Character concept: 'Section Zero'

Before Cyborgs were all the rage within the Italian intelligence community as the prime choice for indestructible assassins, there was a little-known group of terminally-ill girls who were once the greatest chance Italy had at having an unstoppable death squad thanks to highly experimental biomedical research on harnessing the behavior of cancerous disease and changing it to benefit mankind. Unfortunately, in all the excitement to create them, further research was not performed, and once tested in the field, were found to have less-than-ideal flaws, most glaring of which was the fact that every time their bodies repaired themselves, small-but-malignant mini-tumors had a nasty habit of developing and therefore posing a threat to their operational lifespans. After numerous sessions of radiation therapy to nip the aftereffects of their flawed 'healing factor' in the bud, this group of girls found themselves severely weaned from the generous teat of black budget funding.

Today, they continue to exist as a pseudo-dysfunctional family in a cheap, deteriorating household in Milan stocked with guns that the military doesn't want anymore, were picked from the bargain bin, or otherwise handed down to them with various 'quirks' that made them undesirable. This gaggle of six girls, kept *mostly* in check by a solitary, constantly-stressed handler, now spend their days finding whatever means they can of keeping food on the table, their home in mostly-working order, and surviving whatever ridiculous, obviously-suicidal mission is passed down their way.

They don't have the best equipment (the enemy's is often much cooler)...

They don't have indestructible bodies (despite their so-called 'healing factor'--which does more harm than good--they're still flesh-and-blood humans)...

They don't even have all that much money (Why else do they loot the corpses of their enemies?)...

But they somehow have everything they need. This is Section Zero. Try not to bring in anything particularly expensive. It will disappear.


(characters to come soon)

....... this has potential...

Interesting. I guess they never interact with any other agents/cyborgs right? They are kind of isolated, even from other secret departments like the SWA if I understand correctly.
Sounds cool!
I can imagine handlers talking among themselves of this urban myth, perhaps with a cyborg accidentally overhearing this and passing it along to the others. Claes may nervously wonder to herself if one day she too might be brought in for a clandestine experiment only to suffer a similar or worse fate....
Is it all completely fleshed out, or is this in the developmental stage?

tremec6speed wrote:Interesting. Do they interact with any other agents/cyborgs or are they in a kind of isolated situation even from other secret departments like the SWA?

I got the impression from MP5's premise that this all happened before the SWA.

Claes may nervously wonder to herself if one day she too might be brought in for an clandestine experiment only to suffer the similar or worse fate....

Alternately, Claes might stumble upon the old records of the project while poking around the forbidden SWA archives. It might be a cool way to introduce & push the story forward...Claes reading all this Neverending Story style.

That may also provide a cheap escape if you're ever hung up by writer's block ...

Claes turned the page only to find the next sheet...and indeed the three following it, to be missing. When the story finally did pick up it was apperant that...

Professor Voodoo wrote:

tremec6speed wrote:Interesting. Do they interact with any other agents/cyborgs or are they in a kind of isolated situation even from other secret departments like the SWA?

I got the impression from MP5's premise that this all happened before the SWA.

Actually, while they may have been conceived before the SWA, they are still very much in existence. It's just that they've been largely forgotten, save for the occasional status report to find out how many of them were KIA in the most recent meat grinder they were sent to be killed off in. It's a recurring gag, and one that is meant to be played for comedy until a certain point.

As for interacting with the SWA, the next chapter of Tire Tracks and Spent casings will see one of my OC fratelli being sent to recruit them for an operation. However, I was also thinking (with Danjo's permission) that I would send girl-boys Marcello, Stefano, and Paolo (Palo?) to live with them, in the process not only throwing them a bone, but thinning out Section 2's Girl-boys to ones that can actually perform a mission successfully. Future chapters will also see a delegation from Section Zero visiting the SWA compound to get their weapons repaired by Saladin, and as they are in great need of work, freelance contracting by Jennifer for Warhawk Military Aviation's Rapid Reaction Unit. Characters to be posted in a little while.

So, after some very frantic brainstorming, here's the girls of Section Zero, a mostly un-ladylike bunch of formerly-government-sponsored assassins:

Cassandra- Blond-haired leader of the 'Zeroes', swears constantly (usually while trading barbs with her friend Stella), holds a day job as a bike messenger, drinks milk straight out of the carton when she thinks no one is looking. Uses a Beretta BM 59 Para and Beretta 92SB for her mission loadout.

