He entered Bloomingdale’s and found the department store sparsely peopled — a little depressing, actually. Good; he despised the American shopping scene anyway. It reminded him of Lucy and her brood. He walked at a leisurely pace through the men’s clothing section. He picked up a few overpriced Ralph Lauren Polo sport shirts, then two pairs of dark trousers.

He draped a black Giorgio Armani suit over his arm and took the bundle into the changing rooms. At a security desk inside, he handed the clothes to an attendant on duty, posted there to curtail shoplifters, no doubt.

“Changed my mind,” he said.

“That’s not a problem, sir.”

Shafer then jogged down a narrow corridor that led to a rear exit. He sprinted toward the glass doors and burst through them into a parking lot in back. He saw signs for Bruno Cipriani and Lord & Taylor and knew he was headed in the right direction.

A Ford Taurus was parked there near the F pole. Shafer jumped inside, started it, and drove up the Rockville Pike to Montrose Crossing, a little over a mile away.

He didn’t think anyone was following him now. He passed Montrose and went north to the Federal Plaza shopping center. Once there, he entered the Cyber Exchange, which sold new and used software and lots of computers.

His eyes darted left and right until he saw exactly what he needed.

“I’d like to try out the new iMac,” he told the salesperson who approached him.

“Be my guest. You need any assistance, holler,” the sales-person said. “It’s easy.”

“Yes, I think I’m fine. I’ll call if I get stuck. I’m pretty sure I’m going to buy the iMac, though.”

“Excellent choice.”

“Yes. Excellent, excellent.”

The lazy clerk left him alone, and Shafer immediately booted up. The display model was connected on-line. He felt a rush of manic excitement, but also a tinge of sadness as he typed in his message to the other players. He’d thought this through and knew what had to be said, what had to be done.

GREETINGS AND SALUTATIONS. THIS GLORIOUS AND UNPRECEDENTED ADVENTURE OF EIGHT YEARS, THE FOUR HORSEMEN, IS NEARLY AT AN END NOW. YOU HAVE STATED YOUR CASE VERY LOGICALLY, AND I ACCEPT THE REGRETTABLE CONCLUSION YOU’VE REACHED. THE GAME HAS BECOME TOO DANGEROUS. SO I PROPOSE THAT WE CREATE AN UNFORGETTABLE ENDING. I BELIEVE THAT A FACE-TO-FACE MEETING IS A FITTING END. IT’S THE ONLY CONCLUSION THAT I CAN ACCEPT.

THIS WAS INEVITABLE, I SUPPOSE, AND WE HAVE DISCUSSED IT MANY TIMES BEFORE. YOU KNOW WHERE THE GAME ENDS. I PROPOSE THAT WE START PLAY ON THURSDAY. TRUST ME, I WILL BE THERE FOR THE GRAND FINALE. IF NECESSARY, I CAN BEGIN THE GAME WITHOUT YOU. DON’T MAKE ME DO THAT …. DEATH.

Chapter 108