Although Beckett was the youngest precinct captain in the NYPD, and a top-notch investigator in solving homicide cases, the truth remained that different fields required different expertise. The saying "Jack of all trades, master of none" was apt here.
Even though the 12th Precinct and the NYPD as a whole had been using police drones for some time, Beckett didn't understand the underlying technical differences between the basic application of these drones and the foundational technologies Castle possessed.
Despite knowing that Castle had access to an even more shocking, fully operational AI in J.A.R.V.I.S., Beckett had hardly tapped into its advanced capabilities. Her limited understanding of the technology left her puzzled as to why Castle had suddenly become the center of attention for several major corporations.
As for the mercenaries reportedly in New York with ill intentions toward Castle, Beckett wasn't indifferent to the danger. She had personally experienced the attack on Castle's estate orchestrated by the mercenaries hired by Watanabe, the old Japanese fox.
However, as a law enforcement officer, she couldn't approve Castle's so-called "preemptive defense plan" without any concrete evidence of wrongdoing by the mercenaries in New York. After all, if necessary, she could notify Joe Martinez, now thriving in the FBI's New York Joint Command Center, instead of letting Castle and his crew turn the city into an Afghan-style warzone.
Now, things had taken a different turn. Someone had stepped in to "resolve the issue" for Castle—and not just anyone, but Lockheed Martin, the most prominent defense contractor in the United States.
The situation left Beckett with mixed feelings.
On the one hand, she wouldn't have to argue with Castle over his reckless plans anymore. On the other hand, what if these defense contractors, known for their aggressive tactics, caused chaos in New York? Ultimately, it would be the NYPD's responsibility to clean up the mess.
Unable to sit idly by, Beckett contacted J.A.R.V.I.S. via her smart wristband after hanging up on Castle. With the AI's help, she quickly pinpointed the mercenaries' location. Relieved, she noted they had chosen to hide near the New York-New Jersey border—an area technically outside NYPD jurisdiction and closer to New Jersey's police authority.
J.A.R.V.I.S.'s data suggested that the mercenaries had recently relocated from Brooklyn to their current position. This move, orchestrated by Rajad after a scolding from his superiors, inadvertently eased Beckett's concerns.
With confirmation that the mercenaries were outside the NYPD's jurisdiction, Beckett felt a weight lift from her shoulders. In the United States, state and city police forces operated independently, unlike centralized systems in other countries.
Since the situation was no longer in her precinct's territory, even Beckett's strong sense of responsibility wasn't enough to justify alerting the New Jersey police.
Why risk complicating things? If she informed them about the heavily armed mercenaries and Lockheed Martin's black ops team poised to strike, it could lead to further questions. Would New Jersey police intervene to arrest the mercenaries, or would they protect them instead?
Better to avoid unnecessary trouble. It wasn't in her jurisdiction, and as a precinct captain, she had enough on her plate without meddling in another state's affairs.
After all, if it weren't for Castle stubbornly clinging to her, would she have even solved her mother's murder or become the youngest precinct captain in NYPD history?
While she didn't approve of Castle's previous plans, that didn't mean she felt any sympathy for the mercenaries targeting him.
Now that someone else was willing to deal with the problem, and it was happening outside her jurisdiction, why should she care?
Meanwhile, Castle was in his study, wearing an expression of bemusement after receiving back-to-back calls from Boeing and Northrop Grumman's aerospace director, Mark.
He hadn't expected news to travel so fast. Just after Lockheed Martin's call, these two companies had also reached out.
Boeing's approach was straightforward: they offered to "handle" Rajad, the HAL board member eyeing Castle's technology. Whether through physical elimination or other means, they assured Castle that Rajad would no longer be a problem.
Northrop Grumman took a different route. Mark, accompanied by a senior vice president with a longstanding relationship with Castle, had already landed at MacArthur Airport near Castle's Long Island estate, planning to visit him in person.
Northrop's proactive move left Castle slightly off balance.
Despite his issues with some of Northrop's top brass, Mark and the vice president had maintained a good relationship with him. For example, the latest generation of military reconnaissance equipment on Castle's drone was sourced through their efforts—a debt Castle couldn't ignore.
Since they had come all this way, Castle couldn't turn them away.
However, upon greeting them at his estate, Castle was surprised to learn that Mark's visit wasn't just a courtesy call—it was a technical consultation.
Mark had come prepared with a list of challenges his team faced while working with Castle's earlier technologies. To Castle's astonishment, Mark even proposed staying at the estate for an extended period to seek Castle's guidance on these issues.
Castle's immediate reaction was to refuse.
His reasons had nothing to do with avoiding involvement in the competition between Lockheed, Boeing, and Northrop. Instead, his primary concern was J.A.R.V.I.S.
While it was widely acknowledged that Castle possessed advanced computing technology, the existence of J.A.R.V.I.S., a fully functional AI, remained a tightly guarded secret. Most observers assumed that the mysterious online "hacker" associated with Castle was either Harry or Ramsey.
Allowing Mark, a seasoned aerospace engineer, to stay in the estate posed a significant risk. Unlike the vice president, who was more focused on administrative matters, Mark's technical expertise made it likely he would notice J.A.R.V.I.S.'s presence.
To Castle, this was a line that couldn't be crossed.
He had already turned down Northrop's invitation to join their team, but rejecting Mark's request for technical advice was trickier. The two shared a genuine rapport, and Mark was upfront about his struggles. Northrop's engineers were still grappling with foundational technologies like the semi-autonomous flight control system Castle had introduced.
Even the Jericho missiles and other systems Northrop had industrialized still had unexplained technical nuances. Mark hoped Castle could clarify these issues.
Castle respected Mark's dedication to his craft but couldn't risk exposing J.A.R.V.I.S. or his other secrets.
Agreeing to let Mark stay would also signal to Lockheed and Boeing that Castle was favoring Northrop, a perception he wanted to avoid at all costs.
Castle's dilemma deepened as he grappled with how to decline Mark's request without damaging their friendship. He understood the importance of Mark's work and valued his honest approach, but certain boundaries had to be maintained.
As Castle weighed his options, he remained oblivious to the fact that Boeing and Lockheed had already ramped up their efforts to win him over.
The competition between the three giants was heating up, and Castle found himself squarely in the middle of it.
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