[hider=Reed Taylor]
[u][b]Basic Information[/b][/u]
[img]PLACEHOLDER[/img]
[b]Name:[/b]
[INDENT]Reed Taylor[/INDENT]
[b]Nickname/Alias/Etc:[/b]
[INDENT][/INDENT]
[b]Gender:[/b]
[INDENT]Male[/INDENT]
[b]Age:[/b]
[INDENT]26[/INDENT]
[b]Height:[/b]
[INDENT]5’10[/INDENT]
[b]Weight:[/b]
[INDENT]178lbs[/INDENT]
[b]Home District:[/b] University Row
[INDENT][/INDENT]

[b][u]Appearance[/u][/b]

[b]Hair Color:[/b]
[INDENT]Black[/INDENT]

[b]Eye Color:[/b]
[INDENT]Brown[/INDENT]

[b]Ethnicity:[/b]
[INDENT]African-American[/INDENT]

[b]Physical Appearance:[/b]
[INDENT]Standing at 5’10 and of a moderately built physical complexion, Reed is a man in his prime, fit as most would come and arguably not too hard on the eyes. His eyes are a lighter shade of brown whilst his face is relatively smooth and clean-shaven, kept free even of stubble whilst he boasts a neatly trimmed head of hair.[/INDENT]

[b]Attire:[/b]
[INDENT]When he’s at work, Reed’s usually wearing the standard shirt and tie combo with black pants and a duty belt. Off duty, he's fine with wearing sweatpants or jeans with a shirt for when he heads down to the range or out for a run.[/INDENT]

[b][u]Personality[/u][/b]

[b]Innate & Outward Personality:[/b]
[INDENT]Strong-willed and brimming with determination, Reed is the kind of man with a motivated drive for seeing things through, almost to a fault given how stubborn he can be. Whilst the past six years on the force have given him a taste of how the real world works and helped to fade some of his naiveté, it's clear he's still got plenty to learn before he gets much further down the line. Whilst he maintains a relatively calm, professional exterior there's a sense of passion and drive just beneath the surface.

Well-intentioned at heart, Reed is prone to pursuing some things to a fault, partially out of a sense of duty and partially in order to do some justice to his uncle's name. There are times he'll be up late doing paperwork, trying to establish any links he can between aspects of a case, anything to show his worth and prove he's a competent detective. He also dislikes doing things improperly and is sometimes frustrated with how people are willing to let things slide instead of pursuing them, a fact that has driven a wedge between he and his brother whom he suspects has been in touch with the wrong kind of people and is falling back into old habits.

Having spent his early childhood and lost a mother to alcohol abuse, he's also sympathetic to the plight of the poorer lower classes living in places like Eagle-Rock Row and is disgusted at the prospect of  the local gangs taking advantage of it,  to the point his otherwise calm exterior can be compromised. Likewise he doesn't take kindly to signs of corruption or misconduct in the department, having worked his own ass off to get where he is and wanting to help dispel the public mistrust of police officers.

The other thing that's liable to piss him off is bringing up his family, namely his brother or badmouthing his mother and uncle. The former due to.... complicated matters and the latter two because they're a sensitive topic. That said, it's improving with recent events. [/INDENT]

[b]Hobbies/Interests:[/b]
[INDENT]Like his uncle, Reed doesn't mind heading down to the range for some target practice every once in a while and is a fan of most of the latest TV shows like Game of Thrones and the Walking Dead. Sometimes he heads out for a run when he's got the time to spare. On a lesser note, he can also appreciate a nice set of wheels.[/INDENT]

[b]Skills/Talents:[/b]
[INDENT]Having been through the academy and spent six years on the beat, Reed’s picked up a fair amount of skills in his time both through training and personal experience. For one, he’s quite analytical and decisive when push comes to shove and has been given a degree of wisdom from his time on the beat. He's not a half-bad shot either, and knows his way around most firearms and practice on the range outside of work has only served to cultivate this. He’s pretty damned athletic and knows how to take care of himself in a fight- a necessary skill for a man who’s job requires him to be able to apprehend fleeing and potentially dangerous suspects whilst staying by the book, so to speak. He also speaks a little Spanish though his pronunciation is said to be off.


