Detective Sergeant Cowley, a member of the Flying Squad, is brutally assaulted and left fighting for his life. His boss, Detective Inspector Jack Regan, is determined to find the culprits but is forced off the case: it being a gangland crime, the Serious Crimes team is on it. Regan is determined to carry out his own, unauthorised investigation but needs a tough assistant who knows the area and the likely thugs involved as well as, like Regan, not being afraid to use some rough, underhanded methods to get information. Enter Detective Sergeant George Carter.
—grantss