An extended synopsis regarding the novel’s plot and its characters · 2017. 3. 24. · Synopsis for “Salvatore: Arcus Iudicium” Synopsis Part 1: The American Dream (Chapters

An extended synopsis regarding the novel’s plot and its

characters

Aurum Raptor

N/A Independent writer

Synopsis for “Salvatore: Arcus Iudicium”

Table of Contents Synopsis ..................................................................................................................................... 3

Part 1: The American Dream (Chapters 1 to 12) ................................................................... 3

Part 2: Confidential Legacy (Chapters 13 to 24) ................................................................... 9

Part 3: Icon of the Defender (Chapters 25 to 36) ................................................................. 17

Epilogue ........................................................................................................................... 31

Dramatis Personae ................................................................................................................... 32

ARCUS Rebels ........................................................................................................................ 32

Salvatore Pasquale ............................................................................................................... 32

Biography ......................................................................................................................... 32

Vladimir Popov .................................................................................................................... 33

Biography ......................................................................................................................... 33

Miranda Ekerot .................................................................................................................... 34

Biography ......................................................................................................................... 34

Tobias Jonsson ..................................................................................................................... 35

Biography ......................................................................................................................... 35

Vojislav Brévic .................................................................................................................... 36

Biography ......................................................................................................................... 36

Allies of the Resistance ............................................................................................................ 37

Claude Pascal ....................................................................................................................... 37

Biography ......................................................................................................................... 37


Jenna Lane ........................................................................................................................... 38

Biography ......................................................................................................................... 38

Holly Sherwood ................................................................................................................... 39

Biography ......................................................................................................................... 39

Himika Takara ..................................................................................................................... 40

Biography ......................................................................................................................... 40

Donato Scarchilli ................................................................................................................. 41

Biography ......................................................................................................................... 41

DIVIETO Conspirators ............................................................................................................ 42

Rosh Goldman ..................................................................................................................... 42

Biography ......................................................................................................................... 42

Electra Daimler .................................................................................................................... 43

Biography ......................................................................................................................... 43

Grigori Markóvic ................................................................................................................. 44

Biography ......................................................................................................................... 44

Katashi Takara ..................................................................................................................... 45

Biography ......................................................................................................................... 45

Hermann Krumpf ................................................................................................................. 46

Biography ......................................................................................................................... 46


Synopsis

Part 1: The American Dream (Chapters 1 to 12)

In 1996, a political summit meeting takes place in New York City in order to combat the

increasing crime and to prevent an imminent economic collapse. It is agreed by the United

Nations that NATO consolidate their armed forces into a single organisation, marking the

genesis of the Sol Federation, with the Member for Israel as its President.

In 2011, Salvatore Pasquale, a soon-to-be college graduate with Asperger Syndrome, finishes

his course in the US. Going for a walk, he meets Interpol officer Claude Pascal at a leisure

centre, where his friend Holly Sherwood works. Holly and Salvatore discuss the ups and

downs of the course and Salvatore has an anxiety attack, injuring him. The next day, Salvatore

prepares to attend his last day of college with on/off friend Vladimir Popov, a dyslexic

sportsman. In a fit of frustration, Salvatore injures himself, requiring medical attention – he is

taken to a hospital, where his injured hand is fixed thanks to experimental nanotech surgery.

At a coffee house with Vladimir and Holly, Salvatore is distracted by several items, most

notably the seemingly-aggressive and irresponsible parents around his person – behaviour

which is considered acceptable by society (and the Sol Federation)’s standards.

Tiring of life as a sycophant and taking a stand, Salvatore confronts the indifferent mother and

authoritarian father and gives an impassioned speech on how role models in any field –

personal, political, religious – can be total hypocrites and complete cowards when given power.

Going for a walk, Salvatore discovers a Federation camp consisting of “Imperfects” – people

with disabilities, different views, minorities, etc. People denied a fair life in the US due to their

particularities and/or personal views.


Feeling sympathetic for such people, Salvatore crosses the line from civilian to criminal by

helping the prisoners flee, their leader informing him of how the Government imposed Martial

Law to counter the Economic Crisis. He also mentions an organisation called ARCUS.

Salvatore photographs the camp with the intention of exposing the corruption. As he comes

back to the city, Salvatore is cornered by Federation troops and is incapacitated, being arrested

shortly afterwards. The next day, Holly tries to contact Salvatore before heading to the leisure

centre. Salvatore awakens in a prison cell. He escapes thanks to an unknown assistant.

Holly encounters her friend Jenna Lane, an Interpol officer from Australia. Holly informs

Jenna of Salvatore’s escape, prompting the cop to send out a search and rescue party, despite

the athletic dancer’s protests. Salvatore embarks on a personal vendetta after acquiring some

weapons, eventually stumbling across a subterranean city, where he is cornered by Claude and

Jenna, accompanied by some Federation soldiers. Salvatore escapes and goes deeper

underground. Miranda Ekerot, leader of the rebel organisation ARCUS posing as an assassin,

is hired to take out Salvatore on the condition that she cooperates with Jenna. She accepts,

albeit reluctantly. Salvatore is cornered by a nameless adversary but is able to incapacitate and

disarm him. While Claude, Jenna and Miranda search for him, Salvatore escapes and returns

home to say goodbye to Holly as the two have a tender moment before the renegade fugitive

heads back into the subterranean metropolis. Vladimir is left alone at the police station. Bored

with doing nothing, he writes Claude a note and leaves, contacting Salvatore to inform him of

the situation. Vladimir then proceeds to head for Holly’s apartment, asking for her help. After

a terse altercation, the two make up and settle their differences. Claude and Jenna return to the

police station. Noticing Vladimir absent, Claude puts 2 and 2 together and determines that he’s

gone to Holly’s place.


The Interpol officers confront Vladimir and get him to come along on a rescue mission with

them, with Holly in tow. Salvatore runs into Miranda in the underground city – his heated

exchange is interrupted by Claude and Vladimir, who offer to let him graduate with honours

on the condition that he returns alive, but Salvatore seemingly refuses. While Claude and Jenna

search for Salvatore, Vladimir admits to planting his friend’s cell phone with a locator, earning

him a reprimand from Claude. Miranda calms down, remembering what drove her to become

an assassin in the first place back in 2009: Her former lover, an activist from Eastern Europe

named Vojislav Brévic, saw through the lies promised by the American Dream. Coupled with

the Economic Crisis and the increasing Martial Law at the hands of the Sol Federation, he takes

the college hostage. Miranda, a former police officer herself, worked with Jenna to bring

Vojislav to justice, but the Slavic activist was killed after a fight with the ex-cop. Delusional

and disillusioned, Miranda quit and went freelance.

After resigning from Interpol, Miranda goes into hiding and becomes an assassin for hire. In

2010, she is assigned to take out Gebhuza Gwala, a Federation-backed warlord in Somalia,

who is using children as his primary workforce. Infiltrating the capital city of Mogadishu,

Miranda captures, interrogates and ultimately executes the cowardly warlord. She discovers

that Gebhuza had provided the weapons used by Vojislav during the college raid which led to

her resignation, and the Sol Federation is actively promoting similar conflicts to maintain peace

and prosperity. Miranda encounters a sole survivor – Swedish pilot Tobias Jonsson – who

offers to help her escape in his helicopter in exchange for letting him live. Miranda agrees to

Tobias’s deal and the two escape to the chopper. Upon reaching the vehicle, Miranda is

captured by a gang of Somali hoodlums. Tobias rescues Miranda with the use of a stolen gun

and the two flee Somalia. Grateful for his help, Miranda befriends Tobias and the two of them

head for the US, marking the genesis of ARCUS.


