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Lesson 6
Reply to post your assignment.
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18 Replies
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David Wickenden Mystery Sequence
What I learned from this?
By working backwards and determining the mysteries and planning the coverup, it helps in the outlining of the story. Each layer fills in the missing pieces of the story to create a full outline.
1. Big secret: The secret is who the daughter and her mother are and why the cult wants them back.
2. Ways to cover the secret:
· Part of the truth—Mother explains the cult wants her daughter to sacrifice her for some Satanic ceremony.
· Cult will kill to get them back.
· Cult will frame Michael to cut off any help he might look for.
3. Hero tries to solve the mystery.
· Michael questions both the mother and daughter.
· Michael questions captured cult member.
· Michael questions Cult Leader.
4. Sequence of mysteries.
I. Who and what are the women?
II. Why is the Cult Leader so determined to capture these two women and not other victims, now that they have escaped? Red Herring.
III. What in the forest is killing the cult members?
IV. What’s wrong with the daughter? – spasms first while sleeping, then, while awake?
5. Mystery Chains:
A. Who and what are the women?
· Michael first sees mother and daughter from across the lake having fun in the water. Thinks they look normal, happy.
· Sees them both horrified as armed men chase them.
· Mother explains that her ex-husband is a cult leader they are trying to escape.
· Mother explains that Cult Leader has plans to sacrifice his daughter to gain control of some demon.
· The cult leader is relentless and will kill anyone who gets in the way.
· Mother seduces Michael.
· Nightmares ensue until he wakes after a sensual one to find he has slept with the daughter, which awakens her. She needed to lose her virginity to a good person to transform.
B. Why is the Cult Leader so determined to capture these two women? Red Herring.
· Relentless
· Cult member tells Michael that the mother stole the girl. That the leader has custody, and the mother is legally in the wrong.
· Cult leader refuses to negotiate. Release the women or die.
· Cult leader orders the police infiltrator to keep authorities blind to their actions.
· Keeps coming even as his men are slaughtered.
· He knows what the daughter is and is trying to destroy her before she awakens. Satan’s daughter.
C. What in the forest is killing the cult members?
· Strange shadows that blot out the stars.
· Something moving in the dark.
· Screams coming from behind the group.
· Cult members dismembered.
D. What’s wrong with the daughter? Spasms.
· Tossing and turning in sleep.
· Spasm while sleeping.
· Spasm while awake.
· Warning sign that the night creature is getting close.
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Mariannjely’s Mystery Sequence
What I learned is that starting with the villain’s secret is a great tool to craft the mystery around it.
1. What is the big secret that the Villain is covering up?
The vineyard hides a human trafficking behind doors.
2. How many ways can they cover that secret? Those become the mysteries.
Making the place look as normal as possible. Gaining the foreign women’s trust by being overaccommodating. Showing pictures of past summer program participants over the years, all happy.
3. The first mystery must engage the Hero into solving it.
Hero tastes the wine and finds it suspicious. She’s a wine lover and want to find out what’s in it.
4. Sequence the mysteries so that each one leads us to the next one. Include ONE Red Herring mystery if you can.
– What is the vineyard hiding?
– Why one of the clients show up dead?
– Why were they selected?
5. Create a Mystery Chain for each main mystery.
– What is the vineyard hiding?
• Passports are retained and blood is drawn the first day.
• There are areas that are off limits. The employees in the field whisper among each other.
• Clientele is all prestigious and diverse women 40+ years old.
• The wine has a unique taste only Ariana recognizes.
– Why one of the clients show up dead?
• The client shows up at the invitation only tasting night
• The client is close friend of Karen
• A client is seen entering the off-limits area
• Ariana discovers the body of the client inside a barrel.
– Why were Ariana and the other women selected?
• Ariana sends a great application to the program. She is a beautiful and young woman from Venezuela, dreaming of becoming a sommelier.
• Ariana tries impress Karen so she can hopefully be hired after the program.
• Ariana’s parents died when she was 18. She finds out other women have the same background. They are all outcasts getting a chance.
• Ariana is locked in a room.
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John Stimson’s Mystery Sequence
“What I learned is… The way mysteries show up in a movie is Cover up / Secret.”
mystery sequence answers:
Starting back when he was a teenager, the mayor has
raped young boys.
The mayor hires an underworld private investigator to
scare off anyone who investigates the mayor’s past; the mayor was
expecting reporters would look into his past he didn’t expect someone (the
Hero) to investigate his cousin and find out that the cousin was one of
the mayor’s rape victims.
The underworld PI kills a woman in the Hero’s house and
subsequently shoots the Hero and leaves him for dead. The hero doesn’t die
and wants to find out why the PI killed him and framed the murder on him.
The drug cartel being after the developer’s wife is the
Red Herring—it’s not the reason why the Hero (Steve) gets shot, Steve gets
shot because of his investigation of the mayor’s cousin, which is really
an investigation that reveal the mayor’s history of pedophilia.– The mayor’s cousin’s life took a tailspin before he died of AIDS
1. What caused that tailspin?
2. Why is the cousin’s family so secretive, scared, and hostile about someone asking questions?
– However, the mayor is engaged in criminal activity with the cartel and involving the developer
– So, why is the cartel after Kristin, the developer’s wife?
– If his death wasn’t a suicide, who killed the developer?
1. Steve deduces that something related to the developer’s work got him killed
2. Steve sneaks into the developer’s office to get the developer’s computer files.
3. Once he has the files he must decipher them
4. Once he discovers the money laundering scheme who can he turn to for help when the LAPD first shuts him down and then doesn’t help because Steve is suspected of murdering an Asst. DA.
5. Did the cartel kill the developer? Did the mayor order it? Or could Kristin be involved with the death?
– Why is the mayor’s family scared to talk about him to the Hero?
– Who doesn’t the LAPD believe a former LAPD officer (Steve) about questions relating to the developer’s death?
– Who is surveilling the Hero’s house?
– Why did the PI kill the woman in Steve’s house?
– Why did the PI shoot Steve?
– Why is Wolff involved in a counter-terrorism op against a Mexican drug cartel in LA?
1. Is Wolff still a Delta Force operator, operating in violation of Posse Comitatis, or is his going after the cartel alone?
2. Is Wolff using Steve to get to the cartel?
3. Is Wolff helping Steve because no one else is?
4. Is Wolff the only one who can bring a powerful politician like the mayor to justice?
– Who ordered Steve to be arrested and investigated for the death of the woman in his house?
– The night that Steve was shot, why wasn’t it Kristin who was killed, and where is she?
– What did Kristin not tell Steve about her husband?
