As a parting shot, fired reporter Ann Mitchell prints a fake letter from unemployed "John Doe," who threatens suicide in protest of social ills. The paper is forced to rehire Ann and hires John Willoughby to impersonate "Doe." Ann and her bosses cynically milk the story for all it's worth, until the made-up "John Doe" philosophy starts a whole political movement.

A man breaks into a suburban house and ties up the owner as hostage, believing him to be the mass murderer who killed his young daughter. But not just a regular serial killer-this man may be a for real monster who is using the internet to capture his victims. And he then begins to introduce his captor to his world.