"Hey, Mike?" Macey asked as she sat next to me on the couch.

"Yeah?" I replied as I readjusted myself. Damn, I hate these cushions.

"I've been looking a little bit into those fires you and Carmen talked about."

"And...?"

"Well, it's just that the most recent burn site is bugging me."

"What do you mean?"

"I hadn't heard of Melvin's Mini Mart, so I looked it up online to see where it was."

"What did you find?"

She pulled out her phone and handed it over to me. It was opened up to Google Maps, with the location in focus being Melvin's Mini Mart. At first, nothing seemed unusual; the image of the building looked like your typical independently-owned grocery store. That's when I noticed something.

It was located on a street corner in the northeast side of town. A very familiar street corner.

"No way!" I said in realization. "That's where Freddy's used to be!"

"Exactly!" Macey replied with a nod as she took back her phone.

"Well, surely it has to be some sort of coincidence. At least, I would think so."

"I don't know, Mike. It was just something I noticed."

"Well, did you happen to find out anything about the other places?"

"Kinda, but not too much; the news hasn't gone into too much detail."

"Well, do they seem like they may have some connection?"

"I don't know about the house that burnt down, but this 'abandoned party rental service' that they mentioned certainly got my attention."

"How so?"

"Well, for one thing, it was outside of town, right in the middle of nowhere. If it was random arson, there's no way you could just stumble upon that; you'd have to know exactly where you're going."

"That's true, I suppose."

"Here's the website for the business. It was called 'Circus Baby's Pizza Party Rentals'."

She handed her phone back to me and I took a look at it. Right away, I could see a professionally-made drawing of what looked like a little clown girl with red pigtails and dress. Surrounding her was some sort of ballerina and...

No... it can't be...

A bear with a top hat and microphone.

The colors of this bear were white and pink, but there's no denying that this bear is supposed to be Freddy Fazbear! And not only that, but there was a white and pink fox in the group, as well. A fox that, if it were wearing an eye patch, would look very similar to a another fox I've gotten acquainted to...

"Another Freddy's connection," I said softly as I handed Macey back her phone.

"Again, I don't really know anything about the third location, that house," she concluded, "but the fact that two of the places that burnt down have a connection to Freddy Fazbear's Pizza doesn't feel like a coincidence."

"Yeah, no kidding," I replied with a nod.

"Do you think we should tell the police or something?"

I sat there for a second before slowly nodding.

"It would certainly help them out. Who knows? Maybe they'll find a connection to Freddy's through that house!"

"Well, then let's get going!"

Macey told Carmen that we were going out. Since the unhelpful bitch wasn't planning on doing anything that day, she was fine with us borrowing her car.

"Just don't scratch it!" she told us as we left.

"Don't worry," I replied. "We'll be sure to get it back in at least 2 pieces!"

"Fuck you!"

"Love ya too, Carmen!"

*         *         *

"You know, we had figured out that the establishment outside of town was this Circus Baby's rental place," the officer told us with a nod, "but we hadn't pieced together that the mini mart was where the old Freddy's used to be!"

"So, do you think these fires have something to do with Freddy's?" Macey asked.

"Well, it's a bit too early to make final conclusions, but it's definitely a lead to check out. Thank you for this information."

"It's no problem at all, Officer," I replied. "I just hope you can figure out what's causing these fires and why."

"You and me, both."

We then shook the officer's hand and left his office.

"So, now what?" Macey asked.

"Well, I'm honestly not sure," I replied with a shrug. "I mean, is there anything you wanted to do while we were in town?"

She paused and stroked her chin in thought.

"I guess we could stop at the library for a while, if you don't mind," she replied. "They might have some different books from when I was there last."

"Sounds good. Maybe I'll pick something out, as well."

"Since when do you like reading?"

"Since it became something I could do to avoid going back to Carmen's."

She playfully rolled her eyes and we exited the police station to head to the library. Thankfully, it wasn't too far of a drive.

After a few minutes, though, I suddenly realized that in order to get to the library, we'd have to pass...

"Oh, my!" Macey suddenly gasped.

To our right was a familiar plot of land that was now surrounded by police tape. Inside the thin, yellow border was a blackened shell of a building that used to be a grocery store.

"Wow..." I said quietly.

Macey was driving at a snail's pace now as we looked at the building. There didn't seem to be any officers on the premises at the moment.

"You okay?" Macey asked.

"Yeah, I'm fine," I replied with a nod.

She nodded in response and was about to speed up again, but then something caught my eye.

"Stop the car!" I commanded.

