The Institute

Three months later, a strange man with a lisp arrives at the farmhouse outside of DuPray where Tim lives with the Institute children. The stranger introduces himself as Bill Smith. He tells Tim and the children that by destroying the Institute, they destroyed the only thing standing between humankind and the end of the world.

Mr. Smith tells them that 70 years ago, it was discovered that children with psychic abilities could be used to eliminate individuals destined to destroy the world. The Institute uses a few powerful precogs (people who can see glimpses of the future) to identify targets and allegedly saved the world at least 500 times. Unlike the Institute children, the precogs live lives of luxury.

Luke replies that he already worked out that precognition was involved. Researching precognition, he learned that it is only accurate for a few hours or days ahead of any given event; beyond this, it is useless. Mr. Smith admits that the Institute came to the same conclusion but argues that even the possibility of saving the world makes their efforts worth it. Tim shocks Mr. Smith by refuting this, as sacrificing children for the sake of something that may or may not happen is superstition, not science.