Owen watched the news, focusing on the guy with the big nose, when Tony's voice came from beside him.
"Well? That guy's got some skills, huh?"
Owen nodded. Surveillance footage had captured the entire scene of Chen Mike taking down the robbers—clean and efficient, clearly a seasoned fighter. It suddenly clicked for Owen: Bill had mentioned before that Chen Mike had been a hand-to-hand combat instructor in the Marine Corps and was currently teaching at the West Hollywood Police Department.
With that in mind, Owen casually suggested to Tony that maybe they could bring Chen Mike over to CTU for a few lessons. To his surprise, Tony agreed without hesitation.
"I'm a field ops guy too. Investing in the team's survival skills is always worth the money," Tony said, giving Owen a pat on the shoulder before turning to head back to his office.
Halfway up the stairs, Tony paused and looked back. "Oh, right. The previous tactical team leader's retirement request came through. I've approved it. The new assault team leader will arrive in a week. Just giving you a heads-up. Also, we had an issue with one of the bomb techs—I fired him..."
Tony, coffee in hand, climbed the stairs. Personnel matters, including the appointment of the assault team leader, fell under Tony's authority. As head of Los Angeles CTU, he was the boss.
Still, in practice, the assault team reported directly to Owen's field ops division. Since field ops often had to work closely with the tactical team, if the two sides didn't get along, it could jeopardize missions.
Owen was curious about the new team leader, but seeing that Tony wasn't offering more information, he didn't press.
Finding Chen Mike's contact details was easy—he had left them when he collected the $250,000 reward from CTU. After a brief discussion with the PR department, they arranged a ten-session combatives training program. They would start with a trial session and continue if it went well, since it was their first collaboration.
Starting the next day, despite their usual workload, field ops carved out time each day for Chen Mike's training sessions.
Chen Mike was indeed a martial arts master. His instruction was insightful and far from generic. The field ops team were no amateurs—they had all undergone various forms of combat training, so they could instantly tell he was the real deal.
"You're already beyond these basics," Chen Mike told Owen after sparring with him. "What you need is constant drilling—honing your reflexes until they become second nature."
It was the same philosophy Owen had learned during his SEAL training: relentless repetition until actions became pure instinct.
While Chen Mike's teachings weren't particularly useful for Owen, they were immensely valuable for the rest of the team—especially his emphasis on small, efficient techniques rather than brute strength.
...
One day, after leaving the training room, Owen saw Chloe calling to him from the second floor.
Climbing up, he found Tony waiting in his office, with Jack Bauer video-linked on a screen beside him.
Owen immediately sensed something was up but held his tongue.
Sure enough, once everyone was seated, Jack spoke first.
"Listen up. We've partnered with the CIA on a mission. They suspect a Swiss banker is secretly financing multiple terrorist organizations. We'll send personnel to work with the CIA's Omega Team to carry out the operation. Owen, I want you for this."
"No problem," Owen replied without hesitation.
He had long known Jack's ambition: to see CTU evolve beyond reactive domestic counterterrorism into an agency that could take proactive measures abroad, like the CIA. Until now, White House administrations had repeatedly vetoed such plans.
But with David Palmer in office, there was finally hope.
CTU's capabilities overseas were still weak, so Jack had arranged this joint mission with the CIA to start building experience.
Everyone in the room—Jack's old comrades—understood exactly what was happening.
...
Half an hour later, Owen boarded a private jet at Los Angeles Airport, where he finally realized who Omega Team really was—the Governor's special ops team, also known internally as Team Seven.
Two hours later, they landed in Switzerland, settling into a safehouse near Lake Jobber.
The CIA's global resources were impressive—the safehouse came stocked with vehicles, light weapons, food, medical supplies, and communications gear.
Inside, the team clustered together, visibly fatigued. The sudden transition from warm Los Angeles to Switzerland's icy cold had been brutal.
Each of them held a cup of hot coffee, trying to fend off the chill.
Simon put down his cup and walked over to a whiteboard.
"Alright, here's the plan. Simon and Paso will stay in the car for intel and support. Harry will break in and retrieve the data. Owen, you'll assist him..."
...
Lake Jobber.
While Los Angeles basked in warm autumn sun, Switzerland had already seen multiple heavy snowfalls. Thick snow blanketed the ground, and a thin sheet of ice covered the lake.
The target was Clay Burton, a renowned Swiss banker. Intel indicated that he would be hosting a lavish party at his Lake Jobber villa tonight, and the sensitive list they needed was likely stored on a computer in his study.
Clay clearly took the event seriously—the once-cozy villa now blazed with light, and security was tight. Spotlights swept the grounds, guests were rigorously checked at the gate, and armed guards and patrol dogs circled the property.
A kilometer away, a van with its lights off sat silently by a snowy roadside. Paso idled the engine quietly in the driver's seat, while Simon, surrounded by electronic equipment, waited inside the cargo bay.
As a guard and dog patrol passed by the lake's edge, no one noticed the two shadows hidden beneath the boathouse: Owen and Harry, clad in wetsuits, floating silently in the icy water.
Harry was busy welding through the steel bars of the water gate, while Owen hovered behind him, carrying a large bag.
Sparks flashed and died. The third bar gave way, opening a man-sized gap. Harry signaled, and the two slipped inside.
Minutes later, a cold steel knife quietly broke through the thin layer of ice at the pool's edge. A night-vision-goggled mask emerged from the water.
After a quick scan revealed no immediate threats, Harry pulled off his mask and goggles, climbed out silently, and helped Owen haul the gear bag ashore.
------------------
Enjoying the story? Support the author and get early access to chapters by joining my Patre@n!
Find me at: patre@n*com/Mutter
You can read each novel for $5 or get them all for just $15.
Fairy Tail: Igneel's Eldest Son (Chapter 256) — $5
I Am Thalos, Odin's Older Brother (Chapter 336) — $5
Reborn in America's Anti-Terror Unit (Chapter 542) — $5
Solomon in Marvel (Chapter 924) — $5
Becoming the Wealthiest Tycoon on the Planet (Chapter 1284) — $5
Surgical Fruit in the American Comics Universe (Chapter 1289) — $5
American Detective: From TV Rookie to Seasoned Cop (Chapter 1316) — $5
American TV Writer (Chapter 1402) — $5
I Am Hades, The Supreme GOD of the Underworld! (Chapter 570) — $5
Reborn as Humanity's Emperor Across the Multiverse (Chapter 660) — $5
Get access to all of them for just $15 on Patre@n!
[+50 Power Stones = +1 Extra Chapter]
[+5 Reviews = +1 Extra Chapter]