Flashback Part 1

[mjcmmv]

Based on the episode, One Eyed Jack, here's a twist in the plot that just might have happened, 

 

FLASHBACK   

PART 1

Chapter 1: A Battlefield

November 5, 1984 

The horrors of war can change a man, make him old before his time. Martin studied his reflection in the hallway mirror and wondered why he’d never seen it before. Deep lines creased his forehead, and sunken cheeks made his face appear long and gaunt. His dark eyes blazed with anger; any hint of a smile hardened long ago. Smoothing back his thick hair, he noticed the icy strands of gray. 

When did this happen?

The black suit and tie he'd chosen didn’t lighten the impression, but today he was taking on his new command and needed to look the part.  The headache from the night before had worsened, and he knew that for now, green tea was all his stomach would tolerate. He measured the leaves into a mug and poured in the boiling water, letting them steep for a while.

Already, morning sunlight had begun to streak the sky with soft shades of mauve and pink. Bringing the tea outside, Martin leaned against the deck railing and thought about the meeting he’d had with Chief Jorgenson just two weeks before.

 

“We need you, Martin,” his superior said. “Lou Rodriguez was a good man, well-liked by his people. And he got results without riding the staff too hard. But now he’s gone, and these guys need reining in. That's why we called you. You're tough, and the way you handled those drug investigations during the war speaks for itself.” Jorgenson paused for a moment, then smiled. “Actually, it was Doug Hanson who tipped the scales in your favor. He kept insisting you were the man for the job.”

Martin ignored the hallow endorsement. Lieutenant Hanson had never been a fan. Most likely, this was his attempt to get his second-in-command out of his hair. “Funny. I don’t remember filling out a transfer request for Vice.”

“So, I pulled a few strings,” Jorgensen said with a shrug. “If you can’t see it as a promotion, then for God’s sake, take it as a compliment.” 

When Martin didn’t comment, the Chief frowned. “I thought you were a man who welcomed a challenge. Even without Hanson’s push, you’re the one I considered from the beginning.” The man's  gaze wandered over to the office window. “This city’s in trouble. Drugs and prostitution are rampant. Organized crime has a solid foothold in the gambling arena. Then there’s that tourist shot last week, with an AK-forty-seven." He paused. "Miami’s at war, Martin. You take this position, you’ll be on the front lines. Isn’t that what you’ve always wanted?”

Any other time, this tactic would have annoyed Martin, but considering the opportunity he'd been offered, he decided to let it go. “I accept,” he said finally.

Jorgenson smiled.  “Good. Then OCB will be expecting you to report in two weeks from today, November 5th. Is that enough time?”

“Yes. My files are in order.”

“I guess that’s it, then.” The Chief stood and held out his hand. “Thank you, Martin. I’m grateful. And let me wish you good luck.”

“Thank you, sir,” he answered, allowing a thin smile to soften his expression.

 

Secretly, Martin was pleased with the new assignment. His DEA connections from the old days would be invaluable in the department’s fight against drugs, and his familiarity with the trade routes and the methods of transport would give him a definite edge. The department’s choice had been a good one for him as well as for Miami, even though some might consider it a dead-end for a promising career. 

The wind chimes hanging by the sliding glass doors jangled with the morning breeze, and Martin checked his watch for the third time. 

Seven-fifteen ... time to go ...  

"And time for the war to begin,” was the whisper in his heart.

 

Chapter 2: Backpedal

“Zito! Come on, let’s go!” Stan Switek shouted. He sounded annoyed.

Larry Zito dumped what was left of his cold coffee and followed along after his partner. They both barreled through the swinging doors, narrowly missing a dark-haired stranger passing through from the other side.

“Excuse me,” the stranger began. “I would like to know where …” 

Stan paused and gave the man a quick once over. “Sorry, pal!” Then, he waved a hand dismissively and moved out into the hall.

The rudeness didn’t seem to bother the stranger. He walked into the middle of the squad room and stood there, watching the chaos with interest. 

A secretary, loaded with an armful of files, dodged around detectives as she tried to answer the phone. A bald cop chewed on a cigar while a suspect sitting next to him banged a shackled wrist against a metal chair. Two undercover cops were discussing a date and backslapping one other, while another rowdy bunch charged out into the hall in a mad rush to get on with their shift. 

Martin Castillo had seen enough. He slipped his hands into his pockets and let out a shrill whistle. Everyone froze in their tracks. Some gawked; others cringed and put their hands over their ears. 

