Meanwhile, Harold Finch had just unplugged his private computer from the internet. As an exceptional programmer, he didn't know how the intruder—likely the infamous crime novelist from New York—had bypassed his firewalls and accessed his computer so effortlessly. However, Finch was certain that no hacker could continue invading his system once the Wi-Fi was disconnected and the network severed.
After urgently calling his company's technicians to confirm that the servers hosting the "Machine" and its software had not been compromised, Finch finally exhaled in relief. It seemed the meddlesome writer had shown some restraint by not directly attacking his most critical infrastructure. Instead, the writer had chosen a less intrusive—but deeply unsettling—method of delivering a warning.
But what was his goal?
Was it simply to demand that Finch stop playing vigilante in the precinct under the jurisdiction of his police-captain girlfriend?
In just a short time, Finch had pieced together most of the puzzle. He was now about 80% certain that the intruder was none other than the wealthy writer featured in recent news articles—the man who had installed a supercomputer in his Long Island mansion as casually as buying a new desk chair.
Why was Finch so sure?
Because, aside from his logical deductions, he relied on a programmer's intuition combined with a businessman's instincts.
More specifically, the writer, Richard Castle, had inadvertently revealed several clues during their brief interaction. For a mind as sharp as Finch's, it wasn't difficult to connect the dots.
First, Castle had mentioned that Finch and Reese's recent "trial runs" as vigilantes had caught the attention of the police. That alone narrowed things down significantly. Castle's well-publicized connection to the NYPD, specifically his work with Detective Beckett (who had now risen to the rank of captain), was common knowledge. Even Finch, who rarely delved into popular media, was aware of Castle's Nikki Heat book series, based on Beckett's cases.
Second, Castle's extravagant purchase of a supercomputer had caused a stir within the tech community. Finch had personally marveled at the writer's audacity—using such cutting-edge equipment ostensibly for fiction writing. Later, Finch had learned that Castle was also a scientist developing advanced technologies for the U.S. military. To Finch, Castle was the epitome of a "Renaissance man"—a polymath excelling in both arts and sciences.
Finally, Castle's tone and suggestions during their conversation matched the media's portrayal of him as a playful yet incisive individual. The casual recommendation for Finch to move his vigilante activities to Brooklyn or Queens, rather than Manhattan, was unmistakably Castle-esque. Most tellingly, Finch knew that Beckett, Castle's muse and partner, was the captain of the precinct in question.
Adding everything together, Finch was confident that the man who had invaded his computer was none other than Richard Castle.
But why had Castle done this?
It seemed likely that Castle's objective was exactly what it appeared to be: to persuade Finch to take his activities elsewhere and stop operating in Beckett's jurisdiction.
The fact that Castle hadn't targeted the servers hosting the "Machine" confirmed this. Finch interpreted it as Castle saying, "I know what you're doing, and I'm giving you a chance to stop before I escalate."
Did novelists really need to get involved in such matters these days?
What Finch didn't know was that Castle's motivation wasn't purely altruistic. It stemmed from a promise he had made to Beckett, a promise tied to his "nightly happiness." Left to his own devices, Castle couldn't care less about Finch's activities. In fact, he might have even found them entertaining. However, Beckett had made it clear that Castle needed to handle the issue—lest his nights grow increasingly lonely.
Castle was now debating whether to confront Finch directly and admit that he was acting under orders from a demanding spouse or to simply intercept Reese during his next operation and issue a warning on-site.
Back in Castle's lab, Harold Ramsey (aka "Little Fatty") and Lamsey were growing increasingly agitated. Castle, lost in thought about Beckett's potential wrath, seemed oblivious to their concerns.
"Uncle Rick!" Ramsey blurted, exasperated. "Are you even listening to us? This program Finch created is seriously dangerous. If someone upgrades its software or hardware in the future, it could evolve into artificial intelligence—at least a weak form of it. If the government gets hold of that, it'll be a disaster!"
Ramsey, like many Americans, had an inherent distrust of the government. But his mistrust ran even deeper—bolstered by years of poking around classified government files using Castle's supercomputer and JARVIS. He didn't need to imagine how the government would misuse Finch's program; it was a certainty. Just as with last year's "Snowden revelations," Ramsey was sure the government would weaponize the program against its own citizens.
But to Ramsey's frustration, Castle remained unmoved. He had no intention of interfering with the government's copy of Finch's program. For one, the program was still in its infancy and didn't seem like an immediate threat. More importantly, Castle was preoccupied with the potential fallout of failing Beckett's task.
Castle waved off Ramsey's concerns. "Why should I care if the government abuses this? I have JARVIS. They can't touch me or anyone I care about. I'm not some savior for the masses. Let them figure it out."
Still, he didn't want to crush the enthusiasm of Ramsey and Lamsey, who were his most dependable allies. He decided to clarify his reasoning.
"I'm not saying you're wrong about the dangers of this program," Castle explained. "But destroying the government's copy isn't the solution. The real problem is Finch himself. He's a true idealist who wants the government to adopt this program. If we don't change his mind, he'll just rebuild it or hand it over again."
Ramsey looked defeated. "So what do we do? If the government realizes how powerful this thing is, they'll act on it. We can't just sit back and wait!"
Castle paused, deep in thought. Finally, he said, "I'll talk to Finch. At least I'll try to make him see the gap between his ideals and reality. If we don't get through to him, not only will Beckett be pissed, but we might end up facing a much bigger mess down the line."
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