TEXT: 11111
  THE NEVER-ENDING BATTLE
  A  B  E  R  R  A  N  T
  A  B  E  R  R  A  N  T
  A  B  E  R  R  A  N  T
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  A  B  E  R  R  A  N  T
  Caestus Pax stood at the window of the building
  overlooking the warehouse, his eufiber uniform darkened
  to blend into the shadows. From the outside, the ware-
  house didn’t look like much, just another dilapidated
  building on the waterfront in Miami. But if their infor-
  mation was right, it was where the Camparelli-Zukhov
  Megasyndicate was going to ship millions of dollars worth
  of drugs out to the rest of the country. But they wouldn’t.
  He would see to that.
  Christoph Yannik caught Pax’s attention when he
  stepped out of the shadows in the corner of the room, where
  no one had been just a moment before. The Shadow Artist
  was just a blacker silhouette in the darkness for a second
  before he shifted back to his normal form, smiling his wry
  half-smile.
  “The information was good,” he announced in a low
  voice, with barely a trace of his native Austrian accent.
  “They’re there, but it looks like they have some novas
  with them.”
  Pax slammed a fist into his open hand and cracked his
  knuckles, almost as loud as a gunshot in the small room.
  “So much the better,” he said. “How many?”
  “No more than three or four from the quantum signa-
  tures I picked up,” the Shadow Artist replied.
  “That’s cutting it kind of close, isn’t it?” Geyser said
  quietly, referring to the Utopia regulation that required
  members of Team Tomorrow to outnumber their nova op-
  ponents two-to-one before engaging them. Utopia didn’t
  want any more deaths like Hiram Goldberg’s, at the hands
  of Totentanz. They also didn’t want any public embarrass-
  ments. Team Tomorrow was supposed to be invincible, at
  least in the public’s mind.
  A cold glance from Pax answered Geyser’s concerns.
  “We’re going in,” he said. “Stick to the plan. We do this by
  the numbers.” He turned to Ricardo Montoya-Bernal, the
  team-leader of T2M Americas and Pax’s second-in-com-
  mand for this mission. “Are Gaal and Najarian in place?”
  
  THE NEVER-ENDING BATTLE
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  The green-skinned man nodded. “They should be able
  to capture everything as it happens.” Utopia hadn’t informed
  the media of this mission; it would have only tipped off the
  Megasyndicate and needlessly endangered baseline lives.
  Gaal and Najarian were novas and some of the best cam-
  eramen in the world. They would make sure the team’s tri-
  umph was captured for posterity — and for broadcast on
  every channel of the OpNet before the day was out.
  “All right,” Pax said. “Let’s go.” With that, the mem-
  bers of T2M Americas went into action. The Shadow Artist
  stepped back into the darkness, vanishing from sight. Then
  Sneak disappeared into thin air with a faint popping sound.
  Pax knew they would both reappear inside the warehouse
  almost simultaneously, where Yannik would extend a blan-
  ket of shadows to black everything out. Pax turned to the
  rest of the team.
  “Go.”
  Ricardo, Ana, Geyser and Skew leapt into action. As
  they did, Pax felt the kinetic motion of the individual at-
  oms and molecules of his body, a never-ending background
  buzz to his quantum-enhanced perceptions. With just a
  thought, he channeled all of that kinetic motion in a single
  direction, propelling him toward the side of the warehouse
  with the speed of a missile. A glowing blue field sprang up
  against him, cool against his skin, soaking up the energy
  from his passage through the air, absorbing any force di-
  rected at him. It flared as he hit the wall of the warehouse
  at almost Mach one.
  Skew’s magnetic field kept most of the debris from go-
  ing far, and Pax absorbed enough of the impact to keep the
  entire building from crumbling. But his entrance was spec-
  tacular nonetheless. As Shadow Artist’s inky cloud began
  to clear, the wall exploded inward, revealing Caestus Pax
  hovering in the midst of the gaping hole, flanked by the
  members of T2M Americas.
  “Holy shit!” somebody shouted, then the air was full of
  flying lead, as several men opened up on the novas with
  their guns. Pax dropped to the ground and strode forward
  through the hail of gunfire like it was nothing more than a
  summer shower. Bullets struck his skin and dropped to the
  floor, their kinetic energy gone. He knew that Skew would
  shield the rest of the team from the gunfire, so he wasn’t
  worried. It was the gunmen who looked terrified as they
  watched him walking toward them, shrugging off everything
  they had. Now were was…?
  “Pax, look out!” Sneak called from the other side
  of the room. A roaring gout of flames slammed into Pax
  as he turned toward the swarthy man who stepped out
  from behind a stack of crates, his body shrouded in fire.
  The flames played around Pax’s glowing form like wa-
  ter from a hose, having about as much effect on the
  leader of Team Tomorrow.
  “Phosphorus, isn’t it?” Pax shouted to the other nova.
  “Didn’t anyone tell you it’s dangerous to play with fire? I
  think it’s time to put you out.” He hoped Gaal and Najarian
  caught that over the noise of the guns and the roar of the
  flames. It would play well to the public. Phosphorus sneered,
  but he looked more than a little startled by how casually
  Pax shrugged off his attack. The leader of T2M leapt into
  the air and headed straight for the burning nova.
  Suddenly, glowing energy leapt off Phosphorus and
  turned into a figure standing between Pax and his target.
  He wore black, a close-fitting eufiber suit under a leather
  jacket, trimmed in red. His face was a hideous mass of scars,
  making his head look like a skull, but his eyes burned with a
  reddish light as he looked at Pax and sneered, those burn-
  ing eyes boring into him. Pax recognized him, a second too
  late; ScarCrow.
  The macabre figure vanished as suddenly as he’d ap-
  peared, and Pax started as he felt the other nova flow into
  him, into his body and his mind. Pax focused on the tech-
  niques Psyche taught him to deal with mental attack, but he
  could feel a fog spreading over his thoughts, and he heard a
  voice laughing in his mind.
  “You’re my bitch now.”
  *        *        *
  Ricardo Montoya-Bernal ricocheted off a gunman
  and then a wall as he glanced up in time to see ScarCrow
  vanish in a flash of energy that leapt into Caestus Pax’s
  body. Holy mother of God, he thought, as he flipped to
  the floor, taking out another two Mafiyah gunmen as al-
  most an afterthought.
  “Sneak! Go and get Psyche! We need her here, now!
  Go!” The nova teleporter disappeared instantly. It would
  only take her a few moments to get to Venice and back.
  Hovering in the air, Caestus Pax turned slowly toward
  the sound of Ricardo’s voice, and the field leader of T2M
  Americas started to pray….
  
  ABERRANT
  INTRODUCTION
  3
  Criminals are essential to the superhero comic books.
  After all, where would costumed heroes be without crimi-
  nals to fight? From the Shadow ensuring that “the weed of
  crime bears bitter fruit” to Superman versus Intergang in
  the Suicide Slum of Metropolis, heroes have fought against
  criminals and organized crime. In the world of Aberrant
  Aberrant
  Aberrant
  Aberrant
  Aberrant,
  people with super-powers are a reality, so it’s only natural
  to expect them to fight crime — or is it? The thing is, most
  novas aren’t interested in fighting crime, and those who
  are may only be creating a new breed of criminal, criminals
  for the Nova Age.
  There’s also something attractive about criminals.
  They’re romanticized in legends such as that of Robin
  Hood and in popular entertainment such as movies and
  television. We’re drawn to their secret society, existing
  outside the law, outside the rules we know and abide by.
  We idolize the outlaw, the person who has the guts and
  the will to take from life and defy the consequences.
  There’s also a tragic element to the criminal, trapped by
  his crimes and forced to live with them, that has fasci-
  nated us and become the subject of dramas from Crime &
  Punishment to The Fugitive.
  Aberrant: Underworld
  Aberrant: Underworld
  Aberrant: Underworld
  Aberrant: Underworld
  Aberrant: Underworld looks into the shadowy under-
  world of the Nova Age and lays bare the syndicates that
  rule it and the people who rule them. From enemies for
  brightly clad heroes to fight to dark protagonists strug-
  gling to survive in a dangerous world, this book offers the
  information necessary to explore the many facets of the
  underworld of Aberrant
  Aberrant
  Aberrant
  Aberrant
  Aberrant.
  How to Use This Book
  Aberrant: Underworld
  Aberrant: Underworld
  Aberrant: Underworld
  Aberrant: Underworld
  Aberrant: Underworld looks at the four major syndi-
  cates of the world of 2015, their history, their structure,
  who’s who, how they make their money and who their en-
  emies are. It also offers advice on using these syndicates in
  an Aberrant
  Aberrant
  Aberrant
  Aberrant
  Aberrant chronicle.
  Chapter One
  Chapter One
  Chapter One
  Chapter One
  Chapter One looks at the Camparelli-Zukhov
  Camparelli-Zukhov
  Camparelli-Zukhov
  Camparelli-Zukhov
  Camparelli-Zukhov
  Megasyndicate
  Megasyndicate
  Megasyndicate
  Megasyndicate
  Megasyndicate, the most powerful criminal organization in
  the world, heir to the legacy of the Mafia and the Russian
  syndicates that merged to form it, led by the most ruthless
  criminals and willing to go to any lengths to ensure its sur-
  vival and prosperity.
  Chapter Two
  Chapter Two
  Chapter Two
  Chapter Two
  Chapter Two describes the Heaven Thunder Triad
  Heaven Thunder Triad
  Heaven Thunder Triad
  Heaven Thunder Triad
  Heaven Thunder Triad,
  powerful Chinese syndicate with a long history shrouded
  in mysticism and secrecy. It covers the triad’s influence in
  Hong Kong and the Far East, the resources at its disposal
  (including novas) and its conflicts with other syndicates
  and cultures.
  Chapter Three 
  Chapter Three 
  Chapter Three 
  Chapter Three 
  Chapter Three examines the Nakato Gumi
  Nakato Gumi
  Nakato Gumi
  Nakato Gumi
  Nakato Gumi, the ruling
  yakuza clan of Japan. It looks at how the Nakato rose to
  become the most powerful criminals in their homeland, its
  ties with the Japanese government and its front company
  Kuro-Tek, purveyor of technology that Project Utopia has
  declared too dangerous to fall into the wrong hands, but
  which already has.
  Chapter Four
  Chapter Four
  Chapter Four
  Chapter Four
  Chapter Four looks at the Medellín Cartel
  Medellín Cartel
  Medellín Cartel
  Medellín Cartel
  Medellín Cartel of South
  America, the drug-lords that reigned over their nations like
  kings before Project Utopia challenged the criminals’ su-
  premacy, only to discover they were more difficult oppo-
  nents than Utopia thought, particularly since the cartels have
  novas of their own.
  Chapter Five
  Chapter Five
  Chapter Five
  Chapter Five
  Chapter Five provides Storytelling 
  Storytelling 
  Storytelling 
  Storytelling 
  Storytelling advice on using
  criminal syndicates in an ongoing Aberrant
  Aberrant
  Aberrant
  Aberrant
  Aberrant series and
  offers ideas on running adventures or series based
  around the underworld of 2015, complete with story
  ideas and hooks.
  The Appendix
  Appendix
  Appendix
  Appendix
  Appendix features a couple of Sample Charac-
  Sample Charac-
  Sample Charac-
  Sample Charac-
  Sample Charac-
  ters
  ters
  ters
  ters
  ters, useful as on-the-fly antagonists or as examples of
  criminal characters.
  On Ethnicity and Crime
  The information in this book, like that in many Aber-
  Aber-
  Aber-
  Aber-
  Aber-
  rant
  rant
  rant
  rant
  rant books, is a reflection of things from the real world:
  The real Mafia, yakuza, triads and so forth are the models
  for the fictional versions presented here. In the course of
  creating these fictionalized versions, certain liberties have
  been taken to make them more interesting and better suited
  to the Aberrant
  Aberrant
  Aberrant
  Aberrant
  Aberrant setting.
  The real-world criminal organizations these fictionalized
  versions are based upon are rooted in real cultures. The truth
  is that all cultures have criminals. Italians, Japanese and Latin
  Americans are no more likely to produce criminals than any
  other culture in the world. It just so happens that they pro-
  duced the most organized and successful criminal organiza-
  tions that are known to us today.
  More often than not, these criminal organizations were
  formed by the outcast elements of their society and grew and
  prospered outside of their society’s laws and customs. In the
  United States in the early 20th century, for example, immi-
  grants were often barred from success in legitimate businesses,
  allowing criminal enterprises to flourish among them. As these
  criminal syndicates have grown and developed, they have
  evolved alongside their cultures but also apart from them.
  It can be easy to fall into racial and ethnic stereotypes
  when dealing with these criminal syndicates, but that doesn’t
  do justice to the organization or to the culture it originated
  from. Organized crime — like many things in the Aberrant
  Aberrant
  Aberrant
  Aberrant
  Aberrant
  world — is far more complicated than it first appears. Story-
  tellers should keep this in mind when using these syndicates in
  their Aberrant
  Aberrant
  Aberrant
  Aberrant
  Aberrant games.
  
  THE CAMPARELLI-ZUKHOV MEGASYNDICATE
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  44444
  Prosecution:
  Prosecution:
  Prosecution:
  Prosecution:
  Prosecution: Do you recognize these documents, Mr. Giorie?
  Defense:
  Defense:
  Defense:
  Defense:
  Defense: Once again, Your Honor, I renew my objection. This material was illegally obtained, and its source is highly
  suspect. Mr. Giorie’s civil rights have—
  Bench:
  Bench:
  Bench:
  Bench:
  Bench: Your objection has already been heard and overruled, Mr. Gallo. The witness will answer the question.
  Prosecution:
  Prosecution:
  Prosecution:
  Prosecution:
  Prosecution: I’ll repeat the question. Do you recognize these documents, Mr. Giorie?
  Giorie:
  Giorie:
  Giorie:
  Giorie:
  Giorie: You know damn well that I do.
  Prosecution:
  Prosecution:
  Prosecution:
  Prosecution:
  Prosecution: Your Honor, I present into evidence these ledgers, containing detailed information about funds obtained
  by Mr. Piero Giorie over the past seven years, funds not reported to the Internal Revenue Service or the State of New
  York. Mr. Giorie, what was the source of this unreported income?
  Giorie:
  Giorie:
  Giorie:
  Giorie:
  Giorie: Why don’t you just have one of your Utopia freaks get that from my mind, too, if you haven’t already.
  Defense:
  Defense:
  Defense:
  Defense:
  Defense: Your Honor!
  Bench:
  Bench:
  Bench:
  Bench:
  Bench: Sit down, Mr. Gallo.
  Prosecution:
  Mr. Giorie?
  Giorie:
  Giorie:
  Giorie:
  Giorie:
  Giorie: I don’t have to answer that. I know my rights.
  Prosecution:
  Prosecution:
  Prosecution:
  Prosecution:
  Prosecution: That’s all right, Mr. Giorie, I think the evidence will speak for itself.
  Caestus Pax:
  Caestus Pax:
  Caestus Pax:
  Caestus Pax:
  Caestus Pax: Ladies and gentlemen, as of this morning, at around 10:00 AM, a joint task-force — made up of Team
  Tomorrow, agents of the Federal Bureau of Investigation and officers the New York City Police Department — arrested
  the members of all five “families” of the New York City Mafia…
  [tumult of noise erupts as Caestus Pax holds up his hands for quiet]
  … These men are in custody, awaiting arraignment for the many crimes they’ve committed against the people of the
  city and state of New York. Yes?
  Cokie Roberts, ABC News:
  Cokie Roberts, ABC News:
  Cokie Roberts, ABC News:
  Cokie Roberts, ABC News:
  Cokie Roberts, ABC News: How is this possible? I mean, how has this task force accomplished what authorities have
  been unable to do for years?
  Caestus Pax:
  Caestus Pax:
  Caestus Pax:
  Caestus Pax:
  Caestus Pax: Well, we had a small role in that. Although I’m quite pleased with how the members of Team Tomorrow
  assisted in rounding up these criminals, our most important role came in the gathering of information leading to these
  arrests. Psyche’s telepathic abilities led us right to the evidence that mob bosses have buried for years to cover up their
  activities. With that evidence available to us, we were able to secure warrants for the arrest of all the people involved.
  Wolf Blitzer, CNN:
  Wolf Blitzer, CNN:
  Wolf Blitzer, CNN:
  Wolf Blitzer, CNN:
  Wolf Blitzer, CNN: Are you concerned that evidence gathered using nova abilities might not be admissible in court?
  Caestus Pax:
  Caestus Pax:
  Caestus Pax:
  Caestus Pax:
  Caestus Pax: I prefer to leave the legal issues to the lawyers, and I’m sure that the District Attorney can give you a
  better answer on that matter, but I’ve been assured by legal experts that we can, and will, make this stick. As of today, the
  New York City Mafia is finished.
  Press Conference held November 7, 2001:
  From the case of US vs. Piero Giorie, 2001:
  
  55555
  THE CAMPARELLI-ZUKHOV MEGASYNDICATE
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  A  B  E  R  R  A  N  T
  A  B  E  R  R  A  N  T
  For Interdepartmental Use Only
  Date and Time:
  Date and Time:
  Date and Time:
  Date and Time:
  Date and Time: 6/11/01, 12:14 AM
  Location:
  Location:
  Location:
  Location:
  Location: 701 E. Sedgwick, Apt. #201
  Details of Crime Scene:
  Details of Crime Scene:
  Details of Crime Scene:
  Details of Crime Scene:
  Details of Crime Scene:
  Officers were dispatched to the scene after a call from a Mr. Tyrone Quinn of 701 E. Sedgwick. Mr. Quinn reported a burning smell
  from Apt. #201. Officers on the scene forced entry into the apartment and found the body of a man identified as Harold Bengotti.
  Mr. Bengotti was found tied to a chair with duct tape and gagged with another piece of tape covering his mouth. He suffered
  severe burns to his chest, apparently from having an electric iron taped to it and turned on. The coroner at the scene tentatively
  identified the cause of death as third-degree burns, although a full autopsy is being performed (see attached autopsy report).
  Mr. Bengotti was not the occupant of Apt. #201. The landlord identified the occupant of the apartment as Ms. Eileen Dunkowski. Ms.
  Dunkowski has been missing since shortly before Bengotti’s death and is wanted for questioning. Witnesses reported Bengotti visiting
  Dunkowski’s apartment on numerous occasions, and one neighbor described hearing loud arguments between the two.
  Harold Bengotti’s arrest record (see attached) shows a long-time involvement in petty crime, possibly connected to the
  Camparelli criminal syndicate. Officers found no evidence at the scene to connect Bengotti to any other criminal activities.
  Fingerprints recovered from the scene showed no positive matches in FBI criminal records, apart from Bengotti’s.
  A diary, can you fucking believe it? The doc thinks it’d be a good idea for me to keep a fucking diary! What am I, some 13-
  year-old girl? Still, Mr. C says he wants me to do what the doc says, so that’s what I’ll do. The doc says that writing all this shit
  down might help him figure out what’s going on in my head since I erupted. I’m just doing it because it’s what Mr. C wants.
  Shit, I don’t know what I’m supposed to write about. The doc probably wants to hear about my childhood and all that shit. Okay, my
  childhood sucked. How’s that? In fact, my whole life sucked before Mr. C gave me a chance to make something of myself. Now that I’m
  a nova, I’m going to show him that he won’t be disappointed in me. Anyone that fucks with the Family is going to have to deal with me.
  Newark Police Department
  From the journal of Hugo Pinella, 04/11/03:
  From the Stanford University lecture series “Law in the Nova Age,”
  presented by Prof. Alan Coleman, 10/07/2004:
  The precedents set by the first historic cases involving nova abilities have influenced all others that have come after them. When Team
  Tomorrow assisted in the arrest of New York City’s most powerful organized crime figures, many legal experts called it a symbolic victory
  at best. They expected that defense attorneys would quickly overturn the arrest and indictment of their clients because the evidence they
  were based upon was gathered through the use of nova abilities, notably telepathy and other so-called’“metasensory” powers.
  What they did not consider was that Project Utopia and the District Attorney of New York had anticipated such challenges and
  prepared their legal arguments long before any arrests were made. When the inevitable challenges came up in court, they were
  ready. The District Attorney pointed out that private citizens, such as the members of Team Tomorrow, are not bound by the same
  rules of evidence as police officers and that they are empowered to report or prevent any criminal activities they are aware of. The
  fact that nova awareness exceeds that of the average citizen should not invalidate the precedent, they argued. The court system
  agreed, and New York’s mafiosi were quickly convicted, followed by organized crime figures around the world.
  While few can argue that the fall of the great Mafia families was any great loss to society, we must now ask ourselves: Once
  their “war on crime” has ended, where will Project Utopia’s novas turn their all-seeing eyes next?
  Stanford University lecture series
  
  THE CAMPARELLI-ZUKHOV MEGASYNDICATE
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  66666
  What a present to get on Christmas… I thought the Nakatos might try moving in on operations in San Francisco. Silicon
  Valley is close at hand, and that kind of technology was sure to get K-Tek’s attention sooner or later. I’m kind of surprised
  Zukhov didn’t see it coming, or maybe he did, and he’s playing his cards really close to his chest. The Russians certainly
  don’t want to show any signs of weakness, especially where their North American operations are concerned. Mr. C is
  letting Zukhov deal with it himself for now because he hopes the Russian will make a mistake, but Alexi Zukhov isn’t the
  kind of man who makes mistakes, or he wouldn’t be where he is now. Still, he did let the yakuza get the jump on him in
  California, so I guess we’ll see what happens.
  From the journal of Hugo Pinella, 12/26/09:
  AOR: The Camparelli-Zukhov Megasyndicate
  DIRECTIVE FILE: CZ 100
  REL: All division heads
  IPSP: Standard
  ENCRYPTION: Alpha
  As their very name arrogantly illustrates, the so-called Megasyndicate is the largest and most powerful criminal
  organization in the world today. Because the main purpose of the Directive is not the pursuit of baseline criminals — as
  I’ve been so recently reminded — I will confine this report to the issue of nova risk factors involving the Megasyndicate.
  While surveillance of an organization as paranoid as the Mafiyah (as the Megasyndicate is also known) is diffi-
  cult, field agents have identified a number of novas working for the Megasyndicate. Most of these novas are al-
  ready known to us as elites, either freelance or hired from an agency such as DeVries. The Megasyndicate may be
  one of the largest employers of nova elites outside of national governments, and it certainly has the resources to
  employ nearly any elite it wants.
  Our research also indicates a small number of novas directly employed by the Megasyndicate, probably no more
  than 30 total throughout the organization, but that’s still 30 people with the ability to tip the balance in favor of their
  employers. More importantly, these novas are directly, and often openly, engaged in criminal activity, unlike the ma-
  jority we have under surveillance. I suggest this makes the Megasyndicate a more pressing concern than, say, the
  activities of the Protectors.
  With the aid of novas, the Mafiyah remains just as strong as it was before Project Utopia began it’s “war on crime,”
  perhaps even stronger. By taking action against the Megasyndicate, we can affirm the role of the Directive in the public’s
  mind and subtly make it clear that we’re capable of dealing with problems that Utopia has been unable to solve. In the
  process, we can eliminate a dire threat to our citizens and to our nations’ security.
  — Director Ilyanovich
  Private Memo
  
  77777
  THE CAMPARELLI-ZUKHOV MEGASYNDICATE
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  Looking back, it’s hard to believe how much I’ve come to enjoy keeping this journal. Too bad I have to keep it heavily
  encrypted so that no one other than me will every see it. Reading through it makes me realize just how far I’ve come from
  the man I used to be. I hardly recognize him, the kid from the streets who didn’t know Plato, James Joyce or Ernest
  Hemingway from a hole in the ground. I’ve learned a lot since then. More than anyone else knows.
  * * *
  I’ve just had the most remarkable discussion with Mr. C! He came into the library as I was writing, and we started to
  talk. I think it was the first time since I’ve known him that I’ve ever really talked with him. I mean he’s always been good
  to me, but tonight he talked to me like I was a peer instead of just some dumb bodyguard looking out for him. I think he
  was as surprised about it as I was, if not more. I’ve gotten to know more about my employer in the past few hours than I
  have in the past few years.
  He’s a troubled man, more troubled than even he knows. He’s done right by the Family and built up the business again
  after Utopia tried to tear it down. He’s put everything into it, but I don’t think he’s happy with the way things have turned out.
  From the journal of Hugo Pinella, 07/10/10:
  Log of an OpNet call made to Bishop Dionigi Tettamanzi, Prelate-General
  of Opus Dei, 20/5/2010:
  Unknown:
  Unknown:
  Unknown:
  Unknown:
  Unknown: Bishop Tettamanzi?
  Tettamanzi:
  Tettamanzi:
  Tettamanzi:
  Tettamanzi:
  Tettamanzi: Who is this? How did you get this number?
  Unknown:
  Unknown:
  Unknown:
  Unknown:
  Unknown: That’s not important,’“Your Eminence.” What is important is what I have to say. I suggest that you listen
  very carefully.
  Tettamanzi:
  Tettamanzi:
  Tettamanzi:
  Tettamanzi:
  Tettamanzi: Go on.
  Unknown:
  Unknown:
  Unknown:
  Unknown:
  Unknown: Don’t bother trying to trace this call, you won’t be able to. This is just a courtesy. We know about the
  shit that you tried to pull in New York. I’m calling to tell you that if you try anything like that again, if you so much as
  breathe in the direction of any of our operations, somebody’s going to kick you in the balls so hard that you’ll choke’’em.
  You got that?
  Tettamanzi:
  Tettamanzi:
  Tettamanzi:
  Tettamanzi:
  Tettamanzi: How dare you! Do you really think you can threaten me? Do you have any idea with whom
  you are dealing?
  Unknown:
  Unknown:
  Unknown:
  Unknown:
  Unknown: Oh, sure. The question is, do you? If you don’t believe us, padre, go ahead and try something.
  We’re just waiting.
  OpNet Log
  
  THE CAMPARELLI-ZUKHOV MEGASYNDICATE
  A  B  E  R  R  A  N  T
  A  B  E  R  R  A  N  T
  A  B  E  R  R  A  N  T
  A  B  E  R  R  A  N  T
  A  B  E  R  R  A  N  T
  88888
  From:
  From:
  From:
  From:
  From: Maria Villareal, Dir. PR
  To: 
  To: 
  To: 
  To: 
  To: Justin Laragione, Dir.
  Re: 
  Re: 
  Re: 
  Re: 
  Re: Miami Megasyndicate Bust
  Justin,
  We’ve finished going through Gaal and Najarian’s footage of T2M’s raid on the C-Z warehouse in Miami. There actually
  turned out to be a lot more useable material than we originally thought. We’re fortunate that Psyche’s telepathic abilities
  — and ScarCrow’s mental taunts — don’t show up on digital recordings.
  We’ve edited the material, keeping the part where ScarCrow takes control of Pax. We feel it shows Pax as vulnerable
  in a non-threatening way, while emphasizing the threat of novas working for the Megasyndicate. It plays a bit into concerns
  over metasensory powers in the US and Europe as well.
  We cut out the material immediately following, making it look like Pax shook off ScarCrow’s influence almost immedi-
  ately and without any outside help. Naturally, we kept the part where Pax punches ScarCrow through the wall and cut his
  escape immediately thereafter. (The nova that rescued him, Zulu-Tango, didn’t show up very well on the footage anyway.)
  Would you like us to run the footage past you (and Pax?) before we release it to the media? There’s no great rush.
  We’ve got the exclusive on this one, and the networks can wait until we’re ready to give it to them.
  Regards,
  Maria
  I went with Mr. & Mrs. C today to Boston to visit Joseph at Harvard. I like Boston; it’s different from the kind of city
  I grew up in. I especially like the grounds of Harvard. Somehow it manages to cling to the atmosphere of a university from
  more than a century ago, in a simpler time, even with the kids walking the halls wearing eufiber jackets and chip players.
  I would like to spend some time there on my own, talking with people and exploring their library.
  Mr. C wanted to take Joseph out to a place he knew in the North End, to talk with him about coming home for the
  holidays. He also had some business to take care of in the city, since numbers coming in from Boston have been down
  since the regime changed hands. He made it clear to Fitz that things had better start improving real soon or that they
  might change hands again. He shouldn’t even bother waiting. How an idiot like Fitzgerald got to be in charge, I’ll never
  know. It’s not like he’s running New York or LA. All he’s got to deal with the Boston PD and maybe the Patriot, not fucking
  T2M! I wanted to suggest as much to Mr. C, but I wasn’t alone with him while he was meeting with Fitzgerald, and I didn’t
  want to say anything in front of anyone else.
  I’m glad to see Joseph is doing well at school, I know that it makes Mr. C proud. But Joey just doesn’t have it in him to
  take on the family business. He’s nowhere near tough enough. He’s a smart kid, but his parents sheltered him from too
  much all his life, and college isn’t doing much to change that. It’s widened his experiences, but I don’t think it’s preparing
  him for life with the Family. That’s probably a good thing. Mr. C doesn’t really want Joey to follow him into the family
  business, and Joey doesn’t really want to, they just don’t know how to express it. Hopefully, I can make it clear to Mr. C
  without hurting his feelings. It’d be better for everyone if Joey and Juli stayed away from the business. Maybe the holi-
  days will offer a chance to set things up.
  From the journal of Hugo Pinella, 11/04/14:
  Project Utopia internal memo:
  
  99999
  THE CAMPARELLI-ZUKHOV MEGASYNDICATE
  A  B  E  R  R  A  N  T
  A  B  E  R  R  A  N  T
  A  B  E  R  R  A  N  T
  A  B  E  R  R  A  N  T
  A  B  E  R  R  A  N  T
  Log of an OpNet conversation between Tolkach and Alexi Zukhov,
  May 30, 2015:
  Zukhov:
  Zukhov:
  Zukhov:
  Zukhov:
  Zukhov: Is the situation in Ibiza under control?
  Tolkach:
  Tolkach:
  Tolkach:
  Tolkach:
  Tolkach: Yes, sir. The fighting has ceased, and the cleanup process has begun. The hotel survived the conflict with
  only minimal damage.
  Zukhov:
  Zukhov:
  Zukhov:
  Zukhov:
  Zukhov: Thanks to your quick thinking.
  Tolkach:
  Tolkach:
  Tolkach:
  Tolkach:
  Tolkach: Thank you, sir, that is most—
  Zukhov:
  Zukhov:
  Zukhov:
  Zukhov:
  Zukhov: Yes, yes, your efforts have been recognized and will be rewarded. I take it that you saw to it that all of our
  people were removed from the island as expediently as possible?
  Tolkach:
  Tolkach:
  Tolkach:
  Tolkach:
  Tolkach: Yes, along with a few guests who were willing to pay generously to leave Ibiza as quickly — and discretely
  — as possible. The money will go toward repairing the damage to the hotel.
  Zukhov:
  Zukhov:
  Zukhov:
  Zukhov:
  Zukhov: Keep the damned money. You earned it. Did you reveal your abilities to these other people?
  Tolkach:
  Tolkach:
  Tolkach:
  Tolkach:
  Tolkach: Yes, but not until Mikhail ensured they were trustworthy  — and that their memories would remain blurred
  afterward. There were no Utopia or Directive plants among them. In fact, I don’t think either group took notice of our
  Ibiza operations. They have too many other things to worry about.
  Zukhov:
  Zukhov:
  Zukhov:
  Zukhov:
  Zukhov: That won’t last. If we want to consolidate our holdings in Ibiza, we’ll need to move quickly. I’ve discussed the
  matter with Camparelli, and he agrees. You’ll begin moving additional resources onto the island. The insurance companies
  will cover some of the damage but not all. There will be people in need of the kind of help we have to offer. I haven’t sunk
  money into the Isla Blanca to see Ibiza’s economy go down the toilet. We’ll rebuild it, and we’ll make sure that we own
  more of it than before.
  Tolkach:
  Tolkach:
  Tolkach:
  Tolkach:
  Tolkach: Yes, sir. I’ll see to all the arrangements. I know of a few parties who will definitely be interested in what we
  have to offer them.
  Zukhov:
  Zukhov:
  Zukhov:
  Zukhov:
  Zukhov: Good, and Boris…?
  Tolkach:
  Tolkach:
  Tolkach:
  Tolkach:
  Tolkach: Sir?
  Zukhov:
  Zukhov:
  Zukhov:
  Zukhov:
  Zukhov: Stay away from the Phoenix Room. Tempting as it may be to offer to assist Vance in rebuilding, the place is
  going to be under Utopia’s scrutiny for the foreseeable future. We must keep a low profile, so have nothing to do with
  what goes on there, understood?
  Tolkach:
  Tolkach:
  Tolkach:
  Tolkach:
  Tolkach: Understood, sir.
  OpNet Log
  
  ABERRANT
  CHAPTER ONE: SYSTEMS
  10
  History
  The Camparelli-Zukhov Megasyndicate (also known as
  the C-Z, the Megasyndicate or simply the Mafiyah) can
  trace its lineage back over 100 years to Italy, particularly
  Sicily. There, the Mafia was born from gangs hired by local
  land-owners to protect their property during the Napole-
  onic War with the French, leading to the popular story that
  the name
  “Mafia” comes from the slogan
  Morte alla Francia Italia anela, “Death to the French
  is Italy’s cry.”
  When Napolean’s forces retreated, the gangs turned
  on their employers. They extorted protection money from
  the landowners and terrorized the local peasant folk into
  supporting the gangs’ authority. Over time, they bought
  political offices and paid off law enforcement to ignore their
  criminal enterprises. The gangs expanded their influence
  and came into conflict with each other in bloody mob wars.
  In the early part of the 20th century, Italian and Sicil-
  ian authorities began to crack down on the Mafia. Many of
  the mafiosi chose to immigrate to the United States, look-
  ing for new opportunities, setting up shop in cities with large
  immigrant communities and coming into contact with other
  mobsters and criminals. The Mafia prospered in the United
  States and, once Prohibition was declared, grew by leaps
  and bounds by smuggling and selling bootleg liquor.
  Throughout the 1930s, the mob was known across the coun-
  try and throughout the world as the largest and most ruth-
  less criminal organization in the United States, a proving
  ground for a menagerie of infamous figures, including Al
  Capone and “Lucky” Luciano.
  The Mafia controlled the bulk of organized crime in
  the United States throughout the 20th century. Authori-
  ties sometimes managed to score victories against the Mob,
  putting away powerful crime lords, but the organization
  continued on, seemingly unstoppable, until the start of the
  21st century.
  The Russians
  In the late 20th century Russia experienced a surge in
  criminal activity unlike any it had seen before. The collapse
  of communism combined with the harsh Soviet police state
  created fertile ground where Russia’s existing criminal gangs
  took root and grew rapidly. While the new government
  struggled to switch the economy over to a capitalist sys-
  tem, the Russian Mafiyah (or Organizatsiya, as it was some-
  times known) smuggled billions of dollars worth of goods
  out of the country, robbing Russia and the Balkan Repub-
  lics blind. The organization expanded quickly, and some
  experts point to the depredations of organized crime as
  part of the reason for the Moscow Crash of early 1999.
  Ironically, the Russian Mafiyah was the group in Russia
  least affected by the Crash, since more money poured into
  the black market to buy goods no longer available from the
  legitimate companies that had gone out of business seem-
  ingly overnight, and Mafiyah investments remained safe
  from the whims of the stock markets. The difficulties faced
  by the Russian criminals came from within, as rapid growth
  led to struggles for supremacy between rival factions.
  Bloody gang wars erupted in the major Russian cities, with
  the police barely able to keep them in check.
  Utopia’s War on Crime
  As part of its efforts to create a better world, Project
  Utopia turned its newly formed Team Tomorrow loose
  against organized crime in 2001. Using their nova powers,
  the members of T2M were able to accomplish what baseline
  authorities had failed to achieve for decades. They rounded
  up the major figures of the US Mafia in New York City in a
  matter of days, using abilities such as Mega-Perception and
  Telepathy to locate evidence of the mobsters’ crimes. The
  Mafia was caught completely off guard by the sheer bold-
  ness of Utopia’s actions. Before they even knew what was
  happening, the most powerful families in the nation were in
  shambles, their leaders in prison.
  Mafia attorneys argued to overturn the arrests and
  convictions, citing long lists of violations of their client’s
  legal rights and of proper procedure. Although the lawyers
  appealed up to the US Supreme Court, the arrests were
  upheld. Since Team Tomorrow was not a law-enforcement
  organization, but a group of private citizens “doing what
  they could to help out,” the courts ruled they were not sub-
  ject to many of the restrictions placed on law officers. The
  arguments of the Mafia attorneys rang hollow to judges tired
  of seeing criminals slip from the law’s grasp.
  The remaining Mafia families panicked, and most were
  easily picked off by Team Tomorrow, although they fought
  back with everything they had. But guns and muscle were
  no match for the novas’ quantum powers. News footage of
  novas such as Caestus Pax walking calmly through hails of
  gunfire to reach the remaining mob bosses played on net-
  works all across the world and sent a message to organized
  crime everywhere: You’ll no longer be tolerated. Team To-
  morrow is coming for you.
  The Megasyndicate Alliance
  Throughout 2001, Team Tomorrow continued to cut a
  swath through organized crime, both in the United States as
  well as in Europe. In less than a year, T2M brought down the
  major criminal syndicates. It was then that the survivors fi-
  nally began to regroup and take stock of the situation.
  Luciano Camparelli was the don of a mid-level Ameri-
  can Mafia family when T2M’s purges began. While other
  influential Mafia bosses were scrambling to cover their own
  asses, Camparelli seized the opportunity presented him and
  moved in on the operations of rivals taken out of the pic-
  ture by T2M. He even arranged to leak information to Uto-
  pia to direct their operations where he wanted them to go.
  
  ABERRANT
  CHAPTER ONE: SYSTEMS
  11
  He moved carefully, behind the scenes, beneath the
  notice of the other bosses and below T2M’s radar.
  He soon developed a routine of following behind
  T2M, picking up the scraps they
  left, taking in the remnants of bro-
  ken gangs, always quietly, cautiously.
  On the other side of the world, Rus-
  sian mob boss Alexi Zukhov was
  doing much the same thing.
  Zukhov used his contacts
  within the Russian government to
  avoid T2M early on and picked off
  the gangs weakened by Utopia,
  expanding his operations into
  Eastern Europe and parts of the
  Mediterranean.
  Soon, most mobs
  that survived the Uto-
  pian purge were smart
  enough to join up with either
  Camparelli or Zukhov. Those
  that weren’t didn’t have much
  time to regret their decisions.
  They were either wiped out or
  sold out to Utopia. By the end
  of 2001, Camparelli and
  Zukhov’s organizations
  were virtually all that
  were left. It was
  inevitable they
  w o u l d
  c o m e
  into conflict sooner or later.
  Camparelli contacted Alexi
  Zukhov and proposed an alliance in-
  stead. Both men knew a war between their
  organizations would only decimate them both,
  leaving them easy pickings for Team Tomorrow. But
  together, they could dominate the underworld from
  Russia to North America. Zukhov agreed, and the
  Camparelli-Zukhov Megasyndicate was born.
  Organization
  The C-Z Megasyndicate is arranged in a dual hierar-
  chical structure. Essentially, it is two syndicates that func-
  tion together as one. The Camparelli family is led by Luciano
  Camparelli and controls territory in North America, South
  America and Western Europe. The Zukhov syndicate, led
  
  ABERRANT
  CHAPTER ONE: SYSTEMS
  12
  by Alexi Zukhov, claims Northern Asia, Eastern Europe,
  Africa and parts of western North America as its territory.
  Technically, the two syndicates are separate allied or-
  ganizations, but they have continued to meld increasingly
  closer in the 15 years since the Megasyndicate was founded.
  They have a common vocabulary (laced with a number of
  Russian Mafiyah terms and expressions), similar traditions
  and similar ways of doing business. Lieutenants within each
  organization answer to their superiors but also defer to su-
  periors from the other syndicate, if only out of respect for
  their influence.
  The Vory
  Camparelli and Zukhov each hold the title of vor, the
  heads of their respective syndicates. They each have other
  vory under them that run various territories (though some
  members of the Camparelli syndicate still use the term
  “don,” it’s falling into disuse). All of these crime lords make
  up what Megasyndicate members call’“the Council” or sim-
  ply “the Vory,” which oversees the operation of the
  Megasyndicate as a whole.
  Despite appearances, the Council isn’t democratic.
  Camparelli and Zukhov hold supreme power, and their de-
  cisions are final. The Council only exists to keep the two
  men informed of what’s going on and to ensure that the
  decisions of the vory are implemented. Generally, Camparelli
  and Zukhov each run their organization as they see fit. In
  the event the two of them don’t agree on something, noth-
  ing gets done, but both men have learned to work together.
  In practice, Zukhov has a slight edge over Camparelli when
  it comes to getting his way, but the Russian knows better
  than to push his luck by lording it over his partner.
  The Regimes
  The Megasyndicate is divided up into “regimes” or
  areas under the control of a particular gang. The largest
  division is between East and West, roughly cutting through
  Europe. Everything in the West belongs to Camparelli, while
  Zukhov controls the East. Individual regimes vary in size,
  depending on population and the operations going on within
  the regime. For example, large cities such as New York, Los
  Angeles, Moscow, Berlin and such are considered regimes
  unto themselves, while more rural regimes are larger geo-
  graphically but may actually contain fewer people. On each
  continent, the Megasyndicate has its strongholds and most
  valuable operations.
  North America is largely Camparelli territory, particu-
  larly traditional Mafiyah strongholds such as Chicago, New
  York City, Boston and New Jersey. The northeastern United
  States has the largest concentration of Megasyndicate op-
  erations, although they can be found throughout the coun-
  try. The West Coast is strongly influenced by Zukhov, and
  many of the mobsters in Los Angeles, San Francisco and
  Seattle are Russian. The various Mexican criminal gangs
  were either incorporated into the Megasyndicate, wiped
  out by T2M or too small for either organization to notice.
  The Megasyndicate treads carefully in Mexico because of
  Utopia’s influence and the presence of T2M Americas.
  South and Central America are heavily influenced by
  the narcotrafficante (drug smuggling) cartels. The
  Megasyndicate buys a lot of its drugs from the Medellín
  cartel, and tends to leave its business alone, although
  Camparelli wouldn’t mind seeing T2M take the cartel down,
  leaving its business open for the Megasyndicate to snatch
  up. Smuggling, vice and other criminal enterprises in South
  America are strongly influenced by the Megasyndicate.
  Europe is roughly divided between Camparelli and
  Zukhov. Neither has much influence in insular England, al-
  though they’ve made some inroads simply because England’s
  refusal to cooperate with Project Utopia makes it a safer
  place for the Mafiyah to operate. Some of the
  Megasyndicate’s personnel in England have been compro-
  mised by British nova Arthur Anningsley, although the or-
  ganization remains unaware of it (see Aberrant Worldwide
  Aberrant Worldwide
  Aberrant Worldwide
  Aberrant Worldwide
  Aberrant Worldwide
  — Phase II
  — Phase II
  — Phase II
  — Phase II
  — Phase II for details). Camparelli controls gangs through-
  out Western Europe, including Spain, France, Belgium and
  Italy. Zukhov controls criminal activity in Eastern Europe,
  including the Balkan states, Greece, Turkey and Poland. The
  two have roughly equal influence in Germany, with the Rus-
  sians slightly more powerful.
  The Russian Confederation is, of course, firmly under
  the control of Zukhov’s half of the Megasyndicate. No crimi-
  nal operation in Russia happens without Zukhov’s notice
  and implied permission. The Russians have extended their
  reach down into parts of India, controlling the very lucra-
  tive Indian vice trade, as well as parts of Africa and the
  Middle East, but they face stiff opposition from local crimi-
  nal gangs there. They’ve had more success in Australia but
  face off against the triads in China, the Nakato Gumi in Ja-
  pan and both organizations throughout Southeast Asia. This
  makes Zukhov’s territory more heavily embattled than
  Camparelli’s, which is comparatively secure. But Zukhov
  actually prefers it that way. For one thing, he enjoys the
  challenge, plus it also keeps his men combat-ready and
  ambitious. Camparelli is comfortable with that arrangement
  because it keeps his partner occupied and away from his
  holdings in the West.
  Culture and Traditions
  The Camparelli-Zukhov Megasyndicate incorporates
  criminal gangs from many different nations and cultures,
  making it the most “multicultural” criminal organization in
  the world. As a result, the syndicate has abandoned or lost
  much of the cultural tradition belonging to the Italian-de-
  scended Mafia. Unlike the triads or the yakuza, both of which
  are steeped in tradition, the Megasyndicate is more like a
  business. Its traditions are few and simple.
  The first and most important rule of the Megasyndicate
  is secrecy. The Mafiyah is a world unto itself, what the
  
  ABERRANT
  CHAPTER ONE: SYSTEMS
  13
  Russians call vorovskoi mir, the thieves’ world. Members
  of the organization are sworn not to reveal anything about
  it to outsiders on pain of death, and the Mafiyah takes that
  oath very seriously. The majority of executions carried out
  by the syndicate are of their own people who have violated
  their rules. Authorities can rarely find syndicate members
  (or even people associated with the syndicate) willing to
  testify in court because they know cooperating with the
  authorities means signing their own death warrants.
  A tradition that has arisen around the Mafiyah code of
  silence is the “need to know.” One of the downfalls of the
  old syndicates was Team Tomorrow’s use of nova powers
  such as telepathy to gather information about the mobs and
  their operations.
  The Megasyndicate protects against this danger in
  several ways. First, since it keeps its operations secret, it
  offers spies few opportunities to pursue information. Sec-
  ond, the Megasyndicate provides its members with only
  information that is vital to the fulfillment of their duties.
  Subordinates are often kept in the dark about exactly what
  they’re doing and why, the rationale being that they can’t
  betray information they don’t know. (In time, this prac-
  tice may prove a weakness in the organization, allowing
  middlemen to subvert the orders of their superiors, but it
  has worked well enough so far.) Third, the Megasyndicate
  has taken to using technology to thwart nova attempts at
  gathering information. One example is a drug known on
  the street as “brain burn” that ensures syndicate mem-
  bers won’t reveal anything even if they are interrogated
  by a nova. Camparelli personnel often call the use of brain
  burn’“the omerta treatment,” referring to the old Mafia
  “code of silence.”
  Operations
  It is simpler to talk about what criminal activities the
  Camparelli-Zukhov Megasyndicate does not control than
  to cover the vast extent of the syndicate’s influence in
  the criminal underworld. In general, the Megasyndicate
  avoids things such as protection rackets, small-time gam-
  bling and other operations it considers “penny ante.” It
  leaves those to the small-time criminals (sometimes tak-
  ing a cut of their profits as”“tribute”) and concentrates
  on more profitable enterprises.
  Assassination
  The Megasyndicate does perform murder for hire, al-
  though the vast majority of killings carried out by the
  Megasyndicate involves disciplining its own people rather
  than hired hits. Still, there’s a brisk demand for hired killers
  that the Mafiyah is more than happy to fill. Thanks to Alexi
  Zukhov’s KGB training, Megasyndicate assassins are quite
  competent. Their weapon of choice is usually a firearm —
  a silenced high-powered rifle from some distance away, for
  example. But they’ll use whatever method fits the client’s
  Brain Burn
  “Brain burn” is the street name for neurophyzine, a
  chemical that bonds with human neuroreceptors. It must
  be injected to have an effect. It’s a mild sedative and anal-
  gesic, but it has a particular property when quantum en-
  ergies (such as those associated with the powers of Te-
  lepathy and Domination) interact with the subject’s brain
  chemistry. Telepathic interrogation triggers the chemical
  to cause a complete and rapid breakdown of the user’s
  synapses, effectively destroying his brain. This process
  occurs as soon as a nova contacts the subject using a power
  affected by Psychic Shield (scoring one or more successes
  against the subject). The following turn, the subject has a
  seizure and suffers 10 levels of unsoakable lethal damage,
  typically meaning instant death for baselines. A nova
  telepath in contact with the subject’s mind can make a
  Telepathy roll at +5 difficulty to retrieve a single memory
  or piece of information before the target’s mind collapses
  entirely. The drug remains in the user’s system for 8 hours
  before being metabolized and excreted and is only detect-
  able with a blood test that specifically looks for it.
  Syndicate members are often dosed with brain burn
  before engaging in operations where they might meet nova
  resistance, making it less likely for them to reveal any-
  thing if interrogated. The Megasyndicate often combines
  brain burn with drugs such as mite and Red 7 to make ef-
  fective soldiers, blaming their deaths on the novas involved
  (it’s difficult for a baseline to tell the difference between a
  telepathic scan and a lethal mind blast, after all).
  Neurophyzine has no effect on novas; the emissions
  of the M-R node prevent the chemical from bonding with
  nova neurons and rapidly break it down into harmless
  chemical byproducts that are removed from the nova’s
  system. The Mafiyah (along with the Directive, Kuro-Tek
  and a few other organizations) are working on a form of
  brain burn effective against novas, since it would seriously
  inhibit their powers, but, so far, with no success.
  needs and gets the job done. Even most novas are vulner-
  able to a high-powered round to the head or a powerful
  contact poison, placed where they’re sure to handle it.
  Most Mafiyah hits are carried out against baseline tar-
  gets. The Megasyndicate is reluctant to hit a nova — too
  high profile, too much potential for reprisal, in addition to
  whatever difficulties the nova’s powers might pose. The cost
  for a nova hit is a great deal higher, often into seven fig-
  ures, usually because the syndicate has to use a nova to get
  at a nova, especially a powerful one. Of course, there are
  also some novas the Megasyndicate won’t go after for any
  amount of money; if you want Caestus Pax hit, you need to
  go somewhere else.
  
