Disclaimer: I do not own Castle or the characters used in this story.
N/A: Down below.
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Britton actually laughs at Castle's offer. "No, I'm good. But you're not. The press conference is a ruse, a misdirection. Bracken's running. Here's the address," she says as she rattles off an address in New Jersey. Seeing Beckett pull out a notebook, Castle asks for the address again, and receives coordinates as well as the street address. "It's a small airfield," Britton explains. "He's on his way there now – they did a shell game with his car service, so his escort thinks he's in the vehicle on its way to the press conference. If you hurry, you might catch him," Britton says, and from the tone of her voice, she's preparing to end the call. "Good luck," she says. "Run, Castle, run."
NYPD SUV en route to federal courthouse, New York City, Wednesday ~7:15 PM
"Beth, it's Rick. Will you put me through to Jordan? It's an emergency," Castle explains quickly. Beckett, meanwhile, is unsurprised to realize that Castle's on a first-name basis with yet another attractive FBI agent in Beth Hovannes.
Before she can make any comment or plant an elbow in his side, Castle calls out a new destination to the driver, redirecting them to the nearest heliport. After some hemming and hawing which Beckett overrides by telling the officer at the wheel to either change course or to stop the damn vehicle, the whirs and clicks of the phone line give way to a terse "Agent Shaw."
"Jordan, it's Rick, and I've got Beckett here, too. The person with whom I danced this morning just told us that the press conference is a sham, that he's doing a runner," Castle explains tersely.
To her credit, there's virtually no delay before Shaw is processing the implications and limitations. "What are the odds that this is legitimate?" she asks.
After a brief glimpse at each other during which they draw cord connecting their shared ear-buds taut, Beckett nods at Castle to answer. "Personally, I think this is solid. I think she was offering this as a … an apology for this morning's dust-up," Castle says. Beckett's convinced that he was about to say 'as a favor for not chasing after her immediately'; if so, she's glad that he adjusted his answer before speaking. "But," Castle continues, "you might want to think of it as 70-30 in favor of being legit."
"I can't shut things down here – the risk is just too great, plus it would be conspicuous if we noticeably pulled out early and then he didn't show," Shaw replies. "But, I can send a team to meet you. Where do you think he's going?"
"We've got the address of a small airfield and are about to head there ourselves," Beckett answers. "Provided by the same source."
"How are you getting there? Is he there already?" Shaw asks, trying to work out the timetable.
"We think he left as if going to the press conference and then pulled a switch. So, we've got a little time while he makes his way there. We're going to catch a ride with a friend in a helicopter, see if we can't gain some time," Castle says while Beckett shoots him an inquiring glance to get some information on this 'friend.'
"I'll get Avery rolling now, see if he can't commandeer a chopper to get out there, perhaps even with some paperwork," Shaw promises. "But Castle, you might be on your own for a little while. Slow him down if you can, don't do anything stupid. You know what to do if the circumstance is right."
Wondering about that last comment, Beckett's caught off guard when Castle continues. "Jordan, I have a crazy idea." He rolls his eyes when both Beckett and Shaw chuff at the same time, as if in unspoken agreement that he'd have any other kind of idea. "Paula said she'll attend the press conference. You might want to pull her in, have her get you ready. If Bracken's not going to use the podium, you should. After all, the press will be assembled and looking for a story. If he is running, then the extra coverage should make it that much easier to find him."
"I'll think about it," Shaw manages to reply. She sounds uncomfortable, Beckett thinks, not sure if Jordan's worried about the approvals she'd need to get, being the public face of the FBI investigation, or something else.
When the call ends, Castle pulls out his regular phone. Scrolling through to locate a number, he dials it into the burner phone. Still wearing an earbud, Beckett figures she'll know who they're calling soon enough.
"Brown," a female voice answers after two rings. "Karen, it's Rick Castle," he says. "Do you have access to a news chopper, or someone who does?"
"Well, being a newspaper, the Ledger doesn't do a lot of flying around," Brown says as if explaining a simple concept to a simpler person. "But, we do have a time-share agreement with other media outlets. Why do you ask, Rick? What kind of trouble are you in now?"
