Gianna quickly understood why Richard Castle had first contacted her via a secure satellite link through Jarvis. Especially after he hinted, with a meaningful tone, that he'd call her again on a landline to discuss stock shorting, she, a savvy Dantonio family heir raised amidst schemes, immediately grasped that Castle was planning another one of his traps.
After agreeing to play along with his performance, Gianna hung up and called the family accountant to implement their stock shorting plan with precision.
Meanwhile, Jarvis updated Castle on Snowden's recent arrival in Hong Kong and his meeting with a journalist from The Guardian. "Sir, Snowden has arrived in Hong Kong and has met with the journalist. Surveillance shows they are currently discussing Snowden's trove of evidence…"
"Oh, and now they're both staying at a hotel, deliberating on how to release the information. I suggest we discreetly tip off those eavesdropping on your calls, sir," Jarvis advised.
Castle finally laughed. This scheme, one he'd been orchestrating, had reached its most entertaining phase.
As Castle anticipated, Nameless was fully focused on monitoring Castle's calls and internet activities from his highly advanced hideout, "Nowhere." The moment he saw Castle calling Gianna, the Italian mob heiress, his attention sharpened, thinking he'd finally caught something.
However, what Nameless heard left him feeling as though he'd plunged into an icy void.
Castle was discussing an explosive revelation about the CIA with the Italian heiress, a revelation involving a former CIA employee planning to expose how the CIA had been monitoring global communications through phone lines, emails, and social media. And, outrageously, instead of reporting this to any authority, Castle planned to profit by shorting the stocks of tech giants whose reputations would take a dive if the news went public.
Nameless, whose arrogance and sense of entitlement often led him to irrational thoughts, was utterly appalled. Rather than introspect on his obsessive surveillance of Castle, he only viewed Castle as a money-driven scoundrel. Yet, despite his indignation, he quickly reported Castle's conversation with Gianna to his superior.
The CIA director, realizing the damage such a revelation could bring, knew there'd be no other outcome than his forced resignation if this went public.
Castle's conversation with Gianna had left little doubt about the validity of the information. They were already mobilizing stockbrokers, indicating the certainty of the revelation. But frustratingly, Castle hadn't revealed his source or the identities of the whistleblower and journalist. Without this, the CIA couldn't swiftly track down the threat.
Castle had only mentioned hearing about a former CIA analyst's covert meeting with British journalists to disclose the agency's global surveillance operations. The lack of specific names left the CIA scrambling without a clear direction. They realized the most direct solution was to approach Castle and try to extract the information directly from him.
Yet, approaching Castle posed its own problem. How could they justify knowing about his plans with Gianna without admitting to their own unlawful surveillance? Doing so would confirm the very accusations they were desperate to avoid.
Faced with this conundrum, the CIA reluctantly dispatched a deputy director to New York from Langley, hoping to persuade Castle to reveal the whistleblower's identity.
When Jarvis informed Castle that the CIA had opted to send a deputy director, he chuckled. "They must know that sending only Nameless would be futile—he wouldn't even make it through the gate. They're hoping a deputy director might sway me, but how will they explain knowing about my stock market plans?" Castle mused.
He imagined the deputy invoking "national security" as justification, attempting to intimidate him into cooperating. "These shameless bastards think I'm theirs to manipulate?" he thought, laughing.
Meanwhile, in Hong Kong, Snowden had handed over his trove of classified evidence to the journalist from The Guardian, who was elated at the magnitude of the revelations he was about to publish. Jarvis, keeping tabs on their interactions, promptly relayed each update to Castle.
Knowing that even the deputy director's arrival wouldn't salvage the CIA's position, Castle laughed. The official was still en route to New York, giving Castle ample time to profit off the upcoming storm. With the scandal set to erupt, his priority now was to cash in before the frenzy hit the stock market.
As for the CIA's visit, he'd simply refuse to cooperate. He imagined his responses: "Why should I reveal my source? And why were you listening to my calls? Do I, a novelist, owe any loyalty to the CIA? Even if I profit from the market, as long as I pay my taxes to the IRS, who can object?"
Unaware of Castle's resolve, the CIA deputy was flying anxiously toward New York, desperate to contain a disaster born from their continuous attempts to manipulate Castle—going so far as to target his mother, Martha. That had pushed Castle to act ahead of schedule, exposing the CIA's actions years earlier than planned.
Furthermore, Castle didn't want this scandal erupting during Benjamin's presidency. The man was already the most unfortunate leader in recent memory, with his first term marred by a White House siege and his second nearly ending in assassination in London. Castle saw this as an ideal time to keep the CIA too busy to mess with him.
Back in Hong Kong, the journalist from The Guardian, bursting with excitement, was drafting an article based on the explosive scoop from Snowden. He knew the information he'd obtained today would capture the world's attention and ignite a global outcry.
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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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