Lesson 4

[Mark napier]

Subject line: (Mark Napier) Character InterviewsAnswer the question “What I learned doing this assignment is…?” Like the Character Profiles, this allows me to dig deeper into my characters and give or create more material dialogue I may draw from the script.QUESTIONS FOR YOUR PROTAGONIST

1. Tell me about yourself.

I am from Kentucky originally and the youngest of 8 boys. My oldest brother had severe cerebral palsy and was like a 3 day old baby for 26 years, not able to walk or talk until he died at the age of 26 of a heart attack. I was 10 years old at the time of his death. About that same time my mother lost her hearing to a small stroke and remained deaf for half her life. We had a fondness for dogs and cats, so I have always had them around, even in the combat zones of Iraq and Afghanistan. I graduated high school in 1983 and obtained a Bachelor of Arts degree in Political Science. I would later obtain a Master of Science degree in International Management. My very first girl is African American and my ex-wife and step sons are too. I have experienced racism and discrimination first hand from not just in a public setting, but the military and CIA as well. Many of my significant others are Black, but I have dated Hispanic, Asian, Jewish and Muslim. I have even had the race card tossed at me only to back fire in their face.

I enlisted in the US Army National Guards in Infantry before obtaining my commission as a 2nd Lieutenant and becoming a Military Intelligence officer. I would go on to serve in the Army National Guards and Reserves for a grand total of 26 years, but the Army would lose my personnel records four times over the course of the career and credit me 15 years of service before being given a medical discharge (Honorable).

I also was employed by the CIA for a total of 20 years (16 yrs as staff and 4 yrs as independent contractor–Soldier of Fortune). My career at the Agency began with graduating from the Federal Law Enforcement Training Center and serving in the Security Protective Service, a tour in the Office of Equal Employment for the Deaf and People with Disabilities. followed by serving in the South East Asian Analysis, a tour in the Counterterrorism Center, Non-Proliferation Center, and Office of Military Affairs. I resigned from the CIA because I grew tired of the anti Reserve and National Guard atmosphere fostered at CIA following my 2 year mobilization after 9/11 attacks. It took the CIA 3 months to bring me back into the fold as they ignored federal laws for reinstating personnel who were mobilized. After being passed over for promotion, I resigned. However, I was begged by my office to return as an independent contractor to set up and serve as the CIA’s Military Cell Team Leader in Iraq overseeing 4 elements linked to three division level Warfighter elements and one Special Forces unit In Iraq. The mission was in response to CIA’s lackluster support provided to US Military conventional forces during Operation Desert Storm in 1990. The CIA, on paper, did not want to repeat this hot button issue in Iraq again, but they did. After three months I deployed to Afghanistan to become Deputy Chief of Base of Bagram Airbase for 17 months, before leading PSYOP mission in Kabul then along the Afghan/Pak border for two plus years.

My decline came when I reported a mismanaged investigation involving the downloading of child pornography on two CIA Top Secret computers. I embarrassed Station senior officials who decided to pursue me for four years and ultimately had me Blacklisted following the Great Recession in 2009. Then I would be hit by a serious unknown illness that I originally dismissed as my third bout of mononucleosis. Instead it turned out to be HIV. I learned of my diagnosis over the phone by my Reserve unit physician who screamed at me over the phone my diagnosis that left me in severe depression. During the recession no one was hiring and those that did wanted to send me back to the CIA. I was left chronically homeless on the streets for 5 years where I became a strip dancer at gay bars for survival. Thirty percent of the dancers at the time were homeless.

After I got off the streets it took 6 years to establish any sense of self esteem and I pursued my campaign against the CIA once more yet again, despite four previous failed attempts. Then I decided to run for US Congress, but was unsuccessful. I did manage (in concert with an independent reporter) to bring attention to the CIA’s failed efforts to prosecute child porn offenders in 2021 and 2022. Now because of public embarrassment, the Agency now prosecutes offenders rather than let them off the hook.

2. Why do you think you were called to this journey? Why you?

I believe my destiny is to help the discarded and forgotten of the middle and low income, impoverished and homeless, to include foster care children, in addition to promoting change to reel the Agency back in and be held accountable for abusive acts. I have seen poverty and walked the walk. I also bring a lot of experience to the table from a national level and understand and directly supported Mid East peace between the Israelis and Hezbollah. I have dealt with 14 Taliban defectors and two suicide bombers, uncovered operations that exposed counterintelligence issues or illegal activities and much, much more. Bottom line, a man that has nothing has nothing to lose and I feel the CIA will do their best to prevent light from being shined on their screw ups.

3. You are up against <the Antagonist>. What is it about them that makes this journey even more difficult for you?

He is a highly decorated and respected senior CIA executive and considered untouchable. He is only answerable to the CIA Director. He is viewed as a hero and the CIA will protect its public image by using the legal system (DOJ and FBI) to squash, threaten and intimidate even if they knowingly are in the wrong.

4. In order to survive or accomplish this, you are going to have to step way outside of your box. What changes do you expect to make and which of them will be the most difficult?

It is my hope through this story to expose the CIA’s wrongdoing at great risk to prosecution. I want to expose the antagonist(s) for their role in my demise and hold future executives accountable. The most difficult task is getting Congress to hold a public hearing and force the CIA to prosecute all cases, not just pick and choose. I hope to also ensure that the Agency is answerable to the judiciary system, rather than have them thumb their nose up to the federal judges.

5. What habits or ways of thinking do you think will be the most difficult to let go of?

Being betrayed, discarded and forgotten by a nation that I spent over a quarter of a century of my life (CIA and US Army) protecting and putting my ass on the line for. I continue to believe in military values of leadership and it’s hard to shake off, but survival takes precedent over my values.

6. What fears, insecurities and wounds have held you back?

Prosecution by the CIA, if I disclose classified material comes to mind. Having DOJ and the FBI trying to raid may touch off a fire fight as I have nothing to lose.

7. What skills, background or expertise makes you well-suited to face this conflict or antagonist?

I equally understand the CIA and its operational weaknesses. I can also still use PSYOP against the Agency by targeting House and Senate members that sit on the intelligence committees, in addition to exposing the antagonist(s). I incidentally scored above 80% of the CIA population on “common sense” during the psyche examination upon entry into the CIA, I think this gives me an advantage to discovering or exposing wrongdoings where Case Officers fail. I focus on the job and mission, not ego. I work hard to uncover the truth, not crank out reports assuming the asset is telling the truth. I use program verification to ensure my assets were telling the truth. Far too often I would watch Case Officers in a pissing contest try and discredit the other’s asset by simply writing it in a report to undermine the credibility of the source. It is no wonder that the only thing 100% certain at the CIA is that it is never 100% certain on anything. My assets had proven track records and my exposure of senior Case Officers failing to properly vet assets revealed counterintelligence issues, theft, and criminal behavior. I had contingency operations and planning experience, operational training and surveillance experience and analytical experience after 20 years. I went for quality, whereas, Case Officers sought quantity over quality.

8. What are you hiding from the other characters? What don’t you want them to know?

I don’t want them to know where I have transitioned to or that I fall under the Counterterrorism Center sphere of influence. I did not want the antagonist to know I was even in country (Afghanistan) as I know I will be retaliated against.

9. What do you think of <the Antagonist>?

At first glance I felt he had his act together and was a good leader. As I grow to understand him I see he is quick to jump to conclusions, not fully comprehend where the true problem is and to retaliate to destroy. He should be held accountable for the deaths of prisoners of war that he knew were being shipped to the desert to die. His actions demonstrate no values and are ruthless.

10. Tell me your side of this whole conflict / story.

First, CIA Headquarters and Iraq Station were exposed for not supporting the military as intended. Headquarters was sending members out that had military experience, but no CIA experience. I was having to train members and spend long hours each day mentoring. Some who showed up never used a CIA cable system and others did not know how to use a computer, let alone turn one on. The Chief of Station called the 3rd Infantry Division a jackass and refused to meet with a National Guard Division commander because they would not provide a helicopter to pick him up for the meeting, despite having a fleet of Agency helicopters at his disposal. This started a hostile work environment for me.

But the real problem occurred when the Chief and Deputy Chief of Station were out of the country leaving the Chief of Operations to be Acting Chief of Station. Late one night he ordered me to fly across the country to secure, disarm and escort a staff employee to the flight line and evict him from the country all because the Acting COS conducted a knee jerk investigation over what he thought was an argument involving the use of a knife. As it turns out, the staff employee was admonishing the contractor for downloading child pornography on two CIA Top Secret Computers. The contractor as it turns out had a history of downloading child porn as confirmed by Headquarters.

So upon my return to Station I was asked to write a cable to Headquarters and I reported as a Whistleblower how Station failed to conduct a proper investigation and ejected the wrong individual from the country. I stood by my military leadership values. I then decided it was time to leave. I was supposed to stay in Iraq for a year, but I was not going to deal with a further hostile work environment. Once the antagonist(s) returned to the country, he was extremely pissed, according to an email I have. He was reported to be so irate and pissed like they never seen him before that the antagonist fabricated a ruse that I overcharged the CIA $14,000 (a felony) in retaliation. He was Hell bent on sending me to prison. In the four years that followed, I was never questioned, investigated, charged nor prosecuted for the alleged crime that Office of Security, whom I use to work, did not even pursue because they knew it was trumped up charge. This pissed off the antagonist(s) that their scheme failed. Four years later they crossed paths with me again and I would be retaliated against.

11. What does it do for your life if you succeed here?

My honor will be restored and my self worth and self respect re-established.

