In his hotel suite, Santino seriously discussed with his henchmen the feasibility of hiring a group of mercenaries who were not affiliated with the Continental to hunt down Castle. He felt this was indeed a good way to resolve the current awkward situation, so he immediately authorized the henchman who suggested it to handle the matter personally.
However, the henchman didn't leave immediately. Instead, he raised another concern: "Young master, since that writer dared to come to the hotel openly, and the hotel's owner Winston's attitude is ambiguous, I think it would be safer if you moved to our family's estate on Long Island.
The Continental Hotel does have a rule against using guns and seeking revenge within the hotel, but that rule only applies to those affiliated with the hotel. The writer doesn't seem to be part of the underground world. What if he doesn't follow the rules and attacks you in the hotel? If we have to go out to handle things and can't ensure your safety, that would be problematic.
So, why don't we move to our family's estate on Long Island? It would be much safer than staying in this hotel, which has an ambiguous attitude towards us."
This henchman, in his efforts to ensure Santino's safety, unwittingly played right into Castle's hands, acting as a perfect unknowing accomplice. Castle's plan to rattle the snake succeeded in an unintended and dramatic way, thanks to the overthinking henchman.
Castle's initial goal in brazenly walking into the Continental Hotel was merely to inform Santino that he was aware of his presence and to disrupt his plans. However, this bold move, misinterpreted by Santino's men, made them worry about their safety in the hotel and consider moving to their Long Island estate. This development played perfectly into Castle's hands, eliminating the risk of breaking the hotel's rules.
When Castle later realized that his plan had succeeded in such a dramatic and unexpected way, he might laugh until he fell to the floor.
Santino, unaware that his overly imaginative henchman had set the stage for his downfall, fully agreed with the proposed precautionary move to Long Island. After all, ensuring his own safety was paramount, whether he intended to retaliate against Castle or assert the D'Antonio family's prestige.
Believing that Castle might be as reckless and rule-breaking as himself, Santino didn't hesitate to adopt his henchman's suggestion. He immediately instructed another henchman to notify the estate about his arrival and ensure thorough security arrangements.
With these orders given, Santino, protected by four bodyguards and accompanied by one of his trusted men, headed downstairs to the hotel's underground parking lot. They boarded a bulletproof car and drove straight to the D'Antonio family's estate on Long Island.
Meanwhile, the henchman who proposed the move was tasked with checking out of the hotel and hiring a group of mercenaries.
Charon, upon learning of Santino's checkout, promptly reported it to Winston. Hearing the news, Winston sat in his office with a satisfied smile.
"Rick, you little rascal, you really did rattle that fool Santino. But I'm puzzled—doesn't Santino realize this is a trap set by Castle to lure him out of the hotel?
Oh, I see. Santino must have misjudged the situation, thinking Castle was bluffing..."
With his extensive experience and intelligence sources, Winston quickly understood that Santino had likely misinterpreted the situation.
"Haha, this is becoming increasingly advantageous for Castle..."
The old fox was thrilled, finding Castle's tactics quite impressive. The boy had clearly grown in skill, able to orchestrate such a move to draw Santino out of the hotel, avoiding the hotel's no-violence rule and keeping himself out of trouble.
With Sean backing him up, Santino's hotheaded revenge trip to New York could very well end disastrously for him. It all depended on whether Santino would recognize the danger in time and retreat. If he chose to leave the hotel and fly back to Rome, Castle might spare him for Gianna's sake. If not, even if Castle showed mercy, Sean wouldn't likely let Santino live to seek revenge again.
Unconcerned with the old men's musings, Castle remained focused. After leaving the Continental Hotel, he had found a suitable spot to monitor the hotel, waiting to see if his plan had worked.
Just then, he received a call from John in Rome: "Rick, Santino's men just notified the D'Antonio estate on Long Island that he's moving there. Wasn't he staying at the Continental? Why the sudden move?"
Castle patiently listened to John's report before laughing and explaining his plan to rattle the snake. John, understanding the strategy, couldn't help but be speechless: "...Rick, it seems you have everything under control. I'll leave it to you. Be careful! Call me if anything comes up!"
"Got it, don't worry. Since Santino is heading to the estate, I'll go there too. Can you have the butler let me in to set up some cameras?"
Gianna, who had overheard the conversation, chuckled: "Rick, are you planning to play with my brother? I fully support your idea. I'll inform the butler to let you in right away."
"Oh, Gianna, you're here too. I'm not planning to torment Santino. As long as he gives up on revenge, I won't bother him. But seeing as he doesn't seem ready to leave New York, I have to be prepared, right?"
Gianna found Castle's righteous tone amusing: "Alright, alright, Rick. I know you're innocent. If Santino comes after you, you have every right to defend yourself. Just be careful, okay?"
Gianna's meaningful words made Castle realize that Santino might have been abandoned by his family, possibly under pressure from Sean.
Shaking off these thoughts, Castle sincerely thanked Gianna before starting his car and heading towards Long Island, planning to set up surveillance equipment before Santino and his men arrived.
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