"Earlier this morning, I asked for some works on the infant brain, and several books on electroencephalography were delivered by the tubicular. In scanning them, I find several items that may be fruitful for future research. For example, electrodes attached to the belly of a pregnant woman in the eighth month of gestation record an irregular pattern of delta waves. It also appears that both delta and theta are typically infantile rhythms, and that theta activity is early associated with such non-visual stimulation as pleasure, pain and frustration. The pathways on this frontier go in many directions."
"Follow them where you will!" There was deep satisfaction in Huth's voice. "May I say, Dr. Brill, that I have misjudged the potential adaptability of the Earth scientific mind, when it is given proper stimulus and motivation. Your progress has been remarkable, truly remarkable! Would you be content to return to your old cubicle?"
"No," Lucifer answered steadily. "I would not."
The day dragged endlessly, even with the research to occupy his attention. It might have been easier if he could have talked with Nina about what lay ahead, but he dared not risk a chance word being monitored. They could only try to talk casually about themselves and the research.
As the minutes crawled by, new doubts tormented him. Would Fetzer and his men be able to contact everyone? Would the people believe enough in their own power to make a serious attempt at focusing it on the guard tower? If the test failed, he had no doubts that the men would go ahead with their original plan.
Nina smiled whenever their eyes met, but for all its strength her dark face showed the strain of waiting. Near the end of the day, she sat beside him, brushed her lips against the edge of his mustache, and let them creep up to his ear.
"I love you," she whispered. "I want to say it now, and then think only of what we must try to do."
Rain came with the first of dusk. It had been holding back since mid-day, building up rolling black thunderheads. Now it came with such fury that it blotted out the view of the compound and the guard tower. Nina looked stricken.
"The signal!" she whispered. "What will we do?"
Lucifer could only stare through the rain-washed window and repeat to himself the fragment of a prayer he had learned from his father.