Ted's "Magic" Request

The basement air reeked of cheap whiskey mixed with the strange scent of Ted's aftershave, like a cocktail diluted with paint. Lin Mo's fingers whitened around his glass. Condensation ran down the sides and through his fingers, spreading into a small wet stain across the scratched tabletop.

"So, you're saying your boss docked your overtime pay again?" Lin Mo tried to steer the conversation away from the "wall-walking guy." Ted had drunk a little too much tonight. Since seven o'clock, he had already put away half a bottle of whiskey. His tongue was starting to curl, yet he insisted on talking about the fire.

"Docking my pay is nothing!" Ted slammed the table, making the empty bottle wobble and nearly fall to the floor. "That bastard even said I stole batteries from the warehouse! Fuck, do I look like that kind of person?" He grabbed Lin Mo's glass and gulped down a huge mouthful. The burn of the whiskey made him grimace. "If it weren't for the free booze I get to mooch off you, I'd have punched him in the face already!"

Lin Mo smiled but said nothing. He understood Ted's frustration. Working as a warehouse manager at a logistics company, earning pitiful wages while taking abuse from the boss—anyone would get sick from bottling that up. It reminded him of his own life before crossing over. He had been scolded by his boss at work, then returned to his rented room to stare blankly at his computer. His only pleasure had been playing games with people online.

"Come to think of it," Ted suddenly leaned closer. His bloodshot eyes held drunken excitement and a strange flicker of clarity. "Mo, I know you've got a secret!"

Lin Mo's heart felt as though it had been pricked by a needle, but his expression did not change. "What secret? What secret could I possibly have? I just fix computers." He picked up the bottle and poured himself half a glass, trying to hide his nerves.

"Quit pretending!" Ted grabbed his arm, his grip as strong as iron pincers. "Last time you fixed the pipes, you didn't even put your hand inside, but the valve opened by itself! And on the day of the fire, you said you were just passing by. So why was there more ash on your face than on the firefighters?"

Cold sweat instantly broke out across Lin Mo's back. He had not expected Ted to notice so many details. When he fixed the pipes, he had indeed used his phasing ability because he did not want to dirty his clothes. During the fire, he had been so focused on saving people that he forgot to wipe the soot off his face. Those little things had seemed insignificant to him, yet Ted had remembered every one of them.

"You must've seen wrong." Lin Mo tried to pull free, but Ted gripped him even tighter. "I used a long wrench to fix the pipes. You just didn't see it. And during the fire, I went to help move things, so I got dirty."

"Bullshit!" Ted clearly did not believe him. His breath, sour with alcohol, sprayed across Lin Mo's face. "A long wrench can pass through a wall? Moving things can leave you looking like you crawled out of a chimney?" He leaned close to Lin Mo's ear and lowered his voice as if sharing a shocking secret. "Can you do magic? Like the kind on TV, where you can walk through walls?"

Lin Mo's heart began pounding. Magic? That was not a bad excuse. Looking at Ted's excited face, he suddenly found it a little funny. Beneath all his daily complaints, this man still had a childlike curiosity hidden inside him.

"Stop guessing and drink your booze." Lin Mo picked up his glass, trying to change the subject.

"No! You have to admit it!" Ted clung to his arm like a stubborn child. "If you don't, I'll tell Martha that you're hiding a bottle of good liquor and refusing to share it with her!"

Lin Mo had no way to shake him off. He was also worried that too much noise might draw SHIELD's attention. Even though his concealment had been strengthened, it never hurt to be careful. He could only sigh. "Fine, I admit it. I know a few little magic tricks."

"I knew it!" Ted clapped excitedly, nearly overturning the table. "Hurry up and show me one! Show me!"

Lin Mo hesitated. Revealing his ability in front of Ted was too risky. But seeing the anticipation in his eyes, and remembering that Ted might be talkative but always left a light on when Lin Mo came home late, Lin Mo could not bear to refuse him.

"Just one," Lin Mo compromised. "And you can't tell anyone after you see it."

"I swear I won't!" Ted raised three fingers like he was taking an oath, excitement glittering in his eyes.

