After dozing off for a few hours in a roadside motel, Owen woke up feeling groggy.
Since he was currently suspended from CTU, going back there wasn't an option. And returning home was out of the question. After finishing up last night's work, he had just picked the nearest motel to crash for a few hours.
The motel was right next to the highway, and the soundproofing was terrible. Even lying in bed, he could hear cars passing by loud and clear.
He checked his watch—it was 8 AM. He had only slept for four hours, but that was enough. Time was tight, and he couldn't afford any luxuries like sleeping in. He could rest after rescuing Monica.
26 hours left.
After washing up, he called Brian and learned they were at an abandoned factory in the outskirts.
Brian had scouted the location yesterday. Planning could be done at his house, but for everything else, they needed a more suitable place.
Just as he was about to head out, Dominic called. The guy had worked all night and finally finished the modifications.
After arranging a meeting with Heat, Owen rushed to Dominic's garage.
"Thanks, man."
Owen gave Dominic a bear hug. The guy clearly hadn't slept—his eyes were bloodshot.
"Try it out…"
Owen got into the car. Dominic had installed a simple ignition switch so he wouldn't have to hotwire it every time.
He turned the key—the engine now had a much deeper and more powerful growl. Owen floored the gas pedal, and the car screeched as it shot forward.
Dominic's shop was in a secluded area with plenty of open space—he often handled, let's say, less-than-legal jobs, so being in a remote spot was more convenient.
Owen took the car for a few laps around the empty lot. The difference was obvious—whatever engine Dominic had swapped in was at least 50% more powerful than before.
He tested out a few drifts and some emergency brakes. The tires had definitely been upgraded—the grip was much better. Every aspect of the car's performance exceeded his expectations.
"This is amazing, Dominic. Your work is flawless."
Owen gave Dominic another bear hug. Honestly, even if he had done the modifications himself, he wasn't sure he could've gotten it this perfect.
"As long as you're happy… Oh, looks like your friends are here."
Following Dominic's gaze, Owen saw a Range Rover pulling up outside.
The SUV came to a stop, and Heat and Brian stepped out.
"I had Brian come along so we wouldn't have to make an extra trip to pick up the cars later," Heat explained.
Yesterday, they had dropped off the stolen cars and then had to take a cab back to retrieve their own vehicles. Today, it was easier to just have Brian drive them over so each of them could take a car back.
"Dominic, catch."
Owen tossed Dominic a thick stack of bills. Dominic hadn't named a price for the modifications, but Owen knew the going rate for high-end work like this.
The stack he threw was more than enough—whatever extra was there was a thank-you for Dominic pulling an all-nighter to get it done.
"Oh-ho, someone's feeling generous…"
Dominic didn't hesitate to take the money. He gave it a quick squeeze to gauge the thickness, immediately realizing Owen had tipped him. Grinning, he slipped it into his pocket.
The three-car convoy sped down the highway, with Brian leading the way. Before long, they arrived at an abandoned warehouse near a dam.
Inside, a large section had already been cleared out. Various obstacles had been arranged to form a narrow pathway—clearly a simulation of the underground tunnels Owen and Heat had scouted the night before.
They had measured everything precisely, and now they needed to run a full test to ensure the cars could navigate the tunnels smoothly.
Ash was already inside, along with a young woman wearing glasses. She looked playful, with a bubbly energy, but there was an undeniable air of ditziness about her.
This had to be Monica's friend—the NSA senior security consultant Ash had mentioned.
As Owen pulled into the warehouse, the girl noticed him through the windshield.
He got out and started walking toward her, while Ash and the "ditzy" girl approached as well. The others clearly already knew her, as no one seemed surprised by her presence.
"Owen, this is Becky. I told her everything, and she's agreed to help us."
Before Owen could say anything, the glasses-wearing girl jumped in.
"I'm Becky! I know you—Steve Owen! You're a great shot! You beat Monica!"
She spoke so fast that Owen barely had time to react before she had rattled off a whole paragraph.
Owen was momentarily speechless. So this seemingly airheaded, sweet-looking girl was also a chatterbox.
But, to be fair, she was kind of adorable.
"Thanks for joining us."
"Oh, of course, of course! It's an honor!"
Becky beamed. She had the kind of big, bright smile that made her seem like the most harmless all-American girl next door.
"Okay, so… what should I call you? Oh! How about 'Boss'? I think that sounds good. Yeah, I'm just gonna call you that. So, Boss, what do you need me to do?"
She slipped into her role instantly.
And at some point, everyone had started naturally looking to Owen for instructions.
Brian had the most experience. Ash and Heat were the core combat specialists. But Owen was the one holding the team together—the glue that kept them coordinated.
He didn't dwell on it.
"Simple. We need you to control the traffic light system. Also, possibly the subway system."
"Oh, that's not exactly simple… but I should be able to manage it. Who's going to fill me in on the details?"
Becky blinked her big eyes at him. She was actually quite pretty, but the oversized black-rimmed glasses made her look extra nerdy.
Owen glanced at Ash, who subtly shook her head. He immediately understood—Ash was being cautious. Until Becky earned everyone's full trust, she hadn't been given the full plan. It was a smart move—for both their safety and Becky's.
It seemed Owen was the last one left to approve her. Since no one objected, he took Becky aside and laid out the entire plan. Now she understood exactly why they needed control over those systems.
Becky then retreated to a corner with her laptop, diving into her work.
"This is insane," she muttered under her breath. "These guys really came up with a plan like this? Wow… my part in this is huge."
Meanwhile, the sound of explosions echoed through the warehouse.
The explosives they had set in the tunnels weren't the only ones they'd be using in the operation. Heat was running tests on one of the charges, making sure the detonation strength was just right.
Once he was done, he still had to practice driving.
For the rest of the afternoon, Owen and Heat focused on maneuvering in tight spaces. They had to maintain precise control over the car's width clearance, keep their speed up, and handle extreme terrain.
Two Mini Coopers—one driven by Owen, the other by Heat.
If Campbell were here, he would've been the best driver for the job.
Campbell had been SWAT's top driver. Whenever Owen's team had used their Bearcat G3 armored vehicle, Campbell had been the one behind the wheel. But after getting injured, his neck still hadn't fully healed, so he couldn't take part in this mission.
Still, he wasn't left out of the loop. SWAT was a brotherhood. Even though Campbell couldn't be there in person, he was with them in spirit.
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