Chapter 434: Recruitment

Before Beckett and Castle had even left the Twelfth Precinct, the lawyer sent by Senator William Bracken to bail out the two captured men had already arrived. Beckett, who had calmed down thanks to Castle's persuasion, didn't say much and simply agreed to the bail request. After completing the paperwork, the two finally drove back to Castle's home on the Upper East Side.

Alexis had already gone upstairs to study, and as soon as Beckett entered the house, she collapsed onto the sofa. "Castle, are we just going to sit back and watch William Bracken run around unchecked, doing nothing about it?"

Castle hung up their coats and poured them both a glass of whiskey. Handing one to Beckett, he replied, "No, I'm sure by now, what happened today has already been noticed by the Democrats who have been eyeing Bracken. I bet it won't be long before they approach us, hoping to work together to bring down Senator William Bracken, one of the Republican Party's major players. What we need to consider now is whether or not to collaborate with the Democrats."

Castle's prediction piqued Beckett's interest. "Why do you think the Democrats would come to me?"

"Because the conflict between you and Senator Bracken is now out in the open, especially after what happened today. You know that New York has long been a stronghold of the Republican Party, and the Democrats' influence here is quite weak. Although they have Nick Coonan as a witness, they'll need someone with a certain level of power and influence in New York to help them gather more concrete evidence.

Who better than you, the captain of a precinct, and the youngest precinct captain in the NYPD? Besides, I'm pretty sure the Democrats already know about your personal vendetta against Bracken. This feud is irreconcilable, meaning there's no way you and Bracken could ever find peace. So, wouldn't the Democrats seize such a perfect opportunity?"

Beckett took a sip of her drink, thoughtfully asking, "So you think I should accept the Democrats' offer of cooperation?"

"Of course. Why not? By accepting their offer, we'd effectively be wrapping ourselves in protective armor. If we manage to bring Bracken down, the Republican Party's anger would be directed at the Democrats, not us. We'd just be a tool the Democrats used to strike at Bracken.

This way, we can avoid the full brunt of the Republican Party's backlash after their carefully groomed political star falls." Castle sipped his drink confidently, not understanding why Beckett was struggling to see the obvious.

Beckett nodded. "You're right. If the Democrats do come to us, we should cooperate. With their help, the resistance we face will be much smaller."

Castle was ready to put these concerns aside. With Beckett in front of him, he didn't want to waste time on political games. He wanted to take his long-legged beauty from the sofa straight to the bedroom. Draining his glass, Castle took Beckett's hand and led her to the bedroom…

Meanwhile, in a mansion in Washington, the private residence of a Democratic Party leader who had been visited by Congressman Gavin, five people were gathered in a conference room. These five individuals were the real power brokers of the Democratic Party, and they were currently discussing none other than Beckett.

"…You all know the situation now. This female cop's circumstances are clear. From our interrogation of the assassin sent by Bracken to kill Gavin, we've learned that this cop's mother was killed by Nick, the assassin we're holding, ten years ago while investigating Bracken. It seems she has since discovered that Bracken was behind her mother's death. Since becoming the captain of the Twelfth Precinct, she's been secretly investigating him. Today's events clearly show that Bracken tried to silence her, but she turned the tables. I believe she could be a valuable weapon for us in our fight against Bracken. What do you think?"

The hefty man speaking puffed on his cigar as he made his case.

"What's her political leaning? Republican or ours?" one of the leaders asked directly.

"She's on our side. Her background naturally aligns her with us. Besides, this female cop now controls a precinct in the NYPD and is the youngest precinct captain there. I think it's worth reaching out to her, bringing her into our fold," the cigar smoker replied, taking another deep drag.

"I agree…"

"I agree…"

"So do I…"

One by one, the remaining leaders voiced their agreement, deciding to bring Beckett, who was on a promising upward trajectory, into their circle.

The cigar-smoking leader nodded decisively. "Good. Then it's settled. Tomorrow, I'll send a representative to New York to meet with this female cop. If she agrees to our proposal, we'll immediately begin attacking William Bracken and the Republican Party from all sides.

Gentlemen, the next presidential election is fast approaching, and we don't have much time. But the evidence we have is enough to topple Bracken, the political star the Republicans have invested so much in. Let's get to work!"

After everyone left, the cigar-smoking leader remained alone in the darkened conference room. Soon, someone entered, standing respectfully behind him, awaiting instructions.

"Tomorrow, you'll personally go to New York. Find the Twelfth Precinct and meet with Captain Beckett. Convey our goodwill to her and let her know that she can do whatever she wants to Bracken. We'll have her back.

Also, take the testimony from Nick's interrogation and present it to her as a gift. Tell her that as she begins her investigation into Bracken, we'll simultaneously launch attacks against him in Washington and on Capitol Hill, keeping him too occupied to deal with the NYPD's investigation. Do you understand?"

The subordinate bowed respectfully. "Yes, sir. I understand. I'll leave for New York tonight and meet with Captain Beckett first thing in the morning."

The leader, pleased with his subordinate's diligence and efficiency, nodded with a smile and left the conference room.

After a night of passion, Castle woke up feeling relaxed and decided to make breakfast for the two women in his life. Humming a tune, he was busy in the kitchen when Alexis came downstairs.

"Hey, Dad, you're in a good mood…" Alexis teased as she saw her father preparing breakfast.

"You're up early. Come have breakfast. How's your studying going? I've been so busy lately, I haven't had time to check in on you. Do you need any more allowance?"

Alexis rolled her eyes playfully as she sat down at the table. "You've been too busy dating to pay attention to me. And as for my allowance, I've got plenty. Who else gets thousands at a time? Did you win the lottery or something?"

Castle suddenly remembered that he had impulsively left five thousand dollars in Alexis's room, grinning sheepishly. It was just that he had so much cash lying around that he didn't think twice about it. He hadn't considered whether his daughter would be okay with it.

Trying to change the subject, Castle asked, "I admit I've been a bit neglectful lately. With Christmas coming up, have you thought about where you'd like to go? How about Europe or Hawaii? I'll take you anywhere you want!"

Alexis eyed her father skeptically as she ate her breakfast. "Do you even have time for that? If I tell you where I want to go, will you actually be able to make it?"

"Oh, and Dad, Gina called. She wants you to send over the second manuscript of *Nikki Heat*. I know you haven't written a word yet. Are you really going to let Gina and Paula hound you again?"

Her words were a stark reminder for Castle, who had completely let himself go recently. He was a novelist by profession, but he'd been so caught up in everything else that he'd completely forgotten about it. His royalties were already paid in advance, and if he didn't finish on time, his ex-wife and vampire editor Gina would definitely give him hell.

Realizing this, Castle slowed down his movements, worried. He hadn't had enough time recently to even start on the second book of *Nikki Heat*. What was he going to do?

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