Close Encounters 23
When Castle's question went completely unanswered - again - he was ready to lose it. His father steadfastly ignored him on every point. If Black thought he was just going to push more chemicals into her IV without explaining it first, he was more fucking cracked than they'd known.
"I'm going to strangle you," Castle choked out, reaching out to yank his father back to him.
Black only crossed his arms over his chest, avoiding Castle's grasp. "You won't strange me. You need me. She needs me."
He wouldn't. He couldn't. He needed his damn father. "Tell me what it is. What it means to you, the low potassium levels, the elevated white blood count. Tell me."
"I won't do that. So long as I have this knowledge in my head, I have the chance to stay alive," Black answered. So calm, so damn calm that his face gave absolutely nothing away. Instead of his solitary confinement making him rethink his actions these last few days, Black had used that time alone to build himself stronger, to achieve a rational eye of the storm that had always - always - done Castle in.
He'd been trained to rein in his emotions, reign over his own damn mind. Trained to subdue the terror, the anger, even the sympathy until he was a machine. Trained by the man in front of him, who was as machine as possible in this moment.
But Black had always gotten the better of him. At least until Castle had figured out the trick: disconnect and shut down. Separate and detach from the main - from humanity, from higher emotion, from culture and art and beauty and life. Compact, contained, fire-walled. Safe, flat, standard.
"Rick," she called to him from the bed.
Kate had her own ways of dealing, coping, that included that kind of compartmentalization, but Kate was brimming with emotion. She kept it in reserve, but it was such a damn deep well. She locked it away. In fact, she probably couldn't bear to even think about their son right now. It'd be too much. Too much.
Castle had been trained to swim shallow, skim surfaces, never get that far down. He had been all charm and charisma and seduction with no substance.
Until Kate. And truthfully, a few years before he'd met her, the revolution had been taking place within him, a need he'd felt echoed in his mind and heart after years of watching Eastman and his wife, years of broken relationships. And then his father's betrayal, his father shattering the shaky construct of a life Castle had built around a woman in the office who had been - it turned out - a spy.
That whole tragedy with Sophia Turner should have sent him straight back to the machine. It should have solidified his father's hold over his brainwashing: see what happens when you let it get messy? It should have, but then Kate.
Then Kate. And no wonder his father wanted in on this, wanted to fuck it up or destroy it or kill her. No wonder his father needed this in on their lives - they were too solid, too good, too resolute.
Black didn't understand love, but he understood power. He saw power here and he was wresting it from them one handful at a time.
"Rick, we have no choice," she murmured. Her fingers were around his wrist, lightly, not pulling. She'd never force him, never bend him to her own will. She guided, she nudged, she explained, she outright just went for it, but she never abused.
They had no choice.
"You explain this to us," he insisted. Black was standing like a giant in the room, a tilting giant, a tree of a man, old and gnarled. He wouldn't be moved. He wouldn't explain, that much was clear.
"I'll do what's necessary to save her life," Black answered. "This chelation agent will hopefully stop the worst of the damage."
"Hopefully isn't good enough anymore."
Black narrowed his eyes. "It's all you're going to get. Don't forget, Richard. Coonan was the only one to survive this radical, more advanced treatment. I'm giving it to her piecemeal, because there's no way she'd live through the full course. I'm having to extrapolate based on twenty-year-old information. I've got to tease out the individual strands, react to what happens in her body, her bloodstream, to each of these treatments. It's a balancing act, Richard. That's all it is. Sure - I know all the individual steps we took with Dick Coonan, but he turned out to be a psychopath, didn't he? I can guarantee that's not what you want for her."
But there were no guarantees, that was the problem. None where Black was concerned.
"Start it," Kate spoke up. "Start the new chelation. I can handle it."
Castle had thought they were over the hump, that it would be gradual recovery from here on out. Looked like that wasn't the case. It was touch and go, his father was saying; it would just be touch and go with her blood chemistry for a while.
"Richard. Stand aside. I need access to her IV."
In the end, his father's training stood him in good stead. Because it took an extreme force of will and self-discipline to move away from Kate and let Black into that spot beside her.
