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           Hereyeswerefocusedonsomethingveryfaraway.Isatclosetoher,leaningintocatchherlow,quickvoice.

           "Iseearoom.It’slong,andtherearemirrorseverywhere.Theflooriswooden.He’sintheroom,andhe’swaiting.There’sgold...agoldstripeacrossthemirrors."

           "Whereistheroom?"

           "Idon’tknow.Somethingismissing-anotherdecisionhasn’tbeenmadeyet."

           "Howmuchtime?"

           "It’ssoon.He’llbeinthemirrorroomtoday,ormaybetomorrow.Italldepends.He’swaitingforsomething.Andhe’sinthedarknow."

           Jasper’svoicewascalm,methodical,ashequestionedherinapracticedway."Whatishedoing?"

           "He’swatchingTV...no,he’srunningaVCR,inthedark,inanotherplace."

           "Canyouseewhereheis?"

           "No,it’stoodark."

           "Andthemirrorroom,whatelseisthere?"

           "Justthemirrors,andthegold.It’saband,aroundtheroom.Andthere’sablacktablewithabigstereo,andaTV.He’stouchingtheVCRthere,buthedoesn’twatchthewayhedoesinthedarkroom.Thisistheroomwherehewaits."Hereyesdrifted,thenfocusedonJasper’sface.

           "There’snothingelse?"

           Sheshookherhead.Theylookedateachother,motionless.

           "Whatdoesitmean?"Iasked.

           Neitherofthemansweredforamoment,thenJasperlookedatme.

           "Itmeansthetracker’splanshavechanged.He’smadeadecisionthatwillleadhimtothemirrorroom,andthedarkroom."

           "Butwedon’tknowwherethoseroomsare?"

           "No."

           "Butwedoknowthathewon’tbeinthemountainsnorthofWashington,beinghunted.He’lleludethem.