When a tactical atomic bomb is sold for $60 million by auction on the international black market, one of the losing bidders reports the fact to Oscar Goldman, head of the OSI. Uncertain of whether the seller is in possession of such a device or plans to steal the necessary parts, Goldman arranges an urgent conference with high-ranking representatives from both the US military and science community. All assembled bombs and their constituent parts are accounted for, with the exception of a reflector fuse (which, it is revealed, has recently left the factory where it had been manufactured).