 “I’m Lieutenant Castillo, your new boss,” he said in a calm voice. “Can someone tell me where my office is?”

A shy woman with soft brown eyes stared at him in astonishment. “Ah… in the corner,” she told him and pointed the way.  As he turned, he caught sight of a sandy-haired detective in a pink tee-shirt, strolling casually through the office. The young man seemed confused by the silence, but when he noticed Martin looking at him, he back-pedaled a little. 

Then, his blue-green eyes widened with curiosity.

 

Sonny Crockett stood at his desk and glanced over at his partner, Ricardo Tubbs. They exchanged puzzled looks as two female detectives nearby began to size up the new boss.

“Forty-two? Mean, huh?” Gina Calabrese asked her partner.

“Oh, I don’t know about that,” Trudy Joplin answered.  

They both watched Castillo close his office door. 

“That the new lieutenant?” Sonny asked Rico. “What’s he like?” 

“Charles Bronson, by way of Havana, would be my guess," Rico grumbled. He changed the subject. “So, how did things work out with the old girlfriend?”

"She won't sign out a complaint against Rusack."

“Can you blame her?” Rico rubbed the back of his neck, and Sonny cringed when he remembered how Rusack, a muscle-bound mob enforcer, had bounced them down a flight of stairs.

A deep voice rumbled from the back of the room, and when Sonny glanced over his shoulder, he realized it was the new lieutenant. The man spoke again, and this time, something clicked in the young detective’s mind, something that made him restless and uneasy.

… just a memory full of pain and better left forgotten ...

He searched for an explanation, and for a minute, he thought he had the answer. But then, it slipped out of his grasp and was gone. 

The Lieutenant was closer now, and Sonny decided to introduce himself. “Lieutenant Castillo?” he called out, offering his hand. “Sonny Crockett.”

“How’re you doing, Sonny?” Castillo returned the handshake. “Oh, by the way,” he added. “Did you file a report on this morning’s arrest?”

Sonny blinked. “Well, no. Not yet.” The Lieutenant’s returning stare startled him, but he refused to look away. Without another word, the Lieutenant turned and continued out into the hall, leaving the room behind him with an unfamiliar chill.

“Charming!” Sonny murmured.

“Like I said,” Rico grumbled. “Charles Bronson, or, should I say, Attila the Hun!”

Crockett was quiet as he shifted through the papers on his desk. “I know him from somewhere, Rico.”

“Maybe he’s from a nightmare you had, once upon a time …”

“Could be.” Sonny grinned. “Not a ‘Lou Rodriguez’ now, is he.”

“You can say that again! Not even close!” 

Chapter 3: Background

Crockett was annoyed he’d gotten off on the wrong foot with the new boss. He tapped a pencil on the edge of his desk, trying to figure out a way to make things right.

“By-the-book, Sonny!” his old Lieutenant used to shout, “… or so help me, God! “

The memory made him smile. 

Lou Rodriguez had been one of the good ones. Hell, sometimes he’d been a pain in the ass, but it was clear to everyone the man cared about his officers. He worried about the dangers they faced undercover and recognized the prevalence of burnout in the department. 

Best of all, Rodriguez understood Sonny. He had an appreciation for his detective’s uncanny intuition and investigative skills. Sometimes, the man even looked the other way when department regulations threatened to slow things down.  It was clear this new lieutenant would operate differently, and the thought of continuing his career under someone with an iron fist bothered Sonny more than he cared to admit.

With a heavy sigh, he opened a notebook and began to jot down his thoughts, starting with the timeline of how his investigation had gone so far.

Al Lombard, a major player in Miami’s underworld, had his finger in many pies, but gambling was the most lucrative. Unfortunately for law enforcement, he had big-name lawyers and friends in high places. Sonny had realized early on; the only way to take Lombard down was to arrest someone close to him and convince that person to testify.

So, he and Rico spent two days in the Scarab spying on Mickey Owens, a small-time bookie doing business from a dive on one of the canals crisscrossing the area. They had come equipped with a telescopic lens, and the parabolic mike hooked up to recording equipment.

 

A soft rain had started to fall, soaking into Crockett’s clothes and making him feel damp and uncomfortable “Boy, I hate gambling, stakeouts!" he grumbled. “They are the absolute lowest ebb!”

"Hey, listen to you," RIco laughed. "White-bread kicking up the deck shoes, taking in the rain, getting paid genuine coin of the realm for it, and what do you do? Complain, complain, complain!

