It was morning and the Grey Van was still sitting outside Javier Esposito's apt. Lanie was rolling over in the bed trying her best to remember today was not her day off. Javi up and shaved was staring at the red thumbdrive. What would it reveal? Before he would find out he needed to clone the device. That could not be done here but at the Office there was someone who could be sworn to secrecy. Kevin Ryan the king of all media. He would have a way to clone but not look. Javier thoughts were broken when Lanie looking so pretty was standing in the doorway with those come hither eyes. They could be considered Bedroom eyes. Javier still had his duty and no matter how tempting Lanie could be he would not stray from his purpose.
"Come on Javi it is too early! Come on back to bed we could sleep till noon! You are on call!" Lanie pleaded with him.
"No Lanie I must get up and get to the precinct! I have made a promise and I intend to keep it!" Espo said as he crossed the room to hold Lanie tight and push his nose into her bed head.
Lanie just closed her eyes and luxuriated in the warmth of her Latin Lover.
"Tell me again why Lanie will you not make this official? Rick and Kate have and they have surmounted far more difficulties than we have! Kate is a shoo in to be promoted that means I become lead Detective with a bump in pay too! That will set us up for good! All I need is for you to say yes and all our dreams will come true I promise you!" Espo said while nuzzling her hair.
"You know why Javi It is not that I do not love you because I do! It is because…" Lanie explains but gets cut off by Espo's completion of her sentence.
"That Man I know Lanie it is an old theme with you. He hurt you bad I get it! But do not condemn all Men over the mistakes of only one Man! Have I ever given you reason to not trust me?" Espo asked earnestly.
"Honestly No Javi you have not. I just have this unreasonable feeling you would! I know for a fact there is no one more honest and true blue other than your friends. But I would not marry them either! Lanie admitted.
"Come on Lanie you are trying to be more spontaneous just make that leap of faith! I will catch you and you know that!" Espo confessed.
"Javier, are you proposing?" Lanie said being shocked.
Yes Delaine I am I have wanted you to be my side for a very long time. I love everything about you. The way you walk, the way you will never lie but tell the truth whether the person wants to hear it or not. The way you care about people, the friends you cultivate. I love your passion on everything you do. I loved your hotness lets face it babe you have it going on in spades! But most of all I love you for who you are the one which calls me on my misguided plans the one who backs me up! I loved you all of you Delaine Mary Parish and I want you to be my wife, Please Marry Me! Espo was now on one knee and brought out a beautiful single carat flawless diamond ring nestled in a Red Velvet Box.
Lanie stood wrapped in the sheet and with the man of her dreams at her feet she could not speak it took all her effort to breath. Finally looking Javi straight in the eye she said "I certainly Do! I want to marry you Javie!"
Espo stepped up and placed the ring on her finger! They embraced knowing they had jumped one of the biggest hurdles in their lives.
Out side in the Van the bugs placed in the apt overhears the happy couple and Man stared at the monitor and noted the time in the log.
After completing another 4 rounds Javi and Lanie laid in bed. Looking up Javi noticed something and put his finger to his lips Lanie concerned looked at him.
Javi had located one of the bugs! How many more were there? When were they placed? Javi motioned for Lanie to get dressed they had to get out of there.
They slipped out of the apt and headed to the subway, this way if anyone was following they would have to keep close and Javi would spot them. The next stop was clothes shopping. All brand new outfits to befit an engagement. Their old clothes were placed in Mylar bags and sealed with tape. New shoes were bought and old ones were placed in the bag too. Lanie wanted to speak but Javi motioned to be quiet! Javi paid with cash for all their transactions. Finally when all new clothes were on and Javi was sure no one was following he spoke.
"Lanie we were followed last night and whoever they are planted bugs in the apt while we were asleep I am sure they bugged the clothes too that is why we needed to buy all new things. Whatever on this thumbdrive is important to many other people. I am so sorry Lanie I think I have you as a target now too. I am sure they listened in to my proposal the rats that they are." Espo said.
Lanie listened to what Javi said. "Ok Javi so this is where we are now. We do not have too many resources. What are we to do?"
"We have one resource who could bring others to bear!" Javi said brightly.