12. Ask any other questions about their character profile that will help you.

-What vengeance would you like to pursue against the antagonist(s)? Dreaming the dream, using street justice, I would love to catch up with the antagonist and immobilize him. Then I would proceed to use a form of torture used during the Crusades called a ‘vertical impalement.’ I want to stuff a 10 foot rod right up his ass exiting his mouth with him mounted into the ground and a note that reads…”Where CIA accountability failed, Street Justice prevailed.”

-Why do you feel federal politicians and committees, the media, and my own representatives fear the CIA? I believe they fear access to privilege sensitive information will be withheld. Often times you hear the media report that …”according to a source that does not wish to be identified at the CIA or intelligence community….” means the CIA’s Public Affairs wrote the story and released it to certain privilege media personas to break the news. I also believe, some may fear retribution as the Agency has been used politically against political advesaries.

-What influence or relationship does the CIA have with the US Department with Justice to be able to avoid not prosecuting certain illegal activities by CIA employees and contractors to include child pornography? After 9/11 “The Wall” between the intelligence community and the DOJ has been lowered significantly whereupon the intelligence community is directly resources to collect against Americans. Prior to 9/11, it was considered off limits for the CIA to target Americans even abroad. Now the intelligence community is directly supporting DOJ Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (FISA) warrants.

-How has your affiliation with the CIA impacted or hindered your Constitutional rights to pursue your case or seek change? The CIA can trump up a charge and the DOJ will run with it accusing me of violating my oath and charge me with the crime of espionage or leaking classified material. This is intimidating when it suppresses my freedom of speech to disclose the truth. If I try a FOIA request with the CIA it may take 10 years and a few civil actions to get action. Also its hard to argue a case of retaliation if I cannot release the details fearing or being intimidated with being charged with a crime.

-How did your commitment to the Army Reserves and National Guards conflict with the CIA? Were there any conflicts? Yes, the CIA only support Special Operations or Elite units. Conventional forces and even the Army National Guard and Reserves were looked down upon by the organization. They ignored federal laws protecting the employment rights of employees who may be mobilized. The CIA has a Reserve element embedded that allowed employees to join, but they made it incredibly difficult to earn retirement points and even the military personnel assigned to run that unit agreed the Agency viewed their role with disdain. During Desert Storm and my time as the Military Cell Team Leader in Iraq Station, it was quite evident the CIA views conventional armed forces with disdain.

-Is the CIA above the law and not answerable to the judicial system? They are supposed to answer to a federal judge, but the Agency basically does what it wants. When an independent reported took legal action to force the Agency to reveal the number of child porn cases they refused to prosecute, they only released 10 reports in 2022. I had already been in contact with the Agency in 2021, along with many members of Congress and the committees, but my case was not disclosed. This implies the CIA blew off the District of Columbia Federal Judge’s order.

-After the antagonist failed in his initial fabricated ruse, how was he able to succeed the second time? What were the circumstances that resulted in his failure the first time? He succeeded by alerting the former Chief of Station of Iraq who was now the Chief of Counterterrorism Center who ordered to have me Blacklisted and had my luggage (that contained 4 years of tax information) stolen from the Washington Dulles International Airport where the CIA has a facility with access to baggage. The treasure trove of identity theft material has never been used in the 15 years it went missing and the Internal Revenue Service sued me as a result. That is why they took my last $600 as I was toss into the streets penniless. I learned later from emails from my former office that the antagonist had taken action against me to prevent my return.

-Why did you not take legal action against the CIA? At the time I was about to as soon as I learned of my Blacklisting. But when I came down with a serious illness that took 5 months to recover from following the Great Recession of 2009, I was ambushed over the phone by my Army Reserve unit of my HIV diagnosis and that shattered my world and I feel immediately into severe depression and knew I was losing all that I worked for.

-In your attempt to run for US Congress, what obstacles did you face? Why did the media not see you as the underdog? What party did you run for? I ran as “a real Independent Candidate.” I did not move left, nor right, I moved forward. The media here in South Florida used its power projection platforms to bolster their Democrat candidate they favored. They suppressed my presence as if I did not exist. During the Tower Forum, Sun Sentinel did not even note that I was in the same room and answered the same questions as the other candidates, Florida Politics barely mentioned my name and that I was a military veteran. Nothing was ever mentioned that I was homeless, how I got off the streets, the national level of experience or military…nothing. Other media elements focused on my tour at Equal Employment Office to make it look like I brought nothing to the table. I was viewed clearly as a threat to the Democrat candidate and the media only cared about their party, not the low income, impoverished or middle class.

-How do you go about influencing or holding the CIA or the antagonist accountable to affect change? I mass mailed my charges against the CIA to 80 members of Congress, 13 committees, the intelligence oversight committees, the White House Special Counsel, Director of National Intelligence, my own representatives in Congress and the Senate (who sat on the Intelligence Committee) and media. I also used my campaign to produce press releases directly into Washington, DC. highlighting my campaign as a former CIA Blacklisted Officer who reported child pornography was running for congress. The overexposure was not what the CIA wanted. Too much attention was being shown that they were not prosecuting child pornography offenders and the independent reporter’s article made it very uncomfortable for the Agency.

QUESTIONS FOR YOUR ANTAGONIST

1. Tell me about yourself. [This is the only question I did not complete, but I will answer the question tomorrow after I do a little bit further research.]

I am from…

and went to school….

I served in the US Army as a Special Forces soldier. After 6 years I joined the CIA and retired after 29 years of service. I entered the CIA in the career field of a Case Officer in the Special Activities Division of the Directorate of Operations. I have served in….

2. Having to do with this journey, what are your strengths and weaknesses?

I am a highly decorated executive level Case Officer in the Special Activities Division. I command respect. Whether I am at the White House, Congress, a foreign government, I am the one they respect and fear the most. My greatest weakness is the fear of have my mishaps exposed. I am like most Case Officers who focus on quantity and not quality in my work.

3. Why are you committed to making the Protagonist fail? Or for a relationship movie, why are you committed to making them change?

He made my Station (and under my leadership) in Iraq look like an ass clown operation not once, but twice. The last incident that involved child pornography on two of the Agency’s sensitive systems made us look so incredibly foolish. My ego was bruised and I have never been so highly pissed. This was war and no holds bar that I will get him if its the last thing I do on earth.

4. What do you get out of winning this fight / succeeding in your plan / taking down your competition?

I get self satisfaction that I destroyed life or livelihoods. It really does not bother me and I still sleep at night. I get bragging rights and good war stories in the end to tell, but when an adversary gets in my way, I stomp on them. I have such success with and elevation in my career, that anyone who challenges me is not considered credible because I carry a great deal of specialized experience and considered untouchable.

5. What drives you toward your mission / agenda, even in the face of danger, ruin, or death?

I get a thrill from the action. I was “First In” country right after the 9/11 attacks into Afghanistan. I was the Assistant Team Leader of a six man team that coordinated with the Northern Alliance to combat the Taliban. I was in constant communications with them on an hourly basis for airstrikes, operational support, etc. I want to go as far up the Agency as I can because I love what I do. I love being part of the bigger picture and making history. I have jumped with a “nuke” strapped to my chest in an airborne insertion to see if it could be done. So yes I love the mission of the CIA.

6. What secrets must you keep to succeed? What other secrets do you keep out of fear / insecurity?

Well I do not want folks to know that I was fully aware of the Northern Alliance intentions when they captured nearly 3,000 Taliban and placed them into box cars to send into the desert. That was like a war crime, but I did not care. They were the bad guys and I just did not care. That was their problem. As for other secrets, I am not just a Case Officer. I have reached the top ranks of the CIA and I am a power figure to be reckoned with. Like the vast majority of Case Officers out there, I have had my share of assets that I perhaps fluffed their credibility as sources. I placed emphasis on quantity than quality in their reporting. Yes, I do abuse my title, position and authority at my leisure. When CIA Director John Brennan decided to crack down on such practices, in addition to Agency restructuring I decided to abruptly retire after 29 years of service. I do not like it to be known, but I am a Democrat and associate with figures that have ties to China.

7. Compared to other people like you, what makes you special?

I take risks and accept danger as part of the job. I started out in Special Forces and now I am the Deputy Director of Special Activities Division of the Directorate of Operations. I am the problem solver and go to guy for the CIA and US Government.

8. What do you think of <the Protagonist>?

He was a problem child. He did not know what he was doing. He tried to overcharge the CIA $14,000. I wanted no part of him on my team, so I refused to allow him back in the country (Afghanistan). His operations were a complete hoax. He had a radio station that was not transmitting distance and all his assets were not reliable and untrustworthy. He had no business running operations as he was not a trained Case Officer.

9. Tell me your side of this whole conflict / story.

It’s been so long ago. In Iraq, I got back into the country and learned that he had left the country. Initially he agreed to stay for a year. We basically caught him trying to overcharge the CIA $14,000 and that was that. We reported it, but the Office of Security dropped the ball. Then I run across him in Afghanistan and I put the kibosh on his returning back to Afghanistan as a PSYOP officer, citing he was untrustworthy and how he had tried to overcharge the Agency.

[Caitlin Stryker]

ASSIGMENT #4

Caitlin Stryker, Character Interviews: What I learned doing this assignment is how much I enjoy Harriet’s company. And that I want to do more character interviews. It’s so freeing and revealing.

QUESTIONS FOR YOUR PROTAGONIST

CARLA

1. Tell me about yourself.

I’m a mom. And a wife. My marriage is okay, we used to be great but it’s hard. Money is tight. My son is amazing. I guess I haven’t told you much about myself yet huh. I’m kind of lost these days. When I was little I loved ballet and dresses. I still do but I don’t wear dresses much anymore and I never dance. I really want to get back to working in advertising now that Sam is in school but I don’t know where to begin. I don’t feel good enough for anything anymore. I cry a lot. I think I might be depressed. I find dark things funny, I always have… but I don’t think I’m funny. I feel like everyone else has figured it all out but me. I’m always worried about my weight, it’s exhausting because I know I look fine but the need to lose 5lbs is always taking up way too much space in my brain. I love flowers and sunshine and the beach. I love romcoms and I feel stupid for loving them. I’m a millennial, I don’t get why that is such a big deal we’re kind of old now. I work very part-time as a substitute english teacher and while I enjoy it, I don’t really want to be a teacher. I’ve always been kind of lonely and shy.

