Cat burglar Spider Scott, newly released from prison, is determined to go straight, but Fairfax of British Intelligence plans to use Spider's talents for his own ends.
Spider Scott finds himself on the run from foreign agents seeking a valuable photograph they plan to use to bring down the government.
Spider decides to take Fairfax on at his own game, and offers to sell the photograph to Li Tshien, but his life is in danger.
Spider buys a half-share of an executive aircraft charter company. One of his first customers is an old acquaintance from his criminal past, then one of his old friends turns up dead.
Reisen brings pressure to bear on Spider.
Spider plays along with the scheme to smuggle a man out of the country, but he is being set up as a decoy for a deadly international operation.
Spider is implicated in robbery and murder, and Laidlaw and Bulman are both on his tail.
Spider is invited to serve on a committee investigating prison conditions, but is soon asked to resign by the committee chairman. He decides to use his particular skills to find out why.
Spider is convinced that the police were tipped off about the break-in. He attempts to get close to Thresher's daughter, but soon finds his life under threat.
Spider seeks out the criminal who threatened his girlfriend.
Spider, facing a murder charge, agrees to go back to prison to carry out a job for Fairfax: helping another prisoner to escape.
Spider goes on the run with his fellow escapee, but it isn't only the police who are in pursuit.
Spider is released from custody, but only so he can help capture an enemy agent.
