Cracker, not having much of a social life, tends to spend most of her time on the computer, generally forums about the most awesomest television show ever but also some other sites (not dirty ones mind you get your mind out of the gutter). She's incredibly frustrated and wants someone to open up to but obviously telling somebody online who she is is pretty ******** stupid since 1) nobody likes the supervillain known as the Cracker and 2) people will just think she's insane. Despite the veil of anonymity that the virtual world provides, Sheryl is still afraid of being found out for what she is.

Altair is interested in metahumans. He considers them superior to the average human being. But with the exception of Blink, he doesn't really get to talk to many of them. Yet he wants to know more. Going out and talking to them obviously isn't too easy, so he's gotta reach out to them in a different manner. Some metahumans can't be talked to so easily. Some are secretive, paranoid, etc. Most probably would rather die than reveal their true identities. He's gotta find somebody simple, somebody who wants to talk about it. Sheryl fits the profile. So she's the first experiment.

Altair's known about the Cracker for a while. He figured out her true identity soon after her debut. Unused to being a superhero she made mistakes and left a trail that anybody with a brain and sufficient interest could follow... and Altair had more than enough of both.