"Are we clear?"
"Clear about what?"
"Then take the shot."
۰ ۰ ۰
"Ryan, he's down." Espo confirmed, his voice coming through the earpieces that both Castle and Ryan were wearing.
Ryan needed no further invitation, taking that as his cue to enter the room from where he had been stationed in the hall. The quick once over was all he spared Castle before focusing on the on the task at hand. "They have our location?"
"Yeah. This is the last number he called. Beckett's with Nieman." Castle's reply was terse, the syllable's clipped as he scrolled through the phone before handing the device to Ryan.
"We need an emergency trace on this call." Ryan ordered into his phone as the ringing on the other end was replaced by Gates's familiar voice.
"Ryan."
"Yeah, Castle?"
"Nieman, she has a scalpel and… oh god, she's going to kill Beckett."
"Captain, we need that trace now! Nieman's about to kill Beckett."
Castle could only watch in horror as Nieman's hand drew closer to Beckett, the blade glinting ominously under the surgical lights. "They're not going to make it," he choked out, his voice laced with anger as he slammed his hands down on the table in frustration. "They're not going to make it."
And then, Beckett's hand came out of nowhere, Nieman's wrist clenched between her fingers.
Castle's eyes were fixated on the screen, his own horror growing as Beckett twisted Nieman's hand until it was in wristlock. The jolt that ran up Nieman's arm next and the way she was cradling her wrist had Castle nearly certain that Beckett had broken it.
"Come on, Beckett."
With Nieman's attention otherwise occupied, Beckett made a grab for the scalpel, cutting herself free from her bindings with another blade. After that, Nieman didn't stand a chance.
Beckett's blade found itself buried in the side of Nieman's neck and coupled with a quick twist blood started gushing out. Dragging the blade around his neck and leaving a red gash in it's wake, Nieman was on the floor in seconds a glazed expression in her eyes as she bled out.
The room was rendered silent save for Castle's ragged breathing, his eyes never leaving the screen in front of him.
"Damn, remind me to never get on Beckett's bad side." Espo finally said, drawing Castle back to reality.
The tinny voice of the Captain was audible through the phone still held to Ryan's ear, and was the only prodding Ryan needed to snap his jaw shut and refocus. "Beckett's killed Nieman… yeah, she looks ok… Castle! What the hell."
Ignoring Ryan's objections as Castle snatched Tyson's phone from his grasp, Castle hit redial with shaking fingers before bringing the phone up to his ear. Watching as Beckett started on screen, her eyes roaming the room before setting on Nieman's purse, Castle waited heart in his mouth as Beckett slowly retrieved the phone.
"Tyson, I swear to god…" she started, her voice low and dangerous as he watched her eyes narrow on screen.
"Kate!" He managed to gasp out, as his stomach went into a freefall.
"Rick, why do you have… oh god. Does Tyson have you? Where are-"
"Kate, everything's fine. Tyson's dead. Gates has your location, she's sending uniforms over now."
The scalpel clattering against the floor as she sank down against the wall, she covered her eyes with her free hand as she fought to control her racing heart. "Castle, I thought I was going to-"
"Shh, everything's going to be fine. I swear."
"Stay with me?"
"Always."
۰ ۰ ۰
7x15. Castle and the boys are stilling watching the video feed when Beckett overpowers and kills Nieman.