What exactly does this ability mean?
It means that any company aware of Castle's ability would go all out to acquire him.
And if they couldn't get him for themselves, they wouldn't mind destroying him, ensuring no one else could have him either.
Such a person was simply too terrifying!
Think about it: if the Pentagon were holding a bidding competition for the next-generation military fighter jet, companies like Lockheed Martin or Northrop Grumman might invest massive resources in research and development. But then, this guy comes along and, with minimal time, effort, and funding, produces a prototype that outperforms the competition. Who could tolerate that?
What others didn't know was that Castle could quickly tailor cutting-edge technology to any situation because he had an entire repertoire of military and civilian technology from another world stored in his mind.
So how would they see him?
A person with this kind of near-cheating development ability, if not working for them, would undoubtedly be considered too dangerous to leave on the playing field. No one wants a competitor like that.
The human brain is like a hard drive. It can store a lot of memories, but most of the time—without proper stimulation—many of those memories remain dormant.
But others wouldn't understand the true reason for Castle's abilities. Would Castle dare explain it to anyone?
This was precisely why Castle, despite having access to Stark Industries' entire technological arsenal through a system reward, found himself in his current predicament. He wasn't some tech-obsessed innovator. He created these technologies only to solve immediate problems in front of him, without considering how these foreign technologies might impact both his life and the world around him.
After all, deep down, in both his past and current lives, he was just an ordinary man. His short-sighted and reactionary decisions were natural for someone of his background. The existence of his cheat-like advantage didn't change his inherent mindset.
He was simply an average man who had suddenly gained immense power. In essence, he was a classic example of someone who had become wealthy overnight but lacked the maturity and foresight to manage that wealth and power effectively.
Fortunately, Castle had been cautious. He had created the image of a lazy, indifferent man among the various arms companies. His luck also played a crucial role. Early in his dealings with defense contractors, he connected with Northrop Grumman, a company desperate to secure a drone contract amidst fierce competition. This stroke of luck turned into an unstoppable streak of success.
His uncompromising countermeasures against predatory rivals also sent a clear message to other defense contractors: Castle was not someone to be trifled with.
Later, through a series of fortunate coincidences, he got involved in the U.S. presidential election, eventually turning his investments into political leverage. Now, even powerful companies like Lockheed Martin were cautious. Castle had already gained significant shares in both Northrop Grumman and DuPont through his earlier drone technology and explosive formula breakthroughs. Without understanding his full capabilities, no one dared to make any reckless moves against him.
The most crucial thing was that Castle had not revealed his greatest strength—his ability to rapidly develop (or plagiarize) technology tailored to any specific problem.
When Castle finally began to realize the potential consequences of his actions, he confided in Gianna, someone he trusted deeply and who had experience with such matters. Thanks to her guidance, he managed to avoid the nightmare scenario of being hunted relentlessly for his abilities.
As Castle recounted the story behind why he had originally developed the semi-intelligent drone flight control system, Gianna and her husband John couldn't hide their shock. Castle explained that it all began during a trip to Brazil. Frustrated by the limitations of commercial drones in terms of range and flight endurance, he had returned to New York and casually developed the technology. His only motivation at the time was to ensure he wouldn't miss out on any future excitement. This decision had nearly gotten his young companion kidnapped, leading to the drone system's accidental creation.
Hearing this for the first time, Gianna and John both wore incredulous expressions, as if Castle were telling some kind of bizarre joke.
But Castle, finally having someone to confide in, continued rambling on about the odd circumstances behind his various technological breakthroughs.
By the end of the day, John and Gianna's worldview had been completely reshaped by Castle's strange stories.
No one could have imagined that this man truly invented new technologies only when faced with immediate problems. He wasn't just a genius—he was something else entirely. A monster.
Listening to Castle's self-deprecating but boastful storytelling, even Gianna, who came from a powerful criminal family, found her hands trembling. Meanwhile, John—formerly a professional assassin—was chasing their energetic child around the house. He didn't fully understand the technical details, but Gianna did, and it only solidified her belief: Castle was a terrifying anomaly.
But this monster was their close friend. Gianna owed Castle a great deal. It was because of him that she had won John's love and built a happy family. With her loyalty and friendship firmly established, she felt an obligation to help Castle deal with the hidden dangers surrounding him.
So, when John left the room to take care of their child, Gianna turned to Castle and spoke earnestly.
"Rick, it was the right choice to tell me all of this today. It's good that you've become aware of your previous mistakes. What we need to do now is not only to patch up the gaps but also to prevent any future recklessness. From now on, you absolutely cannot develop any technology on a whim!"
"We need to properly run the laboratory you've already registered. Since people know about your expertise in aircraft, software programming, and basic chemistry, we'll restrict your work to those fields for the time being. You mustn't venture into any other areas. Even if you have ideas, you must develop them in secret and ideally keep them for private use only."
Castle nodded quietly, understanding the seriousness of her advice.
Gianna continued, "We also need to quickly organize and evaluate all the technology you have, especially those related to satellites. You've already signed a memorandum for technology transfer on the West Coast. Before they come knocking, we need to have everything ready. When the time comes, negotiations will be handled under the 'Castle Laboratory' name, not your personal name."
Castle agreed, knowing this was essential for his safety and future operations.
"Now," Gianna went on, "Moz is out of town, and Neil doesn't have the experience to handle negotiations with Lockheed and NASA. I'll step in temporarily, but Rick, you'll need to find a business representative—someone skilled in negotiations, even if they don't understand the technical side."
Although Gianna felt excited at the opportunity to work with prestigious institutions like NASA, she remained professional. Even as the heir to the D'Antonio family, she had never dealt with an organization of that caliber. Yet she wasn't intimidated by Lockheed Martin or other defense contractors. In her eyes, they were just another business to manage. After all, her family's aviation company was already a supplier for the EU's drone program.
By the time Beckett returned home from work, Castle and Gianna had reached a consensus on how to safely operate the now highly successful Castle Laboratory. The key principles were simple:
First and foremost, secrecy. Only Beckett would know the full details of the lab's operations. Even Gianna and Castle's closest assistants wouldn't have complete access to the lab's secrets.
Second, Castle had to abandon his previous impulsive behavior. He would focus on refining and expanding existing technologies instead of creating new ones.
Finally, Gianna would temporarily manage the lab's external affairs until Castle could find a suitable business representative. Moz, now serving as a presidential security advisor, was no longer available. However, since this role didn't require knowledge of the lab's inner workings, Castle could hire a professional manager to handle negotiations and public relations.
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