Thomas Sullivan is a very well-respected heart surgeon- but one who is clamoring for even more success and recognition. He has the chance to perform a heart transplant on a fellow man of science when Gabor Skorzeny, a laborer who was killed in an automobile accident, is brought into Sullivan's hospital. Skorzeny, however, isn't quite as dead as he would appear, so Sullivan kills him and takes the heart. Unfortunately for Sullivan, the murder wasn't quite a complete success either- as Skorzeny's body is missing and Sullivan gets several mysterious telephone calls.