While Castle was busy fortifying his estate and upgrading his capabilities, Jarvis brought him shocking news that left him stunned.
"What did you just say? The Japanese government is secretly negotiating with Amir Barkawi in Argentina? And they're working alongside people from the Republican Party? How is that even possible?" Castle stared at the photos and satellite images displayed on his screen, dumbfounded. "I can believe the Japanese would seek out Amir Barkawi after being hit so hard and extorted so badly, but why would people from the Republican Party—of all groups—get involved with this America-hating terrorist? And wait, this guy from the Republican Party is part of the Roxette organization? What the hell is going on?"
Jarvis, unfazed by Castle's incredulity, continued his report with his usual emotionless precision. "Yes, Mr. Castle, I have not made an error. Based on the intelligence I've gathered, these incidents are interconnected, and all of them stem from one central cause: you. Whether it's the Japanese government or Roxette agents embedded within the Republican Party, their decision to approach Amir Barkawi, who is currently hiding in the Pampas region of Argentina, all traces back to you."
Castle was left utterly speechless. As Jarvis explained the details, the pieces began to fall into place, and Castle realized that it truly was his actions that had driven these groups to seek out Barkawi.
The Japanese government had suffered catastrophic losses due to Castle's actions. Decades of painstakingly built intelligence networks in the United States, particularly since World War II, had been wiped out almost overnight. Their stronghold in Hawaii, a region they had deeply infiltrated and cultivated as a prime intelligence hub, had been completely dismantled.
This all began with Castle providing Steve McGarrett with a list of Japanese operatives in Hawaii, enabling Steve to strike with overwhelming precision. The head of their operation in Hawaii, Kazuo Nakajima, didn't even have time to react before being unceremoniously disposed of—quite literally thrown into a volcano by Castle's men. Without leadership or coordination, the Japanese operatives couldn't mount an effective evacuation or contact higher-ups for instructions. Steve's Hawaiian Task Force and the FBI's Hawaii division rounded up the operatives with ease, leaving the Japanese intelligence network in Hawaii in tatters.
The fallout in New York was equally devastating. While fewer operatives were stationed there compared to Hawaii, their positions were far more critical. Japanese agents had infiltrated Wall Street, securing high-level positions in key investment firms and securities companies. Castle, however, used this situation to curry favor with the FBI, handing over detailed information about these agents. As a result, every single one of them was arrested, leaving the Japanese intelligence apparatus in New York crippled.
The U.S. State Department then seized the opportunity to pressure Japan diplomatically. This culminated in the Pentagon and Department of Defense delivering the final blow: threatening to cancel an already-approved arms export deal unless Japan agreed to significantly increased costs. Japan had no choice but to comply, essentially paying an exorbitant ransom to secure the weapons.
For the Japanese government, this chain of events was a bitter pill to swallow. The humiliation, coupled with the financial losses, left them seething with resentment. While they continued to hastily accept the U.S.-exported weaponry, they simultaneously turned to Amir Barkawi, seeking to fund him in a bid to strike back at the United States.
Meanwhile, Roxette agents embedded within the Republican Party had their own reasons for approaching Barkawi. Castle's influence had played a significant role in Benjamin Arthur's presidential victory. Once Arthur took office, he launched a sweeping purge of Roxette agents within the CIA, using lists provided by Castle. This internal crackdown obliterated Roxette's covert operations within the intelligence community, forcing the organization to regroup.
Adding fuel to the fire, one of these Roxette-affiliated Republicans had personal grievances against Castle. This individual had once competed against Rutledge for the position of New York State Senator but was defeated thanks to Castle's substantial financial backing and the strategic expertise of Mozzie and Castle's political advisors. Rutledge's victory marked the first time a Democrat had ever taken the Senate seat for New York, further stoking resentment among Roxette operatives and Republican hardliners.
With so much bad blood, Roxette and their allies in the Republican Party were determined to retaliate. And who better to partner with than Barkawi, a man infamous for his hatred of the United States? After all, it was the CIA that had orchestrated the drone strike that killed his family, driving his desire for revenge to new heights.
But the most shocking revelation came next. Jarvis revealed that the Japanese envoys negotiating with Barkawi were actively discussing a plan to storm the White House and assassinate the sitting President.
"What?! Are you telling me that the plot from Olympus Has Fallen was actually masterminded by Amir Barkawi, the same guy behind London Has Fallen? And that the Japanese were involved? What about that South Korean traitor in the movie? Don't tell me he was secretly working for the Japanese!" Castle couldn't help but blurt out.
The more he thought about it, the more everything began to make sense. Castle finally understood how such an audacious attack on the White House could have succeeded in the storyline of Olympus Has Fallen. If Barkawi had the backing of a nation like Japan, combined with internal sabotage from Roxette operatives within the U.S., it was no wonder the defenses of the White House were so easily compromised.
Take, for instance, the movie's opening scene, where a heavily armed transport plane brazenly flies over Washington, D.C., shooting down two F-22 Raptors with side-mounted miniguns. How did such a blatant threat even reach the skies above the capital without being intercepted earlier? Andrews Air Force Base and NORAD exist precisely to prevent such scenarios.
This glaring inconsistency had always baffled Castle—until now. With Roxette sabotaging internal defenses and coordinating from within, it wasn't hard to imagine how such a breach could occur. This also explained why the White House was so swiftly overrun in the movie. It wasn't just an external attack; it was an inside job, carefully orchestrated by a coalition of enemies.
And yet, Castle couldn't help but marvel at the absurdity of it all. "If it weren't for Michael Banning going full Rambo, Benjamin Arthur wouldn't have made it out alive. That guy really is a walking disaster magnet."
Now, armed with this knowledge, Castle was determined to ensure such a scenario never unfolded in real life. Fortunately, it seemed the plan was still in its early stages, giving him plenty of time to prepare.
However, what concerned Castle most wasn't the attack itself but the revelation of Roxette's deep-rooted influence. Originally thought to be confined to the CIA, the organization now appeared to have infiltrated multiple facets of American government and society, eerily reminiscent of Hydra from the Marvel universe.
"Well, this just got a whole lot messier…" Castle muttered to himself. "Looks like I've got my work cut out for me."
(End of Chapter)
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