In the Present Day, Miranda has a change of heart and finds Salvatore with the intention of

rescuing him. After a hand-to-hand fight, the two apostates are cornered by Federation troops,

who are promptly killed by a cyborg ninja, who injures and cripples Salvatore. Vladimir and

Holly work together as they infiltrate part of a subterranean base with Claude and Jenna, the

dancer and the sportsman getting accidentally trapped in a cell. Miranda, having seemingly

gotten Salvatore to safety, tries to help the renegade fugitive, who declares his hatred for the

Nazi-Fascist regime in the US. He is promptly cornered and brutally murdered by the ninja,

who leaves without a trace. Miranda contacts Jenna, informing her of Salvatore’s death.

Vladimir manages to free himself and Holly, news of the heretic’s death breaking the dancer’s

heart. The survivors regroup and leave the underground base, returning to the surface. Vladimir

goes to a local pub and, feeling mournful, starts reminiscing about how Salvatore met Holly,

the two doomed friends first encountering each other at a nightclub-cum-pool party back in

2007.

The next day, Salvatore is revived with the use of nanotech upgrades, which also heal his

wounds in addition to granting him some basic augmentations such as light and speed

enhancement. Miranda allies with Salvatore, showing him her true nature as a rebel leader and

inducting him into the ARCUS organisation. She shows him evidence of the Economic Crisis

and the Sol Federation’s formation as a response to combat the increasing crime and

unemployment.

Salvatore is sent to Serbia to find out more, eventually discovering that the UN and NATO

directly ordered the formation of the Federation as part of a peacekeeping project. He contacts

Holly, who, relieved and irritated to hear he is alive, promptly goes to see Jenna with news of

his still-living status – the two women propose that Holly goes undercover. Returning from

Serbia, Salvatore shows Miranda the countries controlled by the Federation and related powers,


mostly NATO member states – the Federation HQ is located in a subterranean base, underneath

the Signal de Botrange in Belgium within the High Fens Mountains, outside the city of Liége.

Holly goes undercover, using her middle name – Irene – as an alias. She meets Miranda and is

shown around the base before being inducted into ARCUS herself. Contacting Jenna, she

confirms that Salvatore is present.

A gunfight soon escalates amongst the base. Salvatore, suspecting a snitch, locks himself in

Miranda’s quarters and contemplates suicide. Fighting her way through the chaos, Miranda

goes to check on Salvatore. The two of them agree to escape together with Tobias. The trio are

captured by Jenna, who threatens to hand over Salvatore unless he surrenders. Refusing to

return to his old life, Salvatore taunts Jenna into killing him, the cop eventually refusing to do

so. The autistic heretic then deduces that it was a joint collaboration between Holly and Jenna,

just as Claude and Vladimir arrive, having heard about the news. Claude leaves with Jenna

while Vladimir joins Salvatore in the final assault on the Federation, the two friends seemingly

settling their differences. Miranda gives Holly her word that Salvatore will be kept safe. On

their way to the Alps, the group are contacted by a senior echelon of the Federation with orders

that Salvatore surrender and turn himself in at the UN HQ in NYC. Salvatore adamantly refuses

and the helicopter sustains some gunfire. Miranda is informed of an experimental cryogenic

project – a cold-sleep program – and offers herself as a test subject in exchange for Salvatore’s

liberty, and a deal is made.

Flying over to Belgium, Salvatore and Miranda break into the base and eventually corner the

Federation President after defeating his bodyguards. Miranda forces the Federation President

to admit to his wrongdoings while Salvatore shows him the evidence. With his mission

accomplished, Salvatore leaves, expecting Miranda to do the same – but she tells him of the

cold-sleep program, declaring her love for him. In a final moment of tenderness and romance,


Salvatore kisses Miranda before leaving. The Federation President confirms and verifies

Miranda’s permission to take part in the cold-sleep program and she is led to a laboratory,

where her DNA is sampled – she is then cryogenically frozen.

Salvatore reaches the helicopter but decides to rescue Miranda. He and Vladimir argue until

the Federation President injures Salvatore, preparing to execute him. The dissident is saved,

however, by the cyborg ninja from earlier, revealed to be an augmented and resurrected

Vojislav. Salvatore refuses to kill the Federation President and instead lets him go as he and

Vojislav duke it out in a final hand-to-hand fight, ending in a draw. Salvatore mentions Miranda

to Vojislav, who tells him to continue the ARCUS legacy before leaving. Salvatore, now on

the verge of consciousness, is rescued by Vladimir and Tobias, the pilot stating that he knows

a safe place to hide, implying that a new base will be built for ARCUS.


Part 2: Confidential Legacy (Chapters 13 to 24)

In 2016 – 5 years after the collapse of the Sol Federation – Salvatore is now ARCUS

Commander with Vladimir as his lieutenant and Tobias as the organisation’s resident pilot.

Intercepting a long-range transmission with the aid of an ARCUS double agent, Salvatore, with

help from Vladimir, head off to confront an authoritarian father in the United Kingdom. Rosh

Goldman, a media mogul, chemist and head of DIVIETO, a descendant organisation of the

Bavarian Illuminati, is leading and raising awareness of the dangers of ARCUS, stating that

they have been offending people’s cultures and beliefs under the guise of freedom and

independence.

In a flashback set in 1973, Rosh is a Sergeant in the Israeli Army during the Yom Kippur War.

He is assigned to take the Sinai Peninsula, finding himself in the thick of it during the Battle in

the Sinai, and his calls for help are rejected and ignored. Eventually, he discovers that the Israeli

Government refused to execute a pre-emptive strike, therefore putting Israel at risk from Egypt.

One by one, his unit is slaughtered at the hands of the Egyptian forces. In a fit of anger and

feeling his mind snap, Rosh, the sole remaining member of his unit, makes a huge effort to

repeal the Egyptian invaders and eventually learns that the United States persuaded Israel not

to attack the invaders. Now full of rage from his country’s betrayal and the decimation of his

culture, Rosh resigns. Flash forward to 1985 – Rosh, now a respected chemist and entrepreneur,

rescues an unknowing Ivan Popov – Vladimir’s future father – from torture and incarceration

in the Gulag, initiating him into the ranks of his new organisation – DIVIETO – with the

intention of restoring the World to its former glory of tradition and culture.


In 2016, Vojislav and his rogue crew of mercenaries find Miranda’s frozen body at an

abandoned ex-Federation base, underneath the Signal de Botrange in Belgium. Miranda, now

a test subject for experimental cryonics research, is revived by genteel geneticist Doctor

Hermann Krumpf and transported to a subterranean DIVIETO laboratory in the city of

Rotterdam in the heart of the Netherlands, where the young woman is tested and ultimately

violently brainwashed by ruthless and corrupt roboticist Doctor Electra Daimler as part of

Project Gladiator, an experiment to create the Ultimate Warrior, a perfect soldier by means of

both genetics and robotics – her trials include a test of hand-to-hand combat skills and a

subaquatic swim through a flooded basement. Following her successful completion of the

trials, Miranda is programmed to become an assassin.

Salvatore and Vladimir confront the perpetrator in the UK, the ARCUS Commander warning

him to change his autocratic and tyrannical ways or else he will return to administer judgement.

This controversial act of revealing their existence to the public alerts Vladimir, who fears that

Salvatore is losing the plot, despite the latter’s protests and justifications for the rebellion. The

next day, ARCUS take a false call in Sweden – Salvatore and Vladimir investigate. Discovering

a pair of corpses, the two are set up and the organisation is implicated on false charges of

murder and terrorism. The two operatives escape with help from Tobias, ARCUS’s resident

pilot. Rosh uses his influence and connections to tarnish ARCUS’s reputation, particularly in

the religious and educational communities.

Claude and Jenna have returned home to France and Australia respectively, the former now a

Detective Inspector and the latter now a Captain, both still with Interpol. Claude is given orders

to track down Salvatore and ARCUS – he goes to Australia to ask Jenna for help. ARCUS

receive aid from an anonymous tip, providing them with insights into the DIVIETO

organisation, along with a list of known key officials.


Electra and Hermann argue over the controversy of Project Gladiator, the Austrian roboticist

manipulating the German geneticist into concurring with the plan on pain of humiliation and

possibly death. Miranda receives further programming/conditioning.

