Second Day, Precinct, 6am:

Esposito walks after a troubled night into the bullpen only to see that Beckett is already there. 'Couldn't sleep either, what are you reading', he asks.

She looks up sighing, ' This cases is so weird, I can't make out a motive, everybody loves Castle or at least enjoy his juvenile charm. This is the assessment from Dr. Holloway of the more aggressive fan mail. Although they are all dismissed as suspect by him, and checks by uniforms confirmes that they all had good alibis, the nearest from them were 100 miles away. But still I have the feeling we are missing something, something important.' With that she turns to the case board, going once more over the few facts they have established so far.

One by one all the other detectives arrive in the precinct next is Ryan followed by the Captain and Karpowski. Even some of the officer from the patrols show up early to get a clue how the investigation is going.

These officer bring Beckett to the realization that Castle is truly one of them, because if not they wouldn't be here on their off time trying to help with the case. She even believes that Castle could coax his way into any public position like Mayor or even Governor.

Precinct, 8:17am:

Still no new leads and Beckett claws for any so small clue to get nearer Castles save return, but nothing pans out. Beckett has this tugging in her stomach, she all ways has when her instinct tells her she misses something of importance. BANG, startled all of them turn to the sound, Beckett, her boys and some other detectives instinctively reaching for their sidearm only to relax after they see it is the door from the Captains office slammed into the wall. 'Beckett, you and your team are needed at the hotel, they got a ransom call.' he shouts.

Hilton, 8:40am:

As the three enter the hotel room they instantly take in the mixed signals floating in the air. Relieve that the lead is there and they can get rid of the responsibility from the officer at the scene, because taking a wrong step may cause the death of the writer. The adrenaline, which indicate the readiness for taking all the steps necessary to prevent the former and naturally the joy of Martha and Alexis that they may get Castle soon back. Although Alexis face shows reluctance as she locks eyes with Beckett.

Beckett taken aback by that, walks straight to the techs, 'Could you trace the call?'

He shakes his head, 'No, didn't last long enough to get a fix on it.'

'I want to hear the call for myself!'

The tech flips some switches and with a crackling sound the recording starts to playback.

'Rogers speaking.'

Male voice 'Ms. Rogers, I assume you are itching to hear from me.'

'Who is this?'

'Let's say I have something you want urgently.'

'And what would that be?'

'Your injured son naturally!'

'I … I would need prove.'

'Sure you would, but business first, one million dollar in small bills, this evening or we call the transaction of and cut our loses. And you wont that happen to your son. I want Alexis to carry the money in a army duffel bag. At 5pm she has to be at Broadway corner Broome street, under the park bench there she will find a cell phone duct taped. She will get the next instructions as soon as we see her pick it up. And don't try to play me, I know her from the news coverage of various events she went to with her father.'

In the back ground they could hear Castles voice drifting in and out, 'It hurts …... it really hurts. …... Alexis …... mother.'

'I believe you heard your son rambling in the background, so your proof that he is still alive is also made.'

There is one click and the loud speaker goes silent. The three detectives look up from the speaker and they share a grin and they could see the glimpse of hope shinning in the eyes of their counterparts. Suddenly Beckett's grin vanish and she turns towards Alexis, understanding the mixed signals she was sending to her earlier. Straightening she makes her way over to her and indicates with a nod of her head that she wants to talk to her in the corner of the room. Alexis gets up and everybody in the room could see that she made up her mind and would stick to her decision.

'Are you sure you can make the drop without endangering yourself', Beckett simply ask.

'I would have bet on you trying to forbid me doing it', a surprised Alexis stammers.

'How can I? When I let Castle made something similar and we all know you are more mature than him?'

'Thanks', Alexis whispers.

'But you will be bugged and have a tracker on you and when there is only the slightest reason to believe you are in danger, Esposito will drag you to safety. I promised your Dad to keep you save and I will.'

'That is okay with me', a happy Alexis agrees, more because she didn't have to argue why she has to do the drop than thinking about the implication these ground rules bring with them.

On her way back to Esposito and Ryan Beckett leans to Martha and asks, 'Can you really get your hands on that much money in that short time?'

'With my and Richards savings and a little help from his publisher I should make it just in time' she replies confident.

As she steps to the other two detectives, she takes notice of their grim faces. 'Why are you two looking so sour?'

'I don't like his starting point, he will let Alexis run up and down through Little Italy and probably Chinatown and you know how cops stand out in that area. We wont have the ability to have some officers close to her at all times. It is like they know our worst nightmares,' Esposito states and get a even scarier facial expression.

