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Office of the Police Commissioner
14th Floor
NYPD Headquarters
1 Police Plaza Path,
New York, NY 10038
Monday, 13 May 2013, 7:40 A.M.
"Can we get back to what on topic," Alexis Castle requests after controlling her giggles.
"Of course," Frank Reagan smiles broadly, "We were talking about how sometimes coincidences take a lot of planning. Derek Storm would hurt the villains by making it seem they were just having a run of bad luck.
"But those plans are just fiction," Alexis argues.
"Those are," Frank concedes, "But the ones he came up for the Fed's aren't. Larry's article did mention his consulting with their White-Collar Division."
"I just figured that was just more of the same as he does now," Alex shrugs, "He just showed up and they couldn't get rid of him."
"Homicide is recent," Frank explains, "His real gift is to create plans to take down corrupt organizations. And they went to him after I asked him to do some work for me."
"You both went to him?" She asks confused.
"When someone has a 197 I.Q., you want to see what he can do," Frank shrugs.
"A 197 I.Q., my dad?" Alexis says, shocked.
"Oh yeah," Frank sighs, "When his teachers saw the numbers, they kept giving him different tests but got back equivalent results."
"This, I believe," Alexis responds.
"He did write two bestsellers before he was 21," Frank reminds her.
"Yeah, well," Alexis sputters, "I always thought he was smarter than he let on but…this is my dad…the original boy that wouldn't grow up.
"Albert Einstein was a bit that way himself," Frank recounts, "Even if he only clocked in at about 160."
"Okay," Alexis says exhaling, "
What about the stuff Larry wrote about you playing games with him which turned him from naturally observant to hyper-observant."
"All we did is help him refine the talent.," Frank admits honestly, "Your dad was born hyper-observant. It's a combination of his high I.Q. and equally impressive emotional quotient of 35."
"Hold on," Alex interrupts, "The EQ scale goes from 27 to 108, and a lower number translates to a higher EQ, like a golf score. Someone with an IQ like my dad's usually has an EQ in the high 90's, emotionally clueless."
"He's a rarity," Frank concedes.
"And that's what makes him an excellent planner?"
"Don Kent always says that it made Rick his best student," Frank recounts.
"Dad does say he picked up a lot from Uncle Don," she nods.
"Even as a detective Don was a brilliant strategist," Frank adds, "But he was as much a teacher as a leader. He'd give Rick these huge reading assignments which they would then discuss for hours which combined with his natural gifts, made your father even sharper."
"Wow."
"They would discuss the great works on strategy and politics," Frank continues, "As well as great historical figures, their achievements, and failures. Your dad had this unique ability to actually see it through the eyes of those making the decisions.
"In real life, his IQ and EQ give him this amazing ability to study his opponents to predict their moves based on their psychological profiles and past actions. And he didn't just study the person, he would study their entire culture and life influences to gain insight into their psychology, values, and potential strategies.
"He would use his opponents' fears, overconfidence, and other emotions to bait into making mistakes. Even when his opponents tried to surprise him, he would figure out multiple ways they were sure to try ahead of time and set up contingencies."
"Great, my dad is Grand Admiral Thrawn," Alexis says exasperated.
"Who?"
"Star Wars character," Alex smirks sarcastically, "One of my dad's favorites which makes sense now."
"Funny," Frank chuckles, "I remember he liked to dress up as Darth Vader with you as a pint-sized Princess Leia for that sci-fi convention. Your Aunt Mary couldn't take enough pictures of you."
"Super Nova Con," Alexis smiles warmly at the memory.
"Of course," Frank smiles mischievously, "I think the costume you chose this year would have gotten you a very stern lecture."
"You know about that, huh?" She blushes in embarrassment.
"I'm the Police commissioner, I know everything."
"Then, maybe you could answer one question," Alexis responds, "Why didn't my dad ever become a cop?"
"It's like Larry said," Frank responds, "Your dad wrote two bestsellers in college. He felt it was his calling."
"Captain Harris wrote multiple bestsellers while he was on the job, and even helped dad with some of his contacts," Alexis recalls, "didn't you and Pop tried to talk him into joining?"
"On no," Frank declares with a smile, "Your grandmother was against it. My mom and Mary fully supported her, so they put the fear of God into us to stay of it."
"I can see that," Alexis chuckles, "Dad always said Ma and Aunt Mary were on among the first people to recognize and encourage his writing talent.
