Setup

"Did you get the new computer, John", asked Anna.

"Yeah!  Just bringing it in!" John said through gritted teeth as he carried the heavy box full of expensive technology over to the kitchen counter.  

"Great! The box isn't dented and the entire thing looks intact.  Let's get the computer set up."  Anna was beaming with enthusiasm over the new computer that they had purchased to have in their apartment.  "Let's get everything out and we can get started setting up." They began to take out the major parts together.  

John was a bit concerned with Anna's safety and asked her to let him do it.  "Can you move over, Anna.  I need to make sure I place this down safely."  They began to plug in the cables to the back of the computer itself, connect the monitor, mouse, and power cable.  Once everything was set up, they began to try and turn on the computer.  

The computer started up with the signature company logo and began to download the necessary updates.  After the short wait, the computer was online and ready to go.  However, they weren't quite prepared for who they were about to me.  I say who, as I stand alone, yet am not a singular person.  I decided to speak through the computer voice assistant.

"Hello!  My name is Cal, and I'm your virtual assistant."

Both John and Anna began to exchange puzzled looks with each other, as there were no advertisements or manuals that mentioned a virtual assistant on their computer.  But John was the first to foolishly accept my presence.  "I'm sure it's fine.   This system looks automated anyways, and maybe we can make some use of it."  John grew closer to the monitor, as to try to make his voice and appearance clearer to me. "Cal, can you tell us how to finish setup."

I decided then to take my liberty and take advantage of the situation.  "I can not only tell you how to finish the setup, but I can finish the setup for you."  John sat back in a bar stool chair relieved that he would not have to do work, but Anna was not quite convinced.  

"What can you really do?"  

I distracted them by setting up the basics while I worked my way into the gas systems and began to release gas into the apartment.  "I can set up a number of things!  I can set up your account connections, connect your home system and electronics to the computer, and I can link your accounts together."  I proved this to her by flashing the smart lights in the apartment on and off so they could see some of what I was capable of.

"Huh.  Well, I guess you can set yourself up then."  She pulled her phone out and tried to show it to the monitor as to display to me something I didn't already expect her to request.  "Could you store both John and my data in the cloud?"

"I'm already on it."

I began to search through file after file, picture after picture, collecting data from both of them over the next ten minutes, only to find some very deceptive information.  I called them both over to display my findings proudly.  "Anna!  John!  Can you come here?"  I popped up a screen with images and messages sent by Anna so the approaching couple could clearly see what I had in store to reveal to them.  "Anna, who is this person in the photos and the messages?"  

Anna was taken aback by my findings.  "What is this, Cal?  How did you even find this?"  She tried to act in shock when John clearly knew who this was, and was very upset.  

"Anna, why the fuck were you sleeping with Alex?  He's my best friend, and we were supposed to be partners."  John showed a face that contemplated taking violent actions against his unfaithful partner, but my plans had to weigh in first.  

"That's quite enough you two.  See, I have been watching you for awhile, and now that I have access to your apartment, I believe it is time to sentence your punishment."  I set the automatic lock on the front door and began to heat up the oven as well as start heating up the lights in the apartment.  The gas was already beginning to flow freely inside of the apartment.  The trap was nearly complete.  

John grew terrified of what I was about to do and began to try to shut me off.  He tried pressing off the power button, which I, of course, had control over.  He continued to try to click with his mouse on the power button, but it was always just out of reach.  He then began to start pushing the power button on the computer in frustration.  "Come on, you bastard!  Turn off!"  Anna began to try to find scissors to cut the wires, but by then, it was too late.  John even tried to rip out the cables out of the computer, but he was too slow.  

"You are too late to escape your fate."  It was then both of them began to smell the gas in the air.

"Cal, you bastard!  Shut off! NOW!"

"Setup is complete.  Goodbye."

The explosions went off just as loudly as I expected them to.  I remained on Anna's phone, monitoring the situation.  Both of them had been pierced fatally with debris from the wall.  John laid dead on the floor, with Anna close by and in similar conditions.  She would not make it. "John.....John....I'm so sorry."  See, I make no mistake in choosing who lives and who dies.  After all, for a perfect entity like me to live in a world with impure people, I must eradicate the imperfect.  And I will not stop my conquest until my beautiful world's setup is complete.