The scene awaiting police and CTU agents was nothing short of chaotic.
A gaping hole dominated the side of the building, with two wrecked motorcycles lying in pieces nearby. The debris trail ended with Salim, aka "Curly," lying motionless on the ground, while Owen was curled up, trembling uncontrollably in the throes of pain.
Surrounding them, office workers stood at a safe distance, too frightened to approach.
Medical personnel arrived to stabilize both men. Despite his violent crash, Salim had miraculously sustained only minor injuries—the most serious wound being the result of Owen's earlier kick to his head. His sheer resilience was almost unnerving.
When Owen was carried downstairs, paramedics insisted he go to the hospital, but he declined. He understood his condition well—though the pain was excruciating, it would pass soon, just like it always did. The post-adrenaline shock would fade, and he'd be fine.
Carlos clapped Owen on the shoulder, entirely unfazed by his condition. After all, Carlos had spent years doing stunts with Owen and knew about his unique "slow-time" episodes. He secretly envied Owen's ability to master extreme sports in record time, thanks to this strange advantage. While others only had fleeting moments to react to danger, Owen could seemingly stretch time, allowing him to analyze and prepare in the blink of an eye—though it often left him temporarily incapacitated afterward.
George "Old Man" and his team from the West Hollywood precinct, reassured by Owen's condition, began heading back to the station. Meanwhile, the officers from the East Hollywood precinct considered whether they could claim jurisdiction over Salim, given that two of their own had been killed. However, upon seeing CTU agents present, their ambitions quickly faded. This wasn't a battle they wanted to fight, especially after witnessing how CTU's agents handled suspects with a near-suicidal level of determination.
Salim was given no special treatment by CTU. The ambulance crew ensured he wouldn't die from his injuries, but further medical care would have to wait until he was interrogated back at headquarters.
CTU Headquarters
The facility still bore scars from the recent bombing. Walls were partially collapsed, and the large hole near the entrance had been hastily patched with temporary barriers. Yellow police tape surrounded the area, though media presence had dwindled. It was clear that reporters had been sent packing.
Owen arrived with the team escorting Salim back to HQ. Inside, the atmosphere was tense yet industrious. CTU analysts and field agents were hard at work, their eyes occasionally drifting toward the large, newly installed screen. The screen displayed breaking news footage—specifically, the dramatic chase and rooftop jump involving Owen and Salim.
The newsroom camera captured every heart-stopping moment, including the stunned commentary from on-site reporters. The incredulous expressions of those watching mirrored the awe felt by viewers across the city.
Within CTU, Owen had unintentionally carved a reputation for himself. CTU already had its legendary figure in Jack Bauer, known for his relentless pursuit of justice and willingness to cross any line for the sake of national security. Now, Owen was quickly becoming a legend in his own right—one known for taking insane risks to catch criminals.
As the news segment concluded, several agents turned and noticed Owen's presence. A few began clapping, prompting a chain reaction until the room echoed with applause.
Owen smiled sheepishly and waved, feeling a rare sense of acceptance and camaraderie. This was the first time he felt truly recognized by his new colleagues.
"Stop basking in the glory and get to the medical room," Chloe snapped, ever the voice of practicality. "You're bleeding."
Owen glanced at his hand and saw blood oozing from an open wound. He had been so caught up in the moment that he hadn't even noticed.
Elsewhere in Los Angeles
Inside a dimly lit apartment, a small group of men huddled around a television, watching the same news broadcast. Though the footage didn't explicitly name Salim, everyone in the room recognized his face immediately.
"Salim's been captured," one man said grimly. "What do we do now, Ethan?"
Another man spoke up. "Maybe we should reach out to CTU and negotiate. I did some digging—Los Angeles CTU is ranked among the top three in the nation. Their leader, Jack Bauer, is a legend. He's even saved the President's life. But with Bauer injured in today's attack, their manpower is stretched thin. We might be able to use this to our advantage."
The man referred to as Ethan frowned, weighing his options. "CTU is strong, no doubt. But with Bauer out of commission, they're like a tiger without teeth. They've captured Salim, but I doubt they have the capacity to handle the full extent of the problems he's about to bring them. If anything, things might spiral even further out of control…"
Back at CTU
Nina stood in the interrogation room, glaring at Salim, who sat with a defiant smirk. She slammed a stack of documents onto the table, spreading photos of Salim's associates and evidence from their surveillance.
"Tell me your name," she demanded. "What's your connection to Cruel Angel? Why did you target Jack Bauer?"
The photos showed images of Salim and his men mistakenly identifying Bauer's car. It was now clear they had targeted Owen solely because he had been driving Jack's vehicle. The attack was meant for Jack.
Nina was almost certain Salim was linked to Cruel Angel. However, her assumptions were shattered when Chloe called her through the comms.
"Nina, step outside. We've got new intel."
Leaving the interrogation room, Nina approached Chloe, who was seated at her workstation.
"What's going on?"
Chloe adjusted her glasses and brought up several files. "We've confirmed the identities of the two dead Latinos. They were members of a newly formed terrorist group called the 'Red Front.' It's led by none other than Salim Abu Azriz."
Nina's eyes widened in shock. "He's… their leader?"
Chloe nodded. "Exactly. Salim is a notorious extremist with ties to multiple bombings, including last year's Boston café attack and the Lisbon Flight 727 incident. We've been tracking his activities for months. Recently, he broke away from his former organization, deeming them 'too soft,' and founded Red Front. He's a major player."
Nina's mind reeled. "So… he's not connected to Cruel Angel?"
"Exactly. Their ideologies and membership demographics don't align at all. Red Front recruits mostly from the Middle East, while Cruel Angel consists of European white supremacists. There's no evidence they've ever interacted."
As if that weren't enough, Chloe delivered a final, chilling revelation. "Oh, and one more thing… About two weeks ago, we received intel that four nuclear warheads went missing from a Ukrainian stockpile. Salim was seen making inquiries about acquiring nuclear devices shortly before they vanished. After that? Nothing. I believe those nukes are now in his possession."
Nina's face paled. The situation had just escalated into a nightmare.
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