Chris, The antagonist character makes 2 chapter appearances in a 44-chapter book although that might change. Due to the POV, I am seriously constrained to not reveal any of the character's thoughts, actions, or attitudes as he is not the focus character and the POV is as tight as I can make it on the protagonist.
The focus might widen out a bit in the next book so I can show certain motivations and characteristics of the "bad guys", but they don't think they're bad guys at all. They firmly hold to the belief that what they tried to do was right and morally responsible (right up until and to the point where someone within their organization gives the order to try to kill the protagonist and sends out the hit team). They believe they simply did not anticipate all the consequences and made a scientific mistake. Mistakes happen all the time in science, especially important scientific research so they think they can fix the problem and are working to do so (another antagonist character makes this statement to the protagonist about third or halfway through the book).
I'm just thinking that, since this particular antgonistic character is so well-positioned, has wormed his way into the protagonist's confidence, and is fairly powerful and respected in his own right, he might be perfectly positioned to become a very powerful and perhaps, morally ambiguous, main antagonist towards the protagonist, in subtle and non-obvious (until he has to become obvious) ways.
Yeah, I am doing a little brainstorming here too and using this forum and you folks to help me clarify my thoughts before diving back into my current rewrite.
Thanks! (?)
The focus might widen out a bit in the next book so I can show certain motivations and characteristics of the "bad guys", but they don't think they're bad guys at all. They firmly hold to the belief that what they tried to do was right and morally responsible (right up until and to the point where someone within their organization gives the order to try to kill the protagonist and sends out the hit team). They believe they simply did not anticipate all the consequences and made a scientific mistake. Mistakes happen all the time in science, especially important scientific research so they think they can fix the problem and are working to do so (another antagonist character makes this statement to the protagonist about third or halfway through the book).
I'm just thinking that, since this particular antgonistic character is so well-positioned, has wormed his way into the protagonist's confidence, and is fairly powerful and respected in his own right, he might be perfectly positioned to become a very powerful and perhaps, morally ambiguous, main antagonist towards the protagonist, in subtle and non-obvious (until he has to become obvious) ways.
Yeah, I am doing a little brainstorming here too and using this forum and you folks to help me clarify my thoughts before diving back into my current rewrite.
Thanks! (?)