Under normal circumstances, hearing words like CIA and secret agent, knowing he was standing before a legitimate former spy, would have already filled Castle with excitement.
But now, he had no further thoughts. He sat pathetically in his seat, watching the two exchange words with eager eyes. Finally, he couldn't help but interject.
"So Sarah's father is a super-rich tycoon, and Kim has a super-spy father and an equally super-rich, wealthy stepfather. But why Alexis? Why did they kidnap her?"
Cassel's self-perception at this moment was remarkably accurate. By comparison, he was just a harmless, well-known writer with a bit of money.
"For now, we still believe Sarah is the primary target. Elmasri just admitted to having close ties to former Egyptian government officials, which has earned him some powerful enemies.
Therefore, the FBI suspects this may be an act of retaliation against him."
Jack, in truth, had no confidence in this assessment. He had spent ages looking at photos of Sarah, but while she was beautiful, he had no impression of her. He suspected something more complicated, but unfortunately, he had no evidence.
"So Alexis and Kim were just implicated, right? Just in the wrong place at the wrong time?" A glimmer of hope flashed through Cassel's eyes, but he noticed the expressions of the two men opposite him were utterly grim.
"That's not a good thing. Think carefully about that novelist's brain," Jack warned.
Cassel suddenly understood. "You're saying that, precisely because Alexis and Kim weren't the primary targets, they could be..."
He stopped mid-sentence, terrified. He didn't dare to dwell on what would happen next. If Sarah was truly the primary target, then the fate of the other two beautiful girls, simply abducted, was obvious. What
would become of these worthless hostages? Would they become a source of venting for their own sexual desires, or be silenced to maintain confidentiality? Why would the kidnappers take the unnecessary risk of kidnapping three girls at once? Could they have other motives? No one could answer these questions at this point.
Jack reopened the sealed door of the "SCIF" and led the two into the elevator. "My superior, Ms. Moger, is meeting with major New York media outlets alongside NYPD Commissioner Reagan.
Soon, major television stations will begin rolling headlines about the incident. We will exaggerate your worth and reveal the identity of Kim's stepfather to quickly alert the kidnappers to the value of the other two girls."
Only by letting the kidnappers know that Alexis and Kim are as valuable as Sara and that they both come from incredibly wealthy families will they focus on demanding a ransom.
Now they can only hope they're truly after the money. Even if the kidnappers intend to kidnap Sara to avenge Elmasri, they won't refuse the other two prey.
The elevator doors dinged open, and Jiejie, along with the rest of the Most Wanted team and Beckett, were already waiting, carrying various boxes.
"What they'll do next is go to your house and plant a bug to track the kidnapper's calls. Don't worry, Jiejie and the others are very experienced in this area. As soon as they call, they'll do their best to guide things in the direction we want."
Jack said, and quickly grabbed Cassel, who was about to follow him. "As for you following me 24 hours from now on, I know you have many friends, but believe me, the person who can help you the most right now is right in front of you."
Cassel was stunned, subconsciously looking at Beckett. Seeing her nod slightly, he could only whisper to her, "Please take care of Martha for me."
His mother, Martha, had been living with him and his daughter.
"I want to ask some of my friends for help. They may be able to speed up the search for the kidnapper, Roger Hansen," Brian said in a hoarse voice.
Jack handed him an anonymous cell phone and said, "This phone is not monitored and can be used with confidence, but from now on, neither you nor Cassel are allowed to leave my side.
I know that you are both very capable people with many special channels and friends. I don't mind you making use of your strengths when the time is right.
But before that, I hope you understand one thing. Now is not the time to act recklessly. This kidnapping case involves the lives of three girls. Cooperation is the only way to solve this case.
I regard you as friends, and I hope you will not let me down."
Jack said it sincerely, and he really thought so.
Whether accompanying the SEALs to Mexico or teaming up with Shenma to take down the Japanese yakuza in Korea, Jack's roles have always been supporting.
It's like being in a real movie setting. There's nothing wrong with following the protagonists, and while experiencing the plot, you can occasionally show off and snag a few perks along the way.
In short, whether following a single protagonist or a group of them, even if Jack is completely unfamiliar with the plot, even if it's been completely distorted by his real-world interpretation, it doesn't matter; he just follows along, filling in the gaps.
After all, American TV dramas have only so many tropes. Seeing a favorite character act out of character can save many tragedies with a little vigilance, not to mention the cheats he has.
Of course, things haven't gotten out of hand before, like when Matt Graver, the CIA agent who looked just like Thanos, died unexpectedly in Mexico.
It was Matt's death that thwarted the original plan, forcing Jack to take on the responsibility and save the little girl, Isabel.
Now, this inexplicable kidnapping case seems even more fraught. It's unclear whether it's the plot's collapse caused by the unique aura of "rescue man" Liam Neeson and his daughter being kidnapped, or if something else has gone awry with the "Castle" storyline.
This inexplicable chain reaction is unpredictable, and the feeling of being out of control from the start has left Jack extremely frustrated.
Not to mention the potential abuse the girls might face, kidnapping alone could lead to someone vanishing without a trace, leaving no one alive or dead.
With no other options, Jack has resorted to the irrational act of forcibly tying the two protagonists to his side, ensuring he can intervene immediately should the plot veer off course.
Fortunately, he's become something of a "legend," a reputation to some degree. Cassel, currently distraught, often listens to stories at gatherings, and has a high degree of confidence in his abilities.
Brian's thinking is more rational, and given Jack's earlier gesture of treating them as friends rather than simply the victims' families, he too chooses to stay.
After all, he was only a retired CIA agent now. Even if he hadn't retired, the CIA would still have sought the FBI's help for a case like this one, domestically.
Putting everything else aside, he had never seen such a scene before: the operations center, staffed by over a hundred people, all working together, each doing their part, focused on a single case.
And then there were the dozens of people before him, each looking at their own computer screens, searching through countless, dizzying traffic surveillance videos to track the van's path. Compared to a single hacker or two tinkering, their efficiency was incredibly high.
"We've determined the final route," Alice suddenly stood up, excitedly projecting a map onto the large screen.
"We found the van in the tunnel between Midtown Manhattan and Queens. It went onto Greenpoint Avenue, then turned right onto McGinnis Street, and finally headed west onto Huron Avenue."
"Where did it go in the end?" Cassel asked excitedly, fist pumping.
"We're not sure yet, but it's probably in this area,"
Alice drew a small box on the map. "We checked the surveillance footage from the surrounding intersections. The van hasn't left since it entered this neighborhood."
Jack checked the time. Nearly six hours had passed since the three girls were kidnapped, so he gave the order.
"Less than 20 blocks in total. Notify the nearest NYPD station and dispatch all our field agents to search every street for the van.
All personnel must be in plain clothes, using disguised police cars. Report any sightings immediately. Unauthorized action is strictly prohibited!"
(End of Chapter)