“Who cares about busting some small-fry bookie who’s never going to roll over?”  Rico was a newcomer to Miami, so Sonny went on to explain how the police commissioner was on a rampage, trying to convince the taxpayers he was close to catching the big-time mobster, Albert Lombard.

“Lombard,” said Rico, stopping to think for a minute. “I remember hearing about him in New York. So, Mickey’s one of his bookies?” 

“Yup.”

“When we dealt with Lombard up my way, nobody ever got close to him. And I mean nobody!" Rico turned his attention back to the camera and focused on the bookie's window, in case things started to get interesting. 

“Hmmm. Mickey’s got company. Check it out!” he murmured.

Sonny peered into his binoculars, but when he focused on the scene across the water, he did a double-take. “My God, could it be?” He rubbed his eyes and looked again. “Damn! It is Barbara Carrow!” He felt his jaw tighten. “Hey, Tubbs. Turn up the volume a little.” 

There she was, the carefree girl he’d known from his high school days, hunched over and clutching the edge of Owen’s desk. From what he could tell, it sounded like she was pleading for more time.

“The interest has already gone up like a sky-rocket!” she cried out. “You didn’t have to take my husband’s tools. We’ve got kids for God’s sake! He’s trying to support us!”

The bookie was ignoring her, so she switched tactics. “You got to give me a chance! I can win it back! I know I can! I can feel it!”

Someone else just entered the room, and Sonny caught sight of a dark figure looming over Barbara. Now there was fear on her face. 

"Just tellin' Mickey here, I'm doing my best.” 

"'Best' don't count. You got the bread or what?”

“No, not yet!”

A large man came into view and grabbed her by the arm. Sonny’s eyes widened with alarm. “Let’s hit it!” 

He revved up the Scarab’s engine, and they raced across the canal. With guns drawn, they shoved their way through the office door, just as Barbara Carrow began to scream.

 “Freeze! Miami Vice!” they both shouted.

The muscular man they’d seen through the telescopic lens, now looked as big as a house.  And when he saw Sonny and Rico’s with guns pointed at him, he went berserk. 

A glass vase narrowly missed Sonny’s head; then, an office chair flew through the air and smashed against the wall. Sonny and Rico charged him together, but he threw them aside without even breaking a sweat. 

Now, Sonny reached for an arm, and Rico pounced on the wild man’s back, but he spun them around, and suddenly, the three of them exploded through a plate glass window. Tightly wound together in a ball, they rolled down a flight of stairs and landed in a heap at the bottom. 

“This guy’s a Neanderthal!” Sonny thought, trying hard to catch his breath.

Customers in the downstairs café scattered as more chairs flew, and tables cracked under the weight of falling bodies. Finally, Sonny conked the lug over the head with an empty beer bottle, and the man crumpled to the floor.

“Whew!” Rico gasped, not worrying about being rough as he cuffed him. “This sure beat the hell out of any ride on Coney Island!”

“You ain’t lying’ there, pal!” 

Sonny leaned against a pillar, eyeing the furniture they’d just demolished when he saw Barbara Carrow, standing at the top of the stairs, looking away in embarrassment. 

Now he came to her and held out his hand. “It’s been a long time." Barbara started to cry.

“Hey, hey, come on now.” He took her in his arms and held her close. "It’s over. You're okay.” he murmured.

She looked at him. "No, Sonny. I'm not okay."

“Well, you look pretty okay to me.” 

His eyes caressed over her soft curves, and she smiled.

 

They walked together by the water and talked about old times. Then, Sonny began to probe. 

"Listen, I'm no psychiatrist, so let's skip the 'when did it start?’ part. How much are you into these people for?”

“Eleven thousand dollars," Barbara answered with a sigh.

Sonny whistled. 

“I paid seven of it, but they never heard of best efforts. Two days ago, they broke into my husband Jerry’s garage and took everything. It took him six years to build up that business! They wiped him out in one day!"

“Who?” 

When she told him about Vincent DeMarco, Sonny frowned.

“You know him?” she asked.

“Yeah. I do. De Marco works for a mobster we've been investigating by the name of Al Lombard. And let me tell you, you don’t mess with Al Lombard’s money. If he's owed, he gets paid.” 

“Sonny, you’ve got to help me out!” she pleaded. 

"First, you're gonna help yourself. I want you to file a complaint of assault against this Rusack, and then we’ll go after Vincent DeMarco together.”

“You saw what they did to me over money! How do you think they’ll take it if I try to put them behind bars?”

“We’ll protect you!”

“How? Are you going to move in with us? Twenty-four hours a day? Protective custody?"

