A/N1: Hello peoples and WELCOME to Chapter 29 titled 'Tick tock, Tick tock...' I ought to warm you there is liberal use of the 'F' word in this chapter.

I hope you enjoy the read!

"And I have personally seen Robinson kill someone, he has a silver Glock twenty three, same as yours," Shanya told Kate nodding towards the service weapon holstered on her hip. "Her name was Cassidy Jackson. She worked the Princeton Street William Terrace area. Robinson wanted her to start selling coke on a big scale in the area after another girl Luanne Price bit the dust and she did for a while but after she got pregnant she decided to get out of the business and he didn't like that. He unloaded a whole cartridge into her, it was foul. I barfed my guts up."

"Did Cassidy come to you expressing her fears?" Shaw asked Shanya. "I mean did you know her well?"

"Oh yeah, Cass was one of my best friends," Shanya said. "Before she died she went to Johanna Beckett and told her everything I'm telling you. Robinson's spies found that out and that's when he ordered Dick Coonan to silence her. I saw her go into that alley the night she was killed and Dick Coonan go after her. There was a blood curdling shriek and then I saw Coonan run out covered in all this blood. When the coast was clear I went in and well saw her...I'm really sorry you have to hear this." She added to Kate who was biting her lip in an effort not to cry. "Everyone in the neighbourhood knew Dick Coonan was one of Robinson's right hand men he did a lot of his dirty work til you shot him in the twelfth. Then Lockwood took over his position and when Montgomery shot him Hargraves took over."

"No, I'm alright," Kate said in a thick voice. "It's hard to hear but it's essential to the case. Have you heard or seen anything relating to who shot me at Montgomery's funeral last year?"

"Only heard rumours unfortunately," Shanya replied apologetically. "Cass told me word about was Robinson knew you were getting closer to finding out he was behind your Mom's murder and wanted to silence you. Apparently he scouted around his 'friends' and the only person with the shooting skill good enough to get you after Lockwood bit the dust was Hargraves who served for a short time in the special forces and started to train as a sniper before he left the military and went into law. After you were shot and Hargraves didn't manage to 'finish the job' Robinson apparently went mental. They had a falling out for a while before they got back together earlier this year. Then those two feds..."

"Agents Woodson and Parnell," Shaw supplied.

"Yeah, them guys," Shanya noted, nodding her head. "When those feds came about, word got out someone was investigating Johanna Beckett's case again and things started to get serious. Robinson and Hargraves sent their stooges around the neighbourhood to anyone who knew about what really happened and reminded them to 'shut up' Hargraves himself came here to 'talk' to me.

There was a long silence in the room as Shanya finished speaking.

"Do you have any idea where my partner could be?" Kate asked after a moment of digesting the information she'd just been given. "He's in extreme danger. If Hargraves and Robinson have put a bullet in people who know nothing about my Mom's case I know they won't hesitate to do the same to my partner."

"He could be anywhere, detective. I really wish I could tell you exactly where he might be," Shanya replied apologetically. "But Robinson as you know has huge amounts of real estate, he could be in the basement of a warehouse here in the Heights or in a fancy ass apartment on the Upper West Side. All I know is that he does own a majority of warehouses and apartment blocks in this area. I'm not entirely sure where he would have taken your partner but if you're going to look anywhere start here in the Heights. There are plenty of places around here you could hide someone."

"Alright, that's enough. Get her to pack her bags and we'll get her out of here," Frank's voice said in Kate, Shaw and Gates' earpieces. "Time to get her the hell out, Kate. Let's MOVE!"

"Alright, you've given us enough to go on. Would you like some help packing a suitcase?" Kate asked Shanya. "Agent Shaw and Captain Gates can help too if you like."

Shanya slumped back in her chair. "Would you?" she said with a heavy sigh.

"Of course, let's do this" Gates told the woman as she got to her feet. "Detective Beckett can help you pack your own things and Agent Shaw and I can pack for your children."

"Thankyou so much Captain, pack anything for the girls just don't forget the blue teddy, Cabbage Patch Doll with the pink tutu on or the Red plush lady bug toy. Those are the girls favourite toys, they'd go mental if I didn't bring them. Suitcases are on the top shelf of the wardrobe of their bedroom."

"We're onto it."

Seemingly hours later Rick was roused by a loud splashing noise he opened his eyes a crack and saw Hargraves standing over Tyler Harrington as the young boy tipped what appeared to be bags of ice cubes into a large metal tub.

