Plumbum, or The Dangerous Game

During a cold winter evening, Ruslan's undercover work comes to fruition as a citizen patrol bursts into a remote cottage where thieves and gamblers hide. He has spent weeks earning their trust to lead authorities to them, and the raid confirms his success as an informant. The event marks the moment he steps from bystander to essential infiltrator.

Ruslan's careful surveillance pays off when the criminals' accomplice, Tkach, is caught at a local restaurant. The raid exposes the reach of the criminal network and demonstrates Ruslan's ability to blend in with dangerous circles. Authorities begin to recognize his usefulness despite his age.

Back home, Ruslan maintains a normal family image, singing to his parents, but the world of crime pulls at him. He dreams of joining a formal law enforcement squad, yet the police dismiss him because of his youthful look. The conflict deepens as he considers the cost of continuing his double life.

Ruslan bullies through danger and befriends a gang of vagrants known as the Invisibles, earning their trust to pass along their whereabouts to his supervisor Grey. He uses this network to map where criminal activities concentrate and to feed the authorities useful leads. The line between informer and participant begins to blur as risk becomes routine.

He leverages his position to extract information through blackmail from a bartender about a ring of counterfeiters. The tactic demonstrates his growing recklessness and willingness to break rules to achieve justice. The thrill of control comes with a price as trust erodes around him.

Ruslan abandons caution and follows a group of smugglers, going so far as to throw himself in front of their car to win a place among them. This daring move solidifies his aura as a fearless vigilante in the eyes of criminals and police alike. It also compounds his personal danger and his internal moral conflict.

He manipulates Maria, the girlfriend of a smuggler, into divulging information about her partner's departure with stolen documents to Simferopol. He wins her trust only to betray it to the authorities, highlighting the deception at the core of his mission. The relationship chaos foreshadows the emotional fallout of his crusade.

During a raid, Ruslan participates without hesitation and even captures his own father, who is an unwitting poacher. The moment underscores the moral complexity of his vigilante tactics and the personal cost of his crusade. The father is unaware of his son's undercover life until the confrontation.

As the operation unfolds, Ruslan's information helps authorities dismantle the smuggling ring. He experiences a mix of satisfaction from delivering justice and anxiety over the collateral damage his methods cause. The narrative shows the double-edged sword of vigilantism.

The consequences of Ruslan's manipulation ripple through the lives entangled with the case, including Maria's heartbreak. He confronts the human cost of his relentless pursuit, realizing that justice can be costly for those around him. His actions weigh on him as the case wraps up.

With Sonya's help, Ruslan tracks down an old foe who once stole his cassette player, chasing the thief across rooftops. The chase reinforces his obsession and the way personal grievances drive his vigilantism. The thrill and danger intensify as they close in.

Sonya follows the pursuit and slips on the rooftops, a moment that reveals the cost of their chase. Ruslan is left to confront the consequences of his obsession with retribution and the fragile line between justice and vengeance. The incident marks a turning point in his journey.