A Category 5 hurricane is barreling towards Puerto Rico, prompting an evacuation order to ensure the safety of its residents. Amidst the chaos, a thief known as John the Baptist commits a heinous act of robbery, stealing a valuable painting from an elderly woman at a bank. In his ruthlessness, he murders her and his accomplice for the information he seeks. Simultaneously, Cardillo, a jaded police officer, is reluctantly assigned to a lowly desk officer position. However, he is ordered to team up with Jess Pena to evacuate those stubbornly refusing to leave their homes, a task he is deeply cynical about.
The situation escalates when a peculiar customer named Griffin begins stocking up on 100 pounds of meat at the market, leading to a confrontation with another shopper. After Cardillo and Jess are alerted to the scene by the security officer, they learn that Griffin insists he needs the meat to feed his "pet." Alarmingly, Griffin also mentions that a retired police officer and an old man in his building are refusing to evacuate. Understanding the urgency, they agree to help him, but not without complications.
Upon reaching the apartment complex, they encounter Ray, the reticent retired officer, who adamantly refuses to leave, despite the pressing concerns from his daughter, Troy, a doctor who fears for his health due to his needed dialysis machine. As tensions flare between Cardillo and Ray, they learn that another resident, Bergkamp, is also resistant to evacuation. When chaos strikes and they witness a violent act as John's men invade the building, the stakes skyrocket.
Through a tumultuous sequence of evasion and confrontation, Cardillo, Troy, and Bergkamp find refuge in Griffin's apartment, but not without challenges. Griffin's private pet poses an unexpected threat, as he has trained it to attack anyone in uniform. With the radios disrupted by the storm, communication becomes a critical concern. The plight of the group intensifies when the thieves become aware of their presence and retaliate.
As Cardillo and Troy scale the building's scaffolding to evade capture, they barely escape survival. Amid the pandemonium, Ray and Pena muster the courage to confront the invaders, leading to intense clashes that leave both officers and thieves wounded. Back in Griffin's apartment, they uncover unsettling truths about past traumas that haunt Cardillo, revealing why he has been relegated to desk duty.
As they try to regroup and search for weapons against their attackers, the tension escalates when "John" discovers Bergkamp is the key to the hidden valuables he covets—the original Vincent van Gogh painting known as Poppyseeds. The dark turning point leads to desperate decisions, betrayals, and tragic losses as the characters confront the criminals and the grim reality of the hurricane's ferocity.
In a dramatic climax, the group bands together to try to outmaneuver their adversaries, with visceral confrontations echoing throughout the building amidst rising floodwaters. When the dust settles, the lives of the survivors are forever altered, leading Cardillo to find new connections, particularly with Troy, while their resilience shines through the storm. The aftermath leaves a haunting legacy of sacrifice and survival, as they navigate the treacherous waters of both the hurricane and the human condition.
