Perhaps only Richard Castle, currently traveling in Italy, knew the true obsession driving Dr. Bailey, but it wasn't something that concerned him. Why should he inform either the Brits or the Americans, who were already terrified after Dr. Bailey had disappeared with a high-yield bomb?
Even when Castle's father, Sean, called him asking for help in finding the missing Dr. Bailey, Castle brushed him off. Despite warning Frank and the others, Castle hadn't expected the cunning Dr. Bailey to escape so easily. At this point, Castle was only certain that he was safe in Rome. As for finding Dr. Bailey, who was likely hiding out in the British Isles planning a surprise for the country that had imprisoned him for over thirty years, that was an entirely different matter.
Castle hadn't yet succeeded in developing his artificial intelligence, and there was no way he and his chubby companion alone could track down Dr. Bailey, who had managed to escape Moscow with that massive bomb.
However, based on what he remembered from his previous life's story, Castle was fairly confident Dr. Bailey wouldn't detonate the world's only red mercury bomb in Rome. It was far more likely to go off in the British Isles, especially in London, since Dr. Bailey had been imprisoned in the Tower of London.
Upon confirming that neither the CIA nor MI6 had any clue of Dr. Bailey's whereabouts, Castle finally called his father, Sean, to share his prediction of what Dr. Bailey might do next. He hoped his father could use this information to gain some favor with the British. Beyond that, Castle had no further advice to offer.
After learning about Dr. Bailey's mysterious disappearance with the bomb, Castle decided that he couldn't continue sightseeing across Europe with his daughter. With Alexis's spring break nearing its end, Castle quietly informed Gianna and John about the situation, advising them to return to New York with him, where it would be safer. Gianna, heavily pregnant and focused solely on protecting her unborn child, immediately agreed to Castle's suggestion after hearing about the bomb.
However, old Antonio, Gianna's father, had no intention of fleeing to New York. The seasoned old lion instead instructed his financial experts to prepare to buy up British stocks and currency once they hit rock bottom. Castle couldn't help but marvel at how the old man seemed to value money over his life.
Nonetheless, Antonio had good reasons not to leave. He was busy consolidating his family's power after Sean had visited Italy to support the Antonio family, and he couldn't afford to walk away from that. Besides, as Castle pointed out, Dr. Bailey had no particular vendetta against Italy, and if the mad doctor was bent on leveling the British Isles, Italy—shielded by France—was unlikely to be affected. With this reasoning, Antonio decided to stay in Rome, dealing with his family's rivals while preparing to profit from the chaos that might soon unfold in Britain.
In the end, only John and Castle, along with his daughter, left Rome for New York.
On the private jet flying over the Atlantic, with Alexis asleep in the lounge, Gianna curiously asked Castle, "Rick, are you sure that doctor is going to take the bomb to London?"
"According to you, the Americans, the British, and even the Russians are all searching for him. How could he possibly get that bomb into London?"
Castle chuckled bitterly. "I warned certain people that Bailey was dangerous long before this, but I still overestimated their competence. They got played by that doctor, all because of some bald guy's girlfriend. Now, almost nobody but us knows that London is under the shadow of a potential nuclear disaster. But why should I care whether the Brits live or die?
"As long as I make sure my friends and family aren't in London, that's all that matters, right?"
Gianna, the next in line to lead the Antonio family, and John, who had killed more than his fair share of people, were both stunned by Castle's cold indifference. The bomb was estimated to have a yield of 200 kilotons—ten times the size of the "Little Boy" dropped on Japan. If it detonated in London, the city would practically be wiped off the map. Yet Castle could casually dismiss it like it was nothing. Where had this man acquired such a lethal disregard for human life?
What they didn't know was that, in both his previous life and this one, Castle had never liked the pretense of Britain. For him, it seemed fitting that the greatest troublemaker in Europe was about to get a taste of its own medicine.
As a time traveler, Castle's greatest advantage wasn't the system he had at his disposal, but rather his foreknowledge of events. In the past, Castle had always carefully maintained the narrative so he could stay ahead of the game. But this time, his interference had completely derailed the story he knew, leaving him too afraid to intervene further. Dr. Bailey was a madman, obsessed with seeing his creation put to use. What if Castle got involved and Dr. Bailey decided to detonate the bomb in New York instead? Letting the British take the fall was by far the safest course of action.
Besides, didn't the Brits deserve this? They'd done plenty of terrible things throughout history. Wasn't it about time they got what was coming to them?
As Castle's group flew across the Atlantic, the CIA, using secret channels, had already contacted a recovering Frank. From him, they learned that Dr. Bailey's goal was to take the bomb back to the British Isles and give the country a "big surprise." The CIA passed this intel on to MI6, sending the Brits into a state of panic.
The British Isles were vulnerable to infiltration from multiple points, be it through Ireland, Scotland, or even mainland Britain. With the CIA's tip and their own awareness of Dr. Bailey's past actions, the Brits promptly declared a state of emergency.
Meanwhile, where was Dr. Bailey? He was hiding out in a cabin in Finland. Despite being imprisoned by the British for so many years, the brilliant doctor had left himself numerous fallback plans. After escaping Moscow with the bomb, Bailey hadn't immediately headed for Britain. He'd spared Frank and his team in Moscow precisely so they could spread the word that he was targeting the British Isles.
But was that really his plan?
Not at all. Dr. Bailey was merely laying a trap and, in the process, advertising his wares. He certainly wanted revenge, but making sure he had enough money for the rest of his life was far more important.
As for leveling Britain, well, once he sold his thirty-year-old red mercury bomb for a high price, he could always build another one to take his revenge. Why rush into heavily guarded London when he could bide his time?
Besides, keeping the Brits in a constant state of fear was far more effective. After selling his bomb to a group of Middle Eastern extremists, Bailey could sit back and watch as they taught Britain a painful lesson, all while he enjoyed his newfound wealth.
And who was buying the bomb? Some guy named Barkawi or Zarqawi? Dr. Bailey didn't care. As long as the price was right, he was happy to sell. With both the U.S. and the U.K. as their enemies, these buyers would likely take care of the Brits for him. That way, Bailey could have his cake and eat it too.
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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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