What would we do to protect those we love? To what or whom do we ultimately owe allegiance and loyalty? Kathi continues to struggle with these moral problems as she breaks out of the lock the security services have upon her and accepts a dangerous assignment - a return to Berlin. Her goal remains unchanging, to be reunited with her daughter Greta.
Involving two exhausted cities and peoples, the story moves between 1953 London and Berlin, a deepening Cold War, the threat of atomic warfare, unrest in East Germany, and an atmosphere of paranoia and plotting. Kathi is more mature now, and has allies in East Berlin, but takes on a formidable challenge, a rogue American undercover unit set on changing the balance of power in Europe and the USA regardless of the consequences.
What are the limits, if any, to the achievement of personal and ideological goals? How far can and will individuals go in an age of frightening military power and warfare?