Howard Bainbridge, a chemical warfare expert who defected to East, was contaminated by his own experiments and then returned back to the U.S. and his family manor, where his father (a paranoid arch-conservative) had him killed and the body buried. Since Howard destroyed the records before defecting, the IMF must recover the body to get a sample of the chemicals. The elder Bainbridge, Justin, is unaware that his head of security is an enemy agent also trying to find Howard' sbody. The IMF gain access to a air-raid shelter on the grounds and start ""haunting"" Justin with a secretly-implanted microphone and holographic projectors. Plagued by visions only he can see of his son and his dead wife Janette (played by Dana), Justin calls in physician Paris, who recommends he assauge his guilt conscience and Justin ends up digging up his son's body, which the IMF take.

Howard Baindridge, le fils d'un milliardaire paranoïaque, s'est réfugié derrière le rideau de fer, emportant avec lui la formule ainsi qu'un échantillon d'un nouveau gaz mortel. Jim Phelps apprend que le jeune homme a malheureusement été contaminé par son précieux chargement et qu'il en est mort. Les agents doivent retrouver le coprs pour étudier la composition du gaz...

Un scientifique meurt assassiné après s’être administré accidentellement un gaz mortel, qu’il avait développé au profit d’une puissance ennemie. Afin de retrouver le corps du scientifique et donc la composition du gaz, l’équipe crée l’illusion que la propriété de son père est hantée.