Kate had drifted off sometime during the third hour of chelation, but she roused to Castle's touch on her arm.
"Kate," he whispered.
She opened her eyes and had to lick her lips, her mouth dry. "What time's it?"
"Late, honey. I've got to meet Mitch. He's on his way."
"Mm, 'kay."
"Hunt is here. So's Black. You'll be okay?"
"Course," she murmured. She'd thought to get back to sleep, but she didn't think she could do that now. She was dragging along the ragged edge of consciousness, trying to stay above the surface. "What time?"
"Nearly midnight. You've had five hours. You're off it now. Not even hooked up. But Hunt's going to keep watch, make sure you're stable."
"'Kay," she murmured. "Wait. Where're you going?"
"Just to the border to meet Mitchell. I gotta sneak him in the back stairs."
"Hm, okay." She got it now; she did. Hunt was here at one side, Black the other. Castle dusted a kiss on her forehead and she felt the shift in the room and then heard the door open and shut again.
She dozed for a long time, something she hadn't meant to do, and then there was a faint light that she felt across her cheek like a touch.
"Katherine."
She gasped and came awake, and it was a touch, it was Black right there beside her, his face so close she could smell his breath. Peppermint and - something.
"Katherine."
"Shit," she gasped, clutching the sheets in the faint light. From the bathroom, she thought, and she saw Hunt asleep in the wingback chair.
"Katherine."
She turned her head and Black was there, right there, eyes dark in the low light.
"Katherine, calm down. If I wanted to kill you, I'd hardly wake you up for it."
"Wouldn't you?" she got out.
He chuckled. "Ah, perhaps. Good point. But this is a good time for us to chat, Katherine, don't you think? With my son out of the way, not ranting and raving every time I speak your name."
Well, she could definitely do with some ranting and raving about now. She just needed - something like that - a wall of bluster between her and Black. At least her voice hadn't cracked when she'd answered him.
"You are perhaps not at your best. I am well aware of that. But you ought to listen to what I have to say. Your issues with the regimen can be used for good. After something like this, you know Richard will never again abandon the program. Isn't that what we both wanted?"
She sucked in a rattling breath, tried to think, gather her wits so she wouldn't say the wrong thing. "I don't want him on the program," she said. "I want him healthy. I want him to live. I don't want him on your program."
"My program is his life," Black said. But the nasty edge was gone; he was calm, he was completely in control. "And we both know that. Now, look, we can go on doing this, dancing around each other, distrusting each other, but you and I - you and I can come to an agreement."
"What?" she said hesitantly. What could he possibly want from her.
"I trust you with his - his life," Black said slowly. "And you - do you trust me with his?"
No. No, but...
"I may not particularly approve of how you and he are living that life," Black went on smoothly. In the dark, the faint shadows from the bathroom nightlight made his face grotesque. "But he's here. Is he not? He's still a CIA agent, and now he's back on the program if only for your sake."
"My sake?" she murmured, frowning.
"He saw the cost. Unable to get to you, not paying enough attention because his concentration was scattered, unable to simply carry you across the park. Because of you, he took that injection of serum and he's more than capable again."
God, that hurt. That hurt in a really deep place that she didn't have the strength to confront right now.
"I know how this works," Black kept going. "I see how it works now. If I want him, then I need you. You control him."
"I love him," she choked. Her hands gripped the sheets again and she tried to rise, to sit up, to face him, damn it, but Black put his fingers against her shoulder and kept her down.
"You love him. Fine. Name it whatever you must to make it palatable. You love him, ergo you own him. Which means that you and I, Katherine, need a deal."
"No," she said finally. "No. I won't."
"You want to live? You want to make it out of here alive?"
"Are you going to kill me?"
"Would I do that?"
"I think so," she said. "I think you would. Unless you could use me to hurt him."
"Who said I wanted to hurt him?"
God, help. It was like the devil himself had slithered up beside her to whisper in her ear. She tried to keep from falling apart, tried to keep from falling into his trap.
"Katherine. I don't want to hurt him; he's my son. And now this boy, James, carries on the genetic line. I want him to claim his inheritance. He has a destiny-"
"Stop," she shouted. But it must not have been loud enough because Hunt still hadn't woken up.
