Even the toughest guys have their weaknesses, and for Earl Swagger, a World War II hero and former Marine, the mystery of the deaths of his younger brother and his father, the sheriff, is such a sore point. A fearless and cold-blooded warrior, Earl, as part of a police strike force, arrives in Hot Springs, a city of numerous casinos, betting shops and brothels, which is ruled with a firm hand by the large gangster Owney Maddox. Earl's squad begins a bloody battle with the gambling mafia, in which Earl must not only survive, but also finally find answers to the questions that have tormented him for many years.