If you are enjoying this fic you might also want to check out my other story set in HP universe called Blak Page. It has a similar theme and the same style.

Ruffling Feathers

The 12th precinct erupted in a short of ordered chaos. Gates was barking orders. Bulletproof vest seemed to appear out of nowhere. Shotguns and MP5s were being handed out. Castle even saw a few officers carrying rifles. War machines that were out of place in New York. He saw four individuals carrying sniper rifles go to the roof to take positions.

All Castle could think was that there were too many guns. He knew those people were professionals but if just one of those bullets was off of the target...if the man he had hired decided to shoot back, and Alexis was in the wrong place...

Sometimes having a vivid imagination was a curse. This was one of such times. An image of Alexis lying on the street. Her blue eyes frozen open, no shine, no light left in them. Her lips parted. A medium size hole in her forehead, looking like a minor injury, a single tickle of blood running down her forehead.

"I want plain clothes officers ready to follow him just in case! Remember this man has two hostages our priority is to rescue them. Then and only then, after recuing the hostages we will attempt to capture the suspect." Gates voice brought him back to reality.

Officers started to take their designated spots.

Ding. The elevator doors opened. Castle had assumed it was blocked. Judging by the amount of firearms pointed at the doors so had assumed the rest of the people there. The metallic doors parted revealing Alexis and Sara. They wore different clothes and more comfortable shoes but they seemed to be unharmed.

All hell broke loose. Cops ran down the stairs. Ryan called the person in charge of the entrance to put the precinct under a full lock down. Those that remained upstairs stayed still and quiet.

"Hands behind your head now! On the ground!" Screams floated to the second floor. Whomever it was, was not resisting. No shots were heard. There was such silence that they could even hear the clicks when the suspect was cuffed.

The moment broke and Castle rushed to Alexis. Sara was already with her parents. He crushed her.

"I have never been so scared in my life."

"I'm ok dad. Just a little shaken."

"Are you really ok? Are you hurt?" He let her go and looked at her from head to toe.

"I'm ok. But dad, that man...he said..."

"I'll explain, later. For now let's go home your grandma is worried sick." As they went to the elevator they crossed the man that had just been arrested. He smiled at them.

"Castle! Where are you going? We need to ask Alexis some questions."

"Can't it wait? You already got him." Castle felt a painful pang. That man was arrested and was about to be charged with murder for protecting her daughter.

"Fine. Go home." They left. Kate Beckett allowed herself to smile for a moment. Then her face hardened. Questioning time for their mystery man.

Kate opened the door to the interrogation room and took a seat. The man smiled at her. He had his hands on the metallic table and maintained her look. He was calm. Late twenties, almost thirty. He wore a suit. Cheap. There was a seatbelt crease in his jacket. Manicured. Good watch. No wedding band.

Kate got his driving license they had confiscated moments before.

"Says here you are John McCormick."

"Correct."

"Well Mr. McCormick..."

"John, please."

"Well John. In case you don't know there's a lot of things a detective such as me can dig about a person knowing his name."

"Yeah, I watch The Mentalist and such it's so cool, you just write some poor bastard's name in the database and, bang! you know everything!"

"Well, today you are that person, John. That's how I know you work at the Federal Reserve as an analyst here in New York. Good cover."

"Cover for what?"

"For you being an assassin," Beckett said and opened the file with the crime scene photos inside. She laid them on the table."

"Oh my God! I'm going to puke."

"Cut the act. I'm not buying it."

"You, you think I did this? I don't own a gun! I don't even know how to shoot one!"

"Those girl, the ones that you brought here were about to be kidnapped by the two men you see in the photos when another person shot them and run away with both girls. That was two days ago. Today you brought them here."

"Yes, but I didn't kill anyone!"

"Then why were those girls with you!"

"Look, let's say you are right. Let's say my job is a cover. Then I wouldn't be able to talk about it, but maybe I had to escort two young women here as part of my job."

"It's very difficult to believe you if you don't speak clearly John."

"I can't. Look, I didn't do anything illegal. I want a lawyer."

"Fine." Beckett got up and stepped outside. A cop stepped in to keep a look on the suspect.

Esposito and Ryan came out of the viewing room.