Holly, who is still living in a post-Federation USA, is now a reporter in addition to a dancer,

and is partnered with her friend Himika Takara, a photographer and a Japanese immigrant.

Learning of the news of ARCUS’s latest “terrorist attack”, Holly learns that Salvatore is still

alive and fighting. She and Himika decide to work together to help him, the two journalists

going undercover. Under the guise of interviewing Rosh, the media agents are granted an

audience with the DIVIETO Ringleader. Impressed by their track record and their consistent

confidence, he inducts them into the organisation – Holly and Himika use this position to their

advantage as they get to work.

Following her mental subjugation, Miranda is dispatched to Rosh’s secret office, where she is

given her equipment and sent to do one final test: to take out a large group of enemies hand-

to-hand. She succeeds and is given her mission: To infiltrate ARCUS and gain Salvatore’s trust

in order to lure the rebels to their doom.

Salvatore and Vladimir head for Slovakia, capturing and interrogating their only lead, Grigori

Markóvic. Despite gaining information successfully (and learning of Rosh Goldman’s

identity), Salvatore refuses to kill Grigori. During the extraction, the two ARCUS operatives

encounter Slovak police and a hectic gunfight ensues as the peerless pair escape from the city.

Salvatore is separated from Vladimir and is forced to continue alone, eventually rendezvousing

with the others at the edge of the city, just barely escaping in the nick of time with Tobias’s

helicopter. Miranda is sent to New York to take out a magistrate associated with the rebellion.

The assassin carries out her mission effortlessly, taunting her victim, who seemingly dies of a

heart attack. Miranda escapes and rendezvouses with Electra and Hermann, the Austrian


roboticist giving the Swedish assassin her next mission, which is to defeat ARCUS informant

Donato Scarchilli, who is entering a fighting tournament in Italy. In Australia, Jenna meets

Claude for the first time in five years, who asks for her help in bringing Salvatore to justice.

After a moment’s hesitation, the two cops resume their partnership and agree to work together

to apprehend the autistic heretic. In the USA, Holly and Himika learn about Salvatore’s attack

in Slovakia – this incentivises them to research on the organisation in an attempt to make the

evening news. Himika secures a deal with the Editor of their local news station, while Holly

refuses to believe that Salvatore is a ruthless mercenary. After some thought and soul-

searching, the intrepid reporters decide to indulge in some corporate espionage at Rosh’s

penthouse office in the Transamerica Pyramid.

Back at the ARCUS base, Salvatore, Vladimir and Tobias try to relax with some downtime

after their latest mission. Vladimir and Tobias are fixing the helicopter, arguing over whether

or not Salvatore’s crusade is worth something – Vladimir suggests using Miranda as a

figurehead but is shot down by Tobias. After a lengthy discussion, Vladimir admits that

Salvatore may have a point after all. Miranda arrives at the San Siro Stadium in Milan, Italy.

Following further conditioning by Electra, she enters the tournament and is instantly pitted

against Donato, who has an affinity for fighting women. After beating the shit out of the

ARCUS informant, she finally gets the location of the ARCUS base but is seemingly captured

by DIVIETO troops. At the ARCUS base in Sweden, Salvatore and Vladimir discover Rosh’s

identity and intercept a radio transmission from Miranda in the form of an SOS distress call

telling them to pick her up at a specific location on the French-Italian border. Salvatore is

initially suspicious but his heart rules his mind as he decides to go ahead with the rescue

mission, despite Vladimir’s protests. Reaching a safe house on the border at Mont Blanc, the

ARCUS operatives apprehend Miletto, who offers to help them in exchange for protection.


Salvatore agrees and has the others evacuate while he goes to rescue Miranda. Upon her

“rescue”, Miranda works with Salvatore and ARCUS as a double agent.

Miranda provides Salvatore with the supposed location of the DIVIETO hideout – a

subterranean base in Patagonia, within the Andes Mountains. Vladimir warns Salvatore about

Miranda’s suspicious behaviour but Salvatore refuses to listen. Claude and Jenna, upon hearing

of Salvatore’s latest strike, conduct a meeting at Interpol HQ. Claude is denied authority to

hunt Salvatore, forcing him to go rogue. Following a heated argument with Jenna, the jaded

cop finally admits that Salvatore made him question authority but he could never bring himself

to openly do so until recently – realising he is beginning to sink down to his mark’s level, he

decides to bring him to justice unofficially, with Jenna’s help.

Holly and Himika engage in corporate espionage, raiding Rosh’s office in San Francisco,

eventually obtaining confidential information as to his part in the DIVIETO conspiracy. The

ARCUS crew arrive at the Andes Mountains and head for the designated mountain in

Patagonia. After a series of increasingly elaborate death traps, the team finally breach the

DIVIETO hideout and save all confidential information to a flash drive before activating the

base’s self-destruct sequence. As the countdown begins, Tobias contacts Salvatore and

arranges to meet him at an alternative landing zone for extraction at the base of the mountain.

Upon reaching the new LZ, the rebels encounter Electra, who shoots and injures Vladimir

before activating Miranda’s brainwashing, the Swedish femme fatale attacking Salvatore and

beating him into submission. The corrupt scientist injects the ARCUS Commander with a

nanotech inhibitor, disabling his augmentations and effectively incapacitating him into

unconsciousness. Vojislav warns Salvatore too late not to trust Miranda as the crew are

captured.


News of ARCUS’s apparent dissolution shocks Holly and Himika, who contact Jenna and pass

on the news to her, who informs Claude. Undeterred by the news, Claude persuades Jenna to

investigate further despite the official story in the news, and the two head for an unknown

destination. Salvatore is taken to an interrogation chamber in a subterranean DIVIETO base,

where he is tortured by Grigori. Following an encounter with Electra, Salvatore is incapacitated

and taken back to his cell. Vladimir informs Salvatore of Project Gladiator and also updates

him regarding the rest of the crew: Tobias is being forced to work for DIVIETO as their pilot

and Miletto is dead. Salvatore resolves to escape from the base and rescue the rest of the crew.

Salvatore is tortured even further and is allowed to say goodbye to Miranda. He is taken back

to his cell, where he and Vladimir are eventually rescued by Vojislav. With Vojislav’s help,

Salvatore and Vladimir set about rescuing the others and escaping. Vladimir heads for the

surface with Vojislav while Salvatore goes for Miranda. Salvatore bursts into the prison’s

laboratory and demands that Electra let Miranda go. She complies, taunting the heretic in the

process. Furious and determined to fight back more than ever, Salvatore incapacitates Electra,

knocking her out violently with his assault rifle. Following a brief fight in Electra’s laboratory,

Salvatore is able to free Miranda from the brainwashing, although she loses part of her memory

in the process. Salvatore and Miranda escape but not before the ARCUS Commander causes a

cave-in at the bio lab. Enraged and feeling betrayed, Salvatore calls out Vojislav on his

extensive knowledge of DIVIETO. Vojislav informs Salvatore that the ARCUS base in Sweden

has been destroyed and the next mission is to apprehend Hermann and destroy the DIVIETO

lab in Holland. Salvatore reluctantly agrees to Vojislav’s request and threatens to kill him if he

suspects even the slightest hint of deception or betrayal.

Vojislav joins the ARCUS crew, who head for Holland to put a stop to the evil project.

Salvatore, Miranda, Vojislav and Vladimir infiltrate the city of Rotterdam while Tobias


remains aboard the chopper. The quartet reach a complex/facility based on Vojislav’s findings

and break into it, discovering an underground laboratory. Reaching the cryogenics lab,

Salvatore confronts Hermann, revealing the truth to him that his research has been subverted

to create the ultimate weapon. Salvatore tries to persuade Hermann to defect over to the

rebellion, promising to protect him while Miranda learns of what DIVIETO have done to her

during her time in cryogenic sleep, having augmented her body in addition to the hypnosis.

Hermann reluctantly agrees to help as Salvatore destroys the supercomputer in the lab before

leaving.

