V: Pivots — Chapter 3

Summary

• The team at Unfair Games, including Sam, Sadie and Marx, have worked tirelessly to transform the game 'Mapletown' into a new MMORPG called 'Mapleworld' or 'Mapleworld Experience', despite the difficulties brought about by the 9/11 terrorist attacks.
• As the servers are launched, Sam catches Sadie removing a stray eyelash from Marx's face. He realizes that Sadie and Marx, who had been missing during the launch, are in love.
• Sam is devastated by this discovery as he is also in love with Sadie. He imagines what their future together could have been like, feeling regret and heartbreak. He acknowledges his own faults and limitations.
• Sadie and Marx ask if they've missed the server launch, and Sam calmly tells them they didn't miss anything. He then leaves to drive back home to his dog Tuesday who he’s left with his grandparents while he was at work.
• On the way home, Sam recalls how he found Tuesday, suspected to be a coyote at the dog park due to her appearance and how another woman mistook her for a coyote thus spreading a panic in the park. Sam had ended up in a heated argument with her leading to realization that he was ready to get back to work.
• Once home, he bursts into tears and his grandparent Dong Hyun consoles him, advising him that he may still be able to maintain a lasting friendship with Sadie. Sam sees that Marx had left him a message—he is needed back at work for the Mapleworld launch.
• On his way back to work, Sam spots a curious and unnamed dirt road with a sign bearing a symbol he interprets as “therefore.” He decides to try out the new path.