Director Locke then handed Torin a file containing their next recruitment target - O.W.L.I.X, a mechanical owl of considerable size. O.W.L.I.X had originally been created as an experiment but gained consciousness and life when struck by lightning. He was imbued with electrical cosmic energy of unknown origin and had developed a strong aversion to other robots, especially newer ones that claimed to be superior. Despite his mechanical nature, he insisted he was more than just a machine and operated as an independent agent.
That night, O.W.L.I.X was flying through Quad City's skyline when he encountered mysterious insect-like drones that began following and scanning him. These small robotic creatures, resembling mosquitoes or drone flies and about half his size, were of completely unknown origin and manufacturer. When O.W.L.I.X attempted to scan them, he could determine their metal composition but found no data about who created them or who they belonged to. He used his electromagnetic pulse ability to disrupt their scanning attempts, causing the drones to declare "anomaly detected" before scattering in different directions.
During this aerial encounter, Torin appeared on a rooftop below, flagging down O.W.L.I.X for a meeting. The mechanical owl landed and met with Torin, who explained his mission to recruit members for S.O.A.R.'s new global defense team. O.W.L.I.X revealed that he still maintained access to S.O.A.R.'s systems despite being an independent agent, having found ways around their attempts to remove his clearance. Both characters discovered they possessed lightning-based abilities, creating an immediate bond between them.
O.W.L.I.X agreed to join the team and help recruit the remaining candidates from the list. He sent his acceptance letter to S.O.A.R. headquarters and requested that his armor ship be moved to the facility. Torin negotiated an additional ten million dollars for Quad City asset funds as part of the recruitment deal. With their growing team of enhanced operatives, they prepared to continue their recruitment mission, knowing that greater threats awaited and that the formation of the United Terran Guard was crucial for protecting Earth from future dimensional incursions and unknown enemies.
