A/N: Now you know what our victim was up to, but trust me there will be a surprise in the next update, why the reporter was there, what does this have to do with the leak, and what is in the summary when i started this story. It will take a turn. Stay tuned, and enjoy.

Chapter 3

12th Precinct

Manhattan, New York

"Ryan are you sure about this?" Russell asked as her and Castle got the update from Ryan as they walked off the elevator a few minutes ago. Russell looked at the board as Ryan had tact up the picture of Sierra Potter on the board. "I'm pretty sure Ms. Potter's photo is everywhere, and the lady thought it was her."

Ryan nodded as he took a deep breath. "I thought the same thing, until I called the restaurant the lady was talking about. The waitress remembers Sierra being there almost like she was waiting for the Ortega's to show up. From there it got pretty heated when our victim told Ms. Potter that he would never betray those that gave him the job."

"Ok so how did she find about Manuel and his access?" Russell asked looking at Ryan.

"Probably from a source or the leak inside One Police Plaza." Castle stated as he got up and stood near the board. He looked at it for a moment. "To come to think about it, it's not a bad idea."

"Using a custodian to get you dirt on the department." Russell said in disgust as she got up and came to stand next to Castle. "That's underhanded, devious, and…."

"Used by every intelligence agency around the world. Heck I have used it for story ideas." Castle turned said smiling to Russell who looked at Castle in shock. Ryan just stood there with a smile on his face. Castle walked back to the desk. "I gave a janitor at the FBI two thousand dollars to just ask about some of the cases that they were investigating just to get story ideas. No real details, just a brief overview. You won't believe how many people will tell their friendly custodian anything, because they trust him and see him every day."

"Alright so its possible Ms. Potter bribed or coerced somebody to get our victim's info, then followed him to learn his habits, then approached him to try and betray the people at 1PP." Russell remarked after getting over the shock that her partner would stoop to that level, but she hid a small smile. She looked over at Ryan. "Anything else?"

"Only that she kept after him for the past few months at least once a week, but he never reported it to his superiors." Ryan stated as he looked at his notes. "Other than that, they stated the morning of his death, they thought he left early for breakfast."

"Ryan, I gurantee, that she was also working a different angle besides Manuel there." Castle stated as he looked at the board. He got up and pointed to the picture of Sierra. "She wouldn't go just after him. She would also go after someone else with one of the all access passes."

"That's a good point Castle. There can only be a few of those issued to certain people at headquarters." Russell stated as she looked into Kate's office. "She already left Ryan?"

"Yeah, but I'll send her a message, because she said contact her if she could do anything." Ryan stated as he pulled out his phone and texted Kate.

"Right, because she was going to speak to Chief Miller after the Crime Stats briefing." Castle remarked as Ryan moved back towards his desk. Castle turned back to Russell who was looking at the board. "What you thinking about?"

"Our victim. What was he doing that earned him the bruises, and why didn't he have a phone on him?" Russell stated as a question as she continued to stare at the board. She then moved away from the board and picked up the phone. "Yes this is Detective Russell, I need a warrant to trace a phone?"

"Why didn't I think of that?" Castle quipped a little disappointed in himself.

"Maybe because you are worried about your wife." Russell smirked at Castle who gave her a sly smile, knowing Kate was probably being raked over the coals.

One Police Plaza

Manhattan, New York

Castle was right about Kate. She was being raked over the coals, and she was getting annoyed with it at the moment. A deputy chief shot Kate a tough statement. "Captain Beckett, you dismissed a community leader's claim of bias on your part on responding units and their time to crime scenes along with patrol times."

"I did not dismiss it sir, I presented the facts based on the data that was presented to me at that time." Kate replied trying to keep her mood in check. She didn't want to give these people the satisfaction. "I also presented the NYPD policy on responding to calls sir."

Another chief shot Kate another statement. "Still Captain Beckett, you dismissed the meeting with these leaders, some who are vital to your survival if you want to continue your career. Maybe your pregnancy has something….."

That was the straw that broke the camel's back with Kate, and a couple of the deputy chiefs in the room who were women were also taken back by the statement and they saw Kate brewing. They had tried to wave the man off, but it was too late when Kate exploded. "My pregnancy has nothing to do with my ability to do the job sir, nor should it really affect my performance. If you want to relieve me for starting a family with my husband I will be outside waiting for you to collect my badge, but until then sir you are an ass. Good Day!"

Kate gathered her materials and walked out and shut the door loudly. She leaned against the wall taking deep breaths as she tried to calm herself. It wasn't working because she let a small curse as she cupped her head in her hands.

"Bravo on your performance Captain Beckett. I have been waiting for someone to finally snap at Chief Stevenson for years." The voice of Chief Miller caused Kate to look up in shock. He waved her off as she tried to straighten up. Chief Miller had lighten up on Kate over the past few months since the terrorist incident, and they had developed a ok working relationship, mainly because Chief Miller was impressed by the way Kate had handled the search for the press leak and how she was handling her job despite the pregnancy. "Don't worry about your reaction and consequences in there. Stevenson has never raised kids, so he doesn't know, but right now, trust me, about half of the chiefs in there are giving him the once over."

