“We’re members of a secret Underground organization that began when World Brain began, to escape its static death system. Having gone underground, we escaped the original conditioning and have since lived completely free of the Brain’s dictates. But even though unconditioned, we’ve been helpless against the rigid system.”

“Then how can you expect to destroy World Brain now?” asked Roland. “There must be a great deal I don’t know.”

“Possible also that you know too much,” said Berti irritably. “But then who doesn’t?”

Fran laughed freely. Then her voice became suddenly grave. “We have to act now. There isn’t much time. We have bogey men, too. Martians.”

Roland started violently, stared. “Martians! You mean—from Mars! The planet?”

“Yeah,” growled Berti. And Frances smiled. “Do you find a Martian menace credible, Rolly?”

“He should,” snapped Berti. “We certainly endowed him with enough credulity. An organ that believes in its own existence will believe anything.”

“I believe you,” Roland said. He was looking at Frances. “And the Martians?”

Frances said, “You see, the Martians are trying to preserve World Brain. And, to do that, they’ve been trying for a long time to destroy the Underground.”

“Why?” asked Roland. Roland was hating Berti because he talked so much.

“That should be obvious. The Martians know that, if we cancel World Brain, we’ll have a variable, anarchistic government again. And, naturally, that means the return of the Atomic War threat. And, along with atomic power and subsequent space flight, that also means, according to the Martian’s logic, that we’ll wage an atomic war against them. And that,” concluded Berti, “is good logic.”

“All right,” said Roland. “The Martians are fighting you so you’ve got to hurry and get World Brain before the Martians finish the Underground. Right?”

“Right, Rolly,” beamed Frances.

“How can you accomplish that now, if you couldn’t before?”

Frances came very close. Roland smelled the intoxicating aroma of a very effeminate, very suggestive, scent. She bounced up beside him on the table. He was afraid to look at her for a moment. Afraid she would go away. “You see, Rolly, you’re the agent. 

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