This page displays the main characters of This Side of Eden’s Gate.
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| Character Image Order by First Name |
Relationship | Character Description | ||
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The husband of Naomi (Yehuda) Yosef, the father of Sasha, and the son-in-law of Sari Yehuda & Dr. Moshe Yehuda. |
Abraham Yosef is the husband of Naomi. They are the parents of their young son, Sasha.
He openly served in the Israeli Army as a bureaucrat. This position provided cover and travel arrangements to perform his actual duty, that of a special forces officer. He spent his entire military career leading a team of fierce and highly trained warriors who travelled the world protecting fellow citizens. Most of their operations were carried out while those they served knew nothing of their efforts. He’s recently retired and now leads the life of a small business owner. He and Naomi recently purchased a street-side cafè, which they run as a family operation. It’s hard work, with long hours, but he enjoys the changes - the quiet routine, time with family, and not worrying about the safety of others. He has restrained from telling his wife about his military history in order to protect her. He determined the less she knew, the better for her safety and that of their precious Sasha. |
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Chief Warrant Officer Two, Aiden Plank is a helicopter pilot for The U.S. Army.
He grew up in Enterprise, Alabama, where his father served in The U.S. Army as an instructor at Fort Rucker (home of Army Aviation) - training helicopter pilots. He played high school football for the Enterprise Wildcats, and though he played well enough to garner several football scholarship offers from smaller schools, he accepted a ROTC scholarship to attend Louisiana State University. Once he graduated from LSU, he returned to Fort Rucker and The Army Aviation Flight School. He’s now in his mid-thirties, and flies transport missions for international bureaucrats from The United Nations who participate in peace-keeping operations. |
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Alphus Moleck is in his early fifties. He grew up in White Plains, New York, then attended Ithaca College, where he majored in Philosophy.
Once he graduated with a Master’s Degree, his parents arranged for a post with The World Bank. His subsequent 20 year career dealt with Reproductive Rights in the bank’s Public Administration and Health Sector. He established connections around the world during his travels - connections established through financial favors he arranged while managing projects. Once Moleck left his post with the bank, he started an abortion advocacy group specializing in lobbying for abortion rights, public assistance for abortions, and the pushing of Christian organizations to support euthanasia and abortion programs. He called in those many favors from his time with The World Bank, and quickly raised a large amount of money. Within a few years, he managed to consolidate abortion advocacy groups around the world into a very powerful organization. He formed educational teams to impact the curricula of elementary, intermediate, and high schools around the world, and organized international unions to promote his teachings. He also uses his influences with the leadership of various labor unions to push legislative bodies toward the same agenda. |
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The fiancè of Gregg Hampton, friend of Corey Trent. |
Amanda Gillespie is a senior at Liberty University, where she studies early childhood development. She has a strong interest in music and has taken many classes in that area as well.
During their freshman year, she met Gregg Hampton while they worked at a 1950s-styled diner near the school named, Doc’s Place. She and Jack are now engaged to be married. She’s the daughter of a pastor, and followed in his footsteps by attending Liberty. She’s very feminine, but loves to roughhouse due to her three older brothers. |
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The husband of Grace Manchester, and the uncle of Geoffrey Manchester. |
Andrew and Grace Manchester are the uncle and aunt of graduating Senior, Geoffrey Manchester. Andrew is the older brother of Webster Manchester, Geoffrey’s father.
As a young man, Andrew left the family business, and moved to St. Louis. There, he started a bookstore, and met his eventual wife Grace. Family members spurned him for turning his back on the opportunities they offered. Private schools, an Ivy League education were what his family wanted for him, followed by a position within the family-owned import business. Instead, he desired peace of mind, thoughtful contemplation, discussions with others, study of history, and writing. These were his passions. Most of the family looked at the financial struggles he and Grace faced as justification for the life he tossed away. Little did they know, Grace and he shared a very happy life, working side-by-side in their bookstore until children came. Even then, Grace was able to help part-time once they converted a storeroom into a nursery and play area. Grace was a lifelong Christian, and her philosophy of needs versus wants was only one of several lessons eventually leading Andrew to follow her to The Lord. Their nephew Geoffrey was the only family member who felt differently about his so-called eccentric Aunt Grace and Uncle Andrew. A few Summer vacations spent in St. Louis shed new light on their alternative lifestyle - leaving Geoffrey with a life-long impression. |
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A friend of Ruthie Cantwell, and the daughter of Pauline and Stephen Case. |
She has several close friends, and until recently spent a considerable amount of time with them. Six months earlier, she met Luis Gacey at a local mall. Initially, her friends thought it was so mature, and exciting that she had a boyfriend nearly 8 years older. Possessing a car, he took them wherever they wanted. They all enjoyed their time with him. He was fun.
After several weeks, his attitude changed. He demanded that Angelina stay away from her old friends. He squeezed her wrist as he explained his desires. She whimpered a bit at first, receiving a tighter grip in response, then she smiled and kissed him as she promised to comply. Her grades slipped from As and Bs to much lower. She repeatedly failed to turn in work on time. A teacher tried to ask if all was okay, but Angelina turned and sped away. Her parents noticed a difference, but disregarded it as “a stage”. Her mother ran into one of her school friends at the grocery, and asked if she knew anything. A secret vow promised months earlier to hide the fact Angelina was seeing an older man resulted in a shake of the girl’s head, followed by the lie, “I haven’t noticed any difference in Angelina”. One fateful evening, while the two attended a party held by one of Gacey’s friends, Angelina finally relented to his repeated demand that she prove her true love for him. A few weeks later, her life changed forever when she discovered her pregnancy. |
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The husband of Maxine Cavington, and the adopted father of Dr. Edward Cavington. |
The Cavingtons were the adoptive parents of young Edward Waters. Once both his parents passed away, Maggie Tindle rescued him from the government agencies by temporarily taking him into her home.
Maggie and her husband were great friends with the child’s parents. She recollected Colby, Edward’s father, was close friends with Ansel Cavington. The Cavingtons had two boys who were students at The Stone Towers Academy, and both were ready to graduate during the next few years. As younger boys, both took an interest in learning how to ride horses, and Colby Waters taught them. He and the boys’ father became good friends through this relationship. Once Maggie approached them and explained the tragic story, it was not difficult to convince them to adopt Edward. They did so and enrolled him into The Stone Towers Academy. |
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Employed by Virgil Peccati. |
Antoine Rossi serves as driver and bodyguard for The Peccati Family. He’s 27 years old, single, tall, muscular with a dark complexion, dresses conservatively, and is immaculate in his grooming.
Rossi is an expert marksman as well as a topnotch auto mechanic. An excellent driver of high performance autos, including evasive maneuvers. Very quiet and says little unless addressed. He’s very attentive of the surrounding environment as he constantly evaluates people and situations as part of his mission to protect the Peccati family. He anticipates the needs of those he serves, and performs duties with professional perfection. He speaks three languages, and is a fourth generation family member to serve the Peccati family in this capacity. Rossi is a member of The Sworn. |
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Employed by Donny Salerno, and the coworker of Joy. |
Arlene Mae Shannon is 21, but has the maturity and command of presence of someone 20 years older.
A week after graduating from high school, Arlene said her goodbyes to family and friends, then left West Virginia for the lure of New York City. A school trip three years earlier was enough to convince her New York was where she belonged. Upon her arrival, a few days of sightseeing were enough, and she picked up the Help Wanted sign outside Donny’s cafè. She carried it inside, laid it on the counter in front of Donny as she said, “I’m good for this. Try me out for a single day, and see if I can cut it. I’ll work for tips the first day, and if you don’t like me, you don’t lose a nickel.” She started her career with Donny that day. She’s quick on her feet, and elegant in her style. Chatty enough to make the customers feel comfortable, but not enough to be a nuisance. She’s also tough enough so everyone around knows she is no pushover. The following is a quick story illustrating her sense of toughness, compassion, and fairness … A young waitress who worked for her wept after tending to a large table of businessmen. After a couple of hours serving eight men during a business lunch, the man who paid the bill gave her a dime tip. It wasn’t the meager amount which hurt, rather the insulting way he slid it across the counter. Arlene stood near the cashier’s stand, saw what happened, and the hurt look in the eyes of the inexperienced waitress. She took the dime out of the young girl’s hand, and walked briskly into the back room. She found the man, slammed the dime down opposite him, and slid it across the table. “Here ya go bub. You can keep your lousy dime. Ya must need it pretty bad. Now get yer papers together and scram. We got tables to clean.” It turns out the cheapskate was the son-in-law of the business owner leading the meeting. He had offered to pay the lunch bill, and collected money from the other seven, including an appropriate tip amount. Between the table and the cashier, he pocketed most of the intended tip. The men exchanged words over the embarrassing situation, and the others made apologies to the waitress. The following week, the same group returned for their next lunch meeting minus the troublemaker. The younger waitress refused to serve them out of embarrassment, but Arlene insisted. Later in the day, Arlene saw a big smile on her young employee, and a pocket full of change to go with the smile. |
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A partner of Detective Greer MacPherson, and a colleague of Detective Earl Fuller. |
Belinda Murtaugh is in her mid-thirties. She’s a detective for the Columbus Police Department. Once she joined the Columbus Force, she worked for two years as part of a drug interdiction program, then transferred to a counter-terrorism team.
She grew up in Erie, Pennsylvania, studied criminal justice in college, then moved to Columbus to join their department. Tough as nails, she quickly gained a reputation as a reliable detective. She knows and follows regulations chapter and verse - to the irritation of some of her colleagues. |
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Employed by Nicoli Mancuso. |
Benny Figueroa is in his late twenties. He serves The Sworn as a system administrator within their secured facility, where he oversees projects maintaining the software on the thousands of systems throughout The Inner Sway.
Benny grew up knowing what it meant to serve The Peccatis as both his parents are lifelong members of The Sworn. He showed a great aptitude while still a young teen, so his education was adjusted to focus all attention on his eventual occupation. He worked hard, and he worked smart. His managers recognized his efforts, and he was rewarded with advancement. Recently he obtained a promotion to the lead manager for all System Administration - one of five positions reporting directly to The Sway’s Operations Manager, Nicoli Mancuso. He responded by doubling his efforts to prove he was worthy of the new assignment. Feeling that after several months of killing himself during his new job, he decided to reward himself by pursuing a love life - something he previously denied himself while concentrating on his career. A young lady named Stefani caught his eye. She waits on tables at a local diner he frequents. Her flirting resulted in his emotions overriding the mental toughness and training he had absorbed his entire life. She was not part of The Sworn, and any such relationship would not be tolerated by those who encompass his life - even more so now with his new responsibilities. Any relationship would be highly risky, but day and night, he was unable to shake her voice from his mind. |
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Employees Julia Winston at The Stone Towers Academy. |
Dr. Bernard Crowne is serving his sixth year as the Headmaster of The Stone Towers Academy.
Once he graduated with a Master’s Degree in American History from The University of Georgia, he spent three years walking and biking the eastern half of The United States. Initially he planned to take time off to hike The Appalachian Trail; however, once he finished the hike, and returned to Georgia, he decided to stay on the road. He took photographs, and wrote about the different areas he observed, often stopping to interview the local people. Once into The Midwest, he decided to purchase a bicycle, and spent the balance of his trip pedaling along the back roads of America. He published his interviews and essays along with selective photographs. For years to come, his publication continued as a favorite among fellow travelers who desired to replicate his journey. Many referred to him as a modern day Alexis de Tocqueville, a Frenchman who also traveled throughout America during the late 1700s, writing about the people, countryside, and cities within the young country. Crowne is tall, athletic, 43 years old, and married to Laura with two young children. |
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Serves as key a aid to Seleucus. |
Bineil is in his mid-twenties, and with a very athletic, rugged build. He is of Assyrian heritage, and from a family of craftsmen.
From an early age, he received instruction in sculpting, painting, and most of all, the construction of artistic homes and places of business that feature the Assyrian culture. His name is Assyrian for Builder, and is named after his paternal grandfather. Both his parents are members of The Sworn, as were his grandparents, aunts and uncles. The village he is from is made up of many who serve in a similar manner. Though he was forbidden to tell anyone other than his parents, he was filled with great pride once selected to serve directly for The Peccati Family during their dedication ceremony in the shadows of Bab-el. |
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United States Air Force Captain Blake Seaver is in his early 60s, and serves as the commander of a reconnaissance mission in The Middle East.
He grew up in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, where his father was a civilian working for The Air Logistics Center located at Tinker Air Force Base. A scholarship for the ROTC program at The University of Oklahoma helped pay for his education. A few years earlier - after serving in The Air Force for 35 years, he considered retiring. By this time, the two sons he and his wife raised were married and starting their own families. Before he had the time to make a final decision about retirement, his wife developed leukemia, resulting in a leave of absence from the Air Force. She passed away only three months after her diagnosis. Her death brought him to his knees, and he seriously thought about not returning to his command. However his sons convinced him to return to his career, knowing life outside the regime of the military would impact him negatively. His assignment to The Middle East and the recon unit was very satisfying, and the time passed. However, at least once a day, he briefly weeps over his grief. He misses his wife, and frequently ponders about the lost time between them during his career. Guilt eats at his stomach as he considers the sacrifices she made during the long stretches of single motherhood. Smiles embrace him when he thinks of the marvelous job she did as a loving Christian mother - resulting in two fine men for whom he often received too much credit. In reality, he was a loving, caring father who more than made up for lost time when opportunity arose. The frequent letters, emails, and pictures meticulously prepared were held as treasures by his boys. Melancholy strikes him frequently of late, but locked doors and pulled blinds allow him to continue as he bears the mantle of a warrior unabated. |
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Along with Carrie Perkins and Calvin Morgan, helps with escape of Roberta (Byrd) Gander, Peter Gander, Sarah Gander, Josh Gander, and Dr. Mike Yates. |
Brother Billy is a warrior, and has served The Christian Underground his entire adult life in that capacity.
He’s an expert in disguise - drastically altering his physical appearance for years at a time as part of his service. He’s an expert in classical styles of Martial Arts, and a specialist in the use of many weapons. For many years Billy drove a freight truck throughout The Midwest, delivering freight, talking to others along the way about Jesus Christ, and aiding those in need. He helped organize the network secretly assisting those needing protection from The Peccatis. Early in his career, he served as a personal guard for Ezra and Joy. One adventure he participated in began the day a young lady nervously approached him outside a Greek cafè where she quietly revealed the location of her home, and the fact Joy and a severely injured Ezra were there in hiding. Billy no longer drives a truck, though he continues to travel a regular circuit of truck stops, hitching rides from drivers he’s known for years. He continues to meet people, working on his network of friends, and talking with many about their faith. Everyone knows Billy as a quiet, meek, seemingly frail older man - at least that’s his personae. |
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The husband of Jackie Talmadge, the father of Robby Talmadge, and the brother of Victor Talmadge. |
Bryce Talmadge is the father of Robby, his only child. He is 63 years old, and with a slight build with the exception of an oversized belly.
