Arthur Abdel Simpson, the narrator, was born in Egypt to an Egyptian mother and a British soldier father.

Simpson identifies as British, although his career as a petty criminal has gotten him barred from both Egypt and the United Kingdom.

One of his targets, a man named Harper, catches him, and blackmails him into driving a car across the border from Greece into Turkey.

The government suspects an attempt at terrorism or insurgency against the National Unity Committee, but it turns out that Harper and his gang actually have an audacious plan to steal valuable gems from the treasury museum of the Topkapı Palace.

While preparing for the robbery, one of the gang suffers a disabling injury, and Simpson is forced to take his place and participate in the commando-type raid on the museum, despite having no relevant experience whatsoever.