In Soviet Union, Moscow, police Captain Ivan Danko attempts to arrest Georgian drug lord Viktor “Rosta” Rostavili. However, Rosta evades capture, kills Ivan’s partner, Yuri Ogarkov, and flees to the U.S. When Moscow is notified that Rosta has been arrested in Chicago, Illinois, for a traffic violation, Colonel Kulikov orders Ivan to retrieve him, but is prohibited from informing the American police why the Russians want Rosta’s extradition. Arriving in Chicago, Ivan is taken to the police station by detectives Art Ridzik and Sgt. Gallagher. There, Ivan meets Commander Lou Donnelly to sign the extradition order. Before Rosta is released into his custody, Ivan goes through the gangster’s possessions and takes a suspicious key. Leaving the station, the officers are ambushed. Although Art shoots one of the attackers, Ivan is knocked unconscious, Gallagher is killed, and Rosta gets away. At the hospital, Ivan awakens and decides to remain in Chicago until he completes his mission. Back at the station, Ivan promises Donnelly he will apprehend Rosta, but the commander assigns Art Ridzik to be his partner. Through an informant named Streak, they learn that Rosta was working with a syndicate known as the “Brotherhood,” led by Abdul Elijah. Meeting with Abdul, Ivan informs him that he has Rosta’s locker key, and Abdul admits that the key opens a locker containing payment for a cocaine shipment that Rosta will be sending to Moscow. Later, Ivan and Art follow Rosta’s wife, Cat Manzetti, but they are led to a parking garage and cornered by members of Abdul’s Brotherhood. Rosta appears and demands the locker key, but Ivan refuses, and Rosta is forced to flee. Later, Art and Ivan go to the hospital to interrogate the attacker shot during Rosta’s escape, but when they arrive, Josip Baroda, an associate of Rosta’s, kills the attacker with an injection. Art gives chase, and as Baroda draws a gun, Ivan shoots him dead. Afterward, Donnelly orders Ivan to hand over his firearm and stop his investigation. However, Art still wants to avenge Gallagher’s murder, and secretly gives Ivan his spare gun. Returning to his hotel, Ivan is attacked by members of the Brotherhood. While Ivan fights them off, Rosta sneaks into his room and steals the locker key. Later, Art takes Ivan to visit Pat Nunn, a locksmith. Looking through a catalog, they discover Rosta’s key matches the lockers located at the American Liberty Lines cross-country bus terminal. There, Rosta receives his drug shipment and loads it inside an empty bus. As Ivan and Art arrive, Rosta drives off. Chasing him in another bus, Ivan and Art cause Rosta to crash into an oncoming train. As Rosta crawls out of the wreckage, Ivan kills him. Later, Art takes Ivan to the airport. As a token of their new friendship, they exchange wristwatches.