To Live and Die in L.A.

Secret Service agents Richard Chance and Jimmy Hart thwart an assassination attempt against President Reagan by an Islamic jihadist. This event marks the beginning of their transition into a new assignment focused on a counterfeit investigation in Los Angeles.

After the incident involving the President, Chance and Hart are reassigned to investigate a counterfeiting operation in Los Angeles. While Chance is known for his reckless methods, this is the beginning of deeper corruption that he tries to hide from his superiors.

With only three days before his retirement, Hart embarks on a solitary mission to surveil suspected counterfeiter Eric 'Rick' Masters at a remote desert warehouse. Tragically, Hart's life is cut short when he is ambushed and killed by Masters and his bodyguard Jack.

Devastated by Hart's death, Chance partners with John Vukovich and vows to bring Masters to justice, no matter the cost. This sets into motion a series of events characterized by vengeance and moral compromise.

Chance and Vukovich begin their investigation by placing Max Waxman, one of Masters' associates, under observation. However, a critical misstep occurs when Vukovich’s lapse in vigilance allows Masters to eliminate Waxman, eliminating an important lead.

Desperate for intel, Chance takes advantage of his sexual relationship with parolee informant Ruth to gain leads on Masters. Meanwhile, Vukovich attempts to access valuable information through a connection with Masters' legal advisor, Bob Grimes.

Grimes agrees to facilitate a meeting between the agents and Masters, pretending they are potential clients interested in counterfeit bills. Masters shows hesitation but ultimately agrees to produce $1 million in fake currency after striking a deal.

To fund the counterfeit purchase, Chance persuades Vukovich to rob Thomas Ling, who was identified by Ruth as carrying cash for illegal diamond transactions. The robbery at Union Station becomes chaotic, accidentally resulting in Ling's death and revealing the danger of their tactics.

The morning after the robbery, Chance and Vukovich learn that Ling was actually an undercover FBI agent. The realization of the extent of their error weighs heavily on Vukovich, who feels immense guilt while Chance continues to fixate on bringing Masters down.

During the final meeting for the currency exchange, violence erupts when Jack reveals a shotgun. A confrontation ensues where both Jack and Chance inflict fatal wounds on each other, allowing Masters to escape amidst the chaos.

Vukovich pursues Masters to a warehouse where the evidence of their crimes has been incinerated. During their tense confrontation, Masters shocks Vukovich by revealing that Grimes had been complicit in their scheme, adding another layer of betrayal to the investigation.

As Masters attempts to eliminate Vukovich, he is shot multiple times in the struggle. Ironically, he succumbs to the very flames he ignited in the warehouse, highlighting the tragic end of a life driven by crime and greed.

In the aftermath of the chaos, Vukovich meets Ruth, who is preparing to leave Los Angeles. He implies that she had manipulated Chance all along and asserts his own control over her, demonstrating his transformation into a morally ambiguous figure.

As Vukovich assumes a more informal demeanor, it becomes clear that he has adopted the reckless tactics once used by Chance. His insistence that Ruth is now under his command indicates a deeper entrenchment into the corrupt world they both sought to escape.