Salvatore and the crew attempt to escape but are apprehended by Grigori and Electra, who

recapture Miranda. Tobias provides air support and backup, allowing the ground crew to

escape. Vojislav gets Hermann to safety while Salvatore and Vladimir pursue Grigori and

Electra through the city of Rotterdam, intending to rescue Miranda. Vladimir hacks into the

DIVIETO radio frequency and intercepts Electra requesting a call for extraction at the Meuse

River. He and Salvatore pursue the cultists all the way to the edge of the city before engaging

in a motorboat chase across the river, with Vladimir at the wheel. Salvatore is able to knock

Grigori and Electra’s motorboat off the river thanks to a series of well-timed and well-aimed

grenades, while Vladimir rams their motorboat into that of their adversaries, damaging both

amphibious transporters beyond repair and temporarily dazing both factions. Grigori and

Electra reach their extraction point with Salvatore and Vladimir in hot pursuit. Catching up

with his adversaries, the ARCUS Commander shoots Electra, injuring the corrupt scientist,

who abandons Grigori to his fate. A brutal fistfight ensues between the autistic heretic and the

sadistic torturer. Grigori eventually gains the upper hand and beats the Italian renegade within

a centimetre of his life. Salvatore is saved by Vladimir and Miranda, who, with the

incapacitated ARCUS Commander, brutally kill Grigori with a combined effort as the ARCUS


Lieutenant radios Tobias for extraction. With a badly-injured Salvatore, Vladimir, Tobias,

Vojislav and Miranda escape from the Netherlands and the ARCUS team go into hiding.


Part 3: Icon of the Defender (Chapters 25 to 36)

The ARCUS team, now wanted men worldwide, take up refuge in Luxembourg, settling down

in Luxembourg City as they head for the city’s main hospital. The doctors are just barely able

to save Salvatore’s life, although his augmentations have been damaged, requiring the use of a

medical robot to restore his bioelectric energy. Miranda vows to make DIVIETO pay for

everything and reassumes command of ARCUS. Vladimir contacts Holly and asks her to

investigate the DIVIETO organisation on Salvatore’s behalf. In a secret DIVIETO facility in

Norway, Electra is reprimanded by Rosh for abandoning Grigori to his fate – he orders Project

Gladiator suspended while he manipulates the media from behind the scenes.

3 months later, Salvatore fully recovers and regains consciousness. Vladimir updates him on

the situation at hand and then informs him about Holly’s involvement at his request. Salvatore

berates Vladimir for involving Holly, expressing concern that she may be targeted by

DIVIETO as a model for Project Gladiator. Vladimir speculates that the same fate may be

reserved for Miranda, since Electra still possesses her DNA, allowing her to continue with the

project thanks to hers and Hermann’s research. Holly and Himika receive an anonymous tipper

emailing them to head over to Osaka, Japan. Holly calls Jenna and instructs her to meet her in

Japan. With no time to waste, Holly and Himika head for the San Francisco branch of their

news office. The journalistic pair broadcast an emergency report warning the people of the

Earth of the DIVIETO cult, clearing Salvatore’s name and exonerating the ARCUS rebellion.

Realising that Rosh could seek them out for their deception, the two reporters leave the US and

head for Japan to meet the rogue police officers in Osaka. Claude assumes command as he

shows the others the identity of the tipper thanks to his cross-referencing and private

investigation. The tipper is a member of DIVIETO called Katashi Takara, Himika’s father.

Himika refuses to be involved until Holly reassures her that she is the only one who can help


them. Her mind in full overdrive, Himika proposes a temporary working partnership with the

officers, a deal to which Claude agrees on the stipulation that heroics are kept to a minimum.

Claude contacts Salvatore and asks him to come to Japan, agreeing on a mutual temporary

alliance. Miranda is reunited with Salvatore – she thanks him for saving her life and for freeing

her from Electra’s brainwashing. Reinvigorated, Salvatore and the crew leave Luxembourg

City, departing from the Benelux region.

The ARCUS operatives head over to Japan, landing at a heliport in the city of Osaka. Salvatore,

Vojislav, Miranda and Vladimir head into town sans weapons while Hermann remains aboard

the helicopter with Tobias, acting as backup and monitoring the mission’s progress. Salvatore

is reunited with Holly for the first time in more than five years. Holly finally confesses her love

for Salvatore, whose own feelings are divided and confused between Holly and Miranda.

Himika meets Salvatore for the first time and Claude explains the situation to Salvatore. An

alliance with the rebels and civilians is forged, with the mutual goal of exposing DIVIETO and

capturing Rosh and Electra in a joint operation. Himika admits to being Katashi’s daughter and

escorts the rebels to Katashi’s residence. Himika and Katashi meet for the first time in more

than a decade. Himika pleads with Katashi to help Salvatore but her pleas fall on deaf ears,

Katashi shaming her for leaving Japan and moving to America, citing it as the major reason for

his divorce with Himika’s mother, Kasumi, which dishonoured him. Himika stands up to

Katashi, earning her a slap around the face. Enraged and fed up, Salvatore threatens to kill

Katashi unless he tells him everything about DIVIETO and his role in the conspiracy.

Intervening, Vladimir physically attacks Salvatore and reprimands him for his vindictive

attitude. Holly agrees to protect Katashi in exchange for the information. Katashi informs them

of a DIVIETO operative named Ivan Popov – this news causes Vladimir’s mind to temporarily

snap, as Ivan is his father. Salvatore soothes Vladimir in a rare display of compassion and


promises to let him exact his personal vendetta if it is what he desires, mirroring his friend’s

warning from earlier. Vojislav contacts Salvatore and informs him of the impending arrival of

the police. Salvatore radios Tobias for extraction before ordering Holly and Himika to

rendezvous with Claude and Jenna. Vojislav seemingly abandons the group and apparently

blows himself up in order to buy the others some time, much to Salvatore’s displeasure and

disbelief. The remaining ARCUS operatives escape with Katashi into the streets of the city of

Osaka. The rebels commandeer a squad car and a chase sequence ensues. A bullet hits one of

the tyres on the squad car, causing Salvatore (who is driving) to lose control. As the group head

into the heliport, Claude radios Salvatore and informs him that he is at the helipad with the

others. Realising that he is short on time, Salvatore forces Katashi to escort him and the others

through the heliport and into the landing area, resulting in a successful extraction as Tobias

pilots the whirlybird away from Osaka, the rebels fleeing Japan as they leave Asia. Salvatore

informs Miranda of their discovery and of Vojislav’s erratic behaviour. Hermann explains that

Vojislav is a double agent, out for revenge on DIVIETO with his own personal agenda. Upon

leaving the city of Osaka, Tobias lands the helicopter in order to get some sleep.

At the DIVIETO HQ in Norway, Rosh discovers that Salvatore has apprehended Katashi – in

retaliation, he runs a news story destroying ARCUS’s credibility. Electra uses both her and

Hermann’s (stolen) research to create a techno-warrior clone of Miranda – Miranda Alpha –

a silver-coloured fusion of flesh, nanotech augmentations and plasma, based on the

Scandinavian beauty’s DNA, augmentations and combat data. Learning that Project Gladiator

has been continuing unauthorised, he meets with Electra and reprimands her for her

controversial behaviour, stating it is against DIVIETO policy to manipulate the organisation’s

Prime Directives for personal gain. Electra reaffirms Rosh that he will thank her when the

world has been restored to its proper place. Fearing that Hermann and Katashi may divulge


critical information to Salvatore, Rosh has them marked for death, using Vojislav to perform

the task in question. In Russia, Claude and Jenna interrogate Hermann and Katashi over their

roles in DIVIETO. Hermann quickly reveals all his knowledge about Project Gladiator, while

Katashi cracks only when realising that Rosh may come after him for his defection. Claude

threatens to hand the defectors over to Salvatore if they make a mistake. Hermann loses his

composure and breaks down into tears, seeking redemption for the subversion of his research.

