While Amir Barkawi was busy conspiring with Japan and Roxette in Argentina, Castle's side was bustling with his efforts to expand his "friend circle." Meanwhile, a peculiar problem was brewing in New York—one that, amusingly enough, stemmed from the NYPD's newfound success using drones donated and customized by Castle himself.
The issue began when the NYPD, impressed by the drone Castle had initially donated to Beckett's 12th precinct, decided to expand their drone program. They ordered six additional drones from Northrop Grumman, which Castle then customized for police use. These fixed-wing drones, equipped with long-range surveillance capabilities and modest armament, were swiftly deployed to patrol New York's skies.
With at least three drones monitoring the city 24/7, the NYPD quickly began to see results. Bank robberies, high-speed car chases, and other criminal activities were curtailed, as fleeing suspects found themselves tracked by the ever-watchful drones. The NYPD's rapid response, bolstered by aerial reconnaissance, left criminals with nowhere to run.
But success, as it often does, attracted controversy.
The trouble began during a particularly high-profile operation in which one of the drones played a key role. The NYPD used thermal imaging and infrared cameras on the drones to locate a group of armed black suspects holed up in an apartment. The ensuing firefight was intense. The suspects, heavily armed and refusing to surrender, caused the police to escalate their response. To minimize officer casualties and quickly end the standoff, the NYPD authorized one of the drones to fire two micro-missiles into the apartment, neutralizing the remaining suspects.
The operation was a resounding tactical success. However, with reporters on-site capturing every moment, the use of drones and missiles in a densely populated urban area caused an uproar.
Soon after, footage of the drone strikes went viral, attracting the attention of civil rights groups and anti-police organizations, including so-called "freedom" (or "刃拳") activists and "democracy" advocates. These groups, always eager to accuse the government of overreach, seized upon the NYPD's use of drones as an alleged violation of privacy and civil liberties.
The controversy exploded during a press conference held by the NYPD to tout the success of their drone program. A spokesperson proudly detailed how the drones' advanced surveillance capabilities had allowed officers to locate and eliminate the suspects. Unfortunately, the spokesperson also revealed that the suspects were identified using thermal imaging scans of the entire apartment building—a detail that the activists latched onto immediately.
Suddenly, the narrative shifted. Instead of celebrating the NYPD's effective crime-fighting tools, the public discourse turned into a heated debate about privacy rights, police militarization, and the ethics of using drones equipped with missiles in domestic law enforcement.
The activists quickly escalated their protests, calling the drones a "blatant invasion of privacy" and accusing the NYPD of turning New York into a "surveillance state." They also targeted Castle, the man behind the drone technology, arguing that he had enabled the police's "tyrannical" overreach.
To make matters worse, some of these protesters had ties to a certain Connecticut congresswoman, Veil, whom Castle had previously humiliated. Seizing the opportunity for revenge, these activists directed their outrage not just at the NYPD and City Hall but at Castle personally.
When Beckett came home from work and relayed the news to Castle, his reaction was one of complete bewilderment.
"You're telling me these clowns are not only planning to stage a massive protest in Times Square but also want to sue City Hall, the NYPD, and… me? For designing a drone? Are their brains leaking?"
Beckett, struggling to suppress a grin, replied, "That's about the size of it. Deputy Commissioner Montgomery briefed me on this earlier, and I swear, his face looked just like yours does now. These 'freedom fighters' are convinced that your customized drones are a direct threat to their privacy. And since they have no real legal grounds, they're resorting to theatrics. Their plan to sue is mostly a PR stunt."
Castle put down the piece of equipment he was tinkering with and turned to Beckett. "Let me guess, they want me to send Mozzie to court to play legal tag with these nutjobs?"
Beckett shook her head. "Not quite. I'm just giving you a heads-up. The real reason for all this noise isn't the drones themselves; it's the software you provided—the Eye of God tracking system."
Castle's demeanor shifted. He narrowed his eyes. "How the hell do these idiots even know about that? Isn't it supposed to be top-secret?"
Beckett sighed. "Castle, you can't seriously think something like this would stay a secret. Ever since the NYPD started using your software, crime rates have dropped, and case clearance rates have skyrocketed. It's not exactly subtle."
"Okay, but that's a good thing!" Castle exclaimed. "Why would anyone want to undermine something that's clearly working?"
"That's just it," Beckett said. "These so-called activists aren't acting on their own. According to some intel the department received, this entire protest is being orchestrated by certain factions within Roxette—those same CIA rats Benjamin Arthur flushed out. They're the ones riling up the activists, using the privacy angle as a smokescreen. Their real target is the Eye of God system."
Castle leaned back, his expression darkening. "So, this isn't just about protesting drones. They're trying to sabotage the entire tracking program."
"Exactly," Beckett confirmed. "And judging by their tactics, they're hoping to stir up enough public outcry to pressure the department into shelving the system altogether."
Castle's mind raced. He knew the Eye of God software was a game-changer, capable of tracking almost anyone, anywhere, with unparalleled accuracy. If Roxette's agents were targeting it, they must have feared what it could do if fully implemented.
"And here I thought these idiots were just protesting for the sake of it," Castle muttered. "But this… this is deliberate. Roxette's pulling the strings."
Beckett nodded. "So, what's the plan? Are you going to do something about it?"
Castle smirked. "They can march in Times Square all they want. Let them waste their breath. The NYPD isn't going to abandon the Eye of God just because a bunch of protesters throw a tantrum. And if Roxette thinks they can scare me into backing down, they've got another thing coming."
Beckett raised an eyebrow. "You're not worried at all?"
"About a bunch of sign-waving fools? Not really," Castle said with a shrug. "But Roxette making moves this openly… now that's something worth looking into."
As Castle mulled over the situation, one question nagged at the back of his mind: Why now? If Roxette was already coordinating with Amir Barkawi to launch a larger operation, why waste time and resources stirring up protests in New York? Was this a diversion, or were they testing the waters for something bigger?
Whatever the case, Castle had no intention of waiting to find out.
(End of Chapter)
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