It's here. The day Katherine Beckett has wanted her entire adult life is happening. The man behind her mother's murder is going to be arrested today.
They are shoulder to shoulder in the back of a town car with heavily tinted windows. It's a windy overcast day so they don't need protection from the sun, but they might need it from prying eyes before the day is over. "Castle, quit staring."
"A lot of people are going to be staring at you today. Ready for it?" She looks different - even to him and he's spent hours staring at her. She's professional? Less badass but sharper if he had to label it.
"Yes," she clips out her tone harsher than intended.
"Take a deep breath. Everything will be fine."
"I know. I'm fine. Its fine. Everything is fine. Now stop with the useless chatter."
"You know the expression 'wound too tight?' I'm trying to find the words to help you ease up a bit." Before she can bite his head off, he stares at their hands. She's got a crushing grip on his fingers so tightly they hurt. There is nothing wrong with her arm strength.
She looks where he is looking, sighs, forces herself to relax and gives a gentle squeeze in apology. He's so damn calm and she hates that she's not. "I thought I'd be full of righteous indignation when today came and I'd feel nothing but power. I should be ecstatic, elated, excited - whatever synonym a best selling author wants to use but instead I want to throw up."
"Good alterations! I've had that queasy feeling a lot these past few months. Don't let the doubts keep bouncing around in your head. What's going on?"
"I know his name. So what," she's brittle and sarcastic, but at least she's talking. "I thought this was it - the end of my crusade -but it's just another chapter. What if he runs before we arrest him? What if the case isn't strong enough and he goes free? What if he cuts a deal and he's out in 10 years? What if an appeal overturns the conviction? He's tied up so much of my life already and I might never be free of him."
"Think positive. I asked Jim recently if he could do anything to the man responsible for so much grief, what would it be. His response was to treat the man as the animal he's proven himself to be - simple justice. What's your perfect outcome?"
"Bracken pleads guilty and spends the rest of his life behind bars hating that everything important to him has been taken away. Let him live in terror of the other inmates and wonder if he is going to get shanked and bleed out in a dirty hallway left to die alone."
"Good cop justice. I've got a guy watching him. Your nemesis is focused on his big press conference today. If he does try to run, he'll regret it."
"Castle, don't placate me with bravado."
"I'm not making empty conversation." He slips his hand out of hers.
Her fingers chase his and she intertwines them to keep him from pulling away again. "What have you done?"
"Do you promise to tell the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth?" It's the same question he's lobbed at her every time she asked him about the investigation once she started working with the task force a few days ago. It's an unspoken code that they are on different sides of ethical lines and he won't let her cross it.
"That just makes me worry more."
He sighs, "If he doesn't try to run everything will be fine. If he does disappear then I'll let you read a story about poetic justice." He studies her face to make sure he's said enough to put that particular concern to rest.
He gets a tiny nod and timid smile. "You're my partner and you've got my back. Thanks, Rick."
He's still adjusting to this new version of Beckett. The one that trusts him, relies on him, and shares deep feelings with him. "We're almost at 1PP. What do you need me to do?"
Her answer is heartfelt and very quiet, "Don't take anything I do today as a personal slight. This is going to be tough. I'm not really a cop right now and I don't know how things are going to turn out. The only thing I do know is that you're the one who made this happen even if no one else in the room is aware of it."
"Message received but I take exception with the statement you're not really a cop. You are a NYPD detective on medical leave. You don't have your badge or official weapon but that doesn't diminish your history with this case or your stellar record as a detective. You earned your way here - paid in blood - and no one is going to see it differently."
What has she done to deserve this man? She traces a finger over the goatee that emerged from the scruffy beard. "I like this look on you." She wants to say more, something profound and meaningful but she's not the wordsmith and the car is pulling over to let them out.
He stalls her before she climbs out. "Do you want the cane now or should I keep it with me until later?"
All that goodwill disappears if her thunderous expression is to be believed. "Castle, there is no way in hell I'm going to appear weak in front of my coworkers."
He keeps the cane with him. They get out and take a fortifying deep breath. These are the last moments of serenity before their lives are forever changed. They follow signs to the "Interagency Cooperation Training" seminar. The pair stops at the registration table narrowing the entrance down to a single door. A trusted uniformed officer from the 12th precinct is carefully checking ID's and attendance. Beckett nods at the "welcome back" and casually asks "Anyone trying to attend that isn't on the list?"
"A few bureaucrats stopped to read the sign but no one has been interested enough to want to poke their head inside. Captain Gates personally briefed me, so I'm keeping a close eye on things."
They nod and pick up the lanyards with their special name tags.