Tobias contacts Salvatore and informs him that Rosh has struck again, targeting his parents –

Arturo and Ginevra Pasquale. Enraged and fed up of being undermined by his intellectual

adversary, Salvatore leaves Russia and heads for Italy in order to find his parents.

In the city of Saint Petersburg, a lone Vladimir heads over to his parents’ house in order to

confront Ivan, reuniting with his mother, Svetlana. A volcanic showdown erupts between

father and son as Vladimir accuses Ivan of lifelong deception and borderline neglect. Ivan

defends his actions and tries to justify his reasons for being largely absent during Vladimir’s

formative years. After an emotional reconciliation, Vladimir forgives his parents and leaves,

opting to spend the night in a hotel in the city of Saint Petersburg. Arriving in the town of

Pianiga, Salvatore enters the local hospital, where he meets his mother, Ginevra, and his father,

Arturo, for the first time in more than a decade. A terse altercation between father and son

ensues as Arturo chastises Salvatore for the latter’s choice of lifestyle. Salvatore finally breaks

down and admits that he has become his own shadow – he also calls out Arturo (and, to a lesser

extent, Ginevra) for being too overprotective and repressive during his formative years. The

autistic heretic vows to give up his life of rebellion once his final mission is accomplished.

After reconciling with his parents, Salvatore leaves and spends the night in a hotel in Pianiga.

In a nightmare set in 2011, Miranda finds herself in a familiar location. She follows Salvatore

to the base of operations of the now-defunct Sol Federation, only for the antihero to be


incapacitated and the Nordic beauty to be captured and forced to become a test subject for

cryogenic research. Miranda awakens from the frightful nightmare and is soothed by Salvatore

as her memories become clearer. She then confesses to him why she became an assassin – she

grew up in a very overprotective household with a permissive mother and a powerful and

slightly overbearing father, causing her to leave home and live on the road with her older

brother, Håkan. After her stint in Interpol, she became disillusioned with the hierarchy of

power and respect and became a professional contract killer in an attempt to use her power to

exact revenge on people who built their authority on fear, but she ended up becoming such a

figure herself – it was her meeting Salvatore that reawakened the kind and gentle woman

underneath the cold and hard seductress. It was also her insecurity and susceptibility to

suggestion that made her an ideal candidate for Project Gladiator. Miranda vows revenge for

DIVIETO and for their attempts to ruin her life (in addition to running the world with an

invisible hand of terror and deception), asking Salvatore and Vladimir for their help. She then

admits her love for the Italian iconoclast before falling asleep as Tobias pilots the chopper

towards Germany.

Based on information provided by both Hermann and Katashi, Salvatore and the ARCUS

operatives infiltrate the Bavarian City of Munich with the intention of taking out Rosh and

Electra, who are apparently visiting the city to recruit new members to replace the fallen co-

founders. The rebels decide to plan a surprise assassination on the media mogul and roboticist.

Salvatore and Vladimir act as reconnaissance by posing as market vendors with Holly and

Himika. Miranda, Claude and Jenna stake out potential suspects/recruits in the Marienplatz

subway with Katashi on watch from a room in the Saint Paul Hotel. The team are poised to

attack, ready to surround and apprehend the corrupt cultists. Rosh, however, is aware of the

ploy. An explosive device in the hotel room kills Katashi, and a second one in the subway


injures Claude. Vojislav returns and betrays the team – he attacks and incapacitates Claude

before being chased away by Jenna, while Miranda tries to help the civilians escape. The crew

are forced to fight their way to safety, arriving at the English Garden, where Tobias is there to

rescue them with his helicopter. Salvatore and Vladimir work furiously to help Claude,

eventually stabilising him. Before passing out from his injuries, Claude informs Salvatore that

Holly and Himika are DIVIETO agents and Holly knows Rosh. Jenna instructs Tobias to land

in the city of Berchtesgaden, located in the Bavarian Alps on the Austrian-German border. In

the alpine municipality, Salvatore interrogates Holly, who reveals the truth behind her

involvement with Rosh, much to Vladimir’s disbelief. Sickened, the Italian heretic chastises

his friend for her narcissistic modus operandi and even threatens to kill her, leaving Vladimir

with no choice but to hold his friend and mentor at gunpoint in order to bring him back to

reality. Salvatore realises he is becoming a victim of his own hypocrisy as he gradually snaps

back to his usual self. Holly bares her soul and lashes out at Salvatore for his private war,

having led the world into a state of unnecessary chaos thanks to his obsessive drive and lust for

justice, reminding the apostate of the people who died under his command while fighting

against authoritarian powers in all areas – religious, domestic, academic and occupational.

After some soul-searching, Salvatore realises that Holly has a point and accepts her apology,

cracking under the guilt and pressure.

With Claude having barely survived the botched mission in Munich and their existence now

known to the world, Rosh berates Electra for her callous behaviour back at DIVIETO HQ –

unknown to him, she is continuing with the final stage of Project Gladiator. The ideological

rivalry between Rosh and Electra reaches its breaking point, the Austrian scientist preferring

to maintain world order with the use of her creations, which would usher in a new age of global


martial law, while the Israeli heresiarch adheres to his philosophy of peace through hierarchy

and respect, using force only when necessary.

The ARCUS crew set about leaving Germany – realising that it is time to stop playing games,

Salvatore, Vladimir, Jenna and Miranda interrogate Hermann. Miranda threatens to execute

him unless the German geneticist spills the beans as to why Vojislav is working for DIVIETO.

Hermann confesses that the resurrected Vojislav is an early experiment for Project Gladiator

until it was decided that a fusion of both robotics and genetic engineering was deemed the

perfect combination – he even confirms the location of the DIVIETO hideout – a subaquatic

domed city on the base of the Norwegian Sea, known as Star 1. He also tells the ARCUS

Lieutenant that Rosh discovered a way to synthesise precious metals (gold, silver, platinum

and palladium) shortly before DIVIETO’s official formation thanks to his degree in Chemistry,

using the technology to give himself an infinite budget. This practice eventually resulted in a

worldwide economic collapse which marked the genesis of the Sol Federation in 1996.

Salvatore and Vladimir have a heart-to-heart about their mission, the ARCUS Lieutenant

finally calling out his friend and mentor on his controversial leadership, pleading with him to

use his sense of logic and reason for a change by appealing to his code of honour. The ARCUS

Commander realises that his oldest and closest friend is right, and he makes a solemn vow to

disband ARCUS once their final mission together is completed. The rebels leave Germany and

plan a desperate final assault on the underwater fortress, heading for Norway – the destination:

Star 1.

Since the entrance to the DIVIETO HQ complex/facility is both uncharted and protected by an

elaborate security system that Vladimir cannot hack into, the resistance members have no

choice but to make their own way to the oceanic dome. A recovering Claude prohibits Salvatore

and his men from using weapons due to their previous track record of instigating gunfights in


public, the morally (and ethically) upright cop threatening to personally arrest the heretic if he

resists. After a brief moment’s consideration and some persuasion by both Vladimir and

Miranda, Salvatore reluctantly accepts. The rebels split into two factions – one male led by

Salvatore, the other female led by Miranda, while Claude remains aboard Tobias’s helicopter

to recuperate. Salvatore’s group head into the streets of Norway with the intention of reaching

the shoreline by hijacking a police car, whereas Miranda’s squad opt to directly infiltrate the

subaquatic base in an attempt to disable the security grid in order to help the others. While the

boys navigate their way across the Nordic metropolis, the girls breach the perimeter of the

domed fortress and begin their final mission together. At the bottom of the Norwegian Sea, the

ARCUS mermaids are attacked by torpedoes guarding the entrance to the base’s hangar bay –

Miranda is caught in the blast and is knocked unconscious. Jenna rescues a drowning Miranda

and is just barely able to revive her as the quartet breach the surface and infiltrate the

complex/facility, hijacking a minisub in order to escape. The ready-for-action women split up

in order to explore Star 1 more thoroughly. Holly and Himika work on gathering as much

evidence as possible for their news scoop while Miranda and Jenna head further into the

subaquatic fortress, intending to reach a laboratory housing the heart of Project Gladiator.

