It’s a new world for the Spooks team: Ros’s death and a new coalition parliament herald in an era of re-assessment of the role of Britain, MI5 and even the life of a Spook. Faced with Ros’s barely attended funeral, the team come to question what a person sacrifices when they become a spy, provoking Harry to make an unexpected offer to another member of the Team. Further challenges await Harry in the form of the new Government and colourful new Home Secretary, William Towers. Working for a government doing whatever it takes to stop the country from sinking into historic economic disaster in their first year in office, Harry’s instincts are challenged as he is forced to bend to the will of those more powerful. There are some new faces on the Grid. Beth Bailey – an ex-mercenary who wants to hang up her boots in Iraq and find a more meaningful existence, defending the realm. Desperate to impress, she leaves some vital details about her past off her application form. Then there’s Dimitri Levendis: ex-SBS (Special Boat Service) who proves how capable and heroic he is in an impossible situation.
Reeling after the explosion at the hotel, Section D is left considering the sacrifices they make as spies. But they are soon back in action, tracking Somalian AQ terrorist Abib on a boat from Tangier. When it becomes clear that the boat is carrying a lethal load, the team fears it is headed to Plymouth for the launch of the newest addition to the Royal Navy's fleet. But is the real target elsewhere, and is it too late to find the UK source of the plan? Lucas's own faith is challenged when he is visited by an unwelcome ghost from his past.
The pressure is on for Beth when she goes undercover for MI5 for the first time. She is tasked with protecting an influential oil baron, Robert Westhouse, when the team receives intel that an assassination attempt will be made on him at a meeting of top oil dealers. But an unexpected ambush throws things off course, and threatens to dredge up her murky mercenary past. Meanwhile, Lucas visits someone who never expected they would see him again.
Section D is forced to welcome an FSB officer onto the Grid to help track down Aibek, a rogue nationalist from the ex-Soviet state of Azakstan. Aibek is in the UK to find the last known sample of the nerve agent 'Paroxocybin'. The chase is on, but will the team find a way to stop the nerve agent falling into the wrong hands without ruining Anglo-Russian relations? Meanwhile, Lucas's personal life takes a passionate turn.
When a highly skilled trio of Chinese agents arrive in London for 48 hours only, the team must find out why they are here. Ruth goes undercover in a major scientific research corporation where one Chinese scientist, Jiang, proves to be the ultimate prize. Beth activates an asset from the Chinese Security Services to be Section D's mole on the inside, but has she activated him too soon? Lucas makes a decision that could change his course forever.
The American president is on his way to London to chair top secret peace talks between Israel and Palestine, under the guise of his first state visit. Beth and Dimitri must keep their wits about them as undercover Home Office representatives, tasked with keeping the delegates apart until the talks. When a plot to kill the president is uncovered, they must also track down the assailant. The hotel is put in lockdown as a precaution, but are they locking the threat out? Or in?
Relations between the CIA and MI5 are stretched after an American drone is hacked in Afghanistan whilst in British care, leading to the loss of American lives. Beecher - head of the CIA in London - arrives on the Grid to oversee installation of the US's advanced cybersecurity system, 'Cybershell', to prevent any future disasters. Lucas, out in the field, is tasked with protecting and delivering Daniella Ortiz to the Grid, the young ex-hacker turned White House cryptographer who holds the installation codes. When the Grid is hacked and locked down, the team is plunged into a nightmare. Will they escape and prevent the theft of all CIA and MI5 intelligence? Will Lucas be able to protect Ortiz when the hackers decide to cut out the middle man?
Lucas is plunged further into the depths of his past when Vaughn takes his manipulations to a new level.
Ruth is approached and followed by an imbalanced council snooper who is convinced he's found a dead drop. She initially keeps her distance from him, but when her curiosity gets the better of her she ends up trapped in a situation not even he could have predicted. Lucas and Harry come face to face in the pursuit of the truth.
The team faces their toughest challenge ever: tracking down Lucas North, their Section Chief, friend and one of the best agents MI5 has ever had. Harry decides the team are too close, and brings in a specialist to help with the hunt. But it will not be easy to find a man who has nothing left to lose, and as the search becomes increasingly desperate, Harry and Lucas become embroiled in a deadly game of cat and mouse.