Chapter 2: John

"Oh my god, are you kidding me?"

Castle hurried out of the garage downstairs, started his big red Ferrari 458, and rushed out of the underground garage at the fastest speed. After all, he lived in Manhattan, while John's home was in New Jersey. It was peak traffic time in New York. If he didn't hurry up, he would be in big trouble.

"What's going on? Wasn't it supposed to be 'Castle'? Why is there a John? His dog was killed and his car was stolen? John Wick?"

As he drove, Castle was confused, and the more he thought about it, the more terrified he felt. If it really is that John, then the world is not normal now! If he was really that legendary hitman, then was he his friend? Otherwise, why would he call me the first thing he did when he woke up?

"Hey, now I remember, when I was writing the second part of Derek Storm, wasn't the 'killer consultant' introduced by Winston named John?"

A flash of inspiration came to Castle's mind, and he remembered a gentle and polite "uncle" who was his poker partner and also a friend of a fellow novelist. It was Winston who introduced him to John. Three years ago, when he was writing the second Derek Storm, he needed some knowledge about hitmen, and it was Winston who introduced him to John Wick.

At that time, John had already retired from the business of being a hitman and married Helen. After being introduced by Winston, John became his "hitman consultant." Although when they first met, John was a cold-faced handsome guy and seemed very difficult to deal with, as they got to know each other more, it was discovered that Castle himself was a very likable person with high emotional intelligence. In addition, he also became friends with John's wife, Helen. John not only taught Castle a lot about the business of being a hitman but also many interesting and useful tips.

Helen loved children, but she and John had no children. At a party, Helen met Alexis, who was only eleven years old at the time. She liked Alexis, who was smart and clever since childhood, so much that she insisted on being her godmother. I don't know if it was because of love for her or something else, but John, who shot and killed hundreds of people in the movie, had a goddaughter named Alexis.

Thinking of this, Castle took out his cell phone and made a call: "Little Fatty, do you miss Uncle Rick? Help me check the surveillance footage at xx gas station and xx road in New Jersey this afternoon. I need it urgently..."

After hanging up the phone with the chattering hacker, Castle confirmed his guess and said to himself, "It is true..."

"Well, it seems that this is not just a world of American TV series, but probably a world that combines American TV series and movies. I just don't know if there will be any supernatural powers. Never mind, let's not think about it for now. Let's stabilize John, the God of Death, first. Otherwise, if he follows his own path, John's ending will not be very good after watching the John Wick trilogy. No matter what, he is my friend and my daughter's godfather. I can't just watch him narrow his own path, can I?"

"No matter what, I've watched countless American TV series and movies. If nothing else, at least I know the development of things clearly. Well, in this way, except that I don't know magic, isn't I just a low-profile version of the Ancient One? Hahaha, John Wick, it seems that I am your savior! Although I can't cure Helen's cancer, I can change your bleak future!"

Richard - I'm inflated - I'm so awesome - Castle was immersed in his imagination while driving the car quickly to a quiet and beautiful middle-class community in New Jersey and stopped the car in front of a house with a wall of huge floor-to-ceiling windows.

"John, John, are you there?" The door was ajar. Castle knocked on it, but no one responded.

If it were someone else, they would definitely continue knocking on the door or make a phone call. You have to know that in America, if you casually enter someone's house and get shot in the head, your death would be in vain. But who am I? I am Richard - the one who knows the plot - Castle! Not only because I am John's friend, he knew I was coming. But also because I know clearly what John meant by leaving the door ajar! If he wasn't in the basement as a 'floor destroyer', I would be live-streaming women's clothing!!

So what are you waiting for? Let's go to the basement...

"Bang, bang, bang..."

As Castle walked into the house and headed towards the basement door, he heard the sound of sledgehammers hitting the ground.

"I knew it..." He quickly opened the door to the basement and walked down the stairs.

In the brightly lit basement, a man who looked extremely handsome despite his haggard and decadent appearance was swinging a sledgehammer with all his might.

"John, John..."

"Rick, you're here!" John, a handsome man holding a sledgehammer, raised his head and greeted Castle in a desperate tone.

"John, put down the sledgehammer and listen to me for a while, okay?" Castle looked like he had a toothache.

"What? Let it go? Let go of what? That dog was the last gift Helen left me before she died, and that car is my favorite car. For four years, since I met Helen, I have tried to be a good person and didn't want to get my hands stained with blood, but what was the result? The result is that they killed the dog Helen left me and stole my car. Who am I? I am the 'Baba Yaga'. Maybe it's time to let those bastards know what the 'Baba Yaga' is!" John's lifeless face gradually became a little hideous.

"John, we are friends, very good friends. You are also Alexis's godfather. You must believe that I am on your side, right?" Castle said.

John: "You said…"

Castle: "I know what you're thinking. You want to dig up your past, rush out of this room, get revenge, and kill everyone involved in this matter, right? But how do you want to do it? Do you know who did it? You can't really kill everyone, right?"

"Should I not do this?" John's face began to show some expression.

"No, you should seek revenge. I'm not stopping you from seeking revenge. I just hope you can calm down before you go."

"Calm down? Once I calm down, can I still find those bastards?" John's eyes began to turn red!

