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Disclaimer: I don't own Castle.
Chapter 10
Once he's sure Kate's asleep, Rick begins to prepare for the next day, knowing he's most likely going to need all of his training to make tomorrow successful. Sighing, he pushes the couch in the small room aside, kneels down, and lifts away the hidden compartment door expertly camouflaged within the rest of the wooden floor. He rifles around the small compartment until he finds what he needs, closes it up, and replaces the couch.
As his fingers fiddle with the object in his hands, his mind flashes back to a time before he had begun his 'career'.
Sometimes, he would give anything to change the choices he's made...
He sits alone at the bar, motioning at the bartender for another round.
"You alright there, Buddy?" the bartender asks as he places another shot in front of Rick.
"Just another long, disappointing day," the blue eyed man grumps.
"Seems you've had a lot of those lately," the other man comments. "You've come in here quite a few times recently."
"Yeah, well," Rick starts before taking another sip. "I apparently can't succeed in anything and have no money."
"Well, just take it easy, okay?"
"Noted," Rick remarks, gazing down at his glass.
As the bartender turns away, Rick can feel the presence of someone else behind him, waiting.
"You can sit down if you want," he answers, not bothering to turn around. "Though, I'm not good company at the moment."
A chuckle is the answer he receives as his new companion plops himself on the barstool. This time Rick does bother to look. It takes him a moment to realize he's seen this man before in the same establishment they sit in now. The stranger often occupies the corner booth, keeping to himself.
"Ah, well, that's unfortunate," the man hums as he signals to the bartender. "I would ask if you come here often, but from the recognition in your eyes, you've seen me here before."
Hmm, pretty observant guy. "Uh, yeah, you usually sit in the corner booth," Rick comments.
"And you've sat at the same barstool the past three nights." Looking around, the man purses his lips, his eyelids squinting, his green eyes full of contemplation. Finally, he subtly gestures to a couple nearby. "Tell me, what do you see, and be specific."
Rick's lips curl into a frown as he gazes at the couple at another table. They appear quite cozy and comfortable, enjoying the other's company. The woman sports bright blonde hair, a contrast to her dark red dress she wears. The man's outfit is more casual, but still suitable for the venue.
"I see a happily long dating couple. I say long dating because she's not wearing an engagement ring, but they seem comfortable enough with each other to go on a casual date at a bar."
"Hmmm. Anything else?"
Rick examines the couple further. "From the way they're dressed, I would guess both are from fairly upper class families. Her dress screams designer. In fact, I believe I've seen that dress before somewhere along the way. He's wearing a casual shirt, but I can see it's tailored." He watches as the guy curls his hand around his partner's knee, earning him a small smile from the woman. "And right now, they're probably going to wave over the server and ask for the check."
Sure enough, the guy raises his hand and the couple's server comes over, nods, and heads to the cashier.
"Very good," the man praises. "Listen, I think I have a job that could be of use to you."
Shock fills Rick, but he attempts to hide it. "What makes you think I need a job?"
"You've been drinking alone, plus I did hear part of your conversation." Waving a dismissive hand, the man leans in, his blonde hair falling in front of his face. "Anyway, if you want the job, look in tomorrow's paper for an ad. Follow exactly what it says."
"How do I know which ad?" Is that all this guy's really going to tell him?
"If you're as astute as I think you are, you'll figure it out in no time." Reaching into his pocket, the man pulls out a twenty and tosses it onto the bar. "Don't worry, I'll put in a good word for you, Rick. You can call me, Mark, by the way."
Rick's eyes widen as the man walks out.
What the hell?
Shaking his head, Rick snaps out of his reminiscing as he continues his preparation. He can't believe how long it's been since he started at the agency. What is it? Seven, eight years? Now, he's trying to bring his target back home, who's almost ten years younger than him and who he also has fallen in love with at some point. Yeah, definitely not where he had planned to end up.
His gaze slides to the clock on the wall, which informs him it's almost midnight. He's loathe to disturb Kate, who definitely needs her rest. While he can give her a couple of more hours, he wants her up bright and early. The more ahead they can get from his boss and his boss's partner, the better.
Deciding to rest a bit himself, Rick lays out on the couch, setting his watch for two hours from now. He sets the gun he had removed from the compartment right next to him just in case.
Closing his eyes, he drifts off to sleep, hoping all of this ends by tomorrow.
"Come on, Ricky, put more fight into it," Mark, his mentor and handler, urges.
"Easy for you to say," Rick snaps, panting, sweat covering every inch of his body. "You're just holding the bag."
His mentor snickers, rolling his eyes. "Come on, just a few more whacks."
