Although Paul Wedekind has created a new life for himself as a peaceful fisherman on the coast of Rhode Island, he is afflicted by memories of his violent past. As an idealistic and patriotic young man, he enlisted in the East German army, only to be recruited by the omnipotent Stasi for an ambiguous intelligence-gathering role. Paul is sent to the far reaches of windswept Afghanistan, where he and his childhood friend are imprisoned and brutally tortured by the Mujahadin. Years later, living quietly in a New England fishing town, Paul sees his buried history return with shocking power. The Berlin Wall's collapse has left him vulnerable, uncertain of his role. A tight-lipped woman, Suleika, becomes his boat captain, fishing partner, confidante - and eventually his lover. As exiles, the two struggle to protect the secrets that have led them to one another; but both find that the past must be confronted if it is to be escaped.