Part 2

"There's no trace of them. They got away, Alan. We held them off, but they've taken Nancy with them!"

Professor Corbett put his arm around Dan's shoulder. His eyes filled with tears and he gripped Dan tightly. For a few seconds neither of them spoke and then Professor Corbett turned to Dan.

"We'd better go back to the house."

The two men turned and walked slowly back to the farmhouse where the others still battled the fire.

* * * * *

Lisa and Brant walked down the street toward the Playground.

"Benton liked your script for the Council show, Brant," Lisa said as they walked along.

"It was a hard card to handle, I'll tell you," Brant said. "No one actually knows anything about the Council. We don't even know how many members there are. It was hard trying to get enough information to fill the show time, so I just reworked the old stories about the Council and added a few new ones."

Lisa slipped her arm through Brant's. "I'm proud of you, honey. It must have been good to set Benton hopping like that. What'd you put in it?"

"Just said the Council was Dreamtown's protector, provider and producer. Said the same thing twenty times in twenty different ways; but didn't answer any of the real questions about the Council."

"No one asks any questions, Brant. Who cares how many men are on the Council or how they operate? So long as we have our flip food and parties--who cares? You worry too much."

Brant laughed and patted Lisa's hand. "You're right. Jennings worried too much and look what happened to him!"

They continued down the street, standing aside once as a group of Watchers in semi-military formation passed them. As they turned a corner they saw the solid red wall that surrounded the Playground rising in the distance.

"Will you be able to get the information you want here, Brant?" Lisa asked.

"If they let us in," he replied.

"I've never been in the Playground before, have you?" Lisa asked.

"Once. A long time ago when it was first put into operation, but they say things have changed a lot since then," Brant replied.

A Watcher halted them as they approached the gate. Brant explained about coming to gather material for the forthcoming Playground Festival show and displayed his official Sensory Communications card. The Watcher directed them to wait and stepped into a booth at one side of the gate. Brant and Lisa saw him talking to someone on the video phone. A moment later he returned, unlocked the gate, and motioned them inside. Once in, they were met by another Watcher who led them down a long hall to a door at the far end. The silence of the hall was in direct contrast to the cacophony that met their ears as they stepped through the door into the Playground.

Children of both sexes and of every age and size filled the Playground. Nearly all were shouting at the tops of their voices. Scattered among the group were men and women dressed in the briefest of costumes. Some participated in the children's games, but most stood and watched, in rather stony silence, the activity before them.

From one of the small buildings within the Playground, a young man walked toward Lisa and Brant. The Watcher stepped aside as he approached.

"I am Kirk Rodson," the man said to Brant and Lisa. "Director of the Playground. Can I help you?"

Brant introduced himself and Lisa to the man, and explained their purpose in coming to the Playground.

"I see," Rodson said. "There's not much to tell. Children are brought here immediately after birth and are cared for in our laboratories. Their instruction in walking and talking is accelerated by specially trained personnel. As soon as an infant learns to walk he is released into the Playground with the others for a specified time each day. He is fed a specially prepared diet. As he grows older, he is left in the Playground for increasingly longer periods of time in order that he may adjust to its demands."

"When do the children leave here?" Brant asked.

"The program of the Playground is arranged to accommodate children until they reach the age of eighteen," Rodson answered curtly.

"What generally becomes of the children then?" Lisa asked.

"Most of them become ordinary citizens. The best of the male group are trained as Watchers. The females usually join a breeder group. It is only the elect, with the highest qualifications, that can fill either of these positions."

"Who are those men and women out there with the children?" Brant asked, staring out into the crowded Playground.

"They are some of the older ones who work with the children. Those young men are joining the Watchers when they finish here."

Brant, Lisa, and Rodson watched as one of the leaders called sharply to a curly headed boy who had been playing with a pretty raven haired girl. The boy leaped to his feet at the sound of his name and raced to where the athletic young man stood. The man pointed to a group of two boys and a girl who were engaged in a tussle on the ground before him.

