A hit-man's mission unravels through amnesia and chaotic pursuit in 1925 Odessa.
Story Structure — 4 Plot Phases
The Chicago Fugitive
Mik Nich escapes Chicago mobsters to Odessa, prompting mob leaders to send hit-man Johnny Polak. Polak arrives under a professor disguise and is assigned a local guide.
Key Events
Chicago Fugitive Escape — Mik Nich flees Chicago mobsters to Soviet Odessa to escape revenge. Location: Chicago / Odessa
Hitman Deployment — Mob leaders dispatch Polak as their best hit-man to Odessa. Location: Soviet Union
Professor Disguise — Polak assumes the cover of an American entomology professor visiting his father's grave. Location: Odessa
Ship Arrival — Polak arrives as the first passenger and is assigned Glushko as his Komsomol guide. Location: Odessa Port
Grave Visit — Polak's cover story involves visiting his father's grave in Odessa. Location: Cemetery
Amnesia in Odessa
Polak navigates chaotic city situations and a train accident that triggers retrograde amnesia. He struggles to maintain his cover while Nich actively hunts him.
Key Events
Ship Arrival — Polak arrives as the first passenger and is assigned Glushko as his Komsomol guide. Location: Odessa Port
Pioneer Siege — Polak is besieged by pioneers and journalists navigating the city's peculiarities. Location: Odessa Streets
Train Accident — Polak jumps from a train, hits his head, and suffers retrograde amnesia. Location: Train
Cover Embrace — Polak attempts to live up to his cover as an honest professor despite memory loss. Location: Odessa
Killer Counterattack — Nich learns of the killer's arrival and actively tries to kill Polak. Location: Odessa
Memory Fluctuation — Polak experiences periodic déjà vu and alternating periods of memory regain and loss. Location: Various
Grave Visit — Polak's cover story involves visiting his father's grave in Odessa. Location: Cemetery
City Chaos — The duo navigates unbelievable situations arising from Odessa's peculiarities. Location: Odessa
Historical Era Madness — Polak deals with the chaotic and mad historical atmosphere of 1925 Soviet Russia. Location: Odessa
The Déjà Vu Cycle
Polak experiences fluctuating memory states and periodic déjà vu while tracking Nich. The pursuit intensifies amidst the mad historical atmosphere of 1925.
Key Events
Memory Fluctuation — Polak experiences periodic déjà vu and alternating periods of memory regain and loss. Location: Various
Professor Investigation — Polak tries to track down Nich while maintaining his academic facade. Location: Odessa
Mob Pursuit — Nich continues his attempts to eliminate Polak amidst the city's chaotic historical era. Location: Odessa
Authority Intervention — Soviet authorities arrest Nich on an unrelated charge. Location: Odessa
Dual Downfall
Soviet authorities arrest Nich on unrelated charges, ending the chase. Polak's sanity completely fractures, leading to his institutionalization in a mental hospital.
Key Events
Authority Intervention — Soviet authorities arrest Nich on an unrelated charge. Location: Odessa
Jail Transfer — Nich is sent to jail, removing the immediate threat. Location: Soviet Prison
Sanity Loss — Polak loses the rest of his sanity due to prolonged memory instability and stress. Location: Odessa
Mental Hospital — Polak ends up institutionalized in a mental hospital. Location: Mental Institution
Mission Failure — Polak's assassination mission is ultimately abandoned due to his mental breakdown. Location: Odessa
Dual Downfall — Both the target and the assassin meet tragic ends: one in jail, the other in an asylum. Location: Odessa
Story Breakdown
Mob Pursuit Setup — Introduction of the fugitive and the dispatched assassin.
Chicago Escape — Mik Nich flees Chicago mobsters to Soviet Odessa.
Hitman Deployment — Mob leaders send Johnny Polak to eliminate the target.
Odessa Arrival Chaos — Polak navigates the city under a false identity.
Professor Disguise — Polak assumes an entomology professor cover.
Guide Assignment — Komsomol guide Glushko accompanies the first passenger.
Amnesia Trigger — A violent accident fractures Polak's memory.
Train Accident — Polak jumps from a train and hits his head.
Memory Loss — Retrograde amnesia erases his assassination mission.
Dual Hunt Dynamics — The target and assassin engage in a chaotic chase.
Nich Counterattack — Nich actively attempts to kill Polak first.
Memory Fluctuation — Polak experiences periodic déjà vu and recall.
Soviet Intervention — External forces disrupt the personal vendetta.
Authority Arrest — Soviet police detain Nich on unrelated charges.
Jail Transfer — Nich is imprisoned, ending the immediate threat.
Psychological Collapse — Polak's mental state deteriorates to breaking point.
Sanity Fracture — Prolonged stress and memory loss destroy his mind.
Institutionalization — Polak is committed to a mental hospital.
After Mick Nich, a 1930's Chicago gangster, sells out his own gang to the police, the Mafia hires the best hitman in town, Johnny Pollack, to follow him to Odessa, USSR. Upon arrival, Pollack loses his memory and goes on various adventures with a group of thick-headed Odessa locals who think he is a harmless butterfly collector.
