This new, unexpected situation immediately threw Richard Castle's planned European vacation off track. No one understood better than him how brazen the CIA could be outside of the United States. With Clark and Ramsey currently outside his heavily fortified New York stronghold, Richard felt uneasy. Although Clark and Ramsey were under the protection of Gianna's family, he couldn't be certain of how the CIA might approach Clark. Would they try a straightforward recruitment? Or would they set up a trap for him? Neither scenario was something Richard, in Italy, or even Gianna's family, could easily prevent.
Moreover, bringing trouble to Gianna's family, who was actively protecting Clark, wasn't something a friend should do.
So, when Richard learned the CIA was setting its sights on Clark and even planned to approach him directly, he knew his European vacation with his family had come to an abrupt end.
Despite his casual attitude toward the CIA, Richard's nonchalance relied heavily on his strong position in New York. His nominal stake in Northrop, a defense contractor, might intimidate those who didn't know better, but when facing the CIA—known for being ruthless in pursuit of its goals—this wouldn't be of much help. His relationship with Northrop was, after all, a calculated exchange of interests. While his 4% stake made him the largest private shareholder, his rapid rise left him without the solid power base needed to support this position. Were it not for the financial crisis and pressure on competitors, he'd never have secured so much stock from Northrop.
The stock ownership was enough to fend off some unwanted attention, but for a CIA desperate for the "Eye of God" software, staying in Europe wasn't a wise choice.
Fortunately, both Beckett and Alexis were satisfied with their brief visit to Italy and didn't mind cutting the trip short. There would always be another chance to explore Europe.
The main reason behind Richard's decision to return immediately was his awareness of the CIA's true motives. They weren't just looking for Deckard Shaw, the so-called "terrorist" and "lone killer"—they wanted Heydrich's revolutionary program. Unfortunately for them, Heydrich's program had been a fleeting flash of brilliance, modified by Jarvis so it couldn't be reproduced.
With his supercomputer and his formidable recent accomplishments, it was only natural that the CIA had set their sights on him, though Richard knew he was, for now, no match for such a powerful organization.
Even his father, Sean—an ex-CIA operative with close ties to the North African desert elder known as "the High Table"—had been forced to lay low in Europe and Africa, keeping his distance from Richard and Martha for fear of "Loxat," a rogue group embedded within the CIA. Despite Sean's impressive career as a "RED" operative and former field supervisor, he hadn't managed to take down "Loxat," which had been shielded by the CIA.
Richard knew he had little chance of resisting the CIA if they decided to go after him or Clark. Ignoring the agency worked as long as they didn't interfere, but now that they were interested, Richard had no way to push back effectively.
So, the best course of action was to return to New York as quickly as possible.
In New York, he would be on his home turf. His Northrop connection might not deter the CIA, but his other role—as a bestselling author—might yield unexpected leverage. Besides, back in New York, he'd have Jarvis monitoring the city, Beckett as an NYPD precinct captain, the security of his Bronx mansion, and his loyal team of Russian bodyguards. Unlike in Europe, he wouldn't need to worry as much about the CIA setting traps for him.
In all honesty, despite his accomplishments, Richard had no illusions about taking on the CIA directly. His current priority was to lie low in his own domain and wait things out. By early next year, when Benjamin Arthur assumed the role of President, he could stop worrying about the CIA altogether.
After all, every new President replaced the CIA Director with a loyalist, as the CIA reported directly to the President, not to the Attorney General as the FBI did. With the significant financial support Richard had provided to Benjamin's campaign—and having been the first major backer to see potential in him—why would he need to worry about an agency that would now answer to someone in his debt?
Wait—Richard paused at this thought. Could he possibly aim for the position of CIA Director himself? Since the President alone could appoint the position without Congressional approval, perhaps he could leverage his relationship with Benjamin to secure it? If he strengthened his bond with Benjamin and capitalized on the goodwill he earned by helping save Benjamin's wife during the assassination attempt that killed the "unlucky president," maybe he could position himself for the role?
But as soon as the idea surfaced, Richard laughed it off. No one knew better than him what awaited the future CIA Director.
In the coming years, the CIA Director's chair would be a hot seat. The infamous "Olympus Has Fallen" incident was on the horizon—an attack on the White House that nearly wiped out the country's leadership. Only the heroics of "Spartan" Michael Banning and a series of tunnels built for presidential emergencies averted disaster. Not long after, Benjamin would be targeted again in London by Barkawi during the Prime Minister's funeral.
Who would be held accountable for such events? The Director of the CIA, managing a staff of over twenty thousand, would undoubtedly bear the blame.
If Richard took on the role, he'd be walking into a disaster. Could he preemptively stop the attack on the White House by identifying the perpetrators or even tracking down Barkawi before Benjamin went to London? Richard dismissed the notion without a second thought.
Though he was now a naturalized American, Richard's soul still carried remnants of the rebellious spirit from his past life, one that resented the "land of the free." Why would he go out of his way to help them, especially when none of this had anything to do with his New York home? Benjamin was safe with Spartan Michael at his side, and his investment was secure. Why should he concern himself with such a mess?
America had grown accustomed to daily gun violence, and they had a knack for courting trouble. He'd sit back and watch the show—why willingly step into a role destined to take the blame?
Sure, he had the chance to become CIA Director, a rare feat among time travelers, but he'd never be foolish enough to actually take on the position. That didn't mean, however, that he would ignore the agency's unwelcome attention toward Clark and himself.
When Jarvis informed him that Nameless was seeking approval from headquarters to make contact with him and Clark, he immediately gathered Beckett, Alexis, and Clark and boarded a private plane from the Dantonio family back to New York.
Gianna and John stayed behind, as this was Gianna's first trip home since her pregnancy in New York. She needed to present their adorable daughter, Enona, to the family, marking a new generation in the Dantonio clan, and gradually start taking over the family business from her father. This meant staying back to focus on family matters instead of joining Richard in New York.
Gianna's return also marked a new venture for her family: with Richard's authorization, she now had access to a new model of mini-missile and high-explosive materials he had recently developed. After the success her family experienced in the European Union drone competition, Gianna saw great potential in this new technology and intended to make the most of it.
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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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