For many years, Peter Ashton was a successful, if unorthodox and controversial agent for Britain's SIS. But he was sent out to pasture by the agency when his cover was blown by his own government and now he is trying to live a quiet new life in hiding with his family. But someone amongst Ashton's old enemies is not content to let bygones be bygones and breaches SIS security in an attempt to locate the former agent's hiding place. When his former home is blown up, Ashton realizes that his SIS colleagues aren't going to protect him and that the safest guard for his family is himself. At the same time, an assassination in Russia leaves an old friend of Ashton's running from the mafiozniki. With a price on her head and no safe place to hide, she is desperate for Ashton's help. But with no help from the SIS and his old contacts denying that they've ever heard of him, Ashton is out in the cold and barely able to stay one step ahead of the terrorists out to retire him for good. It will require all of his resourcefulness and skill to uncover the identity of the person or group who are out for revenge, and protect his friend, family, and ultimately himself.