392. Chapter 392

After Hunt

Episode 5.26

By

UCSBdad

Disclaimer: I'd rather be in the sewers of Paris than claim to own Castle. Rating: K Time: See above and below.

Author's note: As with the prior chapter, this takes place during Hunt. If you re-read Chapters 142 and 247, covering the same episodes, I had Kate accompany Rick to Paris. But, isn't this the more likely scenario?

Castle walked out of his loft, self-consciously touching the jacket pocket with his passport in it, and feeling guilty for lying to Martha about what he was going to do. He stopped short when he saw a familiar slim figure standing by the elevator.

"Beckett! I was just coming back to the precinct."

"Castle, please don't lie to me. You should know by now that I know all of your tells."

He tried to brazen it out. "What do you mean? I'm not lying."

Kate leaned against him, resting her head on his shoulder. "Rick, you're going to Paris to look for Alexis. And I'm not going to let you."

He pushed her away. "Like hell you are. Alexis needs me and I'm going to Paris to help her. You'd better not try to stop me because…"

"I'm going. Not you."

"What? You're going? Where did you get that idea?"

"Do you remember the Candela kidnapping and why we had to have you make the drop? Because Alfred Candela was too emotionally involved to think straight. I've seen you with people you care for. Damian Westlake? Bob Weldon? You're a million times more emotionally involved with Alexis than them. I'm not going to take a chance on getting you or Alexis killed."

"Are you telling me you're not emotionally involved in all of this?" He asked suspiciously.

She smiled at him and kissed him. "Luckily I have years of practice in making sure my emotions don't get in the way of anything. I may be a little rusty, but I'll get it all back."

Castle nodded. "I hate this idea."

"Me, too. Do you have a better one?"

He shook his head. "I also hate it when you're right. I hate the thought of you being in danger."

"We're both in danger every day. Comes with the territory." She pushed her emotions aside and became practical, professional Detective Beckett. "Now, I presume you have a plan. Tell me about it."

He nodded. "I have a friend who works for the French Ministry of National Defense. I'll give you his contact information and I'll call him to set up a meet with you. Then…."

The meeting with Castle's friend, Gaston, had gone well, even if Gaston had spent too much time trying to talk her into going to the police. But now she had another thing to do. He walked into a small neighborhood café and approached the waiter, swinging her hips in a short, tight skirt. "I'm Tatiana. Here to see Bruno." She said in English with a Russian accent.

The waiter merely looked to the back of the café. There sat a slim, balding man, reading a paper. She sat down across from him, conscious of the fact that he had his back to the wall and she didn't. "I'm Tatiana. Do you have what I asked for?"

He nodded, putting down the paper. He looked a lot older than she had assumed. "Of course. You've been checked out and we can do business. Do you have my money?"

Kate nodded. "Of course."

Bruno took a large package from the chair beside him. "One Glock 26 and one Glock 19, both new. Three spare magazines for each pistol, loaded. Two boxes of 9mm cartridges, 100 hundred cartridges, total. One shoulder holster, one ankle holster. As requested."

Kate expertly disassembled both weapons and reassembled them. Then checked all of the magazines, the ammunition and the holsters. Then she handed Bruno an envelope.

Bruno counted the money below the table and smiled. As Kate rose to leave, he spoke. "May I ask why such a lovely woman as you needs the weaponry?"

Kate glared at him. "I thought I was buying discretion as well as these."

"I'd be dead if I wasn't the most discrete man in Paris. But, I am a businessman. Do you need more or bigger weapons? Explosives? A protective vest? Communications gear? Anything?"

Kate shook her head. "I have this really big spider in my apartment. These are for him."

Bruno smiled. "But, of course."

Henri looked at Kate from the pew separating them. "I am expected to arrange this little job for you? I do not understand your relationship to all of this. Can you explain?"

Kate sighed. This was the part she had hoped not to have to discuss. "I'm a homicide detective, New York Police Department. My partner's daughter has been kidnapped. He was going to come here himself, but I know that he's too emotionally involved to do this professionally, coldly. As it should be done."

"Your partner is a police officer? And he expects to pay my prices?"

"My partner is a writer who has been shadowing me to write books. I'm sure his friend vouched for his financial status."

Henri shrugged. "And you do this for a partner?"

"We're lovers. Love is a very powerful emotion."

Henri nodded. "That's what kidnappers depend on." He stared at her long and hard. Then stood up. "Come with me, Miss Beckett."

As soon as the shots rang out, Kate grabbed a submachine gun from one of the black clad thugs and rolled to the cover of the nearest tree. She looked around her. The four thugs looked dead. Looking over her shoulder, she saw Henri. Dead as well. But where was the shooter? Who was the shooter?"

"Detective Beckett? If I'd wanted to kill you, you'd be dead already. You didn't move that fast."

"Maybe. Maybe not. How do I know I can trust you?"

"That's easy." A man walked out from behind a tree, his rifle pointed to skyward. Kate recognized him as the man who'd been after Roger Henson. "Now, Beckett, "He said, "you can shoot me or you can come with me. But you have to make a decision quickly. The gunshots will attract attention."

Kate cursed under her breath. Then she stood up. "You're the man who tortured and killed Roger Henson. And trashed his place. Who the hell are you? What are you doing?"

He walked towards her. "I'm doing my job. Which included saving your life a minute or so ago. As far as my name, call me Jackson Hunt."

"Sounds like a name from one of Castle's books."

He just laughed.

The first thing Kate noticed in the apartment was the photos. Mostly of Alexis, but there were some of Rick and even two of her. She whirled around. "You're not some hired gun. You've been stalking Alexis for years. Why?"

"She's my granddaughter."

When Hunt was through telling Kate his story, all she could do was shake her head in disbelief. But, she found she didn't disbelieve Hunt. "So this kidnapping was all about you?"

"I'm afraid so. And before I forget, I want to thank you for doing all of this."

"Castle wanted to come, but he's too close to Alexis. He'd be dangerous. The wrong kind of dangerous. So, I came instead."

"And you're not too close to this?" Hunt asked.

"I'm about as close as Rick is, but I've had years of training in not letting my emotions run away with me. I can handle this better than Castle."

Hunt nodded. "Can I ask you a personal question?"

Kate thought for a second. Well, why not. "You can ask, but I don't promise to answer."

"Fair enough. I've kept track of Martha and Rick and then Alexis for a long time. Not personally, of course. But I've had friends check in every once in a while. I admit I never paid too much attention to his two wives. Didn't see the need. But you're different. I know you were with Rick for a long time without his being more than your partner. And I know you're lovers now. Is this serious? I hope it isn't just a fling for either of you."

Kate shook her head as she smiled. "It's not a fling for me. I want always, and I'm sure that's what Rick wants."

Hunt smiled. "Good. You two will be good together."

Then the phone rang.

As soon as the phone exploded, Kate grabbed the submachine gun from the stunned guard and slammed it into his head. Then she took off her watch and put it on the door lock. "Stay down." She screamed.

Once out, she ran in front of Alexis, twice firing short bursts into Volkov's men. Once outside, she quickly checked for more gunmen. Nothing. "Follow me."

"Kate! What happened? How did you get here? Who were those men?"

"Alexis! Run now. Talk later."

A short run and a long trans-Atlantic flight later, Kate slid into bed with Castle.

"Why would someone send you a copy of Casino Royale?" He asked.

"Castle, there's something I want to tell you."