Beckett Behind Bars
A season 5 A.U. story where, Kate is recruited to go undercover in a woman's prison to get information from the girlfriend of a Russian gang leader.
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Detective Kate Beckett found herself in a state that she wasn't used to. She was nervous. In fact she was very nervous. She was sitting in a chair waiting for a top movie make-up artist and his crew to come in and erase who she was, so she could become someone else entirely.
This wouldn't be just a change of clothes and a wig type of makeover. She was going undercover in a women's prison to gain some valuable information. The close quarters, and intimate confinement called for an identity that would stand up to close inspection, and last for up to several days if not weeks.
She couldn't help but look at the large mirror in front of her. Her hand, of its own accord lifted to her head to finger comb her long chestnut locks behind her ear. She bit her lip as she wondered if she'd be able to do that again for a while.
She had had conversations, over the phone, with the gentleman who would be in charge of her undercover disguise. He threw some ideas at her she threw some back. It worried her that pretty much nothing she suggested seemed to catch his interest, and most of what he suggested scared the hell out of her.
Unfortunately, he was fully in charge of her physical cover identity. The Gang Task Force had already worked up her cover story. She was to be an immigrant Russian woman with a past in the Russian gangs in Leningrad. Her name was Katya Koslikov, and she was not a good little girl.
The big shots at the NYPD had come to her because of her ability to speak Russian. Apparently there weren't any female police around her age in all of New York who could speak the language well enough to pass for a Russian expatriate. So, while she couldn't be forced to do it, she agreed she would.
Of course she knew that it wouldn't be an easy assignment. Any kind of undercover work generally was risky and had inherent dangers to be aware of. Going to prison was going to up those dangers. Only the warden would know who she was, so she had to blend in with her 'fellow prisoners' and not get herself in any serious trouble before she was able to find the right girl and get the information that was deemed so important.
She truly didn't want to do it, but she understood why they needed her, and her dedication to her badge made the choice for her. She only hoped that she would be able to 'live' with her decision.
As she heard others start to file into the small room, her thoughts brought her back when she was called into Gates' office.
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36 hours previously
Kate was staring at her computer screen as she fought the fatigue that kept telling her to just close her eyes for a little while. After she forced them to uncross for the third time, she decided that she needed to get a cup of coffee.
Where was Castle when she needed him?
"Detective Beckett, could I see you in my office…now."
Kate turned at saw Captain Gates standing in the doorway to her office. Beckett couldn't read anything on her face, so she had no idea what the summons could be about. She didn't think that she'd done anything wrong, and Castle hadn't even been at the precinct today, so she was clueless.
"Yes sir." Kate turned herself around and followed her captain into her office. Kate sat when Gates indicated the chair in front of her desk. Gate returned to her own chair and folded her hands in front of her.
"I see that Mr. Castle did not grace us with his presence today?" Gates tone was without the normal edge that it usually had when speaking of her partner.
Kate gave her head the slightest nod. "No, he was a bit behind on his latest book I told him to stay home and finish what he needed to do so as not to bring the wrath of his publisher down on his head. We were just doing the final wrapping up of the Anderton case and it would mostly be paperwork anyway."
Gates nodded her head. "I've noticed that Mr. Castle is seldom here when there is paperwork to do." Her tone gained a bit of sarcasm.
Kate chuckled. "Think about it, sir. Having known Castle for over a year now. And how often his imagination sometimes runs away with him. Do you really think it would be a good idea that he fill out police forms when his strengths are in fiction?"
Gates allowed herself a brief smile. "No, I guess that would be asking for trouble, wouldn't it."
Kate nodded. "Yeah, and he would continually run out of space on every form, and just whine about needing more room to get everything 'just right'."
The two ladies shared a brief chuckle. Kate reset herself in her chair.
"So what can I do for you, Captain?"
Gates stared at Kate for a few moments more before she finally spoke.
"It seems that you have a unique skill that the boys down in the gangs unit have a possible need of."
"Sir?"
"According to your file, you spent a semester abroad while in college?"
Kate was instantly leery. "Yes sir, I spent that semester in Kiev. I found it quite enjoyable."
