"An intelligence report is being flown by private jet to the USA, but when the aircraft takes off from a remote Scottish airport, a missile brings it down. Anya Borsova is jailed for the criminal act, but a few years later a senior Russian officer wants to bargain for her freedom. Gerry Tate pursues the Russian to find out why, and what he has to offer for her release, but meanwhile elements of the British SIS, the Russian SVR and the American CIA seem determined to stop the exchange at any cost."