Four crisp gunshots rang out, not only startling the officers at the Twelfth Precinct but also shocking the two federal agents, Jones and Diana, who were surveilling Castle. The two hitmen, who had just been bailed out by Senator William Bracken's lawyer last night, were utterly unprepared for what happened next. Castle, whom they had previously underestimated, suddenly revealed a deadly side, executing each of them with two precise shots—one to the forehead and one to the heart—killing them instantly in their SUV.
Castle had done this deliberately. He knew that with Beckett heading to the NYPD's Internal Affairs to initiate investigations against the four corrupt cops still working within the department, it was tantamount to openly declaring war on Senator Bracken. Castle didn't care why the assassins were focusing on him; his thoughts were simple. Bracken wanted to send a message by targeting him to pressure Beckett. Fine. Castle would send his own message by killing Bracken's assassins right at the precinct's doorstep, making it clear he was entering the fray willingly.
Castle was confident that the assassins were armed, so by killing them at the precinct's entrance, he could ensure that the law would be on his side. The two men had been arrested the night before for carrying weapons and stalking the precinct captain, only to be bailed out and return this morning, armed and lurking around the precinct. There was no doubt in anyone's mind that they were up to no good. That's why Castle dared to take such a bold move and open fire.
Castle wanted to take the pressure Bracken intended to put on Beckett and redirect it onto himself. Additionally, he used this explosive display to signal the Democrats, who were likely watching Beckett's every move, that he was fully committed to supporting her fight against Bracken.
Castle had been laying low for too long and had grown tired of it. People were starting to see him as an easy target, and Bracken's decision to send those hitmen back the very next morning was the final straw. Did Bracken really think Castle was incapable of fighting back?
With these thoughts in mind, Castle had chosen to act decisively, killing Bracken's hitmen in broad daylight at the precinct entrance. He was sure that Bracken would soon hear about this, but so what? Castle felt at home at the Twelfth Precinct, where his girlfriend was the captain, and he knew that the police and the law would protect him. The two federal agents sitting in their GMC SUV nearby wouldn't be able to take him away; at most, they'd escort him inside the precinct. Besides, the evidence Beckett needed to prove the guilt of the four corrupt officers was safely stored in Castle's personal space. He knew Beckett would rush back to the precinct upon hearing that he had killed two of Bracken's hitmen at the door, so what did he have to worry about?
Castle wanted to send a violent message to Bracken, reminding him that their conflict was now a matter of life and death. There was no point in trying any more petty assassination attempts. At the same time, this action would demonstrate that Castle wasn't some helpless victim, but someone with significant experience in taking lives.
Castle's guess about how things would unfold was spot on. As soon as the shots were fired and the surrounding police rushed over, they didn't immediately order Castle to drop his weapon. Instead, they approached the SUV with their guns drawn, ready for anything. The officer leading the charge even asked Castle if he was hurt, showing concern for someone they had already come to consider one of their own. The police weren't surprised by Castle's quick and lethal response; instead, their first instinct was to ensure his safety.
Confident in his shooting skills, which had been honed to a "John Wick" level thanks to his System, Castle knew that his four shots had killed both men in the SUV. After the police had surrounded the vehicle, he calmly holstered his gun and smiled reassuringly at the officers, telling them he was fine. He also explained that the men he had shot were armed hitmen sent to cause trouble.
Meanwhile, Beckett's team, armed and ready, rushed out of the precinct. They had been shocked to learn that hitmen had tried to ambush their boss's boyfriend right at the precinct's entrance, but they were relieved to hear that Castle had taken care of the situation. Knowing the close relationship between Castle and their boss, the detectives were there to protect him and quickly escort him inside the precinct.
However, Castle wasn't about to let himself be taken inside just yet. Whether to protect himself or to clear his name of the street shooting, he insisted on staying put until the police had thoroughly searched the SUV and found the evidence he was sure would be there.
As the officers searched the SUV, Jones and Diana, who had been watching from their vehicle, were left dumbfounded by the sudden turn of events. Jones immediately pulled out his phone to report the incident to their boss, Peter, letting him know that Castle had just killed two of Bracken's hitmen right outside the precinct.
Peter was initially stunned by the news but quickly realized that this was Castle and Beckett's way of declaring that they were ready to take on Bracken head-on. It seemed that the two had finally decided to stop playing games and confront the senator directly.
This development reinvigorated Peter, who had long suspected that the Vincent case had deeper ties to Bracken. Unfortunately, Neal Caffrey had essentially tricked the FBI into granting him a pardon before leaving New York for Rhode Island, where he was now off the grid. And despite the clues pointing to Castle, Peter couldn't just haul him in for questioning. Castle's ties to the NYPD, both official and personal, were too strong, leaving Peter with no choice but to continue monitoring him from a distance.
After careful consideration, Peter resigned himself to the fact that he couldn't bring Castle in, instructing Jones to keep a close watch on him. Peter then sank back into his chair, frustrated but resigned.
Back at the precinct, Castle was directing Beckett's team as they searched the SUV. Sure enough, as he expected, the two dead men were armed, and not just with handguns. After the fiasco the previous night, where they had been tricked by Castle and Beckett and dragged back to the precinct at gunpoint, these hitmen had come better prepared, carrying two automatic rifles.
Finding those weapons left no doubt in the officers' minds that these men had sinister intentions. Some of the officers, aware of what had happened the night before, recognized the two as the same men who had tried to ambush their captain. They didn't need to think twice to realize that the hitmen had returned to the precinct with only one purpose: to cause trouble.
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