CHAPTER 8 – Sharpening the Knife

Jordan looked up as the elevator doors opened. She had been waiting on Rick and Kate so that they could plan for the afternoon briefing. But when she saw the man and woman get off the elevator she grinned even though it was not who she expected. "Riley! How are you?" She moved over to give the younger woman a hug.

Riley grinned when she saw the FBI agent. "Jordan! It's been ages!" She hugged her before standing back. "Gabriel, I want you to meet someone. Jordan Shaw, Gabriel Vaughn. Gabriel, Jordan Shaw." She smirked when she saw Gabriel put on his "charming" persona.

"Agent Shaw, It's a pleasure to meet you. Riley never introduces me to her friends."

"Mr. Vaughn, nice to meet you. I've heard good things."

They were interrupted as the elevator doors opened again, revealing Rick and Kate. Riley looked over and her eyes widened. "Ricky?"

Rick squeezed Kate's hand. "Hello, April." He grinned while Riley groaned.

"Rodgers I told you to stop calling me that!"

"April, you can't make me."

"I learned some more ways to do that since I last saw you."

"Oh, shiny! Sorry, April, I'm not scared." He looked over to Gabriel. "You must be Gabriel Vaughn." At the nod he continued. "Well, welcome aboard! Jordan, can you show Mr. Vaughn to the conference room? Beckett and I need a minute with Neal." Jordan nodded and headed off with Gabriel in tow.

Kate looked at the CyberCom agent warily. Rick did not usually openly flirt in front of her so she wondered what kind of relationship these two had been in.

Riley smiled. "Good to see you, Rick. Loved Heat Wave, by the way."

Rick snorted. "Riley Neal, meet Detective Kate Beckett, NYPD. She's the inspiration for Nikki."

Kate rolled her eyes. "Nice to meet you Agent Neal."

"Call me Riley. Ricky's little sister. Well, he said I was, anyway."

Kate smiled. "I'm Kate. Why does he call you April?"

Riley groaned. "It's from Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles…April O'Neill; an extra 'o' and two ells. He came in one day when we were working together and said to me that I looked like an April and he has teased me with it ever since."

Kate rolled her eyes. "He still does it. He used to call an ex-boyfriend of mine Doctor Motorcycle Boy."

Rick laughed. "Good times."

Jordan called out from the conference room for them to come in. Rick motioned for the others to precede him as they went in to brief Gabriel.

TCOP

Lillian Strand sat for a moment. Her meeting had concluded and she was fine with Gabriel working on the task force. His unique skill-set would help speed things up. She had known the Senator for almost a decade and had never guessed what an evil man he was.

Thinking back to the conversation she had just had, she was amazed at the amount of evidence that had already been gathered. It looked like they had enough to convict. When she commented on that, Hunt had been the one to speak up. "The bastard had people killed. Some of the people he had killed...well, let's just say that this 'Dragon' messed with the wrong people."

She had then promised her group's full cooperation and the meeting had concluded. Her visitors left, but not before Hunt had dropped a card on her desk and winked as he left. She waited until the elevator doors closed before picking up the card. It was one of Hunt's cards and on the back was written DAR Oakwood - Cemetery - Noon. She checked her calendar and noted the time was 11:15. She quickly logged out of the network and locked up her office before heading over to the Cemetery to see what Hunt couldn't say in front of the others.

She drove over even though it wasn't really that far due to the drizzling rain; she wanted to stay as dry as possible. As she parked her car and got out opening her umbrella, she saw a figure near the DAR monument. She took her time heading over. This cloak and dagger business was more her dad's thing than hers.

He watched as she got out of her car and slowly made her way over. "Thanks for coming, Lilli. Some of what I want to tell you is not for others ears."

"You sure I can be read in, then?"

He chuckled. "A lot of what I want to tell you is not classified...it's private."

She raised an eyebrow. "Uncle Jack?"

