The manuscript is a long letter to "Joe", an otherwise unknown character, by Ed Lefko, one of the two lead characters. He describes seeing a silent but color movie aimed at Mexican-Americans in a run-down theater in Detroit. The movie depicts Cortés's conquest of Mexico with remarkably realistic sets and acting and a huge cast. The projectionist, a World War II veteran named Miguel "Mike" Laviada, tells Ed that he made the movie using a time viewer he invented, which he demonstrates. However, Mike has not been able to raise the capital needed to shoot the picture on high-quality film, add sound and other improvements, and get it distributed and advertised. He and Ed become partners, and at Ed's suggestion, they raise money by using the machine to blackmail wealthy people.