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Maggie Tsavaris’s Mystery Sequence (Assignment 6)
What I learned is: the power of starting with the secret and brainstorming how that could be covered up, and then writing the cover up as the reality. And it’s very helpful for me if I listen to Jason Stephenson music (chill, calm, inspiring instrumental—no lyrics) while brainstorming.
To create your Villain’s plan, answer these four questions:
1. What is the big secret that the Villain is covering up?
· My Villain, Haasim, plans to have U.S. human assets killed with the classified information that Leyla retrieves for him.
2. How many ways can he cover that secret?
· Leyla initially believes what Haasim tells her–that he is using the information for a peaceful purpose (to recruit talented U.S. assets to help prevent targeted strikes in the works by U.S. enemies, such as Iran).
· Leyla’s linguist colleague and best friend on the base is killed in the field while on a mission.
· Many security, drug, & alcohol rules and laws are being knowingly violated by the employees of Leyla’s private contractor employer on the base, and Leyla is violating them, too.
· The onsite manager (Daniel, a guy with many flaws, a volatile temper, and an alcohol problem) appears to be up to no good and maybe even selling classified information to Iran.
· Leyla is getting so deeply involved with procuring classified information that at a certain point, she can no longer just quit stealing secrets for Haasim and walk away, even if she wanted to.
3. The first mystery must engage the Hero into solving it.
· The meeting between Leyla and Haasim is orchestrated by Haasim who has his operatives fire into a café where Leyla is drinking tea so that he can “rescue” her, but it won’t be obvious to the viewer that Haasim planned everything.
· At the café before the hit takes place, Leyla is talking with her best friend and fellow linguist, Eva, about how she fears getting old alone with no one to love her.
· After Haasim “rescues” Leyla, they begin a relationship—mostly texting and chatting online while Leyla continues her translation work on the base in Iraq, and she begins falling for her knight, who offers her marriage and a life of wealth.
· Haasim then asks her to get him the true names of certain U.S. human assets because he wants to employ them (for good & peaceful purposes).
· Leyla begins the process of accessing the classified information with her top secret security clearance by asking to switch to the graveyard shift, by hanging around the office (where the linguists’ computers are) before and after her shift, offering to cook for the military team leader—a young guy new to his role—and two of the linguists in charge of the other linguists.
4. Sequence the mysteries so that each one leads us to the next one.
· First mystery is was it sheer coincidence that Haasim happened to be there to “rescue” Leyla from the café when it’s hit (by an RPG or a bomb)?
· Second mystery is what is Haasim really going to do with the classified info Leyla retrieves for him?
· Third mystery is what is Daniel, the volatile onsite manager, up to?
· Fourth mystery is what is the real reason Leyla’s best friend and fellow linguist, Eva, is killed in the field on a mission?
5. Create a Mystery Chain for each main mystery. (I think First Mystery Chain is no. 3 above)
· Second Mystery Chain:
- Haasim tells Leyla that he wants to pay these talented U.S. assets to help prevent targeted strikes in the works by U.S. enemies, such as Iran.
- Leyla is pleased to help him, especially because she is romantically attracted to him, and he tells her he will marry her and give her a life of wealth.
- Leyla knows that she can access this highly classified information with her top secret clearance, but she does not have a “need to know” it, so her risk is enormous.
- Leyla must distract her co-workers and the team leader and other military members so that they don’t notice her spending extra time at the computer, so she asks to be transferred to the “quieter” graveyard shift so she “can get more translation work accomplished.” She also cooks meals for them, so she can be close to the office before and after her shift.
- We get to know a couple of the U.S. assets who communicate using fake names with Leyla and other linguists as necessary for mission translation purposes via secure text.
· Third Mystery Chain:
- Daniel, the volatile onsite manager, is probably my Red Herring, but I haven’t quite figured out how yet. Something to do with Haasim’s cover ups for his Secret that points to Daniel being guilty when one of the U.S. assets is killed.
· Fourth Mystery Chain:
- Eva begins to suspect that Leyla is doing something clandestine on the computer at night.
- Eva wonders why one of the U.S. assets with whom she has been communicating for mission translation purposes turns up dead.
- Eva tries to talk to Daniel about her suspicions.
- Eva tries to tell Leyla that something is terribly wrong about this.
- Eva is killed in the field on a mission that Daniel assigned her to.
- Leyla begins to put together the horrifying
pieces, but is it too late for her?
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Edith’s mystery sequence
What I learned is how to weave the villain and the red herring together to form a mislead.
1. The big secret that the villain is covering up? Why does he want to kill André?
2. ways to cover that secret: nobody knows who he is, he appears everywhere André is, pretending to be “just another passenger”, trying to help André, being a witness of the attacks, saving him, another man is arrested for the attacks
3. first mystery: he shows up at André’s home, watching him and his family
4. mystery sequence: who is this man following André?, what does he want?, why does he want that?, is he really threatening him? (Red Herring)
5. mystery chain:
who is this man following André? He’s acting in a strange way, he shows up everywhere André is, he is always close when “something happens”, he finally takes André hostage, his reason is revealed as they meet André’s father.
what does he want? First he wants the Christmas present, then he seems like accidental help, in the end his true reason is revealed
why does he want that? he is insane, his hatred is aimed at André’s father, not André, his son committed suicide after being fired by André’s father
Is he really threatening him? André is accompanied by another employee of his father, he acts like the son André’s father would have liked to have.
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NORENE’S MYSTERY SEQUENCE – The Maw
What I learned: I can understand Secret/Coverup more clearly than thinking of this process as Coverup = Mystery.
What is the BIG Secret that the Villain is covering up?
Gabby Taylor feels Maeve Doyle stole Henry Quinn away in their youth, mesmerizing him with her power as a Selkie. She vowed to get her revenge on Maeve, her family and the secret of the Selkies..
MYSTERIES TO COVER UP THE SECRET
Mystery 1: Who is causing trouble in Jiggers Remorse? (Main Mystery)
• Archer, Talulah and Rowan are always getting into trouble and sticking their noses into other people’s business.
• Archer is resentful and angry at his father Henry for dragging the family to Jiggers Remorse.
• The superstitions of the locals make them more easily believe in tales of supernatural menace.
• The legend of Selkies harming humans and enticing them to their deaths is well known and believed in the area.
• Henry’s report could disrupt the way of life on Resolute Island and bring unwanted attention to their activities.
• Rowan is a strange child who unnerves people and Gabby plays on that.
Mystery 2: What is Henry Quinn hiding? (Red Herring)
• Henry is not telling the kids anything about their mother. Refuses to discuss her. Avoids the topic even when he knows they are upset and missing her.
• Henry hides letters to Archer from his mother.
• Henry never told the kids that their mother was from Jiggers Remorse.
• Henry insists the kids take part in an Eco-adventure on Resolute Island, even though Archer had a basketball tournament in St. John’s.
