Shortly after McClane arrives at the party, Hans Gruber (Alan Rickman), a recently excommunicated member of a radical West German political group, initiates his plan to steal $640 million worth of bearer bonds stored in the Nakatomi Corporation's vault. Hans and a legion of European henchmen under his command take hostage the Nakatomi Corporation employees and Holly in a bid to conceal the theft under the guise of a failed terrorist act.