Author's Note: This two-part story follows the events of "A Fresh Start" but should be understandable as long as you have seen Castle 04x23 "Always."

SCENE ONE

Scene opens. Cole Maddox and Mr. Smith are standing opposite each other in the office of Mr. Smith's apartment. Cole Maddox has a gun pointed at Mr. Smith, who is standing next to his desk. Behind the desk is a painting. Both men are fairly calm, given the situation. Near Mr. Smith's desk is a beautiful, wooden chessboard. The pieces are all lined up to play.

Mr. Smith:

The Dragon's newest pawn. Cole Maddox. Or so they call you. We both know that's not your real name.

Cole Maddox:

You know what I'm here for.

Mr. Smith:

I do. And let me tell you: you won't get away with this.

Cole Maddox smiles.

Cole Maddox:

Like I said, Mr. Smith, you can't hide Kate Beckett from me. Now hand over the files, the ones you've been blackmailing my employer with.

Mr. Smith does nothing. After a beat, Cole Maddox aims the gun at Mr. Smith's heart.

Cole Maddox (shouting, angry):

NOW!

Mr. Smith moves slowly to his desk and turns around to face the painting. He lifts the painting up, revealing a safe underneath. Mr. Smith enters in a combination and opens the safe. He pulls out the safe's contents: a document envelope.

Cole Maddox:

Give that to me.

Mr. Smith walks over to Cole Maddox and hands him the envelope. Cole Maddox opens up the envelope and checks inside. He looks up at Mr. Smith.

Cole Maddox:

This isn't everything.

Mr. Smith:

How would you know?

Cole Maddox:

My employer made it very clear what to look for. He knows you're a clever man. He didn't want you to pull any tricks.

Mr. Smith nods.

Mr. Smith:

He's right.

Cole Maddox:

Then where's the rest of it?

Mr. Smith walks back towards his office desk. There is a notepad on the desk. Mr. Smith takes a pen from his office desk and writes something on the top page of the notepad. He rips off the piece of paper and hands it to Maddox. Maddox glances over the page and looks back at Mr. Smith with annoyance.

Cole Maddox:

What the hell is this?

Mr. Smith:

Everything you need to find the rest of your information. (He smiles.) Surely, you didn't think it'd be easy?

Cole Maddox frowns.

Mr. Smith:

You should know, Mr. Maddox: there is only one man who could figure this puzzle out and find the pieces you're looking for. But that man, I'm afraid, is not you.

Cole Maddox frowns, evidently getting frustrated with Mr. Smith's dilly-dallying.

Cole Maddox:

Stop stalling and just tell me where you hid it.

Mr. Smith looks at his chessboard.

Mr. Smith:

Do you play chess, Mr. Maddox? Because if you did, you would know that different pieces move different ways. A pawn and a king can both move one space, but there are some places (Mr. Smith picks up a rook.) that only, say, a rook can reach.

Cole Maddox frowns. It is unclear whether he completely understands what Mr. Smith is saying. Mr. Smith smiles as he continues:

Mr. Smith:

What that means, Mr. Maddox, is you and your employer can't do this without me. So I'd lower that gun if I were you.

For a moment, Cole Maddox seems to consider it and lowers his gun slightly. Then Cole Maddox half-smiles and raises the gun again.

Cole Maddox:

I'll take my chances.

There is the sound of a gunshot. The scene shifts to Richard Castle, who is standing in his loft outside his bedroom late at night. He is holding the phone to his ear, evidently listening to the conversation between Cole Maddox and Mr. Smith. Richard Castle's eyes are wide open in terror. Scene ends.