After making sure I had the hotel room key and anything else I would need, I made my way to the streets of New York before walking to Best Buy. PC gaming and PC culture hadn't taken off just yet, so there weren't any good dedicated PC stores to go to, not that I would since I just needed a laptop.

After walking for a few minutes, I was walking past an alley when someone called out to me.

"Spare change." said the homeless man as he had his head down with an outstretched arm holding a cup. Seeing the state he was in, I felt bad and decided to give him a few bucks, enough to tide him for a week or so.

"Here you go bud. Keep your head up." I said to him as I placed the money, but before I could walk away he picked his head up to look at me.

"Thanks. God bless you." he said before retracting the cup. I, on the other hand, was stuck for a moment as his face popped up in my memories. A memory from my past life, from when I watched House for the millionth time. A face of a man who escaped the hospital after his forensics was flagged by the FBI. The cannibal and serial killer whom Houses' team treated.

'Holy shit. What are the chances I stumbled upon a quest? Figuratively anyway. But I need to see if this is actually the cannibal or just the same actor playing another role I don't know about. If it is, I'll stay with him while the cops come. Ah, I'll have to use my mind palace ability to see his memories which means I'll experience him killing and eating his victims. Gross.'

Luckily my mind palace ability also sped up my thinking and processing speed, so having that entire train of thought didn't take up even a second.

"What's a young guy like you doing being homeless?"

"Young people can't be homeless?"

"They can, they just usually aren't. Or if they are, they're crashing at a friend's, so they're not technically homeless."

"Lucky them."

"So, what did you do? Before being homeless."

"Why are you so interested in my life?"

"I'm a writer, and talking to people from all walks of life may give me inspiration for a new character. Besides I'm not in a hurry right now."

"So if you make a character based on me, you'll give me royalties?"

"Sure. I'll give you a few hundred bucks. But, I didn't say I was a successful writer." I said with a smile.

"Touche. I've been homeless since I was a kid with no job. Ran away from home, you know how it goes with runaway kids."

"Unfortunate. Do you like being homeless?"

"Why would I like being homeless?"

"I've talked to other homeless people before, some say they love being free of any and all responsibility. Not having to be dragged down by societal norms. And it seems like you haven't done anything to fix your situation. A young guy like you should be able to find a hard labor job if he wanted to."

Reading on Amazon or a pirate site? This novel is from Royal Road. Support the author by reading it there.

"Yeah, well, life isn't fair for guys like me."

"True, life is not fair at all. Still, though, you must have a favorite part about being homeless?"

"Favorite part? Haha, now I know you're messing with me. How would any of this be anyone's favorite thing to do? Eating trash and scrounging to survive."

DONG

At hearing that familiar sound, I slightly smiled.

"Well, this was all very informative. If I do make a character based on you, I promise I'll give you your royalties. Take care of yourself." I said before making my way down the street, ducking into an alley while making sure there were no recording devices, turning on my stealth suit, and activating the noise canceling feature I created for moments where I need to meditate.

Appearing in front of the familiar castle, I quickly made my way to the library before seeing and opening the new book that appeared.

"Ughh. That was not pleasant." I said as I finished the book. I had just witnessed the abusive childhood of James Smith, his real name, and him both killing and eating his victims. It was not a pleasant experience feeling what he felt.

"Now that I've confirmed it, I'll call the cops while keeping an eye on him to make sure he doesn't escape."

Exiting my mind palace, I made my way to where we talked, still in my stealth suit, before calling the police.

"911, what is your emergency?" said the dispatcher.

"Hi, I'm on Broadway and Grand and I just saw a man that was on the news a while ago. He escaped from some hospital and he's wanted by the FBI I think."

"Okay, and how do you know it's him, sir?"

"Because I remember seeing his picture on the news and thinking that someone wanted by the FBI must've done some heinous shit, so I remembered his face. I was walking on Broadway when a homeless dude was calling out for money, but I decided to keep on walking but someone did give him some money. And he lifted his head up to thank him and that's when I saw his face and it jolted my memory."

"Are you near him now?"

"No, I left before making the call, but he should still be there. Homeless man in the alley next to a Starbucks. He's wearing a blue hoodie, grey pants, no shoes, and a beanie. He also has a pretty long beard."

"Okay, thank you, sir. We'll have someone check it out. Would you like to give me your inf-" was all she said before I hung up.

'Now to wait and see. I wonder if I'll see someone else I recognize? There are a lot of cop shows set in NYC, so there might be some I don't even recognize.'

~~

After waiting for almost a half-hour, I saw a car park before two people got out. Seeing the badges hanging around their neck along with their plain clothes, let me know they were detectives. And looking at their faces, a smile appeared on mine.

'Detectives Peralta and Boyle of the 99th Precinct, nice. Let me get closer to hear what they're saying.' I thought before flying over their heads.

"Come on Boyle, dispatch said we're looking for a homeless man that the feds want."

"You got it Jakey." said Boyle.

"I don't like that."

"J-man."

"Better. Alright, let's go." he said as they made their way to the alley.

As they approached the alley, they noticed the homeless man at the entrance matched the description they received, so they drew their guns.

"NYPD, hands in the air." said Peralta as James quickly looked up before standing up to bolt.

Fortunately for the pair, James was unlucky enough to trip on nothing, courtesy of me, which allowed the two to catch up to him.

"NYPD, you're under arrest." said Peralta as Boyle cuffed him.

"What did I do?"

"You have a warrant out for your arrest." he said, which made James freeze for a second before slumping in defeat.

"Fine."

"Nice, work J-man. Up high." said Boyle, waiting for a high five.

"Okay. Let's go." he said reciprocating Boyle's high-five before walking back to the car.

'Some justice will come from his capture, but his victims won't come back, unfortunately. Still, though, I'm once again glad I got my mind palace or I never would've recognized him. Now, off to buy a laptop.'

~~

Returning to my hotel room after buying a decent-priced laptop, seeing as I could upgrade it with my nanites I didn't want to spend too much, I sat down on the bed and began to read the latest breakthroughs in academia.

While I was reading through a paper about potential nerve regrowth, my phone started ringing. Picking up the phone, I saw that it was my mother and promptly answered.

"Hey, mom."

"You haven't called or texted me since you got off the plane. I've been worried about you, but your dad said you probably got caught up in your work."

"Oops, I did get caught up in my work, sorry mom."

"Sigh, well I'm not too surprised. Anyways, how's New York treating you?"