"Captain, please what is going on? That is my daughter's school! Is she ok?" The Captain sees in Castle's face how much his friend needs to know. He has to tell him. As a parent there is no great fear than something happening to your child that you can not protect them from.
"There is a shooter in the school. Shots have been fired, students are in lock down and we are sending SWAT in for a closer look inside the building. Someone called 911 from the upstairs Science lab. The students are barricaded in a science closet and called for help."
"Dear God, please let Alexis be all right!" Castle says to anyone close to him. They group, Ryan, Esposito, and Beckett start to leave.
"Please, I have to come with you. I need to know what is going on." Castle pleads with the team. Montgomery looks to Beckett, "Your call, detective."
"I promise Kate, I will listen to whatever you tell me to do. I just need to be there. I need to know. Please Kate."
She look sat him and sees how distraught he is. She knows he adores Alexis with all of heart and he will be worried sick.
"Ok, come on. But, do what I tell you to do ok?" "I promise, he says, and quietly whispers. Thank you…."
They run out the building and arrive at the scene of Marlowe School in about 15 minutes. The SWAT team leader on the scene comes over to Beckett to brief her on what they know so far. Kate introduces her team.
"Det. Beckett, Det. Ryan and Det. Esposito and this is Rick Castle. What's the situation?"
"It appears from what we know so far, one student arrived in school today with a weapon, a 22 caliber handgun as far as we can tell, and began threatening students in a Science class and the teacher. The class ran into a science closet and locked the door. We do not know about the teacher or the rest of the students in the building. The shots were heard though, and the classrooms are now in lockdown from cell phone calls we are getting in to the 911 call center."
"We have to get the classrooms of students out of there so we can isolate the Science room and find where the shooter is. We are trying to find out where the Science room is located right now. Then we can decide how to enter the building."
"I know where the Science lab is," Castle says to the Swat team leader.
"How would you know that," the team leader questions Castle.
"My daughter goes to school here and I have been in that building on many occasions. The side doorway is the closest door to the second floor Science lab. However, the school keeps all doors locked except the main entrance. You must start at the main entrance to gain all other access to the rest of the building."
"Good information. Ok, once we get into the building would you be able to get us to the second floor science lab," the SWAT leader asks.
"Sure, once you get upstairs, it is the third room on the left side of the hallway."
The SWAT team and Det. Beckett go off to discuss their plan privately.
The SWAT leader begins, "I don't usually want outsiders helping us but we need to move and move quickly. Since he knows the building, I want him to go with us so he can guide us to the right room faster."
Kate responds, "He is emotionally attached to this right now. His daughter is in there and I am not sure it is a good idea. What if things go badly? He is good under pressure but where his daughter is concerned; his heart could cloud his judgment."
"He is all we have right now Detective, if you and he both come with us, it could really help us clear the other children out of the school. Once the school is clear, you two can come back out while we move in to rescue the ones in the science lab. Does that sound better to you?"
Beckett nods her head, "I think that plan will work better, Sir. I can keep a better eye on Castle, and he will listen to me."
They go out to relay the plan to Castle and begin to move into place.
"Castle, I need you to stay with me and listen to everything I tell you, OK? I know you are worried about Alexis, I am worried about her too, but if she is her father's daughter, she has a good head on her shoulders. She will be all right. We need to follow the plan and not let our emotions take over." She touches his arm and continues, "I am here for you. Everything will be all right."
Rick looks at Kate and she sees pure fear in his eyes. "Kate, can you promise me that? Can you promise me Alexis will be ok?"
"Castle, we work well together, and the SWAT team is New York's finest. That is all we have right now. I have confidence in us. We can do this. We have to…."
Castle grabs Kate's shoulders and says, "I trust you Kate. In fact, I am trusting Alexis with you. You are a great Detective. I will follow you to the letter, promise. Let's go."
Kate knows his love for his daughter. She has seen how he looks at her and how proud is he of her accomplishments. Kate, in heart loves this man. She just never admitted even to herself before right now. When this is over, she knows they have to work out their relationship. She needs him in her life. They turn to go inside the school. They both put on NYPD bullet proof vests.
Kate teases, "No more WRITER vests for you Rick. You are NYPD now." He smiles back, remembering his "If I am shot do I not bleed" scenario earlier with Kate.
The SWAT team wants Beckett and Castle along with 2 team members to enter the school's front entrance, clear classrooms on the first floor, then make their way to the side door, and open it for the rest of the SWAT team. Once they clear this pathway, and show the TEAM the science lab, they are to exit back out of the building.
Castle, Beckett and their team enter the front of the building. They slowly make their way down the side hallway. They peek into classrooms as they go, Beckett and swat team members talk through the doors to the students and they open the doors, Esposito and Ryan are along to secure exit of the building by the freed students. They usher them out.
Beckett and her team continue moving down the hallway to each classroom. She sees Castles eyes desperately searching for Alexis. She never appears. They enter their last room on the lower level. He sees Alexis' boyfriend Owen! Owen hugs him hard and says "Mr. C. Alexis is upstairs, Room 214!"
Castle screams back, "Owen is she is Science now? Yes, she is. Try her cell Owen, tell her we are here!"
"I've been trying Mr. C. All I get is a busy signal."
Kate puts her arm around Castle's shoulders. "Don't worry, Castle, if I know Alexis, she is on her cell with police right now. She was one of the 911 calls, I know it!" Castle seems relieve a bit by her explanation and all her could do is nod.
They have cleared the last room when the reach the side door. Castle and Beckett are to exit now and let the rest of the team inside. As they approach the glass doors they hear two gunshots coming from upstairs. Castle and Beckett exchange worried looks and he says, "Kate, I can't leave I need to see what's going on, if Alexis is all right."
"Castle this is the hardest thing I have to say you right now, but we can't. We have to do exactly as we planned. As hard as it is to walk out this door, we have to let the team take over and we have to trust that it will work out. Remember you said you trust me and you will listen to me. Castle, we have to leave. I know how you feel. Trust me."
They open the doors and let the rest of the SWAT team enter. Kate and Castle go back to the patrol car and begin the patient waiting game until they have word.