American comics: I am full of martial virtues and I love to be kind to others.

"Really?" Danny's eyes lit up. "No wonder it tastes so unique!"

Lynn observed the interaction and sensed that things were moving in a positive direction.

"Child, how is your family situation?" Carlos continued to ask.

“My parents are in the Midwest, they’re both workers, and they worked very hard to send me to college,” Danny replied. “I don’t want to let them down, but I also don’t want to add to their burden.”

Carlos nodded, seemingly understanding Danny's situation. "Mike, we've been very busy lately, wouldn't you like to have another helper?"

Mike glanced at his boss, then looked at Danny. "Indeed, it would be helpful if someone could help with some of the groundwork."

“Danny, would you be willing to work here to pay off your debts?” Carlos asked.

"Really?" Danny asked excitedly. "You're willing to give me a chance?"

“Everyone deserves a second chance,” Carlos said gently, “but on one condition: you must work hard, be honest and reliable, and never again engage in any misconduct.”

“I swear!” Danny exclaimed excitedly, “I will work very hard and I will never let you down!”

Gwen watched all this unfold, admiring her brother Lynn's handling of the situation.

“There’s one more thing,” Carlos added, “Since you like our coffee so much, you can enjoy free coffee and staff meals during work hours. But remember, this is a privilege, not a right.”

Tears welled up in Danny's eyes. "Thank you! Thank you so much! I don't know how to express my gratitude."

“Show your commitment through actions,” Carlos said simply. “Starting tomorrow, you will work from four in the afternoon to ten at night, helping with cleaning, organizing inventory, and preparing materials. Your wages will be used to pay off your debts until they are fully paid off.”

“No problem!” Danny happily agreed.

After the meeting, Lynn and Gwen walked out of the coffee shop together.

“Brother, you’re amazing,” Gwen praised. “This approach is far better than simple punishment.”

“Sometimes, understanding and tolerance are more effective than harsh punishment,” Lynn replied. “This child doesn’t need a prison; he needs opportunity and guidance.”

“But how did you find him?” Gwen asked curiously. “And how did he even get into the coffee shop?”

Lynn already had her answer ready: "He has a duplicate key, probably smuggled from one of the employees. As for how to find him, that's a matter of detective work skills."

While not the complete truth, this is an explanation that Gwen can accept and understand.

The next day, Lynn returned to Moonlight Cafe. He saw Danny diligently cleaning the tables and chairs, his movements practiced and meticulous. When Danny saw Lynn, he immediately stopped working and came over to thank him.

“Mr. Hall, thank you for giving me this opportunity,” Danny said sincerely. “I really enjoy working here.”

"How are you settling in?" Lynn asked.

“Very good! My colleagues are all very friendly, and Mr. Carlos is very kind,” Danny replied happily. “And I learned a lot about coffee. Mr. Carlos even taught me how to identify different coffee beans and roasting techniques.”

“That’s good,” Lynn smiled. “Remember your promise.”

“Of course,” Danny nodded earnestly, “I will never do anything illegal again. And now I can drink the best coffee every day, learn skills, and earn money to pay off my debts. This is a thousand times better than stealing.”

Gwen came over. "Danny does a great job, everyone likes him. He's hardworking and very polite."

“It sounds like everything is going well,” Lynn said with satisfaction.

At 8:00 a.m., Lynn arrived at the FBI's New York field office on time. He was in a good mood after the successful resolution of yesterday's coffee shop case.

Lynn had just sat down at his desk, ready to review the day's case report, when Sarah knocked on the door and came in.

“Good morning, Inspector,” Sarah said. “The Chief wants to see you; he says he has an important assignment to give you.”

"Now?" Lynn glanced at his watch.

“Yes, he said it was urgent,” Sarah nodded, “and he’ll be waiting for you in his office.”

Lynn straightened his clothes and headed towards the director's office. Director Frank Brown was a serious man in his fifties who had worked for the FBI for over twenty years; he was highly experienced and possessed excellent management skills.

"Good morning, Chief," Lynn knocked and entered.

