AN: Before anyone asks again after reading this chapter. No, not adding any more girls to the harem at the moment, just expanding the story.
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[One Week Later – Titan HQ, Los Angeles]
The week had been nothing short of chaos wrapped in glamour.
Alex and Angelina barely had a moment to breathe between interviews, live talk shows, and fan events promoting Mr. & Mrs. Smith. Two appearances on The Tonight Show and The View had the internet in overdrive. Their chemistry on and off-screen was impossible to ignore.
Rumors spread like wildfire.
Are they dating?
Is it all just PR?
Social media couldn't decide. "#AlexAndAngelina" is trending now, and countless fan edits call them the perfect couple. Of course, a small army of jealous fans loudly declared disbelief that Alex could possibly be taken.
While that circus raged online, Evangelina buried herself in the final preparations for The Hobbit. Shooting would start in April, and she was juggling costume fittings, dialect rehearsals, and script read-throughs. Her schedule made Alex's look relaxing.
Scarlett and Halle were on the other side of the city, sweating through choreography sessions for their music video with Jennifer Lopez. The Titan–JLo collaboration was one of the year's most anticipated releases, and both women were determined to make it flawless.
Max and Caroline, meanwhile, had flown to New York. Caroline's father, Martin Channing, was finally seeing light at the end of a long legal tunnel. Thanks to Rachel's relentless investigation, the shell companies behind the Ponzi scheme had been exposed. They were the real culprits, and their trial had turned the tide in Martin's favor. The final hearing was in two days, and Alex had already arranged for Titan's PR team to manage the media narrative when justice was officially served.
Now, at the end of a long, eventful week, Titan HQ buzzed with excitement.
[Titan HQ – Press Event]
The large media hall was filled with reporters, flashing cameras, and the hum of conversation. Banners of Mr. & Mrs. Smith framed the stage, where three chairs waited.
As the doors opened, the crowd erupted in applause. Alex stepped out first, looking effortlessly handsome in a tailored navy suit. Angelina followed in a black dress, looking gorgeous as usual. Behind them came Jane, the acclaimed director, dressed in her usual minimalist white ensemble.
They took their seats, and the press event began.
Jane leaned into the microphone with a smile. "Good afternoon, everyone. We're thrilled to finally share Mr. & Mrs. Smith with the world. This project has been a journey—equal parts explosive and beautiful—and I couldn't have asked for a better team."
A hand shot up from the front row. "Hi, Marcus from Entertainment Daily! Question for Alex: This is your first acting role. What was the biggest challenge?"
Alex smiled. "Not tripping over my own feet on camera." The audience laughed. "Honestly? Adjusting to being in front of the camera instead of behind it. Producing and directing gives you control, but acting means you surrender some of that. But Jane and Angelina made it easy."
Angelina glanced at him with a teasing grin. "You mean I made it easy."
Alex nodded, playing along. "Yes, absolutely. She only punched me twice during rehearsals."
Laughter filled the room. Jane shook her head. "For the record, those were stunt punches."
A reporter from Hollywood Insider raised her hand next. "This one's for both Alex and Angelina. The internet seems convinced that your chemistry is a little too real. Are the dating rumors true, or should fans stop planning your wedding already?"
The room erupted in laughter, flashes from the cameras turning the stage into a strobe show.
Angelina smirked and leaned toward the mic. "I didn't realize we were trending again. What's the hashtag this time?"
Alex grinned. "#AlexAndAngelina… and something about power couple world domination."
Angelina turned to him, amused. "That sounds about right." She faced the crowd again. "I think it's sweet that people are so invested in the film. We worked really hard to create that chemistry."
Alex added smoothly, "I'll take that as a compliment to our acting skills. Or to our director's matchmaking instincts."
Jane raised her hands in mock surrender. "Hey, I just made sure they didn't kill each other between takes."
The audience laughed again. A reporter from Variety jumped in. "So no secret engagement rings? No candlelit dinners?"
Angelina gave a coy smile. "If we told you, it wouldn't be a secret, would it?"
