Chapter 197: Shattered Dreams

When Castle heard Neal's apology, he waved it off dismissively and said, "No worries. Isn't this similar to how I stopped John from going to Argentina to take out Vincent for me? We're not money-hungry villains. Frankly, my interest in that submarine treasure is far less than seeing Vincent's face when he realizes that after spending half his life searching, he loses everything just when he thinks he's finally succeeded. So, welcome aboard, Alex!"

Castle's eloquent speech was so well-delivered that even Alex, who had been maintaining a stoic expression while watching Mozzie fiddle with the equipment on the table, had to admit he was genuinely gracious. She broke her cool demeanor and extended her right hand warmly to Castle. "I'm pleased to meet you too, Mr. Castle. And by the way, I enjoy your books."

Mozzie, knowing Castle was sincere, wasn't surprised by his words. Unlike Neal, Mozzie had seen the rare artifacts Castle possessed, originally belonging to Adam, and had even brokered the sale of Tutankhamun's scepter for Castle, earning a cool two million in fees alone. So, when Castle said he wasn't interested in the treasure, Mozzie believed him completely.

However, this wasn't the time to dwell on those thoughts. Mozzie's focus was entirely on the golden music box on the table. Growing impatient, he interjected, "Alright, enough with the pleasantries. Shouldn't we focus on this music box now?"

Mozzie's remark snapped everyone back to the task at hand. The group gathered around the table, and Castle, fixated on the famed music box, marveled, "I must say, Alex, your grandfather was quite ingenious to hide the method for constructing a passive sonar transponder in a fractal pattern on this music box's comb."

Alex, encountering Castle for the first time, was taken aback. She had always believed that the secret of the music box was known only to her. Castle's casual revelation left her momentarily speechless, and she looked to Neal for guidance.

Neal found the situation amusing and, instead of explaining further, flashed a grin at Alex. "You didn't think we were in the dark about everything, did you? We know all about it. And we know you have a small angel-shaped key that unlocks this music box, right?"

Alex, seasoned and experienced in her own right, quickly composed herself. She had underestimated how much Neal and his friends knew. Without further hesitation, she reached into her bag, retrieved the angel-shaped key, and inserted it into the music box. With a press and a twist, the box opened.

Castle, Neal, and Mozzie watched intently as Mozzie carefully extracted the comb from the inner layer of the music box. He then gently placed it in the designated slot on the box, switched on the receiver facing the music box, and started it.

A delicate and melodious tune filled the air, pleasant to the ear. However, none of the four were interested in the music itself. They were focused on the sequence of notes. After the comb finished playing its piece, Mozzie switched off the receiver, removed the comb, and returned it to its place. Only then did they each let out a long breath, relaxing a little.

Castle finally got his chance to handle the iconic prop from the series, running his fingers over the intricate details and exclaiming, "This is Empress Catherine's favorite music box. Alex's grandfather really had a creative mind to use this to hide the secret of locating U-845."

Seeing Castle treat the music box almost like a toy, Neal couldn't help but chuckle. "Alright, you can take it home and play with it all you want later. We've recorded the music, so what's next? We need to decode the notes to extract the numbers and complete the fractal diagram. Then, using the diagram, we can build a passive sonar transponder identical to the one from back then, right? Do you have any other ideas, Rick?"

Castle, a lifelong humanities student, stared blankly at Neal and the others, who looked at him with hopeful eyes. They seemed to expect him to decode the fractal and reconstruct the sonar transponder. Castle could only regretfully admit that he was out of his depth. His knowledge came solely from having watched the original series.

Confident in brainstorming but clueless when it came to technical execution, Castle shrugged and said, "Guys, I've told you before, I'm only here for the ideas! Do I look like someone who can handle fractal diagrams and high-tech stuff? I'm just a helpless writer. You'd have better luck asking Mozzie to figure it out!"

Neal and Mozzie couldn't help but burst into laughter at Castle's theatrics. Once they settled down, they realized Castle had a point. Fractal diagrams and such might indeed be too complex for someone who writes for a living.

Mozzie, wiping away tears of laughter, turned to Castle and said, "Alright, alright. It was unfair to expect you to tackle the fractal. Just take the music box with you when you leave and make sure Vincent Adler gets it safely. I'll handle the rest."

Relieved, Castle grinned, "That's more like it. I've always said, I'm here for the big ideas and the muscle. Leave the brainy stuff to you guys."

Neal, feeling a bit embarrassed for Alex, who seemed disillusioned by Castle's antics, tried to salvage the situation. He attempted to explain their relationship and lighten the mood. But Castle, true to form, kept making flippant remarks, further deflating any hope Neal had of presenting him in a more respectable light. Neal could only watch in dismay as Alex's high expectations of Castle were thoroughly dashed.

Realizing he might have gone too far in front of Alex, who had met him for the first time today, Castle decided to retreat while he could still salvage some dignity. He packed the prized music box into a travel bag and stood up, preparing to leave. He bid farewell to the three skilled 'gentlemen thieves,' hoping to restore some semblance of his reputation.

Additionally, Castle recognized that his presence was more of a distraction than a help. It was better to let Neal and Mozzie delve into the intricacies of the fractal diagram without him interfering. Moreover, he had the critical task of ensuring the music box reached Vincent safely, so it was best to make his exit.

Neal and Mozzie, understanding that Castle had to arrange the handover of the music box to Vincent, didn't object. They agreed to notify Castle once Mozzie decoded the diagram and built the sonar transponder, so they could proceed with the next phase of their plan.

Carrying the precious music box that had played a pivotal role in the original series, Castle drove home, feeling a mix of surreal and triumphant emotions. Holding a key piece in the multi-million-dollar puzzle, he couldn't help but envision Vincent's reaction. Knowing that once Vincent had the music box, he would return to New York to begin his elaborate plans for retrieving the submarine, Castle felt a certain thrill. Watching Vincent pour all his resources into the endeavor, only for Castle to swoop in and take everything from under his nose, would be immensely satisfying.

With these thoughts swirling in his head, Castle drove home, savoring the anticipation of his unfolding plan. As soon as he arrived, he called Vincent again.

"Mr. Adler, as I promised, I have the music box you've been eager to add to your collection. You can send someone to pick it up in New York. Of course, if you're not in a rush, I can ship it to you!"

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