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| − | <h2> <i><b><div style="color:#FFFFFF; background-color: #620000">Early Life</div></b></i></h2>
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| − | <div style="color:#FFFFFF; background-color: #151B54"><div style="font-size:15px; font-family: Times New Roman"><i>"When bad men combine, the good must associate; else they will fall one by one, an unpitied sacrifice in a contemptible struggle." - Edmond Burke </i></div></div>
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| − | <font color="#000000"><p>James Rodgers was born on July 10th, 1922. His parents owned a farm out of Beaumont, Texas. An only child, James learned how to work hard and to be self reliant while working on the farm growing up, as his father often reminded him the importance of being able to take care of yourself so you are not a burden to others. James had a deep respect for his father, a red blooded American who served in WWI and was a decorated veteran. His father never spoke much about the war, but he would always remind James about how it was a privilege be an American and taught James that freedom was every man's God given right, but sometimes people have to stand up and defend that right.
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| − | </p><p>In 1938, James' father passed away. After his father's funeral, James' mother sold the farm and moved to live closer to relatives in Dallas. She had intended for James to attend a proper school and obtain a career doing something other than farm work. But James was too much like his father. In 1940, at the age of 18, James enlisted into the U.S. Army and eventually became an Airborne Ranger.
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| − | </p><p>After the United States entered WWII, James conducted his tour of duty in the European campaign and saw a great deal of combat. James received a battlefield promotion to Sergeant at the age of 21 after showing a level head and a degree of leadership in combat. In January of 1945, James lost his left arm after attempting to throw back an enemy grenade that had landed in his fighting position. He saved the lives of members of his unit who had been sharing the fighting position with him.
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| − | </p><p>Medically evacuated out of Germany, he was sent to Walter Reed Army Medical Center for rehabilitation. This was where he first met Commander Grey and was recruited for "Project Citizen."
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| − | <h2> <i><b><div style="color:#FFFFFF; background-color: #620000">Project Citizen</div></b></i></h2>
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| − | <div style="color:#FFFFFF; background-color: #151B54"><div style="font-size:15px; font-family: Times New Roman"><i>"Forget all your preconceptions of war, of battle-lines clashing in the churned ground. Your mission is to attack before the foe even realises that the war has begun, to instill fear by being our enemies worst nightmare, to strike hard at those vital weaknesses that all armies possess, but that no commander will admit to." - Commander Grey, 1946 </i></div></div>
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| − | <p>The United States government funded Project Citizen with the intention of creating an elite force of super-soldiers for the Army Special Forces. Eventually this idea was scrapped, and Project Citizen remained separated from the Armed Forces, functioning independently and covertly. Initial recruitment targeted disabled combat veterans who were not able to rejoin the fight due to a physical impairment, yet displayed a fervent desire to get back to the war.
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| − | </p><p>World War II had come to an end by the time Commander Grey had approached James. Frustrated with the fact that he would never be able to continue life as a soldier, James would often have violent outbursts during his stay at Walter Reed Hospital. A request to have him transferred due to his behavior is what attracted the recruiter for Project Citizen. James was soon approached by Commander Gray, who offered James the chance of a life time. With his mother having passed while he was overseas, and no farm to go home to, James didn't hesitate at the chance to continue his service to his country.
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| − | </p><p>James was required to undergo a series of physical and mental evaluations to ensure that he was qualified for the program. While health concerns were part of the screening process, psychological testing was the primary focus. The program demanded warriors who were committed, determined and willing to do what it takes succeed. They were stress tested in an attempt to see who would break and wash out of the program. Food and sleep deprivation, physical torture tests, and mind games were all used on the candidates, despite their physical handicaps. The strong welcomed the opportunity to be treated as soldiers again, to prove that their handicaps wouldn't be their undoing.
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| − | </p><p>James received a "Go" on each of the tests, and was injected with the experimental super-soldier serum known as the "US Citizen Serum".
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| − | </p><p>The serum itself was a very complex formula, which made it difficult to mass produce. Rumors arose that the serum was the literal essence of American patriotism that existed in the country during WWII, harnessed into a liquid form that bestowed powers on those who drank it. Few took this seriously, however, and those who did take it seriously also believed in unicorns and underpants gnomes. The serum took about a full month to affect the Citizens. It altered the attributes of the Citizens differently and enhanced physical traits that dominantly resided in the candidate, which resulted in different results for each Citizen.
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| − | </p><p>Once the process of becoming a Citizen had been completed, James joined the rest of the members of the program. James received the designation "Citizen 13" when he was added to the roster, and he was the last known Citizen to have joined the program. The exact number of candidates who have attempted to join, or had been killed in action prior to James' time in the program, is unknown as this information was lost at the end of WWII. Only a few Citizens were activated at a time throughout the Cold War, while the rest were kept in cryogenic storage. There were times during the Korean and Vietnam War era where over half of the existing roster would be activated, but it was a rarity to see more than two working together on a mission.
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| − | </p><p>While all received enhanced strength, speed and endurance, the twelve Citizens who came before James each had a unique trait that held them apart from the others, such as an attribute that greatly surpassed the other members of the team, or the development of specialized skills and effectiveness with certain forms of combat. James was a natural soldier, while not displaying the lowest level of physical attributes, he did not possess the highest level of any attribute either. He was, however, able to seemingly perceive time at a greatly reduced rate, so his reflexes were extremely high compared to the other Citizens. Only Citizen 11 had higher reflexes than his own. James used these reflexes to excel as a gunslinger with his Colt 1911s.
