The Game - 3. Chapter 3

“Do you think he’s alright?”

“I’m certain of it.”

“How can you be so sure?”

“Because he’s the end player and so they need him.”

“But.....”

“Look Annie, the end player is the end player. Whoever wins he has to be the one who makes the final move. Without him the game can’t end and the other side want to see it through to the end as much as we do.”

“But it isn’t a game. Not any more. Maybe it was in the beginning but it isn’t a game any more, at least not for Adam.”

“They may not have him.”

“Then where is he? It’s been three days. If he is free to come back why doesn’t he?”

“I can’t answer that.”

“You don’t seem too concerned about it.”

“I told you, he is the end player. He has to come eventually, to end the game.”

“How did we ever get involved in this stupid game in the first place?”

“You were just lucky I guess.”

“Lucky? Tell me truthfully Simon.... would they hurt him?”

“They might.”

“But you said he would be alright.”

“Yes. I said he would be alright. I didn’t say they wouldn’t hurt him. They have to make sure he stays alive but beyond that...... and they will try to stall the game because they are behind. They will stall as long as possible, for years if they can. Now that an end player has been appointed it’s a race to the end and they are going to want to win. At the moment they can’t so they will want to delay, delay, delay.... and that means keeping Adam, and the others on ice. Don’t forget Adam is not the only one of us who has gone missing in the last few months. He’ll have company.”

“That doesn’t make things okay.”

“No, it doesn’t. But this isn’t just about Adam, and it isn’t even about any of them. This is about the game and winning it.”

“Then it is about Adam. He’s the only one who can.”

Simon grinned at her. “What is it with you and Adam? There’s nothing going on between you is there? That would not be a good idea.”

“A good idea? You mean it might get in the way of your precious game. No, there is nothing going on between us... not in the way you are thinking. But I do care about him..... a lot. He is.... he is..... different, more.... He’s special.”

“Of course he is, he’s the end player.”

“Oh to hell with that. To hell with the end game. To hell with the game. This is about someone being kidnapped and held against their will. This is about someone in danger, at risk of harm. We have to go to the police.”

“We can’t.”

“Why not?”

“Because involving the authorities is against the rules.”

“To hell with the rules. Isn’t kidnapping and torture against the rules?”

“Actually, no. As long as it is kept private anything goes. If one side finds out about a move of the other then they can nullify it.”

“What exactly does that mean?”

“It means that if we find where they are holding our people, what they are doing to them or with them, then they have to stop.”

“Then we have to find them.”

“Do you think that we are not trying?”

“I don’t know, are you?”

“We are.”

“Oh. Please try harder. Please find Adam. Adam couldn’t cope with this. Adam will be so afraid. He is not brave and strong like you, like the rest of you.”

“I think you are being unfair to him. I think he can cope with a lot more than you give him credit for. I think he is braver and stronger than you know.”

“Why? Why would you think that? You don’t know him, you don’t know him at all.”

“ Because he is the end player.... he is going to have to be.”