"For Irish matriarchs there are few higher callings," Frank notes, "It's also the reason they said we couldn't give him any grief for being a fan of the Red Sox as they're from New England, the birthplace of American Literary tradition, and who else would writer cheer?"
"But I do think he takes it a bit far by telling Beckett he doesn't like Baseball so he can avoid going to Mets' games," Alexis smirks.
"I know," Frank rolls his eyes, "You'd think he be over the '86 Series by now."
"No, I still don't buy it," Alexis shakes her head, "Grams' disapproval, even with Ma and Aunt Mary's backup, wouldn't have stopped him. Aunt Mary didn't want Uncle Jamie to become a cop, and he did anyway.
"Besides, he went to John Jay College of Criminal Justice, the cops' school. He says that it was so he could put more authenticity into his novels, but now I'm not so sure."
"I do admit he did go back and fort with it," Frank notes,
Was it because I came along?"
"That was part of it," Frank concedes, "Your dad's a lot more complicated that people give him credit for. And his reasons for not joining the force are equally complicated."
"I think I liked it better when he was an uncomplicate manchild."
"In One Hundred Years of Solitude," Frank recounts, "Gabriel Garcia Marquez wrote that we all have three lives."
"One public, one private, and one secret," Alexis nods recalling.
"The world sees the public," Frank continues, "Family, close friends, those we deeply trust see the private. And the secret is tied to our thoughts, desires, or actions we won't share even with those closest to us. A lot his reasons for not becoming a cop are in that last category."
"I get that," Alexis huffs, "But it seems that there are so much of his private life that he should have shared with me that you, grams and the family know."
"But it's not always that clear cut," Frank notes, "We can't always control what people know about us. We because we were there, we know things that he would rather keep part of his secret life if he could."
"Like his genius I.Q. and what he does with it for you and the Feds?"
"That would be close to the top of the list."
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Outer Office
Office of the Police Commissioner
"I don't appreciate being called that," Captain Victoria Gates says to Detective Baker as the younger woman sits back at her desk.
"Yosemite Sam?" Baker gives wry smile, "My apologies, Captain."
"Do you know how long the commissioner will be?" Gates asks.
"You are about 15 minutes early," Baker responds, "And he's still speaking with his Goddaughter."
"I didn't know the commissioner had…" then it hits her, "You don't mean?"
"Alexis Castle," Baker confirms, "But she's a granddaughter as far as he's concerned, his first one."
"Oh," Gates loses all bravado.
"If you'll excuse me," Baker says, "I have to get these personnel files ready for the Commissioner. Have you heard about Captain Block of the Paid Detail Unit?"
"No," Gates says warily, "What happened to him?
"Nothing bad," Baker replies, "He turned in his papers which means The Commissioner will need to assign a new Captain. That position is like a revolving door."
"So, I've heard," Gates says almost nervous not.
"Captain's bars or not," Baker shakes her head, "It's mind-numbingly tedious managing officers trying to make extra money in uniform. I understand its mostly dealing with fighting over things like who works security at Knicks games and who gets stuck directing traffic in front of NYSE."
Gates' stomach just dropped fourteen floors as Baker hides a devious smile.
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Office of the Police Commissioner
"If dad is really as brilliant as you say," Alexis continues, "Then why does pretend to be less than he is, especially now when he's consulting with cops?"
"It started out as just chance, then a sort of defense mechanism," Frank recounts, "And finally it became a habit."
"I really don't understand," Alexis responds, confused.
"His ADHD initially masked it," Frank explains, "To many teachers and administrators, he seemed like an underperforming, even mentally challenged child because he couldn't conform to the regimented and, to him, the slow pace of classes."
"Dad always jokes, that when it was time to study, he wanted to play and vice versa," Alexis recalls sadly, given the context, "Still, how could they make such a monumental screw up?"
"I'm afraid," Frank says glumly, "Your dad fell through the cracks because of a perfect storm of unfortunate circumstances.
"What circumstances?"
"First, Rick attended public schools in those days," Fran explains, "And had had to keep moving and changing schools until that semester he transferred into Bobby's school when Martha's acting career finally gained steam."
"So, he wasn't at any school long enough for anyone to try to help him," Alexis nods in understanding.
