Counterterrorism in America

Owen came to an abrupt stop and turned around.

Not far from him, a young man in a leather jacket was chatting up a blonde girl near a taxi, smiling in a way that made Owen's blood boil. The scene was a near-identical replay of how Amanda and her friends had been deceived.

The man was unmistakably Peter—the same "pretty boy" from the movie Taken, who had tricked Amanda into revealing her location. Owen hadn't planned on going after him, as Peter was just a low-level pawn. They already knew where the girls were likely being held, and chasing this guy could risk alerting the gang. But seeing him in action again, deceiving another innocent tourist, made Owen furious.

"What's going on?" Bryan asked from behind, noticing Owen's sudden change in direction.

Owen pointed to the man in the leather jacket. "See that guy? He's one of the bastards working with the people who kidnapped Amanda. That asshole tricked her into giving him their address. I'm going to teach him a lesson."

Before Owen could act, Bryan was already a step ahead. With lightning speed, he grabbed Peter by the collar just as the man was about to get into a taxi. Bryan punched him hard in the stomach, causing Peter to double over in pain.

"Where are they?!" Bryan growled, slamming Peter onto the hood of the taxi and landing punch after punch.

"W-what are you doing?! Why are you hitting me?!" Peter cried out in panic.

"Yesterday—you kidnapped three American girls. Where did you take them?" Bryan demanded, his fists still hammering down.

"I don't know what you're talking about! Stop! Please!" Peter screamed, shielding his head as best as he could.

By the time Owen reached them, Peter was already beaten to the ground. Owen stood by without intervening, but the commotion had attracted several of Peter's accomplices, who were closing in fast.

The men didn't look like ordinary civilians—Owen's police instincts told him they were trouble. Two of them charged at Bryan, while two others advanced toward Owen.

Bryan didn't flinch. He delivered a solid kick to the stomach of the man approaching him head-on. Another man had grabbed Bryan from behind, locking his arms, but Bryan drove his elbow backward, smashing the attacker's nose and forcing him to release his grip. Within seconds, Bryan had incapacitated both men.

Meanwhile, Owen faced off against his own attackers. The first man underestimated him, rushing in carelessly. Owen met him halfway with a flying knee strike to the face, knocking him out cold. The second man hesitated, then pulled out a knife, cautiously circling Owen.

The sound of someone yelling in French caught everyone's attention. It was the taxi driver, who had fled the scene and was now shouting for police. Seeing this, the man with the knife quickly pocketed his weapon and disappeared into the crowd.

Owen didn't pursue him. Instead, he noticed a well-dressed man in a black suit pushing through the crowd. The man's movements were deliberate—not like someone who was merely curious about the fight. As the man reached the edge of the crowd, he made a motion as if to draw a gun.

Seriously? In broad daylight, at the airport, right in front of the police? Owen thought in disbelief.

Not taking any chances, Owen surged forward. He grabbed the man's hand just as he was about to pull out the weapon, yanked him by the collar, and delivered a sharp elbow strike to the side of his head, knocking him unconscious.

Owen checked the man's jacket and found a concealed handgun. His suspicions deepened—this guy didn't fit the profile of a street thug. He wore a gun holster and a tailored suit, both uncommon among criminal gang members.

Searching further, Owen discovered an ID card tucked inside the man's pocket. It read: French Internal Security Bureau.

The situation escalated quickly as police officers, alerted by the taxi driver, began closing in. The surrounding crowd scattered when they saw Owen holding a gun. With no way to blend in, Owen and Bryan stood out like sore thumbs.

To make matters worse, Peter had taken advantage of the chaos to escape. By the time Bryan dealt with his attackers, Peter was already sprinting away.

"Shit!" Bryan cursed. He jumped into the taxi and started the engine.

Owen sprinted alongside the moving vehicle and leapt through the open passenger window, landing in the front seat as the car sped off. The police shouted after them, but they were already gone, pursuing Peter through the crowded streets.

Peter ran for his life, glancing nervously over his shoulder. The taxi was gaining on him fast. Knowing he couldn't outrun a car, he veered onto a busy overpass, weaving through the heavy traffic. The congestion slowed the taxi, forcing Bryan and Owen to abandon the vehicle and continue the chase on foot.

Peter was gasping for air, exhausted from running. Bryan and Owen, however, were fresh and closing the distance. Desperate, Peter glanced down at a line of trucks parked beneath the overpass. Without hesitation, he leapt over the edge, landing on the roof of a container truck below.

Bryan and Owen reached the railing just in time to see Peter clambering to his feet. The jump was dangerous—nearly 20 meters high—but Peter seemed to have survived with only minor injuries. He stumbled to the ground, looked up at them defiantly, and flipped them off as he backed away.

"Cocky bastard," Owen muttered, covering his eyes. He remembered this scene from the movie all too well.

Right on cue, Peter's arrogance was cut short by a truck speeding through the intersection. It hit him with full force, sending him flying. His lifeless body crumpled to the ground.

Bryan clenched his jaw in frustration, slamming his hand against the bridge railing. Owen pulled out the ID card he had taken from the man earlier and handed it to Bryan.

"Looks like your friends aren't too happy with us," Owen said dryly.

Bryan examined the card. It clearly identified the man as an operative from France's Internal Security Bureau.

"He's one of Ken's guys," Bryan muttered. He knew Ken well. They had both served as CIA operatives stationed in France years ago. After retirement, Bryan had returned to the U.S. to repair his relationship with his daughter. Ken, on the other hand, had remained in France, bringing his family over and eventually becoming a security consultant for the French government.

_________________________

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