The criminal conspiracy known as the Union has vowed its revenge on the man who thwarted its last coup - James Bond. Now, the Union's mysterious leader sets out to destroy 007's reputation and sanity by luring the agent into a dangerous and volatile alliance.Officially on medical leave, Bond ignores M's orders and pursues clues that might lead him to the Union's inner circle. His search takes him from the seedy underbelly of London's Soho to the souks of Tangier; from a terrorist training camp in Morocco to a bullring in Spain; and from the clutches of a murderous Spanish beauty to a volatile summit conference on the Rock of Gibraltar.Each step brings 007 closer to the truth about the Union's elaborate, audacious plot to destroy both SIS and its best agent . . .