Due to an unexpected major case, Beckett had no choice but to delay leaving work. After all, she had taken over as captain of the 12th Precinct from her previous role as head of the homicide and robbery division. In theory, she was now the top expert in the precinct when it came to handling tricky homicide cases.
Someone like Esposito, who had retired from SEAL Team Six and then became a detective, could easily handle tasks assigned from above. However, leading a homicide team to investigate a serial killer case was a bit beyond his expertise.
Castle was unaware of this situation. If he had known, Beckett wouldn't have had to worry. If Castle found out that the infamous 3XK killer had resurfaced, he would likely take matters into his own hands and ensure the real 3XK—who was still in prison—wouldn't escape. As someone who had watched all eight seasons of Castle, Castle knew how much trouble this killer had caused in the original series.
In the show, the real 3XK, Jerry Tyson, had manipulated his cellmate into committing crimes with his signature style, fooling the police into believing the wrong man was the real killer. This allowed Tyson to escape, leading to further mayhem. Not only did Tyson steal Ryan's service weapon during his escape, but he later used it to kill an innocent person, leaving Ryan riddled with guilt.
But that wasn't even Tyson's worst move. After his escape, he went so far as to have people undergo plastic surgery to look like Lanie and Esposito, brutally murdering them and leaving their bodies in plain sight to taunt the police. Throughout the show, 3XK caused no end of trouble for Beckett and Castle.
So, after Castle realized he was in the Castle universe, he made up his mind. The moment 3XK appeared, he would intercept the case, lure Tyson out of prison under the pretense of cooperating with the investigation, and ambush him in the motel where Tyson's plan would unfold, killing him before he could escape and cause havoc. That way, Castle and Beckett could avoid the chaos that 3XK had caused in the original series.
However, since Beckett hadn't gone home yet and assumed Castle was still busy writing at home, she didn't inform him immediately. Instead, she led her team in investigating the case, leaving Castle out of the loop. Without Castle's wild imagination and insight, Beckett wasn't able to quickly figure out that the real 3XK was still in prison.
The case they were investigating wasn't the work of the real 3XK, but rather his brainwashed cellmate. Recently released from prison, this man had begun copying Tyson's signature murders in the hope that the police would ask the real 3XK for help in catching the "copycat," thus facilitating his escape.
At this point, the plot had just begun to unfold. Castle, still typing away in his study, remained blissfully unaware of the danger lurking. But sooner or later, he would find out. The question was whether Tyson could carry out his plan before Castle intervened—especially since Castle had a deep-seated hatred for this particular villain, who had caused so much grief for him and Beckett in the original series. If Castle learned that 3XK was active again, he might very well stop writing and take action, slamming Tyson to the ground before the killer could even begin to execute his plan.
While Castle was still immersed in his writing, Beckett was at the precinct, overwhelmed by the case in front of her. The killer they were pursuing had a record of crimes in multiple states, meaning the FBI had already been notified and arrived to assist. To her surprise, the agents sent by the FBI were none other than Diana and Jones, who had previously been involved in surveillance of Castle.
Diana and Jones typically worked under Peter Borkell with the FBI's White Collar Crime division, specializing in high-IQ crimes and financial fraud. However, due to a shortage of manpower, and because they were familiar with Beckett, they had been reassigned by FBI New York Division Chief Hughes to take over the investigation of this serial killer.
But Beckett refused to hand over the case. As a determined and independent police captain, she wasn't about to give up control of the investigation. She had a deep-seated hatred for 3XK, who preyed on blonde women, and she didn't trust the FBI to solve the case efficiently. After all, if the FBI was so capable, how had 3XK managed to commit so many crimes across the country?
Diana and Jones, familiar with Beckett's stubbornness, could have insisted on taking over the case. However, their boss, Peter Borkell, had given them a different idea: instead of seizing control, they would offer a compromise. They would allow the NYPD's 12th Precinct to lead the investigation as long as Diana and Jones were allowed to join the team.
Peter Borkell hadn't given up his suspicion of Castle. He believed that Castle's involvement in the Vincent case was too coincidental, and he suspected that the missing treasure from that case might be connected to the mysterious writer. This case provided an excellent opportunity for Diana and Jones to work closely with Beckett while also keeping an eye on Castle.
After getting this advice from their superior, Diana and Jones reached an agreement with Beckett: they would work together on the case.
Beckett had no idea that the real target of these two FBI agents was her boyfriend. Exhausted after a long day, she headed home to Castle, hoping her imaginative partner could help her crack the case.
When Beckett arrived at Castle's place, she found that he had already made dinner for her. After they and Alexis finished eating and Alexis went upstairs, Beckett sat on the couch and explained the case to Castle, including the surprising detail that the FBI had sent two financial crimes agents to work with her team.
When Castle heard that Jerry Tyson, the 3XK killer who had caused so much trouble in the original series, had resurfaced, he immediately perked up. While he had no doubt about the FBI agents' real agenda, he didn't bring it up. Beckett didn't know, and as long as Castle was aware of Peter's lingering obsession with the treasure, that was enough.
What really intrigued Castle was how to outsmart Jerry Tyson, who was still in prison but already setting up his next move. Castle was determined to thwart his plan.
Tyson was meticulously plotting his escape, confident that the police would soon fall for his ruse and release him to assist with the investigation. Castle, however, was already planning how to turn the tables. He thought it would be a perfect opportunity to play along with Tyson's scheme, only to surprise him at the last moment—right when Tyson thought he had won.
Having made up his mind to toy with the overconfident Tyson, Castle turned to Beckett, who was still sitting on the couch, deep in thought. "There's no point in stressing over this right now," he said. "I'm not too busy these days aside from finishing the second Nikki Heat novel. How about I come to the precinct with you tomorrow? Maybe I can help out."
"Plus," he continued, "based on what you've told me, 3XK tends to kill one victim per week over the course of a month. If today's victim was the first, that means we still have at least five days to catch him. Trust me, we'll stop this killer before he claims another victim."
Beckett looked at Castle gratefully. Although his words were mostly meant to comfort her, she couldn't help but feel her anxiety ease.
Seeing that his girlfriend's mood was lifting, Castle doubled down. "And don't forget, I have connections you don't. While you're following the standard investigation, I can go find King of 8th Street. His network of homeless informants might be able to track down this 3XK imposter. So don't worry—I think this guy's days of terrorizing New York are numbered."
[Check out my Patreon for +200 additional chapters in all my fanfics! Only $5 per novel or $15 for all!!] [www.p@treon.com/Mutter]
[+50 Power Stones = +1 Extra Chapter]
[+5 Reviews = +1 Extra Chapter]