Feeling dejected about failing to impress his hacker friend, the chubby kid begrudgingly embarked on a trip around Italy with Ramsey. Though worried about his friend, he couldn't disregard his Uncle Rick's advice. And with Jarvis tracking every move made by the CIA, he soon began receiving frequent updates. The moment the CIA learned of the program that could locate anyone in the world through any networked camera, they had sprung into action.
Through Jarvis's constant reports, the chubby kid finally understood that Castle's words had been spot on. The CIA was indeed highly interested in this incredible software—an absolute godsend for an agency with enemies all over the world. After years of hard work on their PRISM program and extensive global surveillance efforts, this breakthrough tool could potentially let their agents capture anyone, anytime.
Realizing the CIA's desperation for this, they put their "Shadow Operatives" on the case. The operation was led by someone code-named "Nobody"—a clear indication that if anything went wrong, the CIA would deny their involvement. This kind of contingency planning was their specialty, which was unsurprising given their notoriously tarnished reputation. To obscure their operations, they even gave their leader a codename like "Nobody" to deny responsibility at the drop of a hat.
But this was none of the chubby kid's concern, nor Castle's, who was focused on his vacation in Florence with Beckett and Alexis. He was simply waiting for updates from Jarvis.
Finally, Jarvis reported that Han had indeed been tracked down in Tokyo by Deckard Shaw, who had blown him up. While Giselle had survived and relayed the news back to Dominic, Han wasn't as lucky. The timeline of events had shifted somewhat, but Castle's insider knowledge gave him a unique advantage. He knew that once Hobbs was attacked in L.A., the CIA would swoop in, and the bald-headed gang would be roped into a mission in Azerbaijan. With all this falling into place, Castle figured it'd be a matter of days before the racers got dropped into Azerbaijan.
Castle was torn between wanting to watch the drama unfold from the comfort of New York and continuing his Italian holiday. If Beckett returned to New York, she'd almost certainly get involved once the inevitable showdown between Shaw, the bald crew, and the jilted warlord played out there. And knowing about his two drones, she'd likely rope him into it, putting him in a tough spot. Help or not?
There was also a secret Castle had kept from everyone: he'd ordered Jarvis to quietly insert a stealth virus into Heidrich's software, effectively turning it into a Trojan horse. If the CIA got their hands on it and uploaded it to their network, the virus would embed itself, secretly sabotaging their systems while destroying the program itself. No way would Castle let the CIA retain such a dangerous tool.
If the CIA really acquired that software, people like him—who constantly meddled in global affairs—would be left vulnerable. And as far as Castle was concerned, the potential consequences were too great. Even in Fast and Furious 8, Cipher's advanced software looked like a polished version of the Eye of God—an implication of a covert relationship between her and the CIA.
Castle had already decided to give the CIA a little "surprise" the moment they got their hands on Heidrich's program. And as for Nobody's reaction when he saw the self-destruct countdown begin? Not Castle's problem.
Three days later, Jarvis delivered another update: Deckard Shaw had attacked Hobbs in L.A., landing him in the hospital. Soon after, Dominic's house was blown sky-high by Shaw's mail bomb, nearly killing Mia and O'Connor. With Shaw's revenge motives clear, the enraged Dominic was promptly approached by Nobody, who persuaded him to mount a rescue mission for the kidnapped hacker.
Watching Dominic gather his "family" with righteous bravado to embark on a dangerous mission to Azerbaijan, Castle had to laugh. Did they even understand the actual stakes? They were being hunted by a revenge-driven Shaw, yet somehow a hacker's predicament in Azerbaijan had become their concern, all thanks to CIA manipulation. Were they truly this brain-dead?
Instead of simply seeking help from the chubby kid, who could actually provide competent tech support, they chose to blindly follow the CIA's agenda. Castle couldn't help but think they'd forgotten they had a tech-savvy friend in their circle. The only one with any sense was O'Connor, but he was bound by loyalty and probably didn't want to undermine Dominic's erratic plans.
Once again, the CIA's dubious methods were clear—they were taking advantage of these thrill-seekers, exploiting them in place of expendable agents. After all, if CIA operatives entered a foreign country and got caught, it'd be a diplomatic disaster. But street racers? If they died, it was no loss to the CIA.
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Fairy Tail: Igneel's Eldest Son (Chapter 256)
I Am Thalos, Odin's Older Brother (Chapter 336)
Reborn in America's Anti-Terror Unit (Chapter 542)
Solomon in Marvel (Chapter 924)
Becoming the Wealthiest Tycoon on the Planet (Chapter 1284)
Surgical Fruit in the American Comics Universe (Chapter 1289)
American Detective: From TV Rookie to Seasoned Cop (Chapter 1316)
American TV Writer (Chapter 1402)
I Am Hades, The Supreme GOD of the Underworld! (Chapter 570)
Reborn as Humanity's Emperor Across the Multiverse (Chapter 660)
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