Brief

A hardened man who takes less than legal jobs to punish those who deserve his vengeance is hired to rescue an underage girl who’s been kidnapped by sex traffickers in the Philippines.

What We Liked

The book presents an exciting and fast-paced read that immediately draws in the reader and makes them hungry for more. The author has a personal connection to the book series in that a lot of his own life experience is being utilized to write the books, meaning he would be a great resource to have onboard as well. The protagonist has a strong moral fiber that presents a positive message throughout, as he’s not afraid to do whatever he has to in order to make things right. The good people are saved, just as the bad people are punished, and that’s something any audience can get behind.

Film: Action films are almost always wildly successful, both in theaters and VOD/streaming services. They cast a wide net, effortlessly reeling in an audience that ranges in both gender and age. This is also an international feature that weaves together a lot of interconnected characters in different countries, and it’s enjoyable to see how they all come together and affect one another. A film adaptation would leave the door open to multiple sequels, as the book is part of a series. There are several directions Chance’s story could go in, and the fact that Daisuke, the yakuza mob boss, is still alive at the end could certainly come into play in the future.

TV: As part of a book series by the same author, there’s not shortage of material to mine for future seasons. This could work just as well as a limited series, focusing purely on this adventure. Damien Chance has all the makings of an action hero, and it’s easy to see a network or streaming service wanting to be the ones to bring him to the small screen. Chance is a likable hero that’s still very competent, which is a great middle ground to hit when luring in a devoted audience. With exotic locations and topical crimes, this would be the next must-see show that everyone tells their friends and family about.

Key points:
1. Unique locations
2. Protagonist’s strong moral code
3. Action genre
4. Topical criminal activity
5. Can be easily self-contained or expanded

Synopsis

Fifteen-year-old ANALISA is kidnapped and forced into online sex work in the Philippines, where she befriends JOY, another unlucky woman trapped there. DAMIEN CHANCE recently arrived in the Philippines and is tasked by his mentor TAYLOR to find the girl. Chance is an “Outlaw Traveler,” essentially a gun for hire for the right reasons and right price. Analisa has a cousin, MEIKO, in the United States who’s married to a rich older man, HARDCASTLE. Meiko is distraught over Analisa going missing, so Hardcastle sends twin brothers TREVOR and TROY to find her. They’re easily bested by local gangsters and return to the States with their tails between their legs. After they fail, the job gets put on Taylor’s radar, and he taps Chance for it. Using the online sex site, Chance makes contact with Analisa and convinces her, covertly, that he’s working with Meiko. However since Analisa has attracted undue attention thanks to the men trying to save her, the man who runs the house, DADDY-J, arranges for her to be bought by a Japanese yakuza boss since she’s a virgin.

When Chance can’t get ahold of Analisa again, he befriends Joy, who he saw in Analisa’s video. He follows her back to the house and shuts down Daddy-J’s operation. He learns Analisa was bought by yakuza boss DAISUKE and taken to his club. He frees the women and girls trapped in the house, and Joy comes with him. Back in the US, Hardcastle’s muscle, BIG HURT, kills Trevor and Troy since they failed. Taylor, who’s living in Thailand with his wife NUI, learns she’s pregnant. Chance is thrilled for them. Chance tracks down Daddy-J’s American boss, DEGRAFF. Degraff spills the beans that Analisa is with Daisuke. Chance knows he has to go after Analisa and thus the yakuza, so he leaves Joy with an old FRIEND. She wants to help, but he refuses to have her hurt anymore than she already has been. Daisuke gains Analisa’s compliance to anything he says so that he won’t send anyone to hurt her cousin Meiko. He tattoos her with a brand of ownership.

Hardcastle flies to the Philippines and has a meeting with Degraff, who offers to tell him where Analisa is in exchange for a sizable fee. He also advises Hardcastle to call off Chance before he pisses off more of the wrong people. Chance secures a helicopter ride to Daisuke’s club from a fellow veteran, JAKE. Chance gets the jump on the guards and enters guns blazing. He finds Analisa and gets her out, but he doesn’t encounter Daisuke. When Hardcastle learns Chance found her, he’s shocked. Hardcastle has been working with Daisuke the whole time, and he hoped that the yakuza buying Analisa would prevent her from ever being rescued. He’s been in bed with the Japanese mafia for a long time, and he doesn’t want Meiko or any of his legitimate business interests to find out. It was complete chance that Analisa was taken by the sex traffickers working for him, and now he’s afraid she can point the finger at someone who will in turn expose his involvement. Suddenly, everyone seems to be a loose end. Daddy-J and Degraff both know too much, as do Chance and Analisa. Daisuke and Hardcastle plan to take out everyone, though Daisuke doesn’t think Analisa needs to be killed.

Daisuke cuts ties with Hardcastle since Hardcastle’s actions brought Chance down on his head and ruined the reputation of his private club with a shoot-out. Pretending as though he doesn’t know Hardcastle is responsible for everything that happened to Analisa, Chance meets with the other man to arrange her safe return. He demands $100,000 and tells Hardcastle that Jake will fly him to where Analisa is being held in 48 hours. Hardcastle is livid, but he agrees to make Meiko happy. He plans to take care of Chance as soon as this is all resolved. Back in the US, Trevor is revealed to have survived, and he kills Big Hurt for murdering his brother. Chance tracks down Degraff to take care of a loose end, as he and Taylor have their own list. Daisuke has already gotten to him, and his yakuza men left a bag full of cash at the scene to send a message. Jake takes Hardcastle to Analisa, who is already with Meiko and the rest of their family. Meiko knows everything, and Chance turns over Hardcastle to Analisa’s FATHER and BROTHERS so they can get their revenge and kill him. Chance gives the bag of money he found with Degraff to Taylor and Nui for their baby. Chance and Joy embark on a relationship of their own.

About The Author

Dennis Hambright has spent over twenty-five years working as a private investigator and security consultant, handling assignments throughout the United States, Central America, South America, and Southeast Asia. Before that, he worked as a banker, salesman, repo man, bouncer, bodyguard, and radio personality. He spent four years living in Bolivia, searching for gold and lost treasure in the jungles of the Amazon basin, and five years living in Costa Rica.