A Convergence of Storms
Summary – Someone from Castle's past is murdered and that gives Kate a look into his unconventional childhood and time spent shadowing the CIA, something that hasn't really been discussed on the show (yet). AU of course, with some grounding in canon.
Author's Notes – Yeah, 47 days and counting.
Disclaimer – Don't own Castle – Marlowe, ABC, and Disney do. The OCs came out of my imagination.
Chapter 21 – Gonna Need a Bigger Truck
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In short order, Beckett, Anders, and Althea were handcuffed to several pipes at the back of the cellar, duct tape covering their mouths, while Castle was handcuffed to a chair facing the door of the vault.
Castle put on his best poker face as he watched the man studying him intently – with what? Anger? Envy? Jealousy? Definitely with purposeful maliciousness.
"I don't believe we've met," Castle said after a few minutes of silence.
The man shook his head. "No, we haven't, but I'm sure you and my father had an interesting conversation about me."
"Ah," said Castle, nodding his head as if in recognition. "The wayward son Alexi." He paused for a moment.
No wonder he hadn't recognized the man in the picture at Melekov's. The man he had met that night years ago – el Toro as the locals called him – had still been a huge bull of a man even in his late 60's, a stocky head of hair, a gaze that pierced your very soul – not the emaciated shell with the dull eyes he had seen in the picture.
"No, actually not," replied Castle, shaking his head slightly and shrugging nonchalantly. "The only thing Bogdan said was that he'd have you shot on sight should you ever come on his property again. And I thought I had father issues," he quipped.
"That's my father for you," said Alexi, walking over to where Castle sat. "I played by his rules, I did what he wanted, and then when we have a difference of opinion, he casts me out – much like God cast out Adam and Eve out of Eden."
Alexi walked around Castle. "But you, Mr. Castle – or can I call you Richard? I feel like I know you – my father and I had many conversations about you near the end – or should I say, my father thought he was talking with you."
Castle made a disbelieving face. "Really? We don't look that much alike."
Alexi was slightly younger than Castle, but as tall as him and with the same build, had the same hair and rugged looks, but his eyes were brown. "His mind wasn't quite what it had been," Alexis said simply. He paused, studying Castle. "He did keep asking you if you were here to honor your deal though…"
Castle shrugged slightly. "He asked if I would be interested writing the history of his home town in Romania and what happened during WWII."
Alexi crossed his arms and regarded him skeptically. "From the way he talked, it seemed like something more important than that, say, what to do with the treasure once he died."
Castle shook his head. "Nope, sorry – just a book deal. What can I say? Your father was a fan."
"So then why don't I believe you? Ah, maybe it's because you lied about the safety deposit box," said Alexi, moving in front of Castle. "And now you're here, months after his death, and you knew how to find this place."
"Lucky hunch," responded Castle. "And the only thing I recall being…asked…were the names on the safety deposit box, not what was inside of it." Castle frowned slightly. "And speaking of that – having Sophia – having Denisa – feed me those reports was a nice touch. Where'd you find her?"
"A friend introduced us – said she might be helpful since her former employer was no longer in business – or not in business to the extent it had been."
Castle quirked an eyebrow at him.
"Oh, the KGB doesn't really like to share their failures," Alexi responded. "But then again, Denisa was always rather mercenary. I found her loyalties tended to veer towards the person who could pay the most. I doubt she would have stayed with them for long anyway – they couldn't quite meet her salary demands and she had very expensive tastes."
"But you on the other hand could – or at least, you said you could," commented Castle, "when you got your hands on the treasure. I bet she went ballistic when she found out you couldn't deliver – that there was only a mere fraction of it left in the safety deposit box," he said, baiting him.
"Let's just say she wasn't pleased, but I told her we'd track it down. Unfortunately, she wasn't that patient – or fortunately for me, she wasn't that patient. But then again, you proved to be her undoing," smiled Alexi. The smile turned deadly. "So here we are now, Richard, once again – you standing between me and what's mine."