Was he alive? Had he been struck unconscious?
"His destiny. You've seen it, what the program can do - and also what happens when you neglect it, when you tell yourselves you can do without it, when you think you're somehow better than the program. Richard, James, even yourself - you are the program."
"Me?" she whispered. She couldn't, not for a second, believe that Black wanted her in his legacy.
"Much as I hate to admit it; it's a done deal, is it not? You're here now because of it. Weak. Fragile. Unbalanced. Your life rests in my hands, Katherine. I have done everything in my power to save you. I will continue to do that. You have my word."
She had his word? "You're going to save my life."
"Our army group experienced these toxicity issues which caused a massive instability in their blood cells - not even the stabilizing pills were enough to reverse the damage. Chelation was our only recourse. When we tried to extricate the serum from their systems, those soldiers... well, they went AWOL. There was an incident. Coonan lived - but he was never the same. I believe your mother was a result of that-"
"Damn you," she growled, closing her eyes. Coonan? She'd known he was - but Coonan had undergone this same treatment? And what, it had poisoned his mind? Great. Fucking hell. She and Coonan were... connected.
"Understandably, you're upset. I'm sure Richard would have told you all this - had you been conscious."
"Just - just get on with it. I have your word that you'll keep me alive - to the best of your ability. And what am I supposed to do for you?"
"Use your influence to keep my son in the program. The wonderful thing about our deal, Katherine, is that I don't even need your consent. You control him without even trying. He's going to try for you, to keep you safe, and all I have to do is let you live."
"Then why the hell are you talking to me?" she hissed. She felt sick. Not her head, not her body, but her heart. Her heart was breaking for Castle. "Why tell me any of this?"
"It would make it easier if you believed me, knew precisely where I was coming from, so that you and Richard would stop fighting me every step of the way. Calling in this Logan and his team from Stone Farm. Second guessing. I can - probably - save your life. But not if my decisions are being second-guessed and you both are pushing your health to the limits by costly waiting."
Kate turned her head away from him; she wanted to close her eyes but in no way could she do that, despite his assurances.
She actually believed him. She believed he was going to try if only because keeping her alive meant having a measure of control over his son.
She hated it, but it was true to a degree. It was true. It was what had saved her life in Tunisia with this man, and it was doing it now.
Castle's love for her. It wasn't about control. It was about love.
"Good girl," he murmured. "You rest. Sleep, Katherine. You know I'm right. See? You're - even now - still alive."
She shivered in the darkness and prayed Castle would hurry. She didn't think she'd be sleeping any time soon.
The sound of a hoot owl and then the low trill let Castle know who was out there. He came close and flicked his headlights once and then the passenger door opened and Mitchell slipped inside, sweating, bleeding, panting against the seat.
Castle hadn't wanted to tell her what the real problem was.
Mitch had gotten pinned down.
"You okay?" Castle said tightly.
"Am now."
"Sorry. I forogt your cover was-"
"No, don't. Don't even apologize. I brought what you need." He held up the backpack he'd been carrying in one white-knuckled hand. "Got it through."
"Thank you," Castle said gravely. He started the engine but didn't turn on the headlights, slipped the vehicle slowly back onto the lane. He'd liberated the truck at a mechanic's garage, but it had been in the lot where they parked the ones they'd serviced. He would put it back tonight and hopefully no worse for wear. Wiped clean of course.
"Whew," Mitch breathed, finally moved to get his seatbelt on.
"I forgot your cover," Castle said. "I forgot. That's - unacceptable. How's the wound?"
"Fair to middlin'," he grinned. "Bleeding some. But I hear you got a little clinic running."
"Unfortunately true."
"You can patch me up when we get there."
"I'll do that," he breathed. "I'm glad - more than glad to have you. Lifesaver, Mitch."
"Aren't I always?"
Castle swallowed past the lump in his throat, tried to clear it out. "You're something anyway."
"How's she doing?"
"It's up and down," Castle answered honestly. He felt it sitting on his chest.
"I'm sorry you had to come get me. She's left there with Black?"