Inside there is a big spread of food and carafes of different blends of coffee with all the assorted flavored creamers and sweeteners. She shoots Castle a 'what-have-you-done' look but he shrugs it off, "Most of the law enforcement people here don't know how crazy their day is about to get. This may be the only chance for them to eat." Neither partner trust their stomachs beyond the necessary cup of coffee.
She's not wearing heels, but she's in full Beckett mode. The partners make the rounds and get comfortable in the conference hall. Esposito and Thornton immediately fall in to a flanking position to back them up. Ryan is in the center of the room so he shoots them a thumbs up when they spot each other. He's got slides ready and two live feeds already going for a SWAT unit and a select group of law enforcement personnel in Washington DC.
A long-haired, tattooed, man of mixed heritage brushes past Espo and wraps Beckett in a hug. "Hell of a day, Becks."
She grins, "Who knew all those hours reading comic books would turn us both into champions for the downtrodden!" She turns to the guys around her, "This is Dr. Kyle Winston, former combat medic and now head of outpatient services for mental health at the VA hospital in Maryland. Kyle, this is Javier Esposito, former special forces, Ike Thornton, former dead cop, and Rick Castle, former pain in the ass." Everyone laughs, shakes hands, and spends a few minutes trading outlandish claims. Far too soon Beckett's phone chirps letting her know it's time.
They go to the front of the large room and makes eye contact with the facilitators at the head table. They nod and take their seats behind their placards: William Sorenson, FBI; Candace Robinson, Asst. US Attorney; Luis AuClair, Interpol, Victoria Gates, NYPD.
Castle is immediately annoyed. "Why does Gates get to share in the spotlight and you don't?"
"I wanted to keep her away from it because, um, of protecting certain reputations. Despite that, her background in Internal Affairs implies she's trustworthy. I'm not at the head table because everyone keeps harping about me staying away so I can't be accused of tampering with evidence. You're the one who's poured the most time and effort into this investigation except no one know else gets to know that."
He still grumbles buts it's an act to give her something normal in a day that is anything but normal. He fades into the background which is exactly where he wants to be.
Beckett looks over the conference hall full of law enforcement and takes a deep breath. It's time. She gives a signal to the trusted cops and they shut the doors and stay outside to stop anyone from loitering. Ryan removes the fake seminar agenda and puts up Detective Beckett's bio. She calmly steps up to the microphone at the podium and adopts a conversational tone.
"It is a universal truth that law enforcement hates bad coffee and paperwork. People chuckle then quiet down to listen. "You might notice that the coffee here is the good stuff. Consider that compensation because I also know how much cops hate wasting time at stupid seminars." That gets a bigger snicker from the attendees. "Give me a show of hands: who would rather be on the streets doing arrests than sitting here right now." Everyone raises their hands and laughs. Beckett shakes a finger at them and warns them, "Be careful what you wish for... !"
The woman is a natural in front of an audience. She continues ever so casually, "Another thing that really gets under the skin is missing out on a big case. Especially those once in a decade take-downs that make history. You've got to hate listening to a cop on the brink of retirement talking about the epic cases and looking at you with pity because nothing like that happens anymore. Those cases do come along, but they're rare. I promise you that today won't be a waste of time and we are going to give you some bragging rights by the time this day is over."
"Big cases aren't just about the criminals, they're also about the men and women who choose to stand as a thin blue line. I've got full backgrounds on all of you. You're above reproach and spend your careers proving that there is a right way to do things that won't let the bad guys win. You're the ones who deserve to be in on a monumental case like the one being targeted today." She waits and lets the words sink in and watches the subtle awareness that something big isn't going to be talked about, it's going to happen.
"You're not here for training. You're here to take down a criminal organization that reaches high into the halls of power." A vibrant energy fills the room but the silence is absolute.
"You are going up against a ruthless and cunning cartel which is why we got you here under false pretenses. Safety was our first priority when we planned today. We spread a rumor that a mafia enterprise is the subject of a RICO investigation so none of our targets are unduly concerned. Most of the henchmen are ex military which is why SWAT is included." She points to one of the live video conference feeds.
"The men and women you see at the front of the room are going to explain the scope of the criminal activity and the players involved so when you leave here you have no doubt that this is not a personal vendetta. It is personal to me - I became a cop to solve my mother's murder. She was an attorney who thought it was important the system worked for everyone. The world lost a really good person when a power-hungry ADA decided to have her murdered. He simply paid a fee and she was left bleeding out in an ally. The dirty cops wrote if off as random gang violence." Johanna's crime scene photos flash up on the screens but Beckett keeps her back to them.
