In Los Angeles, California, a Catholic priest invites University of the Sciences physics professor Howard Birack and five of his graduate students to help him with research in the basement of an abandoned church. For the past three decades, the church has been used by an ultra-secret sect known as the Brotherhood of Sleep, unknown even to the Vatican. The research involves investigating a mysterious cylinder on the altar containing swirling green liquid. Joining them in the research are some theology students helping to translate the Latin text of an ancient book found near the altar. Professor Birack and the priest do not give the students any details about what they are researching, but they grow increasingly uncomfortable as zombie-like vagrants gather on the sidewalk around the church watching them. When one of the students leaves for the evening, the vagrants kill him with a stake through his body. Graduate student Brian Marsh questions Professor Birack about what is happening with the cylinder. He suggests the green swirling liquid seems to be prebiotic fluid and something is forming inside the cylinder. Meanwhile graduate student Susan Cabot reports that carbon testing indicates the cylinder was shut seven million years ago, and that the cylinder can only be opened from the inside. Graduate student Lisa’s translation indicates the cylinder was buried eons ago in the Middle East by the father of Satan, a powerful god who was banished to the "dark side." As Susan Cabot stares at the swirling green liquid, some of the fluid leaks out and squirts into her mouth, registering a power surge on Brian Marsh’s instruments. One of the students examines the cylinder, but Susan comes out and breaks his neck. When some of the students go outside for fresh air, they admit to being skeptical about the entire project. While the others go back inside, Frank Wyndham remains. The vagrants surrounding the church watch him intensely. Bugs start crawling on Frank, and as he tries to swat them away, a vagrant stabs him repeatedly, killing him. As the students nap at various times, they all experience the same dream about an advanced race trying to communicate with them by transmitting directly to their brains. Records of the Brotherhood of Sleep sect indicate that everyone has the same dreams while there. As grad student Lisa naps, Susan Cabot squirts some of the green fluid into her mouth. Soon, Lisa is back at her computer typing, “I Live! I Live!” over and over again. Susan and Lisa move the cylinder and it opens. The remaining fluid fills the body of graduate student Kelly, whose body swells as it absorbs the liquid. Catherine falls asleep and has the dream in which a dark figure comes out of the church doorway, while the transmission reports it is being sent from the year 1999. Brian determines that tachyon beams are causing the dream. Professor Birack wonders if they are receiving the message as a warning about the future so they can change it. As more of the graduate students are possessed after Susan and Lisa spray the green liquid into their mouths, those who are not possessed barricade themselves away from the others. Outside, the possessed Frank Wyndham yells to them, “Pray for Death.” Kelly’s body ages rapidly as it absorbs all the liquid. She rises and greets her disciples, Susan and Lisa, then goes to a mirror and calls, “Father.” The glass of the mirror becomes liquid and Kelly sticks her fingers through. Seeing this, the priest uses an ax and chops off Kelly’s arm, but it immediately grows back. The priest chops off Kelly’s head, but she merely picks it up, places it back on top of her body, and returns to the mirror. She reaches through the mirror which seems to be a portal and calls, “Father, come to freedom.” Fearing the Anti-God is about to come through the portal, graduate student Catherine Danforth rushes in and pushes Kelly through the mirror, accidentally sending Catherine with her. The priest takes the ax and smashes the mirror to pieces, closing the portal. The people who were possessed die, while the vagrants outside disperse. Graduate student Walter climbs out a window and goes for help. Paramedics take the wounded to the hospital. The injured priest tells Professor Birack that they “stopped it.” Birack agrees that they are all safe now, but warns that “he” is waiting on the other side.