Атлант расправил плечи
The Generator
Tonight,thesquadhadbeenaugmentedtosixteen,summonedforemergencydutybyalong-distancetelephonecallfromNewYork.Theguards,aswellasallotheremployeesof"ProjectF,"hadbeencarefullychosenonthebasisofasinglequalification:anunlimitedcapacityforobedience.
Thesixteenwerestationedforthenightoutsidethestructureandinthedesertedlaboratoriesabovetheground,wheretheyremaineduncriticallyonduty,withnocuriosityaboutanythingthatmightbetakingplacebelow.
Inthecellarroom,undertheground,Dr.Ferris,WesleyMouchandJamesTaggartsatinarmchairslinedupagainstonewall.Amachinethatlookedlikeasmallcabinetofirregularshapestoodinacorneracrossfromthem.Itsfaceborerowsofglassdials,eachdialmarkedbyasegmentofred,asquarescreenthatlookedlikeanamplifier,rowsofnumbers,rowsofwoodenknobsandplasticbuttons,asinglelevercontrollingaswitchatonesideandasingleredglassbuttonattheother.Thefaceofthemachineseemedtohavemoreexpressionthanthefaceofthemechanicinchargeofit;hewasahuskyyoungmaninasweat-stainedshirtwithsleevesrolledabovetheelbows;hispaleblueeyeswereglazedbyanenormouslyconscientiousconcentrationonhistask;hemovedhislipsonceinawhile,asifrecitingamemorizedlesson.
Ashortwireledfromthemachinetoanelectricstoragebatterybehindit.
