The FBI had a vested interest in the secret smuggling route reportedly run by the Japanese Yakuza through Canada and the U.S. West Coast. Given the strong relationship between Joe and Beckett, the latter agreed to cooperate with the Bureau in interrogating the four captured Japanese suspects about the operation. After all, even if the NYPD uncovered details about the smuggling network, the information would be of little use to them—local police are only responsible for the safety of New York City. They're paid by City Hall, unlike the FBI, which is a federal agency with jurisdiction across states and even international cases.
The reason the Yakuza's Yamaguchi-gumi went out of their way to support Watanabe was rooted in history. Back in the 1980s, the group's fourth-generation deputy leader, Watanabe Yoshinori, was part of the Watanabe family. He was, in fact, a cousin of the elder Watanabe who had been killed the night before. This familial connection ensured a longstanding alliance between the Watanabe family and the Yamaguchi-gumi. Even after the Yakuza expanded their operations to the U.S. West Coast, the bond between the two entities remained strong.
However, since the Yamaguchi-gumi's influence was primarily concentrated on the West Coast, Beckett and the NYPD had no jurisdiction to pursue them in cities like San Francisco or Los Angeles. Investigating and dismantling the network, along with its hidden arms smuggling routes, would inevitably fall under the FBI's purview.
When FBI Deputy Director Hughes learned about the entire situation—and the fact that Joe would have Castle's strong support for actionable intelligence—he readily agreed to let the NYPD take custody of the four suspects. The NYPD would charge them with illegal possession of heavy weaponry and attempted assault, but all information related to the Yamaguchi-gumi's activities would be shared with the FBI so they could investigate further.
When Beckett arrived at the estate gates, bringing the four suspects who had surrendered at sea, Castle wisely decided to hold his tongue. Earlier, he'd let his anger toward certain activist groups and media detractors spill out unchecked. He knew, however, that his girlfriend wouldn't tolerate him crossing any further lines in front of the press. If he continued, he'd likely be relegated to sleeping in the guest room that night.
Realizing this, Castle immediately stopped his tirade, retreating into silence. His sudden shift in demeanor elicited laughter from the journalists, who had already been amused by his fiery speech. Castle's obvious deference to Beckett made him seem more relatable—and entertaining.
Interestingly, Castle's conduct only bolstered his reputation among female journalists. Many appreciated that the former playboy, once notorious for his wild exploits, had settled down into a steady, committed relationship with Beckett, one of New York's youngest and most accomplished police captains. His unwavering support for her and his loyalty had even earned him respect among feminist and equality advocacy groups.
After Beckett and her team took over handling the suspects, Castle returned to his mansion, only to find that Northrop Grumman's CEO and Lockheed Martin's chairman were still there. Far from leaving, the two industry titans appeared to have settled comfortably into his living room and were deep in conversation, their earlier competition seemingly set aside.
The three Pentagon officials, meanwhile, had completed their mission. Having verified that Castle's stealth technology was genuine, they had left the estate by helicopter.
Seeing the two CEOs lounging in his living room, Castle felt a headache coming on. The immediate crisis involving the attacks on his estate was over, and he was no longer directly involved. The four suspects had been handed over to the NYPD, and the FBI was poised to deal with the Yamaguchi-gumi's smuggling operations. Yet here were these two old foxes, clearly determined to extract some sort of promise from him before leaving.
Castle didn't want to deal with either of them. With the looming chaos of next month—when Amir Barkawi, Japan's Cabinet Intelligence Bureau, and the remnants of the Lockset Organization would attack Washington, D.C., and the White House—he had bigger things to worry about. Not to mention the upcoming U.S. Air Force bombing raid on Libya's Colonel Gaddafi, a mission bound to create further turmoil in North Africa.
But for now, he had to figure out how to get rid of these two persistent old men.
When Castle entered the room, the two CEOs—who had been watching news footage of his earlier confrontation with the press—exchanged a glance. It was Northrop Grumman's CEO, the one with a slightly closer relationship to Castle, who spoke first.
"Rick, you really don't need to concern yourself with these Japanese Yakuza on the West Coast," he said smoothly. "The Pentagon representatives who just left have already assured us that, while the military cannot directly intervene in domestic matters, both the Pentagon and the Air Force will exert pressure on the Justice Department to support you. But you remain in significant danger, you know…"
Castle subtly rolled his eyes, thinking, Alright, old man, let's see where you're going with this.
The CEO continued, "You should realize that while the government has requested news outlets to stop broadcasting the footage of your drone's stealth demonstration, citing national security concerns, the media won't comply for long. The fact that you possess this technology is already an open secret.
"This means that our allies—and, more concerningly, our adversaries—are now laser-focused on you. So…"
Before he could finish, Castle interrupted. "No, you're wrong. This technology isn't as simple as combining flexible display screens with some control codes. It's far more complex than that."
His tone turned sharp as he added, "I understand what you're implying, but I'll repeat myself: anyone who wants this technology will have to wait until I've fully developed it. And when I'm ready, negotiations will happen in the presence of my legal and financial advisors—not before.
"Gentlemen, it's been a long day. I haven't slept since last night. Surely, we can pick this discussion up another time?"
The two CEOs exchanged a quick glance. They knew Castle was exhausted, but they were also acutely aware of how desirable his stealth technology had become. If they left without securing some sort of commitment, what if another defense contractor swooped in and swayed Castle in their absence?
Determined not to leave empty-handed, the two men shifted tactics.
"All we're asking for," one of them said, "is a simple promise—that when you're ready to move forward, you'll prioritize us as your first choice. We're not asking for anything more right now."
Castle sighed internally. If it weren't for Northrop Grumman's past betrayal, he wouldn't have thought twice about sharing the technology. After all, it wasn't as though he had painstakingly developed it himself—he'd merely reproduced it using his system's advanced capabilities. However, the experience with Northrop Grumman's board had left him wary.
Still, Castle had his reasons for wanting to keep both companies in his corner. Northrop Grumman needed to understand that he wasn't beholden to them anymore, while Lockheed Martin's involvement would provide leverage. If nothing else, having stakes in both companies would ensure no single entity could dominate him.
Feigning contemplation, Castle finally relented.
"Alright," he said, as if begrudgingly. "I'll promise you this: when the technology is ready, you two will be my first considerations for collaboration. But as for the details? We'll talk about that when the time comes."
The two CEOs exchanged satisfied smiles, knowing they had secured the assurance they needed—for now.
(End of Chapter)
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