"Oh No you are not going to involve Rick or Kate in this. Javi you are the one who got into this. Leave my best friend and her almost husband out!" Lanie exclaimed.
"Lanie it is at Rick's behest that I started this. He has to know!" Espo admitted.
"Ok Javi but be smart. These people have found us once and they can see all of Kate's and Rick's holdings they will expect them there." Lanie stated.
Javi smiled. "They are but they are not expecting how we contact them."
"Oh?" Lanie intrigued.
"Through Ryan I will leave a message on his fan board giving him direct knowledge it was us. That way he can contact Kate and in turn Rick and then we can determine what to do next!" Espo said.
"Great Idea Javi there is a internet café a few blocks from here let's go!" Lanie said brightly.
Soon the message got through, Ryan being predictable tried to call Javi first but Javi would not answer. So he called Kate.
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Kate was wrapped up in those sinfully soft sheets on round 4 of the baby making process when her phone rang.
"Oh you are on call today aren't you" Rick lamented.
Kate almost out of breath picked up the phone. "Beckett."
"Oh Hi Ryan what do you say? Ok tell Javi I will meet him at the usual spot for coffee. Bye Ryan." Kate hung up and looked at Rick.
Since the attack by the Dragon they had set up meeting places all around the city in case one was in danger the others could come to the rescue. Ryan had referred to one such location. Since they knew the Dragon might be watching they set up ways to leave the loft unnoticed.
Rick was told what was up and they both got showered and dressed as Javi and Lanie picked their way through the Manhattan crowds to the meet location. Soon Rick and Kate were there and Ryan and Jenny not far behind. They all went into the back room which Rick had set up for such emergencies. Gates was already there. She was looking at all her detectives and Castle wondering what was going on.
Rick turn on the scrambler so that if anyone was bugged they could not be heard properly.
"Ok Javi you called this meeting what is going on?" Rick asked.
"My apt is bugged and I suspect these clothes are too." Showing everyone the mylar bag. "It was a professional job it happened while Lanie and I were asleep. It was only lucky I saw the bug!" Javi explained.
"Ok Javi we need to put you somewhere close but out of the way. I Know Claire old apt in Hoboken. It is perfect I kept up the payments just incase something like this would happen. This people do not yet know of my nieces. So Captain what do you want to do?" Rick asked.
"Well effective immediately Det Esposito and Det Ryan are on a deep cover assignment! Just drop off but keep posting on the web page so we know what is happening. Rick call your guys to fumigate the apt! It has bugs! Kate stay calm this might not be the Dragon but a new player! Other than that we meet back here in a week! Kate you are assigned Administrative duties befitting your new position immediately! I am not too worried about you Mr. Castle! You are too well known to be bothered. Meeting is ended." Gates said.
"Ryan I have a thumbdrive I need several clones. It is important to not look at the data yet" Javi whispered.
Gates left first then Javi and Ryan left and Jenny went to work. Lanie did not know what to do.
"It is your day off Right Lanie?" Rick asked.
"Yeah but I certainly do not want to go back to my apt. and staying with Kate in the bull pen is not what I had in mind either. Plus they know about me so anywhere I go I am sure they will find me. I sure do not know what to do!" Lanie lamented.
"Ok Lanie we'll head to the Old Haunt. We can get you out through the tunnels" Rick said.
"Lanie what is That on your finger!" Kate exclaimed!
"Oh Javi proposed it was the sweetest way to wake up!" Lanie gushed.
"Oh Lanie I am so happy for you!" Kate hugged her best friend.
"Yeah if this cloak and dagger stuff didn't interfere I would be happy too!" Lanie admitted.
"Ok Lanie I have a safe house near Javi and Kevin so that should help here are the keys. You will have to stock it I have not gotten around in doing that. Take as many leave days as you can then put in for a sabbatical if we have not tracked down this new player to this most dangerous game" Rick said.
"In the mean time I have to place a few phone calls" Rick said.
Then they left the room and headed to the old haunt. They used the tunnels Lanie caught a cab and she was off.
"I have to warn the girls and Mother" Rick said.
"Yeah I have to alert Dad too. Whoever these guys are its smacks of gov't surveillance." Kate said.