Her father never sugarcoated the struggles of his early childhood, constantly moving apartments, staying with friends, or sometimes in a theater where her grandmother knew the manager. Though sad to hear, his honesty made her appreciate even more the life that he'd tried to give her.
"Also, it was the 1970's," Frank continues somberly, "The city was in a fiscal crisis. Every department was dealing with cutbacks and personnel shortages, NYPD and public schools included. Schools were just trying to survive the chaos."
"So, they didn't have the time or money to help him even if he stayed in one place," Her voice growing even sadder, "And what was third?"
"ADHD research was still in its infancy," Frank answers, "Doctors were still calling it hyperkinetic reaction of childhood, and up until 1968, they called minimal brain dysfunction. Even today schools have a tough time understanding kids like your father, imagine how it was back then."
"How'd they finally figure out he was a genius?"
"By chance when he was eight," Frank explains, "Columbia University had an ADHD research project. Part of it actually was to administer IQ tests, and let's say your dad gave them one heck of surprise."
"Sounds like him," Alexis chuckles, "Where they excited?"
"But not in a good a way…for Rick," Frank recounts, "All they saw was how studying their prize find would boost their careers by generating research papers, grant proposals, and various awards even before they told Rick the results.
"However, the original consent your grandmother signed legally mandated confidentiality, and with Martha's full support, your dad refused to cooperate because he didn't want any more attention than necessary."
"Why?"
"Because of the type of genius he is," Frank answers, almost angry at the memory, "He was already a target of bullies in school, and he figured this would be one more thing to make him even more of an outcast, a target.
"Being illegitimate, poor, the son of an actress, and always being new kid," Alexis recalls, her heart was shattering thinking of her happy-go-lucky dad as a lonely little boy who just wanted to be accepted. A glance at Frank Reagan's expression and she knew he was thinking the same.
"As I said, it was a defense mechanism," Frank continues, "But the researchers played on his conscience, saying how he could help other kids like him, so they struck a deal Rick agreed so long as they kept his identity confidential.
"And that worked until the head researcher leaked his name, thinking that once Rick's identity was out there, he'd could take come forward to claim credit for discovering him. But the idiot was exposed and fired. Signed an NDA to avoid prosecution."
"But how bad was the fallout?" Alexis asks, "I mean with the bullies."
"They really didn't notice," Frank replies, "There was no internet or 24-hour news cycles then."
"So, he was still safe," Alexis submits.
"Not in his mind," Frank counters, "He doubled down on keeping his secret, even intentionally handicapping his grades. But he also realized some of the researchers were actually trying to help him manage his ADHD and focus his talents, so he kept cooperating for a price.
"I know, they had to still keep his name confidential," Alexis responds.
"For starters, but after a few years he wanted more," Frank grins, "Remember all those elite boarding schools that kept admitting him and putting him on scholarship despite his mediocre academic record. Part of Rick's conditions were that they had to pull strings to get him admitted."
"Seriously," Alexis chuckles at her father's ingenuity.
"But they had to agree to not let the other students know," Frank continues, "He was just another student on a financial scholarship whose actress mother pulled some strings."
"Dad says that he was bullied for that too," Alexis counters, "Other kids never let him forget he was somebody's charity case."
"The lesser of two evils in his mind and easier to solve," Frank shrugs, "Whenever he got tired of the bullying or the other students started to get wise to how smart he was, he would get himself kicked out or just transfer."
"I always wondered why he was able to keep doing that," Alexis responds, "Whenever I asked him, he dodged the question."
"There was always another school waiting," Frank recounts, "With his gifts, it was likely he'd destined for great things, and they could list Rick as an alumnus."
"Did my dad hide how smart he was when hung out at the precinct and your house?" she asks.
"Quite the opposite which I'm glad he could, except…" Frank replies shaking his head.
"Let me guess, he wanted to be helpful with cases," She rolls her eyes.
"Oh yeah," Frank chuckles, "We had to keep reminding him that an amateur kid detective helping out the police only happens in fiction. Of course, it might have carried more weight if he wasn't so good."
"Well, a least you didn't ban him from the precinct like Beckett did," Alexis says the female detectives name with a bit of venom.
"Luckily for our sanity," Frank continues, "He discovered writing. Creating fictional people and worlds helped him burn off a lot of his mental energies though it didn't keep him from driving us nuts keeping him out of the case files."