[/INDENT]
[b]Prized Possessions:[/b]
[INDENT]A graduation certificate from the police academy.[/INDENT]

[b]Quote(s):[/b]
[INDENT]”Doing the right thing isn’t always easy, but if you want shit to change it’s worth it.”[/INDENT]

[b]History/Bio:[/b]
[INDENT]Born towards the end of the ‘80s on Eagle-Rock Row, Reed was the youngest child of two kids born into crime and poverty to a single parent, surrounded by drugs, violence and the social tensions of the time. From early childhood, their mother quickly relied on a string of deadbeat boyfriends, minimum wage jobs and alcohol to pull the three of them through life and it took its toll on her from an early stage, often forcing her elder brother to step in to assist.

Whilst his older brother, Quentin got caught up with the local street gangs working the corners, Reed was left at home with an alcoholic mother who only seemed to be aware of his existence half of the time. Quentin did as best as a kid his age could yet all the same Reed’s early childhood was one devoid of any real parental figures. It was only after his mother’s death from alcohol poisoning that the closest thing to a parental figure he’d ever had showed up: his Uncle Cassius, his mother’s elder brother.

Having been aware of their situation for some time and having already made preparations to step in, Cassius took both of the Taylor brothers in as his own children and ensured that they’d never have to face the lifestyle he’d pulled them out of ever again. Years passed by and Reed grew closer to his uncle, having never had a stable parental figure to follow whilst Quentin, being older, continued to do his own thing in order to, in his own words, “be his own man”.

Reed wanted to follow in the footsteps of the only father-figure he’d ever had and eventually wound up in the police academy, wanting to be a cop. Persistent as anyone and hoping he might make a difference in addition to doing right by his uncle, he pushed on through his training and joined up with the VPD.

Wedging his foot in the door for the beginning of a successful career, Reed flourished on the beat and worked his way through things until finally, hoping to follow in his uncle’s footsteps, he earned a promotion to a position in the VPD's detective bureau as an Investigator, a placement he's held for the past seventeen months. With times trying as ever for Reed and his fellow cops, the coming weeks will bring a great deal of change.

[/INDENT]

[u][b]Relationships[/b][/u]

[b]Family:[/b]
[INDENT]Helena Taylor - Mother (Deceased)
Quentin Taylor - Half-Brother - NEST ‘Agent’
Cassius Taylor - Maternal Uncle - VPD Detective
[/INDENT]

[b]Dynamics:[/b]
[indent][b]Cassius Taylor[/b] | [b]Good[/b] | [b]Uncle[/b] | [i]"If there was anyone I'd call a father, it's him. He's saved me more times than I can count, I just hope he makes it out in better shape than me."[/i] |
[b]Quentin Taylor[/b] | [b]Improving[/b] | [b]Brother[/b] | [i]"In all this mess, I hope he's staying safe. He's still my brother, after all."[/i] |
[b]Meifeng Vuhong[/b] | [b]Good[/b] | [b]Teenager[/b] | [i]"That's twice she's saved my ass. If there's any kid in this city who I'd want watching my back it's her."[/i]
[b]Mika Baozi[/b] | [b]Good[/b] | [b]Teenager[/b] | [i]"She's with Meifeng and helped save me and Cass - that's good enough for me."[/i]
[b]Jennifer Caspin[/b] | [b]Good[/b] | [b]Teenager[/b] | [i]"Even now, I'd still have thrown myself between her and that thing before letting her get hurt. I hope she's alright after all that shit we saw in the city. Something about her, though."[/i] [/indent]

[b][u]Abilities[/u][/b]

[b]Power Class:[/b]
[INDENT]None.[/INDENT]

[b]Weaknesses/Drawbacks:[/b]
[INDENT]Aside from his lack of powers, Reed is arguably still a young man and prone to all the mistakes that it entails. Stubborn and strong willed, he can be prone to making errors as any human would. Likewise, his family ties could also be considered something to exploit.[/INDENT]

[b][u]Other:[/u][/b]
[INDENT]What's good.[/INDENT]
[/hider]

[hider=Cassius Taylor]
[u][b]Basic Information[/b][/u]
[img]http://www.wearysloth.com/Gallery/ActorsG/6643-26461.gif[/img]
[b]Name:[/b]
[INDENT]Cassius Taylor[/INDENT]
[b]Nickname/Alias/Etc:[/b]
[INDENT]“Cass”[/INDENT]
[b]Gender:[/b]
[INDENT]Male[/INDENT]
[b]Age:[/b]
[INDENT]54[/INDENT]
[b]Height:[/b]
[INDENT]5’9[/INDENT]
[b]Weight:[/b]
[INDENT]187lbs[/INDENT]
[b]Home District:[/b] University Row
[INDENT][/INDENT]

