"Lucky's Betrayal--From Rat to Boss."

Synopsis for Short, Completed Screenplay— “From Rat to Boss” By Jed Power Available for sale or Optioin I can easily adapt it to a Feature or Pilot. In 1916, 19-year-old Charles Lucania is just another streetwise kid hustling to survive on the gritty streets of New York City. The passage of the Harrison Narcotic Act two years earlier has turned his side hustle—selling small amounts of heroin and cocaine—into a dangerous business. But Charlie is ambitious, willing to take risks, and hungry for power. He is yet to acquire his moniker of “Lucky.” One fateful night, an undercover Federal Treasury agent buys an ounce of heroin from Lucania, catching him red-handed. Arrested and cornered, the young Lucania is offered a devil’s bargain: avoid prison by informing on his supplier. Driven by self-preservation, he agrees. The supplier, Anthony Russo Sr., is arrested in a Greenwich Village raid, convicted, and sentenced to 20 years in federal prison. Lucania escapes unscathed, but the cost of his betrayal begins to cast a long shadow over his life. Fast forward to 1931. The teenage street dealer has transformed into Charles “Lucky” Luciano, the most powerful Mafia leader in America. Having survived countless gang wars and betrayals, Lucky is now poised to create a new criminal order. Around a table with five other Mafia leaders, he unveils his vision: the National Mafia Commission, a council of organized crime families that will control the entire country’s underworld activities. Each man at the table will run his own family, but all will ultimately answer to Lucky, the self-declared Boss of Bosses. As the meeting progresses, Lucky stuns the room by announcing his choice for Underboss of this new crime commission, the second most powerful position in the new syndicate. The role doesn’t go to any of the seasoned leaders at the table but instead to an unknown young man seated quietly among them: Anthony Russo Jr. The decision sends shockwaves through the group. Why would Lucky bypass his loyal allies for someone they’ve barely heard of? Sensing their confusion, Lucky explains that Anthony Jr. is the son of a close friend from his Greenwich Village days. He claims to owe the late Anthony Russo Sr. a huge favor and says giving his son this key position is his way of repaying that debt. Anthony Jr. accepts the position with quiet deference but doesn’t miss the opportunity to answer Lucky’s inquiry about his father. With a calm yet pointed delivery, Anthony Jr. reveals that his father died in prison after serving two decades for a narcotics charge—one that dates back to 1917, the same year Lucania betrayed him. The statement lands like a dagger. Though the other Mafia leaders don’t grasp the full implication, the viewer does. Lucky isn’t giving Anthony Jr. this powerful position out of loyalty or guilt. It’s a strategic move to silence a dangerous secret. If the truth about his betrayal ever came to light, Lucky’s empire—and his life—would crumble. Through this shocking twist, From Rat to Boss peels back the myth of the Mafia’s ironclad loyalty, exposing its foundation of hypocrisy and deceit. The screenplay examines the lengths men will go to preserve power and reputation, even if it means erasing the sins of their past with calculated ruthlessness. Taut, compelling, and rooted in true events, From Rat to Boss offers an unflinching look at the dark origins of one of the most infamous crime figures in American history. I can easily adapt this into a Feature or Pilot Contact: Jed power@verizon.net