Role Reversal

Chapter 8: The Spring

Chapter 8: The Spring

"Ready Castle?" the voice is amused, coldly so.

"How do you want to do this?"

"Walk onto the bridge Writer Monkey, Jersey side walkway. Move along till you're at the half-way point. We'll be taking a ride and I'll want to see your hands at all times! Anything suspicious ... you know what will happen ... your girlfriend will spend the rest of her days in a wheelchair pissing in her pants ...."

Castle's hands clenched into fists, he squeezed his eyes closed and forced himself to breathe. They were close now, close to the conclusion; he just needed to keep it all together for a bit longer.

"There won't be any need for that Tyson, you'll get what you want ... so long as Detective Beckett is unharmed ..."

"Will I Castle? You're being very generous considering you haven't got a clue as to my demands!"

"Let's get it over with Tyson!" and he cut the call. He waited for an angry call back. The phone remained silent. He slipped it into his right hand pocket. Picked up the burner phone, checked that it was still on and had enough charge left. He lifted the left-hand edge of his coat and dropped the burner into the inside coat pocket, the wire running to the mic was now effectively out of sight.

"Andrei moving" he muttered and heard a double "Roger" whispered in his ear.

Castle climbs out of the car, shuts and locks the door ... pauses with a smile on his face ... it's quite possible he won't survive the next few minutes, yet here he is carrying out the most mundane actions ... with a sigh he drops the keys into his pocket and checks before crossing the road.

He pauses at the dividing barrier separating the opposite lanes of traffic and looks around. Everything seems to be deathly quiet ... is it his imagination or is even the Canal holding its breath? With a slightly shaky huff he steps over the dividing barrier and crosses to the other side of the bridge. Once on the sidewalk he begins to move slowly along towards the central section.

He's only just reached the start of the Draw Span where the tarmac changes to steel sections when the gong sounds. It makes him jump and he pauses a moment, watches the yellow barriers coming down across the road further back, the warning lights flashing across the top of the lower deck. With a somewhat juddery heart, he continues moving forwards towards the centre of the bridge.

"Packets arriving" he hears from Javi in his ear ... "... occlusion"

He turns his head to look towards the other end of the bridge, he thinks he can make out some movement behind the girders, but from this angle can't be sure .... the occlusion means Javi can't get a clear sight ... or shot at them.

By now he's reached the centre of the bridge and is standing on the sidewalk, turning his body slowly to face the approaching figure ... figures? On the opposite side ... there are over twenty meters separating the two sidewalks and the angle they are approaching from adds to it. The lights casting shadows, the girders between them ... he thinks he can make her out ... held tightly with his arm across her shoulders ...

He stands there, trying to keep his feet from moving, his fists clenched by his side betraying the tension. The others have reached the central part of the bridge now, are across from him, the distance and the harsh shadows cast by the lighting makes it difficult to distinguish details. He can make out Tyson ... or at least someone of his build .... standing behind Kate, arm across her neck and shoulder, gun jabbed into her side .... she looks terrible, face pasty white in the overhead light, dark shadows under her eyes, though that could be more from the lighting ... duct tape across her mouth, hands taped together in front of her, her clothes look dirty, trouser leg torn just above her right knee.