Judas: Chapter 13
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DISCLAIMER: Most of these characters are not mine at all, but they are memorable. Thank you, Mr. Marlowe. The others? Yeah, they're mine
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2:30 p.m. West Coast Time on Thursday, April 26, 2012, at the Castles Complex in Sausalito, California
Elena Markov smiles as she breathes in the fresh, woodsy fragrance of the air that hangs above the complex. The sounds from the trees behind her, along with the smells of nature hanging in the air bring an unexpected comfort to the assassin-in-hiding. She quickly shakes the thoughts away, focusing now on the task at hand.
Seeing Sam Carlos, the most feared mobster on the west coast at this complex was a surprise. Sure, there is a relationship between Richard Castle and Carlos. That relationship was explained to her by Barry Adams. However, the extent of this relationship clearly was not shared with her. In fact, if not for Sergei, she would have no idea that their relationship is so close that Carlos sent his own assassin to deal with Richard Castle's problem on the east coast earlier this very week.
Yes, she would have discovered that little gem eventually, but she has learned from experience that – in this game – 'eventually' gets you killed. Timing is everything, and that is what is bothering her right now.
She chides herself for not finding out more about the background for this operation. She had assumed that Barry would have shared any and all pertinent information with her. That he did not do so is troubling, to say the least.
"What else have you not shared with me, Barry?" she asks herself under her breath as she walks back toward the cafeteria.
In truth, seeing Sam Carlos – while not rattling the European – it has certainly given her pause. Taking him out would have been easy, but the man was saved by birds, for crying out loud.
Birds!
Now that leaves her wondering. The man was saved by the universe, and the universe does nothing by mistake.
This, too, she has learned the hard way.
It is an unforgettable lesson. Which leaves her wondering now. She does not like wondering.
It is a position with which she is uncomfortable. She does not like it.
After putting her weapon away, she had begun to text Barry Adams – but held off. Instead, she had changed plans with Peggy Stanton, and arranged to 'meet' the woman in the cafeteria with her twins. Sure, Elena just left there shortly before, but no one will question a resident coming back for a snack, or a drink.
"Are you sure that you want to meet now?" Peggy had questioned. "You just told me we would get together for dinner, and you don't often –"
"I am sure, my friend," Elena had interrupted. "Something has . . . come up. Something I want to bounce off you. Face to face. And the sooner you and I publicly – quote – meet – unquote – then the sooner we can spend time together in this place without raising suspicions."
"It sounds like you are . . . accelerating your plans," Peggy had mentioned.
"You know me well," Elena had responded.
Elena continues to replay the conversation in her head as she walks into the administration building, and towards the cafeteria where she will meet her friend. Seconds later, she is entering through doors of the cafeteria, towards the buffet line where she deftly places a small bug underneath the long buffet belt.
"Just a small piece of apple pie, please," she offers to the lone worker left behind the buffet after the afternoon lunch rush.
Seconds later she is sitting alone at a table. She picks a different table than she sat at earlier, one where she has not yet placed a listening device. She sits patiently, and shows no recognition when Peggy Stanton arrives with her two young girls. As planned, she will allow one of the young girls to approach her. They will use that as an opportunity to introduce themselves to one another.
She suppresses a smile as she watches one of the twins clutch tightly to a teddy bear – no doubt a gift from the complex, which only further drives the stake of conflict deeper into Markov. The youngster remains tightly coupled to her mother, who just as deftly places a device underneath a table as the trio passes by.
Peggy Stanton and her daughters sit at a table, two tables away from Elena as planned. The girls settle in with their meals, anxious to dig into a couple of corn dogs and tater tots. It is not the type of meal the average mom would choose for herself, Peggy recognizes, but certainly one that would appeal to the kids of a mother who chooses to come here.
"They have thought of everything," she thinks to herself.
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Exact same time - 2:30 p.m. West Coast Time on Thursday, April 26, 2012, at the Castles Complex in Sausalito, California
Richard Castle walks alongside Kate Beckett, followed by Sam Carlos and Willie Crockett. The foursome has just left the meeting in Castle's office, and are walking down the hallway towards the expansive lobby at the entrance.
"Where do you want to begin?" Castle asks, turning back to the duo behind them.
"Why don't we split up," Sam Carlos suggests. "Willie, join Katie, would you, my friend?"
"Good idea," Kate Beckett nods. "Cover more ground, more quickly."
"Sam, let's you and I start with the cafeteria," Castle adds. "Then we can head down to the food barn. It will give you a nice glimpse of what we do here."
"I will take Willie to the food barn first, then," Kate Beckett tells the foursome. "Then he and I will head along the walkways around the homes and then circle back to the cafeteria."
