Fire Kings

FIRE KINGS is a spiritual war drama disguised as an action crime drama, exploring the aftermath of war and the importance of connection to heal - in this case, through riding motorcycles and fighting crime. APEX (48), special ops veteran, recovers from a rescue mission in Afghanistan. It turned out to be a stolen weapons buy at a training camp for kids, which was bombed as they fled. Apex, having rescued an Afghan boy from the camp, becomes entangled in an underground network hiding refugees when he returns home. His former Commandos struggle to adjust to life at home. Apex returns to his former career as police officer. Apex meets police officer DUKE (23), the son of a Vietnamese boat refugee, when they are seconded into a police strike force FURY, tasked with infiltrating motorcycle gangs importing drugs. Duke is searching for his grandfather, unseen since the Vietnam War. He’s obsessed with a case where a biker in a burqa disguise withdraws huge amounts, traced to shell companies, from banks across the state. Apex goes undercover with the Vietnam Veterans motorcycle club – the CASPERS – headed by FERAL. Through sharing stories of the trauma of returning home, he finds the brotherhood he needs to heal. He also secretly starts sleeping with his police Captain. Duke infiltrates the Fire Kings, headed by Vietnamese refugee Dragon. Duke busts them for drugs, but his loyalty is tested when he sees the bikers subjected to police brutality and learns of a link to his past. Dragon is the legendary Fire King, the boy who saved refugees during their escape by boat during the Vietnam war - including his grandma. The Caspers implicate the Fire Kings who in turn implicate the Caspers.  At an annual motorcycle show, Duke – convinced the Caspers are guilty - tracks them. At the same time, another suspicious bank withdrawal is made by a biker in a  burqa. A hair is found at the scene. Apex, knowing the Caspers are innocent, takes hairs from a clogged drain in their clubhouse, to compare with the hair found at the bank. Apex swears he was with the Caspers, which Duke knows is a lie. Duke follows Apex to his farmhouse, finding a refugee community and Apex’s old commando unit. Duke follows the Commandos as they stake out a bank. Duke takes his suspicions to his Captain. When they stake out the farmhouse, Duke is captured but his Captain finds him. She’s poised to rescue him when -- Apex enters, revealing his commando unit disguise themselves in burqas to  withdraw the money that was funneled into banks from the Afghan weapons buy, using it to hide refugees -- smuggled in by the police captain! The captain reveals that the DNA match from the Caspers clubhouse show that Feral, the head of the Caspers, is Duke’s grandfather. Duke is released and must choose whether to turn everyone in. He asks his grandma about her refugee voyage and realizes he couldn’t be part of jeopardizing refugees nor turn in his grandfather. Throughout, the joy of riding motorbikes, and the need for brotherhood, is captured - from picking out the gear, learning to ride,  the rebelliousness of weaving through traffic, and being part of the landscape not merely riding through it. Having lost their faith in God, the road is their holy place. Duke, and his now reunited grandparents live at farm with the refugees and the Caspers, finding a new family and sense of purpose.