  ABERRANT
  CHAPTER ONE: SYSTEMS
  14
  The Mafiyah has refined extortion to a fine art over
  the years. Its members know just how far they can push
  someone, just how much they can ask before it becomes
  too much. Sometimes they guess wrong, but most people
  are willing to do what it takes to keep their lives from being
  ruined, even if it means selling out to the mob. Of course,
  once you’ve done one “small favor” for the Megasyndicate,
  the slide down the slippery slope to Mafiyah control be-
  comes that much faster.
  Again, the Megasyndicate is very careful about
  blackmailing novas, simply because there’s usually more
  a nova can do about the problem. Still, novas have as
  many skeletons in their closets as baselines, if not more,
  and the Mafiyah doesn’t pass up a golden opportunity
  when it sees one.
  Loansharking and Money Laundering
  The Megasyndicate lends money to people in need,
  often those unable to obtain legitimate sources of credit.
  Although loansharking is a moneymaking operation (and
  syndicate interest rates are usurious), it’s primarily another
  form of extortion. Once someone takes money from the
  syndicate, he’s indebted forever, even if he manages to pay
  off the loan. All the syndicate has to do is threaten to reveal
  the source of his “sudden income.” The Mafiyah does much
  the same with other favors; it offers to help in exchange
  for an unspecified payment in the future. Even after the
  favor is paid back the victim still “owes” the syndicate be-
  cause it could come out that the organization helped him.
  The C-Z Megasyndicate is also involved in a large num-
  ber of legitimate businesses, ranging from construction and
  transportation to OpNet startups, high-tech research and
  entertainment. Its legitimate businesses offer a means of
  “laundering” money acquired from other operations, via
  various banks and financial institutions. The syndicate
  passes funds through a series of complex financial transac-
  tions to hide the data-trail connecting the money to its
  source. With online banking via the OpNet and numerous
  international financial institutions willing to keep customer
  information strictly confidential, it’s not overly difficult for
  the Megasyndicate to “wash” its dirty money clean.
  Once it’s “washed,” the money can then be “dried” by
  investing it in some legitimate business or other financial
  activity. Real estate is a popular investment for the C-Z
  Megasyndicate. It owns huge chunks of land around the
  world, from beachfront property in Miami and LA to man-
  sions in Europe, skyscrapers in New York and even old mili-
  tary bases in Russia and elsewhere.
  Another resource the Megasyndicate has for launder-
  ing money is the Catholic Church. Since the Vatican is ac-
  corded special diplomatic status, its financial records are
  not open to outside scrutiny, and its funds are controlled
  directly by the Pope. He has the authority to create special
  monetary funds for any project of the Church, including
  Mafiyah Lexicon
  anasha
  anasha
  anasha
  anasha
  anasha::::: Hashish.
  baklany
  baklany
  baklany
  baklany
  baklany::::: Punks.
  bespredel
  bespredel
  bespredel
  bespredel
  bespredel::::: Disorder, crime. Literally, “without limits.”
  bolshy
  bolshy
  bolshy
  bolshy
  bolshy::::: From the Russian bolshoyeh, meaning “great”
  or “big.” Refers to both size and quality.
  capice
  capice
  capice
  capice
  capice::::: Italian for “understand,” used as a rhetorical:
  “Understand?” Currently falling out of use.
  Council, the:
  Council, the:
  Council, the:
  Council, the:
  Council, the: The leadership of the C-Z Megasyndicate.
  kaif
  kaif
  kaif
  kaif
  kaif::::: High on drugs.
  La Cosa Nostra:
  La Cosa Nostra:
  La Cosa Nostra:
  La Cosa Nostra:
  La Cosa Nostra: “This thing of ours.” Sicilian reference
  to the Mafia. Falling out of use, except with the old guard of
  the Camparelli family.
  Mafiyah
  Mafiyah
  Mafiyah
  Mafiyah
  Mafiyah::::: general term for the Megasyndicate.
  minshy
  minshy
  minshy
  minshy
  minshy::::: From the Russian menshyeh, meaning “small.”
  Usually means something small-time or second-rate.
  oo’zhas
  oo’zhas
  oo’zhas
  oo’zhas
  oo’zhas::::: Terrible, used similar to “too bad”. Kakoy’
  oo’zhas: “That’s terrible” or “that’s too bad.”
  Organizatsiya
  Organizatsiya
  Organizatsiya
  Organizatsiya
  Organizatsiya::::: Organization, another name for a gang
  or syndicate. Old name for the Russian Mafiyah.
  panama
  panama
  panama
  panama
  panama::::: A dummy corporation, usually set up to laun-
  der funds.
  pitsani
  pitsani
  pitsani
  pitsani
  pitsani::::: Young men — the street-level members of
  gangs. From the Italian pisan and the Russian patsani.
  shalit
  shalit
  shalit
  shalit
  shalit::::: Making trouble.
  sportsmeny
  sportsmeny
  sportsmeny
  sportsmeny
  sportsmeny::::: Literally, “sportsmen,” former athletes or
  jocks (often bodybuilders using mite) who acted as enforc-
  ers and bodyguards. Currently refers to Russian novas work-
  ing for the Megasyndicate.
  stoh
  stoh
  stoh
  stoh
  stoh?:?:?:?:?: “Really?” A common interjection.
  suki
  suki
  suki
  suki
  suki::::: Traitors, turncoats. Literally “bitches.”
  torpedo:
  torpedo:
  torpedo:
  torpedo:
  torpedo: Contract killer.
  vor:
  vor:
  vor:
  vor:
  vor: (pl. vory) Crime lord, head of a Mafiyah family.
  vorovskoi mir
  vorovskoi mir
  vorovskoi mir
  vorovskoi mir
  vorovskoi mir::::: The “thieves world,” the underworld.
  The Megasyndicate uses assassination (in conjunc-
  tion with other intimidation tactics) to get what it wants
  from other organizations, including governments. More
  than a few uncooperative government officials have been
  eliminated by syndicate assassins, providing an example
  to anyone else who might decide to get in the
  Megasyndicate’s way.
  Extortion
  The C-Z Megasyndicate rarely uses extortion as a
  moneymaking scheme these days. Its members prefer to
  use such leverage to ensure cooperation from people who
  might give them trouble. The syndicate believes that ev-
  eryone has something to hide, and it’s usually right. Find
  out what that something is, and you have control over that
  person, so long as what you ask of them isn’t worse than
  having the truth come out.
  
  ABERRANT
  CHAPTER ONE: SYSTEMS
  15
  charitable works. Money can then be paid out to front com-
  panies owned by the Megasyndicate. Dirty money flows into
  the Church, disappears behind a wall of secrecy and re-
  emerges later as fees paid to syndicate-owned businesses,
  usually for work that never gets done. The Megasyndicate’s
  primary difficulty with this approach has been avoiding
  banks controlled by the Opus Dei order, which is opposed
  to both the Mafiyah and the current Pope (see “Relations”
  for more information on the Megasyndicate’s relations with
  the Vatican and Opus Dei).
  Smuggling
  The Mafiyah’s largest moneymaking operation is the
  smuggling of goods across national boundaries and selling
  them, either on the international black market or through
  legitimate businesses controlled by the syndicate. The C-Z
  Megasyndicate moves billions of dollars worth of merchan-
  dise annually. It smuggles everything from electronics and
  cigarettes to drugs, raw materials, precious minerals and
  other trade goods.
  Most smuggling is simply a matter of evading legal tar-
  iffs and taxation. The Megasyndicate deprives governments
  of billions in tax dollars by moving goods illegally, allowing
  them to sell their merchandise at a lower cost and pocket
  the difference as profit. Although considered a relatively
  “harmless” crime compared to drug and weapon smuggling,
  this type of contraband is big business, and the syndicate
  takes it very seriously. Warehouses around the world are
  filled with goods illegally bought, shipped and sold.
  The Megasyndicate is better known for
  smuggling illegal items, including drugs, weap-
  ons and even classified information. Drug smug-
  gling is a major business, and the
  Megasyndicate moves virtually every kind of
  drug known, so long as there’s a de-
  mand for it. It ships and sells co-
  caine, spike, crystal meth and
  various prescription
  medications, along
  with harder to
  
  ABERRANT
  CHAPTER ONE: SYSTEMS
  16
  find drugs such as adrenocilin, mite, mox, Red 7, brain burn
  and eclipsodol. The Heaven Thunder Triad controls the
  opium trade, the Nakato Gumi controls drug smuggling in
  and out of Japan, and the cartels control the cocaine trade,
  but the rest belongs to the Megasyndicate.
  Arms sales include Soviet-era weapons smuggled out
  of Russia, along with other military-surplus equipment
  bought up (or stolen) by the Mafiyah and sold to customers
  all over the world looking for a little extra firepower. Syn-
  dicate arms-dealing focuses on quantity over quality. If you
  want the latest in high-tech weapons, you buy from Kuro-
  Tek. If you want a dozen crates of assault rifles to supply a
  guerilla army, you buy from the Megasyndicate. Although
  the equipment is somewhat “dated” (typically 1980s and
  90s vintage), it still gets the job done and can include things
  like rocket launchers, grenades and even military vehicles
  (although tanks are a bit hard to get ahold of without at
  least a week or two’s notice). There are even rumors that
  the Megasyndicate has slipped a few “misplaced” nuclear
  warheads out of Russia. If so, they haven’t turned up yet,
  although the source of the nuke used in the Sao Paulo bomb-
  ing still hasn’t been found.…
  Vice
  A major source of income for the Megasyndicate is the
  vice market, which it has reinforced its hold over in the
  past 15 years. The Mafiyah controls vice operations
  throughout its territory, raking in huge amounts of money.
  Although “vice” technically includes the sale of drugs, in
  this case, it refers almost exclusively to the sex industry.
  The Mafiyah produces and sells pornography, both le-
  gal and illegal, for sale worldwide. It’s invested in legally
  recognized porn studios and publishers, and it pays for the
  production of “specialty” products such as child pornog-
  raphy, snuff films and other kinks. Mafiosi talk about the
  “skin bribes” they exchange with the Nakato Gumi, buying
  technology and information with porn, which the Nakato
  can resell in Japan for a substantial profit.
  The Megasyndicate also controls the illegal (and much
  of the legal) sex trade in the world. It’s been most success-
  ful with prostitution rings and flesh trade in South America,
  Asia and Africa. India, in particular, is home to a booming
  sex industry. The Mafiyah’s affiliated gangs can barely keep
  up with the demand for pliable young women (and, occa-
  sionally, boys) in the new entertainment capitol of the world,
  and the prostitutes have been getting younger and younger.
  Women and girls in India are regularly sold into virtual sla-
  very to brothels and sex clubs, as are girls and boys in Thai-
  land. Project Utopia and United Nations reports estimate
  approximately 1.3 million minors (under the age of 18) work
  in the sex industries of India, Thailand and the Philippines
  alone, to say nothing of the adults.
  The Mafiyah also has a brisk international slavery
  market, where people (usually children from third-world
  countries) are bought and sold, mostly to pornographers
  or sex businesses in other nations. Nepalese women and
  girls remain popular in India; Caucasian women are in de-
  mand in Japan and parts of Southeast Asia. Some of these
  women are entrapped by offers to relocate to other na-
  tions to become “actresses” or “models,” but most are
  simply abducted or sold by their families.
  The vice industry also provides considerable leverage
  for the Megasyndicate. A carefully placed digital camera
  can provide the Vory with the means to control someone
  of influence, and people addicted to the pleasures the
  Mafiyah has to offer rarely refuse it the occasional favor.
  With their often-voracious libidos, more than a few novas
  have fallen prey to this scheme.
  Personnel
  The Megasyndicate has over a million people working
  for it worldwide, although most of them are barely aware
  of the organization they serve. They are small time crimi-
  nals and gangs that owe their loyalty to a Megasyndicate
  higher-up and pay “tribute” for the privilege of doing busi-
  ness unmolested. Those who fail to pay usually end up dead
  as an example to educate others.
  Soldiers
  The Mafiyah rarely uses the old term soldatos any more
  to refer to its strong-arms. The Megasyndicate’s muscle is
  referred to as pitsani, or “young men.”
  Pitsani are the lowest-level Megasyndicate enforcers,
  little more than street thugs or punks working with the
  Mafiyah’s blessing. They’re viewed as cannon fodder —
  and are likely to be sacrificed to the police if necessary.
  Since they hardly ever know anything about syndicate op-
  erations, they’re a loss the Mafiyah can afford. There’s al-
  ways more where they came from.
  Some’pitsani manage to survive the shark-tank of
  Megasyndicate service, earning the respect of their supe-
  riors. They’re the true professional leg-breakers and en-
  forcers of the mob, and many of them take mite to bulk up,
  making them huge and amazingly tough (for baselines). Their
  line of work and their mite use tend to give them a fairly
  short life expectancy, however, and they’re still seen as
  expendable by Mafiyah higher-ups.
  Made Men
  The managers and middle managers of the
  Megasyndicate, the so-called “made men,” either rise
  through the ranks or (more rarely) inherit their positions.
  They usually maintain the fiction that they are “legitimate
  businessmen,” involved in running one or more of the
  Megasyndicate’s many front companies and money laun-
  dries. Behind the scenes, they help direct the business of
  the Mafiyah and carry out the orders of their superiors.
  Made men placed in charge of a regime by Camparelli or
  Zukhov are called by the title vor and have complete control
  
  ABERRANT
  CHAPTER ONE: SYSTEMS
  17
  over (and responsibility for) their territory. They answer to
  one of the two heads of the Megasyndicate, and occasion-
  ally, a vor comes to a very unpleasant end to remind the rest
  that neither man tolerates failure or insubordination.
  Nova Enforcers
  The C-Z Megasyndicate uses more nova agents and
  enforcers than any other criminal organization, although
  most novas working for the Mafiyah are not actual mem-
  bers of the organization. The Megasyndicate generally
  employs nova elites to handle matters requiring quantum-
  powered intervention. Agencies such as DeVries and
  Janissaries do a brisk business with the Megasyndicate,
  which also employs freelance novas through various fronts
  and shell companies. For more information on mercenary
  novas in general, consult Aberrant: Elites
  Aberrant: Elites
  Aberrant: Elites
  Aberrant: Elites
  Aberrant: Elites.
  The novas working directly for the Megasyndicate do so
  for various reasons. In a few cases, they belonged to the Mafia
  before they erupted. Other novas owe the Megasyndicate in
  some way, either for help out of a particularly difficult situa-
  tion or for access to vices such as gambling, rough sex or soma
  addiction. The underworld is, relatively speaking, a haven for
  novas hideously twisted by taint. The Megasyndicate doesn’t
  care what its hired muscle looks like, and it pays well. The
  Mafiyah controls some novas through blackmail and extortion,
  but that’s a dangerous game, and it certainly doesn’t rely on
  such novas for sensitive missions.
  Finally, there are some novas who work for the Mafiyah
  simply because they enjoy it. It either fulfills a particular
  sociopathic kick, or it allows them to indulge their aberra-
  tions, particularly mental aberrations that get them barred
  from “decent” society.
  The Russians refer to the novas working for the syn-
  dicate as “sportsmeny,” a name formerly used for baseline
  enforcers and strongmen. The term spread to the
  Camparelli family, and many of its members also refer to
  mob novas as “sportsmen.”
  For examples of novas working for the C-Z
  Megasyndicate, check out Aberrant Worldwide — Phase
  Aberrant Worldwide — Phase
  Aberrant Worldwide — Phase
  Aberrant Worldwide — Phase
  Aberrant Worldwide — Phase
  IIIIIIIIII. ScarCrow, Phosphorus, Spook and Zulu-Tango (pp. 37-
  39) are regular Camparelli family enforcers, and Mikhail
  “Torpedo” Khairedinov (pp. 145-146) is a telepath work-
  ing for the Zukhov syndicate. Two other Megasyndicate
  novas are detailed at the end of this chapter.
  Relations
  The Camparelli-Zukhov Megasyndicate has few allies,
  but those it does have are powerful. The syndicate’s influ-
  ence is far reaching, but the Mafiyah’s enemies are just as
  powerful as it is, if not more so.
  The Russian Confederation
  Officially, the government of the Russian Confederation
  is opposed to the Camparelli-Zukhov Megasyndicate and all
  that it represents: loss of tax revenue and legitimate trade,
  the spread of drug addiction and prostitution and the use of
  violence against honest citizens. The reality is that the rela-
  tionship between the government and the Megasyndicate is
  much more complex. Zukhov knew Confederation president
  Andrei Srebrianski from their days together in the KGB. He
  used his connections with Srebrianski to help his syndicate
  grow in the early days and his knowledge of how Srebrianski
  thought in later years. What Zukhov didn’t count on was
  Vladimir Sierka’s eruption.
  Strangely enough, the brilliant nova’s involvement in
  Russian Confederation policy doesn’t seem to have affected
  the Megasyndicate all that much. That’s because, unknown
  to Zukhov, the syndicate figures in Sierka’s plans for the
  future of the Confederation — at least for now. The exist-
  ence of the Mafiyah and the black market it controls is part
  of the delicate “ecology” of Confederation economics. It
  plays a part in making the whole system work, provided
  that it does not grow out of control like a cancer, threaten-
  ing the rest of the body. Sierka has helped quietly steer
  problems away from the Megasyndicate, while he consid-
  ers how best to deal with it. In so doing, he may be under-
  estimating the cleverness of a man such as Zukhov and his
  ability to influence events. By the time Sierka is ready to
  deal with the Megasyndicate, it may have already come up
  with a way to deal with him.
  Project Utopia
  Project Utopia considers the Camparelli-Zukhov
  Megasyndicate a threat to public safety and to the Project’s
  goals. On the more cynical side of things, Utopia also finds
  the Mafiyah a useful “bad guy” that plays well to the media.
  Having Team Tomorrow break up a Megasyndicate opera-
  tion guarantees a rise in approval ratings, no matter how
  slight — and with incidents of tainted novas becoming in-
  creasingly widespread, such spin control is not to be taken
  lightly. Still, dealing with the Megasyndicate is not high on
  Utopia’s list of priorities, and the Project has discovered
  that eliminating organized crime is more difficult than it first
  suspected (see “The Weed of Crime Has Deep Roots”).
  For its part, the Megasyndicate tries to stay out of
  Utopia’s way and not attract attention. Both Camparelli
  and Zukhov are confident that there will always be a need
  for the goods and services their organization provides,
  no matter how much Utopia’“improves” the world, and so
  far, they appear to be right. Camparelli is more worried
  about Utopia than Zukhov simply because he’s more ex-
  posed to Utopian intervention than his Russian partner.
  Camparelli still remembers Utopia’s major offensive
  against the families and doesn’t want to see his organiza-
  tion meet a similar fate, so he prepares as much “insur-
  ance” as he can against that day.
  The Mafiyah cultivates influence within Utopia when
  possible, using old-fashioned techniques such as blackmail.
  But opportunities are rare to “hook” someone high-placed
  
  ABERRANT
  CHAPTER ONE: SYSTEMS
  18
  enough in Utopia to be useful but low-level enough not to
  provoke an investigation (and possible reprisals). Still, that
  doesn’t keep the syndicate from trying.
  The Directive
  The Megasyndicate has an adversarial relationship
  with the Directive for a number of reasons. First, Di-
  rective founder and Russian Director Petr Ilyanovich
  knows Zukhov from their KGB days, and Ilyanovich
  worked as a commander for SOBRE, the Russian elite
  police unit created specifically to fight the Mafiyah.
  Ilyanovich has lost friends and colleagues to Zukhov’s
  syndicate, and he’s seen first-hand the kind of brutality
  Zukhov and his people are capable of. Ilyanovich would
  like nothing more than to see Zukhov publicly tried and
  executed for his numerous crimes, and the Director’s
  frustrated by the fact that Zukhov has managed to evade
  justice for so long.
  Fortunately for Zukhov and the Megasyndicate,
  Ilyanovich’s fellow directors aren’t about to let him use
  the organization for carry out a personal vendetta. Still,
  Ilyanovich finds ways to turn the Directive against the
  Megasyndicate from time to time. A major opportunity
  is provided by the Mafiyah’s use of nova agents and mer-
  cenaries, something of grave concern to the Directive.
  Directive agents have conducted surveillance and “sting”
  operations against the Megasyndicate worldwide, but
  there are simply too few field agents for the Directive
  to wage all-out war against the Mafiyah with any chance
  of success.
  The Catholic Church
  The Mafiyah’s relationship with the Catholic Church is
  a complex one, to say the least. The original Sicilian founders
  of the American Mafia came from a strong Catholic back-
  ground and maintained ties with associates back home in
  Sicily. During World War II, the American Mafia cooper-
  ated with its Sicilian brethren to facilitate the American in-
  vasion of Sicily and to bring down Mussolini. It also worked
  with elements of the Catholic Church to safeguard church
  people and property and to secure finances for the Church
  via Catholic-run banks.
  One of the most influential factions within the Church
  in this area is Opus Dei (“God’s Work”). It is a small Catho-
  lic order founded by Josemarie Escriva in 1928. Its man-
  date is to expand the influence of conservative Catholicism
  across the world. It recruits from the affluent and well edu-
  cated and has people in positions of influence in govern-
  ments and businesses throughout the world, in Europe and
  South America particularly.
  
  ABERRANT
  CHAPTER ONE: SYSTEMS
  19
  When Albino Luciani was elected Pope John Paul I, there
  was considerable speculation that he was planning to clean
  up financial intrigue within the Vatican, including dismissing
  a number of priests with ties to the Mafia. Thirty-three days
  after his election, John Paul I died of a heart attack in his bed,
  and soon after, Karol Wojtyla was elected Pope John Paul II.
  The new Pontiff prayed before Escriva’s tomb before his el-
  evation and made it clear that he favored Opus Dei.
  John Paul II denounced the Mafia publicly, while, at the
  same time, the Vatican moved millions of dollars through
  Catholic banking institutions into the Solidarity Trade Union
  in Poland (a personal project of the Pope’s). In 1982, the
  mysterious death of Roberto Calvi, chairman and managing
  director of the Banco Ambrosiano in Milan, was linked to ties
  between the Vatican and the Mafia’s money-laundering op-
  erations. The Vatican’s political autonomy effectively ended
  any investigation into the matter, and Calvi’s death was ruled
  a suicide. That same year, the Pope made the Opus Dei order
  Autocephalous, a personal prelature not tied to any diocese
  and answerable only to the Pope himself.
  Mafia involvement in Vatican affairs appeared to end
  when Project Utopia brought down the most powerful Ma-
  fia families. Not long thereafter, John Paul II passed away
  after years of poor health. Just before he died, the Pope
  elevated Opus Dei Archbishop Juan Luis Cipliani to cardi-
  nal, and many believed Cipliani was destined for the Throne
  of St. Peter. But that was not to be. It turned out that while
  the Opus Dei thought the Vatican’s ties with organized crime
  were severed by the fall of the major crime families, not all
  connections were lost. Luciano Camparelli pulled strings,
  called in favors and threatened to expose secrets to ensure
  that Mario Bardi became the next Prelate of the Catholic
  Church, Pope Benedict XVI.
  Benedict’s liberal attitudes antagonized Opus Dei but
  won him friends elsewhere, including the nova community
  when he issued Ad Dei Lucem, declaring that novas have
  souls and are capable of salvation through Christ. Such be-
  havior put Benedict above reproach and made him an ally
  of organizations such as Utopia. He also serves as “insur-
  ance” for the Megasyndicate. If Utopia wants to take
  Camparelli-Zukhov down, it risks exposing ties between the
  mob and the Vatican and erasing all the good work Pope
  Benedict XVI has done for baseline/nova relations, to say
  nothing of handing the Papacy over to the nova-hating, fa-
  natical Opus Dei.
  Ironically, Opus Dei attempted to deal with Benedict by
  framing him as a Mafiyah collaborator, the very same threat
  the Megasyndicate held out. The plan failed and brought the
  order to the attention of Luciano Camparelli. The conflict
  between them has become a shadow war, with both sides
  struggling for control of the Papacy but neither willing to risk
  exposure of their complicity in other criminal schemes, nor
  willing to risk endangering papal prestige and legitimacy.
  For more information on Opus Dei, its plans and its nova
  agents, see the Aberrant Storytellers Screen
  Aberrant Storytellers Screen
  Aberrant Storytellers Screen
  Aberrant Storytellers Screen
  Aberrant Storytellers Screen (pp. 18-21) and
  “The Pope of Babylon” in Aberrant Worldwide: Phase II.
  Aberrant Worldwide: Phase II.
  Aberrant Worldwide: Phase II.
  Aberrant Worldwide: Phase II.
  Aberrant Worldwide: Phase II.
  Other Syndicates
  Now that is has achieved a measure of stability, the
  Megasyndicate has turned its attention toward territories
  occupied by rival syndicates.
  The Medellín Cartel
  The Medellín Cartel
  The Medellín Cartel
  The Medellín Cartel
  The Medellín Cartel
  The cartel is the least of the Megasyndicate’s concerns.
  The cartels is smart enough to restrict its activity to what
  it does best, namely grow and sell illegal drugs, mainly co-
  caine. Since it’s also attracted a great deal of Project
  Utopia’s crime-fighting attention, the cartel helps to serve
  as a “smoke screen” for the Megasyndicate. While Utopian
  novas are busy struggling with the cartel (and its hired nova
  enforcers), the Megasyndicate can go about its business of
  selling the drugs purchased from the cartel. There’s some
  concern that the cartel’s close association with some novas
  might lead to it actually making a move against the
  Megasyndicate, but with Utopia’s attention focused on the
  organization, it seems unlikely.
  The Heaven Thunder Triad
  The Heaven Thunder Triad
  The Heaven Thunder Triad
  The Heaven Thunder Triad
  The Heaven Thunder Triad
  The Heaven Thunder Triad is one of the Megasyndicate’s
  chief rivals in the Far East, particularly China and parts of
  Southeast Asia. It controls smuggling and vice in the Golden
  Triangle, lucrative businesses the Mafiyah would like to have.
  Zukhov has proposed an alliance with the triad rather than
  fighting a war against it, but the Heaven Thunder has shown
  The Weed of Crime Has Deep Roots
  Although its initial anti-crime program was stunningly
  successful, Project Utopia has found the elimination of
  organized crime a much more difficult task than it ex-
  pected. The simple truth of the matter is that, while Team
  Tomorrow and other nova agents managed to bring down
  some of the most powerful criminal figures in the world
  and close down their operations, others, such as Luciano
  Camparelli and Alexi Zukhov, have simply stepped into the
  vacuum. Their organization is just as powerful and wealthy
  as the Mafia that came before it, if not more so. In fact,
  by “pruning” the less cautious criminals, Utopia has en-
  sured that only the smartest and most ruthless crime lords
  still operate in 2015.
  So long as there is a demand for the kind of goods and
  services organized crime has to offer, groups such as the C-
  Z Megasyndicate (and the Nakato Gumi, the Heaven Thun-
  der Triad, etc.) will continue to exist to take advantage of
  them. Utopia has done a great deal to fight crime but not as
  much when it comes to addressing the root causes of crime
  itself — and the criminal syndicates have very deep roots
  indeed. Pulling them up may not be a task Utopia can com-
  plete even in a single generation.
  
  ABERRANT
  CHAPTER ONE: SYSTEMS
  20
  no interest whatsoever in cooperating with a Western crimi-
  nal syndicate. If Camparelli-Zukhov wants to get its hands on
  triad operations, it’ll have to pay for the opportunity in blood,
  something the Megasyndicate has never shied away from in
  the past.
  The Nakato Gumi
  The Nakato Gumi
  The Nakato Gumi
  The Nakato Gumi
  The Nakato Gumi
  The Nakato Gumi is the Megasyndicate’s closest rival.
  The two organizations are, in many respects, quite similar:
  They are both forward thinking and understand the impor-
  tance of alliances and outside ties to preserve them against
  enemies such as Utopia. They’re both interested in advances
  in technology, although the Nakato has taken greater ad-
  vantage of them through Kuro-Tek. The Megasyndicate
  controls more operations worldwide, but the Nakato Gumi’s
  corner on the black technology market makes it a force to
  be reckoned with. All in all, the two syndicates are well
  matched, but the Mafiyah isn’t going to let that keep them
  from bringing the yakuza down.
  The Megasyndicate’s efforts to weaken the Nakato
  Gumi are primarily indirect. The Mafiyah supports high-
  tech development behind the scenes to shrink Kuro-Tek’s
  market for illegal technology. Unfortunately, the Nakato
  Gumi turns around and steals developments paid for by the
  Mafiyah. The Megasyndicate quietly backs Utopia’s struggle
  against Kuro-Tek, but the reliance of the Directive on Kuro-
  Tek equipment makes this position a difficult one for Zukhov
  to maintain. The C-Z Megasyndicate squeezes Nakato drug
  shipments headed for Japan and strikes back fiercely at any
  attempt by the yakuza to move into Megasyndicate terri-
  tory, causing trouble in Pacific Rim areas such as California
  and Eastern Russia. The two syndicates have also clashed
  in Australia, where the Megasyndicate has the edge over
  the xenophobic yakuza.
  Dramatis Personae
  Alexi Zukhov
  Background:
  Background:
  Background:
  Background:
  Background: Alexi Zukhov grew up under the rule of
  communism but quickly learned the ideal of a perfectly equal
  society didn’t really exist in the Soviet Union. He enlisted in
  the army to escape a dreary home life and performed well
  in his duties. His skills as a soldier, including marksmanship
  and a certain “moral flexibility” came to the attention of
  the KGB. It offered Zukhov a job, and he took it without
  hesitation. It trained him as an assassin and spy, and he
  served well, although not of out any real sense of patrio-
  tism or national pride. He did so because it meant rising to
  the top of “egalitarian” Soviet society.
  In the late 1980s, Zukhov saw the writing on the wall
  and left the KGB before the collapse of the Soviet Union.
  He used his considerable contacts and skills to move into
  the Russian underworld, taking control of a number of crimi-
  nal operations based out of Moscow. His foresight served
  him again during the collapse of the Soviet Union and the
  formation of the Russian Confederation, when he increased
  the size of his organization by taking over smaller gangs
  and smuggling goods into and out of Russia. His leadership
  abilities and reputation for sheer ruthlessness have made
  Zukhov one of the most feared men in Russia.
  He quickly saw the potential in an alliance between his
  organization and the Camparelli syndicate but allowed
  Camparelli to contact him to save face and ensure that he
  was interested. With their alliance in place, Zukhov has be-
  come one of the wealthiest and most powerful men in the
  world, a position he feels suits him.
  Image:
  Image:
  Image:
  Image:
  Image: Zukhov is still quite fit in his late 50s, with salt-
  and-pepper hair and a full beard and moustache. He dresses
  well, in expensive suits, and has a fondness for the finest
  vodka and Cuban cigars. His voice is a deep bass, and he
  speaks English with only the slightest trace of a Russian
  accent. He speaks slowly and clips his sentences when he’s
  angry but smiles and laughs easily at other times.
  Roleplaying Hints:
  Roleplaying Hints:
  Roleplaying Hints:
  Roleplaying Hints:
  Roleplaying Hints: You know that nothing in this life is
  free. If you want something, you have to go out and take it.
  If someone tries to take it away from you, you kill him. That’s
  how the game works, and you play it exceedingly well. About
  the only thing the Soviets got right was that they knew there
  is no God. This life is all anyone gets, so you’re going to
  make yours enjoyable, knowing there’s no punishment
  awaiting you in any sort of hereafter. Conscience and sin,
  these are things lesser men cling to and hope for something
  better. You know the truth, and that sets you free.
  Gear:
  Gear:
  Gear:
  Gear:
  Gear: Cell phone/PDA combo, Makarov automatic pistol,
  gold cigarette lighter
  
  ABERRANT
  CHAPTER ONE: SYSTEMS
  21
  Nature:
  Nature:
  Nature:
  Nature:
  Nature: Hedonist
  Allegiance:
  Allegiance:
  Allegiance:
  Allegiance:
  Allegiance: Camparelli-Zukhov Megasyndicate
  Attributes:
  Attributes:
  Attributes:
  Attributes:
  Attributes: Strength 3, Dexterity 3, Stamina 4 (Deter-
  mined), Perception 3, Intelligence 4 (Calculating), Wits 5
  (Cunning), Appearance 3, Manipulation 4 (Devious), Cha-
  risma 5 (Magnetic)
  Abilities:
  Abilities:
  Abilities:
  Abilities:
  Abilities: Academics 2, Athletics 3, Biz 3, Bureaucracy 4,
  Command 4 (Discipline), Computer 1, Drive 3, Endurance
  3, Etiquette 2, Firearms 5 (Targeting), Interrogation 4 (Tor-
  ture), Intrusion 3, Investigation 4, Linguistics 3 (Native:
  Russian; English, German, Spanish), Martial Arts 3, Melee
  2, Might 1, Resistance 5 (Resist Interrogation), Stealth 2,
  Streetwise 5 (Black Market), Subterfuge 3, Survival 2
  Backgrounds:
  Backgrounds:
  Backgrounds:
  Backgrounds:
  Backgrounds: Allies 4, Backing 5, Cipher 4, Contacts 5,
  Followers 5, Influence 4, Resources 5
  Willpower 9
  Luciano “Luc” Camparelli
  Background:
  Background:
  Background:
  Background:
  Background: If he had been born into any other family,
  Luc Camparelli would probably be CEO of a major multina-
  tional corporation. Unfortunately for the rest of the world,
  Camparelli was born a third-generation mafioso; his father
  and grandfather were both involved in the “family business”;
  therefore, so was he.
  Luciano was always expected to succeed his father in
  running things, he just ended up doing so sooner than he
  thought. His father died of a stroke when Luc was in his late
  20s, and he took over the business at a comparatively young
  age. That may have been one of the things that made
  Camparelli such a progressive leader and gave him the in-
  sight to seize the opportunity Project Utopia gave him when
  they brought down the New York families. Certainly, none
  of the older Mafia dons expected Camparelli to move against
  them. It was a serious risk, but it paid off — in spades.
  Within a year, Camparelli was in control of what was
  left of the Mafia in the Americas and much of Europe. He
  was on top of his game, but he wasn’t willing to take on
  Alexi Zukhov’s syndicate in Russia. Instead, he proposed
  an alliance to Zukhov, turning his greatest potential enemy
  into his strongest ally and ensuring the success of the new
  Megasyndicate. Since then, Camparelli’s guided the growth
  of the syndicate, although he still keeps a careful eye on
  Zukhov. Even after 15 years, Camparelli doesn’t trust the
  Russian one bit.
  Luciano Camparelli has been married to his wife An-
  gela for over 20 years, and they have two children. His
  son Joseph is a student at Harvard University, while his
  daughter Julianna attends a private Catholic high school
  for girls. Camparelli does his best to shield his family from
  his “business life,” and it has constant protection pro-
  vided by the Megasyndicate.
  Image:
  Image:
  Image:
  Image:
  Image: A tall, thin, hawk-faced man, with dark hair
  going gray at the temples, combed straight back from a high
  forehead, Camparelli wears dark suits most of the time and
  sunglasses when he’s outside during the day. The glasses
  convert to regular bifocals with a tap to the frames and
  also have a tiny data display built into them that can relay
  information from his wireless PDA. He frequently takes the
  glasses off and massages the bridge of his nose when he’s
  feeling fatigued (which is more and more often, these days).
  His eyes, when they’re visible, are an icy blue, and he has
  an unflinching stare.
  Roleplaying Hints:
  Roleplaying Hints:
  Roleplaying Hints:
  Roleplaying Hints:
  Roleplaying Hints: You’re successful beyond even your
  father’s greatest hopes for you, but somehow, you’re not
  as satisfied as you expected to be. You feel distant from
  your family, a situation you acknowledge you brought upon
  yourself. You’ve cheated on your wife with other women,
  but she remains loyal to you regardless. Your children re-
  spect you, but you’re not sure it’s fair to expect them to
  follow in your footsteps — or that they’ll be willing to. Your
  elderly mother gets the best 24-hour care, but on the rare
  occasions when you can visit her, she barely remembers
  you. You still don’t trust your business partner of 15 years,
  knowing he could stab you in the back without a second
  thought. Perhaps the only person you can trust is your body-
  guard, Hugo. You often find yourself thinking of your fa-
  ther, who died around your age. You’ve got it all: health,
  wealth, power and respect; but somehow, it’s not quite what
  you hoped it would be.
  Gear:
  Gear:
  Gear:
  Gear:
  Gear: Zeiss data-display glasses, PDA, Glock semi-au-
  tomatic pistol (rarely carried, usually left in a desk or
  dresser drawer)
  Nature:
  Nature:
  Nature:
  Nature:
  Nature: Survivor
  Allegiance:
  Allegiance:
  Allegiance:
  Allegiance:
  Allegiance: Camparelli-Zukhov Megasyndicate
  Attributes:
  Attributes:
  Attributes:
  Attributes:
  Attributes: Strength 2, Dexterity 2, Stamina 3, Perception 3,
  
  ABERRANT
  CHAPTER ONE: SYSTEMS
  22
  Intelligence 4 (Organized), Wits 4 (Quick-thinking), Appear-
  ance 3, Manipulation 4 (Authoritative), Charisma 4 (Genial)
  Abilities:
  Abilities:
  Abilities:
  Abilities:
  Abilities: Academics 3, Athletics 2, Awareness 3 (Spot
  Ambush), Biz 4, Brawl 2, Bureaucracy 3 (Administration),
  Command 3 (Leadership), Computer 2, Endurance 3, Eti-
  quette 3, Firearms 3, Interrogation 2 (Threats), Intimida-
  tion 4, Investigation 4 (Analysis), Rapport 2, Resistance 3,
  Style 3, Streetwise 5 (Customs), Subterfuge 3 (Con)
  Backgrounds: 
  Backgrounds: 
  Backgrounds: 
  Backgrounds: 
  Backgrounds: Allies 4, Backing 5, Cipher 2, Contacts 5,
  Followers 5, Influence 4, Resources 5
  Willpower 7
  Hugo “the Bouncer” Pinnela
  Background:
  Background:
  Background:
  Background:
  Background: Hugo Pinnela was never particularly
  bright, but he was big and tough, so life as a bouncer came
  naturally to him. He worked at a place owned by Luciano
  Camparelli until a rival gang tried to trash the place. They
  beat Pinnela to within an inch of his life, causing his M-R
  node to erupt. Camparelli had the place torched rather than
  explain what tore apart the men who broke into it. Pinnela
  was taken care of and immediately promoted to work di-
  rectly for Mr. Camparelli. The bouncer was grateful to the
  family for taking care of him — and more than happy with
  the money and prestige it offered him.
  Pinnela started out working as Camparelli’s bodyguard:
  perfect work for a man with bulletproof skin. Pinnela paid
  close attention to how his boss worked, and although he
  always pretended not to be listening, Hugo the Bouncer paid
  attention to everything Camparelli said. Pinnela admired the
  way Camparelli handled people and ran the business. More
  importantly, Camparelli treated Pinnela well.
  After a while, Pinnela began to realize that he under-
  stood a great deal more than he did before he erupted.
  Things just seemed so much more obvious than before. It
  wasn’t just his senses that were far greater than any
  baseline, it was also his ability to interpret what he saw and
  heard. Pinnela started reading more in his off time and,
  before he knew it, he’d consumed every book in Mr.
  Camparelli’s substantial personal library.
  It was when Camparelli noticed Pinnela reading one night
  that they first really talked, and Pinnela found that he had im-
  portant things to say, things his boss was interested in. They
  talked more and more often, and Pinnela became something of
  an advisor and even confidante for his boss. His bodyguard’s
  intellect and insight continue to amaze Camparelli — and even
  Pinnela himself. With his abilities, there’s no way of knowing
  how far he might go in the organization, a thought that keeps
  some of Camparelli’s lieutenants up at night.
  Image:
  Image:
  Image:
  Image:
  Image: A big (6’6”), broad shouldered guy with a wide
  face, square jaw and short, dark hair, Hugo Pinnela wears dark
  suits and sunglasses most of the time, even at night. He doesn’t
  actually need the shades (and they don’t interfere with his vi-
  sion), he just likes how they look. They also help cover up the
  fact that Pinnela’s pupils reflect light, similar to a cat’s.
  Roleplaying Hints:
  Roleplaying Hints:
  Roleplaying Hints:
  Roleplaying Hints:
  Roleplaying Hints: Your eruption has triggered some-
  thing in you, more than just making you strong and tough.
  It’s like your eyes have been opened up to a whole world of
  ideas you never knew existed. Your life as a dumb bouncer
  seems so far behind you now, and you know so much more
  than you did then. You care for Mr. Camparelli like a father
  and do your best to help him out.
  But lately, you’ve had to be careful not to make him
  feel stupid around you. It’s just the things you notice seem
  so obvious. Mr. Camparelli isn’t really happy with his life.
  His son doesn’t really want to take on the family business,
  and Zukhov is just waiting for the right opportunity to take
  control of the whole operation. What Mr. Camparelli needs
  is a way he can step down gracefully and let someone else
  take over, someone who can handle a man such as Zukhov….
  Gear:
  Gear:
  Gear:
  Gear:
  Gear: Sunglasses, automatic pistol (mostly for show), PDA
  with a dozen new books on chip
  Nature:
  Nature:
  Nature:
  Nature:
  Nature: Conniver
  Allegiance:
  Allegiance:
  Allegiance:
  Allegiance:
  Allegiance: Camparelli-Zukhov Megasyndicate
  Attributes:
  Attributes:
  Attributes:
  Attributes:
  Attributes: Strength 5 (Brutish), Dexterity 3, Stamina 4 (Un-
  flagging), Perception 5 (Insightful), Intelligence 5 (Widely
  Read), Wits 3, Appearance 3, Manipulation 5, Charisma 2
  Abilities:
  Abilities:
  Abilities:
  Abilities:
  Abilities: Academics 5, Athletics 1, Awareness 5, Biz 4, Brawl
  5, Computer 4, Endurance 5, Intimidation 5, Might 5, Rap-
  port 4, Resistance 5, Streetwise 4, Style 3, Subterfuge 4
  Backgrounds:
  Backgrounds:
  Backgrounds:
  Backgrounds:
  Backgrounds: Allies 2, Backing 4, Followers 2, Node 2,
  Resources 4
  Quantum 3, Quantum Pool 26, Willpower 8, Taint 4 (Aber-
  rant Eyes)
  