"Karen, if you can get to the heliport in 15 minutes and get my partner and I up in the chopper, I can promise you an exclusive on a story that'll put a cherry on the Access New York sundae," Castle tempts.
"Rick," Karen replies in an aggrieved tone, "you know full well that I'm at Bracken's press conference. I've got to be here when he addresses the allegations I helped articulate."
"And what if he's not planning to show? What if he's lured all the media and attention to one place so that he can slip away?" Castle probes.
"You know this is the case?" Brown fires back, testing. "How could you know?"
"I've got a source," Castle chuckles, happy to say that to a member of the press. "A source I trust. We're going to cut Bracken off if we can. If you give us a ride, you'll be there to see it go down."
"And if he's not there, I look like a laughingstock and probably lose my job," Brown replies archly.
"Please," Castle scoffs, "as if you've survived in this business for twenty years without taking risks. When have I ever steered you wrong?"
"Actually …," Brown starts to reply.
"I mean lately!" Castle clarifies. "When have I steered you wrong lately? And don't forget who got you into Access New York in the first place." After a short pause, Castle pushes: "So, are you in? If not, I need to try someone else."
"You ass, I'm already in the car with my camera man. I'll be there in about 10 minutes," Brown says with a laugh. "It's a small chopper, Rick, so you and your partner are the limit. And I might just have to sit in your lap to save space," she says with another laugh, then disconnects.
Looking at Castle with an arched eyebrow, Beckett provokes an immediate confession. "No, never!" Castle avers. "Just flirting, nothing else. We go back a long way – people forget that she got started in entertainment news before she went big time."
Still giving him a pointed look just to make him sweat a little, Beckett notices that the hint of a bruise from his wild ride through the city in Cooper's trunk is blossoming, already spread across most of his cheekbone on the right side of his face. He's got a scrape to his chin on the left side, and of course his left arm is still in a sling. If this case gets any rougher, she thinks ruefully, they'll look more like zombies than walking wounded. Somehow, she thinks this is one of the times when Castle won't think zombies are quite so cool.
"Am I still in the doghouse or can I make a suggestion?" Castle asks with a playful grin.
"Those aren't mutually exclusive, Castle," Beckett fake growls. "What's your suggestion?"
"Do you think Gates could have local law enforcement meet us near the airport?" Castle asks after letting the grin slip from his face. "I'm not sure about the wisdom of approaching the scene with a civilian pilot."
"Are you worried about Bracken reacting violently?" Beckett asks with a speculative look, "I guess I can see that. He's probably traveling light right now, but we might've pushed him so hard that he'll risk acting himself. Unless you think Vantus is still helping him?"
"Wrong V," Castle answers while shaking his head. "Larson and Truitt said that Crawford went rogue from Vantus, was operating on his own. Even if that's not true, they won't risk their company any further after you nailed Crawford," Castle says while gazing at her proudly. "There are other firms like Vantus that I suppose he could have called, but I don't think they'd cooperate now. No, I'm worried about Vulcan Simmons. He's in the wind and it makes me wonder if he wasn't part of Bracken's escape plan."
"So, what? You, me, a reporter, a camera man, and a couple local cops are going to take down a senator protected by a mobster's crew?" Beckett says in attempt to joke, but the scope of the potential task is daunting.
"I might be wrong about Simmons," Castle replies with a shrug of his right shoulder – he's finally learning not to move the left. "And besides, our job is to keep Bracken on the ground until the cavalry arrives. No sweat."
"Rick, what if this is a trap?" Beckett asks. "What if he's clearing out and this is his parting shot – a chance to punish us on his way out?"
With a large sigh, Castle nods his head. "It might be. I don't think Dani would be in on it, not after having us and then letting us go. But he might be using her to lure us in. Having the press there is the only insurance policy I can think of, short of rolling up with 16 vehicles filled with SWAT and HRT personnel."
Reaching out to take her hand, Castle pulls back when he remembers that he's in a vehicle full of unknown cops, but Beckett gives him a soft smile to let him know that she appreciates both the gesture and his restraint. "We'll be cautious, and we can scrap the trip if you think it's too dangerous," Castle says. "I think it's worth the risk for the chance to finally have him in hand."