Rick and Kate parted Kate now assigned desk duties went to the precinct. There she saw Gates in conference with men with gov't credentials.
"Hastings, when did the feds get here?" Kate asked.
"I dunno there were here when I got here at 7!" Ann said continuing to work on her paperwork.
"Thanks Hastings" Kate said. She walked to the door. She knocked the Captain usher her in and made introductions.
"Det Beckett meet Special agent Harms and Special agent Sully FBI." Gates said.
"Special agents what brings you to the big Apple?" Kate asked.
"We are on the trial of a fugitive. You might have heard of him called El Diablo." Sully said.
"Yeah and what would Mr. Diablo be doing in our fair city?" Kate asked suspicious of these special agents intent.
"That we do not know but we know he passed off valuable information to your Det. Esposito last night. We need to know what is on that drive!" Special agent Harms said.
"As I explained earlier that Det. Esposito is on a deep cover assignment. What he has done during that I have no information and you have not supplied me with any reason to recall him" the Captain said.
"We believe that drive has a terrorist plot on it! We need to see for ourselves if our intel is correct. I want you to force Det. Esposito to turn over that drive!" Sully said.
"In other words this is a fishing expedition! I am so sorry gentlemen I will not jeopardize the safety of my officers for your might have could have scenario. Good Day Gentlemen please leave my office!" Captain Gates said rising from her chair. She got up and closed the door and Pointed at the bug these Agents sort have dropped.
"Det Beckett walk with me I need something out of the file room." Gates said loudly.
"Certainly Captain" Kate agreed and they walked to the file room.
Gate now turned and said "you are bugged too" as a whisper pointing at her shoe.
"The Gall of these people trying to bully me in my own precinct!" Gates spoke very loudly then spilled her coffee on Kate's shoes and pants.
Kate looked at her Captain.
"Oh I am so sorry Detective you need to go and get changed! I need you back quickly!" Gates apologized for her clumsiness.
"Yes Sir" Kate said. She left the precinct then used Rick's charge card to buy a whole new outfit. Placing the bugged ones inside the mylar bag along with her shoes!
"These people are brazen and relentless!" Kate thought.
While out Kate called Rick on her burner phone she gave her.
"Dear we need the exterminators at the office too there seems to be a big infestation of them" Kate said happy to hear his voice.
"Consider it being cleaned up" Rick said.
"Also you should ask your sources about Special agents Harms and Sully FBI. I think those are the source of the infestation" Kate said.
"Kate be safe! I have to go another interview I will chat at you later My Love Bye!" Rick said.
"Love you too Rick bye" Kate sighed she just loved that man.
Getting back to the precinct Kate was stopped by Sgt Peters. "Congrats on the Lieutenant exam Detective! I saw a bunch of exterminators being brought in what is up?"
I think the captain said "Bedbugs!"
"Bedbugs? That is not good I hope they fumigate the pens too!"
Oh I am sure the exterminators would be very thorough Peters! And thanks for the congrats, the Captain is more excited and is already putting me to work as asst Precinct Captain. So I will be your boss too! Kate said as she walked away.
Peters just shook his head. He would never have believed that brash young recruit would be ass't Precinct Captain. He was feeling old indeed!
As one of her first asst Precinct Captain's duties were for Kate to introduce herself at all the role calls.
"Hello I am Det Beckett I have been appointed by the Captain to be the new Precinct Ass't Captain. My office is on the 4th floor. I will be in charge of manpower and budgets issues so if you need either come see me. That is all." Kate strode out of the roll call room. It was the first time in about 7 years she was in one of these rooms. The memories came flooding back. She remembered Royce standing at the podium looking over all the new recruits. Such the times have changed.
Kate got back the 4th floor and saw the exterminators had done their job. Kate got to work on the budgets and manpower requests. It was not as exciting as regular police work but Kate had a knack of finding discrepancies and inefficiencies in the budgets and Manpower utilization. All those combing over financials has honed her skills.
Gates was delighted to see how well Kate was assimilating to the paperwork side.
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Meanwhile Javi and Kevin got new burners and activated the emergency funds card Rick had given them. Kevin bought all the computer equipment he needed and a bit more. Who knows how long they would be on this assignment.