"Sitting actually," quipped Castle. He was suddenly serious. "So what are we doing here? I'm assuming you already have the code since you're not dosing me with truth serum."
Alexi nodded in confirmation. "It actually took longer this time to get the information, but then again, you had something to protect. The first time was just a 'red herring' as they say."
"So why do you need me?" queried Castle.
"My father was an inventor, like his father, and a very good one. Did he tell you he worked in security? Made a fortune doing it too. He was fascinated by biometrics and its application." Alexi ran his hand over the vault door. "This is his design. So, yes, you're right – I need you – more specifically, I need your handprint."
Alexi looked at Castle. "So was there some secret initiation he performed when he gave you the code and scanned your hand? I've always wondered."
"No," said Castle, shaking his head, "but I do remember a several bottles of palinca and some fine Cuban cigars." He paused. "But why not just make a cast of my hand – or cut it off?"
"That unfortunately doesn't work, as Uncle Leonid found out," said Alexi. "The hand has to be attached to a living person." He leaned forward, crowding into Castle's personal space. "So here's what I need from you. I need you to stand in front of the vault, put your hand on the plate, and type in the code."
"Simple as that, huh?" Castle asked.
"Yes," nodded Alexi. He stood and walked to the other side of the room, looking at Beckett, Anders, and Althea. "You'll find I'm a simple man, like you, Richard, who enjoys the finer things in life. I'm not financing the mafia or some group that wants to dominate the world or even a drug cartel."
He looked back at Castle. "All I ask is a tall ship—"
"And a star to steer her by," finished Castle.
"Well, preferably a 5-bedroom yacht and enough money to live comfortably for the rest of my life. All I want is what's rightfully mine," Alexis said, once again standing in front of Castle.
Castle pressed his lips together and nodded. "I see."
"And it is useless to resist," Alexi said, pulling out a gun. "Because I will get my way, one way or another."
Castle nodded again, swallowing. "Okay, but first…" he said, motioning with his fingers for Alexi to come closer.
He waited until Alexi's ear was next to his lips. "You know what's in there," he whispered. "Kind of a mini-Fort Knox." He glanced at the men standing around the room. "Are you sure you can trust them? I'm not sure what you've promised them, but I can guarantee you it won't be enough if they see what's inside. What's to stop them from killing you and taking everything?"
Alexi stood and frowned, considering Castle's word. "Kaldis," he said motioning to one of the men. "Go bring the van around."
Kaldis nodded and barked a command in Russian to his men. They quickly vacated the premises.
Castle waited until the men walked up the ladder and then looked at Alexi. "So what happens after I open the vault?"
Alexi shrugged. "I'm not a monster – I don't hold grudges, unlike my father. You give me what I want, I'll let you go – of course, after my companions have had a chance to take what they want. I imagine we'll need help emptying the vault and the townspeople have a tendency to talk so we can't ask them."
"Okay," Castle nodded and glanced down at the handcuffs that chained him to the chair. "But I will need both hands to do this."
"And just so we're clear, if you try anything, the first shot goes through your fiancée's lovely head," said Alexi as he undid the handcuffs.
"Understood," Castle said as he stood and rubbed his wrists.
He walked up to the vault and then paused.
"Well?" demanded Alexi.
"Sorry," said Castle, frowning slightly. "I'm drawing a blank – it was a long night and a lot of palinca."
Alexi snorted. "6g 9b 4m g8…"
Castle nodded and straightened. "I remember now – 6 girls laid down low, 9 braids up in a bow, 4 more graves to hoe, Fills gates full of woe."
"Well, my father did fancy himself an artist and a poet," said Alexi. He paused, watching Castle. "Don't get soft on me now, Richard," he threatened, pointing the gun at Beckett. "You have 10 seconds – 10…9…"
"Okay, okay," said Castle. He looked at B. "I love you, Kate."
Castle pressed his hand against the pad and typed in the code.
The door of the vault slid open quietly and they could only stare at the gleaming contents.
Castle frowned. "You're gonna need a bigger truck."
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