Despite having Alexis firmly in his grasp, Watanabe Taro did not immediately contact Castle to "negotiate" for the technological secrets he desired. Instead, he basked in smug satisfaction in a luxury hotel suite, confident that his scheme was airtight. He envisioned Castle, powerless and desperate, begging at his feet for the safe return of his daughter. Only then would he graciously demand the secrets he craved in exchange for Alexis' life.
As for the potential fallout from U.S. authorities once his demands were met? Watanabe Taro's inflated sense of self-importance didn't allow him to consider it seriously. The plan had his father's approval—his father, the aging patriarch of the Watanabe family, who remained in Tokyo. With such endorsement, Taro dismissed any concerns about long-term consequences. At worst, he thought, he could retreat to Japan or one of the Watanabe Corporation's African outposts to lie low for a while.
For Taro, the immediate goal was clear: securing Castle's technology to solidify his position as heir to the Watanabe empire. That, in his mind, outweighed any risks.
This misplaced confidence—a hallmark of his nation's history—manifested in Taro with striking clarity. It mirrored the same hubris that once led his ancestors to proclaim they could conquer China in three months or dominate the Pacific after a single decisive strike. Alas, history had already shown how such delusions often ended.
Meanwhile, Steve McGarrett, leading Hawaii Five-0, followed Castle's impressively detailed intelligence to a standalone house in Pearl City, where Alexis was being held. There, McGarrett and his three team members encountered Alexis' five bodyguards, who had stationed themselves at the perimeter. The bodyguards, having contacted their connections in the local underworld for assistance, were now armed to the teeth.
These five professionals, all former operatives under Castle's father, had been humiliated earlier that day when Alexis was abducted under their watch. While Castle himself hadn't blamed them—understanding the enemy had planned the operation meticulously—the bodyguards were filled with rage and guilt. They had protected Alexis covertly, not revealing their presence to her to respect her independence. Yet this discretion had given the kidnappers an edge.
Determined to redeem themselves, the bodyguards wasted no time mobilizing. Using their extensive knowledge of The Table's influence in Hawaii, they acquired advanced weapons and pinpointed Alexis' location, courtesy of Jarvis. However, they had been ordered by Castle to wait for McGarrett's team to arrive, as Castle needed Five-0's official authority to execute a larger plan: dismantling the entire Japanese intelligence network on the islands.
The intelligence came from Alexis' smartwatch, an innovative device designed with GPS tracking and live communication capabilities. The kidnappers had overlooked it, focusing instead on confiscating her phone and luggage. This oversight proved critical, allowing Jarvis to continuously monitor Alexis' location and movements.
Through Jarvis' efforts, the bodyguards identified the exact house where Alexis was held. They learned the property was heavily fortified and had likely served as a safehouse for years. Alexis had been confined to a secure basement, equipped with features suggesting it had been prepared for such operations. Surveillance cameras revealed four operatives inside: two on the second floor, one in the kitchen, and another in the living room. The female agent who had lured Alexis to Hawaii under the guise of friendship had already left the scene, likely to avoid tying her cover identity to the operation.
As McGarrett and his team arrived, the lead bodyguard used a tablet to present a 3D map of the house, generated by Jarvis from hacked surveillance footage. This level of detail astonished McGarrett and his team, deepening their trust in Castle's intelligence network. It also reaffirmed McGarrett's belief that Castle's promise to help solve his father's murder could be genuine.
Now armed with precise intelligence, McGarrett devised a strategy. Alexis' confinement in the basement was a fortunate advantage—it minimized the risk of her being used as leverage during the raid. With the four kidnappers distributed throughout the house, McGarrett's team of four could each target a separate operative, ensuring a swift and coordinated assault.
However, McGarrett made it clear to the bodyguards: they were to hold their positions and not intervene during the operation. Once the team secured the house and neutralized the kidnappers, the bodyguards could enter to retrieve Alexis. This compromise was McGarrett's way of respecting their role while maintaining clear jurisdiction.
Although McGarrett understood their frustration, he was adamant about maintaining operational control. As licensed private security, the bodyguards were not authorized to participate in a law enforcement raid. Their advanced weaponry—far beyond standard issue—only reinforced McGarrett's caution.
The bodyguards reluctantly agreed, though their fury at the kidnappers simmered beneath the surface. They would wait, ensuring Alexis' safety once the team cleared the area. Despite McGarrett's reservations, he acknowledged their commitment and refrained from questioning their unorthodox preparations.
Inside the house, the kidnappers remained oblivious to the storm brewing outside. Watanabe Taro's misplaced confidence extended to his operatives, who assumed they were safely under the radar. The high-tech surveillance system they had installed had been effortlessly compromised by Jarvis, who now fed their every move to McGarrett's team.
As McGarrett prepared to breach the house, his focus sharpened. This was more than a rescue mission—it was a prelude to dismantling an entire network of foreign operatives operating on U.S. soil. And for Alexis' bodyguards, this was their chance to redeem themselves, even if only by standing guard outside.
In the coming moments, the coordinated precision of McGarrett's task force would collide with the misplaced arrogance of Watanabe Taro's operatives. The outcome would set the stage for Castle's broader strategy to cripple the Japanese intelligence network in Hawaii and beyond.
(End of Chapter)
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