In an unnamed Latin American republic, in a remote mountainous region of the country, police sergeant Agustin Rejas, a former lawyer who left a job with a prestigious firm to join the police, is in charge of a little used checkpoint. When a pickup truck is stopped at the checkpoint, Rejas grows suspicious of the truck’s occupants. He questions a passenger, who claims to be a laborer but is obviously educated and well spoken. While Rejas is momentarily distracted, a corrupt subordinate solicits a bribe and allows the party to leave.