Dicky Cruyer, who is now acting Director of Operations, sends Bernard and another agent into East Germany to meet Verdi, a KGB defector who has promised to supply access to the KGB mainframe and wanted to see Bernard.

After killing a Stasi agent and being sheltered by one of Fiona's networks they escape back to West Berlin.

Along the way Bernard has to deal with the usual office politics, enemy agents, his fragile wife, his ex-girlfriend Gloria, Dicky's wife's seduction by a KGB operative and Tessa's husband's attempts to find out who was really responsible for her death and make them pay.

Bret makes a surprise return to London to take the Deputy Director General position.

Verdi is safely brought to London to finalise the deal where he hands over Tessa's post mortem report as promised.