[b][u]Appearance[/u][/b]

[b]Hair Color:[/b]
[INDENT]Black - going grey[/INDENT]

[b]Eye Color:[/b]
[INDENT]Brown[/INDENT]

[b]Ethnicity:[/b]
[INDENT]African-American[/INDENT]

[b]Physical Appearance:[/b]
[INDENT]At 5'9 and of an average build, it's clear that Cass is headed towards the retirement age. Whilst he's managed to retain a full head of hair he's started turning grey and it's clear he's put on a little more weight over the years as his fifties settle in, though his arms still look pretty damn strong. His eyes are a typical shade of brown, weathered and speckled by the years whilst his jawline retains a short, neatly trimmed beard. [/INDENT]

[b]Attire:[/b]
[INDENT]On-duty, Cass wears the standard shirt-and-tie combination with matching pants and a duty belt, his badge tucked in nicely. At home he wears whatever he can throw together when he's talking casual whilst at formal events he's known for wearing a rather pristine suit.[/INDENT]

[b][u]Personality[/u][/b]

[b]Innate & Outward Personality:[/b]
[INDENT]Cass is the kind of guy that you'd expect an aging cop to be, so long as you stay on his good side at least. The kind of man who'll sit at his desk downing coffee and donuts (though they're probably bad for his health) between case files, grumble about the ever-mounting paperwork waiting for his scribbles and occasionally mutter about how he's getting too old for this shit, if only because repeating clichés over and over has its own ironic charm.

He's a good guy at heart with the right intentions in mind (which may not always be by the book) but even he's learned that you can't always be the hero, even as a cop. Wisened by his years, he can be driven and determined, willing to see things through to the bitter end when he feels the need to yet sometimes he understands the need to back down and let a few things slide if only because the alternative isn't the lesser evil, something he's done before with his nephew if not anywhere else. He's also got a soft spot for kids and pet animals.

Likewise, he's seen a great deal of things in his time as a cop, some pleasant whilst others were nightmarish, yet even now he's learned that even a veteran cop of his age can still be surprised given the right circumstances and to avoid judging circumstances off the bat. After all, you don't expect the traumatised teen across the street who stammered all the way through the witness report to be capable of sociopathy behind their well-constructed exterior nor do you expect the gruff ex-con to be the one who talks down a suicidal gunman from executing a hostage. As said, a lot of things.

Being a cop, Cass has learned to keep his personal feelings and temper below the surface for the sake of professionalism yet there are a few things which can trip the wrong switch. For one, seeing any major hint of corruption in the department or serious misconduct by fellow officers or people in a similar position of authority is an easy way to irritate him. He remembers (if only just) the days of race riots and mass protests against the department and wants to make sure they stay as that - faint memories. That aside, it's hard as it is to get by without having to deal with a populace that doesn't trust you. Call it being pragmatic. The other thing that sets him off is bringing up his family in a negative light, particularly if you badmouth his late sister or either of her two sons.

Seeing the ever-growing presence of metahumans in the world has begun to make him feel redundant, especially with the increasing rate of metahuman-related crime and NEST's insistence on taking the reigns, yet he holds no grudges against either and if anything sympathises with the situation some metahumans have found themselves in, having come from a background often subjected to discrimination himself.
[/INDENT]

[b]Hobbies/Interests:[/b]
[INDENT]More than either of his nephews, Cass has a love for firearms and sports shooting, having been raised by a veteran grandfather who believed in a man’s rights to bear arms himself. He owns a small collection of vintage and classic firearms, including a Mauser C96 smuggled home from the Western Front by his grandfather (bearing in mind the discrimination against african-americans at the time, having it in his home bears great significance for him). He’s also a sucker for classic action movies and believes Terminator 2 is the greatest sequel to one of the greatest, if not THE greatest sci-fi film of all time.[/INDENT]

[b]Skills/Talents:[/b]
[INDENT]A veteran cop who joined the force in the eighties, Cass has over twenty-five years’ worth of experience under his belt. Having been on several different detective assignments in addition to years on the beat, he’s had a broad range of differing experiences relevant to law enforcement and that combined with his initial training his given him a great degree of analytical and intuitive skills in addition to the street smarts and wisdom a senior cop of his age would have. He’s a brilliant shot, even for a cop - though this is owing to his long term status as a gun owner with his own private collection of firearms - and despite his age can still apprehend a suspect once he’s got his hands on them. He’s also a damn good cook when he needs to be.

