* * * * * They drank their toast in silence. Scriven then turned to the girl: "Apperception center 36," he said. "Yes, I think 36 will be the best. Get in touch with Operations, Oona. Tell them I want 36 cleared for the exclusive use of Dr. Lee. Call Experimental; I want the whole batch of "_Ant-termes-pacificus_" transferred to Apperception 36 by tomorrow morning. Then--no, today is too late and Dr. Lee is tired, he needs rest--but tomorrow at 8 A.M. I want a car for him to go over to The Brain. Would that suit you, Lee?" "Fine; but why a car? It's only a few steps...." He stopped, confused by the hearty laughter in the wake of his words. "It's quite a few steps, Dr. Lee." Oona said, "you would be _very_ tired before you got there; chances are that your feet wouldn't carry you that far." "But this is the Brain Trust Building," he stammered. "It is," Scriven answered, "but it houses only part of the administration, not The Brain. You wouldn't expect us to place a thing of such vital strategic importance in a skyscraper on a wide open plain as a landmark for every enemy?" "No, I guess not." Lee said. "But since I'm briefed to go there, where is it?" "That," Scriven frowned, "is a very reasonable and a simple question. Unfortunately, _I do not know_." Lee felt a wave of red anger; it rose into his cheeks because he saw the sparks of frank amusement dancing in Oona Dahlborg's eyes. He opened his mouth to some bitter remark about this hoax when Scriven put a restraining hand upon his arm. "This is no joke, Lee. I have planned The Brain, have in part designed it, seen it under construction for the past ten years, managed its affairs--but I don't know where it is and that's a fact." He led his speechless guest to a lookout on the west side of the room. Beyond the lush, green oasis of Cephalon the desert stretched unbroken till on the far horizon the mountains of the High Sierra rose in a blue haze of scorching sun. His hand moved sweepingly from north to south. "Over there," he said, "somewhere inside those mountains; that's where it is. But its location? Your guess is as good as mine. Take your choice of any of the mountains, attach a name to it; I've done so myself. One of them must be "The Cranium", but the question remains: which? There are people who know, of course; military intelligence, the general staff; but that," he shrugged his shoulders, "... isn't my department." CHAPTER III The Brain Trust car which took Lee out of Cephalon was a normal-looking limousine, a rear-engined teardrop like all the "60" models, slotted for the insertion of wings which most of the garages now kept in stock and rented at a small charge for cross-country hops. The only non-standard feature seemed to be the polaroid glass windows which were provided all around and not only in front.