Here be Dragons!
Chapter 38
"What do you mean he was transferred to the general population an hour ago!" Kate yelled at the guard. Kate and the guards were already too late. Lockwood had a real metal blade and had just cut Gary McAlister's throat; he dropped it as Kate looked on. The two shifter dragons stared at each other. However, there was a difference between the two.
Lockwood was a cold-blooded killer and wasn't concerned what came next. Kate had a grin since now she had him.
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"How did he get transferred to the general population?" Rick asked since even he knew what that would lead to.
Kate was trying to use Castle's fancy coffee machine in the breakroom. "Esposito's trying to run that down now."
"I'm sorry, Kate. Lockwood kills Raglan and shanks McAllister. Both were cops that had something to do with your mother's murder. Even I can feel the rabbit hole calling," Rick commiserated.
"Lockwood didn't kill anyone. The person that hired him killed them. I've been staring down that Dragon for weeks. Waiting for him to blink. His master just blinked. This is just the moment I need to find the real Dragon, not another shifter," Kate told him.
Espo walked over. "Only prison staff or clerical staff have the rights to transfer him and his transfer is a forgery."
"That means blackmail or bribery. I want everything on every staff member of that prison. Who was late on their mortgage, who was late on their child support. Bank records will tell us how much he got paid to do this," Kate ordered Espo and Ryan.
"So where are we going?" Rick queried since they were headed for the elevator.
"To Lockwood's arraignment. I want to rattle his cage," Kate said.
"Lockwood doesn't strike me as a person that rattles easily," Rick commented.
"Not him, the person that hired him," Kate countered.
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Kate sat down next to Castle but was watching the three uniforms that had just walked into the courtroom.
"What is it?" Rick knew Kate well and she saw something.
"I don't know. Lockwood just grinned at me. Wait. Those three are wearing chrome NYPD insignias. NYPD wear brass. …CASTLE, DOWN!" Kate shoved Castle to the floor as a flash bang and smoke went off.
"Are you okay?" Kate needed for Castle to be okay first.
"Yeah, yeah, just go," Rick urged.
Kate was still in shock from the flash bang. She stumbled out of the courtroom and found the chains that had held Lockwood laying on the floor.
"Where?" Kate called out.
"Stairs!" a woman on the floor pointed since three officers had guns out.
Kate actually saw him as they all ran down the stairs. At the bottom she saw Lockwood getting into a helicopter that was already running. A real fucking helicopter just outside the courthouse. She could see Lockwood grinning at her. Kate emptied her clip into the helicopter but it just flew away with lights flashing.
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"I think I know who Lockwood's after. Those three cops could have killed both of us but they didn't. He's not after you." Rick meant Kate. He got up and went over to the murder board.
"We know that your mom was killed because she was working to free a mobster who was wrongly convicted of the murder of undercover FBI Agent Bob Armen. We know that the real killers were renegade cops doing their own form of street justice by kidnapping mobsters for ransom. These guys were also working for someone else. Someone big. Someone who will stop at literally nothing to keep his identity a secret." Rick paused to write on the board.
"Which means there's still one witness out there." Kate was following.
"The third cop. We know from Pulgatti that at Bob Armen's killing there were three cops involved. Whoever this third cop is, if he's still around, he knows who the guy at the top is. The guy that's behind this whole thing." Rick ended his tale.
"Which means that makes him Lockwood's next target. The guy at the top has decided now's the time to clean house," Kate said grimly.
Kate's phone rang and she walked away to answer it. "We found the helicopter." Kate fished her cruiser's keys out of her pocket and hurried down the stairs.
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Rick put his finger in a bullet hole. He looked over at Kate. "Yours?"
"Yeah, I couldn't do anything else. Too many people, too many cameras." Kate meant shifting and chasing the helicopter down. "Bleach in the cabin destroyed any evidence, dammit. Why now, babe. Lockwood was in prison for months. So why now? What's changed?" Kate was alone with Castle in the hanger next to the helicopter.
"They aren't desperate. Breaking him out of a courtroom takes time, planning. Maybe he's just tired of waiting." Rick meant whoever was behind it all.
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They were home and saw that the dining room table was empty and all the boxes with envelopes were missing. "You finished!" Kate hugged Alexis, grateful that she finished for her.
"Yep, finished and gone. Took me and the doorman some time getting them all into a taxi to take them to the Post Office but they all went out today. You should've seen the look on the lady at the post office. She at first made such a face, except since we already had stamps she just took the boxes and dumped them." Alexis hugged her back.
"Marriage license?" They were supposed to do that today.
