Chapter Eight Summary

Mr. Hosokawa and General Benjamin play chess together for hours. Both of them play very similar strategies and their games last for hours, trading wins. They only have two observers that pay true attention: Roxane and Ishmael. Through hours of watching, Ishmael teaches himself the game and finally gets the courage to ask General Benjamin if he can play the winner or loser of the next game. General Benjamin is surprised, but respects that he has just taught himself the game and allows him the next game against Mr. Hosokawa.

Messner comes to visit and, yet again, try to urge the terrorists to give up. Again, he finds himself oddly jealous of the hostages and their ability to stay with Roxane for extended periods of time. Unlike any other hostage situation, Messner realizes that he does not care who wins this...