The light-hearted banter among the three was a stark contrast to Vincent's nervous pacing on the deck of the ten-thousand-ton salvage ship in the Atlantic. Even though Vincent knew the submarine he had been obsessively searching for was directly below, the anticipation of fulfilling his lifelong dream left him restless, unable to sit still despite his usual calm demeanor.
This scene was captured by military-grade surveillance equipment from the high-altitude drone and transmitted via satellite to the Long Island estate. Watching Vincent pace anxiously like a father-to-be waiting outside the delivery room, Castle joked with his old friend, "John, take a good look at Vincent now. Soon enough, you'll be in the same state when Gianna is giving birth. I bet you'll be just as nervous, pacing outside the operating room."
"Ha ha ha… Rick, you're hilarious," Gianna laughed so hard she nearly choked, but Castle continued seriously, "Don't laugh. When Meredith was having Alexis, I was exactly like that, no different at all!"
John Wick's usually cold face showed a hint of helplessness. He felt powerless against his lazy friend. He wanted to refute Castle's claim, but having never been a father, he couldn't speak to that mixed feeling of anxiety and joy. If he didn't refute it, this guy would keep making Gianna laugh until her stomach hurt. John was now very worried about his pregnant girlfriend having any complications, but he had no way to deal with Castle. It was truly a dilemma for a former hitman who used to think that as long as he had a gun and bullets, he could handle anything.
He had been that kind of fearless person, but his late wife Helen had gradually melted his cold heart. However, his happiness was short-lived as Helen passed away within four years. Despite this, he remained immersed in his world, unwilling to move on until the night his 1969 car was stolen, and his puppy, a gift from Helen, was killed. His first call upon waking up was to his goddaughter's father, a writer he still considered a friend, asking him to handle his affairs. But that call led him down a strange new path.
With Rick's help or rather his interference, John avenged his wife. Rick surprised John by digging up his past and uncovering Santino's ambitions and schemes. John realized that his current peaceful life might not have been possible without Rick's intervention. Rick encouraged him to engage with Gianna, preventing Santino from using John's blood oath against him.
Thanks to Rick, John and Gianna thwarted Santino's schemes and John found himself deeply in love with Gianna. Now, he was about to become a father, something that filled him with gratitude towards Rick but also with exasperation at Rick's knack for causing trouble. Gianna adored Rick, considering him her lucky star. He had delivered her dream man and foiled her brother's plans, leading to a child with John, a miracle she partially attributed to Rick's strange supplements. Even the chubby guy, close to Rick, was liked by Gianna.
John Wick, the former hitman, could only try to rescue himself by redirecting the conversation. "Rick, I don't know about marine salvage, but how long do you think Vincent's operation will take to bring up that submarine?"
Gianna quickly composed herself, equally curious about Rick's answer.
To their surprise, Castle shrugged, "I don't know!"
The couple, expecting Castle to shed light on the matter, nearly stumbled in disbelief. "You don't know???"
Unperturbed, Castle explained, "Hey, I'm a bestselling novelist, not a marine salvage expert. How would I know?"
Gianna rolled her eyes playfully, "Sure, you're a bestselling novelist. I've read your latest book. When are you going to introduce us to the person your protagonist is based on?"
Castle, ready to launch into a long-winded explanation, was interrupted by John, who was exasperated at the digression. "We're discussing the submarine! Can we stay focused?"
Gianna, realizing her distraction, quickly composed herself, sticking her tongue out apologetically and trying to soothe John. "You're right, we're asking Rick a serious question. Rick, how can you not know? You say you're a novelist, but you've got combat skills to rival John and drones that compete with military UAVs. I thought you were a jack-of-all-trades!"
Castle, previously energized by the thought of discussing his book, deflated visibly, slumping back onto the sofa. "I really don't know how long Vincent will take to salvage that submarine. All I know is we can keep an eye on him with the drones. Thanks to Northrop Grumman's Mark, our drones now have all-weather reconnaissance capability. So, it doesn't matter how long Vincent takes."
John and Gianna exchanged looks, unsure how to deal with Castle's nonchalant attitude. John, who had wanted to say something, was at a loss, while Gianna, feeling embarrassed about her previous comments, asked, "So you haven't won over your lady cop yet?"
Miraculously, Castle, who had been lounging on the sofa, instantly perked up, his face radiating joy. "Actually, I wanted to ask you for advice on how to win over this tough long-legged lady cop!"
John Wick, unable to escape the impending gossip session between his pregnant girlfriend and his excited friend, was reluctantly drawn into the conversation. He planned to get them some drinks but was caught by Castle's next words.
"I'm trying to help her catch the man who killed her mother ten years ago. The only problem is, the mastermind behind her mother's murder is now a sitting senator in New York."
Castle's revelation stunned both John and Gianna. John knew his friend had a penchant for trouble, but Castle's nonchalant tone about taking on a senator was shocking. Senators were powerful figures in the USA, and Castle's casual mention of targeting one to pursue a cop seemed crazy.
Castle, seeing their shock, began explaining the situation in detail. As he spoke, he realized that dealing with the senator discreetly, while distancing himself from the fallout, was challenging for him but might not be so difficult for Gianna, who was seasoned in navigating treacherous environments.
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