Lin Mo took a coin from his pocket and placed it on the table. It was an ordinary one-dollar coin, its edges worn shiny. He took a deep breath and activated his phasing ability. Before Ted's astonished eyes, his hand slowly passed through the tabletop.

"Wow!" Ted's eyes widened like saucers, and his mouth hung open wide enough to fit an egg.

Lin Mo felt around beneath the table, grabbed the coin, then slowly pulled his hand back. When his hand completely left the tabletop, the coin was already pinched between his fingertips.

"Holy shit!" Ted sprang to his feet, nearly knocking over his chair. "That's incredible! How did you do that? Teach me! I'll perform in Las Vegas! I'll make a fortune!"

Lin Mo smiled, pushed him away, and slipped the coin back into his pocket. "Try yoga for ten years first." He did not dare actually teach Ted. This was not magic—it was a genuine superpower. If it were misused, the consequences would be unimaginable.

"Yoga?" Ted frowned, clearly unconvinced. "I don't believe yoga lets you walk through walls. You must have some kind of trick. Did you use a prop?" He crawled under the table like a clumsy bear, feeling around everywhere. "Is there something wrong with the table? Or did you use some high-tech gadget?"

Watching him wriggle beneath the table, Lin Mo laughed so hard he could not straighten up. Since crossing over, this was the first time he had laughed so freely. There was no SHIELD surveillance, no risk of his ability being exposed—just friends joking and fooling around.

"Stop looking. There aren't any props." Lin Mo pulled him back up. "I really practiced it. It's difficult."

Ted was clearly unwilling to let it go, but he knew Lin Mo would not tell him anything more, so he gave up. He sat back down and poured himself another drink, though excitement still shone in his eyes. "Seriously, Mo, if you took that skill to Las Vegas, you'd definitely become famous. You could be the magician, and I'd be your manager. We wouldn't have to drink cheap whiskey in this lousy basement anymore."

Lin Mo smiled without speaking. He knew Ted was only talking. Although he complained about life, he could not bear to leave Queens. Its streets were familiar to him, as were the people. And there was also the Spider-Man web-shooter he kept hidden under his bed, which Lin Mo had once "seen" using his phasing ability.

"Oh, right." Ted suddenly remembered something and pulled a crumpled flyer from his pocket. "There's a community talent show next week. The prize is five hundred dollars. Want to enter? Perform your wall-walking magic, and you'll definitely win first place!"

Lin Mo took the flyer. The words "Queens Community Talent Competition" were printed on it. Besides the five hundred dollars, there was also a supermarket gift card. He smiled. "Forget it. My magic isn't suitable for performing in public."

"Why not?" Ted asked, confused. "A magic trick that good should be shown to everyone."

Looking at Ted, Lin Mo suddenly felt a little sad. This man did not know how dangerous the "magic" he found so amazing was in the real world. SHIELD's surveillance, mutant hunters, even the fear of ordinary people... none of it could be offset by a five-hundred-dollar prize.

"It's too much trouble." Lin Mo handed the flyer back to Ted. "And I've been busy lately. There are too many things to repair."

Ted sighed and did not press him further, though he kept muttering, "Five hundred dollars... think of how much whiskey that could buy..."

They drank for a while longer. Ted gradually passed out on the table, still muttering about "wall-walking magic" and "Las Vegas." Lin Mo helped him onto the bed and tucked him in. Looking at his sleeping face, he suddenly felt at peace.

At least, in this world watched by SHIELD, someone still saw his superpower as amusing "magic." Someone could get so excited over a small trick he performed. That was enough.

Back in his own basement, Lin Mo sat at his desk and looked at the moonlight outside the window. His wristband suddenly lit up:

[Detected that the host used an ability in a non-emergency situation. Proficiency increased by 1%.]

[Current proficiency: 71%.]

Lin Mo smiled. He had not expected performing a "magic trick" for Ted to increase his proficiency. He opened the "Ability Training Schedule" and added a note: "Practice using abilities naturally in front of others, using 'magic' as cover."

Maybe Ted was right. Performing some "magic" in the community once in a while would not be bad. At least it could let people know that superpowers were not necessarily frightening. They could also be fun and bring joy.

