"What did you say? Someone's planning to target Peter?" Neil asked, rushing into Castle's estate after receiving an urgent call from him. Neil had left Wall Street in a hurry, clearly worried as he confronted Castle, who was casually seated at the bar mixing drinks for the "little fatty."
The "little fatty" was already flushed from the high-proof cocktail Castle had prepared—who knew why Castle's concoctions were so potent. Despite his usually strong tolerance, the little fatty was clearly tipsy, which led to a predictable outcome. Before Castle could explain the situation, the little fatty slurred through the entire story, giving Neil a full account of how everything was tied to two wannabe superhero vigilantes using some kind of big data analysis software.
Relieved to hear the context, Neil let out a breath. His initial tension stemmed from uncertainty about the situation and his personal connection to Peter. Although Peter had once relentlessly pursued him, those days were behind them. Besides, with Castle now involved, Neil trusted things would work out. After all, this was New York, and Neil was well aware of Castle's influence. If Castle couldn't keep Peter safe under such circumstances, then who could?
Still, Neil was puzzled. Why would Castle, a man who often proclaimed how busy he was, concern himself with two wannabe superheroes?
Castle's begrudging explanation only made Neil burst into laughter. "Wait, you're telling me… this is because Beckett won't let you into the bedroom? And now you're…" Neil's laughter grew uncontrollable. "Oh, man! You're going to kill me, Castle!"
As a fellow troublemaker, Neil's laughter lasted for quite some time before he finally calmed down. He patted Castle on the shoulder and said, "Alright, I get it. But you know how it is—we're at a critical stage with consolidating Sky Airlines' shares. I'll give Peter a heads-up to stay safe, but I need to get back to Manhattan."
Castle stopped him. "No, don't warn Peter yet. Tonight, I plan to deal with both Peter's situation and those two vigilantes in one go. Otherwise, Beckett's going to make my life hell."
Neil hesitated. "Are you sure you can guarantee Peter's safety?"
Castle nodded confidently. "Of course. Not only will I keep him safe, but those two 'superheroes' won't let anything happen either. Plus, Beckett's officers will be on-site. Relax, I've got this."
Castle wasn't joking. He genuinely intended to use tonight's events to rescue Peter while also sending a strong message to Finch and Reese, who had become far too engrossed in their superhero cosplay. Castle had given them chances to back off before. If they didn't take the hint tonight, it would be on them.
Earlier, while waiting for Neil to arrive, Castle had been meticulously planning the evening's events. A good mood and the promise of "unlocking new positions" with Beckett had prompted him to experiment with cocktails, accidentally getting the little fatty drunk in the process.
While the world's aviation giants schemed to exploit his technology, Castle, true to form, prioritized his domestic "well-being" over the corporate espionage brewing around him. He headed to Manhattan to prepare for the night's operation, leaving the little fatty behind to endure a scolding from his girlfriend.
"Hey, Esposito! Long time no see!" Castle called out cheerfully, stepping off the elevator at the 12th Precinct. Holding a coffee he'd bought for Beckett, he wrapped his arms around Esposito, Beckett's loyal subordinate, who happened to be walking by.
"Castle? What are you doing here?" Esposito asked, genuinely surprised. Ever since Beckett's promotion to captain of the precinct and Castle's move to Long Island, he'd rarely shown up. While the precinct benefited immensely from Castle's contributions—turning it into the most well-equipped station in New York—Esposito hadn't seen him in ages.
"Castle, you're a rare sight!" Esposito's partner, Kevin Ryan, chimed in as he approached. Ryan, with his boyish Irish charm, was equally astonished by Castle's unexpected visit.
"Alright, guys, I need to deliver this coffee to Beckett first. I'll catch up with you later. By the way, there's an operation tonight," Castle said cryptically before heading toward Beckett's office.
Beckett had seen Castle arrive but let him chat with her team. Once he entered her office, she wasted no time issuing an ultimatum. "You'd better deal with those two vigilantes once and for all tonight, or you're dead when you get home!"
Castle, unfazed by her threat, handed her the sugar-free, non-fat latte he'd brought. "Don't worry. Tonight's 'victim' is an active federal agent. Those two vigilantes will definitely act, and once they do, Reese won't escape with Esposito, Ryan, and Peter all involved. Relax; it's all under control."
Beckett didn't doubt Castle's ability. Despite his laid-back demeanor, she knew he was far more capable than he let on. His expertise in firearms and hand-to-hand combat far exceeded hers, making him anything but the weakling he appeared to be.
With Castle's plan laid out, Beckett called in Esposito, ensuring he'd accompany Castle tonight. Although Castle wasn't a cop and lacked formal authority, Beckett trusted him to handle the operation.
Castle, meanwhile, used the break to call Neil, instructing him to alert Peter about the plan. Peter's role would involve not only drawing out the attackers but also detaining Reese when the vigilante inevitably attempted to intervene. Only by capturing Reese could Castle have a proper "chat" with Finch.
When Neil relayed the plan, Peter didn't hesitate. As a seasoned FBI agent, he was no stranger to danger. The prospect of being targeted didn't faze him, especially since Castle's plan promised to eliminate the attackers while wrapping up a secondary objective.
Peter's willingness to cooperate stemmed partly from Castle's recent assistance. During a high-profile operation targeting the "Roxxat Organization," Peter had leveraged his connections with Neil to achieve significant success, including personally leading the arrest of a corrupt senator. Rumors suggested that Peter was the frontrunner to succeed his retiring boss as head of the New York FBI office. Helping Castle tonight was a small favor in comparison.
Meanwhile, Finch and Reese were still debating the operation. Reese, pragmatic as ever, voiced his concerns about intervening with an armed federal agent as the target. Finch, however, was adamant. Driven by his sense of justice and an unwillingness to back down, Finch convinced Reese to act.
The stage was set. As night fell, Castle was in the precinct's bullpen, joking with Esposito and Ryan while distributing a catered dinner for thirty officers. His plan? Feed Beckett's team, then lead them to capture Manhattan's elusive vigilante duo.
From her office, Beckett watched her husband laughing with her subordinates, shaking her head in disbelief. She couldn't fathom how she'd ended up marrying such a childish man.
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