Marcus Gates likely never imagined that he would be found so easily, or that he would be killed as effortlessly as squashing an ant in a dark alley, with no trial, no accusations—just two cold bullets, blazing hot as they left the barrel, ending his brief career as a 'serial killer.' His accomplice, Paul Macard, met the same fate, both wiped off the map, likely already disposed of by the cleaners Ivan had summoned the night before, erasing all traces of their existence.
Castle, having completed this task, had no interest in concerning himself with what happened to these two scum. Now sitting in the grand hall of Gianna's estate, he used this rare moment of peace, free from immediate responsibilities, to think carefully about what lay ahead. Especially now that he had cut off Jerry Tyson's pawn, Marcus Gates—the impersonator of the real 3XK—who had been causing chaos with his killings and inadvertently placing immense pressure on the police. Would eliminating Marcus lead to a situation where the police no longer felt the need to negotiate with Jerry Tyson, who was still in prison?
By killing Marcus and his accomplice the previous night, Castle had not only disrupted Tyson's seemingly flawless plan but also added an unknown variable to the unfolding events. After all, the Castle in the original show didn't possess the same skills or decisiveness as Castle did now.
However, Castle didn't see this as a major problem. He was not only Beckett's boyfriend but also highly trusted by her in their joint investigations. While Marcus was now destined to become a missing person, Castle wasn't too worried that his actions would derail future events. If Beckett didn't notice the significance of Jerry Tyson, who had shared a cell with Marcus for four years, Castle could always subtly steer her in the right direction.
Beckett had already met Tyson and, thanks to Castle's earlier hints, was aware that Tyson knew much more about Marcus than he let on. With Marcus now erased from the world, the police's efforts to find him would be fruitless. Castle knew that by tomorrow, he could guide Beckett toward negotiating with Tyson, offering his early release in exchange for information about Marcus.
If Beckett agreed to this deal, the case would be back on its original track. However, unlike the original timeline, Castle would not wait until the last moment to realize that the real 3XK was Tyson. This time, when Tyson tried to escape by grabbing Ryan's gun, Castle would be ready to end him once and for all.
Having sorted out his plan and next steps, Castle informed Ivan and his security team that they would soon need to move into the estate he was about to purchase and begin setting up security systems. With that settled, Castle headed back to New York.
His main goal was to convince Beckett to agree to Tyson's deal for early release in exchange for Marcus's whereabouts. After all, Tyson wasn't in prison for violent crimes but for drug offenses, which would make it easier to sway Beckett into agreeing to the arrangement. Castle didn't anticipate much difficulty in convincing her.
Upon arriving at the precinct, Castle wasn't planning on discussing this matter there. Instead, he intended to take Beckett, who hadn't gone home with him for two days, back to their apartment for a proper night's rest. Even though Beckett was unaware that Marcus Gates would never show up again, she remained fully dedicated to leading the search for the dangerous serial killer.
Castle, however, was calm. After all, how could they find someone who no longer existed? And since there would be no more crimes committed by Marcus, why not take the opportunity to convince Beckett to return home and rest while also discussing the plan to negotiate with Jerry Tyson?
Beckett, slightly frustrated, looked at her serious boyfriend. She didn't know yet that Marcus was already out of the picture, so she wasn't keen on Castle's suggestion to go home. She was in the middle of a time-sensitive investigation, directing her team to scour New York for the killer.
Castle agreed with Beckett's point but unflinchingly pointed out that no matter how hard the police tried, finding a killer who had undoubtedly gone into hiding was going to be difficult. In such a situation, what was the point of working overtime? Why not go home and discuss a few important matters instead?
In the end, Beckett was persuaded. Reluctantly, she followed Castle back home.
Once home, Castle didn't immediately dive into discussions about Jerry Tyson. Instead, he suggested Beckett take a shower while he prepared dinner. They would talk after dinner, once Alexis had come home, and they could all enjoy a meal together. Beckett, exhausted from two days of nonstop work at the precinct, readily agreed and headed to the shower, leaving Castle to play the role of a "househusband" in the kitchen.
When Alexis arrived home with her newest pet, a clever white mouse, she was greeted by the sight of her dad setting the table with a delicious-looking feast. Delighted, she dropped her backpack and rushed into the kitchen, exclaiming, "Dad, are you making Chinese food again? Aside from that first time when you overloaded the dishes with chili and peppercorns, your later attempts have been amazing! Way better than any Chinese restaurant around here!"
Castle, having been awarded the skill "Master of Sichuan Cuisine" by his system, had initially been confused by his previous life's memories of Sichuan food. Thinking the cuisine was all about heavy spices, he had, during his first attempt, overused chili and peppercorns, creating an overly spicy feast. Both he and Alexis had gorged themselves, only to suffer the consequences later, spending the next day on the toilet in agony.
It wasn't until then that Castle realized he had misunderstood Sichuan cuisine. In truth, the heavy use of spice and numbness from peppercorns had only become popular in the 1970s and 1980s. Traditional Sichuan dishes, like twice-cooked pork and steamed pork belly, didn't rely on such overpowering flavors.
After this realization, Castle revamped his menu, adapting it to his American family's tastes. Knowing that Americanized Chinese food tended to be sweeter and less spicy, Castle started making dishes like sweet braised pork belly and sweet and sour ribs, which quickly became Alexis and Beckett's favorites.
The sweet and sour ribs, in particular, had become an instant hit. Both Alexis and Beckett, despite claiming they didn't want to indulge, couldn't resist finishing every bite once they tried them.
Alexis's excitement today was due to spotting her favorite dish on the table—sweet and sour ribs. Her dad's version, made with a technique she had never seen before, tasted incredible. It matched the descriptions of authentic sweet and sour ribs from people who had visited China that she had read about online. She didn't know how her dad's cooking had suddenly improved so much, but to her, it was fantastic news.
At least recently, she had been enjoying many of her dad's delicious meals!
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