Using his usual means of muscle and intimidation, gangster Frankie Arnold wants to retain Stuart's services as protection against Frankie's former partner Rick Ganzel, who has just been released from prison and who wants revenge in Frankie having been the one who gave him up. Frankie himself is evading the authorities as a wanted man, the authorities who believe he is either out of the country or dead. Regardless of the means to retain his services, Stuart accepts the case if only because of Ganzel's intended target: all-American fullback Mark Adams, Frankie's biological son who knows nothing about the true nature of his father, Frankie's ex-wife who told Mark that he long ago died. Besides Frankie and his ex-wife, Ganzel is the only person who knows that Mark is Frankie's son. Frankie stipulates that Mark is not to be told about any of what is going on, including that Frankie is his father. As such, Stuart has to go undercover at Hansen College where Mark attends school, the only open position that would keep him close to Mark being as a Geology professor, Stuart believing he able to stay one class ahead of his students. As extra insurance, Stuart enlists Kookie's help, he also undercover as a transfer student and fellow football player who Stuart is able to arrange as Mark's new dorm roommate. With no recent photos of Ganzel, Stuart is walking into the case somewhat blind, he believing Ganzel one of the three people who have recently been hired as staff at the college. If Stuart us unable to determine if any of the three is Ganzel, he may be forced to tell Mark the truth before the next big game, the risk to Mark too great in such an exposed venue, and despite Frankie's threat that he will kill Stuart if Mark discovers the truth. Adding to the complications is Mark himself, who likes Kookie but may think that too much Kookie, who is only doing his job, is too much if a good thing.
—Huggo