When Sonny’s eyes slid away, she gave him a rueful smile. “I didn’t think so. Look, I need just one favor from you, Sonny. Please. For old time’s sake. Go to DeMarco. Ask him to give us back Jerry’s equipment.”

“It doesn’t work that way, honey.”

“Please, Sonny. I’m at the end of my rope. You said it yourself about these people. They’re dangerous.” 

He remembered from the old days that look she used to give him. “Damn, she’s good,” he thought.

“Okay,” he said, giving in and realizing too late he’d just broken one of his cardinal rules. 

‘Never let it get personal! Cause when it gets personal, it gets messy. And when it gets messy, somebody's gonna get killed!’ 

Too late. He was in it up to his neck!

 

Adding a few finishing touches to the arrest report, Sonny threw his pen on the desk and laced his fingers behind his head. He noticed Rico was hanging up the phone.

“That was Trudy calling. His highness has requested our presence in the conference room at twelve.”  Then, he gave his partner a wicked grin. 

“Better get that report in his box, buddy. Before he realizes it isn’t there.” 

 

Chapter 4: Migraine

The headache was a bad one — a sudden aura, a blinding flash, then a persistent pounding in his skull.

Martin clenched his teeth. 

Not now! Not today!

He shielded his eyes from the florescent lights and eased his body onto the lumpy couch. 

So far, things had not gone well.

First, there was the office mayhem he’d witnessed when he first arrived. Then, the staff's open hostility. Finally, Crockett’s missing report. 

Not the best way to begin

After a half-hour, the pain had faded to a dull ache. He sat up slowly and spotted the box with his personal belongings waiting for him by the door. Now was a good time to get settled. Taking a penknife, he slit it open and began placing items into desk drawers, tossing anything that had outlived its usefulness.

The desktop itself was uncluttered.  That was the way he liked it. No photographs, mementos, not even a nameplate. The only thing visible was a carafe of water and an unopened bottle of aspirin. 

A soft knock interrupted his thoughts, and Detective Trudy Joplin peered in. “For you, Lieutenant," she said with her sweet voice.  She handed him the mail along with several case reports. Crockett's was on the top. 

At last, the detective delivered. 

He opened the manila file and scanned the two pages. Instead of being typed, it was handwritten in a bold, confident scrawl.

November 4, 1984
Metro Dade, OCB-Vice
Case #1446: Rusack, Bruno
Charges: Assaulting a Police Officer, Resisting Arrest
Arresting Officer: Detective S. J. Crockett, Badge #2449

‘Crockett’  The name struck a chord. He’d heard it somewhere, perhaps during a discussion he’d had with Chris Morgan, the Lieutenant who’d been filling in for Lou Rodriguez. Martin remembered Morgan was not particularly impressed.

“Sonny Crockett…watch out for that one… he's a renegade, a cowboy!"

But Castillo wasn’t swayed by that opinion. Breaking out of the mold wasn’t always a bad thing. Sometimes, a man with fresh ideas could be an asset, capable of breathing new life into a dead-end investigation.

Point scored for the rebel!

He heard another gentle knock, and Trudy poked her head in again. “Lieutenant, it's almost twelve. Everyone’s waiting. What would you like me to tell them?”

“Don’t tell them anything. I’ll be there shortly.”

“Yes, sir.”

He glanced over at the personnel files he’d pulled earlier and decided to go through them later. The briefing was a critical event. Now, he’d have the chance to watch his officers interact while they brought him up to speed on their cases. He’d be able to determine their strengths and weaknesses, recognize the followers, and, if he was lucky, pick out the leader. Aligning himself with that one would be the key to gaining the staff’s confidence, and more importantly, a giant step toward winning their respect.

Chapter 4: The Briefing

Jorgenson had assured him the detectives in Vice were dedicated. Even without consistent authority over the last few months, the number of arrests and clearance rates were high. If these stats were accurate, the Chief was right when he'd said the “glue” holding this group together was strong.

When he entered the conference room, the two female detectives looked up and smiled. At the end of the conference table, he recognized the two men he’d first encountered when he arrived. They were looking away, most likely embarrassed by the poor impression they knew they’d made earlier.  Another detective who he’d seen sitting near Crockett in the squad room, seemed preoccupied with a book of mug shots. The photo ID attached to his suit jacket said 'Ricardo Tubbs'. Even Sonny Crockett avoided eye-contact by slowly crushing his cigarette in the ashtray near his hand. 

