Set in Texas in 1980, the story begins with a rookie cop who arrests a mysterious man and seizes a strange piece of equipment he initially describes as an oxygen tank. After assuring the sheriff that everything is under control, the rookie is suddenly attacked from behind by the prisoner, who uses the handcuffs to kill him. The prisoner then takes the police car and, realizing it's not the best getaway vehicle, forces a random driver on the highway to comply with his demands at the sound of approaching police sirens. As the story unfolds, it becomes clear that the unusual equipment is far more than just an oxygen tank.