Chapter 161: Discussion

Neal moved quickly. After hanging up the phone, he went straight to Peter Burke at the FBI. Without lying, he told Peter about some new developments with Vincent Adler, explaining that he needed to leave immediately to discuss a plan with his friends. However, Neal didn't mention that Vincent had sent an assassin after Castle, feeling it wasn't his place to expose Castle's situation to the FBI without his consent.

Peter, who was keen on capturing Vincent, one of the FBI's ten most wanted fugitives, was naturally very interested in Neal's information. However, Neal refused to divulge more details. Frustrated, Peter reluctantly agreed to Neal's leave but strictly warned him not to take any action alone. Neal had to inform him beforehand of any plans, and only with Peter's approval could he proceed.

Since they were still in the preparation phase of dealing with Vincent, Neal readily agreed to Peter's condition. He then left the FBI's New York office at Times Square and headed home to meet Castle and Mozzie.

After Neal left, Peter, feeling uneasy, summoned his two trusted subordinates, Jones Clinton, a former Navy officer and Harvard graduate, and the sharp and capable Agent Diana. Once they were in his office with the door closed, Peter spoke seriously, "Neal just got a call and immediately came to request leave. He said there were some new and unfavorable developments with Vincent. When I asked for specifics, he refused to answer."

Diana, feeling more at ease in front of her superior, interrupted Peter, "Are you saying he's lying?"

Peter shook his head, "No, I'm sure Neal isn't making this up. He must have received some information indicating something significant has changed with Vincent, and it's likely not good news for us or Neal. Otherwise, he wouldn't have been so eager to take leave to discuss it with his friends."

Jones asked straightforwardly, "So, Peter, do you want Diana and me to investigate this matter, right?"

Peter appreciated Jones' directness. "Yes, I want to know who contacted Neal and who his mysterious friends are. I tried to get information from Kate last time she was here, but she was very cautious and didn't reveal anything valuable. Even those two friends of Neal who rescued her from Fowler remain unidentified. Neal has also been evasive about this. Today's urgency likely means his mysterious group is meeting, and I want you to follow him and find out who these people are."

Diana asked, "And then? Do we arrest them all?"

Both Peter and Jones chuckled at Diana's bluntness. Peter indicated with his eyes for Jones to explain.

Jones explained, "Not exactly. Peter wants to know who these friends of Neal's are. If Neal ever tries to escape with their help, we need to know who to look for."

Peter continued, "We need to identify Neal's friends. This way, we have a better understanding during our investigation of Vincent. And if the scenario Jones mentioned happens, we'll know who to go after to catch Neal. Understood?"

Jones and Diana understood Peter's plan and nodded. "Understood, boss. We'll follow Neal, identify his friends, and gather their information without alerting them."

Peter looked pleased. "Good. Be careful not to let Neal notice you."

As Neal headed home, he had a hunch that his vague leave request would make the suspicious Peter wary. Knowing this, he called Mozzie on the way and informed him and Castle of the possibility of being followed by FBI agents. Neal needed Castle's opinion on whether he minded his identity being revealed to the FBI.

Castle was unconcerned. Given his strong ties with the NYPD, he felt the FBI wouldn't dare act against him. Mozzie, however, was hesitant. Having lived as a ghost outside the U.S. welfare system since he was twelve, he was wary of the FBI knowing about him.

Castle persuaded Mozzie, arguing that their involvement in helping Neal would eventually be discovered by the FBI. Whether it happened sooner or later made no difference. Moreover, their open presence could help Neal gain more trust from his FBI partner, which would be beneficial for Neal.

Castle also promised Mozzie that if his exposure to the FBI caused any trouble, Castle would use his advanced hacking skills to create a clean identity for Mozzie, ensuring he wouldn't be harassed by the FBI.

Having seen Castle's superior hacking skills firsthand, Mozzie trusted his promise and agreed to proceed without worrying about his exposure. He told Neal to return home and prepare to discuss their strategy. Before hanging up, Mozzie jokingly asked Neal to open a good bottle of wine for their arrival.

Neal, smiling at his friends' support, hurried home. Upon arrival, he quickly informed Kate that Castle and Mozzie were coming over and opened a bottle of red wine to let it breathe. He also told Kate about the attack on Castle.

Before the alarmed Kate could urge Neal to surrender the music box to Vincent for a peaceful life, Castle and Mozzie arrived and knocked on the door.

Neal ushered them to the balcony and immediately asked Castle for the details of the day's events.

Castle recounted how he noticed someone tailing him in the morning, led them to Central Park, and preemptively struck when the assassin approached. He also described how he summoned cleaners to erase all evidence and then brazenly showed himself to the two followers, ensuring they would report back to Vincent about the failed attempt.

Neal and Mozzie exchanged glances, amazed that the seemingly mild-mannered writer was actually a skilled killer with a dedicated cleanup crew.

After boasting about his actions, Castle turned serious. "I wanted to talk to you about Vincent's change. According to what you've said, he used to solve problems with his mind. Today's attack shows he's now willing to eliminate threats physically. This means your safety isn't as secure as we thought."

Realizing the gravity of the situation, Neal and Mozzie knew they needed to revise their plans. Vincent's willingness to use lethal force marked a significant shift, increasing the stakes and the danger for all of them.

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