Into the Fourth Dimension by Ray Cummings

Brutar said, "Let us go in here. I want to talk to you."

We entered a globe very much like those of the Big-City. And reclined at physical ease. But there was no mental peace here -- for us at any rate. A turgid aura of restlessness seemed pervading everything.

Brutar rested before us. He seemed always to be regarding Bee; contemplatively, yet with a satisfied triumph.

"I am glad to have you with us," he said; not harshly now, rather with an ingratiating note as though he sought our good will. "We are going to your Earth -- to live there, and they tell me, these good people of mine, that they are going to make me its ruler."

He spoke with a false modesty, as though to impress us with his greatness forced upon him by his adoring followers. "I want you two for my friends -- you will be of great help to me."

"How? " I demanded.

I had recovered from my confusion. I was wary; the thought came to me that I might be able to trick this Brutar -- that being here with him -- to see and feel what he was doing -- was an advantage which later on I could turn to account. I wondered if he could hear or feel that thought. I willed it otherwise; and it seemed that he could not. His eyes were upon me, gauging me.

"How could we help you? " I repeated. "And why should we? You mean harm to our world."

"No," he protested. "No harm. We have selected it -- your Earth -- from all that great Universe of yours which I have inspected. We want to go to your Earth to live. That is all. You can help me, because you know so many things of Earth that I do not. I want you to tell me of them. Stand up!"

I found myself upright, whether by my own volition or his I cannot say.

"Stand up, Bee!"

At his command she also stood erect. He came to us; his hands went to the belts we wore about our waists. I had forgotten my belt -- those things in its pouches which Will had bade me not touch. Brutar took them now -- my weapons perhaps. And those which Bee carried; took them, discarded them behind him. They floated away; I could barely see them -- small formless blobs to my uncomprehending thoughts.

I had very nearly resisted Brutar; but it seemed a futile thing, and I stood quiet. Again we reclined. "Tell me of your Earth," he said; and began to question me.

I told him what I could. I had determined that my best plan was to appear friendly. I wondered how one would escape from a place like this. I was more accustomed to this strange state of being now; knowledge which seemed instinctive was growing within me. I knew that if Brutar's net of thoughts were not to hold me -- if I could momentarily be freed of other thought-matter -- then I could project myself out into the void. I believed I could find my way back to the Big-City -- once having been there I would have the power to return.

This latter knowledge brought with it a thrill of triumph. I believed that Will and Thone had never been here in Brutar's strong-hold. Perhaps this was a secret place which they could not find. But now I had been here; and if I could escape, I could lead others back to it.

With these guarded thoughts surreptitiously roaming through my mind, I was all the while describing our Earth to Brutar. He interrupted me once. "Eo, come here."

I became aware of another shape hovering near us. It now advanced; and with Brutar's words of explanation it took form in the fashion of a young man. A smiling, deferential youth seemingly of an age just reaching maturity. He came forward meekly. Brutar spoke.

"This is my friend whom we call Eo. I have trust in him -- he is helping me greatly. I want him to hear what you have to say, Rob."

Eo smiled again. "I hope we shall be friends. " He regarded Bee, and his smile was curiously gentle. "They call you a girl? Brutar tells me what girls are -- I am glad to see you."

He reclined beside Bee, continuing to regard her. A very gentle, guileless youth -- how queer a companion for this Brutar! And I knew then that it was gentle beings like this whom Brutar was beguiling to his purpose.