3. Ghost in the Machine

Complete story — includes the ending

Melinda watches Ned playing a computer game, and notices one of the Avatars staring directly at her. He appears in her shop, making her realise she has pulled him out of the game. She realises he is a ghost who appears as his Avatar because that is how he remembers himself. He died whilst playing the game. After realising that this Ghost/Avatar,'Phoenix', is usually hanging around with a teenage girl in the game, Mel, Ned and Eli suspect that he is a Predator, and proceed to try to catch him. Melinda sets up an Avatar and enters the game, and eventually discovers that 'Phoenix' is the girl's father, and is actually trying to protect his daughter from the real Predator, whom they then must work together to catch.