FOR WHAT IT’S WORTH – outline

FOR WHAT IT’S WORTH – outline

1. Problem: A killer is on the loose—killing child molesters and rapists in near future Major American City, Some State

2. Protagonist: Mike Daniels—two-year police veteran, albeit a no nonsense, hard-nosed, war veteran (latest American foreign adventure; Marines—rifle company; 2 tours), ‘by-the-book’ detective [Exception Maker] he is a homicide division rookie

3. Antagonist: Danielle Milo—? War—Army veteran; avenges her young daughter’s rape and murder at the hands of a convicted sex offender [‘Destroyer’ archetype]

4. Major Supporting and their problem: Chief has to make sure the law is upheld and duties are performed.

5. B Story: a distraught Danielle is comforted by friends and family at her daughter’s funeral

6. B Story: Danielle searches the convicted sex offender database

7. B Story: Mike gets first call to investigate a murder—white male, mid thirties. The corpse was killed elsewhere, then dumped near the forbidden zone.

8. The coroner calls Mike. “The vic was raped,” the Coroner explains. “We found semen and anal tearing consistent with rape—with a dildo. Get this though, the semen is from the vic himself,” the Coroner continues. “Hmm. Go fuck yourself? Mike quips. “He, well, obviously didn’t rape himself,” the Coroner injects. “The perp is sending a message,” Mike informs.

9. “Mike that the vic was a convicted sex offender,” Bud Holland informs. “The perp is definitely sending a message,” Mike adds.

10. B Story Mike: “I’m not cut out for this [case]. I was just promoted [to homicide] a week ago.” Chief advises him it’s his duty to uphold law and order; Chief: “vigilantes, no matter how justified they are, threaten law and order; the system could break down into chaos if they are allowed free reign. Mike, you have to catch him.”

11. B Story: After the third body is dumped an mo emerges. Mike sets up a stakeout near the forbidden zone. He and his people are surrounded by the shells of burned-out buildings and street thugs lurking in the shadows.

12. Major Plot Point 1 (end of Act I; begin Act II): Danielle narrowly escapes from Mike. She loses him in the forbidden zone.

13. B Story: Chief: “I’ve got you special clearance to go into the zone. You’ll have special equipment and a team out of Langley [Virginia] will aide you.”

14. B Story: Mike and his ‘team’ go over the wall into the zone. Mike notices the chemical detection says none and takes off his protective gear at the chagrin of the others with him. Many of them follow suit. Their leader berates them for insubordination and threatens them with firing squad and threatens Mike. Mike:”Knock it off. I’m just here to get this perp. If I don’t need this shit on, then I’ll take it off if I want to. You’re just here to cover my ass. Understand; capice?” Their team leader just nods to Mike, backs off and speaks something into his radio.

15. B Story: Mike starts toward a lighted area and is stopped abruptly by the commander. “Some areas here I absolutely cannot let you go in.” Mike, “What the fuck man. That could be her.” Commander: “Not at all likely. That’s actually a FEMA facility in the zone. It’s above both our pay grades, got it.” Team member 1: “got something on the over head.” Commander: “Mike?” Mike: “Let’s go, now!” Before the lid closes, Mike catches a glimpse of something else. Something more disturbing than a serial killer. He sees mass graves beside a relocation camp run by FEMA.

16. B Story: Mike, the Commander and Team members pursue Danielle through the rubble and darkness. Danielle is very careful to not kill anyone. She disables everyone except Mike. The Commander calls the extraction team. It’s almost sunrise. They must leave Mike is told. Just as the chopper is a few feet off the ground, Mike leaps out, hits hard and rolls then takes cover as the gunship strafes his position. He barely escapes into a burned-out building.

17. B Story: Mike writes a note for Danielle to find. She finds it and reads it. They meet.

18. B Story: After winning Danielle’s confidence through trading war stories. Mike explains why he pursues her so [duty and all that entails]. He asks her to guide him to the camp he saw. She tells him that isn’t the only one. She tells him that, through sources, she has learned that there are many others; all in the so-called forbidden zones.