The brunette grunts as he throws his fists into the punching bag, the force of his hits causing the bag to almost knock over Mark.
"Alright, that's enough for today," the blonde intones.
"I think I'm going to die soon," Rick grumbles.
"Spoken like a true twenty year old," Mark chirps, slapping him on the back. "You're doing pretty well for a newbie."
"Yeah, well, it better be worth it." Why had he decided to join the agency? Oh, yeah, the money.
"Come on, Ricky, remember what I told you when you started six months ago?"
"Yeah, I do." He remembers his mentor's enticing voice telling him all the perks of his new position. The potential of over ten grand for one job, the strength he would gain, and the skills...
However, all he wants to do right now is curl up and die, or sleep; whichever comes first.
"Let's get some lunch and then we'll continue with the shooting range."
"Let me get changed first. I stink and feel like a sweaty pig."
"Alright, alright, I'll leave you alone for a bit."
The two depart, Rick going into the locker room. Since the session ran later, he's the only one there, all of his comrades either at lunch or done for the day.
Once he showers and changes, he joins Mark outside, his mentor grinning.
"Now, you're fresh as a daisy," his companion jokes.
Rick just snorts. As they walk, he thinks, a question he's been dying to ask Mark for a while on the tip of his tongue.
"Out with it," Mark insists, rolling his eyes. Rick raises an eyebrow. "Your fingers twitch when you're holding something in."
"When will I go on my first job?"
His mentor laughs. "I wondered when you would ask that. Hmm, I don't know, I think you're ready." Cocking his head, the blonde furrows his eyebrows in thought. "How about you ride along on my next job? That way you can get a feel for things."
"Sure. What is it?"
Mark shrugs. "Eh, some family or something."
"You don't know?"
"Don't care. The job is thirty grand, plus a bonus if it's done right. I'm not gonna ask questions for that amount."
"Wow," Rick mutters, the numbers floating in his head. All the things he could with that amount of money. "But aren't you, well, curious?"
"Nope." Shaking his head, the blonde purses his lips. "It's better not to, you have less of a conscience that way." Mark turns to him, looking at him straight in the eyes. "Remember this: when you're on a job, your conscience doesn't exist. Throw it out in however you can. Throw things, do whatever you have to do to get rid of it, because once your job starts, whatever guilt you may feel, doesn't matter. Got it?"
"Yeah, got it," Rick mumbles as they head into a small cafe.
He has feeling that it's easier said than done.
Rick's eyes fly open as his alarm sounds, and he sits up, glancing around the room, taking a second to recall where he is. Oh right, he's at his home, with Kate in the other room.
Frowning, he wonders why he had that dream. He hasn't thought of his rookie days at the agency in a while. However, a small part of him knows why. Mark would probably kill him right now if his mentor can see what he's done.
Groaning, Rick stretches before leaving the couch and gathering up the necessary materials for the day.
As soon as he's ready, he walks to Kate's room and opens the door, finding her fast asleep. Taking a moment to gaze at her, he examines her calm, relaxed expression as gentle snores sound from her mouth. A slight pout forms on his lips as he knows this will be the last time he'll get the chance to see her like this.
Reluctantly, he shakes her, awaking her from her slumber.
"Wha?" she mumbles, her expression groggy. It's quite adorable.
"Kate, it's time to get up," he murmurs.
As she sits up, she rubs her eyelids, frowning when she sees the time on the clock near her. "It's only three in the morning."
"I wanted to get a head start before my boss catches on," he explains, handing her a pile of clothes he'd retrieved from the basement. "Some come on and get dressed. I'll make us some cereal or something."
"Okay," she says.
He doesn't wait for anything else before going into the kitchen and conjuring a simple breakfast of cereal and toast. When she enters, he can tell she's still half asleep as she nibbles on her slice of bread.
"I have some stuff for you to put on before we leave, just for protection," he states as he eats his cereal. "Hopefully, we can get you home, safely."
She nods, processing what he's saying.
"What will happen to you?" she asks, her voice quiet, small. He lifts his shoulders, unsure himself. He'd initially been planning to ditch town, but his mother... "Maybe you can stay with us until your boss and his partner are arrested."
He laughs before he grimaces. "I don't think your parents will take kindly to me staying in their home, Kate." She opens her mouth to object, but he cuts her off. "Regardless of what I have or haven't done to you."
They finish their meal in silence, each of them lost in their own thoughts. When they're done, they clean up, which doesn't take long. Soon, he finds himself gazing at her hazel eyes, finding both happiness and worry swirling in them.
"Time to go home?" she murmurs, a small smile tugging at her lips.
"Yeah, time to go home."