Most tales of terror begin just before a gruesome murder is about to take place. Our story begins after the fact. Space scientist, Carl von Linden is already dead. His murder, if it was murder, was neither unusual nor gruesome, but there were strange circumstances surrounding his sudden and unexplained demise. Investigating these circumstances is Charles Carey, a government agent, assigned by his superiors at the bureau to make a routine check of the situation. With him, at the dead man's apartment is his assistant, Henry. What they are about to discover is anything but routine...