2. Why do you think you were called to this journey? Why you?

Umm… I’m not sure. I think I’m just at the end of my rope. Like I’m screaming inside to get out. So here it is, my chance to get out. I’m lonely locked inside my own head. I don’t want to be. I want to be known.So I guess, me, because it’s my time. If I don’t figure this out now my whole world is going to crumble. I don’t want my world to crumble. And maybe I could inspire some people, maybe I’m not as alone as I think I am…

3. You are up against . What is it about them that makes this journey even more difficult for you?

Who am I up against? Well, myself, for one. I have to come out of my shell and put myself out there. My husband, too, kinda, I mean he’s pretty tired of my “state”. And there’s Harriet. She’s here to help but she’s also a force, I don’t think she’ll hang out with me if I don’t get it together. I’m also up against the outside world; when did everyone become so intense and proactively optimal? Geez. Calm down everyone!

4. In order to survive or accomplish this, you are going to have to step way outside of your box. What changes do you expect to make and which of them will be the most difficult?

It’s really hard for me to market myself. And while a part of me craves the spotlight I’m comfortable not being seen. I expect to have to upgrade my advertising portfolio and reach out to old contacts about finding a job. And then how will I balance work and motherhood and the home if I’m away working all the time. I don’t want to miss out on Sam growing up. But we need more money to be able to get him a good education and life in general is just so expensive these days.

5. What habits or ways of thinking do you think will be the most difficult to let go of?

What if I’m just not good enough? I find follow through really hard. I’m comfortable quitting.

6. What fears, insecurities and wounds have held you back?

Not being good enough. Not being well-liked as a kid. I’m an outsider type and I find it hard to jump in.

7. What skills, background or expertise makes you well-suited to face this conflict or antagonist?

I feel like I’m a genuine person. So I think I don’t know, but I feel like my nature being kind and observant makes me ultimately an asset in the world, in peoples lives, and maybe I can help other people become confident…

8. What are you hiding from the other characters? What don’t you want them to know?

I love that I see the world differently. I love that I get to have Harriet. I don’t want people to know that sometimes I think really mean thoughts about others. I don’t want people to know that I think most people are pretty boring. I think aliens are real and I don’t believe in god.

9. What do you think of ?

I have a lot of existential thoughts.

10. Tell me your side of this whole conflict / story.

So I’m pretty sure Harriet showed up in my bedroom the night before we met on the street. I mean, now I can say that, looking back at all of it. But, honestly, when we bumped into each other in front of the coffee shop on Abbott Kinney I truly believed she was real and she was back. It was so exciting! I mean it was when Harriet left in middle school that I just folded into myself and retreated. I had moments obviously along the way of opening up but I never felt whole. Even with Mark and Sam. I needed Harriet to pull me out of my shell. Now I’ll admit I took it too far. I’m not proud of all of my behavior but I don’t regret it either. You gotta break some eggs to make an omlette and omlette’s are delicious. When Mark was on me about Harriet not being real and wanting to have me committed, that was brutal. That almost broke me, but I knew I was right to hold on to Harriet. She’s a part of me. A really important part of me and also I don’t own her, so I owe her the respect of acknowledging her existence and I don’t think that makes me crazy. I know it makes me stronger. Look at me now! From drab, depressed housewife, to thriving business owner and valued member of my community. Who would Eddy be without her Patsy? Beyonce without Sasha Fierce? Elliot P Dowd without Harvey?

11. What does it do for your life is you succeed here?

I think my whole life opens up and becomes brighter. I think my marriage will improve and my son will grow to be a better human overall.

12. Ask any other questions about their character profile that will help you.

QUESTIONS FOR YOUR ANTAGONIST

HARRIET

1. Tell me about yourself.

Hey you! How are you? I’m Harriet. Like how Madonna is Madonna. Harriet. I give the world’s best hugs and I believe in you. I’m very attracted to bright colorful get ups; I have a real passion for fashion and for folks who use their style to really tell you about themselves, to announce their entrance into a room you know?

2. Having to do with this journey, what are your strengths and weaknesses?

My strengths are my boldness and my kindness. My weakness is my selfishness.

3. Why are you committed to making the Protagonist fail? Or for a relationship movie, why are you committed to making them change?

I love Carla. SHe has to change or she is going to fade away completely. And the thing is Carla is too magical a person to be allowed to fade away. The world needs her special spark, I can’t believe she doesn’t know that on her own, but we all need a little help sometimes, we all need to be reminded of our greatness at points along the way.

4. What do you get out of winning this fight / succeeding in your plan / taking down your competition?

I get to see my person thrive. I get to be acknowledged.

5. What drives you toward your mission / agenda, even in the face of danger, ruin, or death?

I believe in magic, that it is real, and that the imaginary magical realms are worth fighting for , the aura around a person affects the world around them and it’s all about making the world a better place. More light, less dark, you know?

6. What secrets must you keep to succeed? What other secrets do you keep out of fear / insecurity?

That I am imaginary. That my greatest wish is to be human. I’m afraid if this is known then I cease to exist in any way.

7. Compared to other people like you, what makes you special?

Overall we are a rather mischievous lot, but I like to think I get away with more that most.

8. What do you think of ?

You might be surprised to know I’m a rather practical thinker. How we think affects our energy which affects our output and those around us. So I make a point to think as positively as I can. But I know negative thoughts need space, Ijust don;t allow them to take up all the space they way they want to (negative thoughts are greedy little fuckers.) I think a lot about the real essence of love.

9. Tell me your side of this whole conflict / story.

When Carla sent me away in middle school I was devastated. I was sure she was gonna keep me around. She broke my heart in a way. I bet she told youthat I left. Liar. People will tell themselves what they want to remember. I didn’t want to come back but I had too. Carla was slipping away into the dark place and I knew I could get her out of it. I tried to keep from being found out. I actually thought Carla knew, you know, that I am what I am. So I do feel bad about how serious things got there for a bit. Not about the incident though, Carla deserved to let loose. Now her and Mark have an even playing field, might sound childish but I don’t give a fuck. But with Mark getting so worried about me and trying to have her committed, he really overreacted but I should have warned Carla. I just liked how it felt being seen. That’s my selfishness ruining things. But look at Carla, Mark, Sam, those women?! WHat an amazing community! It’s a different world these days. A lot more room for self-expression, I mean not everywhere but let’s focus on spreading more light. You know what I’m saying right.

[Mark napier]

Subject line: (Mark Napier) Character Interviews (Revision 2)

Answer the question “What I learned doing this assignment is…?” Like the Character Profiles, this allows me to dig deeper into my characters and give or create more material dialogue I may draw from the script.QUESTIONS FOR YOUR PROTAGONIST

1. Tell me about yourself.

I am from Kentucky originally and the youngest of 8 boys. My oldest brother had severe cerebral palsy and was like a 3 day old baby for 26 years, not able to walk or talk until he died at the age of 26 of a heart attack. I was 10 years old at the time of his death. About that same time my mother lost her hearing to a small stroke and remained deaf for half her life. We had a fondness for dogs and cats, so I have always had them around, even in the combat zones of Iraq and Afghanistan. I graduated high school in 1983 and obtained a Bachelor of Arts degree in Political Science. I would later obtain a Master of Science degree in International Management. My very first girl is African American and my ex-wife and step sons are too. I have experienced racism and discrimination first hand from not just in a public setting, but the military and CIA as well. Many of my significant others are Black, but I have dated Hispanic, Asian, Jewish and Muslim. I have even had the race card tossed at me only to back fire in their face.

I enlisted in the US Army National Guards in Infantry before obtaining my commission as a 2nd Lieutenant and becoming a Military Intelligence officer. I would go on to serve in the Army National Guards and Reserves for a grand total of 26 years, but the Army would lose my personnel records four times over the course of the career and credit me 15 years of service before being given a medical discharge (Honorable).

I also was employed by the CIA for a total of 20 years (16 yrs as staff and 4 yrs as independent contractor–Soldier of Fortune). My career at the Agency began with graduating from the Federal Law Enforcement Training Center and serving in the Security Protective Service, a tour in the Office of Equal Employment for the Deaf and People with Disabilities. followed by serving in the South East Asian Analysis, a tour in the Counterterrorism Center, Non-Proliferation Center, and Office of Military Affairs. I resigned from the CIA because I grew tired of the anti Reserve and National Guard atmosphere fostered at CIA following my 2 year mobilization after 9/11 attacks. It took the CIA 3 months to bring me back into the fold as they ignored federal laws for reinstating personnel who were mobilized. After being passed over for promotion, I resigned. However, I was begged by my office to return as an independent contractor to set up and serve as the CIA’s Military Cell Team Leader in Iraq overseeing 4 elements linked to three division level Warfighter elements and one Special Forces unit In Iraq. The mission was in response to CIA’s lackluster support provided to US Military conventional forces during Operation Desert Storm in 1990. The CIA, on paper, did not want to repeat this hot button issue in Iraq again, but they did. After three months I deployed to Afghanistan to become Deputy Chief of Base of Bagram Airbase for 17 months, before leading PSYOP mission in Kabul then along the Afghan/Pak border for two plus years.