He graduated from The Stone Towers Academy, as did his younger brother Victor. He attended Lehigh University, and graduated with a degree in Industrial Engineering shortly after World War II. A short stay at Princeton University cut short graduate school, which he decided was not for him. Family influences got him a position with General Electric, where he entered the engineering intern program. This called for him to spend six months at various divisions within the corporation over the course of three years. After the final position, he would choose where to spend the rest of his career. For Bryce, each six-month stint was about as long as he lasted before his supervisors tired of his performance. Assignments at the locomotive, power generation, and lighting divisions were all he managed. He later declared, “General Electric was not for him”, but in reality, he quit just before termination. After his father fell into bad health, Bryce decided for the good of the family, he would step in, and run the family business. He spent most of his time looking for a buyer of the company started by his grandfather. The one thing he ever endeavored with a full heart led to the successful acquisition by a market rival. The sale generated enough money; he never again had to work, which suited him fine. Bryce now spends his time managing his inheritance and proceeds from his father’s business. Golf, parties, alcohol, and travel consume his life. He met his wife Jackie at the age of 39, and they married a year later. |
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The husband of Millie (Pearl) Morgan. |
Millie and Calvin Morgan live on a farm outside Rensselaer, Indiana - about halfway between Indianapolis and Chicago. Most of their land is leased to local farmers while Calvin spends most of his time driving his truck.
They met in their twenties at a restaurant. Each was with a group of friends celebrating their birthday. When the two groups realized each had a birthday celebrant, they decided to combine the parties. They married two years later, then moved onto the farm Calvin inherited from his grandfather. A few years later they accepted an invitation from a friend to attend a local church, which led to them both joining the Christian network. |
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Along with Brother Billy and Calvin Morgan, assists with the escape of Roberta (Byrd) Gander, Peter Gander, Sarah Gander, Josh Gander, and Dr. Mike Yates. |
Carrie Perkins has a captivating smile and way of laughing that endears her to those she meets. Without sounding childish, her giggle and gentleness are assets that make her very popular at Dusty’s Truckstop.
She spent several years in the U.S. Air Force as an auditor, then began her time at Dusty’s once she left the service. Shortly after starting at Dusty’s, she met Millie and Calvin Morgan. After getting to know her, they recommended her to the leaders of the Christian network. |
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Employees producer DarnellAdler. |
Chauncey Brisbane is in his late 40s, though he appears much younger. He’s fairly thin with long black hair, and a thin moustache.
Brisbane started out as Alfred Riggins, but switched his name in his early 20s as part of his personality reconstruction. He ran away from home at the age of 15, and headed for the warmth of Orlando, Florida in order to escape the cold of Flint, Michigan. He hustled on the streets by performing magic and juggling in front of crowds of vacationers. For several years he alternated between New York City during the Summer and Orlando during the Winter. He made a decent income from his street performances and scamming money from those foolish enough to bet on his sleight-of-hand card tricks. He also mentored several paying students who he taught how to pick pockets along the subways of New York City. From an early age he had an impressive baritone voice that caught the attention of others. He realized his vocal talent early on and spent considerable time practicing to improve his projection, fullness of voice, and diction. He developed a following, and eventually earned his big break when asked to host an outdoor concert. From that time on, his street life was history. He quickly rose in popularity, and soon reached international fame as “The World’s Grand Host”. He has a reputation of entertaining and celebrating with young people. He donates large amounts of money to children’s causes, but he has a dark side as part of his motivation. Persistent rumors of inappropriate behavior are squashed by his handlers and legal team. More than once, threats of violence were implied by teams of men delivering large amounts of money to parents of children who made public pronouncements of his attacks. One case led to the mysterious death of an entire family, and though an investigation followed, no direct connection to Brisbane materialized. Once he reached 35, he developed a fanatical habit of plastic surgery and other methods to sustain his youthful appearance. He maintains a staff of three people who daily apply and maintain his makeup, others who prepare meals for his special diet, and physical training - all to withstand the onslaught of age. A few years ago, he met Vitis Peccati during a private meeting. This initial session turned into a series of gatherings, during which he was brought into the Peccati fold. After this, a good career exploded into that of a phenom. |
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Serves as a key aid to Seleucus. |
Clinton Swalin is the director of security for The Enterprise Computing Center located in Martinsburg, West Virginia - an operation known to process tax filings for The U.S. Federal Government. He oversees the security administration for both the facility and its massive computer network.
During a major expansion of the computing center, Swalin oversaw the design, development, and implementation of the new building, the network management systems, the cable infrastructure, and the encrypted wireless communication network. The federal government used the expansion of the existing tax-processing center as a cover to conceal the true mission of the new building - the covert surveillance of the American people and international persons of interest. The purpose of this project was to consolidate the government’s multiple data gathering centers used to fuel the ProMIS environment. Few within the project team realize the expansion and consolidation project was part of a larger plan to eventually integrate international agencies into the highly classified ProMIS sphere of reporting - a move which would greatly upset many American citizens and governmental leaders if news of this collaboration became public. During the work on the sprawling new building, Swalin worked closely with the building contracting agency, a division of Vermillion-Rimmon Industries, and other members of The Sworn to secretly construct the expansive underground facility housing The Son of ProMIS superstructure. The government’s top secret designation and the Special-Need-to-Know compartmentalization provided the opportunity for the workers to veil the construction of the massive floors housing the trillions of optical processors needed to fuel Peccati’s conspiracy. Swalin transitioned from the building project to the director of computer security once construction reached completion. He now enjoys the fruits of his many years of dedicated service to The Peccati Family. Day to day business runs very smoothly. He has a cushy federal job with a large staff of direct reports who he delegates most of his responsibilities to, and The Son of ProMIS operation was designed to be totally self-reliant. Ross Fitch provides all the information required by the Peccati security force, and his only real task is to provide cover for the curriers who memorize the daily consolidated reports. |
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The husband of Janine Walters, and the biological father of Dr. Edward Cavington. |
Colby and Janine Waters were the biological parents of Dr. Edward Cavington. They lived in a cottage on the school grounds of Stone Towers where they worked as the school’s curators.
He took care of the grounds and maintenance of the buildings. He also tended to and trained the horses. She looked after the vegetable garden used to supplement the school’s food supply. She also raised chickens and geese to provide a supply of fresh eggs. During the course of a year, they both died when their son, Edward, was a young child. Their friend Maggie Tindle, who worked in the school’s kitchen, helped make adoption arrangements for the young Edward with the Cavington family. |
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The son of Carmella & Virgil Peccati, the husband of Maureen Peccati, the father of Cyril Peccati, and the grandfather of Vitis Peccati. |
Constantine is the only child of Virgil and Carmella Peccati. He is tall for his age and athletic. He learned well from his father and Seleucus about body language. His eyes are unwavering and focused during conversations with others.
He Remembers the smallest details when interacting with others, and uses this ability effectively. He senses when another is telling an untruth, and his unnaturally blue eyes quietly sear during any verbal confrontation. He has few peers in academics, and is an extreme combatant during any athletic activity. Despite his personal dominance of those around him, he is immensely popular with his classmates and teachers. Constantine has no one he calls a close friend, yet many desire to call him one of their own. The study sessions he and Seleucus share in private only adds to his mystic. |
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A good friend of Gregg Hampton and the boyfriend of Noelle Strauss |
Corey Trent is in his early twenties, and lives with his parents. His uncle on his mother’s side is Dr. Wayne Rapp, Director of Information Operations for Michaelson Integrated Asset Management.
Corey attends college, where he studies chemistry with hopes of becoming a pharmacist. He works at the school as a tutor to earn additional income. He briefly dropped out of school when his parents could no longer pay for his tuition. His family managed for a while after the Peccati collapse, but what remained of their savings dwindled until they had to choose between keeping their house or Corey’s school. They wept when they broke the news to him. Rapp respected their privacy by not wading in with his financial resources to bail them out after the financial collapse. He dearly loved his sister and her family, but he also understood their desire to live their own life, and under their terms. However, after Corey had to withdraw from school, Rapp approached them, and offered a loan to Corey to cover the funds needed for him to finish his degree and pharmacy school. To these conditions, they agreed, and Corey returned to school the next term. |
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The son of Maureen & Constantine Peccati and the father of Vitis Peccati. |
Cyril Peccati is the only child of Constantine and Maureen Peccati. He’s not as tall as his father, but thick and sturdy. His course black hair and olive complexion give him a rustic appearance, even at an early age.
He learned well from his father and Seleucus concerning their special skills of communication. Like his father, his eyes stay focused and steely. His father uses an intimidating physical presence and body language during confrontational situations. Cyril learned this technique as well, but also perfected the artful use of language. Though science is his passion, he is a gifted wordsmith. He excels in academics as well as athletics, is rather popular with his peers and teachers, but not so much as his father. Part of this is due to a level of mistrust of those who get to know him. His ability with language serves him well in many situations, however, it’s also a source of aggravation to those who have their thoughts and comments twisted. He largely keeps to himself when possible. Since sixth grade, he spends much of this time in a small private lab provided by the school, and through the urging of Seleucus. |
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Employed by Ezra. |
Dana MacDermot is a security officer for The Christian Underground. She currently serves as an escort - assigned to the new visitors, and is the on-call agent 24 hours a day.
She has an unusual amount of energy. No matter when her duties arise, she is always at the ready. She is very quiet, and only speaks when addressed by others. She is attractive, with short auburn hair, hazel eyes, and nearly flawless facial features, very sturdy in her manner of walking, yet at the same time, very feminine. She’s an expert in martial arts and firearms, and helps train others in her unit. Her superiors rely upon her for the most difficult and important assignments. |
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Producer for Chauncey Brisbane. |
Darnell Adler is a well-known and highly respected production engineer. He attended The New York Institute of Technology - spending many hours in the Computer Graphics Lab where he worked with some of the pioneers of computer graphics and animation technology.
He participated in the co-op program in which a student alternates between semesters of academic study and fulltime employment in a production environment. During one of his co-op stints, he helped with some of the grunt work on the “Luxo Jr.” project - a two minute computer animated short story featuring two desk lamps playing with a ball. The now-famous film was developed as a technology demonstration to illustrate new methods in computer animation. It received an Academy Award nomination, and opened eyes to a new industry. Darnell enjoyed his studies with animation, but his heart led him to concentrate on special effects. He continued his hobby, and his passion - making real-life movies using enhanced production techniques with digital imagery. He included his friends in his amateur productions, spending months storyboarding scenes, writing scripts, and especially post-production effects. He became quite good in his work, and what started out as a pastime, turned into groundwork that paved the way for his early career. He caught the eye of well-known technologists, who had many young students to choose from, but his work stood out compared to his peers. Once he got his break, his knowledge of computer software, and technical savvy opened doors for him. He rode the wave of early computer-based technology used to add special effects to movies. He realized that though the technology was not yet mature, it would eventually rise in speed and sophistication to one day replace the technique of scaled models and props. He moved to San Rafael, California to join the famous Industrial Light and Magic, working on several projects, including three that won Academy Awards. He loved the work, but he spread himself too thin. Despite a great working environment, he gave himself entirely to his work, eventually suffering a mental and physical break. He left work for three months. He figured the typical choice for such a situation was a cabin in the wilderness, so that’s exactly where he went. He left his computer and all other technology behind in order to clear his mind of work. He took non-technical books to read - history, political, and philosophical books. As a result of a friend’s suggestion, he even took a copy of The Bible along with a few study guides. Once he was ready to return to work, he decided to cash in on his investments and start his own production company. Contacts in the business gave him a leg up, and he quickly formed a reputation for quality. Today, he’s still tied to his work, but all under his control, so he can pick and choose what he works on. He also became a Christian through exposure to undeniable historical evidence during one of his projects. At first, due to the nature of much of his clientele, he kept to himself until he decided he was either going to live the life of a True Believer or not. His work speaks for itself, so his customers are willing to put up with a certain amount of aggravation related to his faith. |
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The husband of Tricia Cusher. |
Dave Cusher is The Senior Pastor of New Hope Community Church, and the husband of Tricia.
As a young man, he formed a five-pastor team while he finished his doctorate in seminary school. He spent his last year of school picking and training the four undergraduate students. He chose those who were studious, worked well together, prayed hard, and often, but especially had a love for God’s Word. During their final year of school, the team met several times a week to go over plans for their eventual church. They discussed how it should connect with the community, and grow to the point where they would purchase their own land. They agreed upon how to spend tithes, including giving 10 percent to foreign missions. They planned to eventually construct a new building once they paid for the land, expand, then grow into a mature church, eventually starting to plant, and sponsor new churches with support spawned by the parent organization. They planned to raise young people within their church, to sponsor them in their studies, so they could return as future leaders. Every week, they met to plan sermons, music, dramatic productions, missions to sponsor, short-term mission trips, small group development, leadership training, a Sunday School curriculum, and an elementary school curriculum. Laughed at by many on campus, everywhere Cusher traveled on campus, he carried his folders of sketches, spreadsheets, notes, viewgraphs, and prayer journals. He earned the nickname Viewgraph Dave. Many years later, a former professor and department head of the seminary spoke at New Hope. He told the congregation the story of how these five young men saw their future, and in particular, how Dave Cusher molded the team. He spoke of how many of the other students, even some of the professors used to poke good-natured fun at Cusher’s troupe, especially concerning their grandiose and idealistic plans. Ending his speech and to drive home his final point, the guest speaker leaned heavily onto the podium, took his glasses off, gently folded them together, then used them to point to the audience when he said, “20 years later, Cusher and his band of brothers are no longer laughed at. Instead, other Church leaders from around the country come to New Hope or our Seminary to find out how to do it right. They read the six books written by Cusher on church planting and planning, small group development, community outreach, leadership growth, and getting The Gospel Message into the hearts of The Lost. No sir, they no longer laugh.” Rod Michaelson, his longtime friend and mentor then stepped from behind the curtain to present him with an achievement award from their seminary school. The award was a surprise, but not as much as the visit from his great friend. |
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The wife of Pastor Rance Blanchard. |
Denise Blanchard is a petite and energetic woman. She’s the wife of Rance Blanchard - the pastor of a small church in the hills of Appalachia. They moved to the area after Rance finished his seminary work at Asbury Theological Seminary.
As outsiders, who spoke a different accent, dressed differently, and just didn’t seem to fit in, they were not initially well-received by the local community. But that soon changed once the people learned of their heart for God. The passionate sermons delivered by Rance, the Bible studies led by both of them, and the earnest prayer sessions initiated by Denise soon appealed to the congregants. It became a bit of a joke that when someone brought up a troubling issue, Denise always interjected, “Well, let’s just pray about that”. During the women’s study sessions, it was common for her to say the phrase at least once. Soon, the others anticipated the comment, and learned to join in a chorus of, “Let’s just pray about that”. One member of her study group was Debbie Gee, the mother of Tommy. They became very great friends, spending many mornings together drinking tea or coffee. They discussed many things during each visit, but they ended each session with prayer and praise for the God they loved. |
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The producer for talk show host Rosa Quinlan. |
Denny Roundtree is the producer for Rosa Quinlan’s netcast talk show. He started his career with her immediately after graduating from Cleveland State University’s School of Communication.
