When Castle stepped out of his private meeting, he found Gianna already engaging in lively conversation with Maggie, the newly inaugurated First Lady. Standing nearby was John Wick, impeccably dressed in a tailored suit and holding a glass of champagne, though clearly out of place amidst the grandeur of the event.
Five years ago, John had been the infamous "Boogeyman" of the underworld, a name that struck fear into the hearts of the criminal elite. Now, thanks to Castle and Gianna, he found himself at the White House, attending the inaugural banquet for the new President. The sheer absurdity of the situation wasn't lost on him. If word of this got out, the assassins of the High Table and the entire criminal underworld who knew of his legendary reputation would likely be picking their jaws up off the floor.
Thankfully, John's notoriety was largely tied to his nighttime operations—hence the moniker "Night Demon"—and few people had actually seen his face. Tonight, he was just another well-dressed gentleman standing protectively behind Gianna, who, along with Beckett, was deep in conversation with the First Lady.
Beckett, for her part, found the entire setting uncomfortable. She wasn't one for high society events, but Castle had insisted she attend. If it weren't for Gianna keeping her close, Beckett might have already retreated to a quiet corner. Surprisingly, however, Maggie turned out to be unexpectedly approachable. Of course, this wasn't entirely out of goodwill. Maggie knew full well who she was speaking to—Gianna, the heir to an old Italian family and one of the key sponsors behind her husband's presidential campaign, and Beckett, the girlfriend of Castle, the President's largest financial backer. With such influential company, Maggie made sure to be warm and accommodating, chatting animatedly with them.
Gianna, aware of her current limitations in mingling with the financial and industrial elite or military-industrial magnates present, focused on building a personal rapport with the First Lady. Meanwhile, Castle took advantage of the opportunity to slip into the inner circle of the military-industrial complex, thanks to invitations from Northrop and G.E. executives who spotted him in attendance. His primary targets were the leadership of Lockheed Martin and representatives from the California and Boston financial cliques.
Castle's goal was simple: establish a rapport with these powerful figures and lay the groundwork for future alliances. Once inside their exclusive circle, Castle did what he did best—win people over. In no time, he was exchanging laughs and engaging conversations with the industry's top executives.
Among them was the current CEO of Lockheed Martin, who had been keeping tabs on Castle for some time. Learning that Castle was the mastermind behind Northrop's victory over General Atomics in securing the Air Force's drone contracts, the CEO wasted no time approaching him directly.
Lockheed Martin had long coveted the talents of this "writer" who had, with just a few technological contributions, helped Northrop recover from the economic downturn. However, Castle's habit of staying holed up in New York had made him difficult to approach—until tonight. Meeting at the White House banquet was the perfect opportunity for Lockheed Martin to initiate contact.
To Lockheed Martin's leadership, Castle was more than just a promising talent; he was a guaranteed winner. As the first major backer of Benjamin Arthur's presidential campaign, Castle's influence over the new administration was all but assured. For a company as pragmatic as Lockheed Martin, befriending such a valuable asset was a no-brainer.
By the end of the evening, no one could say for sure just how many new connections Castle had made, but his beaming smile as he left the White House spoke volumes. It was clear that his efforts had paid off.
Adding to his good mood was some unexpected news he learned at the banquet. The man responsible for forcing Castle to spend Christmas in Hawaii—the head of Japan's military procurement delegation, Watanabe Taro—had been urgently recalled to Japan five days ago. Within 24 hours of landing, Watanabe had reportedly committed suicide.
This turn of events was tied to the U.S. State Department's pressure on the Japanese government after the recent espionage scandals in Hawaii and New York, where numerous Japanese intelligence operatives were apprehended. A senior Democrat present at the banquet confided to Castle that the series of events triggered by Alexis's kidnapping had greatly angered the U.S. government. There had even been discussions about temporarily suspending Japan's already-approved arms deal. Panicked, the Japanese government had turned its fury on Watanabe, pressuring him so intensely that he ultimately took his own life.
While the U.S. government ultimately decided to proceed with the arms sale, they took full advantage of the situation by inflating the price by 150%. In the end, the fiasco netted the U.S. a significant financial gain, even if Castle himself didn't directly benefit.
Castle wasn't surprised by this outcome. He knew all too well how this country operated—where money ruled all decisions. The capitalist mindset was deeply ingrained in every facet of its leadership. What did surprise him, however, was Watanabe's suicide. With his primary target gone, Castle felt a twinge of frustration, though it was tempered by the knowledge that Japan's hatred for him had likely only deepened.
Multiple attendees at the banquet subtly warned Castle that the Japanese government, humiliated and cornered, would not forgive him for this. Retaliation, they suggested, was only a matter of time.
But Castle was unfazed. Retaliation? Bring it on. Let's see who regrets it in the end.
Returning to New York, Castle immediately threw himself into the ongoing upgrades to his estate.
Under his increasingly paranoid direction, the estate was transformed into a fortress. Jarvis's automated security system was augmented with twelve newly acquired Browning M2 heavy machine guns and several micro-missile launchers, creating a virtually impenetrable defense. Even John Wick, after surveying the modifications, admitted to Gianna that sneaking into Castle's estate undetected would be an impossible task, even for someone of his caliber. Gianna, impressed, began considering implementing similar measures for their own property.
Once the estate's defenses were completed and handed over to Jarvis's control, Castle shifted his focus to establishing a cutting-edge research center. Building on the existing supercomputer lab and mechanical workshop, he began laying the groundwork for a facility that could propel him to the forefront of military technology. Inspired by Tony Stark in the Marvel universe, Castle was determined to position himself as a leading innovator in this world.
Of course, Castle knew he wasn't Tony Stark. But with his advanced knowledge, technical expertise, and the connections he had made at the White House banquet, he was confident in his ability to secure powerful allies. Among his potential partners were Lockheed Martin and Hughes Space Systems, the latter being a satellite manufacturer founded by Howard Hughes, the "real-world Iron Man."
Castle saw an opportunity with Hughes Space Systems to develop a private satellite communications network for himself and Jarvis. In exchange, he could share some of his advanced satellite technology, which far surpassed anything currently available.
Castle had every reason to be cautious. From various channels, he learned just how much Japan now hated him. His actions had not only dismantled their post-World War II intelligence network in the U.S. but also led to the destruction of their operations in Hawaii and New York. On top of that, the inflated arms deal had cost them dearly.
There was no doubt in Castle's mind that the Japanese were plotting their revenge. But now, with his fortified estate, expanding network, and ambitious technological ventures, Castle felt more than ready to face whatever challenges lay ahead.
(End of Chapter)
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