Title: The Collector
By: greygoose70
Chapter Eight
Castle was moving along so quickly he almost missed it… the camouflaged entrance.
Coming to an abrupt halt he turned to take a better look. Beckett who had been only a couple steps behind him nearly crashed into him at his sudden movement.
"What is it Castle," she breathlessly announced.
"This," he responded going over to the suspected opening pulling aside the branches revealing the entrance to a cave. "Burt" he began "you and Alexis stay here, contact the other teams let them know our location; Beckett and I are going exploring."
"Shouldn't we wait for one of the other teams" she asked?
"No time, now put your phone on vibrate. Alexis, if one of the other teams show up sent me or Beckett a text. Come on Kate." Castle then ducked through the opening Beckett following closely behind.
The first thing Castle and Beckett noticed upon their entry was that the cave has a downward slope, not steep but it is definitely going to take them deeper into it. Plodding along slowly they came upon a lighted intersection where the cave went off in two different directions.
"Which way, Castle?"
Castle placed a finger to his lips indicating he wanted silence then cupped his right ear listening for several seconds before switching to his left ear doing the same, he then started to head off that way but before getting more than half a step Beckett grabbed hold of his arm. Turning to see what she wanted she whispered, "Sheriff Burgess and his team just showed up."
"Good, have him send LT and Jordan down."
A few minutes later Castle and Beckett were joined by their two companions. Castle gave them their instructions sending them off down the cave to his right, himself and Beckett proceeding to the left.
Meanwhile the team of Curt Frazer, Ryan, Esposito and Lanie have crossed to the south side of the river and were making their way to rendezvous with the other teams. "This way" Curt told them taking off in as if he knew where he was going. And evidently he did for after about 100 yards he stopped and began brushing aside some dead branches on the ground then reaching down he pulled open a hidden door. "This I believe leads down to the caverns. Burt and I discovered it a few months back but haven't been able to explore very deep into it. The girls you are looking for could very easily be hidden in there."
"Well I think it needs to be explored further, what do you think partner," Espo responded to the young leader while addressing Ryan.
"I think you're correct," Ryan answered then added, "Curt you take Lanie here and go meet up with the others."
"If anything happens to her your ass is dead meat," Espo said glaring at Curt.
"You be careful Javi," Lanie sang out as she began following Curt through the maze of trees.
Back in the cave Castle and Beckett are making their way toward the music Castle swore he could hear earlier…violin music. But then suddenly he heard a voice shouting, "Stop! Stop!" And the playing ended.
"That's Tchaikovsky, Judith! His Concerto! His masterpiece and you're butchering it! Now start over and do it right or I'm going to put a bullet in the back of Katy's pretty blonde skull."
Judith Jones took a couple of deep breaths to calm herself, placed her chin in the violins chin rest, her fingers on the fingerboard for the opening note then drew the hair of her stick across the strings creating the first note of Tchaikovsky's Concerto.
Castle and Beckett remained still and listened to Judith Jones playing. Finally deciding to proceed on they moved cautiously and silently forward until coming upon a bridge crossing. Castle brought them to a halt leaned forward and peered over the edge. There approximately twenty feet below was an open area, Judith Jones sitting at one end facing four other girls tied to chairs a lone male figure standing behind one of them waving a gun like a maestro conducting an orchestra.
Castle nodded for Beckett to join him asked her if she recognized him. "Jonas Miller" she said after comparing the man with a picture on her phone.
"What do you want to do Castle," she whispered.
Looking across the expanse Castle spotted a stairway, told her was going to make his way over to it see if he could get behind Miller for her to keep her gun trained on him, fire a shot over his head if he did something stupid.
Esposito was leading his and Ryan's way through the cave his flashlight illuminating a path for them. Believing he heard something, or someone headed toward them he stopped, switched off his light pulled out his Glock and waited. This is not good. There is no place for him and his partner to take cover. "Lay down partner" he ordered dropping to his knees then taking a prone position, Ryan doing the same.
Keeping their focus on the path in front of them they saw a flash of light traversing back and forth. It was soon followed by a dark shadow; that's when Espo shouted "Stop where you are. NYPD. Drop any weapons you're carrying!"
A familiar voice shouted back "is that you Esposito, it's LT and Agent Shaw, don't shoot."
Espo switched on his flashlight pointed it toward the voice seeing the face Sgt. LT Tolliver.
So far Castle has been fortunate, the bridge is sturdy enough so that his crossing while slow was relatively silent, Judith's violin playing helping to cover any noise he made. He was only a few steps from the end when it happened the board he stepped on gave way the sound of it snapping startling those below. "Who's there" Miller yelled!
Beckett instantly yelled back, "NYPD Miller, drop your weapon!"
"No, you throw…"
That's when she fired, POW, the sound resonating throughout the cavern.
Miller out of reflex ducked down the bullet passing inches above him. He yelled again "I'll kill…"
POW
Castle who had managed to catch himself from falling through the floorboard of the bridge had made it to the other side in a better position and with a better angle fired his Sig sending a round that grazed Millers left shoulder. Miller reeled back from the impact. The trigger of his gun hand finger automatically squeezing off a shot that luckily failed to hit any of the girls.
POW – POW
Beckett has traversed half-way across the bridge, stopped and fired two more shots keeping Miller pinned down.
POW, they heard then POW again. "Gun shots" Espo shouted scrambling to his feet then helping Ryan up.
"But from where," Ryan clamoured once he was on his feet, the shots seeming to come from different directions.
POW – POW two quick shots. "There" LT announced pointing his flashlight at another opening, "come on" he ordered dashing toward it.
Miller knowing it was two against one reared up, popped off a couple rounds and ran toward an opening to his rear hitting a switch as he entered it activating the blue floor lights. Lights that would lead him out of the cavern and to safety thinking those police officers would be too busy caring for the girls than try and follow him.
TBC