"I should still apologize sir." Kate stated with some disappointment in her voice as she stood straight up.

"Don't worry I'll take care of it, but in the meantime, I got your message you needed to see me?" Chief Miller asked getting a nod from Kate. "Follow me to my office please."

Kate followed Chief Miller to his office, where he motioned Kate to take a seat. Kate nodded her thanks and took out her phone and showed a picture to Chief Miller. "Sir our victim was…."

"Oh god Manny." Chief Miller said confirming he knew the victim to Kate. He leaned back in his chair. "Manuel Ortega was good man, dedicated, hardworking, and always professional. Everyone here loved him. Where was he found?"

Kate put her phone away. "He was found in Hudson River Parkway stabbed sir, and his ID badge was missing."

"That explains the message from security about a possible stolen ID badge. Do you have any suspects?" Chief Miller asked.

"No sir, but he was found to have Ms. Potter's business card in his possession, and we are thinking he may have been…" Kate started to say but saw Chief Miller hold up his hand.

"Not Manny, Captain Beckett. He was professional to the core, even reported the constant harassment by Ms. Potter to us. No way Manny could be the leak." Chief Miller adamantly defended the victim. "We couldn't stop her of course but Manny kept an eye out for her."

"I understand sir, my team is wondering could Ms. Potter have contacted anyone else in the building besides the victim?" Kate asked as she shifted in her seat. She was starting to get uncomfortable.

"Could be she is a reporter after all, but we don't have the time or effort to talk to everyone Captain Beckett." Chief Miller iterated to her.

"I understand sir, but we have to ask." Kate remarked as she shifted again. She checked the clock on the wall behind the Chief and stood up to leave. "I won't take up any more of your time sir. Thank you."

"Captain Becket." Chief Miller called to Kate who turned around. Chief Miller stood up from behind his desk. "Keep me appraised please so I can let the commissioner know."

"Yes sir I will." Kate before leaving the office again and pulling out her phone a second time. She placed a call. "Russell, Chief Miller doesn't suspect the reporter. Please tell me you got something?"

Kate listen for several seconds before sighing. "Alright, thanks."

Kate was frustrated, not at her team nor husband, but the lack of pace this case was moving. She almost hit the down button for the elevator, but remembered she had to go to finance office to argue for her budget. Kate shook her head. "God help whoever is in there."

12th Precinct

Manhattan, New York

Russell set her phone down knowing the Captain probably wasn't happy but she didn't let it affect her at the moment. She looked over at Ryan. "Ryan where are we on the surveillance footage from Metro?"

"Enroute as we speak, but I was going over our victim's metro card activity. I found out where he was going every couple days." Ryan replied with a smile on his face as he handed Russell the sheet of Manuel's transit activities. "He was getting off somewhere on the lower west side of Manhattan, near the rail yards."

"Lots of abandon and empty warehouses down that way." Castle stated that got everyone nodding. He got up and went over to the board. "Ryan, what about Manuel's cell phone?"

"Tech is running the trace now." Ryan replied as he came over towards the board.

"What you thinking Castle?" Russell asked as she got up to join them by the board.

"Whatever Manuel was doing, he didn't want his family to know, nor his bosses. That is why he went down in this area." Castle stated as Ryan's phone went off.

Ryan answered it and jotted down something on the notepad. "Thanks. Maunel's phone ping. It's a warehouse on 11th Avenue and 28th Street."

11th Avenue and 28th Street.

The door flew open and in rushed the team and ESU with them. "NYPD nobody moved.

Inside the warehouse people started to scattered but were quickly stopped as another ESU team entered from the other side and closed off any avenues of escape. People started to put up their hands and get down on the ground.

"Clear." An ESU member called out as they began to move people and place flex cuffs on them as Russell and Ryan slowly moved around. Castle came in right after the all clear was given, and looked around. He quickly caught up to the team as they found what looked like a giant track in the center of the warehouse. Russell looked at Castle. "What is this place?"

"Well it's definitely not fight club I'll give you that much." Castle commented as he came over to what was the control panel. He looked down and pressed a button a panel. At two separate ends, motorized horses came out and started towards each other. They passed each other going about 15 miles per hour. Castle saw the looks of everyone. "Sorry."

"Detective, we got someone here that says they know you." An ESU member stated coming up to Russell.

"Okay." Russell replied as her, Ryan and Castle followed the ESU member towards the group that was still in the building. Russell shook her head at the person they saw. "Sierra Potter, what are you doing here?"

"I think I want my attorney this time detective." Sierra commended with a sly smile on her face.

"I figured as much let. Put her in a car and take her to the 12th." Russell told the ESU member who nodded and took Sierra by the arm. Russell again looked around the warehouse. "So what is this place?"

"I can answer that detective." A woman with a uniform officer escorting her came over. "Julia Bryan, undergrounding jousting organization."

"Jousting?" Russell asked in shock.

Castle leaned in with a huge smile on his face. "I think this just became my new favorite case."

Ryan smiled and shook his head as Russell rolled her eyes.