"Hurry up boy!" Hargraves barked, smacking the teenager over the back of the head. "I haven't got all day!"

"Well fucking do it yourself then!" Tyler snapped, dropping the bag of ice cubes into the tub. "You and Robinson are fucking psycho! This is wrong man, just wrong! People are going to find out about what you're doing, he found out. What makes you think nobody else has?"

"Because 'you nosey little shit' we've told them to shut up!" Hargraves growled, poking the teenager in the small of his back with is service weapon. "And if you don't continue putting those fucking ice cubes in, you'll meet the same fate as your brother! Hurry up and shut your fucking mouth!"

"You're a psychopath," Tyler muttered as he reluctantly poured the rest of the bag of ice cubes into the crate of water. "Why do this? He's not going to say anything, why not go after Beckett herself? She's the one you've gotta beef with. He's a writer. He knows nothin'"

"What has he told you?" Hargraves snapped, scruffing the youth's shirt collar and roughly shoving him up against the wall. "What the hell has he told you?"

"Nothin', the bastard's been out cold whenever I've been here!" Tyler yelped as Hargraves pressed the muzzle of his service weapon into his chest. "And what makes you think I'd tell you anything if he had? You want to find out where this cop is, you do your own dirty work. I'm not your fucking slave!"

"Like hell you're not, now hurry up and finish you're job," Hargraves snarled, yanking Tyler back off the wall and shoving him towards a nearby door. "And if you don't do it properly I'll blow your fucking brains out...GO!"

'Oh god, Tyler. Go to the Twelfth. I'm a goner if you don't' Rick groaned inwardly as he snapped his eyes shut and pretended to be unconscious. 'Do the right thing kid, you're better than this.'

Kate, Shaw and Gates helped Shanya Peterson pack all she needed for herself and her daughters and took them back to the twelfth where the team that would take them into witness protection was waiting. Once the mother and her children were taken into hiding, Kate headed straight to the break room to make herself a coffee. She was bustling around the cupboard finding her mug when Esposito strode in.

"Girl, you were awesome!" he exclaimed, embracing the female detective. "You would get the head of the CIA to spill his guts. That was brilliant! We'll have Castle back in no time."

Kate returned her friend's hug with a small smile. "I hope so, Javi. I really do," she said with a sigh. "We've got the information for a case to arrest Robinson and bust his ass for Mom's murder but it won't be worth it if I don't get Rick back. I would rather have him back and safe over finding the bastard who took Mom. Honestly I would. He's my heart."

Esposito embraced the female detective again. "I know he is, Chica. But don't underestimate Frank and his boys, hey even me and Honey Milk will bust our asses getting our boy back and in one piece. We're so close, I can smell it."

Kate felt her insides lift at the Latino detective's optimism.

"I don't know what I'd do without you and Kevin, Javi. I owe you so much," she confessed just as Ryan entered the room carrying a pizza box. "Neither of you know how to tell a joke to save your life but you have my back every step of the way and I can't begin to tell you how grateful I am."

"Hey, I can tell a joke!" Ryan exclaimed, opening the box that smelled alluringly of pepperoni and melted cheese. "Javi couldn't tell a joke if a joke telling manual jumped up and bit him in the ass."

"You two are terrible," Kate said with a giggle as she sat down and seized a gooey slice of pizza. "You're both pretty funny, not as much as Castle though."

"Hey, you're bias. We need an independent evaluator!" Ryan declared with a grin.

"Get into your lunch bro or we'll eat it all." Esposito told his partner seizing his own slice and pushing the box toward him.

There was silence for a few minutes as the three friends sat around the battered break room table and consumed their meal.

"Why is he doing this?" Kate asked eventually, her tone small and vulnerable. "I mean why Rick? He doesn't have anything to do with Mom's case...he-"

Kate's eyes welled with tears and spilled over running down her cheeks.

"Kate, Robinson and Hargraves have gone after Rick because they know he's your heart and the best way of getting to you," Ryan said softly, reaching across the table and grasping his friend's hand. "He's taken him because he knows you won't just sit by and let it happen. He's doing this to screw with your head and for no other reason. He knows we're onto him and is doing his best to rattle your cage before we open up a can of woopass on him."

The corners of Kate's lips twitched as she fought off a smile. "And we're going to do that?" she asked, scrubbing at her eyes and smudging her makeup.

