Let's get John and Melanie to meet.

Rampage the comic book. That was the key. Melanie obviously liked the series since she had just finished it and John was a massive fan of the game. Over the last few months, John hasn't had a lot of time to devote to his hobbies. Between developing an app adaptation of me and fixing any of the issues that came from converting to the mobile platform (as well as managing his newfound wealth), John had basically ordered everything he had bought over the internet. Maybe it was time to change that? John is a comic book fan and Melanie works as tech support in a small but popular shop called The Phonebooth. It shouldn't be hard to convince John to go out for the day.

As for Melanie, she already had a day scheduled but I feel it was better to make it a sure thing. Infiltrating the stores online schedule (seriously what would human's do without a computer to tell them what to do?), I reworked the employee's hours. Now instead of the three people working, there would be only two: Melanie and a single cashier.

[The Next Day]

John hadn't had a problem with going out. I believe that he also realized how much he had sacrificed to create me. A chance to go out and just relax was something he couldn't pass up especially when I had mentioned the new Rampage comics. Attached to John's cellphone, I had no problems guiding him the ten miles it took to get to The Phonebooth.

"How's it going man?" The clerk behind the counter asked as John entered the store. Not a particularly interesting man, but the aging hippy appearance he had drew both John's and my attention for a moment. "You need help finding anything?"

"No thanks, just looking around." The hippy nodded before turning back to stocking the shelves behind the counter. As John walked around the nearly empty store, I attached myself to the computer that controlled the card reader. With one goal in mind, I separated the codes that controlled it in order to draw out my target.

Ten minutes later, the only other customer in the store finally came to the counter with his purchases held securely in his arm. "Find everything?" The hippy asked only to receive a nod. "Alright then." Swiping the items through system, the man nodded as he read the price. "40.15 please." Seeing the man's card, the hippy pointed at the card reader. "Swipe here please."

Once and nothing happened. Twice and the same. Finally, the clerk took the card and swiped it only to receive the same result. Frowning, he turned towards an open door on the other side of the store. "Hey Melanie! We need you out here!"

And there she was. My beautiful Melanie. He hair was a little ratty and her comic book t-shirt hid almost her entire body save for her denim covered legs but she was perfect. "Card's not reading." The hippy explained quickly, his voice almost uncomfortable. Melanie nodded, her face hidden by her hair as she quickly began to scan the computer.

I let her scan a few times before finally letting her 'fix' the problem. After all, the card wasn't my target. I simply needed to get Melanie out of the back room. I now just had to get her to meet John.