Castle's sudden appearance at the estate gates electrified the journalists gathered there. These reporters, who had come with the hope of interviewing the man at the center of the recent dramatic events, were now even more eager. Joe, who was in the middle of explaining the situation to the media, noticed Castle walking toward the crowd. Though surprised—he was supposed to be occupied hosting the representatives from Northrop Grumman, Lockheed Martin, and the Pentagon—she quickly made way for him as he signaled his intention to speak.
Thanks to the police officers and federal agents maintaining order, Castle was spared from being completely overwhelmed by the excited reporters surging forward. Even so, the scene was chaotic, with journalists shouting questions all at once.
But Castle was no stranger to handling large crowds or high-pressure situations. Ignoring the cacophony of voices, he calmly began to explain the sequence of events, as if he were recounting a story for one of his novels.
"Last night and this morning, two separate attacks were carried out against me and my estate. Both appear to have been orchestrated by Japanese nationals. While the eleven mercenaries who attempted to raid my estate last night were all Eastern Europeans, investigations by the NYPD and the FBI have confirmed that they arrived in New York yesterday morning from Tokyo, traveling under business visas alongside representatives of the Watanabe Corporation."
Castle's calm and detailed account immediately silenced the cacophony of questions. The journalists, sensing they were about to receive an exclusive, groundbreaking narrative, stopped shouting and leaned in to listen.
"This all stems from an incident last Christmas," Castle continued. "After learning of the situation, I reported it to the Hawaii Five-0 Task Force, led by Major Steve McGarrett, who rescued my kidnapped daughter. Subsequently, due to the fallout, Japanese intelligence operatives stationed in Hawaii and New York since World War II were apprehended en masse."
The gathered reporters were stunned. They hadn't expected Castle to reveal so much, let alone trace the attacks back to such a dramatic international scandal. Now fully captivated, they hung on his every word as he outlined the timeline.
"All of this was triggered by Watanabe Taro, the son of the chairman of the Watanabe Corporation. During his trip to the United States last year as part of a Japanese government arms procurement delegation, Taro attempted to obtain classified military technology from me. His actions set this entire chain of events into motion.
"Following the significant losses incurred by Japanese intelligence personnel as a result of that incident, Taro was reportedly ordered to return to Japan, where he was pressured into committing suicide by his government. This is why his father, the current chairman of the Watanabe Corporation, holds me personally responsible. The attacks last night and this morning were acts of revenge."
This revelation left the journalists in stunned silence. Many of them had come with the intent to ask Castle why he had been targeted, but now they didn't need to—they had the entire story laid out before them.
Castle wasn't finished. His tone turned sharp, and his expression grew more intense. He wasn't just addressing the journalists; he was speaking to the world.
"Last night, thanks to timely warnings from the NYPD and the FBI, I strengthened the defenses of my estate. And yet, as of this morning, certain so-called 'progressive groups' have accused me of overreacting—of using excessive force to defend myself.
"Let me make one thing clear: these eleven fully armed mercenaries came to my private beach with the clear intention of killing me. Am I supposed to welcome them with open arms, roll out the red carpet, and offer them tea while they execute their mission?
"And today, you've all seen firsthand the madness of these Japanese operatives. Without the foresight and vigilance of law enforcement, they would've fired rockets and anti-tank missiles right here, at the gates of my estate!"
Castle paused for emphasis, letting his words sink in, before delivering his next lines with a biting edge.
"Where are the so-called 'progressive leaders' of these activist groups now? Why aren't they here to defend the actions of these attackers? Would they have preferred that these two lunatics, who were sitting in their van with rockets loaded and ready to fire, be allowed to act freely? How many of you reporters standing here today would have died if that had happened?
"And yet, these same activists criticize me for defending myself. Are they really advocating for justice, or are they just looking for any excuse to smear my name? Tell me, where in our Second Amendment does it say that carrying RPGs and anti-tank missiles is perfectly legal?"
For Castle, this was catharsis. He had been holding in his frustration and anger toward the various leftist and progressive organizations that had criticized his actions. Now, with Beckett busy on the northern beach overseeing the transfer of the captured Yakuza members, and Joe occupied collecting evidence from the van, no one was around to rein him in. His tirade grew bolder by the second.
The journalists—despite themselves—found Castle's fiery speech compelling. They couldn't deny the logic behind his words. After witnessing the weaponry recovered from the van and imagining the devastation that could have ensued, even the most skeptical among them had to admit that Castle and law enforcement had acted decisively and appropriately.
For at least three of the live broadcasters present, the narrative was shifting. Their commentary, directed at viewers watching from home, began to take a more sympathetic tone. "It's clear that these were not ordinary assailants," one anchor remarked. "If federal agents hadn't acted when they did, the consequences could have been catastrophic. Castle's response, while forceful, appears justified in light of the threat posed by these heavily armed individuals."
Meanwhile, Castle's anger continued to fuel his tirade.
"I want to ask the so-called leaders of these activist groups: is it your belief that I, Castle—a lawful, taxpaying American citizen—should simply allow foreign mercenaries and Japanese gangsters to kill me on my own property? Should I also allow these same thugs to use rocket launchers to indiscriminately massacre the journalists gathered here today?
"If you're so determined to criticize me for defending myself, then I have to wonder—whose interests are you really serving? Are you Americans, or are you merely puppets of foreign powers?"
The journalists remained captivated. Some began to reflect on their own reactions. A few even started to question the motives of the progressive groups that had been so quick to criticize Castle.
Who were these activists really working for? some wondered. Why were they so vocal about Castle's actions but silent on the broader implications of these attacks?
As Castle's impassioned words began to sway the crowd, Beckett arrived at the gates. Flanked by NYPD officers, she was escorting the four captured Yakuza members, who had been apprehended at sea. Given that the case had been reclassified as a criminal act of personal revenge rather than a terrorist attack, the prisoners were to be handed over to local police custody. However, the FBI would remain involved due to the smuggling of weapons across the Canadian border—a federal jurisdiction.
Beckett's arrival signaled a shift in focus. Castle, realizing that he had sufficiently stirred the pot and won over many of the reporters, stepped aside to let Beckett take charge. She was the voice of reason and authority in this situation, and she would ensure that the investigation proceeded without a hitch.
For now, Castle was content to let the chaos he'd unleashed ripple outward. He had planted the seeds of doubt about his critics and earned sympathy from the press. As the saying went: never waste a good crisis. And Castle, ever the strategist, had turned this crisis into an opportunity.
(End of Chapter)
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