He cleared his throat and looked her in the eye. "You remind me of your mother, Lilli. She was tough as nails on the outside and sweet as sugar inside. I do miss my sister."
Sighing, he continued. "Lilli, I have been doing this job in some capacity for well over 40 years. 1968 was the first year I had completed an assignment and found myself in New York City. I had always wanted to go there...I was fascinated by Broadway and plays as a kid. I got a ticket to see Hair and there was this gorgeous redhead onstage. I was smitten and I figured I had a few weeks until my next assignment; well, anyway...I waited at the actors exit and struck up a conversation. She was amazing and witty and I was in head over heels in love. I still can close my eyes and picture her." He smiled and Lillian was taken aback. She had never witnessed her uncle opening up like this. She was quiet so that he would continue.
"Well, we had coffee and ended up spending the weekend together between her shows. Unfortunately I got a call about a case and had to leave her. I was gone a little over two years on an overseas assignment before I got a chance to catch up to her again. She had a new role on a TV show by then and I knew where to find her, so I waited down the street from the entrance to the TV offices. After almost an hour she came out holding on to the hand of a young toddler. I was crushed because I had thought she had moved on. I was nervous to find out but I looked little like my real self. All those years of tradecraft were hard to stop so I maintained my cover as I followed them to a park. I got close enough to hear her call after him as he ran towards the swings.
His middle name was Alexander, the same as mine. And when he turned around he had my eyes. I knew then that he was my son." He looked up and smiled. "You have a cousin, Lilli. He's done well and I helped when I could. He just found out I was alive a couple years ago and we haven't seen much of each other since then."

"Uncle Jack...that's quite a secret."

Hey chuckled hollowly. "I know, Red." He hadn't called her that since she was a teenager."But he is why I am on this one. He's involved."

Her eyes narrowed. "What did he do?"

He raised an eyebrow at her. "He loved someone, Lilli. His girlfriend's mother was one of our victims and he is the lead investigator."

She gasped. "Rick Rodgers is your son?"

He laughed. "That was his reaction as well. But he is also your cousin."

"Damn! I always thought he was cute. I mean, he is several years younger, but..." She giggled...giggled?

"Well, he changed his name when he left the FBI. You may know him better as Richard Castle."

"Rick Rodgers is Richard Castle? So my cousin is a guy I used to think was cute and my favorite author? That is so not fair!"

Hunt laughed. "At least you never flirted with him." At her guilty expression he laughed harder.

"Oh come on, Uncle Jack! I didn't know!"

"Red, you have to know that he will remember. And he will tease you about it…" At her groan, he laughed again.

TCOP

Rick came in last, closing the door. Looking around the table, he looked at each individual. His beloved Kate, holding it together. He could see a glimmer of hope in her eyes as she realized the end was drawing near. Riley, his buddy, his kid sister...she was one of the most determined women he had ever met. Jordan, a kindred spirit, FBI all the way, and a good friend. And Gabriel Vaughn. Rick had read his file...knew about Clockwork and his special abilities. He would be perfect for this op.

Heading towards his seat, he nodded to the females and shook Gabriel's hand. "Thanks for agreeing to help us Vaughn. Your skillset is perfect for this op. Have you been briefed on the situation?"

Gabriel nodded. "Shaw has given me a brief overview. What is it you need from me?"

"Our target is Senator William Bracken. He is as corrupt as they come. We have most of what we need, except for the smoking gun. That's what we need from you. You'll insert into his protection detail. Watch, listen and monitor his electronic and phone communications. Get us one piece of Intel that we can use and we can put him away forever. We'll cut off the head of the dragon and watch the carcass wither. Do you have any questions for us?"

"What's my exfil?"

"I'll leave that up to you. He had a hit earlier today when his Georgetown home caught on fire. He will have another problem pop up shortly. You will get in place tomorrow and hopefully within a few days we'll have him. My plan is to back him into the corner and let him incriminate himself."

"Sounds good. How will I let you know I have something?"

He hands him a phone. "We have this phone for you to use. As you can see we have programmed a few numbers in it. When you need to contact us, call Jenny." Gabriel scrolled through the contacts and looked up Jenny. When he found it he busted out laughing.

"I like you, Rodgers. How will I know when to show up?"

