A/N: Sorry for the long delay between updates folks. Real life got in the way and it ate up alot of my time. I will be continuing this universe through out the season, at least until Kate give's birth. I hope you enjoy the update and please keep the reviews coming.
Chapter 2
12th Precinct
Manhattan, New York
Kate stood in front of the murder board as she looked "Guys I understand the environment that the nation is currently in with the Middle East, but aren't we jumping the gun a bit."
"I agree it may be a little premature, but who takes the same pictures of the same sites all the time." Russell stated as she came up to the board and pointed to the pictures. She then turned to Kate. "But it's starting to look like it."
"We turned the laptop and flyer that we found in the apartment over to intelligence at One Police Plaza." Karpowski stated as he looked at Kate, who looked at him back. "Detective Jeffery Karpowski Captain, I am temporarily assigned to help the team with the case."
"That's right. I forgot about that. Nice to meet you." Kate replied shaking Karpowski's hand. She then turned back to the team. "I can't take this to headquarters without confirmation first. What about this girl in the photos and how is she linked to victim?"
"We are working on getting her identity." Ryan stated as he came over by the board. He consulted his notebook. "Nothing on the computer or in the apartment indicated a relationship."
Castle came over and tapped the picture. "Maybe he used the apartment as a base to operate from, and the girlfriends as a place to crash. It make the most sense."
"That's fine Castle if we had evidence of him being radicalize, but we don't." Kate stated as a lie covering the mission of Samir. She turned back to the board. "Look don't go by you what you guess, go by what we know. Far as you know he is citizen who was brutally murder. That goes for you to babe."
Castle looked at his wife in disbelief at the comment but the stare from her forced him to nod. She went back into her office before he turned to the group. "That hasn't happen in a long time."
"I know, something is up with your wife Castle." Ryan replied agreeing with him. He then turned back to the task at hand. "Now what?"
"Well let's wait for intelligence to give us something." Karpowski stated as he looked at the board. He studied a picture closely. "Who is the photo analyst here?"
"Tory but she is leaving soon for a job why?" Russell asked as she came over by the board. Karpowski pointed at something in the picture. "God damn. She's wearing a prep school jacket."
"She's too old to be a student." Ryan stated as he looked at photo seeing what Karpowski was pointing at as well. "Castle what's the name of the prep school over about five blocks from your place?"
"The Oxford Preparatory School." Castle remarked as he was now intrigued by what everyone was looking at. He studied the picture for a moment as he pulled it off the board. "Well I can tell you one thing. That is not your average faculty member either."
Russell like everyone was confused. "What do you mean Castle?"
Castle handed the photo back over. "If this is truly an Oxbridge Prep jacket, she is probably part of a college-Oxford Student tutor program. It's where college kids get jobs at the school and help tutor the students."
"Ryan check that out and see if you can put a name to the face." Russell told Ryan who nodded and picked up his phone. She turned to Karpowski and Castle. "Karpowski stay on top of intelligence. Castle let's check on what CSU has found."
"Give me a minute would you?" Castle asked getting a nod from Russell. He went to his wife's office door and knocked on it. He walked in. "You doing ok?"
Kate didn't even look up from the paperwork on her desk. "Castle, when Meredith was pregnant with Alexis did you stop and ask her every 10 seconds."
"No I didn't, but you aren't acting like yourself, so I was worried." Castle remarked as he sat down on the corner of her desk. He smiled at her as she sighed. "It's ok to tell me Kate?"
"Just feeling the pressure from the top that's all." Kate told him truthfully. She looked at her husband as she went back to the lie. "Because of the ethnicity of the victim that's all and the political powder keg that can come with it."
"I would tell them it's still early and hopefully have something for them soon." Castle replied to her. She looked at him and he grasped her hand. "You always said that to Roy or Captain Gates."
She smiled and gave his hand a squeeze. "Thanks babe."
"No problem." Castle remarked as he gave her a quick kiss and went back out into the bullpen. Kate sighed again as she grasped her head in frustration at the orders she was under. Castle arrived back at the desk where Russell was pulling out evidence bags. He picked up one which contained flash drives. "Huh, why are these guys so attached to flash drives?"
"Because that way nothing can be taken unless it's copied off the flash drive." Russell remarked as she took one out of the bag and plugged it in. She chose a file to open. "Hey Castle, take a look at this. This looks like a diary."
Castle came over and scanned the file. ""September 23, I had a man call me terrorist because of my prayer cap and rug today, while another cursed at my parents. September 25, I feel alone now after that robber killed my parents today."" Geez this guy is ripe for recruitment."
"Yeah, I read the one below yours, where a man threw a rock through his family's window." Russell replied with a shake of head to which Castle agreed. She saw Ryan get off the phone. "What did you find out Ryan?"
"They weren't willing to cooperate but I threaten to have NYPD come down there an interview everyone." Ryan stated with a smile on his face. He then saw Russell and Castle's. "Name is Rebecca Simmons, but she rather go by Adara Hassan. Converted last year after a trip to Turkey."
