John Dortmunder, professional thief, went out to rob a pawn shop and just happened to pick up the world's most valuable ruby, which just happened to have been heisted (by somebody else) hours before. And while the rest of the world goes ga-ga, Dortmunder doesn't even know he has the Byzantine Fire until it's too late. But now everyone from bomb-toting terrorists to Chief of Detectives Francis Mologna, from the Turkish charge d'affaires to the guys...