"Chica, we're going to bring a new meaning to the phrase 'opening up a can of woopass," Esposito said confidently, his tone assured and confident. "Those sons of bitches won't know what's hit them once Brand Beckett, Ryan and Esposito rains down on them. Come on kid, we've got this. You know we do."

Kate smiled not quite feeling her friend's optimism. "Thanks Javi."

Rick woke up suddenly when someone grabbed his shirt collar and a handful of hair and began dragging him off the dirty mattress and across the dirty cement floor.

"ARRRRRRRRRRRGH!" he bellowed, twisting hard in an effort to get away from his captor. "AAAAAAAARRRRGGGGHHHHHHHH! WHAT ARE YOU DOING? FUUUUCK!"

The captor threw Rick down and his head hit the edge of something cold and metallic, fresh pain washed over him like a tidal wave and then came the new and unpleasant feeling of nausea followed. His stomach contracted and with a magnificent heave the Writer vomited expelling the contents of his stomach all over the leather shoes of his captor.

"You fucking ASSHOLE!" Robinson yelled, sinking the toe of his sick covered shoe into the Writer's ribs. "You are gonna tell me where the hell Beckett is and you're going to tell me NOW!"

The pain that followed was the worst Rick had experienced in his forty one years of life. The temperature was suddenly white hot, and then ice cold and a thousand microscopic needles pierced his skin. He opened his mouth to feed his body with oxygen but only got ice cold water. Panic rose in his chest and bile flooded his mouth as he tried to take in oxygen. A secondary crunching pain radiated from the back of his head as he was pulled out of the bone chilling cold and suddenly he was able to heave in some air his chest rising and falling rapidly as he tried to recover.

"Why're you doin' th'sssssss?" he groaned, spitting out a mouthful of bile and water his eyes and nose streaming. "Uuuuuuggggggh."

"Because I want to know where Detective Beckett is...are you deaf?" Robinson spat, pressing the Writer's neck against the edge of the tub and purposely choking him. "I will keep doing this to you til you tell me where the hell she is."

"Sh-she's wh-where y-you can't t-touch'er," Rick answered, hissing through his teeth and heaving more breath sensing he was about to be dunked in the ice water again. "F-forget i-t you bastard, you'll n-never touch h-her. Y-you h-haven't to n-now and you w-won't n-no mat-ter w-what y-you d-do to m-meeeeeee."

Robinson pulled out his Glock, aimed it at Rick's head and pulled the trigger. The writer jerked away at the last second and heard the bullet whistle past his ear before the ounce of lead pierced the skin of his shoulder and went right through the bone of his clavicle and upper left arm before exiting his body with a spray of blood, muscle and sinew.

"AAAAAAAAAARRRRRGHHHHHHH!" the writer screamed, his voice breaking and throat tearing as his muscular frame was consumed by mind addling agony. "Aaaahh, you ASSHOLE!"

"What the hell are you doing?" a young voice Rick instantly recognised as Tyler Harrington's exclaimed loudly. "Jesus Christ, you shot him again. What the hell are you thinking?"

"Hey, I've told you keep your useless mouth shut or I'll put a fucking bullet in your skull!" Hargraves exclaimed, shoving the teenager against the wall on the other side of the ice water filled tub and pressing the muzzle of his service weapon into his chest. "If you know what's good for you and your family, you'll shut up."

"You're both psycho!" Tyler exclaimed in disbelief as Rick laid barely conscious and moaning in agony on the floor. "Why are you belting him up? You want Beckett not Castle!"

"Hey, if you can't shut him up or I'll put a bullet in both of ya!" Robinson snarled at Hargraves. "Time's of the essence, I've gotta be in Washington in the morning. We need to find Beckett today! We find her and all this goes away, got it?"

Despite struggling to stay in the land of the conscious Rick forced himself to laugh. "You have nooooooooo idea," he groaned, the widest of grins spreading across his face. "Y'may be the Dragon, she's the slayer. Y'not gonna win asshoooooole."

Robinson's face turned a deep shade of scarlet and he grabbed a handful of Rick's hair, yanked him up and plunged his face into the ice water not allowing him the chance to inhale before hitting the water. Rick struggled as much as he was able a multitude of feelings coursing through his body. His lungs seemingly exploded and it felt like a thousand white hot swords where slicing his insides as Robinson pushed him under the ice cold water submerging his entire torso into the liquid.