Kate let go of her. "We caught a case."
"Her mother's case," Rick told her. That had Alexis going back to hugging her.
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"Oh God!" Alexis snatched the picture of Kate's dead mother out of her hand and looked at it. She knew she was dead but had never actually seen even one picture of her and her first was of her dead body with blood from being stabbed.
"ALEXIS!" Kate didn't want her seeing these and blamed herself for doing it in the living room.
"I can't imagine what it must be like. All those murders you work and bringing closure to all those families and can't do it for yourself." Alexis felt for her and found the picture snatched out of her hands by her dad from behind her.
He looked at Alexis. "In my books the bad guy gets caught and punished. Working with Kate has taught me one thing. It doesn't work like that in real life. Life just isn't that easy."
"Help me with dinner?" Rick asked his daughter who agreed. They cooked while Kate sat there and watched.
"Is the RSVP program ready?" Kate questioned while they cooked.
"All set. If they respond via email as offered on the registry card, it will happen automatically. If it comes in the mail we have to do it by hand," Alexis replied. "Dad, though, needs to start signing his books soon."
"I have four weeks to finish. Piece of cake." He'd signed his name more than that at any of his book signings anywhere.
"Except you procrastinate, Dad. You may be signing in the library just before getting married," Alexis countered.
"Castle?" Kate was after him now, too.
"I'll start tonight," Rick promised. "Will that make you two happy?"
"Yes." Alexis and Kate answered at the same time and smiled at each other.
"Can I ask a question?" Alexis inquired softly since this was big for her and maybe too much to ask. "After you marry Dad and adopt me, does that mean I can call you Mom? I know I'm not technically your daughter and that I have a mother. It's just that to me there's a mother and a mom." Alexis waited for it and didn't know what she was going to get from either of them.
"Alexis, sweetheart, you can call me anything that's comfortable for you. Kate or Katie, like my dad does, Detective Beckett or just plain Beckett. In either case you can still come see me if there's something bothering you." Kate privately hoped for mom. It would give her practice for after she had a baby.
Rick hugged Alexis. "I'm still sorry your mother can't act like a mother. I tried, pumpkin."
"I know, Dad. I don't hate her, she's my mother, she's just…" Alexis didn't know just what her mother was. "So, a baby!" Alexis beamed at Kate.
"Not yet. Not that I know of. No morning sickness and I don't yet have a reason to use test sticks. And I can't believe you had a birthday and didn't tell me." Kate glared at her for that. Then she turned her glare on Castle. She did at least now have a date.
"When is yours?" Alexis asked her.
"November 17th," Kate told both of them.
"Two weeks after your wedding!" Alexis was amazed. All Kate could do was smile at her. "Dad's is April 1st," Alexis informed her if she didn't know.
"April fools day!" Kate brightened. She could do so much to Castle on his birthday. Rick was sure he was a dead man and went back to cooking.
"So where's Martha?" Kate hadn't seen her for a while.
"The space she bought with part of her million dollars has a few issues that her contractor keeps finding. She's always over there keeping an eye on things," Alexis responded.
"Personally I think opening a studio to teach is a brilliant idea. Chet's money will make a difference for several people." Kate loved the idea.
"Plates," Rick announced since dinner was ready.
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"The bullet entered the back of the head, exited the front, and ended up in the cabinet. I'm making time of death around 9:00 pm last night. He's been dead for hours," Lanie said as they all looked at the security guard that had met Kate on all her trips to the prison to see Lockwood when he was there.
Rick found his phone. "Riker made four phone calls to the same burner phone Lockwood did to break him out of prison."
"That $50,000 he was paid bounced from a bank in the United Arab Emirates that came from a Swiss bank in Dubai as a wire transfer," Ryan announced.
"You don't go to this kind of trouble to cover a pair of rogue cops that were kidnapping mobsters in some back alley," Rick mentioned since this was looking like something a lot bigger.
"No, this is about something else. Something bigger," Kate agreed.
"Someone knew he was weak and approachable. How did they know that? There are lots of guards in that prison, so why him?" Rick wondered.
"The same way we did. They do backgrounds on everyone in that prison and had four months to find him," Kate suggested.
"Who has that kind of authority?" Rick queried.
"A cop or someone who was a cop. This third cop. The guy at the top might not be holding Lockwood's leash. It might be this third cop. Now we really need to find this guy. Someone is two steps out in front of us, so that makes him an active cop," Kate theorized.
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"No one with a badge has this kind of juice. Money, hired military or ex-military killers." Ryan was with Espo in records and it was dark and lonely down there.
