Looking at Benji's stunned expression, Castle couldn't help but add, "You people in this line of work always default to playing dirty when things get complicated. But have you ever considered what happens when your tricks are exposed to someone who already knows your entire plan?
"Yes, since you came to my estate knowing what you wanted, didn't it occur to you that I could use that thing to anticipate your intentions and actions?
"Moreover, you might not be aware of this, but both the NYPD and the FBI's New York division also have access to that software. So why, of all people, would I refuse to give it to that so-called Nameless guy?
"The answer is simple: because neither Nameless nor the forces behind him intend to use that software for the CIA's benefit.
"They don't represent the CIA!
"That's the main reason I refused them.
"And yet you naïvely took their orders and came here. If I hadn't instructed my bodyguards to spare your lives, do you think you'd be here waiting for the police?"
Ethan, the quickest to grasp the implications of Castle's words, immediately asked, "Are you saying that the orders bringing us here weren't for the CIA's benefit but for someone's personal agenda?"
Castle smiled. "Exactly. If you're lucky, you might witness the fallout of this mess. Now, off you go. I have no intention of explaining further. Once you're at the NYPD, let's see if your superiors even bother rescuing you. However, Montgomery, given that their only crime is trespassing on private property, their charges shouldn't be too severe, right?"
Montgomery, who had just sent officers to retrieve the yacht where Ethan's team had been captured, finally realized why Castle handed these three over to the NYPD. These guys had been duped.
To be fair, Ethan and his team hadn't committed any major crimes—just illegal trespassing, which wasn't a serious offense. Compared to the two captured agents on Long Island, Ethan's team had far less to worry about.
But those two agents who had nearly wet themselves in terror after being cornered by Big Ivan's ruthless bodyguards were a different story.
First off, those two, along with the three others who were riddled with bullets, had committed actual crimes: kidnapping. They'd been caught red-handed, ambushed in advance, and their blunders had been recorded and broadcast repeatedly by the media thanks to Big Ivan.
The consequences? The CIA's reputation had been trampled into the ground. Nearly every news channel in the USA was covering the story. On the drive to Castle's estate, Montgomery had already received calls from the mayor of New York and the NYPD commissioner. Both hoped Montgomery could convince Castle to stop his bodyguards from further shaming the kidnappers. Even the Chief of Staff for the White House had reached out.
Yet, given the mayor's close friendship with Castle, he couldn't bring himself to call Castle directly and instead asked Montgomery to pass on the message.
Upon arriving, however, Montgomery quickly realized this wasn't just another case of CIA incompetence. There were apparently factions within the agency at odds with each other. Recognizing that this was beyond his pay grade, Montgomery decided not to follow through on the commissioner's and mayor's requests. This mess clearly wasn't for someone of his modest rank to untangle.
Thus, after taking custody of Ethan's team, Montgomery wisely led them away from the estate, leaving Beckett to handle the aftermath with Castle.
---
"You didn't hold back this time, did you?" Beckett remarked as she watched Montgomery's police car drive away with the dejected Impossible Missions Force members. Standing next to Castle, she gave him a pointed look.
Since none of the incidents had occurred in her jurisdiction, Beckett wasn't obligated to follow up. Instead, she planned to stay at Castle's estate and have a deeper conversation about what had just unfolded. After all, Castle had practically admitted his involvement in the death of Nameless in Brooklyn's Red Hook district. Beckett wanted to know more about the truth behind it all.
"They crossed the line first," Castle said, uncharacteristically serious. "You know I've tolerated their probing in the past because it stayed within my limits. But this time, these bastards really pushed too far.
"You know how these people act overseas. They've been running amok for too long, thinking they can do whatever they please. How could that be allowed to continue?
"More importantly, the incident involving the God's Eye software wasn't even sanctioned by the CIA. It was orchestrated by the Roxette organization, a parasite within the CIA, trying to secure the software to advance their own agenda—specifically, to help their man in the deputy director's position climb higher after Benjamin assumes office.
"Let's not forget, this is the same organization that has kept my father, Sean, from returning to the country for decades. Do you think I'd ever cooperate with them?"
As Castle explained, he couldn't help but think to himself, This Roxette organization feels more and more like Hydra from the Marvel universe—parasitizing S.H.I.E.L.D. until it turned into Snake S.H.I.E.L.D. Is screwing up intelligence agencies some kind of American tradition?
Beckett, unconvinced by Castle's righteous indignation, raised an eyebrow. "Are you sure this isn't just you getting fed up and deciding to give them a massive slap in the face?
"Look at the news coverage. That deputy director is probably having the worst day of his life.
"And didn't you send Mozzie to Peanut Stew? What if Benjamin, after taking office, doesn't purge the Roxette organization like you hope? What if he uses the information you gave him to recruit them instead? Wouldn't all of this have been for nothing?"
Castle was touched that Beckett, setting aside her cop instincts, was looking out for him. He patiently explained, "That's impossible. You have to understand the mindset of someone in power. No president would learn about a rogue faction within their intelligence agency and just let it slide.
"The information I gave Benjamin will allow him to make a strong first impression after taking office. As a seasoned politician, he'll understand it's far more beneficial to use this opportunity to establish his authority than to absorb these troublemakers into his administration.
"Besides, as his biggest financial backer, I've already made my position clear by severing ties with the Roxette organization. Do you think Benjamin would be foolish enough to ignore my stance and side with a group that's already mired in this fiasco?"
---
While Castle calmly reassured Beckett, the embattled deputy director was scrambling for a lifeline.
Thanks to Castle having multiple dashcams installed on Alexis's car, every detail of the ambush was captured. The footage showed the five agents dividing into two teams to block the car. The recording, now broadcast by multiple media outlets, included audio of the agents shouting their intentions, thinking Alexis was driving.
Adding to the humiliation, the dashcams also captured the three agents at the rear pulling out their guns before being mowed down by Castle's bodyguards in a hail of bullets. This damning evidence left the deputy director with no way to spin the narrative.
As public outrage mounted, the deputy director's best option seemed to be to pin everything on the late Nameless. While he knew Nameless's death was part of Castle's counterattack, it conveniently provided him with a perfect scapegoat. After all, a dead man couldn't refute the blame.
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I Am Zeus, KING OF GODS (Chapter 120)
Fairy Tail: Igneel's Eldest Son (Chapter 391)
I Am Thalos, Odin's Older Brother (Chapter 471)
Reborn in America's Anti-Terror Unit (Chapter 677)
Solomon in Marvel (Chapter 1059)
Becoming the Wealthiest Tycoon on the Planet (Chapter 1418)
Surgical Fruit in the American Comics Universe (Chapter 1422)
American Detective: From TV Rookie to Seasoned Cop (Chapter 1452)
American TV Writer (Chapter 1504)
I Am Hades, The Supreme GOD of the Underworld!(Chapter 570)
Reborn as Humanity's Emperor Across the Multiverse (Chapter 703)
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