Government of African state Cananga negotiates mining rights with German firm. Civil rights activist Mukele holds old documents proving tribal ownership. When murder attempts fail, Max breaks into embassy, recovers the documents, and rescues Ludowski from antagonist Jerome (a hired thug)

Thug Jerome survives past events, kills Ludowski. The Clown avenges him and fakes new identity as Max Hecker. Dobbs is briefly arrested, then released. Mysterious “Shadow Men” threaten Max, Claudia, and Dobbs unless they comply with their orders .

Sent to Portugal by “Shadow Men” to prevent atomic weapon deal: drug lord Alvarado aims to purchase portable nukes from deserters. Max must retrieve them—and meets ex-colleague Hartmann, now Alvarado’s right-hand man .

In Portugal, Hartmann finalises Alvarado’s deal. Max and Dobbs disrupt the exchange, chasing the fugitives into the mountains, culminating in a tight standoff .

On a Zurich-bound flight with Claudia aboard, Max receives a call that ex-comrades plan to hijack the plane and free witness Lenz mid-air. Despite interference, Claudia and a novice pilot land the plane after chaos ensues .

Former NVA officer Jürgen Kress, brainwashed to sabotage with codewords, survives a camp accident and executes his plan on Cologne’s Hohenzollern Bridge (“Mouse Trap”). Max uncovers a second plot targeting a dam under the code “Castor” .

Claudia and Dobbs witness a cunning pickpocket incident. The boy, Ion, is chased by a car and saved by them. He leads Max and team to ringleader Hausschild’s gang of child thieves. Max is captured and locked in a flooded sewer but is rescued by Claudia before drowning. They continue tracking the gang via a hidden tracker

Lazlo Puskas hides a suitcase containing incriminating evidence against drug-dealer Elias Hollbeck. Lazlo turns himself in, but Hollbeck’s men plan to kill him in police custody. Max must extract Lazlo from lock-up before the hit is carried out

The team is to rescue a highly gifted boy from the clutches of Dr. Werner Gräfe, who wants to use his abilities for terrorist purposes. Max is able to get the boy out of Gräfe's "institute", but in the process Dobbs is captured.

Dobbs reports a UFO encounter, dismissed by the team. Meanwhile, oil executive Dr. Gottwald plants explosives in his company’s refinery. The factory explodes. The Shadow Men claim Gottwald couldn’t be guilty. Dobbs alleges alien saboteurs are behind it, noting a missing general and suspicious black-clad figures dumping a body

Dobbs inherits a functioning time machine. By an unfortunate coincidence, Max and Claudia end up in the Middle Ages at the castle of the Marquis of Mendoza. The tyrant is enchanted by Claudia and is determined to make her his wife.