'Little Italy you said, I believe I have the right man at my hands to get us the best observation points there are', Beckett says with a widening grin.

'The capo', Ryan asks.

'Yeah, I think Castle will be pissed when he get the bill from the mobster when he is back. He don't like it when somebody tells him what in his book has to happen.'

Little Italy, 5pm:

She was right, the outlook to be the anti-hero in Castles next book let some of the hard core fans under the capos melt like chocolate in the sun. They got their observation points, naturally after they were cleaned of all incriminating evidence. Beckett paces up and down in her provisional commando post, all she could do is wait and see what will happen. She knew that there is really a cell phone under the park bench, an undercover officer confirmed it, while pretending to tie his shoelaces at the location.

'Alexis is near the bench', she could hear Esposito on the radio, ' picked up the radio like a pro. Moving out of my sight, no tail I can make out. I will give her 50 yards and start shadowing her', is his next radio message.

Espositos assumption proved correct, the kidnapper is chasing Alexis up and down through Little Italy, she passed Becketts commando post three times and only his distance to her and Alexis radio messages prevents that he has to run up and down the streets too. He can stand at one corner pretending to be interested in the merchandize sold there till Alexis is lead into another part of Little Italy.

'Got the next message', Alexis stained voice states over the radio, 'I have to drop the duffel bag in the container around the next corner at the 7-Eleven. And leave the way I came.'

'When Ryan and me leave our post we will have a clear view of the container. And when push comes to shoves, we will be able to pose as a couple in dire need for a hotel room', Karpowski calls in.

'Esposito, as soon as she made the drop, close in on Alexis and bring her to the units at Broome street', Beckett instructs him.

Karposki: 'We have visual of the container. Alexis is doing the drop right now.'

Esposito: 'Closing in.'

Karpowski: 'No movement here, changing location to the south.'

Esposito: 'Escorting Alexis.'

A sigh escapes Beckett knowing that it will get chaotic in the next minutes, and not sure if she should move to the container or Alexis. So she decides to stay put and watch how it will play out.

Karposki: 'Suspects moves to container, 6 foot, white male, blue jeans, red shirt and baseball cap. It is a positve, he dives for the duffel bag. He has it, moves south.'

Esposito: 'Alexis is save with the uniforms at Broome, double back to the container.'

Beckett checks with the map and makes a decision, 'Units 5 and 6 leave position and met up with unit 2, tag team observation of the suspect.'

'Unit 5 confirms, trying to converge at Centre Street corner Worth Str..'

'Unit 6, clear copy. Setting up rally point Centre Street/Canal Street.

Karposki: 'Getting near Canal Street. As soon as Unit 6 has visual on suspect, we fall back. Wait suspect meets somebody. Second suspect 6'3'', wearing black shorts, blue shirt.'

Ryan: 'I have seen the new suspect somewhere before. I have to lea.. Crap he made me, we are busted. They are running in the direction of Unit 6.'

Beckett makes a quick decision on her feet: 'All units go get them. Don't let them escape.'

All over Little Italy two men teams come running out of their observation post, some had the opportunity to grab their NYPD wind breaker. Kate comes alone out of her post, because Esposito is still with Alexis, but she knows she is to far away from the action to be of any help. Also the patrol cruiser stationed farther away start to move in with blue lights and siren on. The radio erupts with multiple calls from the different teams, calling in their progress of closing in.

Ryan and Karpowski running behind the suspects are closing in, their eyes only on their prey. The two of them take turns in shouting, 'NYPD, stop!' Both are surprised as the man with the duffel bag is tackle down by the two officers of Unit 6. As they close in on the last suspect, Karpowski makes the leap and brings him down like a NFL pro. They roll around on the side walk and luckily she comes out on the top. Grabbing his arm and bringing it painful up on his back, she handcuffs the stunned man in seconds.

'Are you okay', a huffing Ryan asks, while he bents over to rest his hands on the knees.

'I had worse fights in the precinct, this is a piece of cake.'

They can hear the radio call from Unit 6, 'Suspect under control.'

So Ryan grabs the radio, 'Second suspect apprehended.'

Beckett hears both radio messages and slows down to a jogging speed instead of the dead run she was going. With all the suspects detained she starts thinking, 'This sting operation definitively didn't go as planned. But what does this mean for Castle?'

AN: There goes my chance of gun play for at least the next two or three chapters. But I hope what I have in my mind is better than letting Beckett kneecap one of the suspects now. I am sorry, if there is no 7-eleven in that part of the city, but I was never in NY, so I am working only with maps.