In Shanghai, Elena Varnoff attempts to learn the secret of the priceless-and-hidden St. Petersburg from Karl Renner, an Axiz agent working with the Japanese. Elene goes to Colonel Suyakawa to sell her information but he dismisses her. "Briggs" Hannon forces himself into Elena's affairs and offers to help her ransack Renner's apartment but he, however, has found the real secret to the jewels, a small clock. Except he doesn't have the clock. They have a tip it is in Peking, and Hannon goes on alone to contact Wing Fu, who has the complement code to the clock. But Elena, who is a Dutch spy, thinks Hannon is working for the Axis forces, and has him arrested. She learns that Hannon is really an American agent and a friend of the Chinese, named Terry Jordan but he has been turned over to Captain Muto and sentenced to die.