Chapter 196: Rekindling

"Great, this guy finally sees reason. It seems my assessment of him fearing strength but not reciprocating favors was spot on!"

Castle was elated, knowing his plan was likely to succeed. He quickly responded to Vincent with enthusiasm, "Yes, Mr. Adler, you heard correctly, and I wasn't mistaken. If you cancel the bounty on me in Europe right now and promise not to trouble Neal Caffrey again, we will deliver the music box you've been wanting for your collection to you within seven days. That's my guarantee!"

Castle deliberately framed the music box as something Vincent wanted to collect, hoping to mislead him into thinking that Castle was unaware of Vincent's true interest in the box. This subtle manipulation aimed to keep Vincent off-balance.

This approach seemed to work. Vincent's tone softened noticeably after hearing Castle's assurance and his suggestion that Vincent's interest in the music box was merely for collection purposes.

"Alright, Mr. Castle, I accept your proposal for a truce. I'll cancel the bounty on you in Europe immediately. But you must ensure the music box reaches Argentina within seven days. If you play games with me, you won't like the consequences. If you deceive me, not only will I renew the bounty on you, but I'll also add Neal Caffrey to the list. Understood?"

Relieved that Vincent had agreed to the truce, Castle wasn't bothered by Vincent's threats. Let the guy vent; it didn't matter. Everything was going according to plan, and Vincent was about to invest his own time and money in salvaging the submarine. A few harsh words from him could even boost his morale and efficiency as a 'tool.' Castle graciously agreed to Vincent's minor demands, expressing apologies for unintentionally disrupting Vincent's plans. He sincerely thanked Vincent for being magnanimous enough to spare a "helpless and weak little writer." His flattery pleased Vincent, and after getting Vincent's promise to cancel the bounty immediately, they ended the call.

Both men, in their respective hemispheres, spit on the ground in disgust after hanging up. "Damn, what a jerk!" they thought simultaneously. Each vowed to settle the score after the submarine was recovered, metaphorically sentencing the other to a delayed execution.

Despite the seemingly successful negotiation, Castle didn't relax just yet. He quickly connected his laptop to the European dark web through several proxy servers to check if Vincent would honor his word. True to his reputation as a man of his word, Vincent canceled the bounty on Castle within ten minutes. The underground community across Europe, who had been gearing up for this lucrative hunt, erupted in frustration, cursing the man who had teased them with this bounty.

Satisfied with this outcome, Castle acknowledged Vincent's reliability and resolved to keep his end of the bargain. Feeling unusually cheerful, he grabbed the phone and called Neal.

"Neal, Vincent has canceled the bounty on me... Yes, I used that reason to make him back off... Yes, I told him that if he cancels the bounty and promises not to bother you or me in the future, we'd give him the music box within seven days... That's right, it's all up to you now... Thank you, I'll be waiting for your good news!"

With the immediate danger resolved, Castle finally exhaled a long sigh of relief. The past two days had been a rollercoaster. From outsmarting the crafty Wellesley family to discovering his mother's near-fall for the rejuvenation scam, exposing the source of the rejuvenation pills at Henry's place, and then learning from John about Vincent's two-million-dollar bounty on his life, Castle had been on edge. His quick thinking had seen him through, and now everything was falling into place. As long as they handed the music box to Vincent, he would undoubtedly be eager to start the submarine salvage operation. Wait, there was something he hadn't thought of yet—something important.

Ah, right! He needed someone to monitor Vincent's progress once he returned to New York to begin the salvage preparations. The chubby hacker would be perfect for this job. No surveillance system, whether private or governmental, could evade his prying eyes.

However, considering he had just wired a million dollars to the hacker for a vacation in Brazil and Japan, it might be better to let him enjoy his break. There was no rush to involve him now. After all, the music box wasn't even in their hands yet, and Vincent's men were still in Argentina. There would be time to put the plan into action later.

Feeling light-hearted and free of burdens, Castle left his study to shower and rest. He planned to spend the next few days like the chubby hacker—relaxing at home, going nowhere, and waiting for Neal and Alex to retrieve the music box. Once he had the box, he would be ahead of Vincent. He could then record the notes from the music box's comb, decode the fractal pattern left by Alex's grandfather, and build the passive transponder as hinted in the original series before Vincent had the chance.

For the next two days, Castle indeed stayed home as planned. His first novel, inspired by Beckett and featuring Nikki Heat, had finished its initial print run and was set to release at the end of the month. He didn't feel like starting his second novel just yet, so he enjoyed a leisurely time at home, eating, sleeping, and occasionally worrying about his weight.

On the third morning, Neal's call came as expected. "Rick, Alex successfully got the music box from the Spanish consulate's safe last night. It's with me now, and Mozzie is on his way over. Do you want to come and take a look?"

Eager to see the famed music box, manufactured in 1775 and last seen in Harnesburg in 1945, which played a significant role in the series "White Collar," Castle sprang off the couch. "Absolutely, Neal! I'm on my way!"

Excited to finally lay eyes on the elusive music box, Castle quickly dressed, grabbed his car keys, and dashed out of the house.

When Castle arrived at Neal's place, Mozzie was already there with a full set of recording equipment. Castle was surprised to see Alex there too.

Seeing Castle's puzzled look at Alex, who seemed nonchalant, Neal explained, "Rick, Mozzie and I have told Alex everything. She already knew about the cargo on the submarine, so we figured it wouldn't be fair to keep her in the dark while asking for her help. Sorry we didn't tell you beforehand."

Neal's explanation made Castle feel a bit awkward. To be honest, he wasn't as interested in the submarine's so-called treasure as Neal thought. With a huge collection from Adam in his portable space and over a billion dollars in his offshore accounts, Castle wasn't lacking in wealth. The idea of tricking Vincent and making him grasp at nothing was far more appealing.

So, it wasn't Neal involving Alex that had made Castle pause. He had just noticed that Neal, who was supposedly deeply in love with Kate, had quickly reunited with Alex as soon as Kate left for the West Coast. Alex's radiant glow suggested she had been well 'entertained,' and Neal's dark circles indicated their activities had extended beyond merely stealing the music box from the consulate. Castle was taken aback by Neal's apparent quick switch of affection.

Neal, weren't you the one deeply committed to finding Kate, to the point of breaking out of prison and risking more time just to be with her? Your devotion had even moved me to help you find her. And yet, as soon as Kate leaves, you're back in Alex's arms? Wow, Neal, even you, with those trustworthy eyes, have betrayed the cause!

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