Following his killing of underworld chief Raowlinson, ex-SAS soldier John Kline is interrogated but quickly released by the police. Khan, with whom Kline recently worked, approaches him with a request to help fight corruption in Birmingham. Kline refuses and visits his club, The Maverick, in which he holds a fifty-per-cent stake. He tells Macavoy, who runs the establishment, that he wants the £30,000 owed him, but is told that no money is available. Kline replies that he will make inquiries to check the validity of this claim, so Macavoy contacts Mallenson, an old enemy of Kline's, and warns that the ex-SAS man is intent on killing him.

Meanwhile, various underworld players are attempting to fill the void left by Rawlinson's death and Mallenson realises he must murder Kline to ensure he is not threatened. The ensuing attempt on Kline's life is foiled by Khan, but Kline remains reluctant to join his crusade.

Khan belongs to DI6, a shady governmental security agency attempting to eradicate corruption in the multicultural mêlée of England's second city. His intervention secured Kline's early release and he now gives him an ultimatum: help DI6 or the police will renew their interest in the Rawlinson murder. Unimpressed, Kline maintains he wants to leave Birmingham as swiftly as possible.

Mallenson's influence is growing and he takes Rawlinson's ex-mistress, a hopeless drug addict, as his mistress. He joins forces with Macavoy and kidnaps Kline. He types a letter to Khan, purporting to be from Kline, asking him to go to an abandoned house awaiting demolition. Once there, the DI6 officer finds a desperate Kline gagged and bound. As Khan releases him, the demolition team begin to destroy the building and, with the two men trapped inside, the walls and roof begin to collapse.