It's 1945, and Stalin's army stands poised to conquer Europe. The only way to stop him is for Truman to bluff him down. To make the bluff work, C.G. Brandt, America's ultra-professional but very human spymaster, is forced to risk everything on Alex Lukas, an undertrained but bilingual secret agent. Lukas must escort a Soviet defector who will parachute into Bavaria with crucial information.

But the defector's plane crashes; there is a gorgeous Communist spy in the drop area; and Lukas can't believe the amount of well-armed interest in his movements. Against all odds, Lukas manages to get out with his skin intact. Then he's given new orders: to proceed to Los Alamos, New Mexico, pick up a crate and deliver it to the Moscow embassy. In the crate is the key to the great bluff--the biggest card in Harry Truman's hand as he faces off with Joseph Stalin.