  ABERRANT
  CHAPTER ONE: SYSTEMS
  23
  Mega-Attributes:
  Mega-Attributes:
  Mega-Attributes:
  Mega-Attributes:
  Mega-Attributes: Mega-Strength •••• (Crush, Lifter,
  Thunderclap), Mega-Stamina •••• (Durability, Resil-
  iency), Mega-Perception ••• (Electromagnetic Vision,
  Ultraperipheral Perception), Mega-Intelligence •• (Ei-
  detic Memory, Speed Reading)
  Quantum Powers:
  Quantum Powers:
  Quantum Powers:
  Quantum Powers:
  Quantum Powers: Armor •••, Premonition ••••
  Boris “Tolkach” Sladivgorod
  Background:
  Background:
  Background:
  Background:
  Background: Boris Sladivgorod was born to a poor fam-
  ily in his native Russia, one of several children his parents
  were not able to provide for as they wanted. Sladivgorod
  decided when he was very young that he would one day be
  a wealthy man and leave poverty behind him forever. Since
  he wasn’t a particularly clever or talented lad, he found his
  way to wealth working for the Russian Mafiyah as a
  sportsmeny, an enforcer. Joining the syndicate during the
  difficult times in Russia after the economy collapsed,
  Sladivgorod saw that money was passed on to his family,
  and it never asked where the money came from.
  In time, Alexi Zukhov consolidated the Russian gangs
  under his leadership — and Sladivgorod along with them.
  Sladivgorod was impressed with Zukhov and followed his
  lead willingly. Still, there were many gang wars to quell in
  Russia and abroad, and Sladivgorod did his job well. But
  not long after, Zukhov forged his alliance with Luciano
  Camparelli, Sladivgorod was sent to meet with a gang in
  Eastern Europe that Zukhov wanted brought into the fold.
  It responded to the offer by shooting down Sladivgorod’s
  plane. As it plunged toward the Earth, Sladivgorod erupted,
  and an escape route opened before his eyes. He and one
  other man were able to escape before the plane crashed.
  With the gang thinking them dead, the two men were
  able to reach its headquarters, where Sladivgorod used his
  newfound abilities to drop their leader to the ground from
  the height of a few hundred meters — a “suicide” never
  solved by the police. Sladivgorod received the praise of Alexi
  Zukhov and an immediate promotion. Zukhov saw the po-
  tential in Sladivgorod’s nova abilities and rewarded him with
  money and influence: all that he’d ever wanted.
  Zukhov placed Sladivgorod in charge of moving people
  and goods, particularly illegal drugs, throughout Europe. He
  quickly became known as “Tolkach” or “the Fixer” because
  of his power to move things from place to place. Over the
  past several years, Tolkach has operated primarily out of
  Ibiza: The island is a location where he can reach all of Eu-
  rope and northern Africa with his warps, and there’s enough
  nova activity there to cover anything Tolkach might do. From
  that hub, the Fixer controls one of the largest contraband
  networks in the world.
  Image:
  Image:
  Image:
  Image:
  Image: Tolkach is in his late 30s, although he could pass
  for a man in his mid-20s. He has blond hair and ice blue
  eyes from his Ukraine heritage. He’s fitter than ever and
  favors clothes suited for life on Ibiza, usually lightweight
  summer suits in the latest styles. He wears sunglasses when
  outdoors and a gold Rolex on his wrist. He speaks with only
  a slight trace of a Russian accent.
  Roleplaying Hints:
  Roleplaying Hints:
  Roleplaying Hints:
  Roleplaying Hints:
  Roleplaying Hints: You can hardly believe your good
  fortune some days. From nothing, you’ve become an im-
  portant man that Alexi Zukhov relies upon. Men in the
  Megasyndicate respect you, and women are easily avail-
  able to a man in your position. You respect Zukhov more
  than any other man alive, and you’re proud to work for him.
  The rest of the world is your playground, to do in as you
  please, but you like to make sure that everything is running
  smoothly before you enjoy yourself.
  Gear:
  Gear:
  Gear:
  Gear:
  Gear: Cell phone, Russian-made 9mm pistol
  Nature:
  Nature:
  Nature:
  Nature:
  Nature: Traditionalist
  Allegiance:
  Allegiance:
  Allegiance:
  Allegiance:
  Allegiance: Camparelli-Zukhov Megasyndicate
  Attributes:
  Attributes:
  Attributes:
  Attributes:
  Attributes: Strength 3, Dexterity 4 (Athletic), Stamina 4
  (Tireless), Perception 5 (Sharp-eyed), Intelligence 2, Wits
  4 (Organized), Appearance 3, Manipulation 2, Charisma 3
  Abilities:
  Abilities:
  Abilities:
  Abilities:
  Abilities: Athletics 3, Awareness 2, Biz 3, Brawl 3, Bureau-
  cracy 3 (Customs), Command 2, Drive 2, Endurance 4, Fire-
  arms 3, Intimidation 3, Intrusion 2, Investigation 4, Lin-
  guistics 3 (Native: Russian; English, French, Spanish), Might
  3, Pilot 2, Rapport 1, Resistance 4, Stealth 3, Streetwise 4
  (Smuggling), Style 3, Subterfuge 2
  Backgrounds:
  Backgrounds:
  Backgrounds:
  Backgrounds:
  Backgrounds: Attunement 5, Backing 4 (Megasyndicate),
  Cipher 2, Contacts 4, Node 3, Resources 4
  Quantum 3, Quantum Pool 26, Willpower 7, Taint 3
  Mega-Attributes:
  Mega-Attributes:
  Mega-Attributes:
  Mega-Attributes:
  Mega-Attributes: Mega-Stamina •• (Regeneration),
  Mega-Wits • (Multitasking)
  Quantum Powers:
  Quantum Powers:
  Quantum Powers:
  Quantum Powers:
  Quantum Powers: ESP •• (Distant Scan), Force Field
  ••••, Warp •••
  
  ZINE
  24
  HEAVEN THUNDER TRIAD
  People smuggling is the organized,
  illegal movement of groups or indi-
  viduals from one country to another;
  it most commonly occurs when there
  is a lack of economic opportunity, a
  reduced availability
  for legitimate migra-
  tion, the lure of a
  better lifestyle or an
  indentured servitude
  in the foreign coun-
  try. Since the early
  1990s, trafficking in
  unauthorized en-
  trants to Australia
  has risen dramati-
  cally to become a
  lucrative business;
  we believe that this
  activity has recently been taken over
  from small, independent smugglers by
  sophisticated criminal syndicates.
  Between December 1, 2012 and Janu-
  ary 3, 2014, 119 boats were inter-
  cepted north and northwest of Austra-
  lia, carrying 17,796 people; all but 17
  of the boats have been tied to Chinese
  triads, and all unauthorized entrants
  have been of Asian extraction. Be-
  cause the smuggling of people is pro-
  hibited in virtually every civilized
  country, those persons buying passage
  with a smuggler try to preserve their
  hope for a new life by concealing their
  route and the organization responsible
  Excerpt from
  Australian
  Department of
  Immigration and
  Multicultural
  Affairs Fact Sheet
  for their travel, even to the point of
  vehemently protecting the smugglers.
  Primary smuggling routes are known to
  exist from Hong Kong, Bangkok,
  Phnom Penh and Taiwan to Manila
  and then to Australia. The crews of
  smuggler vessels frequently alternate
  their departure points to hinder detec-
  tion. As with all forms of clandestine
  activity, the true extent of illegal
  entry is difficult to determine, and the
  figures referenced above are only an
  estimate of minimum activity levels.
  Let us now move to the means by
  which detection of smuggling is most
  effectively interdicted…
  
  25
  25
  25
  25
  25
  HEAVEN THUNDER TRIAD
  A  B  E  R  R  A  N  T
  A  B  E  R  R  A  N  T
  A  B  E  R  R  A  N  T
  A  B  E  R  R  A  N  T
  A  B  E  R  R  A  N  T
  Excerpt from debriefing of Benny
  Wa, suspected member of the Big
  Circle Boys
  Royal Canadian Mounted Police Inspector Chu:
  Royal Canadian Mounted Police Inspector Chu:
  Royal Canadian Mounted Police Inspector Chu:
  Royal Canadian Mounted Police Inspector Chu:
  Royal Canadian Mounted Police Inspector Chu: …so I’m
  turning the tape recorder on now, Benny, all right?
  Benny Wa:
  Benny Wa:
  Benny Wa:
  Benny Wa:
  Benny Wa: Yes, sir.
  Inspector Chu: 
  Inspector Chu: 
  Inspector Chu: 
  Inspector Chu: 
  Inspector Chu: You understand that we’ll be taping this
  interview, correct?
  Wa: 
  Wa: 
  Wa: 
  Wa: 
  Wa: Yes, sir.
  Inspector Chu: 
  Inspector Chu: 
  Inspector Chu: 
  Inspector Chu: 
  Inspector Chu: You’ve surrendered yourself here at the
  station, and you’re agreeing to talk with us voluntarily and
  without your barrister present, correct?
  Wa:
  Wa:
  Wa:
  Wa:
  Wa: Yes, sir.
  Inspector Chu:
  Inspector Chu:
  Inspector Chu:
  Inspector Chu:
  Inspector Chu: And why have you surrendered, Benny?
  Wa:
  Wa:
  Wa:
  Wa:
  Wa: I want police protection, and I want clean record
  so I can go some other place. The sze kau have spread ru-
  mors, and the tiandi hui wants my death.
  Inspector Chu:
  Inspector Chu:
  Inspector Chu:
  Inspector Chu:
  Inspector Chu: None of us understand Chinese, Benny,
  and I know your English is very good, so don’t play games
  with us. Speak English, Benny.
  Wa: 
  Wa: 
  Wa: 
  Wa: 
  Wa: The commoners in our group, our triad, say un-
  true things about me, and so, the triad wants me to die.
  They say I have betrayed them. So, I come to you for help.
  I have nowhere else to go.
  Inspector Chu:
  Inspector Chu:
  Inspector Chu:
  Inspector Chu:
  Inspector Chu: All the serious charges against you will
  be dropped, Benny, and we’ll work with you and your bar-
  rister on cleaning up some of your past record. I think that
  everything can be worked out just fine. You’re just going
  to have to tell us everything you know.
  Wa: 
  Wa: 
  Wa: 
  Wa: 
  Wa: Okay.
  Inspector Chu:
  Inspector Chu:
  Inspector Chu:
  Inspector Chu:
  Inspector Chu: I’m going to start toward the beginning,
  then, OK? Are you a member of a Chinese triad called the
  Big Circle Boys, Benny?
  Wa:
  Wa:
  Wa:
  Wa:
  Wa: Yes, sir, in Vancouver.
  Inspector Chu:
  Inspector Chu:
  Inspector Chu:
  Inspector Chu:
  Inspector Chu: And are the Big Circle Boys in Vancouver
  affiliated with any other Asian gang?
  Wa:
  Wa:
  Wa:
  Wa:
  Wa: Yes, sir; the Boys are the biggest single branch of
  the Heaven Thunder Triad in Hong Kong. Heaven Thunder
  has maybe 50 branches all over the world, but not many
  people know that some of Heaven Thunder’s branches have
  different names. That’s kept quiet.
  Inspector Chu:
  Inspector Chu:
  Inspector Chu:
  Inspector Chu:
  Inspector Chu: And what’s your role in the Big
  Circle Boys?
  Wa:
  Wa:
  Wa:
  Wa:
  Wa: I’m the cho hai, or grass sandal; I work with other
  branches of the Big Circle Boys, with the Heaven Thunder
  Triad in Hong Kong and with other gangs. I’m not the most
  important, but I’m the communications director for the
  Vancouver Big City Boys, and I’m responsible to coordi-
  nate things with other gangs.
  RCMP Inspector Lee:
  RCMP Inspector Lee:
  RCMP Inspector Lee:
  RCMP Inspector Lee:
  RCMP Inspector Lee: I know that you’ve been involved
  with the Big Circle Boys for most of your life, Benny, but
  how long has the gang been around? Is the Heaven Thun-
  der Triad old?
  Wa:
  Wa:
  Wa:
  Wa:
  Wa: Ha, ha, ha! Oh, Inspector, the Chinese got an early
  start on things. We invented seismographs and compasses
  before birth of Christ; when Homer wrote The Iliad, we’d
  already been celebrating our heroes for 1,300 years; when
  the Celts and Brits were still painting themselves blue and
  fighting with sharp sticks, China had the most sophisticated
  imperial court that world has ever known. We invented fire-
  arms, printing, paper, gunpowder, matches, suspension
  bridges; our Great Wall was built with enough stone to circle
  the world and was constructed more than 200 years be-
  fore there ever was a Christ. The triads were around for
  300 years before there was Mafia, and the Heaven Thun-
  der Triad is one of the oldest of the old. Rumors have it
  that Heaven Thunder was a secret society within the
  Foochow monastery before the Manchus ever wiped out the
  Shaolin monks there.
  Inspector Lee:
  Inspector Lee:
  Inspector Lee:
  Inspector Lee:
  Inspector Lee: Do all the members know so much about
  triad history? A few of the guys that weT’ve picked act like
  they’d love to tell us something, but they just don’t seem to
  know a damned thing about the triads.
  Wa:
  Wa:
  Wa:
  Wa:
  Wa: No, sir. Nowadays, new guys don’t really give shit.
  There used to be initiation rituals, oaths, passwords and
  blood ceremonies — all serious shit, you know? Now, no
  one wants to know, and even if you tell them, they think
  you’re pain in the ass; they don’t pay attention. They all
  want to know what’s happening today, right now, this minute
  — not something that happened hundreds of years ago.
  They all want to be next triad nova star, but they’re not.
  Inspector Lee:
  Inspector Lee:
  Inspector Lee:
  Inspector Lee:
  Inspector Lee: They’re just guys, eh?
  Wa:
  Wa:
  Wa:
  Wa:
  Wa: I wouldn’t call them “just guys.” They may look
  pretty trashy and scrawny, and they have no nova pow-
  ers, but they have grown up on the streets, and they know
  how to survive. Most have been practicing martial arts
  since they were three or four, and they know their shit;
  it’s their means of survival. You’ll look at them and think
  that they’re muscles may not look real big, but they’re
  some of the toughest killers you ever see. I’ve seen guys
  fighting that have been half destroyed. It doesn’t matter
  how badly they hurt or what’s broken, only how much they
  
  HEAVEN THUNDER TRIAN
  A  B  E  R  R  A  N  T
  A  B  E  R  R  A  N  T
  A  B  E  R  R  A  N  T
  A  B  E  R  R  A  N  T
  A  B  E  R  R  A  N  T
  26
  26
  26
  26
  26
  hurt the other guy — if they’ve got an arm and leg bro-
  ken, they fight to break both the other guy’s arms and
  legs; if they can’t see out of one eye, they fight to take
  out both of the other guy’s eyes. That’s the only way to
  win. Triad guys aren’t puffing up or fighting for pomp and
  circumstance; they fight until they’ve won — until the
  other guy’s dead. The triad rituals are part of it; if you
  quit fighting, you’re traitor. If you traitor, you die.
  Inspector Lee:
  Inspector Lee:
  Inspector Lee:
  Inspector Lee:
  Inspector Lee: So the triads are more public now be-
  cause the tradition of secrecy is dead?
  Wa:
  Wa:
  Wa:
  Wa:
  Wa: Oh, no, sir; that’s not it at all. I’d say that the real
  triads are more of a secret now than they’ve ever been.
  Inspector Chu:
  Inspector Chu:
  Inspector Chu:
  Inspector Chu:
  Inspector Chu: But they’re all over the papers!
  Wa:
  Wa:
  Wa:
  Wa:
  Wa: There are stories about them all the time, yes, sir.
  There are stories about aliens all the time, too, but how
  much do we know about them? How much do we know about
  star children, yeti or shit like that? How many news stories
  about the triads do you suppose are true? How much has
  been set up as a public relations gig by triads? You can be
  so stupid! You hear strange names and language that you
  don’t understand, and so, you just ignore us; you bury your-
  selves in Colombian cartels or Russian Mafia or Sicilians,
  and you pretend that triads are a bunch of street thugs shak-
  ing down restaurant owners and selling a few drugs here
  and there. At the same time, though, you trace back to the
  triads $200 billion US of heroin income each year; that ain’t
  half of it though. Triads move hundreds of billions every
  year through an underground banking system that doesn’t
  leave a single electronic or paper trace anywhere; you act
  like you don’t even know that it exists. It’s a totally closed
  system. You don’t know how to fight us because you’re
  gwailo; you can’t get inside to see what’s going on. You can’t
  understand that the triads have spent their existence per-
  fecting the arts of misinformation and infiltration. We’ve
  been around for hundreds of years, and we’ve used centu-
  ries to spread tentacles throughout entire world — one
  person at a time. You remember in the 1990s when Lau Wing
  Kui wrote articles about the Chiu-Chao Brotherhood that
  
  27
  27
  27
  27
  27
  HEAVEN THUNDER TRIAD
  A  B  E  R  R  A  N  T
  A  B  E  R  R  A  N  T
  A  B  E  R  R  A  N  T
  A  B  E  R  R  A  N  T
  A  B  E  R  R  A  N  T
  everyone decided were a giant hoax? All right, you want to
  believe Lau was a member of Kung Lok Triad and planned
  thousands of crimes that got chalked up to a fictitious Chiu-
  Chao Brotherhood. Damn, you’re dumb. Chiu-Chao Broth-
  erhood is real — it’s the Chiu-Chao and Heaven Thunder
  are the same thing. The real hoax was that Lau managed to
  convince the world’s law-enforcement community that the
  Heaven Thunder Triad doesn’t really exist. All the investi-
  gations that you shelved and all the witnesses that you let
  off the hook — they were all for real, but Lau gave you
  enough evidence to throw it all away. Heaven Thunder is
  everywhere, and it’s into everything. How much do you think
  you can really do when it’s the Heaven Thunder Triad that
  floats around behind the scenes as the secret society con-
  trolling all the secret societies?
  Inspector Lee:
  Inspector Lee:
  Inspector Lee:
  Inspector Lee:
  Inspector Lee: They can’t be into everything, Benny.
  You’re making them into some sort of impossible bogey
  that’s bigger than life.
  Wa:
  Wa:
  Wa:
  Wa:
  Wa: Sir, the triads have more than 10 million members
  worldwide. There are triad members in every industry imag-
  inable. They see or control papers and documents in every
  state of almost every country, and triad members are the
  worker bees who make sure government and industry run
  smoothly. The triads don’t fight if they can avoid it; they
  quit that centuries ago. Now, they infiltrate, they misdi-
  rect, and they work together because the pie’s big enough
  for all of them. The 36 oaths of every triad society are de-
  signed to tie members together into a goal of helping one
  another and achieving the goals of their triad. And when
  every member is loyal to his triad before anything else, and
  every triad is loyal to Heaven Thunder, then everyone works
  for Heaven Thunder.
  Inspector Lee:
  Inspector Lee:
  Inspector Lee:
  Inspector Lee:
  Inspector Lee: You’ve been reading too many spy nov-
  els, Benny. All the cloak and dagger nonsense has gotten to
  your brain. I just don’t buy all this conspiracy bullshit. You
  can go ahead and think that the triads control God, the uni-
  verse and everything, but I still think your outlook is a little
  — off.
  Inspector Chu: 
  Inspector Chu: 
  Inspector Chu: 
  Inspector Chu: 
  Inspector Chu: I think you’re right, Benny. Heaven’s
  Thunder is everywhere.
  Inspector Lee:
  Inspector Lee:
  Inspector Lee:
  Inspector Lee:
  Inspector Lee: What?
  
  28
  
  29
  H O M E
  N!tertainment
  N!terview
  N! the news
  N!sight
  N!tre nous
  N!ternet
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  fun N! games
  help!
  legal stuff
  awards
  contact
  us
  search
  f i n d !
  the news
  Ottowa Citizen Online (4/28/2014)
  Inspector Murdered by Triad Suspect
  Today, the Royal Canadian Mounted Police
  mourn the death of Inspector Mei Hsien Lee
  (29), who was killed on Saturday, April 25,
  2009 during the interrogation of suspect
  Benny Wa. Wa has been positively identified
  by authorities as the leader of Vancouver’s
  “Kung Lok Triad.” Wa was also killed from
  injuries sustained during his assault on
  RCMP Inspectors Lee and Brian Chu, who is
  still recovering from injuries sustained during
  the attack. Earlier in the week, Vancouver
  police captured Wa and eight other leaders of
  the Kung Lok Triad, also seizing a shipment
  of heroin and nova-derived street pharma-
  ceuticals having an estimated black-market
  value of more than $20 million US. Vancouver
  Mayor Joanna Kong hailed the arrest and
  capture as one of the most important in
  Vancouver’s history. “Benny Wa had been the
  leader of an organized crime gang in
  Vancouver for far too long,” Kong said in a
  press conference Friday afternoon. “And,
  although he’d been known to us for some
  time, our city’s police spent years building an
  airtight evidentiary case against Mr. Wa and
  his criminal cohorts. Although it cost the lives
  of many Kung Lok gang members and Mr.
  Wa himself, the arrest has devastated the
  Kung Lok Triad and yielded valuable infor-
  mation to police regarding other criminal
  activity being conducted in Vancouver.”
  Police Chief Brown expects that the 30 or 40
  remaining members of the Kung Lok Triad
  will be apprehended within the next week,
  saying, “While I sincerely mourn the death of
  Inspector Lee and pray for the recovery of
  Inspector Chu, I commend my men on their
  perfect arrest of Mr. Wa and their efforts to
  take back Vancouver’s streets from the trash
  that are infiltrating our community!”
  Sydney Morning
  Messenger (12/10/15)
  Triad Espionage in
  Sydney P.D.
  Sydney police today
  discovered a triple
  agent in their own
  midst. Inspector Bart
  Chun — known to the
  police force as a double
  agent for Chinese triads
  operating out of Sydney
  — was discovered to be
  working not only for
  the triads against the
  police and then for the
  police against the triads
  but, finally, for the
  triads against the police
  again! Sydney police
  believe that Inspector
  Chun — with four
  years on the force —
  may have been what
  they call a “multiple
  agent” for many years.
  “There’s really no way
  to determine the mul-
  tiple layers of deception
  that bally blighter has
  perpetrate here. We
  knew that he was a
  double agent, but
  everything suggests
  that it all goes so much
  deeper than that. We
  now think that he was
  really just playing us
  against the triads and
  vice versa.” Although
  he was apprehended
  almost immediately
  upon discovery, Inspec-
  tor Chun has since
  escaped police custody,
  spawning suspicions of
  other traitors within the
  Sydney police.
  
  30
  \\01.16.2008.18.57.51
  \\Message-ID: <BD65D430E88AD21$A2B00060$8BF9F19F5971F@OpNet.TSB>
  \\Access Request from Individual Brian Chu
  \\Authority: RCMP-408
  \\Encryption Code: Lee Yeung 1647T-Ming4
  \\Authorization Approved
  Administrator: Officer Brian Chu of the Vancouver RCMP is joining the conversation.
  terHaar@brill.op: So, you think it isn’t so much about where the triads operate as much as
  it’s about where they don’t operate?
  posner@opamerica: i think so, yeah. defeating the triads is ultimately going to come down
  to getting a secure foothold somewhere. that’s been the problem all along because it’s hard to
  do when the triads are moving around under every rock we step on. it’s almost impossible to
  take them by surprise when we can only make moves that they’ve already learned about and
  slipped away from — we really only capture what they give us.
  terHaar@brill.op: So they’re everywhere? You really think they’re that widespread?
  posner@opamerica: well, just look at even the stuff that your department is getting from the
  directive. they’re estimating that there are more than 5 million triad members worldwide, but if
  you look at the numbers closely, you’ll notice that fewer than 250,000 of them show up as being
  directly involved in the production and sale of illicit drugs. that means that there are one hell of
  a lot of triad members that are unaccounted for — they’re the ones that are working everywhere
  else. when it comes down to it, the chinese stick with the chinese, and A LOT of chinese have
  been triad members at one time or another. check with the los angeles law-enforcement bu-
  reau, and see how well its 60 chinese-speaking police officers are faring with the 750,000 asian
  immigrants that comprise a tight-knit underground network of extended friends and family. the
  LALE just can’t be effective under those conditions; expecting it to be is ridiculous.
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  \\01.16.2008.20.35.20
  \\Message-ID: <007A01C084AA$B2C2EE00$243BA1D1@OpNet.TSB>
  \\Access Request from Individual Ma Sik Yu
  \\Authority: HK-TSB
  \\Encryption Code: Lee Yeung 1647T-Ming4
  \\Authorization Approved
  Administrator: Officer Ma Sik Yu of the Hong Kong Triad Society Bureau is joining the con-
  versation.
  msyu@coolmail.globalop: So why not hit their US operations? I’d definitely agree with
  terHaar@brill.op that no Utopia or T2M operation would ever get close to the triads in Asia; it’d
  be infinitely easier to abduct King Andrew right out of Buckingham Palace than to get into the
  Golden Triangle. But why not start picking off the triads in the US? I know that each gang is only
  going to be one tiny part of the much larger problem, but when Hercules cut off enough heads,
  even the Hydra died.
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  \\01.16.2008.21.47.38
  \\Message-ID: <203918CF0101220943.F0M9$HYH06719@OpNet.TSB>
  \\Access Request from Individual Georgina M. Shrubbe
  
  31
  \\Authority: Interpol-432
  \\Encryption Code: Lee Yeung 1647T-Ming4
  \\Authorization Approved
  Administrator: Officer Georgina M. Shrubbe from Interpol is joining the conversation.
  posner@opamerica: the problem is the same throughout north america, though; how do
  we know where to cut? what’s a head and what’s a toenail? it’s like setting out to arrest the
  fog or a swarm of flies. almost no informants come forward, so we get no information that
  way; we haven’t had any success infiltrating the triads, so we get no information that way; we
  can’t effectively bug phones or record conversations because deals are all carried out in such
  obscure dialects, and by the time we figure out what’s going to happen, it’s already hap-
  pened. we just can’t find a way inside these guys. even when T2M’s takemitsu scanned ma
  yuo, we really only got the name of his triad and some vague images that takemitsu inter-
  preted as the heaven thunder triad’s nova enforcers’— green smoke, shark people and that
  sort of thing. i haven’t got a fucking clue what that means! when takemitsu tried to scan some
  worthwhile information, he was blocked by ma’s mental image of a gate of swords, lightning
  and fire. ma died just a few minutes later.
  gmshrubbe@pyrus.op: Sorry for jumping into your chat, but we’re having the same prob-
  lems all throughout Europe, too. Obviously, all of Asia was forfeit decades ago; the triads have
  ultimate control over Vietnam, Cambodia, Thailand, Laos, Myanmar, Indonesia and even China,
  though it’s communist. In that region, it’s just a question of money and influence, and the triads
  have a whole lot more of it than anyone else around.
  terHaar@brill.op: Even the communists look the other way for the triads?
  gmshrubbe@pyrus.op: Well, as one of the most corrupt administrations in the world, China
  is ripe to be abused by the triads’ skills at infiltration and influence peddling. The triads have
  spent hundreds of millions of US dollars buying their fair share of people, from local police to
  high-ranking party officials.
  terHaar@brill.op: Exactly, that’s why I don’t think the triads ever really vacated China or
  Hong Kong; they’re just paying for the right to stay hidden. They’ve been there for centuries, so
  there’s no reason to think that they couldn’t buy official ignorance/discretion with a few well-
  placed bribes.
  posner@opamerica: and the middle east?
  gmshrubbe@pyrus.op: India, Pakistan, Afghanistan and the Middle East are almost com-
  pletely free of the triads but only because that whole region was always the second largest
  producer of opium. The triads were never able to get in the door there, and by the time the
  triads started to develop a black-market presence in other legitimate and illegitimate busi-
  nesses, the Middle East was already closed to them. The triads also have a very strong
  presence in the Nordic countries. Between its laissez-faire Dutch approach to drugs and a
  police force almost completely handicapped by pro-criminal law-enforcement policies,
  Amsterdam is a lost cause. From there down through Germany, Poland, France and Spain,
  though, the triads’ influence gradually weakens to nothing in Italy. The Germans started rec-
  ognizing the Asian crime problem in the mid-80s when the triads began chasing out the
  Turkish presence that had always supplied the country’s illicit drugs. And I was assigned to
  Paris for a while and helped the French put together a team to respond to the triads, but the
  effort was so completely pointless that it sputtered around for only a few months before finally
  falling apart. It was like trying to bail out a boat with a stocking. I think things have dissolved
  back to what they were in the mid-90s, actually. And, obviously, Italy’s got its own organized
  crime problems, and the triads are nonexistent there.
  posner@opamerica: same with central america and africa, i assume? central america’s
  always been more into other drugs, so i suppose the triads had trouble getting in there? and
  africa’s just too damn poor for anyone to really care about.
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  32
  gmshrubbe@pyrus.op: Well, there’s no historical presence in either area, though we’re
  starting to see quite an increase in triad activity since they’ve started to shift some of their
  presence into the nova-drug market. No one’s really got much control of that market, so
  wherever mite, soma and Red 7 are being sold, you can assume a triad presence with
  about 95 percent certainty.
  bchu@vancouverrcmp.net.op: What have you been able to do to impact triad activities?
  Anything effective?
  gmshrubbe@pyrus.op: I’ll tell you, between handsome payoffs to local authorities and law
  enforcement’s general unfamiliarity with Chinese language and customs, it’s really been an
  uphill battle. The most we’ve accomplished is to put a shapeshifting nova into the Chiu-Chao
  Brotherhood. He’s still just a soldier and he’s only been in for about two months, but he’s been
  able to pick up some valuable information.
  bchu@vancouverrcmp.net.op: And the Chiu-Chao haven’t identified him yet? That’s
  incredible!
  gmshrubbe@pyrus.op: No, he’s got some limited ESP/telepathic ability, so he can pick up
  on some of his duplicate’s thoughts and such.
  bchu@vancouverrcmp.net.op: Has he been able to mimic any of the generals in the Broth-
  erhood yet?
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  \\01.16.2008.22.13.22
  \\Message-ID: <00240#C03D72$A1FF3940C0$1700A8C0@OpNet.TSB>
  \\Access Request from Individual ?
  \\Authority: ?
  \\Encryption Code: Lee Yeung 1647T-Ming4
  \\Encryption Sub-codes: Alpha-01; ***-**
  \\Authorization Approved
  Administrator: Operator W1 from ? is joining the conversation. Operator W1 has Black
  Operation clearance from the CIA, Interpol, the Directive, Utopia and ?.
  trace1@?.gov.op: Gentlemen, sorry for the top-secret entry, but a little bird told me
  that y’all were having an interesting conversation here, so I had to log on from the office.
  Please continue.
  gmshrubbe@pyrus.op: Well
  bchu@vancouverrcmp.net.op, we haven’t wanted to push it that far yet. We’re worried that
  the triads will find out about our shapeshifter, and then, either we lose a good shapeshifter, or
  more likely, we start building cases from one hell of a lot of misinformation.
  terHaar@brill.op: You might check with some of the departments in Australia. Remember
  that the Australian government was already concerned about the triads in 1986 because the
  country was supposedly becoming one of the major havens for triads leaving Hong Kong. I
  know that they tried to put a shapeshifter into a local triad — does anyone remember when that
  was? I know they found his head — shot through the eyes, ears and mouth — but I’m not sure
  they ever found all of him.
  posner@opamerica: i think it was around 2009 or ’10, and i’d heard that they never found
  the rest of him.
  trace1@?.gov.op: Gentlemen, none of this is cleared for these channels, and this discus-
  sion needs to end right now. Log off, boys.
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  33
  \\01.16.2008.22.50.00
  \\terHaar@brill.op logging out.
  Administrator: Officer Bernard ter Haar has left the conversation.
  \\01.16.2008.22.50.39
  \\posner@opamerica logging out.
  Administrator: Officer Laurence Posner has left the conversation.
  \\01.16.2008.22.50.01
  bchu@vancouverrcmp.net.op logging out.
  Administrator: Inspector Brian Chu has left the conversation.
  \\01.16.2008.23.51.10
  msyu@coolmail.com logging out.
  Administrator: Officer Ma Sik Yu has left the conversation.
  \\01.16.2008.24.00.49
  gmshrubbe@pyrus.op logging out.
  Administrator: Officer Georgina M. Shrubbe has left the conversation.
  trace1@?.gov.op: Well, that certainly did shut the whole thing down, didn’t it?
  nereid@directive: That it did; they were all getting a bit careless with their conversation,
  though, I thought.
  trace1@?.gov.op: Do you think that the triads picked up on it all?
  nereid@directive: Oh, I guarantee it. There were at least two triad operatives online tonight.
  The question that’s in my mind is whether we were playing the triads or whether they were
  playing us?
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  ABERRANT
  CHAPTER TWO: HEAVEN THUNDER TRIAD
  34
  History
  Origins of the Triads
  The first triads were formed in the late 17th century
  by five survivors from the Foochow monastery in Fukien.
  These monks escaped the destruction of the monastery by
  the second Manchu emperor, Kiang His, and organized se-
  cret resistance societies to protect the people against a
  repressive and vicious foreign ruler and, also, to recover
  the Ming throne from the Manchu dynasty. The triads, in
  fact, began to serve as unofficial local governments, usurp-
  ing the administrative responsibilities of the Manchu em-
  peror, judging guilt and innocence, punishing the guilty and
  resolving disputes across China. At the time, it was said
  that “The armies exist to protect the emperor; the triads
  exist to protect the people.”
  The first secret triads were bound together by an in-
  tricate system of secret rituals, oaths, passwords and cer-
  emonies that eventually developed into a complex and rigid
  initiation ritual that mixed ancestral worship, Buddhism,
  mythology and historical symbology. As the Manchu dy-
  nasty alienated more and more of the Chinese population,
  the ranks of the triads swelled with disenfranchised citi-
  zens eager to rebel against the social and political upheaval
  fomented by the Manchus.
  The Manchus quickly decided their goals were best
  attained by wiping out the triads: eliminating their mem-
  bers, stripping away their popular support and cutting off
  the societies’ sources of revenue. To survive, the triads
  began to engage in various illegal activities; their piracy,
  extortion, smuggling and vice trade soon came to consti-
  tute a new means of existence for the triads — one much
  more lucrative that plain political dissention. Although the
  Manchus were finally overthrown in 1911, few triads cared
  anymore, having long since abandoned their patriotic fight
  in favor of a more lucrative criminal trade.
  Modern History
  Although triads in the 1920s moved into producing and
  delivering the heroin that countries around the world were
  rapidly making illegal, the drug had been legally mass mar-
  keted by the Bayer Company since the early 1890s, and a
  worldwide population of junkies was already well estab-
  lished. This was an enormous boon for the triads, but that
  alone would have only turned them into another drug car-
  tel. The triads’ biggest windfalls really blew their way in
  1941, 1949 and 1997.
  1941
  1941
  1941
  1941
  1941
  First, World War II not only created burgeoning world-
  wide black markets and vice trades that the triads could
  exploit for exorbitant profits, but when the Japanese aban-
  doned Hong Kong in 1941, they also destroyed almost all
  the police records that referenced investigations, arrest
  histories and other information regarding the triads and
  their members. With a clean slate then, the triads were able
  to spread their tendrils throughout the world from their his-
  torical Hong Kong territory without police interference. No
  one knew who they were or what they were up to, so they
  exploded all over the globe like a pollen bud.
  1949
  1949
  1949
  1949
  1949
  Then, when Mao and his communists took over main-
  land China in 1949, the triads were centralized primarily
  between Taiwan and Hong Kong, although a lot of members
  also escaped to Thailand, Laos and Myanmar; many other
  triads were also being formed around the world to build on
  business opportunities in other countries. But the triads that
  were exiled to Hong Kong with Chiang Kai-shek served as
  Chiang’s army in exchange for unlimited control of all Hong
  Kong’s criminal traffic and various governmental positions.
  This gave the Chinese secret criminal societies a very
  real foothold to operate within an ostensibly legitimate gov-
  ernment and from which the triads, over the next 60 years,
  infiltrated and compromised virtually every police, military,
  government and civic authority on the planet. By the mid-
  1990s, it was estimated that the triads alone were respon-
  sible for the production and sale of 2,000 tons of heroin
  annually — only 15 tons of which were used for legitimate
  medicinal purposes worldwide. Triad profits from heroin
  were estimated at more than $250—billion US. The Chi-
  nese invented organized crime, and they remain the best at
  it, having learned most everything about crime more than
  400 years ago.
  1997
  1997
  1997
  1997
  1997
  The third most important event in the evolution of the
  current triads occurred in 1997. Although Hong Kong has
  always been the seat of worldwide triad authority, law-en-
  forcement authorities had anticipated being able to pick up
  a lot of triad leaders escaping Hong Kong when it was re-
  turned to China in 1997. The authorities did not anticipate
  the degree to which the triads controlled — and still con-
  trol — China.
  The triads’ mask was so perfectly constructed that
  some people speculated that a pre-Galatea nova must have
  masterminded the whole thing. In late 1997 — right after
  the return of Hong Kong to China — Interpol finally began
  to piece together a monumentally intricate maze of misin-
  formation that had been fed to worldwide authorities by
  Chinese government officials and police regarding the tri-
  ads. Law enforcement found out that it had been living in
  the triads’ fun house.
  Senior triad officers such as Ng Sik Ho and Chung Mon,
  who had been reported killed, began surfacing all over the
  world. At the same time, other major triad officers against
  whom law-enforcement agencies had spent millions of dol-
  lars and years of manpower building airtight legal cases
  turned out to have died decades earlier.
  
  ABERRANT
  CHAPTER TWO: HEAVEN THUNDER TRIAD
  35
  A decade-long international investigation was wiped
  out when the Chinese disclosed records from the Royal
  Hong Kong Police showing that one of the largest, most
  secretive and fiercest triads was nothing more than a red
  herring meticulously woven and maintained by superin-
  tendent Lau Wing Kui in the pages of the International
  Criminal Police Review. Lau had long been recognized as
  the world authority on the tactics, activities and mem-
  bership of the Chiu-Chao Brotherhood, but when China
  disclosed the records that it had found in Hong Kong, Lau
  was clearly tied to many of the crimes that he himself had
  investigated. Authorities realized that he had been shift-
  ing suspicion to the fictitious Chiu-Chao Brotherhood for
  years in order to shelter his own Kung Lok Triad from
  suspicion. Even the most wanted members of the Chiu-
  Chao Brotherhood were discovered to have been created
  by Lau out of patched-together computer records.
  The Nova Age
  By the time the Galatea exploded in 1998, worldwide
  authorities had not yet figured out a way to determine which
  triad tales were real and which were false. Every triad task
  force in the world was spinning its wheels trying to deter-
  mine how to determine what was truth and what was fic-
  tion. Then novas started showing up all over the world. Al-
  though novas remain a relatively rare phenomenon — with
  only one person out of a million erupting — the law of av-
  erages has definitely worked in China’s favor. With a popu-
  lation of more than 2.5 billion people by the end of the first
  decade of the 21st century, more than 1,500 novas had been
  registered by the state. As they erupted, triads throughout
  the region tried to snap them up and did their best to find
  ways to profit from novas.
  Outsiders knew that China possessed men who could
  manipulate energy, shapeshift and control thought; men who
  could fly, breathe underwater and animate the earth; men
  who could run faster than light and could move from place
  to place in seconds. Observers, though, wondered at the
  relative dearth of female novas in China, although the
  country’s tight control over intelligence prevented any re-
  search or investigation into this peculiarity.
  The triads found a way to make money off their no-
  vas in the first decade of the 21st century; that’s when
  it’s commonly believed that the triads discovered the
  means by which to harvest and refine novas into mite,
  soma, Red 7, etc. Clearly, the profit to made from so-
  called “nova drugs” — both financial and otherwise —
  is absolutely staggering.
  Organization
  Triad Structure
  The headquarters for most triads are still located in
  Hong Kong out of a sense of history and origin. Triads
  have always been located in Hong Kong, came into their
  own in Hong Kong and have built the center of their web
  in Hong Kong.
  Despite this, though, triad leadership is not as active
  as one might suspect. While Camparelli and Zuhkov hold
  very tight rein over their Megasyndicate and maintain a level
  of interest in all of their Mafia’s day-to-day operations,
  the triad leaders in Hong Kong are not so controlling of their
  branches, which operate independently to a large degree.
  Instead, the Hong Kong centers of operation work to pre-
  serve the triad’s image, to maintain the observance of the
  group’s ritual and to determine an overall policy for the
  triad’s businesses and operation.
  Triad Leadership and Lore
  Within each triad and each branch of a triad, there is a
  rigid central hierarchy around which other members oper-
  ate. Each post in the triad is numbered as well as named;
  these numbers are derived from Buddhist and Taoist nu-
  merological traditions and lore. The leader of a triad “cell”
  is called the shan chu, or hill chief, whose position bears
  the number 489. The second in command is the heung chu
  — the incense master, who is responsible for the triad’s
  ceremonial and ritual observances — who is numbered
  438. The core of each branch also possesses a pak tsz sin,
  or white paper fan (415), who provides advice regarding
  administration and finance and a cho hai, or grass sandal
  (432), who acts as the triad’s liaison with other gangs, other
  branches of the triad and the triad’s extortion and bribery
  victims. Enforcement and martial activities of the triad are
  governed by the hung kwan, or red pole (426), who is the
  military commander for the cell. Ordinary members of the
  triad — the sze kau — are given the number 49.
  All of the triads’ numbered positions begin with a 4, to
  reflect the eternal nature of the triads (in honor of the Chi-
  nese belief that the world was born surrounded by four
  oceans). The Shan Chu and Heung Chu ostensibly bear their
  numbers because the Chinese characters for 21 (4 + 8 + 9)
  and for 3 and 8, when written together, also form the char-
  acters for “Hung” — the Ming emperor in whose name
  the Foochow monastery monks sought to topple the Manchu
  dynasty in the 1600s. And, of course, the common mem-
  bers of the triad, the sze kau, swear 36 oaths upon their
  initiation… as reflected by their number, 4 x 9.
  Culture and Traditions
  There is no question that the triads are perhaps the
  most ritualized criminal organizations in the world, steeped
  in centuries of tradition and historical observance. The ini-
  tiation ritual historically took 10 or 12 hours during the late
  evening, when the yin dimension of the cosmos was more
  accessible, and was a grand theatrical production involving
  historical mythopoeic themes designed to make new mem-
  bers feel part of something very special.
  
