After two grueling weeks of negotiations, Castle finally managed to outline a complete framework for the technology transfer. Whether he had ultimately gained or lost in the deal was unclear, but Castle no longer had the patience to haggle with these people. After carefully consulting with Moz on the phone, and receiving his unequivocal approval, Castle hurried the representatives of Lockheed Martin and the helpful negotiators from Northrop into signing the transfer contract.
The speed at which Castle pushed for the deal even left the negotiating teams bemused. Who rushes the other side to sign a contract?
Unlike Castle's previous dealings with Northrop or DuPont, where contracts were practically finalized without much negotiation, this time the process was much more complex.
The reason? This technology was revolutionary—so groundbreaking that even though it wasn't a foundational innovation like Castle's earlier development of high-powered explosives, its applications were transformative. The visual cloaking technology being transferred was so advanced that it bordered on science fiction.
This was cutting-edge research, among the most advanced in the world.
And this time, the playing field wasn't limited to Castle and his old employer Northrop, where a slight imbalance in the deal wouldn't matter much. No, this time Lockheed Martin—wealthy and immensely powerful—was involved. Anyone familiar with the defense industry knew the sheer scale and depth of Lockheed Martin's resources.
If Castle didn't seize this opportunity to extract as much as he could from Lockheed, he might as well wait for lightning to strike him.
Lockheed was equally eager to acquire the technology, envisioning its integration into their F-35 fighter jets. If they could achieve electromagnetic and visual stealth simultaneously, it would solidify the F-35's status as the most advanced fifth-generation fighter in the world. However, Lockheed quickly realized that Northrop, clearly siding with Castle, could swoop in and snatch the deal if Lockheed hesitated on certain points. This understanding pushed them to reluctantly agree to Castle's terms and pay a hefty technology transfer fee.
Castle, on the other hand, had no interest in acquiring Lockheed Martin shares. He already held stakes in Northrop and DuPont, and although diversifying his investments was wise, Castle couldn't muster the energy to focus on this now. Lockheed might be one of the USA's top defense contractors, but Castle figured there would be plenty of opportunities to buy into the company later.
After all, his mind housed the complete technological repository of Marvel's Stark Industries—excluding the arc reactor and Iron Man suits. Compared to that, this visual cloaking technology wasn't even a big deal.
With Moz handling other matters overseas and Neil preoccupied on Wall Street hunting down Le Chiffre, Castle decided to forego Lockheed shares. Instead, he settled for the transfer fee and a commitment that Lockheed and Northrop would jointly fund future R&D expenses. The contract was signed quickly thereafter.
Mark, Northrop's vice president and Castle's assistant during the negotiations, completed his task smoothly. Pleased with Northrop's cooperation and Mark's contributions, Castle even handed over a detailed plan for upgrading the B-2 bombers to Mark, allowing him to return to Northrop with a major win.
With these affairs settled and a sizable profit secured, Castle finally turned his attention to Gianna and Neil's stock market maneuvers, as well as checking in on Steve's progress.
Neil and Gianna were progressing splendidly. While Neil wasn't the best strategist in the world, his planning skills were exceptional. Paired with Gianna, who wielded vast financial resources like a hammer, they had already achieved their goal: acquiring a 10% stake in Skyfleet Airlines. To avoid detection by regulatory bodies and Le Chiffre, who was aggressively shorting Skyfleet stock, they distributed the shares across multiple cross-holding companies.
Meanwhile, as in Castle's previous life, the British MI6 had uncovered Le Chiffre's financial ties to terrorists and dispatched their 00-agent to take action. With James Bond now in the picture, Castle recognized that the "Casino Royale" storyline had officially begun. This also meant Skyfleet's maiden flight in Miami was imminent.
Relishing the chance to see how things would play out, Castle set aside all other tasks and focused on explaining the situation to Gianna and Neil, who had just returned from Wall Street.
As for John? He was preoccupied wrestling with the squirming little bundle of energy in his arms. His daughter, having spotted her mother, was fidgeting non-stop.
Castle's past jest had become reality. The infamous "Baba Yaga," a former assassin who had once struck fear into the underworld, now spent most of his time with bottles and diapers. The pudgy little girl in his arms wasn't making his new role any easier.
With Gianna busy in the stock market, childcare responsibilities had fallen entirely on John. While he adored his daughter as the gift of a lifetime, her demands were relentless.
"What can I do?" John sighed. Every time the little one wailed or acted up, he had no choice but to surrender. Raising her was harder than any mission he'd ever undertaken. He couldn't understand how Castle had managed to raise Alexis so effortlessly.
Now, just as they entered the room and the little girl spotted her mother on the sofa, she immediately grew restless, demanding to be held. Gianna, momentarily abandoning her composed, businesslike demeanor, melted at her daughter's cries and rushed to pick her up.
Castle couldn't help but laugh at the scene. Sure, making money and outmaneuvering opponents was fun, but watching the once-lethal John Wick and his equally ruthless wife Gianna become doting parents? That was priceless.
Neil tactfully excused himself, sensing the family moment wasn't the right time to discuss strategies against Le Chiffre. Castle, however, stayed put, teasing John mercilessly.
"John, I told you, didn't I? Raising a kid is tougher than any mission. How's it feel?"
John sighed dramatically. "How does she have so much energy? I could take on fifty armed men without breaking a sweat, but I can't handle this little girl! How is it possible for her to sleep several times a day, only for a short while each time, and still be so energetic?"
Castle roared with laughter. "Buddy, now you know. No matter how badass you are out there, you're no match for your daughter. Being a dad is the one battle you'll never win."
Gianna, cradling her daughter and radiating motherly warmth, watched the two men banter. John had indeed worked hard recently, and a little complaining was harmless.
The baby, now calm in her mother's arms, looked at Castle with wide, curious eyes. Castle chuckled. "Hey there, little one, want me to hold you?"
Gianna, trusting Castle's experience with children, handed her daughter over without hesitation. After all, Castle wasn't new to this—he had raised Alexis to be a remarkable young woman.
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