The Game - 14. Chapter 14

“It’s been two weeks. Surely you must have something, some clue... something.”

“Annie, if I had anything I would tell you. I know how obsessed you are.”

“Obsessed? Yes, I suppose I am. I .... “

“Annie, you’re burning out. You can’t go on like this and I need you on top form. We are getting close to the end and you have to be up to it. I want you shut down for at least a day.”

“I will Simon, soon, I promise.”

“Not soon, now. If you won’t do it willingly I will have you shut down, drugged if necessary. I need you fully functioning Annie and at the moment you are so tired you are not even at half speed.”

“Give me one more day. Please Simon. Just one more day. I know he’s trying. I can sense it. I can feel that he is getting stronger. There was almost contact yesterday. I felt him, I sensed him and then they shut him down again. But he is fighting, I know it. I don’t want him to reach out and find no one here.”

“There won’t be no one here Annie. I have told you a hundred times that there are other psi’s who can pick him up.”

“Not like I can. He needs a familiar touch, something to draw him. Please Simon, one more day.”

“Twenty four hours, that’s it. After that you shut down for at least a day, either willingly or I do it for you.”

“Alright. I understand.”

“Yes, I know you do. I still don’t understand why this is so important to you, why he means so much to you. There are eight players missing now. Why are you so obsessed with just one? Why Adam? You were friends with them all, well most of them.” Annie hesitated, pondering. “You say there is nothing between you... so then what?”

“I don’t think that’s entirely true. I mean we’re not.... we don’t... There’s no ‘relationship’ in the way you mean but he is... we are.... there is just something. I know I’m not making sense. It’s complicated. I love Adam. I love him with all my heart. If there was the slightest chance that we could be .... more than friends I would jump at it, but it’s not possible and so I just have to be satisfied with friendship.... except, for me it has never been just friendship. The truth is Simon, I’m in love with him, have been since the moment we met, the first time I looked into his eyes.”

“Then why did you tell me there was nothing?”

“I didn’t. I said there was nothing between us and there isn’t. This is wholly one way and Adam has no idea. It would horrify him.”

“Horrify?”

“Yes. He thinks he’s safe with me, that he can be wholly himself without having to worry about complications, and I want that to be true; he needs it to be true.”

“This just gets better and better.”

“It doesn’t make any difference Simon. It won’t stop me doing my job.”

“I could do without complications at this stage. The end game has begun.”

“What?”

“I was made aware of it last night. The head players from both sides have come together for the last push.”

“Why didn’t you tell me?”

“I’m telling you now.”

“What does this mean for Adam?”

“I don’t know. It depends what they have done with him. One thing is for sure. They are going to be pulling out all the stops to make sure that he does not communicate with us and we do not find out where he is and what’s happening to him.”

“Why?”

“Because as soon as we find him they have to give him back and with the end so close they cannot afford for that to happen. If we get Adam back it is pretty much certain that we win.”

“So you should be doing everything you can to get him back, throwing everything you’ve got into it.”

“Who says I am not?”

“Are you?”

“As end player there is no one more important to the game than Adam. I would be foolish if I didn’t devote all my energies to securing him for the team.”

“You’re a fucking piece of work. I hate myself for having brought Adam into this.”

“Don’t fool yourself. That had nothing to do with you. The end player is chosen before the game begins. Adam could not have escaped this no matter what you did or didn’t do.”

“I still don’t understand why he has not been missed. Someone so high profile must have been missed by someone. I have been watching the news and no one has reported him missing, no one has said anything about him since he disappeared. There is no way that no one has noticed he is gone.”

“No. They have noticed. Fortunately there are enough influential players to ensure..... discretion.”

“A cover up you mean.”

“Whatever you say Annie. Adam will be found eventually, you can count on it.”

“I don’t doubt it but what I am more concerned about is what happens after. I want to be sure that Adam is going to be alright.”

“The best way you can do that is help the game along to its end. The sooner the game ends the less time Adam will spend in the hands of the enemy.”

“I am afraid that you are right. I am afraid that it has already been too long.”

“You have twenty four hours Annie, after that you rest. Understood?”

“Understood.”