"And Hunt," he said. "Hunt is - something anyway."
"What's his deal with Black, you know?"
"Independent contractor, best I can tell. It seems to be all Black has left these days. No one's loyal to him. They all know him too well. But Hunt..."
"Probably there's blackmail on him. Dirt. Can't be that he's just that-"
"Why not? He could be just that unscrupulous. He ogles my wife at every meeting, even with me right there in the room."
"Yeah, but hell, Castle. Who wouldn't?"
He laughed, surprised by it, but the amusement hit him hard and dragged the noise out. It was a siphon for his tension too, so that his hands relaxed on the wheel.
"I mean, she's hot."
"You can stop now," Castle muttered, but the grin was still there.
"She's had a kid and yet, damn, look at her."
"Seriously. Any day now."
"Seriously, any day now, I'm gonna make my move."
"And she'll put you on the floor."
"It'll be worth it. Kate Beckett towering over me."
Fuck, just like that, Mitch had him buoyed, had him certain that day would actually come. Not that Mitch would make a move on her, of course not, but that they'd all be back home with Mitch making sly little comments and Kate laughing at him and everyone just fine. Home.
Castle reached across the console and punched Mitch in the thigh - avoiding his arm where the blood still seeped. "You bastard."
"Don't even know why you keep me around."
They left the truck in the mechanic's lot and Mitch didn't make a single sound of protest as they hiked the last quarter mile to the chateau. Castle carried Mitch's gear, wrapped his hand around Mitch's good arm, and they made it.
He used the master key to get into the back kitchens, and they made their slow way up the servant stairs to their hall. The sconces lighted the way, giving them a clear and glowing path, and Mitch didn't complain.
"You good?" Castle finally asked. He didn't want Mitch pushing it.
"Will be," he huffed. His wounded arm was on the other side, away from Castle, so he couldn't even check to be sure Mitch was telling him the whole truth.
He unlocked their door and came inside slowly, just in case Hunt was armed and trigger happy after a night with Black.
But Hunt was passed out in the wingback chair and his father was awake and reading a book in the desk chair pulled up at Kate's bedside.
Kate was awake. "Castle," she said.
God, what had happened here?
"Hey, Beck," he said giving her a smile. She was propped up a little against the headboard, her skin pale, face wan, but she smiled back at him, so much relief in it that he wanted to make someone hurt.
"Mitch," she murmured. Her lips twisted into a frown. "What's wrong with you? What happened?"
"Got stuck," he grinned, moving directly to her bedside and sitting on the mattress - right between her and Black. "Need some TLC, Beckett. You gonna patch me up?"
"No," she said shortly, but a spark had come back to her eyes. She released her fists and lifted a hand, and Castle saw it was shaky, but she had some energy.
She'd been awake. Black had been awake. Hunt was still not.
"You knock him out?" he said to his father, ignoring Mitch and Kate pushing his sleeve back to see the wound. "You inject him with something? He's not going to like that when he wakes up."
"He'll be fine," Black said smoothly. "Just sleeping. Nice and deep. He didn't get much of that last night."
Castle grit his teeth and shot a look to Kate, but she was keeping her eyes steadfastly on Mitchell, and he knew it had been bad. Whatever had happened. She'd been awake.
He settled the backpack on the bed at her feet and came around to sit on her other side, putting his back to the headboard so he could see everyone. Even Hunt. Mitchell was wincing and moaning as Kate rotated his arm, but the barbed wire had gotten him pretty deep - there might be muscle damage. Good thing the knife had missed.
"I got it, Kate," he said, nudging her aside with his elbow. She stopped manipulating Mitch's arm and Castle reached past her to tug Mitch closer. "Sit here. First aid kit's open."
Mitch shifted positions and Castle leaned down to grab the plastic case with all their medical gear. It was on the floor between Hunt and the bed, and it was open.
Castle had left it closed.
Black had definitely injected Hunt with some kind of sedative. And after running around all day and not getting much sleep - other than a two hour nap this morning - it had easily put him under.
Castle dragged the kit up and grabbed what he needed, threaded the needle while Mitch made small talk with Kate. How she felt, symptoms - how she'd liked her tour of Belgium.
