Perestroika started in 1986. That was a period of restructuring in the Soviet Union. Hundreds of scientific workers are no longer needed. The main character of the novel is Ivan Zhuravlev and he is one of such unclaimed experts. He is looking for a new application. From the prestigious physics Zhuravlev goes in for journalism. Later, he uses journalistic contacts and comes in connection with an entrepreneur Boris Iossifovich Sytin. Zhuravlev calls him Ossi. Ossi is a chief of the “Chronos” company. Ossi convinces Zhuravlev to involve in the deal to resell to the West of rare metal osmium. This affair ends tragically for Ivan Zhuravlev – he dies because of the intentional air crash. 