Chapter 11
Leader had his doubts. Never before had they included a non agency member into their operation. This was way out of the norm and he hoped Mr. Smith knew what he was doing. He thought he was getting soft in his old age. Having reached the safe house he deposited Kate into a wheelchair and wheeled her into an adjacent room next to Rick's.
He placed her on a gurney and secured her arms, legs and mid section lightly with Velcro straps. When he was finished he left the room and then a nurse then entered the room and checked her out. She was stable and she gave her another drug to keep her under for about the next 2 hours.
Smith had a slight doubt that what he was doing was the right thing. As he thought more about it he was making the right decision. He had been watching his son for just about his whole life. Even when he could not be there in the country he had his associates check up on him and report what they observed. He knew that his first wife was not for him. After he completed the background check on her he had an idea where that marriage might head. After the divorce request had been filed in Los Angles family court, his suspicions had been confirmed.
The only remarkable joy the union had produced was Alexis. When she was first born he would never leave her. He was her sole caregiver, Meredith could care less. She was a mother he'd give her that, but Rick was the one who stepped up and took charge. She was his life and the day Rick came home from a walk in the park with her his whole world fell apart. Not only was Meredith in bed with her director from her latest indie film. He noticed that there was drug paraphernalia on the night stand.
This is what sent Rick over the edge. He would never expose his daughter to such an environment. With that, he packed his belongings and Alexis's also. As he was leaving the apartment he heard from over his shoulder "Baby wait, you don't understand." He wanted nothing to do with her and opened the door and walked out starting a new chapter in his life. The divorce papers were filed that afternoon.
Deciding to make a fresh start Rick moved back to New York. He had a path to take and he decided that he would do anything to raise his daughter. His mother was taken aback when she heard the news about Meredith and let him stay with her. For about 3 years Rick concentrated on writing his first novel and when it was finished he had tried hard to get his first manuscript published "In a Hail of Bullets." was the title. Smith was in New York when this was happening and had made some very influential phone calls. In no time, he had a contract for 5 books. His life was looking up now he had a direction he could follow.
Hearing a noise he is drawn from his thoughts. Leader is back and he looks at Smith as he closes the door.
"Status…?" Smith asks.
"Everything is secure" Leader replies.
"And the cop…?" Smith requests.
"Same." Leader responds. "Smith, while I have no knowledge of your intentions I think I need to voice my concerns."
"Proceed." Smith answers.
"I am not sure that bringing her in is such a good idea. She can be a liability to this op." Leader vents.
"Listen, the main goal here is to get three things accomplished. First, we need to expose all the leaks within the NYPD. Second, we need to find the party responsible for making the attempt on my son's life. And third, protect the assets and all involved at all costs." Smith explains.
"Do you think this goal is attainable?" Leader asks wondering if it was a fool mission.
"I have no choice to think that, I will stop at nothing to protect them." Smith replies with determination.
"Okay then let's get going, she is just about ready to come out of it and we have a lot of ground to cover." Leader says mollified for now the rightness of the op.
Both men leave the room and head back down to the med rooms. Arriving where Kate is first they find that she is still under the effects of the drug. Leader walks to the head of the gurney as Smith guides the bottom out of the room. Rolling her into Rick's room, they see that he is still out of it too. They roll her right next to him and then they wait.
She opens her eyes slowly and at first she notices that she has one hell of a migraine materializing in the center of her head. Becoming aware of her surroundings she goes to get up. Her limbs feel heavy like she has no strength. It's only when she looks down she notices that she is restrained. Smith walks over to the gurney.
"Kate, if I remove the restraints can you be calm?" He asked.
Kate still groggy penetrate Smith's disguise. It was her attorney Alex Cross!
She nods yes, because she has suddenly lost the will to speak. She did not know what to think. Alex made her safe. Why the disguise she just did not understand. Alex would not have sprung me only to kill me here. I'm not in any danger. That means someone else was in danger. Kate calms herself from her first impulse of.
"Are they nuts? They can't keep me here against my will." "I AM an NYPD detective."
Kate however dismisses that indignation as foolhardy.
Smith removes the straps and she stays put wanting to know more.
"Kate there are a couple of things you need to know. The person you have feelings for is nearby. Please, do not try to tell me that you don't have feelings for him because everyone you know thinks that's bull." Smith says.
She is shocked at the statement then she thought through it. He is right about her feelings towards Rick. She demonstrated them in front of him in the closed courtroom. He walks back to the bottom of the gurney at all times keeping his eyes on Kate. He raises his hand to the curtain that separates the beds from each other. Drawing it back what he reveals is someone Kate thought would never see again.
"RICK" Kate screams out at the realization of who was lying in the bed next to her.
Smith and Leader both cover their ears. Even she was even amazed at how loud she screamed his name. Looking over to him she quickly gets up from the gurney and stands by the side of his bed. Seeing the remnants of his wounds wrapped tightly by bandages, her eyes start moistening. Before she can think about it she is shaking uncontrollably.
Rick was slowly opening his eyes and the first sight he laid eyes on was his Kate. In the depths of his mind, this was all probably a hallucination. There was no way she would be here unless someone was holding her against her will. Still she looked so real, if he could just touch her then it might convince him she was actually there. He raised his hand but before he could actually touch her, she took his hand into hers.