Kate's hand came to his thigh at some point; he didn't pause, didn't look, but it told him enough. He kept stitching Mitchell's bicep, felt her burning hand at his jeans, branding him with all the surfeit of emotion she still had churning under that facade of cool, quiet calm.
Her fingers tightened and he cast her a quick look, saw only that she was wincing for Mitchell, whose face had twisted up at the corner as if drawn to a point - the point of his shoulder, matter of fact, where Castle was knotting the last stitch.
"Don't be a baby," he snorted. "You've had worse."
"But never with such a brute of a surgeon. Damn, Castle, you do your best to make it ruthless, don't you?"
"He always has," Black said into the general amusement.
Castle's mood sank like a stone.
Kate squeezed his thigh and he ignored Black, moved to smear antiseptic cream over the stitches. He bandaged the shoulder with fresh gauze, taped it down, and nodded.
"Good to go."
"Thanks, man." Mitchell immediately stood up, tall and impressive as he stood over Black. "Come on. Get up. You're going back to your hole."
Castle felt easier now, having Mitch at his right hand. Hunt was totally gone in the wingback chair and Mitch was shepherding Black to the connecting door.
"Mitch," he called. His friend turned and Castle tossed him the master key. Mitchell caught it and nodded, and then he moved to get Black settled again.
Kate was quiet in front of him, and Mitch had pushed Black through the door.
"I should have locked him away," Castle growled.
"You thought I might need - his help," she answered. But her eyes were pinched in the corners.
"What happened?" Castle asked, taking her hand that was still heavy on his thigh.
"He just talked," she said. Her eyes roved over his face. "He just pointed out what I already knew."
"Don't be like that," he said harshly. "Tell me-"
"I will. I am. I'm telling you." She hooked her fingers in his and canted into his side, leaning hard into him, and he felt awful for pushing, for insisting on the details when she was so raw, so defenseless.
"I'm sorry," he murmured into the top of her head. Her hair was pretty like this, he thought, soft waves around her face, curling at her neck. He stroked his fingers along her cheek and tucked a lock behind her ear. "Take your time."
"He just said - said I could trust him to save my life. Because you - because you were under my control. And now I'm under his."
"You're not. We're not under his control."
"To some degree," she sighed. Her body was melting into his, sinking. "We are."
"No," he insisted. "We're not. It feels like it because we're out here and cut off, but it's not the case. If we were at home, this would be different."
"I'd be dead, most likely," she murmured. "And if we were at home, it would be because Black didn't have the control over us he already has."
"He doesn't control us," he growled. "He doesn't. I won't let you be a slave to him. I won't-"
"It's okay," she sighed. Her fingers stroked his side, his hip. "It's really okay. It hurts me to think I've done this to you but-"
"No, you haven't done-"
"But I love you. I do love you. And I don't think it could have gone any differently."
He let out a tight breath, a clutch in his chest, and she curled even closer, one leg held away, the awkward fit of their bodies with all the medical paraphernalia between them.
"And I love you," he sighed. "I really do, Kate. I - wish it had gone differently, but not that."
She nodded against him. "Don't let him use me against you."
"He won't." Castle made a fist and smoothed it out again, going for calm, getting it under control. "He won't, Kate. I promise you that. I can promise that because I know now. I get it. What it's like. I won't do that to you."
She let out a shaky breath. "And just - just don't - no, I'm okay. I'm okay. I made it, survived that, and he won't - he wants me alive for now. So there's really... he sees that I'm beneficial to his master plan."
"So I don't have to worry?" he muttered.
Kate did laugh then, she actually laughed. Her arm was weak around him, but holding on. "Exactly. No need to worry."
"Well, I'll reserve judgment on that one."
"Thank you," she murmured. "Just - thank you."
"Don't thank me. Stay alive. That's the gratitude I want. Stay alive, Kate, stay with me."
"I'm doing my best." Her words were spoken into his shoulder, her body losing its fight to stay alert. "Think I'm falling asleep, Castle."
"You can," he promised. "You sleep, honey. I won't move."