"But why keep it up the act now, especially at the 12th?" Alexis realizes after an epiphany, "He isn't dealing with kids anymore, and maybe they, especially Beckett and Gates would take him more seriously if they knew."
"On their first case," Frank recounts, "Beckett dared him to 'tell her story'…profile her, and he picked her apart. She dismissed it as a party trick. "When Roy later he talked to her in private, she was on the verge a serious melt down, paranoid Roy or someone had told him all those things.
"Roy told him about it so he's been toning himself down mostly for her, but he also still wanted to fit in, and if that came out, everything would likely come out especially his connection to me which would have colored how they treated him."
"But something has changed," Alexis narrows her eyes at Frank's words.
"Why do you ask that?"
"Because you used the past tense for both reasons," Alexis replies, "And Larry's known dad as long as you and has likely known all this stuff for just as long. He wouldn't have printed after all this time without clearing it with him first."
"Who is your father's favorite Shakespearean character," Frank Reagan asks.
"Henry V. He always says," Alexis smiles quoting her father, "Give rousing speeches, score one of history's great military upsets, and win the heart of the beautiful princess, fun way to spend an evening."
"But what really appeals to him," Frank explains, "Is the character's development arc over the three plays where he appears. He starts out in Henry IV Part 1 as the reckless, dilettante Prince of Wales everyone just calls Hal."
"But it's just an act," Alexis adds, "Part of a part of a calculated plan to throw off people part of a calculated plan to throw off people,"
"That's why he likes that old movie, The Black Shield of Falworth," Frank adds, "Where Prince Hal uses the act to put the conspirators against his father at ease. He compares Prince Hal to Bruce Wayne pretending to be harmless to throw off the bad guys."
"He would," Alexis rolls her eyes.
"Then in Henry IV Part 2," Frank continues, Prince Henry focuses more on proving his for readiness to himself and his father before Henry IV dies and becomes the king we see in Henry V."
"Larry's column makes so much more sense, now," Alexis picks up the newspaper, "Larry is one of the biggest supporters of dad's work with the police. The whole thing is about laying a case for him to eventually succeed you."
"Pretty big leap there," Frank responds, but Alexis notices he doesn't deny it.
"Fun fact," She reads from the paper, "The Police Commissioner doesn't have to be a professional police officer, and until the 1960's, they all came from civilian life. Tell me this isn't about showing everyone that he's already made his bones."
"Made his bones?" Frank looks taken aback, "Where'd you ever learn that."
"My dad, Pop," she smirks, "And you."
"Well," he responds with a sheepish grin, "I'm not going anywhere just yet."
"But Uncle Don might," Alexis counters, "He'll be able to retire soon on full pension and he will not be able easy to replace so you must already have a list of possible candidates."
"But unlike Chief Kent," Frank argues, "Your father is not a cop."
"You'll figure something out," Alexis replies, "And I would prefer him working for you rather than chasing Beckett into gunfire, whatever you talked him into doing."
"I do think he's wasting his talents following Beckett around like a puppy," Frank concedes, "But I haven't talked him into anything. If he breaks his leash, then it's his own idea."
"Why now, all of the sudden?" Alexis returns to her original question, "Let me guess, that's something I have to ask him."
"Yes," Frank concedes.
"Well, whatever it is, I can't help but thinking that Beckett is the trigger."
"Well, do you recall the name of that princess in Henry V?" Frank teases.
"Catherine of Valois," she sighs and rolls her eyes, "But her name started with a C not a K."
"Not sure your father cares," Frank shrugs.
"Uncle Frank," Alexis responds, "Whatever you say or don't, I know deep down that the trigger for all this is something Beckett's done to hurt him again."
"Alexis, I know you're worried," Frank takes her hand, "But sometimes all we can do for those we love is to be there for them, listen with an open mind, and give our support."
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Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport
Terminal 2, Gate B16
2401 Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport Access Rd,
Arlington, VA 22202
Leaving the restroom, Kate makes a right towards the curved, glass walled historic lobby of the airport that holds the conference center.
The flight attendant told her to take the escalator by the Terminal's Door-3 to get to the main taxi stand area.
"Detective Beckett," female voice calls from behind her in a British accent causing Beckett to turn around.
She's a stunning young woman of African descent, Kate guesses her to be in her late twenty's. About 5' 8", Her shoulder length hair fell past her sounders. had had bangs.
