A secret cabal within the U.S. government formed to exploit contact with an alien race. These aliens had advanced technology, but they were few in number. Their goals on Earth were unclear, but they seemed willing to assist the cabal in gaining influence and power. The money to fund their activities was gathered by releasing new technology as "inventions" of friendly corporations. Agents of the cabal were provided with equipment and drugs which enabled them to accomplish spectacular feats. After a decade or so, it became unclear who among the cabal and the aliens had the guiding hand.
Not all the aliens agreed with this cynical manipulation of Earth's culture, however. At least one finally decided to fight back. Since America's research institutions were too closely monitored, she traveled to Russia. She chose an intelligent but malleable scientist, Igor Platov, and used him to begin introducing advanced technology of her own. She, however, chose her gifts to improve terrestrial standards of living. Whether it was for humanitarian reasons or for the acclaim his "genius" brought him, Platov accepted the sham. In order to remain near him while they worked, the rebel alien posed as his wife. Somewhere along the way, they fell in love.
As their work progressed, Platov gained more recognition. In Russia, recognition brings examination, and the alien (now calling herself Irina Platov) became concerned. Her cover could not stand strong scrutiny, and those near to Platov were beginning to garner more attention. At her urging, he applied for emigration. The Russian government refused; Platov's work had already made him indispensable. The requested prompted more intense background checks, and he and Irina became desperate. Finally, he approached the CIA and asked to defect to America. Irina hoped that arriving as the nondescript wife of an established researcher would shield her from undue attention.
Their chance came when the third annual International Atomic Power conference was scheduled in Dallas. Russia couldn't refuse to honor the invitation of one of her most prominent physicists, so Platov was given permission to go. In light of his previous request, however, he was given a watchdog group of KGB operatives. Still, the CIA was confident that they could slip him away. Irina, meanwhile, was refused on exit visa, so she remained behind. Arrangements were made for the Syndicate, an international criminal consortium, to smuggle her to America. When she vanished, the KGB stepped up its "protection" of Dr. Platov. He became nervous, and then finally panicked. Taking the "invention" he had brought to the conference to present (a device for rendering nuclear waste harmless), he fled his guards and disappeared.
Meanwhile, other problems were stirring. Parties unknown broke into a Russian reactor facility and escaped with a sizable chunk of plutonium. More than enough to assemble a medium-sized nuclear weapon. Russia's track record for nuclear safety was hardly sterling, so the revelation that they could not even prevent terrorists from becoming nuclear powers would do them more harm then even the bomb itself. A quiet, frantic search for the plutonium ensued. Finally, it was learned that the material had come into the hands of the Syndicate. Ever ready to play the middlemen, the Syndicate put out word through the underground that the stuff was for sale. Out of perversity, the Syndicate chose to sell the stuff in the same town as a conference devoted to peaceful nuclear power. Dallas.
So, to this town come four organizations. The CIA is here - in violation of their charter - to complete the defection. The KGB would like to stop it, but even more importantly they need to recover the plutonium before someone traces it back to Russia's door. An American militia group heard about the sale, and they've come to purchase the goods. Their leaders claim to only want the bomb for the sake of humiliating the government, but such groups are infamously mercurial in their moods. Their chief opposition is a group of Azerbaijani military intelligence agents (though "thugs" might be a more appropriate term). Azerbaijan has little need of another bomb, but the pleasure of twisting the knife in Russia's side is a too great a temptation to resist.
Added to this volatile mix are two more groups. The first are the tools through which the cabal performs its most direct and bloody work. Agents given training and treatment that renders no longer entirely human. They are secretive, confusing, and ruthless. They are the Men in Black. Platov's inventions have skirted too close to the line between a brilliant human inventor and someone receiving outside help. The cabal - and its masters - wish to know the truth. Even the cabal is not perfect in its unity, though. One of its lesser members has had a change of heart. He wishes to bring down his fellows and bring ruin to their plans. Toward this end, he was leaked information to a group of... fringe personalities. Their willingness to believe the truth is offset by their willingness to believe just about anything. Still, they are the tools he has, so he has brought them to Dallas as well in the hopes that they can finally capture the proof needed to break the conspiracy.
Irina, for what it's worth, means peace.