"They will call you on this phone. Your name is Lon Samuels. Ex Delta. Details are in this folder." He handed him a manila folder. "You should get a call around 5."

"Sounds good. See you all on the other side."

After he and Riley said their goodbyes, Kate couldn't contain herself. "What is so significant about Jenny?"

Rick grinned. "It's not Jenny, it's her phone number...867-5309."

Jordan snorted. "Only you, Rodgers. I would never have taken you for a Tommy Tutone fan."

Rick winked and headed back to his desk to prep for the briefing.

TCOP

William Bracken was angry because his home had caught on fire. The arson team had said that it was a short in the electrical box; It had sent sparks into a bunch of the campaign literature he had printed for his upcoming election bid. He had decided he would make a run for the White House. It was where he had set his sights for years ago. But now he had not only lost his Georgetown home but also several thousand dollars' worth of materials.

He sat back in his chair, looking out the window of his office. He had been in luck when he first came into DC; his predecessor had gotten an office in the Russell building and it faced the Capitol Building. Many were upset that he had been able to keep that office on his election. He had been working the Party for years and had just enough pull at the time. And when he got his picture taken it was always worth a little extra to have the dome in the background.

With his thoughts turning toward a Presidential bid he decided that he wanted his office to sparkle. He was going back to New York to attend a couple of charity events and had arranged for his offices to be repainted while he was out. Because he was in such a good mood his staff would be given two days off to make it a long weekend. The painting would take two days and he did not want someone to complain about the fumes.

As he thought back to the itinerary of his trip home, he thought about skipping the Friday night event. The Johanna Beckett Memorial Scholarship was not high on his list of favorite charities. He could barely stay in the same room as that bitch Kate Beckett, even if she was pleasant to look at. But the Party had insisted on his attendance. He needed all the free media exposure he could get as he ramped up his campaign. He guessed he had better attend. Maybe he could get the detective worked up and see what happened.

His phone rang. "Senator Bracken here."

"Bill, it's Jerry. Do you have a few minutes?"

He looked up at the clock. He had 45 minutes until he had to be back in chambers. "How long do you need?"

"15 minutes, tops."

"Okay, come on in."

Less than a minute later the door to the outer office opened and his director of security Jerry Nanno came in followed by a well-built young man in a black suit. His manner of walking showed him to be ex-military and the way he took everything in showed that he was sharp. Jerry nodded to the young man who stepped forward.

"Lon Samuels, Senator...it's a pleasure to meet you, sir."

Jerry spoke up. "Lon's new to the team, Senator. He's ex-Delta and comes highly recommended."

Bracken looked him over again then nodded. "Welcome aboard, Samuels. You'll be part of my protective detail. Keep a go bag ready as sometimes I find out that I am leaving on the way to the airport. Jerry will make sure you have what you need to do your job. Make sure that you are always ready and we'll get along fine." Bracken then looked over to Jerry. "Is everything ready for the trip back to New York?"

"Yes, sir. Samuels, Adams, Evans and I will accompany you."

Bracken nodded. "Excellent! I will be ready to head out this evening about 7:30. See you then."

The two nodded and left. Bracken turned his chair back towards the window so that he could watch the birds fly around the Capitol dome.

TCOP

Rick looked up from the file he was studying when Kate tapped his shoulder. "You know, Rick, I never thought I would be the one to remind you that you need to eat." She pointed down to her wrist. "Let's go home for the day. We can't do too much more tonight."

Rick nodded. "Okay. Sorry I just want to nail this guy for you."

Kate smiled softly. "I know you do. We are making progress. Unraveling 20 years of lies will take more than a couple of days."

"You're right, love. Want to stop for dinner on the way home?"

"Sounds good."

As they got into the SUV Rick looked over. "I love you."

"And I love you, always."

Rick smiled as he started the vehicle and put it into gear. "Indian sound good?"

"Sure. The one on 3rd near 29th or the one on 49th?"

"49th. Bukhara has the best Chicken Makhani and you love their garlic naan."

"OH! I forgot about that! We haven't eaten from there in months."

Rick frowned. "Sorry Katie love...I'll try to go there a little more often."

