Retired United States Special Forces Colonel John Matrix is informed by his former superior Major General Franklin Kirby that all the other members of his former unit have been killed by unknown mercenaries. The mercenaries, among them Bennett, an Australian ex-member of Matrix's team fired for excessive violence, attack Matrix's secluded mountain home and kidnap Matrix's young daughter Jenny. While trying to intercept them, Matrix is also overpowered and abducted by the mercenaries. He is taken before their leader, Arius, a South American former dictator who blackmails Matrix into carrying out a political assassination in his home country of Val Verde (fictional country), where Arius wishes to lead a military coup. Matrix previously led a United States-backed revolution that deposed Arius, who has chosen Matrix to assassinate the new president of Val Verde, as he trusts Matrix implicitly. With Jenny's life on the line, Matrix reluctantly accepts the demand.