The Formula

In the closing days of World War II, Panzer Korps General Helmut Kladen is entrusted with secret documents that could be used to negotiate with the Allies and save Germany from the Soviets. The documents represent a last-ditch effort to alter the war's outcome as Soviet forces close in. The mission underscores the desperation of the regime as Berlin teeters on collapse.

The mission is intercepted by the U.S. Army and the documents are handed over to Army Intelligence. This transfer prevents the Germans from exploiting the information to bargain with the Allies. The fate of the secret materials shifts from German hands to Allied authorities.

In contemporary Los Angeles, Lt. Barney Caine is tasked with solving the murder of his former boss and friend, Tom Neeley. The case quickly reveals Neeley's entanglement in a drug deal that points to a far-reaching conspiracy. Caine commits to tracing Neeley’s last movements and networks.

Caine discovers the word 'Gene' written in Neeley’s blood and a map marked with the name 'Obermann.' These cryptic clues set him on a trail of deception that stretches beyond a mere drug deal. The discoveries hint at a global scheme protecting powerful interests.

Investigations reveal Neeley worked as a bagman for wealthy businessman Adam Steiffel, handling international deals. Caine traces Neeley’s overseas movements to Steiffel’s network, broadening the case from street crime to transnational intrigue. The link to a wealthy capitalist signals a larger conspiracy at play.

Caine convinces his superiors to authorize travel to Germany, hoping to follow Neeley’s trail where it reportedly extended. The trip plunges him into Berlin’s shadow economy and the world surrounding Genesis, the Nazi fuel formula. International players enter the field as the investigation deepens.

In Berlin, Paul Obermann explains the significance of Genesis, a Nazi synthetic fuel formula with global implications. Caine learns that Neeley was killed over the formula, just before Obermann himself is murdered. The revelation reframes the case as a decades-spanning conspiracy.

Obermann’s niece, Lisa Spangler, teams up with Caine as they pursue the remaining links to Genesis. They chase leads across Berlin to uncover the last players connected to the formula. Her arrival adds a personal stake and a new dynamic to the investigation.

Professor Siebold reveals that Dr. Abraham Esau, the creator of Genesis, is still alive. This information deepens the mystery and suggests a wider network protecting the formula. The revelation implies that the conspiracy reaches beyond a handful of individuals.

After leaving Siebold’s apartment, Siebold is killed, and Caine discovers that Lisa is not who she claimed to be. Lisa admits she’s a spy sent to monitor his progress. Caine learns that the true copies of Genesis are hidden somewhere else, complicating the trail.

Caine pieces together that Adam Steiffel has been orchestrating events to keep Genesis secret for decades. The businessman manipulated various players, using Neeley and others to shield the formula from the world. The conspiracy spans continents and decades, revealing a powerful cartel behind the plot.

Caine travels back to Los Angeles and confronts Steiffel, who has kidnapped his partner Louis Yosuta and holds him to trade for the Genesis formula. The confrontation brings the chase to a dramatic climax in the city. The leverage of the hostage forces a tense standoff.

After exchanging the formula for Yosuta’s release, Steiffel explains the cartel’s long-standing plan to keep Genesis hidden for personal gain. He outlines how decades of deception protected the formula and enriched the conspirators. The truth exposes a chilling corporate-criminal alliance.

Caine reveals that he has already sent the Genesis formula to Franz Tauber, a Swiss businessman, who agrees to keep it secret for another ten years in exchange for a share in Tauber’s anthracite holdings. This treacherous bargain postpones the reckoning but guarantees continued control over the formula. The deal hints at a longer game between powerful interests.