An unprecedented portrait of what it takes to be an intelligence officer in the field; a portrait with thirteen voices, yet no faces. These thirteen agents have, at some point, all worked for France's Department of External Security working on secret missions for the clandestine service which has only a handful of equivalents in the world. Between them, they have amassed over two hundred years of undercover experience and have served in the world's most conflicted territories over the last 25 years. Some left the service a decade ago, others mere months ago. Their mission was to gather the best intelligence possible information that remained inaccessible to any other secret service. In order to do this, they had to find the hidden path to the accused guerrilla leader, and to the ruling faction rejected by the entire international community. Twelve men and one woman agree to tell their accounts of recruitment, training, and their fears and victories of acting undercover, as well as the effects on their private and personal lives. From Somalia to Afghanistan through Iraq, their narratives help to lift part of the veil. A unique insight into the department which inspired international hit drama series The Bureau.