My decline came when I reported a mismanaged investigation involving the downloading of child pornography on two CIA Top Secret computers. I embarrassed Station senior officials who decided to pursue me for four years and ultimately had me Blacklisted following the Great Recession in 2009. Then I would be hit by a serious unknown illness that I originally dismissed as my third bout of mononucleosis. Instead it turned out to be HIV. I learned of my diagnosis over the phone by my Reserve unit physician who screamed at me over the phone of my diagnosis that left me in severe depression. During the recession no one was hiring and those that did wanted to send me back to the CIA. I was left chronically homeless on the streets for 5 years where I became a strip dancer at gay bars for survival. Thirty percent of the dancers at the time were homeless.

After I got off the streets it took 6 years to establish any sense of self esteem and I pursued my campaign against the CIA once more yet again, despite four previous failed attempts. Then I decided to run for US Congress, but was unsuccessful. I did manage (in concert with an independent reporter) to bring attention to the CIA’s failed efforts to prosecute child porn offenders in 2021 and 2022. Now because of public embarrassment, the Agency now prosecutes offenders rather than let them off the hook.

2. Why do you think you were called to this journey? Why you?

I believe my destiny is to help the discarded and forgotten of the middle and low income, impoverished and homeless, to include foster care children, in addition to promoting change to reel the Agency back in and be held accountable for abusive acts. I have seen poverty and walked the walk. I also bring a lot of experience to the table from a national level and understand and directly supported Mid East peace mission between the Israelis and Hezbollah. I have dealt with 14 Taliban defectors and two suicide bombers, uncovered operations that exposed counterintelligence issues or illegal activities and much, much more. Bottom line, a man that has nothing has nothing to lose and I feel the CIA will do their best to prevent light from being shined on their screw ups.

3. You are up against <the Antagonist>. What is it about them that makes this journey even more difficult for you?

He is a highly decorated and respected senior CIA executive and considered untouchable. He is only answerable to the CIA Director. He is viewed as a hero and the CIA will protect its public image by using the legal system (DOJ and FBI) to squash, threaten and intimidate even if they knowingly are in the wrong.

4. In order to survive or accomplish this, you are going to have to step way outside of your box. What changes do you expect to make and which of them will be the most difficult?

It is my hope through this story to expose the CIA’s wrongdoing at great risk to prosecution. I want to expose the antagonist(s) for their role in my demise and hold future executives accountable. The most difficult task is getting Congress to hold a public hearing and force the CIA to prosecute all cases, not just pick and choose. I hope to also ensure that the Agency is answerable to the judiciary system, rather than have them thumb their nose up to the federal judges.

5. What habits or ways of thinking do you think will be the most difficult to let go of?

Being betrayed, discarded and forgotten by a nation that I spent over a quarter of a century of my life (CIA and US Army) protecting and putting my ass on the line for. I continue to believe in military values of leadership and it’s hard to shake off, but survival takes precedent over my values.

6. What fears, insecurities and wounds have held you back?

Prosecution by the CIA, if I disclose classified material comes to mind. Having the DOJ and the FBI trying to raid may touch off a fire fight as I have nothing to lose.

7. What skills, background or expertise makes you well-suited to face this conflict or antagonist?

I equally understand the CIA and its operational weaknesses. I can also still use PSYOP against the Agency by targeting House and Senate members that sit on the intelligence committees, in addition to exposing the antagonist(s). I incidentally scored above 80% of the CIA population on “common sense” during the psyche examination upon entry into the CIA, I think this gives me an advantage to discovering or exposing wrongdoings where Case Officers fail. I focus on the job and mission, not ego. I work hard to uncover the truth, not crank out reports assuming the asset is telling the truth. I used program verification to ensure my assets were telling the truth. Far too often I would watch Case Officers in a pissing contest try and discredit the other’s asset by simply writing it in a report to undermine the credibility of the source. It is no wonder that the only thing 100% certain at the CIA is that it is never 100% certain on anything. My assets had proven track records and my exposure of senior Case Officers failing to properly vet assets revealed counterintelligence issues, theft, and criminal behavior. I had contingency operations and planning experience, operational training and surveillance experience and analytical experience after 20 years. I went for quality, whereas Case Officers sought quantity over quality.

8. What are you hiding from the other characters? What don’t you want them to know?

I don’t want them to know where I have transitioned to or that I fall under the Counterterrorism Center sphere of influence. I did not want the antagonist to know I was even in country (Afghanistan) as I know I will be retaliated against.

9. What do you think of <the Antagonist>?

At first glance I felt he had his act together and was a good leader. As I grow to understand him I see he is quick to jump to conclusions, not fully comprehend where the true problem is and to retaliate to destroy. He should be held accountable for the deaths of prisoners of war that he knew were being shipped to the desert to die. His actions demonstrate no values and are ruthless.

10. Tell me your side of this whole conflict / story.

First, CIA Headquarters and Iraq Station were exposed for not supporting the military as intended. Headquarters was sending members out that had military experience, but no CIA experience. I was having to train members and spend long hours each day mentoring. Some who showed up never used a CIA cable system and others did not know how to use a computer, let alone turn one on. The Chief of Station called the 3rd Infantry Division a jackass and refused to meet with a National Guard Division commander because they would not provide a helicopter to pick him up for the meeting, despite having a fleet of Agency helicopters at his disposal. This started a hostile work environment for me.

But the real problem occurred when the Chief and Deputy Chief of Station were out of the country leaving the Chief of Operations to be Acting Chief of Station. Late one night he ordered me to fly across the country to secure, disarm and escort a staff employee to the flight line and evict him from the country all because the Acting COS conducted a knee jerk investigation over what he thought was an argument involving the use of a knife. As it turns out, the staff employee was admonishing the contractor for downloading child pornography on two CIA Top Secret Computers. The contractor as it turns out had a history of downloading child porn as confirmed by Headquarters.

So upon my return to Station I was asked to write a cable to Headquarters and I reported as a Whistleblower how Station failed to conduct a proper investigation and ejected the wrong individual from the country. I stood by my military leadership values. I then decided it was time to leave. I was supposed to stay in Iraq for a year, but I was not going to deal with a further hostile work environment. Once the antagonist(s) returned to the country, he was extremely pissed, according to an email I have. He was reported to be so irate and pissed like they had never seen him before that the antagonist fabricated a ruse that I overcharged the CIA $14,000 (a felony) in retaliation. He was Hell bent on sending me to prison. In the four years that followed, I was never questioned, investigated, charged nor prosecuted for the alleged crime that the Office of Security, whom I used to work for, did not even pursue because they knew it was a trumped up charge. This pissed off the antagonist(s) that their scheme failed. Four years later they crossed paths with me again and I would be retaliated against.

11. What does it do for your life if you succeed here?

My honor will be restored and my self worth and self respect re-established.

12. Ask any other questions about their character profile that will help you.

-What vengeance would you like to pursue against the antagonist(s)? Dreaming the dream, using street justice, I would love to catch up with the antagonist and immobilize him. Then I would proceed to use a form of torture used during the Crusades called a ‘vertical impalement.’ I want to stuff a 10 foot rod right up his ass exiting his mouth with him mounted into the ground and a note that reads…”Where CIA accountability failed, Street Justice prevailed.”

-Why do you feel federal politicians and committees, the media, and my own representatives fear the CIA? I believe they fear access to privileged sensitive information will be withheld. Oftentimes you hear the media report that …”according to a source that does not wish to be identified at the CIA or intelligence community….” means the CIA’s Public Affairs wrote the story and released it to certain privileged media personas to break the news. I also believe some may fear retribution as the Agency has been used politically against political adversaries.

-What influence or relationship does the CIA have with the US Department with Justice to be able to avoid not prosecuting certain illegal activities by CIA employees and contractors to include child pornography? After 9/11 “The Wall” between the intelligence community and the DOJ has been lowered significantly whereupon the intelligence community is directly resources to collect against Americans. Prior to 9/11, it was considered off limits for the CIA to target Americans even abroad. Now the intelligence community is directly supporting DOJ Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (FISA) warrants.

-How has your affiliation with the CIA impacted or hindered your Constitutional rights to pursue your case or seek change? The CIA can trump up a charge and the DOJ will run with it accusing me of violating my oath and charge me with the crime of espionage or leaking classified material. This is intimidating when it suppresses my freedom of speech to disclose the truth. If I try a FOIA request with the CIA it may take 10 years and a few civil actions to get action. Also it’s hard to argue a case of retaliation if I cannot release the details fearing or being intimidated with being charged with a crime.

-How did your commitment to the Army Reserves and National Guards conflict with the CIA? Were there any conflicts? Yes, the CIA only supports Special Operations or Elite units. Conventional forces and even the Army National Guard and Reserves were looked down upon by the organization. They ignored federal laws protecting the employment rights of employees who may be mobilized. The CIA has a Reserve element embedded that allowed employees to join, but they made it incredibly difficult to earn retirement points and even the military personnel assigned to run that unit agreed the Agency viewed their role with disdain. During Desert Storm and my time as the Military Cell Team Leader in Iraq Station, it was quite evident the CIA views conventional armed forces with disdain.

-Is the CIA above the law and not answerable to the judicial system? They are supposed to answer to a federal judge, but the Agency basically does what it wants. When an independent reporter took legal action to force the Agency to reveal the number of child porn cases they refused to prosecute, they only released 10 reports in 2022. I had already been in contact with the Agency in 2021, along with many members of Congress and the committees, but my case was not disclosed. This implies the CIA blew off the District of Columbia Federal Judge’s order.

