After deciding to round off their evening with a nightcap Steed and Purdey enter Steed's home to find the place vandalised. Steed's valuable art and porcelain collection lies smashed in the fireplace and later a bomb explodes in Steed's garage, destructing his bentley. Further things happen in a short time; at Steed's home arrives a coffin with the inscription "John Steed-RIP". Gambit discovers also Steed's school sporting mementoes have been destroyed, and Steed twice escapes death from a sniper's bullet.