CASTLE THE UN-INTENTIONAL BLUNDER

CASTLE: THE UN-INTENTIONAL BLUNDER United States Senator Katherine Castle was in an impossible situation. On the one hand, she had Congressional opposition, who were, as ever, demanding more, draconian reductions, to social programs. This, while making no effort to provide alternatives. Each time Senator Castle would ask "What are the needy supposd to do, without a support system?" The response was "Not my problem". On the other hand, New York was not too happy, with the video, of New Yorks history. The problem, most often cited, was the fact that too much history was just being HINTED at, yet not really shown/produced. New Yorkers did not want a video, which only said "Yes, there were bordello's. There were subway stations. There were statues." New Yorkers wanted a video, which SHOWED New Yorks gritty past. On top of all of this, members, of Congress, wanted approval, for more hundreds of millions, of dollars, to continue financing the most un-popular wars, of the 21st century. When the senator mentioned "I am going home, to mention this situation, to my supporters", the opposition had said "Make SURE that they know that the wars WILL go ON, no matter what." When Kate asked "Are you threatening New York?" the opposition had said "We have invested far too much, in this project, to let go, now. We WILL DO whatever it takes, to continue this work." Senator Castle would depart Washington D.C. wondering just how FAR these people were willing to go. Aside from controlling the worlds oil supply, even Senator Castle could see no reason for the United States to continue the invasions, in the Middle East. The senator decided. No, I am NOT going to order New Yorkers to continue supporting which they do not agree with. She had enough real trouble to deal with, back in New York. While Kates message had Castle, Martha, and Alexis, all working on a revised version of the "History of New York City", Kate knew that, upon return to town, HER first stop would be the mayor's office. Ironically, the mayor had not thought much, of the original cover story, yet had gone along, to help solve a murder case. In fact, the mayor had not thought that New Yorkers would even pay attention to that video. Now, Kate was on her way, to the mayors office, to promise the mayor that the Castles were working, full time, on the new, new, video. The deliberate video. What would help the Castles out was the fact that long-time friends, Ryan and Esposito, were out, gathering information, as well. The N.Y.P.D. had leant the detectives out, to the visitors bureau, as part of the new effort. When Kate arrived, at the mayors office, prepared to say that everyone was "on-board", the mayor would suggest "Senator, I know you are under stress, enough, as it is. I want you to know that city hall is behind the new effort. After all, the first video was not yours, or your family's, idea." When Kate would say "Thank You, mayor. I know that my family will do their best." (After so many years, alone, with just her father around, Kate was, still, getting used to saying that she had a family.) The mayor would remind her "Kate, I KNOW that you will do your best. Just let my staff know if you need anything." After this meeting would come the welcome home, from her new family. Martha felt so much like Kates real mother, Joanna Beckett, that Kate had to remind herself of the truth. Now, sure, Kate did not give birth, to Alexis, nor attend kindergarten, or aid Castle, but, Kate felt that, if Alexis could accept Kate, then Kate would do the same. As for Rick, himself, what could she say. He was the one part, of her life, which was as constant as her father. Annoying as he was, yet even Mr. Beckett had welcomed Richard to the family. What Kate did not expect to walk into, was the pacing, and half-conversations, which seemed to "flood" the family home. When Kate called out "Guys, whats going on?" Ryan, and Esposito, would turn to Rick, saying "You tell her." When Castle asked "Why me?" the guys would say "She's YOUR wife. It will sound better." This is when Martha would join the group, saying "Kate, remember those subways Montgomery was talking about. From the Old Haunt case?" When Kate would ask "What about them?" Ryan would say "It seems we FOUND one of them." When Kate would say "Great, more video material." Espo would say "Not quite." When Kate would say "Okay, OUT with it.", Ryan would say "We have something which we cannot explain." Espo would add "Neither can Laney". Kate would ask "Dont tell me you found a body." Ryan would say "Not really a body, body." When Kate would say "Spill! Before I revoke your pensions." Rick would jump in, saying "Better than a body. A mummy." When Kate would say "A mummy. A real mummy. Tell me this is not a joke." Ryan and Esposito would slouch as they said "NO joke." It would not be until actual arrival, at the "site", that Kate, and Castle, could "come to grips", with what had happened. As the site foreman told the police "Since this is to be the tallest building, in the city, once completed, we were required, by zoning law, to dig deeper than usual. That is the ONLY reason why we found it." When Kate would ask "Found what?" When the construction cage came to rest, on the