Prior to bringing Denny on board, Rosa handled all the production work herself, but as her show grew with more sponsors, and a wider audience, she needed assistance. Rosa liked Denny’s youthful energy and knowledge of current technology - an area in which she realized her deficiency during the job interview. Once he was brought on board, he automated much of her business - the revenue stream and contracts from advertisers, and contact relationship management with potential guests. He also revamped her outdated equipment. The two became great friends during their work together. Rosa made it a point to shut down operations each Thanksgiving holiday so she could travel to Denny’s home in Cleveland. Never one to cook much for herself, Rosa looked forward to the holiday meal, and especially the time with a large, loving family. |
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The wife of Silas Gander, the sister-in-law of Roberta (Byrd) Gander & Peter Gander, and the aunt of Sarah Gander & Josh Gander. |
Diane is the wife of Silas Gander.
She was born in Raleigh, North Carolina, and was raised in a loving home with her mother and father. All that changed the day her father died in the line of duty. He was a police officer in the Raleigh Police Department, and answered a call for a domestic dispute. He and his partner were shot, and both died at the scene. The killer escaped to another part of the country. The reported domestic dispute turned out to be a hoax, and presumed to have been initiated by the killer, who is believed to have broken into the house in order to set the trap. The only clue was a piece of paper reading, “That’s Two!” The killer was never identified, and the case never solved. Eight year old Diane and her mother relocated to Washington D.C. to be near family. Her mother sank into anguish, and suffered for nearly two years - thrust into the life of a single parent, trying to stay strong for her daughter, and dealing with her own grief. They lived with her aunt’s family until her mother could afford an apartment. Young Diane struggled with her mother, who worked many hours to support their family of two. When her mother wasn’t working, the two attended Church. Diane grew to resent the time Church took away from her mother. This resentful attitude grew in her heart as she reached her teenage years, then spilled over into outright rebellion. At the age of sixteen, Diane found herself in jail for the third time - accused of running into a convenient store with several friends, and stealing handfuls of items, then dashing out before anyone could respond. An attempt of tough love by her mother turned into a weekend within a cold and uncomfortable cell. Released days later, she never looked her mother in the eye, only screamed about being abandoned again. She ran home, packed a few things into a paper bag, then stormed to a friend’s house. A few weeks later, she found a job as a waitress, and dropped out of school. A few years later she met Silas, and her life turned upside-down - a life change leading to reconciling with her mother. |
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Quoted by Constantine Peccati. |
Dieter Reigns is an outspoken professor of philosophy, known for his inflammatory comments about humanity, morality, religion, and ethics.
He is a strong supporter of the non-voluntary euthanasia of adults and abortion. He advocates the right of parents to euthanize a child after birth if the child is deemed ill, mentally disabled, or physically handicapped. He’s also an advocate for animal rights, while believing there is nothing improper with bestiality as long as the “partner” suffers no harm, and one can deduce consent from its reaction. Incredibly, his peers frequently introduce Reigns as an ethicist. |
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Employer of Arlene Shannon and Joy. |
Donatello (Donny) Salerno is in his early fifties. He’s slightly overweight, but otherwise in good condition.
As a child, he learned to cook from his mother and grandmother, then helped them work at an Italian restaurant located near their neighborhood. At the age of 14, he struck out on his own, and started his cooking career at a hotel in Greenwich Village. This experience helped him when he opened his own cafè during his early thirties. Years of hard work while employed by others enabled him to save enough to open his own small place. He concentrated on the lunch business for the downtown office workers. The rent killed him, even in such a small place, but business was so good, after five years in his original location; he made enough to buy his own place with cash. |
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A business partner of Martin Van Hooten and Nathan Russell. |
Doyle Connors was one of three original founders of The Stone Towers Academy, a West Point graduate and a retired Civil War veteran. He is also a third generation military officer.
He initially worked for The United States Department of War after his discharge from the military. His duties were to teach at an institute started by the government to review and study military strategies learned from The Civil War. West Point trains their future officers in modern battle methodologies. Many graduates deployed to the battlefield during The Civil War. Ironically, in some cases, former classmates ended up doing battle against one another. As a veteran field officer, Connors was able to relate valuable information learned as theory from the academy, and compare it to how it applied practically in battle. The few years as an instructor proved to be valuable as an eventual head of a private school. It planted seeds of desire to begin a learning institution where young men could train as military and political leaders. Once he met van Hooten and Russell, plans took root to start a school of this nature. This plan became a strong passion of his, eventually spilling over to his family members. After learning of his plans, they all decided to donate their claims to the family parcels of land becoming The Stone Towers Academy campus. Stone was his mother’s family name, and was integrated into the school’s name as a tribute to her. |
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Employer of Gloria Redding. |
Duke Milken is the Regional Director for The Federal Department of Information Dissemination and Protection. He recently stepped into this position for the newly created agency.
Milken is very ambitious and indulges in the power granted by his authority. He wears very expensive clothes, and enjoys intimidating those he administers. Though he thinks himself clever enough to conceal his behavior, those around him and under his charge see right through him. Unfortunately, for them, any revelation on their part may lead to negative career advancement. He was an intelligence officer in the military, where he received rewards for his good work. However, as a citizen, he quickly learned to attract the eyes of his superiors by bullying, dirty politics, and sometimes outright criminal activity to get what he needed. When on the freeway, Milken drives his sports car wildly, secretly fantasizing about fleeing imaginary spies. He’s a very dangerous man, reckless, with tremendous power, and enjoys exploiting his position for personal pleasure. |
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Works with Detective Belinda Murtaugh and Detective Greer MacPherson. |
Detective Earl Fuller joined the Columbus Police Department after his honorable discharge from The United States Navy, then promoted to Detective five years later.
He’s from Phoenix, Arizona, where he was raised by a single father. He attended Arizona State University for two years with the intent of graduating with a degree in criminology, then shortly after starting his Junior year, he quit school to join the Navy following the attacks of 911. Once part of the police department, he completed his degree by taking classes remotely over the web. He’s known by his peers as tough, relentless, and very vocal when confronted by others. He’s well-respected, but not necessarily well-liked. |
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The biological son of Janine Waters and Colby Waters, and the adoptive son of Maxine Cavington & Ansel Cavington. |
Dr. Edward Cavington is the headmaster of The Stone Towers Academy. His parents lived on the school grounds and served as curators. Both died when he was very young. The parents of two brothers who were students at the school adopted him shortly afterwards.
As an adopted son, he was able to attend The Stone Towers Academy. The desire to achieve became an obsession with him because he felt he needed to outperform his peers. This obsession to excel continued through adulthood. Upon graduation from college, he felt compelled to return to his former school. The opportunities given him by his adopted parents fueled a desire to pay back to the school what he had received. He began as a teacher of Math and Science, eventually rising to the position of department head, then school headmaster. Cavington is of medium height and overweight. He suffers from too many dinner meetings, late nights of work, and little activity outside his school-related duties. He dresses well enough for his position at the school, but has the hair of one always in a hurry. He wears non-stylish glasses, which frequently ride his forehead, and a dress shirt - typically a size too small. Having turned 50 a few weeks earlier, Cavington never married since he felt he lacked the time to pursue a relationship. He purchases magazines telling of faraway places he only dreams of seeing in person. He is a man who masks his loneliness by engrossing himself in his work. He gains satisfaction when others comment on his dedication. |
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The great niece of Joan Annalee (Hudson) Hunt. |
Elaine Hunt is the great niece of Joan Annalee (Hudson) Hunt. She is in her early 20s and a recent graduate from a technical trade school. Her area of study was hardware and software used in electronic signal processing. Her senior project studied the manufacturing of super-compact processors used in telecommunications.
Her entire family participates in foreign missions. Some are fulltime missionaries, some organize short-term missions, and others travel to raise funds, write literature, and train others. During her years in school, Elaine traveled during breaks to South America to work with her family. She enjoyed teaching the children, leading in singing, and puppet shows. This legacy was started years earlier by Elaine’s great aunt Joan, who married Elaine’s great uncle. The two met during a seminar on mission preparation, and overcoming language/cultural barriers - taught by Joan. Elaine’s task for now is to care for her aunt, who is very frail and near death. But there are yet things on the old lady’s agenda, and Elaine is just the family member to assist. |
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The husband of Tova Zev, the friend of Dr. Scherrie Smalls & Dr. Gabe Smalls, and Rosa Quinlan. |
Rabbi Elchanan Zev is in his mid-fifties. His parents moved to The United States from Israel shortly after they were married. He was raised in the New York area, then travelled to Jerusalem for his Bar Mitzvah during his 13th birthday.
During the trip, he met his grandfather, who told him magnificent stories from his youth about Israel’s fight for freedom. His relationship with his grandfather impacted him greatly, and he returned to live in Jerusalem while he studied during his graduate work. He now teaches other young men, and is a favorite amongst his students. He has a wife named Tova. They met while volunteering to usher during performances of the Jerusalem Symphony. They both loved music, and volunteering was their way of being able to experience each performance - a tradition they continue at least once a year. |
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Husband of Mishka Malachi. |
Elisha Malachi lives a simple life with his wife, Mishka. They are both in their early 60s, and earn a living by selling fresh bread, pastries, and fruit to the tourists of Jerusalem.
Elisha was born in Israel, and raised on a farm, where he worked hard as a young man. He left home to serve in the Israeli Army, which is where he met his wife. Six days a week, he and his wife work through the night as they prepare their products, then load them onto a wooden cart. Elisha leaves before dawn - pushing his cart to find a prime spot near one of the popular locations. His favorite destination is near The Temple Mount. He usually does a very good business as many of his best customers are the other vendors who reply upon him for their daily breakfast. His wife also sells to the locals in their neighborhood from a small cafè located along the front of their home. The business is very tiring work, but they are very talented, and it allows them to spend time together doing what they love. Elisha is an accomplished guitar player. He taught himself as a young man. He brings his guitar with him each morning, and once he has everything set up properly, he pulls out a chair, then gently strums and sings between customers. |
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The classmate and coworker of Dr. Edward Cavington at The Stone Towers Academy. |
Evan Banning is the current head of The Language and Literature Department at The Stone Towers Academy, but Headmaster Cavington chose to replace him with Seleucus for the upcoming school year.
A deep-rooted history exists between Banning and Cavington. Both were students at The Stone Towers Academy, and in the same grade. Banning led a constant drumbeat of taunts aimed at the young Cavington following his adoption and admittance to the school. Both excelled in class work, but Banning made it his mission to remind their classmates of Edward’s impoverished background, giving him the nickname, Pony Boy. The scars left on Cavington’s psyche were somewhat alleviated when years later, the larger and more athletic Cavington relieved his frustrations on the athletic fields. His spirited tackles during football and rugby convinced Banning he was overmatched. By this time, Cavington also rose to the top of the academic ladder within the school. Banning’s taunts eventually fell empty and hallow on the more popular and successful Cavington. Now, both are adults, or so it seems. Even in his later years, Banning continues to look for opportunities to attack Cavington, professionally as well as personally. Thin and nebbish, one can hardly help but smile when he loses his temper. Some colleagues intentionally provoke him to provide entertainment for the others. He rarely fails to comply. |
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The great granddaughter of Mateo. |
Evangelia is in her mid-twenties. She lives in a small seaside Greek village with her grandmother and great grandfather Mateo.
She works in a gift shop that caters to the tourist population. Their village is a popular vacation and resort spot for Europeans and Americans who can still afford to travel after the economic collapse a couple of years earlier. She takes care of her elderly family members. There are cousins who live within a few miles, but they don’t help with the physical and financial needs of the elderly pair. Mateo is weak, and can no longer walk, but weather permitting; Evangelia pushes him on daily strolls through the town square, where he’s a favorite with the children. Until recently, he was able to read to them, or he’d tell from memory stories of adventure and mystery. He can no longer see well enough to read, and lacks the energy to talk, so his story telling days appear to be over. The walks through town are now mostly silent, with well-wishers stopping to gently hug him and say a few kind words. They understand the days are short for their dear friend. A few months earlier, Evangelia organized a 100th birthday party for Mateo - a celebration he greatly looked forward to. When asked to say a few words, he mumbled something about wanting to stay alive until his friend Ezra returned. The guests smiled and nodded politely, but they understood nothing of which he spoke. Evangelia loves to write stories, and follows in Mateo’s steps by sharing her tales with the children in the village. She also supplements her income by occasionally working as a story teller to the children of the tourists. Her dreams include travelling one day - to write about other lands and other people. |
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The father of Joy. |
Ezra appears to be in his mid-sixties. He’s mostly bald, and wears a hat allowing what hair remains to fluff from underneath.
One cannot help but smile when Ezra approaches. Both of his pockets are usually full of pieces of paper with notes written all over them. He often searches them for some intriguing bit of information. Every time he enters the cafè, it readily appears he has another idea to share. He enters with his hands already waving, and motioning for Donny to hand over whatever work is keeping him busy so they can talk. At first, he wore Donny a little thin with his stories of being a retired idea man with skills in marketing. Then his ideas paid off, and bit by bit, Donny grew to trust Ezra with one of the most precious things in his life, his diner. The ways to advertise, the decorations on the wall, then later, the menu. Claiming to be semi-retired, Ezra said he wanted to only continue his work and stay busy. He wanted little pay, and indicated he didn’t really need additional money. He occasionally mentioned His Treasure and its reward. It was readily apparent Ezra’s greatest desire was the company of good friends, and an occasional lunch on the house. Ezra became a very good friend. |
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The husband of Dr. Scherrie Smalls, and the broadcast partner of Rosa Quinlan, and a friend of Rabbi Elchanan Zev. |
Scherrie and Gabe Smalls met during their years of undergraduate school. She studied Electrical Engineering at The Naval Academy, and he studied Archaeology at nearby Johns Hopkins University. They married shortly after graduation, and stayed at their respective schools through doctorate programs.
She served in the Navy as a program director for an aircraft weapons management system, then retired after twenty years. After retirement, and with the time available, she attended a seminary near the university where Gabe taught. She concentrated on prophetic studies, during which time; Gabe became more and more interested in her areas of study from an archeological standpoint. They decided to combine their interests, and spent a few years building course notes to teach the material they discovered. They began a ministry and traveled throughout The United States - teaching at churches, symposiums, and creating videos of their material. They also spend several months a year traveling to The Middle East in search of archeological evidence in support of Biblical Truth. |
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Escort for Carmella & VirgilPeccati and Constantine Peccati. |
Garrett Patterson is a staff member of The United States Department of State. He is on assignment per an order of President Harry S. Truman.
Patterson is tall with short hair, and has a powerful presence. He is polite and follows protocol to the letter. He speaks directly to those he addresses, with mannerisms implying a military background. |
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The son of Kathleen Manchester & Webster Manchester, and the nephew of Grace Manchester & Andrew Manchester. |
Geoffrey Manchester is a candidate for admission to The Stone Towers Academy, receiving written acceptance to enter the school the following year.
Due to pressure to admit Constantine, Cavington needed to rescind a previous offer to one of the incoming students. Cavington chose Geoffrey, and lied to his parents through a letter of apology about the supposed mix-up in the admission paperwork. |
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Employed by Director Duke Milken. |
Gloria Redding is a security administrator for The HAVE Scarlet Stallion Program. She is 34 years old, thin with medium length brown hair, and dresses very attractively.
