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| '''Hero''' is a young detective suffering Vulnerability whcih manifests itself in being anxious to please authority figures as a result of Unpleasant Past Experiences.
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| '''Mentor''' is very protective and dominating of Hero. Mentor’s Quest is hunting for '''Villain''', whose modus operandi involves kidnapping '''Victims''', dealing with them, and then Murdering them in an Unusual Way, then Dumping their Bodies in an Unusual Way.
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| '''Hero''' is asked to carry out an errand by Mentor. In connection with Mentor’s Quest, Mentor asks Hero to visit brilliant sociopath, Oracle, to present a psychological profile of Villain in the hope it may offer an Expert Opinion. Oracle is detained in Unpleasant Conditions for a series of Antisocial Acts.
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| Undisclosed fact: Hero suspects Oracle will recognise Hero’s Vulnerability, and will exploit it by offering Expert Opinions about Villain only in return for information about Hero’s Unpleasant Past Experiences, thereby exploiting Hero’s Vulnerability. Mentor accordingly “sacrifices” Hero, thinking that Hero will only be briefly exposed to Oracle and will not be harmed. Oracle duly speculates as to Villain’s MO, but also speculates as to Mentor’s motivation for sending Hero.
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| Mentor doesn’t count on Hero becoming influenced by Oracle, whom she sees as an Authority Figure in competition with Mentor. Despite being called off the case, Hero pursues it, periodically returning to Oracle in search of information without telling Mentor.
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| Hero is quickly drawn into Oracle’s web. But Oracle is also drawn to Hero, and they form a strange relationship in which Oracle feeds further cryptic clues and Hero discloses further information about her Unpleasant Past Experiences. Oracle has an additional agenda, which is to alleviate his own Unpleasant Conditions and possibly escape. Oracle begins to trade concessions to his condition for further help.
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| When Villain’s next victim is found, Hero discovers a Clue, consistent with Oracle’s prediction. An Expert, identifies the Clue as being having Unusual Properties.
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| On the basis of Oracle’s prediction, Hero begins to believe that Oracle knows who Villain really is. Hero also realises that Mentor used Hero as bait: Hero confronts Mentor as to why Hero was sent to interrogate Oracle; Mentor explains that it is plausible deniability: Oracle is so brilliant that he would have immediately detected Hero’s agenda, and would have refused to help.
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| Elsewhere a New Victim goes missing and Villain’s calling card is found at point of disappearance. On the basis of prior history, Mentor estimates they have three days before New Victim is killed. Hero persuades Mentor to let her interview Oracle again. Mentor agrees and allows Hero to offer a deal partially alleviating Unpleasant Conditions.
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| After Hero leaves, Oracle reminisces that a former patient had indirect knowledge of a man who on the past, who killed someone in an Unusual Way and had expertise in the item comprising the Exotic Clue.
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| Oracle’s pleasant ruminations are interrupted Oracle’s Nemesis - steps in. Nemesis has been professionally humiliated by Oracle and resents the success of Mentor.
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| He has routinely punished Oracle and has sent Untrained Stooges to further aggravate Oracle’s Unpleasant Conditions. He has surreptitiously overhead Oracle’s conversation with Hero. Nemesis knows that Mentor’s deal is a lie. He offers one of his own: If Oracle reveals Villain’s identity to Nemesis, Nemesis will better alleviate Oracle’s unpleasant conditions.
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| Oracle makes a bargain of his own: he will only give the information to New Victim’s Representative in person, but Nemesis can broker the arrangement. Nemesis agrees. Unknown to Nemesis, Oracle has secreted Escape Instruments which he has tricked Untrained Stooges out of. He also tricks Nemesis into disclosing Serious Wrongdoing. Oracle fashions the Escape Instruments into an improvised Escape Tool with which he escapes.
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| Oracle is allowed to meet with New Victim’s Representative. Oracle provides New Victim’s Representative an accurate physical description of Nemesis and provides cryptic clues to Wrongdoing by Nemesis: in terms of the search for Villain it is a total red herring. New Victim’s Representative applies resources into untangling the red herring. Hero recognises a coded clue to her that it is a red herring, but cannot persuade either Mentor or Nemesis of this: the code involves personal information relating to her Unpleasant Past Experiences that only Oracle (and Nemesis) knows, and that she cannot bring herself to disclose so she is not believed. In her frustration at not being listened to about the red herring, Hero is banished from the investigation.
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| Undaunted, Hero tries one last time to get information from Oracle as he is about to be alleviated from his Unpleasant Conditions. In return for Hero agreeing to disclose Hero’s worst Unpleasant Past Experience, Oracle offers a Final Clue to Villain’s identity. Hero and Oracle share a brief moment of connection, at which point Hero understands something very private and vulnerable about Oracle before Nemesis arrives, dismissing Hero from the room.
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| Suddenly the penny drops: Hero deduces from Oracle’s Final Clue who Villain must be and proceeds alone to his lair.
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| Meanwhile, Oracle escapes and goes to ground. We think he may be after Hero because Hero knows Oracle’s vulnerability. Nemesis goes after Oracle, Mentor (unwittingly) descends on Nemesis as a result of following Oracle’s Red Herring.
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| Hero finally encounters Villain, not at first realising who he is. Villain realises first that Hero is alone, and turns table on Hero. After a fight to the death, Hero prevails and rescues New Victim.
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