eventually the two men discover they both share a dream for freedom. Nevertheless, Thomas assassinates with professional expertise a former RAF Commander, as ordered by Tally-Ho. As Yvonne introduces Thomas to the London art underworld of Beatnik basement clubs and galleries the pair fall in love and form a meaningful relationship, whilst Thomas actually leads a double-life. Unknown to Thomas, he is being watched by Harris (Sean Chapman), a ruthless British Secret Intelligence Service officer, with links to Steiner, and answerable to Commander Bothringaye, a senior civil servant who runs an autonomous security department. They decide to apprehend Dennis as the supposed leader not only of the spy-cell but also of a planned coup, in collaboration with local Communist groups. Thomas then receives an order from Tally-Ho to assassinate Dennis. Thomas arrives at Dennis' house and Dennis instinctively understands what the situation is. After a long and disillusioned discussion about the existence and role of low-rank spy agents, Dennis considers running away and breaking contacts as useless, as suggested by Thomas, shoots himself in the mouth. Thomas is met by a new contact, Stephanie (Sybille Gebhardt), a stern and good looking East German agent, who informs Thomas that Dennis had been killed by the British Secret police. Unsure whether he should mistrust Stephanie or the source behind her information, Thomas arrives later that night to meet Stephanie again but she does not turn up as she has been apprehended and now is brutally interrogated by Harris and Bothringaye. Nevertheless, Stephanie refuses to crack under their pressure. An agent in the interrogation pulls Stephanie off her chair and Harris instructs Stephanie to strip naked. She does as she is instructed and continues to defy breaking. Meanwhile, Thomas leaves the rendezvous, resigned to the belief that either Stephanie was a double-agent or that she had been captured. Harris and Bothringaye return to the room during the night and try to make Stephanie crack with another interrogation. They plant the idea in her head that Thomas had defected and was the one who had betrayed her. Thomas decides that he must leave his post, as his position has become compromised in light of Stephanie's disappearance and of her inaccurate information regarding Dennis' death. However, he does not want to leave Yvonne and the life he has made with her. He also knows that not returning to the USSR would not be an option