Frank Martin is pressured into transporting Valentina, the kidnapped daughter of Leonid Vasilev, the head of the Environmental Protection Agency for the Ukraine from Marseilles, through Stuttgart, and Budapest, until he ends up in Odessa, on the Black Sea.

Along the way, with the help of Inspector Tarconi, Frank has to contend with the people who forced him to take the job, agents sent by Vasilev to intercept him, and the general non cooperation of Valentina. Despite her cynical disposition, and his resistance to get involved, Frank and Valentina fall for each other, while escaping from one insane life threatening situation after another.