Joe Gall's mysterious assignment had something to do with atomic submarines and, just possibly, the sudden destruction of all life in earth. His briefings had been incomplete - deliberately so - and it was up to him to play his cards as they fell.

CARD ONE was a beautiful woman, a baroness, who made symphonic love to the music of Betthoven.

CARD TWO was another American agent, an Ivy League guy who had plenty of veiled innuendoes to offer, but precious little help.

CARD THREE tried to boil Gall to death in a steam bath.

CARDS FOUR AND FIVE were a pair of snipers.

CARD SIX was a Swedish girl with a great complexion and some rather astonishing morals.

And there were other cards in the stacked deck - not to mention the horrifying Joker: somebody, somewhere, was a double agent, and Joe Gall had to find him.