Upon her graduation from law school, she worked for The Department of Defense as a civilian investigator, where she spent seven years as part of a special military investigation unit. She is very professional, precise in her words as well as her paperwork, and very loyal to those she reports to. She is married to an engineer, assigned to a different program within the company. Her relationship with him influenced her to leave the investigation corp. The worldwide travel was exciting, the work invigorating, and the career enticing, but the positive attributes about her job created obstacles for a stable family life. She had an option to choose, and she selected the relationship over the glamorous job - having never regretted it. |
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The wife of Andrew Manchester, the aunt of Geoffrey Manchester, and the sister-in-law of Kathleen Webster & Webster Manchester. |
Andrew and Grace Manchester are the uncle and aunt of graduating Senior, Geoffrey Manchester. Andrew is the older brother of Webster Manchester, Geoffrey’s father.
As a young man, Andrew left the family business, and moved to St. Louis. There, he started a bookstore, and met his eventual wife Grace. Family members spurned him for turning his back on the opportunities they offered. Private schools, an Ivy League education were what his family wanted for him, followed by a position within the family-owned import business. Instead, he desired peace of mind, thoughtful contemplation, discussions with others, study of history, and writing. These were his passions. Most of the family looked at the financial struggles he and Grace faced as justification for the life he tossed away. Little did they know, Grace and he shared a very happy life, working side-by-side in their bookstore until children came. Even then, Grace was able to help part-time once they converted a storeroom into a nursery and play area. Grace was a lifelong Christian, and her philosophy of needs versus wants was only one of several lessons eventually leading Andrew to follow her to The Lord. Their nephew Geoffrey was the only family member who felt differently about his so-called eccentric Aunt Grace and Uncle Andrew. A few Summer vacations spent in St. Louis shed new light on their alternative lifestyle - leaving Geoffrey with a life-long impression. |
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The son of Heather & Ian MacPherson, and the coworker of Detective Belinda Murtaugh & Detective Earl Fuller. |
Detective Greer MacPherson is in his late thirties. He grew up in the Columbus area, left town to attend college, then returned to join the police force. He was one of the original members of the counter-terrorism team.
As a child, he was influenced by a neighbor, who was a police officer. He spent many hours talking to his neighbor - asking questions about cases that fascinated him. He’s very athletic, having played baseball in high school, and selected as a member of the All-Conference team as a senior. He continues to play baseball in an adult league. |
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A longtime friend of Corey Trent, and the fiancè of Amanda Gillespie. |
Gregg Hampton is Corey Trent’s best friend. They first met while playing little league baseball. Jack’s father was their coach. From that relationship, Corey invited Jack to visit his church. During the ensuing few years, Jack, then the rest of his family became Christians.
Jack is a senior at Liberty University in Lynchburg, Virginia, and is engaged to marry Amanda Gillespie. The couple spent the last two summers traveling to Haiti helping with earthquake relief - an area still recovering from the disaster from many years earlier, yet forgotten by most of the world. He’s an accomplished guitarist, and has secretly composed a song he plans to sing to his new bride during their upcoming wedding. |
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The wife of Victor Talmadge, the mother of Shelly Talmadge, the sister-in-law of Jackie Talmadge & Bryce Talmadge, and the the aunt of Robby Talmadge. |
Helen Talmadge is the wife of Victor. They have two daughters, Shelly and Deana. She met her future husband at a homecoming bonfire during their Junior year of college.
During the early years of their marriage, Victor performed well as a young attorney, and Helen loved playing the role of corporate wife. She made sure they attended all the right social events, and planned their own occasions to entertain those who could enhance Victor’s career. She insisted the girls attend a local Catholic school, not for reasons of faith, but because it was one of the best schools in town. She spent much of her time at the clubhouse and cabana with her friends. She helped organize several yearly social events designed to raise charitable funds for the library, a food bank, and a local foster-parent organization. After she and her family accepted Christ, she worked directly for the food bank. She found people in need through contacts at the foster-parent facility. Rather than focusing on financial matters, she found greater satisfaction in helping them learn of spiritual sources for their issues. She lost most of her old friends through these changes, but found stronger and worthwhile relationships through her new life. |
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The wife of Bryce Talmadge, the mother of Robby Talmadge, the sister-in-law of Helen Talmadge & Victor Talmadge, and the aunt of Shelly Talmadge; |
Jackie Talmadge is the wife of Bryce, and mother to Robby. Jackie was very strong as a young lady, performed well in college, and started a promising career in marketing before she met Bryce.
She quickly recognized Bryce’s faults, verbally abusing others, blaming a long string of lousy bosses for his lack of a career, his drinking, and the biggest red flag, the way he treated his mother with disrespect. Jackie considered Bryce a project, feeling he would change if she showed enough love and patience. Instead, she changed. She gave up her work to stay home, and eventually stopped trying to prevent her husband from treating the house staff so rudely. She adopted his lavish lifestyle of travel and opulence. The money and way of life ate away at her until she resigned herself that she would either become like him or have to shield her shame by indifference. Most recognized Bryce as an alcoholic due to his public behavior; she on the other hand, developed skill at hiding her addiction. The birth of her son, Robby, likely saved her life. He became her focus. Teaching him as a child brought joy to her heart, which broke when her husband insisted on sending Robby to a boarding school, his alma mater, The Stone Towers Academy. Through the years, Jackie played peacekeeper between her husband, their family, neighbors, and social contacts. She remains desperate to see her son when he returns during school breaks, and wishes, without daring to make it known, her desire for him to stay. Jackie is mostly quiet these days. |
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The wife of Colby Waters, and the biological mother of Dr. Edward Cavington. |
Colby and Janine Waters were the biological parents of Dr. Edward Cavington. They lived in a cottage on the school grounds of Stone Towers where they worked as the school’s curators.
He took care of the grounds and maintenance of the buildings. He also tended to and trained the horses. She looked after the vegetable garden used to supplement the school’s food supply. She also raised chickens and geese to provide a supply of fresh eggs. During the course of a year, they both died when their son, Edward, was a young child. Their friend Maggie Tindle, who worked in the school’s kitchen, helped make adoption arrangements for the young Edward with the Cavington family. |
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The great aunt of Elaine Hunt. Employed over the years by Dr. Edward Cavington, Maggie Tindle, and Dr. Bernard Crowne. Friend of Robby Talmadge. |
Joan Annalee Hudson is a new employee of The Stone Towers Academy, and a recent high school graduate, living in a small town near the school’s campus. She works in the kitchen, and helps service the entertainment operations of the school.
Joan is very quiet and dedicated to her work. A gentle spirit, she tries to remain in the background, and make herself present only when duty arises. She is a Christian, taking moments throughout the day to seek quiet moments when she can pray and reflect upon her relationship with God. |
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The pastor of the church attended by Ruthie Cantwell and her grandmother Molly Cantwell. |
Reverend Josephus Livingston is a gentle giant of a man with a fierce handshake and an equally soft smile. On a daily basis he seeks desperate people where they, live, work, and play. Many are desperate for food, desperate for shelter, desperate for medical care, but most of all, desperate for The Love of Christ.
He frequently encounters resistance, difficult circumstances, and often witnesses tragedy firsthand. A few times a year, he’s called on by the police department to travel to the morgue and identify someone he’s ministered to - people so lost, they have no next of kin. Reverend Joe’s life centers on the mean streets because that’s where he lived as a young man. He fought and clawed for his own survival, learning how to live on his own, starting when he was a teen. As part of his personal testimony, he tells others he would have died as a young man without meeting the woman who became his wife. She caught his eye, then his heart, after which she introduced him to the true Love of his life - Jesus Christ. For many years, Reverend Joe and his “Sweetie” struggled with their ministry, eventually bought an old church, refurbished it themselves, and opened it to the neighborhood - not just on Sunday, but every day of the week. It became a safe place for daycare, medical attention, activities to keep kids off the streets, and after school programs to tutor kids, and help them with homework. Many volunteers staff the different programs. In some cases, former troubled youth became reformed adults, then offered themselves as volunteers. The ministry draws people with tremendous needs, and points them to the source of power that can truly change their life. Reverend Joe frequently teaches that only The Power of Salvation can truly change one’s life and reform a darkened heart - one may struggle with reforming themselves, often leading to failure through their own sin-management. But with the freedom offered by Christ, they can cast off the burden of past sins, as guilt and shame are removed, leading to true freedom from the grips of a sin-filled life. A highlight toward the end of each summer is the weeklong trip to a sports camp. Reverend Joe fills a bus with about 30 teenagers and a handful of staffers. They travel to a camp near Branson, Missouri where they spend a week playing ball, swimming, fishing, canoeing, climbing rocks, working on a nearby farm, and hiking - activities many of the kids have never experienced. This provides the teens with experiences they will talk about for years to come. Sadly, the impact Joe and the rest of his volunteers have on these young people is not always enough. Some eventually choose a life of crime and destruction. However, the tremendous impact on the others brings joy to their struggle. A passion-filled hug from a grateful child, a tear from a thankful mother, a slap on the back from a volunteering father, leading a young teenager through a quiet and peaceful conversion to Christ, baptizing a former gang member, and a church filled with praising worshippers - these are just a few of the experiences he dwells on to bring reassuring comfort in the face of tragedy. Tears, a sore and worn body, and an occasional broken heart pushes him to consider retirement and give up, but knowing those who depend upon the care from him and his wife keeps Joe on the go. |
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The son of Roberta Gander & Peter Gander, the brother of Sarah Gander, and the nephew of DianeGander & Silas Gander. |
Growing in his father’s footsteps, Joshua (Josh) Gander shares his father’s love of comic books and action hero stories. They frequently spend dad and son time at the movies. To the chagrin of his mother, he frequently announces to others, he plans one day to become a comic book artist and author. He often spends rainy days in his room designing his own characters, first sketching them on paper, then using artist clay to construct models. After a few years, he became quite good. His mother eventually learned to smile, and accept his “hobby”, though she continues to pray he eventually decides on something she considers more promising.
Although he uses his enthusiasm in different ways, he is every bit as energetic as his sister Sarah. While she spends her time with arts and crafts, dressing her dolls, or helping her mother in the kitchen, Josh enjoys donning super hero costumes to portray various characters derived from his comic books. He plays with his friends as they chase each other to battle monsters, aliens, and villains with their imaginary weapons. Benefitting from winning a drawing for a uniform and free lessons, Josh began karate lessons at the age of five. He and his family attended a convention geared toward families when a man in a karate uniform approached them, and asked them to enter a contest. Years later, Josh admitted he was initially more interested in the cool uniform than the free lessons, but stuck with the classes for several years. During his first session, the stern instructor made him so nervous, he threw up, but through his parents’ encouragement, he stuck with the classes, and eventually earned a Tang Soo Do black belt a few years later. He eventually convinced his sister and father to join him. Episodes resulting from his popularity with his classmates and his good-natured smile often creates the incorrect notion he’s not serious about his studies during Sunday School class. Josh generally surprises his new Sunday School teacher each year, because once class starts, he approaches each session with a serious attitude, and his instructors quickly recognize his keen interest. Teachers frequently comment to his parents about his insightful questions and comments, expressing a maturity beyond his peers. Broader tastes in music eventually developed, but for several years, he claimed his favorite song was the novelty, The Monster Mash. Not only did he learn the words at an early age, he also put together an elaborate dance, which he frequently used to tease his sister. The day of Josh’s baptism is a favorite family recollection. The pastor raised him from the water, and as the congregation applauded, his six-year-old sister called out in her squeaky, yet shrill voice, “That was a real good job Joshie!” The entire church roared with laughter. |
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Serves along with Ezra and Joy. |
Jovan is the head chef for the underground community, holding his position for many years. Prior to his position, he studied the science of food preparation and nutrition under the teaching of his predecessors.
Though the piped sunlight nearly mimics Topside exposure, some dietary issues need special attention due to the somewhat artificial environment of the underground. The techniques developed by Jovan and those before him produce substances integrated as special additives. Jovan not only supervises a large staff for special events, but also oversees the managers controlling the food production and preparation for the entire community. An occasional special meal is a time of excitement because they delight in the rare opportunity of providing a meal for those who never experienced their presentation before. Although he has no French heritage, and never spoke their language until he taught himself, Jovan portrays the personae of a Frenchman, including the accent. It strikes some of the underground as tedious and somewhat silly. However, due to his friendly nature and great skill, they learned to indulge him by playing along. |
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The daughter of Ezra. |
Joy appears as a young lady with a beautiful smile, lots of energy and very sharp witted. She is thin, but strong and dresses conservatively. She has medium-length light brown hair, a sparkle in her eyes, and a genuine interest in what others have to say. She quickly endears herself to others.
During her stay at Donny’s cafè, Joy quickly gained a large contingent of regular customers. Her quickly learned skills enabled her to easily transition to the top job at The Lion’s Lair located near Columbia University. There, her approach to customers, Donny’s great cooking, and Ezra’s marketing efforts at the nearby school caused the new cafè to flourish. Joy is a collector of information. She isn’t nosy, doesn’t pry, and gives advice only when asked. She remembers the slightest details from conversations long ago, which astounds many of her customers. Most of all, she enjoys helping people and watching them smile. Many customers wonder among themselves why a talented young lady like herself isn’t in her own business. When confronted with this question, her answer is always the same, “God has plans for me. Until then, I’m happy here.” |
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The wife of Graham Winston and employed by Dr. Bernard Crowne at The Stone Towers Academy. |
Julia Winston is the Upper School Administrator for The Stone Towers Academy. She teaches American and English Literature, while serving in her main position as Non-Academic Administrator.
She supervises the running of The Stone Towers Academy outside of academic matters. For instance, the facilities, the scheduling of events, overseeing the library, resource manager, personnel officer, and accounting. She has a full schedule every day, but energetically pursues her work. She is 32 and married to Graham Winston, who is a teacher of Upper School Math. They have no children. |
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Mentor to Peter Gander. |
Dr. Karl Boston is a scientist specializing in optics. He worked several years for an American division of an European-owned firm that led the world in developing scanning and printing technology. He served as vice president of engineering overseeing advances that eventually produced color photocopy technology.
He eventually left the firm and struck out on his own. He operates a small engineering firm and researches techniques in the economic production of high-quality LASER-based photography. He is quite jovial, treats his small staff well, works too many hours, and enjoys an occasional cigar. |
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The wife of Webster Manchester, the mother of Geoffrey Manchester, and the sister-in-law of Grace Manchester & Andrew Manchester. |
Webster and Kathleen Manchester are the parents of candidate student Geoffrey. He runs the family business, distributing imports from Asia. His wife Kathleen is an author.
Webster and his younger brother Andrew are graduates of The Stone Towers Academy. |
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A coworker and Christian mentor of Victor Talmadge. |
Kennan Jennings is a young clerk who is employed by Victor’s former law firm. He’s 28 years old, slight build, and a second generation American with a Ugandan heritage. He and his wife were married five years earlier. They have two children.
