What intrigued Castle now was that neither the money-laundering mastermind directly executing this kidnapping plan nor the people behind him seemed to have thoroughly investigated him.
Because Castle couldn't believe that if these fools had really looked into him and known about his intricate connections with numerous major American corporations, would they still have dared to kidnap him?
That's a real question!
So, if they dared to kidnap him directly in New York, aside from not investigating his background, the only explanation could be the inexplicable arrogance inherited by the French.
The strangest thing was this Le Chiffre. He was a professional money launderer, so why would he get involved in something like this at this time?
Actually, when the three Air Force officers from the Pentagon visited his estate that morning, they did mention that due to the TV news broadcast the previous night, almost the entire world now knew about his visual cloaking technology. But what no one except Castle knew was that this technology still had significant flaws.
The simplest example was that everyone, including the U.S. Air Force and Northrop Grumman, believed that applying this technology to the currently active B-2 bomber would make this already electromagnetically stealthy bomber even more formidable.
Wrong!
Dead wrong!
Why?
The reason the B-2 stealth bomber can achieve electromagnetic invisibility on enemy radar is not only due to its impressive aerodynamics and design but also because the entire aircraft is coated with radar-absorbent material, effectively reflecting or absorbing enemy radar waves.
However, the primary requirement for Castle's visual cloaking technology is to install a layer of flexible display on the aircraft's belly or fuselage.
But adding this flexible display to the B-2 would disrupt its stealth coating. In other words, the B-2 would have to choose between continuing to use the already mature electromagnetic stealth technology or sacrificing electromagnetic stealth for the currently not-so-mature visual cloaking technology.
So, Castle believed that, apart from himself, everyone seemed to be overestimating the capabilities of this visual cloaking technology.
Of course, if he directly introduced the more advanced visual cloaking technology from the Marvel world, it could perfectly solve this problem. But wouldn't that go against economic principles?
Who would release all their new technology at once?
Following the example of Apple in his previous life, releasing upgrades periodically to reap profits, was the best approach.
Also, who exactly was this Le Chiffre, with his problematic eyes and even more problematic brain, representing when he came after him?
Earlier, he seemed to let slip that a shareholder of a European aircraft company had asked him to intervene?
But this European aircraft company wasn't just a French enterprise. Although Castle knew that the French Lagardère Group held 30% of its shares, the main founding countries were Germany, Italy, and Spain.
There was no involvement from French companies like Dassault Aviation or other military aircraft manufacturers.
Wait, no, out of the 52 seats on the company's board, 25 were held by the French, while the remaining 27 seats included 23 from Germany and 4 from Spain.
Damn, I almost got it wrong. This company does have a very close relationship with France!
So, was this guy deliberately misleading him, or was Le Chiffre really acting on orders from someone in his own country to come after him?
But who exactly wanted to obtain the visual cloaking technology through such a stupid method as kidnapping him?
The British? Or the Germans?
The Italians were unlikely, given that the largest shareholder of Italy's best aircraft company was currently next door taking care of children. So, it really only left the French, Germans, or British as the most likely suspects.
What? The Israelis?
Ha, buddy, have you forgotten how large the Jewish representation is among the most powerful people in America?
Would they need to resort to such methods?
Once Castle handed over the technology to Northrop Grumman or Lockheed Martin, if the Israelis really wanted it, they would have plenty of opportunities and methods.
Why would they resort to the lowly tactic of kidnapping Castle?
Pondering these questions, Castle finally took out a tiny implanted earpiece communicator from his personal space and placed it in his ear. He then pulled out a modified, upgraded smart wristband and contacted Jarvis, which was always online, to help him investigate what was really going on with this money-laundering expert Le Chiffre.
Why wasn't he sticking to his promising career as a banker laundering money, and instead getting involved in dirty work for others?
Since the earlier investigation by Beckett and the others had already linked the kidnappers and the plane to Le Chiffre, Jarvis indeed had the answers to fully resolve Castle's confusion.
It turned out that Mr. Le Chiffre was indeed laundering money for African warlords while secretly collaborating with intelligence agencies and certain powerful figures from several European countries. What shocked Castle the most was that Mr. Chiffre had even done dirty work for the old woman M from MI6 several times in the past?
But for some reason, Mr. Chiffre and M seemed to have had a falling out over something?
This gave Castle an explanation for why M later ordered the "most violent 007" to find evidence against Chiffre and, if possible, eliminate him.
And this time, Mr. Chiffre came after Castle because of the news report a few days ago, which caught the attention of a supposed hereditary nobleman, a French shareholder in the European aircraft company, who coveted this technology.
However, this second-generation nobleman basically knew nothing about Castle's background, only what was reported in the media—that he was originally a writer but had suddenly transformed into a highly skilled weapons designer over a year ago, earning the favor of Northrop Grumman. As for Castle's current status as a shareholder in several top American corporations like Northrop, Pratt & Whitney, and DuPont, the media hadn't reported it, and this second-generation hereditary nobleman, who spent his days partying and chasing women, was even more clueless.
But upon learning that this American writer had invented such an incredible technology, this idle hereditary nobleman began to scheme: What if I secretly had someone kidnap him, force him to hand over the technology, and then…
Wouldn't that mean I'd be the only one in the world with this technology?
Then, wouldn't my shares in the European aircraft company…
The more he thought about it, the more he felt it was a brilliant idea. This self-proclaimed clever hereditary nobleman immediately approached the money-laundering master Le Chiffre, who had handled many shady dealings for him.
Although Le Chiffre was incredibly skilled at money laundering, he wasn't omniscient. Moreover, in recent years, the amount of black money he handled had grown significantly, and the number of "powerful" clients needing money laundering had also increased, leading to his inflated ego. (Of course, if he hadn't been so arrogant, he wouldn't have shorted a certain aircraft before its test flight and then dared to send people to blow it up, right?) So, upon receiving a request from one of his major clients, he looked into it?
Huh, I actually have people and a plane in New York!
What's there to think about? Kidnap him, bring him to Montenegro. Once he's here, even if he's a dragon, he'll have to coil; even if he's a tiger, he'll have to crouch!
After listening to Jarvis's explanation through the satellite communication in his earpiece about the investigation into the reasons behind Le Chiffre's kidnapping, Castle was both amused and exasperated.
Damn, just because of some second-generation hereditary nobleman from France, I was taken from New York to Montenegro?
Your mother's exploded!
Didn't these two idiots do even the most basic investigation before kidnapping me?
Not only am I a shareholder in several top American corporations, but I'm also a registered expert at Northrop Grumman. Forget about being a major donor to the current U.S. President; just my status as a current expert at Northrop Grumman alone, even though the European aircraft company is the world's largest multinational aircraft manufacturing conglomerate, wouldn't be enough to withstand the backlash from Northrop Grumman, the only company in the U.S. capable of producing nuclear-powered aircraft carriers, once they found out the truth.
Did these two fools really think their kidnapping plan was flawless and no one would know?
So, if I were to disappear, how would that French second-generation nobleman explain having my technological achievements?
Would he try to prove that he bought them from me before I disappeared?
If he really tried that, wouldn't Lockheed Martin and Northrop Grumman eat him alive!
Castle was truly baffled by the inexplicable actions of these two French-blooded individuals. Did this mean he not only had to eliminate Le Chiffre, who dared to drug him and transport him thousands of miles away, but also that hereditary nobleman who got him scolded by Beckett?
Damn, Castle was really starting to feel a headache coming on. Initially, he just wanted to play along with his kidnappers, but who knew it would escalate to this extent?
And now John and his wife had witnessed his embarrassment, damn it…
(End of Chapter)
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