  ABERRANT
  CHAPTER TWO: HEAVEN THUNDER TRIAD
  36
  Triad rituals were designed to depict the symbolic death
  of an initiate, followed by his rebirth as a member of the
  triad. The initiate now had no ties to the world outside the
  triad and lived only in service to it. New members passed
  beneath a gate of swords, offered a simple sacrifice, swore
  36 oaths and concluded with a blood covenant. Members
  swore complete faith and fealty to one another, that they
  might receive good fortune together, suffer disaster to-
  gether, help one another and observe a perfect loyalty to
  each other member of the triad. Those who failed were
  doomed to be struck by Heavenly Thunder, pulled apart by
  five horses, carved up a thousand times by a thousand
  swords and flensed. The protracted ritual and the oaths
  served to drive home the severity of the traitor’s death for
  a failure of loyalty.
  Over time, though, the triads grew to thousands and
  then tens of thousands of members. The time spent on the
  ritual grew to be less and less; now, it’s the sort of hour-
  long ceremony held in a dirty back room somewhere. New
  members go through the 36 oaths, swear an additional blood
  oath and are impressed with their two choices — loyalty
  or a violent, painful death. No robes, no history, no mean-
  ing — nothing special. Only novas go through a four- or
  five-hour version of the ritual, though it’s clear to every-
  one that if the novas choose not to remain loyal, little can
  be done to stop them.
  Operations
  Heroin
  The opium trade in China began during the late 1700s,
  when the British led the drive to monopolize the large tracts
  of poppies in northern India and targeted China’s popula-
  tion as the most profitable market available. Britain’s nar-
  cotics trade produced overwhelming profits and a large
  number of Chinese addicts. Although China opposed the
  violation of their country and waged the Opium War to stop
  it in the mid-1800s, the Chinese efforts were no match for
  the British war machine, and England’s exploitation of the
  Chinese only increased.
  Global expansion began to split the world into smaller
  nations and protectorates, spreading the opium trade and
  its antithesis — anti-opium rhetoric. China, though, re-
  mained chained to the poppy, and when the imperial gov-
  ernment was overthrown in 1911, the country devolved into
  a collection of regional governments, allowing poppy culti-
  vation and opium exports to flourish.
  It was in the early 1900s that missionaries intro-
  duced to China a cure for opium addiction — “Jesus
  opium,” or morphine — which was in turn “cured”
  by heroin in the 1920s. Heroin had been manufactured
  for almost two decades by that time and was approved
  in many Western countries for general medical use.
  Unrestrained prescriptions for heroin to treat every-
  thing from coughs to toothaches to menstrual cramps
  led to a substantial market for the drug.
  The triads moved full force into heroin manufacture
  during the 1950s following a brutal internal war. Taking over
  the Golden Triangle — actually a quadrangle in Laos,
  Myanmar, Thailand and the Yunnan province of China —
  gave the triads control of a 4,500 square mile stretch of
  mountain territory where the poppies for almost all the
  world’s heroin supply was harvested and refined. Since the
  triads controlled most of Southeast Asia, they were able to
  vigorously resist any intrusion into the Triangle, and since
  they also controlled several countries’ military forces and
  were able to use military guards to protect their opium sup-
  ply, any action against the triads in the quadrangle could
  easily escalate into a full-scale Western offense against all
  of Asia.
  During the 1960s, the triads increased their power and
  took advantage of a booming worldwide economy to ex-
  pand drug sales, and by the 1970s, the triads controlled
  virtually all of the world’s heroin trade. By the time Utopia
  intruded on the world scene, the triads and Asian military
  forces had already recruited whole squadrons of novas to
  protect the invaluable supply trains from the Golden Tri-
  angle. Novas were instructed to kill anyone suspicious near
  the Triangle or the supply trains and sort out the details
  later. triad enforcers, being the cream of the Asian military
  forces, had long been able to repel almost anything that
  threatened the triads’ product.
  Nova-Derived Drugs
  Beyond the triads’ heroin production and sales, the
  gangs were largely responsible for the discovery and de-
  velopment of nova drugs in the first decade of the 21st cen-
  tury. Some estimates placed the triads’ market share be-
  tween 60 percent and 90 percent of black-market soma
  and mite sold in North America and Europe. Top-secret
  information from the Directive references the triads’ use
  of a “catalytic nova” able to temporarily spark M-R nodes.
  But even the Directive’s information captures only a piece
  of the story.
  The Heaven Thunder Triad’s Ho Kai Ming is indeed able
  to spark M-R nodes for a short time, but this skill would be
  worthless without the Triad’s talent scouts scouring Asian
  countries looking for children, junkies, the homeless and
  institutionalized people who might possibly possess even a
  little latent nova capacity. Although novas are rare and many
  of the talent scouts’ finds are “flushes,” the scouts take
  their potential finds back to Ho Kai Ming for sparking —
  and harvesting.
  Freshly harvested M-R nodes and nova steroids can
  then be processed into soma and mite that is salable for
  hundreds of millions, thanks to superstar nova users such
  
  ABERRANT
  CHAPTER TWO: HEAVEN THUNDER TRIAD
  37
  as Stryker, Farouk and Simms. After decades of killing un-
  wanted Chinese girl-children, it was a short step to killing
  social undesirables and potential girl novas for profit. Al-
  though extremely shadowy and carefully guarded, the tri-
  ads have built an entire industry out of triggering and har-
  vesting newly or temporarily erupted novas.
  Infiltration
  A question many government agencies ask is how the
  triads have been able to escape Directive, Utopia and law-
  enforcement agencies for more than 50 years? Although
  someone is arrested every once in a while holding $20
  million US worth of heroin, that’s nothing in the grand
  scheme of the drug war. Authorities capture less than 3
  percent of the triads’ product — hardly even an incon-
  venience to the gangs.
  The problem for governments, though, is that the tri-
  ads have hands everywhere. And with millions of invisible
  members worldwide, the triads are quite adept at keeping
  their fingers on the pulse of society.
  Other Sources of Income
  In addition to their drug activities, the triads have
  moved huge sums of money into everything from illegal gam-
  bling operations and legitimate casinos to banking, real es-
  tate, restaurants, loan sharking, weapons, counterfeiting,
  tech, pharmaceutical research and investment. Some of the
  worldde’s big investment bankers confidentially disclose that
  triads have trillions invested in their institutions that would
  disrupt the entire world banking system if law enforcement
  were to seize triad funds.
  Triads have also infiltrated law-enforcement agen-
  cies throughout the world in order to gain access to some
  of the best technology available. Similarly, triad scientists
  have reverse-engineered, high-dollar gadgets that they’ve
  purchased on various black markets. Being able to take a
  mental noise generator and throw $20 million US at it has
  advanced it to the mental interrupter. Triad engineers have
  developed and used an improved mental noise generator
  to carry out low-level test heists; with such toys, they’re
  able to lock down everyone in the vicinity, walk in, take
  the loot, walk out and turn off the noise. Probably the tri-
  ads’ most substantial innovation, though, is their improve-
  ment to DeVries’ brain-implant data connection. Although
  it’s an important advancement in its own right, the triads’
  symbiotic brain data implant has also allowed the triads
  to develop broad ranging AI programs that make even
  baseline triad members seem almost psychic — able to
  predict moves, pick the perfect shot and time it flawlessly,
  decide when they’re losing a fight and then escape in the
  middle of a desert.
  Technology
  Mental Interrupter
  The mental interrupter is an advanced form of the
  Directive’s mental noise generator (see Aberrant: The Di-
  Aberrant: The Di-
  Aberrant: The Di-
  Aberrant: The Di-
  Aberrant: The Di-
  rective
  rective
  rective
  rective
  rective, p. 57) that’s been updated and improved by the
  triads. The mental interrupter has retained its small size,
  but the Chinese have improved its capabilities consider-
  ably. Rather than simply blocking the psychic abilities of
  nearby individuals, the mental interrupter scans nearby
  brainwave frequencies and, once it has obtained a strong
  and steady signal, broadcasts an “interrupt” signal on that
  frequency. The range of the mental interrupter has not im-
  proved significantly over the 25 to 30 feet in which the
  mental noise generator was effective, but it has been modi-
  fied to simultaneously “jam” two separate frequencies.
  The Creation of Heroin
  Heroin production begins with the blossoming of a poppy.
  After the poppy petals have fallen, the remaining green pod
  produces a thick white sap — opium. This sap is harvested by
  mountain tribesman who use primitive curved knives to cut
  shallow incisions into the poppy pod, from which they collect
  the congealed brown sap — each poppy yields only a pea-
  sized pebble of opium. These pebbles are then converted by
  the triads into morphine for easier transportation and smug-
  gling. The opium pebbles are dissolved in hot water, to which
  lime fertilizer is added. A frothing white scum is scooped from
  the top of the drum and passed through a flannel cloth into
  another drum of heated water to which concentrated ammonia
  is added. The ammonia causes the morphine to crystallize so
  that it can be collected and packed for shipment.
  Triads typically ship morphine bricks to Hong Kong to be
  processed into heroin. Triad chemists combine equal portions
  of morphine and acetic acid and heat the mixture to 185 de-
  grees until both components have completely dissolved. Impu-
  rities are then removed before water and chloroform are added
  to increase the strength of the mixture. Sodium carbonate is
  added and the heroin precipitate is collected and heated to-
  gether with alcohol and charcoal, leaving a granular substance.
  The chemist then turns this resulting precipitate into either
  heroin 3 or 4.
  Heroin 3 is a whitish-brown powder that is 65-70 percent
  pure heroin intended for smoking. Heroin 4 is almost pure heroin
  for injection only and is the drug of choice for Western addicts.
  By the time it is sold, heroin 4 is frequently cut to less than 3
  percent purity for resale. Chemists making heroin 4 take the
  sodium carbonate precipitate and add ether and hydrochloric
  acid before collecting the China White heroin flakes that rain out
  of the mixture. Unfortunately, the volatility of the ether gas of-
  ten results in an explosion that may level the lab, kill all the per-
  sonnel in the immediate vicinity and destroy the heroin.
  But nobody ever said that manufacturing illegal drugs was
  risk free.
  
  ABERRANT
  CHAPTER TWO: HEAVEN THUNDER TRIAD
  38
  System: 
  System: 
  System: 
  System: 
  System: The mental interrupter acts
  like a powerful Stun Attack, lock-
  ing randomly onto any two
  brainwave frequencies in the
  vicinity — including the
  person setting the mental in-
  terrupter — and dazing the
  selected targets. The men-
  tal interrupter’s effects
  cannot be combined with
  those of an individual’s
  Stun Attack. After use,
  the mental interrupter
  must recharge itself
  for three turns before
  it can be reused.
  Whiplash
  Like the DeVries
  Agency’s whipsword
  (see Aberrant: Elites
  Aberrant: Elites
  Aberrant: Elites
  Aberrant: Elites
  Aberrant: Elites,
  p. 69), the whiplash is
  a weapon of activated,
  edged single-molecule
  carbon filament; the press
  of a button on the whiplash’s hilt
  activates nine strands of infinitely thin cutting power. A
  cheap whiplash is used like a cat-o’-nine-tails, and well de-
  signed units may act like a whip with nine separate strops
  of 6 to 12 feet in length.
  System: 
  System: 
  System: 
  System: 
  System: One employs the whiplash as a melee weapon.
  Although the damage it inflicts is always lethal, the strops
  of the whiplash do create a visible energy wave, so the
  whiplash does not get the whipsword’s dodge modifier.
  Symbiotic Brain Data Implants
  Like the mental interrupter, the symbiotic brain data
  implant (SBDI) is the triads’ improved version of the brain-
  implant data connection. Taking the data connection to its
  next logical level, the triads developed the symbiotic brain
  data implant as a self-contained unit for which indepen-
  dent programming can be written and which has the ability
  to provide information passively; the SBDI, however, may
  also initiate the electrical impulses to a body that are nec-
  essary for probabilistic next action. As with all items of
  Chinese manufacture, the SBDI is remarkably cheap, cost-
  ing only a single dot of Resources. It lasts for 20 years and
  may be upgraded through a small port in the mastoid cavity
  into which the implant is installed. It’s this upgradability that
  is the measure of wonder for the SBDI; the unit’s value
  comes from the continuous stream of good (but by no means
  flawless) AI programs that can be loaded into its virtually
  unlimited memory.
  Outcome Prediction Programs
  Outcome Prediction Programs
  Outcome Prediction Programs
  Outcome Prediction Programs
  Outcome Prediction Programs
  Outcome prediction programs analyze a current situ-
  ation and attempt to predict its ultimate outcome. Through
  the use of such programs, wearers of an SBDI may bet-
  ter determine when a battle is beyond winning and, so,
  may withdraw to preserve manpower and materiel as-
  sets.
  System
  System
  System
  System
  System: Outcome prediction programs function
  like a weak Intuition and require a Perception roll for a
  successful AI analysis.
  Action Prediction Programs
  Action Prediction Programs
  Action Prediction Programs
  Action Prediction Programs
  Action Prediction Programs
  Action Prediction programs analyze an opponent’s ac-
  tions, skill level and probable movements to determine a
  probable next action. Such programs tend to be more ef-
  fective when analyzing an opponent’s technique and habits
  over the long term rather than during a single turn, but a
  good program can be quite effective even in
  melee combat.
  System
  System
  System
  System
  System: Action
  Prediction programs
  function like the
  Pretercognition power,
  and the accuracy of the AI
  programming is determined
  by a Perception roll.
  Best Route Programs
  Best Route Programs
  Best Route Programs
  Best Route Programs
  Best Route Programs
  Best route programs link
  with all available resources —
  including police channels, traf-
  fic copters and cell phone ac-
  tivity — to determine the fast-
  est probable route from Point A
  to Point B. Higher-end programs
  can also provide the most circui-
  tous route between two points,
  the route most difficult to trail be-
  tween two points and other valu-
  able travel information.
  System
  System
  System
  System
  System: Best route programs
  act as scouts for the SBDI
  wearer, allowing him to func-
  tion more quickly and effec-
  tively, as if they possessed
  the Enhanced Movement
  enhancement. The effects
  of a best route program
  are similarly cumulative
  with the Streetwise Ability
  and the Hypermovement quantum power.
  Shot Placement Programs
  Shot Placement Programs
  Shot Placement Programs
  Shot Placement Programs
  Shot Placement Programs
  Shot placement programs are nothing more than
  barebones action prediction programs that focus on a lim-
  
  ABERRANT
  CHAPTER TWO: HEAVEN THUNDER TRIAD
  39
  ited outcome — deadly shot placement. A good shot place-
  ment program will force a shot to intersect with a probabi-
  listic movement so as to achieve an optimal effect. Because
  of the fraction-of-a-second tolerances within which such
  programs must be effective, though, they are quite expen-
  sive. Even a cheap shot placement program may cost two
  or three dots of Resources.
  System
  System
  System
  System
  System: Shot placement programs operate like the Di-
  late Time technique of the Temporal Manipulation quan-
  tum power, permitting an SBDI wearer to slow down an-
  other character’s effective speed with an Intelligence roll
  in order to buy the time for a perfect shot.
  Rogue Action Programs
  Rogue Action Programs
  Rogue Action Programs
  Rogue Action Programs
  Rogue Action Programs
  Rogue action programs are probably the most insidi-
  ous programs developed by the triads. Although there are
  an infinite variety of such programs, all of them have the
  effect of instigating erratic behavior in the individual to
  whom such programs have been downloaded. The effects
  are generally going to be equivalent to medium-level men-
  tal aberrations or Mental Flaws.
  System
  System
  System
  System
  System: Rogue action programs cause a mental dis-
  order (see Aberrant
  Aberrant
  Aberrant
  Aberrant
  Aberrant, p. 153) until the program is some-
  how removed.
  Dramatis Personae
  Baseline Triad Member
  Triad members, as a general rule, are extremely well
  trained. In the minds of the men probably training them,
  the triads are still fighting a war from centuries ago, so even
  the triads’ common street enforcers are hand-picked only
  when triad generals think the streets have toughened them
  up enough. They’re all military caliber fighters with the sole
  purpose of inflicting more damage than they take.
  The favorite instrument of triad members has long been
  the hatchet; boo how doy (“hatchet boys”) worked as the
  primary defense for the tongs (“town halls”) that triad
  members began establishing in America in the 1900s. Even
  today, most triad members still carry a hatchet, though the
  primitive weapons are rarely used anymore. Even the com-
  mon gang members — the sze kau, or 49s — carry the
  sophisticated tech weapons developed by their triads.
  Because they’ve been taught perfect loyalty to their
  triad, most members will be more willing to die fighting for
  their triad than to be captured by someone from whom they
  don’t think their triad will be able to buy their freedom. It’s
  rare, though, that triad members’ freedom cannot be
  bought. And, since the triad won’t forget its roots, it will
  attempt to pull strings, call favors and pay any bribes nec-
  essary to secure even the least member’s return. Triads
  really are more closely knit than most families, so law en-
  forcement should not be afraid to depend heavily on the
  inter-triad loyalty of gang members.
  Image
  Image
  Image
  Image
  Image: Triad members can look like common street
  thugs or Wall Street financiers and everything in between.
  They’re always Asian, but needn’t always appear so (if their
  features have been reshaped, for example). They’re always
  well armed and know how to use the weapons they carry.
  Gear
  Gear
  Gear
  Gear
  Gear: The sze kau generally carry handgun-based weap-
  ons such as laser electroshock pistols, maser guns and heavy
  pistols, though some may also carry whipswords and whip-
  lashes. Sze kau are also frequently equipped with minor
  surveillance equipment and nansects, but will only deploy
  such devices at the instruction of a superior.
  Nature
  Nature
  Nature
  Nature
  Nature: Follower
  Allegiance
  Allegiance
  Allegiance
  Allegiance
  Allegiance: Triads
  Attributes
  Attributes
  Attributes
  Attributes
  Attributes: Strength 3, Dexterity 4, Stamina 4, Perception
  3, Intelligence 2, Wits 3, Appearance 2, Manipulation 2,
  Charisma 2
  Abilities
  Abilities
  Abilities
  Abilities
  Abilities: Martial Arts 2-4, Melee 3, Endurance 2, Resis-
  tance 4, Intimidation 2
  Ho Brothers
  The twin Ho brothers were born in Kowloon’s Walled
  City, where they were raised by their grandparents. The
  enclosed and dirty maze-like tunnels that ran through-
  out the Walled City were single-file corridors with low
  ceilings covered in a web of wires, electric cables, ex-
  posed fuses, sockets, plugs and dirt. Buildings in the City
  were 15 floors of no water, no sewage, no real electric-
  ity and more rats and rabid dogs than people. Fifty thou-
  sand people were crammed into 1.2 square feet per per-
  son; there was not even enough room to lie down except
  that the people slept in shifts. Several generations of a
  family could be crammed into a single room. Unlicensed
  abortionists, sweatshops, snake vendors, brothels,
  schools, opium dens, counterfeiting shops and grocer-
  ies all existed next to one another in squalid little cells.
  Some people never left the Walled City but lived within
  its walls their entire life. And because the wooden 1840s
  buildings had spread and wedged themselves together
  at the top, sunlight never reached the streets and alleys
  of the city — the people’s lives were lived in darkness
  or candlelight. Adolescent girls and boys were regularly
  gang-raped in the City before being forcibly sold into
  the porn industry by their own shamed families for a pur-
  chase price that could only be repaid by decades of $2
  tricks and the hope of death at the end. Neither the Brit-
  ish nor the Chinese ever really claimed control over the
  Walled City, so it remained a self-sufficient hovel of
  misery until it was finally evacuated and demolished in
  the mid-1990s.
  Not long before the Walled City was leveled, Ho Kai
  Yeun forced his brother to escape from the City’s confines,
  and the two of them graduated from fighting over stair-
  wells and delivering gambling payoffs and extortion notes
  
  ABERRANT
  CHAPTER TWO: HEAVEN THUNDER TRIAD
  40
  into work as small-time gang leaders and heroin pushers.
  During the Ho brothers’ heroin-buying trips to Thailand,
  they met officials of the Chinese Nationalist opium armies
  and were recruited into Taiwan’s spy network. Between
  their work for the Taiwanese intelligence community and
  their exploding heroin business, the Hos quickly built a $1
  billion per year business. By the middle of the first decade
  of the 21st century, the Ho brothers had come to control
  the Chiu-Chao Brotherhood and they’ve used their uncanny
  abilities to reform the triad into one of the most tightly or-
  ganized, richest and most powerful underworld networks
  in the world. The Ho brothers have also long served as a
  cornerstone of triad unity, negotiating and arbitrating in-
  ter-triad disputes that threaten the centuries-old coopera-
  tion among the triads.
  Ho Kai Yeun
  Background
  Background
  Background
  Background
  Background: Ho Kai Yeun — Ah Yeun, most commonly
  — is the Red Pole for the Chiu-Chao Brotherhood. The
  red pole (hung kwan) in a triad is chosen on the basis of his
  prowess in the martial arts, and he serves as the “enforcer”
  for his triad, the general for the triad’s lower ranks and as
  the primary defender of other triad authorities. Ah Yeun
  was a wise choice.
  Ah Yeun and his brother rarely left the Walled City while
  they were growing up. They went to school in the City, they
  joined a gang and fought to defend the alleyway in front of
  their family’s room, and they waged petty war with some
  of the other pre-adolescent gangsters. When he was nine,
  Ah Yeun was determined to guard his brother’s flight from
  a rival gang and, before he was able to make good his own
  escape, he was caught and gang raped. To make sure he
  never went through such a thing again, Ah Yeun began work-
  ing with Master Choy Lay Fut to learn Baguazheng SuWon
  Chi, a bizarre hybrid martial arts discipline utilizing general
  Shaolin techniques to harness, maximize and focus internal
  and external energies.
  Whereas Master Choy had long been disappointed
  in his own son, he recognized not only an exceptional
  pupil in Yeun, but also a successor. Soon, Choy had taken
  over as Yeun’s tutor, and the two of them were practic-
  ing Choy’s peculiar interpretation of SuWon Chi 10 hours
  each day in the confining darkness of the tiny closet in
  which Choy lived alone. Choy taught Ah Yeun to under-
  stand the universal energy in everything — and every-
  one — around him. Ah Yeun learned to breathe deeply,
  draw such energies into himself and, in so doing, to —
  know them fully and completely.
  By the time Ah Yeun left Choy’s tutelage at the age of
  16, he had become a strong and blindingly fast teenage fight-
  ing machine. Yeun took the 36 oaths of the Chiu-Chao
  Brotherhood, waited through the tedious ritual and then
  began acting as a bodyguard for his brother throughout Ho
  Kai Ming’s rise through the triad. It was during a traitorous
  attack on Ah Ming by Ma Ning Yee that Yeun erupted.
  Ma had sought to advance his own position in the triad
  by removing Ming from his path. Unfortunately for Ma,
  though, Ah Yeun had long smelled the scent of betrayal on
  Ma and, to protect his brother, had begun a slow transfor-
  mation quite some time earlier. Upon attacking, Ma was
  confronted by the own 36 oaths to which Yeun gave life.
  Ma Ning Yee’s thoughts were filled with the mythical gate
  of swords, lightning and fire. He shrieked and withered in-
  side his own mind, seeing and feeling himself struck by
  Yeun’s heavenly lightning, burned by Yeun’s fierce fire and
  his flesh flensed from his body by Yeun’s thousand swords.
  Although Ma Ning Yee was later found dead in the squalid
  corridors from no apparent cause, his face was frozen in a
  rictus of perfect terror.
  By the time he was 20, Yeun’s fierceness had grown
  mythic, drawing the attention of the secretive Heaven Thun-
  der Triad. He was rumored not only to know the evil that
  lurked in men’s hearts but also to have tremendous powers
  to cloud the mind. Yeun’s work with Master Choy had taught
  Yeun to hone his ability to traipse around inside other
  people’s heads, to eavesdrop on their thoughts, to plant
  appropriate “suggestions” and, if necessary, to debilitate
  or destroy them with an endless loop of their own fears.
  Image
  Image
  Image
  Image
  Image: Through his training, Ho Kai Yeun has become
  a beautifully toned but deadly young man. Where Ho Kai
  Ming is a flamboyant playboy, Yeun is morose and monas-
  tic; Ming may be the nightlife’s pretty boy wherever he
  goes, but Yeun’s style is to blend into the background and
  
  ABERRANT
  CHAPTER TWO: HEAVEN THUNDER TRIAD
  41
  listen to others’ thoughts. Where Ming is content to con-
  trol one of the most powerful triads in the world and com-
  mand trillions of dollars, Yeun’s sights are much higher.
  Yeun has no desire to rule the world — or even a little
  part of it — he wants only to be the man behind the man
  who rules the world.
  Roleplaying Hints
  Roleplaying Hints
  Roleplaying Hints
  Roleplaying Hints
  Roleplaying Hints: You love your brother dearly, and
  that’s why Ming has been allowed to climb as high as he has.
  Master Choy painted for you a broad picture of Baguazheng
  SuWon Chi, but even more importantly, he also introduced
  you to the intricate history of the triads and opened you a
  door to the secrets of the Heaven Thunder Triad. You are
  monastic in every sense of the word; your faith in the his-
  torical sacredness of your service to the Triad is unflag-
  ging, you are entirely loyal to the Heaven Thunder and —
  so long as its goals don’t conflict with those of the Heaven
  Thunder — you are also loyal to the Chiu-Chao Brother-
  hood. Your instructions come from the Heaven Thunder
  Triad, and although you’ve never been able to get into his
  mind, you supervise your brother and ensure that the Chiu-
  Chao Brotherhood conforms to and advances the greater
  purposes of Heaven’s Thunder.
  Gear
  Gear
  Gear
  Gear
  Gear: Carbon-fiber maser-suit, collection of portable
  surveillance equipment
  Nature
  Nature
  Nature
  Nature
  Nature: Follower
  Allegiance
  Allegiance
  Allegiance
  Allegiance
  Allegiance: Heaven Thunder Triad/Chiu-Chao Brotherhood
  Attributes
  Attributes
  Attributes
  Attributes
  Attributes: Strength 4, Dexterity 5, Stamina 5, Perception
  4, Intelligence 3, Wits 4, Appearance 4, Manipulation 3,
  Charisma 3
  Abilities
  Abilities
  Abilities
  Abilities
  Abilities: Awareness 3 (Keeping Watch), Biz 2, Drive 1, En-
  durance 5, Interrogation 3, Intrusion 1, Martial Arts 5 (Blind
  Fighting, Multiple Opponents), Melee 4 (Improvised
  Weapon), Resistance 5 (Ignore Pain), Shadowing 3,
  Streetwise 3 (Black Market, Customs, Information),
  Thought Discipline 4
  Backgrounds
  Backgrounds
  Backgrounds
  Backgrounds
  Backgrounds: Contacts 4, Favors 3, Followers 5, Mentor 3,
  Resources 4
  Quantum 3, Quantum Pool 26, Willpower 9, Taint 3
  Mega-Attributes
  Mega-Attributes
  Mega-Attributes
  Mega-Attributes
  Mega-Attributes: Mega-Stamina •• (Durability, Resil-
  iency), Mega-Perception •••• (Quantum Attunement,
  Ultraperipheral Perception), Mega-Wits ••• (Lie Detec-
  tor, Natural Empath)
  Quantum Powers
  Quantum Powers
  Quantum Powers
  Quantum Powers
  Quantum Powers: Disorient ••••, Domination •••,
  Empathic Manipulation •••, Immobilize ••, Mental
  Blast ••••
  Ho Kai Ming
  Background
  Background
  Background
  Background
  Background: Ho Kai Ming is beautiful; it is no wonder
  that his brother is completely enamored of him. While
  brother Yeun was learning the finer points of destruction,
  defense and mind control, Ming mastered the finer points
  of planning, influence and connection. It was Ming who built
  the intelligence network that supplied the Taiwanese; it was
  Ming who split off the brothers’ main efforts toward the
  exploding heroin business; it was Ming who first joined the
  Chiu-Chao Brotherhood; and it was Ming who turned the
  brothers’ petty crime and drug sales into one of the most
  respected and lucrative triads. After Yeun returned from
  Master Choy’s tutelage and the two left the Walled City for
  the last time, Ming’s excesses spiraled out of control. He
  became the popularly flamboyant owner of Hong Kong’s
  most fabled race track and a lavish entertainer at the ca-
  sino tables in Macao. Between bestowing gifts and money
  on friends and acquaintances, Ming’s narcotic and sexual
  extravagance and the soft argent glow from his eyes, Ming
  became known as “the Silver Ho.”
  As Ming quickly climbed through the ranks of the Chiu-
  Chao Brotherhood, he bore primary responsibility for in-
  creasing the Brotherhood’s US and European heroin mar-
  kets, a task at which he succeeded quite well. By sending
  his lieutenants around the globe to establish branches and
  make connections with other organized crime figures, Ming
  became Hong Kong’s top heroin trafficker. From this posi-
  tion of eminence, Ming began (at Yeun’s prompting) to build
  the Brotherhood’s position as arbiter between the triads,
  securing the Chiu-Chao Brotherhood’s position of respect-
  ability among its brethren (and tying all of the triads to-
  gether as a more unified whole that would be easier for the
  Heaven Thunder Triad to manage). It was Ming who pur-
  sued the refinement of novas’ M-R nodes and the produc-
  tion of derivative drugs.
  Ming was pleased at the ease with which he slipped
  into life as the leader of the world’s most powerful triad
  (or, unbeknownst to him, as the most powerful pawn of the
  
  ABERRANT
  CHAPTER TWO: HEAVEN THUNDER TRIAD
  42
  world’s most powerful triad). Ming’s special sense of the
  intricate financial possibilities open to the Brotherhood
  made him a natural leader of the triad, and his unusual abil-
  ity to “spark” novas before harvest secured his position as
  the Brotherhood’s silver egg-laying goose.
  Although Ming recognizes the ultimate wisdom in
  Yeun’s suggestions, he is mildly aware that someone else
  pulls Yeun’s strings. Despite this, Ming made the con-
  scious decision to follow Yeun’s prompts for so long as
  they remain profitable.
  Ming spends much of his time “holding court,” an-
  swering questions and giving orders to others. Reports
  suggest that Ming’s sparking of new or possible novas is
  quite perverse and that, depending on his mood and the
  chemicals presently in his system, Ming’s personality
  hovers somewhere between “delicately volatile” and
  “wildly unpredictable.”
  Image
  Image
  Image
  Image
  Image: Exceptionally pretty in a debauched sort of way,
  Ming is used to a prominent and free lifestyle. He’s become
  not only a supporter, but also an active member of the Boy
  Scouts and other charitable social organizations. A popular
  night-life figure in his tailored pin-striped suits, Ming is
  comfortable jet-setting between and partying in nightclubs,
  on yachts and in private mansions on three continents. He
  is used to tables filled with caviar, Hennessey XO brandy
  and Havana cigars, and although he enjoys “surprises,” he
  has been known to shoot or dismember the entertainer
  who’s surprised him a bit too much.
  Roleplaying Hints
  Roleplaying Hints
  Roleplaying Hints
  Roleplaying Hints
  Roleplaying Hints: ViaSoft is nothing. The US gov-
  ernment is nothing. You lead a real organization — one
  with the will to satisfy people’s desires, to control oth-
  ers’ destinies and to buy a nation if necessary. You are
  the Brotherhood’s most important (if not it’s oldest)
  brother, and your plans are paramount. At the same time,
  though, you recognize that Yeun has some very impor-
  tant suggestions. And though you hate feeling emascu-
  lated by accepting Yeun’s ideas, you also see that Yeun’s
  ideas are well orchestrated and backed by enough clout
  to support him. You may be in charge, but you can see
  the limits to your authority, and if it comes down to the
  nut-cutting, you wonder whether Yeun and his true mas-
  ters will define those limits for you or whether you’ll
  show them what limits really mean.
  Gear
  Gear
  Gear
  Gear
  Gear: Ming often carries a whipsword, though, with Yeun
  about, Ming has little concern for his own safety.
  Nature
  Nature
  Nature
  Nature
  Nature: Hedonist
  Allegiance
  Allegiance
  Allegiance
  Allegiance
  Allegiance: Chiu-Chao Brotherhood
  Attributes
  Attributes
  Attributes
  Attributes
  Attributes: Strength 2, Dexterity 2, Stamina 2, Perception
  3, Intelligence 5, Wits 5, Appearance 4, Manipulation 4,
  Charisma 4
  Abilities
  Abilities
  Abilities
  Abilities
  Abilities: Arts 3, Awareness 2, Biz 2, Command 3 (Tactics),
  Drive 2, Endurance 3, Intimidation 3 (Overt Display), Mar-
  tial Arts 1, Rapport 4, Resistance 3, Stealth 1, Style 3
  Backgrounds
  Backgrounds
  Backgrounds
  Backgrounds
  Backgrounds: Backing 5, Followers 5, Influence 4, Re-
  sources 5
  Quantum 5, Quantum Pool 30, Willpower 5, Taint 7 (Aber-
  rant Eyes, Hormonal Imbalance [Rage], Unearthly Beauty)
  Mega-Attributes
  Mega-Attributes
  Mega-Attributes
  Mega-Attributes
  Mega-Attributes: Mega-Intelligence •(Mental Prodigy —
  Financial, Tactical), Mega-Wits—•• (Natural Empath,
  Synergy), Mega-Appearance ••• (First Impression),
  Mega-Manipulation • (Persuader), Mega-Charisma ••
  (Commanding Presence)
  Quantum Powers
  Quantum Powers
  Quantum Powers
  Quantum Powers
  Quantum Powers: Node Spark •••••, Nova Proxy •,
  Psychic Shield ••
  Chun Lao Fut
  Background
  Background
  Background
  Background
  Background: By the time he died, Ho Kai Yeun’s Mas-
  ter Choy was 107 years old; he had lived through a large
  chunk of the Chinese triads’ heyday and had watched while
  the triads began spreading an intricate web of contacts
  throughout the world. Choy had watched while the triads
  solidified their control of the new heroin market and while
  the triads splintered and reformed themselves. Choy wit-
  nessed the prime markets of the triads change from pros-
  titution to heroin to soma, and while he did not particu-
  larly like what he saw, he tolerated it in the name of ad-
  vancing an organization to which he’d dedicated himself
  — Heaven’s Thunder.
  Choy had only one child during his life, Chun Lao Fut,
  AKA Chun Fat, AKA Byron Chun. Chun was an exception-
  ally precocious child, but he possessed tendencies that
  Master Choy simply could not understand. It wasn’t that
  Chun was a bad boy — he was, in fact, quite polite, intelli-
  gent, well mannered and reserved — but Choy sometimes
  thought there was something quite different about Chun.
  Choy loved his son dearly but grew to fear the boy’s
  predilections. Master Choy tried to teach and build his son
  a stable future by training Chun in the positive Baguazheng
  SuWon Chi practices, but as he watched the adolescent boy
  go through the motions, Choy always felt that Chun shaped
  SuWon Chi, rather than being shaped by it. It was for Chun’s
  benefit that Master Choy accepted membership in the Chiu-
  Chao Brotherhood and then in the Heaven Thunder Triad
  — Choy believed that he could watch out for his only child
  only by harnessing the power and capability of the triads.
  Instead, he watched Chun become… something else —
  many other things, in fact.
  Even if Master Choy did not, Heaven Thunder recog-
  nized Chun as a potential nova early in his life, and the boy
  was initiated into the Chiu-Chao Brotherhood at the age of
  11. When he erupted as a nova at the age of 16, Chun was
  quickly separated, though, for fear that he would disturb
  the sze kau.
  Isolated from his peers and the rest of the sze kau,
  Chun grew to be more himself as he slipped further and
  further into the shadows cast by his own reality. Soon, the
  
  ABERRANT
  CHAPTER TWO: HEAVEN THUNDER TRIAD
  43
  boy began to pursue his own agenda, which only sometimes
  matched that of the Heaven Thunder Triad, and despite all
  the eyes and ears at the Triad’s disposal, Chun became able
  to drop out of sight in the space between two breaths. Chun
  became more and more unpredictable but was always able
  to obtain such critical information for the Triad that he was
  allowed to follow the beat of his own drum.
  Image
  Image
  Image
  Image
  Image: Chun may have any image. He’s a shapeshifter,
  so his looks are rather fluid. Generally, he’s about 5’8” tall
  and of roughly the same age as Ho Kai Ming and Ho Kai
  Yeun, with features that are frequently androgynous. Chun
  is outwardly very calm and unnoticeable, and if shaped as a
  human at all, his body will often possess dramatically con-
  trasting male and female attributes.
  Roleplaying Hints
  Roleplaying Hints
  Roleplaying Hints
  Roleplaying Hints
  Roleplaying Hints: You are the Chameleon, and you
  become what you need to be. If it serves you to be the fly
  on the wall, then that is the shape your body naturally takes;
  if a man with valuable information appreciates your femi-
  nine wiles, then those are the features that you’ll enhance
  to get what you want. You, quite literally, are Everyman.
  You may serve Heaven’s Thunder on occasion, or you may
  serve another triad; you may serve the lofty aims of Utopia
  or the unfettered goals of the Teragen. Your concept of
  humans and novas as a single species is quite ennobling and
  well formed in your own mind, but the notion doesn’t nec-
  essarily gel with anyone else’s thoughts about the means by
  which this ideal of equality is to be achieved.
  Gear
  Gear
  Gear
  Gear
  Gear: Shock net, eclipsidol spray, butterfly knife
  Nature
  Nature
  Nature
  Nature
  Nature: Paragon
  Allegiance
  Allegiance
  Allegiance
  Allegiance
  Allegiance: Self
  Attributes
  Attributes
  Attributes
  Attributes
  Attributes: Strength 2, Dexterity 4, Stamina 2, Perception
  4, Intelligence 4, Wits 5, Appearance 3, Manipulation 3,
  Charisma 3
  Abilities
  Abilities
  Abilities
  Abilities
  Abilities: Athletics 2, Endurance 4, Intrusion 5, Percep-
  tion 4, Rapport 3, Resistance 4, Science 2, Shadowing 5,
  Stealth 5
  Backgrounds
  Backgrounds
  Backgrounds
  Backgrounds
  Backgrounds: Dormancy 5, Eufiber 5, Mentor 3, Node 4
  Quantum 5, Quantum Pool 30, Willpower 7, Taint 5 (An-
  drogynous, Unearthly Beauty)
  Mega-Attributes
  Mega-Attributes
  Mega-Attributes
  Mega-Attributes
  Mega-Attributes: Mega-Perception •• (Bloodhound,
  Ultraperipheral Perception), Mega-Wits ••••• (En-
  hanced Initiative)
  Quantum Powers
  Quantum Powers
  Quantum Powers
  Quantum Powers
  Quantum Powers: Healing •••, Homunculus •••,
  Quantum Imprint ••, Shapeshift ••••, Sizemorph
  (Grow) ••, Warp Body ••
  
  THE NAKATO GUMI
  A  B  E  R  R  A  N  T
  A  B  E  R  R  A  N  T
  A  B  E  R  R  A  N  T
  A  B  E  R  R  A  N  T
  A  B  E  R  R  A  N  T
  44
  44
  44
  44
  44
  To: 
  To: 
  To: 
  To: 
  To: Gregor van der Groot, Director, Technological Regulation
  From: 
  From: 
  From: 
  From: 
  From: Pearl Ichizawa, Compliance Analyst
  Re:
  Re:
  Re:
  Re:
  Re: Report on Japanese adherence to Utopian policies re: “blacktech”
  Mr. van der Groot,
  Greetings from Tokyo. I am pleased to report that my trip to Japan has been very informative. I cannot, however, claim
  to feel as pleased with my findings.
  On the face of it, Japan is indeed enforcing Utopia’s moratorium on potentially dangerous technology. No fewer than
  200 arrests were made last year and those items of “blacktech” recovered by the authorities confiscated. Were that the
  end of the story, I would be more than satisfied with the situation. It is not.
  Those 200 arrests represent a fraction of the violations of Utopia policy in Japan, I would estimate around an
  eighth. Furthermore, those individuals who are caught are given ludicrously light sentences: fines of 1,000 yen or a
  night in jail. Worse, confiscated blacktech is often taken by the police for their personal use or, not infrequently, sold
  back to the criminals from whom they just seized it. That’s at the local level. On the national level, I saw evidence of
  similar behavior on the part of more powerful authorities. The Japanese patent office is a noteworthy example. Instead
  of forwarding requests for patents on potentially dangerous items/technologies to Utopia as we’ve repeatedly re-
  quested, officials here treat them as they normally would and grant patents for even the most objectionable items/
  techniques with a nod and a wink, often with a recommendation of where to go to have the item manufactured and
  tested — most often an almost legendary shadow corporation called “Kuro-Tek.” With corruption on this scale per-
  meating every echelon of the Japanese government and law-enforcement establishment, it is hard to see how Utopia
  can prevent the continued manufacture and sale of these items.
  Corruption is not so prevalent in other areas of Japanese law enforcement, which leads me to believe that there are
  factors contributing to this particular phenomenon:
  First, Japan is a fiercely independent nation that treasures its autonomy. Utopia may not have observed the culturally
  appropriate protocols with the proper individuals when establishing the S&T policies, resulting in a sort of national re-
  sentment and the kind of passive-aggressive behaviors I report above.
  Secondly, the relationship in Japan between the yakuza and the common man is not the same as that between orga-
  nized crime and the common man elsewhere. The yakuza are more of an extended family or shadow government. So long
  as they are amiable, generous and well mannered, it is considered polite to allow their illegal activities to proceed unhin-
  dered. This is the dynamic that allows criminal organizations such as the Nakato Gumi not just to thrive, but to gain
  acceptance as national heroes.
  Thirdly, the obvious success of the Saisho revolution grants the Japanese a sense of national satisfaction that is almost
  palpable. The Japanese resentment of the West’s technological superiority stems from two great historical insults: 1) the
  19th century, when the USA forced Japan to open up to the unwanted advances of the West and ended the “golden era” of
  the samurai by introducing guns and 2) World War II, when the USA’s atomic bombing of two of Japan’s cities resulted in
  a serious wounding of the Japanese national spirit. Due to these two incidents, the Japanese are loathe to allow the West to
  get the technological jump on them again, and to the average Japanese, Utopia is a tool of the West, a misperception we
  should take great pains to disabuse them of.
  Personal Memo
  
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  THE NAKATO GUMI
  A  B  E  R  R  A  N  T
  A  B  E  R  R  A  N  T
  A  B  E  R  R  A  N  T
  A  B  E  R  R  A  N  T
  A  B  E  R  R  A  N  T
  Communiqué double-encrypted with Navajo Daedelus 3; dated 11/20/14
  From:
  From:
  From:
  From:
  From: Director Thetis
  Re:
  Re:
  Re:
  Re:
  Re: Operation: Scorpion
  Nyeung:
  You have my approval to proceed with Operation: Scorpion, with a few modifications.
  I agree completely that it’s well past time we brought the Japanese into line with regard to technology regulations.
  There has been more than enough blacktech coming from there. Planting the idea that their own technology may be used
  against them is inspired, but creating another São Paulo is unconscionable. It’s true that nuclear weapons are powerful
  specters in the Japanese psyche, but they are also too connected with foreign powers. There’s no need to swing a hammer
  when a well-placed needle will effectively serve our purposes. This must be a more “domestic” threat, something that
  can’t be so easily misconstrued as the work of foreigners.
  I also want T2M-A/P left out of it. In addition to the unnecessary risk of injuries to Utopia personnel, there’s the
  matter of the Japanese resentment toward T2M and Utopia. If at all possible, use one of their own novas instead, prefer-
  ably a member of Nippontai. Again, we keep the entire matter domestic. Let the outcry against dangerous technology
  grow from within, and let them come to us. Carefully managed, the Japanese people will turn to Utopia for salvation from
  the technological dangers their leaders have created.
  Director Thetis
  While it is one thing to understand their attitudes, it is another thing entirely to condone them. If at all possible, I
  recommend placing increasingly severe UN sanctions on Japan until they begin policing themselves appropriately. If we
  adopt a laissez-faire attitude with regard to Japan, other nations may take note of 1) Japan’s rebelliousness and 2) the fact
  that Utopia is not penalizing Japan for its relaxed approach toward cracking down on blacktech production and distribu-
  tion channels. Were these two things to occur, we will have set a bad precedent, and an awkward situation may metasta-
  size so as to become a problem of global proportions.
  These are, of course, only recommendations. Should you have further questions regarding my findings, feel free to
  contact me at my Singapore address.
  Sincerely,
  Pearl Ichizawa
  Compliance Analyst
  Hardtech Branch
  Science & Technology Division
  Project Utopia
  Private Communiqué
  
  46
  H O M E
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  fun N! games
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  f i n d !
  the news
  N! The News (01/07/15)
  No Clues in Attempted Terrorist Attack
  OSAKA, JAPAN — Japanese authorities have stated that,
  while they are pursing leads in a narrowly averted terrorist
  incident in Osaka, they have little hope of uncovering the
  perpetrators thanks to the advanced technology they used
  to carry out the crime. Osaka Prefecture police say that an
  attempt to introduce a fatal neurotoxin into the city’s water
  supply wasn’t carried out by a human criminal, or even by
  a nova, but by an incredibly small robot.
  Police recovered part of the robot, an insect-shaped device
  fitting into the palm of the hand and packing enough
  poison to kill tens of thousands of people in the city,
  should it have reached its target. Only the intervention of
  Denshi, a member of Nippontai, prevented it from doing
  so. He happened to be visiting the water-treatment plant
  following up on a potentially related incident.
  “There was an illegal access of the treatment plant’s com-
  puter system,” Denshi told members of the press. “I was
  attempting to track it down when I detected the presence
  of the robot. It slipped past all of the plant’s other security
  measures. If I hadn’t been there, I don’t know that anyone
  would have detected it before it was too late.”
  Denshi’s nova abilities allowed him to disable the robot
  but not before a self-destruct device eliminated most of the
  evidence. Police have stated that elements of the robot’s
  construction, along with the neurotoxin it carried, are on
  Project Utopia’s list of prohibited and dangerous technolo-
  gies. Disturbingly, both technologies were developed by
  Japanese firms before they were banned. Other than that,
  however, police have no leads on the source of the robot or
  who sent it into the purification plant.
  “This incident helps make clear the importance of the work
  we do,” said Project Utopia representative Jay Hidaki. “If
  every nation and company helped us to regulate this sort
  of dangerous technology, we could ensure that these sorts
  of things wouldn’t happen.”
  
