Chapter 54: Officially Joining CTU

After wrapping up their business here, Sam and his team flew to New York that very night.

During dinner, Owen told his sister Amanda about Julia inviting them over, and the little girl was so excited she barely finished her meal before rushing back to her room to call Kem. You could imagine the phone bill was going to skyrocket again.

Two days later, Brian and Owen took Kem and Amanda to visit Julia.

The moment the door opened, the two girls excitedly screamed. The superstar and soul singer Julia Andrews they had dreamed of meeting was smiling warmly at them from the doorway.

"It must be Amanda and Kem. Welcome, I'm Julia Andrews, but you can call me Julia."

Julia's approachable demeanor quickly won the girls over. She was only a few years older than them and shared their lively spirit.

Soon, the three of them were laughing and playing together like good friends, leaving Brian and Owen somewhat sidelined.

"Wow, this is the Popular Female Singer award from last year's Grammys..."

"This is the Newcomer of the Year trophy from when you first started... Oh my gosh, this is..."

The girls kept exclaiming in surprise as Julia showed them around her bedroom and collection. They even got to take photos with the soul singer, posing however they wanted. Kem and Amanda would surely become celebrities at school because of these pictures.

Owen and Brian, having nothing else to do, sat on the sofa chatting. Brian learned that Owen was about to start his job at CTU and didn't show any surprise, suggesting he didn't think too highly of CTU.

Owen was curious if CTU's operations were like those in the movies, but Brian didn't know much either. Initially, CTU was a CIA department responsible for domestic intelligence before it became independent. Brian had retired by then, so he didn't know much more than Owen.

After having their fill of fun in the suite, the girls wanted to go shopping, and Brian and Owen naturally had to accompany them throughout, prepared to serve as drivers and bodyguards to ensure their safety.

Julia recommended a restaurant, and Owen drove them near Hollywood's Walk of Fame.

First, Julia took the girls to a famous Italian restaurant for lunch. Hollywood had many restaurants frequented by celebrities, where privacy and safety were taken seriously.

However, shopping turned into a disaster. The charm of a big star was undeniable. Despite some disguise, Julia was recognized in a store.

It started with a fan excitedly shouting her name upon recognition, leading to more people gathering. This time, they had no one to block the door for them. Owen led the three girls out through the back door while Brian personally blocked the entrance.

Had they not run fast, chaos would have ensued. They laughed heartily as they returned to the car.

...

The weather was pleasant, and the California morning air was fragrant.

Mother woke up half an hour early today because it was the day Owen was reporting to CTU, so she took Amanda to the bus stop.

After eating the breakfast made by his mother, Owen hugged her before heading out.

"Good luck~~"

Amanda was seen from the window, cheering him on with little fists, and Owen waved back smilingly.

The car sped off, quickly arriving at the three-story building. Owen parked and entered the building.

CTU's security was tight. On his first day without a CTU badge, the security had to call someone from inside to receive him. Soon, a girl with glasses came out to meet him.

"Steve Owen?"

"Yes."

"Follow me."

The girl led the way briskly, and Owen, new to the environment, wanted to chat but didn't dare to interrupt as she seemed in a hurry.

After passing through two security doors, Owen entered CTU's main hall for the second time, his experience vastly different from the last visit during the Zhongchen Building incident.

The hall was bustling, a stark contrast to his previous visit. Men and women were busy at their computers, phone conversations were happening everywhere, and groups were discussing intensely near a large projection wall. The pace was noticeably faster than at the police station, where his colleagues would likely be relaxing with coffee and newspapers.

"Excuse me?"

The girl, almost running, prompted Owen to catch up. She led him to an office, knocking on the glass door, "Director, the new recruit Steve Owen is here."

Jack Bauer, whom Owen had met before, was on the phone but gestured for him to come in. Owen entered, and the girl left.

Jack motioned for Owen to sit and continued his call for a few more minutes before hanging up.

"Welcome to CTU..."

"It's an honor..."

They shook hands and Jack introduced him to his role in the field operations team under Tony, whom Owen had met before. The job was similar to his previous role in the serious crime unit.

Jack explained the structure of CTU, mentioning the intelligence and analysis team, led by Nina, which provided support with top analysts and IT experts. The rest of the team would be introduced in due course.

After calling Tony to introduce Owen, Tony led Owen out, showing a less friendly demeanor.

Tony showed Owen the weapons, introduced him to colleagues, and explained the equipment, including a Glock 17, two magazines, an ID card, and a phone, emphasizing the importance of being on call 24/7.

Owen spent the morning getting acquainted and the afternoon on various field missions with Tony, feeling the intense work pace of CTU compared to the serious crime unit, with high demands for timeliness and constant busyness.