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Lugovoy stared at him consideringly for a long moment before yielding to vanity. "A mind-intervention project."
Suvorov's eyebrows rose. "Mind intervention?"
"Brain control if you prefer."
Suvorov faced the vineo monitor and nodded at the image. "is that the reason for the small helmet?"
"On the subject's head?"
"The same."
"A microelectronic integrated circuit module containing a hundred and ten probes, measuring internal body fudetions ranging from common pulse to hormone secretions. It also intercepts data flowing through the subject's brain and transmits it to the computers here in this room. The brain's talk, so to speak, is then translated into a comprehensible language."
"I see no electrode terminals."
"From a bygone era," answered Lugovoy. "Everything we wish to record can be telemetered through the atmosphere. We no longer rely on the unnecessary bulk of wires and terminals."
"You can actually understand what he's thinking?" asked Suvorov incredulously.
Lugovoy nodded. "The brain speaks a language of its own, and what it says reveals the inner thoughts of its landlord. Night and day, the brain speaks incessantly, providing us with a vivin look into the working mind, how a man thinks and why. The impressions are subliminal, so lightning-quick that only a computer designed to operate in picoseconds can memorize and decipher them."
"I had no idea brain science had evolved to such a high level."
"After we establish and chart his brain rhythms," Lugovoy continued, "we can forecast his intentions and physical movements.
We can tell when he is about to say or do something in error. And most important, we can intervene in time to stop him. In less than the blink of an eye the computer can erase his mistaken intent and rephrase his thought."
Suvorov was awed. "A religious capitalist would accuse you of breaching man's soul."
"Like you, I am a loyal member of the Communist Party, Comrade Suvorov. I do not believe in the salvation of souls. However, in this case we can't tolerate a drastic conversion. There'll be no disruption of his fundamental thought processes. No change in speech patterns or mannerisms."
"A form of controlled brainwashing."
"This is not a crude brainwashing," Lugovoy replied indignantly.
"Our sophistication goes far beyond anything the Chinese invented.
They still believe in destroying a subject's ego in order to reeducate him. Their experiments in drugs and hypnosis have met with little success. Hypnosis is too vague, too slippery to have lasting value. And drugs have proved dangerous by accinentally producing a sudden shift in personality and behavior. When I finish with the subject here, he will re-enter reality and return to his personal lifestyle as though he'd never left it. All I intend to do is alter his political perspective."
"Who is the subject?"
"Don't you know? Don't you'recognize him?"
Suvorov studied the vineo display. Gra
dually his eyes winened and he moved two steps closer to the screen, his face taut, his mouth working mechanically. "The President?" His voice was an unbelieving whisper. "Is that really the President of the United States?"
"In the flesh."
"How.... where?"
"A gift from our hosts," Lugovoy explained vaguely.
"He'll suffer no side effects?" Suvorov asked in a haze.
"None."
"Will he remember any of this?"