[/INDENT]
[b]Prized Possession:[/b]
[INDENT]A Mauser C96 officer’s sidearm returned home from the Western Front of WWII by his grandfather.[/INDENT]

[b]Quote(s):[/b]
[INDENT]”Y'know what I miss? When Schwarzenegger films were fresh at the movies, not this constant edgy remake shit.”[/INDENT]

[b]History/Bio:[/b]
[INDENT]Born into the turbulent times of the 60's, Cassius and his little sister Helena were both orphaned from a relatively early age after their father died in Vietnam and their mother was killed in an industrial accident. Without them, their grandparents stepped in to raise the two as best as they could and it was during this time that Cassius' grandfather impressed onto him a sense of duty, having been a veteran who served on the Western Front and Korea.

It was through this that Cass joined the force in the 80’s and worked his way up through the ranks during a time when social tensions were at their height, earning himself a promotion to detective in the 90’s when he proved himself worthy of the placement. For him, it was a successful career.

Yet things for Helena had gone downhill. It wasn't too long after the death of their grandfather - who'd suffered from a heart condition - that she became pregnant with her first child despite being in her teenage years, a shameful thing for many families of the time. With her grandmother being as old fashioned as she was, she wound up being cast out of their home and had to rely on minimum wage jobs and social welfare in order to survive.

Cass did what he could for his little sister, even when she began her descent into alcoholism and after the birth of her second child started taking steps to ensure their wellbeing. At one point he was prepared to involve social services and force his sister to surrender her children into care, as much for her sake as it was theirs, yet before he could do so she died from alchohol poisoning.

Taking both of his nephews into his care, Cass moved the family to University Row in order to pull them away from the influence of the gangs, having noticed they'd had a sway on Quentin. Off the book, he also put his own career at risk by personally threatening at gunpoint one of the dealers who'd placed his nephew on the corners in order to ensure they'd never come after him again whilst at the same time covering up Quentin's childhood dalliances to keep the kid out of juvie.
 [/INDENT]

[u][b]Relationships[/b][/u]

[b]Family:[/b]
[INDENT]Helena Taylor - Sister (Deceased)
Reed Taylor - Nephew - VPD Detective
Quentin Taylor - Nephew - NEST ‘Agent’
[/INDENT]

[b]Dynamics:[/b]
[indent][b]Reed Taylor[/b] | [b]Good[/b] | [b]Nephew[/b] | [i]"I almost lost him and that was my fault. Even if he doesn't blame me, I do."[/i] |
[b]Quentin Taylor[/b] | [b]Good[/b] | [b]Nephew[/b] | [i]"Whatever happens, he better stay safe in all this mess - I won't lose any more family."[/i] |
[b]Sonya Mayfield[/b] | [b]Neutral[/b] | [b]NEST Agent[/b] | [i]"Good to know there are people in NEST who don't mind working with us normies in the VPD. Hah!"[/i] | 
[b]Meifeng Vuhong[/b] | [b]Good[/b] | [b]Teenager[/b] | [i]"If not for her, me and my nephew would be dead - along with that girl. I'm grateful, and I don't know how I'll repay her."[/i]
[b]Mika Baozi[/b] | [b]Good[/b] | [b]Teenager[/b] | [i]"She's good people - helping me and Reed was enough."[/i]
[b]Jennifer Caspin[/b] | [b]Good[/b] | [b]Teenager[/b] | [i]"There's something to that girl in all this mess - I figured that out when I saw her."[/i] [/indent]

[b][u]Abilities[/u][/b]

[b]Power Class:[/b]
[INDENT]None.[/INDENT]

[b]Weaknesses/Drawbacks:[/b]
[INDENT]Aside from his lack of any powers, it’s obvious that Cass isn’t the same man as he was when he joined the force. Nearing the age where most cops retire, he’s starting to feel the burdens of an aging body and is prone to becoming lethargic far more easily than a young man would.[/INDENT]

[b][u]Other:[/u][/b]
[INDENT]So that's that.[/INDENT][/hider]