platform, the foreman would direct the police forward, towards the remains of an old platform, then to a double set, of stairs, leading even further down. While the stairs seemed almost slippery, with construction debris, what the group found, at the bottom, would make any archeologist proud. While the area was covered in dust, there, in front of them, stood a two century old cable car. Complete with the nearly intact remains, of what had once been a commuter station. Since Kate did not see her friend, she called out "Laney!" Laney would answer "Inside." Upon entering the cable car, when Kate would ask "Any idea's?" Laney would say "This one will take awhile." When Kate would ask "Why?" Laney would say "Mummified skin. D.N.A. MIGHT be possible, but dont hold your breath, waiting." It would be Espo who would ask the next question "HOW could a body be left behind?" The construction foreman would say "In this day, and age, it would be impossible. We do a safety head-count, at the end of every shift." Laney would only say "Dont bother with this one. I would say that they were dead LONG BEFORE you (the foreman) were born." When Espo would ask "How is it that no one knew this was here?" Kate would remind him "As Montgomery had said, there are many stations, which were not linked in, to the modern lines, which were just bricked up." When Ryan would ask "Should I check for missing persons?" Kate would say "As long as the vic has been dead, I doubt notification would be possible. Even if family still lived in New York." Kate would add "The question is: Why was the person never reported, before now?" The answer would come from the city hall Records Department. At the time of death, modern record keeping did not exist. Even computers were science fiction. Besides, workers died, on a regular basis. Safety equipment did not exist, nor did telephones. Result, unless the vic was part of some, rich, family, who can say? Kate, soon, found out why the 12th had been called in, on the case. City Hall wanted the case resolved as quickly as possible. The coming building would mean BILLIONS, in revenue. The one suggestion, which Senator Castle had to question was "How do we move the station out of the way, for the foundation?" When Kate suggested "crime scene", she was told "Century old crime. We cannot prosecute a corpse, even if we find the murderer. As far as we can tell, even the victims family has moved away." Since Kate had no answers, she went home to her family. Atleast at Casa Castle, things made sense. Well, sort of. It would seem that, while city records showed some information, on four properties, that the city information did not match with locals memories. The property, which caught Kates attention, first, was one she knew, so well. It had been an ice cream shop, in the years before her mothers murder. Mother and daughter stopped by, regularly, for a few scoops. Now, decades later, Kate was looking at information, which she was hesitant to believe. City Hall thought that an ice cream shop was a front for drug dealing? HOW was this possible? Senator Castle would find herself juggling two problems, at the same time. Trying to keep a contractor from destroying evidence, to get a building built, while figuring out why historic buildings were being accused of being drug distributors. This is where Richards past experience came into play. The senator would have her husband "make his rounds", and find out what anyone knew, about New York City, of 150 years ago. Almost everyone laughed, when asked "What can you tell me..." and the response was "150 years ago? I could not even tell you if we lived in New York, at that time." Still, from council members, to mob bosses, everyone agreed to make phone calls. Three weeks later, with the opposition, in Washington D.C. telling Kate "Senator, get BACK here, WITH those votes!", Kate was visiting about the only, living, person, from the old days. A widow, living in a home. After a three hour conversation, Kate was even more un-sure, than ever, of just how "accurate" city hall records were. Ryan and Esposito, would agree with this. Especially after their own investigation showed that the SAME, 300 year old church, where both boys had taken Catechism, had, about a century ago, been a whore-house. When the guys asked "How can a church be a whore-house?" The clerk would only say "I am only repreating the record. It says, "Former liquor warehouse converted to bordello, then to office building." This is when Ryan remembered something. He reminded Esposito "Remember that old garage. What was his name?" When Espo would say "I remember. Everyone called him Chuck." Ryan would add "I remember him saying, a few times, that HIS place started out as a liquor warehouse, then turned into a bordello." Espo would say "Yeah, thats right. Only one problem. The Deed says that the place turned into an office building. I remember Chuck saying that, before he moved in, he had to clear a bunch of old files." Ryan would ask "I wonder just how much, of New York history, is just as "reliable?" Back at Casa Castle, the mood was not much better. So many contradictions. Even life-long residents, of a given area, did not remember the use, of many buildings. At three locations, where the feds said that M-16's, and A.K.