"We got a problem."

"Yeah, he asked for a lawyer."

"No, not that. Height doesn't match the man on the recording." Esposito said.

"Plus Sara claims the other man got them in a car with this man."

"So he knows something."

"Not exactly, Sara says our mystery man got them in an empty car with a tinted screen preventing vision from the driver's seat."

"What? Are you kidding me?"

In the distance he spotted the man he was looking for. It was hard to miss him; torn, trousers, faded grey hoodie, wild look, looking everywhere every few seconds. Rubbing his nose constantly. He looked like a fucking movie cliché. It didn't matter, no one from this part of the city would remember him if the cops asked.

He pretended not to see him. He reclined in the wall next to him.

"Interested in buying?" he asked.

"Depends on what you are selling."

"A gun."

The man checked both sides of the corner he was posted in. "Let's see it."

He showed the man the Glock 19 he had used in his recent mission. Not his usual gear, but you didn't want to get nice gear dirty in an undercover operation. You might have to abandon it as was the case.

"This looks knew, no use at all. Why would you want to sell it? Are you a cop?!"

"Don't be stupid..." his phone rang. He picked up.

"You are ruffling some feathers over here," the caller said. His accent told him whomever it was, was from the motherland.

"What the hell man! We were talking here." The dealer said. He shushed him.

"Of what kind of bird" he said.

"Big, old-school one."

"Maybe that's what I wanted."

"Well, then you got it. He's moving. You'll meet in a day tops."

"And you are telling me because?" He heard a click. It wasn't the line. The dealer was pointing his Glock at him. "Excuse me for a minute will you?" He let the phone fall in his pocket.

He hit the man with his palm on the face disorienting him. Next was a knee to his testicles. He twisted his gun arm when he doubled over and elbowed his back. The man fall to the ground his knee followed him. He fished his phone from his pocket.

"Again. Why are you telling me this?"

"Fuck man! Let go! Ah! Please!."

"Let's just say not everyone thinks old times were better. Some of us want to cut ties with the old country but don't have enough power."

"In that case you owe me one."

"Come on man! You are going to break my arm!"

"As do you." The line cut.

He looked down at the dealer. "Don't ever point my own gun at me."

"Yes, yes, whatever man, but let go."

"I want three-hundred for the gun take it or leave it." He said, his knee still in the dealer's neck.

"Why would I want a dirty gun. That's what it is, isn't it you killed someone with it didn't you?"

"Three people. You could be the fourth. But this one could be useful for y..."

"How?!"

He put more pressure in his neck. "It's rude to interrupt people, didn't your mother tell you that? It is useful for you because I made sure there are no prints left in the gun."

"Ok. ok. Three hundred."

"Good." He let go of him. The exchanged goods.

That was the thing on his list. He had transferred the money and closed the accounts Castle had used to pay him first thing in the morning. He was sure Castle would tell on him as soon as Kate Beckett gave him a stern look. He supposed if you have not gone through anything worse in your life a hard look from Kate Beckett could count as an advance interrogation technique.

After that He had burned the clothes he wore that day, and the clothes the girls had left there. and thrown the ashes down the drain. He had bleached the apartment where he had kept the girls. He had made sure to wipe all surfaces where they might have touched.

The apartment was paid for three months. No reason for anyone to go there. The car was a long stay parking lot. In a few months someone would go get it there, re-registered and repaint it. The only trace left of the mission was the setup at Castle's house, but he still needed that.

Only one thing left to do. He dialled the familiar number. After two tones someone picked up. They didn't say anything but he could hear them breathing.

"I just receive an interesting call. The target is moving."

"Our intel confirms it."

"Orders ma'am?"

"Await for further instructions. You will be debriefed when the place and time are established."

"Yes ma'am."

"You'll have company."

"I don't need it."

"I'm sure you don't, but this comes from the higher-ups. You know what happens when we don't collaborate."

"They are civilians, ma'am!"

"Some have military background. Besides you will be the one carrying it all out. Am I clear?"

"Yes ma'am." The call ended. He let the phone fall on the floor and crushed it under his foot. He picked the pieces and threw them in a dumpster close by.

The end of the mission was close.