Inside his makeshift command center, Castle watched alongside his assistant, monitoring live satellite footage of Wu Fa's private jet slowly descending onto Honolulu International Airport's runway. He felt a surge of satisfaction with his privatized satellite project.
Although upgrading and modifying these three satellites, as well as their supporting ground equipment, had consumed months of hard work, Castle found the effort more than worth it now that he could see the results. He was particularly proud of how these satellites—disguised as communications satellites—had been secretly enhanced for reconnaissance purposes. Among privately owned satellites worldwide, few, if any, matched Castle's in terms of capability.
Of course, this was only possible because of Castle's connections in the U.S. upper echelons and his strong relationships with arms manufacturers and the military. Otherwise, retrofitting commercially produced satellites would have been nearly impossible, especially with a company like Hughes involved. Castle had skillfully leveraged their interest in his technology to bypass potential roadblocks.
Now, after months of effort, it was finally time to test his creation.
Though Castle genuinely wanted to help Steve because of their natural camaraderie, he also had ulterior motives. Following the Stan Aerospace incident, various parties eager to acquire Castle's technology had temporarily backed off. With no immediate threats to distract him, he saw this as the perfect opportunity to test his multi-purpose satellite network. Wu Fa's arrival in Hawaii provided a golden opportunity.
The command center might appear modest on the outside, but internally it housed advanced technology rivaling that of any law enforcement or federal agency. In fact, it surpassed them, given that none of those agencies had a command center powered by a supercomputer and artificial intelligence like Jarvis.
Since his creation, Jarvis had evolved significantly, particularly through his interactions with Castle's assistant and their tech-savvy friends. The AI's emotional learning module had begun developing rudimentary emotional responses, which initially startled Castle. He wondered if constant exposure to his quirky team might turn Jarvis into a reclusive tech nerd. However, after reviewing the AI's underlying code—designed by Tony Stark—Castle felt reassured.
Stark had anticipated the possibility of AI developing emotions and built failsafe mechanisms into Jarvis's core programming to prevent any dangerous outcomes. Castle, who had originally hastily copied Jarvis's design without fully understanding it, was relieved to confirm that no significant risks existed.
This evolution gave Jarvis increased autonomy and efficiency in processing tasks. For instance, Jarvis now automatically organized and streamlined intelligence reports without being explicitly told to do so—a seemingly small improvement that made a huge difference in Castle's operations.
At present, Jarvis was controlling the satellite as it tracked Wu Fa's movements. After Wu Fa disembarked from his plane and entered a vehicle waiting for him at the airport, Jarvis seamlessly hacked into the car's onboard computer and the driver's smartphone. The AI used the phone's camera to maintain full surveillance on Wu Fa without requiring any manual input from Castle's team.
Meanwhile, Steve had made his preparations. Castle had assured him of continuous real-time surveillance on Wu Fa, allowing Steve to focus solely on eliminating his target. According to their plan, Steve would track Wu Fa to his hideout, then call for backup from his team and the local police. However, the key element of the plan was for Steve to strike first, ensuring Wu Fa wouldn't escape again.
Once Wu Fa was dropped off at a supposedly secure and secret safe house, Castle informed Steve of the location in real time. Now positioned nearby, Steve methodically checked his weapons while keeping in contact with Castle through a Bluetooth earpiece.
"Are you really going in alone?" Castle asked, his voice casually chewing on snacks as he watched the satellite feed. "I still think you should wait for backup. Even if we plan on leaving no witnesses, your teammates won't object if you take him out with them present."
Steve sighed. "I get it. But I've built a strong rapport with my team. I'm confident we can handle it together, and if things go sideways, having more people around might stop Wu Fa from pulling another vanishing act."
Castle chuckled. "Nope, bad idea, buddy. Listen, Wu Fa has close ties to Governor James. If you kill him in front of your team, what happens if he isn't armed at the time? That's why I keep telling you—make sure to plant a weapon on him after you take him down.
"Also, your teammates don't know the full extent of your vendetta against Wu Fa. What if they find out later? That could become a liability."
Castle's blunt reasoning left Steve with no choice but to concede. Castle had a point—he couldn't predict how his teammates might react in the long run. Better to handle this alone and keep full control over the situation.
"Fine. You've got a plan, and I trust you," Steve muttered as he adjusted his gear. Truthfully, he didn't mind Castle teasing him about his combat skills. As a seasoned veteran, he knew this mission was well within his capabilities, especially with Castle's surveillance feeding him constant updates.
With confirmation that Wu Fa was alone inside the safe house, Steve took a deep breath, armed himself, and approached the building. Following Castle's instructions, he sent a message to his team and the local police, reporting that he had tracked a globally wanted fugitive to a specific location and requesting immediate backup.
Now, it was time to act. The hunt had begun.
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