Поліцейський з Лос-Анджелеса жодного разу в житті не замислювався над тим, що його може чекати за гранню власного затишного світу. Проте з смертю улюбленої дружини в його життя входить темна, нещадна, відчайдушна порожнеча. Ладлоу вимушений діяти, коли його ж власні друзі-соратники звинувачують його у вбивстві. Так починається боротьба людини за своє місце у світі, який все більше і більше контролюється зовнішніми силами.

Champion competitive marksman Ken comes across an armored van robbery. He sees a policeman held hostage and shoots and kills four of the robbers. One of the robbers escapes and the policeman survives. The case is handled by Jerry Chang, whom Ken knows from having recently beaten him in a shooting match. Ken is found not guilty in court. Soon after, Ken is attacked by the escaped robber Pang Tao. Their confrontation reveals a very different background story and brings about a myriad of lies and traps and changes in relationships as Jerry and Ken try to outsmart each other.

After a mass shooting at a police funeral, reclusive ex-cop Gannon finds himself unwittingly forced out of retirement when he realizes that the killer belongs to the same militia he joined after quitting the force. Understanding that the shooting could set off a chain reaction of copycat violence across the country, Gannon quarantines his fellow militiamen in the remote lumber mill they call their headquarters. There, he sets about a series of grueling interrogations, intent on ferreting out the killer and turning him over to the authorities to prevent further bloodshed.