A coerced public relations consultant is caught between Falcone's criminal methods, Ricci's authority, and a threat to his wife.
Story Structure — 5 Plot Phases
The Deal Goes Public
Police disrupt a cocaine deal in New York City, and television reporters find Falcone nearby. Their difficult questions expose the danger of his public image.
Key Events
Police Disrupt Cocaine Deal — New York City police disrupt a major cocaine deal connected to Falcone. Characters: John FalconeLocation: New York City
Falcone Found Nearby — Television reporters find Falcone near the disrupted deal. Characters: John FalconeLocation: New York City
Reporters Ask Questions — News reporters confront Falcone with difficult questions. Characters: John FalconeLocation: New York City
Public Image Becomes Problem — The media scrutiny exposes Falcone's need to improve his public image. Characters: John FalconeLocation: New York City
Falcone Seeks Publicist — Falcone decides that he needs a public relations man. Characters: John FalconeLocation: New York City
A Reputation For Hire
Falcone decides that he needs professional help with his image and hires Todd Barrett. Barrett begins working as Falcone's public relations consultant.
Key Events
Todd Barrett Hired — Falcone hires Todd Barrett to help burnish his image. Characters: John Falcone, Todd BarrettLocation: New York City
Image Campaign Begins — Barrett begins working to rebuild Falcone's public image. Characters: John Falcone, Todd BarrettLocation: New York City
Cocaine Becomes Leverage — Falcone supplies Barrett with cocaine as a means of maintaining control. Characters: John Falcone, Todd BarrettLocation: New York City
Barrett Kept In Line — Barrett's professional role is constrained by Falcone's drug-based coercion. Characters: John Falcone, Todd BarrettLocation: New York City
Cocaine And Control
Falcone uses generous supplies of cocaine to keep Barrett in line. The public relations arrangement therefore becomes a coercive relationship.
Key Events
Falcone Uses Violent Methods — Falcone's methods are described as violent and sadistic. Characters: John FalconeLocation: New York City
Unorthodox Tactics Escalate — Falcone continues using unorthodox tactics within the mob. Characters: John FalconeLocation: New York City
Ricci's Authority Challenged — Falcone's conduct places him at odds with Don Ricci, the established boss. Characters: John Falcone, Don RicciLocation: New York City
Challenge To The Boss
Falcone's violent, sadistic, and unorthodox methods bring him into conflict with Don Ricci. Their dispute threatens to expand into a mob war.
Key Events
Mob Hierarchy Splits — The conflict exposes a split between Falcone and the established hierarchy. Characters: John Falcone, Don RicciLocation: New York City
Mob War Threat Emerges — The dispute raises the possibility that a mob war may break out. Characters: John Falcone, Don RicciLocation: New York City
Barrett Trapped Between Sides — Barrett remains tied to Falcone while the conflict with Ricci intensifies. Characters: John Falcone, Don Ricci, Todd BarrettLocation: New York City
Todd's Wife Endangered — The danger surrounding the racketeers reaches Barrett's wife. Characters: Todd BarrettLocation: New York City
The Flack Fights Back
When Barrett's wife is endangered, the consequences become personal. The central question is whether Barrett can resist the racketeers controlling him.
Key Events
Todd's Wife Endangered — The danger surrounding the racketeers reaches Barrett's wife. Characters: Todd BarrettLocation: New York City
Personal Stakes Rise — The threat to his wife gives Barrett a personal reason to resist. Characters: Todd BarrettLocation: New York City
Barrett Considers Resistance — Barrett faces the possibility of opposing the criminal forces controlling him. Characters: Todd Barrett, John FalconeLocation: New York City
The Flack May Fight Back — The central question becomes whether Barrett will fight back against the racketeers. Characters: Todd Barrett, John Falcone, Don RicciLocation: New York City
Mob War Remains Unresolved — The synopsis leaves the mob war and Barrett's final response as the unresolved dramatic stakes. Characters: John Falcone, Don Ricci, Todd BarrettLocation: New York City
Story Breakdown
Disrupted Cocaine Deal — The opening police action creates immediate pressure around Falcone and his criminal operation.
Police Intervention — New York City police disrupt a major cocaine deal.
Falcone Found Nearby — Television reporters locate Falcone near the disrupted operation.
Media Scrutiny — Reporters challenge Falcone and expose the need for a carefully managed public image.
Image Crisis — Falcone recognizes that his public reputation requires repair.
Public Relations Arrangement — Falcone recruits Todd Barrett to burnish his image through professional public relations work.
Barrett Hired — Falcone employs Barrett as a public relations man.
Reputation Campaign — Barrett begins working to improve Falcone's public presentation.
Cocaine-Based Control — The employment relationship becomes coercive when Falcone uses cocaine to keep Barrett compliant.
Drug Leverage — Falcone provides Barrett with generous amounts of cocaine.
Controlled Consultant — Barrett is kept in line through cocaine dependency.
Mob Hierarchy Conflict — Falcone's violent and unorthodox conduct challenges Don Ricci and threatens the existing criminal order.
Violent Methods — Falcone uses methods described as violent and sadistic.
Ricci Challenged — Falcone's conduct brings him into conflict with the established boss.
Threatened Family Resistance — Danger to Barrett's wife transforms his professional coercion into a personal crisis.
Wife Endangered — The racketeers' threat reaches Barrett's wife.
Flack Fights Back — The story asks whether Barrett will resist the racketeers controlling him.
When the New York City police disrupt a big cocaine deal, the TV news reporters find John Falcone, a local mobster, nearby. They ask some tough questions, and Falcone decides he needs a public relations man to help burnish his image. He hires Todd Barrett, and he keeps Barrett in line with generous helpings of cocaine. Meanwhile, Falcone's unorthodox, violent, and sadistic methods get him cross-wise with Don Ricci, the boss. A mob war may break out. When Todd's wife is endangered, can the flack attack back at the racketeers?
