The anonymous sender who had just received the investigation plans targeting Richard Castle was unaware that the email had already been intercepted and analyzed by Castle himself before they even saw it. Castle had devised a countermeasure in advance. This email would, in effect, ring the death knell for "Lockset," the covert organization hidden within the CIA.
The anonymous recipient, who had just received this plan and its steps for implementation, hadn't yet mobilized personnel to investigate Castle's involvement in the Vincent Adler case or the disappearance of Nazi-looted World War II treasures that the FBI failed to locate. Before they could act, they received notice that Castle was scheduled to visit Whiteman Air Force Base in Missouri the next day, at the invitation of Northrop Corporation, to conduct a technical evaluation for upgrading the Air Force's operational B-2 stealth bombers.
This put the would-be investigator in an awkward position. After all, neither Lockset nor the CIA, powerful as they might be, would dare to provoke the U.S. Air Force—considered the "golden child" of the military.
Thus, the covert investigation into Castle had to be temporarily shelved. Provoking the Air Force, a top-tier entity, was not a risk worth taking.
However, while they couldn't directly investigate Castle, they could still scrutinize his unusual actions during the Vincent Adler case. Lockset had already learned that a significant number of artworks, originally looted during World War II and recently reappearing across Europe, were linked to Castle's father, Sean, who was currently in North Africa. This only intensified suspicions about Castle.
Lockset's objective was to determine whether Castle had preemptively secured the treasure before the FBI during the Vincent Adler case. If this could be proven, Lockset would only need to hand the evidence over to the FBI, whose agents were already upset over Adler's death and the lost treasure. The FBI would then take up the investigation of Castle themselves.
This tactic—using others to do their dirty work—was Lockset's preferred strategy for dealing with Castle without directly confronting him. It allowed them to strike at Castle without exposing themselves or using black operations to eliminate him outright.
As for whether any incriminating evidence could be found? The intelligence professionals within the CIA had little doubt. Castle had not been particularly discreet during his actions, and the treasure had been handed off to his father, Sean, without proper cover-up measures. The intelligence had already been compiled by these experts long before Lockset set its sights on Castle.
A preliminary investigation revealed that Castle had indeed played a critical role in Vincent Adler's death.
Castle, however, remained unfazed by Lockset's efforts. He was already aware of their intentions after Joe Martinez—now working in the FBI's Joint Command Center in New York—intercepted Lockset's email. Learning of their plan to exploit the Vincent Adler case and the treasure's disappearance to spur an FBI investigation into him, Castle devised a counter-strategy.
Even if Lockset unearthed evidence, the ultimate outcome remained uncertain.
After instructing his daughter to focus on her studies and informing Beckett about his upcoming trip to Missouri for the B-2 evaluation, Castle set out early the next morning. Accompanied by a cheerful young assistant, he drove over 200 kilometers from Long Island to Andrews Air Force Base in Maryland. There, he met Mark, Northrop's aerospace development director, who had arrived early to join Castle on a military flight to Whiteman Air Force Base in Missouri.
Missouri is in the central U.S., while New York is on the East Coast. Driving the 1,000-kilometer journey with just his assistant would have been exhausting. Mark, understanding this, had arranged to meet Castle at Andrews and travel together via military transport.
Castle was intrigued as he boarded the C-17 Globemaster III, a jet transport used by the Air Force. Like his young assistant, Castle had never flown on a military transport before and found the experience fascinating. He was so preoccupied with the novelty that he didn't bother to question why Northrop hadn't sent a private jet to pick him up. Instead, he was focused on the unique opportunity to fly aboard a military plane.
However, it wasn't Northrop's decision to forgo the private jet. The U.S. Air Force, thrilled by Northrop's proposal to upgrade the B-2's flight control system and engines, had taken over the arrangements, eager to connect with Castle—the rising star in aerospace design.
Castle was equally eager to establish ties with the well-funded Air Force. By the time the C-17 took off, he and his military hosts were already chatting amicably.
Joining Castle on this trip were Mark and Lieutenant Colonel Christine Goodwin, the deputy commander of the 509th Strategic Bomb Wing at Whiteman. Goodwin, a B-2 pilot with short golden hair, explained that all B-2 pilots held the rank of lieutenant colonel—a testament to the elite status of these aviators.
To emphasize how exclusive this group was, Goodwin compared it to other Air Force units. For example, the commander of a flight squadron in the First Fighter Wing, which operates F-22 and F-15 aircraft, typically holds the rank of lieutenant colonel. Even Navy aircraft carrier captains are usually lieutenant colonels unless they command an entire fleet.
The B-2, however, was in a league of its own. Each pilot held a rank equivalent to that of an aircraft carrier captain, underscoring the aircraft's immense value. With a price tag comparable to a nuclear-powered aircraft carrier, the B-2 was the epitome of a luxury weapon, so much so that even the wealthy U.S. Air Force could afford only 20 of them.
Goodwin, a devoted fan of Castle's novels, was thrilled to meet him, much to Castle's surprise. They hit it off immediately, leaving Mark to focus on the young assistant, who began running simulations on a custom laptop to evaluate the proposed upgrades to the B-2's flight control system.
The C-17 quickly reached Whiteman Air Force Base, where Castle was immediately escorted to a highly secured hangar. There, he saw his objective: the legendary B-2 stealth bomber.
As Northrop's largest private shareholder and the designer of the Air Force's latest unmanned aerial vehicles, Castle had full clearance to access the hangar. His assistant, now a certified Northrop engineer, was also allowed entry.
Castle's task wasn't to conduct an immediate evaluation but to first gather feedback from the B-2 pilots during a meeting at the 509th Bomb Wing's briefing room. The pilots would then test the new semi-automated flight control system on a simulator before Castle completed his assessment.
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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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