Who Dares Wins

A CND demonstration in London is interrupted when a protester is killed. British security forces quickly realize a terrorist group has infiltrated the protest movement to serve its own goals. They also discover the murdered protester was an undercover intelligence officer infiltrating the terrorists.

At SAS headquarters, Colonel Hadley introduces Captain Peter Skellen and his troop for a covert mission. The briefing hints at a dangerous undercover role to infiltrate the terrorist group. The tension lingers from a controversial torture incident that prefaces the operation.

During a Brecon Beacons training exercise, Hadley and Major Steele discover Skellen torturing Hagen and Freund as part of a deception. They dismiss him from the SAS, but the act is revealed to be a ruse to give Skellen cover as a disgraced operator. This enables him to infiltrate the terrorist group.

Skellen's intelligence contact Ryan advises him to approach Frankie Leith and Rod Walker, leaders of the People's Lobby believed to be planning the attack. He plans a meeting to establish his cover and gain access to the PL network. The contact sets the stage for the undercover operation.

Skellen meets Leith at the PL bar and begins a sexual relationship with her, upsetting Walker and his underlings Helga and Mac. Leith invites him into the organization as a security consultant and soon lets him move in with her. The growing relationship strengthens his position within PL.

Leith offers Skellen a job as a security consultant to the PL and brings him to their headquarters. Hadley reveals Skellen's location to Hagen and Freund, who viciously beat him at Leith's house. The beating dissipates Leith's doubts about Skellen, while Walker and the rest of the PL remain suspicious.

Walker uses surveillance photos of Skellen meeting with Ryan, his wife Jenny, and their infant daughter to convince Leith that Skellen is not who he seems. In response, Walker orders Helga to kill Ryan, severing Skellen's link to Hadley, while Leith and Walker withhold information on the upcoming attack. The PL's internal trust begins to fray as the plot progresses.

On the day of the attack, Helga and Mac raid Skellen's house, seizing his family and taking the police guard hostage. Leith uses this to force Skellen into unconditional cooperation with the PL. The PL also kidnaps several US Air Force airmen and uses their uniforms to infiltrate the US ambassador's residence.

Disguised as American personnel, the PL infiltrates the ambassador's residence and takes hostages including the ambassador and other top officials. Security forces respond, preparing a counter-operation to retake the residence. Currie questions Leith's motives as she argues for disarmament on a global scale.

Skellen uses a mirror as a heliograph from the washroom to signal Hadley for an assault at 10 a.m. The Home Secretary pushes Powell to pursue negotiation, delaying the tactical response. Tensions escalate as the clock ticks toward the planned operation.

The SAS deploys to the ambassador's residence and breaches the building. Skellen turns on the PL and kills several terrorists, including Walker, as Baker's troop clears the residence and rescues the hostages. The main threat inside begins to subside as order returns to the residence.

Skellen advances toward Leith, the last surviving PL member. Steele arrives and shoots Leith before she can fire, ending the immediate threat. With the PL defeated, the SAS secures the residence and completes the operation.

The SAS boards their helicopters and returns to base, while Skellen reconciles with Hagen and Freund. In a government building, Sir Richard vents about the violence before meeting Malek to discuss future actions. The credits conclude with a list of terrorist incidents and a performance of The Red Flag.