"Stop stop STOP!" Tyler screamed as Robinson repeatedly dunked Rick in the water barely allowing the writer to take in a much needed breath. "This is fucking WRONG! Just stop, he's not saying anything. You'll kill him before you find out anything. Just stop, p-please!"

Robinson dropped Rick's boneless and unconscious bulk on the cement floor and strode over to Tyler shoving the team up against the wall.

"This is none of your concern!" he snarled. "You shut up and help or get the hell out. I don't need a punk ass little sissy fucking up my plan. I don't know why Hargraves brought you in, in the first place. You're a useless piece of shit."

Tyler stared down the politician drawing himself up. "I'm done," he told the older man. "I don't want anything more to do with this shit. You can kill Richard Castle for all I care. I should have said no ages ago. You can do all the dirty work yourself. I'm going home"

Robinson's eyes narrowed. "Get out," he growled in a dangerous tone. "Get out before I blow your brains out, you're a useless sack of shit Harrington, just like your whore of a mother."

"Fuck you!"

And before either Robinson or Hargraves or Robinson could come after him, Tyler ran out of the warehouse and into the street just as the sun began to go down its rays glinting off the windows of the surrounding buildings.

That Writer guy was right. It was time to do the right thing, time to grow up and be a man. He had to find Detective Beckett before it was too late.

Kate, Ryan and Esposito quickly polished off the pizza and began a spirited game of matchstick Texas Hold 'em as they waited for news or further instruction from Frank and his team. They kicked their shoes off and hung their Kevlar vests over the backs of their seats and tried to relax when Alexis turned up with Noah the Special Agent usually assigned to look after Martha.

"Alexis?" Kate exclaimed, sitting up in a hurry.

"I think there's some paperwork we can do," Esposito said, tactfully getting up and pulling Ryan to his feet. "C'mon bro, we can help Karpowski with the Martinez case."

"But-alright," the Irish Detective agreed.

The two detectives left the room, closing the door behind them and Alexis dove into Kate's arms the tears in her blue eyes.

"Hey, hey, hey. What's happening?" Kate asked after a while of stroking the red head's hair comfortingly. "Hey, deep breaths or you'll choke yourself."

Alexis forced herself to breathe then looked up into Kate's green eyes her eyes red and cheeks blotchy from the effort of crying.

"I j-just want Dad back,' she whispered, giving a little hiccup. "No one is telling me or Grams anything and I had this huge row with Agent Pelling and said if he didn't take me to the precinct I would go on my own. That's when Noah jumped in and offered to take me. I need to know what's going on Kate...he's my D-Dad!"

"Honey, I don't know if I'm allowed to tell you anything," Kate told the teen apologetically. "You know this is federal investigation, your Dad is an abducted federal agent and that's a big deal."

"I know and that's what Agent Pelling was saying but he was being a total ass about it..." Alexis began.

"Alexis, Ray's only doing his job. Frank says he's one of the best in the bureau..."

"I know, but why can't he have any bedside manner like Dad or Noah? They manage to do their jobs without being total douches!"

Kate chuckled. "Not everyone has your Dad's winning personality, honey," she admitted. "Look at Dr Perlmutter, he's an excellent M.E but has the personality of a box of rocks on the job and isn't light and fluffy like Lanie is, yet neither is a better M.E than the other."

"I called Agent Pelling an asshole," Alexis muttered sheepishly. "I feel so bad about that!"

Kate embraced the redhead. "I understand why you did, sweetie. One tends to act out of character when in a stressful situation, look what I did to Kevin and Javi," she theorized. "I have never purposely punched anyone in my life. It's always been in self defence or accidentally in a sparring session. But with those two I went to town. And I feel sheepish about it still, even though they don't think it's any big deal."

"So can you tell me anything?" Alexis asked, her blue eyes boring into Kate's green ones, pleadingly. "I need to know something. I'm going nuts here."

"We're making progress," Kate informed the worried youngest Castle. "Agent Shaw and Captain Gates went with me to Washington Heights to question someone who we believe knows started this whole mess. We believe they are the same people or person who took your Dad. Frank and Agents Woodson and Parnell are right now formulating a plan to go looking for your Dad."

"So you think the person who ordered the hit on your Mom is the same person who took Dad?" Alexis asked.

Kate opened her mouth to answer but exhaled and ran her fingers through her mussed up brunette tresses.

"I don-yes," she said with a sigh. "But you mustn't tell anyone what I have told you Alexis, I've probably told you more than I should have."

