Reborn in 24 TV SHOW

The group dispersed after training. Donald, grinning, approached Owen and playfully punched him in the chest.

"Man, you must've been a street racer in L.A."

Owen chuckled, deflecting Donald's punch and countering with a jab to his stomach. "Street racer? You kidding me? I was a cop. My driving skills came from chasing guys like you."

"Yeah, right. Like I'd believe that..."

"Suit yourself. Anyway, enough about that. How about we head into town for a drink?"

"Sure! But you're paying—you just won against Catherine!"

Owen rolled his eyes. "Fine, whatever."

Donald suddenly turned to the group and shouted, "Hey, guys! Owen's buying drinks! Anyone interested, let's hit the bar!"

Owen wasn't too bothered by Donald's antics. Soon, Catherine—whom Owen had beaten earlier—and a few other friendly trainees came over, all too eager to take him up on the offer.

Forty minutes later, the group arrived at Aurora Pub, the only bar in the area. It was more like an old-fashioned countryside tavern than a typical city bar, but that didn't matter. As long as there was alcohol, they were satisfied.

Two cars pulled up outside the bar. As soon as they walked through the door, Donald's booming Texas voice filled the place.

"Hey, bartender! Bring out your best drinks—we're celebrating tonight!"

The previously quiet bar became lively with their arrival.

Owen might have been the top driver, but when it came to drinking, he was no match for Donald. It seemed like the guy could drink an entire brewery dry. Owen suspected Donald might have been kicked out of the army for alcoholism. The man downed every kind of drink without flinching, and he had no problem mixing different liquors.

One glass of fiery liquid after another went down Owen's throat until he felt like he couldn't take it anymore. Just then, Carlos called, right on schedule. Grateful for the excuse, Owen slipped outside to take the call.

Ever since Owen had started training here, Carlos had been calling him every night. He was especially excited about the driving lessons Owen described, constantly imagining how he would have dominated the course with his superior skills. In his mind, he was always the hero.

The next morning

The alarm clock jolted Owen awake, his head pounding like a drum. He had no memory of how he got back to his room last night. All he could recall were fragmented scenes:

Donald grabbing his credit card to pay the bill... Donald carrying him and tossing him into the back seat of the car... banging his head on something... and then, nothing.

Twenty minutes later, Owen staggered into the classroom, clutching his aching forehead. He wasn't the only one suffering from a hangover. A few other trainees also looked miserable, clearly victims of Donald's influence. Only Donald himself seemed unaffected, sitting in his seat and winking at Owen.

The door opened, and Instructor Maury entered the room. This time, he wasn't alone. Following him was a man wearing a black hood over his head. The classroom fell silent as everyone curiously stared at the hooded figure.

"Today, we'll begin training in surveillance and counter-surveillance," Maury announced. "You're in luck. The man behind me, whom you may call 'X,' is not an instructor. He's an active field agent who has successfully completed numerous missions. He's here to share some of his experiences with you."

"Whoa!"

"Awesome!"

The room buzzed with excitement. Having a real operative teach them was a rare opportunity. Owen was just as eager as the others, focusing intently on what the mysterious Agent X would say.

"Alright," X spoke at last, his voice carrying a distinct Austrian accent. "Maury asked me to share some field insights, so I won't refuse. I trained here with your instructor. Consider this a way of passing the torch."

The class listened with rapt attention.

"Let's start with surveillance," X continued. "I assume you've received basic training on this. The first rule of surveillance is target recognition. Recognizing someone doesn't always mean relying on their face. In fact, facial recognition can be unreliable due to advanced disguise techniques.

"Hollywood makeup artists, as you might know, can transform a man into a woman with ease. Additionally, the CIA's tech department has developed 3D printing technology capable of creating silicone masks with a 99% resemblance to a person's face. These masks come with custom-made eyebrows and hair. Unless you physically touch the mask, it's almost impossible to detect, even up close."

The class gasped in amazement. Owen's mind flashed back to scenes from spy movies where similar masks had been used. He hadn't expected such technology to already exist.

Satisfied with their reaction, X continued. "In real operations, you often won't have the luxury of seeing someone's face. That's why you need to pay attention to other details—body shape, posture, walking style, habitual movements, and unique physical traits like scars or birthmarks. These can all help you identify your target."

X paused for a moment, then shifted the topic.

"Before we get into surveillance techniques, I want to talk about something crucial—observation.

"A good operative's first task in any unfamiliar environment is to observe. For example, if you enter a café, your first priority should be to locate all the exits. This will help you escape quickly if anything goes wrong.

"You should also take mental snapshots of the people around you. The best operatives can even remember the cars and license plates visible outside the window."

The trainees listened intently, fully absorbed in X's words. He continued:

"Observation can alert you to potential dangers. Once you've assessed the exits, identify any positions that could pose a threat or serve as cover. Think about where you could find a weapon if needed. In a kitchen, you might grab a knife. In a Western restaurant, forks and steak knives can be makeshift weapons. In a Chinese restaurant, even chopsticks can come in handy.

"Now, if there's a truck parked outside, there's a good chance it contains a firearm. Long-haul truck drivers often keep a gun for protection on the road."

The class chuckled as X lightened the mood with an example.

"If you notice someone across from you acting nervously, there could be several reasons. Maybe he's up to something. Or maybe he's just having a bad day. Then again, he might be distracted by a beautiful woman."

The room erupted in laughter, even Instructor Maury cracked a smile.

"But observation doesn't end with eye contact," X continued, grinning slightly. "You can tell a lot by the creases in someone's clothing. Are they carrying a weapon? Look for signs like a holster bulge. Check for calluses on their hands—gun calluses can reveal whether they're a dangerous individual. Once you know which hand they favor, you can predict where they might hide their weapon.

"And if a fight breaks out, take out their dominant hand. Doing so will cut their combat effectiveness in half."

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