From what Castle knew about Snowden's behavior in his previous life, it was clear that he was never one to stay in line. Whether he was prompted by Russian influence or not, Castle was now convinced that Snowden had been harboring rebellious intentions long before he leaked the secrets that humiliated the CIA.
Why? Jarvis had secretly infiltrated Snowden's personal computer, confirming Castle's suspicions. The newly hired defense contractor, who had just left his position as a CIA analyst, was already covertly collecting classified information using his previous access as an intelligence analyst.
No wonder Snowden managed to reach Russia with a trove of secrets. Jarvis discovered various traces on his well-scrubbed personal computer that hinted at extensive, premeditated data gathering. This discovery delighted Castle; Snowden was indeed proving to be the renegade Castle had counted on. Watching the footage Jarvis had transmitted, Castle could see Snowden's excitement as he reviewed the evidence Jarvis had sent him. It was almost certain that Snowden wouldn't even need much prompting; he might go public on his own. All Castle needed to do now was send one more email advising him to wait until he left the country to make the revelations. This would buy Castle, Gianna, and Neal some time to establish their stock positions.
Castle's judgment was right on target. Although Snowden's exact motivations for betraying his former employer were still unclear, he requested leave the day after receiving Castle's package and took an afternoon flight to Hong Kong.
Castle realized that the pull of historical events was strong—Snowden had leaked the information from Hong Kong in his previous life, and Jarvis found that the British Guardian journalist who had originally covered the story had booked a flight from Heathrow to Hong Kong, scheduled to arrive around the same time as Snowden. This suggested that events were likely to follow the same path as in Castle's previous life, with the Guardian—a close U.S. ally's newspaper—breaking the story.
Recognizing the urgency, Castle immediately contacted Gianna, Neal, and his Wall Street broker to start shorting shares of telecommunications giants. He was certain that the scandal would break within three days, setting off a global storm.
Castle hoped the CIA and his nemesis, the Nameless, would be prepared for a rude awakening. This time, he had no intention of letting these persistent pests off lightly. In addition to the material he'd handed off to Snowden, Castle had more evidence prepared for the CIA. Once Snowden ignited the scandal, Jarvis would discreetly post everything online, ensuring the agency would be left bleeding.
With Benjamin still four months away from taking office, any fallout from the scandal would not harm him. Instead, it would fall squarely on the current administration and CIA director. This situation granted Castle complete freedom to proceed, as there would be no blowback on Benjamin.
As public outrage targeted Snowden, the CIA, and the current government, no one would suspect Castle of being the hidden force behind it all. And with Snowden safely on his way to Hong Kong and planning his next move, there was little chance he would ever be in a position to implicate Castle as the mastermind.
When Snowden eventually met with the Guardian journalist, even if he claimed that he had received an anonymous tip, it was likely that no one would believe he hadn't gathered this information independently. After all, in Castle's previous life, Snowden had provided the journalist with close to 20,000 U.S. government documents, which led then-British Prime Minister David Cameron to demand that The Guardian destroy its copies of the files.
With such a staggering amount of classified material, it would appear as though Snowden had amassed the information himself, especially given his background as a CIA analyst, which meant he had both the access and the skills needed to compile this intelligence.
This gave Castle confidence that the CIA's inevitable wrath would never reach him. The plan was solid.
Coincidentally, as Castle was strategizing with Gianna and Neal to short telecommunications and tech stocks, Jarvis informed him that the CIA had begun wiretapping all of his communications.
"Perfect timing!" Castle chuckled to himself. "Just as I was thinking of ways to throw them off my trail, these CIA fools walk right into it. Fortunately, I've always known they couldn't resist snooping. I've been cautious from the beginning."
Castle had the option to evade the surveillance altogether by using his smart bracelet, which connected to Jarvis's satellite-hacked secure line to communicate with Gianna and Neal. This setup was so discreet that it would have been impossible for anyone to intercept. But allowing the CIA's wiretap provided Castle with the perfect alibi.
He planned to use the phone call with Gianna to explain his supposed insider knowledge about a forthcoming media exposé from a British journalist. He would discuss how he'd decided to capitalize on the situation by shorting stocks in companies that had allegedly opened backdoors for CIA surveillance. This carefully crafted conversation would scare the eavesdropping Nameless and the CIA half to death.
The CIA wouldn't know that Castle had been behind this all along. Instead, they'd believe he was just an opportunistic investor, looking to make a profit based on rumors.
Castle figured it was only a matter of time before the CIA confronted him, demanding to know his source. By then, Snowden would have already met with the journalist in Hong Kong, making any attempt to stop the story pointless.
Castle couldn't help but smirk at the thought of toying with them. All he had to do was deny everything, claiming he was only trying to make a profit on inside information. And as for where he got his information? That was none of their business. Besides, how had they found out about his plans with his contacts in Italy anyway? Hadn't he received intelligence that the CIA was indeed monitoring his calls, as his source had suggested?
The idea of watching the CIA agents sputter in frustration filled Castle with delight.
With Snowden and the Guardian journalist en route to Hong Kong, Castle waited for the right moment. Once they met, he would make the phone call to Gianna from his landline. Before that, however, he'd use Jarvis's secure satellite line to brief Gianna on what to expect. This show had to go off without a hitch.
When Gianna picked up Castle's call on the secure line, she was bewildered by the explosive news. This was massive—a scandal of epic proportions for the United States—and Castle had managed to get wind of it before it even broke?
Unbeknownst to her, Castle was the one orchestrating the entire situation. His goal was not only to retaliate against the CIA for harassing him and targeting his family but also to accelerate a political bomb that would have otherwise erupted during Benjamin's administration. This way, the scandal would serve his purposes now without jeopardizing his long-term investment.
Despite her surprise, Gianna's business acumen kicked in immediately. Realizing the significance of the story Castle had outlined, especially the alleged complicity of major tech companies, she saw this as an incredible financial opportunity.
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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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