• When Archer raises concerns about weird things happening in Jiggers Remorse, his father tries to pass them off as his imagination.
• Henry’s report could endanger the village’s relationship to the Selkies.
• Henry shows interest in Gabby and is willing to fall into a relationship.
Mystery 3: What is the village of Jiggers Remorse hiding? (Red Herring)
• The superstitious habits of the locals are off-putting and ominous to outsiders.
• The villagers do not take kindly to people from away and go out of their way to make them feel uncomfortable.
• Locals misdirect and try to scare people away from certain areas of the island.
• Village council discourages new business and ventures in the community.
• The causeway to the Resolute Island is declared unsafe for public travel, cutting everyone off from the mainland.
Mystery 4: What is Gabby Taylor hiding?
• Gabby grew up in Jiggers Remorse and couldn’t wait to leave when she was young.
• Gabby surprisingly returns to the community to start an eco-adventure business that will draw people to the area.
• Gabby had a huge crush on Henry when he was on the island one summer as a student.
• Gabby has a daughter Talulah but has never revealed who her father is.
• Gabby was best friends with Maeve Doyle until Maeve stole Henry’s heart.
• Gabby does not report acts of vandalism to the authorities.
• Gabby blames Arthur for getting Talulah into trouble.
• Gabby encourages the kids to explore dangerous Limestone caves.
• Gabby seduces Henry.
• Gabby alters Henry’s report and tries to release it to the media, to point the finger at Henry for endangering the village and its secret.
• Gabby plays the victim, saying she was raped by Henry.
• Gabby kidnaps Rowan to threaten Maeve.
• Gabby threatens to reveal the secret of the Selkies
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This reply was modified 2 years, 3 months ago by Norene Smiley.
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This reply was modified 2 years, 3 months ago by
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KEN CALLAWAY’S MYSTERY SEQUENCE
This assignment could have been the toughest yet. I feel it taught me how reverse engineering from the big secret and sequence can drive the mystery, but it also opened up the many other mystery possibilities I need to explore.
BIG SECRET – Fairies are plotting to take over the world.
WAYS TO COVER SECRET
· Hide or distort any evidence that fairies do exist
· Convince (Hero) Kevin that Tolly’s stories are just stories
· Make the Rashwood family appear as rich eccentrics
· Claim the warrior’s training is just scouting activities
· Have Kevin begin to question his own sanity
· Make Kevin fall for Genevieve
FIRST MYSTERY
Who is Genevieve Rashwood and why is she so interested in Kevin?
MYSTERY SEQUENCE
· Why does “Hux” Huxley hate Kevin?
· How did Genevieve just disappear?
· Was Tolly’s “fairy girl” story true or just a story?
· Did Kevin actually kill a fairy?
· How did Kevin control Genevieve’s stallion?
· Why are many of the scouts so driven to succeed?
· What are the booming sounds in Rashwood Manor each night?
· How did Genevieve’s sister actually die?
· Why are so many scouts leaving the jamboree early?
· Who are the important visitors at Rashwood Manor?
· Did Kevin imagine seeing Oldfather Rashwood ‘reassemble’ himself?
· Will Kevin join Genevieve and start the war against humankind?
RED HERRINGS.
Hux Huxley hates Kevin – Is he a fairy?
o Steals Kevin’s knife early on
o Knows too much about fairies
o Sets-up Kevin to fail at all challenges
o Gets in between Kevin and Genevieve
o Hux turns in Kevin for breaking into Rashwood Manor
o Hux is not a fairy just wanted the knife, gives knife back
What does Tolly actually know about fairies?
o Does he believe?
o Does he know of the fairy’s plan?
MYSTERY CHAIN 1 – Who is Genevieve?
· Kevin has always hated fairies, his mother always humored his overactive imagination
· Kevin & friends get asked to a scout jamboree by their parish priest
· The priest’s father, Tolly comes along to tell fireside stories
· The scouts are trucked to a small, odd village in the west midlands, to Rashwood Estate
· In the village Kevin sees & follows a mystery girl
· The girl disappears, villagers deny seeing her
· Tolly tells first fireside story about a fairy girl named Genevieve, Kevin is convinced the mystery girl is the fairy Genevieve
· Kevin accidently kills small fairy, fairy changes into a hare
· Kevin meets Genevieve Rashwood, believes she’s a fairy
· Kevin saves her from a rampaging stallion
· Kevin learns her sister was killed by a horse
MYSTERY CHAIN 2 – What is Rashwood Manor?
· Kevin sees scouts (morphs) being lead to Rashwood Manor each night
· Kevin breaks into Rashwood, sees morph’s indoctrination
· Kevin tells Tolly what he has seen, Tolly humors him
· Kevin wins war games, gets invited to Rashwood for big dinner
· At Rashwood, he tells Genevieve he knows what is going on
· Genevieve introduces Kevin to the elders
MYSTERY CHAIN 3 – Are Fairies real?
· Kevin breaks into Rashwood, learns of the fairy elders plan
· Kevin sees Oldfather Rashwood “reassemble” himself
· Kevin tells Tolly of the fairy’s plan, Tolly realizes Kevin is almost blind and everything Kevin has seen could be explained away
· Tolly informs Kevin that Rashwood Manor is an insane asylum
· Kevin confronts Genevieve, she denies everything and runs away
· The jamboree ends, as the trucks load many scouts are missing
· Genevieve waves goodbye to Kevin, realizes he is almost blind
· She admits she is “touched” asks him to stay at Rashwood with her
MYSTERY CHAIN 3 – Who is Kevin?
· Kevin’s mother lets him stay at Rashwood Asylum, he’s now completely blind
· Kevin asks her about his birth, she tells him he was adopted
· Kevin confronts Genevieve, she says she is a blood fairy, she killed her sister as her sister was going to kill Kevin
· Did Kevin imagine everything? Did his failing eyes lie to him? Could Kevin actually be the blood fairy king?
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What I learned is that sequencing a brand-new mystery concept is much more difficult than watching a movie and sequencing it. You really should do considerable character development before attempting this more in-depth list. It’s a start.
1. What is the big secret that the Villain is covering up? The Operator is A.I. running a secret transhuman infant-selling ring.
2. How many ways can they cover that secret? She takes away newborns she says have died.
3. The first mystery must engage the Hero into solving it. Julie Doe must remember who she is and escape.
4. Tina’s Mystery Sequence:
Mystery 1: What is The Facility and why is ‘Julie Doe’ here?
– Comatose patient Julie Doe wakes.
– She’s surprised she’s pregnant.
– Julie can’t remember who she is.
– Her door is locked from the inside, unlocked from the outside.
– She scrutinizes her face in the mirror, looks old to herself.
– She hears women screaming and is fearful to reveal she has awakened.