Kennan became a Christian at the age of 12. Known as a very conscientious worker, neat, and complete with his work - attributes appreciated by the lawyers in his office. Victor had an idea Kennan might be a Christian, because he often found him reading a Bible during lunch. When Victor needed someone to speak with concerning Jesus Christ, Kennan was the first person who came to mind. Kennan belongs to a Christian organization, which ministers to people in a workplace setting. The mission is to address an environment often filled with very busy and driven people who are not caring for their spiritual condition. Groups meet with current Christians from a particular office. The leaders train others to guide officemates in discipleship, leading Bible studies, and holding prayer meetings. The anticipation is other employees will gradually draw themselves to the group through friendships, prayer, and direct invitations. Scheduled forums investigate significant life and faith issues. The guests are encouraged to enjoy eating, meeting each other, laughing, and sharing their thoughts in an authentic, stimulating discussion about basic life issues, not a Bible study, lecture series, or theological debate. The initial step is to help friends examine their philosophy of life since many never carefully evaluate their beliefs. This ministry’s aim is to provide a comfortable environment to follow this course, then propose Christ as a consideration. Kennan received his training years earlier from a man who travels throughout town, and holds weekly meetings, usually during lunch. Over the course of several months, he trains one of the initial members to become the local group leader along with an apprentice, then moves on to another office. Some offices are very open to the members using company facilities, such as conference rooms and audiovisual equipment during lunch or afterhours as long as their activity does not disrupt business operation. Others are less accommodating, in which case the leaders organize meetings at their homes or a local restaurant. |
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The manager of the project worked on by Peter Gander and Dr. Mike Yates. |
Dr. Leon Peros is the Program Director for The HAVE Scarlet Stallion Program. He spent his entire career working for Vermillion-Rimmon Aerospace.
He’s a graduate of Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University, and once he began with Vermillion-Rimmon Aerospace, he landed on the fast track. He sought the most challenging projects, and diligently saw them to completion. Early on, he led key tasks paving the way to The HAVE Scarlet Stallion Program, and assumed the Director’s position once the original program director retired. During his rise within the company, he was without peer. Twice he declined a promotion to Division Chief of Engineering, claiming the higher position would distance him from the project-level work he loved. |
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A friend of Roberta (Byrd) Gander and Peter Gander. |
Lonnie Spencer works for The New Hope Community Church as a volunteer. He’s very tall, of Nigerian heritage, thin, and with a salt and pepper flattop haircut. He’s in his late fifties
He sold his heating and air conditioning business along with a spin-off security business before retiring three years earlier. After his retirement, he and his wife, Louise spent the next year traveling, enjoying the things they put off for years. Afterwards, he became bored. Desiring to remain busy and useful, he volunteered to apply his skills for the church. Anything needing repaired at the church from heating, cooling, lighting, sound system, some plumbing, and electrical work; he takes care of himself. His efforts also provide an opportunity to teach and train new skills for some of the young people within the church. Most afternoons and early evenings find Lonnie somewhere in the halls of New Hope. |
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The twin brother of Marcus Minetti. Serves Seleucus. |
The Minetti Brothers are part of the guard unit posted around The Stone Towers Academy campus.
Though he is the younger, Lucas is clearly the leader. Like all the other guards in their group, they are highly trained, expert marksmen, physically superior, and passionately devoted to their duties. Both brothers have dark hair, moustaches, short and stocky. They rarely speak with others outside their group. They prefer to let those who don’t know them think unkindly about their perceived simple nature. However, one would make a mistake by underestimating them. As part of the inner circle serving the Peccati family, they are members of The Sworn. |
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Employed by Dr. Edward Cavington, is the supervisor of Joan Annalee (Hudson) Hunt, and years earlier was good friends with Cavington’s biological parents, Janine Waters & Colby Waters . |
Maggie Tindle is the head of food services for The Stone Towers Academy and Joan’s supervisor.
She’s an elderly lady, having worked her entire adult life in the kitchen of The Stone Towers Academy. She’s sweet but firm because the school relies heavily on her responsibilities. However, she has a reputation for taking the time to listen to those who need to talk. As a young woman, she and her husband were good friends with Colby and Janine Waters, the biological parents of Dr. Edward Cavington. |
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The twin brother of Lucas Minetti. Serves Seleucus. |
The Minetti Brothers are part of the guard unit posted around The Stone Towers Academy campus.
Though he is the younger, Lucas is clearly the leader. Like all the other guards in their group, they are highly trained, expert marksmen, physically superior, and passionately devoted to their duties. Both brothers have dark hair, moustaches, short and stocky. They rarely speak with others outside their group. They prefer to let those who don’t know them think unkindly about their perceived simple nature. However, one would make a mistake by underestimating them. As part of the inner circle serving the Peccati family, they are members of The Sworn. |
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A business partner of Doyle Connors and Nathan Russell. |
Martin van Hooten was a West Point graduate. He was a couple of years behind Connors at The Academy, and studied weaponry while Connors studied tactical strategies. His focus was the design, manufacturing, transportation, deployment, and effective use of weapons.
He briefly knew Connors during their overlapping years at West Point, and like Connors, he also took a position at the institute after the war. However, he was not an instructor, but a researcher. Nimble and quick-reacting fighting units often mean the difference between success and disaster. His job was to study, then put into practice methods of getting equipment to strategic battlefield locations quickly and efficiently. While at the institute, he re-established his friendship with Connors, and soon appreciated his colleague’s passion for starting a private school. During their discussions and planning, van Hooten inherited what eventually became the seed money used to start The Stone Towers Academy. |
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The great grandfather of Evangelia. |
Mateo is a young man who lives in a small Greek village with his wife and four year old daughter. Until recently, he and his wife led lives as smugglers. Their village is a haven for stolen and illegal goods shipped from Europe to The Middle East.
The area was a hotbed and business was good during World War II. Mateo learned his trade during the war as a teenager. But now, five years after the end of the war, business is much weaker. The danger is just as high, but the pay is much lower. He and his wife feel fortunate since they own their own home and a bit of land. It’s small, but comfortable. Recently Mateo stood over his daughter’s bed as she lay sleeping - the flickering candle waved over her face. He silently offered a short prayer praising God for the recent change in the lives of his family. |
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An employee of Roy Michaelson. |
Maurice Glassman is the Operations Manager for Michaelson Integrated Asset Management. He’s known Roy Michaelson since his freshman year of Business School. Roy was in graduate school at the time, and the TA for one of Maurice’s introductory classes.
Roy noticed his student’s intense hard work, and was already planning his future business venture, so he decided he would keep an eye on Maurice as a possible prospect. Actually, he did the same thing for a few other students, but right away, Maurice was his favorite. Once Maurice started working for Roy, he quickly showed his worth, and was assigned the position of Operations Manager within a year. While Roy excelled with his investment strategies, and that was where his greatest value to the company lay, the other aspects of running the business faltered. Maurice, on the other hand, quickly established business guidelines, put together a risk analysis team, formalized the HR department, and made sure the compliance and regulatory documentation was in place and properly maintained. The results were dramatic. The changes improved morale, and streamlined the business. One of his proudest moments was the day his boss raised his glass as a toast to him during the annual State of The Business Banquet. During this dinner, held in January of each year as a time to treat the employees and their families to a lavish event, Roy reviews the previous year’s accomplishments, and specifies the challenges for the future. Maurice displays prominently the glass and stainless steel award he received. He’s not married, but occasionally dates women he meets at a local bar. He does stay in contact with his family, and frequently visits his sister, who has three young kids. He loves to spoil them with trips to the park, ball games, and his greatest passion - movies. |
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The wife of Ansel Cavington, and the adoptive mother of Dr. Edward Cavington. |
The Cavingtons were the adoptive parents of young Edward Waters. Once both his parents passed away, Maggie Tindle rescued him from the government agencies by temporarily taking him into her home.
Maggie and her husband were great friends with the child’s parents. She recollected Colby, Edward’s father, was close friends with Ansel Cavington. The Cavingtons had two boys who were students at The Stone Towers Academy, and both were ready to graduate during the next few years. As younger boys, both took an interest in learning how to ride horses, and Colby Waters taught them. He and the boys’ father became good friends through this relationship. Once Maggie approached them and explained the tragic story, it was not difficult to convince them to adopt Edward. They did so, and enrolled him into The Stone Towers Academy. |
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Serves as a key aid to Seleucus. |
Max Vesper exudes power. He’s very tall, with broad shoulders, large powerful hands, and walks with purposeful strides.
His father served as a high-ranking security officer within The Sworn. His parents raised him with a singular purpose of service to The Sworn in mind. Very little parental nurturing existed during his childhood. Instead, his youth revolved around ever-increasing expectations of physical prowess, athletic ability, and strategic analysis. It was not a joyous time, simply because his parents never expressed joy. Their focus and motivation revolved around one purpose - the pleasure of The Peccati Family. At the age of thirteen, Vesper defeated his father in a wrestling match for the first time. From that day forward, their roles reversed. It became the son’s motivation for physical training, application of human anatomy, intense studies of interrogation techniques, and the science of intelligence gathering and surveillance. Shortly after this life-altering event, Vesper learned his father was a serial murderer. Not in the classical loner sense, rather he served as the point man for inconvenient matters concerning all things Peccati, which often called for the death of those opposed to The Family’s wishes. Vesper’s father intensified the next phase of education by revealing to him inner details regarding his assignments. His father often assigned his trusted aids to cases after careful review and planning, but just as often, carried out the executions himself. Against the wishes of some within his team, he often included young Max in preliminary briefings, as well as the mission post-analysis. These sessions were valuable lessons teaching him how to exploit efficiently the vast tools at his disposal - intelligence gathering, forensic analysis, weaponry, and human resources. The sessions also shaped Vesper’s personae by molding him into a killer who treated his work as an occupation rather than an emotional connection to those who suffered by his hand. These lessons continued for several years until the time came at the age of 23, when Vesper received his own assignment - a former member of The Sworn, who thought he had escaped the clutches of the group by changing not only his location, name, and occupation, but also his appearance. Surgery altered his face and fingerprints, followed by a procedure to alter his voice. However, he failed to take into consideration his gait. Biometric technology used to measure the unique way the human body moves as one walks identified him through automated scans of video footage obtained by his former colleagues. DNA analysis confirmed his identity. The team performing the surveillance and analysis was denied the opportunity to close the issue, and ordered to return to their home base. Vesper received the assignment to close the project. Three days of planning and research bored him - he wanted to complete the deed. Unbeknownst to him, his father also used this mission to teach his son a lesson by sending another team - a group of men who secretly laid traps for his son - traps demanding the execution of the contingencies communicated by his father. The elaborate exercise engrained into him the necessity to not only plan for contingencies, but to prepare for the proper mindset to execute them with strength and confidence. Vesper never learned of the true nature surrounding the significantly complicated escape route required for his return home. His father was quite pleased when upon his return home, Vesper wore a never-seen-before smile of confidence - some would say a smirk. He shaved his head the morning after his return, and from that day forward bore a dime-sized goatee as his only facial hair. He also adopted his father’s tradition of daily wearing a small red rose pinned to the lapel of his black suit. This became his uniform as well as his testimony of power and strength. His piercing baritone voice completed his ensemble. Shortly after the completion of his first mission, his father assigned a team of assassins to report to Vesper, and by the time he reached 35 years, he rose to the position of his father’s right-hand-man. Vesper sat in sessions between his father and Seleucus - listening to discussions surrounding the innermost plans of The Family. Never speaking, but present as a keen observer. He learned much from both men - mostly strategy and guile. It’s important to note that while he learned of the plans surrounding the daily business of The Family, never did he hear of details involving the main conspiracy until he rose to the top stop. His father’s final years were extremely important because he secretly knew of his fatal case of cancer - a strain the finest medical experts in The Peccati Regime couldn’t treat. He never told his son of the illness until minutes before he ordered him to place a bullet between his eyes during a presumed father-son respite amidst the desert sands of Egypt. He insisted he wished to die a warrior, and considered it an honor to succumb to the only man to defeat him in combat. The two men both repeated the mantra of their fathers, “To Baal be my soul”, then Vesper complied. His mother, also a lifelong devotee to The Sworn, received a release from her obligation to The Peccati Family. This rare occurrence was granted due to the many years of service and sacrifice provided by her husband. She relocated to southern Florida. A few years after moving to her new location, she became the victim of identity theft. A young man chose her at random, set up a post office box in her name, and proceeded to tap into her financial accounts. He transferred funds to phony accounts, then moved the cash to another account under an alternate identity. Once the large amount of money was in his hands, he erased all the evidence, then returned to his home base in Seattle. He had the one big score he needed for years to come. A month later, Vesper received a currier message from his mother. She explained she was concerned about calling or sending email. In fact, she said she shut down her computer, and had not used her phone since the day she found out she’d been violated. She relied upon intermediaries to handle her livelihood until the matter was resolved. Her message explained the details of how someone robbed her. She felt paranoid to leave her home, and desperately feared for her life. Vesper approached Seleucus, explained the details, and requested a leave of absence for a couple of weeks. Upon receiving permission to do so, he transitioned his responsibilities to his team, then headed for Martinsburg, West Virginia. There, he met with the little-known Ross Archer Fitch, the chief data analyst for The Peccati Family. Once he gave the information to Fitch, the analyst was able to trace the identity and current location of the man responsible for violating his mother. Armed with the information he needed, Vesper and his team flew to Seattle. They quickly found the man’s location, surveilled him, and soon determined he was an easy mark. They attacked him, subdued him with an injection to his neck, and within an hour had him aboard their plane. The next morning the man was encouraged to wake up with a sharp slap to his face. Vesper held the man’s chin while he stared at him. The man slowly gained focus, then suddenly jerked once he realized his situation. A pain seared in his mouth. He looked down to find blood covering his lap and several teeth on the floor around his chair. He reached for his mouth, only to determine a long chain bound him. He sat naked, in the dark, smelly, cold cellar of an old farmhouse. The man sobbed as Vesper explained his identity - sobbing until his throat choked off and no sound exited. He composed himself, and desperately claimed to have nearly all the money. He begged to let him return the money in exchange for his life. Vesper smiled as he explained he had no interest in the man’s money. Rather, it was the restoration of his mother’s honor he desired. He described the fear his mother experienced, and how the anger seethed in him. He explained the cellar was part of an old deserted farmhouse, and the nearest neighbor a ten-minute drive away. There was no hope of rescue. He continued, “My friend’s farm recently developed a severe problem with rats.” The man’s eyes darted around the room in a wild panic. Vesper chucked as he continued, “Once I devised my plan on how to deal with you, I ordered several of my men to come here to make preparations. I instructed them to round up as many rats as possible. They used a concoction to attract them - catching a few hundred, and caged them without any food. It’s been a few days now, and they’re quite famished. I understand some of them have started to eat their brethren. “My men are very dedicated. I gave them very difficult instructions. They painstakingly harnessed each rat with a long metal chain. Horrible task, but they completed.” He kicked the chair out from under the man, who sprawled on the floor and pled, “Please forgive me! I’m so sorry! Please have mercy on me! I beg you to please have mercy.” Vesper cursed, then snarled, “Mercy? You expect mercy? You attacked my mother! You offended me! There is no mercy in me! You will have no mercy!” The man pulled on his chains to see where they attached to the wall. Vesper walked to the wall, released the locking device, and pulled the chain through a loop. He forced the man to lie on the floor, then pulled the chain tight enough to force the prisoner’s hand against the wall. Enough slack remained to allow his arms to hang a few inches above the floor. The awkward angle caused his arm to ache immediately. Vesper reset the locking mechanism, then used another chain to anchor the man’s abdomen to the floor - preventing him from standing or rising to his knees. He continued, “You have slight mobility, but not much. They also have a bit of mobility.” “They?” A metal door opened, and a swarm of rats scurried into the room. Some were tangled with one another. Vesper called out above the noise, “Rather stupid animals. Many of them will die from strangling one another. Others will die of starvation because they can’t untangle themselves. Not all will reach you, but most will. The device at the other end of their chain regulates their reach. It advances a tenth of an inch every hour. Nearly two and a half inches every day.” The man forced his legs as close to his body as he could. Vesper leaned down to yell in his face, “You can protect yourself for now, you might even kill a few by kicking them, but you’ll eventually have to sleep. They will get the best of you. At this rate, you’ll survive nearly a week before they finish with your feet. Oh, they love honey. You may have noticed the sweet smell. My men took the liberty to slather your whole body with it. Drives the furry little creatures mad.” He stood and reached over to flip the main light switch off, leaving a dim glimmer above the undulating nightmare. He uttered, “I hope you enjoy yourself. I know I will.” The man felt the first prick on his toe. He bellowed the first of many screams - screams that continued with diminishing intensity over the next three weeks. |
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The best friend of Peter Gander. |
Mike Yates is above average height, thin and muscular with short-cropped black hair. He has darting eyes, and rarely sits idle.