“Lynn, come in and sit down,” Chief Brown looked up at Lynn, his expression more serious than usual. “I have a special mission for you.”

Lynn sat down. "What mission?"

Director Brown picked up a tightly sealed file folder from the table. "This is a direct order from headquarters. In recognition of your outstanding performance in the recent paranormal threat case, headquarters has decided to place you in a specialized training program."

"What kind of training?" Lynn asked, though he already had a guess in his mind.

“Anti-mutant warfare training,” Director Brown stated directly, “will take place at a secret training facility in Colorado and will last for two weeks. This is a new FBI program specifically designed to train elite agents capable of dealing with supernatural threats.”

Lynn took the file bag. "When do we leave?"

“This afternoon,” Director Brown replied, “this project is top secret, and you cannot disclose it to any unauthorized personnel, including your sister.”

“Understood,” Lynn nodded. “Are there any other agents participating?”

“Yes, twelve agents were selected from across the country, and you are one of them,” Chief Brown said. “They are all agents who have performed exceptionally well in recent cases and have practical experience in handling supernatural threats.”

Lynn felt both excited and nervous. His recent encounters with mutants had made him acutely aware that traditional law enforcement training was insufficient to deal with this new threat. Specialized training programs were exactly what he needed.

"Is there anything else I should be aware of?" Lynn asked.

"The training includes theoretical learning, practical simulations, teamwork, and many other aspects," Director Brown explained in detail. "You'll need to learn the characteristics of various supernatural abilities, the corresponding tactics, the use of specialized equipment, and so on."

“That sounds very comprehensive,” Lynn commented.

“One more thing,” Chief Brown added, “the instructors for this training include some special advisors with in-depth knowledge of paranormal abilities. You might encounter some unexpected situations.”

Lynn understood the implication in the director's words. Former mutant criminals or other superhumans might participate in the training, serving as living examples or adversaries. "I'll be prepared," Lynn said confidently.

“Very good. The document bag contains a detailed schedule and contact information,” Director Brown stood up and shook hands with Lynn. “I wish you a successful training, Lynn. This project is important to the future of the FBI.”

Back in his office, Lynn opened the file folder to review the details. The training base, located deep in the Rocky Mountains of Colorado, was a specially constructed secret facility codenamed "Eagle's Nest." He needed to take the 3 PM flight to Denver, after which a private car would pick him up and take him to the base.

Lynn began packing the necessary items. As per regulations, he could only bring basic personal belongings; all professional equipment would be provided at the base.

Around noon, Lynn went home to say goodbye to Gwen.

"Brother, how long are you going on this business trip?" Gwen asked as she helped him pack his luggage.

“About two weeks,” Lynn replied, “just a regular training program.”

"What kind of training?" Gwen asked curiously.

“New law enforcement techniques and tactics,” Lynn replied vaguely, “you know, the FBI is always updating its training content.”

Gwen nodded. Although she felt that her brother hadn't told her the whole truth, she knew that the FBI's work often involved classified information.

“Then you must be careful,” Gwen said with concern. “The weather in the mountains changes quickly, so bring plenty of warm clothes.”

“I will,” Lynn hugged her sister. “You take care of yourself too. If there’s an emergency, contact Sarah.”

At 3 p.m., Lynn boarded his flight to Denver on time. Two and a half hours later, the plane landed at Denver International Airport. Following the instructions, he found the driver holding a sign that read "Mr. Smith"—his code name for the trip—at the baggage claim area.

The driver was a middle-aged man in his forties, dressed in an ordinary suit, and looked like a business driver.

“Mr. Smith?” the driver asked politely.

“Yes,” Lynn confirmed her identity.

"I'm Tom, and I'll be taking you to your destination," the driver introduced himself. "The journey will take about two hours; you can rest in the car."

They got into a black SUV. The vehicle looked ordinary, but Lynn noticed that the windows were bulletproof and the interior had been specially modified.

After leaving Denver, they began driving into the mountains. The Rocky Mountains of Colorado are spectacular, with their snow-capped peaks and dense forests creating a breathtaking scene. However, as the altitude increased, the roads became increasingly rugged, and the surroundings grew more desolate.

