89. Chapter 89

After Close Encounters of the Murderous Kind

By

UCSBdad

Disclaimer: I'm not even close to owning Castle. Rating: K Time: See above.

Author's note: Yes, there is another After Close Encounters of the Murderous Kind. It's Chapter 22.

Kate Beckett walked away from Castle with Agent Westfield. "What can I do for you, Agent Westfield?"

"We'd like you to keep an eye on Mr. Castle for us."

Kate stopped dead in her tracks, shocked at what Westfield was suggesting. It took her a few seconds to organize her thoughts. "Sir, if you believe that Castle is a threat to the security of this country, then you're wrong. Castle would never do anything like that."

Westfield nodded. "I'm sure he wouldn't do anything intentionally to hurt this country. But you will admit that Castle is a bit of a loose cannon. In fact more than just a bit of a loose cannon. He's basically uncontrollable, as you've complained many times."

"I've complained…" Kate began. "You've been spying on me?"

"Spying? No, just getting background on you." Westfield changed the subject. "Castle has based his most recent character on you, and he's incorporated actual cases that you two have worked into his novels. We don't want to see anything about this operation showing up in his novels. Even if he tries to change the facts around, there are many people out there who might read it and figure out what our weaknesses and strengths are. We cannot allow that."

"Sir, I am not a spy. I don't feel that it's my job to spy on Castle. I regret that…"

"We can go to your superiors and make it an order. If you continue to be uncooperative, we could simply find someone else who'd be more…cooperative."

"You could order me to cooperate?"

He nodded. "Think of it this way, Detective Beckett. You can either do a favor for your country by letting us know if Castle is thinking of using any of this, or we can make it official. If we have to make it official, you'd do weekly reports, record anything Castle says that might be of interest, the usual things. If it's unofficial, there's no need for all of that. And there's an upside for you."

"An upside?" What? She thought. I get brownie points for spying on my friend?

"If Castle does try to use this, we'll remove him. He'll no longer be a problem to you. After all, you've made your…distaste for Castle quite well known."

"What do you mean by "remove him?" Kate asked, beginning to feel sick to her stomach.

"Oh, we won't terminate him with extreme prejudice or send him to Guantanamo Bay or anything like that. We'll find a way to discourage him. We'll just have him removed from the 12th Precinct and…encouraged to write about other things."

Kate stared at the ground. She had three choices. She could "voluntarily" spy on Castle, she could be ordered to spy on Castle which would mean people at One Police Plaza would know and that might get back to Castle, or Westfield would get someone else. Someone who might not like Castle. Someone who would like Castle gone. "Agent Westfield, I don't like this, but I'll do it. But I can tell you, Castle won't publish anything about this case."

"We know he won't. You'll see to that, won't you Detective Beckett?"

Three days had passed and Castle had said nothing about either Marie Subbarao's murder, or about his latest Nikki Heat novel. She hated it, but she felt she had to ask Castle about his current novel. "So, how's the latest Nikki Heat going?" She asked, as casually as she could.

"What?" Castle looked at her skeptically. "You're interested? You want to know? Who are you and what have you done with Kate Beckett?"

"It's me, Castle." She says, glaring slightly at him. "And yes, I'm interested."

"Why?"

"Do you have any idea how many of my conversations in the past year have contained the phrase, "Why, no, Castle and I are not sleeping together?" I'd like a heads up if Nikki and Rook are going to get into anything so kinky that I'd have to preemptively notify my family and friends. My dad especially."

Castle smiled. "You have nothing to worry about, Beckett. In case you haven't noticed, Nikki and Rook are in love. While their relationship may not be chaste, it's only what a discerning reader would expect from a couple in a committed relationship. I'm sure your dad won't object."

"What's the plot?"

"Well, Naked Heat just came out, so I'm in the beginning phases of Heat Rises. I have a lot of ideas for the main plot and for the subplots, but I haven't made any hard and fast decisions yet. Don't worry, I'll make sure you get an advanced copy. I've learned my lesson."