Alex leaned back, pretending to think. "Let's just say we had a lot of dinners. Some with cameras, some without."
That earned a playful nudge from Angelina and a collective "ooh" from the audience.
Jane rolled her eyes fondly. "You see what I had to deal with on set? Every scene felt like a romantic comedy between explosions."
Another reporter raised a hand. "Speaking of explosions, the behind-the-scenes clips are going viral. You both actually did your own stunts?"
Alex nodded. "Yeah. Every single one that the insurance company would allow."
Angelina laughed. "And a few they didn't know about."
Jane sighed dramatically. "I aged ten years watching them just go at it."
Alex turned to her. "But it looked amazing on camera."
"It did," Jane admitted. "I'll give you that."
Angelina leaned closer to her mic. "We trained for months with a professional stunt coordinator. Weapons handling, combat choreography, wire work—the whole deal. Alex was surprisingly good with fight scenes."
"Surprisingly?" he said, pretending to be offended.
She smirked. "Let's just say, the first week he looked like he was trying to swat mosquitoes."
The crowd burst into laughter again. Alex shook his head, smiling. "I improved."
"You did," she admitted, her tone playful. "By week three, I only had to save you twice."
Jane laughed. "By the end, they were so in sync they didn't need cues. The dance, the fights, even the emotional beats... it all came naturally."
A young reporter called out, "So who's the better fighter?"
Without missing a beat, Alex pointed at Angelina. "She'd win depending on the situation."
Angelina grinned. "Smart man."
Alex added, "I learned early on that survival depends on letting her win."
The room erupted in applause and laughter again. Jane leaned toward her mic, smiling. "That right there is the true secret behind every successful movie partnership."
After another approx 15 minutes of chat and fun...
Alex gave the cameras a charming smile. "To sum it up, we had fun, we broke a few walls, literally, and we made something we're really proud of. I hope everyone enjoys watching Mr. & Mrs. Smith as much as we enjoyed making it when it hits the theatre on 1st April."
Angelina added, "And if the chemistry feels real… maybe it is. You'll just have to decide for yourselves."
The audience buzzed with excitement, the perfect mix of mystery, charm, and showmanship. The press conference had turned into exactly what they wanted: a masterclass in hype and intrigue.
..
..
[9 PM – NYPD 12th Precinct]
The bullpen was quieter than usual. Most of the detectives had already packed up for the night, but a few remained to finish reports or argue over coffee that had long gone cold. The faint hum of the overhead lights filled the silence.
Detective Kate Beckett sat at her desk, typing up the final details of the day's case. Across from her, Richard Castle leaned back in his chair, hands behind his head and a smug grin plastered across his face.
"I'm just saying," Castle began, "if you really think about it, a holographic drug lord makes perfect sense. It's cutting-edge, cinematic, and just a touch Bond villain."
Kate didn't even look up. "Except it wasn't a spy, Castle. It was a college sophomore with bad grades and worse judgment."
Castle raised a finger dramatically. "A college sophomore who stole government holographic tech, created a false identity, and used it to intimidate rival dealers. That's not just a criminal, Beckett. That's a supervillain origin story."
Kate smirked faintly, still typing. "A supervillain who cried when you told him the feds were taking over the case."
Castle leaned forward. "Emotional depth! That's what makes him complex."
Javier Esposito walked past, coffee in hand, shaking his head. "Complex, really? Kid was dealing dime bags out of his dorm room."
Kevin Ryan grinned, joining the conversation. "Yeah, but admit it—holographic projectors? That was cool. He scared half the campus with that fake DEA agent routine."
"Until his battery died mid-threat," Esposito said. "That was my favorite part."
Castle pointed at him. "Exactly! A tragic flaw. Classic storytelling."
Kate sighed, finishing her report and shutting her laptop. "You know what's tragic? Listening to you try to turn every case into a screenplay."
Castle gave her a wounded look. "I can't help it if reality insists on imitating art."
Ryan laughed. "Pretty sure it's the other way around, bro."
Before Castle could respond, Captain Victoria Gates's office door opened. She stood in the doorway, her expression unreadable. "Beckett. Castle. My office."
