Sebastian

Sebastian rushes through Oxford toward the honorary degree ceremony when he runs into model Becky Howard. She insults him on the spot, yet her curiosity persists as she follows him to the ceremony. This unexpected meeting plants the seed for Becky's future in the civil service.

Becky is able to spell her name backwards, catching Sebastian's attention and signaling her sharp mind. He gives her a phone number to call if she wants the job. The moment marks the beginning of Becky's path toward a secret career.

Becky performs well in the difficult interview and learns the job is with the all-female decoding office directed by Sebastian. She discovers that the role involves deciphering codes used by secret agents and foreign spies. The interview confirms a surprising and influential career path ahead.

After settling into the decoding team, Becky becomes infatuated with the aloof director. The office dynamics become colored by her growing feelings, even as the work remains demanding and precise. The personal tension begins to intersect with professional life.

General Phillips accuses Elsa Shahn of security risk due to left-wing leanings. Sebastian argues for her retention, highlighting her value to the operation. The clash underscores political pressures within the intelligence community.

Becky pursues and seduces Sebastian, who begins to drift from his established life. He ultimately leaves his girlfriend, the washed-up pop singer Carol Fancy. The personal life conflict deepens the emotional stakes for both of them.

The office is swept up in the era's atmosphere as Becky's feelings collide with Sebastian's addiction to work. Elsa Shahn’s left-wing connections raise concerns of leaks to a political organization. The environment becomes increasingly volatile as loyalties are tested.

Phillips confronts the security breach, and Becky accidentally reveals their relationship to the office. Sebastian resigns from the post, breaks up with Becky, and returns to Oxford. The fallout reshapes their lives and the team dynamics.

Months later, the Head of Intelligence asks Sebastian to return temporarily to help decipher signals from a Russian satellite. He agrees only if Elsa Shahn receives a full pension, signaling a cautious compromise between duty and personal loyalty.

While looking for Becky, Sebastian runs into Carol and is invited to her apartment. He is drugged with LSD and lured to the rooftop by Toby, Carol's lover who is secretly a foreign agent. General Phillips intervenes, saves him, and Toby is arrested.

Sebastian finds Becky and learns that he is the father of her newborn baby. He openly admits his love for her, signaling a renewed personal stake in their collaboration. The discovery deepens their bond and the stakes of their work.

A noise from the baby’s rattle provides Sebastian with a crucial clue to the Soviet signal. Becky assists as he begins decoding the signal in her living room, reigniting their professional partnership. The domestic setting becomes the unlikely hub of international intrigue.