Name: Kyle Zethembe Pontius
Codename: Zulu
Birthplace: Detroit, MI
Birthday: October 18
Vital Statistics
Age: 33
Height: 7'0"
Weight: 237 lbs.
Eye Color: Brown
Hair Color: Black
Blood Type: B-
Distinguishing Features
Tattoos: Marine Corps emblem, upper left chest
Scars: GSW wound, left shoulder blade; shrapnel wounds, outer right thigh
Other: N/A
Personal Data
Strengths: Outwardly, many find Kyle to seem cool, stoic, even intimidating in his sheer presence - he carries himself with a confidence and grace that is rarely seen except among the corporate elite. This is enhanced by his usual manner of dress, often found in dark, hand-tailored suits with silk shirts and ties. A low, almost musical voice speaking in cultured tones and a gift for smooth talking with nearly any type of person gives him an edge in the boardroom and in public, but there is no weakness here - when needs be he can be as ruthless as any corporate shark or power player in existence. Underneath that, however, is a noble heart, a true believer in good and facing down the forces of evil at work in this world in whatever way he might be able, be it giving a hot meal out to the homeless to setting up contributions to charities and humanitarian causes.
Weaknesses: For some reason, he has a soft spot for blondes and hard-luck cases, but woe betide the person he finds using those things to their advantage.
Relatives: Alexander Pontius (father, deceased); Darius Pontius (brother, deceased); Simphiwe Pontius (mother(NPC))
Relationships: None
Known Adversaries: None
Known Allies: Leo Heracleides (subordinate, chief of security); Edward Batten (employer)
Standard Equipment
Item Name: Central Computer Portable User Interface
Item Description: Comparable in width and length to a paperback book, but only a few millimeters thick and made of a substance that resembles black-bordered clear glass, Kyle - like his boss - never goes anywhere without this tablet. The operating system is a simple multi-touch user interface coupled with a very powerful transceiver uplink that can connect remotely to Batten Industries' central control computer from virtually anywhere. The tablet is biometrically encoded to Kyle and can only be activated and used by him.
Item Name: Glock G31C (with 3 spare clips)
Item Description: A .357 SIG variant of the full-sized Glock 22, Kyle keeps this all-black pistol loaded with hollow-points in 17 round clips, giving it sufficient stopping power to drop anything up to a medium-sized deer in its tracks with a single shot.
Background Information
Factoids: The cool facade and even, cultured way of talking are a far cry from the man that lies beneath, and even further from the boy's roots. His father was a police officer descended from free African-Americans dating back to the days of colonial America, while on his mother's side his ancestry can be traced back to a man named Shaka Kasenzangakhona, a tribal leader of the Zulu nation best known for his brutal leadership and military genius. However, Kyle's brains and ability don't stem from genetics, but rather from pushing himself to his limits, applying hard work and determination towards an end.
History: Born in Detroit, Michigan, Kyle himself was born into a family of mixed traditions.
His mother was descended from Africans that emigrated to the United States in the 60s, fleeing the tyranny of Apartheid. His father, however, came from a long line of law enforcement tradition, dating back for generations. Both were good people, and loving parents, doting on their son Kyle when he was born, as they would his younger brother Darius when he would be born four years later, never favoring one over the other.
It was the perfect picture of American life, or very nearly. Alex Pontius had married his wife well after becoming an officer of the Detroit Police Department, and she knew and respected his profession - it was one of the things she loved most about him, despite the dangers and odd shifts cops sometimes work. Even for a woman of formidable strength and tradition from an equally strong people, she almost worshiped her husband.
This was not simply due to profession, or physical stature, good looks, or even sexual prowess, but because of the man's heart and strength of conviction. It was one of many things his elder son would remember about his father, a part of the drive that would come in later years.
When Kyle was ten his father was promoted from being a 'beat cop' to the gang violence unit, at his own request. He'd joined the police department not just to enforce the law, but to help those people that he could. And he was very good at his job - in each case he was assigned to he could reduce violence, bring a cooler head to situations where violence was usually the prevailing theme. A man that couldn't bear to see young people killing each other over pointless concepts, he could bring it down to their level, walk the walk and talk the talk. It earned him respect, a right to walk where a lot of cops wouldn't dare.
Unfortunately, it's also what got him killed. Four years after being transferred to the unit, Alex Pontius was killed in the line of duty by a hitman for helping out a street kid going my the moniker Squint, whose real name was Nathan Pembridge III, a runaway from a well-off family that Alex exposed as being involved in criminal activities.
Kyle had just turned fourteen, a freshman in high school, and up until then the best that could have been said would be that he was average in just about every respect. The death of his father, however, made him step up. No one might have been able to really tell up until that point, but the boy idolized his father in every respect, but had been forced to do it from a distance that seems to happen with every law enforcement officer and their family. With him gone, the shoes were left for Kyle to fill as best he could.
The Detroit police department had a fund for the widows and orphans of law enforcement officers, and between that and state assistance they managed, barely, for the next year, until Darius was killed. The younger brother, perhaps thinking his father's reputation might protect him, began hanging with a bad crowd, and was killed in an act of random street violence. He had been playing basketball at the time.
It was something for which Kyle would never be able to fully forgive himself. He had been doing homework, determined to excel so he might one day get the three of them away from this meager existence, studying.
It was just another catalyst for him. The guilt over not being with his little brother, for failing to protect him, was a wound that would never fully heal, but he used it to push himself harder.
His mother never laid any blame on him. A loving, strong and willful woman, she refused to hear him speak of his blame. 'He wasn't doing anything wrong, Kyle, and neither were you. You did not push him to play with those boys, you did not pull the trigger on the gun. You must focus, make yourself better. Make yourself doubly good, for the both of you.'
And so he did. He pushed himself harder than ever, taking night courses for extra credits, finishing high school a year early. His meteoric academic rise, along with the boy's physical size and grace, got the attention of several prestigious schools whom offered him rich scholarships. He eventually chose MIT, moving to Boston while his mother stayed in Detroit.
Once again he applied himself, and once again he was rewarded. He filled his days and nights with studies, working in three different areas of study at once, seemingly tireless. He did enjoy his studies, perhaps, and made many and varied friends while he was there among faculty and students alike. But behind it all, driving him onward, were the spirits of his father and brother, their memories burned in his mind.
Six years later, he graduated from MIT with two bachelor's degrees and a master's, among the top students in history at the school. Looking beyond school, however, required thoughts towards a career, and he looked towards the military. His reasons were never really clear to him, save that perhaps afterwards there was the possibility of working for one of the government's law enforcement agencies, the FBI or CIA, or even Homeland Security.
It would be the Marines he chose - not for the money, or the officer's training program, but because he found in them a code he could relate to, honorable and true. It was a brotherhood, as well, to be a part of, something he could be included in, something to be proud of.
He served for four years, attaining the rank of Captain before his term was up. They had given him what he needed, and they had from him what they wanted. Leaving the Marines behind, he put his resume out to the private sector.
The very next day, he was contacted by one Edward Batten from a company called Batten Technologies, as it was then.
It was the start of something glorious, ambitious and righteous.
That was six years ago. It all started from death and injustice...now it's evolved into a mission.