In late 1980s Chicago, Nick Hayden, a rookie INS field agent, is eager
to make his mark in the unit responsible for picking up illegal
immigrants around the city. Hayden excels, whether he's raiding
factories or busting Colombian drug dealers. Seen as a rising star by
supervisors, over time the green, idealistic Hayden evolves into what
one veteran agent terms a "gladiator," an agent willing to do whatever
is necessary to get the job done. But Hayden's real reason for joining
INS--the mysterious death of an agent thirteen years earlier--remains a
closely guarded secret, even as he reluctantly begins a discreet inquiry
to uncover the truth.
Hayden's world changes dramatically when he recruits Miguel Chavez, a
humble Mexican illegal immigrant, to be an informant to help take down
Salvador Rico, the ruthless kingpin of Chicago's counterfeit document
trade. Nick faces challenges during the investigation that profoundly
alter his career and personal priorities as the story builds to a deadly
confrontation.