Jack London

The Game Illustrated Jack London

Nicholas Van Orton, a wealthy investment banker, is estranged from his ex-wife and his younger brother, Conrad. He is haunted by having seen his father commit suicide on his father's 48th birthday. For Nicholas's own 48th birthday, Conrad presents Nicholas with an unusual gift-a voucher for a game offered by a company called Consumer Recreation Services (CRS). Conrad promises that it will change his life. Nicholas has doubts about CRS, but he meets fellow bankers who enjoyed the game. He goes to the CRS offices to apply and is irritated by the lengthy and time-consuming series of psychological and physical examinations required. He is later informed that his application has been rejected. Soon Nicholas begins to believe that his business, reputation, finances, and safety are at risk. He encounters a waitress, Christine, who appears to have been endangered by the game. Nicholas contacts the police, but they find the CRS offices abandoned. Eventually, Conrad appears at Nicholas's house and apologizes, claiming he has come under attack by CRS. With no one else to turn to, Nicholas finds Christine's home. He discovers she is a CRS employee and her apartment was fake. Christine says they are being watched. Nicholas attacks a camera, and armed CRS personnel swarm the house and fire upon them. Nicholas and Christine flee. Christine tells him CRS has drained his bank accounts using the psychological tests to guess his passwords. Panicking, Nicholas calls his bank, gives a verification code and is told his balance is zero. He realizes she has drugged him. As he loses consciousness, she admits she is part of the scam and he made a fatal mistake saying his verification code.