The deputy director wasn't without backing; he had the support of a certain financial conglomerate. However, the "Roxette" organization he was involved with was ultimately a shadowy group that dared not show its face. If this organization were exposed, the first to be unable to sit still would be the current president. Imagine the scandal: his own intelligence agency harboring such a clandestine entity! Even a weak-willed president wouldn't tolerate that.
When the deputy director received word that he would soon face accountability from Northrop Grumman, he nearly fainted. He had just barely managed to shift the blame onto a now-deceased nobody and gloss over the matter with tacit approval from the president. The latter had little incentive to dig deeper, given he had only two months left in office and no desire to engage in further complications.
However, if Northrop Grumman was now rolling up its sleeves to defend its shareholders, the deputy director knew he was in deep trouble. He was well aware that his so-called "Roxette" organization could not withstand scrutiny. With Northrop Grumman's resources—and the added involvement of Castle, whose intelligence prowess had proven formidable—his earlier ruse wouldn't hold up. The president's indifference suddenly seemed the least of his concerns.
In desperation, the deputy director turned to the financial conglomerate backing him for assistance. But even Castle couldn't have predicted the bizarre moves Northrop Grumman would make.
Neither Castle—who preferred to deal with threats decisively but leave the cleanup to others—nor the deputy director, who was desperately trying to save his political career, expected Northrop Grumman's response. The defense contractor took the recent case of fake kidnappers attempting to abduct Castle's daughter in New York, only to be thwarted, and used it to spotlight the CIA's antics over the past decade through media channels.
When a defense contractor wields the media, the results are far more impactful than typical news coverage. Given Northrop Grumman's clout, the CIA was a minor obstacle. Carefully vetted information about the agency's misdeeds and failures over the years made its way to the public, sparking outrage in New York. Even Northrop Grumman hadn't foreseen the consequences.
The first step of their media campaign was intended to stir public opinion against the CIA, but it unexpectedly ignited a wave of protests across New York. Citizens, already dissatisfied, seized the opportunity to engage in demonstrations, which escalated into riots and the ever-popular phenomenon of looting. The chaos quickly spread to other areas.
New Yorkers' disdain for the CIA has deep roots. After the 9/11 attacks, the revelation that the infamous terrorist leader had been trained by the CIA, coupled with their introduction of the concept of urban warfare to him, left a lasting scar. For many, the CIA is as despised as the IRS, if not more so. While the IRS might top the "most hated" list, the CIA often ranks first on the "most reviled federal agency" chart.
What kind of agency ignores clear warnings of an imminent attack on its homeland, all for the sake of gaining greater authority and funding afterward? The public's anger only deepened when they learned that the agency, despite having prior intelligence (though not entirely precise), took no action to prevent the attack. It mirrored the Pearl Harbor debacle, where FDR allegedly allowed the assault to happen to justify entering World War II. Similarly, post-9/11, the U.S. military invaded Afghanistan—a strategic move many viewed with skepticism.
The comparisons don't end there. During Taliban rule, Afghanistan's opium cultivation was nearly eradicated. After U.S. forces occupied the country, it became a leading producer of the drug. Many suspected the CIA's true motives had less to do with counterterrorism and more to do with economic and geopolitical strategies, including targeting a rising power in the East.
But back to New Yorkers and the CIA. The agency's training of terrorists and negligence leading to the 9/11 tragedy left a bitter taste. Now, news of agents posing as kidnappers to abduct a well-known writer's daughter? It was the last straw, sparking widespread anger.
Detective Beckett was called back to the precinct early the next morning to deal with demonstrations in Manhattan, Brooklyn, and Queens. Castle, the unwitting catalyst of it all, was completely baffled. Thankfully, his AI assistant, Jarvis, quickly pieced the story together. It turned out that Northrop Grumman's bid to seek vengeance had inadvertently struck a nerve among New Yorkers. The defense contractor's initial effort to stir public opinion had snowballed into a massive protest against the CIA under the guise of "reforming the agency and protecting public privacy."
Watching the unfolding chaos, Castle could only shake his head. "I haven't even made a fuss about this, and here you are losing your minds," he muttered. It was obvious to him that many were simply taking advantage of the situation for some looting and rioting under the pretext of solidarity.
The deputy director was in deep distress. The financial conglomerate had promised to protect him, but now protests and riots had erupted in New York, fueled by media coverage of the incident. The situation had spiraled out of control. Despite the initial plan to quietly transfer the detained CIA agents back to Langley and sweep the matter under the rug, Northrop Grumman's unexpected move had thrown everything into disarray.
The unrest lasted for three days, during which Castle stayed home with Alexis, who had been instructed to skip school, and Martha, who had just returned from a trip. Together, they watched as the city descended into chaos, featuring protests, riots, and widespread looting.
In the end, the deputy director couldn't escape the fallout. Despite his financial backers' assurances, the scale of the unrest forced him to resign in disgrace.
Three days later, as the chaos began to subside, Castle received a call from Benjamin. The specifics of their conversation remained unknown, but Castle subsequently gave an exclusive interview, sharing his thoughts on the CIA agents posing as kidnappers.
(End of Chapter)
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