Castillo ignored the cold reception. “Let’s begin,” he said.

Trudy Joplin and Gina Calabrese’s case was the opener. They were involved in taking down a kiddy porn ring selling sexually explicit videotapes with children in the starring roles. Their plan was a good one. Negotiate a deal with the main offender and tighten the noose when the money exchanged hands.  Both women were confident they’d be making arrests within the week.

A heavy-set Stan Swietek, and a thin-as-a-rail Larry Zito were the surveillance experts. Despite the fact they acted like two overgrown adolescents, they impressed him with their understanding of the latest technology. At the moment, they were helping Gina and Trudy obtain evidence for the porn case. Zito played back a recording they’d made of Gina and a Mr. Jordan, the porn king's second in command.

“Put a mic in Gina’s hair, right here,” Stan boasted, pointing to a spot behind her ear. “Blended in real nice.”

Zito gave Stan a thumbs up. “Yeah, that was a good one, Stan.” Stan gave Zito a wink, then grinned. 

Sonny Crockett and his partner, Rico Tubbs, were next to report. As soon as Sonny started talking about the case, the moodiness seemed to disappear. He told them all about the Rusack arrest and how he and Rico hoped it might be the first step toward tripping up the racketeer, Al Lombard.

“Rusack’s an enforcer for Vincent DeMarco, Lombard's right-hand man. The woman Rusack attacked is up to her ears in debt and behind on her payments. Her name’s Barbara Carrow, and I've known her for a long time. Straight as an arrow and married with two kids, but she has a gambling addiction and needs help. I tried to get her to press charges against Rusack, but she’s afraid.”  

Castillo waited for Sonny to finish before asking him a question. “How close are you to this Barbara Carrow, Detective?”

Sonny frowned. “We were in high school together. We also went out for a while. But that was a long time ago.”

Castillo gave Sonny a look. “Don’t let the past blind your judgment, Detective. Keep it professional.”

Sonny was quiet for a moment. “It won’t be a problem, Lieutenant. I’ll handle it.” 

With a nod, Castillo closed the file in front of him. “That will be all. Thank you, everyone.” 

One by one, they stood and slowly filed out of the room. 

“Phone for you, Sonny,” one of the secretaries called out.

Sonny grabbed the receiver. “Yeah, this is Crockett.” After listening for a minute, he cursed under his breath. Pulling his jacket from the back of his chair, he headed for the swinging doors. 

“Hey, man. What about lunch?” Rico shouted after him. “Stick around! We’re gonna order Chinese!”

“Not this time, Rico. I’m on my way to Al Lombard’s pool club. Today, I’m having lunch with that slimeball, DeMarco.” 

Castillo watched Crockett storm out of the office. “There’s a fire in him,” he noted, tucking the thought away for another time. 

Sitting at his desk, he thought over what he had observed during the briefing. So far, he liked what he saw. These were good people, undisciplined as hell, but innovative and full of heart. They worked together effectively as a team, they were loyal, and he appreciated the caring they showed for one other.

Another observation brought a rare smile to his face. It was Crockett who held them all in the palm of his hand. Rude, stubborn, arrogant, unorthodox, but also intelligent, charismatic, and intuitive. A man who cared passionately about his work.  The kind of leader he’d hoped to find. 

But taming Crockett’s impulsive nature was not going to be easy. And he’d watched dedicated cops like him crash and burn over time. Martin realized he’d have to find ways to nurture this detective’s idealism and still protect him from a system that could easily destroy him.

It was the same during the war when the cream of the crop turned bitter from constant defeat and the presence of death all around them. 

He’d seen it happen, time and time again. 

He’d seen it happened to him.

Edited August 30, 2020 by mjcmmv

[sdiegolo78]

nice one! looking forward to part 2!

Edited February 14, 2021 by sdiegolo78

[mjcmmv]

9 hours ago, sdiegolo78 said:

nice one! looking forward to part 2!

I'm so happy to see you're reading it! Let me know what you think. 

 

[sdiegolo78]

On 2/15/2021 at 3:29 AM, mjcmmv said:

I'm so happy to see you're reading it! Let me know what you think. 

 

I liked in particular Castillo accepting the job at OCB which we didn't see on screen. On the other hand that would have made his introduction into the office less surprising, especially when the viewer saw him walking through the swinging doors and the chaotic office floor for the first time. And it's interesting the 'dejavu' Sonny felt when he introduced himself. I'm sure this has to do with Vietnam...