  47
  Mr. Aarneson,
  I’m deeply pleased to announce publication of the newest Kuro-Tek catalog. As you well
  know, Kuro-Tek provides only the finest in contraband technology. Whatever Utopia hopes to
  deny you, Kuro-Tek puts in your hands.
  Our Research & Development team goes to extreme lengths to recover research and de-
  signs suppressed or stolen by Utopia; it then scours the globe to recruit the brightest minds
  stifled by Utopian policies and provides them with the highest quality materials and research
  facilities in Japan. The results of this ambitious R&D program are the stuff of legend (and news
  coverage). No other organization provides you with more useful, reliable and effective technol-
  ogy than Kuro-Tek. It is our great pleasure to provide you with the most advanced technological
  innovations in all fields, ranging from military-grade hardware and electronics to the latest soft-
  ware and biotechnology. We challenge you to
  find better technology anywhere else. If you
  do, contact us, and we’ll add it to our catalog!
  You have now been a stalwart Kuro-Tek
  customer for over three years, and we have
  taken the liberty of listing just a few of the
  highlights from the new catalog that we be-
  lieve you may find useful based on your past
  purchase profile:
  KTA-327 Dangard Armored Warrior
  Armored warriors rule the battlefield once
  more with the introduction of the Dangard se-
  ries of armored combat robots. Standing 2.5
  meters tall, the Dangard unit carries the arma-
  ment of a medium tank or armored personnel
  carrier in a more compact (and considerably
  more agile) package. The Dangard’s human-
  oid configuration and built-in gyrostabilizers
  allow it to move through any sort of terrain, and
  its short-range jump jets let it leap over ob-
  stacles with a single bound. The unit’s armored
  hull is capable of withstanding sustained heavy
  weapons fire and even nova powers, and it
  packs an array of weaponry, including a 30mm
  rotary cannon, portable laser and grenade
  launcher. More importantly, the Dangard has a
  complete sensor package (including radar and
  Catalog               Home               Special Deals               Downloads               Contact Us
  
  48
  IR scan, plus additional optional sensor modules), making it suitable for surveillance and recon-
  naissance missions. The onboard computer can be programmed to follow complex mission
  parameters, or the unit can be controlled directly using telepresence VR technology that allows
  the pilot to directly experience things from the unit’s point of view, without any direct risk! After
  the first appearance of these armored giants in Cambodia, demand has increased sharply, so
  order now!
  KTA-785 Scorpion Glass (AYOR)
  The ultimate assassination tool! This highly toxic synthetic polymer is as transparent as
  glass and three times as fragile. When broken, scorpion glass shatters into a thousand tiny
  splinters that lodge beneath the skin, where they dissolve into the bloodstream. Best of all,
  scorpion glass incorporates an anesthetic into the toxin, preventing the target from feeling the
  splinters and knowing he’s been compromised. As little as 18 mg (about 4 well-lodged splin-
  ters) is enough to kill a small man within four hours. Available in whatever shape you request.
  Degrades into harmless components after two days in the presence of oxygen.
  Handle with care.
  KTD-226
  Sonic Grenade
  Emitting extremely powerful vibrations in both the infra-
  and ultrasonic ranges, the sonic grenade pulverizes stone,
  concrete, glass, ceramic and living bone. Quite messy. Ex-
  cellent for demolitions or situations where examples must be
  made. Available in slow- or fast-effect models.
  KTN-339  Ranged Trans-Cranial Magnetic Disrupter
  (AYOR)
  Three decades ago, trans-cranial magnetic stimulation
  was nothing but a research tool. Kuro-Tek has updated this
  tool with new developments in mag-tech and now offers the
  latest 
  in
  r a n g e d
  thought disruption. The ranged trans-cranial
  magnetic disrupter sends an invisible beam of
  concentrated magnetic energy through the skull
  and into the brain, where it disrupts neural func-
  tion. Depending on your accuracy, results rang-
  ing from perceptual hallucinations to induced
  seizures and death may be achieved.
  Excellent for discrediting speakers unsym-
  pathetic to your cause!
  Magnetic fields around RT-CMD cannot be
  masked. May destroy mag-sensitive devices.
  Prone to overheating after more than 10 min-
  utes of continuous use.
  KTV-779 Virtual Reality Conditioning
  Package
  Based on state of the art software and neurolingustic programming developments, this com-
  pact system provides everything you need for interrogation and mental conditioning in a single
  carrying unit the size of a briefcase. It includes a powerful notebook system to monitor and
  control the conditioning process, selecting from numerous pre-designed “themes” to suit your
  individual subject. Conditioning is swift and effective even on the most difficult subjects, and the
  customizable program options increase efficiency when additional subject data is entered.
  
  49
  KTZ-99X Eclipsidol (Slite)(AYOR)
  We at Kuro-Tek are sympathetic to the fact
  that one meddling nova can ruin your entire
  operation, that’s why we dedicated vast re-
  sources to obtaining eclipsidol (known on the
  street as “slite”). By forcing a nova’s M-R node
  into high gear, eclipsidol causes him to expend
  the entirety of his nova power in one exceed-
  ingly painful instantaneous supernova flash,
  leaving him relatively vulnerable for several
  minutes. Extremely effective against armored,
  flying and wall-crawling individuals.
  Although the results can be spectacular,
  eclipsidol is contraindicated for use against
  novas with electromagnetic, pyrokinetic, men-
  tal blast or disintegration powers.
  Use at a safe distance.
  Eclipsidol comes in spray, intramuscular
  dart, micro-patch and suppository form.
  All of our items are rigorously tested for
  user-safety; those that do not pass our safety
  tests are clearly labeled AYOR (At Your Own
  Risk), and an explanation is provided on the
  potential hazards associated with the use of
  that particular item. We believe that every Kuro-Tek consumer should be an informed con-
  sumer and trust that our customers will have enough sense to judge for themselves how best to
  use a particular item.
  Please use Kuro-Tek devices responsibly. Uses of Kuro-Tek devices that needlessly endan-
  ger innocent lives will be looked upon with great displeasure.
  Should you wish to receive the new Kuro-Tek catalog in its entirety, please contact us via
  OpNet, provide us with your password and your current whereabouts, and a courier will deliver
  your new catalog chip within 24 hours.
  Thank you for your business, and best of luck in all your honorable endeavors.
  Most Sincerely,
  Tatsuhiko Sawada
  Catalog               Home               Special Deals               Downloads               Contact Us
  
  THE NAKATO GUMI
  A  B  E  R  R  A  N  T
  A  B  E  R  R  A  N  T
  A  B  E  R  R  A  N  T
  A  B  E  R  R  A  N  T
  A  B  E  R  R  A  N  T
  50
  50
  50
  50
  50
  From the OpNet program “Gumi Nova Tragic,” aired 02/24/15
  From the OpNet program “Gumi Nova Tragic,” aired 02/24/15
  From the OpNet program “Gumi Nova Tragic,” aired 02/24/15
  From the OpNet program “Gumi Nova Tragic,” aired 02/24/15
  From the OpNet program “Gumi Nova Tragic,” aired 02/24/15
  Kenshi:
  Kenshi:
  Kenshi:
  Kenshi:
  Kenshi: So, it has come to this. I told you one day we would face each other again and that I would reclaim our family’s
  honor, over your dead body, if necessary.
  Ryu:
  Ryu:
  Ryu:
  Ryu:
  Ryu: Don’t fool yourself, Kenshi! I am our family’s honor because I follow the commands of my oyabun, regardless of
  the cost. You are the one who has abandoned our family honor by taking up with Project Utopia! You have sold out every-
  thing you had to do what you wanted, regardless of the consequences. Now, you leave me no choice.
  Ichiko:
  Ichiko:
  Ichiko:
  Ichiko:
  Ichiko: Ryu, no!
  Ryu:
  Stay back, Ichiko! I don’t want you hurt, but this struggle between us must end in blood, Kenshi’s… or mine.
  Kenshi:
  Kenshi:
  Kenshi:
  Kenshi:
  Kenshi: Don’t worry, Ichiko. I won’t let him hurt you. I’ll take you where you’ll be safe.
  Ichiko:
  Ichiko:
  Ichiko:
  Ichiko:
  Ichiko: (crying) Ryu, Kenshi, please… don’t do this!
  Kenshi:
  Kenshi:
  Kenshi:
  Kenshi:
  Kenshi: He is a criminal! He defies the laws of Project Utopia! He insults everything that I believe in! I have to stop him.
  This has to end now!
  Ryu:
  Ryu:
  Ryu:
  Ryu:
  Ryu: Then come, brother, and let there be an ending between us.
  Voicemail Message
  From a voicemail to Kua Oatari, DeVries nova placement specialist:
  Kua, it’s Derrick. Jon and Tamra are... are dead, and we’re talking capital D here. I haven’t seen Solveig since they
  ambushed us in Kyoto. And I’m bleeding like a stuck pig because they… hit me with a dart full of… industrial strength
  anticoagulant. You need to let me know… and now… what it takes to get out of that damned contract. I hereby do… what-
  ever the fuck it takes to get out of… my fucking contract with you. I’ll gladly repay every last… cent of your money in full,
  with interest if you want, but it’s becoming… way clear that I’m… that the four of us were in over our heads. The four of us
  were. We had no idea what you were… sending us in to do, an oversight you and I will… talk about later, I might add. After
  we took out that Kuro-Tek facility in Kobe, they got really… pissed off, and we’ve been getting slammed ever since. They
  have tech that can do things to the human body that I didn’t even know could be done. Now, I know. I’ve seen it.
  You want to say that we were too green to go after Kuro? Fine. Mea fucking culpa already. But I’m done. I’ve seen three
  friends die, and I’m done with this shit. You can go… find some other fools to go after Kuro-Tek.
  Fuck. I feel them getting close again. I have to… have to go.
  OpNet Program Excerpt
  
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  THE NAKATO GUMI
  A  B  E  R  R  A  N  T
  A  B  E  R  R  A  N  T
  A  B  E  R  R  A  N  T
  A  B  E  R  R  A  N  T
  A  B  E  R  R  A  N  T
  04/12/15
  Kyle,
  I know you can handle this job without any problems, provided that you take the
  time to do your homework and prepare properly. That’s what I’m around to help you do,
  so don’t make the mistake of thinking that your powers, or your previous successful
  jobs, mean you can waltz through this one. We’ve had some regrettable outcomes in the
  past when we’ve gone to Japan, and I don’t want a repeat of any of those missions. This
  is the big time, but I know that you’re ready for it. I’m just going to hit the high points
  here, with links to the vital parts of the briefing files. Go over them carefully. We want
  the Nakato Gumi to know exactly who hit them — but not until you’re well out of reach.
  All right, the first thing is a little Yakuza 101. I expect you to read through the detailed information we’ve prepared, but
  I’ll hit the high points for you. Keep these things in mind and you’ll do okay.
  First, the Nakato Gumi isn’t like the versions of the yakuza you see on the OpNet or in the manga. It’s a modern
  organization, as ruthless as they come, and it’s got the best high-tech toys to play with. Kuro-Tek sees to that, so you can
  count on its men being well armed. Remember, these guys supply the Directive with its equipment. You can bet they keep
  some of the very best stuff to themselves. That tech isn’t just weapons, either. The yakuza has access to quantum detec-
  tors and shit like eclipsidol, which can really mess up your node. Don’t get cocky dealing with these guys, or you’re dead.
  Second, we know the Nakato Gumi has novas working for it, not many, but then, it doesn’t take more than one to ruin
  your day. I’ve attached the bio on Takako Orinama. She’s fast, tough and at least as good a fighter as Jake Korelli is, if not
  better. Don’t go up against her or any other Nakato novas, understand? Your best asset is your ability to get away from
  them, so use it. Watch out for novas who might detect you.
  You’re going to have to operate in Japan to make contact with our inside man. Study the Japanese primer carefully.
  You’re never going to learn enough to completely understand things, but you can get an idea of what you’re getting into.
  Remember two things. One, the Japanese don’t much like gaijin these days, and two, a lot of Japanese think of members of
  the yakuza as some kind of folk heroes. They’re sticking it to Utopia by selling blacktech and standing up for Japan’s rights.
  Hell, there are plenty of places in Japan where the yakuza operate pretty much openly. Don’t count on any help from the
  locals, and assume anyone could be a yakuza informant.
  Next is the layout of the Kuro-Tek facility. The information is as good as our surveillance and my photographic memory
  can make it, but it’s not foolproof. You’re going to want to do some recon of your own before you ’port in there. Odds are
  good they’ve got the best scanners and alarm systems around. Do your best to get around them, but plan on setting
  something off when you get inside. You’re going to have to work fast. Make sure you go over the technology profile of the
  target so you can pick it out in two seconds in the dark in the middle of a firefight because that may be the only chance
  you’ve got.
  I can hear you thinking right now, “Jeez, Jeffries, thanks for making this sound so easy.” Well, if I’m making it sound
  tough, that’s because I know that it is. I’ve dealt with the yakuza before, kid, and trust me, this ain’t no cakewalk. But you’re
  good at your job. After all, you were trained by the very best, right? Play it by the numbers, and it’ll go fine. I’ll buy you a
  brew when I see you back in Pretoria.
  Good luck,
  Jeffries
  DeVries Briefing Letter
  
  THE NAKATO GUMI
  A  B  E  R  R  A  N  T
  A  B  E  R  R  A  N  T
  A  B  E  R  R  A  N  T
  A  B  E  R  R  A  N  T
  A  B  E  R  R  A  N  T
  52
  52
  52
  52
  52
  Amount:
  Amount:
  Amount:
  Amount:
  Amount: ¥756,000,000
  Paid to:
  Paid to:
  Paid to:
  Paid to:
  Paid to: Matsushida Corporation
  For:
  For:
  For:
  For:
  For: Servomotors
  Amount:
  Amount:
  Amount:
  Amount:
  Amount: ¥50,000,000
  Paid to:
  Paid to:
  Paid to:
  Paid to:
  Paid to: Kaneka Umi (Minister of Information)
  For:
  For:
  For:
  For:
  For: Gift
  Amount:
  Amount:
  Amount:
  Amount:
  Amount: ¥1,800,000
  Paid to:
  Paid to:
  Paid to:
  Paid to:
  Paid to: Acme Products, Inc.
  For:
  For:
  For:
  For:
  For: “Toys”
  Amount: 
  Amount: 
  Amount: 
  Amount: 
  Amount: ¥4,870,300
  Paid to:
  Paid to:
  Paid to:
  Paid to:
  Paid to: Kyoto Pharmaceuticals
  For:
  For:
  For:
  For:
  For: Mite
  From a speech given to the Kyoto staff, August 6, 2014, by Yoshiro
  Nakamura, President and CEO of Kuro-Tek:
  ...since the New Beginning in 1999, Japan has been rebounding from our terrible shame. Once again, Japan has lead-
  ers. We find reliable spiritual leadership in the august personage of Bodhisattva Masato. We find competent governmental
  leadership in the likes of Kaneka Umi, Minister of Information. And most of all, we find technological leadership in the form
  of Kuro-Tek. Now that Japan is no longer lost, we must show the rest of the world. Japan has regained its position as a
  world leader in technology, and we must now guide the world away from its domination by the Utopia Project.
  I started Kuro-Tek on this day 14 years ago to supply what I then thought was a relatively small and specialized market
  niche. By following what was most Japanese in myself, I was able to build a company that is not technically allowed to exist
  in the world today. It is now among the most innovative corporations in existence, and I — and Japan — owe that to you.
  We owe it to Mariko Yamashiro, Takako Orinama and Genji Tadashi, our three lovely nova protectors, and Akinori Kasai,
  our noble enforcer, who time and time again have used their abilities combined with our tools to devastating effect against
  the Utopia gaijin who seek to undermine our freedom to think, engineer, create and do business. I owe it to Yamazaki
  Kiyoshi, our incomparable leader of R&D, who repeatedly turns the hints and whispers of theory into useful technology,
  and I owe it to all of you, the analysts, managers, assistants and engineers gathered from a score of nations. Without you,
  Kuro-Tek would not be the resounding success that it is today, and to you, I give my most sincere gratitude.
  Amount:
  Amount:
  Amount:
  Amount:
  Amount: ¥100,000,000
  Paid to:
  Paid to:
  Paid to:
  Paid to:
  Paid to: Masahiro Odashu (Chairman, Nippontai)
  For:
  For:
  For:
  For:
  For: Gift
  Amount: 
  Amount: 
  Amount: 
  Amount: 
  Amount: ¥900,000
  Paid to:
  Paid to:
  Paid to:
  Paid to:
  Paid to: Admiral Medical Suppliers
  For:
  For:
  For:
  For:
  For: Canulas, syringes, misc. equipment
  Amount:
  Amount:
  Amount:
  Amount:
  Amount: ¥900,000
  Paid to:
  Paid to:
  Paid to:
  Paid to:
  Paid to: Takako Ozawa
  For:
  For:
  For:
  For:
  For: Daughter’s medical expenses (Gift)
  Amount:
  Amount:
  Amount:
  Amount:
  Amount: ¥28,000,000
  Paid to:
  Paid to:
  Paid to:
  Paid to:
  Paid to: Nippon Radiologic
  For:
  For:
  For:
  For:
  For: Radioisotopes (Strontium, Cesium, Barium)
  Internal Audit
  Speech Excerpt
  
  ABERRANT
  CHAPTER THREE: THE NAKATO GUMI
  53
  History
  Although its history is not as long as that of the triads, the
  yakuza has been present in Japanese society for hundreds of
  years, and it is quite proud of its historical traditions.
  Origins
  The origins of the yakuza are somewhat uncertain. It is
  believed to have developed from gangs of organized crimi-
  nals in the 17th or 18th century in Japan. The yakuza mem-
  bers believe their predecessors were machi-yakko, or “ser-
  vants of the town,” hired mercenaries who protected towns
  and villages from the depredations of raiders and criminal
  ronin, or masterless samurai, in the 1600s. The machi-yakko
  hold an almost Robin Hood-like reputation among the Japa-
  nese, outlaws who defended the common people from the
  harsh punishment of the nobility. The modern yakuza par-
  take of some of that reputation.
  Modern scholars, on the other hand, believe the yakuza
  developed from two different criminal gangs in Japan in
  the 18th century. The first, the tekiya, were unscrupulous
  merchants known for cheating customers, bullying other
  merchants (an early form of the protection racket), cor-
  rupting local officials, and similar crimes. The other group,
  the bakuto, was made up of organized gamblers, running
  illegal games of chance and other vice operations, prima-
  rily along Japan’s road network. In fact, the name “yakuza”
  comes from the card game hanafuda, played by the bakuto.
  The worst possible hand in hanafuda is an eight, a nine and
  a three, or “ya-ku-za” in Japanese. The yakuza wore this
  expression of uselessness as a badge of honor.
  From an alliance of the two sorts of criminals came the
  organization of yakuza gumi, or clans, based around mutual
  self-interest and loyalty to a “father-figure” known as an
  oyabun. The yakuza prospered behind the scenes in Japan,
  growing steadily in power and influence as Japan was forced
  to open its shores to the Western world.
  Modern History
  Throughout the late 19th and early 20th century, the
  yakuza became more and more firmly entrenched in Japa-
  nese society. Yakuza bosses also become more involved in
  politics, supporting Japanese nationalism and imperialism.
  The yakuza was supposedly broken by the American mili-
  tary following V-J Day, but in truth, the environment of post-
  war Japan allowed the yakuza to go underground and begin
  to modernize. It found numerous opportunities for a new
  black market.
  As Japan moved into the modern age, the yakuza moved
  with it, finding new “business opportunities” along the way.
  The yakuza added a third type of gangster, the gurentai, or
  “hoodlum,” to its ranks. Guns replaced swords as the
  weapon of choice, and younger yakuza adopted much of
  the style of the American Mafia (or at least what they knew
  of it from American movies and fiction). A sharp suit, a big
  car and a gun became symbols of the new yakuza.
  The booming Japanese economy of the 1980s put bil-
  lions of dollars into the yakuza’s coffers. The yakuza main-
  tained close ties with the Japanese government and Japa-
  nese businesses. Eventually, police began efforts to root
  out the yakuza, but its influence was so widespread that
  they rarely did more than scratch the surface of its opera-
  tions. Yakuza were forced to operate a bit less publicly but
  still went about their business.
  The 1990s saw a decline for the yakuza, along with the
  Japanese economy. The downturn affected yakuza profits
  and collapsed a number of smaller gangs. But the yakuza
  persevered in the face of adversity and did their best to
  adapt to the changing times. Japanese authorities cracked
  down even harder on yakuza operations, and accusations
  of political corruption brought more attention to the yakuza
  than they wanted.
  The Nova Age
  At first, the Nova Age brought nothing but trouble for
  Japan and the yakuza. The Moscow Crash in 1999 led to a
  global financial crisis that nearly collapsed Japan’s teeter-
  ing economy. Thousands of sararimen (“salary men,” cor-
  porate employees) committed seppuku over the shame of
  their financial losses. Businesses folded left and right. One
  of the casualties of the sudden recession was the Yamaguchi
  Gumi, Japan’s most powerful and influential yakuza gang,
  dragged down by its ties with failing companies and torn
  apart in a massive gang war with its largest rivals.
  Japan found hope in the abilities of novas, appearing
  more and more commonly. The Japanese government, in
  cooperation with the nation’s major corporations, an-
  nounced Saisho, “the New Beginning.” The government
  offered subsidies to corporations to hire nova employees.
  With the aid of nova advisors and nova-developed tech-
  nologies, Japan began rebuilding its battered economy. Part
  of the support for Saisho came from an unusual source, a
  yakuza gang called the Nakato Gumi, which helped provide
  money and convince key political officials of the plan (with
  the assistance of a nova of their own, Akinori Kasai, also
  known as Kuroi Kiri, or “Black Mist”).
  The success of Saisho put the Nakato Gumi in the
  number one spot among the yakuza, giving the Nakato
  considerable influence with both the government and the
  major corporations of Japan. Like yakuza before them,
  the Nakato encouraged nationalism and isolationism in
  Japan to help secure their power. While Team Tomor-
  row was rounding up gangsters in North America, with
  plans to move on to Europe and South America, the
  Nakato Gumi fortified its stronghold against the coming
  storm. Sooner or later, they knew Project Utopia would
  turn its attention toward Japan.
  
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  54
  The yakuza invested heavily in Saisho, particularly by
  investing in the Kuro-Tek corporation, one of many com-
  panies investing in high-tech research by novas. Kuro-Tek
  provided a front for Nakato operations in Japan and abroad.
  The Nakato Gumi also quietly supported the creation of
  Nippontai, Japan’s own national nova team to compete with
  Team Tomorrow, and arranged for Nippontai to wage its
  own war on Nakato’s competitors, winnowing out the ranks
  of the yakuza in Japan.
  By the time Project Utopia turned its attention to the
  matter of organized crime in Japan, it received a polite re-
  sponse from the Japanese government of “thank you, but
  we have no organized crime in Japan,” along with records
  of yakuza arrests by Nippontai. The Nakato Gumi contin-
  ued to operate quietly behind the scenes, and most of the
  remaining yakuza in Japan were either brought under the
  Nakato banner or dealt with by Japanese authorities, in-
  cluding Nippontai.
  Utopia didn’t take note of the Nakato Gumi again until
  the United Nations granted Utopia’s Science & Technol-
  ogy Division authority over the development of new tech-
  nologies. With their success built on the work of novas, the
  Japanese corporations complained bitterly about the deci-
  sion. The Nakato Gumi turned the decision into a new op-
  portunity, since it created an even greater black market
  for technology Utopia had declared illegal. However, it also
  gave Utopia the means to directly intervene against tech-
  smugglers such as Kuro-Tek, and the struggle between the
  two truly began.
  Project Utopia has done everything in its power to stem
  the flow of illegal and dangerous technologies coming from
  Japan (and other areas influenced by the Nakato Gumi).
  But Utopia is continually hampered by endless red tape from
  the Japanese government, uncooperative corporations and
  a disdainful Japanese public that sees Utopia’s “help” as
  unwanted Western interference and a deliberate effort to
  curb Japan’s success in the world market. In the Japanese
  view, now that’s it clear Saisho is a success, the rest of the
  world is ganging up on them (via Utopia) to shut it down.
  The Nakato Gumi, for its part, continues to operate
  successfully in Japan and is expanding its operations into
  the vacuum left by the collapse of other syndicates. The
  Nakato holds the strings of the Japanese government and
  the major corporations, and its willingness to provide ille-
  gal technology for a price has earned them a great many
  favors around the world. The Nakato has become very much
  a fixture of the Nova Age, and it has every intention of prof-
  iting from it.
  Organization
  The Nakato Gumi maintains many yakuza traditions,
  among them the organization of its syndicate, built along
  time-honored lines.
  
  ABERRANT
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  55
  The Oyabun-Kobun Relationship
  The foundation of the yakuza structure is the oyabun-
  kobun or “father-role/child-role” relationship. The oyabun,
  leader of a yakuza gang, is seen as a father figure to the
  kobun. The oyabun “adopts” the kobun (usually a younger
  man) into the yakuza family. This happens in a ritual called
  sakazuki, or the “cup ceremony,” where the oyabun and
  the new kobun formally drink sake together to seal their
  relationship. Although the sakazuki became quite informal
  in the late 20th century, the Nakato Gumi has restored many
  of the formal, Shinto-style elements of the ceremony.
  It is the oyabun’s duty to look after his kobun, pro-
  viding them with a place to live, food to eat and other
  essentials, as well as work within the yakuza. In exchange,
  the kobun offer their oyabun complete obedience and loy-
  alty. The kobun are expected to carry out the oyabun’s
  orders without question. Loyal and experienced kobun
  even learn to anticipate their oyabun’s desires from read-
  ing the smallest gesture or inflection, acting without even
  having to be asked. Kobun are also expected to shield their
  oyabun from all forms of harm, including persecution by
  the authorities. If the oyabun is accused of a crime, a kobun
  is expected to confess to it and serve a jail sentence as
  part of his duty. In fact, yakuza are often considered
  “green” and inexperienced unless they’ve spent at least
  some time in prison.
  The oyabun is also expected to encourage his kobun to
  improve their lot in life, as a good father should. Kobun are
  helped to establish businesses of their own and, eventually,
  their own gangs where they take kobun of their own but
  remain loyal to their oyabun. This is how the organization
  grows and prospers.
  The Gumi
  The gumi is an entire yakuza gang, often translated as
  a “family” or “association.” It is led by an oyabun and set
  up in a hierarchy that extends from the oyabun down to the
  humblest “soldier” on the streets. There is a strict chain of
  command within the gumi.
  Yakuza also organize into rengo, basically a federation
  of multiple gumi or gangs, with all of their oyabun as equal
  partners. This arrangement has fallen out of favor in 21st-
  century Japan because of the unchallenged supremacy of
  the Nakato Gumi. Efforts to create a rengo among smaller
  gangs to oppose the Nakato have always met with failure,
  often because authorities were alerted to the effort and
  ensured the new “yakuza alliance” was broken up before it
  could even begin.
  The oyabun is supreme leader of the gumi, in complete
  control of its operations and personnel. The oyabun of a gumi
  is often referred to as kaicho (“chairman”) or sometimes
  kumicho (“supreme chief”). Generally, the oyabun is insu-
  lated from the business of the gumi. None of its operations
  can be traced directly to him, and multiple “fall guys” are set
  up along the way, willing to accept responsibility (and pun-
  ishment) to keep the oyabun’s reputation spotless.
  The oyabun’s second-in-command, the wakagashira or
  “young leader,” handles the day-to-day business of the
  gumi. He is the head of the Sauko-kanbu-kai, the Supreme
  Staff Council, a group of 12 of the gumi’s leading bosses
  that make up a kind of “board of directors” for the gang.
  Below them is the kambu atsukai (“executive”), who is akin
  to the president of a company and answers directly to the
  Supreme Council. It is the kambu atsukai who is the “pub-
  lic” leader of the gumi, with everyone above him screened
  from complicity.
  The executive commands the gumi’s “young men,”
  or wakashu, each the leader of a smaller gang of kobun
  loyal to him. The wakashu are, in turn, loyal to their su-
  periors and so on up the ladder. The kobun form the
  “street” level of the yakuza and carry out most of the
  gang’s actual operations.
  The territory controlled by a gumi’s members is called
  a nawabari, literally a “roped-off area,” a reference to the
  building of castle walls in medieval Japan. Originally, hun-
  dreds of gumi divided territory up between them, but in
  2015, the Nakato Gumi’s hold over Japan’s underworld is
  virtually uncontested, and its territory vastly outclasses that
  of any other yakuza gumi.
  Culture and Traditions
  The yakuza is an organization devoted to its traditions
  and ways of doing things. The yakuza traditions have been
  reinforced within the Nakato Gumi, both because Nakamura-
  sama believes strongly in them and because they are useful
  for dealing with some of the realities of 2015 life.
  The Yakuza Code
  The yakuza operates by an unwritten code of behavior
  that its members take quite seriously. Failure to follow
  yakuza codes of conduct results in punishment for the of-
  fender as his superior sees fit. This code can be summed
  up in three concepts: jinji, giri and ninjo.
  Jinji is the respect for one’s superiors found through-
  out Japanese culture. It has led to a complex set of social
  rules for interacting with other people and showing proper
  deference and respect. It relates to things such as how
  deeply to bow when meeting people, how to address them,
  how to hand them your business card and nearly every other
  nuance of social interaction. Yakuza expect to be treated in
  a manner befitting their station, particularly by their un-
  derlings. However, yakuza also understand that they are in
  many ways outcasts from Japanese society, a fact they are
  perversely proud of. They know they will not always re-
  ceive the respect that is their due, but they pride them-
  selves on conducting themselves properly despite this.
  
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  Giri is usually translated as “duty” or “obligation.” It is
  the loyalty and honor of the yakuza, particularly regarding
  the oyabun-kobun relationship. Ties of duty and honor bind
  the yakuza together, and they must be upheld. It is giri that
  leads a kobun to obey his oyabun and even go to prison for
  him. It is also giri that leads an oyabun to look after his
  kobun and their interests. Honor must be upheld, whatever
  the cost.
  Part of that honor includes things such as keeping the
  yakuza’s secrets, acting properly toward other yakuza and
  their families, not becoming personally involved with things
  such as drugs and never betraying the yakuza to the police
  or going to them for anything when it can be handled within
  the organization.
  Ninjo is compassion, empathy and understanding of the
  needs of others. Many find it a curious trait for gangsters
  to value, but yakuza (and Japanese people in general) con-
  sider it important. Ninjo takes the needs of others into ac-
  count and seeks to do the right thing. Oftentimes, giri and
  ninjo are in conflict, leading to the tragic situation of hav-
  ing to choose between duty and conscience.
  Citizens Under the Sun
  Part of the expression of ninjo is in how the yakuza
  deal with outsiders, who they call katagi no shu (or simply
  katagi), “citizens under the sun.” These are people who are
  not yakuza or involved in yakuza business. The code re-
  quires they be treated properly and left alone by the yakuza.
  For example, an old tradition requires yakuza to walk on
  the shady side of the street so that others can walk in the
  pleasant warmth of the sun (which is where the expression
  katagi no shu comes from). Innocent people should be left
  out of yakuza business whenever possible.
  Although this tradition is nowhere nearly as strong as
  it once was (if it ever was outside of yakuza myth), it is still
  influential. The Nakato Gumi takes care to ensure, for ex-
  ample, that “freelance” criminals are not tolerated in Ja-
  pan. Threats to public safety are often handled by the yakuza
  before they even reach the attention of police, part of
  Japan’s image as a “crime free society.” The yakuza oper-
  ate behind the scenes whenever possible, and there is a
  mutual, unspoken agreement where the citizens ignore the
  yakuza’s activities. As the expression goes, “There is no
  gunplay in Japan, even when there is.”
  A noteworthy exception to the rule of katagi no shu
  applies to the business world and government authorities.
  These spheres where the yakuza operates are considered
  “fair game,” and the yakuza uses whatever means are nec-
  essary to ensure success in its business endeavors. For the
  yakuza, the traditionally male-dominated areas of Japanese
  life are the new battlefields where the yakuza win their suc-
  cess. Assaulting a businessman’s wife and family is not
  proper according to the yakuza code, but they see nothing
  wrong with blackmailing him, ruining his career or even kill-
  ing him outright if it furthers their goals.
  Irezumi
  A yakuza tradition well known in the West is irezumi,
  or tattooing. Yakuza members traditionally get tattoos not
  long after they join the organization, and the tattoos be-
  come more and more elaborate over time. Most yakuza get
  their tattoos using modern electric needles and dyes rather
  than the traditional wooden or bone needles. The tradi-
  tional process of tattooing is both long and painful, consid-
  ered a test of endurance and willpower among the yakuza
  — and also a great honor, since traditional tattoo artists
  are increasingly rare.
  Yakuza tattoos are elaborate designs incorporating
  Japanese symbols such as waves, fish, flowers, trees and
  legendary creatures such as dragons. They often have
  mythic motifs involving legendary heroes. Traditionally, the
  tattoos are not visible when the yakuza is fully dressed,
  ending above the elbow and below the collar line, although
  they may cover nearly every other part of the yakuza’s body.
  In a society with public steam rooms and baths, yakuza tat-
  toos still mark their wearer as a member of the organiza-
  tion, showing that people join the yakuza for life.
  Yabitsume
  Yabitsume, or “finger cutting,” is another well-known
  yakuza tradition. It is a method of punishing infractions too
  minor to warrant expulsion or execution. The yakuza is given
  a small ritual knife and is expected to cut off part of one of
  his fingers, beginning with the pinkie. The seriousness of the
  offense determines whether the kobun cuts the first, second
  or third joint of the finger, which is offered up to the oyabun
  by way of apology. Bearing the punishment stoically is con-
  sidered a mark of honor. Some oyabun preserve the severed
  digits in alcohol as signs of their followers’ devotion.
  Traditionally, yabitsume begins with the right hand, the
  “sword” hand, although either hand is used in modern prac-
  tice. It’s still quite common among yakuza, and many of them
  are missing at least the tip of the pinkie, a known means of
  recognizing a yakuza. Yakuza who still have all their fingers are
  either inexperienced or men to be reckoned with, since they’ve
  never made a mistake serious enough to offend their oyabun.
  Operations
  The Nakato Gumi is a multi-billion dollar operation, with
  interests in nearly every sort of underworld commerce,
  ranging from simple moneymaking scams to vice to devel-
  oping and selling illegal technology. Generally, the lowest
  ranks of the yakuza deal with the simplest and most straight-
  forward means of making money, while the upper echelons
  of the organization are involved in more complex activities,
  with a worldwide scope.
  
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  57
  yakuza are expected to sell themselves for sex. The yakuza
  don’t consider this dishonorable or ignoble, either. A woman
  who becomes a prostitute is simply using what she has to
  make money.
  It’s not unusual for a sarariman with the means to sup-
  port a mistress, and he often finds her through the yakuza.
  Yakuza also often become involved with these women, and
  more than a few marry them. Most of the prostitutes work-
  ing for the yakuza are foreigners, either women of Korean
  or Chinese descent or Western women, lured to Japan for
  “acting” or “modeling” work. Japanese men find Caucasian
  women (particularly blondes) exotic, so hostesses are of-
  ten American and European women.
  Some particular clubs cater to more exotic sexual kinks,
  but they’re few compared to the more mainstream “host-
  ess bars,” a minor concern for the yakuza at best.
  The other primary vice controlled by the yakuza is
  drugs. The Nakato Gumi smuggles drugs such as cocaine,
  spike, crystal meth (called “shab”) and mite into the coun-
  try. Uppers such as spike are especially popular, both with
  the hard-driven sararimen and with the wild club scene.
  Things such as mite and Red 7 are less popular, although
  there’s a market for them among athletes and gang mem-
  bers. The yakuza are more likely to be users of mite than
  dealers, and some yakuza soldiers are massively built be-
  cause of mite use.
  The Nakato Gumi manufactures some drugs, such as
  shab, domestically but imports most other drugs from else-
  where, including the Golden Triangle (dealing with the
  Heaven Thunder Triad) or from the cartels in Central
  America.
  Sokaiya
  The sokaiya, or “shareholders meeting man,” is an op-
  eration unique to the yakuza and dependent upon the de-
  sire of Japanese corporate executives to maintain face and
  keep order in their business. Members of the yakuza buy
  shares in a corporation, entitling them to attend the share-
  holders meetings. They then threaten to disrupt the meet-
  ings unless the corporation pays them off, a form of pro-
  tection racket.
  Sokaiya also extends to other extortion involving cor-
  porations and businesses. The Nakato Gumi has strong ties
  with the major Japanese corporations, and it’s willing to do
  whatever is necessary to ensure those ties are not publicly
  known. The yakuza don’t exploit this resource more than
  they have to; after all, it’s in their best interests that the
  corporations remain profitable. But the Nakato Gumi does
  use sokaiya as go-betweens with the corporations, ensur-
  ing their compliance with whatever the Nakato need. It may
  be a small favor here, a “lost” shipment of merchandise
  there, a research project quietly sold to Kuro-Tek through
  several shell companies and so forth.
  Yakuza Lexicon
  boruzoku
  boruzoku
  boruzoku
  boruzoku
  boruzoku::::: motorcycle gang.
  chimpra
  chimpra
  chimpra
  chimpra
  chimpra::::: punk, a “little prick.”
  giri
  giri
  giri
  giri
  giri::::: a debt of honor.
  kobun
  kobun
  kobun
  kobun
  kobun::::: a yakuza “child,” one who owes loyalty to an oyabun.
  irezumi
  irezumi
  irezumi
  irezumi
  irezumi::::: the yakuza practice of tattooing.
  ninjo
  ninjo
  ninjo
  ninjo
  ninjo::::: sympathy, compassion, moral feelings.
  oyabun
  oyabun
  oyabun
  oyabun
  oyabun::::: the leader of a yakuza gang, a “father figure” to
  the kobun.
  sakazuki
  sakazuki
  sakazuki
  sakazuki
  sakazuki::::: traditional drinking ceremony held by yakuza for
  initiations and the start of new gumi.
  shabu
  shabu
  shabu
  shabu
  shabu (or shab):
   (or shab):
   (or shab):
   (or shab):
   (or shab): crystal meth
  yabitsume
  yabitsume
  yabitsume
  yabitsume
  yabitsume::::: “finger cutting,” yakuza punishment consisting
  of cutting off one or more finger joints.
  Gambling
  The yakuza controls most forms of gambling in Japan,
  including popular pachinko parlors and more Western-style
  gambling, such as card and dice games. Gambling makes the
  organization a fair amount of money but primarily serves as a
  draw for other vices the yakuza has to offer. Most gambling
  in Japan takes place in licensed parlors or in quasi-legal bars
  and clubs with attractive hostesses to entertain the guests
  and serve as waitresses. Yakuza members often frequent
  these places themselves, although usually only to drink and
  socialize; any yakuza who loses a great deal of money gam-
  bling is sure to lose face in the eyes of his superiors.
  Vice
  The Nakato Gumi controls a brisk vice business in Ja-
  pan and a few other parts of the world, usually those with
  large Japanese populations. The vice business in Japan can
  be broken up into two main areas: sex and drugs.
  Sexual content and imagery is heavily regulated in Ja-
  pan, making the illegal sex industry hugely profitable there.
  Hardcore pornography is illegal in Japan, and the yakuza
  smuggles in American porn, along with making and distrib-
  uting its own. The growth of the OpNet has eaten into the
  porn industry, since foreign pornography has become so
  much more available via anonymous OpNet downloads. The
  ban on hardcore porn is barely even enforced any longer,
  although anyone in possession of hardcore materials can
  still be arrested for it (a common charge when police are
  looking to trump-up an arrest, since odds are good the av-
  erage sarariman has some porn lying around).
  Prostitution is an even more lively industry than por-
  nography. The yakuza hires numerous “hostesses” for its
  bars and nightclubs. Often, these women aren’t even ex-
  pected to offer sexual favors; they simply look pretty, serve
  drinks and allow men to leer over and occasionally fondle
  them. But more often than not, women in the employ of the
  
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  The most infamous and influential sokaiya in the Nakato
  Gumi is the nova Kuroi Kiri, the so-called “Black Mist” (see
  “Nova Enforcers”).
  Illegal Technology: Kuro-Tek
  The Nakato Gumi’s most lucrative business is develop-
  ing, smuggling and selling technology Project Utopia has
  declared illegal. Two things make the yakuza the prime sup-
  pliers of black-market tech: the Japanese government’s dis-
  dain for Project Utopia’s technological regulations and
  Kuro-Tek, the gumi’s front corporation.
  The Japanese managed to revive their failing economy
  with the Saisho initiative. They see Utopia’s regulation of
  new technology as nothing less than an outright attempt
  to curb the success Japan has had in the technological
  arena — jealousy on the part of other nations, particu-
  larly those on the United Nations Security Council that
  backed the plan. The Japanese government offers only lip
  service to Utopian regulations and is willing to look the
  other way when it comes to corporations such as Kuro-
  Tek smuggling technology.
  Yoshiro Nakamura recognized the potential of novas to
  revolutionize technology very early on. He made sure the
  Nakato Gumi not only supported the Saisho program, but
  that it was a part of the initiative. Taking several small front
  companies, Nakamura merged them to form Kuro-Tek and
  immediately set about recruiting the best personnel to run
  the new company, with the goal of finding ways to profit
  from nova-based and -developed technologies.
  At first, Kuro-Tek helped other corporations to cut
  through legal red tape and other obstacles in the Saisho
  program, building up contacts and influence in the Japa-
  nese business world. When the United Nations granted
  Project Utopia oversight authority on technological devel-
  opment, Kuro-Tek blossomed. Suddenly, it had the facili-
  ties, personnel and political ties to develop and manufac-
  ture all the technology Utopia considered too dangerous to
  be in the hands of the public. Kuro-Tek was able to lever-
  age deals with various corporations to buy their banned or
  restricted technology, making it disappear before Utopia’s
  inspectors arrived. Kuro-Tek developed and improved upon
  it, then sold it on the black market to customers ranging
  from national governments to elite agencies to the very
  same corporations they’d bought the technology from in
  the first place.
  Kuro-Tek is organized as a corporation with Yoshiro
  Nakamura as CEO. In fact, much of the oyabun’s time is
  taken overseeing Kuro-Tek, leaving other yakuza opera-
  tions in the hands of his underlings. The corporation con-
  trols a number of small front companies that it uses to ware-
  house merchandise and ship goods throughout the world
  under the guise of legitimate commerce. Project Utopia has
  officially declared Kuro-Tek an “outlaw” company for its
  numerous violations of UN regulations, but the Japanese
  authorities tend to overlook matters involving Kuro-Tek,
  even when they know the company is involved.
  Kuro-Tek’s employees are broken down into Research
  & Development and Operations personnel. The R&D de-
  partment develops, builds and tests the company’s prod-
  ucts, often working from designs or research purchased
  (or stolen) from other sources. The R&D department in-
  cludes a few Mega-Intelligent novas who don’t want to work
  for Utopia but don’t want their creative efforts stifled by
  what they see as Utopia’s unfair practices. Naturally, Kuro-
  Tek novas tend to focus more on invention for invention’s
  sake. They’re not really concerned with what people might
  do with their technology, so long as they’re allowed to play
  with the best toys around. This kind of opportunity might
  prove tempting to Mega-Intelligent characters who’re frus-
  trated by the limits Utopia places on their work.
  Examples of Kuro-Tek’s merchandise can be found on
  p. 61-62 of this book and on pp. 55-60 of the Aberrant:
  Aberrant:
  Aberrant:
  Aberrant:
  Aberrant:
  The
  The
  The
  The
  The -Directive
  -Directive
  -Directive
  -Directive
  -Directive sourcebook. Kuro-Tek is always on the look-
  out for ways to “field test” its latest devices, selling proto-
  types at reduced cost to customers such as the Directive
  or passing them on to Nakato Gumi kobun for testing. Char-
  acters may encounter just about any technology the Sto-
  ryteller cares to dream up in the hands of Kuro-Tek cus-
  tomers, and Kuro-Tek always ensures that its security per-
  sonnel have the very latest gear.
  Personnel
  The Nakato Gumi is a vast organization, with over
  10,000 members making up some 400-plus gangs spread
  across Japan and other parts of the world. Most of the gumi’s
  personnel are street-level kobun, but it also has technicians,
  managers, sokaiya and others. These numbers don’t even
  include the thousands of people employed by the yakuza,
  directly or indirectly, who aren’t members of the organiza-
  tion, such as most of the people working for Kuro-Tek.
  As a general rule, yakuza members are men. Few women
  ever join the yakuza because it’s against tradition (both in
  Japanese society and within the yakuza). Still, women, par-
  ticularly yakuza wives, do exercise some authority within
  the Nakato Gumi behind the scenes. Otherwise, the yakuza
  remains a “boy’s club.”
  Many members of the yakuza come from the lower
  classes of Japanese society, including the poor and people
  of foreign heritage, notably Korean. By comparison to main-
  stream Japanese society, the Nakato Gumi is actually quite
  progressive and politically correct, allowing any man an
  opportunity based solely on his skills and ambition. As a
  rule, yakuza tend to be less educated but more street-smart
  than other people in Japan.
  The yakuza think of themselves as some of the last “real
  men” in Japan and carry themselves accordingly. The rest
  
  ABERRANT
  CHAPTER THREE: THE NAKATO GUMI
  59
  of the Japanese have traded in their martial heritage for
  business suits and desk jobs, but the yakuza still think of
  themselves as warriors. They’ve adopted a number of
  “tough-guy” attitudes copped from American movies and
  television, including wearing sunglasses and swaggering
  when they walk. They talk in grunts and monosyllables, and
  they’re capable of going from extremely polite to extremely
  violent in an instant.
  Use the statistics on p. 282 of Aberrant
  Aberrant
  Aberrant
  Aberrant
  Aberrant for Nakato
  Gumi baseline personnel, adjusting as needed for the story
  and the character in question.
  Nova Enforcers
  The rumors are true, the Nakato Gumi does employ no-
  vas, although not as many as some people think. The yakuza
  is commonly portrayed in manga as having legions of novas
  at its beck and call, opponents for Nippontai and other novas
  to battle. In truth, the Nakato Gumi has only a handful of no-
  vas working for it. For the most part, novas aren’t interested
  in working for the yakuza, particularly in Japan, where novas
  are practically worshiped. It’s far easier to work for Nippontai
  or any of the major Japanese corporations or to become a
  media star than it is to work for the yakuza.
  Most of the novas working for the Nakato Gumi were
  yakuza before they erupted. Becoming novas has improved
  their usefulness to the syndicate but hasn’t broken any bonds
  of duty or obligation they owe, so they continue to work
  for the yakuza. The rest serve the Nakato Gumi either as
  hired mercenaries (the yakuza does a brisk business with
  elite agencies such as DeVries), or for reasons of their own,
  usually for the thrill. The yakuza have a romantic reputa-
  tion in Japan, and some novas seek them out because of it.
  Yakuza novas tend to avoid direct confrontations with
  other novas unless there’s no other option. The Nakato Gumi
  prefers to keep a low profile to avoid the attention of
  Nippontai and Team Tomorrow, and blazing quantum battles
  don’t fit that goal. When yakuza novas do go into action,
  they are quick and decisive. The Nakato Gumi does use
  novas for assassinations because of their efficiency and the
  fear they inspire. Plus, the more serious the crimes novas
  commit, the stronger their ties to the yakuza become.
  Outside Relations
  An organization such as the Nakato Gumi depends on its
  ties with other organizations to survive in the Nova Age. For-
  tunately, the yakuza excels at cultivating such relationships.
  Japanese Corporations
  One of Nakato’s prime connections is with the major
  Japanese high-tech corporations. While Kuro-Tek can be
  seen as a rival to some of these corporations, the yakuza
  does its best to ensure that Kuro-Tek (and, by extension,
  the Nakato Gumi) is seen as an ally against the unreason-
  able technological regulations of Project Utopia. Kuro-Tek
  
  ABERRANT
  CHAPTER THREE: THE NAKATO GUMI
  60
  The Japanese Government
  Like the Japanese corporations, the Nakato Gumi has
  strong ties with the Japanese government. Officially, the
  government denounces the yakuza as gangsters and crimi-
  nals, but the reality of the situation is far more complex.
  The Japanese government places great value on the Saisho
  program and resents Project Utopia’s interference in what
  it sees as an entirely domestic matter. The yakuza gives the
  government a means of defying Utopia’s technological re-
  strictions with plausible deniability. On the surface, the
  government claims to be doing all that it can to shut down
  tech-smuggling and confiscate illegal technologies. Behind
  the scene, it works hand in glove with Kuro-Tek and the
  yakuza, passing on samples of illegal technology and ar-
  ranging just enough arrests to satisfy Utopian inspectors.
  For their part, the yakuza supports the government’s
  policies, provides avenues for new technologies and tech-
  nological research and maintains the status quo in Japan.
  Government officials are certain that the elimination of the
  yakuza would only leave Japan vulnerable to foreign exploi-
  tation, including by syndicates such as Camparelli-Zukhov
  and the Heaven Thunder Triad coming in to fill the vacuum.
  Better a homegrown syndicate that understands Japanese
  ways than foreigners exploiting the people of Japan.
  Other Syndicates
  Naturally, the yakuza are rivals with the other remain-
  ing criminal syndicates in the world. Project Utopia’s “war
  on crime” has ensured that only the strongest and most
  cunning syndicates survived. Now, the struggle between
  them is for nothing less than control of the world’s illicit
  operations. It’s a fight to the death — and one that the
  Nakato Gumi fully intends to win.
  The Medellín Cartel
  The Medellín Cartel
  The Medellín Cartel
  The Medellín Cartel
  The Medellín Cartel
  The least of the yakuza’s concerns at the moment is
  Columbia. The drug cartels aren’t heavily involved in the
  same business concerns as the Nakato, and they even pro-
  vide some of the drugs the yakuza smuggle into Japan and
  other parts of Asia. The cartels are also good customers
  for Kuro-Tek, since they need every edge they can get
  against the novas trying to shut them down. Nakamura sees
  the cartels as potentially useful but too tied up in their an-
  tiquated business of selling narcotics. It’s something the
  yakuza is moving beyond in some ways. Drugs bring in
  money, but they also attract trouble. For now, the yakuza is
  content to supply the cartels with technology and take their
  drugs and money in trade. There may come a time when
  the Nakato Gumi will have to either destroy the cartels or
  seize control of them, but Nakamura expects to be able to
  do so after Project Utopia has broken the cartels and left
  them vulnerable.
  Ninja
  In popular culture — both in the real world and in the
  Aberrant
  Aberrant
  Aberrant
  Aberrant
  Aberrant world of 2015 — the yakuza are often linked with
  the ninja, black-clad spies and assassins. Yakuza agents in Japa-
  nese manga (and American comic books, for that matter) of-
  ten have ninja-like qualities. The truth is that the real yakuza
  had nothing to do with the ninja, who worked primarily for the
  nobility of medieval Japan while the yakuza were concerned
  more with the common man. In 2015, any rumors of super-
  ninja working for the Nakato Gumi are just that, rumors.
  However, some of the novas working for the Nakato Gumi
  have qualities some would consider “ninja-like,” which can
  lead to rumors of nova ninja in the game. Kuroi Kiri can come
  and go literally like a shadow; Takako Orinama is superhu-
  manly swift and graceful; Ashigaru moves in a blur and can
  walk through walls; both Orinama and Ashigaru carry swords.
  They all share a fondness for dressing in black (for the same
  reason ninjas did: practicality). If you’re running a more
  “four-color” Aberrant
  Aberrant
  Aberrant
  Aberrant
  Aberrant game, you might want to play up these
  elements. In fact, feel free to give the Nakato a real “nova
  ninja” if that’s what suits your game.
  offers to buy potentially “hot” technologies from compa-
  nies concerned about running afoul of Utopia inspectors,
  even sharing the profits for the development and sale of
  the technology. It brokers deals for corporations that want
  to expand into areas of research Utopia has declared off-
  limits and helps maintain the appearance of compliance with
  Utopia and UN regulations.
  This gives the Nakato Gumi access to considerable cor-
  porate resources in addition to Kuro-Tek and provides
  Kuro-Tek with access to cutting-edge research and tech-
  nology through legitimate channels. This cements the idea
  of the yakuza as allies against Utopia in the minds of the
  Japanese CEOs and gives the yakuza considerable influence
  over them, since any word of their relationship reaching
  Utopia would practically guarantee the end of their careers
  (and possibly their companies).
  Although Kuro-Tek and the yakuza are most influential
  with Japanese corporations, the have ties with companies
  around the world. Many other corporations have found it
  useful to unload banned technologies in exchange for a hand-
  some payment from Kuro-Tek. ViaSoft has avoided several
  Utopia raids by selling off technology to Kuro-Tek, some-
  times even buying it back later after Kuro-Tek has had a
  chance to develop it further. Novelty Consulting has ac-
  quired information from Kuro-Tek for its own research
  projects, and other corporations are willing to pay Kuro-
  Tek to engage in “black” research for them, so they can
  deny any involvement if Project Utopia finds out about it.
  
