Meet the characters in 'The Long Road To Redemption'
Amer, 32, torturer for hire, ex child soldier in Bosnian conflict
Amer’s handsomely chiselled chin, sparkling light blue eyes and classic hair style would make him a popular man with the ladies if that was his interest. It is not. His Asperger’s disorder makes him almost immune to the attention of anybody. His focus is his beloved car.
A victim of Srebrenica. Lost the rest of his family.
He has hunted every summer holidays for the five militia that entered their house on that warm summer evening. He even knows their names which he has personally extracted from some other soldiers in that platoon. After some persuasion he had the names of the five Serbians in question. Once he had checked the names against his database their role was over. Of course, Amer could not allow them to live, and he assumed, they knew that.
Inner demons
Never can accept the fate of his parents, there has never been a body to bury. Survivor guilt. After each torture he is troubled for weeks as he enjoyed giving the pain and is riddled with quilt for the next few weeks. He knows he is clever but has never been able to test his intellect against others as he had minimal schooling. Jealous of all torture victims who had a normal upbringing with loving parents. He always asks them about their childhood before the torture starts. The more the loving childhood the more he feels less guilty about inflicting pain. He troubled as to why he has not reskilled and found a more worthy profession. He has ever been back to the house in Srebrenica. He has never pursued his parents bodies.
Motivations
Amer hates the human race. People have just created hurt for him. He can never remember love. He was raped when he was at an orphanage. He associates women with people who let him down. His mother should have never let them stay in Srebrenica. His sessions with prostitutes have only exasperated the situation. The sessions with them have left him cold and emotionally more damaged. He has hunted for his brother every year through the internet.
Nationality
Bosnian
Secret
He has revenge killed many Serbian’s involved in the Srebrenica massacre.
Dorak, 37, bodyguard for a Russian oil oligarch, ex cage fighter, ex child soldier
He is a strong man from his gym workouts, his past cage fighting hobby, and is sporting an olive skin that may have seen a few sunray lamps during the Russian winter months. His natural wide smile, cheerful persona, square jaw line and hazel brown eyes make him a magnet to women. His well-kept short hair style further indicates that this is a man who clearly looks after himself.
Inner demons
Dorak, while a boy soldier witnessed countless rapes and was a willing participant during his initiation. The fear and hatred on the young women’s eyes still haunt him. The loss of Christina is almost too much to bear. I was his first and maybe his only chance of love and a possible family life. Had it not been for Amer’s presence he would have taken his life. He has killed for Vadim. Mostly evil men so he feels that their deaths were justified. He dreams of killing Vadim slowly. He feel guilty that he gave up the hunt for Amer too early.
Motivations
His hobby is releasing his anger in the gym and boxing ring. He has been a successful cage fighter. Each time he fights he puts his opponent’s head on the body of the man who killed his mother. Every fight he is thus seeking revenge and can call on supernatural powers to defeat bigger opponents. His other hobby is collecting and saving his money. He never wants to be poor. His only friendships have been with the fellow child soldiers who helped him track down his parents killers.
Nationality
Bosnian
Secret
Was responsible for the death of children when he directed mortar fire on a village
Vadim, 60, Russian oil oligarch
Vadim is a big man, 1.93 metres and 110 kilos of bone, muscle and fat. When he gets out of bed the fat rolls of skin constitute a belly which concertinas up as he sits on the bed and then down as he gets up. When standing Vadim is unable to see his penis which is about the only thing that embarrasses him. Vadim’s excesses with food and vodka combined with the fact that no gym has ever had the displeasure of his arse on an exercise bike means he is unlikely to ever see it again, other than in a mirror.
Vadim was brought up in the vast countryside outside of T’bilisi, Georgia. His loving parents were killed while he was still young in a car accident and he went to live with a childless uncle and auntie. At a young age making money was more important than schooling and he was soon selling cigarettes and drugs at college. He once joked he was earning more than his teachers, so it was daft to attempt to listen to them. Reading and basic maths was the only skills he needed to master to operate. The rest was the skill of seeing and closing a deal to his advantage.
He married into some wealth and used all the money gifted to the new couple to invest in buying more contraband to sell in Moscow. By the time the Soviet regime was breaking up, in the early 90s, he had already made money for some key players in the Kremlin. It was thus natural that his bid for a state-owned oil company would be successful.
His association with Davit Kartlish, another fellow Georgian and gang leader, showed Vadim that a ringleader needs to be brutal in front of his lieutenants to show that he would go further than they would. This meant beating to death a traitor in the most barbaric way so that his lieutenants would realise what would await them if they crossed him. The brutality was for show and often Vadim was repulsed for days afterwards. He often threw away his clothes both to remove any DNA to link him to the crime and secondly, to erase the event from his past.
Vadim started to collect cats. He was introduced to them by his wife and he loved the way they made servants of you. The cunning way they would show affection. It was not long before his six cats cost more each year that a lawyer would earn in Moscow over the same time frame.