"Meet back here in what . . . twenty minutes?" Castle asks.
"That should be enough," Sam Carlos agrees. He disengages from Willie Crockett, who joins Kate Beckett. Together, the large black man and the ex-detective walk toward the back side doors leading out of the administration building to the campus behind them. Crockett opens the door for Kate, who smiles.
"A gentleman too?" she chuckles.
"Ah detective, there are many layers at work here," Crockett laughs out loud.
"That's rich, Willie," Kate laughs with him. "When we first met, I used to tell Rick there were many layers to this onion."
"Oh, that must have charged him up," Crockett continues to laugh, following Kate out the door, allowing the door to close behind them.
"You have no idea," she continues, smiling. "This way," she tells him, as he falls in step alongside her as they head down the walkway to the food barn that is about one hundred yards away.
"So, you're telling me that the ladies . . . and their kids . . . they can choose to go eat at the cafeteria, or they can go to this food barn you are taking me to, and buy their own groceries?" Willie asks.
"Yes," Kate replies. "Each unit has a kitchen area and a small . . . and I mean very small eating area. They can eat their own home cooking in their homes, go grab food to go and take it back to their homes, or sit and eat in the cafeteria."
"What's the preference?" he asks. "Have you noticed any patterns?"
Kate chuckles, elbowing the larger man.
"Patterns?" she laughs. "You really were a cop."
"It never truly leaves," he tells her. "Not completely."
"Tell me about it," she agrees.
"But to answer your question," she continues, "and this was a real surprise to us, but the majority of the time, I would say almost three quarters of the women choose to eat in the cafeteria?"
"Better food?" Willie asks. "Or just convenience."
"Dr. Peraza – you met her back there – she believes it is more than that," Kate answers. "Samantha thinks it is the social element. These women have a chance to meet others like themselves, in their same predicament. They feel a . . . I don't know . . ."
"A kindred spirit," Crockett finishes her thought.
"Exactly," Kate nods. "That is what Samantha says also. The other thing, especially for the women here with kids . . . it is a chance for one woman's kids to meet other kids. Remember, they may be staying here for up to a year. They see these residences as their homes."
"It follows they would see this campus as their neighborhood," Crockett nods his head in understanding. "So, the kids meet other kids, and this truly does become . . ."
"Home," Kate tells him. "It becomes home."
Willie Crockett is quiet for a few seconds, as they walk, taking in Kate Beckett's words, before finally responding.
"Amazing," is the single word he can come up with.
"All Rick," Kate shakes her head. "This was his plan, his goal, his dream. And it is working as he had hoped."
"Save for a few . . . distractions," Crockett adds. They are now roughly fifteen yards from the food barn, and a lone woman walks out of the door, pushing a miniature grocery cart.
"Hey Jackie," Kate calls out to the woman, waving.
"Hi Kate," the woman named Jackie waves in return. Her long red hair falls mid-back, as she pulls sunglasses down from her head to her eyes.
"Who's your friend? New security?" Jackie asks.
Both Kate and Willie chuckle at the thought, as Kate replies.
"Well, that isn't how I would introduce Willie, but it isn't entirely untrue," Kate continues chuckling.
"Willie Crockett," the large black man says, offering a massive hand towards the woman.
"Jackie Henderson," the red-headed resident replies. "What do you do here, Mr. Crockett?"
Glancing at Kate, Crockett smiles easily.
"Mr. Castle has a most excellent security force here for this campus," Crockett speaks officiously. "I and my boss can be thought of as . . . security for that security."
"Actually, that's not a bad description," Kate agrees, but then adds, bringing a warm smile to the face of Sam Carlos' right-hand man.
"But more than that, Willie is a friend," Kate tells Jackie. "A good friend. I don't know how often you will see him here, but don't be surprised if you do. You have a great day, Jackie."
With that, the duo disengages from Jackie Henderson. Seconds later, they walk inside the food barn.
"Come on, Willie," Kate tells her companion. "Let me show you around, and then we will head out to the residences."
A few minutes ago – roughly 2:32 p.m. West Coast Time on Thursday, April 26, 2012, at the Castles Complex in Sausalito, California
Richard Castle and Sam Carlos walk toward the cafeteria, while Kate and Willie head toward the back doors exiting out to the campus. The two men are silent as they walk, and Castle recognizes Carlos simply taking everything in. He can't shake the thought that he is walking alongside a predator that is learning his surroundings.
The thought is both comforting and terrifying.
Much like the man, himself.
They reach the cafeteria door, and Castle opens the door, allowing Sam to walk in first. Immediately, Castle recognizes the beautiful European sitting alone at a table. Elena Markov has just turned her head toward the open door, hearing the door open. It takes all of the assassin's training and experience not to show surprise at the duo.
