Superintendent Dave Griffin is preparing for the major arrest of Steven Jellicoe, the pre-eminent brain surgeon and national treasure, for drug importation and Medicare fraud. Jellicoe is being shadowed in Hong Kong by Detective May Po. During the surveillance, May's brother is killed by Kai, a triad hitman.

When two young Australian children disappear during an access visit with their Indonesian father he becomes the prime suspect in the Federal Police investigation. Detective Sergeant Jo Moody isn't quite so sure and has trouble convincing her colleagues they could be looking in the wrong direction.