He has been betrayed by many people. His wife had an affair and he had her killed in a road accident with her lover. He had survived two attempts on his life, all assisted from the inside.
Inner demons
He watched his parents live a poor unfulfilled life at the mercy of others. He never wants that to happen to him. He has been betrayed many people. His wife had an affair and he had her killed in a road accident with her lover. He has survived three attempts on his life and knows he has to always kill his opponents first.
He fears for his daughter’s life and he knows his opponents will want to get to her, as she is his only source of his weakness. and knows he has to always kill his opponents first.
Motivations
Possession of wealth. When Vadim buys a new toy he is immensely proud until within a week or so he finds that his competing oligarch owners have acquired a big and better asset. He knows he can never retire as this will be a sign of weakness and lead to his death. He knows he will never live to see old age. All his predecessors have met an untimely death as they went out of favour. He cannot be beaten, no matter how small the stake. It is the principle that matters.
Nationality
Russian
Secret
He killed his wife but his daughter does not know. He gets off on strangulation and has nearly killed Christina twice.
To relieve the war trauma from others, so that they can live their life to the fullest and not be haunted by the demons of their past.
Abiha, 43, war trauma counsellor
Her face is devoid of make-up and is sporting a slight tan from all her running. She has a slightly pointed chin and nose that add to the charm. Her trouser suit exudes style and elegance and sits well on her taut runner’s frame.
Abiha the sole survivor of running the Serbian sniper alley sought membership pf the Black Swans, a special group within the Army of the Republic of Bosnia and Herzegovina (ARBiH).
Abiha had only one thing on her mind. She would not rest until she had killed the two snipers who took the life of Erol.
Her attachment to Erol had been intense for Abiha had lost her mother when she was giving birth to her younger brother. Her brother only survived for four hours. Her father in the end welcomed his demise as he could not cope with the loss leaving Abiha to be brought up by a loving Aunt.
Inner demons
The loss of her lover in Srebrenica has had a profound impact on her. Some of her subsequent brutal retribution actions give her nightmares. She actively participated in the capture and brutal deaths of Bosnian Serbs involved in the massacre. One killing that haunts her was when she blinded a sniper before killing him six hours later by blowing out half his back, just the way her lover died by a sniper’s dumdum bullet.
In order to be truly empathetic, Abiha shares in her client’s pain so she can feel what they are feeling. This leads to vicarious trauma many sleepless nights.
She has strong feelings for Dorak. His trauma sessions were very dramatic and her nurturing side wanted to hold close. When Dorak talked about Christina the feelings of jealousy were overpowering and she knew then that she actually loved Dorak and that nothing could be done about it. This led to a feeling of helplessness.
Motivations
Nationality
Bosnian
Secret
Killed Serbian snipers when part of the Black Swans
Sakura, 34, sensual masseuse, Japanese
Sakura, a Japanese apparition, is standing before him in a tight-fitting black dress with a cut away back. She is of above average height for a Japanese woman in heels and has long jet-black hair cascading down her back. Her distinct ivory pale skin and oval face are the perfect foil for her piercing dark brown eyes. Sakura, like many Japanese women, has avoided the Italian sun at all costs. As you would when fearing the dreaded 40-year-old barrier. Sakura is a well-kept 34-year-old. But you would be a brave person to venture a conversation in that area as she looks much younger.
Sakura had been taught about the importance of gaining control over her clients. Occasionally a battle over who is the boss must be fought with some new clients. Sakura needs to make it clear that it is the client who is taking their clothes off not her. Her role is to be the magician, their role, the assistant. She quickly removes all clients who think of her as a prostitute. For many reasons including safety, she does not participate in that transaction. Besides, she offers a much more embracing and all-encompassing relief.
She was receiving ballet training in Russia and the ballet master encouraged the dancers to work as waitresses at private functions for the newly created rich. Unbeknown to Sakura it was a pimping operation. She was gang rape leaving her bleeding and with gonorrhoea. It took months to recover from the internal injuries and for several years, her nights were infiltrated with flashbacks, nightmares, severe anxiety, and uncontrollable thoughts. The feelings of hopelessness, lack of control and self-blame made for a lack lustre life and disinterest in her beloved dance.
She has hated Russian businessmen and their bodyguards ever since and has vowed, when the time is right, to punish the perpetrators.
Inner demons
Sakura lives a very private life so as not to attract the attention of jealous villagers. She does not have resident status in Italy. She has multiple passports enabling her to re-enter Italy. She travels home to japan for 4 weeks every year. Her parents think she is working in the fashion industry. Her brutal rape in Russia has led to a deep-seated revenge which is yet unfulfilled. Her work has prevented her from getting involved with a man. She finds sleep difficult as she is constantly worried about losing her money. She knows once her looks go she will have to move into another profession but has no idea what that will be.
She likes some of her clients but knows she has to keep a respectable distance as they will not cope with her work.
Her sexual frustration and worrying leads to a poor sleep pattern.
