To everyone's surprise—including Castle himself—Beckett didn't react with anger after Castle "reported" his plan to her in the study. Instead, she calmly accepted it.
Gianna, stunned by the lack of fireworks, asked incredulously, "Kate, you're not angry? I thought for sure you'd stop Rick from doing something so reckless!"
Even Castle was puzzled by her reaction.
Beckett, seated on the sofa, spread her hands calmly. "Do you really think me opposing him would stop this overgrown twelve-year-old from going through with his plan? Have you ever seen him change his mind just because someone else told him to?
I've known him long enough to realize that whenever he gets these ideas, there's no reasoning with him. He'll find a way to do it anyway. Besides, he's already revised the plan. Instead of getting a full simulator from Lockheed, he's just asking for flight data and software. That minimizes the risk of this becoming public knowledge. So, even if I oppose it, do you think he wouldn't find a way to build the damn thing in secret?"
Castle, still unsure whether Beckett's calm was a good or bad sign, tried to reassure her. "Beckett, it's really not as scary as Gianna made it sound. I've thought it through. With the hardware technology I have, I can build a simulator that's probably more advanced and practical than Lockheed's version. The only thing I lack is accurate flight data for various fighter jets."
Beckett cut him off. "That's not what I'm worried about. I want to know if this is going to bring more trouble to our family. Will we have another situation like when Harry and Alexis were kidnapped? Or when someone broke in here and attacked us?
You realize we're about to have another child, right? Do you really want your baby to grow up in the middle of a war zone?"
Beckett's mindset had changed significantly since becoming pregnant. Although she and Castle weren't married, the reality of expecting their second child had shifted her priorities. The strong-willed detective had gradually embraced her role as Castle's partner in life.
Now, when Castle got into trouble, her first instinct wasn't to criticize him but to assess whether his actions posed any real danger to their family. Of course, that didn't mean she'd tolerate his recklessness. After two years of living with Castle, Beckett knew better than anyone how easily he attracted trouble. Even when he wasn't actively seeking it, his inventions and breakthroughs often drew unwanted attention.
Gianna noticed this shift in her friend's attitude. Though she was a bit disappointed not to witness Castle getting a scolding, she was genuinely impressed by Beckett's growth. "Kate, I have to admit, I didn't expect this from you. I was sure you'd chew Rick out the moment you heard about this."
Beckett, now visibly more composed due to her pregnancy, smiled faintly and glanced at Castle, who was deep in thought. "You know what he's like. He jumps from one idea to another without thinking about the consequences. Letting him face those consequences usually teaches him better than any lecture from me ever could."
Gianna sighed and glanced at her own partner, John, who sat quietly with their sleeping daughter. "I know both of these guys will be great fathers. John's the dependable one, but he doesn't have Rick's playful charm. If only their personalities could balance each other out."
Both Castle and John rolled their eyes in unison. Even John, typically stoic, found Gianna's comment exasperating. Castle, however, snapped out of his thoughts and responded to Beckett's earlier question.
"I've already thought about it," Castle said. "My initial approach was risky, but Lockheed Martin has already agreed to cooperate. Whether I like it or not, they're probably pushing ahead with this. There's no turning back now."
Beckett wasn't swayed. "That's not what concerns me. I'm asking if this will put us in danger. You know how sensitive this technology is. If you build this simulator, won't Lockheed or other aerospace companies see it as a threat or a valuable asset to exploit?"
Castle nodded and explained carefully, "That's why I won't keep it a secret. I'll be transparent with Lockheed, Boeing, and Northrop. If I position myself as a developer improving simulation technology, they'll want to collaborate, not sabotage me. It could even become a commercial opportunity. Boeing and Sky Airlines could use the technology to train civilian pilots. There's a massive market for this."
Gianna's eyes lit up at the mention of Sky Airlines, where she had recently joined the board. Her business instincts kicked in. "Wait, are you saying you're planning to officially develop a state-of-the-art flight simulator for both military and civilian applications?"
Castle grinned. "Exactly. If we approach this openly, it's less likely to attract the wrong kind of attention. Plus, with these companies backing me, no one would dare mess with us. They'd want to protect their investments."
Gianna leaned forward excitedly. "And the technology? Are there any hurdles to overcome?"
Castle's confidence grew as he responded, "The hardware is manageable. The real challenge is simulating flight loads and environmental conditions accurately. But we have an edge—our flexible display technology, which I developed for the cloaking project. With supercomputer support, I can create a fully immersive cockpit experience, wrapping the entire simulator in flexible screens for maximum realism."
Beckett cut him off again. "I'm not asking for a technical breakdown. I just want to know: will this put us in danger?"
Castle reassured her, "No, because I'm bringing the project into the open. Collaborating with these companies will make it safer. They'll protect the simulator, and by extension, us. Plus, there's potential for massive profits in pilot training."
Gianna nodded enthusiastically, already envisioning the lucrative opportunities. "Rick, this could be a goldmine. You're on to something huge."
Castle smiled, pleased that Gianna saw the potential. Meanwhile, Beckett remained cautious but began to relax, realizing that Castle was at least thinking strategically this time.
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