Kate exchanged a quick glance with Castle, who instantly straightened up. "Uh oh," he muttered under his breath. "That's the serious face."
"What did you do now, Castle?" Ryan asked.
"Nothing. Why is it always me? What about her?" Castle pointed at Kate.
"Castle," Kate warned quietly as they approached the office.
"Right, right," He followed her.
Inside, Gates gestured for them to sit. She waited until the door was closed before speaking. "You two have had a long week."
Castle smiled cautiously. "That's one way to put it."
Gates didn't return the smile. She looked super serious. "You'll want to hear this."
Kate's posture straightened. "What's going on, Sir?"
Gates picked up a folder from her desk and slid it toward them. "This came from LAPD's Homicide Division, Detective Angela Lopez. Three murders connected to the entertainment industry. Clean kills. Professional. Their investigation just confirmed something disturbing."
Castle frowned, curiosity piqued. "How does that involve us?"
Gates's expression hardened. "Because of who they think might be involved." She turned the folder around, revealing a photo clipped to the first page.
Castle's playful demeanor vanished. "No way…"
Kate leaned forward, eyes narrowing as she saw the face. "That's—"
"Yes," Gates said quietly. "Jerry Tyson. The Triple Killer."
"3XK is back," Castle mumbled as he looked toward Kate, who was also looking at him.
Gates folded her hands on the desk, her voice steady and deliberate. "Since you two know more about Jerry Tyson than anyone else, and considering your previous encounters with him, the NYPD and LAPD have agreed to assign you to the case. It's now a joint investigation."
Castle leaned forward slightly. "Wait, we're working with LAPD now?"
"Yes," Gates said. "And not just LAPD. A task force has been created for this. Beckett, you'll be leading it. Orders from higher-ups, you can't say no."
Kate frowned. "A task force? For Tyson? Who did he go after this time?"
Gates nodded toward the folder. "Flip to the next page."
Kate did. Her breath caught for a second as her eyes landed on the photograph.
It was Alex Wilson.
Castle blinked in disbelief. "Alex Wilson? As in the Alex Wilson? Top movie director, best-selling author, world's richest man, owns half of Hollywood?"
Gates nodded once. "That's the one. His name came up in an investigation into multiple homicides. LAPD has reason to believe Tyson may have targeted Titan Studios for some reason. Considering Wilson's global profile and influence, the higher-ups want this handled fast. Let's just say losing his donations would make a lot of people very unhappy."
Castle let out a low whistle. "So, billionaires, Hollywood, and Jerry Tyson. That sounds like a fun weekend. Of course, minus the Tyson part."
Kate shot him a look, but Gates continued before she could respond. "Beckett, this isn't a normal case. You'll have full access to NYPD and LAPD databases, but you'll also be coordinating with several outside agencies."
Kate's brow furrowed. "Outside agencies? Are the FBI or CIA involved?"
"Not exactly," Gates said. "There will be agents from certain... classified organizations embedded in your task force. They'll provide intelligence support, but they've been instructed not to interfere with your command."
Castle raised an eyebrow. "Secret organizations? Ohh! Spies."
Gates ignored the comment. "You two are going to LA. After you land, Detective Decker will be there to pick you up." She then turned to Castle. "And Mr. Castle. Try to be on your best behaviour."
Kate nodded. "Understood, Sir."
Castle gave a crooked smile. "Guess we're going Hollywood."
As they stood to leave, Gates added, "One more thing. The people you'll be working with... they operate differently. Trust will be hard to come by. So tread carefully."
Kate met her gaze. "Always do, Sir."
Outside the office, Castle fell into step beside her. "So, Alex Wilson, Jerry Tyson, and a mystery task force full of secret agents. You think Tyson's gone Hollywood too?"
Kate exhaled slowly, eyes distant. "I think this is bigger than what we are thinking. Tyson isn't stupid enough to go after someone like Wilson, unless he's sure that he can take his target down. I think this is just the tip of the iceberg."
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[4 advance chs] [All chs available for all tiers] [No double billing.]
---[I really need a to stock up lol.]---