Chapter 372: A "Familiar Face"
"Castle, I want you to stay."
On the way back to the hospital, Frank spoke from the back seat.
He had grown genuinely impressed with Castle—meticulous, highly capable, and, most importantly, never one to ask unnecessary questions.
Right now, Castle was simply hired help. Once the contract ended, he would leave.
But Frank wanted more than that.
He wanted Castle to stay… as one of his own. To join Heisenberg.
During the New Mexico trip, Castle had been by his side the entire time. Even though he kept his distance, he must have pieced together parts of the truth. Yet he never asked, and Frank never explained.
Now, Frank was ready to lay things on the table.
Heisenberg needed someone like Castle.
And after Frank was gone… someone like him could protect his children.
Castle might appear cold—like an unfeeling block of ice—but Frank could tell that beneath that surface was something else entirely.
A buried fire.
Whatever had happened in his past had turned him into this—distant, detached, keeping the world at arm's length.
"I can't stay," Castle replied.
No hesitation. The refusal was immediate and firm.
"Why?" Frank asked.
Castle had only taken the job for one reason—money.
If he joined Heisenberg, money would never be a problem again.
"…I have something I need to do," Castle said after a long pause.
"Revenge?" Frank asked.
Castle's pupils shrank slightly. Even the car wavered for a moment.
"…What do you know?" he asked, regaining his composure.
"Nothing. I'm guessing," Frank said calmly. "I've met people like you before."
From bits and pieces Castle had let slip, Frank knew he once had a family—a partner, children.
But now he was alone.
Cold. Closed off.
Something had happened.
And if it wasn't a natural disaster… then it had to be man-made.
Given Castle's personality—and his capabilities—revenge was inevitable.
In fact, that was likely why he needed money in the first place.
Revenge wasn't cheap.
Weapons, information, preparation—it all cost something.
Until that was done, Castle would never tie himself to anyone.
"Where?" Frank asked.
"New York."
"I can help you," Frank said. "I have connections there. Money, intel, even weapons. If needed, I can have people act for you."
"My targets aren't just one person," Castle said. "There are multiple gangs."
"That's not a problem," Frank replied.
Castle glanced at him. "What do you want in return?"
Nothing came for free.
"After I'm gone… I want you to protect my children. That's all."
Castle didn't hesitate this time.
"I agree."
A smile finally appeared on Frank's face.
Back at the hospital, Frank wrote down a phone number and handed it to him.
"When you get to New York, call this. He'll provide everything you need."
"Who is it?" Castle asked.
"Cottonmouth. You'll understand his reach once you meet him."
"…Thank you."
It was rare to hear those words from Castle.
Without wasting time, he left the room, booked the earliest flight, and departed Chicago for New York.
Frank wasn't worried about him going back on his word.
Castle wasn't that kind of man.
If he said he would do something—
he would.
After dealing with everything, Frank lay back on the bed, utterly exhausted, and soon drifted into a heavy, hazy sleep.
He didn't know how long he had been out.
A sudden chill woke him.
He glanced at the window—still dark outside.
The room was completely silent. Not just his room, but even the hallway beyond. No nurses, no voices from other patients' families—nothing at all.
Total stillness.
"...!"
Frank felt something and suddenly turned his head.
In the corner of the room, a figure stood in the darkness.
Two faintly glowing red eyes stared back at him.
An ordinary person would have screamed at the sight.
Frank, too, was startled—his body breaking out in a cold sweat.
But he quickly steadied himself, realizing what this meant.
"A demon?" he asked cautiously.
"Long time no see," the figure said as it stepped out of the shadows. "I knew you'd summon me eventually."
Under the pale moonlight, the figure's face became clear.
It was just an ordinary man.
Frank recognized him—a male nurse from the hospital.
Clearly, he was being possessed.
But what caught Frank's attention wasn't that—
it was the demon's words.
Long time no see?
Had they met before?
Frank had only ever encountered one demon in his life—the one he had banished back to hell in Joseph's villa.
The name…
"Abeni," Frank said, his eyes narrowing slightly.
"Looks like you remember," the demon smiled.
"When you sent me back to hell, I told you—I'd climb my way back."
"You have no idea how difficult that is. How agonizing. Even for a demon."
"Luckily… I left a mark on you back then. You cast me down—and now, you've called me back."
Frank's expression remained steady. "So… you're here for revenge?"
"No, no," Abeni waved a finger lightly. "We're even now."
Surprisingly… he sounded almost magnanimous.
Then his tone shifted.
His eyes narrowed, locking onto Frank.
"You performed the ritual. That means you want something."
"So tell me…"
"What is your wish?"
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