Kate smiled softly at the nickname he had given her. "It's okay, Alex. Just feed me."

Rick loved when she called him by his middle name! "Yes, dear." He started driving and smiled as he held her hand.

After dinner they headed home. Rick parked the SUV in the garage and they headed toward the elevator. He entered the code that would call the elevator and Kate leaned into his side. "Katie love, how would you feel about moving in with me?"

Kate lifted her head up. "Are you serious? We've only been official for less than a month."

Rick entered the elevator with her and punched the floor number. He watched the doors close then turned towards her. "I am very serious. We may have only been official but we've been together for years. We love each other, right?" She nodded. "You spend most of your time here anyway. I don't want to rush you, Kate, but at the same time I want you with me. I know how much you value your space. I value mine as well, but I cannot imagine my life without you...do you feel the same?"

"I love you so much, Alex. I have been finding that I don't need to be away from you. That's why I spend so much time here."

"The in the immortal words of Hermey the elf let's be independent together."

"Rick, are you asking me to move in or proposing?"

He opened his mouth to answer and there was a knock at the door. He looked at Kate and chuckled. Such was their luck. He winked and started towards the door. "We'll come back to this topic, okay."

He barely heard her muttered "Oh yes we will" as he opened the door and welcomed the first of their friends into their home.

Ryan was just coming off of the elevator when Esposito an Lanie were walking in the door. "Sorry I'm late."

Rick shook his head. "You're right on time."

They entered and Lanie spoke up. "There better really be something to drink here…I suspect I'm going to need it."

Kate laughed and poured her a glass of wine. "Of course. Guys, beers are in the fridge."

After everyone had something to drink, Rick began. "Okay I know you guys are wondering what the hell is going on, so Beckett and I decided to fill you in on what we could. Some of it is classified, so don't share with anyone outside this room, okay?" At their nods he continued. "Let's start with the meeting in Montgomery's office. It seems that a skeleton in my closet has been revealed…"

Ryan chuckled. "Let me guess! You're really an alien…no wait, ninja assassin…no…CIA!"

Kate grinned and replied for Rick. "FBI, actually."

Esposito looked suspiciously at them. "No way!"

Rick tossed his credentials on the table in front of them. "Way."

Ryan narrowed his eyes. "You know, that explains a lot of things."

Lanie looked at him. "Like what?"

"Remember the counterfeiting case? He and Beckett both in an alley, bad guys behind each and they both shot? That was a heck of a shot…he would have to be well trained to make it."

Esposito wasn't convinced. "No bro! He even said it was luck!"

Ryan looked at him like he was stupid. "Dude, if he was pretending to be a bad shot why would he have admitted it was skill?"

"Why he would…no, man, this is Castle!"

Kate grinned. "Don't feel bad, Espo. He's my partner and I had no idea."

Rick looked at them all. "It wasn't out of spite, guys. There was a reason I left it behind. I was going through my divorce from Meredith and I had Alexis to consider."

Lanie glared at him. "Okay, you are FBI…what is going on?"

Rick nodded. "I was FBI as Rick Rodgers. When I left I changed my name to Castle not only for the books but to separate new me from old me. After Alexis became self-sufficient I missed solving crimes and let's face it…the author knows whodunit and the fun is had by the readers. So when I had the chance I grabbed it…I was very fortunate to have you guys be the team I was able to be a part of…and will be a part of again, by the way."

Ryan sat for a second. "So, you're coming back?"

"Absolutely! You can't get rid of me that easily."

Kate snorted. "Yeah, I've tried." They all laughed and Rick proceeded to give them the details of the task force except for the name of the target.

They all grew quiet as they sipped their drinks. They discussed how they all could help and just as Rick was going to answer there was a knock at the door. "That'll be Roy. I'll be right back."

Rick opened the door and let Montgomery in. "I'll grab you a beer and we'll get you up to speed."

Roy nodded as he walked towards the others. "No wonder it got quiet in the bullpen. It looks like all the troublemakers are here." They all laughed as Rick handed him a beer and motioned to a seat.

