When a group of Russian military leaders are upset over the thaw of the Cold War, they decide to secretly explode a nuclear weapon on their own soil. The hope is that the Soviets will believe the bomb was sent from the United States. Before finding out the true origin, the USSR sends a retaliatory strike that hits Washington D. C. The President (Martin Landau) has just escaped, but his helicopter went down, the military leaders under the direction of Condor, Secretary of Interior (Darren McGavin) believe the president is dead. Under that false assumption, an all out nuclear war is about to be launched that will destroy the world. Major Cassidy (Powers Boothe) and Capt. Moreau (Rebecca De Mornay) hold the nuclear weapon on their plane and must decide which order they will follow; to drop the weapon or not. The fate of the world lies in their decision.