-47's were manufactured, the senator would ask investigators "According to records, this gun shop was in operation, between 1795, and 1855." When the feds would ask "So?" the senator would ask "If A.K.'s, and M-16's, are 20th century weapons, then HOW were they manufatured, and sold, nearly a century before being created?" The feds had no answers. At the next property, Senator Castle would nearly fall over, laughing, when the feds said that a public school had, in the days before the New Deal, been a place people sold daughters to. The young girls had, according to sources, been "trained" as prostitutes. What made team Castle laugh was the fact that federal "records" showed that the building had been producing prostitutes, since the 1850's. When the feds asked "Whats so funny?" It would be Richard Castle, who informed the feds "The New Deal was not even passed, by F.D.R., until the early 20th century. IF this building was a training house, for whores, it was not built as a public school." This is when Ryan and Esposito would waive everyone over, saying "Here is even more proof that this was a grade school, not a "training center". Sure enough, the corner stone, for public school 17, was placed during the New Deal. When the feds said "It is easy enough to replace a corner stone. This proves nothing." Ryan and Esposito would say "Wannabet?" While public school 17 was closed down, while waiting for remodelling money, the "junior" detectives would point out where various classes had been held. The men even reminiced about how LOUD the cafeteria was. When the fed asked "If this building is, truly, as old as you say, then why arent the two of you in an old age home?" Beckett would add "Sir, my detectives never said they went to school, under F.D.R. They said they remembered attending." When the fed looked confused, Beckett would say "This school has only been closed, for two months. Once funding is approved, and the building is updated, it will return to being a grade school." Meanwhile, back at the Castle residence, the family was trying to verify a rumor, about a certain building. Even with the help, of the mayors office, "records", for that time, were little more than faded notes. Alexis had even sent parts, of some old notes, to her university, to see if the computers could draw out writing. When Alexis had mentioned "Didn't anyone ever think of using a typewriter?" Martha would remind the young woman "In those days, most people did not even know how to READ, or WRITE. A typewriter would not even come along, until many years later." Soon, even Laney would give up, on the mummy. Whoever it had been, there was no record. The bones fell to powder, and, without any records, to go by, Laney could only say "This mystery person will remain a mystery." When the senator would ask "The body is wearing mens clothing. Does that mean it was a male?" Laney would say "You would THINK so, however, when I contacted some public works departments, I confirmed that, just like today, men AND women, wear the SAME uniforms. I would only call it female, IF it had signs, of having given birth. In its current form, it could be an Egyptian Pharoah, or a street person, who found some clothes." While plans, to move the mummy, to a museum, were underway, Richard was making plans of his own. A plan, to save the old station, by using private funds to move it, piece by piece, to a secure location. Even with this going on, in New York, Senator Castle was placed on notice. "Get back to D.C., and prepare to vote in FAVOR of more funds, for the invasions, or be "locked out", of the process." On her way back, to D.C., Senator Castle would remember a request, made by a New York group. A playground, whose plantings were cared for, by, locals, needed new equipment. While Kate could tell that the place needed modernization, the question was funds. Even back, in her Senatorial office, Kate was considering where, and how, to ask, for playground funds. That is, until the vote came up. Kate was not shocked when her request, for a couple of hundred thousand dollars, was denied, what left her speechless, was the next funding request. The Pentagon, and the White House, wanted ANOTHER $975 BILLION, for the invasions. Kate Castle became the "center of attention", when she asked the sub-committee "We just voted down maybe $300,000 for updating a playground. I have just been told that the budget will NOT accept this. How can we be voting for $975 BILLION, in overseas spending, if we cannot afford a new park, for our children?" When told "It is National Security", Senator Castle would say "I dont care if it is presidential security. If we cant afford play areas, then HOW can we afford the invasions?" This is when an opposition member would inform security "Senator Castle is departing the session. See her to the door." Well, Kate Castle might have been removed from the room, but this only "lit the fire", in her soul. Senator Castle was determined to find out HOW a nation, which could not afford the needy, or the young, could spare BILLIONS of dollars, to invade other nations. Back in New York, Alexis would start a project, which would make her "mother" (Kate), proud. While Richard, Ryan, and Esposito, were