Liza Machulska

The story follows a young scientist in the contemporary world, who actually came from the world of dwarves, thanks to a magic potion, held by the Big Eater, ruler of the dwarves. The dwarf kingdom, Shuflandia, exists in a cellar of a library, and only the most obedient get the chance to grow to king size and inhabit the larger world. Once there, nobody wants to return to Shuflandia. Also, there are no women in Shuflandia.

The Prohibition years. Chicago bootleggers suffer losses due to their betrayal by one Mick Nich - Mikita Nichiporuk. The mob decides to execute the traitor, who escaped to Odesa, USSR, and organized his own bootleg business there. The hitman, Pollack, arrives in Odesa, and realizes how hard it is to make the hit here, as compared to a civilized country like USA.

The story is a duel between criminal-on- the-run and the cop who put him behind the bars the first time around.