"What am I going to say to Grams then?" Alexis questioned. "She's going to want to know something."

"Tell her Kevin, Javi and I along with Franks' team are doing our bes-no we're busting our balls to get your Dad back," Kate said resolutely. "The whole department is trying to get your Dad back and we'll be dammed if we're going to let anything bad happen to him. He's the heart and soul of this department, Alexis and we want him back."

"He wants to marry you, you know that?" Alexis voiced.

Kate did a double take. "R-really?" she exclaimed, her voice coming out in a stammer. "He said that?"

"No, but his actions say he wants to," Alexis replied, pulling back Esposito's seat and dropping down into it. "I know my Dad, Kate. You're it for him, his third time lucky. I've never seen him act the way he does with you, with any other woman. He's more touchy feely with you and I'm not talking about kissing. I mean hand holding, hugging and the arm touches you don't know you give to each other all that. He wants to settle down with you for the rest of his life but because of his past experience and I think his consideration of what's happened to you in the past, has prevented him from bringing it up. You two have a connection I've never seen with any other couple. You are yin and yang, salt and pepper any other complimentary condiment you care to bring up."

"I-I erm-er..." Kate stammered.

"I don't know if you're ready to hear it, Kate. But if Dad popped the question I would be he first to celebrate never mind Grams, Dr Parish or Detective's Ryan and Esposito," Alexis proclaimed with a bright smile. "And I have confidence you'll find him alive and in one piece. The connection you two have will be the driving force."

Kate gave the teen a smile. "I hope it helps," she replied with a sad smile. "And I know your Dad and I are each other's perfect match. I don't know what I'd say if he did pop the question but I'll tell you now I'm not totally adverse to the idea of getting married."

Alexis smiled and embraced the female detective. "Would you like to come over for tea tonight?" she asked. "Grams asked me to invite you. Since the explosion at the loft neither of us have seen you much and I know Grams wants to make sure you're alright. You know how she worries."

Kate returned the hug. "I'd love to," she answered with a smile. "I don't know when I'll be leaving the precinct though, everyone's on a knife's edge waiting to hear what Frank and his team will do."

"Well if you're not at Gram's apartment by seven, we'll come to you," Alexis said brightly "Dad's told us before when you get stuck at the precinct you tend to eat junk and turn your desk into a Styrofoam temple, so we'll come with some proper food."

Kate rolled her eyes. "I'm having words with your father when I find him," she commented. 'That's a total load of bull, just because once he came to my apartment and saw a recycling bin full of take out containers I hadn't gotten around to throwing out..."

Alexis grinned. "I can't wait til all this mess is over and done with Kate, I miss our DVD and pizza nights, it seems like ages since we've had one," the redhead said reminiscently. "It seems ages since Grams and I have seen you."

"I promise as soon as I've found your Dad and know he's okay, I'll come over for the most gastronomic DVD pizza night," Kate promised. "RomComs, extra cheese and we'll toast marshmallows over candles seeing as your Grams doesn't have an open fireplace, alright?"

"Sounds good, well I better be heading back to Grams. I promised Noah I wouldn't linger."

"Noah huh?" Kate teased, raising an eyebrow. "I've never heard you call him Agent Pearson, anything you want to tell me?"

Alexis immediately turned a magnificent shade of red that closely matched the colour of her hair.

"Oh, don't you start. Grams is already teasing me," the teenager muttered, averting her eyes from the female detective's gaze. "That's his name isn't it? Grams calls Agent Pelling, Ray."

"Does she fancy him?" Kate teased with a giggle.

"Kaaaaaaaaaaate!" Alexis moaned.

Kate grinned and enveloped the mortified teen in a hug. "It's cool if you're attracted to Noah, he is kind cute,' she admitted. "And he's not that much older than you, so it's not likely your Dad would object if you guys did date."

"Kaaaaaaaate!" Alexis moaned. "Noah's cute, yes. But I'm not thinking about dating him, there's probably some code about federal agents dating the people they're protecting anyway."

"Yeah, there probably is but your Dad isn't going to be missing permanently and this case is going to be over and done with one day, then you two kids will be free to date," Kate said with a smile. "Don't rule it out Lex, follow your heart. It's the best thing, I see that now. There's no point in putting off any happiness you could have."

Alexis rubbed her face, still averting her gaze from the female detective. "I'll keep that in mind," she grumbled. "See you for dinner, alright?"

"See you then, Alexis."

