SETI radio astronomer Dr. Stephen Browning wakes disoriented and confused in a gas station bathroom. He stumbles home trying to put the pieces of his night back together, only to learn that new tenants have been living in his apartment for over a month. They can offer no explanation, only a letter, written in his own handwriting with three simple words:

Shave your head.

Desperate to understand what is happening, Browning follows the instructions and is shocked to discover a string of numbers concealed beneath his hair— a series of coordinates tattooed upon the side of his head— coordinates which lead him to the Allen Telescope Array, where he becomes the unwitting recipient of a mysterious signal originating six light years away.

His world slowly unraveling, Browning sets out on an epic journey to decipher the meaning of the cryptic transmission, quickly finding that he is merely a helpless pawn in a much bigger game.

He soon learns that the secret transmission holds not only a message from the far reaches of the galaxy but a dire warning from the future.

Little does Browning know that unless he can protect the transmission from falling into the wrong hands, not only will the warning come to pass but a far greater threat awaits mankind.