Early the next morning, Lin Mo was awakened by Ted knocking on his door. With dark circles under his eyes, he opened it and saw Ted holding a notebook. Ted said excitedly, "Mo, I came up with a new magic trick last night. Can you tell me if it'll work?"

Lin Mo took the notebook. It had a crooked drawing of someone climbing into a box, the box being sawed in half, then the person walking out unharmed. "That's the old sawing-a-person-in-half trick," Lin Mo said with a smile.

"What about this one?" Ted flipped to the next page. It showed someone standing before a mirror, while the reflection made completely different movements. "I call it 'Duplication'!"

Lin Mo's heart skipped a beat. Duplication? It reminded him of Multiple Man from the X-Men, who could create duplicates of himself. "That one's a little difficult," he said vaguely. "It needs a lot of props."

Ted clearly did not notice anything unusual about him and continued enthusiastically, "I think I have talent as a magician! Once I learn enough, I'll go to Las Vegas. Then I'll send you postcards!"

Lin Mo smiled but did not speak. He knew Ted's dream of becoming a magician might never come true, but that did not matter. What mattered was that he had a friend with whom he could share dreams, and a place where he could listen to someone ramble about "magic" after getting drunk.

On the way to the repair shop, Lin Mo saw a crowd gathered around the community bulletin board, all looking at the talent show flyer. Peter was among them, taking pictures with his camera. When he saw Lin Mo, he hurried over. "Brother Lin, did you see the flyer? There's a talent show! Are you going to perform your wall-walking trick? You'll definitely win!"

Lin Mo ruffled his hair. "We'll see. What about you? What are you going to perform?"

"I'm going to show off my web-shooter!" Peter said excitedly, his eyes shining. "I improved it. It can shoot stronger webbing now!"

Lin Mo's heart warmed. Whether it was Ted's "magician dream" or Peter's "web-shooter," both gave this world under SHIELD surveillance a little more color and warmth.

"Good luck," Lin Mo said with a smile. "I'll be there to watch."

When he reached the repair shop entrance, Lin Mo saw Carlos talking to a man in a suit. The man had his back to him, but his figure looked strangely familiar. Only when Lin Mo got closer did he realize it was Coulson!

Lin Mo's heart sank, and his first instinct was to hide.

"Lin Mo, come over here," Carlos called, wearing a slightly unnatural smile.

Lin Mo forced himself to walk over and looked at Coulson, unsure why he had come again.

"This is Mr. Coulson," Carlos introduced. "He says he's looking for someone reliable to help maintain the community surveillance equipment. The pay is very good."

Coulson looked at Lin Mo with a gentle smile. "I think you're a good fit. What do you say? Interested?"

Lin Mo's stomach dropped. Maintaining surveillance equipment? This was obviously an attempt to make him SHIELD's informant and monitor what was happening in the community! He was about to refuse when he caught a subtle hint in Coulson's gaze, as though he were saying, This is an opportunity.

"I..." Lin Mo hesitated.

"Go for it." Carlos patted his shoulder. "It's easy work, and you can earn extra money. What's not to like?"

Lin Mo took a deep breath. He looked at Coulson, then at the expectation in Carlos's eyes, and suddenly smiled. "Sure. When do I start?"

He knew it might be a trap, or it might be an opportunity. But either way, he had to take it—for the people in the community, for Ted's "magician dream," for Peter's web-shooter, and for himself to live with a little more confidence in this world.

A nearly imperceptible smile appeared at the corner of Coulson's mouth. "Tomorrow morning. I'll come pick you up."

Watching Coulson leave, Lin Mo felt conflicted. He did not know whether his decision was right or wrong, but he knew he could never return to the days when he merely repaired computers and occasionally performed "magic."

But that was all right. He had his phasing ability, enhanced concealment, friends like Ted, and the lively warmth of Queens. That was enough.

That night, Lin Mo saw on the community bulletin board that Ted had actually signed him up for the talent show. The name listed was "Lin Mo—Amazing Wall-Walking Magic." He shook his head with a smile, but he was thinking that maybe he really could perform. Not for the prize money, but to make Ted happy and give the people in the community a little more joy.

After all, life was bitter enough. A little "magic" would not hurt.