Brant and Lisa repressed their surprise as the boy quickly leaped into the melee and, by virtue of his superior strength and size, beat the two boys and the girl until they fled before his brutal blows. The boy stared after them a moment and then returned to the man whose directions he had followed. Rodson laughed a short harsh laugh as the man slapped the boy's face and sent him sprawling in the dust.

"These children must learn to be constantly on guard. The stronger the person, the better chance he has for survival," Rodson explained.

"It's a rather hard way to learn, isn't it?" Lisa asked.

Rodson stared icily at her for a moment before he answered. "Lessons learned the hard way are longest remembered," he said.

As Brant listened to Rodson talk about the Playground, the children, at shouted commands from their instructors, assembled in a rank and file in the center of the Playground.

"Listen!" Rodson ordered.

One of the briefly clad young women raised her arm. Music resembling a primitive rhythmical chant filled the air. The children sang as Brant and Lisa listened.

_We have fun. We have sun. We can fight. We are right. The Council leads us. The Council feeds us. Days of pleasure. Full of treasure. We are free! We are free!_

As the song ended the children were dismissed by a wave of the song leader's hand, and they raced wildly to the bright red barracks surrounding the Playground. Several of the younger children were knocked to the ground in the stampede, but they immediately scrambled to their feet and joined the racing mob again.

Brant thanked Kirk Rodson and walked with him to the door where they parted. The Watcher led them down the silent hall and they were soon out on the street again.

"We have nothing to worry about if we train the kids that well," Lisa remarked.

"It's kind of hard on them at first, I guess," Brant observed.

"They get used to it though. And anyway, we need strong people for Dreamtown with some of those crazy Rebels still running around loose," Lisa said.

"We don't have to worry about them. After seeing those kids today, I don't think we have to worry about anything," Brant said as they walked down the street away from the Playground.

* * * * *

Professor Corbett, in response to a knock, opened the door of the cabin to which he had moved after the Watcher's attack on his farmhouse and greeted the man who stood outside.

"Jim. How are you?" the Professor asked as he motioned the young man to a chair.

"I passed your old place on my way here, Professor. It's a good thing you got out of there. The Watchers must have come back because the place has been burned to the ground."

"We figured they'd be back once they knew our location. This cabin is in bad shape but we were lucky to find it. And it's isolated. Be hard to find, here in the middle of the woods. But now tell me Jim, what progress has been made?"

"We've gotten a lot done in two weeks, Professor. I've just come from Andy. He and his people have moved up to the summit of Thorny Mountain. Joe and Ed have been in Dreamtown for almost the whole two weeks and are working as laborers on the housing project in the West End. Bill got himself a job as a messenger for the video control office and Mike is working in the mess hall at the central headquarters of the Watchers."

"Fine, fine. That's wonderful," Professor Corbett exclaimed happily. He hesitated a moment.

"Mike," Jim said, "overheard one of the Watchers telling about the raid on your place. He said they've got Nancy in one of the Detention Plants near the Watcher's headquarters."

"Is--is she all right, Jim? Could you find out if she's all right?" the Professor asked hurriedly.

"As far as we can tell, she's OK. They're holding her for questioning. They'll probably try to find out as much as they can about our plans before they--I mean--." Jim hesitated, embarrassed.

"I know, Jim. Wait a minute. I'll call Dan. He's upstairs taking a nap. He worked almost all night on the plans for the raid." Professor Corbett called up the steps to Dan, and within a few minutes he appeared, rubbing the sleep from his eyes.

"Jim," Dan said, "have they found Nancy? Is she all right?"

"She's being held for questioning, Dan," Jim replied.

Dan turned to Professor Corbett. "Alan, that means we've got to act fast. What's the report from the others?"

Jim outlined the progress that had been made since the night of the raid on the farmhouse. Together with Professor Corbett, they went over the details of the new outposts of the Rebel groups. They counted up the number of weapons possessed by each individual group, and checked and rechecked the positions that each group and each individual was to hold on the day of the raid.

