 Edward "The Torch" Garrotte is a serial killer who has a penchant for killing women and then setting them on fire. Another pattern to his murders is the fact that the women are all mothers. Jake Riley is a Seattle police detective who has spent three years trying to stop Garrotte. Just days before Jake s retirement, Garrotte strikes again, but Jake is off the case. A secret government agency hires Jake as a consultant on a project they have been working on. They have cloned Garrotte from evidence found at a crime scene, and they need Jake to help train this replicant (Jean-Claude Van Damme), who has some genetic memories from Garrotte, plus a telepathic link with him, but the replicant is like a newborn in many other respects. The Replicant has the body of a 40-year-old, but the mind of a child. Jake s job is to help use the Replicant track Garrotte down by using the memories stored in Garrotte s DNA. As the Replicant and Riley work to track Garrotte down, tension is constant. Jake feels that the Replicant could turn on him at any moment, because Jake thinks Garrotte s killer instinct may take over and dictate the Replicant s tendencies. The Replicant tries to understand the world and life, and tries to understand his connection with Garrotte. The replicant also tries to understand why Jake treats him so roughly. As they work together, the Replicant views Jake as either a friend or as family. Though Jake abuses him, the Replicant looks to him for protection and guidance as the two try to find Garrotte and stop him once and for all.