A couple move to Sydney from Melbourne, and soon become lured by the bright lights of the big city. Colin, the scriptwriter husband, is corrupted by his editor and then falls for the girlfriend of his writing partner, while Colin's wife Kate begins to lose sight of her ideals in a new world of hustlers and cynics.

Chicago cop Robert Malone finds himself in The Philippines, ostensibly to learn the techniques of Interpol. Before he exits the Manila airport, his wallet is stolen by a pickpocket. Malone endures a testy relationship with his new colleague Kevin McCall while evidence surrounding the stolen wallet pulls both of them deeper and deeper into a web of intrigue.

A police sergeant is hoping for a few quiet weeks before his impending retirement, but his plans are scuppered when he is joined by an over-enthusiastic rookie partner who is assigned to him after failing her field test. To make matters worse, trouble looms when a group of white supremacists hold up a local shopping centre.