Jim told Dan of the positions that the four volunteers had obtained within Dreamtown, and Dan wrote out detailed instructions for them to follow on the day of the raid.

"Get these instructions to Mike and the others within four days," Dan ordered. "Wednesday of next week."

"This whole thing," Professor Corbett said, "depends on our ability to coordinate our actions. If there is one slip anywhere along the line the whole thing will fall to pieces. Jim, you and the other runners have an important job on your hands. You've got to get this information to all the outposts and to the four men in the city by Monday. That will give everyone a day to prepare before Wednesday."

Jim took the sheets of paper from Dan, folded them, and placed them in the inside pocket of his jacket.

"What are your plans for getting Nancy out?" Jim asked.

Dan answered him. "In Mike's instructions, I explained that he was to open the Detention Plant and release Nancy and any of our other people that might be there. He'll tell them what they're to do. If he hears of anything happening before that time, we've got to depend on Mike to be able to save her."

"But if--," Jim began.

Professor Corbett held up his hand.

"We cannot afford to jeopardize the whole plan for anyone's sake." He looked down at the floor. "Not even for the sake of my daughter."

Dan placed his hand on the Professor's shoulder. "Nancy wouldn't want it any other way, Alan," he said.

"Mike will have to handle any emergency that arises. He's a good man and we can depend on him," Dan added.

"With the Playground Festival taking place next Wednesday it should be easier for us to get control of the city. The Council has sent word that every adult must attend the ceremonies. We'll have them all in one place and they'll be easy to control."

"I'll get going," Jim said. "Got to be in a lot of places between now and Monday." He stood up and the three men shook hands solemnly.

"Good luck, Jim," Professor Corbett said.

Jim laughed. "See you in Dreamtown, Professor!"

* * * * *

Gil Patton and Brant showed their official cards to the Watcher behind the desk. Gil's civilian investigative status gained him immediate entrance, but there was some discussion concerning Brant's right to attend. The matter was finally cleared up to the Watcher's satisfaction when Brant explained that Benton of the Sensory Com Center had arranged for him to attend.

The two men were ushered into a large chamber, at one end of which was an enormous metal desk almost the width of the room. Eight men were seated behind it. Brant recognized the leader of the Watchers and several other officials of the city. He and Gil took seats to one side of the room near the desk.

"They're going to reexamine some of the Rebels that have been captured recently," Gil said. "Should be amusing."

Brant nodded.

At a signal, a Watcher opened a door at one side of the room. A young girl and a man and woman, were led into the room. They were led to a spot to stand directly in front of the examiners.

"You are Rebels. Is that true?" barked the leader of the Watchers, who was conducting the examination.

None of the three answered.

"You have been planning to destroy the city of Dreamtown?" the man asked.

Again no one protested. He looked up.

"You deny these charges?" He paused and then directed his attention to the girl before him.

"Your name!"

"Nancy Corbett," the girl said.

"Perhaps you will tell us why your people are being so foolish."

Nancy smiled at the man, and spoke quietly. "We don't believe we are being foolish."

The man laughed aloud and the others joined him. Brant turned to Gil. "She's not bad looking."

"Do your Rebels really believe you can destroy us?"

"We don't want to destroy you," Nancy replied. "We have no intentions of doing that. We believe you are making many mistakes here in Dreamtown and we believe things must be changed," she said.

"And how do you intend to do that?"

Nancy didn't answer.

The man stood up quickly and leaned across the desk. "Then you admit you are trying to destroy the way of life we have built up here," he shouted.

"No!" the man next to Nancy answered suddenly. "We've told you. We feel it is wrong and must be changed."

"We want things back the way they were before you came," the woman said.

"What do you mean?" the man roared again.

"We want to read books and we want to hear the old music again. We want to raise our children the way they should be raised."