"John, why did I rush here immediately after receiving your call? Apart from the fact that we are good friends, don't you think about it? Is there no other reason? If I didn't have a reliable method and was not sure, would I speak nonsense?" A mysterious smile appeared on Castle's face.

"You bastard, isn't talking nonsense your specialty?" John sneered coldly.

"Shit, put down the damn sledgehammer in your hand, let's go upstairs and talk in the living room! By the way, I also want to tell your goddaughter, my dear daughter Alexis, that I'm here with you. Don't force me to use force." Castle, who was furious, began to lose control of his temper.

I came here with good intentions to save your future, but I was still ridiculed. Who says novelists can't have a temper?

John took a deep look at Castle and knew that this guy was angry, but based on his experience of dealing with him in the past few years, John began to believe that Castle might really have some way to deal with his matter. Why? It was simple. This guy was extremely narcissistic and arrogant, but he was very concerned about his face. If he was not sure, he would not be so high-profile in front of him.

"Bang," John dropped the sledgehammer.

"Let's go, let's talk upstairs." After saying that, John Wick took the lead and walked towards the stairs leading to the living room from the basement.

"Ding... The plot twist auxiliary system has been charged and is loading... 13%... 75%... 99%... Loading completed!"

Just as Castle turned around and prepared to go upstairs, a mechanical sound suddenly appeared in his mind.

"I..." Castle was confused? What? Plot twist assistance system?

"Hahahaha, I knew it, I knew it, how could one travel through time without cheats? Hahaha!!" Richard - who has reached the pinnacle - Castle's face was distorted with excitement, and his words were incoherent...

"Rick, you let me come up and you're still coming."

"Here it comes, here it comes." Hearing John's voice, Castle didn't have time to study the golden finger that had just arrived in his account. He reacted and realized that now was not the time.

Hurrying up the stairs to the living room, John Wick was already standing in front of the huge French window with a glass of whiskey. "Rick, before we discuss this, I want to ask you a question, and I hope you can answer me honestly!"

Castle: "What's the problem?"

"You seem confident? And it seems that you know something that I don't, right?" John Wick said in a deep voice.

"At 16:10, the first thing I did when I woke up was to call you. At 17:19, you walked into the basement. I only told you that my dog was killed and my car was stolen, but you didn't seem surprised at all. You gave me the feeling that everything was under your control. Tell me, is my feeling right or wrong?"

"Right, that's right. It seems that the 'Baba Yaga' who was so reckless in the movies was obviously made stupider by the director for the sake of camera effects. I was wondering, how could a top hitman who is well-known in the underworld be hunted down like a stray dog?"

Castle, whose mind was rapidly wandering, quickly stopped his divergent thoughts and said seriously, "Yes, John, your feeling is correct. I am not surprised or shocked. I already know the whole story. To be frank, I even know who the murderer is and why they did it. Otherwise, why would I stop you?"

"Really? Tell me, who is it?" John Wick no longer had the calmness he just had and turned around to look directly into Castle's eyes.

"It's the Tarasov crime family," Castle said, trying to keep his voice steady. "Iosef Tarasov, to be specific. He's the one who killed your dog and stole your car."

John's eyes narrowed, his face a mix of rage and determination. "Iosef Tarasov... Viggo's son?"

"Yes," Castle confirmed. "I know it sounds like a movie plot, but it's real. I have reliable information that confirms it."

John took a deep breath, trying to contain his fury. "Why? Why would he do that?"

Castle hesitated for a moment. "He didn't know who you were. He just saw the car and wanted it. When you refused to sell it to him, he decided to take it by force. The dog... that was just a cruel act to send a message."

John's expression darkened. "He has no idea what he's done."

"That's why I'm here," Castle said urgently. "We need to approach this carefully. If you go on a rampage, you'll alert Viggo and his entire organization. We need to be strategic about this."

John nodded slowly. "Alright, what do you suggest?"

"I have a plan," Castle said, pulling out a piece of paper and a pen. "First, we gather as much information as we can about Iosef's whereabouts. We can't just go in blind. My friend the hacker will get us the surveillance footage. That will give us a lead."

"Then what?" John asked, his voice filled with barely controlled rage.

"Then," Castle continued, "we'll plan our moves carefully. We'll hit them where it hurts, but we'll do it smartly. We need to make sure we have the upper hand at all times. This isn't just about revenge, John. It's about making sure they can't retaliate against you or anyone else you care about."

John took another deep breath, his resolve hardening. "Alright, Castle. Let's do this your way. But if anything goes wrong, I won't hesitate to take matters into my own hands."

"Understood," Castle said, nodding firmly. "We'll make sure it doesn't come to that. Now, let's start by analyzing the footage and planning our next steps."

As they sat down to strategize, Castle couldn't help but feel a surge of adrenaline. He was not only navigating the dangerous world of organized crime but also living out an adventure that felt straight out of a movie. With John's lethal skills and his own knowledge of the plot, they had a real chance to turn the tables on the Tarasovs and bring justice for Helen and the beloved dog.

"Alright, John," Castle said, looking up from the paper. "Let's get to work."

John nodded, his face a mask of grim determination. "Let's do it."

Together, they began to lay out a plan that would bring the Tarasov crime family to its knees, all while making sure they stayed one step ahead in a world where the lines between fiction and reality were increasingly blurred.