A terrorist named Pendragon delivers an ultimatum to heads of state in London, Paris, Rome and Bonn.
The missile launch is traced to Blackscape – an island in the Orkney archipelago controlled by Lord Hardesty – the richest man in the world.
He meets Gwen Leith one of two British Special Branch agents assigned to the mission and under his command.
Carter and Leith attend a ceremony on a nearby moor organized by the Militant Druids – a neo-Fascist group supported by Lord Hardesty.
The highlight is a sexually charged black mass presided over by figure in a devil costume during which agent James Stockes is tied to a cross and burned alive.
He meets up with Ian Travers from Scotland Yard Special Branch who arranges for him to be arrested and taken to Dartmoor Prison with Alfie McTurk, one of Pendragon's henchmen.
Carter and McTurk escape from the prison van (with Travers' intervention) en route to Dartmoor and hike across the moor.
As a test of loyalty Carter feigns executing Gwen Leith who has also been held captive on the island.
Carter recalls that Lord Hardesty owns a disused movie lot on the outskirts of London and heads there.