Does this sound like plausible

The CIA sell out the address of a retired agent to criminals ( who kill the man's family in an attempted framed "paternal familicide"😉 a in return for the info on a major terrorist ringleader

Also, I know why the criminals want him dead, but I can not figure out how they found out about his identity. Could you help me brainstorm?

It was all a dream (within a dream). The man who sells CIA secrets is really a 25-year-old female stripper trying to pay her way through college. A group of broke but brilliant computer nerds are trying to imprint the idea of selling her values into her so that they can entice her into sex.

....

So, like, what's the context here? What exactly are you looking for? Is this a script, your next door neighbor, a class project?

Originally posted by Lestov16
The CIA sell out the address of a retired agent to criminals ( who kill the man's family in an attempted framed "paternal familicide"😉 a in return for the info on a major terrorist ringleader

Also, I know why the criminals want him dead, but I can not figure out how they found out about his identity. Could you help me brainstorm?

YeaNOOOOOOO

Originally posted by Digi
It was all a dream (within a dream). The man who sells CIA secrets is really a 25-year-old female stripper trying to pay her way through college. A group of broke but brilliant computer nerds are trying to imprint the idea of selling her values into her so that they can entice her into sex.

....

So, like, what's the context here? What exactly are you looking for? Is this a script, your next door neighbor, a class project?

action film basis, but I desire a plausible one

To what end?

I'm unsure..

Originally posted by RobsonThomson
I'm unsure..

Originally posted by Digi
To what end?

I'm trying to construct a good skilled-badass-against-the-government action adventure. I want the reason he was betrayed against the government to clearly be for utilitarian good (the stopping of the terrorist leads to the prevention of several suicide bombings), but I want the protagonist to be so enraged that he ignores this

Originally posted by Digi
It was all a dream (within a dream). The man who sells CIA secrets is really a 25-year-old female stripper trying to pay her way through college. A group of broke but brilliant computer nerds are trying to imprint the idea of selling her values into her so that they can entice her into sex.

....

So, like, what's the context here? What exactly are you looking for? Is this a script, your next door neighbor, a class project?

It sounds like a good idea for a book. 🙂

Originally posted by Lestov16
The CIA sell out the address of a retired agent to criminals ( who kill the man's family in an attempted framed "paternal familicide"😉 a in return for the info on a major terrorist ringleader

it sounds a little bit campy, but it is not unreasonable to think an agent within the CIA would do such a thing. You will have to think of a reason why the entire intelligence community doesn't turn against the leaker though, as the vast majority of the people who work for the CIA would not support such a thing. It could be an Oliver North type situation, where the guy is just segregated enough from the day to day operations such that he can do what he wants, but the brass of the CIA would never support something like this. It is literally treason. Capital offense treason.

Originally posted by Lestov16
Also, I know why the criminals want him dead, but I can not figure out how they found out about his identity. Could you help me brainstorm?

Isn't that what they sold out the terrorist leader for?

**************

From what you have said in the thread, it seems like you are more interested in an action story than in any sort of true crime realism, so I'd actually focus less on whether there is a good reason for the bad guys to act the way they do, and sort of try to focus on how the scenes in the story are going to play out in a compelling and action oriented way. someone reading an action novel really isn't going to need a heavy background of the criminal organizations they are fighting, or isn't going to be judging whether the level of espionage sophistication you give an Islamist group really accurately reflects the way these organizations are typically structured. It will be more important that the story resolves itself through intriguing dialogue, tense action sequences and some type of not necessarily predictable but certainly interpretable climax.

I'm not trying to say something can't be action packed and also filled with realism, however, you would need a bit more of a nuanced premise than "rogue CIA agent" to do that. In the modern CIA, that guy would be out the door on his ass faster than the terrorists could mount any kind of attack, save some MacGuffins that themselves would break down the realism. I'd honestly suggest looking up previous stories from the CIA or other intelligence agencies and using those as a starting block for influence if you want to make it more realistic and plausible.

Originally posted by Lestov16
The CIA sell out the address of a retired agent to criminals ( who kill the man's family in an attempted framed "paternal familicide"😉 a in return for the info on a major terrorist ringleader

Also, I know why the criminals want him dead, but I can not figure out how they found out about his identity. Could you help me brainstorm?

1. The CIA wants info on a major terrorist leader.
2. A certain group of criminals has that info.
3. For the CIA to get it, they give the criminals the address of a retired agent.
4. The criminals kill the agent's family, trying to make it look like the agent did it.
5. The author (you) know why the criminals did #4.
6. What the author doesn't know is, how did the criminals figure out the agent's identity.

Wouldn't having the address help? I mean, the CIA said, This is where he lives. And wouldn't the criminals especially want the agent's name? "Tell us who he is and vhere to find him, or ve vill not tell you vhat you vant to know."

Maybe it's me, but something's not adding up. But I like the idea (for a film adaptation, I'm seeing John Travolta and Angelina Jolie).

Originally posted by inimalist
it sounds a little bit campy, but it is not unreasonable to think an agent within the CIA would do such a thing. You will have to think of a reason why the entire intelligence community doesn't turn against the leaker though, as the vast majority of the people who work for the CIA would not support such a thing. It could be an Oliver North type situation, where the guy is just segregated enough from the day to day operations such that he can do what he wants, but the brass of the CIA would never support something like this. It is literally treason. Capital offense treason.