  ABERRANT
  CHAPTER THREE: THE NAKATO GUMI
  61
  The Triads
  The Triads
  The Triads
  The Triads
  The Triads
  The gumi’s closest rival physically is the Heaven Thun-
  der Triad. While the Nakato Gumi respects tradition, the
  Heaven Thunder seems to take it to absurd lengths. The
  Heaven Thunder Triad is steeped in mysticism and secrecy,
  while the yakuza moves forward into the 21st century, with
  the latest technology and techniques; the Nakato respect
  the traditions of the past but look toward the future. Still,
  the Heaven Thunder Triadn ’s grip on Hong Kong and the
  Golden Triangle region is virtually unchallenged, and it does
  compete with the Nakato for control of vice and drug-smug-
  gling operations in Southeast Asia. Efforts to bring the
  Heaven Thunder Triad down have been hampered by its
  extreme secrecy (and that of the Chinese government). The
  yakuza hopes to expose ties between the Triad and the
  Chinese government’s exploitation of novas, motivating
  Utopia to take action against them.
  The Camparelli-Zukhov Megasyndicate
  The Camparelli-Zukhov Megasyndicate
  The Camparelli-Zukhov Megasyndicate
  The Camparelli-Zukhov Megasyndicate
  The Camparelli-Zukhov Megasyndicate
  The yakuza’s greatest rival is the Camparelli-Zukhov
  Megasyndicate, which, among other things, has great in-
  fluence in nearby Russia. The C-Z and the yakuza are also
  the most aggressive syndicates, making them natural rivals
  for filling the power vacuum left by the collapse of other
  syndicates. The C-Z has largely secured operations in the
  Americas, Europe and Russia, and they’re now looking to-
  ward Southeast Asia, Indonesia and Japan. The yakuza’s
  prime advantages over the Megasyndicate are its close ties
  in Japan and the technological edge Kuro-Tek offers.
  Struggle in the Russian Confederation and Europe between
  the Megasyndicate, the Directive, Project Utopia and the
  local authorities are to the benefit of the Nakato Gumi, and
  they do what they can to keep those fires burning.
  The Directive
  One of the Nakato Gumi’s greatest allies is the Di-
  rective. The organization relies heavily on Kuro-Tek for
  the technology it needs to keep pace with Project Utopia
  and even exceed Utopia’s capabilities from time to time.
  Although the member governments of the Directive pur-
  sue their own technological research programs, they are
  under the close scrutiny of Utopia’s Science & Technol-
  ogy Division. Kuro-Tek’s status and yakuza ties allow it to
  pursue technological developments the Directive cannot
  follow up on as quickly or efficiently. Plus, the Directive
  prefers to focus its resources on gathering information
  and dealing with potential nova threats rather than tech-
  nological research.
  This relationship (and Japan’s involvement in the Di-
  rective), has allowed the Nakato Gumi to subtly steer the
  Directive toward “concerns” that benefit it. The Directive
  has cracked down on the Camparelli-Zukhov’s use of nova
  enforcers, for example, but the Directive has never come
  into conflict with yakuza nova agents. For the Directive point
  of view, the Nakato Gumi and Kuro-Tek are by far lesser
  evils compared to threats like the Teragen and Project
  Utopia’s “new world order.”
  Project Utopia
  The greatest single threat to the Nakato Gumi is Project
  Utopia and its associated novas, including Team Tomorrow.
  Kuro-Tek is public enemy number one for Utopia’s Science
  & Technology Division, and Utopia would like nothing more
  than to shut Kuro-Tek down for good, followed shortly
  thereafter by the rest of the Nakato Gumi. The yakuza re-
  lies on secrecy and its ties with Japanese authorities in
  avoiding Utopia’s scrutiny. The Nakato Gumi also arranges
  to offer up “sacrifices” to Utopia from time to time, dan-
  gling tempting targets in front of the S&T Division to give
  it something to raid and seize so it thinks it is making
  progress in dealing with the “Kuro-Tek problem.”
  The yakuza doesn’t know about Project Proteus. If it
  did, it would surely use that knowledge as leverage against
  Utopia to ensure it left yakuza operations alone. Proteus
  takes keen interest in Kuro-Tek’s relationship with the Di-
  rective and in any technology Kuro-Tek develops that might
  be potentially useful in Proteus’ own operations.
  Devices
  Kuro-Tek has access to some of the most advanced and
  illegal technology of 2015, and it provides that technology
  to anyone willing to meet its price. The Storyteller can use
  the following as examples of the sort of technology Kuro-
  Tek has available, although this selection only scratches the
  surface of the company’s resources. This equipment is lim-
  ited to characters with Resources •••• or better, and the
  Storyteller may require dots in the Equipment Background
  as well (see Aberrant: The Directive
  Aberrant: The Directive
  Aberrant: The Directive
  Aberrant: The Directive
  Aberrant: The Directive, p. 53).
  Quantum Scanner
  This device is about the size of a palmtop computer and
  has a similar display and control screen. It picks up quantum
  disturbances similar to a nova’s M-R node, with a range of
  30 meters (longer for more powerful disturbances). The
  user’s player makes an Intelligence + Computer roll for his
  character to operate the scanner, and successes determine
  how detailed the information is. Quantum scanners can pick
  up the presence of novas and the active use of quantum pow-
  ers, and they can detect a nova’s unique quantum signature
  (provided it is stored in the device’s database). Novas can
  use Dormancy to hide from a quantum scanner.
  Dangard Armored Warrior
  While several parties (including Project Utopia) are
  working on effective powered armor, Kuro-Tek has focused
  on developing an effective humanoid robot, using the space
  that would be occupied by a pilot for advanced control sys-
  tems and computers. The result is the Dangard model com-
  bat mecha, 2.5 meters tall and armored like a tank. The
  robot has the equivalent of Mega-Strength •• and is armed
  
  ABERRANT
  CHAPTER THREE: THE NAKATO GUMI
  62
  with a 30mm cannon, portable laser and grenade launcher
  (see p. 276 of Aberrant
  Aberrant
  Aberrant
  Aberrant
  Aberrant for stats). Its jump jets let it make
  leaps of up to 250 meters.
  The robot can operate on pre-programmed instruc-
  tions, with an effective dice pool of 6 for most necessary
  skills, or a pilot can control it using VR telepresence tech-
  nology, seeing and hearing everything the robot does and
  controlling it directly. In the latter case, use the pilot’s dice
  pool or the robot’s, whichever is greater.
  it was still small compared to the most powerful gumi
  of Japan.
  Nakamura was smart enough to attach his star to that of
  the Saisho phenomenon with the founding of Kuro-Tek, and
  his gumi rose along with it. He ruthlessly eliminated the other
  gumi while they were weak and incorporated the survivors
  into his own gang. Now, at age 50, Nakamura is head of the
  largest and most powerful yakuza gumi by far, CEO of a
  wealthy corporation and one of the most influential men in
  Japan. Nakamura supports his wife, their two children and
  two mistresses, and he hobnobs with government officials
  and corporate CEOs. He’s quite fond of playing golf and of-
  ten conducts business and makes deals on the golf course.
  Image:
  Image:
  Image:
  Image:
  Image: Nakamura is still quite fit for a man his age, but
  small and slight, even for a Japanese. He has sharp features
  and black eyes with an unflinching stare. He has a small,
  neat beard and moustache but shaves his head bald. His
  chest, back and upper arms are covered with elaborate
  yakuza tattoos, but none of them show even when he wears
  a short-sleeved shirt (although he generally keeps his col-
  lar buttoned up). He dresses very well and smokes ciga-
  rettes when relaxing.
  Roleplaying Hints:
  Roleplaying Hints:
  Roleplaying Hints:
  Roleplaying Hints:
  Roleplaying Hints: You are an important man, and you
  demand the respect that is your due. You treat your under-
  lings fairly but firmly, and you’re ruthless in the pursuit of
  your goals, which include profit and prestige for both the
  Nakato and Japan. You consider yourself one of a dying
  breed, one of the last real men left in Japan. You never raise
  your voice or act in an improper manner, and anyone who
  causes you to do either will regret it.
  Dangard Armored Warrior
  Dangard Armored Warrior
  Dangard Armored Warrior
  Dangard Armored Warrior
  Dangard Armored Warrior
  Safe Spd.   Max Spd.   Man.   Passngr.   Armor      Cost
  Safe Spd.   Max Spd.   Man.   Passngr.   Armor      Cost
  Safe Spd.   Max Spd.   Man.   Passngr.   Armor      Cost
  Safe Spd.   Max Spd.   Man.   Passngr.   Armor      Cost
  Safe Spd.   Max Spd.   Man.   Passngr.   Armor      Cost
       80
           120           6          0         5 [10]    •••••
  Scorpion Glass
  Scorpion glass breaks into razor-sharp shards; roll 4
  dice for each character within a meter of the breaking glass,
  a success indicates the character has been cut. Characters
  with 3 or more levels of lethal soak are immune. The af-
  fected character is immediately paralyzed and suffers one
  health level of lethal damage per turn until dead (with no
  soak possible). Novas with Mega-Stamina •• or the Adapt-
  ability enhancement are immune to scorpion glass toxin even
  if it gets into their system. There is currently no antidote
  for the toxin.
  VR Conditioning System
  This system consists of a close-fitting helmet con-
  nected to a laptop computer that controls the helmet’s
  output. The VR helmet controls what the wearer senses,
  allowing the controller to influence the wearer in various
  ways. The user’s player can make a Manipulation + Com-
  puter roll to achieve the effects of the Hypnotic Gaze en-
  hancement of Mega-Manipulation. With long-term use of
  this device, a character can achieve profound alterations
  in a subject’s personality. See the Aberrant:
  Aberrant:
  Aberrant:
  Aberrant:
  Aberrant: Cult of Per-
  Cult of Per-
  Cult of Per-
  Cult of Per-
  Cult of Per-
  sonality
  sonality
  sonality
  sonality
  sonality sourcebook for additional information on brain-
  washing and mind control.
  Dramatis Personae
  Yoshiro Nakamura ——Oyabun
  of the Nakato Gumi
  Background:
  Background:
  Background:
  Background:
  Background: The oyabun of the Nakato Gumi be-
  came involved with the yakuza as a young man. Origi-
  nally from Okinawa, Nakamura had little opportunity
  in the Japan of the 1980s, so he joined a local gumi,
  where his talents for organizing allies and hurting en-
  emies served him in good stead. He worked as a kobun
  and spent six of his first 10 years with the yakuza in
  prison. That experience only deepened his devotion to
  the yakuza life, however, and motivated him to create
  something of his own. He started businesses and, even-
  tually, founded his own gang. It grew steadily, although
  
  ABERRANT
  CHAPTER THREE: THE NAKATO GUMI
  63
  Gear: 
  Gear: 
  Gear: 
  Gear: 
  Gear: Whatever he needs from the Nakato Gumi, Kuro-Tek
  or the Directive
  Nature
  Nature
  Nature
  Nature
  Nature: Traditionalist
  Allegiance
  Allegiance
  Allegiance
  Allegiance
  Allegiance: Nakato Gumi
  Attributes:
  Attributes:
  Attributes:
  Attributes:
  Attributes: Strength 2, Dexterity 3, Stamina 3, Perception
  4 (Detail-Oriented), Intelligence 3, Wits 5 (Level-Headed),
  Appearance 3, Manipulation 4 (Delegating), Charisma 5
  (Natural Leader)
  Abilities:
  Abilities:
  Abilities:
  Abilities:
  Abilities: Athletics 2 (Golf), Awareness 2, Biz 5, Bureau-
  cracy 4 (Japanese Corporations, Japanese Government),
  Command 4, Drive 2, Etiquette 5 (Japanese), Firearms 2,
  Intimidation 2 (Implied Threat), Investigation 4, Linguis-
  tics 1 (Native: Japanese; English), Martial Arts 1, Rapport
  3, Resistance 3, Stealth 1
  Backgrounds:
  Backgrounds:
  Backgrounds:
  Backgrounds:
  Backgrounds: Allies 4, Backing 5 (The Directive), Backing
  5 (Kuro-Tek), Backing 5 (Nakato Gumi), Cipher 2, Follow-
  ers 5, Influence 4, Resources 5
  Willpower 7
  Kuroi Kiri (Black Mist)
  Background:
  Background:
  Background:
  Background:
  Background: In certain circles of Japanese government
  and business, they speak of a mysterious figure who moves
  through the halls of power. Wherever he goes, he offers
  assistance to those he meets. It might be a bit of useful in-
  formation, a hint about the future or a cryptic warning to
  watch out for risks ahead. But his advice is always good,
  and many powerful people have prospered because of it.
  But he always reappears sometime later on to call upon the
  debt of honor owed him, for repayment of the favor. To
  refuse means almost certain ruin. He’s called Kuroi Kiri,
  meaning “black mist.”
  Akinori Kasai grew up in a poor neighborhood, with
  little prospect for his future. Kasai was a clever young man
  but limited by the circumstances of his birth and family. He
  had several minor run-ins with the law and eventually joined
  the yakuza as a means of getting out of his old neighbor-
  hood. In the yakuza, Yoshiro Nakamura recognized Kasai’s
  talent, and he eventually became a sokaiya, entrusted to
  extort money from corporations for the syndicate. He was
  quite skilled at maintaining ties with different companies
  and ensuring his operation was profitable.
  What Kasai couldn’t predict was the Moscow Crash that
  nearly destroyed the Japanese economy. Many companies
  went bankrupt, and many executives took their own lives
  as a result. One such man blamed the yakuza for his losses.
  He met with Kasai and tried to kill him. Kasai had become
  overconfident, too secure in his position as a yakuza, and
  the man nearly succeeded. In fact, he would have if Kasai
  hadn’t erupted. He convinced his assailant to leave peace-
  fully, then spent some time learning about his new abilities.
  He told his oyabun about them, and Nakamura saw the pos-
  sibilities immediately.
  When Saisho became a reality in Japan, Kasai returned
  to his sokaiya duties, only now he was able to direct the
  most powerful corporations in Japan at his oyabun’s be-
  hest. As Kuroi Kiri, Kasai has become powerful and feared,
  second only to the oyabun in many ways. In recent years,
  Kasai has begun to flex his nova abilities even more. Al-
  though he could probably seize control of the Nakato Gumi,
  Kasai takes his oath of loyalty to his oyabun very seriously.
  Besides, Kasai’s not much of a leader, and being oyabun
  would only isolate him from the business of the Nakato Gumi
  and doing what he enjoys, manipulating people.
  Image:
  Image:
  Image:
  Image:
  Image: Akinori Kasai is remarkably average. He’d be
  almost impossible to pick out of a crowd of Japanese
  sararimen. He’s average height and build, with black hair
  cut conservatively, wearing a sensible business suit (or other
  attire suited to the occasion). It’s only when looking into
  his eyes that anyone notices anything special about him.
  His black eyes seem magnetic, and his voice is extremely
  pleasant and soothing.
  Roleplaying Hints:
  Roleplaying Hints:
  Roleplaying Hints:
  Roleplaying Hints:
  Roleplaying Hints: For a long time you were looked
  down upon, now you have the power to make everyone who
  treated you badly dance to your tune. Now you’re the pow-
  erful man they bow to with respect. The only people who
  ever treated you properly before you erupted were the
  yakuza, and you’re loyal to them and to your oyabun in par-
  ticular for giving you this opportunity. You will ensure that
  the Nakato Gumi prospers. Anyone who opposes you or
  your oyabun, or behaves disrespectfully toward either of
  you, must be taught a lesson.
  Gear:
  Gear:
  Gear:
  Gear:
  Gear: Sony cell phone with OpNet access, Kazei 2015 model
  air car
  Nature:
  Nature:
  Nature:
  Nature:
  Nature: Conniver
  
  ABERRANT
  CHAPTER THREE: THE NAKATO GUMI
  64
  Allegiance:
  Allegiance:
  Allegiance:
  Allegiance:
  Allegiance: Nakato Gumi
  Attributes:
  Attributes:
  Attributes:
  Attributes:
  Attributes: Strength 2, Dexterity 2, Stamina 3, Perception
  3, Intelligence 3, Wits 4 (Shrewd), Appearance 3, Manipu-
  lation 5 (Persuasive), Charisma 4 (Polite)
  Abilities:
  Abilities:
  Abilities:
  Abilities:
  Abilities: Academics 2, Awareness 3, Biz 4, Bureaucracy
  5, Computer 2, Drive 2, Endurance 3, Etiquette 5 (Social
  Graces), Firearms 1, Intimidation 4 (Implied Threat), In-
  terrogation 4 (Misdirection), Investigation 4, Linguistics 2
  (Native: Japanese; English, Korean), Pilot 1, Rapport 5,
  Resistance 3, Style 4, Subterfuge 5 (Seduction)
  Backgrounds:
  Backgrounds:
  Backgrounds:
  Backgrounds:
  Backgrounds: Backing 4 (Nakato Gumi), Cipher 3, Contacts
  5 (Japanese Business and Government), Influence 4, Re-
  sources 4
  Quantum 3, Quantum Pool 26, Willpower 7, Taint 1
  Mega-Attributes:
  Mega-Attributes:
  Mega-Attributes:
  Mega-Attributes:
  Mega-Attributes: Mega-Appearance •• (First Impression,
  Mr. Nobody), Mega-Manipulation •••• (Hypnotic Gaze,
  Persuader, Trickster, The Voice)
  Quantum Powers:
  Quantum Powers:
  Quantum Powers:
  Quantum Powers:
  Quantum Powers: Bodymorph •••• (Shadow), Shroud
  •••
  Takako Orinama
  Background:
  Background:
  Background:
  Background:
  Background: Takako Orinama’s family has been involved
  with the yakuza for generations, since her grandfather
  joined in the years following World War II. Orinama was
  only a girl when her father died in the yakuza gang wars in
  the late 1990s, but she remembers meeting Nakamura-sama
  when he came to their home to express his regrets over her
  father’s death and promised that she and her mother would
  be taken care of. Nakamura-sama took Takako Orinama’s
  brother Hiro on as a kobun in the Nakato Gumi.
  The oyabun was true to his word. Orinama and her
  mother were taken care of by the gumi, and the young girl
  continued to go to school. One day, when she was 15, she
  was kidnaped. Members of a rival yakuza gang wanted to
  use her against her brother. The experience caused Orinama
  to erupt, and she took down 10 armed men single-handed.
  Her brother realized she had become a nova and immedi-
  ately brought her to the attention of the oyabun. Nakamura-
  sama accepted Orinama’s oaths of loyalty, and she was
  pleased to know that her family would be even more im-
  portant to the Nakato Gumi.
  Orinama has served as an agent of the Nakato for just
  over nine years and has learned a great deal in that time.
  Her experiences have hardened her but have only deep-
  ened her loyalty to Nakamura-sama and the gumi. She still
  has a rather romantic notion of yakuza life, seeing it as strug-
  gling against the repressive dictates of Project Utopia, fight-
  ing for Japanese sovereignty and success in the face of over-
  whelming odds. Where most Japanese women her age would
  be considering marriage, Orinama remains single, at least
  partly because her “Uncle” Yoshiro hasn’t found a man
  worthy of her yet. Orinama secretly dreams of meeting
  Bodhisattva Masato, and she has become a devout
  Kamisama Buddhist.
  Image:
  Image:
  Image:
  Image:
  Image: Takako Orinama is lithe and beautiful, with an
  unearthly grace. She usually wears her long black hair tightly
  wound to keep it out of her way. Unbound, it cascades down
  her back and is her pride and joy. She still smiles easily and
  giggles girlishly at times. While working, Orinama wears a
  form-fitting, black eufiber leotard, decorated with beauti-
  ful Japanese “tattoo” designs she can change at will.
  (Orinama has no real tattoos, since her oyabun has forbid-
  den it as improper.) At other times, she wears traditional
  Japanese kimonos.
  Roleplaying Hints:
  Roleplaying Hints:
  Roleplaying Hints:
  Roleplaying Hints:
  Roleplaying Hints: What an amazing life you have! You
  are touched by divine power and have the opportunity to
  use it to help protect Japan from Westerners who would
  corrupt and dominate your country. Your honorable mother
  and your “Uncle Yoshi” are very proud of you, and you know
  you are destined for something special. If only you could
  meet Bodhisattva Masato and feel his divine presence. You
  know he could help make your life truly complete.
  Gear: 
  Gear: 
  Gear: 
  Gear: 
  Gear: Katana, cell phone, various masks
  Nature:
  Nature:
  Nature:
  Nature:
  Nature: Follower
  Allegiance:
  Allegiance:
  Allegiance:
  Allegiance:
  Allegiance: Nakato Gumi
  Attributes:
  Attributes:
  Attributes:
  Attributes:
  Attributes: Strength 3, Dexterity 5 (Graceful), Stamina 5
  (Unflagging), Perception 4 (Insightful), Intelligence 3, Wits
  5 (Clever), Appearance 3, Manipulation 2, Charisma 3
  Abilities:
  Abilities:
  Abilities:
  Abilities:
  Abilities: Athletics 3, Awareness 2, Brawl 4, Bureaucracy
  1, Endurance 5, Etiquette 2, Firearms 4, Intrusion 3, Leg-
  erdemain 2, Martial Arts 4, Melee 4, Resistance 4, Stealth
  4, Streetwise 4, Style 2, Subterfuge 3, Survival 2
  Backgrounds:
  Backgrounds:
  Backgrounds:
  Backgrounds:
  Backgrounds: Allies 4, Attunement 3, Backing 3 (Nagato
  Gumi), Cipher 2, Contacts 2, Dormancy 4, Eufiber 3, Men-
  tor 4 (Yoshiro Nakamura), Resources 2
  Quantum 4, Quantum Pool 28, Willpower 6, Taint 3
  
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  65
  Mega-Attributes:
  Mega-Attributes:
  Mega-Attributes:
  Mega-Attributes:
  Mega-Attributes: Mega-Dexterity ••••• (Accuracy,
  Catfooted, Enhanced Movement, Fast Tasks, Flexibility),
  Mega-Wits ••••• (Enhanced Initiative, Multitasking,
  Quickness x2, Synergy)
  Quantum Powers:
  Quantum Powers:
  Quantum Powers:
  Quantum Powers:
  Quantum Powers: Boost (Strength and Stamina) •••••
  (Extra Attribute)
  Genji “Ashigaru” Tadashi
  Background:
  Background:
  Background:
  Background:
  Background: Tadashi was a member of a boruzoku, a
  Japanese motorcycle gang, with a shockingly unusual love
  for racing her motorcycle along the open road. A wild young
  woman, she ran into trouble with the authorities, but she
  never changed her ways, making her an embarrassment to
  her family. They were actually grateful when Tadashi joined
  the yakuza, seeing it as a step up for her. They hoped the
  Nakato Gumi would teach her proper behavior. The Nakato
  unquestionably taught Tadashi how to apply herself, and
  she became known as a skilled (if somewhat reckless) driver.
  Tadashi was doing errands for her boss one night, when
  someone stole her car. Helplessly watching the car speed
  away, filled with shame and rage and wanting nothing more
  than to go after the thieves, Tadashi erupted. She took off
  after the car in a burst of tremendous speed, tore one of
  the doors off with her bare hands and sent the terrified
  thieves running. She felt exhilaration like she’d never known
  before, but she developed a pounding headache immedi-
  ately afterward. When she told her boss what happened to
  the car, the man didn’t believe him — until Tadashi dem-
  onstrated her nova abilities. Then, he sent her immediately
  to see the oyabun.
  Tadashi feared she was to be punished for her failure,
  but instead, the oyabun promoted her and introduced her
  to the beautiful Takako Orinama. He gave Tadashi the nick-
  name “Ashigaru” meaning “fast legs,” and she carries it with
  pride. Now, she’s a loyal soldier for Nakamura-sama and
  the Nakato Gumi.
  Image:
  Image:
  Image:
  Image:
  Image: Ashigaru is a lithe and sinewy Japanese woman,
  22 years old. Her black hair is cut very short — a shocking
  look for a young Japanese woman — and usually gelled
  into spikes. She wears a form fitting eufiber suit under a
  black leather jacket and fingerless biker gloves. Under her
  suit is the beginning of a tattoo of dark storm clouds with a
  monsoon wind spreading around her right thigh up along
  her side— a gift from the oyabun.
  Roleplaying Hints:
  Roleplaying Hints:
  Roleplaying Hints:
  Roleplaying Hints:
  Roleplaying Hints: You are now fast enough that you
  are able to outrun the conformity of your own culture. You
  never feel so free as when you’re running like the wind,
  faster than anything else on the ground. You’re so fast no
  one and nothing can touch you, but you can touch them —
  and hurt them if you want to. The oyabun is a great man,
  and you admire and respect him. Though you don’t know if
  she can ever return your feelings, you love Takako Orinama
  with all your heart and wish you could find a way to make
  her notice you. You strive to make yourself worthy of her in
  the oyabun’s eyes. There is nothing you would not do for
  Takako, and you’ll kill anyone who dares threaten her.
  Gear:
  Gear:
  Gear:
  Gear:
  Gear: Paired short swords, pistol, Yamaha Kamikaze mo-
  torcycle (for fun, not for getting around)
  Nature:
  Nature:
  Nature:
  Nature:
  Nature: Thrillseeker
  Allegiance:
  Allegiance:
  Allegiance:
  Allegiance:
  Allegiance: Nakato Gumi
  Attributes:
  Attributes:
  Attributes:
  Attributes:
  Attributes: Strength 3, Dexterity 5 (Fast), Stamina 5 (Tire-
  less), Perception 3, Intelligence 3, Wits 4 (Clever), Appear-
  ance 3, Manipulation 2, Charisma 3
  Abilities: 
  Abilities: 
  Abilities: 
  Abilities: 
  Abilities: Athletics 3 (Dodge), Awareness 1, Biz 1, Drive 5
  (Motorcycles), Endurance 3, Firearms 3, Intrusion 3, Lin-
  guistics 1 (Native: Japanese; English), Martial Arts 3, Me-
  lee 3, Might 2, Resistance 3, Stealth 2, Streetwise 4
  Backgrounds:
  Backgrounds:
  Backgrounds:
  Backgrounds:
  Backgrounds: Backing 3 (Nakato Gumi), Cipher 1, Contacts
  1, Eufiber 3, Node 2, Resources 2
  Quantum 3, Quantum Pool 26, Willpower 8, Taint 1
  Mega-Attributes:
  Mega-Attributes:
  Mega-Attributes:
  Mega-Attributes:
  Mega-Attributes: Mega-Strength • (Shockwave), Mega-
  Dexterity •••• (Enhanced Movement, Fast Tasks, Rapid
  Strike), Mega-Stamina •• (Regeneration), Mega-Wits ••
  (Enhanced Initiative, Quickness)
  Quantum Powers:
  Quantum Powers:
  Quantum Powers:
  Quantum Powers:
  Quantum Powers: Density Control (Decrease) ••••,
  Hypermovement (Hyperrunning) ••••
  
  MEDELLÍN CARTEL
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  Excerpt from secret US drug-enforcement memorandum
  Encryption Code:
  Encryption Code:
  Encryption Code:
  Encryption Code:
  Encryption Code: Beta-12
  To:
  To:
  To:
  To:
  To: Nigel Carstens, Director Utopia (Nova Coordination)
  From:
  From:
  From:
  From:
  From: William F. Reed, Director T2M Americas
  Director Carstens,
  Our Department of Intelligence Services has completed its analysis of the ongoing cocaine trafficking in Latin America.
  As you are aware, Utopia and T2M managed during the early 2000s to shut down almost all of the planes that were
  smuggling narcotics into the US. That did tremendous damage to the cartels’ $25 billion dollar annual income — obvi-
  ously — and cut off about 50 metric tons of cocaine from reaching US and European streets annually.
  In the last year or two, though, we’ve noticed more cocaine and heroin reaching the street-sale market. Our labs have
  tested the narcotics and shipping materials that we’ve picked up, and everything is pointing toward the Colombia-Peru
  region again; similarly, money-laundering reports are picking up in the Americas, and the remaining cartel leaders who
  are still under surveillance are coming into a lot of money from somewhere.
  Of even more concern, though, are some of the reports that Intelligence Services is bringing in.
  First, we know that Wilhelm Lehrder is back in action, with more money than ever; it appears that he has finally taken
  over the straggling remains of the Medellín cartel’s transportation and distribution chains and may possibly now be the
  only person controlling what was previously a 20- or 30-member conglomerate including Pablo Escobar, JosÈ Gacha,
  Griselda Blanco’s people and the whole Ochoa family.
  Lehrder has also owned previous Colombian presidents and is now apparently in the process of trying to buy the
  presidency for himself. Intelligence suggests that he’s likely to be successful, largely because Lehrder has also apparently
  been spending a lot of money — hundreds of millions — on the Colombian educational system. We’ve not yet discovered
  the roots of Lehrder’s interest in education, but given his own Nazi roots and his bent in that direction, if Lehrder is
  elected president of Colombia, then it’s clear that the country will become the new home for fascism in the world.
  Other reports from our T2M Americas Intelligence Services are even more disturbing. They indicate that Lehrder
  has reopened his own version of the Muerte a Secuestradores (MAS) training camps and that his MAS troops have
  declared war on what’s left of the Fuerzas Armadas Revolucionarias de Colombia (FARC). Lehrder’s MAS is also
  apparently acting as a well-armed security force for what we suspect to be Lehrder’s production facilities and for
  Lehrder himself. MAS forces are also stationed at other “work camps” that Intelligence Services is still trying to learn
  something about.
  We first became aware of these camps when one of the T2M boys discovered several tall smokestacks outside Puerto
  Lopez in southern Colombia. As soon as our man started getting close to the camp, though, there was a general evacua-
  tion, and the camp was destroyed utterly. He picked up one of the guards but was unable to discover anything other than
  the MAS connection with the camps; the guard died as soon as we began we began to probe his mind.
  We suspect that the “accident” was, in fact, the result of the guards’ detonation of preexisting charges. The explo-
  sion completely leveled all four of the buildings that comprised the camp, burned virtually all evidence at the site and
  flooded the area with hydrochloric acid and acetone.
  The property has been tied back to Lehrder, and he’s indicated that the “pharmaceutical manufacturing plant” suf-
  fered a terrible explosion due to a “mishap” with chemicals at the site. Lehrder’s attorney did produce a tremendous
  amount of documentation supporting the claim that pharmaceuticals were manufactured at the site for US drug compa-
  nies and that the facility had for some time been selling and shipping legitimate pharmaceuticals to US companies with the
  approval of the FDA, DEA and local licensing authorities. Intelligence Services’ sifting of the rubble, however, indicates
  Private Memorandum
  
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  that many people did not escape the destruction. Many remains were found, and although all were so damaged as to
  prevent any estimation of the numbers dead, the bodies were curiously located only in one part of the building. Although
  the hydrochloric acid and acetone at the site first led Intelligence Services to speculate that the buildings may have been
  a cocaine processing plant, they’ve retracted that notion. Our working hypothesis is that no pharmaceutical manufactur-
  ing — legal or illegal — was conducted at the Puerto Lopez property but that whatever was going on in that building was
  so secret that Lehrder would rather have killed all of the employees there rather than risk discovery. We believe that the
  acid and acetone were red herrings utilized by Lehrder to disguise whatever may have been the camp’s real purpose.
  Finally, unverified reports to our Intelligence Services indicate that Lehrder has begun trafficking cocaine and heroin
  and that he’s found some new way to get as much as he wants into the US and Europe. We’ve spent many man-hours
  trying to track down trucks, planes and boats that Lehrder may be using to transport the drugs out of Colombia but have
  been unable to discover anything particularly useful. The only things that we’ve been able to trace back to him are a few
  pleasure boats and a jet — all of which are fully accounted for by our own people. No cargo planes, no appropriate boats,
  subs or fast craft, no trucking companies. Some informants have mentioned something called “The Door,” but we’ve not
  yet tied that information to substantive intelligence data. There seems to be little doubt that Lehrder is, in fact, moving
  narcotics again to support his MAS divisions, his public works in Colombia and, in all likelihood, other activities about
  which we know nothing. If that’s the case, then we’ll have to consider him to be more of a threat than the Orejuela
  brothers, the Cali cartel or the Eastern Plains cartel.
  In summary, the analysis of the T2M Intelligence Services supports hypotheses (a) that the Colombians are back in
  the narcotics business in the US and Europe, (b) that Wilhelm Lehrder has found some new means of trafficking drugs
  and, therefore, (c) that Lehrder has resurrected the Medellín cartel and reformed it as the central agent for the transport
  of all the cartels’ narcotics and (d) that Lehrder has revived a particularly fascistic and militaristic version of the cartels’
  MAS to help him control his operations and secure political control of the region. Intelligence Services also suspects
  Lehrder of other crimes associated with the Puerto Lopez disaster but will not speculate further.
  Accordingly, I will be sending under separate cover requests for the reassignment of particularly perceptive and
  manipulative novas having strengths in the areas of flight, telepathic scanning, surveillance and subterfuge/camouflage.
  Ideally, I would request Utopia or T2M novas who are Colombian citizens or of Latin American descent.
  My preliminary plan is to use novas to conduct a thorough surveillance flight of Colombia and Peru and determine the
  scope of coca production, as well as the possible location of other installations similar to the one discovered outside
  Puerto Lopez. Camouflaged ground teams will then observe the activities conducted around coca production plants, MAS
  camps and other relevant facilities. I would also like to begin the infiltration of Lehrder’s organization, so I am also
  requesting the transfer of a sufficiently subtle Latin American nova to be educated in Axis-era fascism in such a way that
  he or she might appeal to Lehrder personally. As soon as we discover the activities being conducted by Lehrder and the
  Medellín cartel, I will advise you of the same and suggest appropriate remedial alternatives. If you have any questions or
  concerns regarding any of the above, please, do not hesitate to contact me.
  
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  Excerpt from transcription of encrypted telephone conversa-
  tion between William F. Reed, Director T2M Americas and
  unidentified female
  Female voice:
  Female voice:
  Female voice:
  Female voice:
  Female voice: I have read your analysis of the situa-
  tion in Latin America, Mr. Reed.
  William F. Reed:
  William F. Reed:
  William F. Reed:
  William F. Reed:
  William F. Reed: Thank you, Director, I hope that it
  was informative.
  Female voice:
  Female voice:
  Female voice:
  Female voice:
  Female voice: Oh, yes, quite. What I found most in-
  teresting, though, was what you did not include, Mr.
  Reed. Tell me more of your suspicions; do not worry
  about supporting your arguments with any data that you
  have or have not been able to accumulate, though. Just
  tell me why you think the Medellín cartel still exists and
  what it is doing.
  (long pause)
  Female voice:
  Female voice:
  Female voice:
  Female voice:
  Female voice: Mr. Reed?
  Reed:
  Reed:
  Reed:
  Reed:
  Reed: Yes, ma’am; I’m just trying to gather my
  thoughts and decide where to begin. It’s quite unusual
  that you wouldn’t care about my supporting information.
  I’m—
  Female voice:
  Female voice:
  Female voice:
  Female voice:
  Female voice: Mr. Reed, we are dealing in a gray
  area here. I have never seen your report, I do not ex-
  ist, and this conversation never happened. It is by knowing your suspicions that I will be better able to
  implement appropriate safeguards against what may come to be. If I rely only on what you’ve included
  in your analysis or what you’re able to prove, then I may as
  well take a few months’ vacation. Now, what the hell is go-
  ing on down there?
  Reed:
  Reed:
  Reed:
  Reed:
  Reed: Well, ma’am, I believe that the Medellín cartel is
  back in action and that it’s being controlled by Wilhelm Peron
  Lehrder. You remember that law enforcement saw a little of
  Lehrder in the early 1990s, but he was a small player; we all
  paid more attention to his political views and the possibility
  that he might try to capitalize on his family’s history to re-
  gain control of Argentina or neighboring regions. When
  Escobar was killed and the rest of the Medellín cartel was
  being rounded up, Lehrder didn’t even register as a drug run-
  ner who was worth the effort. We know that he then spent
  several years traveling between Chile and to Italy to hide out
  with some of his family’s old cronies. No one even bothered
  to worry about him.
  Private Telephone Conversation
  
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  Female voice:
  Female voice:
  Female voice:
  Female voice:
  Female voice: I seem to recall hearing, too, that he
  managed to tap into some of the cartel’s money in the
  Cook Islands and Panama.
  Reed:
  Reed:
  Reed:
  Reed:
  Reed: Right; we’re all fairly sure that his father’s neo-
  Nazi friends pulled some strings to get Lehrder informa-
  tion on Escobar’s hidden offshore accounts some time
  around 2010. There’s no way to really know how much he
  snatched, but I’m estimating something around $1 billion.
  The money’d been sitting there drawing interest for more
  than 25 years because no one had been able to access it.
  I have no idea how Lehrder pulled that one off.
  Female voice:
  Female voice:
  Female voice:
  Female voice:
  Female voice: Please, continue.
  Reed:
  Reed:
  Reed:
  Reed:
  Reed: I just started to hear Lehrder’s name again a
  few years ago, and he’s gotten pretty big just recently; I
  suspect that he’s either a nova or that he’s hired a nova
  bodyguard, ‘cause there are just too many unexplained
  things surrounding the man.
  Female voice:
  Female voice:
  Female voice:
  Female voice:
  Female voice: Such as?
  Reed:
  Reed:
  Reed:
  Reed:
  Reed: Well, first, I’m certain that he’s behind most of
  the cocaine shipments that are finding their way into the US and Europe, so I’ve had people watching
  Lehrder and some of his suspected distributors. I’ve got about eight novas working interdiction all around
  Colombia, but no one’s seeing anything. We’re investigation almost every flight that leaves the country.
  We stop every boat that leaves Colombia’s shores, and I’ve got someone watching all the highway routes.
  I’ve even got an agent hanging out underwater in case Lehrder’s trying that stupid submarine thing that
  the cartels attempted in the late 1980s. So, near as I can tell, though, there’s no coke leaving the region
  at all — nothing leaving the region, in fact.
  Female voice:
  Female voice:
  Female voice:
  Female voice:
  Female voice: So, you think he’s producing it somewhere else?
  Reed
  Reed
  Reed
  Reed
  Reed: That was one of my first thoughts, but I don’t
  think so anymore. All the infrastructure’s set up in Colom-
  bia, the country’s big enough that small cocaine farms and
  production facilities would be easy to miss, and I don’t
  think Lehrder’s even left the country for about two years.
  No, I think that he’s found a new means of transporting his
  narcotics into the US.
  Female voice:
  Female voice:
  Female voice:
  Female voice:
  Female voice: How?
  Reed: 
  Reed: 
  Reed: 
  Reed: 
  Reed: I have no idea, ma’am. That one of the things
  that bothers me. A second thing that makes me think he’s
  hired a nova bodyguard is that my guys can never get close
  to him. I’ve tried to have him picked up for questioning,
  but he just disappears.
  Female voice:
  Female voice:
  Female voice:
  Female voice:
  Female voice: A caleta, maybe?
  Reed:
  Reed:
  Reed:
  Reed:
  Reed: No, I don’t think it’s just a hiding place. My
  agents have literally taken apart the buildings where we
  think he’s hiding and, even if we find a caleta somewhere,
  he’s not in it. He’s just gone, like he’s been snatched from
  
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  right under our noses. Even if I personally saw him walk
  into a building, I’ll sometimes get a report that he’s been
  spotted hundreds of miles away at the same time. I don’t
  know how he’s doing it.
  Female voice:
  Female voice:
  Female voice:
  Female voice:
  Female voice: Is he teleporting, do you think? Or
  warping?
  Reed:
  Reed:
  Reed:
  Reed:
  Reed: All I can say is that if he is, then Utopia’s never
  seen anyone with such good control over their capabili-
  ties. It’s as though he can take a step from Medellín to
  Miami as easily as you or I can walk down the street —
  I don’t know of any nova that can jump such long dis-
  tances so quickly. Every time we move in on him, he just
  walks away. Maybe he’s moving drugs the same way, but
  that’s so goddamned scary that I don’t even want to think
  about it; we’ll never be able to follow his trail if that’s
  what he’s doing.
  Female voice:
  Female voice:
  Female voice:
  Female voice:
  Female voice: Hmmm. And your suspicions that
  Lehrder’s rebuilt the old Colombians’ MAS? How accu-
  rate do you think you are?
  Reed:
  Reed:
  Reed:
  Reed:
  Reed: Quite, ma’am. South American revolutionaries have
  long been supported by the CIA, but I think Lehrder’s fund-
  ing this new MAS all on his own. I have unconfirmed reports
  in my files about a paramilitary network that Lehrder’s build-
  ing somewhere in the Middle Magdalena Valley — complete
  with its own fleet of planes, helicopters, launches, jeeps,
  bulldozers, printing presses, hospitals and stores of arms and
  ammunition. Even in the 1980s and 1990s, the Medellín
  cartel’s income gave it the wherewithal to purchase very so-
  phisticated weaponry. But, whereas the cartel used the MAS
  to shut down the kidnaping of their families, Lehrder’s using
  the force more as a private army or something. Our agents
  have been discovering bodies that they believe may be vic-
  tims of some sort of death camps, as well.
  Female voice:
  Female voice:
  Female voice:
  Female voice:
  Female voice: How many bodies are you talking about,
  Mr. Reed?
  Reed: 
  Reed: 
  Reed: 
  Reed: 
  Reed: Tens of thousands, ma’am, exclusive of the Puerto
  
  71
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  71
  MEDELLÍN CARTEL
  A  B  E  R  R  A  N  T
  A  B  E  R  R  A  N  T
  A  B  E  R  R  A  N  T
  A  B  E  R  R  A  N  T
  A  B  E  R  R  A  N  T
  Lopez camp. And the Colombian government is not only ignoring the problem, but actively denying it.
  Female voice:
  Female voice:
  Female voice:
  Female voice:
  Female voice: Yes, the Puerto Lopez camp; tell me about that.
  Reed:
  Reed:
  Reed:
  Reed:
  Reed: Oh, I don’t have a damn thing on that, ma’am, and I don’t even know what I think about it. All
  I can tell you is that Lehrder’s been pouring money into Colombian education — primary and secondary
  schools, adult literacy programs, etc. He’s developed one hell of an IQ test to figure out where the
  population’s at, and he’s apparently set up schools to educate and indoctrinate a lot of people — chil-
  dren and adults, both. It’s a mammoth project, and I can’t even guess where he’s headed with all of it. To
  his credit, he’s pulling it off. Relative to America and other first-world nations, the average IQ scores in
  Colombia are starting to improve after only three years of Lehrder’s program. Then, when we found the
  camp, I wondered…
  (long pause)
  Female voice:
  Female voice:
  Female voice:
  Female voice:
  Female voice: Wondered what, Mr. Reed?
  Reed:
  Reed:
  Reed:
  Reed:
  Reed: Never mind, ma’am. It’s so crazy that you’ll want me locked up in a barbwire room with all the
  other conspiracy theorists.
  Female voice:
  Female voice:
  Female voice:
  Female voice:
  Female voice: Spill it, Mr. Reed, and spill it now. That’s an order.
  Reed:
  Reed:
  Reed:
  Reed:
  Reed: You know, the site was an absolute mess by the time my agents got there, so we really know
  nothing. Between the explosion and the chemical spill, everything was pretty well destroyed except some
  of the bodies.
  Female voice:
  Female voice:
  Female voice:
  Female voice:
  Female voice: The bodies of the workers, right?
  Reed:
  Reed:
  Reed:
  Reed:
  Reed: That’s what’s bothering me, ma’am. You know that my great-grandmother died in a concentra-
  tion camp, right?
  Female voice:
  Female voice:
  Female voice:
  Female voice:
  Female voice: That’s in your file, yes.
  Reed:
  Reed:
  Reed:
  Reed:
  Reed: I’m just not sure that those bodies were workers, ma’am. They were all too neatly arranged in
  one place. I thought they might be prisoners, but then, the bones would be laying haphazardly all over if
  they’d died while trying to find a way out of a locked room while the building burned around them. I
  think that those people were already dead, and I think that the chemicals at the camp were there to get
  rid of the bodies. I think that Lehrder’s on some sort of extermination crusade, ma’am.
  
