"Although Jack's earlier speculation seemed somewhat far-fetched, it's not entirely impossible. Think about it: McMay developed a drug addiction because of donating bone marrow to Peter DeLeon. Later, Peter caused McMay to spend three years in prison, which inadvertently helped him kick his addiction.
Three years later, Peter committed crimes again, leaving evidence that revealed the truth. McMay was acquitted and released. Isn't this similar to the Buddhist concept of samsara?"
As a writer, Castle had a wide range of interests. While his knowledge was superficial, it was far broader than that of the average person.
"To be precise, it's about causality. Personally, I prefer the Taoist concept of 'cheng fu' (karmic burden), which is closer to the chaos theory," Jack explained briefly, describing the idea of karmic retribution. Although it left most of the people present scratching their heads, except for Danny, everyone else was at least a college graduate and could grasp the general idea.
Cultural influences are mutual. The philosophies of Buddhism and Taoism have become quite popular in the West. With the gradual rise of an ancient civilization with thousands of years of history, even elements of Confucianism have started to spread.
That said, Westerners often find it hard to fully comprehend such concepts, instead interpreting them through their own cultural lens. For instance, the Confucian saying "The Master stood by the river and said, 'It flows on like this, never ceasing day or night'" has been humorously adapted to mean "Patiently sit by the riverbank and wait for the bodies of your enemies to float by."
Nevertheless, Jubal roughly understood Jack's intention in explaining this: to dissuade him from overcompensating for McMay.
Jack had repeatedly emphasized that his previous casework had no errors. He even brought up topics like how McMay's three-year imprisonment turned out to be a blessing in disguise, helping him quit drugs and start anew. His aim was to ease Jubal's sense of guilt.
"I understand, but I'll still keep an eye on him. I hope his life after release gets back on track," Jubal said, finally letting go of his inner burden. This was evident when he calmly drank the slightly fragrant rice wine served to him.
As Jack predicted, the next month passed peacefully around New York City, with no major crimes occurring. This tranquility lasted until Jack brought Clay and Alice back from Quantico.
During this time, Jubal and Jack received a variety of equipment, courtesy of several federal departments.
First, the Joint Special Operations Command (JSOC) allocated a small batch of weapons and ammunition, all currently used by Navy SEALs. These included Noveske N4 carbines equipped with EOTech EXPS3 holographic sights, EOTech magnifiers, Mission First Tactical stocks, and Dead Air Sandman-S suppressors.
Jack had managed to procure a few of these during his time at the BAU. This time, the military sent a dozen complete with accessories and over 10,000 rounds of .300 BLK ammunition. They also provided an equal number of Maxim Defense SDX/MDX 508 assault rifles.
With an 8.5-inch barrel, these rifles were compact, powerful, and perfect for indoor CQB combat. Female agents like Hannah and JJ could easily handle them.
The IRS, with its deep pockets, contributed a mobile command vehicle manufactured by Matman Corporation on a Freightliner MT-55 truck chassis.
The MT-55 is the most common platform for large specialized vehicles in the U.S. Its design is so reliable that most local police departments' repair crews can handle any issues.
This command vehicle featured a 40-foot aluminum container as its main body, equipped with a mast that could extend up to 12 meters. The mast housed two surveillance cameras and a full satellite/microwave communication system, providing emergency communication support.
The interior was divided into multiple compartments, including a meeting room, living quarters, and equipment room. Two side slide-outs expanded the space, offering an additional two meters of width.
Given that the fugitive task force, including Jack, only had seven members, many original functions of the command vehicle were unnecessary. The IRS thoughtfully customized it, expanding the living quarters.
With the side slide-outs open, the vehicle boasted a nearly 8-square-meter meeting room, six capsule-style bunks, a spacious shower and bathroom, and even a small kitchen. In emergencies, this could serve as a temporary home for the team.
Although the underground garage of their new office building was spacious, it couldn't accommodate such a behemoth. Luckily, either the front or back yard could be reinforced to house it. For now, the black-painted vehicle, emblazoned with FBI logos and emblems, was parked in the federal building's underground garage.
Other departments weren't as generous but still provided a few vehicles. The garage now housed two brand-new GMCs, two Suburbans, and Jack's Hellcat, filling the space.
Clay Spencer, compared to a few months ago, appeared largely unchanged. Quantico's "gruelling" training hadn't hindered his leg recovery. Although his walking was still slightly awkward, he could outrun Aubrey during morning runs.
Alice Taylor, however, had undergone significant changes. Her experiences, coupled with field agent training, had transformed her. The single mother, once gentle but resilient, now exuded an air of confidence. When she returned to the operations center, she turned the heads of the tech team.
On their first weekend back, Jack organized a party. Unlike previous gatherings, the large turnout prompted him to hire a professional party planning company.
In the U.S., such companies often specialize in organizing events for specific occasions, from children's birthday parties and coming-of-age ceremonies to high-end gatherings for the wealthy. They can provide venues, dedicated staff, live bands, DJs, and even party girls.
For this event, given that most attendees were law enforcement officers, Jack skipped the party girls and instead hired a team of chefs from an Italian restaurant.
The band was a friendly addition: Mike Taylor, head of CSI New York's lab, was also a bassist in a jazz club band and brought the entire group along.
Unexpectedly, the most enthusiastic participants were the SEAL Team B members, who had come to New York under the guise of delivering equipment. Their genuine joy for Clay's recovery was palpable.
With the party marking the official formation of the fugitive task force, the following days were busy—not with cases but internal affairs.
Their new office, now more aptly called their headquarters, was still disorganized after renovations. Even the surrounding security system required adjustments to become operational.
Jubal, after handing over his operations center duties, officially took command from Jack. His first task was assigning the upstairs dorm rooms. Except for Jack, who had already moved in, everyone else needed to bring their belongings.
Although not everyone needed to live there permanently, no one liked sleeping on a folding bed in the office during busy times. There were enough rooms for each member to have their own, with several guest rooms left over.
Other tasks included configuring the servers, setting up remote conferencing systems, securing database access permissions, completing paperwork, calibrating security systems, and familiarizing themselves with the command vehicle's operations.
The team was racing against time to have everything ready before the CID issued their first official mission. Everyone needed to be in place.
(End of Chapter)
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