are starting to get impatient.” Eric lit a cigarette. “Kid, you’re not suited for the Broodhaven Police Department. You’re too naive. Take your sunny smile and get out of here.”
“You can’t do this,” Dick said, barely containing his anger. “The police have rules they have to follow. If you cooperate with them once, they’ll ask you to cooperate a second and a third time. This time it was murder, what about next time?”
Dick admitted he wasn't a rule-abiding citizen, but he also knew certain lines couldn't be crossed. Police officers have red lines they must follow; once crossed, there's no turning back, even if the purpose is righteous.
“Next time is next time.” Eric shoved Dick aside, who was blocking his way. “Aren’t you secretly working with that violent ‘superhero’ Nightwing? Or don’t you know that superheroes are also outside the rules? Rules… You’re talking to me about following the rules while standing on Brodhaven Police Department’s turf? Grayson, go home and suck your milk, or find out who ‘Squid’ is before you talk to me!”
Eric was no longer the stubborn old man from the hospital. After saying those harsh words, he stood up and left, completely ignoring how unpleasant Dick's expression was.
Dick tried his best not to punch Eric in the face.
Sometimes he really couldn't figure Eric out. He seemed to have some principles, but his behavior was no different from the Black Gang. He thought he had seen through Eric's tough exterior but soft heart in the hospital, but the guy gave him another rude awakening.
Just as Eric had said, the officers around Dick and Eric continued eating and drinking as usual, showing no concern whatsoever for their argument. Dick then realized that the good relationship he had always believed he maintained with his colleagues at the police station seemed so fragile at this moment—perhaps he had never truly understood his colleagues, nor had he ever truly adapted to the way the Brudhaven Police Department operated.
But should he change himself?
Another officer passing by patted Dick on the shoulder.
Eric's figure had already disappeared at the end of the corridor.
However, before Eric could even get close to the police station basement with his boxing gloves and play the little game that Brudhaven police and criminals often played, an officer rushed in.
He shouted frantically at everyone, "Eric, are you there? The guys you brought back yesterday are dead! All of them are dead!!"
Dick suddenly turned to look at Eric, only to see that Eric's expression had also darkened.
**
Meanwhile, Dr. Osborne was still suffering in Ms. Goodman's office.
No matter how worried Dr. Osborn was about some problems he didn't even know what they were, time wouldn't stop no matter how much he prayed.
Dr. Osborne was lost in thought, completely ignoring the lawyer opposite him.
Squid's men and his lawyer both believed that the sharp-tongued and annoying doctor on the other side was deliberately mocking them.
Unbeknownst to him, Dr. Osborn had once again drawn a wave of hatred, completely ignoring the hostile gaze directed at him. Instead, his attention was drawn to the wife of the 'Squid' sitting next to the lawyer.
The long-haired woman, who hadn't spoken a word, didn't seem particularly striking. The only thing that stood out was her long, black hair, which reached down to her waist and covered most of her face, making her look like she had just emerged from a rainy day.
From the moment she entered the conference room, she covered her face with both hands and sobbed softly, making it impossible to see her expression.
At first, Allen only regarded her as an insignificant person, but now the woman was secretly staring at Allen through her fingers with her dark eyes.
When she saw that Allen had also noticed her, she suddenly raised the corners of her mouth in a very strange way, revealing a strange—probably smiling—expression.
Allen frowned, about to say something, when he saw the 'Squid' lawyer suddenly stand up, slam his fist on the table in a rage, and glare fiercely at Allen.
Ms. Goodman is not worried at all now because the reliable Dr. Osborn has a reliable lawyer.
Their mysterious darling intern in the emergency department was so wealthy that she had been sponsoring a law firm for years! For life! This is something Mr. Murdoch just admitted himself.
Wow. Rich people.
Ms. Goodman had a premonition that the 'squid' would suffer a great loss.
Indeed. After verifying Allen's professional qualifications and the hospital's employment contract, 'Squid's' lawyer was clearly starting to panic and was now in a state of impotent rage.
"...Mr. Johnson's medical advisors believe that you have not used the most advanced and effective treatment plan for him..."
Ms. Goodman looked up and reminded Allen that it was best to leave this kind of problem to that lawyer, Murdoch.
However, she clearly overestimated Allen's patience and was overly optimistic about Dr. Osborn's reliability.
Dr. Osborne slammed down the phone on his lawyer and took matters into his own hands to defend himself.
“If you don’t understand, shut up.” Allen put down his crossed legs, arrogantly stood up from his chair, and used his height to look down on the lawyer opposite him. “Intervening before cardiac arrest and massive bleeding occur is the best time to treat REBOA—do you want your employer to need an amputation or acute kidney failure after surgery? It seems you’re more eager than I am for that idiot in the hospital bed to die?”
The lawyer for 'Squid' twitched his lips and turned his head away from Allen.
Unable to argue with Allen, the lawyer turned his gun back on the Brudhaven Police Department: "Perhaps you should give my boss an explanation as to why he receives this result after paying his taxes legally every year. I think the public who are concerned about this matter are also waiting for a reasonable answer from the police department."