He smiles a lot, but has an exaggerated squared jaw, which makes him appear as if he is clinching his teeth. He’s in outstanding physical shape because he works out nearly every evening. He obtained his Ph.D. in Electrical Engineering from Texas A&M University while serving in The United States Army. After finishing at A&M, he served five more years in the military, performing technology assessments for top-secret research labs contracted by The United States Military. He’s in his fourth year of employment with Vermillion-Rimmon Aerospace, and the Chief Engineer of Stealth Technology Development for the highly classified HAVE Scarlet Stallion Program. Mike is single, and never considered a serious relationship. He enjoys spending money on the latest sports car, electronics, and golf lessons. He has no family. Since leaving town the day after his high school graduation, he has visited his native eastern Kentucky hometown twice - the last time was after his father’s death, and only then to settle his estate. |
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The wife of Calvin Morgan. |
Millie and Calvin Morgan live on a farm outside Rensselaer, Indiana - about halfway between Indianapolis and Chicago. Most of their land is leased to local farmers while Calvin spends most of his time driving his truck.
They met in their twenties at a restaurant. Each was with a group of friends celebrating their birthday. When the two groups realized each had a birthday celebrant, they decided to combine the parties. They married two years later, then moved onto the farm Calvin inherited from his grandfather. A few years later they accepted an invitation from a friend to attend a local church, which led to them both joining the Christian network. |
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A football teammate of Peter Gander. |
Mitch Hurley is a senior teammate of Peter Gander. He plays outside linebacker, and is a team favorite because of his crazy attitude about everything - especially football. Known for his wide-eye smiles after delivering jarring tackles, he inspires his teammates to play with the same reckless abandon and intensity. His bright red hair adds to his personae as a wild man. However, off the field, the same smiling man is known for his calm discussions about life. He makes it a point to meet the underclassmen one-on-one, gives them encouragement, and more importantly mentors them in their faithfulness.
He’s also a favorite of the coaches - especially during recruiting season. He has the perfect attitude and personality to talk with recruits and their parents. He’s a great representative for the team and the school. He’s made it quite clear that his goals are to play professionally, then return to his school as an assistant coach. No one who knows him doubts his ambitious plans. |
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The grandmother of Ruthie Cantwell and a member of the church pastored by Reverend Josephus Livingston. |
Molly Cantwell is beloved by all who know her. Her love language is hospitality. She loves to cook for others, whether it’s a meal at her home, taking something to an ill neighbor, or helping in the church cafè for a congregational meal. She is well-known for her pies.
She is known as “Grandma Molly” to everyone in her apartment building. The children always approach her, looking for a stick of chewing gum, or a piece of candy. Though sharing love and kindness to so many, life has been hard for Molly. Her fiancè died in an accident while serving in the military. A few years later, she met the man who would become her husband, Harold Cantwell, who introduced her to Jesus Christ using the examples of his own background to explain the miracle of changed lives. They had one child together, a daughter. After 16 years of a happy marriage, Harold died from cancer, and Molly never remarried. Instead, she focused her attention on raising her young daughter. Years later, she repeated the same journey as a single parent by raising her granddaughter Ruthie. Molly is happy, and she enjoys doing things for others to bring happiness and joy to their lives. She also has a darkness that occasionally torments her. She fights and prays against it, but it wells within her. She doesn’t sleep well during these dark seasons. |
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The husband of Sari Yehuda, the father of Rivka Yehuda & Naomi (Yehuda) Yosef, and the grandfather of Sasha. |
Sari and Moshe Yehuda are the parents of daughters, Rivka and Naomi. The couple grew up in Brooklyn, New York, met through mutual friends, and married shortly after Sari graduated from high school. By this time, Moshe was ready for medical school.
They said farewell to their families, and moved to Jerusalem, where Moshe studied to become a surgeon. The many years of struggle actually brought them closer. The young couple spent nearly every evening together - he studied, and she quietly knitted or read. Their routine changed with the birth of Rivka shortly before Moshe began his practice. However, Moshe’s habit of home study carried over to his relationship with his young daughter. Rivka quietly colored or played with her dolls at the dinner table while her father studied. Moshe learned to study with her distractions, even to the point where she eventually sat on his lap while he studied. Friends and colleagues were amazed he could effectively study under these circumstances. This practice evolved into Rivka’s love of her father’s work, and her own pursuit of science and medicine. Naomi was born five years later. Though Moshe attempted the same influences on his younger daughter, she never expressed an interest in her father’s studies. Instead, she shadowed her mother in the kitchen and garden. They were a happy family who worked hard, loved one another, and practiced a strong faithfulness to God. |
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The wife of Abraham Yosef, the mother of Sasha, the daughter of Sari Yehuda & Dr. Moshe Yehuda, and the sister of Rivka Yehuda. |
Naomi (Yehuda) Yosef is the younger sister of Rivka Yehuda and the wife of Abraham. She and her husband are the parents of young Sasha.
She attended university and studied art - her lifelong passion. Despite her desire to travel the world and paint scenes from exotic places, she remained home to be near her parents. Being the last family member to see her sister alive weighed heavily on her - a guilt she found difficult to leave behind. The lunch they planned on that fateful day ended horribly. The final sound of her sister crying out as she turned away and ran seared in her mind. The lunch meeting was especially difficult to deal with because she could never discuss it with her parents as they forbade her from speaking with Rivka once the relationship with Cyril began. Beginning that day, Naomi lived in a world of solitude - taking comfort only in her painting. Her life turned upside-down the day she reluctantly attended a dinner party hosted by her rabbi, during which she met her future husband, Abraham. He was recently retired from the army. She was taken by his strength and powerful demeanor, yet tender compassion around young children. She knew right away, he was meant for her, and she for him. After their wedding, they discussed investing in a restaurant. He was an amateur chef, and loved the idea of a challenging new business venture. Immediately, the cafè tormenting her for years entered Naomi’s mind. The same cafè she avoided and intentionally bypassed when she had business in the neighborhood. More than once she turned down opportunities to meet for lunch rather than confront her past. However, in a spark of stubbornness and a desire to bury her source of torment, she insisted they make an offer on the very same cafè. They did so, and she fully committed herself to the facility, and spent many hours painting beautiful murals throughout. Just as the cafè took on a new personality, so did Naomi. Her new husband, their combined efforts, the successful business, then finally the birth of their son largely completed her life. |
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The mother of Cindy Fesler, and the mother-in-law of Roger Fesler. |
Natalie Basset is the Mother of Cindy Fesler. She is 63 years old, and since the time of her husband’s death eight years earlier, lives with her daughter’s family.
During the first few years as a widow, she continued her job as a teacher, until Roger and Cindy decided to homeschool their daughters, at which time she decided it was time to retire. She became a great help in the education of the three Fesler girls. |
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A business partner of Martin Van Hooten and Doyle Connors. |
Nathan Russell was a few years younger than Connors and van Hooten. He came from a wealthy family having made its money in international shipping.
He was educated at a boarding school in England, and once he finished, he returned to The United States. The family leaders expected him to assume his position within their shipping business. However, business bored him. He didn’t care for accounting, financial matters, or the trading of stock. His interest lay in political structure, human thought, and governmental affairs. He managed to convince his father that rather than contributing to the family business with skills in the financial world, he would be better suited to deal with governmental affairs, especially international intrigue. He returned to Europe, this time to Germany, where he spent time studying philosophy, then returned to The United States with a different opinion of the world. This meant a fresh view of history, his faith, and western civilization. The burgeoning science of human thought fueled his desire to decline his position with the family business, and head to Washington D.C., where he sought opportunities to ply his new skills. It was his motivational discussions with Connors and van Hooten that moved them to take the next step. To stop daydreaming about a new private school, and take action. They met for dinner several nights a week at a gentleman’s club near the institute. There, they debated what would distinguish their school from others, along with discussions of its curriculum, staffing, clientele, and location. Their interest became infectious. Each meeting they returned with notes, ideas about the curriculum and sketches of the school’s design. A formal plan slowly took shape, and eventually a proposal. Shortly afterwards, they solicited opinions from other members of the institute. Eventually they approached leaders and governmental officials in the D.C. area. Interest grew until they headed out of town with their belongings, a few letters of recommendation, a bit of cash, a deed for 230 acres, and most importantly, a notebook containing the details of their plan. |
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A key aid of Seleucus, and is the manager of Benny Figueroa. | |||
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The girlfriend of Corey Trent. |
For a time, Noelle Strauss lived a life of luxury. She was confident, overbearing, admittedly obnoxious, but didn’t care. She partied with her friends nearly every weekend, cared little about who she was with, or what she did, as long as she had fun.
She drove her sports car fast and careless, causing two accidents during her first year of driving. She was out of control, but her busy parents wrote off her behavior as youthful exuberance - even laughing as they compared her reckless stunts to the mischief from their own juvenile years. A close friend’s lethal overdose got her parents’ attention for a time, but assurances from Noelle about her own abstinence from drugs and alcohol brought them relief. She lied, and they much too willingly believed her. Her father was a strong supporter of Peccati and his financial/social programs. Noelle rarely listened to his exhortations during dinner when he taught how all social classes would greatly benefit from Peccati’s proposals. All that changed the day Noelle found out her mother had a serious case of cancer. As selfish and reckless as she was, she still loved her mother dearly. She quit her childish ways, and stayed home to care for her mother. Then came the financial collapse. Burned into her memory is the day her father dashed home in a panic as he attempted to move assets into areas of protection. The shrill exclamations while he sat at the computer still haunt her dreams. The eventual financial catastrophe, followed by the death of her mother devastated her. Those who she thought were her friends had their own issues - leaving her alone. She and her father struggled, eventually losing everything they owned - leading to a move to the home of a family member - sharing housing with many others under the same roof. Noelle’s father became emotionally spent. For the first time in his life, he lacked control of the forces surrounding his life. His wife gone and everything he accumulated and thought important was gone in what seemed like a moment in time. He felt inadequate in caring for his daughter. He gave up. Suicide was his answer, but Noelle was told the incident with too many pills was an accident. She strongly suspected otherwise. Calamity for more than two years, and daily questions of what’s needed for each day’s survival nearly broke her. However, a Christian friend offered what little she and her family had - stability and hope. She accepted their offer and moved in with them. The parents treated her as their own. She is now in a close relationship with Corey Trent, who dearly loves her. A new environment where she learns daily to trust in God for each day’s provision. Time with Corey and his family has taught her humility; because that’s the way they live. She’s more contented than ever before. She prays and asks for help as she struggles to learn what is expected of her. Her past haunts her, and she feels obligated to pay with continued good behavior. She silently becomes discouraged when she fails. Her pastor and those who love her, try to show her differently, that Faith through God’s Grace is her remedy. Slowly, day by day, she learns. A small group leader read I Corinthians Chapter 13 one day, and it resonated with her - actually, it pierced her. She cried in her bed that night, when after several hours, she successfully muttered from memory … If I speak in the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I am a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal. And if I have prophetic powers, and understand all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have all faith, so as to remove mountains, but have not love, I am nothing. If I give away all I have, and if I deliver up my body to be burned, but have not love, I gain nothing. Love is patient and kind; love does not envy or boast; it is not arrogant or rude. It does not insist on its own way; it is not irritable or resentful; it does not rejoice at wrongdoing, but rejoices with the truth. Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. Love never ends. As for prophecies, they will pass away; as for tongues, they will cease; as for knowledge, it will pass away. For we know in part and we prophesy in part, but when the perfect comes, the partial will pass away. When I was a child, I spoke like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child. When I became a man, I gave up childish ways. For now we see in a mirror dimly, but then face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I have been fully known. So now faith, hope, and love abide, these three; but the greatest of these is love. |
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The wife of Rod Michaelson, the grandmother of Roy Michelson, and a Christian mentor to Roberta Gander & Peter Gander. |
Penny and Rod Michaelson have been married for nearly fifty year. They spent their lives together traveling the country while visiting churches and other Christian ministries - teaching and training ministry partners, small group leaders, and working with producers of Christian media and literature. Their daily focus centers on maintaining historical Truth and accuracy in The Gospel Message.
While not traveling, they enjoy their mountainside lodge. Years earlier, they built their home at the base of a mountain trail. During the subsequent years, they found themselves spending more time atop the mountain in the smaller lodge due to the beautiful view. The lodge was hand built nearly a century earlier by Rod’s grandfather after he won the large mountain plot in a poker game. Eventually, Penny and Rod decided to hire a contracting firm to upgrade the lodge, and transfer all their belongings. Even during their latter years, the difficult and treacherous hike to reach their home seemed like a minor endeavor - well worth the beauty, seclusion, and safety their tucked away piece of heaven provided them. |
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The husband of Roberta (Byrd) Gander, the father of Sarah Gander & Josh Gander, brother of Silas Gander, brother-in-law of Diane Gander, and the best friend of Dr. Mike Yates. |
Peter Gander is a tall, athletic African-American who grew up in northern Florida. He attends The Florida State University on a football scholarship where he studies physics.
Peter obtained his nickname The Rock-Man during childhood stemming from an incident during Sunday School when the teacher referred to The Apostle Peter as The Rock or foundation of The Church. |
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A classmate of Constantine Peccati at The Stone Towers Academy. |
Raymond Mansfield is an Upper School Junior, very popular, and he knows it.
He enjoys telling stories about his trips, but never lets his friends know he desperately misses his family. He attended a private school near his home until he enrolled at The Stone Towers Academy in ninth grade. He seeks popularity as a means to hide his heartache for home. |
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Reginald Astor is an alumnus of The Stone Towers Academy, and the current Chairman of the Board of Directors. This is his fourth year as Chairman, serving as an associate member for eight years previous.
He’s a retired bank president whose passions are travel and photography. Astor is a firm traditionalist in all aspects of life. He runs The School Board in a manner similar to his bank. He is tall with an outdoor complexion and rugged features, showing his age. He possesses a distinctive voice, which does not require loudness to command respect. He always wears a suit when not traveling, and sports a handlebar moustache. |
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The daughter of Sari Yehuda & Dr. Moshe Yehuda, the sister of Naomi (Yehuda) Yosef, the sister-in-law of Abraham Yosef, and the aunt of Sasha. |
Rivka Yehuda is a young lady who lives with her parents while she studies science at a university in Jerusalem. Since she was a young girl, her desire has been to follow in her father’s steps as a medical doctor. One of her instructors is Cyril Peccati.
