In a not-so-distant future, retired law enforcement veteran Jack Deth is called back into action for a monumental task: hunting down the devious criminal mastermind Martin Whistler. Armed with formidable psychic powers, Whistler employs his abilities for nefarious purposes, transforming innocent people into mindless "Trancers," grotesque killers devoid of humanity. Deth is equipped with a special wristband to identify these unfortunate victims, allowing him to track the twisted happenings.
However, before Deth can corner his elusive prey, Whistler masterminds a cunning escape through an inventive drug-induced time travel, slipping back to 1985. With his consciousness woven into the bloodline of Detective Weisling, a Los Angeles police officer, Deth soon discovers Whistler's diabolical maneuvering. In a moment of desperation, Deth is forced to destroy Weisling's body, stranding Whistler in the past without a vessel for his malevolence.
In a clever twist, Deth harnesses the very same time-traveling method to pursue Whistler. He takes on the identity of Phil Dethton, a journalist from his ancestry, and with the help of Phil's girlfriend, Lena, a spirited punk rock aficionado, he aims to thwart Whistler’s heinous agenda.
As the situation escalates, Whistler continues "trancing" new victims, leaving Deth to battle against the clock. Despite his efforts, Deth fails to stop numerous murders. Yet, he manages to shield Hap Ashby—a faded baseball star whose ancestor is Chairman Ashe, the last member of the ruling council in the dystopian future known as Angel City.
Navigating through this intricate tapestry of time travel and crime, Deth unexpectedly receives a high-tech package from his own future, revealing a sidearm loaded with two secret vials of time-altering drugs, alongside a "long-second" wristwatch that can momentarily elongate time, turning a mere second into ten. Although its powers are limited, Deth’s prospects improve when he receives an additional unit, significantly boosting his chances against Whistler.
As the titanic conflict between Deth and Whistler escalates, he faces a pivotal choice that could alter the trajectory of many lives. After an intense encounter, a damaged vial in Deth's weapon leaves him with one potent dose to seal his fate, placing Weisling—unwittingly possessed by Whistler—at the fulcrum of destiny. Tackling this moral quandary, Jack must evaluate whether to save Weisling's life or eliminate Whistler and restore order, a decision that would leave him in a void state. Ultimately, he opts for compassion, injecting Weisling with the last vial and choosing to consign Whistler to eternal torment instead.
As the tumultuous aftermath unfolds, Deth embraces a new existence alongside Lena, the passionate love he pursued in 1985. Unbeknownst to him, his former self, McNulty, now inhabits the body of a young girl, observing him from the shadows with an eerie understanding of the intricate realities of time and space.
