John Dread

          "Please allow me to introduce myself, I'm a man of wealth and taste." The Rolling Stones, _Sympathy for the Devil._ Great song, but those first two lines always make me think of John Dread. I've never met the man face-to-face, and I never care to. In my time working at N-Tek, I've seen a lot of very frightening things, but he's the only one who's ever made my hair stand on end, even filtered through a video image.
          John Dread is a certified genius, that's never been disputed. He's well-educated, and I'd bet money he's not a product of the American school system, at least not once he hit college. Even the accent, while seeming vaguely British, really doesn't pinpoint his origin. It could just as easily be upper-crust New England. Dread's covered his tracks phenomenally, which argues for a meticulous, calculating personality.
          Despite his socially maladaptive behavior, (that's psychiatrist-ese for "He's a creep,") I'd hesitate to classify Dread as sociopathic. I get the feeling he's perfectly capable of moving in society as a whole. He's got a taste for the finer things in life that is probably unfeigned, and if he wishes, he can probably be quite charming. He's the type of man who knows what wine goes with what course and can order from the waiter in perfect French. However, he seems borderline solipsistic, willing to sacrifice anyone and anything that gets in the way of attaining his "goal."
          Unfortunately, we have absolutely no idea what that goal IS. Dread is far too intelligent to brag or gloat about his ultimate intentions. His attacks do have a pattern, but it's so vast and complex that no one can interpret it. It's like playing a game of chess against a master... a game with very high stakes.
          Dread has only two major weaknesses that I can see. First of all, while his minor operatives are all too scared to cross him, he has imperfect control over his major ones, especially Psycho. This is only to be expected, since his command all seem to have some major type of mental disturbance. Beyond that, however, Dread has problems dealing with unpredictable elements. He's a little too used to his opponents being like pieces on a chessboard, with carefully prescribed movements. Max breaks all the rules, and Dread is never quite sure how to cope with him.