- Stormgren has a difficult time sleeping, thinking of the Overlords' secretiveness and such.
- He reads a newsletter published by the Freedom League wondering, "IS MAN RULED BY MONSTERS?" (3.8). Yep, all caps, so you know it's a serious question.
- Stormgren realizes something about himself: He needs to know what Karellen looks like, too. Not because he wonders if the extraterrestrial is a horrific monster with fangs, tentacles, one-big eye, and such—this is just plain 'ole curiosity.
- The next morning, Stormgren doesn't arrive at his usual hour. Van Ryberg becomes acting Secretary-General.
- Stormgren wakes up in a dark room only furnished by a bed—i.e. classic kidnapping accommodations.
- He's given clothes by his kidnapper and follows him down a corridor to a table.
- His kidnapper, Joe, monologues about their "fool-proof" plan, mentioning he is pretty sure the Overlords can see everything on Earth but not necessarily underneath it.
- Stormgren wonders if the kidnapping will influence Karellen in the slightest.
- Joe asks him to play a game of poker. Because, you know, how else are they going to spend their subterranean time?
- Van Ryberg calls Wainwright to discover the head of the Freedom League is telling the truth, and dude has no idea where Stormgren is. For serious.
- The acting-Secretary General Van Ryberg heads to the communication room to ask Karellen what's up; the Overlord writes back that he has no information.
- Meanwhile, Stormgren uses his next three days of playing poker to analyze his captors.
- A few days later, he receives a visitor: an elderly gentleman who is clearly the ringleader.
- The elderly man tells Stormgren they are part of a resistance movement, and he wants to know the circumstances of his meetings with Karellen.
- Stormgren realizes what is so striking about the man's eyes: He's blind.
- Van Ryberg receives a call on the emergency phone and looks out the window as Karellen's ship, which hasn't moved since arriving on Earth, blasts its way south.
- Back underground, the old leader wonders if they could make a device that will teach them something about the Overlords, but Stormgren refuses to work with them.
- The old leader and Stormgren argue ideals: The leader sees the Overlords as interlopers while Stormgren sees them as saviors.
- Stormgren doesn't get an answer, though, because all the people in the room are frozen in place.
- A sphere flies into the room, and Karellen's voice comes from it, requesting they leave.
- Before popping out, Stormgren writes Joe an IOU for his poker winnings.
- Stormgren follows a series of spheres to the surface. Karellen explains he had to leave him there long enough for the heads of the organization to make an appearance.
- Karellen admits he knows the Overlords not showing themselves is causing many of the issues. At the same time, Stormgren is wondering about building a machine himself.