As a boy, Eduardo Plarr (Richard Gere) and his mother fled Paraguay after his father was captured and held as a political prisoner. Now a practicing doctor in a small Argentinian city, Plarr is approached by an old friend who tells him he's working with the Paraguayan underground and a disgraced British counsel (Michael Caine) on a plan to kidnap an ambassador and hold him for ransom in exchange for the release of Parr's father and several other prisoners. Now they just need Plarr's help.