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International 4-8818 is one of Equality 7-2521’s fellow Street Sweepers, and they share a unique bond which ultimately enables the tunnel to develop into a personal hideaway. Equality 7-2521 describes this bond as friendship, although the collectivist nature of the City’s laws prevents them from publicly acknowledging it as such. They spend significant amounts of time together given that they are part of the same Street Sweepers brigade, and Equality 7-2521 explains that he can sense their friendship “when [they] look into each other’s eyes.” The true basis of their unspeakable relationship, however, comes from the fact that both men have distinct qualities which make them stand out from the collective. International 4-8818 has a notable sense of humor and a contagious smile, both of which earn him negative attention from authority figures throughout his life. Similarly, Equality 7-2521’s quick mind and impulsive curiosity set him apart from his peers. Each one has a unique streak of individualism that, while they never outwardly acknowledge it, unites them against the pressures of a culture seeking to diminish who they are. In addition to providing an important source of emotional support for these two characters, the friendship between Equality 7-2521 and International 4-8818 also works to emphasize that having an internal, individualistic impulse is more common than the government makes it out to be. Rand seems to suggest that everyone has these unique tendencies despite attempts to suppress them, making collectivism all the more punishing. Since International 4-8818 can identify with Equality 7-2521’s sense of individuality, he eventually agrees to keep the secret of the hidden tunnel safe. The fact that he initially insists on reporting the tunnel reveals that he is less daring than his friend, but his acquiescence implies that he feels more loyalty to his individualistic impulses than the rule of law. Without International 4-8818’s personal connection to Equality 7-2521’s desire for self-actualization, the entire narrative arc would have been impossible.