Nodding, Beckett agrees. "We'll be careful, but this might be our best shot at him if he really is running. Just, please … be careful? None of this is worth anything if you're not there at the end," she says, wanting him to know that if she had to choose between justice for her mother and safety for Castle, she'd pick him.
The effort required to keep himself from reaching out is visible, and not just to someone who knows him well. Instead, Castle takes a deep breath and holds it for a few moments. Then, as he so often does, he turns to levity. "You're just imagining all the paperwork that'll come with closing a case that's gone on for more than a decade, and all the coffee you'll need me to deliver. Besides, Beckett, I'm with you past the end of the road. So let's go bag Bracken."
More than willing to share his optimism, Beckett signals Castle to call Gates.
Midtown Heliport, New York City, Wednesday ~7:45 PM
"Ma'am," Beckett hears to her left, turning to see one of the NYPD officers Gates had assigned to escort them to the press conference. "I couldn't help but overhear some of your conversation. Take these," he says while stepping close to obscure the transfer of weapons and ammunition. While closing the gap made it more difficult for observers to notice the transfer, encroaching on Beckett's personal space proves to be a guaranteed way of catching Castle's attention.
As Castle's hackles rise and he prepares to approach, Beckett signals to him that all is well. Instead of approaching them, Castle moves to speak with the chopper's pilot, who is overseeing the last of the flight arrangements. Initially unhappy with his job for the evening, the pilot has warmed to the intrigue.
Beckett approaches the conversation between Castle and the pilot in time to hear Castle say "No, you don't get a gun or a vest. We're wearing the armor as a precautionary measure, but we're going to have you set us down about a mile from the airport, where local law enforcement will meet us. We'll need you ready to move – we might need to make a quick escape, to follow someone on the ground, or something else."
"Like knocking another bird out of the sky?" the pilot asks excitedly, prompting Beckett to wonder what kind of suicidal maniac is going to fly them out to intercept Bracken. Apparently, Castle agrees and tries to tone down the pilot's exuberance.
"Look, John," Castle says as he puts his right hand on the pilot's shoulder. "In the last few days I've been shot, tortured, tied up, beaten, drugged, kidnapped, and tossed around a car trunk during a high-speed chase and collision. I'm really hoping that our flight will be uneventful," he concludes while giving John's shoulder a brotherly slap. Unfortunately, Castle's recitations of his recent abuse only seems to enflame the imagination of a pilot who's clearly seen too many action movies. He's also looking at Castle in a way that makes Beckett wonder if she should be more watchful of him than of Karen Brown.
She revises that opinion in less than a minute after Brown actually does move to sit in Castle's lap despite his body armor and shoulder injury as they board the helicopter. Beckett doesn't need to say a word, though – one glimpse of Beckett's face has Brown retreating quickly to the other side of the chopper. While the engines spool up, Castle leans over and speaks into her ear "I was wrong with what I said at the beach – Alexis has a long way to go before she can match your scathing look."
While she can still be heard, Beckett turns to Castle and speaks into his ear in return. "Rick, in the last few days you've shacked up with Jordan, gone a round and been tied up, caressed, and kissed by Britton, been propositioned by Brown, and been ogled by Paula and several FBI officers. I've never been the jealous one in a relationship and I'm trying to deal with it. So be nice to me," she finishes with a small nip to his earlobe.
It's getting very difficult to hear inside the chopper and there weren't enough headphones to go around, so Castle turns quickly to get in the last word, speaking loudly to make sure that he's heard. "Kate, just think about this while we fly. You know me. You know my ego. What does it say about my interest in you that I didn't even notice the ogling you're talking about? I think it's cute that you're jealous, but you have to know that you have no reason to be. I love you, have done for years, and will do for all that I have left," he concludes earnestly, forgoing a return nip to instead place a gentle, lingering kiss on her temple.
Only after she reaches out to take his hand does Beckett remember that they're sitting across from a member of the press in a very cramped space. Rather than think about the possible implications of being outed, she refocuses her attention on the upcoming confrontation with Bracken. Closing her eyes to think about what might soon happen, she still doesn't relinquish her hold on Castle's hand.
