"A Little Sting"

Synopsis

        JAMIE WALKER comes from a middle-class, small town family who've fallen on hard times.  His father recently lost his job at the factory, they're about to lose their home, and now their small nest-egg is "stolen" by a ruthless, corrupt CEO.

        Jamie and his parents, along with his 16-year-old sister, RACHEL, pack their van and move to the city, hoping their luck will turn.  But on their first night in town, the van -- which is packed with everything they own -- is stolen.

        The only option at this point:  Move into a Shelter until the parents can find work and get back on their feet.  It's a devastating and embarrassing situation for Rachel, but Jamie rolls with the punches.

        The next morning, he meets the charming, conniving, aging con-man, ARCHIE, who has a few of the kids from the Shelter running small-time scams for him, "just taking a little from people who can certainly afford it," and giving the kids some insight into "the theory behind trickle-down economics".

        Meanwhile, the crooked CEO, EDWARD SINCLAIR, is teetering on the brink of bankruptcy, denying rumors that surround his failing corporation.

        In need of some positive publicity, he shows up at the Shelter for a "photo-op", looks around for a youngster to pose with him.  He pulls Jamie from the crowd, hands over a check as flashbulbs pop, then wishes the kid good luck.  "Don't give up hope, son.  Who knows?  Maybe someday you'll be working for my company."

        One thing Jamie DOES know:  Sinclair is the slimeball who swindled his family.  He begins plotting, shows up the next day at Sinclair's corporate suite, asking for that job.  Sinclair wants to "throw the crazy kid out", but his advisor recognizes a golden opportunity:  Give the kid a job for the rest of the summer, exploit the situation for some priceless P.R.

        Now Jamie's on the inside, looking for the right angle, hatches a scheme, proposes it to Archie and the other kids.  At first it seems preposterous, but Archie begins to see the light.  If they play it just right, they could have Sinclair eager to hand over a few million dollars... without even knowing he's been the mark in a classic sting.

        They'll need help from a few other people at the Shelter, including Jamie's father, who is reluctant at first, but the taste of this precious payback is just too sweet.

        Jamie's mother presents a complication.  If she finds out about the caper, it's all over.  But the bigger threat involves Rachel, who has begun dating the college-age son of Edward Sinclair, lying to him about who she really is, and most importantly, where she lives.

        When she gets wind of the bombshell that's about to blow... well, a teenager-in-love may not always have her priorities, and loyalties, in the right order.