Chapter 3:
"Have the virus and germ tests been completed?" Howard sat outside the testing hall, his face tense. The moment he saw the doctor step out, he rushed forward.
"Mr. Howard, the initial tests are complete. No unknown viruses, bacteria, or microorganisms have been detected yet, but—"
"Stop, stop, stop, no 'buts,' doctor," Howard interrupted. "Since the test is clear, I should be able to adopt him."
"According to the law, as long as you submit an application, you can adopt him." The doctor wisely shut his mouth. He was just a doctor—defying a powerful figure in SHIELD was beyond him.
"Good." Howard nodded. "Can I go in now?"
"It's fine, but the child is sleeping, so please be gentle."
"Jarvis, get a car ready to go home and find someone to draft an adoption application." Howard took a step forward, then paused, sticking his head back out. "Oh, and think of a good excuse to tell Maria."
Jarvis, looking irritated, nodded and walked toward the garage.
"Ms. Nurse, can I pick up the child?" Howard turned his attention to the nurse, who was busy scribbling notes on a record board.
"It's Mr. Howard. Yes, you can take him now. I'm just doing routine documentation." She stepped aside.
"There's nothing abnormal in his physical examination?" Howard picked up the sleeping baby, rubbing his tiny face with his rough beard.
"Aside from his rapid hair growth and the atavistic presence of a tail, there's nothing too unusual," the nurse said. "If anything, his brainwave activity and cell regeneration rate are significantly higher than a normal infant's."
"In other words, he's going to be smarter and healthier than his peers?" Howard grinned.
"How did you—?"
"I'm a professional." Howard laughed, waking Li Ji in the process. The baby scowled at him.
"Let's go home." Howard rubbed his beard against Li Ji's face again. If he had the strength, Li Ji would have smacked him by now.
At the base's entrance, Howard checked his watch. He had been waiting for ten minutes, but Jarvis was nowhere to be seen. Li Ji, starting to feel hungry, remained quiet. This place looked too much like a military facility—there was no telling what they'd do to him if he cried. He just wanted to leave as soon as possible.
Howard's radio crackled.
"They still use radios? How retro is this place?" Li Ji thought. "This better not be some backwater militia base stuck thirty years behind the rest of the world."
"Hey, Jarvis, where are you? Should I wait here until Easter?" Howard's irritation was evident. He wasn't great with kids, but even he could tell Li Ji was hungry. SHIELD had many resources, but baby formula wasn't one of them.
"Mr. Howard, return to SHIELD immediately!" Jarvis's voice was low and urgent. "The Brotherhood of Mutants has taken control of the underground garage. We don't know if this is a demonstration attack or if they have further plans. Please head to the secure zone now!"
"Damn it. Didn't Charles say he was monitoring the Brotherhood?" Howard gritted his teeth and rushed back into the base with Li Ji in his arms.
"Mikant Brotherhood?" Li Ji frowned. "That sounds like some underground gang."
"Don't be scared, kid. Daddy's strong. I'll protect you."
Hearing Howard shamelessly call himself "Daddy," Li Ji's desire to slap him grew stronger.
The alarms blared.
"Damn it! It took them this long to notice?" Howard fumed. "And the Brotherhood jammed our communications. Who the hell gave them that tech support?"
Gunfire echoed through the base. Li Ji stiffened.
"Seriously? A shootout? First, I get hit by a spaceship, then I wake up as a baby, and now I'm in the middle of a gunfight? I'm just a kid! Can I get a break?"
Howard stormed into a secure room and sealed the door. Thirty-centimeter-thick armored walls covered the space, cutting off all sound.
"Is Nick an idiot? He only noticed the attack after they broke in. Unbelievable," Howard muttered before glancing down at Li Ji. He took a deep breath and forced a smile.
"Sorry, kid. Daddy lost his temper. Don't worry, this is just a small problem. Stay here while I take care of it." Howard pinched Li Ji's cheek, kissed his forehead, and stepped out.
The moment he was gone, a thick armored door covered the room. Li Ji was now alone, completely cut off from the outside world.
Howard moved cautiously through the halls, pulling a sleek pistol from his coat.
In the SHIELD central hall, a mutant stood at the center, his arms transformed into wolf-like claws, arcs of electricity crackling around him. He radiated raw aggression.
"SHIELD! Release our captured brothers! The Brotherhood of Mutants never abandons its own! If you don't comply, we will escalate!" His voice boomed through the hall.
Agents took defensive positions, rifles trained on the intruders.
Howard peered from a hidden vantage point. "That's Ripper. A mutant with enhanced strength, agility, and electric discharge. He's not the brains of the operation—someone else is pulling the strings."
Behind Ripper, another mutant floated above the ground, his eyes glowing faintly.
"Damn. That's Cipher. A telepath. No wonder they knew exactly where to hit us," Howard muttered. "This just got worse."
Cipher's voice rang out, smooth and controlled. "I suggest you lower your weapons. We don't want unnecessary bloodshed."
The tension in the room thickened.
Howard pulled out a small device from his coat. "If this works, I can jam Cipher's telepathic waves for a few minutes." He activated it. Cipher winced but held his ground.
"That should buy me some time." Howard moved quickly, slipping behind cover.
"Howard, status?" a voice crackled in his earpiece.
"Bad. They have a telepath, and they've cut off our comms. I managed to scramble his signals, but it won't last."
"Backup ETA?"
"Too long." Howard clenched his jaw. "We need a new plan."
Ripper cracked his knuckles. "You have thirty seconds before we escalate."
Cipher regained his composure. "Ten, actually."
Howard exhaled. "Damn mutants and their sense of drama."
From his concealed position, he whispered into the radio. "Jarvis, prepare to cut the lights in three… two…"
Darkness swallowed the hall.
Howard moved.