Chapter 324: Preparations

Reflecting on his recent high-profile actions at home, Richard Castle still didn't know that not far from his luxurious Upper East Side mansion, in Hell's Kitchen, Belle was urging her newly minted boyfriend, Zeus, to seek out Castle and follow him, even if it was just to gather intelligence or run errands. Belle felt that if she could successfully pitch Zeus to Castle, they might soon strike it rich.

Belle's strange sixth sense was indeed quite accurate, but Castle, completely unaware of the duo's plan, was brooding in his study.

Why? Because even though Castle realized he had been too high-profile lately and should be more low-key and cautious, he was distressed to find that he had too many things on his plate and only one person he could freely command—a chubby hacker named Harry Mitnick. However, this chubby guy was now tasked with the critical job of closely monitoring the movements of Vincent Adler and his subordinates, and couldn't be easily reassigned.

John Wick, though available to him, had a pregnant wife, Gianna. Castle didn't feel right pulling John away to handle things while Gianna was expecting.

Similarly, Neal, who was still wearing an FBI ankle monitor, had his movements restricted to a two-mile radius around Manhattan. Moreover, he was constantly shadowed by FBI agent Peter Burke, rendering him practically useless for handling tasks that Castle couldn't personally deal with. Neal's only potential use was after Vincent retrieved the submarine, and even then, only to serve as cannon fodder to disarm the explosives placed on the submarine by the German sailors who scuttled it.

This part of Castle's plan was crucial. Neal and Peter, unwittingly forced by Vincent to open the submarine, would clear Neal of any suspicion. Castle had decided to covertly infiltrate the warehouse where Vincent would store the submarine and use his spatial ability to loot it.

Once Vincent captured Alex and used her life to coerce Neal and Peter into disarming the explosives, Castle would then alert the FBI, who had long wanted to capture Vincent. However, Castle wasn't entirely committed to this plan, as he might let Beckett take the lead in capturing Vincent, a high-profile Ponzi scheme mastermind.

Neal's main task now was to build a rapport with Peter. This way, Peter would be curious about Neal's strange behavior and follow him, giving Vincent the chance to capture them both and use them to disarm the explosives.

Mozzie was available, but he, like Harry, was ineffective in combat. Though smart, Mozzie's small stature made him no match for the towering figures he might encounter.

Castle's concern was justified, as he planned to lay low and spend some time with Beckett, but Vincent's situation couldn't wait. Castle was troubled by the lack of manpower.

As for the men Gianna brought, Castle was hesitant to use them due to their indirect relationship. Even John Wick found it inconvenient to command them, despite Gianna's willingness. John, still the famed "Baba Yaga," preferred working alone and was not comfortable leading others.

Where could Castle find reliable people to handle these matters while he rejoined the 12th precinct? Should he approach Henry's seventy-year-old son, Abraham, at the antique shop? Castle was deep in thought...

Meanwhile, in a shabby apartment in Hell's Kitchen, the young version of "Motherf**ker" was being persuaded by his new girlfriend, Belle. She had simply pointed out that just by helping Castle a bit yesterday, Zeus had earned over thirty kilograms of gold, convincing him to drop his resistance.

However, Zeus had a more complex view than the straightforward Belle. "I don't deny we might get rich following this writer, but how do we convince him to take us on? I think we should wait a while. Besides, I just got a lot of gold that I haven't sold yet. Shouldn't we go to Hawaii first? I feel staying in New York might bring trouble because of this gold."

Belle glared at Zeus, who was always contradicting her. "You fool, didn't the cop you helped confirm that the gold issue is settled? This is a good opportunity. Think about it—yesterday, Castle had to use a sniper rifle himself. What does that mean? He needs manpower!

You've already pissed off the gangs in your old neighborhood and don't plan to go back. You need something to do. Now, Castle needs manpower, and I drive around New York in a taxi. We can gather intel for him, no problem. Once Castle sees our value, don't you think he'll consider us for future opportunities?"

Belle, much like Zeus, was driven by a strong desire for money but preferred operating in the grey areas rather than outright crime. Having closely observed Castle's recent actions, she realized he wasn't just a bestselling author but someone deeply involved in more dangerous affairs.

Hearing this, Zeus started to get interested. Belle's points made sense. He had no intention of returning to his old hardware store business. With three gold bars, they would eventually run out of money. Belle's proposal to capitalize on their current relationship with Castle by offering to gather intel was not a bad idea. After all, Castle had connections with the mayor and high-ranking police officials. Sticking close to him now could lead to more lucrative opportunities.

The prospect of another payout like yesterday's, even if it meant a bit of shamelessness, seemed worth it.

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