Talking to a smart person is always straightforward. After realizing Rick Castle's true intentions, the old man Winston immediately agreed to help him get in touch with the Freemasons, whose power in the USA had reached an unbelievable level. After that, Winston had no desire to continue conversing with this troublemaker and swiftly kicked him out.
Upon stepping out of the Continental Hotel in New York, Castle didn't feel any relief about quietly stealing at least half of the Freemasons' treasure. His mind was still occupied with the major news concerning Dr. Bailey. So instead of heading home to Manhattan, he hailed a cab, went home briefly, then hopped into his long-unused Ferrari and drove straight to Long Island.
When he arrived at his estate, he found not a group of people celebrating their newly acquired treasure but instead a room full of grim faces watching the heartbreaking news on TV.
As soon as Castle walked in, everyone who knew what Frank had been up to immediately approached him. The most anxious of them, a chubby kid, even shouted, "Uncle Rick, do you know that a seaside town in Britain was blown sky-high by that Dr. Bailey?"
"The news says the death toll has already climbed to 70,000, and the number of injured is nearing 150,000."
Seeing the panic on their faces, Castle didn't hide the truth. "I already know about it, and I understand the rough cause. Let me sit down first, and I'll explain what happened. By the way, where's Bob?"
Noticing Bob's absence despite knowing he wouldn't vanish with the treasure, Castle still asked.
Gianna, who was heavily pregnant, explained, "He's in the basement with Neil, counting the treasure you brought back last night. What on earth did you do? You said you'd only take part of it, but why did you bring back two whole containers? Are you sure you left anything for the Freemasons?"
Castle sat comfortably on the sofa before answering everyone's concerned questions one by one. "Let's start with what's on the news. I had a chat with Winston at the Continental Hotel. He said that their intelligence agents in the mountains of Finland discovered Dr. Bailey, who was waiting to trade with an arms dealer from the Middle East, Bakaavi. Since this had nothing to do with the Continental, they didn't act. Instead, they handed over Bailey's location to the American and British agents who were hunting him.
Bailey, realizing he had no chance of waiting for his buyer in Finland, fled through Sweden and Norway, eventually arriving by boat in a British seaside town—the one that was blown up today. But once there, he was cornered by the agents who had been chasing him.
When Bailey realized there was no escape, he didn't surrender but instead detonated the bomb he had made with his own hands more than 30 years ago. That's what happened."
Gianna followed up, "What about your father's old comrades? Weren't they drugged by Bailey in Moscow and later sent to help the Brits track him down? Now that a British seaside town has been blown to bits, will the British let them go?"
Castle chuckled lightly. "Right after it happened, Sean quietly smuggled Frank and the others out of London. They're probably in North Africa now. The Brits may hate Frank and his team for breaking Bailey out of their custody, but without Frank retrieving that bomb from the Kremlin in Moscow, if it had fallen into Russian hands, both the Brits and the Americans would be in deep trouble.
If you ask me, the Brits brought this mess upon themselves. How dare they chase after Frank? Ridiculous!"
Even John, a former assassin with blood on his hands, didn't fully agree with Castle's view. "Rick, while you may be right, the explosion Bailey caused is horrifying. Those killed and injured were all innocent people.
The death toll could've been even higher if not for the town's small population. According to the news, the bomb's yield was estimated at 200 kilotons. Do you know what that means? It's at least ten times more powerful than the atomic bomb dropped on Hiroshima.
If Bailey had gone 100 miles further west, the casualties would have been unimaginable. The British government is in complete chaos. Protests against the cabinet are breaking out across the country…"
Castle was curious why a former assassin like John, who had once killed without hesitation, now seemed so compassionate. He figured it must be his fault for sending John to Gianna, making him soft after learning he was about to be a father. So instead of arguing, Castle nodded as if he had taken his friend's concerns to heart. "I understand what you're saying, John. You're probably thinking the same thing Winston was worried about—that the British government, desperate to place blame, will come after me because it was me who first told Frank and the others about Bailey's location, right?"
John nodded. "Exactly…"
Castle laughed. "That brings us to another matter. Guys, last night's operation was a huge success. Not only did we find the Freemasons' treasure, lost for over 200 years, but we also managed to take part of it. Gianna, your concern is unnecessary. You didn't see it, but the treasure in that vault is massive. It took me three hours just to load less than a third of it. So no, I didn't clean it out.
I've already asked Winston to pass the word to the Freemasons. So, when Ben Gates finally shows up in New York and discovers Trinity Church's secret, they'll be notified that the treasure they've been seeking for over 200 years has been found.
Once I've given the Freemasons this gift, even if the British find out I was the one who tipped off Frank about Bailey, I won't have to worry. Setting aside my position as Northrop Grumman's chief drone consultant and shareholder, the Freemasons themselves will shield me from any trouble the British try to stir up, thanks to this treasure."
Castle's explanation reassured everyone. After all, he had proven many times that while he might seem careless, he always took such matters seriously. With their worries laid to rest, the group shifted their focus back to the treasure that Castle and Bob had brought back last night.
Moz was particularly excited. "We've done a preliminary check on your haul, and it's unbelievable! Most of it consists of relics from the Crusades—priceless and easy to sell.
Unlike last time with Vincent, when the goods were stolen art from Europe during World War II and had clear provenance, these relics will be easy to move if Gianna handles it…"
As Moz continued to rave about the value of the relics, the chubby kid grinned and said, "Uncle Rick, I've erased all traces of your movements near Trinity Church last night. Aside from us here, only those cops might know you were there. Are you sure everything's fine?"
Castle, pleased to hear his tracks were covered, laughed. "Don't worry, those cops are mostly from the 12th Precinct. They won't spill. After all, I didn't break any laws. Whatever happened has nothing to do with them.
As for the Freemasons, they should be happy just to find the treasure. After 200 years, do you think they kept a detailed inventory? I doubt they know how much treasure is really there. When I got into that vault, the stuff was piled up haphazardly in two rooms. There's no way they have a complete list."
Moz nodded. "Exactly! Rick's right. The Freemasons' lost treasure is famous in America, but its fame comes from its legendary disappearance, not its quantity. So, Rick's plan makes perfect sense—the Freemasons don't know how much treasure there actually is."
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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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