242. Chapter 242

After Under the Influence, Again

By

UCSBdad

Disclaimer: I'd have to be drunk to claim I own Castle. I could have a couple of drinks and see what happens, I suppose. Rating: K Time: See above.

Three years after.

The principal's voice droned on through the student's names. Each name was followed by a smattering of applause.

"Cecilia Madden…"

"Jorge Madrileno…"

"Jerald Maguire…"

"Joseph Malone…"

Espo cheered loudly and Lanie clapped. Joey turned and looked into the darkened auditorium and waved in the general direction of where he thought they were.

The ceremony over, Joey pushed his way through the crowd of happy parents until he found Espo and Lanie.

"Congratulations." Espo said, giving the young man a hug. Joey hugged Lanie as well, perhaps a bit too enthusiastically for her, but she said nothing.

"So," he said, "how about we pick up some brewskis and show the ladies of New York some moves." Joey demonstrated a move that bumped a girl behind him. She turned and smiled at him.

"We're taking you out to dinner at a nice place." Espo said

Joey grimaced. "By nice place, you mean boring, don't you old man?"

"Old man? The place we picked was suggested by Rick Castle. It's good."

Joey laughed. "That Castle dude has great taste in ladies, but I don't know about anything else. Do they serve burgers at this joint?"

"Burgers?" Lanie said offended. "We're going to have to civilize you, young man."

"I can't wait, honey."

Espo moved Joey away from Lanie. "Be careful. She carves people up for a living."

Joey just laughed.

Later, at the restaurant, Joey leaned back in his chair. "That surf and turf wasn't too bad, Espo. I could have done without the rabbit food and the desserts were kind of skimpy, but this was okay."

"Just okay?" Lanie asked. "How did you come to decide on the surf and turf?"

Joey smiled widely. "It was the most expensive thing on the menu, Hottie. I figured even if it wasn't any good, I'd still get to watch Espo turn red when he got the bill."

"Watch me not turn red, then." Espo turned serious. "What are you going to do now that you've graduated from high school?"

"I'm going to follow in your footsteps, old man."

Three years after that.

"Thanks for coming with us. We really appreciate it." Espo said, walking out of the Wilmington, Delaware airport.

The two Castles and the two Ryans nodded and told the Espositos they couldn't possibly not go.

"We're going to go see Joey, bro." Kevin said.

They walked to the limo that Castle had ordered to meet them and headed away from the airport.

The day was grey and blustery, with scattered showers. No one talked as they drove. Everyone seemed lost in their own thoughts. Before they knew it, they pulled up at the main entrance to Dover Air Force Base, Delaware.

An Air Force Security Force member, dressed in camouflaged fatigues and armed with a pistol and an M- 4 assault rifle approached them as they stopped. "May I help you, sir?" She asked.

Espo held out the documents he had received. The airman scanned them. "Yes, sir." She walked back to the guard shack and got a piece of paper, which she handed to Espo. "Just have your driver follow these directions, sir." She saluted and went back inside.

Espo handed the directions to the driver. Shortly, they pulled up in front of a building marked, Charles C. Carson Center for Mortuary Affairs.

They all sat in the car, looking out at the building through the gently drifting rain.

"We should go in, Javi." Kevin Ryan said.

"Yeah."

They all exited the car and went inside. They were met by an Air Force officer. "Captain Craig, sir. How can I help you?"

Espo handed over his documents. "I'm here to see Joey Malone."

The officer nodded. "Specialist Malone came in this morning, sir. If you would follow me?"

They were lead to a large, open area in the building. In front of them were three gunmetal grey coffins, covered with the US flag.

"Specialist Malone is on the right, sir. If you'd like to be alone for a moment?"

Espo walked over, motioning his friends back as he did so. They could see him lay his hand on the coffin and say something. Then he walked back.

"Mr. Esposito? May I ask your relationship to Specialist Malone?"

"His family are all dead. His dad, mom and uncle. I'm an NYPD cop. I met him some years ago when he got in a bit of trouble. We were friends, and he named me as his next of kin, I guess."

They were approached by soldier in the Army blue uniform, a maroon beret in his hand. "Ah. Here's the body escort, Sergeant Wills."

Sergeant Wills introduced himself with an accent straight out of the Dukes of Hazzard.

"You're not from New York, I guess." Espo asked.

"Greenville, Mississippi, sir. I was Joey's fire team leader until he went downrange."

"How come he didn't deploy with his unit?" Espo asked.

"They needed volunteers for door gunners on rescue birds. They don't like having boots on the ground, so they use a lot of aviation units. They're kind of stretched. He volunteered. He got…shot just lifting off from a crashed bird. Machine gun. Hit him in the throat, probably pretty quick." Wills thought for a second and added. "Sorry for your loss, sir."

"You've got a way to get to New York?" Castle asked.

Wills smiled. "Yes, sir. An Air Force C 130 will fly Malone and me to New York. The funeral's on Long Island, right?"

Castle nodded. "It's a really nice cemetery. He'll like it. " He realized how stupid that sounded.

"I'm sure it is, sir."

Two nights later, the six sat in the back of the Old Haunt, quietly drinking. Espo clutched the folded American flag he had been handed by Sergeant Wills. He had hardly said a word all day.

"It's not your fault, Javi." Lanie said, holding his hand.

"I know. It's the fault of the guy who shot him, but a lot of people helped, including me. I spent all of that time talking about my time in the Special Forces. It really impressed Joey. It impressed him too damned much."

"Okay, so everybody's guilty." Castle said. "Or at least millions of people are."

"I thought the damned war was over." Javi growled. "It disappears one place and it flares up in another. This will go on for decades."

"Only the dead have seen an end to war." Castle quoted.

"That's not a very comforting thought, bro."

"Just accurate."