As Castle teased John about his struggles as a new dad, John could only shake his head with a wry smile.
"I had no idea such a small thing could have such an earth-shattering cry," John admitted, gesturing toward baby Onora, who was squirming in Beckett's arms. "She cries when she's hungry, she cries when she's dirty, and she cries when she's just bored. And every time she cries, my heart jumps like it's the end of the world. You have no idea how exhausting this is."
Castle laughed heartily, slapping his old friend on the back. "Welcome to the joys of fatherhood, my friend! It's not all bullets and glory, is it? You thought changing diapers was easier than pulling a trigger? Guess again."
Beckett joined in the laughter as she gently bounced little Onora in her arms. The baby, with her chubby cheeks and sparkling eyes, was a bundle of irresistible energy. But the way John sighed as he rubbed his temples said it all—this "little bundle of joy" had reduced the legendary assassin to a frazzled, sleep-deprived dad.
Gianna, standing nearby, couldn't help but chuckle as well. Watching John wrestle with the challenges of fatherhood was both endearing and amusing. She had witnessed her husband take down entire armies without breaking a sweat, yet here he was, completely at the mercy of a baby who couldn't even walk yet.
Despite her amusement, Gianna understood John's plight all too well. She had insisted on raising Onora herself rather than relying on nannies, determined to form a deep bond with her daughter. But the past six months had been grueling. Onora's boundless energy and relentless crying spells had left Gianna and John both utterly drained.
At this point, even Gianna had to admit that John's desire to "help Castle" and step out of the house for a few days was more about escaping diaper duty than anything else. She didn't hold it against him. After all, he had been nothing but devoted to their daughter since the day she was born. If anything, Gianna thought, John deserved a short break.
Castle, ever the instigator, couldn't resist poking fun at John a little more. "You know, John, I think you've met your match. Who knew it would be a 15-pound baby with a rattle? World's greatest assassin, taken down by his own daughter!"
John sighed, but a small smile crept onto his face. "Go ahead, laugh it up. But I'd take a firefight over trying to figure out why she's crying any day."
Castle's grin widened as he looked over at Onora, who was now babbling happily in Beckett's arms. "I have to admit, though, she's cute enough to make it all worth it."
Gianna walked over to Beckett and gently took Onora from her arms. The little girl immediately reached for her mother's necklace, tugging at it with surprising strength. Gianna laughed softly and kissed her daughter's forehead.
Meanwhile, Castle turned back to John, his expression growing more serious. "Joking aside, John, you've actually reminded me of something important. I've been so focused on handling everything myself that I forgot I have allies—powerful ones. People like you, and Sean."
John raised an eyebrow. "Sean? What's he got to do with this?"
Castle explained his realization: Sean's connections in the underground world, combined with Castle's own resources, could be the key to dismantling Roxette for good. Jarvis would identify the remaining operatives, and Sean's network of assassins could take care of those too dangerous to leave alive.
John nodded thoughtfully. "Sounds like a plan. But let me know if there's anyone you want me to handle personally. I could use the distraction."
Castle laughed. "Don't worry, I'll find something for you. After all, I'd hate for you to get rusty."
That evening, back at his own estate, Castle contacted Sean to discuss the Roxette situation. As expected, Sean was more than willing to help. His hatred for Roxette ran deep, stemming from the time they had forced him into exile. The idea of taking them down once and for all was music to Sean's ears.
"Leave it to me," Sean said confidently. "Once Jarvis has the list, I'll make sure they disappear."
With Sean on board, Castle felt a surge of confidence. His plan was coming together perfectly.
The next morning, Castle's phone rang. He glanced at the caller ID—it was someone from Lockheed Martin.
"Good morning," Castle answered, still half-asleep. "What's up?"
The voice on the other end was brimming with excitement. "Mr. Castle, I'm calling because we've received a proposal from Hindustan Aeronautics Limited in India. They're very interested in collaborating with you on a new project."
Castle frowned. "Hindustan Aeronautics? Why would they want to work with me?"
The representative hesitated before explaining, "Well, they've heard about your work on the advanced visual stealth technology. It seems they're interested in adapting it for some of their own projects, possibly for their Tejas fighter program."
Castle's curiosity was piqued. The Tejas was India's lightweight, multirole fighter jet, a project that had faced numerous delays and setbacks over the years. If Hindustan Aeronautics wanted his help, it likely meant they were looking for a technological edge to compete on the global stage.
"I'll need more details before I can commit to anything," Castle said.
"Of course," the representative replied. "I'll have our team send over the specifics. But I should warn you—this could be a highly lucrative opportunity."
Castle hung up, his mind racing. Another opportunity, another potential ally. If Hindustan Aeronautics wanted to work with him, it could open doors to the Indian defense industry—a powerful network in its own right.
But Castle also knew he had to tread carefully. In the world of international arms deals, alliances were fragile, and trust was a rare commodity.
"Looks like things are about to get even more interesting," Castle muttered to himself, already thinking about how to leverage this new development.
(End of Chapter)
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