The main character of the novel, an ordinary translator at the Soviet embassy in one of the Middle Eastern states, by force of circumstances finds himself in the center of events leading to a coup d'etat in this country. And if at first he is just a pawn in the whimsical game of the secret services, then in the end the hero finds himself at the top state power He is being hunted not only by foreign intelligence services and opposition militants, but also by the ministers of his own government. And it seems that nothing will help the hero survive...