-After the antagonist failed in his initial fabricated ruse, how was he able to succeed the second time? What were the circumstances that resulted in his failure the first time? He succeeded by alerting the former Chief of Station of Iraq who was now the Chief of Counterterrorism Center who ordered to have me Blacklisted and had my luggage (that contained 4 years of tax information) stolen from the Washington Dulles International Airport where the CIA has a facility with access to baggage. The treasure trove of identity theft material has never been used in the 15 years it went missing and the Internal Revenue Service sued me as a result. That is why they took my last $600 as I was tossed into the streets penniless. I learned later from emails from my former office that the antagonist had taken action against me to prevent my return.

-Why did you not take legal action against the CIA? At the time I was about to as soon as I learned of my Blacklisting. But when I came down with a serious illness that took 5 months to recover from following the Great Recession of 2009, I was ambushed over the phone by my Army Reserve unit about my HIV diagnosis and that shattered my world and I fell immediately into severe depression and knew I was losing all that I worked for.

-In your attempt to run for US Congress, what obstacles did you face? Why did the media not see you as the underdog? What party did you run for? I ran as “a real Independent Candidate.” I did not move left, nor right, I moved forward. The media here in South Florida used its power projection platforms to bolster their Democrat candidate they favored. They suppressed my presence as if I did not exist. During the Tower Forum, Sun Sentinel did not even note that I was in the same room and answered the same questions as the other candidates, Florida Politics barely mentioned my name and that I was a military veteran. Nothing was ever mentioned that I was homeless, how I got off the streets, the national level of experience or military…nothing. Other media elements focused on my tour at Equal Employment Office to make it look like I brought nothing to the table. I was viewed clearly as a threat to the Democrat candidate and the media only cared about their party, not the low income, impoverished or middle class.

-How do you go about influencing or holding the CIA or the antagonist accountable to affect change? I mass mailed my charges against the CIA to 80 members of Congress, 13 committees, the intelligence oversight committees, the White House Special Counsel, Director of National Intelligence, my own representatives in Congress and the Senate (who sat on the Intelligence Committee) and media. I also used my campaign to produce press releases directly into Washington, DC. highlighting my campaign as a former CIA Blacklisted Officer who reported child pornography was running for congress. The overexposure was not what the CIA wanted. Too much attention was being shown that they were not prosecuting child pornography offenders and the independent reporter’s article made it very uncomfortable for the Agency.

QUESTIONS FOR YOUR ANTAGONIST

1. Tell me about yourself.

I am from northern Virginia and graduated from high school in 1978. I went to Georgetown University in Washington, DC from 1978 to 1982 and obtained a Bachelor of Arts degree in International Relations and Affairs.

I served in the US Army’s Special Forces from 1982 to 1985 for only three years before I was recruited in 1985 to work for the Central Intelligence Agency. I was recruited to be a Case Officer and served in the Special Activities under the Directorate of Operations until I retired in 2014, after 29 years of service. The highlight of my career was being selected to be part of a 6 man team to enter into Afghanistan to link up with the Northern Alliance following the 9/11 attacks by radical Islamic terrorists. The operation was called “Jaw Breaker.” I was the Assistant Team Leader on that mission. I was so filled with a strong sense of anger, vengeance and determination to get even. I am proud of all I have done.

I have many awards and even went to Harvard as part of a Senior Executive Fellowship. Since my retirement, I have gone on to be a senior vice president to the National Security Division of Constellis, Board of Directors for Third Option, advisory roles to Dunn & Bradstreet Government Advisory, Glasswall LLC, Orbis Operations, Boston Consulting Group and now I have my own business under Consulting LLC. I maintain an active role on social media and interviews with power players. I consider myself to be very influential and sought after.

2. Having to do with this journey, what are your strengths and weaknesses?

I am a highly decorated executive level Case Officer in the Special Activities Division. I command respect. Whether I am at the White House, Congress, a foreign government, I am the one they respect and fear the most. My greatest weakness is the fear of having my mishaps and mistakes exposed. I am like most Case Officers who focus on quantity and not quality in my work.

3. Why are you committed to making the Protagonist fail? Or for a relationship movie, why are you committed to making them change?

He made my Station (and under my leadership) in Iraq look like an ass clown operation not once, but twice. The last incident that involved child pornography on two of the Agency’s sensitive systems made us look so incredibly foolish. My ego was bruised and I have never been so highly pissed, since after the 9/11 attacks and felt the same way towards him as I did the terrorists who carried out and supported the attacks on America. This was a war and I intended to get even with him, if it was the last thing I ever did on earth. The beauty of it was that I had access, position and influence to carry out my retaliation and no one at the CIA would question my motives.

4. What do you get out of winning this fight / succeeding in your plan / taking down your competition?

I get self satisfaction that I destroyed life or livelihoods. It really does not bother me and I still sleep at night. I get bragging rights and good war stories in the end to tell, but when an adversary gets in my way, I stomp on them. I have such success with and elevation in my career, that anyone who challenges me is not considered credible because I carry a great deal of specialized experience and considered untouchable.

5. What drives you toward your mission / agenda, even in the face of danger, ruin, or death?

I get a thrill from the action. I was “First In” country right after the 9/11 attacks into Afghanistan. I was the Assistant Team Leader of a six man team that coordinated with the Northern Alliance to combat the Taliban. I was in constant communications with them on an hourly basis for airstrikes, operational support, etc. I want to go as far up the Agency as I can because I love what I do. I love being part of the bigger picture and making history. I have jumped with a “nuke” strapped to my chest in an airborne insertion to see if it could be done. So yes I love the mission of the CIA.

6. What secrets must you keep to succeed? What other secrets do you keep out of fear / insecurity?

Well I do not want folks to know that I was fully aware of the Northern Alliance intentions when they captured nearly 3,000 Taliban and placed them into box cars to send into the desert. That was like a war crime, but I did not care. They were the bad guys and I just did not care. That was their problem. As for other secrets, I am not just a Case Officer. I have reached the top ranks of the CIA and I am a power figure to be reckoned with. Like the vast majority of Case Officers out there, I have had my share of assets that I perhaps fluffed their credibility as sources. I placed emphasis on quantity than quality in their reporting. Yes, I do abuse my title, position and authority at my leisure. When CIA Director John Brennan decided to crack down on such practices, in addition to Agency restructuring I decided to abruptly retire after 29 years of service. I do not like it to be known, but I am a Democrat and associate with figures that have ties to China.

7. Compared to other people like you, what makes you special?

I take risks and accept danger as part of the job. I started out in Special Forces and now I am the Deputy Director of Special Activities Division of the Directorate of Operations. I am the problem solver and go to guy for the CIA and US Government.

8. What do you think of <the Protagonist>?

He was a problem child. He did not know what he was doing. He tried to overcharge the CIA $14,000. I wanted no part of him on my team, so I refused to allow him back in the country (Afghanistan). His operations were a complete hoax. He had a radio station that was not transmitting distance and all his assets were not reliable and untrustworthy. He had no business running operations as he was not a trained Case Officer.

9. Tell me your side of this whole conflict / story.

It’s been so long ago. In Iraq, I got back into the country and learned that he had left the country. Initially he agreed to stay for a year. We basically caught him trying to overcharge the CIA $14,000 and that was that. We reported it, but the Office of Security dropped the ball. Then I run across him in Afghanistan and I put the kibosh on his returning back to Afghanistan as a PSYOP officer, citing he was untrustworthy and how he had tried to overcharge the Agency.

[Michael Montiel]

****What I learned from doing this assignment:

As before, the two lead characters started to take shape. They are starting to fill in more. They’re talking to me. I can even see their faces. it’s still not focused where my LOGLINE is going but my characters will tell me? Should I do the LOGLINE first?

Dr. Roberto Amador(PROTAGONIST): Interview for Character Profile:

1. Q: Dr. Robert Amador, tell me about yourself.

-A: I’m the only son of a single mom. My birth father is still a mystery. As a kid I was fascinated by the stars. The movie STAR WARS was a big influence in my life; it gave me the chance to really thing big, to think outside of the box and pursue a degree first in astronomy then anthropology. I know there’s life out there in the universe: intelligent life, waiting for us to get to this point in evolution to reach out to them. My whole life i’ve been a dreamer/explorer but I just know there’s something out there–something big, and I know it’s me that will make the discovery and make my mother proud of me, and perhaps if my father knew who I was, he’d be proud of me too. By discovering the biggest question of the universe–meaning “are we alone or not–I’ll be making history. Perhaps it’s just a way for me replace my need for not knowing who my father is, or perhaps because I’m too proud to seek him out because he abandoned my mom and I is the reason why I have taken on such an endeavor. I want the truth. Not the truth about me, but the truth at the heart of the universe. As I said I dream big!

2. Q: Robert, why do you think you were called to this journey? Why You?

-A: It might sound kinda weird, but it’s kinda like a messianic complex: my true father is a mystery and my mom nags be to be “somebody,” so why not the astronomer that will change humanity forever.

3. Q: You are up against Dr. Peter Rosinski. He was your mentor and kinda like a father figure. What is it about him that makes this journey hard for you?

<font face=”inherit”> -A: I trusted Peter my whole life, at least while I was getting my PhD. Now he’s untrustworthy: not only is he hijacking my project of finding intelligent life in outer space, but he’s also made a secret deal with Russians for a lot of money. He has no problem of seeing me demoted, or gone, or even worse. It that sense, as a “change agent,” he’s taken my trust and used it against me. He’s betrayed me for money like Judas, for 30pieces of silver. I’m hurt and betrayed and he’s </font>opened<font face=”inherit”> up wounds of my own father abandoning me.</font>

<font face=”inherit”>4. Q: In order to survive or accomplish this, you are going to have to step way outside of your box. What changes do you expect to make and which of them will be the most difficult? </font>

<font face=”inherit”>-A: The most obvious and most difficult is that I will have to fight back or even kill Peter if I must. Whistleblowing will not be enough; his “goons” will try to </font>thwart<font face=”inherit”> me or kill me or worse: make me look </font>like a buffoon. He’s already tried that tactic once. I’m a little nervous, but I might have to murder Peter if he gets in my way.

