The bullpen television hanging from the ceiling flashed a banner headline across the bottom of the screen "BREAKING NEWS! Government agents involved in Gun Battle at 44th and Lex"
The television screen is showing a camera obviously from some security camera or traffic cam near the location of the event. Castle stops and reaches up to the display to raise the volume so they could hear the report from the reporter in the studio
"We are still trying to determine who is involved in the shootout but as of this time we are not getting any answers. We have a remote crew on the way but right now we only have telephone reports from witnesses living and working nearby. From what we are being told, it is not the NYPD"
The screen has a scrolling banner report at the bottom calling it a federal raid on some office in the building
"It appears to involve a barricaded suspect or suspects. Details are sketchy at this time but preliminary reports say that federal agents in military type gear rushed the building about fifteen minutes ago and it was shortly afterwards that gunfire was heard coming from somewhere on the fourth floor"
Captain Montgomery steps up to the group and joins in watching the events unfolding
"Uniformed officers are arriving at the building and they seem to be waiting for the arrival of senior officers and they are currently staying at some distance and may be waiting for commanders to arrive
Castle turns the TV back down then looks across the floor. Every officer's face is glued to the screen
The phone rings on Kate's desk "Beckett" she listens for a minute then hands the telephone to the captain "Sit, it's for you"
Captain Montgomery takes the phone from Beckett
"Montgomery" The captain answers then he listens for a few seconds "OK we are on our way" and he hangs up.
"That was dispatch. Those are our uniforms on scene at the gunfight. We have been ordered to go there and take command of the incident" As he turns away Montgomery points to the two male detectives "and take these two with you"
Kate grabs her jacket and bag and she turns to rush out the door when Castle grabs her arm "Kate! Hold on. You are not going out there and getting into a shoot out"
"Castle, it's my job. I'm a cop"
"Yeah you are a cop but right now you have another job. A more important job" he stops long enough for his words to soak in "Your new job is being a mother! You are carrying a baby now. Our baby or rather our babies"
His firm determination stops her in her tracks. It also did not go unnoticed by everyone within ear shot. Several in the station had not heard about Kate's pregnancy. The tone of Castle's voice made it very clear to everyone that he was not going to allow Kate to jump in front of a bullet
She stops trying to rush off and turns to face Rick. She smiles then takes his hand and leads him toward the nearest vacant room
"All right big guy. I do get it. I will NOT go get myself into a shooting"
Her statement makes Castle smile
"But I do need to go to the scene and take command of the operation. I promise we will stay out of harms way OK?"
"OK but only if I am with you there. I now have an even greater vested interest in you and your life. As if it weren't important before, it is doubly or rather triple important now"
Kate looks at her husband's face and plainly sees just how much her safety is at the top of his list
"No argument from me, Rick. These tiny ones need protection from this big bad world and nothing…not a chase, a gunfight, or murderer will be given higher priority by me. OK?"
"OK. So we go there but we stay out of the line of fire?"
"Got it…" then she puts a grin on her face turns her head and whispers "bossy" causing Castle to chuckle
Once the group from the precinct including Ryan and Esposito arrive at the scene the command van from One Police Plaza has been established. Ryan Esposito along with Kate and Rick enter the vehicle. There the Public Information Officer along with a hostage negotiator has begun setting up their command post.
After identifying themselves Beckett states that she is incident commander assigned by the captain at the 12th
The group begins by going over all the reports from the first uniforms at the scene along with what information the broadcast news was able to dig up before any police even arrived.
"Whose offices are in this building?" Beckett asks
Ryan has a log book in front of him "The first floor has a loan company, a deli, and a barber shop. The second floor has an insurance company. The third floor is a law firm and…" he pauses a moment
"The fourth floor is the New York offices of Senator William Bracken"
Everyone in the van looks a Ryan then Beckett states "US Senator Bracken?"
A voice from behind the group responds "Yes! United States Senator Bracken"
The group is again visited by Agent Grey except this time he is not alone. He is scc0ompanied by Jane Stevens, the receptionist from Webster's office
"Agent Grey!" Beckett comments somewhat harshly "What are you doing here and why is Ms. Stevens with you?"
"Let me introduce you to Special Agent Jane Stevens with the US Attorney General's Office. She has been undercover in Marshall Webster's firm for the last two years".
Jane Stevens reaches out to shake everyone's hand "It is really great to meet all of our officially"
"You are a fed?" Castle asks
"Yes, Mr. Castle"
"For the last two years that I have worked with you on the twin's accounts you were undercover?"
"Yes and I am so sorry for the deceit but we were still not sure who all was involved in the murder incorporated operation"
Kate has a look of total shock "You were…? UH…so you and Webster or rather Terry Addison was undercover?"
"No just me. We believe that Addison is the real person in control of this operation"
Agent Grey inject a piece of information "But it appears that Senator Bracken is the brains"
The room goes silent
"We had been trying to get into his network but he and his partners, other government officials and employees, had created a network inside of a hidden network that our best tech support people were unable to break thru"
"So what happened? How did you get in?" Rick asks
"Actually by accident. You, Mr. Castle you did it" Agent Grey answers
"Castle?" Kate responds "How did Rick break in?"
"Bracken and his colleagues had formed a tech company called Global Network Protection Services. They were able to get their network security software product installed in virtually every router on the internet. It was actually a private portal they used. It blocks certain search engines from completing their work. When a search was run for certain things such as fingerprints or DNA and so forth the central routers saw the request and returned nothing. They set it up so anything they did not want tracked it would NOT be found"
"So how did I break in?" Castle asks.
"When you borrowed the programs for your daughter's science fair project they were incomplete. It did not include all the NYPD protocols, Tory had not installed all the add on protocols that the routers used and your searches went all the way in"
"That explains why when we went in from the station we found nothing" Esposito comments
"Exactly" Grey responds
"OK but we saw Stevens here following McCallister before he was found dead"
"I was following him but I was pulled off just minutes before he was murdered" Stevens answers the inquiry
"OK then who was the assassin then" Ryan wonders
"Terry Addison" Stevens says "He was evidently brought in to clean house as Mr. Castle stated. He was taking out everyone who knew about Bracken and his corrupt activities. But Addison knew after he finished the job, he would be next"
"Is he the one in the gun battle onside Bracken's office?" Esposito questions
"Yes it was brief. But we were waiting for him. Tonight's 10 o'clock news will report simultaneous raids happening in several US cities. This is just one of many around the country"
Kate Beckett is stunned by the revelation just brought out "This man killed my mom?" she asks
"Yes, he is the one at the top in her death. And a lot of others too. There is a long string of bodies on his road to government office" Agent Grey states "But now it's over
The TV monitors in the command van are now showing images of the man being lead out in handcuffs along with several of his staff. Adjacent TV screens are showing coverage arriving from other stations around the country. Banners across the bottom of the screens report the names and places of the raids
The door to the command van opens and Captain Montgomery enters "Castle! Take your wife home. She does not need to be here. We will finish cleaning this up"
"But Sir..." Kate states firmly
"Go home detective. Take care of those babies. Your mother's case is solved and you can relax now" The boss tells her
Richard Castle takes his wife by the hand and they leave the command van. They are surrounded by reporters but they successfully get into her car and she lets Rick drive them home
Close to wrapping this one up. The delay is because I am pondering another story.
