Santee and his friend Eddie are pulled over by a traffic cop while hauling a load of stolen cars through the California desert. The ensuing confrontation leaves Eddie dead and Santee holding a smoking gun with the also-slayed cop in front of him. With his proclamations that he is innocent of murdering the cop falling on deaf ears, Santee finds himself back in the desert being transported to prison. Santee narrowly escapes when he realizes two guards have no intention of bringing him there alive.