Salvatore’s team finally reach the shoreline, infiltrating the Bodø harbour – with Hermann’s

help, they locate the entrance to Rosh’s lair and are able to enter the artificial aquifer by

knocking out a group of DIVIETO guards and stealing their uniforms. The boys break into an

armoury in the base, arming up with experimental futuristic weapons and a prototype portable

nuclear fission detonator. Miranda contacts Salvatore and asks him to meet her at the bio lab –

Salvatore complies and heads for the laboratory with Hermann. While investigating and

uncovering controversial evidence regarding DIVIETO’s ultimate goal, Holly and Himika are

captured and tortured by Rosh and Electra. Intercepting a covert radio transmission from Rosh,


Jenna contacts Salvatore, who offers to turn himself in on the condition that his crew are spared

– he also threatens to kill Electra if she tortures the two reporters before departing despite

Miranda’s protests that it could be a trap. Salvatore heads for Rosh’s office while Vladimir

escorts Hermann to the bio lab, the ARCUS Lieutenant subsequently making his way to the

computer room. Accessing the master control terminal in the base’s central computer network,

Vladimir discovers that Star 1 is actually the main control centre of all international

communications including the Internet, and destroying it would send the world back into a new

dark age. The Russian hacker also learns that the entire installation is protected by a device

called a Security Cube, located beneath the foundations of the complex/facility, below sea

level – Salvatore’s nuclear fission detonator is the key to destroying the Security Cube.

Vladimir contacts Salvatore and informs him of the whereabouts of the Security Cube – he also

tries to warn the ARCUS Commander of the consequences of Star 1’s destruction. Desperate

and fearful of his friend’s intentions, Vladimir radios Jenna and warns her to keep Salvatore in

check and to stop him from destroying the base.

Miranda reaches the bio lab and rendezvouses with Hermann. Shocked upon witnessing what

DIVIETO have done to her, Miranda vows revenge on Electra while Hermann destroys all

traces of his work, but not before Miranda Alpha awakens, prompting a fight between the

flesh/plasma/nanotech warrior and its biological template. Salvatore runs into Jenna, who

warns him that destroying Star 1 will cripple the Earth. The autistic heretic vows to continue

with his mission, even if it means killing himself, if it means making a difference in the

world. Jenna finally calls out Salvatore on his obsessive leadership, telling him that he is

becoming a hypocrite of his own philosophy. Mollified slightly, Salvatore regains his sanity

and breaks into Rosh’s office, rescuing the reporters. Jenna promptly frees Holly and Himika,

who have enough evidence to shut down DIVIETO for good, while Salvatore confronts


Electra and threatens to execute her along with Rosh. The Austrian roboticist makes the

Italian heretic realise that Miranda truly was the perfect candidate because of her inferiority

complex and insecure personality, making her more susceptible to suggestion, confirming

what the Swedish assassin had admitted to him in Italy. Rosh, having tired of Electra’s

ruthless attitude and realising the magnitude of the corruption within DIVIETO, has a change

of heart. He finally stands up to his corrupt subordinate and personally fires her from the

organisation, marking her for death – Electra betrays and shoots Rosh before escaping. Stuck

between a rock and a hard case, Salvatore decides to ultimately help Rosh – he interrogates

him on the location of the Security Cube – after getting the information he needs, he hands

over the fallen (and redeemed) heresiarch to Jenna. While the Australian law enforcer escorts

the Israeli well-intentioned extremist to safety, Salvatore goes to the hidden basement of the

complex/facility in order to destroy the Security Cube, with Vladimir providing him with the

directions.

Jenna (aided by Holly and Himika) gets Rosh to the minisub and provides him with basic

medical attention, patching him up – Holly wants to go back for Salvatore, despite Jenna’s

protests that her love for the heretic has influenced her judgement, the botched mission in

Germany being the case in hand. Realising that she may cause further unintentional damage,

and having enough evidence to end the ARCUS-DIVIETO War forever, Holly reluctantly

agrees and she is escorted back to the surface with Himika. Upon reaching the surface, Jenna

interrogates Rosh, who tearfully admits that he is the mastermind behind DIVIETO and the Sol

Federation and realises that his own vision of an “ideal world” has been corrupted – he fears

that Salvatore will end up falling victim to the same fate. Jenna calls a taxicab for Holly and

Himika to take them to Bodø Airport. She is then contacted by Claude and Tobias and the trio

argue over what to do with Rosh – Claude and Tobias want to take him in to face trial, while


Jenna, realising that few people will take the idea of a real-life cabalistic conspiracy seriously,

tries to persuade them to let the former DIVIETO Ringleader go, since the cult’s power is

broken and their real agenda exposed. Despite it conflicting with her moral and ethical code of

honour as a cop, Jenna eventually gives into her conscience and decides to let a redeemed Rosh

go as the taxicab arrives, ready to take Holly and Himika to the airport. The cop and the reporter

tearfully part ways as Jenna promises to bring back Salvatore alive as the journalists leave,

heading back to the United States. An ambulance arrives to take Rosh to the Nordland Hospital

in the town centre, while Jenna takes the minisub and decides to return to the base in order to

evacuate the others. Back on Star 1, Salvatore reaches a hidden laboratory in the installation’s

below-sea-level basement, locating the Security Cube. Arming his portable nuclear fission

detonator, he is ready to shut down the protection grid but is stopped by Vojislav, whose

programming as part of Project Gladiator has him under DIVIETO’s control – following a brief

gunfight (and despite Salvatore’s pleas to Vojislav to fight the conditioning), Salvatore

mortally wounds Vojislav, the Slavic cyborg pleading with him to put him out of his misery.

The Italian heretic reluctantly agrees and with a supreme effort euthanises Vojislav, who thanks

him before expiring. Before returning to the upper levels of the installation, Salvatore destroys

the Security Cube, deactivating the protection grid and revealing Star 1’s location to the public

so Tobias can land for extraction. Salvatore reaches the base’s central computer room to find

Vladimir present, who is trying to alert the location of Star 1 to the authorities without

activating the self-destruct sequence. They are both apprehended by Electra, who shoots and

incapacitates Salvatore. Vladimir tries to reason with Electra while surreptitiously activating

his radio, allowing the others to listen in on the conversation. The Austrian roboticist orders

the Russian lieutenant and hacker to activate the self-destruct sequence, torturing the Italian

heretic to ensure his compliance. Now stuck between a rock and a hard place, Vladimir

reluctantly does as he is told but furtively alerts the other rebels to his location by hacking into


the master control terminal. Miranda defeats Miranda Alpha and intercepts Vladimir’s call for

help – she leaves the now-destroyed bio lab with Hermann. The German bio-tech attempts to

open the door to the Star 1 central computer network but it is locked from the inside. Realising

that Electra is holding both Salvatore and Vladimir hostage, Miranda uses her own

augmentations to destroy the doors, allowing her to rescue the autistic heretic and dyslexic

sportsman – however, Electra is able to escape in the confusion. Incapacitated, Salvatore shoots

a fleeing Electra with his plasma rifle while Vladimir opens fire on her with his flamethrower,

their combined efforts disfiguring/scarring/burning half her face – Vladimir is torn between

pursuing her or helping his friend to safety, eventually choosing the latter option despite

Salvatore’s protests, but not before alerting the Norwegian authorities to the location of Star 1.

Vladimir and Hermann get aboard Tobias’s helicopter, while Miranda gets a badly-wounded

Salvatore into the minisub, who is tended to by Jenna. As the rebels leave the doomed

installation, the Norwegian forces arrive to secure the complex/facility. The next day, a series

of news reports all over the world detail the conclusion of the ARCUS-DIVIETO War and the

revelation of the cabalistic conspiracy, its 30+ year dark reign of terror finally over, the rod

destroyed for good.

