Capítulo 33: Chapter 33: Successful Rescue
Castle finally understood from Black Fox that his current hiring was mistakenly treated by the Continental Hotel as a mission issued by an internal big shot of the 'High Table,' hence the mercenaries' payment was handled internally by the Paris Continental Hotel.
Castle knew this must have been due to the favors of Sister Gianna, likely because of the coded order he placed, which made the hotel's receptionist believe he was a high-level insider, causing the mix-up.
However, Castle was very satisfied with the services provided by Black Fox and his team. Additionally, relying on them to deliver Kem and Amanda to the embassy, he felt it unnecessary to exploit them without any compensation.
Moreover, with $1.2 million and six Rage Lion coins each valued at a million already prepared in the car's trunk, it was a generous tip!
"Consider it a tip!"
Castle thought and said as much, chuckling at his own lavishness, which surely dazzled anyone watching.
"..." Black Fox was genuinely choked up by his employer's extravagance.
"Thank you, sir, we won't be shy then!"
With the extra tip, which was hard to refuse, Black Fox was delighted. Not only was the mission unexpectedly easy, but it also paid twice, which was indeed a stroke of good luck.
"Then, sir, we'll evacuate now. Leaving you alone, is that really okay?"
Out of dual respect for the boss and as a financier, Black Fox asked once more for confirmation.
"It's fine, just go. Do you think those dead fish in the room can threaten me? And, make sure you clean up all the surveillance equipment you installed, don't leave any tails!"
Castle, feeling buoyant after proving the system's rewards, responded confidently.
"Alright, sir, we will evacuate now. All surveillance equipment has been retrieved. And, sir, it has been a pleasure working with you! Out of respect for you, that little punk who lured the girls at the airport, we will make sure he reunites with the others in that room! Goodbye, sir!"
Since the employer had made his wishes clear, Black Fox didn't dawdle. After flattering his financier once more over the comm, and stating they would clean up any remaining traces of the gang, he quickly led his team out of the house. They retrieved a suitcase from the trunk of the Citroën Castle had driven, then departed in the vehicle the sniper had brought.
"Now that Kem and Amanda are safe, let's see if everyone inside is dead yet!"
Castle retrieved a flexible endoscopic camera from his inventory and slipped it under the door.
"Huh, Mark's life is pretty tough, huh? Still not dead?"
Castle grinned as he watched the screen which showed a chaotic scene inside the room. Of the ten people, three were still alive: two members of the Dandongniuo family and Mark, the instigator of this mess.
Indeed, it was the Dandongniuo family who had the advantage of the first strike. Caught off guard, the Albanian traffickers were overwhelmed from the start. Although Mark was cunning enough to surround them, the difference between street thugs and organized crime was significant.
Satisfied with his observations, Castle withdrew the camera and monitoring devices, put down his M4A1, which was too cumbersome for the room, and drew his pistol, carefully entering.
The three men lying on the ground, who had run out of bullets but not yet died, finally saw the instigator of their misfortune. Unfortunately, fully clad in urban combat gear, only a pair of blue eyes was visible, obscuring any other identifiable features.
Approaching Mark, Castle decided to let him die with understanding, pretending to be Bryan and said with a light chuckle, "Didn't I tell you that I would come for you, that what I learned would be your nightmare? I'm here now, would you like to say 'GOODLUCK' to me again?"
"It's you…"
Mark's eyes bulged with fury. How had this person found him so quickly? Did he ride a rocket here?
"Bang…"
Adopting John Wick's style of being harsh but not verbose, Castle didn't allow Mark any more chances to speak. A bullet struck directly in his forehead.
With eyes wide open in shock, Mark was dead.
"Whew, the main culprit is dead. Now, it's your turn," Castle turned to the two Dandongniuo family members on the ground, speaking in a tone they couldn't quite understand.
"What... what are you going to do? You said you wouldn't trouble us!" one of the Dandongniuo family members pleaded, panic rising as he saw Castle's menacing look.
"Yes, whether I trouble you depends on which side you're on," Castle responded cryptically to the confused men on the floor.
