300 Days Until the Next Check-In

A tin can sat on the basement windowsill, holding three wild daisies Peter had picked from the community garden that morning. Dew still clung to their petals. Lin Mo sat on a cot with an old comb in hand, slowly brushing the little dog by his leg. Shield squinted comfortably, rumbling in his throat, his tail sweeping across the floor like a wound-up little motor and stirring up fine dust.

The stray had been picked up at the mouth of the alley last week. He had been skin and bones, with an injured left front leg, probably from being hit by a car. Lin Mo had used his Phasing Ability to remove shards of glass lodged in the flesh, then secretly taken some cotton and iodine from Carlos's repair shop to bandage him. Ted said the dog looked like S.H.I.E.L.D.'s shield emblem—round-bodied, with a heart-shaped patch of white fur on his chest—so he named him Shield.

"Hold still, I'm almost done." Lin Mo gently held down Shield's fidgeting head as the comb passed through his brown fur, pulling out a few dried leaves. The puppy had probably been abandoned for too long and was especially clingy. He followed Lin Mo everywhere, even lying beside the toolbox whenever Lin Mo repaired computers, like a dutiful little bodyguard.

The band on his wrist suddenly lit up. Pale blue numbers flickered across the screen before settling on "300." Lin Mo paused, feeling a little sentimental—there were exactly 300 days until his next check-in. He had been in this world for nearly a year. From his initial panic and unease to calmly brushing a stray dog now, time had passed so quickly.

"What ability will it be next time?" he muttered, stroking the wristband as his fingertips brushed its cool screen. The first had been phasing, the second Beast's Physical Enhancement. What would the third be? Flight? Invisibility? Or shooting webs like Spider-Man? Lin Mo could not help smiling. It would be great if he could fly. No more squeezing onto the subway during rush hour, no more taking detours to deliver Gretchen's medicine. He could just fly straight there, faster than Ted's so-called "rocket speed."

"Woof!" Shield seemed to understand him. He rubbed his wet nose against Lin Mo's palm and licked his wrist, nearly licking the wristband.

"You little rascal." Lin Mo set the comb by the bed, picked Shield up, and weighed him in his arms. "You seem to have put on some weight. Keep eating like this, and you'll finish all of Carlos's dog food." In truth, Lin Mo had bought the food himself, but every time he said it was Carlos's "charitable donation." The old man acted tough but had a soft heart. He cursed that the dog was "worse than an animal," yet always secretly dropped beef jerky into Shield's bowl.

The basement door opened, and Ted poked his head in, glitter from magic props still stuck in his hair. "Mo, Carlos wants you back at the shop to fix a computer. Says there's a big client with 'things you shouldn't look at' stored on it." He waggled his eyebrows and grinned. "You know."

"Stop talking nonsense." Lin Mo put Shield on the floor. The puppy immediately chased Ted's pant legs, his tail brushing Ted's ankles and making them itch. "What kind of big client?"

"No idea. He's wearing a suit, looks rich. Said his computer won't turn on, and there are important files inside." Ted bent down, picked Shield up, and held him before his face. "Little Shield, want to come watch a magic show? I'll teach you how to disappear."

Shield tilted his head and licked Ted's nose, making him burst into laughter. Lin Mo watched them fool around as he picked up his toolbox and headed out, though his thoughts stayed on that big client. A lot of unfamiliar people had shown up in Queens lately, supposedly because of a new Stark Industries project. Hogan had even called last week to ask whether he was interested in helping maintain equipment, but Lin Mo had politely declined.

The repair shop's glass door gleamed. Carlos was talking with a man in a black suit, his face carrying a smile rarely seen on him. When he saw Lin Mo come in, the old man quickly waved. "Little Lin, come here. This is Mr. Alan. He's having some trouble with his computer."

Mr. Alan turned around. His eyes behind the lenses studied Lin Mo from head to toe with a hint of scrutiny. "You're Lin Mo? Carlos says you're very good at repairing computers." His briefcase sat on the counter, looking expensive, with an unfamiliar company logo printed on it.

"I'm decent." Lin Mo accepted the laptop Alan handed over. Its casing was made from the latest Titanium Alloy, and it was clearly expensive. He pressed the power button, but the screen did not react. Only the indicator light flashed before going dark. "Probably a motherboard issue. I'll open it up and take a look."

"Be careful. There are very important files inside," Alan warned, his tone a little tense.

Lin Mo nodded and activated his Phasing Ability to scan the internal structure. A capacitor on the motherboard had burned out, likely due to unstable voltage. It was not a major problem. He took out a screwdriver and swiftly opened the casing, his fingers moving nimbly between the components. Physical Enhancement made his motions both quick and steady, and even Alan could not hide his surprise.

