Sensing the danger swirling in the air, there was no way Owen was going to let the two girls keep browsing souvenirs without a care in the world.
With quick strides, he made it to the storefront and grabbed Amanda and Kim by the arms. They had to leave immediately.
"Stop shopping. Come with me. Now."
"Steve, I—"
Amanda started to object, but one look at Owen's face told her something was seriously wrong. Her protest died on her lips. Kim, not being a difficult girl, also complied without hesitation.
Owen didn't move yet. One of the so-called "shoppers" nearby—a man with an earpiece—was now watching him closely. The guy's eyes drifted from Owen's face to his waist and underarm. The way he stood, the way his hand moved behind his back… definitely law enforcement, maybe undercover.
And from the way he was staring at Owen, he clearly thought Owen was one of the suspects.
Owen had no intention of escalating things. Slowly and deliberately, he raised a hand to show he was reaching for something, then carefully took out his credentials and showed the man the badge marked with the unmistakable CTU insignia.
The second the man saw "CTU," his entire posture relaxed. He turned slightly and murmured into his comms, "Boss, we've got a CTU agent here. Seems like a civilian stumble-in. He's leaving now…"
Meanwhile, the fake vendors and shoppers in the area began to quietly redirect the crowd. Even though most people tried to act normal, the volume of people subtly moving away was still noticeable.
Owen pulled Amanda and Kim along, heading away from the parking lot. There was no way he was going to retrieve his car—not with those two suspicious vehicles stationed right next to it. That entire area was about to become a war zone, and he wasn't about to put his family in the crossfire.
Suddenly, his phone rang. He didn't even look at the caller ID—he just answered while walking.
"Owen, what the hell are you doing on Sunset Boulevard?" came the familiar growl of George, the grizzled detective everyone called "Old Man George."
"Old man? Those your people?"
"Yeah. It's a joint operation with the DEA. That SUV? Full of cartel guys. You need to get out—oh, shit. They've spotted us. All units, weapons free! Watch the civilians!"
The line went dead—followed by a sudden eruption of automatic gunfire.
Owen didn't bother playing coy anymore. He hunched low, yanking the girls into a sprint toward the nearest shopfront. Around them, the sound of M4s and AKs clashing filled the air. The undercover cop from earlier had drawn his weapon and was shouting at bystanders to get down as he returned fire.
"Shit!"
Owen cursed. That guy's return fire was going to trigger a barrage of retaliation, and there was nowhere nearby that offered decent cover. They had to make it inside the store before the bullets arrived.
Dragging the girls behind him, Owen barreled through the door just as a storm of rounds tore up the sidewalk behind them.
"Down! Stay down!" he barked.
His voice was both a warning to Amanda and Kim, and a command to anyone else in the shop. Bullets didn't need names. Even ricochets could kill.
Owen pressed himself against the doorframe and peeked out. The undercover DEA agent was down—hit and bleeding heavily. To make things worse, the cartel gunmen were pushing forward and actually winning the firefight.
Owen's trained ears identified AKs and Uzis—classic gangster gear. On the other hand, the police had M4s and sidearms, and were clearly at a disadvantage.
Even worse, the cartel thugs were shooting indiscriminately at civilians. Anyone who moved became a target.
Amidst the chaos, Owen spotted three gang members trying to flee in a vehicle. But their tires were blown out immediately, and the car crashed. Dazed, the men climbed out and headed straight toward Owen's location.
If they reached the fallen DEA agent first, they'd kill him for sure.
"You two, stay here. Don't move unless absolutely necessary."
He turned back just in time to see Amanda holding a taser and Kim wielding a can of pepper spray. Where they'd gotten them, he didn't know—but he was proud all the same.
"Perfect. Anyone comes near, fry their ass."
Owen turned and dashed out of the shop.
Bang! Bang! Bang!
Three shots rang out, and two of the cartel men dropped instantly. One died on the spot, the other was groaning in pain. The last one turned and fled back toward the SUV.
In a matter of seconds, Owen had thinned their numbers. He sprinted forward, still firing, and grabbed the DEA agent by the leg.
"Cover me!" he shouted to the officers behind their makeshift barricades.
He dragged the man behind a tree planter. It wasn't ideal, but it offered some cover. Pulling him all the way back to the store was too risky.
The DEA agent's shirt had ridden up, revealing a tactical vest marked "DEA." So he wasn't just some local cop—he was federal.
Despite being shot, the agent did his best to return fire during the retreat. He unloaded a full magazine into the enemy's position, his defiance keeping the cartel at bay for a critical few seconds.
At the same time, George's voice rang through every police radio channel: "All units be advised, CTU operative on-site at southwest corner. Do NOT engage. He's helping us!"
That message helped tremendously. Now every officer with a clear line of sight began laying down heavy cover fire in Owen's direction, buying him the time he needed.
Safe, for the moment.
Owen got the DEA agent behind cover and checked his wounds. He'd taken a round to the ribs—just below where the vest ended. It wasn't lethal, but the bleeding was heavy.
"You'll live. Hold this tight."
He showed the man how to press down on an artery to stem the blood flow. The agent nodded and grunted, "Thanks…"
No time to chat. Another wave of gunfire swept across the street.
RATATATATAT—
Owen flattened himself against the concrete. Splinters and chunks of the tree planter exploded around him.
When the shooting died down, he risked a glance and called out, "Amanda! You okay?!"
"I'm fine! Kim's okay too!"
"Stay down! Do NOT come out!"
Only after hearing Amanda's voice did Owen let out a breath. That last volley had hit the storefronts too. He'd watched a civilian get shot while trying to run—the person was now lying in a pool of blood.
It was all falling apart fast.
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American Detective: From TV Rookie to Seasoned Cop (Chapter 1316)
American TV Writer (Chapter 1402)
I Am Hades, The Supreme GOD of the Underworld! (Chapter 570)
Reborn as Humanity's Emperor Across the Multiverse (Chapter 660)
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