Hoping to boost Lifeline’s flagging funds and gain some independence from London, Albert and Monique concoct a plan to sell three valuable Rubens paintings, replacing the originals with forgeries. However, Kessler is also aware of the paintings’ existence and plans to acquire them for Germany, setting out to remove them from the convent near Antwerp where they are held. Meanwhile, two American evaders, impatient with Lifeline’s security checks, decide to strike out on their own and ambush the car that Kessler is travelling in. Totally unaware of the true identity of their hostage, the Americans and their captive impose themselves on Hans and Lena Van Broecken, demanding that they are taken to Switzerland on their barge. Lifeline must not only retrieve the paintings, but also ensure that no harm comes to Kessler, as horrifying reprisals by the Germans are at stake.