Getting to the apt they noticed two bedrooms and both were very girly! Ryan got setup in the front room while Javi put away the groceries.
"Hey Bro?" Espo said while putting away items.
"What?" Ryan said while hooking up the equipment.
"I asked her!" Espo stated excitedly.
"What?" Ryan inquired with his head in the equipment could not hear exactly what he said.
"Yeah and she said yes!" Espo said.
"Oh Bro I am so happy for you Man!" Ryan dropped what he was doing gave his partner a Manly Hug and then the fist bumps!
"Yeah and then this happened and we are now roommates I hope not for long I hope you do not snore Man!" Espo lamented.
"Ok Javi I have cloned 10 drives so this is an older computer so it will be slower but let's find out what is on this drive?" Ryan said now ready to find out what was on the drive.
"Wow look at these old pictures. What is that Man? A Man or a Dog?" Espo asked as they both crowded around the screen.
"He sure is furry!" Ryan spoke.
"What is this? A listing of Freaks?" Espo asked.
"It seems to be. Oh wait here is the bearded woman look at the red Hair wait she looks a lot like Alexis." Ryan noticed the familial resemblance.
"What are you sure Man?" Javi asked with much confusion evident on his face.
"Yeah" Ryan replied still trying to decide what these pictures mean.
"I think you are looking at Rick's Twin!" Espo claimed.
"Nah! Can't be this is too old a photograph!" Ryan discounted.
"Yeah Bro you are right 1920 it says on the side to you see it?" Espo using his detective skills spotted the date.
"Yeah Man lets look further up and here is what we want. It is a family tree. Wow look at all the freaks in this tree!" Ryan said being politically incorrect.
"Yeah Man Just think if that was your family heritage!" Espo said.
"So far I do not see anything which people would bug my apt and clothes" Ryan shook his head.
"Hey look Bro that is the guy I got this drive and these headaches." Espo pointed out Rick's father.
"Robert Alexander Rodgers. It says. Could that be what is important his real name?" Ryan supposed.
"Possibly well still I have not seen… OH Man look at this picture. That's got to be Martha! Wooo she was hot!" Espo said looking at Martha.
"Yeah Rick's dad was a handsome brute too!" Ryan agreed.
"Who is that beside them? Oh the bearded lady and the furry guy!" Espo said.
"Ok let's look further. Oh that is precious! Martha is in a rocker with both babies in her arms." Ryan gushed.
"Yeah Bro very cute. Ok here it is a certificate of commitment. Seems like I was right Susan developed severe retardation and was institutionalized." Espo sadly said.
"Wow what a secret!" Ryan exclaimed. "But there is more. She was used in a gov't study in 1982. Man she was only 10 years old! That is sick! But here is more. The test subject responded to treatment but then stopped."
"What sort of treatment do you suppose it was?" Espo wondered.
"I dunno here is another pic. Ok this is Susan Rick's twin. It says she is at a private hospital in East Hampton." Ryan reported. "You got your address but there is nothing else listed in these files."
What Man is so important in these freak files! Espo exclaimed.
"I dunno Man I just dunno! So could this be a gov't cover up an experiment which went wrong and these guys are trying to make sure it does not make the light of day?"
Javi called Kate on the burner.
"Beckett Espo, listen what is going on?"
"Espo good of you to call. We had a visit from some feds and they claimed the drive you had have a terrorist plan in it." Kate explained.
"No Beckett it does not but what is does have is illegal gov't experiment on a child! Rick twin sister. There is no terrorist plot on it." Espo said.
Kate thought what is going on.
"Rick sister was institutionalized and during the 80's she was subjected to some sort of radical treatment when she was 10 years old. But get this the name of the physician was Robert Stillson!" Espo said.
"The US senator?" Kate asked.
"The one and the same" Espo replied.
I wonder what was this experiment?" Kate wondered.
"It does not say but it does give the location for Rick's sister in a private hospital in the Hamptons. I think the only way we will get to the bottom of this is interviewing the victim." Espo stated.
"Ok Espo good work I will tell Castle what we have discussed." Kate said ending the call.
"Ok Beckett good luck to you!" Espo hung up the phone and wondered is this Senator that corrupt to hound a victim?