Stella- Cassandra's brunette, vitriolic best friend and second-in-command of the 'Zeroes'. Is often seen trading insults with Cassandra, tries to keep the 'Zeroes' run-down living space in working order along with their handler. Works weekend shifts at a local coffee shop, dealing with ignorant American tourists who think every coffee shop is a Starbucks. Wields an AKM and a Colt M1911A1 Government into most battles.

Viviana- Brown-haired slacker of the group, has to be searched for in her perpetually-messy room full of used underwear and junk food wrappers. Has a domesticated sewer rat named Luigi whom she allows to roam the building, much to Stella's frustration. Takes odd jobs for money from neighbors. Smokes the occasional joint, but never while on a mission. Uses an aging CETME Modelo C battle rifle and a Browning Hi-Power 9mm.

Sienna- The fiery redhead of the Zeroes. Most assertive of the bunch, eager to please, very cheerful, bisexual, likes to walk around the house in her underwear a little too much. Works a part-time job as a Chinese takeout delivery worker. Uses a Soviet-era PKM machinegun and a MAC-10 for deployments. Likes to lead Carerra on.

Alexandra- Raven-haired bookworm of the Zeroes, and the most introverted of the bunch. Generally quite shy, wears glasses. A bit of a ditz on occasion, but very intelligent, and likes working with computers, though her own laptop is outdated and slow compared to more current machines she encounters while working as a freelance troubleshooter. She is also the best Marksman amongst the Zeroes, utilizing an M14 with a 3-9x adjustable telescopic sight to create an ad-hoc sniping weapon for missions, accompanied by a Vietnam-Era CAR-15 for her secondary weapon. Feels harassed by Carrera's advances.

Carrera- Resident 'scene kid' of the Zeroes with bleached, pink-streaked hair and a penchant for eyeliner and striped armwarmer gloves and leggings. Likes a few bottles of Moretti every now and then. Works weekend shifts at the local McDonald's and is a very good worker, hampered only by a stingy shift manager. Lesbian, constantly hitting on Alexandra (because geeky girls are cute) and Sienna (because she finds redheads sexy). Carries a positively-ancient FN FAL into battle with a Smith and Wesson Model 39 Automatic as her sidearm.

Unfortunately, haven't quite come up with the idea of the handler yet.

If your need is great enough, if no-one else can help, and if you know where to find them, then maybe you can hire... Section Zero.

*Cue music*


Sorry, it's the first thing that jumped into my mind.


Sounds like an interesting project though, and props for Bike Messenger

I like it more and more! Fleshing out the characters makes it so much easier to picture in my mind.
Also great idea Professor Voodoo, it's like a mini mystery Claes finding out through old records perhaps after she talked it over with the other girls who themselves learned of these rumors having overheard the adults. This is an idea that gets ya whether these girls occurred in the past or are still active.
Two thumbs up people!

The SWA's very own Suicide Squad... awesome XD

MP5 wrote:So, after some very frantic brainstorming, here's the girls of Section Zero, a mostly un-ladylike bunch of formerly-government-sponsored assassins:

My favorite part about your character outlines is that you've given them realistic "teenager jobs." Balancing great power with the everyday indignities of a mundane life makes for great character development.

Professor Voodoo wrote:

MP5 wrote:So, after some very frantic brainstorming, here's the girls of Section Zero, a mostly un-ladylike bunch of formerly-government-sponsored assassins:

My favorite part about your character outlines is that you've given them realistic "teenager jobs." Balancing great power with the everyday indignities of a mundane life makes for great character development.

Glad you think so, Voodoo. In all honesty, I just thought that'd be the best way for them to get by what with being cut off from government funding and all. I will probably start hinting at them in chapter 8--of course, chapter 7 of TTSC has to come out, first.

I'm highly intrigued by this group.

Most interesting. I'm afraid for whoever their handler is, poor bastard. Not one, but six incredibly powerful, skilled, attached TEENAGE girls to deal with, heh.

If I was the handler I would be hiding as much as possible lol

MP5 wrote:They don't even have all that much money (Why else do they loot the corpses of their enemies?)...

Marco and Angie do it all the time! Why else would she have a Gold ring in a jeweler's box... with the shrivelled up blacken finger still wearing it!!!