With a cheerful grin, Castle led a stern-faced Bob and Esposito out of the precinct quietly, blending into the mass of police cars leaving the station. They didn't even use Castle's car, as Beckett was worried there might still be people watching the precinct, ready to track them to Castle's new mansion. Although Castle didn't mind and was itching for a fight, the more cautious Beckett didn't want her boyfriend and colleagues to be attacked again.
The four of them, crammed into a police car, left the precinct amidst the chaos of the police cars mobilizing for the night's operation. Beckett stayed behind to manage the operation, so it was Esposito driving with Ryan in the passenger seat, following Castle's directions toward Long Island.
It wasn't until now that Esposito and Ryan learned that Castle, the rich guy, had bought an estate in Long Island—a massive one, no less, spanning twelve acres! Filled with envy, the two chatted casually with Castle, who sat in the back with Bob, as they left the city and hit the highway, the mood in the car light.
Castle, sitting in the back, tried to comfort Bob Lee Swagger, who had just been attacked. Although Castle knew this battle-hardened veteran was fine, the whole situation was just too sickening. Not only had Bob been deceived and framed by a CIA traitor, but now these people were haunting him, attempting another attack? Castle could tell that Bob was seething inside, and once this lethal sniper got his chance, both Senator Charles Hahn and Colonel Johnson would be in deep trouble. Now was the perfect time for Castle to strengthen his bond with Bob.
Being upfront, Castle said, "To be honest, we can't be sure those who attacked you were sent by the masterminds behind this. You're a very valuable person right now.
I have a feeling those who knocked out the officers protecting you with tasers and tried to abduct you were likely sent by Vice President Andrew, who was almost assassinated today.
Think about it—if they were sent by the masterminds, those lunatics who planned to assassinate the Vice President, would they care about killing a couple of cops? If they were really sent by the masterminds, they would've shot you on the spot, not tried to capture you."
Castle's words piqued Bob's interest, but before he could respond, Esposito, who was driving, chimed in, "Castle, did you tell Beckett this theory? She was pissed about the two officers being attacked. Otherwise, she wouldn't have sent everyone out of the station!"
Castle laughed at Esposito's question and explained, "Of course I told her. Beckett knows. Sending the police out tonight is her way of sending a message to those trying to grab Bob that the NYPD isn't to be messed with!
Even though the attackers were likely sent by Vice President Andrew, Beckett can't just confront the Vice President without solid proof, right? So, she's showing her resolve and the precinct's strength while also giving us cover to leave with the other police cars.
Right now, the 12th precinct isn't a safe place. Several groups have their eyes on it because of Bob."
The other three weren't slow to catch Castle's meaning. Thanks to the NYPD's swift action in capturing the assassins at the scene earlier today, they now held the upper hand. Bob, the key witness, was under Beckett's protection, and the FBI, unaware of Bob's importance, hadn't included him in their request to take over the case from the Justice Department. Bob had met the masterminds face-to-face, making him a crucial witness. Beckett and the NYPD had no intention of handing him over to the FBI. As long as Bob stayed in NYPD custody, the police could maintain control of the case.
But both the masterminds behind the plot and Vice President Andrew, the "victim" of the assassination attempt, had learned of Bob's existence and importance through media reports and informants within the FBI or NYPD. That's why there had been an attempt to abduct him earlier. The fact that the attackers had used tasers, rather than lethal force, made it clear to both Castle and Beckett that these weren't killers sent to silence Bob but rather agents sent by someone like Vice President Andrew to use Bob as a bargaining chip.
This was a key reason Beckett had asked Castle to take Bob away. Earlier, both she and Castle had overlooked the fact that Bob's continued presence in the precinct made him a prime target. Worried that keeping Bob there would endanger the 12th precinct, Beckett ultimately decided Castle should take charge of hiding Bob.
There were several advantages to this. First, having Castle hide Bob, while not entirely foolproof, would at least buy them some time. Beckett knew that those closely monitoring the situation—like the masterminds or the Vice President—wouldn't be easily fooled. (She wasn't yet aware that the enraged CIA Director had also ordered his men to bring Bob in.) But Beckett couldn't think of anyone else she trusted more than Castle to hide Bob.
Second, this whole situation had come about because Castle had noticed something while watching the news with her a few days ago. She didn't believe for a second that Castle hadn't prepared in advance. Although she didn't know where Castle was getting his precise intel or why he was so invested in saving Bob, Beckett trusted him. Having Castle protect Bob, a key witness, was the least of her worries.
Lastly, Beckett knew this was a brutal political battle. In such a ruthless fight—where even the Vice President's life was at stake—it would be madness to take sides. Sitting back and watching from the sidelines seemed like the best option.
As long as Bob stayed in the NYPD's hands, neither the elephants nor the donkeys would dare mess with them.
Let the two political factions kill each other—it wasn't Beckett's problem. As long as the NYPD held Bob, they could maintain their leverage and stay out of the political fray. Understanding this, Beckett's rage after the attack on her officers was a clear message: "The 12th precinct isn't getting involved in your mess, but don't mess with us. Otherwise, I'll show you why this is the best-equipped precinct in all of New York."
After Castle explained this, the other three in the car quickly grasped the situation. As long as Bob remained with the police, he'd be safe, and the NYPD would hold a powerful card. As for the political infighting? None of those players were good people, so who cared if they killed each other?
Bob also understood that staying with the police was his best chance to avoid being unjustly targeted. Far from being upset by Castle's honesty, he was grateful to the writer who had pulled him out of this mess.
Castle then turned to Bob with a smile. "I know you'd love to go off and settle the score yourself, but trust me, wait a few days. I guarantee that in three days at most, things will change in your favor. How about you hang out at my estate for a while?"
A faint smile appeared on Bob's face. He was beginning to like this talkative writer. "Alright, no problem."
Esposito and Ryan burst into laughter. "Castle, we haven't seen your estate yet. Guess this is the perfect chance to get a tour, huh? You better be ready to show us around!"
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