Edited March 14, 2021 by sdiegolo78

[mjcmmv]

9 hours ago, sdiegolo78 said:

I liked in particular Castillo accepting the job at OCB which we didn't see on screen. On the other hand that would have made his introduction into the office less surprising, especially when the viewer saw him walking through the swinging doors and the chaotic office floor for the first time. And it's interesting the 'dejavu' Sonny felt when he introduced himself. I'm sure this has to do with Vietnam...

If you read the rest, you'll see why. 

[Tom]

Good try to fill some of the "holes" in the whole story that we did not come to see on TV.

One remark though for the how-Castillo-came to OCB prequel: I always thought Castillo was always in drugs before OCB, maybe directly transferred from DEA to OCB (that was never really explained), especially as he knew so many people in CIA(that often had some kind of partnership in South East Asia), official ones and unofficial ones.

You have, if I understood correctly, assumed that Castillo already was at MPD before that, but just in a non-drug related department?

Of course that´s a legitimate assumption for a writer (you have every right to create our own context), but I think that would not match with reality in this context for two reasons: first, MPD would not have hidden an Asian-field experienced DEA guy in a non-drug related Lt. role in Miami Dade Police (e.g. it was not burglary of course, as there was Lt Malone who did not know Castillo by the way, but what´s left for someone with Castillo´s CV: homicide? There was no "major crimes" division back then) and second: Leaving a post with unfinished business and/or his team behind was not his kind of style.

Thus, in my perception, the best assumption for Castillo´s pre-OCB history in terms of character continuity and general police logic is still that Castillo was in S-E Asia for the DEA, then got back to the US after his long injury and absence (May Ying had left as she thought he was dead) and then either directly started at MPD after he stranded in Miami or he did some time for DEA in the US undercover or a department lead in the Miami area before he started at MPD where the OCB was his first assignment. 

Edited March 14, 2021 by Tom

[sdiegolo78]

1 hour ago, mjcmmv said:

If you read the rest, you'll see why. 

I read it all. Nowhere it is implied how Sonny kinda knew Castillo from somewhere....

[Robbie C.]

@TomThe DEA came into being a bit later than the series implies, and many of its early members actually came from the CIA. That was the route I had Castillo take in my version of his backstory: CIA to DEA to Metro-Dade. DEA simply wasn't doing the things the series said they were at the time, but the CIA (or parts of it) was. I had Castillo shift to Metro-Dade because he was tired of losing people and fighting a battle he was starting to feel he couldn't win at the Federal level. Going local let him make a difference in a place he cared about and have a more direct impact.

MJ and I have some variations in the background. She had Castillo encounter Crockett in Vietnam, whereas I don't. Castillo DOES encounter some of my other characters in Vietnam, and both he and Sonny actually run into two characters from another show in Vietnam and Laos as well.

Edited March 14, 2021 by Robbie C.

[Tom]

vor 7 Minuten schrieb Robbie C.:

@TomThe DEA came into being a bit later than the series implies, and many of its early members actually came from the CIA. That was the route I had Castillo take in my version of his backstory: CIA to DEA to Metro-Dade. DEA simply wasn't doing the things the series said they were at the time, but the CIA (or parts of it) was. I had Castillo shift to Metro-Dade because he was tired of losing people and fighting a battle he was starting to feel he couldn't win at the Federal level. Going local let him make a difference in a place he cared about and have a more direct impact.

MJ and I have some variations in the background. She had Castillo encounter Crockett in Vietnam, whereas I don't. Castillo DOES encounter some of my other characters in Vietnam, and both he and Sonny actually run into two characters from another show in Vietnam and Laos as well.

Thanks for the explanation and yes, your are fully right with the DEA history, I knew that but did not think about the timing details enough when I posted earlier.

But, regardless if Castillo was in DEA or CIA at the end, I cannot imagine that he would have worked BEFORE OCB as a garden variety Lt. in Miami Police with no drug related responsibility. As you properly described his character that drug topic was a matter of heart for him, partly because of his personal ties to the SE Asia region. No way he would have worked on a quiet B&E or homicide post at MPD.  And his superiors would have been fools to let such an experienced undercover drug operative work outside of drugs and wasting his know how by putting him on a Lt. Malone-like post. Just my 2 cents...

[Robbie C.]

2 hours ago, sdiegolo78 said:

I read it all. Nowhere it is implied how Sonny kinda knew Castillo from somewhere....

Actually, @sdiegolo78, it's here: 

 

MJ and I break our longer stories into parts, so you have to read them all to get the full picture. My novels run around 25 parts on the whole...sometimes more.