Country road, Wednesday, ~8:05 PM
Beckett's dialing the burner phone as soon as the chopper sets down in the field next to a dirt road on which two sheriff's cars wait with lights flashing. After going through Beth Hovannes, she's connected to Jordan Shaw.
"Has Bracken shown up?" Beckett asks, trying to determine whether their rough flight out to New Jersey was worth the pain that it clearly caused Castle.
"No. The word from his camp is that he's running late," Shaw reports. "I'm … thinking I'll go up there is he's a no show by 8:15 or 8:30, although Paula's running around setting something up. What's your situation?"
"We're on the ground about two miles from the airport," Beckett replies while watching Castle round up the four members of local law enforcement. They are grudgingly moving to the trunks of their cars to suit up – Beckett can't tell if the reluctance is due to the potential gravity of the situation or resentment at being shepherded by an outsider. "As soon as we get our four-member contingent of local law enforcement prepped, we'll roll. Where's Avery?"
"He had a little wait at the heliport," Shaw sighs. "He's straightened out now, but he's probably 20 minutes behind you. If Bracken's there and you can hold him, do it. But if it looks dangerous, just let him go. We tracked him down once and we can find him again."
"Sure, Jordan," Beckett replies quickly. Too quickly for Shaw's tastes.
"Kate, I mean it," Shaw remonstrates. "He's not worth it. You've got many reasons to be careful, not least of which is there with you."
"I know, Jordan," Beckett soothes. "I'm sorry if I sounded abrupt, but you don't need to worry – my priorities are where they should be."
"I hope so, Kate," Shaw replies. "We're there to give justice to the dead, not swell their numbers. Be careful and keep me posted."
Ringing off, Beckett approaches the deputies' cars, where everyone except Castle has congregated. Looking off to the side, she notices that Castle's just finished up his own call. Looking up in time to catch her eyes, he gives her signal that diverts Beckett to his side. Meeting her several yards away from the group, he whispers "So, I had an idea about how to approach…."
After she and Castle work out a plan, Beckett delivers a concise briefing to the group. Eight of them split into two cars with deputies up front, Beckett and Castle in back of the lead car, and the press in the back of the other. Poor John, the gung-ho chopper pilot, is left behind hoping that something goes wrong so that he can swoop in for a dramatic rescue.
It takes more than five minutes to cover the two miles to the airport, both because they're using a rural country road and because they're running without lights in order to get close without announcing their presence. As they approach the airfield, Beckett calls for a halt so that they can survey the scene. While no one is visible, the black sedan parked outside an old Quonset-style hangar suggests that Bracken has arrived and is inside. So much for their hopes of cutting him off before he reaches the hangar. And so much for getting a count of the people with Bracken or figuring out if Vulcan Simmons is around.
Eschewing the radios again in case they're being monitored, Beckett uses the burner phone to call the camera man's phone. With both on speaker, the two cars coordinate as they inch into the facility until they are about a hundred yards away from the hangar where the sedan is parked, obscured by the neighboring hangar.
"Okay, just like we talked about," Beckett announces over the line. "Karen, Tony, are you ready?" Beckett asks the reporter and her camera man.
Rural airport, New Jersey, Wednesday, ~8:30 PM
"Good evening, this is Karen Brown reporting from an airfield in rural New Jersey, where we hope to interview New York's junior senator William Bracken to follow up on the questions that have lingered since his appearance on Access New York yesterday. While Senator Bracken had announced a press conference for 8:00 tonight, it was delayed unexpectedly. The reason for that 'delay' and the Senator's presence at this airport are among the questions we're hoping to ask as we follow local and NYPD law enforcement."
Flanked by officers and Castle, the group starts walking toward the targeted hangar. The lights from Tony's camera rig have caught the attention of someone standing outside, who darts into the hangar through a conventional-sized doorway on the side. Only seconds later, the main door of the hangar begins to slowly retract.