6 months later, in 2017, Salvatore has now settled down in Australia with the surviving ARCUS

rebels and is now living in the city of Gold Coast, having spent the whole time trying to track

down Electra, the Austrian roboticist having seemingly disappeared after the climactic assault

on Star 1 in Norway. In a fit of frustration, the Italian apostate is ready to admit defeat and he

chastises Vladimir for not taking down the corrupt cultist when he had the opportunity to do

so. Vladimir, stunned by Salvatore’s admission of failure, lectures his vitriolic best friend on

what it really means to fail and how he made a difference in everybody’s lives, including his

own. After a heartfelt plea from his oldest and closest friend and confidant, Salvatore comes


up with a prime idea – he heads for a payphone in the city centre and contacts Holly, who has

returned to the US with Himika. Thanks to her undercover work, Holly provides Salvatore with

the location of Electra’s most recent hideout. Salvatore and Holly finally admit their feelings

for each other before the ARCUS Commander hangs up for the last time.

He then contacts Rosh and tells him that he is off the hook, the real threat being Electra,

reminding him not to restart DIVIETO or the Federation and to live out his life in peace. Rosh

promises to lay low and asks Salvatore to kill Electra, fearing that she may corrupt his

philosophy even further. Salvatore complies with Rosh’s request. He then gears up to go on his

final – and most personal – mission, aided by Vladimir, Jenna, Hermann and Miranda.

Before leaving for Austria, the heretic contacts the evil scientist and ruthless master

manipulator, warning her that her time is up. The final mission begins as the team leave

Australia, heading for Austria – the location: Millennium Tower, Vienna. The ARCUS rebels

enter the city in the dead of night, infiltrating the Viennese skyscraper. Reaching Electra’s

suite, the crew discover it to be vacant and empty. Scanning the area, Vladimir learns just what

the ruthless roboticist has been up to for the past 6 months: A perfected techno-warrior –

Miranda Omega – a gold version ten times deadlier than the previous iteration. Electra

captures the crew and activates Miranda Omega. Hermann, full of rage from all of Electra’s

ruthlessness and pathological psychopathy, stands up to Electra and a brief duel takes place,

resulting in both scientists receiving nonfatal injuries. A final battle ensues between Miranda

and Miranda Omega in the hopes of destroying the accursed technology forever. Salvatore

theorises that Electra may try to escape via the helipad on the tower’s rooftop but is reluctant

to leave Miranda. Despite Salvatore’s protests, Miranda pleads with him to stop the ruthless

cyberneticist and orders Vladimir to help him, while Jenna tries to patch up Hermann’s wounds.

Realising that this is his last chance to stop DIVIETO’s revival, the Italian heretic reluctantly


complies as he and his Siberian partner-in-action leave to stop the Austrian cultist. With a little

help from ARCUS’s resident pilot, the peerless pair pursue and eventually catch up with a

fleeing Electra, who is now wearing a half mask of gold to cover up her injuries from the

climactic assault on Star 1 from 6 months earlier. Following a brief altercation, the ruthless

roboticist reveals her scarred face before preparing to escape in a DIVIETO helicopter. Tired

and fed up of being constantly defeated, Salvatore and Vladimir shoot down the corrupt

scientist’s helicopter but Electra escapes to safety, landing in her hotel suite, the ARCUS

Commander contacting Tobias for extraction. In the hotel suite, Miranda finally defeats

Miranda Omega, and the supercyborg begins to malfunction – regaining the upper hand

(despite her injuries), Electra attempts to shoot Miranda but the decaying techno-warrior

attacks its creator in a final kamikaze run before it falls to the city streets below, grabbing the

ruthless roboticist and pulling her out of the open window! Miranda grabs hold of Electra’s

hands, prompting her to question her former test subject’s motives. She replies by telling her

she wants to see true justice administered even if it means Electra must stand trial for her

crimes. Finally realising what Rosh’s philosophy represents, Electra rejects Miranda’s plea,

telling her that she has no future, and shoots herself with her own sidearm – she falls to her

death. As the Sun rises over the Horizon, Miranda contacts Tobias for extraction before helping

Jenna get a wounded Hermann to safety. The rebels are reunited on the rooftop of the tower,

where Salvatore and Miranda share a kiss on the Horizon as the rising Sun shines down on

them before leaving on board Tobias’s helicopter, reflecting on the outcome of their final

mission together as the rebel organisation leaves Austria, the Sol Federation and the evil cult

behind its formation finally destroyed forever.


Epilogue

The next day, Salvatore and Vladimir decide to take a long break from rebellion as they part

ways after a whole decade of fire, ice and steel together, the Russian sportsman having opted

to remain in Surfers Paradise with Jenna, while the Italian eccentric takes up residence in

Melbourne with Miranda. The two friends say their bittersweet farewells and exchange a

handshake followed by an emotional embrace. 8 months later, at the Eureka Tower in the heart

of Australia, Salvatore is now living (and in a relationship) with Miranda, who gives him a

letter from Vladimir informing him of the final consequences of their lengthy crusade – the

worldwide economic crisis is over thanks to the gold-replicating technology, and Rosh is to

receive a Jabotinsky Medal for his outstanding achievements and personal redemption – Holly

is now a dance teacher and part-time actress, while Himika is still a reporter, and Claude has

retired following a promotion regarding his contribution to taking down the conspiracy

regarding the Sol Federation, while Hermann has returned to Germany and is now living in

Berlin. Having finally found some form of closure, Salvatore starts a new chapter of his life

with Miranda.


Dramatis Personae

ARCUS Rebels

Salvatore Pasquale

Birthday: 26 September 1988

Origin: Venice, Veneto, Italy

Full Name: Salvatore Arturo Pasquale

Gender: Male

Height: 6’ 2” (1.88 m)

Nationality: Italian, British

Biography

Salvatore is emotionally driven and determined with a hidden soft side, holding dual Italian

and British citizenship. Immigrating to the USA from Europe to pursue his goal as a man of

honour, he suffers from Asperger Syndrome, making him a prime target for bullies and

deviants. He has a penchant for “sticking it” to authority, although ultimately he will do what

is best for everybody, despite his fanaticism and extreme dedication to his personal agenda. He

speaks Italian and English fluently, in addition to being competent in French and German.


Vladimir Popov

Birthday: 21 October 1989

Origin: City of Saint Petersburg, Saint Petersburg, Russia

Full Name: Vladimir Ivanovich Popov

Gender: Male

Height: 5’ 11” (1.8 m)

Nationality: Russian, British

Biography

Vladimir is a seemingly rational and logical but also highly unpredictable man, holding dual

Russian and British citizenship. Growing up both in front of and behind the Iron Curtain, he

met Salvatore in the UK, and the two became friends, coming to the USA together. He is

dyslexic, and is not afraid to speak his mind – he does his best to be pragmatic and rational,

especially when it comes to the idealistic Salvatore. Vladimir has an idiosyncratic habit of

wearing a watch on each wrist, one of which is permanently set to Russian time. He speaks

Russian and English.


Miranda Ekerot

Birthday: 4 July 1989

Origin: City of Stockholm, Stockholm, Sweden

Full Name: Miranda Rosa Ekerot

Gender: Female

Height: 5’ 6” (1.68 m)

Nationality: Swedish

Biography

Born into a wealthy family in Stockholm, Miranda spent her formative years being educated at

home and training in Martial Arts, dance and swimming. Joining the Stockholm Police Force

at the age of 18, she was picked up by Interpol over a year later and stationed in America. Upon

learning of the true motives of the Sol Federation, she started an underground rebellion, using

her unique position as a cover – this marked the genesis of a rebel organisation called ARCUS.

Her personality on the surface is that of a cold assassin but she is actually a strong-willed and

caring person with a genuine sense of justice with a deeply compassionate nature. She speaks

Swedish, English, French and German.


Tobias Jonsson

Birthday: 11 November 1990

Origin: City of Stockholm, Stockholm, Sweden

Full Name: Tobias Erik Gunnar Jonsson

Gender: Male

Height: 6’ 3” (1.91 m)

Nationality: Swedish

Biography

Not much is known about Tobias’s pre-ARCUS life except that he acts as Miranda’s aerial

chauffeur, having joined her in her cause after she discovered the truth about the Federation.

