Wayne Stracton, an unscrupulous psychopathic criminal, kidnaps the teenage Julie Burdock and buries her in a small box with air for only 83 hours. He demands half a million dollars from her father and gives him most detailed instructions on how to deliver the money. Meanwhile the FBI frantically tries to locate Julie, knowing that the kidnaper won't care for her after he's received the money and even less if he doesn't.