The story of the great writer and his muse would continue, their constant tug-of-war destined to entertain and amuse friends and family for the foreseeable future. But outside their little bubble, life moved on, with everyone weaving their own intriguing stories.
The sharp crack of gunfire echoed in the basement shooting range as Jack pressed a button, pulling the target sheet back to him via a motorized cable.
"90 points. Not bad at all. You're the best student I've ever taught," Jack said, nodding in approval.
Alexis, removing her ear protectors, smiled brightly. "Have you taught a lot of people to shoot?"
"Just you so far," Jack replied with a playful grin, eliciting a burst of laughter from her.
"I'm a pretty good shot too! I could've taught her!" Castle interjected from his seat, sounding a bit put out. He couldn't shake the feeling that his little girl might be drifting closer to Jack.
"But Jack's the best shot I've ever seen," Alexis said, smiling mischievously. "I've only read about shooting like that in your novels, Dad—where all ten bullets leave a single hole in the target."
Castle winced at the reminder of the bet he had lost earlier.
"Double or nothing—a brand-new LCD TV. I refuse to believe you can keep that up consistently," Castle challenged, still seething.
"No thanks," Jack said, smirking. "I'd rather not bankrupt your next Nikki Heat royalties."
Jack had already cleaned Castle out earlier, winning a wager that had Castle forking over a fully equipped high-end kitchen setup, complete with designer tables and chairs.
The trio left the compact underground shooting range—just four 20-meter lanes—in the basement of what would soon be the task force's new headquarters. Upstairs, the deafening sounds of construction echoed through the building.
The renovation was only half-finished. While basic wiring and plumbing were done on the first two floors, the basement was progressing the fastest, with much of its space already transformed into a vast parking garage.
Jack had reserved only a small portion of the garage for the task force's vehicles, given its modest size of six members. Most of the remaining space had been repurposed for facilities like the shooting range they'd just used.
Jack believed in keeping his team sharp, knowing they'd face dangerous fugitives on the FBI's Most Wanted list. His preparation extended beyond just training. He was also building a gym on the first floor, complete with standard fitness equipment and a dedicated combat training room, similar to the setup Hannah had at home.
Jack wasn't one to waste the budget allocated for their office, but even with meticulous planning, there were limitations. For instance, he had envisioned a server room in the basement, but for now, it would only house a standard server.
According to Justin, the AI assistant, a small supercomputer would eventually be essential for her full capabilities. While not as powerful as a laboratory-grade supercomputer, even a modest system would cost upwards of a million dollars—a figure well beyond their current means.
Jack's cautious planning stemmed from his concerns about parallels with the events of Person of Interest, a show whose plot revolved around artificial intelligence and New York City. His brief collaboration with the CIA had yielded information suggesting John Reese, a key figure in that narrative, was alive and operating in the shadows.
Though Harold Finch, the mastermind behind the AI known as "The Machine," remained active in public life and his partner Nathan was unharmed—differences from the show's original plot—Jack had learned to anticipate the world's unpredictable twists.
After all, he had witnessed firsthand how minor characters like CIA agent Matt Graver could meet unceremonious ends, or how a protagonist like Michael Westen from Burn Notice could nearly be killed if not for Jack's intervention.
Jack's concern wasn't just idle speculation. He understood the potentially catastrophic impact of AI gone rogue and was taking steps to prepare. In Los Angeles, the Wolf brothers' underground farm already housed the beginnings of a small supercomputer hub, forming the backbone of Justin's growing "network empire." Ostensibly, this was being built to support future short-video projects and manage social media influence.
Once projects involving serialized webnovels and video adaptations reached maturity, Jack planned to launch a platform akin to TikTok. Chris had already completed preliminary planning and was hiring a team to handle the massive workload.
A project of this scale required hundreds, if not thousands, of programmers, experienced project managers, and significant capital. For now, funds weren't an issue—Chris could sell some of his valuable paintings if needed. The mature U.S. capital market also offered future opportunities to raise money through IPOs.
However, finding top talent remained challenging. Jack had even considered approaching Harold Finch but ultimately decided against it, worried that someone of Finch's caliber might take over his plans rather than collaborate.
For now, Jack focused on organic growth, carefully guiding Chris while avoiding major mistakes like over-relying on Indian developers in critical positions—a lesson learned from Boeing's software debacles in his past life.
In the long term, Jack envisioned two vast data centers in New York and Los Angeles, backed by smaller supercomputing hubs at locations like the Wolf brothers' farm and the FBI's task force office. These centers would ensure Justin maintained full control over the network while serving as a bulwark against rogue AI like those in Person of Interest.
Justin wouldn't need to replicate The Machine's near-omniscient surveillance capabilities. Jack's goals were modest by comparison: partial control over smartphones and tablets would suffice.
However, achieving even this would require years of careful planning and climbing the ranks within the FBI to gain influence and resources. For now, there was no immediate urgency, and Jack had the luxury of time.
As long as he didn't encounter an indestructible cyborg resembling "The Terminator," he was confident he could stay ahead of Harold Finch's unpredictable AI projects. If things ever got too chaotic, retreating to Los Angeles remained a viable backup plan.
(End of Chapter)
[Get +20 Extra Chapters On — P@tr3on "Mutter"]
[Every 50 Power Stones = 1 Bonus Chapter Drop]
[Thanks for Reading!]
[Use Code D8986 for 33% Off on All Tiers — Valid Until October 5th]