In 1985, mutual distrust between the United States and the Soviet Union has perpetuated an arms race that the United States is winning, but at the expense of economically destabilizing the Soviet nuclear superpower.

Agreeing to a proposal put forth by a CIA operative, investigative journalist Jordan Bauer gains legal entry to the Soviet Union. Jordan's alleged project is to illuminate for the Western world the progress achieved by the great Soviet social experiment. But this is Jordan's secondary mission. His main objective is to glean confidential information from Anna Vallik, a conscience-stricken staff member at a Soviet bio-weapons research center north of Moscow. Jordan soon ends up in Tallinn, the capital city and main seaport of the Estonian SSR. Once there, he establishes an emotional connection with Anna and her son, Matti, that alters his life and forces him to become an unwitting player in an international conspiracy.

Ultimately, Jordan is driven to choose one of two paths: attempt to expose the conspiracy-and most certainly fail-or simply walk away. But the hook set in Tallinn is too deep, and Jordan knows that walking away could destroy him.