Seeing that the mother and daughter remained silent, Walter flipped through his records and said, "Based on the group's current revenue, we can accommodate a maximum of 300 people. Any more than that would place a significant burden on the company."
Three hundred? That number seemed too small. Thea's plan was to address the employment issues of at least half the people while providing a minimum living allowance for the rest, gradually integrating them.
Moira was also dissatisfied with this number.
"Offering so few positions will only make the situation worse. What if I get transferred to a branch in another city?"
One of the executives lowered his head and replied,
"The number cannot exceed 200. If we take in more, it will create conflicts with local employees. Our group cannot interfere too much in the branch's staffing decisions."
This situation was not uncommon in the United States. Many people spent their entire lives in small towns, born and raised there, never leaving. The insular environment made it difficult for newcomers to settle in.
The Queen Group and Wayne Enterprises, aware of this, always deferred to local management when appointing or dismissing employees at their branch locations.
Then, Thea suddenly had an idea.
"What if we built a high-speed railway connecting several cities?"
The East-West Railway in the United States had been around for over a century, but years of wear and neglect had left it in poor condition.
This project could revitalize the Queen Group's steel industry, creating jobs and absorbing much of the available workforce. Additionally, it would boost Star City's economy, giving Moira a significant advantage in her political campaign.
"That's a great idea!" Moira exclaimed, weighing the benefits. For her, it was the perfect strategy—she could campaign on promises of investment. If she won, the project would proceed. If she lost, she wouldn't be personally affected.
Walter, on the other hand, showed little interest. However, seeing that both mother and daughter were convinced, he chose not to oppose it.
Thea suggested that her mother send someone to ensure Derek signed the agreement as soon as possible. Beyond that, it was no longer her concern.
Moira remained focused on her mayoral bid. Though she had yet to officially announce her candidacy, she had already assembled a team of advisors and recruited experts from various fields to handle negotiations with neighboring cities and major corporations.
With that settled, Thea returned to her usual routine.
Over the next few days, she watched videos of Catwoman and Batman in action. Batman's fighting style, reliant on brute strength, didn't suit her, but Catwoman's agility and finesse caught her attention.
She was particularly impressed by Catwoman's balance. At formal events, she couldn't always wear flat shoes, so she decided to learn how to fight in high heels.
She started with thick-heeled boots. Walking was easy enough, but when she attempted a kick…
"Bang!"
Thea crashed to the ground, rubbing her head.
"Whoever designed these shoes should be forced to fight in them!" she grumbled.
Fighting in heels seemed impossible. But then she remembered that Catwoman—and even Harley Quinn—could do it. There had to be a trick to it.
The next day, she sought out her martial arts instructor, Lady Shiva, and asked,
"How does Catwoman have such good balance?"
Shiva folded her arms and studied Thea critically.
"Stand up. Let me assess your posture."
Thea obeyed but tensed as Shiva began adjusting her stance with subtle touches and corrections.
"You're not engaging your muscles properly. Your strength isn't distributed evenly."
She pointed to key areas along Thea's legs and core.
"This is the secret. This region connects your upper and lower body. If you learn to activate it correctly, you could fight even on stilts—let alone in high heels."
Shiva demonstrated, allowing Thea to feel the precise muscle movements in action.
Thea attempted to replicate them. After several tries, she realized it made sense. Watching alone would never have been enough—she needed direct guidance.
Now, she finally understood why Catwoman became exhausted after long fights. Fighting this way placed an immense strain on the calf muscles and Achilles tendons.
"That explains a lot…" Thea murmured, determined to master the technique.