Seventh-grader Dustin Cotter dreams of being the first human to make contact with an alien species. So when he discovers a meteorite is really a miniature spacecraft, he's determined to capture it.

But first a dog grabs it. A dog that happens to be owned by Randie, the cutest girl at his new school. Then it's stolen by another kid on horseback: Max, the school comedian/magician/cowboy. Dustin finally gets it back, and his dream of making contact comes true.

However, a dnagerous motorcyclist saw the meteorite crash, too. He wants the spaceship and will stop at noghing until it's in his possession. And then one dark night, the man catches Dustin alone out in the desert - and Dustin's dream turns into a life-threatening nightmare.