"Your technique is more professional than our company technicians'," Alan could not help saying.

"Practice makes perfect." Lin Mo smiled, took out a spare capacitor and replaced it, then used a multimeter to test the voltage. "All right. Try it."

Alan pressed the power button. The computer started smoothly, and the login screen appeared. He sighed in relief, pulled several hundred-dollar bills from his wallet, and handed them to Lin Mo. "Keep the change. Thanks."

"That's too much." Lin Mo took only one bill and pushed the rest back. "Fifty is enough for the repair."

Carlos stood nearby, glaring anxiously and signaling with his eyes for him to take it, but Lin Mo pretended not to notice. Alan paused, then smiled. "Interesting young man." He did not insist and put the money away. "By the way, is your shop hiring part-timers? My company happens to need technical maintenance staff. The pay is very high."

"No, thank you." Lin Mo shook his head. He had no interest in this kind of high-paying job of unknown origin.

Alan did not press the matter. He picked up his computer and left. Carlos immediately came over and smacked Lin Mo on the arm. "Are you stupid? You turned down money delivered right to your door! That was several hundred dollars!"

"You can't take money from an unclear source." Lin Mo packed up his tools. "The files on his computer were encrypted, and there was a military-grade firewall. He definitely isn't an ordinary company employee."

Carlos's expression changed. "How do you know?"

"Just a guess." Lin Mo did not tell the truth. Using his Phasing Ability, he had seen the titles of those encrypted files. They were related to energy experiments in New Mexico. It seemed S.H.I.E.L.D. was still operating in secret, only using a different method now.

When the shop closed that evening, Ted held Shield in his arms and flipped through a calendar. He opened it to a particular page. "Mo, look. There are still 300 days until the next check-in." He circled the number in red pen as though it were a major holiday. "What superpower do you think you'll get next? Could it make my magic better? Like actually making an elephant disappear?"

"You're overthinking it." Lin Mo laughed and snatched the calendar away. It was covered with all sorts of strange guesses for abilities: breathing fire, growing bigger or smaller, even talking to animals. Beside that one were the words: "Ted exclusive."

"I think it'll be flight." Peter suddenly ran in from outside with a kite in his hand, painted with a person who had long wings. "If Brother Lin Mo could fly, he could deliver things faster. He could even help Gretchen get kites down from the roof."

"Peter understands me after all." Lin Mo ruffled his hair. "But flying seems troublesome. What if an airline mistakes me for an unidentified flying object and shoots me down?"

"They won't!" Peter argued anxiously. "I designed an anti-radar device that can be attached to clothes. It'll make sure no one detects you." He pulled a blueprint from his schoolbag. It showed a simple metal piece. "This will do. The principle is similar to a stealth fighter."

Lin Mo looked at the blueprint and suddenly remembered Stark Industries' stealth fighter designs. Peter's idea was simple, yet unexpectedly feasible. "Not bad," he praised sincerely. "When you build it, I'll help you test it."

Ted leaned in to look at the blueprint and curled his lip. "What's so great about flying? My growing-and-shrinking idea is better. I could crawl into a vending machine and take cola without paying."

"That's stealing!" Lin Mo and Peter said in unison, making Ted scratch his head and grin foolishly.

The three of them headed toward Aunt May's house with Shield. The setting sun stretched their shadows long. On a bench in the community park, Martha was chatting with Gretchen. When they saw them, Gretchen waved. "Come here! Fresh apple pie!"

"Woof!" Shield rushed over excitedly, circling Martha's pant legs, his tail sweeping so hard that she nearly lost her balance.

"This little mutt gets more unruly every day." Martha smiled and lightly kicked Shield's rear, then pulled a strip of jerky from her pocket and tossed it to him. "Little Lin, that man you repaired the computer for today isn't a good person. Stay away from him."

"You know him?" Lin Mo was startled.

"He was skulking around the neighborhood a few days ago," Martha said in a lowered voice. "I had my sister look into him. He works for S.H.I.E.L.D., and he specializes in watching people like you who have 'a bit of skill.'"

Lin Mo's heart sank. He really was from S.H.I.E.L.D. It seemed they had not given up monitoring him; they had merely switched to a more discreet approach. "I understand. Thank you."

"Don't take it lightly." Martha glared at him. "Those people in black look polite, but they use nasty methods. Last time, a young man who could move objects from afar was taken away by them and never came back." She patted Lin Mo's arm. "Protect yourself, and protect these two kids too."