comparing "official" history, with peoples memories, Alexis would adapt an on-line game, called "City Maker", for project use. Wiping away everything that city hall said was correct, Alexis would begin using the information, gathered from New Yorkers, to "re-build" New York. The only information, which Alexis did NOT use, was the information, wherein some people claimed that ships had been coming, for centuries, to collect, harvest, groom, and tag, New Yorkers. The information, which the young woman DID use, was information such as who lived where, when, and where they worked. It did not take long for a new version, of "old" New York, to take shape. With Rick, and Martha, as well as internet friends, submitting not just photo's, but locations, and even plaque information, Alexis began re-building New York, back to its very roots. Un-like the previous video, this version would tell people where to look for information. This, however, became a new problem, as a few people were accused of having homes built on grave-sites. One family was accused of having a three story home, which was built on the grounds of a St. Vincents Cemetary. While the family held "Thats impossible. Our great-great-grand-parents BOUGHT this lot, at auction. Who would auction off a grave-site?" When Team: Castle reviewed the scene, both real, and virtual, the most that anyone, including city hall, could find, was a few, vague, references. As far as anyone could verify, St. Vincent had only travelled this area, a few times. He never settled. When protestors suggested "Dig down, 12 feet. If you find graves, then this was a grave yard." Thankfully, New Jersey made the digging un-neccesarry. This, since Jersey had brought in some Ground Penetrating Radar, to map some old pipes. New Jersey LOANED the equipment, to New York, in return for a stake in any "riches" found. All that the radar found was the remains of some villages, from centuries past. Thankfully, Alexis computer friends had found a way to make the model multi-dimensional. Now, the team could look back, over the centuries. To their pride, the team did locate atleast four "distillaries", which had made moon-shine, during Prohibition. Atleast, the REMAINS of the distillaries. These, and other locations, however, were withdrawn, before the map was published, and for good reason. While many had collapsed, with age, others were ruled un-safe, by building inspectors. As some retired inspectors would inform the police "Your modern day codes did not exist, back then. Even fire escapes were not made of steel. With the telephone only in rich peoples homes, code compliance just did not exist." When Alexis found that one location had burned down, nine times, and she asked "Why did people keep re-building?" Martha would say "There is a sucker born, every minute. I remember hearing that some people claiming that they wanted to re-build, to fight whatever monster had attacked the previous home." When Alexis would ask "Did any succeed?" Martha would ask "Does it LOOK like they did?" (Most of the properties were donated to churches.) It was THIS time, that Richard played the role of master composer. Since the public wanted what they could SEE, FEEL, and ACCESS, Richard decided to limit the documentary only to the time since Manhattan had been founded. The G.P.R. had been great, at verifying that no ones homes were built, on grave sites. Aside from finding some pre-columbian caves, the unit had done its job, and was sent back. New Jersey would be thanked, in the credits. As for the subway car, the benefactors found an old, abandoned, factory building. Just the right size for the exhibit. With the exception of the mummy, the subway car, and the station, were moved, rather effortlessly. (The construction firm even provided what help that it could. Being civic minded, never hurt business) What concerned Laney was the fact that no missing persons reports were found. It was as if the body had been dumped. WHO could have warranted such treatment? Being a licensed M.E. meant that the woman would not stop, until she had some facts. The problem was that this "man" had been from a time, when the closest thing, to family records, was the family Bible. Still, this left the question of "Why wall them up, inside an underground station?" Why not dump the body in the river? It would be the Castle family which would discover the reason. This, they found, completely, by accident. While "climbing up, and down", mountains of data, the family found a man. Not much for the 9-5 lifestyle, the man sent money home, to a woman. A woman, whom the media suspected was his wife. All anyone actually knew, of the man, was that he loved trains. He loved them so much that he drew up, and sent, to the woman, sets of drawings, showing how a subway system would benefit the growing village, of Manhattan. The Castles found a series, of telegrams, between city hall, and the woman. All saying "Manhattan does not need a subway system. We have all we need, on the surface." With some hours, of manual searches, the letters, and telegrams, were dated about 50 years before the first subway was dug. Tragically, the man would be returned to New York, after an injury left him nearly paralyzed, on Mount Ararat. (Yes, the supposed