Chapter 194: The Call

Neal's words brought immense joy to Castle. This development made his earlier proposal highly feasible. Overjoyed, he eagerly asked, "You've confirmed that the music box is in the vault at the Spanish Consulate in New York? Do you have a plan? Do you need my help?"

Seeing Castle's face light up with joy, it was Neal's turn to take the spotlight. "Rick, don't forget what I'm best at. A vault in the Spanish Consulate isn't too challenging for me. We've already scoped out the place—the layout, personnel, and security details. We were just about to make our move. So, no need to worry. Give us two days, and I promise you'll see the music box in my possession."

Castle frowned slightly, still concerned. "Neal, you're wearing a tracking anklet from the FBI. Are you sure you won't get caught if you personally go into the Spanish Consulate?"

Neal, always confident and perhaps driven by his love for a good thrill, laughed heartily at Castle's worry. "Rick, thanks for the concern, but you're forgetting that I found Alex. She and I are partners in this. She'll be the one going into the vault while I guide and support her from a few blocks away. Even if the Consulate reports the theft, the FBI won't be able to pin it on me when I'm so far from the scene."

Castle nodded, reassured by Neal's plan. "Alright, if you think it's under control, then I'm on board. I've got to head back now and start preparing, in case Vincent's bounty brings more trouble."

Neal and Mozzie didn't try to hold him back. Castle was right. With John Wick already planning to confront Vincent in Argentina, who knew if another of Castle's powerful friends might decide to do the same? If someone did eliminate Vincent, their meticulously planned operation would fall apart.

Knowing that Neal had pinpointed the music box's location and was ready to move soon filled Castle with satisfaction. Despite the unsettling news of the bounty, the progress Neal had made lifted Castle's spirits.

At least his friends were reliable when it counted.

Now, Castle needed to make an urgent call to his father, Sean. Being in Europe, Sean had likely already caught wind of Vincent's widespread bounty. It was unthinkable that Sean would remain unaware of such a high-profile threat against his son. Castle was certain that Sean was fully informed and was perhaps waiting to see how his son would handle the situation.

But Castle couldn't risk assuming his father's inaction was due to restraint. What if Sean, like John, believed in taking immediate action? What if he had already dispatched his team—the same one that blew up Santino's headquarters in Paris—to deal with Vincent in Argentina?

Not wanting to leave anything to chance, Castle decided to call Sean. As soon as the call connected, Sean's voice, laden with frustration, confirmed Castle's fears.

"I thought you had forgotten you had a capable father, Rick. What have you been doing in New York? First, it's Santino D'Antonio, now it's Vincent Adler from Wall Street? Can't you stay out of trouble for a while?"

Hearing the exasperation in his father's voice, Castle knew there was no hiding the situation. He candidly explained everything—how his conflicts with Vincent began, the reasons behind Vincent's vendetta, and his plans to outmaneuver Vincent. Even the seasoned Sean couldn't help but be taken aback by the intricate web of events.

After Castle finished recounting his tale, Sean sighed deeply. Reflecting on how his son had outshined his own exploits, he couldn't help but feel a mix of pride and disbelief. Castle had taken on Vincent Adler, a formidable adversary, with a level of cunning that impressed even him. What should he do now? How could his once seemingly frivolous son have grown into someone capable of such elaborate schemes?

After a moment of silence, Sean reluctantly agreed to Castle's request not to interfere. He promised not to disrupt Castle's plans but insisted on one thing before ending the call: Martha and Alexis's security would be upgraded again to ensure they were safe from any fallout.

Castle had no choice but to agree to his father's unyielding condition. He knew that if he angered Sean, there was a real risk that his father would send a team to Argentina to eliminate Vincent, jeopardizing Castle's plans to use Vincent as a tool for the submarine recovery.

Just as Castle ended his call with Sean and prepared to hail a cab, his phone rang again. The display showed "Unknown Caller," and he hesitantly answered.

"Uncle Rick, bad news! Did you know you've got a bounty on your head? I just heard from my friends in Europe that the underworld is buzzing. Mercenaries, assassins, everyone is hunting for information on you. Some lunatic has put a twenty million dollar bounty on you in Europe!"

The frantic voice of the chubby hacker, who had previously helped Castle with the John Wick case, came through the phone, almost causing Castle to drop it from the volume. The hacker, clearly alarmed, was practically shouting.

Once the excited hacker had calmed down a bit, Castle, now holding the phone at a safer distance, replied with a teasing tone, "Dear chubby hacker, take it easy. With your weight, you might burst a blood vessel. Besides, being a shut-in without anyone around, who's going to call for help if you pass out?"

The hacker, irritated by Castle's jokes, fumed, "I'm trying to warn you about something serious, and you're making jokes? What if I did burst a vessel, huh? And so what if I'm a shut-in? I take pride in it!"

Seeing the hacker's frustration, Castle decided not to push his luck further. "Alright, alright. I appreciate the warning. But I already know about it, and I've got a plan to deal with the guy who put the bounty on me. I'm working on a way to communicate with him. Thanks for the heads up, though."

Changing the subject to lighten the mood, Castle offered, "You know, staying indoors all the time isn't healthy. How about I fund a little trip for you? You could check out the beaches in Rio de Janeiro, or maybe visit Akihabara in Japan. I hear it's a paradise for guys like you, with maid cafés and everything."

The hacker, caught off guard by Castle's sudden generosity and change of topic, stammered, "Are you serious? You're offering to send me to Rio or Akihabara?"

Castle laughed heartily at the hacker's excitement, "Haha, yes, I'm serious. Consider it a thank you for always looking out for me. I'll send you some money, and you can pick a destination. Enjoy a vacation, and maybe get some sunshine for once!"

The hacker, now salivating at the thought of the beaches in Rio, where scantily clad women roamed freely, felt like he was being offered a slice of heaven. "Wow! This is amazing. Rio with all those… or Akihabara's maid cafés… This is too good to be true."

Snapping out of his daydream, the hacker, a bit flustered, asked, "Wait, are you sure? Can we get back to the serious stuff? I'm trying to help you, and now you're talking about sending me to watch bikini-clad women in Brazil?"

Castle, still chuckling, replied, "Yes, I'm serious. I appreciate your concern, but I've got things under control. I'll send you the money as soon as we hang up. It's my way of saying thanks for your support and for always warning me about any threats."

The hacker, overwhelmed by the thought of a trip to paradise, could barely contain his excitement. For a shut-in who spent his days in front of a computer screen, the idea of sun-soaked beaches and maid cafés was the stuff of dreams.

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