Gates nodded as she picked up a piece of paper from her desk. "I assume you speak the language?"
Kate blushed. "Well, I don't claim to be expert or anything, but I can get by in most conversations." Kate noticed the paper in Gate's hand. "May I ask why you are asking about that?"
Gates sighed. Kate was sure that the captain wasn't pleased about something.
"It seems that the boys down in gangs need someone who speaks Russian fluently enough to pass for one, and apparently you are the only one in all of the NYPD."
Kate shook her head. "I know that's not true, sir. Tomas Burotich in vice can speak fluent Russian, and I know of at least two uniforms who also speak it."
Gate nodded. "So I was informed also. Unfortunately, what they need is a woman. I'm afraid you are it Detective."
"Sir?"
Gates held up her hand. "Now before I get into any details that I have, I want to make it clear to you that the NYPD cannot force you to do this. It is not part of the normal parameters of your job as a homicide detective."
Kate could tell by the frown on Gates' face that she wasn't happy about this. "To the point, Kate, this is an undercover operation and as such you can't be ordered to do it. It has to be volunteer. Do you understand that?"
"Yes, sir."
"There will be a more comprehensive presentation tomorrow morning, but the gist of the operation is this. A young woman named Valeria Denov was recently picked up carrying a large amount of drugs on her person. She was essentially acting as a drug mule for her boyfriend, Kristoff Anitovich."
Kate rolled her eyes. "Now there's a name that I know."
Gates nodded. "Yes, unfortunately it's a name well known by most members of the NYPD. He's the shot caller for the Russian gangs that are having a resurgence of relevance in the ongoing drug wars in our city."
Kate frowned. "Yes, I've heard there has been an upsurge in activity."
Gate stared at Kate again. "Here's the deal. The Gangs Task Force is positive that the Russians are expecting a huge shipment to be coming in before the end of the month. They are positive that Valeria Denov has knowledge that could be used to intercept that shipment and cripple the Russian gangs for months to come." Gates spread her hands out. "And the hope is, if the timing is right, a lot of Russian gang members could be taken off the streets."
Kate is feeling uneasy. She thinks she knows what is coming. "And where do I come in all of this? Why is my knowledge of the language suddenly so critical?"
Gates leaned back in her chair. "During her arrest, Valeria kept her mouth shut. No amount of pressure would make her tell what she knew about the coming drug shipment."
"And?"
"And Valeria is currently serving a possession bust in the Belmont Women's Prison in Marlowville, which you know isn't too far outside of the city. There is a problem because she refuses to, or she can't speak more than a few words in English."
Kate dropped her head in her hands. She looked up at Gates.
"And they want me to go into Belmont, and cozy up to this Valeria and find out where and when the shipment is coming in."
Gates had a resigned look on her face as she nodded. "That's pretty much the gist of it."
Kate leaned back and ran both her hands through her long chestnut colored hair. "They do know that there are more than a few prisoners who can thank me for their incarceration there, don't they?"
"Gangs have been made aware of it, so they are bringing in a big shot movie make up guy and his crew to make sure no one will be able to recognize you."
Kate dropped her head in her hands again. "Shit."
Gates cleared her throat so Kate raised her head again. "As I've said Kate. This has to be voluntary. I want you to go home and think about this. Talk it over with Mr. Castle and explain it to him. Get his input."
Kate's brows rose in surprise. "Sir?"
Gates rolled her eyes. "Oh come on, Kate. Do you think I'm stupid? If you aren't sleeping with the man by now, then you are the stupid one."
Kate's mouth dropped open. "B… but, how did you know. We've always comported ourselves professionally while at the precinct."
Gates rolled her eyes. "More or less. But really, it was the way he acted around you."
"How he acted?"
Gates nodded. "Yes, he actually listened to you." Gates cracked a slight smile. "And more damning was… you listened to him." Kate blushed as Gates continued.
"Kate, this is a possibly very important operation, but you can't make this decision quickly, or alone." She gave her a smile. "Go see Mr. Castle. Talk it over with him, then screw his brains out because if you agree, you will be without for who knows how many days… or weeks."