5. What habits or ways of thinking do you think will be the most difficult to let go of?

-A: quite simply–not taking action, only dreaming. I need to stay the course and not give up so easily. I’m not second best. I am the best Astronomer in the Country ! I need to believe in myself and know my value, my worth, I need to fight for my destiny–my life’s calling!

6. Q: What fears, insecurities, and wounds have held you back?

-A: My deepest wound wound is the absence of my father; I never had one. I’m angered by tat and I’m envious of people that have had a father and everything handed to them. Sometimes I feel like I’m not good enough, and I don’t stand up for myself. I just let life pass me by even though I know I’m the smartest guy in the room. I need to develop that killer instinct.

7. Q: What skills, background or expertise makes you well-suited to face this conflict or antagonist?:

-A: First off, I’m highly educated, best astronomer, astrophysicist and anthropologist, sociologist. I know I’ve hidden out in school a lot, but I’m ready to prove what’s written on my research paper. I’ve gotten to know Peter, I speak his language: his love of astronomy and education. He thinks he’s smarter than me, but sometimes he gets it wrong and I have to clean up his messes. To be honest, NO, to make myself perfectly clear: I am a better Astrophysicist than the backstabbing pompous Peter.

8. Q: What are you hiding from other characters? What don’t you want them to know?

-A: That sometimes I feel like a phony: hiding out in my books and lab while the red world goes by, while others have turned their degree into money. Sometimes I feel like a loser. Sometimes I don’t stand up for myself. Sometimes, no, all the time I’m under clouds and feel like I’m not good enough. God damnit , I NEED TO LOVE MYSELF MORE!

9. Q: What do you think of?

-A: I think of life in outer space, how much more advanced they are, how much better use of their star systems have made their society better. It’s all speculation, but I’m always in fantasy world: Even imagining what it would’ve been like to have had a father, Would that have made me more of a man? Would I be more of a fighter and crusader and less of a coward?

10. Q: Tell me your whole side of this whole conflict/ story?

-A: I suppress my killer instincts: I know there’s life in outer space and I know my “idea”, “invention,” “Hypotheses,” if correct. Peter Rosinski, my nemesis is trying to make me look stupid to better him self and move ahead; he wants me to remain his subordinate and sit on the side while he takes my idea. I’m the discoverer of worlds!

11. Q: What does it do for your life if you succeed here?

-A: I will have proven my theses, made contact with ‘Aliens’, figured out how to get there–the new aliens, our new friends, and bring back their knowledge for our own benefit. Most importantly, it will make me the hero of mankind.

12. Why don’t you just stay the course and continue with your life as a perpetual student/professor always buried in books? what’s wrong with that?

-A: I’ve always taken the “easier road,” not to say I didn’t know a lot or have learned a lot, but I need to take ACTION with my life. I’ve always had a theory, and know I need to act on it!

QUESTIONS FOR YOUR ANTAGONIST: DR. PETER ROSINSKI:

Q: tell me about yourself?

-A: There’s nothing to tell. I’m the top in my field and I can’t stand that little hispanic son of immigrants, perhaps even day laborers stealing my thunder. Humanity is doomed whether we discover intelligent life in the cosmos or not. what’s the point really? i’d rather enjoy my life on earth. i was once naive like roberto, but i see things loud and clear now: those with the most money have the most toys and sex and well everything , and then you die happily. fuck humanity.

Q: having to do with this journey, what are your strength and weaknesses?

-A: I’m the best most qualified smartest scientist for the job. I don’t think I have any weaknesses, save for pretending not to be racist for the sake of polite society. I’m the smartest guy in the room; my students/assistants will handle the detailed mathematical homework.

Q: why are you committed to making the protagonist fail? why do you want to fail that relationship?

A: I know I’m jealous of his work, but he’s put years of my research out there for others to take, to expand on. fuck him. I want to be his mentor but robert is weak, he’s not me. why waste any discovery or profit on him.

Q: What do you get out of winning this fight , succeeding with your plan, taking down your competition?

A: Because, i will be the “Albert Einstein” of this century! all gains will be for me, my name will echo in eternity–not to mention the wealth, fame and sex i will have before i die. fuck fuck fuck that silly little robert. dreamer/ explorer whatever?

Q: What drives you toward your mission, agenda, even in the face of danger, ruin, or death?

-A: I believe I’ve answered that question; I want the most out of this life and i’ll be damned if I let roberto get ahead of me.

Q: what other secrets must you keep or succeed? What other secrets do you keep out of fear / insecurity ?

-A: Getting government stipend for my work will not be enough, I must claim the honor of this discovery or i’ll be eating and living like a pauper in old age. economic insecurity really drives me. I also know that deep down my rival is more dedicated and smarter, but i can’t let him or the world know that.

Q: compared to other people like you, what makes you special?

-A: I’m smart debonair, good with a good comeback. People are overtaken by my charm and wit. I know I’m a good mentor for robert, but he’ll just have to sit this one out; he’ll be in the history books as my assistant, my minority assistant. I’m wonderful. I’m a great ballroom dancer too and I’m fluent in german. I worked at the UN Atomic Agency in Vienna. I light up the screen: Shall we dance!?

Q: What do you think of?

-A: my position, my economic wellness and increasing prosperity, sex with men and women, my prestige , how i want to all and to be the most satisfied man before i die after a very very very long life.

Q: Tell me your side of this whole conflict/story:

-A: Roberto is just getting in my way. Perhaps he’ll make other discoveries once i’m gone, but this is my moment. Lord knows I’ve been a good mentor to him, but like I said this is my moment, not his!

[Mark napier]

SUBJECT: Mark Napier’s 4 Act Transformational Structure

What did I learn from this assignment? I apparently just learned how to put a ‘Treatment’ together using the Four Act Transformational Structure that pretty much sums up the project I would propose. I had previously written a Treatment, but this exercise created a better end product than what I found out on the internet.

1. Give us the following:

-Concept: When a CIA Whistleblower becomes a victim of injustice, he is left chronically homeless and forced to become an abandonment of self to survive, while fighting to restore honor over strong desires for suicide.

-Main Conflict: A protagonist’s report of a mismanaged investigation reveals a crime involving child pornography on two CIA Top Secret computers. Egos are bruised by embarrassed senior CIA officials who botched the investigation and decided to turn ‘the system’ against the protagonist.

-Old Ways: Others and country first (military values), does not trust his own gut instinct, helpless (when ambushed), not assertive, and follows rules/orders without questioning.

-New Ways: Take care of #1 (me, myself and I), trust his own gut instinct, perseverance and fortitude, assertive, and make own rules (question everything)

2. Fill in each of these answers you have right now.

ACT 1.

-Opening: Protagonist who has served 16 years with the CIA agrees to a one year tour in Iraq. Soon he finds himself with Station’s Chief of Security flying on a CIA clandestine helicopter after midnight from Baghdad to Tikrit, Iraq. The protagonist has already survived one near mid air disaster in Iraq during the day, let alone does he want another mishap at night. However, The protagonist follows his orders without question from the ‘Acting’ Chief of Station. His mission is to disarm, secure and escort a staff employee to the flight line for expulsion from the country for allegedly threatening a contractor with a knife during an argument. At the flight line the employee pleads with the protagonist to call the home office at CIA Headquarters in McClean, Virginia to find out the details of what he reported.

-Inciting Incident: The protagonist learns that the employee was chewing ass on the contractor for downloading child pornography onto two CIA Top Secret computers. The protagonist returns to Station to a short lived Hero’s welcome to write a cable back to CIA Headquarters of the egregious mistake by Station that jumped to conclusions in a half ass investigation. The protagonist also reveals to Station that the contractor in question has a documented history involving child porn, but that CIA chooses not to prosecute.

-Turning Point #1: Iraq Station COS and D/COS were out of country at the time of the incident, but a hostile work environment was already being fostered against the protagonist. The protagonist had previously revealed through a senior DCI representative visit that CIA and Station lacked the interest or effort to support US military conventional Warfighters on the ground and basically were just going through the motions. This caused friction. Tossing in the latest report the protagonist predicted that the tempers of Station will “blow the shit house door off a tuna boat.’ Hence, he is done for and decides to cut his one year tour short as he is not interested in enduring further hostilities. He leaves Iraq three months into the tour without a word.

ACT 2.

-New Plan: The protagonist reports back to CIA Headquarters to brief Office of Security

Investigators who nod in agreement that a retaliation is anticipated as its the cultural

norm of the Agency. The protagonist agrees to be redeployed back into the Combat Zone to serve as the CIA’s Deputy Chief of Base of Bagram, Afghanistan to support countrywide counterterrorism operations for 17 months.

The protagonist has many memorable moments that included being directed to stay behind with nine others to defend Station while hundreds of personnel were evacuated to Kabul airfield during anticipated civil unrest, coordinating with the US Secret Service for the Presidential visit of George Bush, telling the DoD Liaison Officer for Presidential Visit to get lost when he tried to toss his title around, rendering the Silent Salute to 23 Fallen Heroes–including SFC Travis Nixon who had special meaning to the protagonist, hearing from the Presidential Surgeon on what really transpired when Dick Cheyney accidentally shot his hunting partner, to comforting a 14 year old boy that had 3 limbs blown off at a CIA firing range in Asadabad, to being accidentally exposed to radioactive material for nearly 3 hours from 12 crates of Mig Fighter air-to-air missile that were retrieved from an Afghan warlord.

