G. Brett Williams #25 – Stephen Strickland (Rumspringa)

The first villain the group encounters is energy tycoon and COO of Jupiter Power, Stephen Strickland.  Strickland is a Texas businessman and all around shark of a man.  He has climbed to second in command of the Jupiter Power company, a subsidiary of the global corporate/military group, Obsidian.  Obsidian is a centuries old secret society that has hidden itself inside the structure of a global corporation with its fingers in many pies, similar to Blackwater in our own world.  Stephen Strickland is aware, to a certain extent, of the secret society behind Obsidian, but he doesn’t know the full extent of that society’s scope or structure.  He does want to be a part of the society and uses his position at the top of Jupiter, an Obsidian company, to impress them.  Strickland’s ability to govern and produce results has been called into question though, as an increase in public support for alternative energy sources and more environmental oversight have thrown a monkeywrench into the Jupiter Power works.  Strickland is seen as a hardline supporter of fossil fuel, mainly because he made millions as a Texas oil baron.  Obsidian begins to see Strickland as something of a dinosaur, a man not capable of adapting to the future.  Strickland, desperate to retain his relevancy, gets a gift when he discovers Sarah and her abilities.  He believes that if he can somehow capture the girl, he can spirit her away and use her to launch a renaissance of cheap, renewable energy.  Strickland becomes the villain of the first arc.  He aggressively pursues Sarah, using everything in his power to do so.  He even goes so far as to kidnap and kill Sarah’s brother to try and influence the girl.  Strickland is defeated by Sarah.  This defeat leads Obsidian to cut their losses with Strickland.  For his service to the cause, they allow him to live, but they bankrupt him and completely erase his identity.  Strickland is left homeless and broken.