Theplottakesplacein1925.OneofChicagomobstersMikNich(bornasMikitaNechyporuk)fleestoSovietOdessatoescapetherevengeofothermobsters.Mobleaderssendthebesthit-manJohnnyPollacktoOdessa.ThekillerdisguiseshimselfasanAmericanentomologyprofessorPollack,whichwantstovisitthegraveofhisfatherinOdessa. Insearchofhisvictim,PollackgetsthemostunbelievablesituationsarisingfromthepeculiaritiesofthecityofOdessa,aswellasfrommadhistoricalera.BecauseheisthefirstpassengeroftheshipvoyageNewYork-Odessa,heisassignedtobeaccompaniedbytheKomsomolguideGlushkoandisbesiegedbypioneersandjournalists.Jumpingfromthetrainandhittinghishead,Pollackforgetswhatheisactuallydoingthere(retrogradeamnesia),andtriestoliveuptoitscoverasanhonestprofessor.Nechyporukinitsturnexperiencesaboutthearrivalofthekillerandistryingtokillhim.Pollackispassingperiodsofregainandlossofmemory(aperiodicalDéjàvu)whiletryingtotrackdownNechyporuk.