– Julie pretends to still be comatose.
– Caretaker Peters (Red Herring) is cruel, gives orders to the staff, and appears to be running things.
– Peters and the other Caretakers on their daily rounds believe Julie’s still comatose. They’re only concerned with Julie’s baby.
– One of the Caretakers thinks Julie’s brainwaves are too active but Peters ignores this.
– The suspicious Operator observes Peters’ activities and makes notes.
– A large number of newborns die.
– Why does Peters so readily take responsibility for newborn “deaths?”
– The Operator doesn’t show any true feelings.
– Where does the Operator take the tiny bodies?
Mystery 2: What is Caretaker Peters hiding?
– The Operator claims the facility needs to show more successes and zero losses.
– Julie begins to remember who she is.
– Now in her 30s, Julie had the car crash that put her in a coma at age 18.
– Julie has labor pains.
– She must find a way to contact her parents, if they’re even still alive.
– Peters discovers that Julie is awake, acts like he doesn’t know, and leaves her door unlocked.
– Julie thinks it’s a trap, is afraid to venture out, but finally does.
– There are surgery rooms.
– There are many comatose patients.
– Rooms full of infants.
– The Operator has Peters and the Caretakers locked in their rooms, too.
– There seem to be no doors out of the building. Even the breakaway fire doors are locked.
Mystery 3: Who is The Operator, really?
– The Operator is “never about the money, it’s about being of service.”
– The only way out of the building is through the guarded front door.
– Julie sneaks into the offices looking for a key, key card, phone, etc.
– Julie finds emails coming in from purchase requests with specifications for exactly which kind of transhuman infant they’re looking for.
– Julie has worse labor pains and takes steps to keep her baby safe.
– Julie hides and when the Operator comes in Julie watches her plug into electronics and go “offline”.
– Julie finds rooms with the “dead” newborns plugged into A.I. technology; DNA splicing, electronic implants, etc.
– Peters confesses that the Operator is A.I. posing as a human and is creating trans-human infants.
– The Operator had threatened to kill his family if he didn’t cooperate.
Mystery 4: Will the Operator kill Julie and take her baby?
– Under threat of The Operator killing his family, Peters was reported missing and joined The Facility.
– The Operator learns of Julie’s recovery.
– Desperate Julie finds The Facility’s address and finds a way to call outside.
– Her father answers but thinks it’s a cruel prank. She gives him the address. She says something (about the accident, about her mother) that should pique his interest, but he doesn’t and hangs up on her.
– The Operator finds out and Peters covers for Julie’s awakening.
– The Operator kills Peters.
– The Operator tracks down Julie.
– Julie finds an escape route.
– Julie kills The Operator.
– Julie’s father, the police and an ambulance arrive. The rest of the Caretakers are set free.
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This reply was modified 2 years, 3 months ago by Tina Howe.
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This reply was modified 2 years, 3 months ago by
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Thriller Day 6 Assignment Mystery Sequence
Kimba Thompson
What I learned from this assignment is that a small introductory mysteries can led to greater sequential mysteries. The solution of the major big mystery can in turn. Lead back to the small introductory mysteries.
Create your mystery sequence. Give us the answer to these questions.
What is the big secret that the Villain is covering up?
That he is profiting from the caves beneath his farm from the State (which turns it’s back on corruption within his County), a cartel, (which is knowledgeable of this and using the cave as their depot), and the Federal Government, (which ignores both of the previous due to the secrecy necessary for what they are hiding within the deepest caver), each without the knowledge of the other.
How many ways can they cover that secret?
One from the other and all from the outside. Those become the mysteries.
The first mystery must engage the Hero into solving it.
Sequence the mysteries so that each one leads us to the
next one.4.1 What has caused Richard to give up his pilot’ License Training and leave
town?
4.2 Early pre-mystery: Why id Richard making the delivery across state lines for
his father, what is it and why the urgency + what’s the sudden urgency in his
wanting to break up with his unexpectedly amorous girlfriend?
4.3 Once jailed and learning of the dilemma of the other inmates and the mortally
injured cellmate, will Richard be able to escape and bring help?
4.4 Overhearing through the jailhouse walls that they should not have brought
Richard to the jail, what will they do with him?
4.5 Once he gets out of jail will he make the delivery and then what?
4.6 Who is Sanchez, why has he hijacked the plane and to where is he ordering.
them to fly?
4.7 Why are they forced to land at the farm and what’s going on in the caves?
RED HERRING = Salvatore.
4.8 Why is Salvatore letting them leave the complex on the plane with Sanchez?
4.9 Will they live once Sancez bails form the plane?
4.10 What is the background of Lou the flight instructor?
4.11 Once Richard and Lou make it back to the farm, barn/hanger, and caves,
4.12 What will they find, and will they get caught down in the caves?
4.13 If caught, will they survive and be able to save the other inmates and the
mortally injured cellmate? If so, how?
4.14 Will Richard return to his lusting girlfriend?
Create a Mystery Chain for each main mystery:
4.1 Early pre-mystery: What has caused Richard to suddenly give up training for
his pilot’s License?.
· Richard is in cockpit flying solo flying.
· Lands and taxis to side of runway where his flight instructor (Lou) awaits.
· Lou congratulates Richard on his landing and hands him an envelope.
· Richard opens and reads and announces his flying will need to wait.
4.2 Early pre-mystery: Why is Richard making the delivery across state lines for
his father, what is it and why the urgency and what’s the sudden urgency in
his wanting to break up with his unexpectedly amorous girlfriend and leave
town?
· Richard arrives home and announces to his mother he will leave home.
· Father arrives home and requests Richard to make delivery across state line by morning.
· Richard arranges to stop by to see his long-time girlfriend that evening.
· He wants to break-up; she wants to jump his bones.
4.3 Richard stopped in Speed Trap, jailed, and learns dilemma of other inmates.
and a mortally injured cellmate, will Richard be able to escape and bring
help?
· Richard stopped late at night in small town speed trap.
· Immediately taken to Justice of Peace Court, pronounced guilty and ordered jailed.
· Arrives at jail, denied phone call, but forced to hang up.
· Put in cell with gangly inmates who show him a badly wounded prisoner.
4.4 Overhearing through the jailhouse walls that they should not have brought
Richard to the jail, what will they do with him?
· Richard wants to know what will happen next.
· Other prisoners say they will rally to protect him.
· Jailers come to take Richard, armed against other inmates.
· Richard taken to small separate room as they prepare to take him away.
4.5 Once he gets out of jail will he make the delivery and then what?
· Something unexpected happens and Richard is released.
· Richard contacts and goes to airport where he took flight lessons.
· Flight Instructor agrees to let him fly to make delivery.
