"Tonight, Kansas City is steeped in sorrow and grief. Just hours ago, several terrorists carried out a suicide bombing in a supermarket, resulting in sixteen deaths, including two children. Surveillance footage from inside the supermarket clearly captured both the attackers' faces and the moments of the explosions. We mourn for those lost and pray for their eternal peace. Up next is a statement from Jack Bauer, Director of Counterterrorism..."
The large multimedia screen in the Omega squad's operations hall displayed the breaking news broadcast. Every team member was glued to the screen. Owen hadn't even returned to Omega HQ yet when he received a report from Missouri's CTU office. The timing couldn't have been worse—right after their debriefing at the White House—making CTU appear even more ineffective.
The media had moved with lightning speed. Before Missouri CTU could fully take over the investigation, the press had already obtained surveillance footage from the supermarket. The footage of the attack was now being broadcast nationwide, showing exactly how the attackers entered the store and detonated their bombs, with their faces clearly visible. It was a brutal blow to CTU's image—like a slap across the face.
The broadcast cut to Jack Bauer's statement. Dressed in a formal suit, Jack stood before the press, his expression grim.
"First, I want to express my deep sorrow for what happened tonight in Kansas City. Second, no individual or organization has yet claimed responsibility for this attack. But to those who planned this act of terror, hear me clearly—you're done. You'd better be ready to face the full wrath of the United States. No matter who you are, you will pay. I will find you, and everyone who helped you will face justice."
His statement was concise and powerful. Jack didn't give the press a chance to ask questions. His tone wasn't just for the American public—it was also meant for President Palmer. Owen understood perfectly. They needed to uncover the mastermind behind the attack, and fast. As Jack had said, the planners and all their accomplices had to pay. That was CTU's official stance.
"Becky, contact Missouri CTU. Omega is taking over this case. Tell them to transfer all relevant materials to us."
Owen understood Jack's intentions—this case was their chance to prove themselves. Omega had to act fast. Since no group had claimed responsibility, they had to identify the perpetrators quickly—faster than NSA, faster than CIA.
"Got it."
Bubblehead responded swiftly and contacted Missouri CTU. The files arrived soon after: surveillance footage, details about the suspects' vehicle, their movements, and their numbers.
The mood in the room was tense. Seeing the terrorists show no hesitation in killing children enraged the team—especially Bayev. As a father of two, he could personally relate to the anguish of losing a child. He loudly cursed the attackers' entire lineage.
Owen replayed the footage over and over. From the moment the terrorists entered the supermarket to the explosions, it all happened in under a minute. No proclamations, no manifesto. The video quality was high. Their faces were clear. Bubblehead had already extracted facial data and was running it through the CTU database.
It would take some time to confirm their identities, so in the meantime they began investigating other leads—where the bombs had come from, how the terrorists got their car, how they had entered the United States. America had the most comprehensive terrorist database in the world. Unless they were newcomers, they wouldn't have made it through customs legally. Owen was over 90% certain they'd entered the country illegally.
Missouri CTU moved efficiently. Within two hours, they had uncovered key information. The vehicle was a reported stolen car. The original owners—a family—had been brutally murdered. The bombs had originated from Mexico. Soon after, Bubblehead's side also reported in: the five attackers had been identified. All five were Yemeni nationals and former members of the Red Front.
The reason they were called "former" members was because the Red Front had effectively ceased to exist two years ago. At that time, its leader, Salim Abu Aziz, had attempted to detonate a nuclear device on U.S. soil. CTU's Los Angeles office and the IMF team intercepted him, and a SEAL sniper eventually killed him before the bomb could be deployed.
With Salim dead, the Red Front collapsed. Like many terrorist groups, it had been built entirely around its leader's personal charisma. Without him, the group fell apart and was absorbed or scattered.
These five were the Red Front's last known remnants. Rather than join another organization, they chose a more extreme path—following in their leader's footsteps and returning to their god. The reason they waited two years was because U.S. counterterrorism forces overseas had only recently relaxed their pursuit.
"Shit!!!"
Owen slammed the documents on the table in frustration. These five were the Red Front's leftovers. Now that they were dead, the group was officially extinct. So who was the U.S. supposed to retaliate against? Jack Bauer had made it clear in his speech—there would be a price to pay. But now, America and CTU were in an awkward position.
The whole situation was so simplistic it was almost unbelievable. The room fell into a dead silence. Everyone looked at each other. Finally, Owen slammed the papers again and barked, "Dig. Find everyone who ever helped them. How the hell did they get from Yemen to the U.S.? The Red Front is gone—they shouldn't have had the resources to acquire explosives. Who gave them those bombs? How did they enter the country? Missouri CTU reported that they were seen briefly in Mexico. That means they came in over land. There's no way they brought bombs through official channels. So who helped them? Find out everything. I want names. I want details. Now."
With Owen's command, Bubblehead's intel team sprang into action. They contacted police departments, CIA, FBI, and other branches. Info began pouring in. After layers of filtering and analysis, the useful data was laid out on Owen's desk.
Multiple reports pointed to the same entity: the Sanchez Cartel—Mexico's largest drug trafficking syndicate. The intel made it almost certain that the Sanchez family had harbored the terrorists. The explosives likely came from them, and they also controlled a vast and reliable smuggling network along the U.S.-Mexico border. That's how the five terrorists got into the country.
With the full picture finally coming together, Owen called Jack Bauer. Jack had made it clear: all terrorists and anyone who aided them would face U.S. retaliation. The masterminds were dead, so those who supported them—namely, the Sanchez Cartel—would have to serve as the scapegoat.
But with U.S.-Mexico relations already tense, Owen knew he couldn't move without higher approval. Before any operation began, he had to report this to the President and see where he stood.
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