"I devoted my life to try to undo this travesty of justice. I annoyed the perpetrators enough they sent a sniper to shoot me at Captain Montgomery's funeral." Ryan puts up newspaper headlines and crime scene photos to drive home the ruthlessness of what they've done to her. "Like mother like daughter - instead of bleeding out in an ally, I was bleeding out in a cemetery. I coded on the way to the hospital, but they got me patched up in time. You understand what it means when someone has your back. I had to stand down so a selfless group stepped up to investigate. They briefed me three days ago and I am amazed at the case they built. This is where I remind you that this a large and dangerous criminal enterprise. We got you here under false pretenses. If anyone wants to back out, there is no shame in it."
Someone snorts, another calls out "no way in hell" and everyone brushes off the easy out. The attendees are responding with a steely determination.
"Okay, lets get on with it." Beckett nods to Ryan and they let the pictures speak for themselves. The victims' names and dates also appear on the large screens: Johanna Beckett, Jennifer Stewart, Diane Kavanagh, Scott Murray, John Raglan, Gary McCallister, Roy Montgomery, Chuck Ryker... Under each name he has a 'nice' photo followed by the crime scene photo. The number of killings is revolting. After a stunned silence, the group is murmuring to one another. Beckett deliberately lets them stare at the array of dead faces taken out by a power hungry man. When she's sure the victims have been given proper attention and not overlooked, she holds up a hand to quiet the group.
Then she looks out at the assembly and then those at the remote locations. "On behalf of the victims, I'm asking you to end this. I'm trusting you to keep your phones turned off so information doesn't leak out and they don't get a chance to destroy evidence. I'm also hoping you are as good as your reputations so no one walks free on a technicality. Most of all, I'm imploring you to stay safe. There's been enough loss of life."
She holds up a thick folder of arrest warrants. She reverently opens it and pulls out the top sheet. "The name at the top of the pile is New York Senator William H. Bracken." A collective gasp reverberates through the room followed by an outbreak of incredulous chatter. The detective gives them a few minutes to process what is going to play out. Her eyes search the room for her partner and sees him in quiet conversation with Thornton.
Beckett waves Esposito to her side. The rest of the law enforcement contingent quiets when he joins her in front of the podium. She hands the warrant to him without any hesitation. "I'm asking you to slap the cuffs on this bastard for me." He blanches and starts to shake his head but Beckett stares him down.
Everyone knows this is Beckett's crusade. He stares hard, reading everything on her face. Oh, he gets it! This is her symbolic gesture that it's over and she's no longer held captive to the man or his deeds. He doesn't like it but he respects it.
Beckett addresses the various other agencies present, "The NYPD is claiming the right to arrest Bracken because his corruption started in this city so we're the ones who are going to finish it. Our captain gave his life making one last stand against this man and we're not going to let it be in vain." She gives Esposito a good natured shove to get him moving. The detective drifts away from the center stage still stunned at his assignment. Ryan gestures a 'thumbs up' at him and nods at Ike Thornton to have his partner's back.
"Let's get the rest of you briefed so you can get out there." Beckett points to Candace Robinson and then merely walks away, the simple act so damn hard until she locks eyes with her partner. He's got that quiet proud look that is usually reserved for Alexis directed at her. They meet in the back of the room and he hands her a cup of coffee.
US Attorney Robinson gives a brief overview of allegations in the arrest warrants. She also spends a fair amount of time emphasizing the search warrants and the evidence that needs to be protected from getting destroyed. Agent Sorenson details the wide scope of people who are going to be taken into custody and lays out the timing and logistics of the various locations. He then separates the room with federal agents on one side for detailed assignments while Captain Gates takes the NYPD contingent aside to organize the local arrests including the dirty cops.
Then the hard part - waiting while personnel and assets deploy. The arrests were planned in batches with the drug ring and most dangerous elements beginning almost immediately. SWAT moves into their final position and does a last minute recon ensures the plan is still safe to execute. Meanwhile the conference hall has become a command post. Communication techs take over the tactical frequencies. Beckett stays and monitors the encrypted frequencies for any trouble or additional resources needed in the field.
Castle calls the mayor's office to brief his friend. He'll let Bob tell the governor what is about to happen to the reputation of the Empire State. Castle is humbled that he gets to make the next call. He gets Evelyn Montgomery on the phone and gives her a heroic version of how Roy uncovered the syndicate run by Bracken. He wants her to have time to gather the children and get them away from the press storm that is about to descend. He offers the safe house that Beckett recently vacated or a hotel suite in the city where friends can still support her.
Agent AuClair wrangles the chaos into quick summaries for the command board. He notes which units are on location, when the warrant is served, any major incidents or injuries, and which location the suspect has been transported to. Crime scene and forensic units are requested once the scene is secured.
