In his safe house, Nick Conan was disassembling his firearm, preparing to clean it. The moment someone broke into his safe house, he realized that his mission had failed entirely. What he didn't know was whether the intruders were sent by William Brecken to silence him or by Congressman Gavin's men. Upon seeing the tranquilizer gun in his opponent's hand, Nick understood that these were people sent by Congressman Gavin to capture him. Only Gavin would want him alive since Nick's survival could provide valuable information about William Brecken's plans. Additionally, from a more cynical perspective, only Nick's testimony could help Gavin counterattack or incriminate William Brecken, the mastermind behind everything.
In the last moment before losing consciousness, Nick was certain that he wouldn't die today. However, whether he would continue to live depended on the negotiations between Congressman Gavin and William Brecken. In that instant, Nick felt a deep regret.
Meanwhile, Neal Caffrey was driving a brand new car, leaving New York City, and heading towards Rhode Island, far from New York. He was on his way to find Aunt Ellen, who had watched over him since childhood, and to ask about his father's past. Neal didn't inform Richard Castle of his departure because he knew Castle was fully engaged in dealing with another New York State Senator, William Brecken. Neal had only just received some information and didn't yet have the full picture, so he saw no need to inform Castle at this point.
What Neal didn't realize was that his actions were actually making things more difficult for himself. Richard Castle knew all about the events surrounding Neal's father being framed by current Senator Trenson Platt, including the exact location of the iron box filled with evidence that Ellen had hidden at the top of the Empire State Building. Castle, having been a fan of the TV series "White Collar" in a past life, had always been dissatisfied with the storyline where Neal's father killed Senator Trenson Platt and the subsequent events. If Neal had informed Castle, he might not have needed to drive all the way to Rhode Island.
Unfortunately, Neal was unaware that his consideration for Castle was actually complicating his own quest for revenge. At this moment, Neal was excitedly speeding along the highway in his newly purchased car, relishing the freedom he had not experienced since Peter caught him and threw him in prison four years ago. The taste of freedom was truly exhilarating.
Neal's actions inadvertently allowed him to evade an FBI investigation. The FBI was no slouch, especially with someone like Peter Burke, who knew Neal very well. After Vincent was killed by a mysterious sniper and the treasure they had hoped to seize from the submarine vanished, an anonymous tip led them to suspect Congressman Gavin. They also began to suspect Neal, who was now under significant suspicion. If Neal hadn't tipped off the FBI about Vincent Adler's kidnapping plot and the treasure Adler had salvaged from a World War II submarine, the FBI wouldn't have rushed to issue a pardon for Neal.
Although Neal's information had been confirmed—Vincent Adler indeed planned to kidnap him to defuse the explosives on the submarine—after the dust settled, the FBI realized a critical flaw in Neal's story. How did Neal know Vincent Adler would kidnap him, and why would Adler ask Neal to defuse the explosives?
Peter was the first to raise suspicions about Neal, but unfortunately, Neal was no longer wearing a tracking anklet, and after signing a pardon personally signed by the Attorney General, he was technically a free and legal citizen. Even the FBI, with all its power, couldn't just bring Neal in without following proper procedures. Neal's lawyer, a short man with glasses, was not to be trifled with. Any procedural violation in bringing Neal back could have serious repercussions.
In this peculiar country, even the most powerful law enforcement agencies were wary of angering lawyers and the media. Therefore, the FBI divided into two teams: one focused on investigating Congressman Gavin, though the evidence they had was still somewhat thin, and the other team, led by Peter Burke, aimed to investigate Neal. But just as they were about to move, Neal bought a new car and headed northeast. Peter, upon hearing this, was baffled. Why was Neal, after gaining his freedom, heading northeast instead of going to the West Coast to find Kate?
Peter began to doubt his own reasoning. He knew Neal had a close relationship with that famous author, but he couldn't possibly guess that the current situation was orchestrated by the very writer everyone had overlooked. Now, Peter was pondering where Neal had gotten his information about Vincent Adler's kidnapping plot. It was a pity that Alex had boarded a flight to Spain that morning; otherwise, Peter could have brought her in for further questioning. Neal was equally perplexing—what exactly was he up to?
Peter's doubts remained unresolved, and his superior, Hughes, didn't have the time to let Peter slowly piece things together. Upon learning that Neal had driven out of town heading northeast, Hughes ordered Peter to temporarily put Neal's case aside and focus entirely on dealing with Congressman Gavin.
Vincent Adler had been killed by a mysterious sniper right under the FBI's nose, and before they could even begin interrogating him, this happened in full view of everyone, including a representative from the Department of Justice. This left the FBI feeling utterly humiliated. Now, with Gavin as their last remaining target, he became the bureau's final hope for salvaging their reputation.
The determined FBI had considerable power. Whatever their higher-ups did at the Peanut Headquarters, by that afternoon, the FBI had received authorization from the White House, Capitol Hill, and the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court to investigate Congressman Gavin. The FBI's tactics were simple—they reported that the submarine's treasure, which was supposed to fill the entire cargo hold, had likely fallen into the hands of the Congressman. When those at the top heard that approving the investigation might lead to financial gain, everyone, from the White House to Capitol Hill, eagerly supported the move. In this country, money talked. As long as there was a chance to find that treasure, everyone was on board with the investigation.
Gavin had just received word from his subordinates that they had captured the hitman sent by William Brecken to kill him. But before he could even celebrate securing a bargaining chip that would give him an advantage, his secretary delivered the bad news.
Gavin broke into a cold sweat. He knew that his actions as a Congressman wouldn't hold up under scrutiny. Now, he was facing the inevitable. Based on the secretary's report, using the captured assassin to blackmail William Brecken into rescuing him would be pointless. The White House and Capitol Hill had jointly authorized the FBI to investigate him, and Brecken, still just a senator, didn't have the power to stop the investigation. Gavin's only option was to report his findings to the leaders of his own party and leverage the assassin sent by William Brecken, who was planning to run for president soon. Gavin hoped to use this information to persuade the party leaders to help him, given that he could potentially cripple the opposing party's presidential candidate.
Realizing the urgency of the situation, Gavin immediately ordered his men who had captured Nick Conan to extract a confession quickly. After giving these instructions, Gavin wiped the sweat from his brow and made a call to the leaders of his party.
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