The news reports that reported Hank’s disappearance told everything but the story.
They said things like it was “social treason to ascribe too much importance to Hank Rearden’s disappearance.” Some denied his disappearance entirely. Others reported his untimely demise.
“It was strange she thought, to obtain news by means of nothing but denials…”
But the denials weren’t having their full desired effects.
Smaller business in the city are beginning to throw in the towel. Social unrest is starting to bubble.
Indeed.
A week after his disappearance, someone broke the rules and Dagny got a letter with no marks except a postmark from Nowheres-ville, CO. The security breach had two sentences.
“I have met him. I don’t blame you. — HR”
Anyway, Dagny’s miserable, pointless existence continues.
She’s getting reports of violence around the country from her train conductors. Reports the media is conveniently not reporting.
“There were districts that rose in blind rebellion, arrested the local officials, expelled the agents of Washington, killed the tax collectors — then, announcing their secession from the country, went on to the final extreme of the very evil that had destroyed them, as if fighting murder with suicide…”
So the pressure in the cooker is beginning to build.
The looters plan one more act to reign in the chaos.
“Listen to Mr. Thompson’s report on the world crisis, November 22!”
The media starts blasting this message everywhere. In the papers, on the radio, billboards, over loud speakers. No one is going to miss this.
The afternoon of Nov 22, Jim tells Dagny that Mr. Thompson would like a conference with her before his speech at 8:00.
She agrees to go, fairly amiably. But she’s bringing Eddie Willers. (Bodyguard?) Seems like the fight is gone out of her a bit.
So they arrive that evening and looter-central is all there.
“A radio receiver was playing a program of military marches broadcast from another studio…”
Military marches? Is that supposed to pick up people’s spirits? I’d vote for some Tony Bennett.
At 7:50, they all take places around the table for a publicity shot. Dagny won’t do it.
Atta girl! Not so compliant yet.
While they’re arguing,
“The radio music had gone off abruptly, choking on an odd little gasp of static…”
A station employee rushes up to Mr. Thompson.
“Mr. Thompson, we … we may have to delay the broadcast.”
It’s 7:58. Thompson’s not pleased.
Apparently the they’ve been cut off the air.
“…we can’t get on the air … It’s not this station, Mr. Thompson. It’s every station in the country, as far as we’ve been able to check … They said it might be a natural phenomenon, some sort of cosmic disturbance of an unprecedented kind … It looks like a wall of radio waves jamming the air, and we can’t get through it, we can’t touch it, we can’t break it…”
No. No natural phenomenon can be this slick.
“But that’s not possible!” [cried] Dr Stadler. “There’s no such thing! There’s nobody on earth to make it!”
Oh, Dr. Stadler’s in for a surprise I guess…
As the seconds tick away, in a tirade pointed at no one and everyone, Thompson shouts the ironic truth,
“Isn’t there anybody around to obey an order? … Isn’t there a brain left in this country?”
Rhetorical question for we, the readers.
And at the stroke of 8:00, the silence of the airwaves is broken.
“Ladies and Gentlemen, … Mr. Thompson will not speak to you tonight, His time is up. I have taken it over. You were to hear a report on the world crisis. That is what you are going to hear.”
Three gasps of recognition greeted the voice. … One was a gasp of triumph, another — of terror, the third — of bewilderment.”
That’d be Dagny, Dr. S, and Eddie.
“For twelve years, you have been asking: Who is John Galt? This is John Galt speaking…”
Stay tuned…