19. B Story: She shows him the one in Dallas. They narrowly escape the guards. In the process, saving each other’s life a couple of times each.

20. B Story: Mike makes the now arduous trek back to HQ.

21. Major Plot Point 2: Mike sneaks into the chief’s office. Mike describes what he saw and his meeting with Danielle. “I believe she will turn herself in for the murders if we expose this.” Mike explains. The chief explodes into a tirade about duty to the law and Mike’s failure as an investigator. “Turn in your badge and gun. You are not just off this case but you are relieved of duty pending investigation.” The Chief continues. Mike leaves; defeated.

22. Mike, head bowed, shuffles along the wet sidewalk. He is grabbed from behind. He flips the assailant over his back and gets ready for the attack. “I forget you are a Marine combat vet,” The Chief quips.

23. Mike relaxes. “Yep, it’s not advisable to sneak up on one, either,” Mike remarks. “What, you forget some more humiliation.” Mike continues.

24. B Story: “No, no, no. That little show was for the brass. I believe you,” The Chief explains. “Mike, we’ll need evidence, of course. I’ll get you the guys you asked for. Go see this guy for tech support,” he continues.

25. B Story: Mike and his most trusted crew infiltrate the forbidden zone to record everything possible.

26. B Story: It turns out that most of the inmates are not displaced people from the disasters. They are there for political purposes, and they are forced to labor in various dangerous chores. Sign: WORK HARD, YOU WILL BE FREE. More like “We will work you to death.”

27. Major Plot Point 3: Just as Mike and his crew make it to the perimeter of the zone, they are set upon by The CIA team commander and his team. They quickly take out Mike’s crew. This leaves Mike all alone and vulnerable in the zone. He escapes capture once but not twice. “Remember me, asshole?” The Commander nods to one of his minions. The minion knocks Mike out with the butt of his M4 Carbine.

28. Major Plot Point 4 (end of Act II; begin Act III): Mike awakens to his head plunged in ice water . Mike is finally, almost to the point of drowning, allowed to gasp a breath of air. Then, rudely plunged back into the ice water. Again, brought out when almost drowned. “Rise and shine motherfucker,” The Commander quips. Mike is the bound to a metal chair. He sees, through swollen eyes, that they must be in an abandoned building in the zone; one of the few not burned. “Who else knows you’re here?” The Interrogator begins. “This will never see the light of day.” He holds up the SD card from Mike’s camera. He then takes a blow torch to it. “Your eyes are next if you fail to reveal who is helping you.”

29. B Story: A survivor from Mike’s expedition stumbles into the chief’s office at HQ. “They got Mike.” He manages before he collapses; dead.

30. B Story: “I’ll just learn to read Braille, then,” Mike spits. The blow torch starts to singe Mike’ eyebrows.

31. Suddenly, automatic gunfire erupts along with some flash bang grenade explosions in and around the building.

32. The Commander leaves to see what is going on.

33. The Chief has arrived with an extraction team of his own.

34. B Story: With The Interrogator’s attention diverted for just a second, Mike kicks his own chair back frees his legs and chokes The Interrogator. Mike gets his hands free after finding the key to the cuffs.

35. The Chief walks into the room Mike is in. “What are you waiting around for, you got a job to do.” The Chief remarks.

36. Moment of Truth: The Chief and Mike take the information: photos, audio and video to the public and the courts. Mike had a recording and GPS device temporarily implanted. He got everything. The camera SD chip was a diversion. The CIA Commander’s revelation was icing on the cake.

37. Mike receives a communiqué from Danielle through clandestine source.

38. Climax: Danielle meets Mike as the FEMA camp is being liberated.

39. Danielle thanks Mike like only a single woman who hasn’t known the touch of a man in a long time can. Because, after all, who knows if she will ever have the chance again.

40. The Ending (Denouement) Danielle’s trial. She gets acquitted; crime of passion. The politically correct are in an uproar.