Chapter 20: Online Waiting, It's Urgent

Leo Bright spent the entire morning at the Tri-Wing headquarters, and now every agent there knew who he was.

They even gave him a rather fitting nickname:

"Robin the Mute!"

Well, Leo had long given up correcting people who got his name wrong; he was used to it.

Only those who truly knew him would get it right. This was just one of those cultural differences he had dealt with since childhood.

That afternoon, Leo returned to Midtown with Phil Coulson on the Quinjet.

"Fury gave me a new assignment. We'll be handling all special events from now on."

"Luckily, there are no special events to report in the next couple of days."

"Your work will be pretty relaxed, Consultant Leo. I'll notify you if anything special comes up," Phil Coulson said before bidding farewell.

As a super-ability consultant specially hired by S.H.I.E.L.D., Leo had significant freedom.

He didn't need to report to the team daily, and he wasn't required for routine missions.

He would only be called upon for special cases involving powered individuals.

"Safe travels," Leo waved goodbye to the departing Quinjet.

He glanced down at the two backpacks beside him.

These contained all the equipment he'd purchased.

With one backpack in hand and a guitar case containing two alloy steel-cutting knives slung over his shoulder, he headed home.

He attracted quite a few curious glances along the way.

After all, he looked the part of a wandering musician.

At one point, a talent scout approached him, commenting on his good looks and demeanor, promising to make him a star if he signed with their company.

Leo rolled his eyes, muttering a single word:

"Scram!"

The scout left dejectedly, casting regretful glances back at Leo as he walked away.

"I try to forget how handsome I am," Leo mused.

"But people keep reminding me every day."

"Sigh."

"It's such a hassle being so good-looking."

"If only I could be as ordinary as most people."

Leo sighed dramatically and soon reached his small rental apartment.

Before he could even knock, the door swung open from the inside.

"You're back?" said Skye, a little beauty with faint dark circles under her eyes, managing only a four-word greeting.

"Yeah, haven't seen you in over ten hours. Did you miss me?"

"I'm going to bed," Skye replied, rolling her eyes.

"You haven't slept yet? What were you up to all night?" Leo asked, frowning.

"Nothing much, just couldn't sleep," Skye answered weakly, turning away.

"Could you be any more vague?" Leo smirked, clearly not convinced.

"It's a long story. After the incident at Papa's bar, someone approached me. I ended up joining a mysterious organization as their super-ability consultant," Leo explained.

Then he froze.

He suddenly realized he had never mentioned his super abilities to Skye.

"Super Ability Consultant?"

"You have super abilities?" Skye turned back, curiosity piqued.

Leo stroked his chin, feeling a sense of déjà vu.

It seemed all he had to do was say, "One of my super abilities is XXX."

And the other person would inevitably ask, "One of them? Do you have more super abilities?"

However, things didn't go as Leo expected.

Skye was silent at first, then nodded as if recalling something, saying:

"I should have guessed. You didn't seem like an ordinary person that night."

Surprisingly calm.

"Aren't you curious about what super abilities I have?" Leo asked.

"I'm curious," Skye nodded.

"Then why didn't you ask me?" Leo looked puzzled.

This wasn't following the script at all.

"Oh... then what super abilities do you have?" Skye asked half-heartedly.

Leo: "..."

So perfunctory...

For some reason, he suddenly didn't feel like sharing.

"Want to know? Find out slowly," Leo replied.

Skye: "..."

They stared at each other for a moment before Skye snorted and turned back to her room.

"Hey, I brought you a gift," Leo called out, waving a lipstick gun from his pocket.

Skye stopped, turned around, and froze.

"Lipstick?"

A blush crept across her cheeks.

"It looks like a lipstick, but it's actually a pistol," Leo demonstrated, revealing the small concealed gun. The cold metal was rather intimidating.

"Haha, isn't it cool?"

The blush faded from Skye's face. She gave Leo a blank look, then turned away.

"Don't you like it?" Leo asked, scratching his head in confusion.

Suddenly, Skye turned back, snatched the lipstick gun from his hand, folded it back into its lipstick form, and retreated to her room, closing the door behind her.

"What does that mean? Does she like it or not?" Leo wondered aloud, bewildered.

In her room, Skye leaned against the door, listening for a knock that never came, muttering under her breath about a clueless guy.

"Whether you like it or not, you've accepted my gift, so you have to help me tonight," Leo called out toward Skye's bedroom.

After a long pause, a heavy sigh echoed from behind the door.

How can this guy not see that I'm interested in him?

Waiting online,

It's urgent!