If Castle hadn't made a pointed remark, Frank might have completely forgotten about Edward Bailey. But Castle's words triggered the memory of that incredibly significant name.
During the Cold War, Edward Bailey was a terrifying figure. His greatest lifelong ambition was to develop powerful, destructive weapons, and he eagerly hoped to see them used in real combat. Strictly speaking, while Bailey was a genius in weapon development, he also harbored an undeniable antisocial personality and was, without question, a sociopathic maniac.
Castle's deliberate hint caused Frank to remember that when he and Marvin were tasked with protecting Bailey on a trip to Moscow, the doctor, known for his talent in developing large-scale destructive weapons, had proposed a theory about creating something as powerful as a nuclear bomb, but without the radiation and fallout. Was the object he had placed in the Kremlin with Bailey really just a tracking device?
The more Frank thought about it, the more suspicious it seemed, and he quickly lost interest in playing games with Andrew or Senator Charles in New York. If his hunch was correct, the box that he and Bailey had left in the heart of Moscow might trigger a massive crisis.
Frank didn't believe Castle was messing with him. After all, Castle had mentioned the "Dragoncrown Project," which indicated that he had seen certain classified documents. Otherwise, Castle would have no way of knowing about the project. Even Frank's old boss, Sean, was unaware of it. So, it was plausible that Castle had accessed these files by using some high-level passes from Northrop Grumman at the Pentagon, where the plan was drawn up. The CIA had merely assisted in that operation.
That's why, back then, only Frank and Marvin had been assigned to the mission. Fewer people meant a smaller target.
Considering it was the height of the Cold War, Frank now found it hard to believe that the government would send just the two of them to Moscow with a specialist in large-scale destructive weapons to plant a mere tracking device. What they placed in that secret room likely had a much bigger implication.
Frank was familiar with his country's Cold War doctrine of "preemptive defense." The more he thought about it, the more cold sweat broke out on his back. He was now almost certain that the box he had placed in the Kremlin back then was something far more dangerous.
But one thing puzzled Frank: Was the Russian government really so careless that they hadn't inspected their president's residence in over thirty years?
Regardless, the situation Frank now faced wasn't just about political infighting or Andrew trying to cover up his past by eliminating witnesses like himself. Frank was far more concerned that Bailey might actually be imprisoned by the British, and that the device he had helped place in the Kremlin could provoke a major conflict between the US and Russia.
This pressing concern made Frank eager to wrap up the current mission quickly. He wanted to bring down Andrew as fast as possible, so he could take Marvin and Victoria to London to confirm whether Bailey was still alive. If Bailey was indeed alive, Frank needed to ask him directly what they had placed in Moscow all those years ago.
Castle wasn't aware of Frank's internal turmoil, but he could guess that Frank was probably racking his brain over the information he'd shared. However, since Castle's system hadn't issued any tasks regarding the "Dragoncrown Project," he had no intention of getting involved. Solving this issue would require going to Moscow, and Castle had no desire to visit that land of "fighting bears." Besides, even without his intervention, Frank Moses, Marvin, and Victoria, armed with solid intelligence, could handle the situation on their own. Why should Castle interfere and cause unnecessary complications?
So, Castle was happily enjoying himself with Neal, Moz, Chubby, his girlfriend, and his precious daughter, along with six hulking Russian bodyguards, throwing a bonfire party to officially send off poor Bob, who had thankfully emerged from yesterday's ordeal without a scratch. Originally, there had been ten bodyguards, but four were on duty, so only six—led by Big Ivan—were present, singing and dancing to celebrate Bob's narrow escape from the chaos.
At that moment, Bob was sitting beside Castle, holding a beer, whispering to him about something. In fact, Castle was advising the straight-laced soldier: "I think if you want Charles dead, there's no need to rush. If everything goes according to plan, Andrew will be exposed for his dirty deeds in Africa at the fundraiser tomorrow night.
Once those revelations come out, the media and journalists won't let go of such a huge scoop. Andrew's downfall is inevitable.
Furthermore, the Donkeys, who temporarily called a truce with the Elephants due to Johnson's death, will be furious. Even if they figure out that the Elephants weren't behind it, they'll still see them as the masterminds as Andrew's downfall becomes inevitable. In the political clash that follows, the two parties will tear into each other.
When that happens, it'll be the perfect time for you to take out Charles discreetly, minimizing any suspicion directed toward you."
Bob took a swig of his beer and said, "I understand. Thank you, Rick. If it weren't for you and Beckett, I might have really fallen into Johnson's trap this time."
Castle grinned, unable to resist: "Come on, don't think I don't know that before you left your mountain cabin, you already had contingencies in place. The firing pin on your rifle—wasn't it shortened a bit?"
Bob Lee Swagger was genuinely curious about the extent of Castle's intelligence network. Even such a small detail, which he thought no one knew, was somehow in Castle's hands. Was this guy monitoring him all along?
Despite his curiosity, Bob wasn't ungrateful. In just a few days of interaction, he'd realized that Castle was genuinely well-meaning. Though not exactly a good person, Castle was loyal to his friends, something both Neal and Chubby had mentioned to Bob. So, even though he wanted to ask how Castle knew about his contingency plan, Bob, ever the silent type, simply lifted his beer bottle in a gesture of thanks toward Castle.
Castle hadn't expected Bob to resist asking about it. That wasn't what Castle wanted at all—he had plans to persuade the world's best sniper to join his side. How could such a skilled person just return to Montana's mountains after taking his revenge? Would Bob really spend the rest of his life up there with his dog, Sam?
With a scheming smile, Castle began his pitch: "Buddy, I know you've been living a peaceful life in the mountains with Sam since you left the military, but you're only in your thirties. Are you really ready to retire to that kind of life so soon?
You're leaving tomorrow, and I doubt you're going straight back to Montana. How about this? I can have Sam brought here to the estate, and after you take care of Charles Hahn, why not consider living in New York?
As you can see, our life here is full of excitement. Plus, if you're in the mountains and another government agency tries to manipulate you under the guise of 'serving the country,' what will you do?
Here, you'll at least have me and Moz to help you sort things out. You've seen we're not bad people, and we don't have any grand ambitions. We just step in when we see things that we can't stand…"
Castle's words resonated with Bob. If he could fit into city life, who in their right mind would choose to live in the wilderness?
The reason he had initially retreated to the mountains was that, in a fit of rage, he had killed the officer responsible for abandoning him and his spotter during an operation in Africa. His spotter had died trying to save him, and Bob, once back at the base, had taken the opportunity to eliminate the officer responsible. The incident had caused a major uproar, and only through the intervention of his superiors did Bob avoid a court-martial. After leaving the military, he had no choice but to retreat to the remote mountains.
But now, Castle's invitation genuinely tempted him. In this recent ordeal, Bob had witnessed Castle's deep influence in New York, even though he was ostensibly just a successful author. Perhaps... it was worth giving city life a shot?
------------------
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Fairy Tail: Igneel's Eldest Son (Chapter 256)
I Am Thalos, Odin's Older Brother (Chapter 336)
Reborn in America's Anti-Terror Unit (Chapter 542)
Solomon in Marvel (Chapter 924)
Becoming the Wealthiest Tycoon on the Planet (Chapter 1284)
Surgical Fruit in the American Comics Universe (Chapter 1289)
American Detective: From TV Rookie to Seasoned Cop (Chapter 1316)
American TV Writer (Chapter 1402)
I Am Hades, The Supreme GOD of the Underworld! (Chapter 570)
Reborn as Humanity's Emperor Across the Multiverse (Chapter 660)
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