plot

In the beginning of the story, the main character Marshall Zebatinsky, goes to visit a numerologist, and is told to change the first letter in his last name for a better future.

Henry Brand and Lt. Albert Quincy, when finding out that Zebatinsky changed his name to Sebatinsky, were very skeptical and suspicious of why he would change his name.

They begin to investigate the reasoning behind it, and find out that there is a Russian man who also has the last name 'Zebatinsky'.

Zebatinsky then goes back to the numerologist, and he finds out that he is no longer there.

At the end of the story, it is revealed that the numerologist is infact an alien.

"He would never be able to explain to anyone why a nuclear physicist such as himself should visit a numerologist." (270)