Upon hearing this, Castle's body stiffened. Knowing that Beckett had come up behind him, he quickly put on a fawning smile and turned to her, saying, "Oh, isn't this our beautiful and generous Officer Beckett? Good morning. I've been busting my butt this past week trying to get information for you. Now that I've found out the exact details about that gang of robbers, I came to the precinct immediately to report to you..."
It would have been better if he hadn't mentioned it. As soon as he did, all the frustrations and grudges Beckett had harbored over the past week surged uncontrollably. Her eyebrows raised, she took a large stride forward, standing right in front of Castle, glaring at him viciously, "How dare you say you're here to report? Do you know how much trouble your tip from a week ago caused me?"
Castle, with a grin on his face, wasn't afraid of Beckett's blustering. He winked at her and said, "I really did get solid information about the robbers. And I really did come to the precinct first thing to tell you. Don't you want to hear it?"
Beckett, suspicious, took a step back, her eyes fixed on Castle's face, hoping to discern any signs of deceit. However, Castle's calm and composed demeanor clearly indicated he was serious this time.
Realizing that Castle indeed had important intel, Beckett felt a bit deflated. She had led the entire 12th precinct in a week-long, grueling search but found nothing substantial about the robbers. The fact that Castle, seemingly without much effort, had obtained concrete information irked her.
Seeing Beckett's expression, Castle knew her pride was wounded, but now wasn't the time for psychological counseling. Pretending to be oblivious to her internal struggle, he interrupted her thoughts, "Let's discuss this in the captain's office. Esposito, Ryan, you two should come along. What I'm about to reveal isn't a small matter and will need your help."
Esposito and Ryan, who had been enjoying the interaction between Castle and Beckett, were taken aback by Castle's invitation. They were both thrilled to be in the loop but also apprehensive, as Castle's tone suggested something significant was afoot.
Beckett had no objections to Castle's suggestion of including Esposito and Ryan in the discussion. They were her trusted colleagues and had always been reliable partners in investigations. Castle's willingness to share the information with them gave her no reason to object. The four of them headed to Captain Montgomery's office.
Captain Montgomery had already noticed Castle's arrival and had set aside his work, anticipating that Castle had important news about the robbery and bombing case. He knew Castle wouldn't come to the precinct so openly, knowing how frustrated Beckett had been over the past week, without a good reason. Thus, he had mentally prepared himself for any bad news.
As soon as Castle entered the captain's office and saw Montgomery's expression, he knew the experienced detective had guessed his purpose. Skipping the pleasantries, Castle sat down and got straight to the point, "I think it's clear why I'm here today, right? Let me tell you everything I've learned over the past few days."
Montgomery's heart sank at Castle's serious demeanor. He knew whatever Castle was about to say was significant.
Beckett, already impatient, sat down across from Castle and urged, "Spill it. We don't have time for your games."
Castle, seeing Beckett's frustration, smiled slightly, understanding her irritation stemmed from his vague tips a week ago. He didn't take it to heart and began his report.
"I haven't just been busy with my own stuff this week. I've asked many people to help me gather information on this gang of robbers. Here's what I've found: First, this gang has stolen a total of 2,500 pounds of chemical raw materials from a chemical plant warehouse in New York. These materials can make bombs more powerful than C4, and they plan to start their robbery with one of these bombs."
Castle's first statement shocked everyone in the room. All four police officers were stunned.
"2,500 pounds? Are you joking?" Beckett even stood up from her chair.
Montgomery, Esposito, and Ryan also looked at Castle in disbelief, hoping he was joking. But seeing Castle's serious expression, they knew he wasn't.
"Yes, 2,500 pounds of chemical raw materials. I'm not kidding, and you didn't mishear. In the hands of these robbers, these materials are as powerful as an equivalent amount of C4!"
Montgomery and the others took a deep breath. This was a serious matter. 2,500 pounds of C4 was roughly a ton. If Castle was right about the bomb's power, its explosion in Manhattan's city center would be catastrophic. Even the head of the NYPD wouldn't be able to handle it.
Montgomery, his face anxious, urged Castle, "What else? Tell us everything."
Castle didn't intend to hold back, so he continued honestly, "This bomb was made by Faris Tagg, a former Hungarian Defense Forces officer and the bomb expert of Simon's gang. Their plan is to detonate a bomb at a department store early one morning, causing panic and drawing police attention. Then Simon will personally call the headquarters, claiming he's avenging his brother by planting a huge bomb in one of New York's 1,446 schools."
"The police, fearing this bomb, will go crazy searching for it all over New York. While the entire police force is preoccupied, Simon will lead his men to rob a bank vault in the city."
Montgomery, Beckett, Esposito, and Ryan were all stunned by Simon's meticulously planned scheme. After a long pause, Beckett asked Castle, "Now that we know his plan, can't we stop this madman?"
Castle sighed and began his act, "The problem is, I can't figure out which school he's targeting, and I don't know the exact time they'll start. Even getting this much information was incredibly difficult."
Montgomery interjected to defend Castle, "Yes, Castle's intel is very important. He's not a professional officer, so getting this much is beyond my expectations. Beckett, don't be anxious. Let me ask Castle a few more questions."
"Mr. Castle, you said the robbers' real goal is to rob a bank vault, right? The bombs are just to distract the police?"
Castle, satisfied with Montgomery's insight, nodded, "Exactly. Simon is just using the guise of a terrorist to draw police attention. His real goal is the bank vault!"
Montgomery nodded, understanding the gravity of the situation. "Alright, let's figure out our next steps. We need to use this information to prevent the robbery and ensure the safety of New York's citizens."