"One more question..."
Owen raised a single finger, then said casually, "What's Vice President Lafferson's connection to you people? Is he a White Mask operative or just a collaborator?"
After posing the question, Owen stared intently at Eddie, who simply shook his head. "I don't know. I'm not at a level that has access to that kind of information. Besides, I'd already defected from White Mask before the White House attack."
Owen felt a twinge of disappointment, though Eddie's answer seemed plausible. Before his defection, Eddie Castor had not been one of Avril's core confidants. If even he had access to top-level secrets, then White Mask wouldn't be the clandestine organization it was. That Vice President Lafferson was suspicious was undeniable—there just wasn't any evidence yet, which is why President Palmer hadn't removed him.
Just then, Becky's call came through. Owen answered, and her voice rang out.
"Owen, there was a shooting in Chicago this morning. The firefight started in a residential area and carried all the way to the Chicago Bridge—like something out of a Hollywood action film. The weird part? All surveillance footage along the way was deleted. The only visual evidence we've got is from a dashcam on the bridge. Guess who we saw in it? That guy sitting right in front of you."
Owen's expression shifted dramatically. He looked back at Eddie. "What happened this morning?"
Knowing CTU had already found him out, Eddie didn't bother lying. He recounted everything in detail—including the part where he chickened out.
Only then did Owen understand why Eddie had approached CTU voluntarily. "So you want to use us to take down Avril?"
Owen saw through Eddie's intentions instantly. Eddie didn't deny it. He answered bluntly, "Exactly. Our goals don't conflict. You get to arrest Avril, and I get to stop living in fear of that psycho woman hunting me down for the rest of my life."
"Who was the guy trying to kill Avril?"
"I don't know. He showed up out of nowhere. I've never seen him before."
Eddie's answer was firm. Owen believed him. Anyone who could delete surveillance footage before CTU could secure it was either an elite hacker or part of a powerful government agency like CTU itself. Owen suspected the mystery assassin was from the CIA—they never played by the rules, and this was exactly their style.
"You said you could help us catch Avril. How?"
Seeing Owen's thoughtful expression, Eddie gave a relieved smile. He knew Owen was interested now. He went on, "Avril has a hideout near Chicago. It's in an oceanic research base deep along the coast. Sometimes she returns there. She has a satellite phone she uses to contact the other Horsemen. I've seen her use it myself. If you catch her there, you might even get a lead on White Mask's leadership."
Owen considered Eddie's information for a moment, then stepped aside to call Becky. He needed confirmation. When he returned, he looked much more resolved. Becky had confirmed that if they could secure Avril's satellite phone, she could extract vital data from it. Since it was her personal device, it would very likely contain communications with White Mask's upper echelon—it was a highly valuable asset.
"Alright. Deal. Help us find Avril, and we promise not to come after you until you leave the U.S."
Owen looked Eddie in the eye. Eddie smiled—it was a sign that Owen finally recognized his value.
"Great. So where's this research base?"
Owen was determined to secure the satellite phone. Capturing Avril would be ideal, but trained operatives like her were notoriously difficult to break. The phone, on the other hand, might be more cooperative.
Eddie smirked, pulled Owen's newspaper toward him, and tapped on a job ad. "Right here~~"
"'Ace Biomedical Research Base is now hiring structural mechanics engineers. Work location: Atlantic Ocean. Competitive pay…'"
Owen read the ad, then looked up at Eddie. Eddie nodded.
"I'll have someone look into this Ace group," Owen said, preparing to call Becky again. But Eddie cut him off.
"No need. The base has nothing to do with White Mask. It's a research project funded by Ace Biopharma. But their support is minimal, and the project is short on funds. Avril just paid to rent a few rooms there."
Owen was momentarily stunned. Avril rented rooms in a remote deep-sea base? What kind of brain does she have? Maybe she thought it was secure enough. Or maybe she had an escape plan even in the worst-case scenario.
"You're coming with me. Everyone else, stand down."
Owen barked into his comms, then left the café with Eddie in tow. Only then did Eddie realize Owen had really surrounded him earlier. Until now, he'd thought Owen was just bluffing.
"Where are we going?"
Eddie asked as Owen dragged him toward a vehicle.
"To the ocean base."
"But that's out in the Atlantic!"
"Don't worry. We've got transport."
Twenty minutes later, Owen parked at a dock. Eddie had assumed they'd be flying—maybe even with a fully armed tactical team. Instead, Owen led him to a quiet corner of the pier where a woman in her forties sat behind a folding table.
"Hi there. I'm here for the interview. I saw your job ad for a structural mechanics engineer. I'm very interested."
Owen handed her the newspaper and pointed at the job listing.
"Uh… yes, of course. Have you worked in the field before?"
The woman was startled by Owen's sudden appearance, but quickly regained her composure.
"Absolutely. I've worked in L.A. at Mark Engineering and Compass Construction Consulting. Sorry, I lost my résumé on the way here, but you can ask me anything."
Owen was brimming with confidence. At SEAL training in Colorado, he'd received systematic instruction in structural mechanics—it was a required subject for demolition training. While he didn't hold any formal certification, his competence was real.
Sure enough, the woman asked him a few simple questions, and he nailed every one. Truthfully, she didn't understand the technical stuff either. She was just a receptionist—those questions were pre-prepared by the base staff.
"Congratulations, sir. You've passed the preliminary screening. The final interview will be conducted by our structural engineers. You're in luck—our supply ship departs in thirty minutes. You can ride along to the base."
"That's great news."
"And this is…?"
She glanced at Eddie, who was at a loss for how to respond. Owen stepped in.
"Oh, this is my friend. He's always loved marine life. When he heard I was coming for an interview, he wanted to tag along and apply for anything—any job will do. He's not picky and will work for very little."
"Well, we do need another animal handler. Would your friend be interested?"
"Absolutely. Thank you, kind lady. We truly appreciate your generosity."
…
Half an hour later, Owen and Eddie were aboard the supply ship bound for the ocean base.
Just as the ship pulled away, a Chevrolet screeched to a stop at the dock. Jason Bourne sprinted over, holding a tracker. He had planted a tracking device on Eddie during their earlier encounter—which is how he had been able to find Avril last time.
But this time, he discovered that Eddie had taken to the sea. Jason stared out at the water, eyes locking on the supply ship in the distance.
"Ma'am, do you know where that ship is headed?"
Jason asked the same woman who had just interviewed Owen. She looked up at him.
"Oh, here for the interview too? Bad luck, the boat just left. You'll have to wait three more days."
"Ugh… damn. I missed the last boat to Priest Island," Jason said, faking frustration.
The woman blinked, then corrected him. "Young man, you must be mistaken. That's a supply vessel for the Ace Biomedical Research Base, not this Priest Island you mentioned."
She pointed at a small sign in front of her desk that read "Ace Biomedical Research Base." Jason thanked her, then turned and walked away—quietly locking the name into memory.
______
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