To make her feel good she is a compulsive shopper. Besides Abiha, Dorak and Dastabar she has no other friends in Italy which leads to a very lonely and isolated life.
Motivations
Sakura has wanted revenge, at some time in the future, against the Russian businessman who ordered her gang rape.
Her martial arts and her garden are her main relaxations.
Nationality
Japanese
Secret
Has amassed huge wealth as she has never paid taxes nor spent lavishly
Dastabar, 57, an Iranian Zoroastrian priest, and a teacher of Japanese martial arts
During the Iran-Iraq war he lost most of his platoon when he led them into an Iraqi minefield by mistake. Court martialled because it resulted in the death of the Commander’s son.
His wife, Tahmina, and his only child, Iraj, had been killed from a random 530-pound bomb dropped by an Iraqi Northrop F-5 whose mission was simply to shake up Tehran. Penniless he accepted a co-ordinator role in a big people smuggling ring succumbing to the US dollars on offer as he had to pay for the funeral.
A border crossing hold-up led to all 90 refugees dying from suffocation. He sought redemption and was told to save more lives than he had taken.
Dastabar worked at an Iranian orphanage and nursed many children back to a normal life. He then, under the advice of the Zoroastrian priest, went to a Japanese monastery in Kyoto to discover his true inner self and control his anger.
He learnt Kenjutsu and Kendo from the Japanese master, Hayashi. The disciplines reordered his troubled mind. In fact Dastabar was a natural and had become one the leading foreign Kendo fighters in Japan.
Dastabar returned to Iran in 2007 and the old Zoroastrian priest forgave his sins on the condition Dastabar take up the priesthood which for generations had been the occupation for the head of Dastabar’s family.
He worked as a priest in Iran until it was no longer safe being a Zoroastrian and then he got religious asylum in Italy.
Inner demons
Dastabar has been guilty of orchestrating the death of others. No matter how many good deeds he does, he knows he will always be haunted by the lost futures of those who were under his care.
Motivations
Motivated to save and improve the lives of at least the same number of people that died in his care.
Nationality
Iranian
Secret
He was an Iranian officer during the Iran/Iraq war. He lost many clients when he worked in a people smuggling syndicate.
Zola, 37, Swedish mercenary & ex-army
Zola is a reincarnation of an Amazonian woman. She has muscles in places where most women do not. Her favourite attire is a reinforced sports bra and tight Lycra pants, the cut short type. In this gear any man within eyesight, would be having sexual fantasy thoughts.
She has been a mercenary for nearly ten years. Unlike Rudolf she has killed on her assignments when working for others. She gets a kick out of danger. In fact, she gets turned on by it. Some of her best sex has been when she is high from the euphoria of a successful mission completed. She typically picks up a younger man for a fortnight of binge sex. When the high peters out she dumps them knowing that they have been expecting it.
At nearly 180 cms in height she is an imposing figure, a Swedish under 18 shotput champion, a part-time mixed martial arts cage fighter. When in the gym, leg pressing, there is a silence in the room as other gym junkies peer round in awe at the weight Zola is pushing. In fact, her greatest fear is the loss of her athleticism. As a party animal she always sees the sun rise when she goes out night clubbing.
Inner demons
Zola lives a very private life so as not to attract the attention of the authorities. She has been a mercenary for nearly ten years. Unlike Rudolf she has killed on her assignments when working for others.
She gets a kick out of danger. In fact she gets turned on by it. Some of her best sex has been after an operation.
Motivations
Nationality
Swedish
Secret
Has killed on mercenary assignmenets.
Civilian life will be too boring for her. To her an assignment is like a strong drug. She is high for weeks afterwards.
Christina, 39, mistress to Vadim, Romanian model
Christina Vadim’s latest mistress had been lured to Russia under false pretences, drugged and then sex trafficked to satisfy Vadim’s ugly needs.
Her 1.8 metre frame was the very reason why she went to Moscow in the first place for that fake modelling job. Even without make-up this Romanian natural beauty with a magnificent cleavage and slightly tanned body would turn the head of even the most distracted man. Her heavy dark eyebrows are sculpted to perfection setting off her large soulful brown eyes.
Inner demons
Christina knows that it was her vanity that led her to accepting the modelling position in Russia. She was so desperate to leave Romania that she ignored all the warning signs. She now questions all her judgement calls.
Motivations
Christina has always sought the good life. She is a creature of comfort and has yet to realise that happiness can be found in poverty.
Nationality
Romanian
Secret
She has nearly been killed twice by Vadim in his rough sex fantasies.
Ivan, 39, ex-Russian special forces
He has been trained by the KGB and now works for Vadim as an armed chauffer for his daughter in London
Inner demons
Struggling cope and to get ahead post leaving the special forces.
Motivations
Wants to reap the benefits of his hard-fought skill base and migrate to becoming one of Vadim's personal bodyguards
Nationality
Russian
Secret
Killed others many times in special forces operations.