Reborn as an American Writer

When Castle woke up with matters on his mind, he found that the plane had already landed at a private airport in Queens, New York. He hurriedly woke up the snoring, groggy chubby guy who was still sound asleep. With the disgruntled looks from the two flight attendants, Castle didn't care about what they thought. He had urgent matters to discuss with the chubby guy.

Since the plane was not large enough and the two flight attendants were obvious outsiders, and given that the chubby guy had fallen asleep quickly due to the night's exertions, Castle hadn't shared his plans on the plane. But now they were back in New York, and Vincent had likely already begun his plan. If Castle didn't have the chubby guy monitor Vincent's every move, what if Vincent quickly and quietly salvaged that submarine?

Castle reminded himself not to underestimate Vincent's execution capabilities. Vincent had previously been caught off guard by Castle's moves primarily because he hadn't taken Castle seriously enough. Now, Vincent certainly saw Castle as one of the top threats to his plans. Castle realized he no longer had much of an advantage over the now-alert Vincent, except for his foreknowledge of the plot.

Living in a real world, Castle knew his foreknowledge wouldn't provide much of an edge and could lead to complacency. Thus, the best strategy was to leverage their information and intelligence advantage to monitor Vincent's every move. This was the only way to ensure that Castle and Neal's plans could proceed smoothly.

Arranging for surveillance on Vincent was now an urgent matter, and the person best suited for this task was the currently half-awake chubby guy. 

Castle grabbed a cab and took the still drowsy chubby guy back to his place. Upon entering, the house was empty. His daughter Alexis was likely at school, but his mother Martha was nowhere to be found. Castle had expected some scolding for his longer-than-expected trip to Brazil, but Martha's absence spared him.

The chubby guy was puzzled why his Uncle Rick brought him to his house, but he trusted Castle and didn't question him on the way. Castle would eventually explain everything. So, the chubby guy accepted it, figuring he might as well go with the flow.

After making a cup of coffee to wake up the yawning chubby guy, Castle sat across from him and seriously recounted the feud with Vincent. He explained the plan to rob Vincent of the WWII German submarine filled with art treasures after Vincent salvaged it. The chubby guy, excited by the idea of taking on the mastermind of the USA's biggest Ponzi scheme, listened intently.

Having lost what little restraint he had during the Brazil trip, the chubby guy, who had initially planned to upgrade his computer gear, was now thrilled by the prospect of a new mission. With shining eyes, he eagerly awaited Castle's instructions.

Castle felt gratified seeing the chubby guy's enthusiasm. The chubby guy was truly one of his own. He eagerly volunteered for the 24/7 surveillance of Vincent before Castle even had to ask.

Castle had misunderstood the chubby guy's motivation. The once-innocent chubby guy was now like Castle, eager to stir up trouble and seize the opportunity for excitement. The prospect of monitoring Vincent for a WWII submarine filled with treasures had the chubby guy trembling with anticipation.

Castle wasted no time in assigning the surveillance task to the chubby guy. After repeatedly warning him not to disclose this to anyone, Castle sent the chubby guy home to rest for a couple of days before starting the surveillance.

During this break, Castle wanted to confirm if Vincent had indeed returned to New York. The fastest way to find out was to consult Uncle Powell from Bowery Street. Castle shamelessly called the contact number Powell had given him, requesting information on Vincent Adler's whereabouts.

Uncle Powell, known for never using electronic communication devices himself, had built a massive pigeon coop on a rooftop. He communicated with his subordinates using carrier pigeons. Castle's call reached one of Powell's reception points, which only took client requests and relayed the information back after verification.

Castle believed that if Vincent was indeed back in New York, he wouldn't escape the Bowery Street network's detection. Powell's organization, comprising various people like shopkeepers, homeless individuals, and petty criminals, made him the "King of Underground Intelligence" in New York.

True to form, Castle received a response from Bowery Street in less than half an hour, confirming that Vincent Adler had indeed arrived in New York the previous day. He brought a Panama-registered 10,000-ton salvage ship and a large group of his men. They were now at a large warehouse in the port, rented by one of Vincent's men. This warehouse, surprisingly large and located in a remote part of the port, was a strategic location for hiding the submarine.

Castle realized that Vincent's return meant he was ready to start his submarine salvage operation. The fact that he brought a massive salvage ship and secured a hidden warehouse confirmed it.

Castle immediately called the chubby guy, informing him that his break was over and that he needed to start the 24/7 surveillance on Vincent and his team by the next day. If Vincent and his highly capable team moved swiftly and salvaged the submarine while Castle's team was unprepared, they would be in trouble.

The chubby guy readily agreed, promising to start the surveillance immediately after returning home. He also requested Castle lend him the modified drone from Brazil. The chubby guy needed the drone for surveillance, especially since the warehouse might have security measures.

The chubby guy's suggestion reminded Castle of his own capabilities. He realized he could modify several drones for the chubby guy, enhancing their surveillance efforts. It was a brilliant idea, proving once again that two heads were better than one.

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