I felt myself jerking forward as my sister obeyed my order.

"What is it?" she asked.

Instead of replying, I unbuckled my seatbelt and exited the vehicle, jogging to the alleyway in front of me.

In the alley, I could see someone rummaging through a dumpster. It wasn't just anyone, though. It was a face I honestly hadn't seen in years, but it was a face I recognized in a heartbeat.

"Excuse me," I told him. "Can I talk to you for a second?"

The gray-haired man with a brown coat and blue jeans turned to me with confusion. A second later, though, his eyes widened and he quickly backed a few steps away.

"You!" he gasped as he pointed at me.

He was still backing up, the look of sheer terror glued onto his face.

"Do you recognize me?" I asked with surprise.

It had been so long and we had only met once that I'm surprised he would even know who I am.

"Of course I do!" he replied with a trembling voice. "And you're not going to haunt me!"

Well, that's not where I thought this was going.

"Haunt you?" I asked in clarification.

"Don't play dumb with me! You died at that godforsaken pizzeria and now you're haunting me!"

I could hear Macey approaching from behind me, but I didn't turn around to look at her.

"Sir," I calmly told him, "I'm not a ghost."

"But... I saw you! I saw that girl pull you out of there in that stupid bear suit!"

"And I rushed him straight to the hospital and he was fine!" Macey commented. "Go ahead! Feel him! He's not a ghost!"

The hobo looked at us both for a few seconds before slowly approaching me. He then timidly reached out and touched my shoulder. His eyes lit up when his hand made contact.

"I'll be..." he gasped. "You really are alive!"

"Told ya," I replied with an awkward grin.

"Well," he continued while backing up a bit, "what brings you here?"

"It's about the fire over there," I replied as I pointed in the general direction of the site.

He turned towards where I was pointing and an awkward expression grew on his face.

"What about it?" he finally asked as he turned back to me.

"I was just curious if you knew anything about it. Like, if you saw anyone or anything suspicious."

He shook his head in response.

"Ever since they built that grocery store, I haven't been focusing on that cursed plot of land as often as I used to," he admitted. "Besides, I was already fast asleep when the fire started."

"So you saw nothing at all?"

"Zip."

I stared at him for a little bit longer. Part of me felt like he was lying, but another part was asking why he would lie about it. Unless...

Nah. I don't see why or how HE would have caused the fires. Sure, he has a motive for wanting anything Fazbear-related gone, but why burn down a grocery store where Freddy's stood? Not to mention that house that might not have a connection. On top of that, a homeless guy like him would have a hard time getting to Circus Baby's Pizza Party Rentals and back.

"Well, thank you for your time," I concluded.

He nodded in response and turned around to head back into the alley.

"Excuse me," Macey called out.

The hobo turned back around and looked at her.

"Are you going to be okay?" she asked. "I mean, you don't exactly look like you have a comfortable setup."

He have a small chuckle.

"It's kept me surviving here for decades," he told her. "I'll be okay."

"Well, can we at least buy you a meal or something?"

"Oh, I couldn't," he declined. "No need to waste your money on me."

"I insist. We were just on our way to grab some lunch, anyway!"

I turned to my sister in confusion.

"I thought you said we were going to the li-"

She slapped me in the gut before I could finish my sentence.

The hobo then looked at us for a few more seconds before shrugging.

"I suppose," he told us. "I guess a nice, hot meal wouldn't kill me."

"Perfect!" Macey replied.

The hobo walked with us to the car. Macey got in the driver's seat while I opened up the back door and sat in the seat.

"Oh, no need for you to be there," he argued. "I'm fine in the back."

"Don't worry about it," I replied. "I'll be fine."

A smile then grew on his face as he got in the passenger seat.

"So," Macey asked, "what's your name?"

The hobo looked at her for a second before replying, "Jeremy."

"Well, Jeremy, I'm Macey, and this is my brother, Mike."

"It's certainly a pleasure to finally get acquainted with you two," Jeremy replied. "Thank you for this, by the way."

"No problem," Macey replied as she started up the car.

On one hand, I'm a little scared of a homeless man being with us, only because I don't really know him, but on the other hand, the thought of Carmen blowing a gasket at the realization that a hobo was in her car is just priceless.

Well, we may not be too much closer to figuring out what's going on with the fires, nor am I closer to figuring out the situation with Jamie, but if Macey's act of kindness is enough to make her happy, then I guess I can't complain too much.

Still, we don't have much time before the weekend ends and we have to head home. I just hope I get answers soon.