Kate suddenly stood up. "I need to go to the ladies' room. Excuse me." She hurried away. Once in a stall, she took a deep breath. I can't do this. She thought. I cannot spy on Castle. I just can't. Something he said suddenly replayed in her mind. He said Nikki and Rook are in love. But I know I'm Nikki and he's Rook. But that can't be. I'm with Josh and he's with Gina. That can't be what he meant. He does not love me! Kate sat quietly and tried to organize her thoughts. The important thing is that I simply cannot spy on Castle. If he found out it'd destroy our friendship. Even if he never found out, I'd feel terrible. I have to do something about this. I have to!

Two days later, Castle and Beckett were at the scene of a body drop in midtown Manhattan. Kate noticed there was a street repair crew working near an alley. The sound of jackhammers drowned out almost everything else. "Come with me, Castle." She took his sleeve and pulled him into the alley. She stood close to him so that she could whisper into his ear without any danger of Agent Westfield's bugs picking her up.

Castle noticed she still had a hold of his sleeve. And he inhaled the scent of cherries, something he always associated with the scent of Kate Beckett. He had no idea what was going on, but he enjoyed it.

"Castle, Agent Westfield has me spying on you."

That broke the spell for Castle. "What? You're spying on me?" He growled. "Beckett, what the hell do you think you're doing?" He shoved her away, glaring at her.

Beckett grabbed him and shoved him back against the wall. She put her mouth by his ear. "Shh! Do you want them to hear you? Do you think I'd be telling you if I really was spying on you? Westfield gave me a choice, I could spy on you voluntarily, he'd have the NYPD order me to spy on you, or, if I was really uncooperative, he'd just find someone else to spy on you. Telling him I'd willingly spy on you seemed the safest thing to do."

"Why does he want anyone spying on me?" He whispered in her ear.

"He's afraid you'll incorporate something about the Subbarao murder case and the whole spying thing in one of your novels and that somehow that would tip the Chinese off to what really happened. Were you going to use that in a novel?"

"I hadn't planned on it, but I sure as hell will now! I'm not going to let some low rent Tommy Lee Jones tell me what to write."

Kate leaned against Castle. Her lips were touching his ear. "What if I asked you not to write anything about it?"

"Why would you do that?" He asked, mystified.

"He said if you tried to write anything about the case, he'd have you kicked out of the NYPD. I'd lose the best partner I've ever had. And I'd lose a friend. Besides, Nikki would never fall for the idea that space aliens were out there committing murders."

Castle stood there, absorbing the scent and feel of Kate Beckett. "Rook would. He'd be all over it."

Kate nodded. "He would, for a while. But he wouldn't want to upset Nikki." Any more than you'd want to upset the real Nikki Heat.

"True." I could never do anything to upset Beckett. I could never take the risk of losing her. Or whatever the hell it is we have. "So, no space aliens or shadowy government agencies."

Kate rested her head on his shoulder, relieved that this was over. She felt his hand slowly begin to stroke her hair.

"I'm sorry, Beckett. I shouldn't have gotten mad at you like that. I should have known better. I do know you better. I apologize."

Kate realized that she had her arms around Castle and that his arms were around her. She relaxed, feeling happy. No! I can't do this! He is not what I want! She dropped her arms. "Come on, Castle. We have work to do." She walked away from him, leaving him standing there. At the end of the alley, she turned, "Are you coming, Castle?"

Neither one noticed the tiny drone helicopters that had followed them into the alley. In an unprepossessing building in suburban Virginia, two men watched the video monitor in front of them.

Agent Eastman handed Agent Westfield a five dollar bill. "Okay, you win, but we shouldn't be using the equipment for this."

"Why not?" Westfield replied with a smile, tucking his winnings in his pocket. "We're checking on an informant and a possible source of a leak. All perfectly legitimate."

Eastman shook his head, but smiled. "Just because she told him, doesn't mean you're right."

"It does mean that Castle won't put anything in his book that the Chinese might find interesting. That's the important thing."

"And the rest?" Eastman said skeptically. "The fact that she told him doesn't prove your point."

Westfield gestured to the screen. "Look at the readouts. Their skins are slightly flushed, respiration is up, heart rate is up, and their eyes are slightly dilated. No doubt about it, they're in love with each other." Westfield glanced at his watch. "We'd better go check the feed from Keyhole. The satellite will have completed its run over Lop Nor by now." Westfield left the office.

As Eastman followed him he grumped, "All the partners in the Agency and I get a Richard Castle freak."