In a random shootout, operatives of the Tikhodon police shot a bandit who had a detonator for a portable nuclear bomb. It was established that the terrorist organization "The Hand of Allah" intends to use nuclear weapons. The attack is to be carried out by the international terrorist-"invisible man" Gepard. But there is a person who knows Gepard's face. This is a character familiar to the reader from the novels "Operational Alias" and "Decoy Figure," former security service officer Max Kardanov. However, Kardanov happily lives with his family in London and has no desire to return home...