Changes

Mouch now found himself in a room full of moaning and sobbing men. One of them threw his hands up and stalked out; apparently he had his own hideout in [[Tennessee]], but Mouch wouldn't lay any odds on his being able to reach it, and neither would any other man present.

Mouch now found himself in a room full of moaning and sobbing men. One of them threw his hands up and stalked out; apparently he had his own hideout in [[Tennessee]], but Mouch wouldn't lay any odds on his being able to reach it, and neither would any other man present.

Now [[Floyd Ferris]], the man whom Mouch always knew was the real power at the [[State Science Institute]] (Robert Stadler had fled New York by then), challenged Mouch directly on what he proposed to do. Mouch could only reply, in a halting tone, that Galt had to "take over and save the system." Ferris sarcastically asked whether Mouch intended to "write him a love letter about it," whereupon Mouch found himself saying that the assembled men had to ''force'' John Galt to take over the system. The very absurdity of Mouch's words ("force him to rule") escaped him now.

Now [[Floyd Ferris]], the man whom Mouch always knew was the real power at the [[State Science Institute]] (Robert Stadler had fled New York three days before), challenged Mouch directly on what he proposed to do. Mouch could only reply, in a halting tone, that Galt had to "take over and save the system." Ferris sarcastically asked whether Mouch intended to "write him a love letter about it," whereupon Mouch found himself saying that the assembled men had to ''force'' John Galt to take over the system. The very absurdity of Mouch's words ("force him to rule") escaped him now.

Ferris then relentlessly pressed his own solution: to put John Galt to [[torture]] by electric shock. Jim Taggart practically jumped at the chance to participate. Wesley Mouch went along—because by then, Mr. Thompson had thrown up his own hands, said that he could not help it, and bade the others "do whatever you want."

Ferris then relentlessly pressed his own solution: to put John Galt to [[torture]] by electric shock. Jim Taggart practically jumped at the chance to participate. Wesley Mouch went along—because by then, Mr. Thompson had thrown up his own hands, said that he could not help it, and bade the others "do whatever you want."