An important character who appears in all six is Sam McCready, played by Alan Howard, a Secret Intelligence Service agent who has become an author but continues to work on SIS operations.
Set in areas of international tension around the world, including the Middle East, Berlin, and the West Indies, the films highlight a division in British espionage and government between those who favour a subservient British relationship with the American Central Intelligence Agency and those, including McCready, who want to see more independence of thought and action.
A Soviet general offers the SIS important military documents, and a meeting is set up in East Germany, with McCready in charge of the operation.
The governor's widow, Lady Beatrix Coltrane tells Hannah that most of the inhabitants are not looking forward to independence, trusting neither of the two presidential candidates and fearing for their future.
Favaro calls on Tomson and in his house sees a rare copy of Paradise Lost which leads back to the Medellín.
McCready visits Tomson with Favaro, who steals the book, and inside it is a microfilm with the names and details of Medellín Cartel deals.
The French government expels dozens of Soviet diplomats, and Rodimstev, head of the KGB, forms an alliance with Carlos the Jackal to punish France.
[3] While on a Soviet Military Intelligence visit to Britain, a Russian contacts the CIA station in London, wishing to defect to the US, claiming to be Colonel Pyotr Orlov of the KGB.
The American and British sides refuse to believe each other's versions of events, and "Orlov" succeeds in bringing down the supposed CIA traitor.