The first round is considered a win with only minor injuries to SWAT. A small but lethal paramilitary security force in shackles and a literal truckload of drugs is now secured. There are bundles of cash too bulky to move by hand. The next phase has already started because it is the most widespread. It's also going to rankle everyone the most. All the dirty cops, court personnel, federal employees and even a fire chief are next, along with the white collar criminals actively laundering the drug money.
Castle inconspicuously checks his burner phone for any dire messages but there is no indication the big targets have been tipped off. He watches Beckett pace as she listens to the radio traffic, conferring occasionally with Captain Gates when personnel needs redistributed or forensic teams need prioritized. He grabs two fresh coffees and joins her. He puts it in her hands. She takes a deep gulp, smiles at him, and starts pacing again. Castle steps in front of her to force her to stop.
She waves him off but he silently pleads for her to step aside for a moment.
"Make it quick."
He hands her the cane. The death glare is predictable. Nevertheless he shares an equally disgruntled look. "You're limping which tells me your body is trying to compensate for the fatigue of your weakened leg. I predict you have about 30 minutes before your ankle buckles and you face-plant. Your choice." He holds out the cane again and she yanks it from his hand. "Fine. Babysit someone else."
She turns away but he stops her again. If he had to guess she now wants to take the walking stick and use to do bodily harm but stops when she sees the tender look he's sending her. "It's time to make your call."
She glances at the update board and sees the last round of arrests of the main perpetrators are going to begin very soon. She nods ever so grateful he doesn't let her lose sight of the important things. She walks off to a quiet corner (using the cane) and pulls out her cell phone. "Hi Dad. I need to talk to you; something big is about to happen."
"I've got the door shut and there are no appointments for the rest of the day so the timing is good. What's going on?"
"We're arresting him today. The man who had mom killed."
There's a poignant minute of silence. "Katie, is this the same man responsible for your shooting?"
"Yes."
"How dangerous is it going to be when you take him into custody?"
"Not me. I've asked Javier to do the honors. It should be safe."
There's another minute of silence. "Really? It's a big deal to step aside. Are you sure you won't regret this in years to come?"
"I'm sure. It's proof that mom's murder no longer defines me and I needed a tangible way to show that to people who care about me. It's also recognition that a lot of really good people put in hundreds of hours to try to make this right."
"I'm proud of you. Of us. It feels like we are both finally standing on the other side of this tragedy. What else do I need to know?"
"There is going to be an arrest at your law firm. You might escape some unpleasantness if you leave now."
"I can guess who is connected to things here, but I'm not ducking out early to avoid the questions. I know what's coming - your mom's picture, my alcoholism, and your shooting are going to be front page news. I'm ready to face it, go through the process and make sure the spotlight stays on what he's done. It's his turn to go through hell."
"Senator William Bracken."
There's several minute of silence. When she heard the name she swore like a biker and threatened to gut the bastard in Time's Square before she managed to calm down.
"Damn. That is a big fish to fry. We defiantly need all hands on deck for this storm so let me know when and where I need to be. Thanks for the head's up, but I'm good. I know you're itching to get back in there so you can make sure things go right. Be strong, but not so strong you forget to lean on any blue-eyed pillar of strength when you need it."
Her father likes Castle. It's startling how much that bolsters her. "Dad... behave! I've got to go but please tell me you're coming for dinner tomorrow night so we can celebrate?
"Yes because someone needs to guilt you and that writer into eating more!"
"Dad..." It comes out sounding suspiciously like a whine and the teasing is something Castle would do to lighten the moment. She teases back, "Sorry to disappoint you but your chess buddy is having dinner with his daughter." She gives her love and ends the call. She takes a minute to appreciate everything - her dad is okay, Bracken is being arrested, and Castle is still her partner. She searches him out with her eyes. He's been watching her (no surprise) and is instantly by her side.
"Jim okay? I can send a car for him."
"He's good. Everything is really good."
"You seem surprisingly good. Anything in particular?
She looks at him, really looks and takes a minute to be with him despite the weight of the day. "Kinda feels like a wall around my heart has crumbled and no matter what happens, I'm no longer trapped. Maybe I've been the one in prison but now I'm free to make a new life. Want to tell me how the story ends?"
She's beaming at him. He feels the energy crackling between them and the temptation to kiss her has never been stronger. He holds back, not just because they're in a room full of cops, but because there is still so much unresolved between them. "Oh, Kate. I don't do spoilers but I'm a sucker for a good ending. Let's enjoy this one. Have Ryan pull up the coverage for Bracken's press conference and let's watch a dragon get slain."