Big Ivan struggled to convey the gravity of the situation to Castle. "Sir, you do realize this kind of equipment shouldn't exist in any private residence, right? I don't know why Lockheed Martin isn't concerned about the risk, but I can assure you—if the world learns that your estate houses the only fully functional, high-load, multi-axis flight simulator for the F-35, spies and intelligence operatives will descend on this place in droves.
That would increase our defensive burden considerably! Besides, with the resources in your mechanical lab, you could quietly build one yourself. Why go through the trouble of making Lockheed Martin deliver something so conspicuous?"
Castle blinked, finally coming down from the high of acquiring his "big toy." Reality set in: he might have just done something incredibly foolish. If Gianna or Beckett found out that he had secretly arranged for such a dangerous acquisition, he was as good as dead. Gianna might let it slide as another one of his eccentricities, but Beckett? Pregnant and highly protective? Absolutely not. Bringing a massive security risk home would be a one-way ticket to the doghouse.
The realization hit Castle like a freight train, and for a moment, he considered scrapping the whole plan. But then he hesitated. Convincing Lockheed Martin's board to give him such a coveted simulator hadn't been easy. It was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity, and the thought of letting it slip away made his heart ache.
Big Ivan saw his chance to push further, hoping to dissuade his impulsive boss. However, before he could drive the point home, the kid—Castle's ever-loyal partner-in-crime—intervened.
"Uncle Rick, if Beckett gets mad, you can blame it all on me. Come on, it's a multi-axis, 128-degree freedom flight simulator! Sure, we might be able to build the hardware, but how are we going to get the flight data? We don't have access to real fighter jet parameters…"
Ivan groaned inwardly. Convincing one reckless man was hard enough, but when there were two schemers enabling each other, it became a lost cause. Just when Castle seemed ready to abandon the plan, the kid's argument reignited his resolve.
Castle turned to Ivan with a sheepish expression. "You make some good points, Ivan. Technically, I do have the ability to build a simulator myself. But Harry is also right. The real value isn't in the hardware—it's in the software. Those performance parameters are something we have no way of acquiring on our own."
He continued, "You're also right that having Lockheed Martin deliver such a massive device—big enough to take up half a basketball court—would attract too much attention. That would be a nightmare…"
Ivan was momentarily hopeful but still confused about Castle's intentions. Had he finally decided to give up, or was he about to double down? The kid, however, immediately caught on to Castle's thought process.
"Uncle Rick, are you saying we should build the hardware ourselves and only get the flight data from Lockheed Martin? That way, no one outside will know about the simulator?"
Castle grinned slyly. "Exactly! Thanks to Ivan's reminder, I realize we'd be walking into a trap by having them deliver the whole thing. But if we handle the hardware on our own, we can reduce the risk significantly. With the supercomputer and all our servers, we've got more than enough resources to support the simulator. As long as we get access to the data, we can quietly build a simplified version right here in the lab."
Ivan watched in disbelief as the two troublemakers rapidly formulated a new plan, twisting his warnings into justification for their scheme. He sighed in resignation, knowing his efforts to dissuade them had failed. Still, Castle had at least taken precautions to minimize exposure.
Castle, now brimming with excitement, realized that Lockheed Martin wouldn't be his only source for flight data. He had connections with Boeing and Northrop Grumman, both of which could provide detailed parameters for their flagship fighter jets. As a shareholder in multiple defense companies, Castle could legally request internal data far more detailed than what he'd get from Lockheed Martin alone.
Meanwhile, Gianna was fiercely negotiating with Lockheed Martin, unaware that Castle was wandering around the estate with his entourage, searching for a place to build a new facility. If she found out what was happening, there was a good chance she'd be livid.
John eventually joined the group, carrying his toddler daughter, Onora. The little girl rode on the back of a massive Caucasian Shepherd dog, which trudged along wearily behind them.
Despite being a former world-class assassin, John had no clue what his friend was up to. All he knew was that Castle had found a new "toy" and was looking for a place to put it. If John realized how dangerously Castle was playing with fire, he'd probably have some strong opinions about it.
Having fulfilled his duty to warn his employer, Ivan shifted to helping Castle find a secure location for the simulator. He prioritized areas within the estate that could be easily defended.
Castle, meanwhile, took a break from scheming to scoop Onora off the dog's back, much to the canine's relief. The dog quietly slinked away, grateful to be freed from its tiny rider.
Onora didn't mind being carried. For some reason, Castle had a natural charm with children, perhaps because he was a big kid himself. John watched enviously as Castle rolled around on the grass with his daughter. He admired how Castle could interact so effortlessly with kids, something John could never bring himself to do. The idea of rolling on the ground and playing like that was simply too undignified for him.
Castle, however, had no such reservations. For now, he was content to let go of his worries and enjoy the moment.
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