In the five years since SIS agent Jeremy Wheeler fought to the death with his nemesis, Hasan in the London sewers, a lot has changed. England and Northern Ireland reached an accord with the Good Friday Agreement in 1999. The IRA was disbanded, relinquishing their weapons in return for the closing of the Maze prison and the release of its prisoners; including the notorious IRA killer, John McConnell.
His release set off alarms in the SIS and Jeremy Wheeler was alerted. His identity had been compromised, forcing him to choose the new identity of Jeffrey Spence for his new assignment back in Belfast.