A Navy flight navigator, Lieutenant Chris Burnett, is on a routine reconnaissance mission off the coast of Bosnia during the Bosnian War when his plane is shot down by hostile forces. He survives the crash but finds himself trapped in enemy territory. With his pilot dead, Burnett must evade the deadly pursuit of a relentless Serbian paramilitary unit commanded by a ruthless tracker who has orders to kill him on sight. As Burnett navigates the dangerous terrain, he witnesses the horrors of war and uncovers a secret genocide taking place against the local population. Armed with this sensitive information, which he must relay back to his superiors, Burnett becomes an even more valuable target.

Back on the aircraft carrier, Admiral Reigart faces political resistance when he attempts to organize a search and rescue mission for the downed officer. Despite the bureaucratic red tape and international complications of mounting a rescue in hostile territory, Reigart is determined to save Burnett. He battles against the clock, opposing forces, and higher command to launch a covert operation aimed at retrieving his missing man before it's too late. As the pursuit intensifies on the ground, Burnett must use all his military training and survival skills to avoid capture, with the hope that his fellow soldiers can reach him before the enemy closes in.