June 1978. A large sum of money and valuables are stolen from the Yerevan State Bank. Senior figures of the law-enforcement bodies of both the Armenian SSR and the entire Soviet Union are brought in to investigate the high-profile theft. During the investigation, details emerge about corrupt ties between party and Soviet “elite” officials and the criminal underworld. The novel’s main character is forced into an unequal fight against criminals and their protectors—party functionaries.