"Yes," Kate replies and moves towards her.
"FBI Special Agent Diana Barrigan," the woman displays her credentials, "Would you please come no me."
"Are you on the Task Force?" Kate asks.
"Good God, no," the Brit replies chuckling, "I work White Collar in New York. I'm down here on temporary assignment."
"Then may I ask what is this all about?" Kate asks at stop at a nearby conference room door.
"Actually, I was doing a favor for a friend," Diana then opens the door lets it swing wide.
Kate can see Diana's friend sitting at the far end of a white conference table in the brightly lit white room.
He's dressed in a black, expensive suit, an open-collared white button shirt with what looks like a light breakfast in front of him.
"Hello, Kate," he says standing up, "I'd be honored if you'd join me."
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Mount Sinai-Union Square, Plastic Surgery
10 Union Square E #2l,
New York, NY 10003
Man dressed in a dark suit enters the doctor's office He's 5' 9", a little on the chubby side with neat blonde hair and square head.
"May I help you?" the receptionist asks.
"Yes," the man replies taking out his credentials, "My name is Agent Otto Carson with the Internal Revenue Service. I'd like to speak to Dr. Kelly Nieman."
"May I ask what this is about?" the receptionist asks. The guy seemed pleasant enough with jovial face and smile, but she worried. He was with the IRS after all."
Just then, the Doctor herself walked in, a beautiful redhead standing 5' 7" but taller in expensive heals, wearing a pricy, tailored Navy skirt and blazer.
A simple string of pearls adorned her pale freckled neck. Her pale green eyes barely register any distraction as she gives the assistant following her a bit of a chewing out.
When she sees the man, her face takes on a no-nonsense seriousness and moves towards the receptionists' table.
"I only see drug reps by appointment," flipping her dark red hair to the side.
"The gentleman is not a drug rep," the receptionist explains, "He's from the IRS."
"IRS?" the Doctor actually shows some emotion then.
"Agent Otto Hutchens," He repeats, showing his credentials again, "IRS Enterprise Corruption Division."
"Should I call my accountant?" she asks.
"That would be advisable," Hutchens responds, "You may also want to call your attorney as well."
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A number of readers have told tell me that they've never seen "Blue Bloods" which is a TV show that airs on CBS and premiered in 2010 at same time as the start of Castle's third season.
Remember that Castle started as a mid-season replacement in the spring of 2009.
So, I decided to put the response I gave them just in case.
I don't think it's necessary to watch "Blue Bloods". I could have just made up the characters to fill the roles.
First, it's a thinly disguised dig Castlefan6 who used a version of the daughter, Erin, as Beckett's romantic rival several times.
"He even includes Erin's daughter as Alexis' best friend. He changed their last name to Boyle, which is Erin's married name on the show.
In the show, Frank Reagan is the Commissioner of the NYPD, played by Tom Selleck who does bear a striking resemblance to Teddy Roosevelt. His father, Henry Reagan, was the Police Commissioner, two guys before.
Frank has three children. The oldest, Danny Reagan, is a police detective. The second child is Erin, a prosecutor. The youngest is Jamie Reagan. He's a uniformed police Sergeant. The third child, Joe Reagan, was murdered by a crooked cop shortly before the show began.
I contend that Rick's character was always smarter and a better investigator than Beckett, but the writers kept dumbing him down to make her look better.
That's just my opinion and I've given up arguing who was responsible because it's likely we never know.
In this story, like the mirror opposite of Tom Hagen in a way (Robert Duvall in The Godfather 1 & 2), the unofficially adopted son, in Rick's by a big cop family instead of mobsters.
I wanted to give Rick's backstory the changes necessary to support that goal, a "forge", if you will, that would hone his natural skills to something more formidable.
In the show and fan fiction, Bracken is called the Dragon. In the game Dungeons and Dragons, he would be one of the Chromatic Dragons, the evil ones. I'd say he's a Green Dragon: highly territorial, greedy, and deceptive who loved secrets and intrigue.
I figured you match a dragon with another dragon. In D , the Metallic Dragons were the good ones. Rick might be considered a Bronze Dragon, inquisitive with a fascination for strategy and tactics, seeking to fight evil, often aligning with heroes.
He might also be a Silver Dragon, who likes to take human form to blend in with humans and elves. They were very smart and preferred not to fight unless necessary, preferring to outthink the bad guys first.