"One day soon," he muttered, "they'll build him a mushroom he'll never see the end of. Sandwich? Anything?" "No." She took the warm plastic cup and sipped. It was bad coffee. Far below, a snort of traffic echoed down First Avenue. "I've only been here once before. I'm a bit lower-echelon for the Administrative roof." "Who isn't?" She looked past the white-on-red Emergency Exit sign to a wrought-iron gate in the hedge facing the river. "Look, the Silvertongue factory is all lit up. Every single window on the top floor." "I should think so. You mean you don't _know_?" "Know what?" "My heavens, the fate of man's grasp on reality is being decided tonight! Congress was still in special session at five A.M.--still is, as far as I know." "Session over what? Don't tell me the bombs have started." "Visual interference by radio wave compression. Yesterday the Royalty called an immediate special session. There is at present _no law_ to prevent the Christian E. Lodge Corporation from buying the right to tamper with light waves in the home, for advertising purposes or--God knows what other kinds of control." "I didn't know. I was on duty with Mr. Barger and then no one told me." "Barger was against it," said Dr. Brooks. "He sold them the device with a set of conditions on its use, but now they're buying the patent outright." "But--don't they have to wait for him? Barger Electronics is his company." "No. He's chairman of the board, but any three or more directors can sell the patent. Once it's sold, there will be nothing Congress can do." "Why?" asked Miss Knox, staring out over the water. Some of the Silvertongue windows had winked out. The others vanished together, leaving only a pale vertical row to mark the fire stairs. Three bells sounded. "Your attention please!"--a piping male voice. Brooks said, "I'll bet it's the Director himself." "In a moment," shrilled the voice, "we will tune in the broadcast direct from Washington so that all personnel can hear history in the making. After the congressional vote, Dr. Hamilton, our director, will honor us with a few words here in the hospital, which he will repeat later for the benefit of the day shift." There was a ringing tone, growling in volume like the approach of motorskates. "I told you," Brooks shouted over the noise. "His family has stock in Silvertongue." "... been informed that a purchase has been completed of full rights to the Barger Radiocompressor. I warn you that this device will be used indiscriminately against the public interest." The voice was strong but unsteady. "Barger engineers have been withdrawn. There are no controls--" "Too late," said Brooks. "That's Thorpe of Louisiana."