Gianna's words weren't a joke. Even though the art and jewelry on the submarine might be worth billions, they were looted by Hitler's men during World War II. Everyone knew these items were marked with the prominent swastika symbol. It was uncertain whether these items could be sold smoothly, and they were clearly recorded in the world's missing art directory. Thus, Gianna wasn't very interested in the treasures on the submarine.
For the D'Antonio family, one of the twelve heads of the High Table, their wealth was already immense. Gianna, now in a period of heightened emotions due to pregnancy hormones, spoke impulsively. What she valued wasn't the treasures but the bond of loyalty and camaraderie between Castle and John. Thus, in a moment of emotional intensity, she proposed that they forgo their share of the submarine's loot.
Gianna had the confidence to make such a statement because her family wasn't looted by Hitler's troops during World War II, thanks to Mussolini's strategic positioning. Their family headquarters in Rome, next to the Vatican, remained unscathed. Even after Italy was occupied by the Allies, their family suffered no losses. Instead, they collected many valuable items because they were in the center of the Axis powers. Gianna didn't know that the U-845 was filled with treasures; she thought only a part of it contained valuables. Coming from a wealthy family, Gianna wasn't that greedy. Being pregnant for several months and having John by her side had significantly softened her once ruthless nature, leading her to suggest that Castle need not share the loot with her.
Castle, who didn't care much about these details, shrugged. "Actually, I'm not really interested in the submarine's treasures. If I told you that our actions were more about messing with Vincent, what would you think?"
Gianna was astonished. She stood up and exclaimed, "Rick, what did you say? You're not after the submarine's treasures?"
Castle nodded seriously. "Yes, I'm not after the submarine's treasures. We know that unless the submarine is full of gold bars, any art pieces would bear the swastika, making them difficult to sell. Knowing these items were looted by Hitler's men isn't exactly desirable, is it? Vincent's men attacked me, so I decided to ruin his plans. We'll also hand him over to the FBI. You know, Neil is cooperating with the FBI. It's a good way to score some points for him, don't you think? Plus, it would help the policewoman I'm pursuing gain some credit. Why not?"
Gianna couldn't believe what she was hearing. Was Castle treating this as a joke? John, sitting nearby, spoke up: "Gianna, Rick is serious! Remember, when we were in Rome, Vincent's men attacked him. Although Rick managed to kill the assailant, I offered to go to Argentina and take out Vincent. But you and Rick convinced me otherwise. Have you forgotten?"
Gianna, stunned by the casual attitude of these two men, suddenly remembered she had never asked Castle why he was doing this. Wasn't it obvious? Anyone would assume the submarine's treasures were the target, right? But Castle was doing it for revenge?
The pregnant Gianna, struggling to accept Castle's viewpoint, sat back on the sofa, adjusting herself for comfort. After a moment, she asked, "If you don't care about the submarine's treasures, why not just report Vincent Adler's whereabouts to the authorities? Why go through all this trouble?"
Castle smiled mysteriously. "I might not care about the treasures, but Neil, Moz, and Alex do. Besides, Alex's grandfather served on that submarine. It means something to her, right? And if the submarine is indeed full of valuable art from Hitler's regime, why let the FBI and the US government take it all? They wouldn't acknowledge us. They'd just keep the loot. So, why shouldn't we get it first?"
Realizing Castle's intentions, Gianna laughed. She had thought they were after the treasures but now understood Castle's motive was to thwart Vincent's plans. If Vincent knew the real reason for his failure, wouldn't he be frustrated enough to shoot himself?
Gianna, always accustomed to calculated actions for personal gain, found Castle's approach novel and exciting. The idea of participating in such an operation purely to mess with someone intrigued her. Instead of being disappointed, she felt even more enthusiastic.
Meanwhile, Moz had been driven back to Manhattan by Gianna's men. He boldly went to a café near the FBI's New York office and called Neil, who was busy upstairs, to meet him. Moz, now confident due to Castle's involvement, wasn't afraid of the FBI like he used to be. He didn't need to hide his tracks, unlike in the original story where he had to support Neil covertly.
Neil, puzzled by Moz's call, saw him enjoying a coffee at an outdoor table. After joining him, Neil learned that Vincent had set sail the previous night, beginning the salvage operation for the submarine. Moz, conveying Castle's message, warned Neil to be prepared. Vincent might target Neil for his safe-cracking skills since the submarine was rigged with explosives to prevent easy access. Castle wanted Neil to ensure that his FBI partner, Peter Burke, could vouch for him when the time came.
Moz's message made it clear: Neil needed to be ready, not only to deal with Vincent but also to seize the opportunity to involve Peter Burke, ensuring that Neil's role was clear and above board.
_________________________
[Check out my Patreon for +200 additional chapters in all my fanfics! Only $5 per novel or $15 for all!!] [www.p@treon.com/Mutter]
[+50 Power Stones = +1 Extra Chapter]
[+5 Reviews = +1 Extra Chapter]