I AM GOD OF CRIMINAL

5

Ethan paced in his room, the strange mirror lying on his desk.

“So, just touching people doesn’t always work?” he muttered, replaying the encounter with Jimmy Carter in his head. “If I can’t steal skills that way, what’s the point?”

The mirror shimmered faintly, as if mocking him.

“Stop being cryptic for once,” Ethan snapped. “What am I supposed to do? Wait for opportunities to fall into my lap?”

Emily’s voice called from the kitchen. “Ethan, dinner’s ready!”

“Coming!” he yelled back, shoving the mirror into his pocket. First, I stop Jimmy. Then, I figure this thing out.

Later, Ethan sat at the dining table, pushing food around his plate. Adam glanced up from his homework.

“You okay? You’ve been weird all day.”

“Yeah, just tired,” Ethan said, forcing a smile. “School’s been… a lot.”

“Maybe don’t skip next time,” Emily chimed in, giving him a knowing look.

Ethan coughed, hiding his embarrassment. “Noted.”

The next morning, Ethan stood outside a convenience store, holding his dead phone.

“Great timing,” he muttered, spotting a charging station inside. As he plugged it in, he scrolled through his contacts, landing on one name: Mike Hayes.

Mike was a detective Ethan remembered from the news in his “first life.” Honest, relentless, and one of the few people who might believe him.

“Here goes nothing,” Ethan said, dialing the number.

“Detective Hayes speaking.”

Ethan’s grip tightened on the phone. “Hi, uh… I have information about Jimmy Carter.”

A long pause. “Who is this?”

“Just… someone trying to do the right thing,” Ethan said. “He’s hiding in the abandoned warehouse off Ridgewood.”

“And you know this how?” Mike’s tone was skeptical, almost annoyed.

“I saw him,” Ethan said quickly. “He’s disguised as a clergyman. I swear, I’m not making this up.”

“This better not be a prank,” Mike warned. “We take false tips very seriously.”

“It’s not,” Ethan insisted. “Please, just check it out.”

Another pause. “Fine. If this leads somewhere, I’ll call you back. What’s your name?”

Ethan hesitated. “Just… Ethan. Thanks, Detective.”

Hours later, Ethan sat on a park bench, his foot tapping nervously.

What if Mike doesn’t follow up? What if Jimmy escapes? The doubts gnawed at him, but before he could spiral further, his phone rang.

“Detective Hayes?”

“Kid, your tip was good,” Mike said, his voice sharp and focused. “We’ve got the place surrounded.”

Relief flooded Ethan. “What happens now?”

“That’s not your concern,” Mike replied. “Stay out of it. This isn’t a spectator sport.”

“Right,” Ethan said, his heart racing. “Thanks for trusting me.”

“Let’s see how this pans out first,” Mike said, hanging up.

From a safe distance, Ethan watched as police swarmed the warehouse.

“Freeze! Hands where I can see them!”

A tense standoff ensued, with Jimmy shouting obscenities before finally surrendering. The sight of him being handcuffed was both surreal and satisfying.

I did it, Ethan thought, his chest swelling with pride. No one has to die this time.

Later, Mike found Ethan leaning against a lamppost near the scene.

“You really came through,” Mike said, crossing his arms. “How’d you know he was there?”

“Just a hunch,” Ethan said, shrugging.

Mike raised an eyebrow. “A fifty-thousand-dollar hunch, huh?”

Ethan blinked. “What?”

“The reward for Carter’s capture,” Mike explained. “It’s yours. Come down to the station tomorrow to claim it.”

Ethan stammered, “I—I wasn’t doing it for the money.”

“Doesn’t matter,” Mike said. “You earned it. Good work, Ethan.”

Back at home, Ethan lay on his bed, staring at the ceiling.

“I really changed something,” he whispered, a small smile forming.

The mirror buzzed in his pocket, pulling him out of his thoughts.

“What now?” he grumbled, holding it up.

“Mission complete. Affinity points awarded: 10.”

“Affinity points?” Ethan frowned. “What do I even do with those?”

The mirror’s surface shimmered again, displaying a new message: “Unlock new abilities or enhance existing ones. Choose wisely.”

Ethan sat up, his mind racing. If this thing can help me stop worse events, maybe it’s not all bad.

He glanced at the mirror again, his determination solidifying. “Let’s see what you’ve got.”