"Here we go," Beckett says quietly. "Please stay behind us and be ready to depart if need be," she continues, still wondering about the audacity of this plan. Trusting that the presence of the media will inhibit outright aggression by Bracken, the plan is ultimately a delaying tactic. The hope is that the presence of the camera will either keep Bracken in the hangar or will engage him in an impromptu interview/press conference that will buy time for Avery and the cavalry to arrive.
A private jet becomes visible through the widening gap in the hangar doors. The good news is that the door is down and the engines are off. The bad news is that there are several people scurrying around the plane preparing it for imminent departure.
"Excuse me," says a fastidious man in a suit who has stepped into the gap of the hangar doors. He's nearly shouting to be heard over the doors and Beckett immediately pegs him as an attorney. Looks like Bracken has his own stalling techniques.
"Excuse me, but this is private property. Unless you have a warrant, you're trespassing," the man says as he stalks towards the group, unaffected by the cameras.
"Not so," Beckett replies. "This airfield is owned by a group of private investors, including Vantus Ventures. We were invited to the field by Steven Larson and Jackson Truitt. I have their email if you'd like to read it; they are also both standing by to speak with you if there are any questions about the authenticity of the email," Beckett concludes, keeping her voice cool and professional. This was the first of Castle's calls after landing near the airfield. After Crawford's actions (sanctioned or not), the Vantus leadership was happy to jump at Castle's offered opportunity to salvage some of their reputation.
Clearly unhappy with this news, the attorney still tries to slow them down. "Yes, I would like to see the email and speak with the people you mentioned. Of course, I'll also need to confirm their company's ownership stake in this airfield."
Beckett's group doesn't break stride. "Deputy Larson has a phone with the email and the number ready to dial. You are welcome to confirm whatever you like, but we're not waiting," Beckett says in her best bad-ass voice. Castle, trying to remain unobtrusive especially with the camera behind them, can't help but smile as his partner takes control.
Flummoxed, the attorney is torn between checking their permission and staying in front of the group to invent other ways to slow them down. Improbably, it's Brown who solves his dilemma when she approaches him directly and says, "Hello, I'm afraid we didn't catch your name. Would you like to introduce yourself?" With a look for the camera that's equal parts annoyance and fear, the attorney spins on his heel and runs back into the hangar, with Beckett's group walking briskly behind him.
The time required to deal with the attorney, while minimal, was still enough to allow for the hangar doors to fully retract. Glancing ahead at the illuminated hangar, it's clear that the plane is nearly ready to fly, but still won't be ready to move until Beckett's group reaches the hangar doors. And while the Vantus invitation got them onto the airfield, it won't cover access into the hangar.
This time it's the man of the hour who steps into the gap of the hangar doors. Bracken is all smiles for the camera, but Beckett notices that he's careful to stay within the confines of the hangar.
"Good evening, Karen," Bracken says with a wide smile, looking to all the world like this was a meeting he expected. "You must not have heard, but an emergency in DC forced me to cancel tonight's press conference. I look forward to continuing our discussion upon my return."
"But senator," Brown replies, "Congress is in recess."
"True, true," Bracken notes, "but affairs of state don't constrain themselves to business hours, I'm afraid. It's just the way real life works, especially in DC."
"I'm confused, Senator," Brown continues, following the line of discussion worked out quickly with Castle and Beckett. "If you were heading for DC, why aren't you taking the flights you usually use, even during emergencies, and why hasn't a flight plan been filed for this plane?" Brown delivers these questions like a pro, disguising that it's all wild conjecture boiled up in the last 15 minutes as events have outpaced the team's ability to run things down.
"Karen, as much as I enjoy our chats," Bracken says with an admirably straight face, "I'm afraid that there are urgent matters to which I must attend. Perhaps we'll speak when I'm back in New York."
"I'm afraid the we have some questions, too, Senator," Beckett interjects, desperate to keep Bracken talking or to taunt him into doing something that will allow her to act more directly.
"I'm sorry, Detective, but you'll have to wait, too," Bracken says with a smile. "After all, it wouldn't be fair to give preferential treatment to the police, would it?"
"Cute, Senator," Beckett replies brusquely, risking more direct antagonism to delay Bracken. "But hardly a fair and considered answer worthy of your constituency. I'm sure that they also find it odd that you're jetting off to address a supposed emergency while running away from several open investigations."
