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This story has a major science-fiction type element in it. It starts out introducing various people. Frederick Thorne, for example, is ultra-rich. Meldron Fallow, who is not rich, is an inventor. He has an invention that will make Thorne rich but could put lots of people out of work. So, he doesn't want to sell it to Thorne.
A guy named Shelborne works with Thorne. Fellow had sold invention to a committee, and the secretary of the committee is Shelburne, who really is a spy for Thorne.
The Shadows suction cup devices are described.
There is a description of a strange room and a guy named Jerry Laffan, who calls himself a “servant of Charg”.
A meeting of different men wjp talk about the invention, something to take the place of gasoline, takes place, with Shelborne there taking notes.
Lamont Cranston meets with them; he's given a demonstration of the motor and the new fuel.
The Shadow goes to San Francisco to fight crime; while he's away, Fallow is murdered, and the murderer had to be incredibly strong; the body is savagely beaten.
The Shadow tries to find a furniture clue, but the piece has been bought and taken away. Another meeting of the committee is being held with the spy Shelborne in attendance as usual. Cranston shows up at the meeting; the Shadow later goes to a house and finds another committee member brutally murdered.
Charg murders one of the crooks working for him. Whilton, another man involved with the invention, is visited by Cranston.
The Shadow later confronts another traitorous servant. Three crooks attack the shadow; the first is shot. The servant is killed by the crooks, the Shadow using his body as a shield.
Whilton is going to leave the area for a few months to get out of the way of danger. Townson, another committee member, will stay, however. Cranston will take over Whilton's affairs for the time being.
A reference made to the shadow's radio broadcasts.
Charg sets a trap for the Shadow. When the Shadow gets to Charg's room where he meets his minions, the Shadow is attacked by a type of stationary robot. He defeats it, and finds out “Charg” is really a mechanical device.
The Shadow then has to face an 8-foot high robot. Soon a second huge robot appears. The Shadow tricks the robots into fighting each other; one is destroyed, he finishes the other one.
Later, Shelborne is killed by a robot. There's a showdown with the actual criminal mastermind, another fight, a gunfight, a major battle with Cardona, the Shadow, the thugs, the main criminal, etc. In the end a violent justice is dealt the criminals.