St. Louis 1981. Epidemiologist Shaun Malloy is overworked and under-appreciated. Chasing STD cases day in and day out, Malloy and his fellow investigators in the clinic are not prepared when a fatal wasting disease appears that seems to hone in on the city's gay community. As they strive to understand this new threat, matters are made worse by Trey Vonderhaar, who runs a lucrative private men's club that caters to the appetites of a privileged class. Despite warnings from health officials, Vonderhaar is determined to benefit from his enterprise without regard to the dangers his luxury sex hotel presents. Perhaps too dedicated to his job, Malloy is just as intent on shutting Vonderhaar down, and, along with best friend and bondsman Teri Kincaid, isn't above resorting to extreme measures to do it.