Reborn in 24 TV SHOW

With the concert security job completed, Sam and his team flew to New York that same night. During dinner, Owen informed his sister Amanda that Julia Andrews had invited them over for a visit. Amanda was so excited she practically jumped out of her seat, abandoning her meal to rush to her room and call Kim. Owen could already foresee another spike in the family's phone bill.

Two days later, Bryan and Owen brought Amanda and Kim to meet Julia.

When the door opened, the two girls squealed with excitement. Standing at the doorway, smiling warmly, was none other than their idol, the soulful diva herself—Julia Andrews.

"You must be Amanda and Kim. Welcome! I'm Julia Andrews, but you can call me Julia," she said in a friendly tone.

Her approachable attitude quickly won over the girls, who were soon laughing and chatting with her as if they had been friends for years. Julia wasn't much older than they were, and her lively personality made it easy for them to bond.

The three girls left Bryan and Owen to sit awkwardly on the living room sofa as they ran off to explore the suite.

"Wow! Is this the Grammy for Most Popular Female Artist last year?"

"And that's your Newcomer of the Year award from when you first debuted!"

"Oh my gosh, look at this one!"

Amanda and Kim gushed as Julia showed them her awards and personal memorabilia. They also took plenty of pictures with their idol, posing in various creative ways. Owen could already imagine the two of them becoming the talk of their school once these photos made the rounds.

While the girls were busy, Owen and Bryan relaxed on the sofa and chatted. Bryan wasn't particularly surprised to hear that Owen was about to join CTU. The veteran CIA operative didn't think much of the Counter Terrorist Unit, seeing it as just another government agency.

"I guess I've always wondered if CTU really works like those action movies," Owen admitted.

"Who knows? By the time CTU split off from the CIA as its own unit, I was already retired. I doubt I know more than you do," Bryan replied with a shrug.

After spending hours at Julia's suite, the girls decided to go out shopping. Naturally, Bryan and Owen had to tag along as their drivers and bodyguards. Julia recommended a well-known Italian restaurant near Hollywood's Walk of Fame, where they had a peaceful lunch. The area was accustomed to celebrity diners and took security and privacy seriously.

But shopping was a different story. Despite wearing a simple disguise, Julia was recognized in one of the stores. A fan called out her name, and soon more people began gathering. Owen led the girls through the back exit while Bryan held off the growing crowd at the door. Fortunately, they made it back to the car before things got out of hand, laughing nervously as they sped away.

A few days later, the morning sun bathed Los Angeles in golden light. Owen's mother had woken up early to prepare breakfast. It was an important day—Owen's first day at CTU. Since he would be leaving earlier than usual, she would be the one to take Amanda to the bus stop.

After enjoying a hearty breakfast and hugging his mom goodbye, Owen stepped outside and got into his car.

"Good luck!" Amanda cheered from the window, raising a tiny fist in encouragement. Owen chuckled and waved before driving off.

The car sped smoothly down the streets, soon arriving at CTU's nondescript three-story building. Owen parked and walked toward the entrance. Security was tight, and as a new recruit, he didn't yet have his ID card. He had to wait for someone from inside to escort him.

A few minutes later, a young woman with glasses appeared, swiping her card to unlock the door.

"Steve Owen?" she asked.

"That's me."

"Follow me."

The woman led the way briskly. Owen considered striking up a conversation but decided against it when he noticed her hurried pace. Instead, he silently followed her through two layers of security checkpoints.

They entered the large operations hall. It was Owen's second time here—the first had been during the skyscraper hostage situation—but this time the atmosphere was completely different.

The place was bustling with activity. Analysts and technicians worked furiously at their computers, while others paced around with phones, shouting updates to colleagues. A group of agents huddled in front of a massive projection screen, animatedly debating their next moves. Everywhere Owen looked, there was a palpable sense of urgency.

The fast-paced environment was a stark contrast to his former job at the police station, where his colleagues would likely be sipping coffee and reading the morning paper at this hour.

"Excuse me?"

The glasses-wearing woman called out to him, breaking his thoughts. She had noticed he had fallen a few steps behind. Owen quickly caught up as they reached a transparent office. The woman knocked on the glass door.

"Director, the new recruit, Steve Owen, is here."

Behind the desk, Jack Bauer was on the phone. He glanced up and gestured for Owen to come in. Owen entered the office while the woman excused herself and left.

Jack finished his call a few minutes later. "Welcome to CTU," he said, extending his hand.

"The honor's mine," Owen replied, shaking hands with him.

"You'll be part of the field operations team under Tony's command. You met him before, right? Your work will be similar to what you did in the Major Crimes Unit," Jack explained.

Owen nodded. Jack continued, "In addition to field ops, we have the Intelligence and Analysis team, which provides support. They're led by Nina. You'll get to know everyone as you settle in."

Jack picked up his phone and made a quick call. "Tony, come up here for a moment."

A few minutes later, Tony Almeida entered the office. "Jack, you called?"

"Tony, this is Steve Owen. You'll be his supervisor. Show him around and set him up with his equipment."

"Got it." Tony nodded, motioning for Owen to follow him.

Tony wasn't particularly chatty, giving off a stern, no-nonsense vibe. As they walked through the building, he pointed out various departments and introduced Owen to colleagues along the way. Eventually, they reached a series of lockers.

"Here's yours. Everything you need is inside," Tony said.

Owen opened the locker to find a Glock 17 with two magazines, an ID card, and a cell phone.

"Keep your ID on you at all times. The weapon can be taken home, but the phone needs to stay on 24/7. We're always on call," Tony explained.

Owen nodded. It wasn't much different from his previous job, except the badge had changed.

Tony then took him to the armory, where heavier weaponry was stored. The protocols were stricter than at the police station—access required both fingerprint and ID verification.

The rest of the morning was spent familiarizing himself with the facility and meeting more staff. But by the afternoon, things got busy. Multiple field assignments came in, and Tony brought Owen along for hands-on experience.

By the end of the day, Owen was exhausted. CTU's pace was relentless—far more intense than the Major Crimes Unit. The demands were high, with tight deadlines and constant activity. Yet, despite the pressure, Owen felt a sense of purpose. This was a new beginning.

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[Check out my Patreon for +200 additional chapters in all my fanfics! Only $5 per novel or $15 for all!!] [[email protected]/Mutter]