resting place of Noah's Ark.) The man claimed that he had found the boat, and camped inside, for two weeks. It was only on his descent that the man was injured. Since his woman knew of his love of trains, she had him buried, with a train. The question was: Could the story be proven? Still, it was delightful reading. What neither Martha, nor Alexis, could believe was how SOON the public wanted the new video. The Castles, and their helpers, worked, almost non-stop, yet the public wanted the new video, yesterday. Martha would console Alexis "Take heart, darling. When you have been around as long as your father, and I, you learn that even yesterday is not soon enough. People think that the great works wrote, and produced, themselves." Alexis only response was "If I work on this project, anylonger, I will graduate with a degree in film." Senator Castle was relieved that she had been removed frrom budget negotiations, over the cost of the Middle East. Invasions, which had become so un-popular that many states were asking "What ARE we, STILL, doing there?" (No one was buying the excuse: We are keeping America safe, by attacking the attackers, in their own, front, yard.) Senator Castle had learned that "Stop-Loss", the program to force soldiers to remain in the army, was closer than ever, to being overturned. This is why, when "new" rumors, of pending attack, began circulating, even the senators staff would say "Let them come. We can deal with them." Military appropriations were being reduced, by millions of dollars. Forces were being reduced, from the Middle East. Arms manufacturers were reducing staff, to keep profits up. While the Castle family had been focused on the HISTORY, of New York City, what no one had ever even thought about was WHO would HOST the documentary. In order to quiet rumors, Richard, and Alexis, would post messages, saying "Unless anyone has a better idea, we suggest the following..." The Castles were not so much into casting, at this point. They were creating a classic crime board. The same kind that Beckett had used, for YEARS, at the 12th. The difference was that this was not a "murder board". This was the life history, of a city. The problem, with "designing" the board, was Prohibition. During those "dark", "law-less" years, Not only was New York Governor James (J.J.) Walker, openly defiant of Prohibiton, and who went by the "monicker" "Beau James", a bootlegger, but, as the Castles were learning, Mayor Walker was not the only person producing moon-shine. He was only the most well-known. Running down clues, from retiree's, Ryan and Esposito would pursue dozens of clues. Clues, secret rooms, and staches of enough, illegal, liquor, to sink a navy ship. Places, which city hall denied, ever, existed, could be accessed by people, whose great-grand-children were approaching middle age. Most, of what the detective found, smelled like diesel fuel. Test strips showed that the product was VERY similar to diesel fuel. When a shipment was sent to the police garage, to finds out if motor vehicles actually COULD run on this stuff, the detectives were just as surprised as the mechanics were not. When a tank was attached, and the key turned on, the motor did, indeed, run. Esposito would be the one to say "Just think, if a motor could run on that stuff, WHAT could it do to the human stomach." This was a question, which Laney COULD answer. "Its simple. With what they used, to make the stuff, it would eat up stomach linings, bladders, and, given enough time, would lead to bladder collapse." Still, none of this helped to clear up the time line. What DID help was expanding the time-line, for Prohibition. Instead of the four inch, original, space, teh time line was expanded to four FEET. Now, there was room. While the mayors office would have preferred to have New York drawn as a sober, church-going, tea-totalling, god-worshipping, city, the fact is that history, REAL history, just did not support this. Not anymore than the idea that whore-houses were on every corner. Eevn Richard Castle knew, from his research that, during Prohibition, that the best was for a club to "spotlight" the evenings entertainment was by having rented vans drive around the city. The entertainers would play, as the truck drove, and banners, on the side, of the truck, would mention which club the band was playing at. This is why Richard nearly spit out a drink, at a bar, when he heard some, young, person, asking about advertising, that the response was "They ran television ads." Richard thought this hilarious since, during those times, RADIO was the "hot", "new" tech. Families, with A.M. radios, were considered "royalty". While, on the surface, the first Great Depression, of the 20th century, had lead to wide-spread job-lessness, if a person was able to land a job, working for a moon-shiner, then money was not so scarce. While city hall had ASKED Senator Castle to cover only the most historically-relevant, gang-style shootings, Senator Castle would only promise the mayors office "We will only use what we can PROVE." The problem was that New York was proving to be far less "puritan" than it would like to admit. Now, granted, even Castles underworld contacts held to the code, of the day. A code which stated "Stay AWAY from schools, churches, and hospitals." A few, of the cheapest hoods did do business. (They were "rubbed", when located) While it was an old, urban, legend, that Mayor Walker even used a private train, not just to show guests around New York, but that the same, subway, had ben used as a mobile speakeasy, no one knew that this rumor had any truth, until, following yet another rumor, Ryan, Esposito, and some tunnel workers, actually FOUND the old relic. In its day, it would have been considered "pristine", even "elegant". Four cars long, and with a steam-piston, engine. If not for the dust, this place would be considered a four-star car. Later, over plenty of take-out food, Ryan, Esposito, Laney, and the Castles, all had the same question. Since starting the new video project, the team had gathered enough information to fill a six hour mini-series, the question was "How much history did the city want?" Some would argue that Alexis was "tricked", into becoming the host of the series, but this was not true. The very first choice had been Martha Rogers. She seemed natural enough, especially with her background, as an actress. Martha was just about everyones first choice. That is, until Martha, herself, reminded people that it was Alexis who had been doing so much, of the coordinating. It was Alexis who had been working on scheduling permissions, for visits. It was Alexis, who was working to compile a correct time line. When Alexis would ask Richard "Dad, YOU are much better, at public appearances." all Richard would say was "You have put so much into this. You have earned the spotlight." While producers wanted to widen the field, to attract more viewers, the other actresses had to take time to study the material. (Material, Alexis knew by heart.) Result, Alexis university would alter her records, to show that she HAD passed these course requirements. Three months, out of her life, to film a six hour mini-series. While Kate was proud, of Alexis, she did wish that the girl could handle congress, FOR her. Kate was in no hurry to return to that inferno, of back-stabbing, and double-dealing. Her ofice had informed her that, the more the invasion budget was reduced, the more "threats", to "National Security", began emerging. Even worse, as the United States pulled out of the Islamic world, the very "holy men", whose "power-bases" the United States had blown off the map, were returning to power, even as Sharia Law returned to being the "law, of the land." As American tanks, machine guns, and rocket launchers, were cycled over, to Germany, for re-asignment, the cleric was returning to power. It was at times, like these, that Kate wished she could speak, to the "time traveller". She wanted to know "What is it that I am to do, which will be so special?" Atleast one fact came to life, about a year later. It involved the case of DeChile, and his new tech. It came to the senators attention, that DeChile had submitted an overview, of a tech project. DeChile had the idea that, with the proper application, of mathematics, that interstellar debris, which could have devastating effects, on the Earth, could be deflected, by an energy shield. Senator Castle would accept a position, on the review board, especially after reading military applications for the tech. (The military actually thought that the tech could be used to destroy in-bound missiles.) The problem was that, like "Star Wars", the detected and destroy tech, would be usefull on only one missile, out of dozens, at a time. It was only when DeChile, himself, came forth, for testimony, that Kate realized how she would affect history. While there were dozens of articles, all explaining why "Star Wars" would have been a waste of money, Kate would ask the committee chairman "How can it hurt America, just to research the mans theory. After all, it has been admitted that targetting only specific rockets will only eliminate maybe ten percent of the threat. Why not test the idea, of a national shield?" When $2 million, in grant money, went into the research, yet could find no problem, that could not be fixed, another $5 million would go into establishing the shield, beginning with Washington D.C. Not, it was back to New Yorks business. The government needed massive funds, for the work, that the public wanted done. As a direct result, of the loss of funds, for the invasions, D.C. had closed its purse tighter than ever. This is why the senator asked her husband for some help. When Castle would ask "How large a check do you want?" Kate would correct him, saying "It is NOT your MONEY, that I want. Its your endorsement. I want you to get your friends involved. Lets see how many of them would like some free publicity, for helping the city to clean up some dirty spaces." Seeing the possibility, of free publicity, Castle would, still, be the first to write a check, for the project. The family would, then, make the JOINT decision, that profits, from the REAL video, would go toward the fund. Senator Kate Castle would begin to see the "light, at the end of the tunnel". The "light", which the time traveller had said Kawte would follow. IF the "time traveller" were correct, Kate Castle would have some remarkable experiences, coming her way, in the near future.