Reborn as Richard Castle in Criminal Minds

Forming a team wasn't something Castle could do on a whim, especially since it conflicted with his plan to keep a low profile for a while. In the original series, "Castle" only managed to run a detective agency thanks to his daughter, who didn't pursue a job after college, and the support of the ex-agent Kelly. Castle himself lacked the skills to organize and manage a team effectively.

Reflecting on this, Castle realized he was more suited to working alone or following Beckett around, using his association with the police as a cover. The thought of organizing a team seemed like a recipe for disaster.

Driving aimlessly around New York, Castle, after repeatedly confirming his lack of organizational skills, quickly set aside his internal conflict. He decided to stick to his plan from the previous night: visit a pet store to test the skill he acquired from the system, which supposedly allowed him to communicate with animals. As for Zeus and Belle, they could take it easy for a few days, as Belle had initially suggested. Zeus had enough money for now, so other matters could wait.

At worst, Belle and Zeus could gather information for him, with Zeus serving as an intelligence analyst. This would keep them engaged and allow Castle to focus on other tasks. After all, he still had millions in dirty money from the unfortunate Hernan Reyes of Brazil, which could be used to fund these under-the-table activities. This arrangement would also prepare them for future situations where Castle might need assistance, avoiding a repeat of the incident from a few days ago when he had no reliable muscle to call on.

Recalling that incident, Castle realized his circle included mostly brainy but physically weak individuals like Neal Caffrey, Mozzie, and Henry Morgan. They were excellent at planning and thinking but useless in a physical confrontation. In contrast, Zeus, despite his high intelligence, had some basic self-defense and offensive skills from his years in New York's underbelly. So, if Zeus and Belle wanted to move away from their past lives and make some money, Castle saw no harm in it. At least Zeus would be more useful than Mozzie in a pinch.

Castle finally found a large pet store using his navigation system. Just as he was about to park, his phone rang. Seeing Beckett's name on the caller ID, he immediately paused and answered.

"Hey, Beckett, what's up? Missing me?" Castle couldn't resist his usual playful tone.

"Where are you? Do you have time? I'm on leave today and need to talk to you," Beckett replied calmly, unconcerned about Castle's usual antics.

Castle's heart skipped a beat. He knew Beckett had finally decided to question him, as he had expected. Luckily, he was prepared for this and had already decided to keep a low profile.

"Sure, I'm just out on the street, was about to check out a pet store. Where are you? I'll come pick you up," Castle responded quickly, ready to divert his course.

"Pet store? What are you doing at a pet store?" Beckett was puzzled by Castle's answer.

"Well, I thought about getting a pet for fun, but I was about to go in when you called. Are you at home? I'll come get you," Castle explained, starting his car and merging into traffic.

"Yes, I'm at home. Just come straight up," Beckett replied, a hint of a smile on her lips, as she anticipated questioning Castle about his secrets. She was determined to uncover the truth.

Knowing he couldn't avoid this meeting, Castle agreed and headed to Beckett's apartment. He had already planned to use this opportunity to reveal some of his secrets, clearing the air and allowing him to get closer to Beckett.

Castle arrived at Beckett's apartment, mentally preparing himself one last time before knocking on her door. Beckett, who had been waiting for him, opened the door immediately, welcoming him in. She tried to control her urge to start questioning him right away, instead offering him a cup of coffee before sitting down across from him.

"I know you understand why I called you here today. I have many questions, and for the sake of our future collaboration, I hope we can clear them up today. Do you understand?" Beckett began seriously.

Castle, taking a leisurely sip of his coffee, replied calmly, "Since I came here without hesitation, it means I have nothing to hide from you. Ask away."

Beckett was pleased with Castle's cooperative attitude, her stern demeanor softening a bit. "I have many questions, especially about the incredibly accurate information you seem to have. I'm curious—how do you know these things? I'm a police officer, but you're not, yet you consistently have information even I can't obtain. I hope you can explain this."

"Ah, I knew you'd be curious about my sources..." Castle thought to himself, but outwardly he smiled at Beckett and said, "Is that your question?"

By this point, Beckett was beyond hiding her curiosity. Since their first encounter involving the four South American female bank robbers, Beckett had been puzzled by Castle's seemingly inexplicable knowledge. She vividly remembered how Castle had directly led them to the robbers during an investigation. She still suspected that Castle might have known their location beforehand, especially since the gang leader had recognized him on sight.

Now that she had the chance, why not clear up her long-standing doubts?

Surprised by Beckett's first question, Castle hadn't realized she had harbored doubts since then. He remembered vaguely promising her an explanation but had forgotten amidst other events. He underestimated her attention to detail.

Seeing no reason to withhold information, especially since he had prepared his answers, Castle decided to clarify everything.

Putting down his coffee cup, Castle smiled and said to Beckett, who was eagerly awaiting his response, "I didn't expect you to remember that incident. Alright, since I promised to clear things up today, I'll tell you everything. Let's see if you can handle the truth..."

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