Belly of the Beast 2020

In the decade since his tumultuous past in Thailand, CIA operative Jake Hopper (Jake) has been attempting to rebuild a peaceful life in the United States. Following a traumatic incident involving his partner, Sunti, which left them both grappling with the consequences of their actions, Jake left the CIA and returned home after the loss of his wife. Meanwhile, Sunti sought solace in Buddhism, dedicating himself to atoning for past wrongs.

As Jake navigated his new life as a successful businessman and devoted father to his adult daughter Jessica, he couldn’t shake the feeling that his past was waiting to catch up with him. That moment arrived when Jessica, accompanied by her friend Sara Winthorpe (daughter of U.S. Senator John Winthorpe), went missing during a hiking trip in Thailand. The Abu Karaf, a militant Islamic fundamentalist group, claimed responsibility for the kidnapping, demanding the release of 20 prisoners from American custody.

The situation became personal when Tom Collins, a former colleague of Jake’s, recognized Jessica on the ransom tape and discreetly tipped him off. Realizing that he was the only one who could rescue his daughter and Sara, Jake reluctantly re-entered the world of espionage. An old acquaintance, Leon Washington (CIA agent), put him in touch with Soku, internal security chief for General Jantapan, a rebel military leader seeking to dominate Thailand’s power structure.

As Jake navigated this treacherous landscape, he found himself facing a myriad of threats from all directions. Unbeknownst to him, his own government had plans to take out the Abu Karaf using the Thai army, and they wanted no civilians involved. Seeking guidance, Jake turned to his spiritual master, Buddhist monk Paijan Paitoon, who offered to arrange a divination from the order’s oracle. With Sunti’s help, Jake enlisted Lulu, arms dealer Fitch McQuoid’s girlfriend, to steal information that would lead him to the Abu Karaf.

As he delved deeper into the mystery, Jake discovered evidence of sophisticated weaponry in a warehouse, prompting his enemies to turn their attention to Lulu. With Leon still playing both sides, Jake found himself fighting for survival as he uncovered more truths about his daughter’s disappearance and the true intentions of those involved.

As Jake’s investigation reaches a boiling point, he receives an unexpected summons from Abu Karaf to convene and assess the progress of his mission. Unraveling the tangled threads, Jake discovers that Jantapan’s machinations went far beyond a mere kidnapping plot. A cryptic reading from an ancient oracle only serves to confirm his worst fears: demonic forces are arrayed against him. Meanwhile, Jantapan’s dark arts exact a terrible toll on himself, as he unwittingly summons the malevolent spirit of a long-dead warrior demon, which takes up residence within his own being.

Jake and Sunti pay a visit to Mongkol, the enigmatic leader of Abu Karaf, only to find that Jantapan has been secretly orchestrating a campaign of terror and manipulation since the events of September 11, 2001. Mongkol reveals that Jantapan’s true intention was to eliminate his competitors in the lucrative drug and arms trade by framing the Abu Karaf for the kidnapping of Jessica and Sarah. With this knowledge, Jake and Sunti forge an uneasy alliance with Mongkol, working together to rescue the girls and bring Jantapan to justice.

That night, under the cover of darkness, Jake and Sunti launch a daring raid on Jantapan’s heavily guarded mansion, where the kidnapped girls are being held captive. A fierce firefight erupts as they take down two gang members guarding the cell and free Jessica and Sarah from their prison. However, their triumph is short-lived, as a group of corrupt Thai police officers arrives on the scene, leading to a brutal shootout that ultimately claims their lives at the hands of Jake and Sunti.

As the dust settles, Jake engages in a desperate battle with Jantapan himself, determined to put an end to his evil schemes once and for all. In a stunning display of martial prowess, Jake disarms and kills Jantapan, but not before discovering that he has been fatally injured in the struggle. As Sunti’s life slips away, Jake cradles him in his arms, mourning the loss of his brother and friend.

In the aftermath of the battle, a somber Buddhist funeral procession winds its way through the streets, with Jake serving as the chief mourner. In a poignant moment, he tosses Sunti’s ashes into the river, accompanied by a vision of his smiling face that lingers for a brief, bittersweet instant before fading away. As Jake stands at the water’s edge, he whispers a farewell to his fallen brother, “Goodbye, my friend.”