"When we win we are going to rebuild the schools," Nancy said quickly.

"Silence!" the man thundered.

A man at the end of the desk rose.

"Didn't you always have enough to eat when you lived in Dreamtown?" he asked.

Again no one answered.

"Didn't you have enough to do for entertainment?" He looked from face to face before him.

"Didn't you enjoy yourselves here?" he asked.

Nancy stepped forward. "That's just it! Here all we were able to do, all we were allowed to do, was enjoy ourselves. But only in your ways. Some of us felt there were better ways to enjoy ourselves than with parties and festivals and sensation pills."

"What ways?" the man asked quietly.

The man next to Nancy spoke. "We wanted time to think. Some of us wanted to paint or write books."

"We wanted to be with our children," the woman said.

"Surely you realize by now," the man continued from behind the desk, "how insignificant these things are in comparison to the progress we've made in Dreamtown. Paintings done by hand cannot equal our paintings that are done mechanically. And as for books. One must be alone to read books and we believe that people should be together and share with one another."

"That's just it," Nancy said. "Reading a book _is_ sharing something! You share an experience with the man who wrote the book. You tell people about it, they read it, you discuss it. That's sharing."

Another man at the desk spoke. "You talk of experience. With our sensation pills you gain much greater and more vivid experience than you ever could from a book."

"But it's not real that way," Nancy said softly. "It's not natural either."

The leader of the Watchers resumed the examination, which consisted of the same questions and the same accusations repeated over and over again. The three Rebels stood awaiting whatever it was that to be done to them, helpless to answer the charges, since there seemed to be no way for them to make themselves understood.

"What will they do with them?" Brant asked.

"Psychwash them probably. It's simple and there's never any trouble afterward." Gil answered.

The leader stood up and addressed the three individuals before him.

"We have decided that you are to be sent to the psych laboratories!"

The Rebel woman instinctively raised her hand to her mouth in fear. Nancy and the other man stiffened but their glances remained steady.

"We will give you a day to think about what is to happen to you. If, in that time, you decide to come to us with information concerning your Rebel groups--their whereabouts, their plans and so on, you may do so. Otherwise our plans for you will be carried out!"

He sat down. "Let me remind you that the fate of those who have been psychwashed is not very pleasant. They no longer think. They move when they are told to move. They do only what they are told to do. They don't read books and they don't paint pictures. They--."

"They are not very different from the rest of the people in Dreamtown, are they?" Nancy interrupted.

"Take them out of here!" the man screamed.

Nancy's remark created angry excitement among the examiners and as they discussed it among themselves Brant and Gil watched the three people being led swiftly from the room.

* * * * *

The city lay like a great carnival ground in the wilderness, illuminating the dark night. Dan and Professor Corbett lay on the ground, hidden behind the scrubby growth of bushes a few hundred yards from the wall of the city.

Dan looked at his watch and the luminous dial told him it was ten o'clock. The raid was scheduled for 10:20.

"I think we got all the patrols, Alan," Dan whispered, "but I warned the men to be careful anyway. We didn't have enough guns for everybody, but once we're in the city we can get them from the Watchers and from their arsenal."

Professor Corbett leaned toward Dan. "Let's go over the plan once more," he said.

Dan shifted his position. "We have thirty people down at the West End gate. They're coming in three minutes after we start. Bill and Ed will open this gate and at the same time Joe will dynamite the drug warehouses."

"Three of our men," the Professor said, "will head for the South gate as soon as we're in, and three others will open the East gate. If the surprise is great enough, they shouldn't have too hard a time overcoming the Watchers at the gates. They'll be too confused to know what hit them."

"Mike," Dan said, "will barricade the Watcher's barracks at 10:18, and then wait until he is joined by the group from the West. That will only take a few minutes and, once there, the group will split. Part will keep the Watcher's under control and the rest will invade the Detention Plant."

"Mike can pass out guns from the Watcher's arsenal to our people in the Plant and direct them to the Playground. I'll head for the Playground as soon as we're in," the Professor continued, "and we'll take over there."

