Two Arkansas firemen, Vince (Bill Paxton) and Don (William Sadler (Actor)), meet an hysterical old man in a burning building. The old man hands them a map, prays for forgiveness, then allows himself to be engulfed in flames. Outside the fire and away from everyone else, Don does a little research and finds out that the man was a thief who stole a large amount of gold valuables from a church and hid them in a building in East St. Louis, Illinois. The two decide to drive there, thinking they can get there, get the gold, and get back in one day.