052. Tossing A Coin Is OK

Early the next morning, Jiang Chen was roused by a knock on his door. When he opened it, there stood Lorna Dane, casually leaning against the frame, a plastic bag in one hand and a lollipop dangling from her mouth.

"Good morning," she greeted with a cheeky grin and strolled into the room like she owned the place.

Jiang Chen frowned, closing the door behind her. "How did you know I was staying here?"

Lorna plopped down on the sofa, making herself at home. "Because there's a magnetic field between us," she replied with a mischievous smirk, as if that explained everything.

Jiang Chen raised an eyebrow but didn't press the matter further. Instead, he glanced at the plastic bag she'd brought and asked, "What's that?"

Lorna pointed at the bag, still sucking on her lollipop. "Your breakfast."

Jiang Chen opened the bag and peered inside. French fries, instant noodles, and a can of Coke. He sighed, shaking his head. "Do you always eat such a hearty breakfast?"

Lorna pouted dramatically, pulling the lollipop out of her mouth. "Hey, I searched the whole street to get this for you. I haven't even had breakfast yet!"

Jiang Chen eyed her skeptically. They were in the city center, and there was a convenience store just downstairs. Hardly a scavenger hunt. He pushed the bag back toward her. "You eat it."

Lorna glanced at the bag, then leaned forward with a playful glint in her eyes. "You're not even going to make me breakfast?" she teased.

Jiang Chen shrugged, leaning against the counter. "Not much of a cook."

Lorna's grin widened. "Tell you what, let's flip a coin. Heads, I cook. Tails, you do. Deal?"

Jiang Chen arched an eyebrow, amused. "You know you can control the coin, right? Magneto's daughter and all."

Lorna shrugged casually. "Of course, but I like games. Besides, what's the fun if I don't give you a chance?"

Jiang Chen chuckled. "You really want to test your luck against me?"

Lorna scoffed, pulling a coin from her pocket. "Luck's just probability. I think I've got this in the bag." She tossed the coin to Jiang Chen. "You flip it. Let's see how lucky you are."

Intrigued, Jiang Chen took the coin. It wasn't just any coin; it looked old, worn, and probably picked up during one of Lorna's travels. He tossed it into the air, and just as it reached its peak, Lorna extended her hand, using her powers to suspend the coin in midair. She smiled confidently, already tilting it to land heads-up.

But just as she was about to manipulate the outcome, something strange happened.

The coin flipped over and over, and when it finally fell to the ground with a soft clink, it landed heads-up on both sides.

Both sides were heads.

Lorna stared at the coin in shock. "What the hell?"

Jiang Chen leaned back on the sofa, arms behind his head, grinning. "Looks like you got a misprinted coin. Heads on both sides."

Lorna's face twisted in disbelief. "No way. I got this from the store when I bought candy. I had no idea..."

Jiang Chen shrugged. "Misprinted coins are rare but they happen. Good for collectors."

Lorna glared at him, her frustration bubbling over. "You cheated!"

Jiang Chen laughed. "You're the one who can control magnetic fields! And it was your coin. How exactly am I the cheater here?"

Lorna huffed, crossing her arms. "Still feels like I got played."

Jiang Chen winked. "Welcome to the club."

After a moment of silence, Lorna flicked through her pockets again, searching for more coins, but came up empty. She sighed in defeat and, with a grumble, got up and left the room.

Half an hour later, she returned with a bag full of hamburgers. "Here," she grumbled, tossing the bag onto the table. "Enjoy your breakfast."

Jiang Chen smirked as he bit into one of the burgers. "So gracious of you."

Lorna was just about to retort when the TV suddenly flickered on by itself. The screen was immediately filled with the logo of the Ten Rings.

The Mandarin appeared, dressed in his usual elaborate attire, touching one of the rings on his hand as he spoke.

"I've got my eye on you, Pyro," the Mandarin said arrogantly.

Jiang Chen sat up straighter, intrigued. He hadn't even sought out the Mandarin yet, and here he was, delivering a direct challenge.

Lorna glanced at the screen, then at Jiang Chen. "Who's this clown?"

Jiang Chen leaned back again, unfazed. "Just a dramatist."

Lorna's eyes narrowed. "He's provoking you."

Jiang Chen nodded slowly, watching the Mandarin on the screen.

Lorna stood up, fists clenched, her tone determined. "Let's go get him."

Jiang Chen chuckled, finishing the last bite of his burger. He stood and looked at Lorna, who was already tossing her bag over her shoulder, ready to charge into action.

With a grin, Jiang Chen echoed her words. "Let's go get him."