Night fell, and the streetlights flickered on.
The Purple Grove neighborhood remained quiet and peaceful, but in front of Owen's house, the lights were blazing, and the sounds of chatter and laughter filled the air.
After the competition, Owen had spent some extra time at the range before heading home to help prepare for the evening party.
Throwing a party in the U.S. was simple. There were professional party service companies that could handle everything, whether it was a corporate event or a private gathering. But Owen's mother preferred to do things herself, and Owen and his sister were happy to help.
The party was set up on their lawn. The temperature in Los Angeles that evening was just right for a BBQ.
Owen arranged a long table on the lawn, covered with fruit platters, cold appetizers, and drinks for guests to enjoy. Since the theme of the night was a self-serve BBQ, a proper grill was essential.
To ensure a great experience, Owen had borrowed a four-meter-long grill from Mrs. Anderson. It was clear that this massive grill would become the heart of the party.
As night settled in, guests began arriving one after another.
Most of the guests invited by Owen's mother were neighbors—Mr. McCall, the Andersons, and the Downey family.
Owen's invite list consisted mostly of his colleagues and friends. From the West Hollywood police precinct, he had invited Carlos, Carl, "Old Man" George, and Jeremy, whom he had run into earlier that afternoon.
He had also invited three people from CTU—Jack, Tony, and Chloe. Since joining CTU, he had interacted with these three the most. As for Nina… yeah, he decided against inviting her. He never liked that woman.
Additionally, Owen had specifically invited Bryan Mills. Bryan had initially refused, as he wasn't one for social gatherings. But when Owen mentioned that Amanda had invited Kim, Bryan immediately changed his mind. Kim was his weak spot.
Out on the lawn, Owen and a few other men were busy at the grill. The rising smoke carried the rich aroma of roasted meat, making everyone's mouths water. Soon, a line formed around the grill.
Owen finished grilling a portion of beef and passed it out to the guests. Looking up, he spotted Bryan just arriving and nodded in greeting.
Carlos didn't hesitate to stab a piece of beef and pop it into his mouth. He then closed his eyes with an exaggerated expression of bliss, letting out a satisfied hum. This dramatic reaction made "Old Man" George and the others burst into laughter.
Jeremy, still fired up from the shooting competition, was animatedly recounting the details of the match to the crowd. However, George and the other officers remained skeptical. They all worked with Owen—they knew his shooting skills inside and out.
The four-meter grill allowed multiple people to cook at the same time. Mr. McCall was also working on a batch of beef, taking the extra step of brushing it with red wine for added flavor.
It was clear he had some serious cooking skills, likely from years of making his own meals. After tasting his finished beef and confirming its quality, he began serving it to the neighbors, instantly earning Mrs. Anderson's enthusiastic praise.
As the host, Owen had to keep an eye on the guests' needs—refilling ice, replenishing drinks, arranging more seating. These little details kept him moving throughout the night.
At one point, after refilling the fruit punch and topping off everyone's glasses, Bryan pulled him aside.
"What's up, man?"
Owen noticed that Bryan seemed a bit anxious, which intrigued him. This old ex-agent had killed people without so much as a twitch of his expression. What could be troubling him now?
To his surprise, Bryan asked, "Steve, have you seen Kim? Have you run into her tonight?"
Owen remembered the girls well. Amanda had arrived with a few of her friends, and Kim had greeted him when they came in. He had even grilled a large portion for them, which they had taken inside.
"Amanda and the girls are inside. Why?"
"Oh, that's good," Bryan replied, sounding strangely deflated. "I just… I haven't been able to reach her."
"You guys had a fight?"
Bryan hesitated for a moment before nodding. "Yeah, a big one a few days ago. She said she never wanted to see me again. I think I really screwed up this time."
Owen's interest immediately spiked. There was probably no one else in the world who could completely disarm this seasoned ex-agent with just a few words—except Kim.
His gossip instincts ignited.
"What was the fight about?"
"Uh… she has a boyfriend."
Owen shrugged. That was pretty normal, wasn't it? She was sixteen. It would be weirder if she didn't have a boyfriend. Did Bryan seriously think he could control that?
He gave Bryan a curious look. Owen was also fiercely protective of his sister, but he wouldn't go so far as to forbid her from dating.
To his surprise, Bryan shook his head. "No, that's not why she's mad. She's mad because I investigated her boyfriend."
Owen smacked his forehead—he had completely forgotten about that.
Bryan did have that habit. He was always wary of the world. Anyone who got close to his daughter was thoroughly vetted with his "methods," let alone her official boyfriend.
"Uh… yeah, that's a bit much, Bryan."
Thinking back, Owen realized that his own family had probably been investigated too.
But Bryan remained stubborn. "No, I don't think I did anything wrong. She doesn't understand how dangerous the world is. I need to eliminate any potential threats to Kim before they can hurt her."
Owen sighed. It was pointless to argue. Bryan was ridiculously obsessive when it came to his daughter, convinced that only he knew what was best.
Owen had no doubt that if Kim's boyfriend had any kind of shady history, Bryan would ensure that the guy ended up with a black eye, dumped in an alley, swearing never to go near Kim again.
"They're upstairs. You could go try talking to her…"
Owen honestly wasn't sure how to comfort him.
"Forget it. She probably doesn't want to see me. I'd just ruin her night." Bryan paused before adding, "But I did come up with an idea to break the ice."
"Oh?" Owen was intrigued. "What's the plan?"
"Kim has always loved singing. Ever since she was little, she dreamed of being a singer. One year, she really wanted a karaoke machine, but I was too busy—I barely spent any time at home that year. I think if I get her a karaoke machine now, she'll be thrilled."
Owen stared at Bryan in disbelief.
How had this man survived as a top-tier agent with instincts this dull?
A karaoke machine? For a sixteen-year-old girl? Seriously? Did he want her to become a laughingstock?
"Bryan, listen to me. A karaoke machine is for little kids. Kim is sixteen. No sixteen-year-old girl wants a karaoke machine. Do you want her to die of embarrassment?"
Bryan blinked, as if only now realizing his mistake. His face fell. "You're right. I really am a terrible father. Then what should I get her? What do sixteen-year-old girls like?"
Owen suddenly had a thought. "How about… a horse?"
He immediately shook his head. "Never mind, that's just a random idea. But I can ask Amanda what Kim actually wants."
"A horse?"
Bryan seemed to be seriously considering it.
Owen sighed, shook his head, and walked away. Let Bryan wrestle with his own dilemma.
He had a party to host.
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