SHEPHERD WRITING SERVICES
Gloria Shepherd
Award-Winning Screenwriter, Columnist, Author
| THE COMPOUND by Gloria Shepherd |
In a riveting, fast-paced saga reminiscent of a
modern-day Gone With the Wind, American and international politics form
the background for this turbulent love affair. During the waning days of
the Soviet Union, Ken Morgan-the "too handsome for his own good"
commander of one of America's most elite Special Forces units-meets his
match in the form of fiery redhead Carly Manning. His unit, known as The
Compound, carries out the State and Defense Departments' more unsavory
missions.
Two of the unit's top leaders, Tom and Lane, discover Carly worked at
the United Nations for a Soviet spy, believe she is a double-agent, a
threat to the unit's safety-and demand Ken terminate her immediately.
However he is drawn to her unlike any woman he has ever met. She, in
turn, is terrified of the unit's power and feels trapped, unable to get
away, as she is drawn further into the Compound's bizarre lifestyle.
Paradoxically, she falls in love with Ken and joins the unit on a
diplomatic mission to West Berlin, where she meets the Russian President
and his nephew, General Dimitri Volakov. They invited her to visit East
Berlin. The U.S. Secretary of State is against her visit, but Ken
insists upon allowing her to go, hoping she will obtain valuable
information from the Soviet President. Disregarding Tom and Lane's
continuing opposition, she forges ahead with her visit.
When Ken is ordered to execute a Presidential advisor, he decides he can
no longer live by the convoluted code of ethics the U.S. Government
demands. He plans to retire safely, alive-something not normally
accomplished by men in his position.
General Dimitri Volakov visits New York and resumes his acquaintance
with Carly. He falls in love with her and proposes marriage. She
realizes she is pregnant with Ken's baby, but doesn't tell
him...believing she cannot trust his fidelity. Instead, she accepts
Dimitri's marriage proposal, despite the fact she doesn't love him.
Ken, together with his next in command, Russell, is ordered to the
Middle East by two Joint Chiefs of Staff to secretly oversee the bombing
of a U.S. Army barracks. Ken refuses to kill his own countrymen, and
this bitter condemnation of this plan leads to the generals now ordering
his termination.
At the same time, Tom and Lane are sent to Quito, Ecuador to locate two
missing undercover operatives. They find the operatives murdered and
mistakenly believe Carly is responsible for their deaths. Ken returns to
the Compound and discovers Tom and Lane have attempted to kill her.
Ken desperately wishes he can somehow retire safely and marry Carly --
and moves her out to his Texas ranch. But the U.S. President warns him
that an international hitman has entered the country and further states
he believes the two generals Ken rebuffed have hired the assassin. Carly
confronts the hitman and learns he has been hired to murder her beloved
Ken. She believes the only way she can thwart his action is by
attempting to kill him herself.
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