Castle, who had been watching the situation unfold, had misunderstood one critical point. He initially assumed the DEA would fight to take the lead on the case, but that assumption was based on the absence of the FBI.
However, once the FBI stepped in, citing "national security" as a reason to take Johnny Tapia into custody, the DEA knew it had to yield. Instead, they focused on dismantling Tapia's smuggling operation. They figured that after capturing Tapia, they might glean some information on his supply chain from his interrogation.
The DEA was well aware that it couldn't overpower the FBI when they invoked "national security." So, rather than clash with the FBI, they chose to take a smaller piece of the action.
Captain Howard, who was well-informed thanks to Castle's covertly provided intel, also put Tom at ease. While Tom had his own ambitions in the case, he realized that the cake was large enough to share, and capturing Tapia together was the most pragmatic move for all parties involved.
While the DEA often crossed borders into Mexico without much red tape to combat drug trafficking, things were different in Cuba. Even though they maintained a foothold at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba wasn't treated with the same disregard as Mexico.
This was why Tom chose to compromise. Getting Tapia apprehended in Cuba was preferable to being shut out by both the Miami police and the FBI.
Once the three agencies reached an agreement, outside the house, Marcus—angry at being deceived by his younger sister—was placated by Sydney's soothing words, while Mike watched the scene with an amused grin.
But the time for family drama had passed. The surveillance team had confirmed that their target, Johnny Tapia, a major drug lord, was currently at his Miami Beach mansion. With fewer than ten guards on his property, it was the perfect opportunity for the authorities to strike.
Unaware of the investigation closing in on him, Tapia believed himself well-concealed. Confident in his secrecy, he didn't take additional security measures, allowing the agencies a golden opportunity for capture.
This overconfidence proved to be his downfall. Tapia thought that keeping a smaller security detail would draw less attention, unaware that it left him vulnerable to a police raid.
With the combined forces of the DEA, Miami police, and the FBI, Tapia—who had caused so much trouble in the movie Bad Boys II, even kidnapping Sydney and forcing Marcus and Mike to storm Cuba to kill him—found himself subdued and handcuffed in his own mansion before his grand plans could unfold.
Ironically, even as Tapia was escorted to the police car, he believed his arrest was solely for drug trafficking, blissfully unaware of the deeper charges awaiting him.
Since a certain incident, where terrorists attacked the Twin Towers, the country had adopted a zero-tolerance approach to terrorism. Tapia was about to learn the hard way just how severe the response would be.
Castle, the "mastermind" behind the scenes, knew that the plan to extract information on Barkawi from Tapia would likely be a dead end. While Barkawi had indeed used Tapia's smuggling network to flee Miami for Cuba, he would have vanished without a trace upon arrival.
Castle watched the arrest broadcast from his study, accompanied by the young Henry, who shared Castle's disdain for drug dealers and human traffickers. Henry, with a mischievous grin, teased his uncle Rick, "So, didn't you go to Paris recently and take down a bunch of traffickers? Seems like you've gone after both drug and human traffickers, right? How does it feel?"
Castle, exasperated by Henry's teasing, responded, "People like them don't deserve to keep breathing. As for drug dealers, well, that's a more complex issue. Without demand, there wouldn't be supply. That's why I haven't personally tackled the New York drug scene. No matter how many you take out, new ones pop up. But human traffickers? They're scum. I'd eliminate them all without hesitation."
Henry smirked and asked, "So, did you give that Hispanic cop in Beckett's squad info on some New York traffickers just because of that?"
Castle, annoyed, diverted the topic. "Where's Ramsey? Why are you the only one here? Is she still in the basement on her computer?"
Henry quickly corrected himself, sensing Castle's irritation. "No, she's been working on some project for Aunt Beckett. She won't let me bother her lately, so I'm not really sure what it is."
Castle's curiosity piqued. "For Beckett? Why hasn't she mentioned it to me?"
Henry explained, "Beckett saw Ramsey running the Eye of God system last time she was here. They've been talking ever since, though I don't know what about…"
Castle immediately recalled Eye of God and Beckett's deep knowledge of its capabilities. With Beckett's strong focus on crime-solving, it wouldn't surprise him if she sought Ramsey's help with the technology.
Castle decided not to pry further. Even in a marriage, a little space and a few secrets were normal. After all, he himself was hiding plenty from Beckett. Why dig into her affairs?
Besides, he trusted her judgment. If there was a way to leverage Eye of God without fully exposing it, Beckett would find it. She knew very well about the trouble with the CIA, so Castle had faith in her discretion.
After hearing Henry's explanation, Castle simply chuckled, deciding to let things be.
Like Henry had mentioned, he himself had passed intelligence to Espo recently, helping dismantle some of New York's human trafficking rings, quietly achieving the justice he wanted.
With the excitement dying down, and Johnny Tapia safely en route back to New York, Castle reflected on the fact that he might be the only one who knew Barkawi had likely moved on to Argentina. Joe's plan to use Tapia to track down Barkawi was doomed to fail. For Joe, this chase would ultimately end in frustration.
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I Am Zeus, KING OF GODS (Chapter 79)
Fairy Tail: Igneel's Eldest Son (Chapter 391)
I Am Thalos, Odin's Older Brother (Chapter 471)
Reborn in America's Anti-Terror Unit (Chapter 677)
Solomon in Marvel (Chapter 1059)
Becoming the Wealthiest Tycoon on the Planet (Chapter 1418)
Surgical Fruit in the American Comics Universe (Chapter 1422)
American Detective: From TV Rookie to Seasoned Cop (Chapter 1452)
American TV Writer (Chapter 1504)
I Am Hades, The Supreme GOD of the Underworld!(Chapter 570)
Reborn as Humanity's Emperor Across the Multiverse (Chapter 703)
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