She is very energetic, loves to wear bright colors, and greatly desires to please her parents with her studies - especially her father. She has a younger sister Naomi. |
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The son of Jackie Talmadge & Bryce Talmadge, and the nephew of Helen Talmadge & Victor Talmadge, and the cousin of Shelly Talmadge. |
Robby Talmadge is a new graduate of The Stone Towers Academy. He is very studious, and his grades reflect his dedication.
He was co-valedictorian of his class, along with Cyril Peccati. He enjoys his studies, and at times uses the need to dig into his books as an excuse to avoid confronting his occasional social awkwardness. Robby often goes out of his way to extend kindness to the kitchen and facilities staff members. Early on, guilt motivated Robby for this behavior as he remembered the horrible way his father treated the family housekeeper. She was so afraid of losing her job; she never confronted his father’s abuse. Robby’s father considered this response as weakness, and treated her with greater contempt. Though Robby’s feelings originated through guilt, they soon turned to genuine affection for some of the ladies in the kitchen. He often spends his free time talking with them while they tell stories of their youth. |
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The wife of Peter Gander, the mother of Sarah Gander & Josh Gander, and the sister-in-law of Diane Gander & Silas Gander. |
Roberta Gander is the daughter of Nan and Pastor Tyson Jamison. She showed a passion for music at an early age, and spoke often of wanting to teach music as a career choice. Once she reached high school, she volunteered to teach music to the elementary-aged children in her father’s church. Clarinet is her principal instrument, though she also plays the flute and oboe. She also sings, having started in church as a child.
Gifted with music from an early age, the most exciting event of her high school music career was when she and four classmates were invited to perform at The Midwest Clinic in Chicago. Midwest is a prestigious annual clinic for music educators, held during the middle of each December. The clinic invites the finest music programs from high schools and universities from all over the country to participate in the program, requiring a year’s preparation. During the weeklong event, the bands and orchestras perform for audiences exceeding 2,000. Music directors and educators listen for potential pieces they may wish to choose for their own programs. Composers often arrange with directors of the performing groups to debut their new pieces during the event. Roberta and the other girls in her clarinet ensemble spent an entire year in preparation for the quintet’s performance. Roberta was the featured musician during one of the pieces, and received a standing ovation after she finished. A professor from The University of Illinois witnessed her performance, and immediately contacted her, encouraging her to consider furthering her musical education. Based upon his encouragement and subsequent recommendation, she applied for, and received a tuition scholarship. Though this answer to prayer lifted a heavy burden, her family still struggled to provide the funds needed for her other college expenses. She taught music lessons to earn some of the money needed, but she still needed assistance. The week before her graduation from Illinois, she traveled to her hometown to speak at her father’s church. She tearfully thanked her family and several members of the church for their many garage sales, donut sales, and other fundraising events helping her with school. Good grades came easily for her as she often stated she was blessed to able to train in an area she loved since childhood, and felt it was a gift from God to use for His Kingdom. She is tall, thin, full of energy, and rarely seen without a smile. She rises at 5:00 each morning for her daily run, a faithful habit she started in seventh grade. She played volleyball for her high school team, and though not the best on the team, her teammates elected her captain her senior year because of the encouragement she heaped on her teammates. |
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The husband of Penny Michaelson, the grandfather of Roy Michaelson, and a christian mentor to Roberta Gander & Peter Gander. |
Penny and Rod Michaelson have been married for nearly fifty year. They spent their lives together traveling the country while visiting churches and other Christian ministries - teaching and training ministry partners, small group leaders, and working with producers of Christian media and literature. Their daily focus centers on maintaining historical Truth and accuracy in The Gospel Message.
While not traveling, they enjoy their mountainside lodge. Years earlier, they built their home at the base of a mountain trail. During the subsequent years, they found themselves spending more time atop the mountain in the smaller lodge due to the beautiful view. The lodge was hand built nearly a century earlier by Rod’s grandfather after he won the large mountain plot in a poker game. Eventually, Penny and Rod decided to hire a contracting firm to upgrade the lodge, and transfer all their belongings. Even during their latter years, the difficult and treacherous hike to reach their home seemed like a minor endeavor - well worth the beauty, seclusion, and safety their tucked away piece of heaven provided them. |
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The husband of Cindy Fesler, the father of Jessie, Tess, & Mindy Fesler, the son-in-law of Natalie Basset, and the coworker of Peter Gander & Dr. Mike Yates. |
Roger Fesler is a new employee of Vermillion-Rimmon Aerospace. He and his wife Cindy recently relocated from California to Cincinnati, Ohio with their daughters and Cindy’s mother, Natalie Basset.
Jessie, Tess, and Mindy are Roger and Cindy’s daughters, who keep both parents very busy. The children are homeschooled, active in church ministries, and athletics. Jessie participates in softball, while the two younger girls enjoy competitive swimming. Once the girls were told about the upcoming move to Cincinnati, they struggled with the idea of leaving sunny California. They understood their father’s new opportunity was important, but found it difficult to leave behind their church, friends, and especially their grandmother. She lived in the same neighborhood their entire lives, visited with them nearly every day, and was their homeschool teacher. They were very close, but in response to the invitation to join them in the move, she found it difficult to abandon the home she built and shared with her now-deceased husband. Natalie surprised the family a few weeks later during what was supposed to be a farewell party by announcing she had changed her mind, already had an offer on her home, had sold many of her belongings, and was nearly done packing for her move to Cincinnati. Working for NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory as a RADAR Signature Analyst, Roger specialized in the study of electromagnetic scattering using three-dimensional finite-element modeling. He’s a graduate of The Ohio State University, where he received his Bachelor’s and Master’s Degree in Electrical Engineering. As a young child, Roger’s family moved to a cattle farm in Iowa. He grew up in a culture of early mornings, hard word, self-reliance, frugality, and seeing things through to completion. The greatest interest outside his studies was music. After high school, he decided to travel to Ohio State not only to study engineering, but to also try out for the all-brass and percussion OSU Marching Band. During his freshman year, he naively showed up, trumpet in hand the day before tryouts started. He failed to make it past the first cut. He vastly underestimated the amount of effort, talent, preparation, and conditioning required. He didn’t realize nearly 350 students showed up for voluntary rehearsals twice a week throughout the summer in preparation for tryouts. However, he worked hard during the next summer, spending considerable time with friends who helped him learn to play and march well enough to make the band the following season. Easily, the happiest day of his college career occurred during his senior year when he led for the first time, the traditional Ramp Entrance during the pre-game performance. Roger is rather short, slim, with medium length dark hair, and a casual dresser. His attitude toward casual dress comes from his time at The JPL and the California culture. Spending all their available free time playing and teaching their kids is the passion of both Roger and Cindy. They don’t spend a great deal with other friends, TV, or hobbies that take time away from family activities. Instead, they prefer to bide their time with family projects such as producing a family play, putting on a neighborhood concert, Roger supervising the building of a treehouse, or Cindy helping with the design and making new dresses. |
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A friend of Peter Gander at Vermillion-Rimmon Aerospace. |
Ron Mears is a Security guard for Vermillion-Rimmon Aerospace. He’s a stocky, well-built African-American and in his early forties.
Mears is a retired United States Air Force Sergeant. While in the service, he worked as a chief of security personnel for several highly classified programs. Unlike other guards at Vermillion-Rimmon, Mears takes a genuine interest in the outside life of the other staff members. The desired protocol for the guards is to have little banter with the engineers, researchers, and other staff members. The theory implies fewer conversations, and fewer personal relationships results in fewer distractions. Despite this policy, Mears learns not only staff member’s names, but shows a genuine interest about their families, and life on the other side of the gate. His big smile, Mississippi accent, and kind words make him a favorite of the staff. |
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The employer of producer Denny Roundtree, the broadcast partner of Dr. Scherrie Smalls & Dr. Gabe Smalls, and the friend of Rabbi Elchanan Zev. |
Rosa Quinlan is a pioneer in communications. She began her work in radio as a teenager while helping out with her uncle’s radio show. Helping out turned into an on-air opportunity, and her life path was set.
Over the years she earned a reputation to pursue truth regardless of politics, personal opinions, or influencing agendas. During this time, she gained a large following, but she also encountered enemies who did not appreciate her revealing platform. In order to avoid governmental regulations that were used as weapons in an attempt to silence her, she transitioned to internet-based netcasting with her infrastructure hidden in undisclosed areas. Married to her work, she never established a serious relationship. She does have a few close friends - some with children who she spoils during Christmas and birthdays. |
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An employee of Dr. Edward Cavington at The Stone Towers Academy. |
Rose Hanford is the secretary for Dr. Edward Cavington. She’s the niece of a past graduate of The Stone Towers Academy, 28 years old, and is recently married.
She is very competent in her work, but her biggest asset is her loyalty to Dr. Cavington - this, to the potential detriment of other staff members. She is very careful with all sensitive information, and is willing to look the other way when the need arises. Excellent at anticipating Cavington’s needs, and takes great pride in her professionalism. |
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Employed by Seleucus. |
Ross Archer Fitch spent much of his early years as an outcast. Not an outcast in the traditional sense, but emotionally discarded by those around him. Recognized from an early age as an intellectual prodigy (actually referred to as an intellectual freak by his father), his parents used him as a tool to gain favor with their superiors within The Sworn. A stimulating environment designed and implemented to mold their son, instead suppressed his development in other important aspects. Their repetitious and exhaustive drilling caused the young Ross to seek expression through the only way he understood - by demonstrations of cognitive prowess, which brought him the only positive attention and comfort he greatly desired. Yet, each success only heightened the expectations - causing the pressure to advance to new heights.
This cycle of parental/child behavior continued until his late teens, when he left home to continue his studies. By this time, he had devolved into a world of his own design. His infant years coincided with the advent of the video game industry. Unlike other children his age, his interests in gaming came not from skill, bragging rights, achieving advanced levels, a sense of victory, or competition with others - rather his interest centered upon how the games worked, how they differed in style, their impact on his perception, his reflexes, his memory, and his ability to anticipate responses. As a child, he learned to decompile the machine code used to drive the games. He used the results to reprogram the code in order to refine and enhance their performance. During the early days of the internet, he quickly gained prominent exposure as a gaming aficionado. He frequently submitted recommendations to game designers for improvement in graphical techniques, speed, and storylines. Given the opportunity to leave his home life and further his studies of the human mind, he embraced his new suitors, The Peccati Family, and the Nirvana-styled environment they presented him. An infinite source of equipment and scientific resources provided by Seleucus expanded his world of fantasy, but eventually sunk him lower into the abyss that absorbed his soul. As he drove himself toward the realm of infinity, he continued to contemplate what lay on the other side. He skirted madness, but insisted he retained control by discerning the fine line between insanity and genius. Early on, he refused to listen to those managing his assignments when they suggested he was harming his body and mind with his excessive drive. His health failed, and his body weakened, but great success in his scientific endeavors provided his resilience (as well as the curse) to continue his destructive path. Those interested in his scientific and engineering advances succumbed to his threats to cut them off from his discoveries and closely held secrets if they persisted in their attempts to rein his effort. Their desire for results overrode any concern they had for his health. After all, his health concerned them only so long as he continued to provide value to their quest. Hidden below the surface of his mind, Ross hid his greatest desire - companionship. His entire life he responded to the desires of others, intellectual response was the only sustaining path linking him with the rest of the world. Unknown to all, his true desire, his true motivation, his true sense of being was to determine what was wrong within him. Why was he broken? What was so flawed in his makeup that prevented him from experiencing lasting emotional relationships? Nature or nurture? Was the cause for his freakish personae derived from the abusive trauma his parents subjected him to? Was the wiring within his own brain, uniquely designed for remarkable cognitive ability somehow missing emotional connections that would otherwise allow him to love, caress, soothe, or simply care about another? While he produced the scientific results demanded by The Peccati Family, he secretly carried on his true research - to define and understand love. What is its source? What causes it? Why do some have an abundance, while others are devoid, or worse, why do some possess this greatest of pursuits, then cast it off as a worthless appendage? Who would do that? Who would reject such a wonderful Gift? |
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The grandson of Penny Michaelson & Rod Michaelson, and the employer of Maurice Glassman. |
Roy Michaelson lives for competition. His compassion is winning - on the athletic field, throwing darts, chugging a beer, and especially when it comes to business.
He prefers to gamble only when he knows the outcome - not by cheating, but by obtaining or computing the information needed to determine the end results. In the business world, he prides himself on making those determinations through computer models rather than random happenstance or guessing. His theory on how to derive critical information is based upon tells. Most gamblers have one or more tell - a physical quirk, a different breathing pattern, a change in vocabulary, a change in betting pattern, eye movement, a clenched jaw, flushed skin, and to the very perceptive, an opponent’s temple with a pulsating blood vein. He believes analyzing patterns can be used to anticipate behavior, and considers the skill not just the realm of gambling, but also financial analysis by modeling complicated decisions of individuals or large groups of investors. As a young man, he dreamed of developing those analytical skills, and decided to learn everything he could about modeling human decision making. He chose where to attend college based upon an obscure paper he discovered - a paper written by Dr. Wayne Rapp. Rapp was a professor in a field of mathematics named Operation Research with details involving Game Theory, and Probabilistic Models. Roy had read other articles with a similar approach, but Rapp’s paper differed because it concentrated on how to obtain the vast amount of information needed to satisfy the rule definitions. While in school, Roy developed a friendly relationship with Dr. Rapp, and upon graduation, applied the theories he learned, started his own investment firm, then eventually hired his former teacher to lead the technology group within his firm. Roy is also the grandson of Penny and Rod Michaelson. |
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The granddaughter of Molly Cantwell, a friend of Tommy Gee, a member of Reverend Josephus Livingston’s church, and a friend of Angelina Case. |
Ruthie Cantwell is full of energy, which is what most people notice when they initially meet her. She loves to meet people, to talk with them, or maybe give them encouragement if they seem to need help. Whether in line at a grocery store, sitting at a bus stop, or walking in her neighborhood, she strikes up conversations with most people she meets. During these encounters, she often relates her testimony of how Jesus saved her life as well as her soul. She also credits Reverend Josephus Livingston with guiding her through the dark days and into a life of light. She spares little while revealing the demons of her past, illicit drugs, alcohol, sleeping on the streets, and even sexual favors in exchange for money. The open honesty frequently allows others to open their own feelings, or scares them off.
