After receiving an impromptu education on the socio-political realities of the USA, the two younger ones no longer felt as worried about the issue as they had before. Especially after Castle openly instructed Jarvis, in their presence, to quietly hack into the government servers where the program was stored, with the hope of subtly rewriting its underlying code once the firewalls were bypassed. This approach eased their concerns, allowing them to shift their focus alongside Castle to figuring out how to persuade Finch to abandon his "superhero" role-playing game.
"Uncle Rick, since you already annoyed Finch earlier, can't you just call him directly now?"
"Sure, we made a mistake earlier, but wouldn't a simple phone call to apologize, followed by explaining the NYPD's stance on their actions, solve this? Why go to such lengths?"
The chubby kid couldn't fathom what Castle found so vexing. In his straightforward and unfiltered mind, everything seemed reducible to simpler terms. He didn't think that upsetting Finch would permanently sever all lines of communication.
Seeing the overly simplistic approach of the chubby kid, Castle couldn't help but feel a certain sense of superiority stemming from his own life experiences.
"Harry, you need to understand that Mr. Finch is a very accomplished man—not only professionally successful but also a billionaire. For someone like him, it's inherently difficult to heed others' advice.
"Let alone the fact that we angered him earlier with our clumsy approach. Even without that, if someone came up to you, telling you to stop your 'heroic deeds' in Manhattan because it inconveniences their girlfriend's police district, would you agree so easily? Honestly?"
Castle sighed in exasperation. Damn it, the consequences of last night's indulgence were showing in his sluggish thinking this morning. The choice to confront Finch in such a stupid manner was a rookie mistake.
Reflecting on the situation, Castle realized that if someone had approached him similarly, his reaction might have been even more intense than Finch's!
Thus, directly convincing Finch to cease his activities was nearly impossible.
So how could he make Finch realize that the situation wasn't as simple as he believed?
At this moment, it was the ever-reliable Ramsey, more capable than the two bumbling fools, who stepped up.
"Uncle Rick, didn't you just say that Finch mainly relies on his software to analyze Social Security numbers through big data to identify victims and dispatch his CIA-trained ex-operative to prevent crimes and save lives?
"Our Eye of God system, combined with Jarvis, is leagues ahead of what Mr. Finch's program can do. We don't even need to monitor victims like they do. We already have detailed information on his operative, Reese. Can't we just track Reese and intercept him during his next operation to make it clear that nothing escapes our watch in Aunt Beckett's jurisdiction?"
This suggestion wasn't entirely off the mark, but Castle shook his head in refusal. Such an action would inadvertently expose the fact that Castle possessed tech on par with—or even exceeding—Finch's program. There was no need to reveal that much.
Moreover, Castle wasn't trying to pick a fight with Harold Finch or John Reese. Given that he'd already annoyed Finch—a tech genius and billionaire—due to his earlier "imprudent" actions, there was no reason to escalate matters further by directly interfering in Reese's vigilante efforts.
After deliberating, Castle ultimately decided to call Finch directly to explain the situation.
Why complicate matters further when his own foolishness had already turned a simple situation into a tangled mess?
Wasn't there an old saying, "Sometimes brute force creates miracles"?
So, Castle chose to take the chubby kid's advice: call Finch, apologize for his earlier actions, and clarify the seriousness of the situation.
As for Finch's response? That would be up to him.
Castle resolved to make it clear that Finch and Reese's private justice escapades had already drawn the attention of the NYPD. If they insisted on operating in Manhattan, they'd have to face the consequences.
Castle could guarantee that if Finch and Reese continued causing trouble in Beckett's district, his team would ensure Reese was apprehended during one of his future vigilante acts.
Castle only realized this after some thought—there was little he could do to persuade someone like Finch. Successful individuals often share one common trait: steadfast adherence to their principles. Or, to put it bluntly, stubbornness.
For someone like Finch, who had already achieved wealth and recognition, that stubbornness only solidified.
Thus, Castle decided to lay everything out clearly over the phone, apologizing for his earlier intrusion and explaining that the precinct had both the capability and determination to manage its jurisdiction without external interference.
If Finch still insisted on pursuing his vigilante activities, then any consequences were on him.
To Castle, Finch's software might seem impressive to Finch himself, but Castle viewed it differently. This was 2011, not 2020. The understanding and implementation of big data were still in their infancy. Finch's perceived "groundbreaking" work was merely a product of the information gap of the era.
If Finch's program underwent multiple optimizations and upgrades, Castle might take it more seriously. But as it stood, with his own superior resources—like supercomputers, Jarvis, and the Eye of God—why would Castle feel threatened?
Having decided on this course of action, Castle immediately picked up the phone and called Finch, who was likely still fuming.
Unsurprisingly, the outcome matched Castle's expectations. Despite Castle candidly explaining the NYPD's awareness of Finch and Reese's activities and urging Finch to operate elsewhere, Finch refused to comply.
As Castle had predicted, Finch was incensed by the morning's events.
"Castle, are you insane? Just because your girlfriend's precinct happens to be where I've been testing and refining my program with Reese doesn't justify hacking into my private computer! Are you out of your mind?"
Furthermore, Finch saw himself as no less wealthy or capable than Castle. Why should he follow Castle's whims?
Castle's attempt to dissuade Finch predictably failed, but that had been anticipated from the start. The real purpose of the call was to provide an explanation to Beckett later that evening.
When Beckett asked why Castle failed to resolve the issue, he could now honestly say:
"It's not that I didn't try. It's that Finch refused to listen."
For Castle, the solution was simple. Since they already had detailed information on Reese, all they needed to do was input Reese's details into the Eye of God system. The next time Reese engaged in vigilante activities, Beckett's team could arrest him on the spot.
Sure, Finch was wealthy, but how many times could Reese endure being detained before he gave up?
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