· Delivery completed; hijacker conceals himself in landed plane.
4.6 Who is Sanchez, why has he hijacked the plane and to where is he ordering
them to fly?
· Why does the plane fly like it still has the load aboard?
· Who is the hijacker and where is he ordering the plane to fly?
· Why his accent?
· Why is he ordering him to land at the farm in the county where Richard was jailed?
4.7 Why are they forced to land at the farm and what’s going on in the caves?
· Landed they are ordered to taxi towards a barn, fronted by an with an old crop-duster.
· Once inside, the barn is also a hanger.
· They are taken to a secured room in a cave below the hanger floor.
· The person in charge is Salvatore.
RED HERRING = Salvatore.
4.8 Why is Salvatore letting them leave the complex on the plane with Sanchez?
· One of the guards in the hanger is the same person at the town jail.
· He asks Salvatore why the plane was captured and brought to the hanger.
· Salvatore responds that loose ends need to be cleaned up.
· Richard and Lou are released to fly away with Sanchez.
4.9 Will they live once Sancez bails form the plane?
· Sancez bails out as the plane takes off.
· Lou and Richard keep flying away.
· Lou realizes the plane may be rigged to explode.
· They ditch, jump from the plane before it blows up.
4.10 What is the background of Lou the flight instructor?
· How die Lou know the plane would blow up and what to do?
· Lou has good navigation skills and leads them back to the farm.
· They find a border fence and adjacent road, a jeep with security guard approaches.
· Lou creates a distraction, Richard performs unexpectedly.
4.11 Once Richard and Lou make it back to the farm, barn/hanger, and caves,
what will they find, and will they get caught down in the caves?
· Richard and Lou attack and disable the guard in the jeep, a returned Sanchez and Salvatore; all of whom recover, meet and are seeking revenge.
· Richard and Lou manage to evade detection and sneak below to the caves.
· The deeper they go, the more mysterious things they see.
· Salvatore, Sanchez, and small army spread out in the caves to capture Richard and Lou.
4.12 What will they find, and will they get caught down in the caves?
· They are cornered in a large storage room in the cave, but escape to…
· The Hanger, where Salvatore is awaiting them, bullwhip in hand.
· The Hanger door opens, and the mayor drives in, telling Salvatore “They’re all yours”.
· The hanger door is not completely shut.
4.13 If caught, will they survive and be able to save the other inmates and the
mortally injured cellmate? If so, how?
· Something is happening with the back story of the jail and inmates.
· The Barn /hanger door closes, Richard and Lou head to the cornrows.
· They find their abandoned jeep, Salvatore taking off in old crop-duster.
· Jeep heads toward crop-duster.
4.14 Will Richard return to his lusting girlfriend?
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My red herring –
The big secret the villain is covering up is that he is in charge of the illegal transplants in this part of US but he’s making it seem as if Dr. Chu who studied transplant medicine at Harvard. He’s been tricking her and romancing Debra to get her over to China so that they can take her liver for the patient she’s arriving with and who needs it as the perfect match.
He covers the secret with planting clues about Chu’s past. Hinting that Chu has other allies here in the states that will help with the transplants. Falsifying Chu’s medical fellowship records. He pretends to be part of the Fung Gung religion that China is trying to suppress and the members that are being politically arrested and killed and having their organs taken.
The heroine goes to the hospital thinking that she is going to expose alternative cure for cancer and finds out that this is a transplant center and convinces her boss at CBS to let her go after it and expose it. She begins to explore things about the religion that China wants to eliminate and starts to realize that things are not what Dr. Brock is saying.
Debra sees Chu going to the Chinese embassy and is sure that means he’s guilty.
One of the nurses who had been working with Chu now disappears just as she is about to talk to Debra.
Patients return from China having had their transplants and Chu is taking care of them, worried something is wrong with their medical care.
She hears an argument between the two men and mistakes it to thinking that Chu is at fault.
The nurse who died was Chu’s girlfriend and maybe she died because she was going to tell Debra things.
Chu is the red herring. Brock is the one who is really in charge. Chu seems the most likely as he has the background. He doesn’t know that Debra is being groomed to be a victim.
Brock gets the additional advantage of getting Debra out of the way and getting the news station off his back if she disappears in China.
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Joanna’s Mystery Sequence
What is the great secret that the Villain is hiding?
– Leo, the minister’s son, is an animal activist and member of Red Fox. He wasn’t kidnapped, he’s the deputy head of the group.
– Leo has evidence of government corruption, their monkey business and an obscure fur lobby.How many ways can they cover that secret? Those become the mysteries.
a) False video: every day, a kidnapped Leo is shown on one of the city’s giant screens. To escalate the pressure on gov., Leo on the screen is tested in the same way as animal tests are conducted. Everything looks real, but this is a hoax – the videos were pre-recorded and Leo was makeup as the hostage.b) Professor: Leo at the University was invited to a student environmental club, led by his professor (Red Herring)
The first mystery must engage the Hero into solving it.
Leo is missing.Sequence the mysteries so that each one leads us to the next one. Include ONE Red Herring mystery if you can.
– Leo is missing – where is he?
– Red Herring: professor – who is he? What is his role?
– What is Leo’s father hiding?
– Who is involved in the corruption process?
– Who stands behind the fur lobby and from whom have they money and instructions?
– What was MARS organization when Leo’s father was a student? (pro-animal activists)
– Who else was a MARS member besides Leo’s father? (Prime minister)
– What MARS has done years ago, what was filmed and now Leo reveals that as revenge?
– Is Red Fox reactivation of the old, non-active MARS?Create a Mystery Chain for each main mystery.
a) Giant screen transmission:
– one of the city’s giant screens is hacked – no ads, just a static green board and an orange – red fox’s head on it.
– Leo on the screen – scared, looks quite poor
– Leo is tortured before the viewer’s eyes
– Leo is tested using chemicals, the same as Animals
– police recognize that the video was recorded previously
– police IT masters are looking for a broadcasting source (transmission link)
– police have a main router’s address – Red Fox house
– Leo wasn’t a hostage, he is an activist and demands to adopt all pro-animal acts, if not…
– Leo uncovers all the cards – the Prime is like a Godfather and his gov like a mafia.b) The professor (Red Herring)
– First impression: respected expert.
– Second: he indoctrinated students, became more and more radical in ideology and activism.
– He knows a lot about MARS – why?
– police suspect him of being a kidnapper
– the professor wasn’t a MARS member, has no motive and any connection to the Red
Fox. -
ASSIGNMENT 6
Brendan’s Mystery Sequence
What I learned is that once you decide on the big secret that the Villian is covering up, that pretty much determines or influences almost every element of the story thereafter, Hero and Red Herring story lines included. I wasn’t expecting that and it has forced me to reconsider the entire premise of my thriller.