Kate just shook her head in shock. Never had she ever expected that the Captain would speak to her so openly. She stood and stopped before passing through the door.
"Thank you sir, when do you have to know?"
"You will meet with Gangs tomorrow at 1:00." Gates stood. "As I said, talk it over with Mr. Castle." She paused. "But don't bring him with you tomorrow."
Kate let her head rock back and forth slowly. "I understand, sir."
Beckett left the captain's office and went back to her desk. She was done with her paperwork, so there was no reason to hang around any longer. She gathered her bag, and draped her jacket over her arm. She moved like a person walking the last mile.
She was not looking forward to tonight's conversation. Rick was going to freak out big time.
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Kate used her key to unlock the door and enter the loft. She and Castle hadn't been an acknowledge couple for very long yet. She had convinced Castle that they should keep it on the down low because they didn't want Gates to find out and use it as a reason to ban him from the precinct. Now she finds out that the captain was aware of their feelings for each other anyway.
Kate couldn't decide if that was a good thing or bad. The only comfort she could take from finding out that Gates knew about them is that she made no mention of tossing Castle aside. She might not like Castle, but she had grudgingly, over time, come to realize that Rick really was an asset to her team.
But Kate had a bigger problem now. She had to discuss this whole undercover situation with Castle. If there was one thing that caused Rick to balk at, it was situations where he wasn't able to be there to 'protect' her. And a women's prison was about as isolated from him as she could possibly get.
And even though her immediate impulse was to help out and go undercover, she had reservations.
Detective Beckett had been putting criminals away for several years now, and a fair number of them had been women. It had been her experience that women tended to hold a grudge a lot longer than the men did.
Belmont was most likely where most of her convicted perps wound up. So that was something that had to be considered.
The fact that they planned to bring in a big deal make up expert to create her undercover 'look' also was a reason to be concerned. Just how radical would the changes be in order to protect her identity from any convicts who'd had a past with her?
"Rick, are you home?" She walked toward his office, but she wasn't hearing any indication that he was in there.
Once she was there, her hearing proved accurate. He wasn't there writing. She walked through and checked the bedroom. He wasn't there either. She frowned as the thought she should have called ahead to make sure he was home struck her. It was a bit early for her to be home already.
A slight smile found its way on her face. In just the few minutes she'd been in the loft, she had mentally called it home several times. It was a big change for the ultra-independent Kate Beckett, and she was beginning to like it.
Just then the door opened and she could hear someone entering.
She doubted it was Alexis, since she was living in the dorms now. Martha had a small studio apartment above her acting school, but that rarely kept her from dropping in whenever the urge struck her. Kate figured it had something to do with food, and Rick's selection of fine wines.
She made her way back out into the main part of the loft. "Rick, is that you?"
They came face to face. He gave her a big smile, then hugged and kissed her. "You're home early."
She nodded. "Yeah, it was a paperwork day, and I finished up early." She kissed him again. "Did you get any writing done?" Suddenly, something on the ceiling seemed urgently interesting.
"Rick," she said, her voice took on a threatening tone. "Don't tell me you wasted the day playing games instead of writing."
He gave her his little boy look. "Okay, I won't tell you."
"Castle!"
He began to laugh. "I actually got a chapter written, and outlined three more."
She gave him a scorching kiss. His eyes practically rolled out of his head.
"If that's my reward for writing, I'll have to do more of it."
She grinned at him. "Since that's how you make your living, that wouldn't be a bad idea." She gave him another quick kiss. "So, what are the plans for dinner?"
He put his arm around her and led her over to the sofa. "I was thinking we could get all gussied up and go out to a nice place for some dinner and dancing."
He saw her face fall. "Or if you are tired, we can order in and just make out all night."
She chuckled. "A hard choice you present there, lover, but unfortunately we have to discuss a situation that came up at work."
A puzzled look came over Castle. "What's up?"
Kate stood up and reached down, took his hand, and pulled him up. "Why don't you order us something, and while we're waiting we can make out. Then after dinner I will tell you what Gates dropped on me."
