#3 Lad

Character Summary: The orphaned son of the infamous super villain, Apex Deluder. Although he’s being raised by his Father’s arch-enemy, Hyperion (also known as Russell Land, billionaire extraordinaire), it seems as though Lad is destined to follow in his Father’s footsteps.

Full Name: Lad Alistair Land

Birth Date: December 24^th, 2002

Birthplace: Dead Man’s Land, Sentinel City, USA

Current Residence: Land Manor, Sentinel City, USA

Occupation: Student

Family

• Lonnie Bartlioni (Biological Father; AKA Apex Deluder)
• Miriam Temple (Biological Mother; AKA Miss Act, Supervillainess)
• Russell Land (Adopted Father)

Hair Color: Blonde

Eye Color: Brown

Race/Nationality: American

Other: Nothing, really—he’s perfectly average in terms of physical appearance.

——————

(Excerpt from a letter included within Lonnie Bartlioni’s Final Will and Testament, dated December 25th, 2002)

[…]You’ll see that he really is quite a good little boy—not at all like his Father. I’ve only gotten a few minutes with the tyke, but you can just see it in those big, brown eyes of his. He’s so, so very tiny, so incapable of any wrong or sin or all around despicable action. And that’s exactly why I’ve chosen to hand him over to you, dear Russell, in case anything happens to me or my beloved Miriam. You’re just like him, Russell, and he’s just like you: a do-gooder. Two sides of the same coin, a chip off the old block! I’m certain that the instant you hold him in your arms, you’ll see exactly what I mean. That won’t be too far off from now, will it? I am writing this for a reason, after all, and I can just feel it in my bones—the same way that I can feel my boy will be safe with you.

Can you imagine what the little bugger’s going to go through? Spending his entire life, living, loving, being raised by the very same man who murdered his biological Father! The distress he’ll go through will be unimaginable; it’ll be like nothing you’d ever seen before! I wonder, will he hate you? Will he lash out at you, shatter priceless vases and swear on his life that he’ll never forgive you? Or will he submit to it, settle with the truth and continue living like nothing happened? It’s certain to cause him a great deal of grief, either way: I mean, wouldn’t you feel just the same? Being lied to for so many years, by the very person you were taught to trust…then again, you’re already well acquainted with that feeling, aren’t you?

I’ll leave off with a suggestion, Russell, old friend: don’t do it. Hideaway the cape, bury the mask six feet under, reject your identity as Hyperion the second you’ve killed me. If you want this all to play out nice and clean, I really, truly think it’d be best if you were to just leave it all behind. Don’t give my son the chance to find out what you did to me. Don’t do such a cruel thing to him as to lie, yet leave that lie out in the open, sitting just beneath his cute little nose.

Or, do. In the end, it’s up to you, isn’t it? Once I’m gone, he’s your son, and a man should have the right to lay out his child’s life the way he’s planned, right? Just be sure to do it well, whichever option you choose. And for heaven’s sake, don’t do anything I wouldn’t do.

Sincerely,

Lonnie G. Bartlioni

Category: 2011, Drama, Superhero