To Richard Castle, this stalling tactic seemed like the best solution to deal with the troubles that he and Harry had stirred up with the CIA. At present, Castle didn't have the resources to stand up directly to the agency, nor could he afford to make them his enemy—at least not until Benjamin Arthur assumed office, at which point Castle would feel emboldened to refuse the CIA's demands.
Rejecting them outright now was too risky; who knew what dirty tricks they might use against him and Harry? Better to feign cooperation, gain control over the situation, and buy time until he was in a stronger position.
Nameless, playing his own game, had Tej send Harry a vague email asking for help but without explaining the full situation or even mentioning that the gang was tangled up with the CIA. To Castle, this was proof that Tej couldn't be trusted and that his loyalty was conditional. While the gang liked to preach about loyalty and family, they clearly only cared when it was convenient for them. The fact that Tej had sent Harry an address in Queens without even warning him about the CIA involvement confirmed it; this whole setup was a trap.
Castle, after reading the email, knew exactly what awaited Harry if he showed up: Tej and the gang wouldn't be the only ones there—Nameless would be lurking as well. Tej would likely try to persuade Harry as a friend, and the moment he agreed to help, Nameless would step in, pressuring Harry under the guise of "national security" to join their secret project to recreate Heydrich's software.
Nameless might even try to convince Harry to return to Castle's estate and secretly use his supercomputer to track down Shaw. Given their desperation, Nameless might even try to manipulate Harry into working against Castle himself.
Castle's suspicions weren't baseless; he and Harry had mapped out all these possible scenarios with Jarvis's personality analysis of the gang and Nameless. Sitting comfortably in the manor's main hall, Castle calmly told Harry, "See? I warned you about these so-called 'loyal' street racers. Tej is already in bed with Nameless, but he didn't think to tell you a thing. If it weren't for Jarvis picking up on the address in Queens being a CIA safe house, you'd have walked right into their setup."
Harry was unfazed by this revelation. He had long since devoted himself to his tech projects and was currently caught up in his budding romance with Ramsey, so learning that Tej and the gang were opportunists didn't sting. He shrugged, saying, "Alright, Uncle Rick, you called it. So what now? Stick to the plan? Pretend to help Tej find Shaw and then go along with whatever the CIA wants?"
Castle smirked, looking thoroughly pleased. "Not only will they want you to help locate Shaw, but they'll also expect you to come back here and secretly use my supercomputer for their benefit. In fact, I wouldn't put it past Nameless to ask you to plant spyware on my system."
Harry's eyes widened. "And you still want me to pretend to cooperate?"
Castle knew that Harry's straightforward nature made him easy prey for a seasoned manipulator like Nameless, so he kept things simple. "Just agree to help the gang find Shaw. If Nameless asks you to use my supercomputer, tell him you have user access but no admin privileges, so you can't create accounts or make any changes."
Castle's reasoning was simple: without Heydrich's software in hand, Nameless wouldn't dare antagonize him or Harry.
Harry, noticing Castle's mischievous grin, realized that his uncle had likely set up a clever scheme of his own. Knowing Castle would never lead him astray, Harry didn't pry further.
Unbeknownst to Harry, Castle's real plan was to use this "cooperation" to buy time until Arthur's inauguration. Confronting the CIA was a risky game, and Castle, aware that he'd risen to prominence too quickly and still lacked a solid foundation, didn't want to burn bridges prematurely. With Arthur's presidential campaign well ahead in the polls, it was almost certain he'd be moving into the White House, making it needless to escalate tensions with the CIA now.
As for the street racers, Castle didn't expect much from them. They had always been self-interested, and their alliance with the CIA only proved how unreliable they were. After this ordeal, Castle hoped Harry would naturally distance himself from them. While Harry's wealth and talents had elevated him well beyond their level, the gang remained stuck in a cycle of reckless spending and bad decisions. Despite their big score in Brazil, they had blown through their earnings on luxuries like rare supercars, whereas Harry had invested in his passion for technology.
Following Castle's instructions, Harry arrived in Queens with one of Castle's Russian bodyguards as his driver. Just as expected, the gang was waiting for him, and shortly after Harry agreed to help them find Shaw, Nameless emerged, a thinly veiled grin plastered on his face.
Having been fully briefed by Castle, Harry negotiated calmly. Although he agreed to help the gang, he denied Nameless's request to create a hidden account on Castle's supercomputer, explaining that he didn't have the necessary admin permissions.
Nameless didn't seem fazed by the rejection. He considered the meeting a success; he'd won Harry's cooperation with the gang, and there would be more chances to bring Harry under his wing. He was confident in the CIA's ability to sway recruits and corrupt even the most resilient minds.
During the Cold War, his agency had successfully turned high-ranking scientists and spies, even from the Soviet Union. Surely a young tech enthusiast like Harry would eventually succumb to their influence—especially if his talents proved as formidable as the gang claimed.
------------------
Enjoying the story? Support the author and get early access to chapters by joining my Patre@n!
Find me at: patre@n*com/Mutter
You can read each novel for $5 or get them all for just $15.
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)
[+50 Power Stones = +1 Extra Chapter]
[+5 Reviews = +1 Extra Chapter]