A guarded look came over Castle's face, but he knew that she wouldn't want to talk about it till later. But obviously it was something that was troubling her, and there was no way she was going to bring it up until after they had dinner, and some 'fun' first. That didn't bode well in Rick's mind.
"Is Thai, okay?" She nodded in response. Rick pulled out his phone and called in their normal order.
True to Kate's plan, she and Rick made out like a couple teenagers on the old couch in the girl's basement when the parents were upstairs. They had even managed to 'break a sweat' before the knock on the door signaled the arrival of their dinner.
Castle answered the door and took their order over to the island counter. Kate got off the couch and picked out one of the stools after selecting a bottle of wine that interested her.
She also grabbed two glasses and put them all on the counter, then sat down. They seldom ate at the dining table when it was just the two of them. Only when one of them, usually Rick, wanted to make the dinner something special, or romantic… or romantically special, did they dine at the table.
That wasn't going to be tonight, though Kate was sure there would be some love making later, after she had filled Castle in on her pending decision.
There was little conversation during their meal. Castle was able to tell that Kate had something working on her mind all through dinner. Whatever she wanted to talk about was something that had her concerned beyond a normal case.
They tossed away the cartons, and quickly rinsed off the dishes they used and put everything into the dishwasher for when there was enough to make it worth running the large machine. Once they had fully finished with their dinner, Castle turned to his girlfriend and was about to suggest the couch for their conversation.
Before he could do that she turned and walked into their bedroom, unbuttoning her blouse as she walked. Castle just raised his brows and after a slight pause, followed.
Rick entered the bedroom only seconds behind Kate and she already had her shirt off and was undoing her pants. He stopped and stared as she stripped off her bra and underwear and slipped into her side of the bed completely naked.
He chuckled as he began to unbutton his shirt. "I'm not sure how much talking we're going to get done if we're both going to be naked… in bed."
She gave him a coy smile. "I just want to be ready for when we finish."
He smiled. "Oh, am I going to be excited when we finish our conversation?"
She shook her head slowly. "I highly doubt it. But I am going to need comforting, and you are the best at that I know."
That comment slowed Rick a bit and caused him to worry about what Kate needed to talk about.
He slipped his naked form under the covers as he positioned himself next to her. Both where now propped up against the padded head board next to each other. He kissed her head as he maneuvered next to her and put his arm around her shoulders, pulling her close. She let her head fall against his chest.
He heard her sigh. "I'm guessing that this conversation is not about something that I will be happy about."
She tilted her head to look into his eyes. "Probably not. I'm not sure where to start?"
"The beginning is usually a good place, but you choose." He gave her a squeeze.
Kate began to play with the fingers of Rick's hand that was wrapped around her shoulder. She took another deep breath.
"Gates called me into her office this afternoon." Kate looked up at him again. "Do you know that she knows about us?"
Castle looked shocked. "What makes you think so?"
Kate grinned. "She told me to go home and talk things over, then screw your brains out."
A choked gasp came from Castle's mouth. "I'm gaining a lot more respect for that woman."
The fact that Kate didn't respond with a chuckle was telling.
"The gangs unit wants to borrow me because I can speak Russian."
Castle just nodded. He knew she spoke the language. She had told him about her semester in Kiev, but it seemed strange that they couldn't find an actual translator instead of combing the precincts of New York to find a cop who can speak Russian. Obviously there was more to it. A more that he was probably not going to like.
"They can't locate a legitimate translator that would serve?" He asked.
She shook her head. "We're talking about a young woman who was caught carrying drugs for the Russian gangs. She's supposedly the girlfriend of the main shot caller for them, and she apparently doesn't speak any English."
He shook his head. "That still doesn't explain why they need you to interrogate her. Other than you are really good at it."
"They don't want me to be her interrogator. They've already gone that route. She's already in Belmont Women's Prison. They want to send someone in, who speaks the language and can possibly befriend her enough to get her to talk about the drugs. It seems a big shipment is coming in soon, and they need all the intel they can get."
"What makes them think that she would know anything? She's just the guy's girlfriend."
