Monster: Chapter 4
DISCLAIMER: None of these characters are mine, but they are memorable. Thank you Mr. Marlowe.
Day 4: The 12th Precinct in New York City, 9:45 a.m. May 16, 2014
It's already far too warm on this Friday morning in the city, with promises from the forecasters of a scorcher of a day. The detectives of the 12th know what that means. Blistering hot days mean hotter tempers. The kind of tempers that lead to problems. The kind of problems that end up on the desk of homicide detectives. There's already a certain edge to the detectives under Captain Victoria Gates, due to the missing status of their favorite writer. An edge that's going to get a tune up now.
Captain Gates catches Detective Kate Beckett as the woman comes out of the break room, a cup of coffee in her hand that is far from what she is used to.
"Anything new, sir?" Kate asks the captain, noticing Gates making a beeline for her.
"As a matter of fact, there is," Gates says, but Kate notices that her captain seems far from happy or pleased. Not the best of signs.
"Follow me into my office if you will," Gates tells her. "And grab Detectives Ryan and Esposito while you're at it. I'd rather not have to repeat myself."
Yeah, she's troubled all right. Kate stands, watching the captain walk briskly back into her office. Kate heads straight for their bullpen area, searching for her colleagues as instructed. Seeing them, heads-down in paperwork, she stops and quickly calls out.
"Javi, Kevin – Gates' office, right now. She says she has something for us."
The men jump up immediately, at a quick double pace to Gate's office. The loss of Richard Castle has impacted everyone here – but these three most personally. They are colleagues, yeah, but they are also friends and lovers. For the men, their friendships have deepened over the years. Everyone was looking forward to the wedding between Castle and Kate, and Esposito and Ryan were at the front of that line. This wedding had been over six years in the making. And it all fell apart in an instant.
"What do you have for us, sir?" Esposito asks, the first to speak once all three detectives are together with Gates.
"Have a seat," she tells them, glancing outside her office. "Grab an extra chair, Detective Ryan." Kevin Ryan quickly moves outside and pulls in another seat. Only then do the detectives notice Mayor Robert Weldon sitting at the Captain's small table in the corner, his back to the group, his head in his hands.
"Mr. Mayor," Kate begins, surprised to see the city's leader – and close personal friend of Richard Castle. A bad feeling begins to creep into her thoughts. "Forgive me, but am I supposed to be glad to see you?" she asks.
"Well, that depends, Detective Beckett," Weldon states, turning to face the detectives and their captain. "I can tell you that Richard Castle is alive."
Kate Beckett's elation at hearing the words 'Richard Castle is alive' is short lived, as she sees the expression on the mayor's face. It is not a celebratory face she sees.
"That, however, might be the extent of my good news," Weldon continues.
"He's alive?" she asks. "How do you know? Did you hear something?"
"You could say that," Mayor Weldon tells the room at large. "Captain Gates?"
The team turns to their captain, who points her finger, directing their attention to the small monitor in her office, connected to a portable DVD player.
"This video was delivered this morning to the Mayor's office by courier," Captain Gates begins. "We are already talking with the courier service to identify the sender of this video, but so far we are not having any luck."
"What do you mean, Captain?" Ryan asks.
"She means that the video was dropped off at the courier service by a representative of Jackson, Jackson and Smith, paid by credit card," the mayor tells them.
"Jackson, Jackson and Smith?" Kate says aloud. "Can't say that I have heard of them."
"That's because they don't exist," Weldon states. Fake company. Credit card is valid. So far, though, the name on the credit card is fake also."
"Any video of the drop-off?" Esposito asks hopefully.
"No video that we can use," Captain Gates replies. "Whoever dropped it off was well disguised. Used an umbrella."
"Excuse me," Kate interrupts. "Their disguise was an umbrella?"
"You heard me, Detective," Gates responds. "Seems they knew this courier location very well, knew where the camera was located. Only one camera, and it is pointed at the drop off counter. Whoever it was walked in, opened their umbrella, walked to the counter and dropped the package off, and left."
"That didn't seem suspicious to the service?" Esposito asks, incredulously.
"Apparently not," Mayor Weldon chuckles. "Not the most reputable bunch, that one," he continues. "And certainly not a lot of favorable reviews with the Better Business Bureau."
"That's all well and good," Ryan states, anxiously, "but what's on the tape? You said Castle is alive?"
"Captain?" the mayor replies, waiting for Captain Gates to hit PLAY on the video player. She does, and the group instinctively huddles closer.
It's obvious that this video is being shot from a tree somewhere. There is a branch that just partially obscures the picture, but there is enough clear viewing space to make out what is happening. The camera is obviously pointed at an open clearing below the tree. The group can make out a barbed wire fence. It's a tall one.
"What are we looking at?" Esposito asks, his eyes narrowing as if looking for a missing piece to a jigsaw puzzle.
"I'm not sure," the mayor replies. "I figure that you people here are going to be able to tell me. But keep watching."
