A young lawyer defends a wanted terrorist from international extradition.  As he does so, he learns of a familial past that refuses to die.

SYNOPSIS:

When Liam O’Clery, a suspected terrorist, is arrested at San Francisco airport, Sean Conlon, a young, inexperienced lawyer, is called upon to defend O’Clery against an international extradition demand. Success for Sean means both professional enhancement and gratitude from his Irish American family and friends.

Sean asks why O’Clery came to San Francisco. He, Sean, is told to seek out O’Clery’s sister, Saoirse. She informs Sean of a twenty-year-old vendetta. O’Clery’s father was betrayed by a friend to the British, who executed him. The betrayer, the quisling, now lives in San Francisco.

Sean and Saoirse’s mutual attraction develops. At the same time, the search for the quisling becomes more complex and more personal.

Gradually the pieces of the puzzle reveal themselves. There, amidst the partial truths, lies a shocking reality. Ultimately, a terrible choice confronts Sean: success in the courtroom will have disastrous personal consequences. What will he choose, and are there even more problematic revelations that must be confronted?

Wiki Screenplay Contest wrote of this script: “The Quisling embodies many features of the classic Irish American crime drama, paying homage to both the bloody and beautiful sides of Irish heritage. It leans heavily on themes of family, duty, and revenge, all of which are mostly enhanced by the post-Troubles backdrop and speak to the way in which some wounds struggle to heal. Over the course of its brisk 90 pages, it unravels a dense family mystery that spans decades and continents, portraying the idea that few secrets stray dormant forever."