James Duncan discovered a new drug that keeps Alzheimer's in remission, but accolades were instead heaped on his boss, Barry Poser. During James quest to get the credit he deserved, he became a murder suspect. Daria Petrov reluctantly worked with two Russian students, on scholarship from a Russian pharmaceutical company, to steal the drug's formula. She took a job as a waitress in Woodies Tavern, where the employees of James' company meet for lunch. James was smitten with Daria at their first meeting. However, initially Daria thought James was a nerd. She went out with him only to obtain information. She got nothing from him, but she heard from others in his company that Barry Poser was the drug's developer. Daria's parents were strict Russians who wanted her to marry Ivan, one of the Russian students. But Daria's increased enthusiasm for James became a cause of Ivan's unhappiness. Daria and James' relationship grew and somehow survived a murder, a kidnapping, an assault, Ivan, and Daria's parents.