A bolt of energy shot up his arm when she took his hand and then he knew she was really there with him.
"Rick, I thought you were dead. You have no idea how happy I am to see you in one piece." Kate whispers which was a far cry from her initial outburst.
A still groggy Castle says, "well after being shot twice, I am really not in one piece."
She silently laughs at his comment. If this was any other time she would take him into a loving embrace.
"Rick I can see that you are recovering from some type of surgery. Other than the obvious are you alright?" She asks.
"Kate, now that your here I couldn't be better." He replies.
She cracks a smile and looks at him with wide eyes.
"Okay, okay can we get on with it?" Leader states.
With that malicious comment Smith turns and backhands Leader. Kate is startled but only for a second.
"I will say what or what not happens here got it Leader?" Smith retorts.
"Yeah, Smith I understand Jeezzz you did not have to be so forceful did ya?" Leader says rubbing his face from the impact.
"Rick and Kate I have intel you need to hear." Smith says turning to them.
Both Kate and Rick nod so Smith continues.
"We have solid evidence that there are many moles within the NYPD. We have identified 3 as of right now. I am sure that there are many more." Smith says.
Kate knew there were moles but hearing it confirmed sent chills down her spine.
"We also believe that there is as yet unknown party that holds all the cards. Kate this party was the one who had set you up at the crime scene."
Then Kate's replies "I know you were the attorney Alex Cross defending me at my hearing."
Smith replies "Quick study, good girl. I needed to be there to clear you of all charges. It's all part of the master plan."
Rick asks, "We have a master plan?"
"Actually we do. Kate in order for you to expose most of the moles you are going to need to go back to your haven on the 5th floor and feed them erroneous information. The floor is filled with listening devices, so they will hear everything." Smith says.
"Smith," Kate asks, "Do you have the names of the 3 moles?"
Smith is reluctant to reveal to her the names but decides to anyway.
"The three we are positive about are Range Master Van Groh, Captain Paul DeMario, and Assistant Chief of Detectives John Renicker." Smith reveals.
Rick looks to Kate and sees that she has become very quiet. It is hard for him to hear the names that were read even though he is not a cop. He can't imagine how she is feeling about all this.
"We can go over the rest of the plan later. Why don't we take a break now?" He asks the two tired subjects.
Kate and Rick both nodded.
"Ok, we will continue in an hour." Smith says leaving the two alone.
Smith does not want to lose Kate. She is integral in their op succeeding. Hearing the names of the other cops might change her mind.
"Kate, are you alright?" Rick asks with much compassion.
"Yes I am Rick, I am just a little shocked when I heard those names. I did not believe it would hit me so hard. I know John he was the one person who gave me a shot to become a detective along with Montgomery." Kate sadly says.
"I know and I'm sorry that he is one of the dirty ones." Rick commiserates.
"Rick, how did you get here? How do you know this guy Smith?" Kate asks.
"Those are two very good questions. You're going to find the answers quite funny. Well, the first answer goes back to when I decided to shadow you on your first case. I really don't remember the forms but when I was signing the city's release of liability I unknowingly signed a contract with Smith." Rick relates.
"Smith, how did that happen?" Kate wonders.
"He slipped them into the packet that the city's and my lawyers had created. I just signed them without actually reading them." Rick confesses.
"Wait a minute Rick, you are a speed reader. You did not want to read them?" Kate asks with incredulity.
"Well ya… I wanted to be where the action was…It was at your side. So I blindly signed them all." Rick says smiling at her.
"Okay, so who is this guy Smith anyway?" Kate asks.
"Rick gathers up a very large breath of air and Kate knows something big is about to be said.
"Kate please he's my dad Mr. Smith." Rick says.
"Thanks, I already met him as the lawyer who got me off of the murder charge Alex Cross." Kate says.
"Murder charge what murder charge who was murdered was it Espo or Ryan…My g-d Kate is was Ryan. How did he do that?" Rick asks spiraling.
"No Rick Espo and Ryan were safe after the shooting. It was you Rick that was shot and thought dead at my hand." Kate says.
"Wait I remember who shot me. It was not you, Ryan was between me and you it came from an EMT. Tyson! He shot me." Rick proclaims.
"Rick, are you sure?" Kate asks.
"Yes, I am." Rick says with much certainty.
"Ok, so I was not imagining him being there. It is good to know." Kate says. "So how does your Dad figure into all this?"
"Well, as I said he was looking out for me. How crazy is that? I've always wished I knew my Dad and before I die he saves me." Rick says.
"Well, that would explain a lot. What I mean is that he looks like the type of person who would protect anyone he loves." Kate says.
Rick squeezes her hand just a little tighter and he has a question to ask her.
"Kate I need to ask you something." He earnestly asks.
"What is it Rick?" Kate answers with anticipation.
"I need an honest answer. It needs to be one from the heart and not from your brain okay?" Rick replies.
Kate is now getting worried about what this could be.
"Are you ready, Kate?" Rick asks as Kate got perturbed over his long build up.
"Would you please ask your question already, Rick?" Kate says getting a bit exasperated.
"Alright hold your horses…I'm building up to it." Rick replies.
"Well can you do it any faster? You heard Smith. He'll be back at any second. I would like to answer before he returns." Kate crossly says.
"Ok, I will…Kate, are you in love with me?" Rick finally asks.