Terrance Updike

F       A       S       E       R       I       P       Res     Pop
Gd 10   Ty 6    Ty 6    Gd 10   Gd 10   Ex 20   Ex 20   In 40   Fe +2

Health: 32
Karma:  50

Origin:

Terrance Updike is a normal human, lacking paranormal or other powers of any stripe. The threat he poses comes in the form of his position within the National Security Council, which grants him a phenomenal array of government resources with which to achieve his aims.

Known Powers:

(none)

Limitations / Enhancements:

(none)

Equipment:

Sidearm: as an ostensible member of the American intelligence community, Terrance carries a sidearm at all times. He can fire a single round from this weapon to inflict Typical (6) Shooting damage, or a semi-automatic burst of rounds from it to inflict Good (10) Shooting damage.

Quirks:

(none)

Talents:

Detective / Espionage: whether he's an old spy or just managed intelligence networks for the United States government, Terrance has shown that he's an old hand in this area. He may thus attempt ACTION rolls to resolve intelligence gathering efforts with a +1 CS bonus.

Guns: regardless of where he did his time in the government, Terrance naturally has been well trained in the use of modern firearms. Whether standard, semi-automatic, or fully automatic, Terrance may fire such weapons as if his Agility was +1 CS in rank.

Manipulation: similarly, Terrance is well-versed in squeezing others to perform as he wishes, whether using the carrot or the stick. He benefits from a +1 CS bonus on efforts to manipulate others, whether ingratiating or intimidating them into doing his bidding.

Contacts:

A member of the National Security Council, Terrance Updike has countless government employees and resources he can draw upon should the need arise. Seemingly having a background in intelligence work, he likely has countless related contacts in that arena, as well.

Costume:

Unlike many of the more adventuresome individuals he's drawn into the employ of the NSC, Terrance himself doesn't wear a costume. Unless, of course, you consider his many business suits variations on a costume, that is. His suits and ties often vary in color from day to day, though.

Personality:

Terrance is a veteran of government service. This has made him about as cynical and black-humored as you'd imagine, twin characteristics that serve him well in his intelligence work. He may engage in shady behavior, but it's ultimately for a good purpose, or at least he thinks so.

Real Name: Terrance Updike
Occupation: Presidential advisor
Legal Status: citizen of the United States with no known criminal record
Marital Status: unrevealed
Alias(es), if any: presumably many
Group Affiliation: the National Security Council

Height: 6'
Hair: brown with gray temples
Eyes: brown
Weight: 200 lbs
Other Distinguishing Characteristics: Terrance is an older man, with pronounced wrinkles here and there as a result.

Story:

Terrance Updike is a highly placed member of the elite National Security Council, one who generally only answers to the president. As the NSC consists primarily of the president's lead advisors and cabinet members, it is assumed he holds a very prestigious government position.

As they slowly revealed themselves around the world, Terrance developed a particular interest in paranormals, and wanted several working for the government. In particular, Terrance had a keen interest in recruting Justice, a paranormal vigilante formerly of the DEA.

Though this operative's mind was scrambled by Daedalus Darquill when Justice was investigating him before he developed his own paranormal powers, he had seemingly shaken off that crime boss' influence. And if Justice was to kill people, Terrance wanted him doing so for the NSC.

After the destruction of Pittsburgh, Terrance made Justice's recruitment a priority, and made his way to the Pitt when his subordinates reported that Justice was in the vicinity. Lucking out, he arrived just as Justice was fighting a group of soldiers attempting to prevent his entry.

Calling the soldiers off, Terrance gave Justice his card, allowing him clearance to investigate the ruins of Pittsburgh. Terrance then returned to his offices, having his underlings keep tabs on the vigilante and several other paranormals he had targeted for recruitment.

He next saw field action some time later, after Justice was captured by the Philadelphia police department. Drugging him to keep him under control, the Philadelphia police inadvertently caused Justice to slip back into his Darquill hallucinations, causing him to rampage in the streets.

Stepping in as the Army arrived to stop him, led by Colonel Browning, Terrance had his people spread out to locate Justice. Once they did, Justice's own daughter snapped him out of his drug-fueled stupor, giving Terrance the window he needed to spirit the vigilante away.

As Justice recovered from his ordeal, not to mention the various injuries inflicted on him by Philadelphia's finest, Terrance continued his regular duties, which included the recruitment of numerous other paranormals for the NSC, including Shudderbug and the terrifying Creeping Crud.

While Terrance had Justice investigating another potential paranormal recruit, Washington was devastated by a pitched battle between Rodstvow, a Russian paranormal, and the Psi-Hawk, a composite psychic construct built by paranormals the CIA had been menacing for years.

While the NSC reeled from this, Creeping Crud was murdered, shot in the head by an assassin out for Justice's blood. Mobilizing the team, such as it was, Terrance ultimately saw Crud's killer brought to justice, but it wasn't his own operatives that ultiamtely did the deed.

No, the Creeping Crud's murderer was slain by none other than Angela Tensen, Justice's daughter. Abducted by Elliot Quill as part of his second attempt to kill Justice, the paranormal assassin didn't know that she was a paranormal as well, even if she wasn't aware what her ability was.

Though Angela won her battle against Quill, she was left comatose in the wake of the sheer horror it engendered within her. Terrance had the NSC take care of her as she lay comatose, particularly since Justice went to Russia with the Medusa Web on a hunt for the evil Rodstvow.

The last mission Terrance authorized was an investigation into paranormal shenanigans happening on Coney Island. Little did Terrance know that Coney Island was indeed the home of the Forsaken, an ill-tempered band of paranormals led by the completely unhinged Judge Mental.

Needing something to do with one of his similarly deranged underlings, Judge Mental sent Impact to the NSC headquarters, which he promptly blew up. Caught in the blast of this surprise attack, Terrance was buried in rubble, though he was rescued by his subordinate, Kleenex (TM).

However, Terrance was hospitalized after the NSC's roof collapsed on him, and it is unknown whether he ever came out of the coma this incident left him in. The ultimate fate of the NSC itself, most of whose paranormal members left afterwards for Coney Island, is also unknown.

Chronology: Justice # 18, Justice # 19, Justice # 20, Justice # 21, Justice # 22, Justice # 23, Justice # 25, Justice # 26, Justice # 27, Justice # 28, Justice # 31, Justice # 32.