Having resolved to leverage his technological assets to expand his network and forge alliances, Castle wasted no time setting his sights on one of the giants of the U.S. defense industry: Lockheed Martin, headquartered in Maryland. Despite Northrop Grumman's likely disapproval of him cozying up to their long-time competitor, Castle had decided to move forward. Northrop's recent actions, prioritizing profit over loyalty during the Japanese arms deal controversy, had left him with a bitter aftertaste. It was time to diversify his connections and alliances.
Northrop, while unhappy about Castle's overtures to Lockheed Martin, couldn't exactly complain. They understood Castle's dissatisfaction. After all, they had chosen to prioritize a massive Japanese defense contract over fully supporting their star shareholder in his personal conflict with Japan's intelligence agencies. To Northrop, this was a purely rational, profit-driven decision. The company's leadership believed their role as intermediaries for Japan was justified. After all, Japan's defense orders were critical to Northrop's bottom line, and it wasn't their job to jeopardize that for the sake of one shareholder—even if that shareholder had brought them considerable success with his technical contributions.
Northrop's board likely reasoned: "Castle didn't suffer any real losses, and he still managed to humiliate Japan's intelligence agency in the process. What's the harm in us smoothing things over with Japan for the greater good of the company?"
But Castle saw things differently. From his perspective, he had fought tooth and nail to strike a devastating blow against Japan's intelligence operations, only to find his supposed allies at Northrop undermining him for the sake of profit. While he understood their rationale intellectually, he couldn't stomach it emotionally. As a result, the once-cozy relationship between Castle and Northrop cooled significantly.
This rift presented a golden opportunity for Lockheed Martin, which had long been eyeing Castle's technological genius. Lockheed Martin had watched from the sidelines as Castle's innovations transformed Northrop into a rising star, all while wishing they could tap into his brilliance themselves.
Their interest was particularly piqued when Castle's upgrades to Pratt & Whitney engines, specifically the F119-PW100 used in the F-22 Raptor and the F135-PW100 used in the F-35 Lightning II, yielded remarkable performance improvements. These upgrades significantly increased thrust while reducing fuel consumption, revolutionizing the operational capabilities of both fighter jets. Since Lockheed Martin was the primary manufacturer of both aircraft, Castle's contributions directly impacted their own products' performance.
For the F-22 Raptor, which used twin engines, the improved thrust and fuel efficiency were a welcome enhancement. But for the single-engine F-35, the upgrades were a game-changer. The F-35's unique design, particularly its vertical takeoff and landing (VTOL) capabilities, demanded a high-performance engine. Castle's upgrades to the F135-PW100 significantly alleviated the engineering challenges associated with these demands, smoothing the path for the F-35's continued development.
Given these contributions, Lockheed Martin had every reason to want Castle on their side. However, they had previously been unable to approach him due to his close association with Northrop. Additionally, Castle's reclusive nature made him difficult to reach. Their attempts to connect with him were further complicated by his involvement in projects like the stealth bomber upgrades with General Electric, which kept him tied to Northrop's orbit.
But everything changed after the Christmas debacle with Japan. Northrop's decision to prioritize profit over loyalty gave Lockheed Martin the opening they had been waiting for. When Castle attended the White House inauguration banquet and exchanged pleasantries with Lockheed Martin's CEO, it was the breakthrough the company needed.
As soon as Castle returned to New York, Lockheed Martin wasted no time. Representatives from the aerospace giant were knocking on Castle's door almost immediately.
Castle had plenty to offer. Thanks to the system, his mind was brimming with advanced aerospace technology from Stark Industries, the Marvel universe's premier weapons manufacturer. Technologies like semi-autonomous flight control systems, which had already dazzled Northrop, were just the tip of the iceberg.
For instance, Castle had long dreamed of recreating the Quinjet, the Marvel universe's signature VTOL aircraft used by S.H.I.E.L.D. With its ability to combine vertical takeoff and landing with the high speeds of a fixed-wing aircraft, the Quinjet was a marvel of engineering. Originally, Castle had planned to share this concept with Northrop. But their recent betrayal left him looking for a new partner—and Lockheed Martin, with their ongoing development of the VTOL-capable F-35, seemed like the perfect fit.
Then there was Castle's "Ex-Wife" missile upgrade—a compact, high-performance missile he had designed to give the B-2 stealth bomber a self-defense capability. This technology had also caught Lockheed Martin's attention, as it could address one of the F-22 Raptor's limitations. The Raptor's internal weapons bays, designed to preserve its stealth capabilities, limited its missile capacity. But with Castle's compact missile design, the Raptor could carry significantly more firepower without any structural modifications—a development that would dramatically enhance its combat effectiveness.
Lockheed Martin, well aware of these possibilities, was determined to forge a partnership with Castle. The result? A mutually beneficial agreement between the two parties.
Meanwhile, in Argentina, Amir Barkawi was busy hosting a representative from Roxette. Having already begun collaborating with Japan's intelligence agency, Barkawi quickly recognized that the Roxette envoy shared similar goals: leveraging his hatred for the United States to create chaos on American soil.
Barkawi, pragmatic as ever, welcomed their overtures. He saw their offers of logistical support and intelligence as valuable resources for his own plans. After all, with the backing of a state intelligence agency and the assistance of insider operatives, his operations would become far more feasible.
However, Barkawi wasn't naive. The Roxette representative, despite their attempts to conceal their origins, reeked of CIA influence. Barkawi could practically smell the stench of his old nemesis on this so-called ally. He knew that Roxette's interest in him stemmed from their recent purge at the hands of the new administration and their desire to strike back against the President who had dismantled their CIA stronghold.
Still, Barkawi was a master manipulator. He played along with their overtures, knowing full well that he was merely using them as tools to further his own agenda. In his mind, their shared goals were nothing more than temporary alignments of convenience. Once his plans were set in motion, Barkawi intended to dispose of these "allies" just as he would his enemies.
"Keep your friends close," Barkawi thought with a smirk, "and your enemies closer. For now, I'll let them think we're working together. But when the time comes, I'll show them what betrayal really looks like."
Back in New York, Castle was blissfully unaware of the brewing storm in Argentina. For now, his focus was on securing his alliances, expanding his network, and ensuring that when his enemies made their move, he would be more than ready to strike back.
(End of Chapter)
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