Chapter 51: Chapter 51: The Retired CIA
The peaceful days always seem to fly by, with Owen still busy with his duties at the police department, yet a trace of concern lingered in his mind. A few days later, Brian called him.
"Steve, everything regarding the incident in France has been settled. My friend over there looked into it, and it hasn't implicated us."
Brian was always straightforward, whether in speech or action, never bothering with pleasantries.
"That's great news. It's a relief it hasn't implicated us."
Owen finally felt at ease, having used a fake passport precisely to avoid letting the incident affect his current life.
"Steve, I've bought a new house. I'm having some friends over tonight, and I'd like to invite you as well. What do you say?"
"Of course, I'd be delighted."
"Great, remember this address: *** Street, *** number. Come over after work."
"Alright, see you tonight."
"See you tonight."
After hanging up, Owen smiled. He was finally free from worry. If there was anything to gain from this incident, it was probably Brian's friendship.
Before, they were merely acquaintances who nodded at each other in passing, but after sharing life-and-death experiences, they had become comrades who could entrust their lives to each other.
He had learned that Brian, after retiring, planned to spend more time with his daughter to make up for past regrets. He had moved to Los Angeles specifically for this purpose, previously living in a motel. Owen was surprised to learn that Brian had bought a house so quickly, happy to have another friend in Los Angeles.
He had finally been discharged from the hospital and officially accepted CTU's invitation. He would finish this month and report to CTU next month. George hadn't assigned him any tasks these past few days.
That evening, Owen arrived at Brian's new residence on time. It was a regular apartment. Checking the address and finding it correct, Owen rang the doorbell.
"Is that Steve?"
Soon, Brian's voice came from inside, and then the door opened.
"Hi, Brian, congratulations on your new home. The place looks nice."
Owen handed over a bottle of red wine he had prepared as a gift, which Brian accepted with a smile, nudging with his mouth, "Come in, let me introduce you to a few friends."
Owen followed Brian into the living room, placed his coat on the couch, and then went up to the rooftop. There, the aroma of meat wafted over from a few middle-aged men grilling, all about Brian's age.
Seeing Owen, one of them joked, "Haha, Brian, you actually have friends besides us? That's unbelievable."
Brian took the opportunity to introduce, "Guys, this is Steve, a really great guy. Steve, these are some of my friends, Sam, Leight, Jim..."
"Hi, everyone. I'm Steve Owen."
Owen shook hands with everyone, receiving warm responses. The one named Leight laughed, "I know you, the lone hero of the Centurion Tower. I've seen the video of you jumping off the rooftop. Must have been thrilling, haha..."
Everyone laughed along, and another named Sam handed over a plate, while Brian served him some beef, a familiar aroma wafting over, "Here, try my cooking, just grilled."
Before Owen could take a bite, another named Jim exclaimed, "No, this is all wrong, it doesn't taste like what we've had before."
The others agreed, and even Brian, after taking a bite, smiled wryly, "Indeed, it's different, but I did my best. This thing is really difficult..."
Owen then noticed their skewers were not traditional American BBQ but meat skewers on sticks, evoking a familiar feeling.
"This is...?"
Hearing him, Jim said, "We're trying a Chinese delicacy called kebabs. You might not have tried it, but it's delicious. We went to San Francisco a while ago and had it in Chinatown there, very tasty. But then we found out there's nowhere in Los Angeles' Chinatown that sells it."
Chinese kebabs? Owen chuckled at the sight of the skewers, realizing why they looked familiar.
"Guys...the order you're skewering them in is wrong. Kebabs should be two lean pieces to one fatty piece..."
"You know about Chinese kebabs?" Everyone stopped and looked at Owen in surprise.
"Somewhat. My neighbors are Chinese immigrants, very hospitable. I often visit them, or...they call it freeloading, haha. I've tried many dishes you mentioned, like Kung Pao chicken, dumplings, and these kebabs. Their food is indeed delicious."
Owen's mouth watered as he spoke. He did have Chinese-American neighbors, but when it came to understanding Chinese culture, they were no match for him.
Owen's culinary skills were self-taught, based on memories from a past life. Being a foodie helped.
"Oh, that's great! Then you're in charge of dinner tonight. I thought I'd never taste those delicious dishes again after returning to Los Angeles..."
Jim and the others cheered, their eyes filled with hope. Brian smiled at Owen, giving him the floor. Owen chuckled, not expecting to end up as the chef when he came to visit.
"Alright, but I'll need some ingredients. There's a special Chinese seasoning essential for kebabs, right?"
"We know, we've prepared everything. These ingredients are only available at Chinese supermarkets in Chinatown, and they're quite expensive."
Leight fetched a bag for Owen, who checked it and found cumin and chili powder, noting they were well-prepared.
After cutting the meat and skewering it properly, Owen's kebabs were quickly on the grill. He skillfully managed the grill, occasionally sprinkling seasonings, quickly filling the air with aroma.
"That's the smell..."
"Steve, you're amazing..."
"Why didn't we meet you sooner, Steve? You have to teach me..."
The men were eager even before the kebabs were done. Owen hadn't grilled in a while and was a bit rusty, but it was enough to impress these novices.
Sprinkling salt, cumin, and chili powder, Owen patted the skewers, impressing the onlookers. Minutes later, the kebabs sizzled with oil, sparking high flames when the drippings hit the fire, adding charm to the dish.
Owen distributed the grilled kebabs, tasting some himself, while new skewers went on the grill. Everyone enjoyed the beer and kebabs together.
Weekly Power Status
-- Power
Ranking 
-- Power
stone