Roy Parmenter is a FBI agent in San Diego. Two decades past his partner was murdered by a spy, nicknamed Scubaat large. Scuba is attempting to extort the Soviets. To prove he is serious, he is killing their agents one by one, for example"sleepers," agents under heavy pay anticipating orders. Roy interviews an applicant to the Air Force Academy, a high school lad, Jeff Grant. In a background check, Roy discovers that Jeff's parents ' are sleepers. He must watch whether Jeff can be a spy, face the parents yet protect themand grab his nemesis. Meanwhile, the loner Karpov, their has been sent by the Soviets , to engine at Scuba. Alliances shift. It's cat and mouse.