"The base is built in such a remote place?" Lynn asked the driver.

“Yes, for confidentiality and security,” Tom replied, “and the mountainous environment is conducive to various training programs.”

Another hour later, they left the main road and turned onto a barely visible mountain path. There were no signs along the way, and it would be difficult to find this path without a professional guide.

“We’re almost there,” Tom said. “We’ll see the base in fifteen minutes.”

Sure enough, after passing through a narrow valley, Lynn saw his destination. "Eagle's Nest Base" was indeed as its name suggested, built in a high mountain valley, surrounded by steep peaks, with only one road leading in and out.

The base was larger than Lynn had imagined. The main building was a modern three-story structure, surrounded by several smaller auxiliary buildings. The entire base was surrounded by high walls and barbed wire, with armed guards at the entrance.

“Welcome to Eagle's Nest,” the guard said after checking Lynn’s credentials. “Please proceed to the main building to register.”

Upon entering the main building, Lynn was led to the registration desk by a receptionist. The layout resembled the front desk of a high-end hotel, but the staff were clearly from the military or law enforcement.

“Detective Hall, welcome,” the receptionist said after checking Lynn’s identification. “You are the ninth trainee to arrive; three more are on their way.”

"When did everyone else arrive?" Lynn asked.

“People have been arriving since yesterday,” the receptionist replied. “Your room is on the second floor. Here is your room key and base guide. There will be a welcome dinner in the restaurant at 7 p.m., where you can meet other trainees.”

Lynn received her room key and took the elevator to the second floor. The room was comfortable, similar to a standard room in a business hotel, with a private bathroom, a desk, and a small lounge area. The window offered spectacular mountain views.

After packing his luggage, Lynn reviewed the base's information. The base facilities included multiple classrooms, a simulation training range, a gym, a shooting range, a medical center, a dining hall, and meeting rooms. The information specifically emphasized security regulations and confidentiality requirements.

At six o'clock in the afternoon, Lynn decided to go to the restaurant first to check out the environment. The restaurant was located on the first floor, with modern and cozy decor and large glass windows offering mountain views.

When he entered the restaurant, he saw several people already talking there. The conversation between two of them caught his attention.

“Let me tell you, that case in Chicago was absolutely the strangest I’ve ever seen,” a voice said. “That guy could control people’s dreams, and it took us three months to catch him.”

“Dream control? That’s certainly extraordinary,” another voice responded. “The woman I met in Miami who could manipulate the weather was also quite formidable; I was almost struck by her lightning.”

Lynn walked over to them. "It sounds like you all have some interesting experiences."

The two women turned around. The first was a Black man in his early thirties, burly and with a friendly smile. The second was a Latina woman in her early thirties, who looked capable and had sharp eyes.

“You must be a new recruit,” the Black man said, extending his hand. “I’m Marcus Johnson, from the Chicago precinct.”

“I’m Carmen Rodriguez, Miami Precinct,” the woman said, shaking his hand warmly. “And you?”

“Lynn Hall, New York Division,” Lynn introduced himself, “It’s nice to meet you.”

“New York?” Marcus’s eyes lit up. “I heard there’s been a big case in New York recently, involving an underground laboratory and several people with superpowers.”

"You were involved in that case?" Carmen asked with interest.

Lynn nodded. "Yes, that was indeed a complicated case. What about the cases in Chicago and Miami that you mentioned earlier?"

They found a comfortable corner to sit down and began to share their experiences.

Marcus began by recounting, "The Chicago case happened three months ago. It started as a series of seemingly unrelated suicides, but we discovered that all the victims shared the same symptoms before their deaths: severe insomnia and nightmares."

"And then?" Lynn asked.

“Our investigation revealed that all the victims had been in contact with the same person before their deaths—a young man who claimed to be able to ‘cure insomnia,’” Marcus continued. “When we found him, we discovered that he did indeed have the ability to control other people’s dreams.” (End of Chapter)