A few more seconds pass and then they see it. Richard Castle comes flying into the picture, half naked, wearing only a pair of black boxers and . . . tennis shoes? And he is . . . playing air guitar? And obviously singing. He looks like he is having a blast.
"What the hell!" Esposito comments, his nose crinkled.
"Where is he?" Ryan asks.
"We don't know," the mayor responds. "But as you can see, he's alive."
"And seems like he is having a great time," Ryan comments, risking a glance at Kate Beckett, who remains quiet. She continues to watch the video, remaining motionless, save for her finger which taps on the desk.
"I wouldn't exactly categorize it that way," the mayor replies. "Keep watching."
There is no sound in the video, so it's a bit of a surreal scene. That it is in black and white makes it all the more . . . distant . . . detached from reality. They continue to watch Richard Castle bounce around, looking - for all the world - like he is on vacation, having a wonderful, playful time.
Except for the fence.
That's what Kate Beckett focuses on. She has noticed that it has barbed wire. That doesn't indicate vacation to her. That indicates captivity. But it also doesn't explain the behavior of the man she loves, the man who was supposed to marry her earlier this week. Yes, he seems to be having a great time, not a care in the world. It would be like him to be playing air guitar, bouncing around in his underwear.
But that's the second thing she notices. The boxers. He's not a boxers kind of man. He has only a couple of pairs, and that isn't one of them.
And then there are the tennis shoes. They aren't his either. She knows if Richard Castle is going to wear tennis shoes, they are going to be Chucks. He's very much old school in that regard.
So yeah, it looks like he is off gallivanting in some tropical location, with this video being sent for the sole purpose of hurting her, the sole purpose of putting a knife into her heart. And it would have worked, if not for the fence. And the boxers. And the shoes.
And the lion?
"Is that a fucking lion?" Esposito shouts, himself jumping back a bit as the camera pans just slightly to the right.
"Where? Where?" Ryan asks loudly, his eyes searching quickly left and right before he sees it, too.
"Where in the hell is he?" Ryan asks, now clearly worried.
The group watches the moment Richard Castle spots the big cat as well, as they watch him interrupt his musical extravaganza by hurling himself backwards on the ground. They watch the stare down between man and beast that seems to last forever. In reality, it is only a few seconds before they watch Castle slowly look toward the tree. Then he glances to the opposite direction. They cannot see what he sees. But they watch as he slowly starts moving backwards. Soon he is out of view.
Then the video goes black.
The team is quiet for a few seconds, as each begins to process what they have just seen. Gates and Weldon, of course, have seen this video already. Both are far more interested in the reactions and opinions of the other three people around the table. It takes five or six seconds for the team to react. Kate is first.
"Thank God he is alive," she begins, and they can see the relief on the face of the woman. "He's being held captive, that's for certain."
"How certain are you, Detective?" Gates asks. She sees the looks she is getting from her detectives, but has to remind them of the value of objectivity.
"Look, everyone, I want a happy ending here as much as anyone else," she says. "I just want to consider all options."
"Well, my option says it's pretty obvious he is being held," Esposito begins. "Look at the evidence."
"What evidence is that, Detective?" Mayor Weldon asks. As a good friend of Richard Castle, the mayor has a personal vested interest in this as well.
"Two things. First , there's the fence," Esposito says, looking directly at the mayor as he speaks. "Replay the video and you will see that it is a tall, barbed wire fence. Now, I haven't been to the most exquisite hotels on the planet, but I can tell you that I've never been to a hotel, resort, condo or whatever surrounded by a barbed wire fence. Castle's got money. If he is going off into play mode somewhere, I think he would have scratched this one off once he saw the barbed wire fence in the photos."
"And the lion," Ryan adds, shaking his head.
Kate nods her head in agreement. She half smiles, appreciating the fact that Esposito is firmly in the court of Castle being abducted and not off playing in the tropics with some scantily clad . . . she can't even finish the thought. But she also cannot fault his logic either. A barbed wire fence – she had noticed it as well. And Esposito is right. A protective fence keeping wild animals out isn't exactly the type of getaway she associates with her almost-husband.
"Second, there's the vantage point of the video. It wasn't shaking, and it panned smoothly. So that means the camera is planted there. There wasn't anyone holding it. And it's sitting in a tree. That hints of secrecy, of espionage. As in Castle doesn't know it's there."
All four other adults consider Esposito's points, and find both solace and validity in his points. Kate is the next to speak up.
"Well, the most important piece of evidence, to me, is the evidence itself," she says. "The video itself. It was sent to you, Mr. Mayor. Why? Why you? If this was someone trying to embarrass Rick, they would have tweeted it out, let it go viral."
"Hashtag jungle love, some crap like that," Esposito agrees, drawing a smile from Ryan, and a frown from Beckett.
"The question remains," Kate continues. "Why send it to the mayor?" she asks, now addressing the room at large. "Why not send it to me? I'm his fiancée. Why not send it to Rick's publisher? Why not send it here to the 12th?" She turns and addresses the mayor directly.