[Robbie C.]

Just now, Tom said:

Thanks for the explanation and yes, your are fully right with the DEA history, I knew that but did not think about the timing details enough when I posted earlier.

But, regardless if Castillo was in DEA or CIA at the end, I cannot imagine that he would have worked BEFORE OCB as a garden variety Lt. in Miami Police with no drug related responsibility. As you properly described his character that drug topic was a matter of heart for him, partly because of his personal ties to the SE Asia region. No way he would have worked on a quiet B&E or homicide post at MPD.  And his superiors would have been fools to let such an experienced undercover drug operative work outside of drugs and wasting his know how by putting him on a Lt. Malone-like post. Just my 2 cents...

Yeah, I tend to agree. MJ has a slightly different take on his background, which is cool. I don't mean to put words in her mouth, but I think she liked the idea of showing Castillo as a difficult subordinate (which he would be in many ways). I did the same thing, but set it during Vietnam instead.

I actually tied his drug background back to Miami. I have his parents sending hm there before Castro takes over, and of course there were also his ties as shown in God's Work. I also have Menton playing a major role in accelerating his feelings about all that (in Laos, though, not Miami).

I tend to be a little obsessive about linking character background to both the series and the history of the times.

[Tom]

vor 4 Minuten schrieb Robbie C.:

Yeah, I tend to agree. MJ has a slightly different take on his background, which is cool. I don't mean to put words in her mouth, but I think she liked the idea of showing Castillo as a difficult subordinate (which he would be in many ways). I did the same thing, but set it during Vietnam instead.

I actually tied his drug background back to Miami. I have his parents sending hm there before Castro takes over, and of course there were also his ties as shown in God's Work. I also have Menton playing a major role in accelerating his feelings about all that (in Laos, though, not Miami).

I tend to be a little obsessive about linking character background to both the series and the history of the times.

Great stuff! I really appreciate your puzzle assembling work (I have to do the same when finding unknown locations) to invent something new that fits into the earlier stories and the characters. That´s hard to do as there are so many parameters to consider and the writers made some crazy turns in their time that leave a strange puzzle piece for this character to comply with (e.g. where did Castillo learn Japanese for Rising sun of death? He was not stationed in Japan, but he spoke Thai as he lived there).

And I fully appreciate MJs stories too. I also believe that Castillo is a difficult subordinate as he is a loner and a man of principles, not a politician or diplomat. That showed best in season 5 when he pissed off Highsmith at lunch who looked out for a friend in Castillo ("These are tough times for us, Marty .... what do you think?) by replying "You don´t win a war with PR Richard". But that´s why I think the idea that Castillo did something else than drugs before in MPD is not very realistic. 

[sdiegolo78]

20 minutes ago, Robbie C. said:

Actually, @sdiegolo78, it's here: 

 

MJ and I break our longer stories into parts, so you have to read them all to get the full picture. My novels run around 25 parts on the whole...sometimes more.

Thanks, I just haven;t read part 2 yet as i couldn't find it.

[Robbie C.]

8 minutes ago, Tom said:

Great stuff! I really appreciate your puzzle assembling work (I have to do the same when finding unknown locations) to invent something new that fits into the earlier stories and the characters. That´s hard to do as there are so many parameters to consider and the writers made some crazy turns in their time that leave a strange puzzle piece for this character to comply with (e.g. where did Castillo learn Japanese for Rising sun of death? He was not stationed in Japan, but he spoke Thai as he lived there).

And I fully appreciate MJs stories too. I also believe that Castillo is a difficult subordinate as he is a loner and a man of principles, not a politician or diplomat. That showed best in season 5 when he pissed off Highsmith at lunch who looked out for a friend in Castillo ("These are tough times for us, Marty .... what do you think?) by replying "You don´t win a war with PR Richard". But that´s why I think the idea that Castillo did something else than drugs before in MPD is not very realistic. 

Okinawa and Japan were both used as R&R spots and major military hospitals were also located there during Vietnam. Castillo could have picked up some there, and learned more from Jack. We also can't be sure he didn't do time there when he was CIA (possibly prior to Laos and Thailand).

[sdiegolo78]

37 minutes ago, Tom said:

Thanks for the explanation and yes, your are fully right with the DEA history, I knew that but did not think about the timing details enough when I posted earlier.

