Conceptual artist Anne Benton (Jodie Foster) witnesses a mafia hit and is seen before she can escape. Anne goes straight to the police who tell her that the mob will try and kill her and she will have to be put in protective custody, but she recognises one of the men from the murder in the station and flees realising that she won’t be safe under police protection. Unable to find Anne the mafia call in specialist hit man, Milo (Dennis Hopper) to find her. Milo becomes obsessed, quickly learning all there is to know about Anne including where she has set up her new life. He finds her a delivers an ultimatum, she can die or she can belong to Milo and live. She goes with Milo, but with the mafia now after them both.