Chapter 55: Driving Lessons

In Virginia, Langley, the location of CIA headquarters.

Owen, the newcomer, was sent to a small town called Lasvias just one day after his arrival at CTU. Located an hour's drive from Langley, it serves as a CIA training base.

CTU, being a relatively new establishment without its own training facility, was initially part of the CIA, with many of its personnel directly transferred from the CIA at the time of its establishment, making the two entities like siblings from the same mother.

Despite the different functions of the two departments, many aspects are interconnected, and they cooperate closely. To this day, the training of new CTU recruits has not been separated from the CIA.

Dressed in black combat uniforms, Owen and twenty-one other similarly attired trainees stood in a row on a lawn, facing a man in sunglasses who was speaking to them.

"I am your instructor—Morrie. You will undergo eight weeks of training here, including shooting, combat, intelligence analysis, tracking and counter-tracking, driving..."

"Some of you might be fresh college graduates, others might be retired soldiers, policemen, firefighters, retail salespeople, school bus drivers... I don't care what you were before, but here, you have only one identity: rookies, complete novices.

Here, there are no men or women, no CIA or CTU, only instructors and rookies. You must obey my orders 100%. I only have eight weeks, and it's impossible to turn you from novices into qualified agents in such a short time, but at least I can give you a bit more capability to protect yourselves, so you don't get your brains blown out on your first mission... Do you understand?"

"Yes, Sir."

Reality did not unfold like in the movies with rebellious figures appearing; all 22 members, including Owen, showed obedience to the instructor.

Everyone was curious about what they would learn next. Owen didn't know if any of the other twenty-one were from CTU, but he knew that becoming part of the CIA is not easy for ordinary people, a fact he learned from his good buddy Carlos.

Carlos is a CIA enthusiast, probably brainwashed by Hollywood movies, dreaming of joining the CIA. The man seems to have an excess of testosterone, enjoying extreme sports and the thrill of living on the edge portrayed in movies. However, despite his efforts, he failed to pass the selection three times.

Carlos had a pretty good life in the Major Crime Unit, thanks to his uncle Javier, the chief of police, which allowed him to remain in the police force despite multiple complaints as a speed enthusiast.

Yet, Carlos was still not discouraged. He was very envious when he learned that Owen was joining CTU and even more so when he found out Owen was going to the CIA headquarters for training, calling him more frequently than Amanda did.

"Now, run five laps around the track."

Instructor Morrie quickly issued his first command, and the twenty-two trainees obediently began to run. Among them were not just young people but also a couple of women, likely including the retail salesperson mentioned earlier.

Owen ran with the others, and by the third lap, the gap began to show as those who rarely exercised started to fall behind, while the two women persisted determinedly.

Leading the pack was a white guy named Donald, who lived next to Owen. Most people had arrived yesterday, and for outgoing Americans, a night was enough to get acquainted.

Donald, with his short hair and military demeanor, was likely the retired soldier mentioned by the instructor. Owen didn't recognize the other leading runners, suspecting one might be a firefighter, given the physical demands of the job.

Being new, Owen didn't want to stand out, so he paced himself in the middle of the pack, spending most of his time observing the other trainees.

The morning passed quickly with Morrie not teaching much, focusing mostly on physical and endurance training, a regimen that would likely continue for some time. In the afternoon, the training shifted to driving.

Owen was initially dismissive, considering in America, known for its car culture, not knowing how to drive was akin to being useless.

However, having hung out with Carlos for so long, Owen was already a decent driver. But within a few minutes, he realized the value of this training.

Morrie wasn't teaching driving, but specialized driving, or driving under extreme conditions. Owen had learned some of these at the Major Crime Unit, but the training here was more comprehensive.

How to chase cars, the differences between front-wheel drive and all-wheel drive in a chase, how to effectively destabilize the opponent's vehicle, and how to shoot while chasing... Owen absorbed these skills eagerly, given his already decent driving skills.

Lasvias, though referred to as a small town, had no regular residents. The trainees soon moved to the practice field for hands-on driving exercises.

The vehicle exercises lasted three days, combining learning with combat training, chases, and causing numerous accidents. However, the CIA was well-prepared, with ambulances ready to transport any injured to the medical room in town.

Engines roared on the training field as two cars chased each other. Owen, driving one of the cars, used a drift to catch up to the car ahead at a turn, only for the other car to suddenly attempt to ram into him.

In that critical moment, everything seemed to slow down for Owen, as if in slow motion.

In this slowed-down perspective, Owen lightly tapped the accelerator and turned the steering wheel, narrowly avoiding the other car's rear end and reappearing on the other side like a ghost.

As reality snapped back, the spectators gasped in awe. Owen's calm and precise actions appeared as a split-second miracle to others.

This slow-motion sensation had been occurring since Owen was young, allowing him to focus intensely and effortlessly navigate dangerous or exhilarating situations, though it left him exhausted and sometimes with headaches afterward.

The other car, thwarted in its attempt and nearly causing an accident, swerved wildly, its tires emitting white smoke. Owen's sudden maneuver nearly caused it to hit the barrier, but the driver, Katherine, managed to regain control just in time.

Owen accelerated, and as his front wheels slightly passed the other car's rear, he sharply turned the wheel to use his car's front to disrupt the other's balance. The other car spun out, its sideways momentum causing it to flip.

Owen braked hard, stopping his car as the dust settled and Katherine, looking frustrated, climbed out of the overturned vehicle. The medical team rushed to check on her, while the other trainees applauded.

This final practice was a demonstration, with Owen and Katherine being the most skilled drivers over the past few days. However, Owen clearly outperformed everyone.

Owen finished the driving course as the top student. His driving skills were comprehensive, and he had a keen understanding of aggressive driving, clearly standing out from the rest.

"Very impressive," Instructor Morrie clapped and said, "Today's lesson is over. Tomorrow, we'll start training on tracking and counter-tracking. Be prepared."