Reborn as Richard Castle in Criminal Minds

Officer John McClane had never imagined that one day he would find himself in the heart of New York City, unable to get any backup from the NYPD. Yet here he was, in the middle of Wall Street, with his superior Walter clearly stating over the phone that despite the ongoing robbery, the NYPD could not send any help. Every available officer in the city was busy searching for the bomb that Simon had supposedly planted in an undisclosed school.

Although the NYPD had urgently requested assistance from surrounding precincts in New Jersey, Long Island, and Staten Island, it would take some time for them to reach Manhattan. Thus, John was on his own, left to hinder Simon's heist as best he could.

Meanwhile, at the little fatty's house, Castle was finally satisfied after confirming through hidden cameras in the subway tunnel and two drones overhead that Simon had started loading gold bricks onto the fourteen garbage trucks. Picking up the phone, he called Captain Roy Montgomery, who was leisurely sipping coffee in his office at the 12th Precinct. Castle intended to reveal the location of the fake bomb Simon had planted, hoping Montgomery could use this intel to his advantage and gain some face in front of the anxious New York City officials.

Captain Roy Montgomery felt a weight lift off his shoulders upon receiving Castle's call. Finally, the call he had been waiting for! Every NYPD officer was frantically searching for the bomb supposedly planted by Simon in a school, but thanks to Montgomery's foresight, half of his personnel remained on standby at the precinct, awaiting Castle's crucial information.

Castle informed Montgomery that the bomb was hidden in a storage room at Chester A. Arthur International School, not far from the 12th Precinct. Castle also confirmed that the bomb was fake, allowing Montgomery to handle the crisis with more ease.

Montgomery wouldn't simply locate and defuse the bomb; he planned to stage a grand show. The school, named after the 21st President of the USA, was attended by many children of New York's elite. Montgomery intended to use this opportunity to enhance his reputation.

With the precise information, Montgomery, suddenly full of vigor, stood in the precinct's hall, dispatching his remaining officers. He instructed Beckett and Esposito to follow him closely as they headed to Chester A. Arthur International School.

Simultaneously, Castle, acting as Montgomery's close aide, was informing New York's major newspapers and TV stations about the NYPD's success in locating the bomb. He invited them to the school to gather first-hand news.

Castle felt like a god, controlling the entire scenario. Similarly, the little fatty, operating the drones and monitoring Simon's every move via hidden cameras, also felt a sense of omnipotence. He had mastered the drones' operations, impressing Castle with his exceptional ability.

While maneuvering the drones over Wall Street and keeping an eye on the subway tunnel cameras, the little fatty watched Simon's men load the gold bricks onto the garbage trucks. Entranced by the sight, he couldn't help but ask Castle, "Uncle Rick, I know you plan to stop Simon and his gang from escaping with the gold. When you catch him, can you bring me one of those gold bricks as a souvenir?"

Castle, understanding that the little fatty was more captivated by the allure of gold than greedy, agreed. "Sure, once I stop them and John McClane arrests Simon, I'll bring you a couple of gold bricks as keepsakes. But for now, we need to focus on ensuring that Simon doesn't slip away. Keep a close eye on him. We've put John through a lot; we can't let Simon escape now!"

Energized by Castle's promise, the little fatty redoubled his efforts, closely monitoring Simon's movements. He had hacked into all of Simon's phones and used hidden cameras to maintain a constant watch on him. He couldn't afford to let the high-IQ criminal slip away.

Castle didn't pay attention to the little fatty's maneuvers or Simon's looting in the vault. His focus was on the live news coverage. As expected, the media swarmed Chester A. Arthur International School upon learning that the 12th Precinct had located the bomb. The school, packed with children of high-ranking officials, quickly became the center of attention.

Due to Simon's threats, the school hadn't been evacuated but had moved students to the indoor sports center. Montgomery, knowing the significance of this moment, was inundated with calls from top officials. His phone buzzed incessantly with calls from the mayor, the NYPD commissioner, city council members, and even one of New York State's two senators, whose grandson attended the school.

Montgomery knew this was his chance to shine. Successfully defusing the bomb would propel his political career forward, earning him the favor of many powerful individuals. These connections would be invaluable for his future promotion. Remembering Castle's wish for Beckett to succeed him, Montgomery ensured she was in the spotlight, directing the operation.

Castle found the situation amusing. One of the state senators, whose grandson attended the school, was an adversary of Neal, the man whose father had been wrongfully ousted from the police force. If Castle's guess was right, this senator would soon be eliminated by Neal's father using FBI agent Peter Burke's gun. Watching Montgomery assure the doomed senator about his grandson's safety, Castle couldn't help but think, "Is this fate? Am I destined to clear the way for Beckett's future political career by eliminating these senators?"

This entire scenario felt like a giant cosmic joke, with Castle pondering if fate had brought him to New York to help Beckett become a senator by removing the current ones.

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