But, regardless if Castillo was in DEA or CIA at the end, I cannot imagine that he would have worked BEFORE OCB as a garden variety Lt. in Miami Police with no drug related responsibility. As you properly described his character that drug topic was a matter of heart for him, partly because of his personal ties to the SE Asia region. No way he would have worked on a quiet B&E or homicide post at MPD.  And his superiors would have been fools to let such an experienced undercover drug operative work outside of drugs and wasting his know how by putting him on a Lt. Malone-like post. Just my 2 cents...

True, and if i may add, someone with Castillo's background would have a head start in his police academy class and graduate with flying colors. Even tough most police cadets in the 70s were former Vietnam vets like Crockett.

[Tom]

vor 5 Minuten schrieb Robbie C.:

Okinawa and Japan were both used as R&R spots and major military hospitals were also located there during Vietnam. Castillo could have picked up some there, and learned more from Jack. We also can't be sure he didn't do time there when he was CIA (possibly prior to Laos and Thailand).

theoretically yes, but realistically no. We never had any indication of that.

And the assumption of US writers that Castillo is perfect in Thai AND Japanese including handwriting and maybe just picked up Japanese (he was around 35 at the time, as C&T and had probably 5-10 realistic years for living in Asia) is ridiculous, especially as 99% of all US-born Americans without any non English speaking parent) do not speak any other language at all, let alone fluently. Asian languages are the hardest to learn and speak fluently (Castillo did that with Thai and Japanese), as the letters are symbolic and languages very rich in vocabulary that needs decades of training to learn it. I speak Russian and can write and read it too, but I am still a novice after 20 years.

[Robbie C.]

1 minute ago, Tom said:

theoretically yes, but realistically no. We never had any indication of that.

And the assumption of US writers that Castillo is perfect in Thai AND Japanese including handwriting and maybe just picked up Japanese (he was around 35 at the time, as C&T and had probably 5-10 realistic years for living in Asia) is ridiculous, especially as 99% of all US-born Americans without any non English speaking parent) do not speak any other language at all, let alone fluently. Asian languages are the hardest to learn and speak fluently (Castillo did that with Thai and Japanese), as the letters are symbolic and languages very rich in vocabulary that needs decades of training to learn it. I speak Russian and can write and read it too, but I am still a novice after 20 years.

I think it's just the "Castillo effect." He could also have been sent through language training at Monterrey, which is quite good by all accounts. And the CIA certainly would have sent him if he was going to be posted to Southeast Asia. Given the times, though, Vietnamese would have been the most likely language, possibly followed by Thai.

[Robbie C.]

5 minutes ago, sdiegolo78 said:

True, and if i may add, someone with Castillo's background would have a head start in his police academy class and graduate with flying colors. Even tough most police cadets in the 70s were former Vietnam vets like Crockett.

He wouldn't have had to go through the academy. DEA is a Federal law enforcement agency. He would have had Federal certification and been able to transfer over. But again, some of this is the "Castillo effect" mentioned above. He just DOES things...

[sdiegolo78]

1 minute ago, Robbie C. said:

He wouldn't have had to go through the academy. DEA is a Federal law enforcement agency. He would have had Federal certification and been able to transfer over. But again, some of this is the "Castillo effect" mentioned above. He just DOES things...

Interesting to know. I'd assume if it was the other way around (from local law enforcement to federal agency) one would need to go through training. And if Castillo was a CIA operative before the DEA was established, he must have had some military experience prior to that.

[Tom]

vor 6 Minuten schrieb Robbie C.:

I think it's just the "Castillo effect." 

Yeah, or just simply called the typical "superman effect" that US writers need to use everywhere for mysterious characters....

Most Americans speak no other language at all, but native American Jason Bourne speaks 7 and Ethan Hunt even more....

Edited March 14, 2021 by Tom

[Robbie C.]

9 minutes ago, sdiegolo78 said:

Interesting to know. I'd assume if it was the other way around (from local law enforcement to federal agency) one would need to go through training. And if Castillo was a CIA operative before the DEA was established, he must have had some military experience prior to that.

Not necessarily. Some of them did, but not all.

[mjcmmv]

I did make assumptions in Flashback and tweeked the characters' backgrounds a bit so it would fit with my version of events. Robbie helped me tremendously with the timeline and gave me a ton of military information. 

Edited March 15, 2021 by mjcmmv

[mjcmmv]

On 3/14/2021 at 12:01 PM, sdiegolo78 said:

Thanks, I just haven;t read part 2 yet as i couldn't find it.

There are Three parts to the story, actually, so if you finish those last two sections, you'll see where I was going.

Thanks for taking the time and I hope you enjoy it.