"If he worked with Raglan he's long since retried by now. …Michael Yanovich. He graduated in the same class as Raglan and McAllister." Ryan handed over this file and opened his computer. "He retired to Miami."
"We find him and talk to him, even if we have to fly to Miami," Espo vowed.
Meanwhile Roy is getting a late night visit from Lockwood informing him of a decision he had to make. Either Kate died or his family died.
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"Rick!?" Kate loved him fiercely and she was presently really worried. Her using his first name got his attention. He came over to her and wrapped his arms around her.
"I'm in the rabbit hole, Rick. I'm deeper than I've ever been before and I'm scared. The only light I can see is you. I've never been this close and I wouldn't be here without you. I just…" She couldn't stop herself and she couldn't get out. Kate also couldn't stop the tears. She loved him, she really did, it was just that her mother's case was consuming her again.
"And I'm going to be right here all the way. Maybe you don't see the light, but I do. That third cop knows everything and he isn't in charge here. That guy at the top has power no cop has or ever will have. We find him and we find the guy at the top. We just have to find him before Lockwood does," Rick said.
Kate let herself melt into his body. He was the only light she had. He was the only way she was getting out of this damn hole.
"Kate, …Lockwood's a hired killer and well trained. Maybe military trained. If he works for the guy at the top that means he knows who this guy is, too. It also means he knows…" Kate finished it for him.
"He knows who the third cop is. So why hasn't he killed him already? He's killed Raglan and you and I were right there. They went to a lot of trouble to get to McAllister. So why is he last?" Kate questioned.
"Unless something has changed. You weren't a target when they killed Raglan," Rick told her.
"But I am now. Somehow they know I'm getting closer and I have to go. I'm the target now." Kate held onto Rick just a little tighter.
Rick tried for some levity. "And you scoffed at my idea of a security system."
"Where are Alexis and Martha?" To get to her they may try and use either of them and she would do it too. She would hand over her life if it meant that they lived.
"Upstairs. Alexis doesn't have class tomorrow and Mother only ever goes to her studio that's being renovated," Rick assured her.
"They stay home, babe. Until we get Lockwood and find this third cop, they stay home. They may decide to use them to get to me and I can't live with that. She may not be my daughter but I still love her." Kate felt him squeeze her a little tighter.
That Kate loved Alexis made Rick's heart soar. "You really should have found me when your mother took you to that book signing. I would have waited."
Kate smiled. "I was an out of control, flat-chested teenager. You wouldn't have liked me."
"You underestimate your hotness," Rick said. "Baby making practice?" Now Kate was really smiling wide. Making love to him would take her mind off the rabbit hole she was in.
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Kate accepted his call. "Sir?"
"Beckett, I think we got a lead," Roy alleged. "Meet me at the hangar where we found the stolen chopper. I'll explain everything there."
"On my way." Kate grabbed her stuff and didn't see either Castle, Ryan, or Espo for a change.
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"It's Montgomery. He's been lying to us all this time." Ryan and Espo had already had a small scuffle as they came to terms with it. "Beckett!"
Kate meanwhile was walking slowly through the hangar looking for anyone and kept her hand on her weapon. Being here stank to high heaven. Then she got a text.
3rd cop - it's Montgomery
"I brought them here to kill you but I'm going to end this. You need to get out of here." Roy needed to explain to Kate while he was still alive to tell explain and say how sorry he was.
"I'm not going anywhere, sir." She was staying here and killing these guys or capturing them and getting a name.
"Yes, you are. …Castle, get her out of here!" Roy had made one other phone call.
"That won't be happening. You screwed up, I get that, but we're ending this tonight, here, now. Just don't freak out on us. We shift and get these guys, Kate." Rick had heard enough and wasn't leaving, either. Then all three of them saw the lights. "You take one side and I'll take the other. Forget the hangar, just remember what Lockwood is."
"We need to wait for them to exit the car. We need to know Lockwood's here." Kate ran and so did Rick.
Roy was left standing there in confusion since nothing was working like he had planned it. Something was really off.
Lockwood and his three friends stepped out of the black SUV. "Where is she, Roy?" He had given him an ultimatum: Kate or his family.
"Right here, asshole." Kate showed herself and spent just a few seconds to shift into a Gold Dragon. She didn't have any experience fighting like this so her Dragon was in charge now.
That side of the hangar burst open and part of the roof began to fall. Only to have the other side burst out and start to fall down. These four saw two large Gold Dragons on either side of them. A beast straight out of a fantasy or something. Things like that didn't exist.
