Police superintendent Makishima suffered a demotion transfer after he failed to capture the suspect in a kidnapping case of a boy, who was subsequently killed, and made a blunder in the press conference. Six years later, Makishima is improving his performance at Ashigara station, when he is summoned by the prefectural police headquarters and asked to take on the investigation of a serial child murder case which has reached a deadlock. Makishima, still bearing an emotional scar from the previous case, accepts the request, and pushes through an unprecedented investigation, where Makishima appears on TV as the person responsible for the investigation and appeals to the killer directly in order to bring him into the open. Despite being caught in disputes within the police force and facing criticism from rival TV stations, Makishima talks to the camera as the whole nation watches on. "This is for the killer. Go to sleep trembling in fear tonight."

川崎で起きた連続児童殺害事件で“BADMAN”と名乗りテレビに脅迫状を送りつけた犯人が、3件目の犯行後、こつ然と姿を消してしまう。捜査に行き詰った警察は捜査責任者の巻島をテレビに出演させ、犯人に直接語りかける“劇場型捜査”を決断するが、犯人を挑発する巻島の発言に報道は加熱し、日本中が混乱に陥る。

텔레비전 카메라를 사이에 두고 아동 연쇄 살인범과 형사가 벌이는 치열한 심리전