The protagonist facilitated the recovery of Stinger missile and British Blowpipe surface to air missile components, and discovery the US military was have radar systems to Apache Hellfire missiles being stolen as they were shipped through Pakistan into country. The protagonist recalls his second near mid air disaster involving an exploding engine and a hard crash landing for the J-Lo flight, as well as a disaster relief flight for earthquake victims where the Bagram air traffic control tower in error directed the Russian made cargo aircraft to flow inside the mountain range where it met its fate slamming into the mountain side just above an Afghan village.

The antagonists as expected try two attempts to retaliate against the protagonist

during his tour. The first attempt came as an influence operation by the antagonists to try and get the protagonist’s home office to fire him. The second attempt came when the antagonists tried to accuse the protagonist of overcharging the Agency $14,000–a felony had it been true. Security investigators never bother to question, investigate, charge, nor prosecute and pretty much ignored the allegation. However, the protagonist was not assertive and should have put his foot down. Instead, the protagonist ignored the accusation and continued to focus on the Counterterrorism mission. This decision proved to be fatal later on.

-Plan in Action: The protagonist completes his tour and is reassigned two plus years

(including 3 months in Kabul) along the Afghan/Pak border at Falcon Base north of Naray village to carry out the Counterterrorism mission of psychological warfare and hiding the hand of the US Government. The protagonist has found his calling and has many successes. His most memorable moments include facilitating the defection of 14 Taliban commanders, two suicide bombers and 120 fighting age males. He decreased combat effectiveness of the Taliban, insurgent and Al Qaeda forces that saved American soldiers’ lives. He uncovered a Counterintelligence security issue at Station that involved a very prominent asset that was clandestinely meeting with a hostile foreign intelligence service who was responsible for shooting down a US military aircraft in the 90s.

The protagonist with 2 weeks on the ground cleaned up a Navy S.E.A.L. operation that not only went bad, but kicked off a blood feud forcing the protagonist to jump through his ass to conduct a night letter operation that made it look like the Al Qaeda facilitator was trying to defect, forcing him to flee in terror. The protagonist put a stop to two additional missions trying to kill that Al Qaeda facilitator because the Navy S.E.A.L.s were mistaking the terrorist brother for the target.

The protagonist carried out successful sabotage operations targeting key nodes used by the terrorists to support supply chains and their ingress and egress into Falcon Base’s sphere of influence. Additionally, the protagonist targeted refugee camps on the Pakistan side of the border to undermine recruitment efforts for suicide bombers.

A visit sponsored by Falcon base’s Navy S.E.A.L.s of the new Afghan CJSOTF commander–a lieutenant general–highlights protagonist’s presence as a reputable operator in the region to solicit military assistance in setting up counter-ambushes to undermine terrorists’ efforts who are attacking US Military and CIA supply lines. The base’s Case Officers’ are infuriated when they are not addressed during the meeting and begin to undermine protagonist’s assets and credibility.The results of the protagonist’s initiative result in killing over 100 terrorists. The protagonist then planted seeds of betrayal in his meeting with the village elders thanking those who alerted our forces to set up the counterambushes that resulted in distrust amongst the villages and the terrorist transiting the area fearing an ambush.

The protagonist also made an effort to acquire mortars and other explosives to prevent their use in IEDs. The protagonist was Falcon Base’s lead representative in dealing with political figures, law enforcement, villager, shuras, jirgas and tribesmen and used this opportunity to acquire agents of influence and access.

The protagonist even got to brief a Democrat Congressional Delegation to the base for 1 hour briefings each from base officers. Upon asking the protagonist: “What makes your operations so successful?” The protagonists simply replied: “I took a page out of former President Bill Clinton’s Democratic rule book where he once said…When selling foreign and domestic policies to the American people, I would rather have a pinch full of convincing lies than a handful of truth!” With that the representative laughed and thanked the protagonist for the briefing that lasted 30 seconds.

During the protagonist’s two plus years along the border, he survived rockets, mortars, and an IED attempt, but the most effective weapon was from the antagonists who wielded their title, positions and authority like a weapon of mass destruction. A few months before the protagonist’s tour was to end, the antagonist from Iraq arrives at the base for briefings and introduces himself as the new Chief of Station. As the protagonist’s time drew to a close two months out, suddenly he experienced a catastrophic failure of all of his assets who were identified by Headquarters to be untrustworthy, despite program verifications, some being polygraphed and two owing their lives to the protagonist. Soon after a hostile work environment began to ensue targeting the protagonist. The protagonist did not want to believe his instincts that something was amiss and continued to not assert himself because he was an independent contractor and followed the rules.

-Midpoint Turning Point #2: After the tour, the protagonist took a 4 month R&R before he

was scheduled to return to Afghanistan. The protagonist arrived at Headquarters and

spent 3 days for mission preparations. It was not until the last day that his home office

advised him that they were not prepared to send him down range after all and that they

were closing down that PSYOP program at Falcon Base and that the protagonist would

be redirected elsewhere in country, but in the meantime he should return home to

Florida. The protagonist had a very bad deep down gut feeling that something was

terribly wrong, particularly after he had seen the antagonist in the Agency cafeteria, but

he refused to accept what his instincts were telling him. The protagonist was asked for his passport and told that an upcoming assignment was pending and sent on his way.

After checking in his luggage at Washington-Dulles International Airport where the CIA

has a colocated facility that was widely known to support the War on Terror, the protagonist flew back to his home state, but his gear and 4 years of tax information that were a treasure trove for identity theft had simply disappeared. It would take a week before the protagonist would learn that his luggage was stolen. Another three weeks would pass before the protagonist reached out to his home office who continued to conduct delay tactics before the protagonist had finally realized that he was being Blacklisted. Shock and surprise overwhelmed him and he felt helpless, but as he started to regroup hoping for the best he was trying to see what course of action he should take.

Suddenly the protagonist started to fall ill. As time went on the illness got worse and he

dismissed it as mononucleosis brought on by stress. He had it twice before, but this time

it lasted 5 months and this time, unbeknownst to him, it was not mono. The protagonist

decided to go back on active duty for his Army Reserve unit and had to do a physical.

Two more months would pass before his unit surgeon would call screaming at him over

the phone that he had contracted HIV and would be medically discharged.

ACT 3.

-Rethink Everything: Shocked, protagonist grabs a 44 magnum and tries to commit

suicide, but fails as the chambers are empty. Soon severe depression, shock, and PTSD

take root as protagonist feels the full weight of the world crashing down on him as

protagonist rapidly loses the trust of most family, friends, colleagues and a nation that

turns away because of the stigma and false ruse only to discard and forget protagonist’s

existence. The Army eventually flies protagonist to Camden, New Jersey and forces

protagonist to road march to Ft Dix, New Jersey 32 miles away. Before they would pick

him up at the airport. Once protagonist arrives at the base at 1:30 am, protagonist is

forced to try and sleep on a park bench, but spends his night contemplating suicide by

hanging. Protagonist feels his country has figuratively handed him an epitaph that reads:

“For Outstanding Service and Loyalty to Country

Stigmatized and Slandered

Betrayed and Dishonored

Impoverished and Homeless

Discarded and Forgotten

Blacklisted by a Grateful Nation”

-New Plan: Despite protagonist’s desperate search for employment, jobs are

non-existent during the Great Recession of 2009. Perspective employers seek to send the protagonist back to the CIA where he has been Blacklisted. Others tell the protagonist that he has so much experience that they cannot afford him. Soon, the protagonist sees all his work for nearly 30 years start to fade as he loses his home, furnishings and money. As a final straw, the Internal Revenue Service takes the protagonist’s last $600 and forces him into the streets penniless. Nowhere to turn, the protagonist is forced to pursue the profession of a stripper at Gay bars for the sake of survival for him and his companion dog (Sheila – a one year old 8 lb miniature pinscher).

-Turning Point #3: Huge failure / Major shift: Protagonist’s only hope is to turn his tragedy

into an opportunity for success by exploiting the fact he looks 12 years younger than he is, that he has core strength (in comparison to the “Twinkies” half his age) enabling him to perform hard stunts on free spinning and stationary poles. Protagonist, too, has global experience that enables him to engage customers beyond the typical Twinky conversation…”I’m Aries, what’s your sign?” As time goes on, however, the protagonist dissolves into further depression as he becomes an ‘abandonment of self’ joining the ranks of the “Walking Dead” (675,000 homeless) who are forced into the streets following the recession. Not just bankrupt financially, the protagonist is bankrupt physically, mentally, spiritually and emotionally. Protagonist will pursue four attempts to commit suicide to remove his pain as a complete failure in life.

During the four years as a stripper, the much younger dancers (30% who are homeless)

seek protagonist’s protection from sex traffickers, desperate women, and porn directors

who seek to exploit them. Not a day goes by that protagonist seeks to commit suicide

and on two additional occasions during his time on the streets he nearly succeeds, but

there always seems to be a glimmer of hope. It is not until protagonist’s 4th year on the

streets that he engages in the use of crystal meth (tina) to escape the Hell he is in.

ACT 4.

-Climax /Ultimate Expression of the conflict: However, protagonist decides to pull himself

off the drug at the end of his fourth year and moves to Colorado where he lives off the land he owns for a year like a mountain man. Protagonist befriends a man in 2011 who is a fellow veteran and guides the protagonist into the Veterans Affairs network for assistance. Both over time become great true friends and the protagonist proceeds to sum up to friend his circumstances as simply…

”In life, most of us like to get kissed before we get F###ed! I just got F###ed! Not even a draw off the cigarette was offered.”

