In Los Angeles, Richard Chance (William Petersen) and Jim Hart (Michael Greene) are police officers trying to track down the vicious criminal Eric "Rick" Masters (Willem Dafoe). Masters is a counterfeit artist who has eluded capture despite many attempts by the L. A. police force. Finally getting a break, Jim goes after Masters in one last big bust before his retirement. But when Jim is killed by Masters, Richard vows to get revenge no matter what the cost. Richard is assigned a new partner named John Vukovich (John Pankow). John is assigned to work with Chance, and to curtail his obsession to capture Masters. But Richard will not be deterred. Every opportunity he has, Richard risks his partner and his own career, trying to arrest the criminal who killed his friend.