After listening to the intercepted conversation between Watanabe and the mercenary leader—thanks to Jarvis hacking into the luxury car's onboard computer—Castle and Ivan were left stunned.
Watanabe was truly insane.
The old man had secretly procured two TOW anti-tank missiles for the mercenaries?
Castle felt a chill down his spine. While his estate's defenses were robust, they weren't designed to counter heavy-duty weapons like anti-tank missiles.
His micro-missile launchers were cutting-edge, but they weren't equipped to intercept a high-speed, armor-piercing missile. And his fortified M2 heavy machine-gun emplacements? They'd be useless against such a threat.
Castle's initial confidence evaporated. He had prepared for a conventional attack—firearms, maybe a few grenades—not military-grade heavy weaponry.
Panic began to creep in.
Should he place an emergency order for a few M134 Miniguns to bolster his defenses?
Or better yet, should he call up the executives from Northrop Grumman who had just left his estate and ask them to send over a pair of Phalanx CIWS systems straight from their Newport News shipyard? After all, Northrop Grumman was the only company in the U.S. that manufactured aircraft carriers—surely they could lend him some naval-grade defenses.
But as tempting as those ideas were, Castle knew they weren't realistic solutions—not on such short notice.
Ivan, meanwhile, had been studying the situation with furrowed brows. He finally broke the silence.
"Boss, I have to be honest with you. Most of the guys here, myself included, were trained under 'Vityaz' (Spetsnaz of the Russian Ministry of Internal Affairs). We're not exactly experts in intercepting heavy weaponry like anti-tank missiles.
If what Jarvis uncovered is true, and they really have TOW missiles in their arsenal, then I'd say we're up against something far beyond our usual urban defense expertise.
We need to rethink our entire strategy."
Castle blinked, confused. "Vityaz? What's the difference between you guys and, say, Alpha Group? Aren't you all Spetsnaz under the Ministry of Internal Affairs?"
Ivan sighed, used to his boss's frequent knowledge gaps.
"Boss, here's the deal. Vityaz focuses on domestic counter-terrorism and high-risk law enforcement within Russia. We're like New York's ESU (Emergency Service Unit) but with bigger guns and better training.
Alpha Group, on the other hand, is the Ministry's sharpest blade. They're the ones you call for high-stakes missions abroad, hostage rescues, and large-scale assaults.
Basically, we're more about defensive and protective operations, while Alpha is designed to take the fight to the enemy."
Castle frowned. "So, you're saying Vityaz is like a Russian version of China's paramilitary armed police, but Alpha is more like their elite special forces?"
Ivan nodded with a grin. "Exactly. If we were Alpha, we wouldn't even be here. Guys from Alpha don't take private gigs. But don't worry—when it comes to defensive operations, we're the best of the best."
Castle rolled his eyes. "So basically, you're telling me you're great at guarding me, but not so great at stopping a TOW missile from blowing up my estate."
Ivan chuckled, unfazed. "Exactly, Boss. But come on, you're the one with all the fancy gadgets and connections. If a Japanese businessman can smuggle TOW missiles into New York, don't tell me you can't get your hands on better toys."
Castle groaned. Ivan's casual attitude was simultaneously frustrating and endearing.
"Do you guys even know what's in my weapons cache?" Castle snapped.
"Night vision? 'GPNVG-18 Four-Eye' systems? I already bought 50 units months ago! They're sitting in the far-right corner of the armory. Ever bothered to look?"
Ivan's eyes widened. "Wait, you've had those this whole time? Boss, I swear, I've only been in the armory twice—and both times it was just to restock ammo for training drills. I had no idea we had those."
Castle smacked his forehead in exasperation. "Unbelievable. Do you even know that I stocked 50 full sets of Delta Force-standard combat gear? What else have you been ignoring in there?"
Ivan laughed sheepishly. "Well, you know us Slavs—we're not exactly known for our organizational skills. Managing an armory isn't exactly my strong suit."
Castle stared at him, dumbfounded. "Are you seriously asking me to hire an armory manager for you?"
Ivan shook his head. "No, no, boss! I was actually thinking… what if you had Jarvis manage the armory? It's not like we need it to be creative or anything. Just make sure it keeps everything organized and tracks our inventory."
Castle sighed, half-amused and half-annoyed. "You're unbelievable, Ivan. But fine. I'll think about it."
As much as Castle wanted to lecture his security chief, he couldn't deny the logic of using Jarvis to manage the armory. After all, the AI was already handling most of the estate's logistics, so adding the armory to its responsibilities wouldn't be a stretch.
But Castle pushed the thought aside for now. There were more pressing concerns.
The real problem was the TOW missiles. If those mercenaries decided to use one against his estate, Castle's defenses might not hold.
His heavy machine guns and micro-missile launchers were excellent against infantry and light vehicles, but they weren't designed to intercept heavy guided missiles.
And based on Jarvis's intelligence, the mercenaries Watanabe had hired were no strangers to high-intensity combat. Most of them hailed from the Caucasus region, a hotbed of militant activity, and their reputation for ferocity rivaled that of Ivan's own Spetsnaz comrades.
These weren't just any mercenaries—they were modern-day "Cossacks," the descendants of a proud warrior tradition.
Castle couldn't help but feel a twinge of unease. If these Cossacks were as crazy as their historical predecessors, then Watanabe's team could very well turn Long Island into a war zone.
The prospect of such chaos unfolding so close to home was enough to make Castle's stomach churn.
But what really frustrated him was how Watanabe had managed to smuggle such advanced weaponry into New York. Weren't post-9/11 security measures supposed to prevent exactly this sort of thing?
What Castle didn't realize was that he had unintentionally created this problem for himself.
By exposing the infiltrators from the Loxat organization within the CIA and handing over the list to President Benjamin Arthur, Castle had inadvertently weakened another agency: the Department of Homeland Security (DHS).
Formed after 9/11 by merging personnel from the FBI, CIA, and other agencies, the DHS had inherited many of the Loxat operatives.
These individuals had been quietly laying the groundwork for a major attack on Washington, D.C., to destabilize Arthur's administration. When they discovered that Watanabe was plotting his revenge against Castle, they saw an opportunity.
By subtly turning a blind eye to Watanabe's arms smuggling, the Loxat operatives could create a massive diversion, drawing attention away from their own plans to strike at the heart of the U.S. government.
In their eyes, Watanabe was the perfect scapegoat—a grieving father blinded by vengeance, willing to cause chaos that would conveniently distract federal and local authorities.
And so, under the radar of Homeland Security, Watanabe's two TOW missiles, along with the rest of his arsenal, made their way to New York unhindered.
Unaware of the larger conspiracy at play, Castle and Ivan continued preparing for the inevitable confrontation.
"Boss," Ivan said, breaking the silence, "if they really fire those missiles at us, what's the plan?"
Castle smirked, though his confidence was tinged with unease.
"We improvise, Ivan. Just like always."
(End of Chapter)
[Get +20 Extra Chapters On — P@tr3on "Mutter"]
[Every 50 Power Stones = 1 Bonus Chapter Drop]
[Thanks for Reading!]