The police and hospital staff were all speechless, but could only watch helplessly as a criminal talked at length about paying taxes legally, judicial fairness, and the inadequacies of the healthcare system.
Allen was clearly not keen to let the other party off the hook, because he desperately needed a target to escape the pressure of facing the annoying lawyer and some other unpleasant memories.
His green eyes had become much darker, like the calm before a storm.
"I guessed right?" Allen leaned forward slightly, staring intently at the lawyer's expression. "...Interesting. You actually want your employer to die, don't you? Come on, tell me who you work for now? The woman next to you?"
The woman paused slightly, then answered in a tearful voice, "Dr. Osborn...who would want the father of their child to die? Fitch is a legitimate businessman, he just accidentally..."
"Please don't talk nonsense," the lawyer interrupted loudly, "or I will..."
"What? Sue me for defamation?" Allen scoffed. "How about hearing my story? There's a mafia boss in Brudhaven... ah, no, a legitimate businessman. His wife and her henchmen betrayed him. One's eager to inherit a huge fortune, the other's eager to climb the ladder and enjoy power... Let me speculate a bit, there might be other stories behind this, a long-ago story, almost swallowed by time—after all, you all seem so fond of Tri..."
Before he could finish speaking, the woman opposite him began to scream and even tried to lunge at him. In the rush, Allen felt her sharp nails scratch his arm. However, upon closer inspection, the skin on his arm was still intact, without any marks.
Is it just an illusion?
Another of 'Squid's' henchmen pointed a gun directly at Dr. Osborn's forehead.
The entire office fell silent for a moment.
The police officers immediately drew their guns.
Tensions are high among the three parties.
The Google paramedic let out a short gasp, which was then quickly covered by Dr. Miller.
The lawyer supported the 'poor' Mrs. Johnson, whose face was pale and whose eyes looked at Allen with far more fear than Mrs. Goodman's.
He insisted, "Everything we did was in accordance with procedure. I was fighting for the justice my employer deserved!"
Alan couldn't help but chuckle in the silence. The figure of the lawyer opposite him gradually overlapped with the well-dressed and dignified figures of the members of the Osborn legal team, which brought back some unpleasant memories to his mind.
Squid's wife covered her face and cried even more heartbrokenly, but her feet seemed to be firmly welded to the office floor, showing no intention of leaving.
Her dark eyes peered through the gaps in her long hair, staring at Allen with the gaze of a greedy wolf.
Allen saw the woman smile at him again and lick her lips.
"Regardless, my employer, Mr. Johnson, is now in critical condition. This is all the police's fault!" the lawyer began to argue irrationally.
"Put down your gun!" a BPD officer yelled at 'Squid's' men. "This is a hospital!"
"You were the ones who first posed a threat to us!"
Allen noticed that the lawyer and bodyguard opposite him had started glancing at the woman frequently, only to quickly look away.
Until the woman nodded almost imperceptibly.
The standoff lasted for nearly half a minute before the people on the 'Squid' side put down their guns.
The atmosphere temporarily returned to the eloquent and aggressive state the lawyer had been in ten minutes earlier.
However, everyone now knows that if a result isn't reached today, things will likely get out of hand.
“Ms. Goodman, I still believe that Dr. Osborne made the wrong medical decisions in treating my employer…”
The Google emergency responder next to him gently nudged Allen, a look of concern on his face.
On his phone was a video, a news feed that had been pushed to him.
The person in the video is Alan's neighbor, Dick Grayson.
Dick was surrounded at the police station entrance, surrounded by cameras and microphones; the reporters looked like they wanted to devour Officer Grayson. Some of them had been bribed by 'Squid's' henchmen, asking increasingly shameless questions.
"Is there a possibility that an innocent person has been framed within the police department? To the best of my knowledge, all the evidence against Mr. Johnson comes from an unnamed 'superhero'—we can't even be sure if he's a 'hero'!"
"...Mr. Johnson just donated a large sum of money to the orphanage last month, and the orphanage director has already spoken out in support of Mr. Johnson..."
Dick looked somewhat overwhelmed, and the video was captioned with an eye-catching title—"Another Scandal Erupts at the Brude Haven Police Department? Is the Police System Still Trustworthy?"
The people carrying long guns and short cannons were crammed together in a huge, swarming mass. The more Allen looked at them, the more repulsive they seemed. In the end, they almost merged into one giant, writhing black mass of flesh. Countless identical faces grew on the mass, each one wearing a malicious smile.
Their faces overlapped with the writhing mass of flesh in another scene; they merged together, repeating the same motion endlessly, as if chanting a spell.
“…Norman Osborne deeply loves his wife Emily, and Mr. Osborne is a kind and gentle father. You must cherish this life, Alan…Without the Osborne family, you are nothing!”
The woman's sorrowful and desperate expression became increasingly clear.
Allen's hand fell on the poison in his pocket again. He didn't have to endure this; he could have easily killed the chattering guy with a little trick, and he, like Norman Osborn, enjoyed the feeling of blood flowing in his palm.
Just as he was about to touch the unassuming little bottle, Allen suddenly felt a dull pain in his chest, and his fingertips began to tremble uncontrollably.
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