  72
  H O M E
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  the news
  Miami Herald Online (8/24/2015)
  Author of Controversial Drug Biography Found
  Murdered
  Conrado Ramos Borda, author of the as-yet unpublished
  Bathed in Blood: The Authorized Biography of Wilhelm Peron
  Lehrder, was found by authorities inside the trunk of an
  unlicensed vehicle outside The Gold Club — a nightspot
  known for its patronage by Miami’s new up-and-coming
  drug traders. Although Borda was apparently alive
  when he was discovered, he was pronounced dead at
  Kathryn Harris Memorial Hospital at 1:13 AM yesterday
  morning.
  Borda is well known to have been working for several
  years on a biography of Wilhelm Lehrder, the wealthy
  businessman, politician, philanthropist and educator
  who now lives in Medellín , Colombia. Although
  Lehrder’s efforts have almost single-handedly reformed
  Colombia’s educational system, he is probably best
  known due to the unsuccessful efforts of international
  law enforcement authorities to tie him to the resurgent
  Colombian narcotics trade.
  Friends of Borda’s have described to authorities a recent
  argument in which Borda and Lehrder disagreed about
  Borda’s description of a secret “door” in the biography.
  The substance of the argument remains unclear, but
  Borda is reputed to have been in hiding in Miami.
  Authorities are still puzzling over the circumstances of
  Borda’s captivity. Speaking on condition of anonymity,
  persons within the Miami Police Department indicated
  that the vehicle trunk inside which Borda was located
  was welded shut from the inside. “‘The door, the door,
  the door’ was all he’d say,” one source reported. No
  welding equipment was discovered near the car.
  
  73
  H O M E
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  Education Times (2/4/2014)
  Colombia an Educational Leader?
  In a 10-year investigative Report on World Literacy and
  Education (ROWLE) released by UNICEF and the United
  Nations last week, the Latin American country of Colom-
  bia swept many ratings as having
  the most improved educational
  facilities, the most improved
  children’s’ educational programs,
  the most improved adult educa-
  tional programs and the most im-
  proved overall literacy rate. Al-
  though Colombia has never been
  considered as a particularly well-
  educated country or even interested
  in cultivating a literate population,
  preliminary findings from the
  ROWLE report have the world
  educational community quite astir.
  Much of the country’s educational
  efforts are being led by entrepre-
  neur and social reformer Wilhelm
  Peron Lehrder.
  “My only goal is to give my people
  the educational support to lift them-
  selves up out of the mud,” Lehrder
  explained during a call from Education
  Times, “I’m tired of my countrymen
  being exploited by superpowers that
  don’t care about us or our way of life.”
  Much of the Colombian educational
  efforts revolve around controversial
  IQ testing and regionally appropri-
  ate means testing combined with
  programs that are specifically de-
  signed to remediate problem areas.
  Lehrder declined to share much
  more information with Education
  Times, however, explaining that, “I
  have spent more than $2 billion of
  my own money to inspire and edu-
  cate people in this poor country so
  that we can hope to compete in the
  world market. Beyond that, I can
  only say that Colombians must learn
  to think together as a single country
  in order for Colombia to take its
  place in the world economy.”
  
  74
  Excerpt from self-destroying OpMail message from Wilhelm
  Lehrder to Lara Bonilla
  Attention: This message will
  erase itself in 30 seconds!
  Lara,
  I have reviewed the information that you sent regarding business opera-
  tions. Please begin implementation of the following changes:
  1. Shipment charges from all the other producers will be increased to
  $35,000 per kilo, effective immediately. If Cali or any of the small producers
  are not willing to pay this, then they are to be cut off completely — I will not
  move their product. Direct any other problems to Justo.
  2. Increase the testing regimen and the flow of cattle through the pro-
  duction and purification camps. At this rate, it will take 20 years to attain my
  goals for Colombia’s population. Build additional camps if you think that is
  appropriate, but I want this completed within 10 years; you’re the one who
  says that the world will begin to notice my project long before that time, but
  I intend to have the people’s absolute support — through whatever means
  — well before that. My goal is to pull Colombia up by its bootstraps and oust
  the imperialist slave lords who’ve ruled us for too long already. The freedom
  of our country will be bought by the money we earn from the cocaine that we
  sell to sink their nations. I will not continue to suffer my people to be the
  lowest of the world’s low. But we cannot reach that goal until we have elimi-
  nated those who cannot or will not use their minds. We must be able to think
  as a country, no matter the cost.
  3. Triple the amount of heroin that we are currently harvesting. It will be
  easier to transport large amounts, and we earn almost three times as much
  from heroin as from cocaine. Justo and Cano should be able to locate ap-
  propriately discreet regions in which the poppies may be grown. Give me
  some idea of how much heroin we can transport without the triads going
  ballistic on us.
  
  ABERRANT
  CHAPTER FOUR: MEDELLÍN CARTEL
  75
  History
  The Cartels
  The business of cocaine trafficking did not take shape
  until the early 1970s, and at that time, only small amounts
  were transported abroad. It sold for more than $60,000
  per kilogram. Couriers smuggled a few pounds at a time on
  (or in) their bodies or in their luggage, conveying the drugs
  to a wholesaler. The tremendous income to be had from
  such high-dollar sales forced a revolution in the manufac-
  ture and transportation of cocaine, so, by the mid-1990s,
  the industry was utilizing cargo planes, tractor trailers,
  semisubmersible vessels and camouflaged fast boats to
  move well over 500 tons of the drug into the US alone.
  Market saturation and a falling sale price ended the
  political and economic cooperation between cocaine manu-
  facturers and traffickers and a ruthless competition for sales
  and market share took place in the drug underworld. Two
  primary cartels — the Medellín cartel and the Cali cartel
  — took shape, controlling 70 to 80 percent of cocaine
  exports from Colombia. Each organization developed its own
  personality, too; the Medellín traffickers were politically
  ambitious and favored violence as a political tool, while the
  Cali cartel advanced its goals through bribery and manipu-
  lation. In a similar vein, the Cali cartel grew as a loosely
  woven cooperative of exporters without any single driving
  personality. Because of this decentralization, it was able to
  survive Utopia’s purge somewhat intact; the Medellín car-
  tel, on the other hand, relied heavily on the connections
  and strategies of Pablo Escobar. His death in 1993 crippled
  the organization, and a death blow delivered by Utopia in
  the early 21st century dropped the cartel into its grave.
  Political Activities
  Dealers in each of the cartels — Medellín more than
  Cali — sometimes also trafficked in fringe political par-
  ties. As a flunky in the mid-80s, Wilhelm Peron Lehrder
  joined the Movimiento Latino Nacional (MLN) and soon rose
  to a position of minor leadership. Such marginal organiza-
  tions generally fit well with the cartels plomo or plata (lead
  or silver) approach to life, and it was from the ranks of the
  politically disenfranchised that the parties and the cartels
  recruited for paramilitary training schools.
  Given its addiction to the use of violence for political ends,
  the Medellín cartel’s camps were probably the best known for
  training the traffickers’ private armies. Recruits were trained
  by former Israeli Army and SAS personnel in such skills as cam-
  ouflage, self defense, weapons, counterintelligence, commu-
  nications, explosives and terrorism. Throughout the 1980s, the
  Medellín cartel employed more than 10,000 operatives
  throughout Colombia, and given the cartel’s annual cocaine in-
  come of between $4 to $7 billion, troops were provided with
  only the most sophisticated weaponry.
  The Cali cartel, though, preferred to nurture and har-
  vest its relationships with Colombia’s political drivers
  through bribes, legal manipulation and economic penetra-
  tion in order to maximize its own legal and illegal profits.
  “We don’t kill judges,” one trafficker is reported to have
  said, “we buy them.” Such assimilationist tactics ultimately
  made the Cali cartel’s tactics much more difficult to fight
  than the Medellín cartel’s terrorism.
  The Nova Age
  Although the DEA, FBI, CIA and other world law en-
  forcement agencies were completely unable to even hinder
  the flow of more than 100,000 kilos of cocaine into the US
  during the 1980s and 1990s, Project Utopia and Team To-
  morrow managed to shut down Colombian drug trafficking
  almost completely within a matter of months.
  Drug traffickers had for years used predictable and
  interdictable methods to haul narcotics into America, but
  their means had served them well, and so, no new means of
  transportation were ever investigated — even after the
  appearance of novas on the world scene. In 2001, though,
  it took very little time for Utopia and T2M to identify and
  bring a complete halt to the introduction of drugs into the
  US and Europe by plane, train, submarine and automobile.
  Many addicts were forced to give up their cocaine cold tur-
  key. Hospitals reported an enormous leap in the number of
  cases of cocaine withdrawal — a sign that Project Utopia
  happily took as proof that its efforts were working better
  than its leaders ever could have dreamed.
  When the transportation of cocaine from Latin America
  was stalled, then, the lack of a reachable cocaine market
  combined with the credit-based nature of the trade to pro-
  duce cocaine wars and deadly collection battles that wiped
  out the vast majority of small to mid-level dealers and traf-
  fickers. Those dealers who weren’t killed for their failure
  to pay suppliers and who weren’t killed by rival dealers were
  only lucky enough to be apprehended by authorities, and
  within less than a year, nova efforts brought the cocaine
  trade in America to a crashing halt. Coke that had been sell-
  ing for $5,000 to $7,000 per uncut kilo flew past previ-
  ous highs of $50,000 and $60,000 per kilo up to new
  heights of $150,000 and $200,000 per kilo. Cocaine left
  the province of the commoner and once again became af-
  fordable only to the world’s wealthiest glitterati. Many cartel
  leaders were either captured by authorities or slaughtered
  in desperate showdowns with law-enforcement officials.
  Only a handful of the shrewdest traffickers disappeared
  into obscurity to enjoy their billions.
  After the emergence of novas on the world scene,
  though, the Medellín cartel went through greater death
  throes than those under which it had been laboring since
  Pablo Escobar’s death in 1993 and, finally, died as an orga-
  nization — leaderless, under siege and without a viable
  
  ABERRANT
  CHAPTER FOUR: MEDELLÍN CARTEL
  76
  market for its goods. The decentralized Cali cartel slipped
  deeper underground, and most of the independent produc-
  ers were killed.
  Wilhelm Peron Lehrder and
  Just-in-Time Cocaine Delivery
  Wilhelm Peron Lehrder was one of the Medellín cartel
  underlings who were sufficiently small time to escape cap-
  ture or death. Eventually, Lehrder was able to return to the
  cocaine market with a new way to move his product and
  grandiose plans for his own future. It was true genius in-
  spired by the entrepreneurial spirit that drove Lehrder to
  discover a new means to build his business. In April, 2013,
  Lehrder met with the most progressive and intelligent of
  the remaining cartel members to outline this new means of
  delivery; this conversation was to become the cornerstone
  on which would be built Wilhelm Lehrder’s future as one of
  the most important figures in the resurgence of the Colom-
  bian cartels.
  When Lehrder discovered El Puerto, he recognized the
  man as the key to the future of the production and distri-
  bution of cocaine. By making utterly astonishing payments
  for delivery of goods, Lehrder kept El Puerto well within
  his control, and Lehrder’s own careful control of an invalu-
  able spike, soma, Red 7 and stolen adrenocilin supply man-
  aged to open up untapped distribution networks to which
  supplies of cocaine and heroin could be carefully adjusted
  at — almost literally — a moment’s notice.
  El Puerto allowed Lehrder to deliver or recover co-
  caine and heroin from distributors utilizing the just-in-time”
  model of supply and demand pioneered by W. Edwards
  Deming, the statistician and process improvement vision-
  ary credited with guiding Japan’s post-World War II indus-
  trial recovery. Through this approach and the quick deliv-
  ery provided by El Puerto, Lehrder was able to eliminate
  the waste, theft and capture of his product by getting ex-
  actly the necessary quantity of narcotics to the right place
  for distributors at the right time. No longer were Lehrder
  and the members of his cartel concerned about police in-
  terdiction; with even a few hours notice of a potential raid
  by police, drugs that had been delivered for distribution
  could be retrieved with the help of El Puerto.
  El Puerto might be paid $5 to $10 million for the deliv-
  ery of only 1,000 keys of cocaine to various places, so the
  costs of operation were tremendous, but the profits to the
  cartels were infinitely greater, since that 1,000 kilos might
  well be subsequently sold for $120 to $150 million. Healthy
  world economies, an overwhelming demand for recreational
  drugs and the newfound wealth of novas thirsty for Amp
  Wells at the Amp Room (and eventually the Phoenix Room)
  poured a staggering amount of money into the once-dead
  cocaine trade.
  A Better Colombia
  All of the drug sales, though, were secondary to
  Lehrder’s ultimate plan. Because Lehrder grew up in an
  environment where his grandfather’s name was famous (but
  without the presence of a father figure), Lehrder likely
  yearned for some degree of paternal approbation. It was at
  an early age, then, that young Wilhelm began adopting the
  well-known philosophical tenets that his grandfather had
  embraced while traveling through wartime and post-war
  Europe. After the fascist Juan Peron married Eva Duarte to
  build the legendary Argentine political partnership, the
  doors of South America opened as a safe haven for the Nazi
  exiles with whom Peron had built a long-lived relationship.
  In return, the Nazis used their scientific skills on behalf of
  their host countries and handed over millions of dollars in
  hidden Nazi assets to fill the Peron coffers.
  Because of the complete absence of his father, the
  larger-than-life image of his grandfather could not have
  helped but rub off on the young Will Lehrder, who lived
  with his mother in Quindio, Colombia. Despite the little
  money they occasionally received from the aged Juan Peron,
  though, Will and his mother lived in slums and survived
  among some of the poorest people in the world. Along the
  way, Wilhelm Lehrder began to recognize not only the dif-
  ference between the intelligent and the unintelligent, but
  to understand the latter’s drain on national and economic
  resources. All of this served as the soil in which grew
  Lehrder’s plans to build a new Colombia free from deple-
  tion by the stupid and mentally inadequate.
  It was when the young Wilhelm Peron Lehrder met one
  of his father’s oldest friends, though, that his plans began
  to fall into place. Purely by accident, Lehrder met Nazi SS
  Colonel Otto Skorzeny, a Hitler loyalist central to the most
  influential underground fascist network in Europe. Skorzeny
  had not only been the initial contact for many fugitive Nazi
  war criminals seeking relocation to South America, but he
  had also been instrumental in cultivating neo-fascism in the
  new generation of Europeans. Skorzeny took Lehrder on
  as a devoted student of eugenics and a “weeder of the hu-
  man garden.” The two learned much from one another. By
  the end of their time together, Lehrder was devoted to the
  idea of building a better Colombia.
  Operations
  Legitimate Operations
  Beyond its illegal drug trafficking, the Medellín cartel
  also invests heavily in legitimate businesses. Large sums of
  laundered money are moved into banking, communications,
  construction, light industry, publishing, agriculture and re-
  tailing, which, in turn, launder further amounts for distri-
  bution into subsequent businesses. Lehrder himself main-
  tains a private herd of realtors, lawyers, accountants and
  
  ABERRANT
  CHAPTER FOUR: MEDELLÍN CARTEL
  77
  bankers, who maintain his private holdings, including homes
  throughout the world, hotels, casinos, pharmaceutical com-
  panies and shopping centers. As an organization com-
  prised of Lehrder and his trafficking cohorts, the
  modern Medellín cartel and its subsidiaries are reputed
  to own or control more than 30 percent of the real
  estate in Colombia and to finance more than 40 per-
  cent of the building construction.
  Such legitimate business enterprises allow the
  cartel to provide Colombia with charitable contribu-
  tions and political donations without the appearance
  of a narcowelfare state. Likewise, the cartel’s political lob-
  bying efforts are all routed through fully legitimate busi-
  nesses; these are mostly aimed at protecting the easy op-
  eration of narcotics businesses and obtaining expanded
  rights for charged and convicted traffickers.
  Heroin
  Opium poppies can be grown anywhere in the world,
  and it’s a wonder that it took the Colombians so long to
  recognize the pretty little flowers as a second income-
  producing crop. By the middle of the first decade of
  the 21st century, the Medellín cartel had begun utilizing
  its cocaine distribution network to sell ultrapure heroin
  number 4. Colombia’s 6,540 hectares of arable land
  and the favorability of its climate make the country one
  of the largest potential producers of opium in the world.
  Chinese triads have, historically, controlled
  the flow of heroin, however, and the Medellín
  cartel has come into increasingly greater conflict
  with the Chinese drug-traders. So much so that the
  two organizations are on the brink of a shadow war
  the likes of which the world has never seen.
  Cocaine
  Cocaine has long been not only
  Colombia’s single largest export, but during
  the 1980s and 1990s, it was Florida’s great-
  est import; cocaine sales exceeded the state’s $5 billion annual
  tourism income by well over $2 billion. And, even though
  Florida’s attorney general tried to prosecute every case made
  by US DEA and Customs officials, only seven full-time pros-
  ecutors were assigned to the state’s drug cases, and sights were
  set low. No one had time to put together a big picture of the
  trafficking occurring, so otherwise important arrests often
  resulted in no more than minor possession or sales charges.
  Since police and prosecutors were concerned with adding as
  many arrests and convictions as possible to their statistics, they
  focused on persons moving dozens or hundreds of kilos for a
  quick arrest. No one targeted the people moving tons of the
  stuff. The result was a cocaine free-for-all in Florida that, within
  10 years, provided the leaders of the Medellín cartel with the
  wherewithal to grow from Colombian peasants and thugs into
  some of the richest men in the world.
  
  ABERRANT
  CHAPTER FOUR: MEDELLÍN CARTEL
  78
  selves, but added to the fray were the conflicts among all
  the criminals, revolutionaries, terrorists, governmental au-
  thorities, oil companies and other insurgents — everyone
  warred with everyone, and there was more than enough
  mayhem to go around. Colombians with the wherewithal to
  escape the country were forced to flee in order to escape
  rampant kidnaping, extortion and murder.
  By the time Utopia stepped into the picture, the US had
  been waging its own drug war for more than 35 years. More
  than 50,000 civilians had been killed and 1 million others
  displaced in the government’s $1.5 billion per year conflict.
  Education Efforts
  Of the Medellín cartel’s annual $1 billion+ net profit,
  Lehrder has been funneling an average of $200 million an-
  nually into educational program for Colombian adults and
  children. The development, maintenance and administra-
  tion of IQ tests cost Lehrder more than $20 million each
  year. These highly sensitive tests are administered to more
  than 3 million Colombians annually, resulting in much better
  identification of Columbia’s problem areas. Lehrder’s edu-
  cational team has found that around 27 percent of the popu-
  lation falls noticeably below the IQ and functionability lev-
  els prescribed by Lehrder and that an additional 2 percent
  falls so far below the appropriate levels as to be deemed
  substantially disabled.
  Children are aggressively channeled into the clean, mod-
  ern and frighteningly orderly schools built by Lehrder. Those
  marked as talented or gifted are given a stipend proportion-
  ate to their performance. An exceptionally bright student
  performing at peak levels can take home enough of a stipend
  to support her parents. Those who cannot or will not per-
  form are “redflagged” and disappear from the system.
  Adults are put through a similar testing regimen. Those
  who cannot read are moved into adult literacy programs,
  where they remain until they succeed. Those who do not
  succeed disappear.
  Cleansing Efforts
  All of the flash and glamour surrounding Lehrder’s edu-
  cational efforts serves as no more than an effective
  smokescreen covering much more practical purposes.
  Through a carefully devised testing regimen, Lehrder is able
  to identify his countrymen’s intelligence and capabilities.
  By doing so, Lehrder intends to improve Colombia’s future
  by eliminating the “intellectually inferior.”
  Through six “production and purification camps” situ-
  ated throughout the country, Lehrder’s educational efforts
  have resulted in a remarkable improvement of the average
  level of intelligence and literacy rates in Colombia. By the
  time Utopia discovered the Puerto Lopez camp, more than
  220,000 people had already died in that facility alone, their
  bodies dissolved in acid and disposed of as part of Lehrder’s
  cocaine-manufacturing process.
  The Production of Cocaine
  Cocaine production begins with coca plants, which grow
  anywhere between 1,500 and 6,000 feet above sea level in
  warm, moist weather. Leaves from the coca plants are har-
  vested three or four times a year, and it takes approximately
  363 kilos of coca leaves to yield one kilo of salable cocaine.
  The dried leaves are treated with lime and potash —
  which begin to break down the leaf’s alkaloid structure —
  and are then soaked in vats filled with kerosene. Sometimes,
  the leaves are pressed to help extract the alkaloid-infused kero-
  sene, and the mixture is subsequently mixed with sulfuric acid
  to form a collection of salts, including cocaine sulfate. With
  the addition of more lime and potash, a gummy grayish sludge
  — coca paste — forms at the bottom of the vat.
  The coca paste is refined and processed further with
  more sulfuric acid, potassium permanganate and ammonium
  hydroxide to leave a very pure cocaine base that is not soluble
  in water and, therefore, cannot be inhaled through mucous
  membranes but can be smoked (“freebased”). To create a
  powder that can be inhaled, the base must be dissolved in
  ether or acetone with hydrochloric acid, yielding cocaine
  hydrochloride — the substance beloved by baselines and
  novas alike. Unfortunately, ether and acetone are both highly
  volatile and, combined, possess enough stored explosive en-
  ergy that the average life of a cocaine cook is not a long one.
  Tactics
  Cocaine traffickers were all career criminals —
  streetwise, tough and deadly. Regardless of whether they
  had grown up in Colombia or not, those still living thrived in
  one of the world’s most dangerous businesses; those who
  had been raised in Colombia, though, were part of a culture
  of violence that had existed long before drug trafficking
  came along. Kidnaping, street murders, restaurant massa-
  cres and the like had been Colombian traditions since La
  Violencia, a bloodbath waged by and between the country’s
  liberal and conservative militias from 1948 through 1950.
  During La Violencia, an estimated 300,000 people were
  killed before a national peace was reached. Even afterward,
  though, right-wing death squads took it upon themselves
  to “restore order” throughout the countryside. La Violencia
  had taught Colombians everything they needed to know
  about violence; drug traffickers were simply another ex-
  pression of that national trait.
  By the middle of the first decade of the 21st century,
  Colombia sported a murder rate of more than 120 per
  100,000 — more than 10 times the US average — mak-
  ing it the most violent country in the world. The country
  was well on its way to being an utterly lawless and anarchic
  country. Drug traffickers waged war not only among them-
  
  ABERRANT
  CHAPTER FOUR: MEDELLÍN CARTEL
  79
  License to Parent
  Lehrder acknowledges that intellect is shaped as much
  by environmental factors as genetic potential, and to that
  end, all Colombian citizens wishing to be parents must qualify
  for a parenting license. Obtaining the license requires suc-
  cessful completion of classes in infant nutrition, parenting
  techniques and techniques for maximizing a child’s IQ.
  Any citizen producing a child without a parenting li-
  cense is placed on probation until the child’s first IQ test at
  the age of 5. If the child is normal, the parent’s probation is
  completed. If the child is talented or gifted, the parent is
  granted a parenting license automatically. Any citizen who
  produces two children without a parenting license is steril-
  ized unless both children are deemed to possess intellec-
  tual capacities significantly above the average. Multiple
  births are excepted from this policy.
  Structure
  The Medellín cartel in the 1980s and 1990s was an
  organization run by 13 leading families, each of whom
  controlled vast amounts of cocaine production and sales.
  Foremost among them and the undisputed leader of the
  pack, though, was Pablo Escobar. When Escobar was
  killed in 1993, the cartel was effectively leaderless, al-
  though it continued for more than a decade until the
  organization fell apart in the face of infighting and strikes
  by Team Tomorrow.
  It was the cartel’s structure that was revived by Wilhelm
  Peron Lehrder in 2012. The cartel under Lehrder is orga-
  nized around and for Lehrder. Although other traffickers
  participate under the auspices of the Medellín cartel and
  although other cocaine producers ship a large percentage
  of their product through the cartel, there’s no question
  about who’s in charge. The cartel had been almost com-
  pletely destroyed by Utopia before it was rebuilt by Lehrder
  almost single-handedly; the cartel’s means of distribution
  is a secret closely guarded by Lehrder; and Lehrder is the
  glamorous “invisible man” when it comes to apprehension
  by the authorities.
  FARC
  Fuerzas Armadas Revolucionarias de Colombia
  (FARC) is the largest and oldest rebel group operating in
  Colombia. It is also closely tied to drug trafficking and,
  therefore, is the best-trained, best-outfitted and most
  successful insurgent organization in Latin America. In the
  late 1990s, FARC threw off all pretenses of being any-
  thing other than the enforcement branch of the Fascist
  Party of Colombia, existing solely to overthrow the Co-
  lombian government. FARC frequently serves as a mer-
  cenary army for the Medellín cartel; indeed, FARC’s pri-
  mary source of income has generally been from its pro-
  tection of cocaine fields, labs and personnel.
  Dramatis Personae
  Wilhelm Peron Lehrder
  Background:
  Background:
  Background:
  Background:
  Background: Wilhelm Peron Lehrder was the only child
  born to the beautiful 14-year-old Nelly Rivas by Erich Juan
  Peron, himself an illegitimate child of Juan Peron. Based sim-
  ply on his grandfather’s heritage, Lehrder soon came to be
  regarded as a “dangerous Nazi” by the Colombian National
  Police. Cables from Colombian military intelligence services
  indicated that Juan’s friends consisted of expatriate fascists
  who regularly discussed the possibility of installing in Colom-
  bia a “pro-Nazi totalitarian government.” The cables further
  reported the group to be “rabidly anti-Project Utopia, ve-
  hemently anti-democratic and bitterly anti-American.”
  Retaining his grandfather’s famous Latin American sur-
  name, Will grew up to be short but very handsome — five
  feet, six inches, with thick, dark hair, boyish features and
  penetrating eyes. People who knew him said that he was
  quite playful and unambitious but respectful. Will Lehrder
  grew up during the late 1960s and traveled to Europe once
  with money sent to him by his grandfather. It was during
  this trip that Lehrder met Otto Skorzeny, with whom
  Lehrder would eventually develop a valuable and lucrative
  relationship — both professionally and personally.
  Lehrder was arrested for the first time in the United
  States in 1982 while trying to sell more than 100 pounds
  of marijuana. Although there were relatively few strings
  to be pulled from Berlin, Skorzeny made sure that Lehrder
  was well taken care of by the neo-fascists at the Danbury
  Correctional Institution. Lehrder met many new friends,
  and to fend off the tedium of prison, he read voraciously,
  becoming fond of Machiavelli’s The Prince, Jung’s Arche-
  
  ABERRANT
  CHAPTER FOUR: MEDELLÍN CARTEL
  80
  types of the Collective Unconscious and everything writ-
  ten by Friedrich Nietzsche. During his tutelage in the
  American correctional system, Will Lehrder also became
  determined to perfect his own narcotics trade, learning
  new methods to run it as a lucrative business enterprise
  rather than as a half-assed sport for the weekend war-
  rior. Most importantly, though, Lehrder made the con-
  nections necessary for him to enter into America’s fledg-
  ling cocaine trade, allowing him to become a cultural bridge
  between the Colombian cocaine producers and a US dis-
  tribution network comprised largely of Americans.
  Upon his release, Lehrder began using money made
  from marijuana sales to Otto Skorzeny to put together the
  pieces essential to smuggling cocaine into America by air.
  Lehrder formed a small conglomerate of producers willing
  to pool their drugs into large shipments that were eventu-
  ally sent as small shares on the Medellín cartel’s planes.
  Lehrder soon became able to pay for all of his own
  personnel and distribution systems, and by the late
  1980s, Lehrder had his own planes that were hauling
  hundreds of kilos of cocaine for small Colombian pro-
  ducers on a weekly basis, profiting Lehrder hundreds of
  thousands of dollars per trip and allowing him to pur-
  chase the tiny four-mile long Nancy’s Cay in the Baha-
  mas. For only a few million dollars, Lehrder managed to
  purchase a private and isolated staging point for all his
  operations. Although he was never a large figure in the
  cocaine trade, Lehrder transformed during this period
  from a kid who moved relatively small amounts of pot
  for chump change into a man who was easily able to move
  hundreds of kilos of cocaine for millions.
  Though he spent lavishly on his operation, Lehrder
  stockpiled money and began investing in his more private
  ambitions. Lehrder had learned well from his father and
  looked forward to a day when he would be able to bring his
  home country into the modern world as the president of
  Colombia. Lehrder wanted to take the country back from
  largely Western control, and he used cocaine in an almost
  military way to further his goals.
  Image: 
  Image: 
  Image: 
  Image: 
  Image: Lehrder is an attractive man, though not ex-
  ceptionally so. He is slightly shorter than average, with thick,
  dark hair and a lighter complexion. His eyes are a light green,
  and his lips are full. Although Lehrder’s age has led to his
  thickening through the middle, he is not overweight and
  carries himself with a sense of command.
  Roleplaying Hints:
  Roleplaying Hints:
  Roleplaying Hints:
  Roleplaying Hints:
  Roleplaying Hints: You are the gods’ gift to Colombia
  and so have a divine right to rule the country by whatever
  means necessary. You wield a great deal of power and know
  it; between Lara Bonilla and El Puerto, though, there’s al-
  most nothing that can get in your way. You must constantly
  remind yourself, though, of who maintains your power be-
  cause, without either one of them, T2M would have you in
  a heartbeat.
  Gear:
  Gear:
  Gear:
  Gear:
  Gear: Lehrder generally wears a flak jacket for personal
  protection and carries small arms such as a light pistol or
  laser electroshock pistol.
  Nature
  Nature
  Nature
  Nature
  Nature: Leader
  Allegiance: 
  Allegiance: 
  Allegiance: 
  Allegiance: 
  Allegiance: Self
  Attributes: 
  Attributes: 
  Attributes: 
  Attributes: 
  Attributes: Strength 2, Dexterity 2, Stamina 2, Perception
  3, Intelligence 5, Wits 4, Appearance 4, Manipulation 4,
  Charisma 5
  Abilities:
  Abilities:
  Abilities:
  Abilities:
  Abilities: Awareness 3, Biz 4, Brawl 3, Command 4, Drive
  2, Endurance 1, Firearms 3, Interrogation 2, Intimidation 3,
  Might 1, Resistance 2, Streetwise 4, Style 1, Subterfuge 3
  Backgrounds: 
  Backgrounds: 
  Backgrounds: 
  Backgrounds: 
  Backgrounds: Backing 5, Contacts 3, Followers 3, Influence
  4, Resources 5
  Willpower 7
  El Puerto
  Background:
  Background:
  Background:
  Background:
  Background: El Puerto grew up as Pablo Jorge Arroyave
  in the slums of Medellín, while Colombia slowly turned from
  an outback province into a lawless nation of anarchy ruled
  by King Mob. Arroyave managed to survive his youth in one
  of the most violent countries in the world, one where drug
  lords, criminals, revolutionaries and terrorists waged con-
  stant war against not only the government and the country’s
  infrastructure, but also among themselves. But Medellín was
  as pretty a place as a person could find in South America; a
  city where anyone — rich or poor — could win prestige
  with enough guts, brains and vision.
  So, from the home (or, at least, the four pieces of tin
  tied together in the corners with nylon rope) where he oc-
  casionally lived with 13 other members of his immediate
  family, Arroyave wanted nothing more than to escape. And
  so, Arroyave came to know Juan Vasquez, who sold him
  coke and introduced him to Rafael Restrepo, who sold him
  coke and introduced him to Manuel Escobar, who sold him
  coke and was able to get him a job with Wilhelm Lehrder’s
  squads in Medellín.
  All went well for Arroyave until the day that the
  American DEA found the coke lab that Arroyave and his
  friends were supposed to be guarding. The coke lab was
  razed, the workers fled into the forest, and the rest of
  Arroyave’s guard team was killed. Only he escaped.
  Through discreet inquiry, Arroyave discovered himself to
  be in Iquitos, Peru — more than 10,000 km from
  Medellín. With no clue how he’d come to be in Iquitos, a
  pounding headache and a fear for his friends guarding the
  coke lab, Arroyave started walking north.
  Arroyave soon learned that he could absent himself
  from danger almost without thought, though determining
  the particularity of his destination took some time to fig-
  ure out — gods thank the occasional yachts that trav-
  eled the Caribbean Sea when Arroyave escaped another
  coke lab attacked by the US DEA. Quickly, though, he
  found himself before Don Wilhelm himself, explaining his
  
  ABERRANT
  CHAPTER FOUR: MEDELLÍN CARTEL
  81
  convenient “absences” during DEA attacks. Surprisingly,
  Arroyave was not shot, but was, instead, invited to sit with
  Don Wilhelm and enjoy a drink and a snort from the Don’s
  own cache of drugs.
  Thus was born El Puerto.
  El Puerto began working directly with Don Wilhelm him-
  self, learning how to open “warp doors” to transport him-
  self, other people and things from place to place. El Puerto
  found Don Wilhelm to be remarkably congenial and more
  than willing to share his own alcohol and drugs with the
  underling formerly known as Pablo Jorge Arroyave. El Puerto
  enjoyed the spike and Red 7 that Don Wilhelm provided
  and, in particular, the rush from the soma that Don Wilhelm
  once gave him.
  Soon, Don Wilhelm was able to co-opt Dr. Robin
  Gugliotta directly from Utopia’s Science and Technology
  Division to work as the Medellín cartel’s first developer of
  nova skills. Dr. Gugliotta worked with Lehrder and El Puerto
  to help El Puerto master and develop his skills. And, while
  he was not particularly bright, El Puerto was able to build
  on his own knack for opening “warp doors” between Here
  and There through which things and people could pass.
  El Puerto worked to increase the range of his skill and
  began working for Don Wilhelm in a whole new capacity
  — one that paid more than poor Pablo Arroyave could ever
  have previously imagined. El Puerto believed that he’d fi-
  nally hit the big time by becoming Don Wilhelm’s personal
  friend; although he recognized that he now had a much more
  important position in Don Wilhelm’s plans, El Puerto could
  never have realized the true worth to Lehrder of having a
  means of free product transport between points without
  the risk of interdiction. Lehrder came to the belief that by
  maintaining the illusion of being nice to the moron, paying
  him a truly ridiculous salary and providing a generous va-
  cation schedule, he would remain able to forever utilize El
  Puerto as an unparalleled means of delivery.
  Image:
  Image:
  Image:
  Image:
  Image: El Puerto is not a thinker, but he’s quite the
  looker. A small man, El Puerto possesses classic Latino looks,
  with lovely proportions and perfect muscle tone. High
  cheekbones, long eyelashes and heavily lidded hazel eyes
  give El Puerto a boyish face that begs men and women alike
  to “come hither.”
  Roleplaying Hints: 
  Roleplaying Hints: 
  Roleplaying Hints: 
  Roleplaying Hints: 
  Roleplaying Hints: You give the illusion of being very
  thoughtful and well-considered until you open your mouth;
  some of your former compatriots still trapped in the lower
  and more disposable ranks of Lehrder’s operation some-
  times called Arroyave “the Open Door” among themselves
  until they once found that you had appeared behind them
  through one of your “warp doors.” Not knowing where you
  might appear taught Lehrder’s men a new appreciation of
  you, and your ability to open doors over tremendous dis-
  tances left many people in awe. Despite your own mental
  limits, you take instruction very well. You are very loyal to
  your friend Don Wilhelm. If Lehrder told you to open a warp
  door between China and the US, you would either find a
  way to open the necessary doors or die trying.
  Gear: 
  Gear: 
  Gear: 
  Gear: 
  Gear: El Puerto carries few tools or instruments. Hoping to
  keep El Puerto from becoming a target, Don Wilhelm has
  provided his personal nova with a stolen invisibility suit and
  a light pistol for personal defense.
  Nature:
  Nature:
  Nature:
  Nature:
  Nature: Follower
  Allegiance:
  Allegiance:
  Allegiance:
  Allegiance:
  Allegiance: Medellín Cartel/Don Wilhelm
  Attributes:
  Attributes:
  Attributes:
  Attributes:
  Attributes: Strength 2, Dexterity 3, Stamina 3, Perception
  2, Intelligence 2, Wits 4, Appearance 5, Manipulation 2,
  Charisma 2
  Abilities:
  Abilities:
  Abilities:
  Abilities:
  Abilities: Athletics 4, Awareness 2, Brawl 2, Drive 1, En-
  durance 3, Firearms 2, Melee 2, Might 3, Rapport 2, Resis-
  tance 3, Stealth 2, Streetwise 4, Style 4, Survival 2
  Backgrounds: 
  Backgrounds: 
  Backgrounds: 
  Backgrounds: 
  Backgrounds: Backing 5, Mentor 3
  Quantum 4, Quantum Pool 28, Willpower 3, Taint 1
  Mega-Attributes:
  Mega-Attributes:
  Mega-Attributes:
  Mega-Attributes:
  Mega-Attributes: Mega-Appearance • (First Impression,
  Seductive Looks)
  Quantum Powers:
  Quantum Powers:
  Quantum Powers:
  Quantum Powers:
  Quantum Powers: Teleport ••, Warp •••••
  Lara Bonilla
  Background: 
  Background: 
  Background: 
  Background: 
  Background: Lara Bonilla fell in love with some of
  the obscure and radical mathematical writings of Hari
  Seldon while she was still in high school in Buenos Aires.
  A mathematical prodigy, Bonilla commanded a perfect
  grasp of advanced calculus by the time she was 11, and
  at 13, she began working on Seldon’s theories regard-
  ing the use of psychomathematics and psychohistory
  as predictive tools. Despite the efficacy of Seldon’s
  
  ABERRANT
  CHAPTER FOUR: MEDELLÍN CARTEL
  82
  ideas, Bonilla began developing her own
  psychomathematical models.
  Working with Professor Maxwell Pelton Mermelstein
  at the University of Miami, 16-year-old Lara Bonilla worked
  on computer systems that could interpret the world’s con-
  stant stream of information, apply her models thereto and
  produce an accurate predictive result. And it was through
  Professor Mermelstein that Bonilla was introduced to the
  drug culture and, eventually, to Wilhelm Peron Lehrder.
  Lehrder and Bonilla met at a party hosted by
  Mermelstein’s friends in Lima, Peru. Their eyes locked
  across the crowded room as though they recognized one
  another from a thousand previous lives. When they touched,
  it was magical, and Bonilla thought, completely predictable;
  although she’d seen an outcome like this more than two
  weeks ago, in fact, it was still a thrilling experience.
  The two of them spent the night on the deck of the
  Lima condominium, first watching the sun go down over
  the South Pacific and then just talking until the small hours
  of the morning. Bonilla never had any delusions that Lehrder
  was anything other than a drug trafficker; that was what
  the models told her he would be. And even though she’d
  never had any interest in narcotics, Bonilla tried cocaine
  upon her return to Beunos Aires because that’s what she
  knew to be the correct next step.
  The experience was a frightful one for her, though, as
  her latent node exploded in her mind with a flood of
  psychomathematical probabilities, changes to her finely
  tuned model and statistical visions of the future. Between
  the effect of the narcotics and her own eruption, it took
  quite some time for Bonilla to recover from the experience;
  when she did, though, Bonilla realized that she’d come to
  fully understand a much-improved psychomathematical
  model and was able to run information through her own
  mental model without the computer program that she’d
  developed with Professor Mermelstein.
  The relationship between Lehrder and Bonilla blos-
  somed to the point where, at 18, she left college and moved
  to Colombia as Lehrder’s mistress. Clearly, Lehrder found
  Bonilla’s predictive capabilities to be extremely valuable,
  and so, he took very good care of her. Combined with El
  Puerto’s warp capabilities, Bonilla’s skills allowed Lehrder
  the perfect opportunity to move his product throughout
  the world without risk of capture.
  Image: 
  Image: 
  Image: 
  Image: 
  Image: Lara Bonilla is a beautiful, svelte girl. She’s Latin
  American and looks it — a spectacular beauty with a slight
  build, long black hair and eyelashes that would do credit to
  Grace Kelly or Marilyn Monroe. Despite her looks, though,
  Bonilla has a poor self-image and often dresses in baggy,
  unflattering clothes.
  Roleplaying Hints:
  Roleplaying Hints:
  Roleplaying Hints:
  Roleplaying Hints:
  Roleplaying Hints: You are dedicated to Lehrder be-
  cause of the love that he’s shown you. Despite this, though,
  you’re even more dedicated to honing and testing your
  own psychomathematical models. Your M-R node has
  taken you places where Hari Seldon never dreamed of
  going, and you love the power that your predictive capa-
  bilities have given you.
  Gear: 
  Gear: 
  Gear: 
  Gear: 
  Gear: Bonilla carries no weapons because she’s almost al-
  ways able to avoid problematic situations where weapons
  would be necessary. She has, however, capitulated to
  Lehrder’s demands that she at least wear reinforced cloth-
  ing. On the third anniversary of their meeting, Lehrder also
  bought Bonilla a symbiotic brain data implant that allows
  her to download and consider vast amounts of information
  as part of her psychomathematical models.
  Nature:
  Nature:
  Nature:
  Nature:
  Nature: Caregiver
  Allegiance: 
  Allegiance: 
  Allegiance: 
  Allegiance: 
  Allegiance: Wilhelm Peron Lehrder
  Attributes:
  Attributes:
  Attributes:
  Attributes:
  Attributes: Strength 2, Dexterity 3, Stamina 2, Perception
  4, Intelligence 5, Wits 4, Appearance 3, Manipulation 2,
  Charisma 4
  Abilities:
  Abilities:
  Abilities:
  Abilities:
  Abilities: Academics 4, Arts 1, Athletics1, Awareness 5, Biz
  1, Brawl 1, Bureaucracy 3, Computer 5, Drive 1, Endurance
  3, Intrusion 2, Investigation 2, Legerdemain 3, Linguistics 1
  (Native: Spanish; English), Melee 1, Might 1, Resistance 3,
  Science 5, Stealth 3, Style 2, Survival 2
  Backgrounds: 
  Backgrounds: 
  Backgrounds: 
  Backgrounds: 
  Backgrounds: Backing 5, Mentor 3
  Quantum 3, Quantum Pool 26, Willpower 4
  Mega-Attributes: 
  Mega-Attributes: 
  Mega-Attributes: 
  Mega-Attributes: 
  Mega-Attributes: Mega-Intelligence ••• (Eidetic
  Memory, Mathematical Savant)
  Quantum Powers: 
  Quantum Powers: 
  Quantum Powers: 
  Quantum Powers: 
  Quantum Powers:  ESP •••, Intuition ••, Luck ••••,
  Premonition •••••, Pretercognition ••••
  