"I know that you and Rick are good friends, real good friends," she tells him, "but you have to admit it is strange that Rick goes missing on the day of our wedding, the news reports everywhere are talking about how he went missing on the day of our wedding, I've had reporters calling me non-stop asking for quotes, asking for updates – yet when a video shows up, they don't think about the bride, or the mother of the groom, or the publisher, or the press. They think of you?"
Her logic is unassailable, and everyone comically sits back for an instant, considering Kate's words. Why would someone send the video proving that Castle is alive to the mayor, of all people? Why not the police, why not the news station, why not the bride?
"Whoever it is, they had to know I would bring this to the police," Mayor Weldon answers, himself now asking the same question. "So why bring it to me first? What was I supposed to do with it?"
The five people in the room simply stare at each other, no good answer forming on any lips, or in any minds.
Somewhere on the East Coast, Roughly half an hour ago at 9:30 a.m. May 16, 2014
"It's me. It's done."
"You dropped it off at the courier?"
"As you instructed."
"And you are sure it is at the 12th now?"
"Positive. I'm sitting outside the precinct right now, and the mayor just walked in."
"Good, good. Okay, take off. No need to stick around and risk being seen."
"Okay. If you don't mind me asking, why have me send it to the mayor's office first? You knew he'd take it right to the 12th. Why not send it directly to them?"
"It's part of the game, Rodney. They will be asking themselves that very same question, instead of asking themselves the right question. Keeping them off balance is just part of the game."
"If you say so. I'm just glad to be a part of it."
"I know you are. Your father would be proud. Now, get out of there."
CLICK.
Day 4: Back on the small island, 6:15 p.m. May 16, 2014
The sun is hinting at finally setting, much to Richard Castle's satisfaction. The heat today has been especially brutal, and he has found solace sitting under the shade of the tree on the southern side of the compound. He made it through both of his workouts, but needed extra water after each. The heat has been relentless, and Castle smiles as he sees the two lions slowly make their way toward him. He hasn't seen them all day, and assumed they were sleeping. He is glad for the fence, however, because he knows they must be getting hungry. Unless there is a wealth of mid-sized animals in the trees back there, they must be ready to eat again.
"Fat chance there," he thinks to himself. If there were any smaller animals here, they are long eaten by now.
"Simba. Nala. How are you?" he greets the two approaching beasts, hearing their low rumbles. He takes a deep breath, staying completely still. He doesn't want to make any sudden movements to spook them. Yeah, like that's going to happen. He finds himself humming, and smiles when he recognizes his tune. The spot where he sits under the tree in the shade is roughly some fifteen feet from the fence. No need getting too close. His humming slowly turns to singing. Softly, of course.
It means no worries
For the rest of your days
It's our problem-free
Philosophy
Hakuna Matata
The sound of chopper blades in the distance stirs him out of his song. He stands quickly, drawing a growl from the smaller female, who is now pacing back and forth. He moves from underneath the tree out into the open, wandering toward the helipad, when his heart sinks. Sinks deep into his stomach. The chopper isn't landing. At least not inside the compound. His stomach begins churning as worst-case scenarios start playing out in his mind. He doesn't have time to wonder, however, as seconds later the helicopter hovers just beyond the southern fence. Castle jogs over to the fence. He is close enough now to see the pilot, who wears a helmet and sunglasses . . . and a menacing smile.
Suddenly – predictably – a body drops to the ground.
"Madre de Dios," the man cries as he falls within five feet of the smaller female, who pounces immediately. The screams of the man fade away into the trees where she carries him, but Castle isn't watching. He keeps his gaze - fierce and strong - on the pilot and the two other men in the chopper who stare at him, smiling through the windshield. One of the men in the back seat laughs, giving Castle a final wave as the chopper begins to elevate back into the sky.
Where the boldness comes from, he is not sure. But rather than cower, Castle lifts his left hand at the chopper, forming an imaginary gun. He quickly pulls his hand back and upward, simulating a firing motion. The smiles on all three helicopter passengers freeze, and slowly fall away as the chopper lifts higher and passes overhead and out into the distance.
It's a risky move, he admits. But if he is going to get out of here, he needs that chopper to land. Inside this compound. There is no other way out of here. So whether his is outmanned, outgunned, out-whatever – he has to get them to land. If he has to goad them into it, then so be it. And he has to be ready when they do land.
"I'll be seeing you," he tells the departing chopper, now out of sight. The growls of the two beasts can be heard, but – thank God – there are no screams. Castle hopes it was quick for the unfortunate man. Staring at the trees, he can't help the tears that finally fall. Angry tears this time, and the anger stays with him as he walks back to the tree, and sits down in roughly the same spot. Hot and sweaty, his body glistening with the sweat from the day, he closes his eyes, and pulls up a mental picture of Alexis, her red hair flowing, her beautiful smile plastered across her face, standing behind him, her arms wrapped around his shoulders, her voice in his ear . . .