Reborn as Richard Castle in Criminal Minds

Beckett carefully observed Castle's serious expression. Since meeting this guy, it was the first time she had seen him speak to her in such a serious tone. She immediately realized that the matter Castle wanted to discuss with her and Captain Montgomery was likely not trivial and definitely not good news.

With a quick shift in thought, Beckett's expression turned from a light-hearted tease to one of seriousness. She stood up and said to Castle, "Follow me..."

After speaking, Beckett led the way to the captain's room and gently knocked on the door. "Sir, Castle has something to discuss with us. Do you have a moment?"

Captain Montgomery, busy at his desk, was surprised to see Beckett's serious expression. Sensing her unusual tension, he set his work aside and nodded. "I have time, come in."

Beckett and Castle walked into Montgomery's office. After entering, Castle closed the door, causing both Montgomery and Beckett to feel a sense of foreboding. Castle's cautious actions suggested that what he was about to share was indeed serious and not good news.

Castle turned to find both Beckett and Montgomery staring intently at him. Beckett spoke first, "Alright, why are you being so careful? Just say what you have to say..."

Castle, devoid of his usual playful demeanor, sat down and addressed them with a serious tone. "Yesterday, I received some important information. Recently, a group of robbers composed mainly of retired special forces soldiers arrived in New York. Their goal is to rob gold bars from a bank vault. To ensure the success of their heist and divert police attention, they plan to place a bomb weighing over two thousand pounds in a school to attract the police's focus, facilitating their bank robbery."

"What? A two-thousand-pound bomb??"

As expected, upon hearing Castle's report, Montgomery and Beckett's primary concern was the bomb that could cause massive casualties and damage, rather than the robbery itself. 

After all, in their minds, the robbers could only steal so much gold from a bank vault. They were unaware that Simon, with his grand plans, intended to use a heavy-duty garbage truck to drive through underground sewers, create a hole near the Federal Reserve, and steal a hundred tons of pure gold bars using a loader.

Castle intentionally omitted this detail. His goal was to help Beckett and the 12th precinct gain credit for discovering the bomb. The task of handling the Federal Reserve robbery would be left to the protagonist, the indomitable John McClane, and his young partner.

Castle knew two things clearly: first, the bomb Simon's team planted in the school was fake. Second, in the USA, the principle of 'human life above all' would divert the entire police force's attention to the supposed bomb. Even if Simon's team blew a hole to the Federal Reserve's vault and used a garbage truck to haul the gold, the police would not be able to respond in time.

If not for McClane and his young partner's incredible luck in realizing Simon's plan to distract the police for a heist, Simon might have successfully escaped with a truckload of gold bars.

Castle's idea was to position Beckett and the 12th precinct to gain recognition for handling the bomb threat. He would then assist McClane and his partner in preventing Simon from getting away with the stolen gold.

This way, Beckett and the 12th precinct would gain significant attention and praise for resolving the bomb threat. In the USA, saving lives or averting major crises garners more public and media attention than recovering stolen goods.

If Beckett and the 12th precinct handled the bomb threat correctly, Beckett would reap substantial benefits from this event. Captain Montgomery might even advance his career thanks to this achievement. Until the fake bomb was found, everyone would believe it was real, and those handling the threat would receive the highest commendations.

Castle only shared the basic intel with Beckett and Montgomery, stating that he had just received this information. He knew it wouldn't be logical to provide all the detailed plans of Simon's group right away.

Confirming his information, Castle told Beckett and Montgomery, "Yes, that's all the intel I have. The robbers are former special forces, and their goal is a bank vault in New York, but the exact target is unclear. They plan to use the bomb to divert police attention during the heist. Unfortunately, I don't have details on their numbers, exact target, or the bomb's location."

Beckett trusted Castle's information, but Montgomery was more skeptical. "Castle, can you confirm the accuracy of your intel? A two-thousand-pound bomb in Manhattan is a disaster we can't afford. If your intel is accurate, I must report this immediately. But if it's false, the NYPD would face severe scrutiny from the media and the public."

Castle was taken aback by Montgomery's high alertness. For Montgomery, it was better to believe the intel and act than to ignore it and face potential catastrophe. If the bomb exploded due to inaction, the NYPD would be held accountable.

Montgomery wanted to ensure the truth of Castle's report. If accurate, he needed to escalate it to the higher-ups and the NYPD headquarters immediately to address the threat before it became uncontrollable.

Finding and neutralizing the robbers before they acted would be far better than responding to a crisis after it began. This would also give the police time to investigate the robbers' identities and whereabouts. Once located, apprehending them would be straightforward for the police.

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