She lives with her grandmother, Molly Cantwell, and has done so since returning from the streets. Once her mother died a few years earlier, Ruthie nearly gave up on life. She chose destruction and sin as a way to get back at God for taking away her mother. Even the pain and sorrow she caused her grandmother was of no consequence. She told those around her she hated her life. Little did she know how true those words were, until she ran into Reverend Joe, who convinced her that a new life could be found in the love and redemption through Jesus Christ. It took a while to gain her trust because her lifestyle taught that no one - especially God loved you, and that you had to look out only for yourself - trusting no one, especially distrusting anyone from your past. Finally, Reverend Joe managed to calm her down to where she could carefully listen to an offer of peace and love. She eventually broke - reaching the bottom of her emotions. Even then, she considered running away because of the shame she felt. Time healed, and slowly she accepted Reverend Joe’s offer to move to a recovery house where she worked within the home as well as within herself. She immersed herself in schoolwork, eventually earning her high school degree. She also participated in Bible study classes - taking careful notes, and asking many questions. After nearly a year of clean living, and as she called it, “Loving on Jesus” every day, she faced her next challenge - returning to her Grandmother Molly. She hurt her grandmother so badly, she doubted she would ever be accepted back home regardless of her changed life. Three Sundays in a row, she stood outside Reverend Joe’s church, trying to raise enough courage to enter while the service continued. Each time she relented, and left. The following weekend she prayed and asked for courage. She waited until the service was well under way, then slipped into a pew during a praise song. She touched Molly’s hand, expecting a cold response or a brush back. Instead, she felt a desperate clutch followed by an emotional sigh. Reverend Joe’s sermon about The Prodigal Son was delivered from memory, with no notes, and no preparation because he put aside all his planned material once he saw Ruthie return to her grandmother. That was a good day. Ruthie is happy, and she enjoys doing things for others to bring happiness and joy to their lives. She also has a darkness that occasionally torments her. She fights and prays against it, but it wells within her. She doesn’t sleep well during these dark seasons. |
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Serves with Pastor Dave Cusher at the church attended by Roberta Gander & Peter Gander. |
Pastor Ryan Grant is The Worship Arts Pastor for New Hope Community Church. He’s one of the original five pastors. He leads all aspects of the ministries dealing with the choir, orchestra, drama productions, and the sound system.
He and his wife both studied music in college. His wife sings in the choir, and leads The Children in Music Ministry. Pastor Ryan also enjoys playing basketball in the church gym, which is where he first met Mike the day he injured his ankle. Peter invited Pastor Ryan for the evening hoping he and Mike might strike up a relationship, but Mike’s injury cut the evening short. |
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The daughter of Roberta (Byrd) Gander & Peter Gander, the brother of Josh Gander, and the niece of Diane Gander & Silas Gander. |
Shortly after most people encounter Sarah Gander, the first trait they notice is her energy. Inquisitive early on, she learned to talk at an early age, and the questions soon began. This delighted her parents, but frequently exasperates her older brother Josh, who responds by teasing her about her talkative personality.
Occasionally, Peter entertains coworkers with stories of her precocious nature. A favorite recollection occurred when she was five years old, the night before a fieldtrip. While very tired, Sarah headed upstairs for bed as Peter stopped her to ask what she wanted packed for lunch. Her response was to look down toward her father, jut her hand in a dismissive manner, and declare, “I don’t know Dad, just make it happen!” Peter’s friends often warn amongst the laughs, “Just wait until she gets older, she’s gonna be a handful”, but Sarah rarely disappoints her parents with her behavior. Instead, she carries a heart for others, and often reminds her parents of friends who need prayer or neighbors in need of assistance. Happiness and joy overtook her mother one day, as a Vacation Bible School teacher pulled her aside to mention an incident, occurring during the day. When it came time to go outside, and play during break, the teacher asked Sarah why she was on the floor, while the other kids were in line at the door. Sarah explained some of the kids didn’t know how to tie their shoes, and she wanted to make sure they were safe to run outside. Inquisitive and meticulous with her schoolwork, she developed early on an eagerness to learn on her own, frequently performing more homework than assigned by her parents. Her family’s homeschool co-op hosts a program every year encouraging the children to memorize and recite passages of The Bible or essays originated by Christian authors. This requires a great deal of work for both the children and the parents while they prepare for the program. Since she has a remarkable ability to memorize, Sarah also learns her older brother’s program. Each year, she insists on helping him, whether he wants the assistance or not. Admitting years later to his smiling father, Josh said he appreciated the help from his sister, stating it often made a big difference, but at the same time, insisted his father should never reveal his secret confession. Because she also excels at sports, Sarah insists on playing with the older kids who hang around Josh. She also followed in her brother’s footsteps, and studied the Martial Art, Tang Soo Do . She often spends quiet time in her room where she enjoys singing. She is quite good, but prefers to sing by herself, rather than in front of others. |
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The wife of Dr. Moshe Yehuda, the mother of Rivka Yehuda & Naomi (Yehuda) Yosef, the mother-in-law of Abraham Yosef, and the grandmother of Sasha. |
Sari and Moshe Yehuda are the parents of daughters, Rivka and Naomi. The couple grew up in Brooklyn, New York, met through mutual friends, and married shortly after Sari graduated from high school. By this time, Moshe was ready for medical school.
They said farewell to their families, and moved to Jerusalem, where Moshe studied to become a surgeon. The many years of struggle actually brought them closer. The young couple spent nearly every evening together - he studied, and she quietly knitted or read. Their routine changed with the birth of Rivka shortly before Moshe began his practice. However, Moshe’s habit of home study carried over to his relationship with his young daughter. Rivka quietly colored or played with her dolls at the dinner table while her father studied. Moshe learned to study with her distractions, even to the point where she eventually sat on his lap while he studied. Friends and colleagues were amazed he could effectively study under these circumstances. This practice evolved into Rivka’s love of her father’s work, and her own pursuit of science and medicine. Naomi was born five years later. Though Moshe attempted the same influences on his younger daughter, she never expressed an interest in her father’s studies. Instead, she shadowed her mother in the kitchen and garden. They were a happy family who worked hard, loved one another, and practiced a strong faithfulness to God. |
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The wife of Dr. Gabe Smalls, the broadcast partner of Rosa Quinlan, and a friend of Rabbi Elchanan Zev. |
Scherrie and Gabe Smalls met during their years of undergraduate school. She studied Electrical Engineering at The Naval Academy, and he studied Archaeology at nearby Johns Hopkins University. They married shortly after graduation, and stayed at their respective schools through doctorate programs.
She served in the Navy as a program director for an aircraft weapons management system, then retired after twenty years. After retirement, and with the time available, she attended a seminary near the university where Gabe taught. She concentrated on prophetic studies, during which time; Gabe became more and more interested in her areas of study from an archeological standpoint. They decided to combine their interests, and spent a few years building course notes to teach the material they discovered. They began a ministry and traveled throughout The United States - teaching at churches, symposiums, and creating videos of their material. They also spend several months a year traveling to The Middle East in search of archeological evidence in support of Biblical Truth. |
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Serves Virgil Peccati, Constantine Peccati, Cyril Peccati, and Vitis Peccati. Supervisor of Bineil, Vieko Kasun, Max Vesper, Nicoli Mancuso, Ross Archer Fitch, and Clinton Swalin. |
Dr. Seleucus Bellicov is a manservant dedicated to the Peccati family. His duties include the protection and education of Constantine.
He never married and appears to be about 35. He is very thin, but deceptively wiry and strong. He wears spectacles, and has a very intellectual look. He always wears a hat when outdoors as well as a dagger tucked inside his pant leg. He has penetrating eyes and remarkably smooth facial skin, despite smoking heavily. His task of educating Constantine includes not only classic academics, but more importantly, history and psychological techniques known only to The Peccati Family. These studies are part of the grooming intended for members of the family he serves. Seleucus has a medical background, though his only practice is his service to the Peccati family. He also had advanced studies in Linguistics, specializing in the literatures of antiquity. |
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The fiancè of Troy Stoltz, the daughter of Helen Talmadge & Victor Talmadge, the niece of Jackie Talmadge & Victor Talmadge, and the cousin of Robby Talmadge. |
Shelly is the oldest daughter of Victor and Helen Talmadge, and a first cousin of Robby. She has a younger sister named Deana. She and her fiancè, Troy, became engaged during their freshman year at Rutgers University. They have a wedding date set during the upcoming Labor Day weekend.
Troy helped her become a Christian. Together, they approached her mother and father about their faith, eventually leading them to Christ. |
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The husband of Diane Gander, the brother of Peter Gander, the brother-in-law of Roberta (Byrd) Gander, and the uncle of Sarah Gander & Josh Gander. |
Silas Gander is the younger brother of Peter. While both excelled in schoolwork and athletics, Silas was slightly better in the classroom, while Peter was slightly better on the field. Silas was also considerably quieter. Teachers and coaches expected him to follow in his brother’s footsteps, and in some regards he did, but where they differed, Silas embraced the opportunity to be his own person.
Silas finished first in his high school class, and while he received athletic scholarships to play football, he instead, chose to accept an academic scholarship to M.I.T. There, he pursued a degree in International Studies with a focus on Arabic language and culture. He continued at M.I.T. with his graduate work in The Security Studies Program. During his first year of graduate studies, he was contacted by a recruiter for The FBI. He was told The Bureau had followed his progress for some time, and was highly interested in him. A year of interviews and background investigations led to a formal offer a month before graduation. He never bothered to apply for employment elsewhere. A week after he finished school, he headed for Quantico to begin his training. |
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Helped to lead Victor Talmadge to Christ. |
Victor tells the story of how he and his family came to accept Christ. During his testimony, Victor mentions a man named Stan Fisher, who he met in the hotel elevator. Later, the same man invited him to pray over their group’s breakfast. Victor did so, closing The Blessing in The Name of Christ, the first moment Victor knew and recognized The Truth.
Stan Fisher’s character is in recognition of Christian author, Stan Telchin, whose real-life story parallels Victor’s recollection. You can read about Stan Telchin’s exciting journey in his book, Betrayed, published in 1982, 144 pages, ISBN 0800790685. Chosen Books, a Division of Baker Publishing Group publishes Stan Telchin’s book. Website: http://www.chosenbooks.com. |
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Employed by Joan nnalee (Hudson) Hunt at The Stone Towers Academy. |
Suzie Parsons is a young lady employed by The Stone Towers Academy, where she works for Joan as part of the kitchen staff. She is 28 years old, and started with The Stone Towers Academy four years earlier.
Joan first met Suzie when she was new to town, and visited Joan’s church. Joan learned she desperately needed a job, and offered her the position. Suzie is not only a dedicated employee, but very talented. |
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One of Constantine Peccati’s instructors, and a colleague of Seleucus at The Stone Towers Academy. |
Terrance Hopkins is an English and Literature instructor for The Upper School of The Stone Towers Academy. This is his third year at the school.
He is a favorite of his students due to his simple nature. Originally from Indiana, his Midwestern way of speaking and overall attitude is in stark contrast to most of the staff. Yet he still demands, and gets strong performance from his students. A few months earlier, he and his fiancè set a wedding date set for the coming Summer. |
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The son of Debbie and Ted Gee, and the friend of Ruthie Cantwell. |
Tommy Gee spent his early years in a quiet world of his own. Never talking and with little interaction with those around him.
His parents followed advice from medical experts by working with the rest of the family on a daily basis. They provided Tommy with intense interaction; they played physical games with him, and stimulated him with brightly colored toys, music, and tasks requiring hand coordination. By the time he reached six years, he showed an interest in running - the one physical activity he embraced. He loved to run through fields of high grass as the rhythmic rustling against his pants soothed him, and gave him a sense of comfort. In addition to the physical stimulation, his family read to Tommy several hours a day, mostly from The Scriptures. His eyes occasionally revealed his interest, but sadly, little other emotion came from him. He sat quietly every day, and listened patiently while his brothers, sisters, and parents read to him and prayed with him. Friends from the family’s church frequently prayed for Tommy, organizing prayer chains for him and his family. Their pastor and his wife frequently visited to pray and talk with Tommy. This pattern continued until the middle of his eleventh year, when he had a wonderful encounter with a visitor. This special victor revealed to Tommy that The Lord had special plans for him. From that day forward, Tommy slowly began to speak, but in a very special and unique way. |
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The husband of Helen Talmadge, the father of Shelly Talmadge, the uncle of Robby Talmadge, the brother of Bryce Talmadge, and the brother-in-law of Jackie Talmadge. Led to Christ by mentors KennanJennings and Stan Fisher. |
Victor Talmadge is the uncle of Robby and the younger brother, by three years, of Bryce. Victor and Helen married when they were both 23. They have two daughters, Shelly and Deana.
While his older brother, Bryce, did as little as possible to get by in school and work, Victor excelled. Unknown by Victor, his parents knew early on Bryce was the weaker son, and required more attention. Victor mistakenly interpreted this as favoritism directed toward his brother, leading to his fierce independence, but at the cost of his own esteem. His success fueled his need to achieve in order to prove his ability. These family dynamics cycled through many years, leading to resentment, jealousy, and anger. His older brother, Bryce resented his brother’s academic success and career. He interpreted his parent’s doting as smothering, and lacking confidence in him as a capable person. His lack of personal ability only accentuated these feelings. In turn, Victor held negative feelings due to the awful way his brother treated their parents. He also hated the way his brother berated him publicly. Recently, he grew to understand the source of his brother’s behavior, and committed to pray for him. Victor flourished with his success as an attorney; however, the root of his satisfaction was not in success, but in the actual work. He translated his childhood desire to please his parents to his supervisors and clients. Over the many years, his family life suffered because of this dedication. This all changed once he and his wife were introduced to Christ by their daughter, Shelly, and future son-in-law, Troy. |
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Serves Seleucus. |
Vieko Kasun is in his early forties. He’s served within The Sworn since he was a young man. For the last several years, he’s worked as an undercover agent within The FBI - an extremely difficult assignment requiring the establishment of his alternate personae Neal Alban - an effort requiring multiple levels of infiltration by those serving The Peccati Family.
He’s completed that assignment and anxiously responds to the idea of “Coming home”. He faces surgery to once again alter his appearance, a short respite with his family, then he will serve as program overseer for some of the special projects managed by Seleucus. He will join Bineil in the special role of serving directly underneath Seleucus. |
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Employed by Virgil Peccati |
Vincent (Vince) Rotoli is the construction manager supervising the upgrade to The Stone Towers Academy.
He was born and raised in America by parents who have cultural as well as family ties to the region of Italy dominated by the Peccati family. He and his ancestors have served The Peccati family leaders for many generations. Their education, job choice, and place of residence, all determined based upon their eventual call to serve The Family in some manner. Like the others, he is a member of The Sworn, who answers this call without fail. |
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The husband of Carmella Peccati, the father of Constantine Peccati, the grandfather of Cyril Peccati, and the great grandfather of Vitis Peccati. Served by Seleucus. |
Virgil Peccati is the patriarch of the Peccati family. A strong presence is the first thing one surmises about him.
He wears very expensive and conservatively styled clothes. In a crowded room, eyes automatically draw to him simply by the way he walks and interacts with others. He is very polite, but commands respect with an unspoken assumption. Peccati possesses training in international law, specializing in trade agreements between nations and large corporations. Financing, banking, investment advice, tax strategies, tariff negotiations, and international commerce consume his day-to-day work. For several years he led a team of lawyers and businessmen specializing in international negotiations, lately exclusively through contacts at The United Nations. With the relocation of The United Nations to its new headquarters in New York City, the decision followed to move the entire operation from Rome, Italy. This, to be closer to the new and growing central power of international governance. |
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The husband of Kathleen Manchester, the father of Geoffrey Manchester, the brother of Andrew Manchester, and the brother-in-law of Grace Manchester. |
Webster and Kathleen Manchester are the parents of candidate student Geoffrey. He runs the family business, distributing imports from Asia. His wife Kathleen is an author.
Webster and his younger brother Andrew are graduates of The Stone Towers Academy. |
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