The story takes us into the dark and violent criminal underworld of Cincinnati, Ohio and one undercover cops struggle to maintain his own identity and morality, as he attempts to destroy a drug empire and save the neighborhood he grew up in. Officer Jeff Cole (Omar Epps) assumes the persona of J. Reid as he infiltrates the criminal empire of Dwayne “God” Gittens (LL Cool J). As Reid, Cole plays the game well and moves up the ranks within God’s organization and the two become close personal friends. He not only sees God’s violent nature and the inner workings of the drug trade, but Cole sees a community leader giving to the poor, a devoted family and a fierce defender of his friends. The deeper and longer Cole stays undercover the more Cole’s fellow Detective Angela Wilson (Pam Grier), Commanding Officer Preston D’Ambrosio (Stanley Tucci) and girlfriend Myra (Nia Long) become concerned about his psyche well being. The lines between right and wrong are constantly blurring for Cole and everyone around him can see it, except for God.