After learning the truth about her grandfather from her dad, Alexis obediently agreed not to tell her grandmother, Martha, about it for now, just as Castle requested. At the same time, Castle also promised his daughter that if there was an opportunity, or perhaps during Alexis' upcoming spring break, he would take her to Europe to meet her grandfather. This half-joking promise allowed Castle to brush off the matter for the time being.
After all, he couldn't fully reveal all the details about his relationship with Sean to his clever and inquisitive daughter. Even if he explained everything to Alexis, it wouldn't serve any purpose.
Moreover, Castle truly didn't have the time to take Alexis to meet her grandfather at the moment. Tonight, a grand show was set to unfold in New York, and this performance had the potential to significantly change the country's political landscape. Castle needed to stay focused on this matter to ensure nothing went wrong.
That being said, Castle wasn't merely brushing off his daughter. He really did need to find time to go to Europe. The treasure he had seized from Vincent Adler still needed to be secretly handed over to his father. Castle hoped Sean could use his underground channels to discreetly sell off those priceless but dangerous artworks. Keeping such items in his personal storage indefinitely wasn't a viable option.
However, all of this would have to wait until the affair with Andrew and Charles Hahn was fully resolved. Additionally, Alexis would need to wait until her school's spring break before Castle could take her to Europe. Not only would this allow Sean to meet his only granddaughter, but Castle could also visit Gianna and John Wick in Italy, as Gianna was about to give birth and Wick was about to trade his guns for baby bottles as a new father.
As the sky gradually darkened, the evening approached. It was Saturday night, and the grand show was about to begin!
Thanks to Castle's shameless borrowing of chefs from Gianna's estate, tonight's dinner was lavish. Everyone at the table, except for Alexis—who was unaware of the upcoming events—was buzzing with excitement. Mozzie, Neil, the chubby Harry, and even Beckett were eager because Vice President Andrew's fundraising banquet was set to begin at 8:30 PM in the Waldorf Hotel ballroom. Meanwhile, Frank and his team were at their safe house, anxiously awaiting the start of the banquet.
Harry would be the key player in tonight's operation, taking control of all media devices at the Waldorf Hotel. Once Andrew took the stage to give his speech, Harry would broadcast the damning footage and photos of Andrew's involvement in a massacre in Africa, right onto the screens at the banquet.
At the same time, Harry would stream these videos and photos onto large advertisement screens throughout New York, including the massive one in Times Square, where Andrew had previously been attacked. Once the evidence was released, Castle and Mozzie would send the already-packaged information to major media outlets, including ABC and The New York Times, whose reputation had been tarnished after spreading misinformation about Iraq's alleged weapons of mass destruction during the invasion.
The goal was to make sure Vice President Andrew understood what it meant to become an overnight sensation, globally notorious!
After dinner, Harry, Castle, and the others headed to the study on the second floor. Since Alexis was present, they decided not to stage the entire show in front of her. Instead, they left her to play with her pet white mouse in her room while they gathered in the study to watch the drama unfold.
Security at the Waldorf Hotel was tight that night. The Secret Service and the FBI were so thorough they practically wanted to strip-search every guest. Even though intelligence reports indicated that a group of retired CIA agents had set their sights on the embattled Vice President Andrew, none of those agents were physically present at the venue.
Frank had only asked Winston for a small favor the previous day—to arrange for an electrician to enter the ballroom under the pretense of setting up the event while security was still lax. The electrician had discreetly inserted a Trojan virus into the media server via a USB stick. Other than that, there were no anomalies.
So, despite the Secret Service and FBI raising security to the highest level, their efforts were futile. Frank and his team had no intention of physically harming the Vice President tonight. Their plan was to destroy his public image by tearing off the mask of hypocrisy he wore, ensuring his societal downfall.
As the evening progressed toward 7:30 PM, well-dressed attendees began streaming into the venue. Most were loyal supporters of Andrew's party, unaware that tonight they would witness something extraordinary.
Since World War II, after leveraging its geographical advantage and seizing the opportunity presented by the decimation of Europe, the US had been loudly promoting its questionable values of "democracy" and "freedom" to the world. These values were essentially empty rhetoric. The guests attending tonight's "fundraising banquet" were no more than political opportunists, using the guise of campaign contributions to engage in what was essentially bribery, all under the protection of the country's absurd laws.
The head of the Secret Service had already ordered multiple sweeps of the Waldorf Hotel, ensuring there were no dangers. He stood next to FBI New York Division Chief Hughes, who looked concerned.
"I know your team has searched the hotel thoroughly, but I'm still worried about those retired CIA agents," Hughes said, his voice filled with anxiety.
The Secret Service chief cast a condescending glance at the clearly frightened Hughes. "I understand your concerns. The intelligence we've received does suggest that some retired agents have targeted Andrew. But we both know, Hughes, that the ones impersonating Andrew were working for Colonel Johnson, who was killed yesterday. I don't believe those old agents are unaware of who really attacked them."
"They have no reason to come after Andrew now," the chief added with confidence.
Hughes wasn't convinced. "We still don't know why Johnson impersonated Andrew to attack those retired agents. And why would he believe that after impersonating Andrew, the agents would come after the real Andrew? There's something else going on here that we're missing."
The Secret Service chief shrugged. His responsibility was solely to protect the President or Vice President, not to investigate complex cases. "That's your problem to figure out, not mine. All I care about is ensuring that those old agents don't show up here tonight to disrupt Andrew's schedule.
Also, Hughes, I suggest you keep your people outside on high alert. If Andrew faces another attack tonight, neither of us will come out of this unscathed."
Hughes had to admit that the chief was right. If another attempt on Andrew's life occurred, his position as the head of the New York division would be in serious jeopardy.
Exhausted by the never-ending series of crises plaguing New York, Hughes was in full agreement. He walked out, deep in thought. Ever since Peter had come to him, asking for Neil's pardon from the Department of Justice, it seemed as though the FBI's New York division had been cursed. After securing Neil's pardon to help capture Vincent Adler, things had spiraled out of control.
First, Adler—who had been successfully apprehended under Hughes' watch—was shot dead right in front of him.
Then, after trying to take over the investigation of the serial killer 3XK from the NYPD, all Hughes got was a warrant for Marcus Gates, while the actual suspect remained at large with no leads.
Now, on top of everything else, a CIA agent's attempt to assassinate the Vice President had come to light.
Adding insult to injury, not only had the NYPD beaten the FBI to the punch in this case, but they had also captured the assassin themselves. This left the FBI, which had always looked down on local police, in a deeply embarrassing position.
And this wasn't just any case. It was a power struggle between two political parties. The NYPD's quick action forced the FBI to inherit a ticking time bomb. Had it not been for Colonel Johnson's untimely death near Hughes' office, providing a convenient scapegoat, Hughes would not have been feeling this relieved.
Despite his frustration, Hughes knew the Secret Service chief was right. He needed to make sure his agents remained vigilant throughout the night to prevent any further incidents.
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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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