POV: John, the first
Date: August 5, 1994
Time: 2:30 PM

I guess it's only reasonable that those two would go have a play date, since I am the only one here doing any work. I don't pretend to know what they're going to end up doing all day, but I dropped them off at the mall and drove away. They can walk, or take a bus, wherever they're going after that. Me, I'm going to go get some sleep. I haven't gotten any in... oh, more than twenty-four hours at least.

Or I would have gotten some sleep, if a card hadn't flown in through the window and landed on the steering wheel of the car. I knew which card it was right away, of course. There's only one of my cards, and I know my cards when I see them, but there's only one that I didn't have on me at that moment. The one I had stuck on Melanie Angel's hat early this morning. I wanted to test something, and it looks like it worked. She sent the card to me. I know this because I sure didn't call it back, and here it is.

Now, I was experimenting with the cards, and this was it. I wanted to see how they would respond to more complex commands, and either it failed or it succeeded. The way to find out which it is would be to go talk to Melanie. I told the card to stay with her no matter what, except for in the case where she wants to see me, in which case it was to come back to me. So if I get there and she wanted to see me, then it worked, and I can start giving these things some really interesting commands.

I hold the card up and, just before I was going to flick it into the air, I decide to take a different approach. I put the card on the steering wheel, wrapping it around just a bit. "Okay, now you steer. And please don't break any laws on the way." I presume their connection to me, somehow they know my mind, and the card won't be any more or less careful than I would be.

I put my foot on the gas and let the card steer. It was surprisingly controlled, which is a very good sign. So much so that there really wasn't anything of note the whole way. It pulled into a parking spot and I put the car in park. Taking the card off the steering wheel, I held it and let it pull me in the direction I needed to go. I wasn't running, but I was walking with a purpose for sure, keeping up a steep pace.

It hadn't escaped me that I was back at the casino owned by Melanie's father, which made sense since she was supposed to be there all the time always. But if she wanted me to come to her, I would assume it was because she needed help with something. What, I don't know, but if it's something here, then I'm suddenly a lot more skeptical about this whole thing. She was acting a little... seductive, this morning. I'd hate to have come all this way only to have to leave again right away.

I walked up to the front door and found that the casino was locked and empty. Supposedly empty, at least, but I know at least one person is in the building. Well, I'm not about to let some glass doors keep me out. I slid the Four of Spades between the doors up and the top and swiped it down like a card reader, except it was just the doors and no reader, however it did cut through the lock pretty easily. Have I mentioned how much I like my cards, in spite of how irritating it is not knowing how they do what they do?

Inside the casino, it was truly empty of life. There were no people anywhere at all. Good thing too, cause I wouldn't want them to have seen me break in. Still, no movement, no music, no bright lights, nothing at all. Even when a casino like this is having the day off, there should be some security or janitors around. Something, anything, would make sense. Nothing at all? That's all kinds of odd.

As I walked through the empty building, nearer the back I could hear something. Somewhere back here, there were people talking. The closer I got, the more I realized it sounded like quite a few people, laughing and cheering. And as I got even closer, it began to sound more and more like mocking and jeering. That didn't sit right with me, so I decided that was where I should be headed. The card seemed to agree, so I put it up my sleeve.

Finally, I reached the hallway. Down the hall, I could see an open door, and that was definitely where the noise was coming from. It was time to step in and see what the fuss was all about. I'm pretty good at imposing myself on others, and it sounds like this is a prime opportunity to do it for the greater good.

Just as I got to the door and went to enter the room, Melanie slammed into me. She's pretty light, so it didn't cause me any trouble, and I was able to catch her and keep her from falling down.

She looked up at me, looking both surprised and relieved to see me. "John. You came."

"It seemed like a good idea at the time." Now to see if it really was. Let's see, Melanie looks busted up, so that's a negative probably. Her clothes are torn in several places, like a wild animal had clawed at her. Cuts and bruises, but none of them look too bad on their own. Add them all up, though, and it's starting to be a concern. I looked into the room to see who had done this to her.

Mr. Angel looked only mildly bothered at my appearance. He let out a sigh. "Mr. Smith... John. I'm sorry you had to see this." What even is this? What the hell is all of this I'm seeing in this room? He continued. "Please understand that I would have preferred not to do this, but I cannot allow you to leave alive."

Oh, that's how it is. Well, allow me to retort. I dropped Melanie like a sack of potatoes and took out my deck of cards. "I wouldn't be so worried about me, if I were you."