An immortal being in the early 20th century talks about the last day before a destructive earthquake in San Francisco. His name is Victor but his alias to blend in with the human race is Jimmy Kelly. Victor is a member of an operative company called Dr. Zeus Incorporated, which was created in the 24th century. Its main purpose is to develop the industry of immortality and time travel. Victor recalls experiencing many devastating events in the past, such as the Great Fire of London and the mutiny of Delhi. He is currently about to experience the earthquake of San Fransisco.

In San Fransisco at that time, there are many members of Dr. Zeus (also known as the Company) walking around. The others he sees are immortal gentleman and woman as well. They are integrated into the mortal society, all aware of what is about to happen, even though the mortals aren't.

Victor stays in a local hotel that day and waits for his orders. He hears a knock on his door and opens it to an immortal woman named Nan D'Araignee, who is an Art Preservation Specialist. She notices how dirty his room is, but then asks him for a favor. She asks him for more transport vehicles for her mission of collecting items from a nearby mortal Gallery. He tells her he will find her another automobile and she thanks him before leaving.

Victor then goes to a nearby restaurant and dines in. He listens to the nearby mortals talk about the eruption of Vesuvius and the destruction it brought. The chaos of the restaurant becomes too much for him and he pays and leaves. Victor says hi to a mortal man swimming in the ocean and then boards a streetcar to visit a store and then his friends.

Victor buys clothing from a store and then goes to another place to get food. A fellow immortal operative named Averill greets him. Averill talks about the other immortals in the area--one of which who is a music specialist that likes to follow artists around to listen to their concerts.

As Victor leaves, he runs into his mortal friend named Francis O'Neill. O'Neill is a 30-year-old man whom Victor befriended three weeks ago. O'Neil asks Victor how he is doing. Victor makes conversation by explaining that he is upset that a girl doesn't love him. He pretends to sob and Francis tells him to go bathe and then invites him over to dinner with his family.

Victor agrees and returns later after bathing. He sees some of O'Neil's children--Ella and Donal--being confronted by a large figure who gives them a printed handbill before leaving. The children attempt reading it but give up. Ella introduces Donal to Victor as Mister Kelly. Donal, a three-year-old boy greets him and then walks into his home with Ella and Victor. Victor then greets O'Neil and his wife. Ella asks her father to read the handbill, which describes an event called the Grand Fairy Extravaganza Babes in Toyland. Many fairy tale characters will be at this event and the children beg their parents to go, but their parents say it is too expensive.

The children cry, but Victor lightens the mood by performing a magic trick and giving them chocolate. Victor also gives Donal a little watch to play with while they eat and Donal hurts his finger on it. Victor gives him a band-aid and more chocolate, bonding with the young child.

The children cry again, wanting to go to the event, but Mrs. O'Neill convinces them not to go by saying the man who gave it to them was a devil-like creature.

Later on that day, Victor hears back and realizes his request for another automobile was denied. Instead, he uses his money to pay for tickets for the event for the O'Neil's. Victor then goes to a nearby bath house and finds another immortal there named Lewis. Lewis salvages books from libraries. They talk about Lewis' findings through telepathy until they hear a loud noise above them. They promptly leave, knowing it's the start of the earthquake.

Victor goes to his home, which is fashioned like a war room and delegates orders to his companions. He tells them which mansions they will be raiding and what item they are to be salvaging. He sends them off.

Around twilight of that day, numerous immortals go to nearby restaurants to eat and celebrate the fall and capture of San Francisco. Victor escorts Madame Nan D'Araignee into the restaurant and explains that he was able to find an automobile for her to use. As they all celebrate, many of the immortals go to dance. He doesn't dance but rather talks to D'Araignee and then takes a carriage to town. Victor sees the O'Neill family at the toyland event where the Toymaker is reciting an incantation to bring his creations to life.

After dropping D'Araignee off at her street, Victor goes to the O'Neill's home. O'Neill explains that Donal fell asleep at the end and invites Victor in. As the O'Neill's fall asleep, Victor waits until the morning. By morning, the O'Neill's are still asleep but Victor carefully picks up Donal and carries him out of the house as the house is going to fall soon.

However, as he is walking away, a man attacks him and kidnaps Donal. With a cut throat, Victor lies on the ground, thinking about his childhood--about his mother who was chased by knights and eventually killed by them. He was a young boy about to be killed but one of the knights promised him immortality. His captor was a man named Budu. His captors were the ones that gave him his name--Victor.

When Victor wakes up, his throat is no longer bleeding and a man named Labienus is in the car with him. Labienus asks Victor what he will do about his attacker and Victor explains that he will kill the attacker and get Donal back.

Victor follows the signal that Labienus put on the attacker to find his former captor Budu and Donal. Budu killed the men in the building they are in and is holding Donal at knife point. Budu talks about how he "rescued" Victor as a child, but is now completely against the Company for their values. Budu wants to destroy all people and asks Victor to join him and become godlike with him. Budu wants to stop history, but Victor explains that history will continue regardless. Budu also wants order and threatens Victor that he will kill him and the boy if he doesn't join him. However, Victor is faster and is able to kill Budu and take Donal back.

Victor and Donal hop onto an automobile where other immortals and children are. Donal is initially very nervous, but another young girl offers him some chocolate and he becomes less afraid. Victor knows that Donal's memories will fade soon and that Donal will soon undergo a process to make him immortal as well. When they arrive at the dock, the immortals hand off the children to the boat people. Donal cries out for his "Uncle Jimmy," but Victor lets him go, knowing it's for the best. He sees D'Arraignee and her lover before taking a ship called the Thunderer away from San Fransisco. Victor walks up to the deck of the ship where Lebienus and Lewis are watching the thousands of mortals die in the earthquake. Lewis assures him that it will be ok and offers him a drink, which he denies. He receives orders from Labienus to meet him later and Victor walks down the deck to see the art and literature that was taken from San Fransisco being loaded into compartments.