John sat on the side with Abraham, trying to calm the restless little one who insisted on getting down to walk on her own. Meanwhile, Henry began explaining to Castle why he believed the homeless man sent to him hadn't died of natural causes.
It didn't take long for Henry's medical jargon to leave Castle utterly baffled.
Realizing that Henry's predicament wasn't some urgent personal crisis but merely the result of his relentless curiosity and sense of responsibility, Castle quickly signaled for Henry to stop. Though Castle had studied forensic science back in the day for his novels, he admitted he'd forgotten most of it. Since Henry wanted the police to take over the investigation, Castle, as a supportive friend, was more than willing to help.
Unlike Castle, Henry had always been more of a recluse, afraid of his secrets being discovered. If it hadn't been for Castle—a walking plot cheat who'd thwarted Adam and dragged Henry and Jo Martinez together—Henry might still be holed up in the basement of his antique shop, obsessing over death experiences.
However, as fascinating as the details of the autopsy and medical reports were to Henry, Castle wanted none of it. He would much rather gossip about Henry's relationship with Jo Martinez.
Henry sighed, exasperated by Castle's shameless curiosity. Still, Castle wasn't one to back down from a promise. Even though this case was more of a diversion for Henry to indulge his investigative instincts, Castle pulled out his phone and called Esposito.
Esposito was thrilled to hear from Castle. Though they'd known each other for years and had a good personal relationship, it had been a while since they'd met. Learning that Castle was nearby with a case, Esposito grabbed his partner, Irish officer Ryan, and headed out without even notifying their captain, Beckett.
As soon as Castle ended the call, Henry knew what was coming: he'd have to endure being teased by both Castle and his foster son, Abraham, until the police arrived.
Sure enough, Abraham wasted no time, settling beside Castle with a knowing grin. "Rick, want to know what's been going on between Henry and Jo lately?"
Even the usually stoic John couldn't hide his curiosity. Holding the little one in his arms, he leaned in. Though John had never been one for gossip, people change. Once, he wouldn't leave the house without two guns and ten magazines. Now, he couldn't go anywhere without baby bottles and diapers. He even reduced his usual armament to a single pistol tucked at his back, since shoulder holsters weren't ideal for a dad carrying a child all day.
Having spent time with Abraham, John had realized why he and Castle got along so well—Abraham was essentially a version of Castle thirty years down the line. Curious, playful, and perpetually youthful in spirit, Abraham and Castle were two peas in a pod.
Even John, who rarely cared for such chatter, found himself intrigued by the dynamic between Henry and the two instigators.
John's hunch wasn't wrong. Of all Castle's close friends, it was Abraham who most resembled him in personality. Unlike the driven women in Castle's life—Beckett, Jo Martinez, Gianna, his daughter Alexis, his mother Martha, and even Mozzie, who had risen from a street scammer to a national security advisor—Castle was the ultimate slacker.
When Esposito and Ryan finally arrived, Castle happily handed Henry over to them. Recognizing Henry, Esposito and Ryan treated his findings seriously. Henry led them to his basement lab, where he gave a detailed explanation of his suspicions, leaving Castle, John, and the little one upstairs to gossip freely with Abraham about Henry's love life.
Esposito may not have had Beckett's sharp instincts, but his years of experience helped him notice some anomalies in Henry's evidence. That was enough. Out of respect for Henry, Castle, and his girlfriend, Lanie, Esposito promised to begin a preliminary investigation immediately. If they found any indication of foul play, he would formally open a murder case and keep Henry updated on the progress.
After Esposito and Ryan left with the evidence, Castle pressed Henry for details about his relationship with Jo. Shamelessly persistent, he eventually got the answers he wanted, much to Henry's frustration. Later, Castle, John, and the ever-energetic Onona stayed for dinner with Abraham and Henry before returning to Long Island after dark.
Meanwhile, in a small country in the Southern Hemisphere, a man once known as Zeus—who had helped John McClane during the infamous New York heist—was now going by the name Kincaid. He was negotiating a deal with an Eastern European man.
The once-young Zeus no longer sported his full head of hair. In its place was a striking tattoo on the back of his head: a withered tree covered in perched crows. After leaving New York with three gold bars promised by Castle and his childhood friend Belle, Zeus and Belle had a falling out over their future plans. They parted ways, with Belle being recruited by the CIA while Zeus—now Kincaid—adopted a new identity and became a hitman in South America.
Kincaid operated by a peculiar code: he refused to harm innocent people. His skills and sharp mind quickly earned him a reputation in the underworld.
That day, Kincaid was approached by a representative of a small Eastern European country's president, Duhoviche. The job? To assassinate a scientist who had betrayed Duhoviche.
Kincaid, unaware of the storm this mission would bring, was drawn in by the lucrative offer and accepted the contract without hesitation.
Back in Long Island, Castle returned home to discuss the day's events with Beckett. Mid-conversation, the chubby kid interrupted through his smart wristband, urgently summoning Castle to the supercomputer lab. Curious, Beckett followed along.
The lab's massive screen displayed horrifying videos and photos. The chubby kid and Ramsey looked pale as ghosts. Castle, perplexed, wondered what could have shaken the two internet-savvy youngsters, who often roamed the web with the supercomputer and JARVIS's assistance.
But as Castle examined the footage, he fell silent. Beckett, standing nearby, erupted with outrage. "How dare they? This is a massacre! Harry, where is this happening?"
Castle stared intently at a familiar figure in the footage, his thoughts deep and troubled.
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