The Cost of Loyalty

THE COST OF LOYALTY
By: Marcellus Allen II

A drug dealer with aspirations to become a rapper struggles to navigate the industry and escape the allure of the streets. He must fight a gang war, overcome his pride, and survive betrayal in order to reach super stardom.
Portland, Oregon. 2020. OVERDOSE plans on selling drugs until he dies. He’s trapped inside the street life and doesn’t believe an exit even exists. His passion for rapping keeps him dropping mixtapes and performing at shows.
At his latest show, his life almost ends and the opportunity to create a better one presents itself. A hitman has Overdose dead to rights, however his close friend HEARTLESS kills the shooter in the nick of time.
SQUEEZE, a record label executive, sees the performance and offers Overdose a million-dollar contract. Overdose must focus on music and leave the streets behind him.
Overdose struggles with navigating the music industry and weaving through the street politics. But his hand is forced when he’s shot down and his best friend BANGA is killed in front of him by their archrival LEGEND and his gang the Goon Squad.
Fresh out the hospital and full of vengeance, Overdose wages war on his enemies and whoever is not on his side. Shortly after, Overdose and BEAST gets charged with killing two Goon Squad members. Now, Overdose must fight for his freedom. Beast secretly turns into a confidential witness and due to legal errors, they’re released from jail.
Overdose seriously ponders leaving the streets, now that he has life back and his long-time girlfriend is pregnant with their first child, however he needs all his enemies dead before he can retire. Beast secretly collects evidence against Overdose and their whole gang so he can be free from charges and steal Overdose’s fortune.
Overdose finds out what Beast is up to and kills him before the state can bring charges against him. Then he finally kills Legend and the whole Goon Squad. Now he feels he can relax. But an enemy he forgot about and underestimated shoots him at the hospital as his son is being born.
Heartless saves him again overdose, out of sheer will, struggles to the delivery room so he can meet his son before he dies. He hugs and kisses his son then dies in the chair in front of his family.
With one foot in the streets and one foot in the industry, he must determine which path to walk. Then he’s gunned down and his best friend is killed before his eyes. Family begs him to walk away. The label threatens to snatch his deal. The streets and his pride demand revenge. Then a deeply rooted betrayal jeopardizes his life and freedom. Overdose has a decision to make. But will he survive long enough to see it through?

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