Detective Michael Bennett arrests infamous South American crime lord Manuel Perrine in a deadly chase that leaves Bennett's lifelong friend Hughie McDonough dead. From jail, the prisoner vows to rain terror down upon New York City - and to get revenge on Michael Bennett.

Perrine's men create chaos: police officers are shot, judges murdered. As Bennett is engulfed in the struggle against this widening organised violence, he realises that not only is he being targetted, the lives of everyone he loves are under threat.