Ignoring the two half-dead men, Castle took out his phone and called John, probably lounging back in Long Island drinking go
ji berry tea.
"Damn it, you bastard, what did you send me again? What the hell is NINGXIA-GOUQI?"
John Wick's furious voice burst through the phone as soon as the call connected.
"Ahaha, John, don't get so worked up! It's good stuff, I don't tell just anyone about it! But let's not talk about that now. I need to speak with Gianna, can you put her on?"
Castle laughed heartily, noticing how one of the men on the ground turned pale upon hearing he was calling someone named 'Gianna', his forehead breaking out in sweat.
"Hello, Rick, what's up? What do you need?"
John handed the phone to Gianna.
"Well, it's like this, a friend's daughter was kidnapped while visiting Paris, and the Albanian trafficking ring intended to sell her to some perverts through an auction by people claiming to be from your Dandongniuo family. What do you think about that?"
Having some suspicions about the two men's origins, Castle left the choice to Gianna, after all, she had thrown a peach, and he should return the favor.
"Oh? Is that so? Rick, all matters in Paris are currently handled by my brother Santino. Although I've heard a few things before, Santino claimed it was his way of networking with some influential people, so I didn't pay much attention.
You know I was raised as a family heir, and I would never get involved in such dehumanizing activities!
The person handling these matters for Santino in Paris is someone named Valentino!
But now…
Rick, I'm leaving the decision on how to handle this to you or your friend, however you guys want to proceed is fine, and I can assure you, the Dandongniuo family won't cause any trouble for your friend over this!"
Gianna truly adored Castle, her lucky star, who not only brought her lover from thousands of miles away but also helped undermine her brother's influence in France.
"Thank you, Gianna. I've got things to handle here, so I'll hang up now. I'll be back to see you guys in a few days, and I'll bring gifts! Say hi to John for me!"
With his suspicions confirmed, Castle hung up and looked at the two men on the ground with a cat-playing-with-mice gaze.
"You... you're one of Gianna's men?"
The men on the ground felt like dying. How could they have been so foolish as to believe this guy's provocations?
"I'm not one of Gianna's men, but my daughter's godfather is her boyfriend…"
Castle continued speaking cryptically, pulling the trigger of his pistol. One bullet each, right in the foreheads of the two men!
After carefully checking the room to ensure there were no survivors, Castle did not bother going upstairs. Sirens were approaching in the distance—what joy, nearly twenty minutes after the battle started, the Paris police were finally arriving!
"Valentino...hmm..."
After briefly covering his tracks, Castle drove off in his rented car, leaving behind Heaven Street, which he had turned into a hellish scene.
___________________
Read Ahead
P@treon.com/Mutter
Capítulo 34: Chapter 34: Father
Meanwhile, far away in the United States, after a fierce mental struggle and feeling the urgency of dwindling time, Brian finally dialed the number Castle had left him.
Observing the incoming call from the United States, Castle answered with a relaxed tone, knowing it was likely Brian calling. He immediately reassured the anxious father: "Hi, Kem's dad. While we are speaking, Kem is on her way to the U.S. Embassy escorted by my people. She's a bit out of it right now, so she couldn't contact you immediately!"
The sound of Castle's voice, strangely familiar, instantly revitalized Brian: "What? You've already rescued her? Thank you, man, you can't imagine how grateful I am."
Brian, the tough guy who hadn't flinched despite three broken ribs, was nearly in tears on the phone.
"Don't mention it, buddy. I'm also a father, and my daughter is Kem's classmate! I totally understand your feelings. By the way, I took out the group that kidnapped Kem, none of them survived, so no need to thank me!"
Castle ultimately decided not to hide his identity from Brian, considering he was a former CIA heavyweight. It might be useful to have him owe a favor.
"It's you... Mr. Castle?"
Brian's voice was filled with immense surprise!
No wonder he was once a CIA big shot; just from the clues that his daughter was Kem's classmate and the vaguely familiar voice on the phone, Brian quickly realized he was speaking to Castle, the bestselling author and father of his daughter's classmate.
