Howard, the Miami Police Chief, was not looking forward to dealing with another potential terrorist or bomber in his jurisdiction. Recently, his two best officers, Marcus, who was going through a midlife crisis, and Mike, who had taken leave to be with his girlfriend, had been unavailable.
Even if they were present, these two were better suited for drug task forces, not handling terror-related cases. Feeling exhausted, Howard was desperate to extract more information from the self-proclaimed MI6 agent, James Bond.
Though the earlier anonymous tip had allowed him to thwart the bombing attempt and capture the perpetrator, Howard knew better than to let his guard down. What if there were more attacks planned? The unknown identity of the person sending these crucial emails only added to his unease.
Meanwhile, Sky Aviation's security chief was even more concerned about uncovering the full extent of the threat.
The aircraft slated for its maiden flight that night represented the company's last hope. After multiple delays and cancellations, investor confidence had plummeted. Though these delays had been partly orchestrated by the company to shake off opportunistic small-time investors and stabilize the stock, they couldn't afford another postponement.
Recently, several private foreign funds had quietly purchased significant shares in the company. While the leadership wasn't particularly concerned about this development, they knew that a successful flight that night would result in a stock surge, rewarding their own investments.
If there were even a hint of danger, the security chief would have to halt the flight as per protocol, resulting in incalculable losses.
However, Howard received another anonymous email. This one confidently assured him that the threat had been neutralized and no further attacks would occur.
The email was actually sent at Gianna's insistence. After learning from Jarvis that the bomber had been captured but the flight was still at risk of being canceled due to security concerns, she had urged Castle to intervene.
Though skeptical, the Sky Aviation security chief listened as Howard explained the credibility of the mysterious tipster. Howard shared past successes, including the capture of a drug lord and the deployment of additional police forces at the airport that night, all thanks to this anonymous source.
The explanation partially reassured the security chief, but his concerns lingered. Meanwhile, neither Howard nor the security chief realized their conversation was loud enough for Bond—still handcuffed nearby—to overhear.
Piecing together the details, Bond realized that Miami Police had been tipped off well before the night's events. Someone had outmaneuvered him, feeding crucial information to local authorities while leaving MI6 in the dark.
Despite his frustration, the security chief ultimately received a call from Sky Aviation's upper management. The message was clear: the maiden flight must proceed as scheduled.
The company had delayed for too long, undermining market confidence. Worse, they had secretly withheld the fact that the plane had been ready for commercial use for some time. Insiders had been quietly acquiring stock, positioning themselves to profit from the post-flight surge.
With the bomber caught and no immediate threat remaining, there was no reason to delay further. The assembled guests, reporters, and media outlets were already present. It was time to move forward and solidify the aircraft's place in aviation history.
In the supercomputer lab, Castle had shifted his focus from the Sky Aviation drama to addressing his personal vendetta. Having left the baby in Ramsey's care, John Wick now sat with Castle, discussing how best to deal with Rajad.
John had initially suggested traveling to Bangalore himself to resolve the issue. For him, the trip would be a welcome break from his chaotic household routine. However, Castle, who had extensive knowledge of India's political and social landscape, quickly dismissed the idea.
"John, that place isn't like anywhere else you've worked. There's no Continental Hotel network, and the High Table barely has any influence there. The political environment is chaotic, and professional killers from that region are almost nonexistent.
"It's not worth the risk. If I'm going to deal with Rajad, I'll do it my way. No need for you to go halfway across the world for this."
Instead, Castle proposed a simpler yet more impactful solution: issuing a public kill order through the Continental Hotel.
Castle wasn't just aiming to eliminate Rajad; he wanted to send a message. By making Rajad's demise highly visible, he could demonstrate that anyone who dared cross him would face severe consequences.
John, though initially confused by Castle's reluctance to involve him directly, acknowledged that the public nature of Castle's plan made it more effective.
Castle also decided to expand the scope of his operation. In addition to targeting Rajad, he planned to eliminate the team of mercenaries that Rajad had already sent to New York. Their presence posed a security risk, and their elimination would further solidify Castle's reputation as someone not to be trifled with.
John fully supported the plan. He understood the importance of projecting strength, especially in Castle's position. While John wouldn't be traveling to Bangalore, he would play a key role in taking down the mercenaries.
As a former assassin with a reputation for being virtually unstoppable, John's involvement would lend an additional layer of intimidation to Castle's efforts.
Everyone present—Castle, Gianna, John, Harry, and Ramsey—agreed on the necessity of the plan. They were all pragmatic individuals who understood that in their world, ruthlessness was often a prerequisite for survival.
Even Castle's often frustratingly moralistic system approved of his decision. With no further doubts weighing on his conscience, Castle instructed Jarvis to begin monitoring Rajad and the mercenaries.
The stage was set. Once the Continental Hotel dispatched a suitable assassin to Bangalore, Castle would launch his simultaneous operations. Rajad and his hired guns would be eliminated in one decisive move, sending a clear warning to anyone foolish enough to challenge him in the future.
For now, Castle faced a more immediate challenge: how to explain the coming carnage to Beckett.
His plan to have Ivan and the security team lead the assault on the mercenaries would undoubtedly cause a commotion. Keeping the operation under wraps from the NYPD would be virtually impossible.
Castle sighed, knowing that his wife would demand answers once the dust settled.
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