  ABERRANT
  CHAPTER FIVE: STORYTELLING
  83
  CHAPTER FIVE:
  STORYTELLING
  Storytelling
  Now that you know the major players in the under-
  world of 2015, it’s time to put that information to use in
  your Aberrant
  Aberrant
  Aberrant
  Aberrant
  Aberrant game. Most Storytellers are likely to use
  the various criminal syndicates as antagonists, foils and
  occasional allies of the main characters in their series.
  The first section of this chapter looks at those roles in
  detail. Others may be inspired by the material in this book
  to run a series based around one or more of the syndi-
  cates and the people involved with them. The second
  part of this chapter looks at the possibilities inherent in
  an underworld Aberrant
  Aberrant
  Aberrant
  Aberrant
  Aberrant series.
  Antagonists and Allies
  The typical role of criminal syndicates in an Aber-
  Aber-
  Aber-
  Aber-
  Aber-
  rant
  rant
  rant
  rant
  rant series is as an element of the setting for the play-
  ers’ characters to interact with. How the characters
  are likely to interact with organized crime depends on
  the allegiances of the characters and the main themes
  of the series.
  Project Utopia
  Project Utopia naturally opposes the major criminal
  syndicates and has devoted itself to eliminating crime
  as one of its goals to create a better world. Unfortu-
  nately, while Utopia and Team Tomorrow scored some
  impressive initial successes against organized crime, they
  haven’t been successful in completely eliminating it. In
  fact, one could certainly argue that all Utopia did was
  trim away the deadwood from the major syndicates, al-
  lowing newer, stronger organizations to take their places,
  organizations that aren’t going to be as easy to crack as
  their predecessors.
  The truth of the matter is that organized crime is
  a relatively low priority for Project Utopia. Team To-
  morrow isn’t a crime-fighting force (although they can
  be, if that’s what you want, see the “Crime-Fighting”
  sidebar). Taking down syndicate operations is good
  public relations for T2M and Utopia, since it’s the sort
  of thing people expect from heroic novas, but that’s
  about it. Utopia has much bigger fish to fry in dealing
  with problems such as political tensions, the envi-
  ronment, world economics, illegal technology, nova
  threats and so forth. It’s only when the syndicates
  touch on these larger issues (destabilizing govern-
  ments or smuggling illegal technology) that Utopia
  really sits up and takes notice.
  Part of the Utopia philosophy is that it wants to
  address the root causes of crime rather than playing
  police and trying to arrest criminals. Of course, how
  Utopia plans to tackle the problem of eliminating
  crime is up to the Storyteller, but it offers many dif-
  ferent possibilities.
  One option is to tackle the question of material
  need; if no one in the world wants for anything, then
  what’s the need for smuggling or a black market? Once
  money becomes irrelevant, why try to make it ille-
  gally? As Utopia solves the problems of starvation and
  want worldwide, the black market shrinks. As Utopia
  ends wars and creates peace, the illegal weapons
  market dries up. But for each criminal market Utopia
  eliminates, its efforts unwittingly create a new one.
  For example, Utopia’s regulation of new technology
  has led to a very profitable black market in illegal tech,
  one that syndicates such as the Nakato Gumi are only
  to happy to profit from. Advances in medical science
  have also led to new drugs such as spike, soma and
  mite, which the syndicates produce and sell. The new
  prosperity in places such as India and Ethiopia cre-
  ated larger vice markets there. Each advance Utopia
  makes is turned inside out, and organized crime finds
  a way to profit from it.
  There’s also the issue of dealing with criminal be-
  havior itself. It’s certainly not beyond the capabili-
  ties of Project Utopia (or its novas) to use behavior
  modification of some kind — technological, quan-
  tum-based or both — to tear out the weed of crime
  at its roots.
  On the face of it, the idea seems implausible;
  would society really stand for the brainwashing of
  criminals to make them into honest citizens? But so-
  ciety countenances the execution of criminals in many
  
  ABERRANT
  CHAPTER FIVE: STORYTELLING
  84
  cases or their imprisonment for life, and new methods
  of “rehabilitation” may appear more humane and cost-
  efficient in the long run. This is particularly true when
  the program is made voluntary.
  What if a telepathic or Mega-Manipulative nova of-
  fers to alter a convicted criminal’s mind to eliminate his
  criminal propensities? If the convict agrees, he gets a
  reduction of his sentence and a better chance at parole.
  It’s not a giant step from there to the imposition such
  “treatment” on criminals against their will. Mark
  Gruenwald’s Squadron Supreme (available as a graphic
  novel from Marvel Comics) tackles the issue of “en-
  forced” rehabilitation implemented by people with su-
  perpowers.
  For their part, the syndicates prefer to keep out of
  Project Utopia’s way, while looking for anything they can
  use to ensure Utopia won’t bother them. The entire
  criminal underworld remembers the purges that came
  with Utopia’s war on crime, and nearly everyone in the
  syndicates knows someone who ended up in prison (or
  dead) because of it. The syndicates are better off stay-
  ing below Utopia’s radar for the most part, doing busi-
  ness behind the scenes and surviving for another day.
  That’s not to say that the syndicates can’t take on
  Project Utopia. Strong-arm tactics and influence are two
  of the things organized crime does best, and Project Uto-
  pia and its people are certainly not above either temp-
  tation or human failings (even those of them who aren’t
  very human any more). A syndicate can dig up an em-
  barrassing incident or piece of information and use it to
  blackmail someone into doing a “favor” here or there.
  Syndicates even arrange such incidents to give them
  opportunities to get a hold over people.
  The syndicates are also in the daily business of tak-
  ing Utopia’s good works and finding a way to twist them
  into something they can profit from. It can be frustrat-
  ing for Utopia-affiliated characters to see all their hard
  work turned into a new vice for the Megasyndicate or
  the Heaven Thunder Triad to make money from, and that
  frustration might lead the characters to try and do some-
  thing about the syndicates.
  
  ABERRANT
  CHAPTER FIVE: STORYTELLING
  85
  The underworld also provides the black market and
  criminal connections Proteus uses to carry out some of
  its black ops — with the syndicates none the wiser that
  there is a secret organization behind some of the thefts,
  assassinations and other crimes that happen in their ter-
  ritory. Proteus is utterly ruthless in dealing with the syn-
  dicates (more so than usual) because it knows the kind
  of tiger it’s riding dealing with organized crime.
  The syndicates would certainly love to get some dirt
  on Proteus, if they knew it existed. It would be the per-
  fect bargaining chip to use against Project Utopia, which
  is why Proteus is so careful in its dealings with the un-
  derworld.
  Aberrants
  Former agents of Project Utopia are placed in an
  unusual situation with regard to the underworld. On the
  one hand, many of them are responsible for breaking
  the backs of earlier syndicates and sending a lot of mob-
  sters and criminals to prison (or to meet their maker).
  On the other hand, these novas are now renegades and
  criminals themselves, many of them living outside the
  law. They’re forced to look to the syndicates as poten-
  tial allies in their struggle. Necessity, like politics, makes
  for strange bedfellows.
  The Aberrants aren’t naïve enough to think that the
  syndicates would help the renegade novas out of any-
  thing other than self-interest, but they also know the
  syndicates have no love for Utopia and that they can be
  bought.
  For their part, the syndicates, particularly the
  Megasyndicate and the yakuza, are willing to exchange
  favors with the Aberrants. Having the assistance of a
  nova or two never hurts, and the syndicates think they
  can get their hooks into some of the Aberrants, if they
  play their cards right. The Aberrants also offer the pos-
  sibility of a chink in Utopia’s armor, something the crimi-
  nals might be able to exploit, given the opportunity.
  As if they didn’t have reason enough to mistrust the
  criminal syndicates, the Aberrants also have to beware
  the possibility of ties between the syndicates and Project
  Proteus, which do exist to a degree (see above).
  Teragen
  The self-proclaimed members of the One Race
  should have little or no interest in the dealings of baseline
  criminal organizations, but that is not entirely the case.
  It’s true that the Teragen as a whole cares nothing for
  the activities of the syndicates, pointing to them as ex-
  amples of how the zips will never change, no matter how
  hard Utopia tries.
  But, living outside human law as they do, Terats do
  sometimes find the criminal syndicates useful in their
  various plans to spread the word of Teras and to ex-
  Crime-Fighting
  One of the clichÈs of the comic books is that while
  superheroes often fight crime, they ultimately don’t seem
  to do very much to prevent it. Criminals still rob banks in
  Gotham even though they know the Batman is in town.
  Part of this is obviously because if there wasn’t any crime,
  there wouldn’t be very much for superheroes to do… or
  would there?
  On the one hand, it’s quite possible to take the syndi-
  cates described in this book and give them a more “four-
  color” spin for use in an Aberrant
  Aberrant
  Aberrant
  Aberrant
  Aberrant series where the player
  characters are superheroes fighting crime. Play up the ste-
  reotypes and make them larger than life. The Megasyndicate
  is full of oily men in pinstripe suits who use Tommy-guns
  and talk like they’re in a Hollywood gangster movie (even
  the Russians). The yakuza is slick, high-tech and employs
  ninja enforcers. And so forth. If the Teragen and other no-
  vas are the “supervillains” in a four-color game, then the
  syndicates are the “meat and potatoes” criminals the he-
  roes get to beat up. The trouble is that no matter how many
  individuals they take out, the syndicates keep on going.
  The other option is to explore some of the real effects
  of “fighting crime” in an Aberrant 
  Aberrant 
  Aberrant 
  Aberrant 
  Aberrant series. What if the char-
  acters succeed in virtually ending crime in a major city? Then
  what do they do? Do they retire? Do they find a new cause
  to throw their efforts behind? How much “maintenance”
  does it take to preserve their success? How long can they
  maintain it?
  An effective “crime-fighting” series can be built along
  the lines of any of the major police dramas on television,
  with the addition of nova law enforcers. Even novas will
  face much of the same legal red tape, see the same ter-
  rible crimes and feel many of the same frustrations real-
  world police officers do on the job. Perhaps even more so
  since novas are likely to feel even more pressure to make a
  difference with their abilities — and to feel more frus-
  trated when they can’t.
  Project Proteus
  To Project Proteus, the syndicates are a useful tool
  like any other. At some point, they’ll be eliminated, of
  course, but for the time being organized crime tends to
  be beneath Proteus’ notice. Like Utopia, it has bigger
  concerns than organized crime.
  Still, the syndicates are useful from time to time.
  Proteus can sometimes nudge them in the direction it
  wants them to go, and they can provide good PR for
  Utopia when some suitable “crime-fighting” can be set
  up, with the deck stacked to favor Team Tomorrow and
  Utopia novas.
  
  ABERRANT
  CHAPTER FIVE: STORYTELLING
  86
  plore their own nature as novas. Narcosis, in particular,
  has ties with the Medellín cartel (through various inter-
  mediaries). The cartel helps supply her with soma and
  other drugs for her baseline followers, and she supports
  their efforts to develop new nova-specific drugs, in the
  hopes of adding them to her arsenal of influence.
  The Harvesters faction of the Teragen sometimes
  finds itself in need of particular high-tech equipment,
  things Utopia has banned as dangerous because they lend
  themselves to things such as home gene-splicing shops
  where someone might cook up a dangerous plague or
  something even worse. In this situation, these Terats turn
  to Kuro-Tek to provide the necessary materials, work-
  ing through enough blinds that Utopia cannot trace where
  the equipment has gone, even if they do manage to catch
  up with Kuro-Tek.
  The Teragen also knows that information, materi-
  als, almost anything, is available for sale from the syn-
  dicates, for the right price. The Terats would hotly deny
  the implication that they were in any way dependent
  upon a baseline criminal organization for their support.
  But the truth is that the Teragen has relied on the syn-
  dicates in the past, although that is becoming less fre-
  quent now that the members of the Pantheon have built
  up support networks and followers of their own.
  The syndicates are willing to deal with the Pantheon
  (when they’re aware that’s whom they’re dealing with in
  the first place). Otherwise, the Teragen is too high pro-
  file, and too high on Utopia’s hit list, for the syndicates
  to get involved in their affairs. Better to leave the
  Teragen alone and work to stay on the good side of the
  One Race for as long as possible.
  The Directive
  The Directive finds itself in an interesting symbi-
  otic relationship with organized crime, the Nakato Gumi
  in particular. The Directive uses Kuro-Tek as its tech-
  nological arm, the supplier of the various devices field
  agents need to do their work. Kuro-Tek and the Nakato
  Gumi have naturally encouraged the relationship and
  done all they can to keep the Directive dependent on
  them for their hardware needs. The Directive’s support
  affords them a measure of protection against Project
  Utopia’s Science & Technology Division, although the
  Nakato Gumi knows that the Directive would cut Kuro-
  Tek loose if it had to.
  In fact, there are some within the Directive con-
  cerned about the organization’s reliance on Kuro-Tek.
  Director Harris supported buying technology from Kuro-
  Tek because it was expedient and helped to get the Di-
  rective up and running as quickly as possible. Now, he’d
  like to see the agency weaned from Kuro-Tek, doing its
  own research and development. The problem is that the
  member nations of the Directive have been reluctant to
  commit the huge amount of money necessary to foster
  the R&D division, especially when Kuro-Tek provides
  so well, and Japan and Director Nakamura are strongly
  against the idea.
  The Directive has gone up against the C-Z
  Megasyndicate and the Heaven Thunder Triad and will
  do so again in the future, if necessary, but Director Har-
  ris is concerned the Nakato Gumi wants to use the Di-
  rective for its own ends, diverting resources from the
  agency’s more important work. The reality of the situa-
  tion is that the Directive needs Kuro-Tek, at least for
  the time being, so when the Nakato Gumi needs a “fa-
  vor,” passed on via Director Nakamura, it’s in the
  Directive’s best interest to go along, provided other
  operations are not compromised. This kind of “side
  work” can clue in Directive agents about the
  organization’s ties with Kuro-Tek, and Director Harris
  might tap them to help him cut some of those ties, pos-
  sibly behind the other directors’ backs.
  Elites
  Elites interact with the criminal syndicates on a
  regular basis more than any other group of novas, as
  both allies and opponents. The syndicates hire elites to
  handle a wide range of tasks, including taking on other
  syndicates. Various clients hire elites to go up against
  the syndicates, usually to recover stolen articles (or
  blackmail evidence), but also for rescue missions, es-
  pionage and assassination.
  Despite the fact that they work for the syndicates
  one day and against them the next, elites remain on fairly
  good terms with organized crime for the simple reason
  that they need each other. The syndicates have a diffi-
  cult time recruiting and keeping nova agents, particu-
  larly novas capable of dealing with opposition such as
  Project Utopia, so elites are a vital part of the syndi-
  cates’ operation. To the elites, the syndicates are cus-
  tomers like any others, so long as they’re willing to meet
  the elites’ prices (plus a little extra for the risk that
  comes with working for organized crime). An elites game
  is a good opportunity to introduce the characters to the
  various syndicates and the important people within them
  without going the route of a full-fledged underworld
  series.
  Story Ideas
  Gang War:
  Gang War:
  Gang War:
  Gang War:
  Gang War: Sooner or later, the syndicates come into
  conflict, and the characters get caught in the middle.
  When two or more criminal organizations start moving
  into territory that the players’ characters have an in-
  terest in, things start to get ugly. It starts out with threats
  and warnings and quickly escalates to assassinations and
  violence in the streets. The characters might choose to
  
  ABERRANT
  CHAPTER FIVE: STORYTELLING
  87
  support one side or the other, or they might try and quell
  the fighting, either by rounding up both sides or by try-
  ing to get them to negotiate. Things can get interesting
  when the syndicates involved start calling in favors, par-
  ticularly if the players’ characters happen to owe some-
  body.
  An Offer You Can’t Refuse:
  An Offer You Can’t Refuse:
  An Offer You Can’t Refuse:
  An Offer You Can’t Refuse:
  An Offer You Can’t Refuse: A syndicate digs up
  some dirt on one or more of the characters and makes
  them an offer: Either they do a “favor” for the syndi-
  cate from time to time, or their little secret comes out
  in the most damaging way possible. Naturally, the syn-
  dicate has taken all precautions to ensure that the in-
  formation is protected and out of the nova’s reach. What
  does the character do? Does she go along with the mob’s
  “harmless” requests (which become more and more de-
  manding over time), or does she call its bluff and risk
  having her ruinous secret revealed?
  Dealing With the Devil:
  Dealing With the Devil:
  Dealing With the Devil:
  Dealing With the Devil:
  Dealing With the Devil: A syndicate (particularly the
  Nakato Gumi) has an item of technology the novas need
  to deal with a problem they are facing or to further their
  own goals. The syndicate is willing to negotiate for the
  item, but it’s not about to let it go cheaply. The charac-
  ters have to decide whether or not to negotiate with the
  syndicate (and meet their price) or to try to take what
  they want, by stealth or by force. In the latter case, they
  may earn themselves a powerful and vindictive enemy.
  The Underworld Series
  For a true change-of-pace Aberrant 
  Aberrant 
  Aberrant 
  Aberrant 
  Aberrant series, you can
  run a story deeply involved with the world of organized
  crime. This series requires a particular group of players
  who are all interested in this sort of game, although there
  is still room for a wide range of character types and
  motivations.
  Novas or Not?
  The first thing to consider for an underworld series
  is whether or not the players are running nova or baseline
  characters. There aren’t many novas involved with the
  syndicates directly, so nova characters stand out more
  than in a typical Aberrant
  Aberrant
  Aberrant
  Aberrant
  Aberrant series. The players’ charac-
  ters may be the only novas working for the syndicate
  (perhaps along with a few others).
  Playing baseline characters trying to run a criminal
  empire in a world with novas such as Team Tomorrow
  would be a considerable challenge, but it might not be
  to everyone’s taste. One possibility for including
  “baseline” characters in the series is to use “stealth”
  novas or nova infiltrators (see below). The Aberrant:
  Aberrant:
  Aberrant:
  Aberrant:
  Aberrant:
  The
  The
  The
  The
  The Directive
  Directive
  Directive
  Directive
  Directive sourcebook offers many suggestions on
  playing baseline and “stealth” nova characters in an
  Aberrant
  Aberrant
  Aberrant
  Aberrant
  Aberrant game.
  Motivation
  The next thing to consider is what are the
  character’s motivations for working for the syndicate?
  This question is particularly important for nova charac-
  ters. After all, a nova can make a fortune as an elite,
  municipal defender or even a product spokesperson for
  a major corporation. There’s very little motivation for
  novas to become criminals — or, at least, very little fi-
  nancial motivation. There are a number of other motives
  that might steer novas into working for organized crime:
  Duty and Loyalty:
  Duty and Loyalty:
  Duty and Loyalty:
  Duty and Loyalty:
  Duty and Loyalty: Two of the strongest motivators
  in human history. A character who feels that he owes
  something to the syndicate may not be able to just walk
  away from those obligations because he erupted. He
  might have worked for the syndicate before erupting.
  Or he might have been born into (or married into) a syn-
  dicate family. Despite his best efforts to cut any ties, he
  still feels a duty to his family. Or the character may feel
  he has a “family tradition” to uphold, to make his elders
  proud of him. Perhaps the syndicate did him a good turn
  once, and he feels the need to repay it.
  Debt:
  Debt:
  Debt:
  Debt:
  Debt: Criminal syndicates rack up plenty of people
  who owe them both money and favors. If one of those
  people erupts, you can bet the syndicate is going to try
  and collect. If not the nova herself, then perhaps one of
  her loved ones owes the syndicate big-time, and this is
  how it wants to be repaid, unless the nova wants to start
  a war against an entire organization, with her loved ones
  caught in the crossfire. Maybe the nova has a particular
  illegal habit the syndicate is all too happy to satisfy in
  exchange for a little help here and there.
  Guilt:
  Guilt:
  Guilt:
  Guilt:
  Guilt: Blackmail is a prime tool for organized crime
  and has been for a long time. A nova may be able to fly
  faster than sound and bend steel in his bare hands, but
  he can’t escape the secrets of his past, and criminal or-
  ganizations are very good at digging up those secrets
  — or manufacturing them to suit their needs. A nova
  blackmailed into working for the syndicate is a danger-
  ous asset but still a potentially useful one.
  Refuge:
  Refuge:
  Refuge:
  Refuge:
  Refuge: Not all novas are pretty enough to be media
  stars, and some have aberrations, both mental and physi-
  cal, that would make most people cringe and get them
  locked up in Utopia’s Bahrain facility for the rest of their
  lives (which probably wouldn’t be all that long). These
  novas aren’t among “the beautiful people,” no matter what
  they may look like. Some of them find refuge in the un-
  derworld, where their talents are in demand and their
  aberrations are likely to be overlooked, so long as they
  don’t interfere with getting the job done. In fact, some
  particularly twisted novas might find it easier to live out-
  side the law in a sub-culture that respects and fears power
  and needs what they have to offer.
  
  ABERRANT
  CHAPTER FIVE: STORYTELLING
  88
  Redemption:
  Redemption:
  Redemption:
  Redemption:
  Redemption: Finding redemption working for orga-
  nized crime? Doesn’t seem likely, but some characters
  might be motivated to get involved with a syndicate in
  order to create change from within. Perhaps the char-
  acter is an idealist who thinks he can divorce the syndi-
  cate from its illegal dealings. Or the character might be
  an undercover agent, sent to infiltrate the organization
  and help bring it down from the inside.
  Revenge:
  Revenge:
  Revenge:
  Revenge:
  Revenge: Criminal syndicates are full of vendet-
  tas and petty conflicts. A character might join up with
  one in order to get revenge on a rival syndicate or
  perhaps even to get revenge on someone within the
  syndicate, possibly by upstaging him and pushing him
  out of the organization.
  Theme
  The overall theme of Aberrant
  Aberrant
  Aberrant
  Aberrant
  Aberrant is one of power and
  responsibility, summed up in the question “What would
  you do with the power of a god?” An underworld series
  plays on this theme by looking at people who abuse their
  power or use it solely for their own self-interest, out-
  side the law, and by asking whether or not criminal be-
  havior is inherent in human nature or can be changed.
  The first theme examines the nature of being a
  criminal, violating the law in order to get ahead in the
  world. There’s a tendency to romanticize criminals in
  American culture because they defy the law, break the
  rules and often get away with it. There are times when
  everyone fantasizes about being able to do whatever they
  want, of having power and the will to use it ruthlessly. In
  this respect, criminals are similar to novas; they both
  have the power to step outside society’s laws and do what
  they want. The question is, what will characters capable
  of doing anything do, and who will stop them, if anyone?
  The other, related, question is: “Does power cor-
  rupt, and does absolute power corrupt absolutely?” Are
  syndicate bosses corrupt because they’re powerful or
  powerful because they’re corrupt and willing to ignore
  the laws society makes? Some philosophers believe that
  human beings are inherently selfish and that laws (and
  the fear of punishment) are the only things keeping hu-
  man society from degenerating into anarchy. What hap-
  pens when you find yourself beyond any fear of reprisal,
  beyond the power of the law? What do you do with that
  kind of freedom? Or are you really trapped by your ob-
  ligations and commitments to your organization and not
  really free at all?
  Mood
  Underworld stories can evoke a number of dif-
  ferent moods. Some of the most common include
  the following:
  Danger:
  Danger:
  Danger:
  Danger:
  Danger: The criminal world is attractive and thrill-
  ing because it’s dangerous. It’s life on the edge, outside
  the law and the safe boundaries of everyday society.
  There’s danger from the authorities, trying to shut the
  criminals down and bring them to justice. There’s dan-
  ger from the criminals day-to-day activities, risking their
  lives committing crimes and dealing with rival criminal
  factions and even people within their own gang. Char-
  acters in an underworld series should feel that there’s
  always something about to happen, something coming
  around the next corner. They could face death or im-
  prisonment any moment and have to rely on each other
  and their own wits to stay ahead of the game.
  Duty:
  Duty:
  Duty:
  Duty:
  Duty: The syndicates are built on principles of duty
  and loyalty, although they’re more often honored in the
  breach than in practice. Criminals feel a sense of loyalty
  to their syndicate and often to their superiors or their
  boss, and that loyalty motivates them to break the law,
  betray others or even take the fall for someone else.
  Yakuza series are particularly strong on the idea of duty
  winning out over one’s own desires, and criminal char-
  acters may find themselves caught between their duty
  and their own goals.
  Rebellion:
  Rebellion:
  Rebellion:
  Rebellion:
  Rebellion: The criminal is a rebel, thumbing his nose
  at the law and daring it to stop him. Criminals have a
  kind of freedom other people sometimes envy and ide-
  alize because they operate outside of society’s rules. But
  criminals also exhibit the dark side of rebellion and de-
  fiance of the rules. They murder, maim, rape and tor-
  ture, often without remorse or regret. They show the
  animal side of humanity, capable of the most depraved
  acts in order to make money or garner favor with their
  superiors. Criminals also walk a tightrope between re-
  belling against the laws of society but obeying the rules
  and traditions of their syndicate. When they break the
  rules, sometimes they succeed and pull off a major coup
  — other times, they fail and are punished, either by
  society or by their own organization.
  Violence:
  Violence:
  Violence:
  Violence:
  Violence: The underworld is a terribly violent world,
  where criminals are predators profiting from human mis-
  ery. There’s the violence of guns, assassination and tor-
  ture, but there’s also the violence done against individu-
  als through drugs, prostitution, slavery and degradation.
  Plus there’s the violence done against society when its
  laws are violated.
  On the one hand, this atmosphere of violence is quite
  liberating and allows the players to go wild. Their char-
  acters can do things that only people in gangster mov-
  ies do. But violence simply for violence’s sake tends to
  reduce the game to nothing but a splatter-fest, causing
  the players to become numb to the violence their char-
  acters inflict.
  Violence has the most impact when its personal and
  the characters are confronted with the consequences
  of their actions. The people killed in mob hits usually
  
  ABERRANT
  CHAPTER FIVE: STORYTELLING
  89
  have family or loved ones, some the characters may see
  again. Victims beg and plead for their lives, and sooner
  or later, the threat of violence is held over the charac-
  ters’ heads. What happens when the characters are
  asked to assassinate someone they like and respect?
  What happens when someone they care about gets
  caught in the crossfire or used as a means of revenge?
  Series Concepts
  There are a number of different possible se-
  ries based around organized crime. This section
  looks at a few of them, but it only hits upon some
  of the possibilities.
  The Bad Ol‘ Days:
  The Bad Ol‘ Days:
  The Bad Ol‘ Days:
  The Bad Ol‘ Days:
  The Bad Ol‘ Days: Rather than starting out in
  2008 or 2015 when the criminal syndicates in this
  book are already well established, it can be interest-
  ing to start out a series at the beginning of the Nova
  Age, before Project Utopia’s war on crime. The play-
  ers can take the roles of characters involved with the
  syndicates when Team Tomorrow first begins its as-
  saults on the Mafia in the United States. Perhaps some
  or all of the characters erupt as a result, allowing them
  to influence the future of the underworld. They might
  take the places of crime lords such as Camparelli,
  Zukhov and Nakamura, seizing control of existing
  gangs or forging their own out of the remains left
  behind by Utopia. They can build versions of the syn-
  dicates in this book or entirely new ones left to the
  players’ imaginations, figuring out ways to avoid Uto-
  pian reprisals and survive in the world of Aberrant
  Aberrant
  Aberrant
  Aberrant
  Aberrant.
  This sort of series also makes an effective prelude to
  another underworld series.
  Nova Muscle:
  Nova Muscle:
  Nova Muscle:
  Nova Muscle:
  Nova Muscle: The characters are all novas working
  for a criminal syndicate. They may, in fact, be the only
  novas working for the syndicate, making them very im-
  portant people indeed. They have to contend with the
  enemies of their organization, many of whom have no-
  vas available to them as well. In particular, there’s the
  threat of Team Tomorrow and Project Utopia moving
  against the organization, as well as the various other
  factions of the Aberrant
  Aberrant
  Aberrant
  Aberrant
  Aberrant world. The characters also have
  to deal with factionalism and politics within their own
  organization. Some of them may be loyal to one faction
  while others are loyal to another, creating conflict within
  the group. Maybe they decide its time for the baselines
  to stop running things and stage a coup, turning the se-
  ries into something else entirely.
  Crime Lords:
  Crime Lords:
  Crime Lords:
  Crime Lords:
  Crime Lords: In this series, the characters are the
  heads of criminal organizations, either influential
  middlemen or powerful crime lords such as the heads
  of the Megasyndicate or the oyabun of the yakuza.
  They might have risen to their positions of power
  through Utopia’s purges and the early years of the Nova
  
  ABERRANT
  CHAPTER FIVE: STORYTELLING
  90
  Age (like in the “Bad Ol‘ Days” concept). They might
  be baselines or novas, long time heads of the syndi-
  cate or a new leadership installed by a coup or change
  in tradition. Although this series still offers physical
  conflict in the form of attempted assassinations, en-
  counters with novas on the side of the law and so forth,
  it tends to be a more social game. The characters have
  to juggle the responsibilities of leading their
  organization(s) while fending off attacks from their
  enemies, both internal and external.
  Wiseguys:
  Wiseguys:
  Wiseguys:
  Wiseguys:
  Wiseguys: Finally, the characters might be infiltrat-
  ing the syndicate in order to bring it down from within.
  They might be working for the authorities (Utopia, the
  Directive, Interpol, etc.), for a rival syndicate or for
  an organization such as Proteus. This series is one of
  paranoia and deception, as the characters try to live
  double lives, working as members of a syndicate while
  trying to carry out their mission and not to compro-
  mise their morals. Ideally, the characters should find it
  difficult to betray some of the people they know within
  the syndicate, while also developing rivalries and dis-
  liking others, perhaps even people within their own
  legitimate organization.
  References
  For inspiration and additional information, check out
  some of the following media resources.
  Books
  Books
  Books
  Books
  Books
  Comrade Criminal by Stephen Handelman — An in-
  depth look at the Russian Mafiyah in the mid-1990s.
  Ritual & Mythology of the Chinese Triads: Creating
  an Identity by Barend J. ter Haar — An outstanding and
  detailed look at the purposes behind the triads’ rituals;
  what they’re for and what they mean.
  Trail of the Triads: An Investigation into Interna-
  tional Crime by Fenton Bresler — an interesting over-
  view of triad organizations.
  Warlords of Crime: Chinese Secret Societies, the
  New Mafia by Gerald L. Posner — One man’s walk
  through the underworld of Chinese organized crime.
  Comics and Games
  Comics and Games
  Comics and Games
  Comics and Games
  Comics and Games
  Dark Champions by Steve Long — A sourcebook
  for Hero Games Champions RPG that covers “street-
  level” superheroes and provides some information on
  organized crime.
  Destiny’s Price
  Destiny’s Price
  Destiny’s Price
  Destiny’s Price
  Destiny’s Price — This sourcebook for Mage: the
  Mage: the
  Mage: the
  Mage: the
  Mage: the
  Ascension
  Ascension
  Ascension
  Ascension
  Ascension covers the gritty, “street-level” aspects of
  the underworld and may be useful for Storytellers look-
  ing for a different angle.
  Killing Streets
  Killing Streets
  Killing Streets
  Killing Streets
  Killing Streets — While this sourcebook is for Kin-
  Kin-
  Kin-
  Kin-
  Kin-
  dred of the East
  dred of the East
  dred of the East
  dred of the East
  dred of the East, White Wolf’s game about Asian vam-
  pires, its information on the yakuza and triads comple-
  ments this work nicely.
  Suicide Squad — A series from DC Comics in the
  late 80s and early 90s. Several storylines involved or-
  ganized crime (particularly the yakuza). Other good
  comic-book resources include Batman, Daredevil and
  The X-Men.
  Film and Television
  Film and Television
  Film and Television
  Film and Television
  Film and Television
  Black Rain — A film about two American po-
  lice officers investigating a crime linked to the
  yakuza in Japan.
  Bound — Independent film where a made man’s
  girlfriend falls for a blue-collar lesbian and the two of
  them cook up a scheme to rip off the mob.
  The Godfather — The quintessential Mafia movie;
  although it’s full of stereotypes, it provides a good look
  at organized crime from the inside. The sequels are well
  worth seeing, too.
  The Sopranos — An HBO television series about
  the average American Mafia family.
  Web
  Web
  Web
  Web
  Web
  http://www.twenty4.co.uk/on-line/issue001/
  project02/KWC/ — a fascinating website devoted
  to the Kowloon Walled City — an extraordinarily
  disturbing place.
  
  ABERRANT
  APPENDIX
  91
  Second-Story Man
  A native of Brooklyn, Patrick O’Reilly lost
  his parents to a car accident at a young age
  and was raised by his paternal uncle and
  aunt. Perhaps as a result of the emotional
  trauma of losing his parents, Pat grew
  up painfully shy, retreating into a fan-
  tasy world of comic books and sci-fi
  novels. Though his uncle encouraged
  young Pat to play outside with others his age,
  the boy eschewed physical activities in favor of
  his books, video games and the OpNet. Pat’s
  few pathetic attempts at childhood social in-
  teraction led to savage beatings at the hands
  of playground bullies or humiliating laughter
  from members of the opposite sex.
  Thus, by high school, Pat had become vir-
  tual nonentity to his classmates. He had no real
  friends and seldom participated in extracurricu-
  lar activities. A rare exception to Pat’s self-imposed
  introversion was the annual science fair.
  The boy had long enjoyed this yearly chance to
  stretch his stifled creativity. In his time, he’d done it all —
  from the ubiquitous papier-mâché volcano to a computer model
  of the growth of the M-R node, from eruption to maturity.
  The subject his sophomore year was a study of the toxicity of
  insect and arachnid venom in species native to the United States.
  The project seemed a shoo-in to win first place until classmate
  Tom Avery tripped Pat while the boy carried his clear-plastic
  vivarium to the gym for its presentation.
  Most of the captive insects and arachnids were crushed
  in the subsequent fall. Some few escaped, flying or crawl-
  ing to freedom. One in particular, a brown recluse spider,
  took the opportunity to revenge itself on young Pat for its
  captivity, biting the hapless teen on the hand.
  The bite was excruciatingly painful, as was the splitting head-
  ache that followed fast on its heels. After the initial confusion
  caused by the myriad escaped creepy-crawlies died down, Patrick
  was rushed to the school nurse. An ambulance was called, and
  the boy spent the night in the hospital under observation.
  Soon after his release, young Pat realized something
  had changed in him. Always a weak, uncoordinated boy, Pat
  was suddenly strong, fast and agile. Also, the scar from the
  spider bite would at times discharge a white, tacky sub-
  stance. Looking at the dried material under the microscope,
  Pat discovered it was a form of spider silk. Putting two and
  two together, O’Reilly realized he had erupted. Over the
  next couple of weeks, a scar identical to the one on his right
  hand appeared on his left, also oozing the same liquid silk.
  Pat discovered that, by tensing certain muscles in combi-
  nation, he could fire thin streams or wide tangles of the
  silk. The teen also grew tiny flesh-tone claws in his finger-
  tips and toes, which he could use to cling to most surfaces.
  Revealing his eruption to his uncle, Pat asked the man for
  advice on what to do with his quantum gifts. The man took a
  moment to consider the question and then said to Pat, “With
  great power comes great opportunity, my boy.” Taking the
  man’s advice to heart, Patrick enjoyed a brief career as an XWF
  jobber known as El Araño, before being offered a much more
  lucrative position in “acquisitions” by the C-Z Megasyndicate.
  Since his eruption, Pat has gained self-confidence and
  a happy-go-lucky outlook on life. He’s also become popu-
  lar with the ladies, his nova-enhanced strength, dexterity
  and stamina and his other abilities lending themselves to
  some off-the-wall bedroom antics.
  Image: 
  Image: 
  Image: 
  Image: 
  Image: Pat O’Reilly is startlingly average in appearance
  — brown eyes and hair, average height and no distinguish-
  ing features. His fashion tends toward Old Navy and The
  Gap rather than Armani or Buendia. When on a job, O’Reilly
  dresses in an all black unitard.
  Roleplaying Hints:
  Roleplaying Hints:
  Roleplaying Hints:
  Roleplaying Hints:
  Roleplaying Hints: You are the luckiest man on earth. You
  spent the majority of your life being miserable and figured that
  you had decades of misery left before you’d finally die and be
  done with it. Your eruption changed everything. You’ve got
  power, you’ve got respect, and the money’s starting to roll in
  now that you’ve hooked up with the Megasyndicate. Sure,
  you’ve had to do some morally ambiguous things (burglary and
  whatnot), but it isn’t like you’ve been asked to hurt anyone or
  anything. Hell, you’re dating a supermodel. What’s not to like?
  Gear:
  Gear:
  Gear:
  Gear:
  Gear: Cell phone (set to vibrate), apple fruit-pie,
  miniature flashlight, black clothing, night-vision goggles.
  
  ABERRANT
  APPENDIX
  92
  
  ABERRANT
  APPENDIX
  93
  Black Marketeer
  Tetsuo Mitsushima was a born loser. The youngest of four
  boys growing up in a middle-class family in Kanagawa Prefec-
  ture, Tetsuo proved a constant disappointment to his family.
  His grades were mediocre, and he was prone to violent out-
  bursts when frustrated, which proved to be much of the time.
  While his siblings were graduating from university and moving
  into lucrative management careers, Tetsuo struggled through
  high school, narrowly graduating. After graduation, Tetsuo’s
  father pulled some strings to have the young man brought in at
  an entry-level telemarketing position at the company he worked
  for, Yashida, an OpNet enabled cellular service provider. If the
  elder Mitsushima had understood anything about Tetsuo, he
  would have realized that a high-stress, commission-based sales
  job was the last thing his easily frustrated, anger-prone son
  needed. Then again, it’s entirely possible that Tetsuo’s father
  did know and just didn’t care.
  One day, after a record 54 straight hang-ups, the young
  man suffered his inevitable breakdown. Tetsuo spent sev-
  eral minutes ranting, hurling office supplies at his co-work-
  ers and trashing his small cubicle before grasping his head
  in pain and, soon after, regaining his composure. Tetsuo
  bowed deeply, apologized for his outburst and marched di-
  rectly to his father’s office… where he proceeded to ex-
  plain to the man how he’d completely wasted his 54 years
  of life on this earth and how the family would be better off
  without the old man. The elder Mitsushima hanged himself
  mere moments after Tetsuo left the man’s office.
  Soon after this incident, Tetsuo was approached by
  representatives of Kuro-Tek, which, unbeknownst to all but
  members of Yashida’s upper management, se-
  cretly owned the company both Tetsuo and his
  father worked for. It seemed Kuro-Tek had
  taken an interest in Tetsuo’s emergent nova
  powers and had steered police investigation
  away from the young man. His father’s death
  was ultimately ruled a suicide.
  Appreciative of Kuro-Tek’s aid and
  looking for a way to capitalize on
  his new abilities, Tetsuo was
  convinced to come work for
  the technological giant. He
  has since used his matchless
  salesmanship to great ad-
  vantage, selling forbidden
  tech to everyone from the
  Directive to the rogue nation
  of Nigeria. As a side project,
  Tetsuo’s also used his abilities and
  influence to bring his elder siblings’
  careers to a screeching halt, trapping them in tedious low-
  level positions. Kuro-Tek is aware of this “hobby,” but the
  money Tetsuo brings in for the company makes his superiors
  more than willing to overlook his… eccentricities.
  Image:
  Image:
  Image:
  Image:
  Image: Tetsuo Mitsushima dresses impeccably, usually
  sporting business suits created by famed fashion designers
  Anibál Buendia and Hiro Yamaguchi. The nova has brown
  eyes and black hair, with a slight build leaning toward gaunt.
  Though not unattractive, Tetsuo’s body language tends to
  convey one clear message — “Do not touch.”
  Roleplaying Hints:
  Roleplaying Hints:
  Roleplaying Hints:
  Roleplaying Hints:
  Roleplaying Hints: You are an arrogant, self-absorbed
  little snot… and proud of it. You care about nothing more
  than gratifying your own twisted urges, which include de-
  stroying the lives of your own family members and playing
  cruel mind games with your underlings at Kuro-Tek.
  You are also the greatest salesman who ever lived. You
  could sell ice to Eskimos — literally. If it weren’t for your
  undeniable value to Kuro-Tek, you probably would have
  been eliminated by your superiors at the company (or their
  secret masters within the Nakato Gumi) long ago.
  Gear: 
  Gear: 
  Gear: 
  Gear: 
  Gear: Designer eufiber business suit, cherry fruit-
  pie, cell phone, any number of experimental weapons
  and high-tech devices.
  
  ABERRANT
  APPENDIX
  94
  
  ABERRANT
  CREDITS
  95
  CREDITS
  Credits
  Authors:
  Authors:
  Authors:
  Authors:
  Authors: Cole Bormuth, Steve Kenson
  Storyteller Game System Designed By: 
  Storyteller Game System Designed By: 
  Storyteller Game System Designed By: 
  Storyteller Game System Designed By: 
  Storyteller Game System Designed By: Mark
  Rein•Hagen
  Additional Material By:
  Additional Material By:
  Additional Material By:
  Additional Material By:
  Additional Material By: Kraig Blackwelder and
  John Chambers
  Developer:
  Developer:
  Developer:
  Developer:
  Developer: Kraig Blackwelder
  Editor:
  Editor:
  Editor:
  Editor:
  Editor: John Chambers
  Art Director:
  Art Director:
  Art Director:
  Art Director:
  Art Director: Brian Glass
  Artists:
  Artists:
  Artists:
  Artists:
  Artists: Mike Chaney, Jeff Holt and Matt Milberger
  Cover Artist:
  Cover Artist:
  Cover Artist:
  Cover Artist:
  Cover Artist: Mike Chaney with Brian Glass
  Layout, Typesetting and Design:  
  Layout, Typesetting and Design:  
  Layout, Typesetting and Design:  
  Layout, Typesetting and Design:  
  Layout, Typesetting and Design:  Brian Glass
  © 2001 White Wolf Publishing, Inc. All rights reserved. Reproduction without the written permission of the publisher is
  expressly forbidden, except for the purposes of reviews, and for blank character sheets, which may be reproduced for personal
  use only. White Wolf, Vampire, Vampire the Masquerade, Vampire the Dark Ages, Mage the Ascension, World of Darkness and
  Aberrant are registered trademarks of White Wolf Publishing, Inc. All rights reserved. Werewolf the Apocalypse, Wraith the
  Oblivion, Hunter the Reckoning, Mage the Sorcerers Crusade, Trinity, Aberrant Underworld, Aberrant Cult of Personality, Aber-
  rant Players Guide, Aberrant Storytellers Screen, Aberrant Church of Michael Archangel, Aberrant Year One, Aberrant Project
  Utopia, Aberrant the Directive, Aberrant Elites and Aberrant Teragen are trademarks of White Wolf Publishing, Inc. All rights
  reserved. All characters, names, places and text herein are copyrighted by White Wolf Publishing, Inc.
  The mention of or reference to any company or product in these pages is not a challenge to the trademark or copyright
  concerned.
  This book contains mature content. Reader discretion is advised.
  For a free White Wolf catalog call 1-800-454-WOLF.
  Check out White Wolf online at
  http://www.white-wolf.com; alt.games.whitewolf and rec.games.frp.storyteller
  PRINTED IN THE USA.
  
  ABERRANT
  TABLE OF CONTENTS
  96
  TABLE OF CONTENTS
  Prelude: The Never-Ending Battle
  1
  Introduction
  3
  Chapter One: The Camparelli-Zukhov Megasyndicate
  4
  Chapter Two: Heaven Thunder Triad
  24
  Chapter Three: The Nakato Gumi
  44
  Chapter Four: The Medellín Cartel
  66
  Chapter Five: Storytelling
  83
  Appendix: Sample Characters
  91
  
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