On a fateful Christmas Eve, TSA agent Ethan Kopek finds himself ensnared in a perilous situation orchestrated by a shadowy figure known as The Traveler. Under duress, he is compelled to allow a suitcase to pass through security, with the chilling threat that his pregnant girlfriend, Nora, who also works at LAX, will be executed if he fails to comply. This suitcase harbors Novichok, a lethal nerve agent poised to detonate on a flight bound for Washington, D.C. In a desperate bid to seek assistance, Ethan attempts to alert a senior agent, only to witness The Traveler eliminate him, solidifying the gravity of his predicament.
Once the suitcase is cleared, Ethan takes decisive action by flagging The Traveler’s accomplice, Mateo, for a bag inspection. However, The Traveler escalates the situation by arming the bomb, compelling Ethan to race against time to disarm it. Following orders, Mateo tragically kills Ethan’s superior, Sarkowski. As the tension mounts, Ethan discovers that Mateo is also a pawn in this deadly game, with The Traveler and his sniper, The Watcher, holding Mateo’s husband, Jesse, captive. Under The Traveler’s guidance, Ethan learns the intricate steps to neutralize the bomb. Yet, when they attempt to move Sarkowski’s body, Mateo is ordered to eliminate Ethan. In a twist of fate, his plastic gun malfunctions, leading to an explosive end for Mateo.
The Traveler then directs The Watcher to pursue Nora, but fate intervenes as Jesse manages to free himself and dispatches The Watcher. Meanwhile, Ethan uncovers the bomb’s intended target: Congresswoman Grace Turner, who had previously lobbied for a bill favoring private contractors. The Traveler’s sinister plan involves framing the attack as a Russian retaliation following the deaths of two mobsters, with the explosion serving to advance the bill. In a daring maneuver, Ethan infiltrates the plane’s cargo hold just as Nora persuades Detective Elena Cole to allow the flight to proceed. In a climactic confrontation, Ethan successfully disarms the bomb and traps The Traveler in a vacuum-sealed fridge filled with the nerve agent, ensuring his demise.
In the aftermath, Ethan and Nora joyfully welcome their newborn, and Ethan embarks on a new chapter as an officer with the LAPD.