In Cleveland, 1972, Russell Stevens Jr. is the son of a drug addicted, alcoholic man. His father tells his son never to be like him. Stevens then witnesses his father getting killed while robbing a liquor store. He swears that he will never end up the way he has.
Twenty years later, in Cincinnati, 1991, Stevens is now a police officer. Officer Stevens is recruited by DEA Special Agent Gerald Carver to go undercover on a major sting operation in Los Angeles, claiming that his criminal-like character traits will be more of a benefit undercover than they would serve him as a uniformed policeman. Stevens poses as drug dealer "John Hull" in order to infiltrate and work his way up the network of the west coast's largest drug importer, Anton Gallegos and his uncle Hector G zman, a South American politician. Stevens relocates to a cheap hotel in LA and begins dealing cocaine.
One day Stevens is arrested by the devoutly religious L.A.P.D. Narcotics Detective Taft and his corrupt partner Hern ndez, when he buys a kilogram in a set-up by Gallegos' low-level street supplier Eddie Dudley. At his arraignment, Stevens discovers that he was sold "baby laxative" (mannitol) instead of cocaine and his case is dismissed. Stevens' self-appointed attorney David Jason, who is also a drug trafficker in Gallegos' network, rewards Stevens' silence with more cocaine and introduces Stevens to Felix Barbossa, the underboss to Gallegos. Felix realized that Eddie was working with the LAPD, which results in Felix killing him and enlisting Stevens as Eddie's replacement.
Stevens develops a romance with Betty McCutcheon, the manager of an art dealership which serves as a front to launder Jason's drug money profits. When one of Stevens' dealers is murdered by a rival dealer named Ivy, Stevens kills him and is awarded a partnership in Jason's new business venture; distribution of a synthetic chemical variant of cocaine. It turns out that Felix is working with Detective Hern ndez who pressures him into giving him more arrests. Felix immediately gives up Stevens, Jason, and Betty, since he views them as expendable and wants to kill Jason because of his business venture. Carver knows about the upcoming bust, but refuses to interfere forcing Stevens to violate orders and stop it himself. At the deal, Stevens exposes Felix as a police informant, which results in a vengeful Jason killing him.
Gallegos comes to personally meet with Jason and Stevens and informs them that they have inherited Felix's $1.8 million debt. Later that same day, Stevens meets with Carver to tell him about his meeting with Gallegos. Instead Carver pulls a gun on Stevens and orders him to surrender his weapon and get in his car. Angrily Stevens disarms Carver and forces him to reveal what's happening behind the scenes. Carver admits that the State Department is leaving Gallegos and Guzman alone because Guzman may someday be useful as a political asset to them. Stevens' disillusionment reaches its conclusion and he abandons his undercover status vowing to take down Gallegos and Guzman alone.
Stevens and Jason learn that Gallegos is going to kill them anyway, so instead of paying Gallegos, Jason and Stevens cleverly kill him and steal a van storing over a $100 million of Gallegos' cash. Jason and Stevens invite Guzman to a shipyard and offer to return 80% of Gallegos' money if he agrees to invest the remaining 20% in their synthetic cocaine distribution operation. Detective Taft, who has been tailing Stevens, interrupts the deal but is unable to arrest Guzman because of his diplomatic status. Guzman flees the scene before Taft's backup arrives. Taft orders Stevens to surrender, but is shot and wounded by Jason. Stevens reveals to Jason that he is a police officer but Jason ignores this information and cajoles him into joining Jason and abandoning the dying Taft. Jason kills Taft, despite Stevens' pleas to let him go. Stevens then reaffirms himself as a police officer and attempts to arrest Jason, but is forced to kill him when Jason draws his gun.
Afterwards, Carver leverages Stevens by threatening to charge Betty with several bank fraud violations. In exchange for his favorable testimony of Carver, the DEA, and their sting operation, Stevens can prevent Betty's prosecution. Stevens agrees, but during his testimony to the House Judiciary Subcommittee, he produces a video tape of the incriminating conversation with Guzman at the shipyard, thus potentially ruining Guzman's and Carver s career. Later he contemplates what to do with the $11 million of Gallegos' money that he secretly kept.
Output: What secret is Stevens hiding from everyone at the end?