Dismissed from the CIA for shielding a fellow agent who allegedly defected to the Russians, Bill Maclean is approached by Greek merchant George Venaxas and asked if he wants to "buy" Rafe Machek, second in command of the Russian Secret Police, who has defected and gone into hiding. Though Maclean wants nothing more to do with espionage, he has already been seen with Venaxas; and when the latter is killed by the Russian Secret Police, Nikolai Volkov, the head of that organization, demands that Maclean reveal the defector's whereabouts. The Russians frame Maclean for the murder of a nightclub hostess, and, hunted by the British police, Maclean contacts Venaxas' sister, Kay Sebastian, and learns that Machek is hiding in a deserted warehouse. Because Machek refuses to come forth without a safe conduct guarantee from the CIA, Maclean calls on his ex-supervisor Judson Murphy and asks for his assistance and $50,000 in payment for the delivery of the defector. A rightwing group headed by businessman Charles Griddon volunteers to put up the money, but the Russians kidnap Kay and threaten to torture her unless Machek is handed back to them. After taking Machek to Kay's roominghouse, Maclean brings the Russian Secret Police there, kills the guards, and then forces Volkov to order Kay's release. At that point Griddon, a double agent, arrives and attempts to kill Maclean but is shot dead by Machek. With Machek free, Maclean learns that the fellow agent he shielded was not a defector--he was drugged and kidnaped. Exonerated, Maclean is asked to resume his job at the Agency, but he refuses, claiming he has had his fill of the spy business.