Once everyone was settled again, Rick explained that they had pulled him back out of retirement to head the task force due to his background and proximity to the case. He looked over at Kate and squeezed her hand. "We're making good progress but we have to proceed with caution. If anyone gets wind of this then the whole thing could backfire. I trust you guys but you cannot talk about this at the precinct or the ME's office. We suspect a mole at the 12th and we know that these guys use surveillance."

Esposito looked at his partner and then back at Kate. "Say the word, Beckett and we've got your back. Yours, too, Castle."

Kate smiled. "We know, Javi. And there will be a time when we'll get you involved. But for now it has to look like business as usual."

Everyone nodded and then began to chat about non-work related things.

TCOP

Kate hugged Lanie as she and Esposito were getting ready to go. They were the last to leave. "Girlfriend, you better tell me all about this when you can."

Kate looked confused. "All about what?"

Lanie snorted. "All about how comfortable you are in Writer Boy's apartment…how you and he are having eye sex almost constantly. You know…everything!"

Kate blushed. "Yeah, ok. We'll have a girl's night when we get this done. Maybe here?"

Lanie's eyes widened as she realized what that meant. "Yep…we have LOTS to talk about."

Kate laughed. "Night, you two." They said their goodbyes and she closed the door and grinned at Rick. "Now, where were we?"

Rick burst out laughing. "Let's see. You were going to go get a bath and slip into…"

Kate smacked his arm. "No…you were going to explain to me whether you were asking me to move in with you or marry you."

"I was, eh?"

"Yes…you were."

Rick grinned. "Would you be upset if I said both?"

Kate's eyes widened. "Richard! Are you asking me to marry you?"

Rick grabbed Kate's hand. He guided her to a seat at the counter. "Sit, please. Just for a moment." She nodded and he walked away to the bedroom. She was nervous that she had pushed him too hard. She was more than willing to move in...And she would be okay with being engaged if it came to it. She couldn't lose him; he was so much a part of her she couldn't remember where she ended and he began.

Lost in thought she hadn't noticed his return until she looked up at the man kneeling before her.
Rick took her hand, pulling her out of her daydream. "Kate, I have written over twenty bestselling novels. I've raised a daughter on my own. These are accomplishments. I've also had two failed marriages, one due to infidelity on her part and one on trying to make a stable home for my daughter without being in love. Then I met you. You were so serious and I was a mess. I knew at first sight that I had met someone special. When we moved past the initial case, I found myself wanting to be better. I wanted to make you smile, to take away a bit of that pain. I succeeded her and there, but I knew that you had been hurt. I found out about you mother and my heart broke. You had become important to me so I wanted to help you. When we almost split I was at a loss. A very wise young woman told me I should apologize and I took that advice to heart. We reconciled and eventually went from me following you to me being your partner. And when you agreed to date me I was over the moon! But that's not enough...we both deserve more. So here I am bearing my heart and soul to you to show you how deep my love is for you. Katherine Houghton Beckett, will you do me the extreme honor of accepting my heart to hold as yours? Will you marry me?"

Kate had sat quietly with tears on her face. "Rick, I should be scared. It all seems to be moving so fast. But I'm not scared. Earlier when you mentioned moving in it didn't feel scary; it felt right. I realized that I've begun thinking of this place as my home. If that's the case, then what is holding me back? Nothing! With that said, Richard Edgar Alexander Rodgers Castle, yes. Yes, I will marry you!" She watched as he slipped the ring on her finger in amazement.

She kissed him then drew back to look at her engagement ring. "Wow, it's big!"

He grinned and kissed her hand. "You have exceptionally tiny fingers."

She rolled her eyes. "I love you, Alex."

"Oh, Katie love, I feel the same. Thanks for agreeing to marry me."

She smiled. "Would it scare you if I said I didn't want a long engagement?"

Rick laughed. "I wouldn't be scared. Hell, I want to shout it on the rooftops! So how long do you want to wait?"

"Let's slay a dragon and then we'll get married."

"Deal! Now, want to celebrate?" She smiled and took his hand, leading him in the bedroom. They wanted a celebration and she knew just the way to celebrate.