Slightly arrogant, the charismatic Talon Simms victoriously returns home to a “Welcome Back From College Graduate” celebration at The Hole, his ailing grandfather’s historic neighborhood bar. Talon bumps Carlos "Wiz Pops" Santiago, the club’s old school DJ, from the DJ booth, remarking, lightweight disrespectfully, that the “old ways are done, make way for the fresh!” Despite the slight, Wiz Pops and Joseph “Ole Joe” Williams, a fellow OG DJ, observe Talon’s unique and party-pumping DJ style. Talon’s skills are also noticed by a stunningly attractive, exotic stranger who “happens” to be at the celebration.

 

Over the course of the next several weeks, local bars and hang-out spots are being sold or shut-down for “violations”. Intent on taking over his grandfather’s bar and taking it up to the next level, Talon works as a flashy bartender (a la “Cocktail”) increasing the younger patronage of The Hole, but also making the

older loyal patrons feel a bit unwanted. Meanwhile, Talon’s charismatic half-brother, Jazz Garcia, a high school wrestling phenom, struggling with his gender identity as well as his opioid addiction triggered from a devastating wrestling injury in his senior year, becomes increasingly reclusive. Despite pleadings from his mother to help Jazz, Talon, uncomfortable with his brother’s sexuality and unwilling to tarnish his clean rep, remains conveniently “too busy” at the bar to be of much support to his brother.

 

Shortly thereafter, the exotic “stranger” walks in and offers Talon a well-paid position with Shark Attack, a national entertainment company known for its savvy and envelope-pushing marketing, as well as its aggressive neighborhood regentrification tactics. Impetuously, Talon takes the job as Community

Engagement Director. Talon’s “purpose” -- to smooth the way for Shark Attack’s opening of its own entertainment facility – becomes a bit more understood, once it becomes public that Shark Attack has been behind the buy-outs or, for the more resistant owners, influencing local politicos to shut their bars down for health violations.

 

Intoxicated by the influence and nouveau riche lifestyle of his new job, and promised that his grandfather’s bar will be spared the attention of Shark Attack, Talon becomes an adept “Kellyanne Conway” for Shark Attack, but increasingly loses the respect of the community residents, including his loyal, girl-next-door girlfriend, Ciara Silva. Catching him with Peach Tango (the “exotic stranger”), who happens to be Shark Attack’s ravishing, but diabolical Regional Director of Development, Ciara leaves Talon along with some sobering advice –

 

“They will take your soul and what is most dear to you.”