The pilot and the assassin’s partnership solidified after Tobias staged an impromptu rescue

while escaping from a war-torn Mogadishu in the heart of Somalia. Personality-wise, he is a

quiet and straightforward soul and speaks Swedish, German, French and English.


Vojislav Brévic

Birthday: 27 February 1986

Death: 24 October 2016 (30 years old)

Origin: City of Belgrade, Belgrade, Serbia

Full Name: Vojislav Slobodan Brévic

Gender: Male

Height: 6’ 1” (1.85 m)

Nationality: Serbian

Biography

Growing up behind the Iron Curtain, Vojislav came to America at the age of 18 to escape life

in Eastern Europe. Little else is known about him other than that he is suspiciously highly

knowledgeable and insightful about the Sol Federation. This mysterious figure speaks Serbian

and English.


Allies of the Resistance

Claude Pascal

Birthday: 1 January 1977

Origin: Marseille, Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur, France

Full Name: Claude Onfroi Pascal

Gender: Male

Height: 6’ 1” (1.85 m)

Nationality: French

Biography

Born and raised in the drug metropolis of Marseille, Claude is bilingual in French and English.

He is often the mediator between people of conflicting character, and is willing to take charge

if necessary, although he has a strong dislike for unnecessary violence. Tiring of living under

the rule of the Milieu, he joined the Marseille Police Force at the age of 18 and was accepted

into Interpol. Claude eventually left France for the USA, meeting and eventually partnering

with Jenna after a catastrophic hostage crisis. His main strength is his dedication to the job,

although it is also his weakness in terms of his conscience and morality.


Jenna Lane

Birthday: 8 December 1987

Origin: Melbourne, Victoria, Australia

Full Name: Jenna Alicia Lane

Gender: Female

Height: 5’ 5” (1.65 m)

Nationality: Australian, New Zealander

Biography

The daughter of a computing journalist, Jenna took up the sciences and arts at an early age.

After a failed rape attempt, she took up Martial Arts as part of a self-defence course and

eventually joined the Victoria Police Force, eventually becoming an Interpol agent after two

years of service. She holds dual Australian and New Zealander citizenship and has no interest

in becoming an American citizen. Leaving Australia for the USA in 2006, she met Holly at a

video game convention and the two quickly became firm friends. Personality-wise, Jenna is

confident, strong and honest with a compassionate nature. She speaks German and English.


Holly Sherwood

Birthday: 13 July 1985

Origin: San Francisco, California, USA

Full Name: Holly Irene Sherwood

Gender: Female

Height: 5’ 6” (1.68 m)

Nationality: American

Biography

A kind, sweet and caring soul, Holly met Salvatore at a nightclub, despite the latter’s reluctance

to attend (he was eventually persuaded into going by Vladimir). She feels a strong connection

between herself and Salvatore, and there are hints of a romantic attraction between the two.

She is also prepared to do anything to save her friend, even at the expense of her own life,

which compromises the safety of those around her due to her competitive streak. A lifelong

athlete and performer, Holly spent her college years as Cheer Captain, and eventually graduated

in Journalism and Performing Arts. She speaks Italian and English, thanks to Salvatore.


Himika Takara

Birthday: 13 May 1989

Origin: Osaka, Kansai, Japan

Full Name: Himika Kasumi Takara

Gender: Female

Height: 5’ 4” (1.63 m)

Nationality: Japanese, American

Biography

Originally from Japan, Himika studied literature and media studies against her father’s

approval, supported by her mother. Immigrating to the US at the age of 16, she took up

modelling work to make ends meet for high school and college. She now works as a TV reporter

and is always eager to get her next scoop, even if it means endangering her own life for the

sake of integrity and media coverage. She speaks Japanese and English, and becomes Holly’s

closest friend and confidant after Salvatore joins ARCUS.


Donato Scarchilli

Birthday: 24 April 1990

Origin: Palermo, Isle of Sicily, Italy

Full Name: Donato Oronzo Scarchilli

Gender: Male

Height: 6’ 1” (1.85 m)

Nationality: Italian

Biography

Donato is ARCUS’s main informant and contact on the European Continent. Little is known

about him other than he is proud of his Sicilian heritage and is skilled in wrestling and

kickboxing – he has a preference for challenging women to his physical fights in order to assert

his dominance. He is eventually defeated by Miranda at a fighting tournament organised by

DIVIETO.


DIVIETO Conspirators

Rosh Goldman

Birthday: 8 March 1948

Origin: Jerusalem, Israel

Full Name: Rosh Adam Goldman

Gender: Male

Height: 5’ 11” (1.8 m)

Nationality: Israeli

Biography

A media mogul and politician, Rosh is connected in all circles and is capable of influencing

anything from the slightest intervention to the most significant of events if it will mean

preserving his intended vision of world order. He is the head of an organisation named

DIVIETO – a direct descendant of the Bavarian Illuminati. He also has friends in various

exalted circles, making him a formidable foe. Rosh is fluent in Hebrew, Latin and English.


Electra Daimler

Birthday: 15 April 1960

Death: 16 April 2017 (57 years old)

Origin: City of Vienna, Vienna, Austria

Full Name: Electra Eva Daimler

Gender: Female

Height: 5’ 6” (1.68 m)

Nationality: Austrian

Biography

Electra comes from a rich family and she is cold, calculating and confident. She is the project

leader of a controversial and classified experiment known as Project Gladiator. Since being

ejected from the University of Vienna at the age of 21 due to her extreme behaviour, she has

focused on a life of perfection – this earned her a recruitment into DIVIETO. Her ruthlessness

clashes with Rosh’s well-intentioned extremism, and she will stop at nothing to achieve her

goals. Electra speaks German and English. She is eventually defeated by her own creation – a

flesh-liquid metal-nanotech supercyborg clone called Miranda Omega – and opts to commit

suicide rather than stand trial for her crimes.


Grigori Markóvic

Birthday: 10 February 1964

Death: 12 July 2016 (52 years old)

Origin: City of Bratislava, Bratislava, Slovakia

Full Name: Grigori Eduardo Markóvic

Gender: Male

Height: 6’ (1.83 m)

Nationality: Slovak

Biography

Little is known about Grigori other than he is a former KGB operative and was trained in the

Red Army, mastering some of the deadliest known torture techniques in the World, so he is not

to be trifled with. He speaks English and Slovak. Grigori is ultimately mortally wounded by

Vladimir and Miranda, with Salvatore delivering the fatal blow.


Katashi Takara

Birthday: 25 August 1956

Death: 21 October 2016 (60 years old)

Origin: Osaka, Kansai, Japan

Full Name: Katashi Goro Takara

Gender: Male

Height: 5’ 8” (1.73 m)

Nationality: Japanese

Biography

Katashi is a high-ranking member of the DIVIETO organisation, and is capable of using his

power to control his potential adversaries. He strongly disapproved of his daughter’s creative

and artistic streak, and despite his attempts to subdue her, he ultimately let her go. He is

authoritarian to the core and does not tolerate anyone who goes against his word, which makes

him a formidable foe. He is eventually killed by Vojislav.


Hermann Krumpf

Birthday: 16 June 1952

Origin: Berchtesgaden, Bavarian Alps, Germany

Full Name: Hermann Wilhelm Krumpf

Gender: Male

Height: 5’ 11” (1.8 m)

Nationality: German

Biography

Little is known about Hermann other than his education in Berchtesgaden and Munich,

graduating in biology and nanotech research and development. He was hired by the DIVIETO

organisation after they saw fit to exploit his talents and his commitment to his work. He is naïve

and friendly, always excited about progress and results – and he cares very much for his

experiments. He speaks English and German.

Documents

An extended synopsis regarding the novel’s plot and its characters · 2017. 3. 24. · Synopsis for “Salvatore: Arcus Iudicium” Synopsis Part 1: The American Dream (Chapters