With the ghost of a smile upon her lips, Kate watched as the youngest Castle left the break room went to Noah's side and made their way to the elevator at the end of the department floor.

"Everything alright with kid Castle?" Esposito asked, poking his head into the break room.

"Yeah, think she has the hots for Agent Parsons though,' Kate replied with a grin. "Just watched them walk to the elevator and swear I saw her check out his ass."

Esposito chuckled heartily "Apple doesn't fall far from the tree then?" he said with a grin. "Castle Senior's always checkin' out your ass."

"Oh grow up, Javi, try no to be so purile," Kate said dryly, rolling her eyes and elbowing the Latino detective in the side. "Any news from Frank?"

"Nah, he's still in interrogation one with Woodson and Parnell."

Kate sighed. "Damn," she grumped "well go get Kevin huh? I want to finish fleecing you guys in this game. It ain't over til the fat lady sings y'know."

Esposito grinned.

"You're on Chica you're on," he said

Tyler Harrington pulled the hood of his sweater over his head and pushed his sunglasses up his nose further as he stared at the exterior of the twelfth precinct building from across the other side of East Twenty First Street. He knew he was doing the right thing but his stomach clenched in fear as he contemplated what could happen if Hargraves or Robinson found out what he was up to. He knew the governor and bent cop wouldn't hesitate to kill his entire family then track him down and give him the same treatment Castle was getting but his desire to do the right thing was overwhelming and it was determination he stepped off the curb and began striding across the road ready to do the right thing.

"I fold. I'm out," Ryan announced, throwing his cards down on the table. "I'm never playing poker against you two ever again. If we were playing for money I'd be so broke I'd have to hitchhike home."

"Nah bro, we'd give you a ride," Esposito teased his partner as he looked down at his hand. "Ready to fold Becks?"

"Call me Becks again and I'll put you on the floor," Kate retorted, not taking her eyes off her hand as she rearranged the cards. "I raise you fifty and a wagyu scotch fillet at Nobu's if you can beat my hand."

"I raise you a hundred and you do my paperwork for a week," Esposito countered, flicking forward two matches and laying down his hand. "Four of Aces, Seven of Aces, Eight of Aces, Six of Aces and Five of Aces, straight flush Becks."

Ryan sniggered as Kate shot the Latino detective a death glare.

"Queen of Spades, King of Spades, Joker of Spades, ten of Spades and Ace of Spades Royal Flush Ja-vi-er," Kate declared triumphantly putting her hand down over the Latino detective's. "I win toots."

Ryan leaned back in his chair and roared with laughter as his partner swore.

"Oh no WAY!" he bellowed as his two friends and colleagues shared a high five. "Are you serious?"

"Pay up, Javi. I'll let you off the paperwork," Kate teased, rubbing her fingers together in front of her friend's face. "I would like it in small notes so I feel like I've won more."

Ryan sniggered. "I don't have a hundred bucks on me, make it a fifty and an I.O.U," Esposito groused good naturedly. "Nice job Bec-"

"Call me Becks and I'll break your nose again," Kate grumbled, the hint of a smile upon her face. "Only Maddie is allowed to call me that."

Esposito grinned. "Just teasin' Chica," he said with a sigh. "What'cha doing tonight? Want to come out to dinner with Lanie and I? We're going to this new Thai place in Chinatown. You and Jenny too bro."

"I'd love to Javi but I pro-"

"I need to see detective Beckett!" the voice of a young man declared loudly from the bullpen.

"I'm sure anything you can tell her you can tell us," Jane Karpowski said to the youth who was dressed in the typical low slung jeans and hooded top of the modern Manhattan youth. "What's your name?"

"I'll tell Detective Beckett that," the youth replied rudely. "Where is she?"

In perfect unison the boys and Kate left the break room and made their way into the bullpen where they found a young man of about sixteen or seventeen 'facing off' with Karpowski who was regarding him with scepticism, the rest of the department's detectives all the Special Agents and Gates in a wide circle around them.

"Ah Kate, this-" Karpowski began.

"Are you Detective Beckett?" the youth asked his face flooding with relief.

"I am. Can I help you?" Kate asked cautiously. "What's your name?"

"Tyler Harrington."

"And how can I help you Tyler?" Kate asked, feeling Ryan and Esposito go to either side of her like a pair of protective bodyguards.

"I know where Mr Castle is."

A/N1: DUN DUN DUUUUUUUUUN! Thanks for reading, and remember reviews feed the beast!