Kate glared at him and threw and elbow into his side. "Just the girlfriend? Do you keep a lot of secrets from your girlfriend? And think twice before you answer."
"Okay, that wasn't well thought out." She gave him a look that said, 'you're darn right it wasn't'.
Castle fluttered his hands in confusion. "Even so. Are you telling me that you are the only woman police officer in all of New York that can speak Russian?"
She shrugged. "Apparently so."
Rick shook his head. "Just from a statistical point of view. I find that very hard to believe."
Kate went back to playing with Rick's fingers. "I know what you're saying, and I too find it hard to believe that too. But I can believe that they think I would be their best choice to get the job done."
Castle nodded vigorously. "Now that I can believe." He kissed her head again. "So, what's the gist of the operation and how dangerous is it?"
Kate shifted herself away from Castle so she could turn and face him. "I'm going in tomorrow afternoon to speak with them and get the whole picture. But what this basically entails is; my going undercover into the prison, find the girl, get friendly enough with her by using a fake Russian background and find out when and where the shipment is coming in."
Castle frowns. "And exactly how dangerous will this be?"
She shrugged again. "It depends on a lot of things."
"Like what?"
Kate clenched her hands. "A lot of things. Right off, I haven't spoken more than a handful of words in Russian in a long time. What if I don't come off convincingly? Also, I'm not sure how I'd go about trying to be her friend."
Castle shook his head. "No, that won't be a problem. You are very likable."
She rolled her eyes. "And you aren't prejudice or anything."
"Nope."
Kate dropped her head and let her hair fall in front of her face for several moments. She brushed the long locks back and reached out for Rick's other hand so she was holding onto both of his hands.
"The biggest problem that I see is… there will be women in that prison who will have been arrested by me. I will be the reason that they are sitting in prison. These will be women who've been convicted of murder."
Rick looked worried. "Is there any way to find out?"
She shook her head. "I don't know. Even if I looked over a list of all the inmates. We're talking years here. I won't necessarily remember all the names. Many, maybe even most, but we are talking about over a decade here. I've put a lot of women behind bars in that time. Several of them could be at Belmont. Also, even if I had a name, that doesn't mean I'll be able to recognize them now."
Rick tapped his chin with his finger. "But that will work both ways. It will have been years since they've seen you too."
Kate nodded. "That's true, but I think the person who arrested you and put you in prison is someone's face you will remember for a long time."
Rick shook his head. "So what can you do to protect yourself?"
"I will be undercover. That means I have to look different. Really different. Everything that can be changed will have to be changed. That's why they are bringing in a big time motion picture make-up artist and his crew. And these can't be changes just for the camera. This will be changes that will have to stand up to close one on one interaction."
Castle pursed his lips. "There's not a lot you can do physically except change your hair." She involuntarily reached up and ran her hand through her hair. "But if the guys they bring in are real pros, they will have tricks and stuff that will work a change for more than a couple of days."
Kate frowned. "You sound like you think I should do this."
Rick smiled a sad smile. "Not really. I think you should listen to their spiel and what they can do to protect you both from the appearance end and the plan for getting you out once you have what you want." He pulled her to him. "If you aren't comfortable with what they've put together, walk away. There's no shame in that."
He leaned over and kissed her on the mouth. He came up for air and had to take a big breath before he could talk again.
"Besides, I know you Kate Beckett, and I believe you've already made up your mind. If it's a well thought out plan and not a potential cluster. You are already in."
She looked into his bright, earnest eyes. A tear snuck down her cheek. "Have I mentioned lately that I love you?"
He pulled her close. "Not enough."
"I love you Richard Castle."
He pulled her into a long, deep, kiss which nearly caused each of them to black out.
"Make love to me, Rick." She just managed between breaths.
"My pleasure." He said as he tossed the covers aside.
A/N: I'm taking a bit of a risk here. This was supposed to be a ten chapter story, but I'm in the middle of the 11th chapter now. That should do it, but I usually like to have it all finished before posting. I'm also going to try an every other day posting schedule to allow those who can't read every day a chance to keep up without having to double up.
Readers are Always Appreciated, Review if you wish.