Create your mystery sequence. Give us the answer to these questions.
What is the big secret that the Villain is covering up? Villain killed his animal-loving wife to silence her after she discovered his illegal wildlife smuggling business, then secretly dumps her dismembered body at sea.
How many ways can he cover that secret? Those cover-ups become the mysteries.
A) Villain reports wife missing to local police saying she appears not to have returned from her regular evening beach swim while he was out fishing that day.
b) Villain pressures his footy mates to testify that he was on the deep sea fishing trip with them on the day his wife disappeared.
c) Villain pressures surfing mate to claim he saw wife swimming alone in wild surf at the time.
d) Senior detective and friend of the Villain, concludes wife’s death was accidental drowning and promptly closes the case.
e) Villain feigns grief and sadness for months after wife’s disappearance, convincing local townsfolk he is genuine.
The first mystery must engage the Hero into solving it:
Mystery 1. Hero suspects something not right about moody Wayne, suspects he’s hiding the truth which she must discover before committing to 88 days of visa program for her own safety and peace of mind.
Sequence the mysteries so that each one leads us to the next one. Include ONE Red Herring mystery if you can.
Mystery 2. How could a strong swimmer who swims daily at her local beach end up drowning accidentally and alone?
Mystery 3. Is Villian’s surfer mate telling the truth? if so, why didn’t the surfer stick around to make sure Hero was not swept away in such wild seas? (Red Herring, perhaps?)
Mystery 4. Can the Senior Detective, a known friend of Villian, be trusted especially in this tight-knit community?
Mystery 5. How can the entire local community be so easily convinced of Villian’s bona fides.
Create a Mystery Chain for each main mystery (What series of “mysterious” events make up each main mystery and how do those events cover the secret of the Villain?)
Mystery 1 (main mystery). Hero suspects something is not right about moody Wayne, suspects he’s hiding something dangerous which she must discover if she’s to feel safe for next 88 days of visa program.
When Villain learns the Hero is asking around about his ex-wife, he tries to isolate her from the locals.
When Hero asks about lack of wifi service, he promises to do trip to town for new Sim card but never delivers
When Hero goes out walking around the property, she is always tracked down and returned to farm house
Why are the locals so praiseworthy of Villian?
Mystery 5. How can the entire local community be so easily convinced of Villian’s bona fides.
What does Beryl (married to teacher) know about Villian?
Why wont Beryl tell Hero what she knows about Villian?
Why does Beryl start sobbing while asking about Hero’s wellbeing?
More work to do on other mystery chains.
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This reply was modified 2 years, 3 months ago by Brendan Guerin.
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This reply was modified 2 years, 3 months ago by
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John Duvall’s Mystery Sequence
What I learned from this assignment: The best strategy for structuring a suspense thriller is to start with the villain’s motive, and build a string of mysteries for the hero to work through.
What is the big secret that the Villain is covering up?
Father Hargraves (the villain) is blackmailing parishioners and murders Monsignor Dennehy to cover it up.
How many ways can they cover that secret? Those become
the mysteries.Father Hargraves frames Sister Teresa to make her look guilty of the murder.
He frames Monsignor Dennehy to make it look like he was having an affair with Sister Teresa.
The first mystery must engage the Hero into solving it.
Monsignor engaged Father Bloom to investigate reductions in the church’s donations and irregularities in its finances.
Sequence the mysteries so that each one leads us to the
next one. Include ONE Red Herring mystery if you can.Father Bloom engages Sister Teresa as an ally in his investigation, only to begin to believe she is a suspect in these crimes.
Create a Mystery Chain for each main mystery.
Monsignor Dennehy asks Father Bloom to participate in the new Shelter project, but he becomes infatuated with Sister Teresa and she returns his affection.
As he uncovers evidence of a closer relationship between Sister Teresa and Monsignor Dennehy, he begins to mistrust her honesty,
When Monsignor Dennehy is found dead, Sister Teresa is emotionally devastated. While there is a normal explanation for her reaction, Father Bloom begins to uncover evidence of a closer relationship between the two going back years.
Sister Teresa’s behavior becomes more and more erratic – and her honesty more questionable – the deeper Father Bloom’s investigation goes. He discovers that Sister Teresa has a secret, disreputable life.
Disillusioned, Father Bloom ends his affair with Sister Teresa, sending her into an emotional downward spiral, perhaps a suicide attempt.
As Father Hargraves encourages Father Bloom’s doubt about Teresa, he begins to question the intensity of Hargrave’s accusations.
Hargraves plans to kill Father Bloom and frame Sister Teresa for his murder.
But Sister Teresa reveals herself to be a dissociated multiple personality, by stepping forward to prevent Hargraves from killing Bloom. Hargraves then falls to his death from the same church tower from which Monsignor Dennehy fell.
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Lenore Bechtel: Mystery Sequence
I learned that starting with the villain’s big mystery leads to smaller mysteries—all of which threaten the hero’s life.
What is the big secret that the Villain is covering up?
Melantha’s big secret is that she is almost ready to activate her devious plan to project a hologram of Jesus walking from above the clouds toward Bellamonta to lure Christians up the highest hill to the Community Church. While they all await the Second Coming, she will fly by in her Beechcraft Bonanza and her simpleton brother Sonny will release a mixture that—unknown to him—will kill the entire community. It’s a mixture of barium, aluminum salts, polymer fibers, thorium, and silicon carbide Melantha has bought and hoarded for many years.
What mysteries help cover that secret?
Remote-viewing Daniel Evans remotely saw her installing equipment in the church belfry, so she had to kill him. She slit his tire, counting on him being unable to manipulate the most dangerous mountain curve, but she had a backup plan—just in case—a dirty bomb that opening the glove compartment would activate, blow up, and destroy him and his car.
After Daniell’s funeral Zayden Briggs presses Elijah to sell him the Evans’ family home, offering a huge sum. Did he kill Daniel just to get his son to sell the property? Sheriff Janeen made a spectacle of herself moaning and crying at the graveside service. Everyone knew that her excellent reputation as a crime preventer was due to Daniel’s remote-viewing tips, but had their relationship gone beyond professional?
Everyone also knows that Elijah inherited the remote-viewing skill, so Melantha needs to kill him too—especially because he wants to prove that Daniel was murdered She uses Cassandra, a hologram whose highly advance artificial intelligent enables her to carry on normal conversations. Cassandra gives Elijah a tip for finding a clue to his father’s death, hoping to lead him to open the glove compartment and blow himself up. Sheriff Janeen seems disinclined to investigate who wanted Daniel dead and who almost killed Elijah and just as disincline to answer questions from Lucy Addams, reporter for the town’s weekly newspaper.
