The story captures an area of Chicago's south end of the city long the Chicago River called Canal street which described as most coruppted area in the country. During Chicago's World Fair in 1893 two beat policeman find a boy from a weathly family who has kidnapped from the fair and held for ransom. For their outstanding work Pete Alex and Cam Sulley were promoted to work vice in the Canal street area which is run by crooked politicans high and low end brothels illegal gambling houses and opium dens. The story begins after the Chicago Fire in 1872 when Bertino Blue-Eye Cosmo sets up his vice district in the Canal street area. He becomes"King of Canal Street". Every business operator sees him to pay street taxes for protection. Pete and Cam worked out a plan to bring this big shot down. Cam works undercover in many different disguises. Pete is of Italian orgin changed his name to from Agnelli to Alex so he get close to Blue-Eye Cosmo. Alot of good Chicago history during the most coruppted period in Chicago crime.