After accomplishing his mission, the book continues five years later with Bond being called in by M to learn more background into what those women were doing there before being extracted.

Involving four women and a man, the operation was considered a complete debacle that ended with the members being found out.

In addition, Murray has learned that Maxim Smolin, the GRU man Dare was supposed to seduce, is now in Ireland and has managed to shake off the guard - and there are also rumors that someone even higher up in the Russian hierarchy is there.

Bond tries to trick Smolin, who doesn't buy into it, and takes the pair to the GRU's castle, where Heritage is also located.

Also, he is helping Susanne Dietrich, a captain of HVA, who was in turn lured by Jungle Baisley, the only male agent of the operation.

Having managed to wiretap the castle, Bond has learned that the last mole, "Jungle" Baisley, is in Hong Kong with Susanne Dietrich.

Once there, Bond meets his contact Big Thumb Chang, who supplies him with weapons, and Swift, who planned the entire Cream Cake operation.

Bond manages to kill the pursuers and return to base where he discovers that Murray and Heather have worked to ensure that everyone, who has had anything to do with the Cream Cake, is handed over to SMERSH and eliminated.

Bond kills Heather and Murray and forces Chernov to free Ebbie, Jungle, Susanne and Smolin.