"You're a rebel and in this business, rebels areeither extremely good or extremely dead...." 1939. The storm clouds of war are gathering over Europe and the conundrum faced is whether the Soviet Union will reach a peace concord with Nazi Germany. How can Britain plan for war with Germany without knowing Stalin's intentions? The Baltic states hold the key and in particular Russia's old Grand Duchy, Finland. One man can make a difference and Alex Carlton is recruited by MI2 (the division of Military Intelligence that deals with Russia and Scandinavia) to go undercover in Finland to gain insight into Finnish intentions; but will Alex's past be a help or hindrance? As he progresses through training and prepares for his mission, Alex's life becomes complicated by love and intrigue that nearly derails his assignment... and that would upset Winston Churchill himself!

Diplomacy is a fact of life. Even during conflict, diplomacy remains, and it can be argued that during conflict is when diplomacy is at its best. May 1943. Alex returns to MI3 to head up Section D, focusing on Scandinavia and the Netherlands, but his department is soon embroiled in controversy as a senior member is unmasked an enemy agent. How much did Alex know?As the shadow of suspicion passes, Alex secures a diplomatic posting in Sweden and soon finds himself formulating a plan taking retribution against those suspected of his predecessor's death. Can this be accomplished without causing a diplomatic incident that would bring personal disgrace and dishonour to his country?...and an encounter with an old friend could destabilise the delicate balance between success and failure.