"I'll enjoy my attorney's efforts to address your behavior and insinuations, Detective," Bracken growls as he turns to head to the plane's open door. "Now, deputy, do you have any reason to detain me?" He asks, looking at the others with Beckett, one of whom shakes his head. "Detective, you have neither jurisdiction nor warrant. We're done here."
Bracken looks hazy as he turns and starts walking toward the plane. This confuses Beckett until she realizes that she's so frustrated that she's tearing up. Her hand twitches at her side, anxious to pull her weapon to prevent the flight of her mother's killer. It's a losing battle, as she feels the grip of her sidearm in her palm.
"Hey," Castle says from her right, catching her attention. "We're okay. I'm sorry about this – I'll explain later."
Castle draws his borrowed sidearm with his right hand, nodding for Beckett to do the same. Then, struggling to remove his left arm from his sling, Castle winces as he reaches into his pocket and withdraws a badge. Taking a deep breath he gives Beckett a quick wink then turns to face Bracken's retreating form. "Federal Officer!" he shouts. "Freeze!"
Bracken freezes, more out of shock than in following Castle's shout. It's not a unique reaction, as Karen Brown looks on in silence rather than narrating the scene. Beckett's training keeps her focused on Bracken, though her mind is running amok. Castle's got some serious explaining to do, she thinks.
Bracken slowly spins in position, keeping quiet but sizing Castle up. "William Bracken, you're detained on suspicion of racketeering. Please place your hands behind your head and lace your fingers together."
Bracken doesn't comply. Instead, he sneers "Racketeering?"
"For a start," Castle replies. "I'm certain that other charges, from other jurisdictions," he says with a quick glance at Beckett, "are forthcoming. Now, please turn around and lace your fingers behind your head."
Again, Bracken refuses to comply as he and Castle stare at each other. As the tension and silence draw out, Beckett breaks her view from the two of them to survey the area around them. It's an instinct that saves their lives.
"Scatter!" Beckett yells just as Vulcan Simmons appears in the door of the airplane, semiautomatic rifle held at his hip. Castle moves right, grabbing Karen Brown with his left hand as he runs to the shelter of the retracted hangar door, bellowing in reaction to the stress on his injured shoulder. Beckett dodges left, also moving to shelter behind the hangar door, yelling at the deputies to "Move!"
Simmons sprays the tarmac, weapon tracking Castle. One deputy goes down with a scream, but the weapon's tracking is either too slow or Simmons' aim too inaccurate to catch him before he reaches the shelter of the retracted door. Thank god for idiots, Beckett thinks as she notes how Simmons is holding the weapon. If he'd bothered to aim, they might all be lying on the tarmac bleeding out.
As the deputies return fire and force Simmons back into the plane, Beckett takes a quick look around. Two of the people who had been checking out the plane have weapons in hand and have taken defensive positions in the hangar. The wounded deputy is dragging himself across the tarmac with his forearms, his leg leaving a streak of blood behind him. Looking across to the other side of the door, Beckett breathes again when she sees Castle hunkered down behind the door, visibly panting but with weapon still in hand. Almost impossibly, the media have backed off but are still filming. Tony films while Karen is speaking, the hangar clearly visible over her shoulder. But where is Bracken?
The temporary respite ends with gunfire, the two helpers having coordinated with Simmons. They concentrate on Castle's side of the hangar, apparently interested in either taking out Castle or the news team. Either their weapons are even more lethal than standard or the hangar's doors offer poorer protection than expected, but the effect is the same as the rounds fired by Simmons and his henchman punch through wall and door alike.
Just as Beckett's preparing to fire, the black sedan that initially attracted their interest squeals away in reverse, heedless of direction while just trying to get away. Visible in the driver's seat is New York's junior senator.
The car careens to a stop as Bracken shifts into forward and aims the vehicle at the airfield's exit. With her back to the hangar's wall, Castle is pinned down to her left while Bracken is making his escape to Beckett's right.