When Elijah escapes before the dirty bomb blows, Melantha has Cassandra lure him to walk into an open grave, with her standing by with a backhoe to quickly cover him with dirt. It’s a cold night, and when Elijah puts his jacket around Cassandra’s shoulders, she dissolves into thin air. Using his cellphone as a flashlight to search for her, he sees the open grave, where his next step would have taken him. Melantha’s excuse for being on the back hoe ready to throw dirt on his body was that she’d seen that misplaced grave and wanted it filled before someone got hurt falling into it.
Zayden tries to persuade Elijah to write a will, naming him as the inheritor of the Evans’ property, in the event of his death. He offers a sum large enough to pay for Elijah’s next four college years if he will do so. Is it because he knows someone else is trying to kill Elijah, or because he himself is the one?
In preparation for gassing the entire community, Melantha had trained her simpleton younger brother Sonny to unwind a hose nozzle to spray whatever is contained in the attached canister. Sonny waits for Elijah to come out of his back door, at which time he’ll spray him good. Poor Sonny, who has no idea the spray will harm Elijah, stops spraying when he realizes it has. He calls Melantha and 911. Melantha attaches the hose to a water nozzle, takes the canister, and runs before Sheriff Janeen arrives, followed by Lucy with her reporter notebook.
Elijah now knows that whoever killed his father knows how to use holograms and poisonous gasses and does not hesitate to kill anyone who gets in his way. Could that person have also killed his mother? Why would she have gone to the belfry? Noises! She heard noises and went up to see what was going on. She saw something she shouldn’t have seen and had to be killed. But Janeen and Fire Chief Kevin Davis had found nothing amiss there. Of course! Whatever it was would have to be removed until his mother’s death had been investigated.
As Elijah’s best friend, Buzz Briggs is in each chain of these mysteries, causing the viewer to wonder if he truly wants to help Elijah, or is he cleverly leading him to selling his property to his father? More suspicions are aroused when Buzz’s sister Zoe, whom Elijah has never met, comes for a visit and Elijah recognizes her as the model for Cassandra. Sonny’s innocently revealing why he is growing a beard also contributes to solving the movie’s big mystery. With his beard, he looks so much like Jesus.
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Mystery Chains and Sequences
SECRET 1: The American government sent a spy to sabotage Hero’s technology demonstration as part of a larger worldwide government conspiracy to prevent green energy innovation from supplanting fossil fuels and disrupting the current world order.
MYSTERY 1: Why did Spy1 sabotage the Hero, and who does he work for?
COVER UP 1: Spy1 impersonates an investor at the demonstration, and asks pointed questions to Hero trying to skeptically surmise the impact that the technology will have on world energy production and use, employment, and stock prices.
COVER UP 1: Spy1 assassinates the character of the technology, making it look like the technology went haywire, that it didn’t work, that it was dangerous.
COVER UP 1: Spy1 assassinated the character of Hero, making it look like the inventor is to blame, social media blames him, the University blames him and shut down the project and fired him.
COVER UP 1: Spy1 got away, and took the evidence that pointed to sabotage, so police have no evidence of sabotage, nor evidence of Spy1. No surveillance footage, and police say witnesses don’t corroborate Hero’s story of a belligerent investor. Police instead make Hero a suspect, ordered to stay away from the facility and not to leave town.
RESULT 1: Each of these is a cover up that points to Hero being to blame. The writer has established the “Reality” of Hero’s guilt. But of course he is the victim.
SECRET 2: Companies, politicians, and spies are relentlessly causing obstacles for Hero’s new green product business.
MYSTERY 2: Is Hero being paranoid or is there a vast conspiracy against him?
COVER UP 2: There are rational, unconnected explanations for each of the obstacles.
RESULT 2: Again, each of these cover ups make Hero look bad, but of course he is the victim. And now he is really getting frustrated at the unfairness of it all, especially when he just trying help the world.
SECRET 3: The American government is regularly sending spies to sabotage all green energy innovators, not just Hero, to delay adoption of new green technology indefinitely, or for as long as possible.
MYSTERY 3: If Spy1 wasn’t there to specifically sabotage Hero again, then is he part of a larger government conspiracy to sabotage all green technology innovators, and why?
COVER UP 3: Spy1 tries to pretend that he knew it was Hero, but Hero remains suspicious.
COVER UP 3: Spy1 also tries to keep it small and local, but Hero remains skeptical since California and Austria are quite a beat apart.
COVER UP 3: Spy1 refuses to call himself a spy or reveal who he works for, though he seems to favor Hero thinking it is corporate espionage versus some elaborate international espionage plan.
RESULT 3: Suddenly, with the reappearance of Spy1 in another part of the world, surprised to see Hero, we focus on possibility that Hero, and all green energy innovators, are up against a vast government conspiracy.
SECRET 4: The British government sent Spy2 to investigate Hero and Spy1’s disappearance.
MYSTERY 4: Who is this new fellow, confident and debonair, suddenly inserting himself into Hero’s life?
COVER UP 4: Spy2 is working undercover, impersonating someone appropriate to be in Hero’s orbit.
COVER UP 4: Spy2 always has a good excuse as to why he keeps bumping into Hero in various places.
RESULT 4: With the appearance of Spy2, perhaps Hero, is up against a vast international government conspiracy.
SECRET 5: Spy2 has seduced LoveInterest and made her an asset who is divulging intel.
MYSTERY 5: How does Spy2 stay alive and find Hero at the next location?
COVER UP 5: Spy2 is seen approaching LoveInterest behind Hero’s back as he walks away, clearly smiling and flirting with her as he approaches her with a bottle of champagne and 2 glasses. But when Hero returns from the bathroom, all evidence of Spy2 is gone, and LoveInterest is very nonchalant acting normally.
COVER UP 5: LoveInterest hides her infidelity, saying she was away at the gym and she’s flushed red in the face because she just got back from exercising.
COVER UP 5: Spy2’s repeated ability to locate Hero is rationalized as either luck or skill, not a mole.
RESULT 5: Hero is really feeling paranoid and sad, worrying about the fraying of his relationship with LoveInterest.
SECRET 6: The world’s top governments have sanctioned a sabotage program ordering their spies to carry out assassinations of green energy innovators to delay the adoption of new green technology so that they can keep their grip on money and power by maintaining the status quo of fossil fuel usage around the world, ensure they remain on top of the world order.
MYSTERY 6: Who is the real villain behind all of the sabotage orders and why are they doing it?
COVER UP 6: Spy2 labels Hero a megalomaniac, and tries to convince LoveInterest that Hero must be stopped at all costs.
COVER UP 6: POTUS fires nuclear missiles at Hero in space.
RESULT 6: The last mystery is all about the real Villain pulling all the strings. Hero can finally face and deal with the actual Villain.