"Probably where she was converted and radicalized." Castle replied getting a nod from Russell. He then looked at Ryan. "Where is she now?"
Ryan set the picture back on the board. "Uniforms are bringing her in."
Castle looked at the picture again and studied it for a moment. He turned around and looked at Russell. "I may need to rethink this."
Russell, Ryan looked at Castle. It was Ryan that asked first. "What do you mean Castle?"
"We don't see Samir so as far as we know he isn't radicalize." Castle stated. He turned back around and looked at the pictures. "This could be a happy couple."
"I think the warning got through to you Castle from Captain Beckett." Russell stated as the elevator doors open and some noise got their attention. "That will be our girl. Maybe she will be cooperative."
"You dirty infidel pigs will pay for the sins that this country is committing." Adara Hassan, aka Rebecca Simmons yelled in the bullpen as the uniforms took her to interrogation. "The justice of Allah is coming."
Castle looked at Russell and Ryan. "Maybe not."
Ryan and Kate went to observation room while Karpowsksi was waiting for a phone call back on the computer and flyer they found in the victim's apartment. Castle and Jennifer walked into interrogation room. Russell took a seat. "Adara Hassan, also known as Rebecca Simmons. You know why you are here?"
Adara stared daggers at Rebecca. "Because I am Islamic woman who will not be corrupted by the greediness of your country."
"Aren't you from the upper west side?" Castle asked looking at the file. He then turned back to face her ignoring the daggers from her. "Samir was murdered this morning, tell us how you know him."
The news of Samir's death didn't rattle her. "I will tell you nothing."
"Fine, then enjoy your time in holding." Russell stated getting up and walking towards the door with Castle following her. She then turned back to Adara. "Maybe we will turn you over to the FBI."
"Or the CIA." Castle stated as he also turned back to face Adara. "My father works for them, and be interested in a person like you."
Adara suddenly realized they were meaning business. Her demeanor changed a bit. "Samir was a member of our cause, a true believer."
Castle and Russell went back to their seats. Russell set out the notepad. "Go on."
"He came to us my mosque, because he felt that his mosque was straying from the path." Adara told them as looked at her. She shifted in her seat. "Yet the imam tried to keep Samir off the course of righteous.
Castle shifted in his seat and looked at her directly. "Who did Samir get introduce to then?"
Adara just sat there and looked at them stoned face. Russell tried another approach. "Okay, let's try this. Where did Samir go after he left the mosque?"
"He went to lunch with Shahin Nasser." Adara replied.
"Where were you this morning from 7-9?" Castle asked.
"I was at home with my husband Nasser." Adara replied
Castle and Russell walked out of the interrogation room and back into the observation room a minute later. Ryan and Karpowski were waiting for them as they walked in. Karpowski looked through the window. "The flyer was a dead-end, just an announcement for a community project."
Russell shook her head. "What about the lap-top?"
Karpowski turned away from the window. "Message board was a fundamentalist site routed through several different servers. Samir also had a number of emails from this Shahin Naser, but he has no criminal record."
"Samir's passport activity has been pretty much silent though." Ryan interjected after Karpowski finished speaking. "The only time he was out of the country was six years ago and that was for a family funeral in Syria."
"Great so all we have basically is a message board anyone can get too." Russell remarked as he looked through the window into interrogation. "Let's hold her for resisting arrest because I have a feeling that's what she did."
"Her lawyer will have her out in an hour." Karpowski replied but he backed down when he saw Russell's face. "What's next?"
"You two go talk to the imam at the mosque where Samir attended." Russell told them as she continued to look through the window. She thought for a moment. She then faced Castle. "You and I are going to confirm Adara's alibi."
Castle nodded, and the team left the observation room. Castle tossed a look over to his wife's office where she was on the phone. She saw him and waved to him, to which he waved back. He and Russell left a moment later.
Yet for Castle, he didn't know that Kate was on the phone with Chief Miller who was demanding an update. "Captain, we don't have a lot of time, where does your team stand?"
"Sir, the case is only a few hours old, and my team is working the case like they should." Kate replied as she swung away from the view of the bullpen. "That was per your and the commissioner's instructions."
"Beckett, I know you are still relatively new to the post, but that saying means, light a fire under them." Chief Miller said with a little bit more force. He took a moment to gather his thoughts. "I'm sorry for the outburst, but you do realize that the longer this drags on, the less likely hood we have a chance to stop this attack?"
"Yes sir I do." Kate answered back.
"Solve this quickly and by the book captain." Chief Miller told her in his voice that was now in the tone of order. He then shifted gears. "Cause if you can't, it will be reassigned, and your position as a Captain, it may come under review for reassignment or termination."
Kate heard the phone hang up. She set her phone down and stared out the window into the sky line of the city that was under a clock and time was running out.
