Description

Personality

Class: Mutants

Plot Preference : Badfellas

Equipment

A utility belt consisting of a retractable grappling hook called an Auto Grapple and a Promantium wire whip

Powers and Abilities: Derek's personal offensive powers are tactile in nature usually employing the use of electricity. His body is a veritable power plant capable generating not just volts but kilowatts of power. This electricity can be seen as energy in it's purest form. Any object he touches if a good conductor becomes an instrument of his power.

His defensive powers appear to be tied to his multicolored eyes. These eyes give him the ability to see energy in all of its forms and wave lengths; from tech to supernatural, he can see its essence. As his abilities increased it was discovered that almost any energy he could see could be manipulated. Though its uses are more support and defense, they do offer him an advantage. An example of this would be deflecting the flames of flamethrower by manipulating the kinetic energies in the air around them. However, not all energies are able to be manipulated. Those based in supernatural origins such as magic have a multitude of erratic energies that would take far to long to figure out in the time it takes to reach him.

Weaknesses: Being a constant dynamo, he is highly susceptible to water. Even a light rain can be debilitating. Derek is no fool however, and knows his weakness to water all too well. It is for this reason that his suit and mask are water proof. They aren't perfect though; submersion will allow water to get in. His other weakness would be Supernatural Energies. The inability to deflect incoming “magic” projectiles makes him quite vulnerable.

Power Ratings:
INTELLIGENCE
3
STRENGTH
2
SPEED
2- When running
4- When Power Sliding (riding electric current)
DURABILITY
2- When wearing normal attire
3- When wearing his Sneaking Suit
ENERGY PROJECTION
2- For offensive
7- For defensive
FIGHTING ABILITY
4

History

Derek's youth could be described as “thrill seeking” or if you prefer “delinquent.” When he wasn't in school he was often boosting cars for the highest bidder or challenging the latest security systems in jewel heists. His parents were often oblivious of these activities due to their busy life styles and his lack of suspicious behavior. Derek wasn't stupid, he was well aware of the signs parents were told to look for in possible problem children; suspicious behavior, attitude problems with authority figures, unknown cash flow and dropping grades. To ensure his continued life style and success he remained a model student at school with an “A” average. To hide his income he had it funneled into multiple accounts throughout the city under different alias and only spent money when his parents gave it to him. (You can thank Google, Television and Books for this insight) His success wasn't to last. A man a hell of a lot smarter than him was building a profile that would eventually lead to his capture. Derek was careful never to leave any evidence at any of the sites he'd hit and was sure to wipe down any cars he'd been in, but there was something he couldn't hide nor did it occur to him that it would even be a factor.

Derek's undoing was his willingness to push things to the next level. An opportunity was presented to him from a known client that was too good to pass up. It was called a test of skill and it would be his ultimate challenge. The task was to steal a rare new alloy being developed at Mako Corp. as well as boost the CEO's Lamborghini. Mako Corp. had the most sophisticated system in the world; it was a challenge he couldn’t pass up. Driving the Lamborghini was a bonus. The heist went off without a hitch, thanks to his unique abilities even the most sophisticated system in the world was no match for him. With the alloy in hand he made his way to the car; then it all went wrong. Within moments he was on the ground with his hands behind his head and far to many guns trained on him then he was comfortable with. A man kept yelling out not to touch him, needless to say Derek was quite surprised.

Derek was careful but it was impossible to hide his energy signature, and unfortunately for him that alone was enough evidence to put him a way for a very long time. It didn't take him long to realize that he was finished, but the CEO had other ideas. “You are quite remarkable,” he said as he called off the gunmen. Turning to the other one, the one that seemed to know it was good idea not to touch him and said, “I believe that was a suitable test, don't you?”

“Yes, I believe that was more than adequate.”

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For the next five years he trained with some the city's most famous Super Heroes. They trained him in power control and usage as well as fighting techniques that suited his acrobatic agility. When the time was right, he became one of them. No longer were his powers used for kicks and profit, now they were being used for a greater purpose; to make a difference. The next four years were spent saving the city from the various villains and Super Villains that ran in the city's underworld. It was an exhilarating life and one he was quite content with until the day he realized it was all a lie.

