Chapter 12: Setting the Plan

Due to Castle's repeated requests and reminders to John about concealing his identity and whereabouts, John Wick, after Castle left his house, did not opt to fly to France via a commercial flight from New York's Kennedy Airport. As Castle had pointed out, given his newfound notoriety in the underworld following the rapid elimination of the Taranasov family, traveling so openly would indeed be too conspicuous.

Instead, through Gianina's connections, John booked a private jet under an alias, flying directly to Marseille, France.

Although he had repeatedly emphasized to Gianina the need to keep their movements secret—a request that initially surprised her—she was thrilled at the prospect of her crush proactively wanting to meet her. She gladly agreed to all of John's conditions, such as not meeting in Italy, ensuring that no one besides her personal bodyguard knew of his trip to France, and strictly keeping his whereabouts confidential.

Meanwhile, she dismissed her bodyguard Cassian's concerns about John Wick's possibly malevolent intentions with a wave of her hand.

"Cassian, your worries are entirely unnecessary. I chased him so hard back then I almost had to resort to drugging him, and he never laid a finger on me. After all this time, now that he's reaching out to me, claiming he has something vitally important, life-or-death matters to discuss, why wouldn't I trust him?

Cassian, you must understand, John's pride means he disdains lying and deceit. He's definitely not coming to kill me; that's my intuition as a woman..." Despite her infatuation with John Wick, the heiress of the D'Antonio family was normally sharp and shrewd in her dealings.

"More like the intuition of a lovesick fan and a dedicated admirer of John Wick, right? Besides, who would want to harm their devoted admirer..." Cassian internally rolled his eyes at his charge's foolishness.

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In Marseille, France, in a scenic villa nestled between the mountains and the sea, John Wick arrived looking sharp in a sleek black suit, his demeanor as cool as ever, and rang the doorbell.

A muscular bald black man opened the door: "John, you've arrived. Please come in, the miss is waiting for you." Cassian, having just managed to dissuade his lovesick boss from personally greeting John at the door, looked somewhat haggard.

"Long time no see, Cassian!" John maintained his impeccable manners.

"My dear John..." In the living room, upon seeing John walk in, Gianina, barely able to contain her longing, stood up with tears in her eyes.

"Gianina..." John felt somewhat awkward facing his biggest admirer.

"Gianina, let's not say anything for now. Let me tell you why I urgently needed to see you, and then we can talk about other things."

Fearing that Gianina, already starry-eyed, might overwhelm him with her fawning behavior, John Wick decisively planned to drop the bombshell first, hoping to stun her with the news and avoid any confusion that her infatuated state might cause.

Didn't Cassian already look like he couldn't bear to watch? The sight of his bodyguard's pained expression showed just how dire Gianina D'Antonio's current state was.

Gianina, managing to compose herself amid intense emotions, became serious when she saw John's grave face. "You haven't contacted me for years, and now you urgently want to see me. I'm sure it's not just for your own sake...

So, it must have something to do with me, right?

Now, I'm listening. You speak…"

John, relieved, cautiously shared the intelligence about the D'Antonio family's current situation and his predictions for future developments, as discussed with Castle. He particularly emphasized his psychological assessment and behavioral predictions for Santino D'Antonio.

"Heh... Santino... my dear brother...

No wonder he's been clinging to your blood oath marker. Despite my many requests to return it to you, to grant you your freedom, he has never relented.

From some information I've gathered, combined with what you've told me, it's highly likely he's indeed harboring such intentions..." Gianina said, her voice laced with scornful laughter.

"What would you have me do next?" Gianina quickly regained her composure, her emotional control remarkable.

John spoke cautiously, clarifying his stance: "Firstly, I fully support you in taking over as head of the D'Antonio family after your father's death.

This support includes providing manpower and intelligence only.

You know that's all I can offer!

Besides, I think you should also enhance your personal security. Cassian is excellent, but he's just one man."

John glanced at Cassian, who was visibly stunned by the turn of events, wondering if this was indeed the legendary scenario where the devoted finally reaps rewards.

G

ianina, cutting through her emotional turmoil, set about tailoring John's rough plan into a detailed strategy. With her acumen for intrigue, she could scheme circles around both Castle and John.

After hearing the refined plan, which was much more robust than his initial suggestions, John and Cassian, both more skilled with action than with strategy, couldn't help but feel a twinge of sympathy for Santino.

If Santino really harbored intentions against his sister, he might very well be unwittingly walking into a trap set by Gianina.

"Alright, John, now that we've settled the serious matters, let's enjoy your visit to Europe... And about the enhanced security, I'll have Cassian arrange it shortly. But, with Cassian gone, I'll be relying entirely on you, my dear 'Night Demon'..." 

Gianina, shifting seamlessly from a commanding boss to a giddy admirer, excitedly made plans.

Left with no choice and a resigned look, Cassian hastily tried to steer the conversation back to practical matters, but the direction was already set, much to John's chagrin.

Back home, blissfully unaware that he had sent John Wick right into the lioness's den, Castle was busy experimenting with his new colossal personal space. He had filled this space with an assortment of essentials and non-essentials, from food and clothes to a motorcycle and a car, ready for any eventuality. He even procured an arsenal through his connections with Winston at the Continental, preparing for the worst.

"Rick, are you planning on becoming a hitman? Believe me, the income from using a gun doesn't compare to killing with a pen..." Winston, unable to hide his concern, called Castle to express his worries.

"Oh, dear Winston, you worry too much. I told you, I've just developed a bit of an interest in firearms. I need to ensure I'm not seen as a weakling by that bastard John!" Castle responded nonchalantly.

"Do you expect me to believe that you bought enough arms for a small war just for fun?" Winston sighed, exhausted by his role in facilitating Castle's escapades.

"Trust me, Winston, I won't start any trouble unnecessarily. Besides, I'm quite enjoying my life as it is; I wouldn't disrupt it for no reason!" Castle reassured him with fervor.

"Alright, kid, I'll take your word for it for now. By the way, where's Jonathan? He's been off the radar since he left my place. What are you two up to?"

Sweat broke out on Castle's forehead as he realized he had completely forgotten about John's mission in Europe amidst his own distractions.

"Uh... John said he needed a break, probably went on a vacation... Need him for something?"

"I just hope you two don't stir up more trouble," Winston said meaningfully before hanging up.

Shaken by the call, Castle finally decided to check in on John, fearing what might have befallen his friend under Gianina's intense affections. He dialed John's number, hoping to see him still in one piece.

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