"Yes, it's me! Last month, my daughter asked if she could go to France with Kem, though she ended up going on vacation with her mother instead. I just happened to be coming to France for some business when I discovered Kem had been kidnapped. I was about to contact you, but then you had that accident…"
Castle, ever the opportunist, exaggerated his role, thinking there was no harm in embellishing his story when there were no witnesses.
"..." Brian, once a super spy and now disabled, blushed hearing Castle joking about his accident.
"So, buddy, I immediately called your wife to tell her not to worry. I was already in France, and I couldn't just stand by while my daughter's classmate was kidnapped, right? Plus, being a father myself, how could I stand by and watch this happen?"
Castle energetically bamboozled Brian, who was overwhelmed with relief and gratitude.
"So you took down those scumbags all by yourself?"
Brian found it hard to believe. A writer, engaging in gunfights and emerging victorious?
"Oh, well, not exactly, buddy. I'm just a writer, not some super soldier. But I have money and connections! I hired a team of mercenaries to help out. They rescued Kem and her friend Amanda, and they are escorting them to the U.S. Embassy as we speak. They should be arriving soon!"
"Man, I can't tell you how grateful I am. After the car accident, I was about ready to give up."
Castle's explanation, attributing his success to hired help, finally realigned Brian's shaken worldview, but his gratitude was palpable over the phone.
"Alright, buddy, you need to take it easy with your injuries. Oh, and I almost forgot to tell you, I took out the trafficking ring that kidnapped Kem, but from what they said under pressure, there's a guy named Valentino behind them. I plan to take care of him too, but don't worry about it. I just wanted to let you know."
Castle figured if he was going to have Brian owe him, he might as well go all in.
"Mr. Castle, after my accident, knowing I couldn't come to France, I asked a former superior to help rescue Kem. Even though you've already saved her, since you still have plans and actions to take, could I contribute somehow? This is a request from a father. Could I give your contact info to my former boss so he can get in touch with you? Just so you know, I used to work for an intelligence agency, and so did he, so we can definitely help."
Brian was eager for a chance to vent his frustrations and felt indebted to Castle for saving his daughter without seeking repayment.
"Wow, you have a substitute ready to step in because Brian can't make it? Perfect for facing Valentino directly while I pull the strings from behind!"
Castle was thrilled at the prospect of maneuvering from the shadows.
"Sure, buddy, you have every right to seek revenge! I'm staying at the Four Seasons Hotel in Paris. Have your guy come find me!"
Castle agreed, eager to fulfill his role as a mastermind behind the scenes.
"I say, buddy, we're both fathers, and it's clear Kem is going through her teenage years…"
Having discussed the serious matters, Castle started chatting with
a now-relieved Brian about the trials of fatherhood as he drove.
The conversation was light and without incident, and after learning that his daughter had safely reached the embassy and would soon be sent home, Brian agreed to meet up with Castle once he was back in the States.
After returning to his hotel, Castle immediately extracted his high-performance computer from his personal storage space and began hacking into Paris municipal surveillance to erase any trace of himself and the Black Fox team.
After taking care of these tasks, Castle planned to relax with a good bath before waiting for Brian's superior to arrive.
"Valentino's club isn't going anywhere, and with the TV news bizarrely boasting about the police's 'thorough' investigation and heroic rescue of dozens of kidnapped girls, he's unlikely to suspect anything before I make my move. So, there's no rush."
Content, Castle luxuriated in a bath and then indulged in a spread of exquisite French cuisine delivered by room service. As he sat on the sofa watching the explosive media coverage of his day's work, the doorbell rang.
"That must be Brian's superior!"
Castle got up to open the door, curious about who this substitute might be.
Upon opening the door, he was startled to find a distinguished older man resembling the Hollywood star Sean Connery standing there.
"Father..."
___________________
Read Ahead
P@treon.com/Mutter
Estado de energía semanal
200+ Ranking de
Poder 
24 Piedra de
Poder También te puede interesar
![[Completed]Playing Firebending (Legend of Korra SI)](https://noah-image.webnovel.com/noah/img/c72400dd98494ddd8ae42069efbd6eb0.png)
Comentario de párrafo