I know it sounds campy. I'm not looking for Tom Clancy-level realism. Brad Thor-level is what I'm aiming for (without the rampant jingoist Islamophobia, of course). I might have it as just one high-up who authorizes the betrayal. But I want the betrayal to get results, so it can be argued as necessary

Originally posted by inimalist
Isn't that what they sold out the terrorist leader for?

I mean how do the criminals even know where to start looking?
**************

Originally posted by inimalist From what you have said in the thread, it seems like you are more interested in an action story than in any sort of true crime realism, so I'd actually focus less on whether there is a good reason for the bad guys to act the way they do, and sort of try to focus on how the scenes in the story are going to play out in a compelling and action oriented way.someone reading an action novel really isn't going to need a heavy background of the criminal organizations they are fighting, or isn't going to be judging whether the level of espionage sophistication you give an Islamist group really accurately reflects the way these organizations are typically structured. It will be more important that the story resolves itself through intriguing dialogue, tense action sequences and some type of not necessarily predictable but certainly interpretable climax.[/b]

I know, but I'm OCD about plot holes (Damn that Redlettermedia review!)

Originally posted by inimalist
I'd honestly suggest looking up previous stories from the CIA or other intelligence agencies and using those as a starting block for influence if you want to make it more realistic and plausible.

Do you know where I could start? The only thing I've been able to find was about the Plame affair

Originally posted by Mindship
Maybe it's me, but something's not adding up.

I know 🙁 . That's what i'm trying to troubleshoot

How about bribing a high official. Money always talks. OR kidnapping a loved one. Maybe computer geek crap?

When you say "criminal" I think random thug...
And I can't imagine the CIA selling out their own to thugs for possible information. It just doesn't sound believable to me at all.

I COULD however see a story about revenge go wrong...
Two agents... One promotion? One girl they both wanted...

In the end the first agent feels remorse cause the girl he wanted is dead when all he wanted was the guy out of the way... Etc kind of story...

Or maybe a story where your agent was captured and our government in order to keep a higher official safe from harm threw your hero under the bus..

Originally posted by Mindship
Maybe it's me, but something's not adding up. But I like the idea (for a film adaptation, I'm seeing John Travolta and Angelina Jolie).

Mmmm... not Travolta. He could pull it off in his "Lonely Hearts" days, when his hair was actually his and it actually moved by his exertions. He's gone flabby, if it were tongue in cheek he could probably play it, like in "To Paris With Love."

This has Jodie Foster written all over it, as the CIA representative. Denzel Washington as the agent? He plays really good "rebel" roles, which is sort of what the agent is. Ryan Phillippe has played a similar role, but I don't know if he's old enough to play a father/family man. Leo Di Caprio... ooh, that has possibilities.

Helen Mirren has to be in here somewhere, the leader of the criminals? She was so good in "Red," at least I'm pretty sure that's what it was called. Because obviously this has to be an organized gang, maybe they hate the agent because he killed one of them in some kind of con years ago, when he was still CIA?

The wife... the wife... mmmmmmm. Someone kind but tough when she needs to be. Sandra Bullock?

There ya go, Lestov. Just let me know when you're shooting and I'll cast the thing. 😄

Originally posted by siriuswriter
Helen Mirren

The protagonists family is killed in a car bomb (meant for him). The CIA will not allow him to investigate. He goes rogue and discovers that the Deputy Director (on orders from some White House Official) leaked his name to a powerful criminal in exchange for info on a major terrorist leader (who has recently been performing many bombings), violating the Intelligence Identities Protection Act of 1982 for what they patriotically believe is the greater good. The info the criminal gives them checks out and they stop they attack, saving thousands, but the protagonist wants revenge, and the criminal agrees to be a CIA asset, and offers the location of a major WMD being sold on the black market if they find and kill the protagonist

Please somebody! Point out the flaws!

Originally posted by Lestov16
Please somebody! Point out the flaws!

It's cliche.

And one paragraph.

Is this a book? A screenplay? You need a lot more, even in just an abstract, to have a worthwhile pitch/plot/etc.

Also no Helen Mirren.

Originally posted by Digi
It's cliche.

And one paragraph.

Is this a book? A screenplay? You need a lot more, even in just an abstract, to have a worthwhile pitch/plot/etc.

Also no Helen Mirren.

this is the back story to the protagonist, who is part of a far larger plot. I have all of the flesh crafted, I'm just trying to make I have a rigid skeleton. i'm only aiming for some one who would enjoy, say, Brad Thor. I'm just trying to create a good popcorn action novel with suspense, I'm not trying to revolutionize the genre with anything innovative. And Helen Mirren is the White House officiall

Originally posted by Lestov16
The CIA sell out the address of a retired agent to criminals ( who kill the man's family in an attempted framed "paternal familicide"😉 a in return for the info on a major terrorist ringleader

Also, I know why the criminals want him dead, but I can not figure out how they found out about his identity. Could you help me brainstorm?

If the premise is that the criminals already know who the retired CIA agent is, it's silly to think they'd need the CIA to get his home address.

So I'd ignore it and go with them trading info on the agent's identity and location as a package deal.

Also, Ashton Kutcher wants to star as the lead CIA agent.