"You'll have the most men, Alan," Dan said. "I'm taking eight men and heading for the Council Building. We'll grab the Council and bring them to the Playground. Check, Alan?"

"Check!"

"It's 10:16. Pass the word along to watch for the first sign of the gates opening," Dan directed.

Silence fell as each man in Dan's group waited while the remaining minutes passed. Every eye was fixed on the city gates. 10:19. 10:20.

"Let's go!" Dan yelled at the top of his voice and leaped to his feet. The gigantic gates began to swing outward as the forty five men in Dan's group sprang to their feet and raced, shouting, toward the opening gate.

"This way!" a voice called shrilly.

"It's Ed!" Dan called to Professor Corbett who was running by his side. They reached Ed as the rest of the group entered the gate. Shots were being exchanged between the Rebels and the Watchers now.

"Where's Bill?" Dan yelled above the noise.

"They shot him," Ed answered. "Come on!"

Suddenly, a series of terrific explosions filled the night with screaming sound. The earth shook under their feet.

"The warehouses are gone!" Dan yelled. "I'm heading for the Council!"

The eight men Dan had selected raced after him down the empty street of the city. The sound of firing, announcing the entry of the group at the East gate, met their ears.

As Dan's men careened around a corner they saw two Watchers sprinting toward them. One of the Rebels dropped to his knee, fired twice, and the two Watchers froze, in the typical macabre positions produced by a hypno-ray gun.

The group parted and made separate approaches to the Council Building.

Dan and four others stopped as they came in sight of the building. A group of Watchers stood, guns ready, peering up and down the deserted street.

"Let's go!" Dan yelled, and the Rebels sprang forward, dodging in and out of doorways for protection. The other Rebels appeared at the opposite end of the street. The Watchers, seeing themselves outnumbered, suddenly turned and fled up the steps of the Council Building.

"Stop!" Dan shouted. He fired a warning shot and the fleeing Watchers halted.

"They'll serve as shields," Dan muttered. "No telling what we'll run into inside."

The Rebels moved forward, with the Watchers preceding them at gunpoint. Inside, the hall was silent and they walked cautiously, alert for any sudden action.

"Don't turn around," Dan ordered the men in front of him. "Lead us to the quarters of the Council."

The tense group continued through halls and rooms resplendently furnished and decorated. They stopped several yards from a steel door which faced them across a high ceilinged room.

"Go on!" Dan ordered.

"That's the Council's private apartment," one of the Watchers snapped.

"Open it!"

"No one's ever opened it. No one's ever been inside," the man answered.

Dan turned to one of his men. "Try to open that door, but be ready for anything!"

After some minutes, the man turned back to the group.

"There doesn't seem to be any way to get it open, Dan," the man said.

"Then we'll blast it open!"

But it was soon evident that their blasts had no effect on the massive structure. One of the Watchers sneered, when suddenly, without warning, the door slid aside into the wall.

"Keep an eye on them," Dan cautioned his men.

He moved cautiously as he neared the open door. There was no sound from within and so far as he could tell the room was empty. He stepped inside.

"Good evening!" a voice greeted him.

Dan started, and his eyes quickly searched the room for the source of the voice that had delivered this unusual greeting.

"Over here," the voice said. A grotesquely fat man wearing a red robe, heavy with gold brocade rose from a reclining chair and smiled at Dan.

"We've just--," Dan began but the fat man interrupted him.

"I know! I've been expecting you for some time now. Have some grapes?" the man asked, indicating a bronze container on the table. "Or some wine?" he asked, proferring a silver decanter that stood beside the bronze dish of grapes.

"Where are the other members of the Council?" Dan demanded.

The man repressed a laugh. "There are no other members!"

"You mean you--!" Dan stopped in utter amazement as the truth began to become clear to him.

"Yes," the man replied calmly.

"But I don't understand. How did you do it?"