-Resolution: After a year of living off the land in Colorado, including being subjected to

minus 22 degrees (F) below zero and even experiencing two UFO sightings of interest that caught the attention of the now new Pentagon AARO office in Washington, protagonist moves back to Fort Lauderdale, Florida in 2014. Protagonist would then meet his second dearest friend who gave him someone to love and care for the last four months on the streets. Protagonist is lucky to rent a small studio on an estate formerly owned by the gangster Al Capone. Now an elderly woman who resides at the former ‘Speakeasy’ house lives out her final years to the age of 96 in 2016. The protagonist’s role is to simply provide security for her peace of mind, but for the protagonist’s mindset he does more to take care of the estate itself. As it turns out the woman is Countess and related to the last king of Poland. Her son is a former arms dealer and currently works for U.S. Homeland Security setting up sting operations.

After the Countess’ death, the protagonist would be asked to remain in the service of the

family to assist the niece (Isabelle Harrison) until her death in 2023. Isabelle, Bill and

Ricky would prove to be the three pillars that help the protagonist restore his self esteem

over a period of 7 years. The protagonist begins to open up more and pursues a letter writing campaign to no avail.

Despite the protagonist’s efforts to seek justice by contesting the CIA’s action in 2009,

2010, 2012, and 2015, protagonist once again begins a more aggressive campaign in 2021, but is again ignored by the Agency. However, this time the protagonist targets 80 plus members of Congress including his own representatives, thirteen Congressional Committees, the Director of National Intelligence, and the White House Office of Special Counsel which draws the attention of the DNI who responds that they have taken the information under advisement. The protagonist efforts apparently lights a fire under the CIA who behind closed doors looks into the protagonist’s report that has been so widely dispersed. Worse yet, the CIA learns of the protagonist’s intent to run for US Congress and his press releases published in Washington are placing the Agency in a negative spotlight. In addition, the protagonist is in contact with an independent reporter (Andrei Tapalaga) who pursued a 10 year endeavor to force the Agency before a Washington, District of Columbia Federal Judge to disclose that the Agency has not prosecuted 9 out of 10 Child Pornography cases it chose to disclose because of their access to sensitive material. Ironically, the protagonist’s case is not one of the cases released, suggesting the CIA deliberately blew off the federal judge and that the organization will only disclose what it desires is in its best interest. The public revelation of the news is an embarrassment coupled with the protagonist’s mass mailings that forces the hand of the CIA to change policy.

Protagonist becomes the first candidate in U.S. history to qualify for office using “In-Kind” contributions, a feat that even the Office of General Counsel for the Federal Elections Commission is intrigued to be asked such a question. The protagonist’s campaign was about representing the ‘Discarded and Forgotten’ as a real Independent candidate for Florida District 23. Unfortunately, the protagonist’s real world national level experience and homelessness proved to be a great threat to the Democrat candidate, so much so that the liberal media in South Florida goes out of their way to suppress his campaign from the public. Nonetheless, the protagonist clandestinely succeeds in changing CIA policy in holding employees and contractors engaged in child pornography accountable.

As for the antagonist, the protagonist still daydreams of vengeance to this day of using the Crusades method of the ‘Vertical Impalement’ on the antagonist for street justice.

3. Once you have created your 4 Act Structure for your Protagonist, go back over it to see if there are any ‘BIG PICTURE POINTS’ you need to add to represent your Antagonist.

This being a real life story, the gap of holding the antagonist accountable and creating bigger picture points is only going to occur, if the aspect of turning a real life story into a fictional plot of using the ‘dream’ where the protagonist kills the antagonist or makes him look like a major ass in the public eye forcing Congress to have hearings.

-The Big Picture Points need to address the antagonist’s moment of being real pissed as he was after the 9/11 attacks and treating the protagonist as if he were one of the prisoners of war left to die in the desert as the antagonist was aware of.

-Addressing the antagonist fabricating a ‘felony’ ruse in collaboration with COS Iraq and the cell directly under him is another point to address and expand.

-Expanding on the antagonist discovery that the protagonist is alive and well in Afghanistan that kicks off the hostile work environment, the catastrophic failure of all PSYOP programs, theft of luggage and Blacklisting can be expanded.

[Trish]

What I learned doing this assignment is that it takes effort to go deep. My first round was very surface level. I had to go again to get deeper.

Protagonist

1. Tell me about yourself.

I’m Emma. I’ve been working hard and need a vacation. My marriage is over, because my husband is a selfish pig. I’m here to relax and chill. I’m a Senior Marketing Manager at a famous tech company. I’m worried I’m going to be laid off. That’s why I’ve been working so hard, but I knew I needed a break. I’m not so foolish as to drop dead, because I can’t take a break. I hope people leave me alone here. I want to enjoy the beautiful lake and spa amenities. Maybe here I can figure out what to do about my life. It’s not working. I’m not getting the satisfaction from my career that I expected. I’m not sure relationships are worth it. Like people who won’t have a pet, because they die someday. The good times aren’t worth the bad. Maybe that’s what I think too. That’s grim.

2. Why do you think you were called to this journey? Why
   you?

1^st try: I don’t know what you’re talking about. I just told you, I’m here to relax. Somebody else can go on the journey. 2^nd try: I can be a cold bitch, who gets done what needs to be done. Maybe this is happening at the right time, so I can alter the course of my life. I already said it’s not working, so maybe this journey will help me solve it.

3. You are up against Richard. What is it about him that
   makes this journey even more difficult for you?

Like always, I’m the only one I can depend on. If this bastard wants me to confront my mistakes in order to defeat him, then I’ll go there. Maybe that’s why I was drawn to this place.

4. In order to survive or accomplish this, you are going
   to have to step way outside of your box. What changes do you expect to
   make and which of them will be the most difficult?

I think I’m going to have to get up in people’s business in order to figure out what is going on and that’s going to hurt. Yuck. I don’t want to know their ick. Also, I’m going to need help to defeat him. I don’t like depending on others. I don’t know who to trust here, since everything is confusing.

5. What habits or ways of thinking do you think will be
   the most difficult to let go of?

Relying on other people. Working with them. Not being afraid of their issues or emotions. Also, learning that being vulnerable is possible and can be safe. And that’s how you have connections with others.

6. What fears, insecurities and wounds have held you
   back?

I’ve blamed others for bad things that happened to me, instead of seeing if I played a role in it. Maybe I did or didn’t. Sometimes bad things just happen. I have a wall up to keep others out. My priorities have been out of alignment with my values.

7. What skills, background or expertise makes you
   well-suited to face this conflict or antagonist?

I think my ability to do the hard things will be an advantage. Richard’s clever with tech, but so am I. And I love a good mystery.

8. What are you hiding from the other characters? What
   don’t you want them to know?

I don’t want them to know what a screw up I am and that, for as long as I can remember, I’ve had no one close to me, even though I was married.

9. What do you think of Richard?

He’s definitely shady. I see through his BS, but I’m not sure what he’s up to.

10. Tell me your side of this whole conflict / story.

Once I realized that he was destroying the lives of the guests, I couldn’t let him get away with it. Who does he think he is? God? That really pissed me off. How dare he? Forcing people to deal with things doesn’t work anyway. They’ll say anything to make him stop tormenting them. It doesn’t mean they changed. I saw how he destroyed Olivia, the doctor. He found out she killed a patient on purpose, or so he said, and she killed herself. That got me invested to stop him.

11. What does it do for your life if you succeed here?

I can start over, in a way. Reborn, victorious, excited about the future. Still kickass, but gentle too. I’ve learned how to work with others in a way that makes us all stronger. I can trust others with my full self. Well, maybe not everybody, but I’ll start with one or two and go from there.

12. Ask any other questions about their character profile
    that will help you.

Antagonist

1. Tell me about yourself.

I’m Richard. I run this hotel. It’s not what it seems. We change people’s lives. It’s hard work, but I make the world a better place. I live alone. I can’t have any entanglements. I’m 100% focused on my mission. I use the staff to help me, but I only tell them what they need to know. No one knows the whole scope of what we do.

2. Having to do with this journey, what are your
   strengths and weaknesses?

I’m very intuitive and observant. Intelligent, able to manipulate others. It’s not my weakness, but other people not playing along, is the hardest thing I have to deal with. It stresses me out daily. Why can’t they see I’m trying to help them?

3. Why are you committed to making the Protagonist fail?
   Or for a relationship movie, why are you committed to making them change?

I want the guests to change so they can live honest, fulfilling lives – having reckoned with their issues. Emma will fail, because I can’t/won’t be stopped. She’s no different from anyone else. I’m not scared of her

4. What do you get out of winning this fight /
   succeeding in your plan / taking down your competition?

I help the guests overcome their issues, like I have. I want them to be better people. I’m doing them a favor and that gives me satisfaction. And if they don’t ‘play along’ and I get money or revenge out of it, then that works too.

5. What drives you toward your mission / agenda, even in
   the face of danger, ruin, or death?

Nobody but me is willing to do this difficult work. I can’t let them ruin their own lives out of fear or in the way my childhood was ruined.

6. What secrets must you keep to succeed? What other
   secrets do you keep out of fear / insecurity?

I keep all of their secrets, sort of. (I, Trish, am not sure how he does this yet.) I keep secret my mission here to protect it and keep it going.

7. Compared to other people like you, what makes you
   special?

I’m willing and able to force change on people. I get my hands dirty. I’m not all talk like most people. I’m not doing this for myself. This is a public service.

8. What do you think of Emma?

She thinks she’s so smart. Like I haven’t encountered resistance before. Gimme a break.

9. Tell me your side of this whole conflict / story.

These idiots need me to set them free. They’re living shallow, empty lives. Hiding their true selves. If they aren’t capable of dealing with their past, they don’t deserve to go back to their miserable existence, deceiving themselves and everyone they know.

Revelations:

Olivia’s death jumpstarts Emma’s desire to stop Richard.

Richard lies to himself that he’s dealt with his past, in the way he wants others to. He thinks everyone is deceptive/deceitful.