The Thing To Come
- After spending all day studying Morse code, the children are told that Mr. Benedict has more information about their mission for them.
- Rhonda gives them some notes that Number Two typed up and tells the kids to read them. Sticky finishes almost immediately, and Reynie finishes ten minutes later. Kate stops reading when she sees they've both finished and has them fill her in on the last few pages. Constance doesn't bother with the notes at all and just waits for the summary.
- They learn that the Institute is run by a man named Ledroptha Curtain, who is definitely the Sender of the messages; they also learn that Mr. Curtain has developed some very powerful tidal turbines which provide all of the Institute's power.
- Reynie realizes the significance of the turbines. With their power, Ledroptha Curtain will be able to broadcast his messages at much higher levels than he has been to date. But why hasn't he started using them yet?
- Mr. Benedict enters at that moment and confirms that yes, there is something big coming, although they don't know what, and they don't know when. But it's clear that Mr. Curtain has some big plans in mind. Once he boosts the power of the messages, he won't need TV, radio, or cell phones to transmit them—they'll be broadcast straight into everyone's minds.
- What's more, people like Mr. Benedict and the kids, who already feel irritable and uncomfortable when they get too much TV or other media, will really suffer when the messages start transmitting this way.
- Reynie finds himself conflicted when he hears this. Part of him wants to not believe Mr. Benedict, would prefer not to trust him—but he realizes that he does. And that makes Reynie wonder about himself. Does he just trust Mr. Benedict and these other kids because they've been kind to him? Accepted him? Made him feel like he belongs as he's never belonged before?
- Reynie's feeling a lot of self-doubt. But he does know one thing for certain: he's in, and he's not turning back