Lin Mo nodded, feeling uneasy. He only wanted to repair computers in peace and take care of the people around him. Why did trouble always come looking for him?

During dinner, the television was playing a documentary about extraterrestrial life. Blurry photographs of flying saucers filled the screen while experts droned on about the possibility of "close encounters of the third kind." Ted suddenly put down his knife and fork and asked seriously, "Mo, if aliens really come attacking, where do we hide?"

Lin Mo was feeding Shield crumbs of apple pie and froze at the question. Peter also stopped eating, his eyes shining as he looked at Lin Mo. He was clearly very interested in the subject. Aunt May glared at Ted. "What nonsense are you talking about at the dinner table?"

"I'm serious." Ted insisted. "The news says an alien spacecraft crashed in New Mexico, and there are glowing circles in Norway. If they really attack, this rundown neighborhood of ours won't be able to stop them."

Lin Mo looked at the sky outside the window. The evening glow was slowly fading, and stars were beginning to emerge one by one. He thought of Martha's words, S.H.I.E.L.D.'s surveillance, Mjolnir in New Mexico, and Thor's retreating figure. Then he suddenly smiled. "Hide in the basement. As long as I'm here, nothing will fall on you."

"Really?" Ted's eyes lit up. "Can you use Wall-Crossing Technique to hide us? Or use your super strength to hold up the ceiling?"

"Either works." Lin Mo picked up a piece of apple pie and took a bite, its sweetness melting across his tongue. "If it comes down to it, I'll use the speed from Physical Enhancement to take everyone somewhere safe—faster than an alien spaceship."

Peter clapped excitedly. "Then I can help! The anti-radar device I designed will come in handy, and I can make a signal jammer so the aliens can't find us!"

"And me!" Ted refused to be outdone. "I can use magic props to confuse them, like smoke bombs and mirrors that make people hallucinate!"

Aunt May watched them discuss it with growing enthusiasm and shook her head helplessly, though the corners of her mouth kept lifting. "All right, all right. Finish your food first. If that day ever comes, I'll move my cookie oven into the basement. No one will go hungry."

Shield seemed to understand. He wagged his tail and rubbed against Lin Mo's leg, making a spoiled little sound in his throat. Lin Mo patted his head, and suddenly felt at ease. Three hundred days was a long time, enough for many things to happen. Perhaps there would be an alien invasion. Perhaps even more terrifying dangers lay ahead. But as long as he had these people beside him—Martha, who loved to nag; Ted, who loved to brag; curious Peter; and this clingy little dog—he had the courage to face anything.

After dinner, Lin Mo helped clear the dishes. Peter came over and whispered, "Brother Lin Mo, actually, I'm not afraid of aliens." The boy's eyes sparkled under the light. "I think they're like us. They just want to find a place to live. Like... like Shield."

Lin Mo's heart gave a sudden jolt. Looking at Peter's earnest profile, he suddenly felt that the boy was braver and kinder than he had imagined. "You're right," he said with a smile. "But if they aren't friendly, we can't show weakness either, right?"

"Yeah!" Peter nodded hard. "Then the Web-Shooters I invent will come in handy! They can wrap up their spaceships!"

Lin Mo thought of the web formulas on Peter's scratch paper and smiled as he ruffled his hair. "Then you'd better invent them quickly. Don't miss your chance when the time comes."

By the time they left Aunt May's house, the night was deep. Ted carried Shield ahead of them, humming an off-key tune. The puppy's tail wagged in his arms like a moving furball. Lin Mo walked behind them, watching their backs before looking up at the stars. The wristband on his wrist gave a light vibration, displaying the number "300."

He did not know what ability he would receive in 300 days, nor what dangers awaited him in the future. But at this moment, he felt peaceful. Just as Martha had said, soldiers would come and generals would stop them; water would come and earth would dam it. As long as he protected the people around him and this little community, there would always be a way through even the greatest difficulties.

Back in the basement, Lin Mo put Shield into his dog bed. The puppy yawned and soon fell asleep, his little nose twitching now and then. Lin Mo sat at the desk, opened his notebook, and wrote on the newest page: "300 days until the next check-in. I hope for flight, or... something that can make Shield stronger."

Moonlight shone through the small basement window, falling over the notebook and the wristband's screen. The pale blue glow was gentle yet unwavering, as if cheering him on and reminding him that no matter how many challenges lay ahead, he was not fighting alone.

The wait of 300 days might be long, but as long as he held hope in his heart, every day would be meaningful. Lin Mo closed the notebook and lay down on the bed, listening to Shield's steady breathing with a smile on his face. Tomorrow would be another new day. There were still many computers to repair, many people to help, and many warm moments waiting for him.