A Super Villain he'd personally captured and put away escaped his prison and went on a rampage. Five people were brutally murdered before he was apprehended again. Derek, now known as Pulse was with the small group that tracked the criminal down. When he was located, Pulse went against orders and went in alone. The man had a hostage, a little girl no older then seven years. A quick look around the room revealed the bodies of her parents. The girl was in tears and the fear in her eyes was unlike anything he'd ever seen. It took everything in him not to loose his temper, and with a few breaths he was able to calm down. Following his training, Pulse tried to talk the man into releasing the girl and giving himself up, but the criminal known as Time Keeper, had no fear of him. “Or else what? What are you going to do hero? You gonna beat me up a little? I still have the scars from last time, what's few more?” Before he could act the man slit the girls throat right before his eyes.

The shock at what he'd seen lasted only seconds, then was replaced with indescribable rage. Pulse lit up like a dynamo and the with the speed of a lighting bolt his whip was around the Keeper's throat. A second later the man was pulled across the room, his face meeting an enraged back-fist. The blow crushed his septum in an explosion of blood, but the pain wouldn't end there. Blinded by his own blood Time Keeper tried to slow down time to soften the continuing blows, but Pulse would have none it. It was the first time he'd used the ability, in fact he didn't know he had it, but somehow he'd canceled the ability. When the others arrived they found Derek straddling the criminal on the ground in a blind rage literally beating the man to death. They quickly took action and pulled him away from the bloody pulp that was the Time Keeper. “Pulse, that's enough!”

<<>>
That night one of the heroes came to talk to him; her name was Dianne. She was concerned about his well being and wanted to see how he was doing. They talked for most of the night, but nothing she said made him feel any better. Was he supposed to feel bad for loosing it, for nearly killing the man? They talked about the line that can't be crossed, how close he'd come to that line and how people with their abilities need to be better then the scum they clean off the streets. “With our abilities, it's so easy to kill someone. We take an oath not to because once we cross that line there is no going back. We've all been there Derek and we're here for you if you need us.” After she left he fell into a troubled sleep. Visions of what he'd seen, what he failed to prevent plagued him till morning.

During a meeting with the group, the news came in that Time Keeper had died in the ICU as a result of his injuries. At that moment a sense of peace washed over Derek. The knowledge of that monster never being able to hurt anyone again was perhaps, a little too comforting. The head of the Heroes sensing this addressed the group as a whole but the words were meant for their newest member. “I won't lie to you all. The world is a better place without that monster, but I think we can all agree that Derek's loss of control is why we should always go in as a team. Derek, you disobeyed orders, but we also failed to stop you. What you saw is something that none of us should ever see, but unfortunately life can be cruel. Our job is not only to keep the peace, but to keep each other in line. Our failure to stop Derek resulted in a tragic incident, and for this I'm truly sorry.” As if taking a cue from the leader, they all in turn apologized to Derek. The tragedy that they spoke of was not the death of the little girl or her family, nor was it the death of Time Keeper. It was that they failed to stop him before lost control. Derek felt other wise.

“Why are all of you apologizing? The way I see it, I did this world a favor. You want me to feel bad because I killed that asshole? Well I'm sorry, but I don't. That man was a rabid dog and someone needed to put him down! You know what? You were right Dianne, it is easy to kill them and if we killed more of them the world might actually be a safer place.”

“Derek, you can't mean that.”

“No, I do. I took this identity and donned this suit to make a difference, but the difference we make is a lie. What good do we do when we put these guys away? How many have escaped and continued to wreak havoc? How much blood is on our hands? Maybe we have these powers so that we can truly make this world a better place. Maybe, just maybe we were born to rid this world of these monsters.”

“If we start going around killing every villain we meet then we'd be no better then them.”

“I figured you say that. It's all about image isn't? You know what? I'm done. You all can continue to live in the illusion that you're making a difference and while you're out there living your fantasy I'll be making a real difference. If I'm lucky I'll put all of you out of a job.” With those last words Derek left. Dianne tried to stop him, but her words weren't enough. The heroes believed he just needed to blow off some steam and that he'd return in a few days, but Derek never returned. For two years he's been cleaning up the streets of Hells Kitchen. It's one of the few places in New York were criminals fear to tread.