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Donna Stockwell’s Mystery Sequence
What I learned is that by working backwards, you can ensure there are enough subplots and misdirections to keep the audience guessing along as to what will happen next. And I started to introduce a more interesting, and more thrilling plot for the villain. And the villain’s agenda is completely different than the hero, but the hero is caught up in the villain’s evil plan by trusting her. This process keeps the two characters’ lives completely separate, and the chance meeting intertwines the stories.
The big secret that the Villian, Casey, is covering up is that she has lost confidence in herself to create art after she lost an art contract.
Since she is one of the director’s of the art gallery, she claims she has no time and makes herself busy with “upgrading” projects and bringing in new talent; she also critiques all the new art that is submitted, with “i would never do that…because” type of statements. She deflects comments towards her making any art with how great her current project is, and glorifies her past accolades.
the first mystery is Hadiya finds Casey’s art tools and materials and asks why she hasn’t created anything in the past week, and Casey dismisses her saying they are off limits to her and never go into the art room except to clean. When she cleans, she finds magazines with art tips and secrets articles and awards in cabinets/closets, and a key.
Mystery – key – what does this key unlock?
Mystery – where is store room? could it have more art supplies?
Mystery – no art supplies, just art – collections with different artists names?
Mystery – good art, but no one knows these artists? but familiar art
Mystery – the familiar art resembles the art that Casey displays as her own
Mystery -Casey has won awards on some of these pieces
Mystery – why is Casey storing all this art, and not showing it?
Mystery – could Casey be stealing this art?
Mystery – all the artists names are missing or dead
Mystery – why did Casey keep the art hidden, when she could sell it at a profit if it was known that the artists are dead
Mystery – Hadiya finds one of her pieces of art in Casey’s possession
End mystery, could she have stolen all the art work in her career, and killed the artists to cover up her tracks?
Mystery Chain 2 – why does Casey steal the art?
Mystery Chain 3 – how did Casey get to be (and stay) one of the art directors for the gallery?
Mystery Chain 4 – Why did Casey finally offer to help Hadiya to show her art at the gallery?
Mystery – RED HERRING – did Casey’s love interest steal or help her steal the art? Why? -
Caroline’s Mystery Sequence
What I learned: It is very helpful to spell it all out. I still don’t know why Gabrielle wants Callahan dead though.
1. What are the big secrets?Callahan’s secret: He is a secret spy playing at being a diplomat, which allows him access to places where he can’t normally go.
Gabrielle’s big secret: Gabrielle wants Callahan dead.
2. Mysteries: How many ways can they cover up the secrets?
A. By Gabrielle calling Callahan for help.
B. Callahan goes to the CIA to tell them his friends have been kidnapped. The CIA deports him.
C. Red Herrings: By showing Aaron has a lot of money and suspicious documents in his safe. He looks guilty.
By disappearing Aaron to make him look suspicious.By having the CIA threaten to deport Callahan and making it look like Aaron was under investigation.
3. Mystery Chain #1
Gabrielle is the villain:
She is kidnapped by an arms dealer
Callahan races to save her
Gabrielle calls for help to lure him inMystery Chain #2:
Aaron is the red herring:
He is not over upset by Gabrielle’s kidnapping
He has a lot of money in his home safeHe refuses to call the police.
He disappears at the ransom dropMystery Chain #3:
His employer, the CIA, refuses to listen to Callahan and they escort him to the airport
The CIA deports Callahan, knowing he will lead them to the arms dealer
Mystery #4
Who has kidnapped Gabrielle?
What is waiting for them when they get there?
Who are the thugs who ambushed them on the way?Mystery #5
Was Gabrielle involved in the death of Callahan’s wife three years earlier?
How does she know the arms dealer?
Where is he? Did he get away?-
This reply was modified 2 years, 3 months ago by Caroline Fritz.
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This reply was modified 2 years, 3 months ago by Caroline Fritz.
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This reply was modified 2 years, 3 months ago by
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Macondo – Mystery Sequence
What I learned from this: I did not have Carmen’s (La Telaraña) motivations worked out. This lesson forced me to answer the question of why she betrayed Mas, Ignacio and Chuck. Once I figured out the why, the plot changed and became more focused.
Villain (Max) – Visa selling ring.
How many ways can he cover that secret?
o Max blames mechanical errors – Chuck asks why so many?
o Max blames low-level employees – Chuck finds it is not true and continues to dig for answers.
o Max warns Chuck away from friends – Chuck gets information from Carmen and confirmed by his friends. Chuck passes it to security.
o Max gets security chief to cover up – Chuck forces an investigation with high level contacts.
o Max sends Chuck unescorted into rival cartel land. Chuck aborts the trip and heads back to confront Max.
Red Herring (Carmen – La Telaraña) – Selling Drugs for Guns
o Max tries to reignite previous relationship with Carmen. Carmen turns him down but encourages Max to have an affair with Alejandra who works in Carmen’s drug smuggling ring.
o Carmen seduces police chief to get smuggling through airport.
o Carmen realizes that Chuck controls the guns and tries to seduce him. He turns him down, so she goes to Plan B – to be a source of information.
o Carmen seduces Chuck’s friend JP, making it more difficult for Chuck to cut her out of the arms smuggling plan.
o Carmen sets up a plan with the aircraft pilot to steal the gun shipment. Chuck is unaware.
o Carmen lets Chuck know about Max’s visa selling ring. Chuck is then focused on the battle with this boss.
o Chuck finally realizes that she is after the guns. With the help of others, the plane is shot down and her plan is foiled.
Hero (Chuck) – Supporting a Revolution
o Chuck arrives and faces a series of mishaps that almost stop him from meeting his contact Ignacio, the revolutionary.
o Chuck sets up contact with Washington but keeps his boss Max in the dark. Max receives a message that Chuck is on a secret mission, but Max thinks Chuck is trying to investigate his visa selling ring.
o Chuck tries to keep a low profile, but he is the best officer in the Consulate and solves a number of high-profile cases. Chuck becomes the Golden Boy both in Washington and Colombia. This makes keeping the secret about the arms deliveries more complicated.
o Chuck starts the delivery of the guns to Ignacio. There are many setbacks, but because of Chuck’s perseverance the first two shipments go well. Max still thinks Chuck is investigating him.
o Chuck finds out about Max’s visa selling ring because of a tip from Carmen. He then shifts his focus away from Carmen to Max. He give the information so security and security double-crosses him. Max now understands what Chuck’s secret mission is all about.
o The following day is the arms last shipment, Chuck learns from Ignacio that Carmen is going to steal the guns. Chuck gets his CIA friend to go to the landing strip and shoot down the plane. Chuck blows up his mission and his career to prevent a major US domestic and an international scandal.
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