"This way, Sam," Richard Castle says, offering a wave toward the European woman while guiding Sam Carlos toward the other table where Peggy Stanton and her two daughters are sitting. "Let me introduce you to our newest residents here."
With their long strides, the two tall men cover the space in seconds, and stand at the table next to Peggy. For her part, the woman begins to stand, but Castle quickly corrects her.
"No, no, Peggy," he tells her. "Please, sit," Castle continues. He raises the volume in his voice just enough – not too loudly – but just barely enough so that Elena Markov will hear the conversation – and the introduction – two tables away.
"Sam, this is Peggy Stanton," Castle says by way of introduction. "She and her daughters came to us this morning. Peggy, this is Sam Carlos, a local businessman across the bay, and a very good friend of mine."
"Hello Mr. Carlos," Peggy states, extending her hand.
Carlos takes her hand in his right hand, covering it deferentially with his left. He shakes her hand gently, as he glances down at the two younger girls, exact images of the other. Same blonde hair, same blue eyes, same excitement. Clothing is the only thing different.
"And who might you be?" he asks the giggling girls below him.
"I'm Beth," one of the blonde girls replies, smiling.
"And I am Brin," her twin sister replies.
"Hello Beth," Sam Carlos replies, smiling. He intentionally looks at Brin with this greeting, knowing the laughter that will ensue from the girls because of his 'mistake'.
'Noooo," Brin giggles loudly. "I am Brin. She is Beth," Brin emphasizes.
Two tables away, Elena Markov cannot resist the smile that creeps across her face, knowing the intentional mistake the mobster has made. It reminds her, once again, that occupational choices aside, everyone is a human being at some level.
It reminds her of herself.
"I am just showing Sam around the campus," Castle tells Peggy. "I saw you and decided to come in and introduce him to some of our residents. Sam has . . . taken an interest in what we do here, as have many business leaders in the Bay Area and down to the valley."
"That's lovely," Peggy acknowledges, not knowing the character standing in front of her. Two tables away, hearing all of this, however, is Elena Markov. None of this is lost with her, as she obviously knows exactly who it is that stands with Richard Castle.
"I have a keen interest in any investment that protects the women of my city . . . of this city," Carlos quickly corrects himself.
This correction, too, is heard and filed away by Elena Markov.
"Anyway, we are glad to have you here with us. If you have any problems or issues settling in, Peggy, let someone know right away," Richard Castle continues, now leaving the table and walking toward Elena Markov.
"Elena," he says, seconds later, nodding at Markov. "Elena Markov is also a new resident here, Sam. She got here last night."
"Ah . . . I remember you mentioning her," Sam acknowledges, and Richard Castle quickly picks up on the approach Carlos is taking. He wants the woman to know that she has been noticed. Noticed enough that Richard Castle would tell a friend specifically about her.
He wants the woman to notice the difference in their greetings between her and Peggy Stanton.
"A pleasure, Miss Markov," Sam tells the woman with an extended handshake. This time, however, the handshake from Carlos is one-handed, and much firmer, more demanding. This, too, is noticed by Markov.
"Hello Mister . . ." she offers, waiting for him to continue.
"Carlos," Sam Carlos finishes for her. "Sam Carlos."
"So, you don't even hide your identity," Elena thinks to herself. "Too interesting."
Quickly looking around, Carlos continues.
"Impressive, what you have done here, Richard," Carlos continues, then glances back down at Elena Markov.
"It is wonderful that women here . . . so many just like you, Miss Markov . . . it is wonderful that you have a place to escape, to heal, to recover."
Once again, it takes every bit of her elaborate training not to react to the sudden hard gaze that Sam Carlos places upon her. In the end, even she cannot contain a tiny shudder that twitches down her back, from the Carlos gaze.
Suddenly, the fire is gone from his eyes, replaced by a peaceful countenance. The transformation is so quick, even her trained eyes almost miss it. She does not miss the veiled message there either.
"So, it seems you two truly are far closer than Barry Adams relayed to me," Elena Markov tells herself.
"And it appears that you are on to me," her thought bubble continues.
"Have a nice stay here, Miss Markov," Sam tells her as he begins to walk away toward the door. Richard Castle understands that Sam has shown enough.
"Stay safe," Carlos tells her, with a smile. But it is not a genuine smile. It is something more akin to a snake sizing up prey.
This, too, is not lost on Markov, as the two men disappear beyond the door from the cafeteria leading to the administration building.
Quickly glancing away from the doorway to Peggy Stanton and her two girls, Elena makes her decision, standing and walking toward the mother and her daughters, accelerating her plans on the fly.