The phone rang, displaying Brian's name on the screen.
Owen had just been informed by Nina that the attack on him was a case of mistaken identity. Salim's real target had been Jack Bauer. Relieved that the threat wasn't directed at his family, Owen was about to call Brian when Brian's call came in first.
"Owen, how's everything on your end?"
"Brian, thanks for checking in. I just wrapped things up here. It turns out the attack wasn't aimed at me, so my family shouldn't be in danger…"
"That's good to hear. But Owen, things might not be that simple. Your family may already be in trouble."
"In trouble? What do you mean? Did you find something?"
"When I got here, I noticed someone was watching them. It wasn't a terrorist, though. It was someone from the FBI."
"What? FBI? Why?"
"Come here, and I'll explain."
Brian hung up, leaving Owen filled with anxiety. The FBI? Why would they be targeting my mother and Amanda? His mind raced as he tried to make sense of the situation.
Owen quickly notified Chloe of his departure, borrowed a car, and headed out. As he reached the entrance, he saw Tony Almeida returning from an operation.
Tony and his team, clad in tactical gear, were escorting a detainee. Despite being on a high-priority mission involving Cruel Angel, Tony was aware of Owen's exploits that night.
"You did good tonight, Owen," Tony said.
Owen, however, had no time for compliments. His anxiety must have been evident because Tony asked, "What's going on?"
Owen hesitated for a moment before deciding to tell the truth. "A friend of mine found out the FBI is watching my family. I need to check on them."
Tony frowned. Given recent events, it wasn't unreasonable to believe Owen's family could be at risk. With Jack Bauer out of commission, all CTU agents were on high alert.
"I'll go with you," Tony said. He gestured to his team. "Take him to Nina for interrogation," he ordered, referring to the detainee, before following Owen to the car.
The car sped into Owen's residential neighborhood on Zilin Road. Owen jumped out and spotted Brian standing on the front lawn, near an unconscious man lying on the ground.
"What's going on? You said something about the FBI?" Owen demanded.
Brian didn't respond immediately. Instead, he tossed something to Owen—a badge. Owen caught it and read the identification:
FBI Los Angeles Field Office, Senior Agent Donny Berkeley.
"This guy was watching your family?"
"Yeah," Brian confirmed, glancing down at the man with a mix of disdain and caution. "I saw him lurking around your house. I thought he was going to hurt them, so I hit him pretty hard."
Owen stared coldly at the unconscious man. His voice turned icy as he said, "Stop pretending. You've been awake for a while. Get up and tell me why you're spying on my family. Otherwise, you'll regret it."
The man on the ground flinched, realizing his ruse had been exposed. Slowly, he opened his eyes and warily got to his feet. His gaze darted between Owen, Tony, and Brian, clearly nervous.
Tony stepped forward, showing his credentials. "We're from CTU. The family you were monitoring belongs to Agent Owen. You need to give us a damn good reason for your actions, or things are going to get very unpleasant for you."
The FBI agent breathed a sigh of relief upon learning their identities. He had feared he'd run into criminals or vigilantes, but knowing CTU was involved gave him some reassurance—though Owen's murderous glare kept him on edge.
Under pressure, the agent reluctantly explained the situation, revealing a connection to a previous case involving Owen.
It all traced back to one of the three girls Owen and Brian had rescued—Cynthia. She had become addicted to drugs, and despite Owen arranging for her to receive treatment, the withdrawal symptoms were severe. Out of desperation, Amanda had tried to help her by buying a small amount of drugs to ease the symptoms.
Unfortunately, Amanda had walked right into an FBI and DEA sting operation. She was arrested on the spot. Terrified, she expected the FBI to prosecute her. However, instead of pressing charges, they approached her mother with a proposition.
The FBI was investigating a military contracting firm where Amanda's mother worked as a secretary. They wanted her to act as an informant. In exchange, they promised not to pursue charges against Amanda.
How despicable!
Owen's fists clenched. His initial impulse had been to rough up the FBI agent, but now he felt an overwhelming urge to kill him. How dare they threaten his family!
"Who's your superior?" Owen growled.
"Sonny Stokes," the agent replied cautiously.
Owen stepped forward, intent on teaching the man a painful lesson, but Tony grabbed his arm firmly.
"Easy, Owen," Tony said. He knew Sonny Stokes all too well. Before joining CTU, Tony had worked for the FBI and had crossed paths with the man.
Sonny was an opportunist who would stop at nothing to advance his career. He was notorious for blackmailing criminals and gang members to act as informants. This time, however, he had gone too far by targeting Owen's family.
Tony realized the situation was complicated. Amanda had indeed been caught purchasing drugs, likely in a quantity large enough to provide the FBI with solid evidence. It wasn't a bluff—they had leverage.
He glanced at Owen, assessing his mental state. Owen was a straightforward man, driven by a strong sense of duty and loyalty to his family. But Tony knew that such people could become dangerously unpredictable when pushed past their limits.
Owen's family was his red line. Threatening them was like lighting a fuse on a powder keg. Tony could see it clearly—Owen was ready to explode, and if he did, there would be no stopping him. The cold fury in his eyes made one thing certain: if Sonny Stokes didn't back off, things would escalate in a way no one could control.
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