Roy was equally shocked. Kate had just changed into, this…whatever this was, right in front of his own eyes.
Rick leaned forward and roared as loud and long as he could. All four could feel the heat and the spittle hit them as the last of the roof fell down and created a tent over the helicopter that was still there. Roy dived under it; it was either that or be crushed.
Then Kate did what Rick had done. She leaned out, however, instead of roaring she used her breath weapon of weakening gas and hit all four of them.
Seconds later there was a Red Dragon standing there that was bigger than either of them. The SUV went flying and his three men, while killers, weren't ready for this and were ready to pee their pants. Still one of them raised his weapon and fired at Rick. Rick's Dragon didn't care. His tiny little gun was worthless. The bullets just bounced off his scales.
Lockwood reached out and succeeded in biting Kate in the neck which had her roaring from the pain. Lockwood tasted Dragon blood for the first time and decided that he loved the taste so he closed his mouth as hard as he could to taste more.
Rick's Dragon kept his wings folded in and jumped on the Red Dragon, ignoring the men and biting down of the neck of the Red Dragon as hard as he could. He was rewarded with the blood of a Dragon which tasted very different. It was enough that Lockwood was forced to let go of Kate to get Rick off of him.
Kate collapsed and tried to recover from the pain and damage to her neck.
Lockwood spread his wings wide and jumped to get Rick off of him. Rick, though, had hold of him and didn't let go. Planting his feet firmly he used every muscle he had to flip Lockwood off to his side and ignored the man he just crushed under one of his feet.
Lockwood felt himself being flipped and landed on his back. Except that action caused Rick to let go of him. His neck hurt. It hurt bad. Still he righted himself, ran for some space, and beat his wings to gain some altitude.
Roy had seen all of it and was still in shock as he tried to wrap his head around all this. One he knew had to be Kate. He had seen it. The other must be Castle but his mind had no answer as to just how this was all possible. Let alone Lockwood changing into an even larger Red Dragon.
Rick was right on Lockwood's heels and flapped his wings to gain some altitude.
Kate saw her mate running off after the Red Dragon then flying. As bad as she hurt, she wasn't leaving her mate behind. She'd found him after all these lifetimes and worlds. It had her on her feet, running and flapping her wings to go after them.
Lockwood took a quick look behind him and saw a Gold Dragon right behind him. He grinned a toothy grin as he looked around. Killing a Gold Dragon shifter would be the highlight of his life. He did his best to ignore the pain in his neck.
He still needed altitude so he could maneuver so he kept beating his wings hard, knowing this tasty Dragon would be right behind him. Lockwood started a turn then turned it into a displacement roll. He was betting that this Dragon was too young to know it and couldn't do it.
Lockwood grinned when he noticed at the end of his turn that he was right. Now he was behind this stupid Gold Dragon, so he flapped hard to gain some speed.
Rick had never seen anything like it. Now instead of being behind him he was in front of him. He had seen enough war movies to know that you didn't want something on your six. However, he did see something else and it was out in front of him. Rick was flapping hard to stay out in front and he needed to make sure his body kept Lockwood blind to what was coming his way.
Kate had seen it and was furious that Lockwood was now on Rick's tail. "Leave my mate alone!" Kate beat her wings hard, trying to ignore her aching neck and the blood that was coming from her wound.
"Not yet, babe, not yet… NOW!" Kate willed for him to dive.
The problem was Lockwood had caught Rick and had just bitten deep into his tail and damn near ripped the tip clean off. Lockwood was celebrating because he had a Gold Dragon by the tail. Until he saw a Gold Dragon fly over him and it used its front claws to dig deep into his already open and bleeding neck.
Kate didn't let go and squeezed for all she was worth. But he weighed too much for her and now both of them were tumbling from the sky. If she held on she was never going to right herself and come out of this. But if she didn't he would live. So maybe they both died when they hit the ground. At least her mate would live.
Rick knew Kate had gone over him and turned to look. Horrified, he saw both of them tumbling toward the ground with her front legs digging into his neck. Rick did his own tumble so he could turn that way as fast as he could.
Rick pinned his wings to his body and plummeted toward both of them as fast as his body weight would allow. These two were tumbling and he needed to time this just right or he would either grab Kate and hurt her or miss altogether.
Rick reached out and grabbed hold of a Red Dragon wing and took that wing with him. Since it was attached to a body the Red Dragon was ripped out of Kate's claws.
Kate looked and saw Rick holding onto a wing, rocketing toward the ground, dragging a tumbling Red Dragon behind him. Her Dragon did all it could just to right her so she could actually fly. However, those two just kept going down.