Just as Alexander Rodgers might have written, Beckett has an epiphany while pressed against the hut, seeing two competing paths for her future stretching out before her, one moving in each direction. Like Charlie Stevens, the hapless priest in Castle's novel, Beckett releases all pretenses and burdens, the expectations of others or those she's placed on herself, and turns to embrace one path irrevocably.
Unlike Charlie Stevens, there is no ambiguity about Beckett's choice. Weapon extended and blazing, it's her third shot that finds its target, catching Vulcan Simmons high in the torso. As he pitches forward and tumbles down the plane's boarding stairs, he draws the attention of one of his two helpers, whose distraction ends his life with the arrival of a bullet fired by one of the deputies. Seeing his two comrades down, the last hold-out tosses down his weapon and raises his hands. As the deputies move in to make the arrest and secure the hangar, Beckett turns and feels her heart stop as she sees Castle face-down on the tarmac.
She's kneeling beside him before she realizes she's moved. Now that she's here, she's terrified of what she might find. Gently, she reaches out to touch him, looking for injuries. It's not until Beckett rolls him onto his side and sees the deformed bullet wedged into his vest that she understands what's happened. Overcome by relief she can't stop herself from hugging him, which rouses him quickly and painfully.
"Ow," says her wordsmith, not quite living up to his usual standards.
"Oh, Rick," Beckett says, trying to hold herself together. "Don't you ever, ever scare me like that again, Agent Castle," driving home those last two words.
"It's Inspector, actually," Castle wheezes out as he struggles to sit up. "Probationary Inspector, recipient of an impromptu field commission last night, when Jordan and I couldn't make it to the safe-house. I was supposed to keep it low key until a formal ceremony if possible, and to act within guidelines," Castle winces, either in pain from his injuries or at the thought of something constraining his behavior. "That's why I wasn't supposed to fire my weapon."
"Or make an arrest?" Beckett says, returning their conversation from months ago.
"Technically, I said I was 'detaining' him," Castle says with a grin. "Just until Avery arrived to arrest him, but he didn't need to know that."
Hearing sirens, Beckett presses on Castle's good shoulder to prevent him from trying to get up. "Just wait, Rick, help is on the way. You need to get checked out, both your new injuries and old."
Castle must be exhausted and hurting, because he listens without complaint or objection. Resting his head against the wall against which he sits, Castle turns to her and asks "What about Bracken – did you get him?"
Shaking her head while caressing his jaw, Beckett answers softly. "No, I didn't get him. This time. We're living to fight another day, right Castle?"
"I'm sorry, Kate," Castle says slowly, his head hanging.
"I'm not," Beckett replies quickly and with conviction. "I had a shot at him Castle, but I made my choice," she says as she takes his hand. "I made my choice," she repeats with a smile as she brings his hand to her lips.
They are still sitting there when the vehicles approach, led by an ambulance. It's not the EMTs that reach them first, but instead Karen Brown. Leaving her camera man Tony to film some shots of the deputies, the plane, and the EMTs attending to Simmons, Brown approaches Beckett and Castle.
"Everyone okay here?" she asks. "You had me worried, Rick. We've got you getting shot on camera. Your fans are going to be in hysterics. You'd better have Paula put out a statement tonight."
"What do you mean?" Beckett asks. "You were broadcasting, not recording?"
"Better," Brown says with a devilish smile. "With Paula's help, we broadcasted the whole thing to the press conference that Bracken set up. So, not only do we have all of our original content, but we've got the reactions of those who attended the press conference. They saw you, Detective, ask Bracken why he was running away. They saw you, Federal Officer," she says with a raised brow at Castle "try to detain Bracken for questions about racketeering. They saw Bracken refuse your instruction, and the arrival of the gunmen. They saw Castle get shot. And then," she says, drawing out the story, "they saw Bracken run, until he was stopped before he could leave the airfield by the FBI agents who arrived with a warrant in hand."
.
A/N: Another late posting. Sorry – a work deadline, an old college friend's wedding, and a family vacation this week. As shocking as this sounds, it's a little more difficult to tap away at a laptop while sitting on a beach with a drink in hand.
Just one chapter left! I hope to finish it while on vacation, but in the worst case it'll be up by next Wednesday. If you've made it this far, just hang on for one more. Many thanks!