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| − | </p><p>In 1946, the main facility used as a base for the program was destroyed in an explosion. The staff of scientists working on the project were killed in the resulting fire, and all records of the serum were lost. An investigation of the incident was headed by Commander Grey. It was never officially determined who committed the acts until after the program was shut down in 1977. Due to the loss of the facility and staff, it was not possible to replicate Project Citizen. Although other super-soldier programs had occurred in WWII, and continued to do so throughout the years.
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| − | </p><p>After the loss of the facility and staff, the U.S. military began implementing cryogenic storage of the Citizens who were not on mission in an attempt to preserve the program for as long as possible. The Citizens, while not fond of the cold sleep, were willing to do whatever necessary for their country and understood the responsibilities of the program when they signed up. It was a great sacrifice, to give up any attachment to their prior lives before the war, but they lived to serve their country's needs.
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| − | </p><p>The program proceeded over the next few decades to rotate the Citizens in and out of cold storage to perform various missions needed by the United States. Most missions fell under "black ops" and were kept off record. Much of the program’s mission history is unknown and only those who have survived past the retirement of the program know intimate details of the missions conducted, such as Citizen 13 and the now imprisoned Commander Grey (details to follow of Commander Grey's downfall). Commander Grey was never a Citizen himself, but due to a genetic anomaly that allowed him to heal rapidly, he aged slower than normal and was able to stay in command of the program throughout the years.
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| − | </p><p>During the 1950s, 60s, and early 70s the Citizens performed various kinds of assignments. This would include espionage, assassination, search and rescue, sabotage, and the training of U.S. and Allied troops. They acted as the United States unsung heroes through out the history of America between WWII, the Korean War, and Vietnam, with only whispers of their deeds ever spoken amongst the military forces of the world.
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| − | </p><p>During the early parts of the Cold War, James became close friends with John Snowden, aka Citizen 11. Citizen 11 specialized in blades and stealth, a counter to James' forte in firearms and frontal assault. Personality wise, they were heads and tails. John had been born and raised in New York City and had an appreciation for finer things such as wine and expensive food, while James had more spartan tastes. James shared with John his childhood hero, "The Lone Ranger", which gave John an idea. John convinced James to paint a black domino mask around his eyes on an assignment they were partnered together on, as a homage to the fictional Texas Ranger of James' childhood, and when the rest of the Citizens saw their face paint they decided to adopt it as a gimmick that would be used by them for years to come.
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| − | </p><p>As the mid 70s approached, many of the Citizens had been listed as KIA or MIA. 1976 marked the final mission of the program. Citizen 11 and 13 were the only members of the program still on the active roster. They carried out the last mission together, with thoughts of possible retirement afterwards. James had contemplated opening up his own gun store back home in Texas, and John had hopes of moving to Hollywood and working on the set of movies as an adviser for movies with military themes.
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| − | </p><p>There is no record of what actually occurred on this mission. Citizens 11 and 13 had been assigned to infiltrate Soviet Russia and destroy a missile silo containing an advanced prototype weapon rumored to have utilized Qularr technology, which was said to have been impossible to do. The mission turned out to be a set up, as no such weapon actually existed. Citizen 11 was killed in an explosion, and 13 was left without a safe extraction point. He abandoned protocol of returning to his organization and set out to discover who had been behind the setup.
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| − | </p><p>After being labeled "AWOL" for almost a year, Citizen 13 turned himself in to a U.S. Military base in Europe. Commander Grey was already closing down the project by the orders of the President of the United States, and informed 13 that he would be retired. Unfortunately it was not the retirement that 13 had in mind. 13 then confronted Grey with evidence he had obtained that proved Grey to have not only been the one who setup Citizen 13 and his best friend, but also to have been behind the programs initial loss of facilities and staff in 1946. Citizen 13 demanded an explaination as to why Grey had done these things, to which Grey replied that the bombing of Hiroshima cost him the love of his life. James never really knew his superior on a personal level, but he did feel a moment of sorrow for the man. But that was war, and Grey's actions since then could not be excused. Before James could bring the evidence to the Military Police, Grey managed to subdue 13 with a stun gun and place him in one of the cryogenic chambers used to store the Citizens. The chamber was later transported to a secure military installation located in Detroit, Michigan, and Grey vanished shortly after.
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| − | </p>
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| − | <h2> <i><b><div style="color:#FFFFFF; background-color: #620000">Aftermath of Project Citizen</div></b></i></h2>
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| − | <div style="color:#FFFFFF; background-color: #151B54"><div style="font-size:15px; font-family: Times New Roman"><i>"Don't fool yourself. War is all we are. Killing is all we are good for. The rest is delusion." - Citizen 5 to Citizen 13, Qularr Invasion, 1965 </i></div></div>
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| − | <p>Much of the information regarding Grey was obtained more recently from questioning during his time in isolation at Stronghold Prison, which is where he is still kept today. Before Grey chose to disappear, he had attempted to cover his tracks. This included mislabeling 13's storage chamber, which explained the length of time kept at the military storage facility in Detroit, and destroying any of the mission records that had been documented. However, Citizen 13 had ensured that the evidence against Grey came out in the open if anything happened to him upon his return to confront Grey. So despite Grey's attempts to cover his tracks, he soon realized that he would have to flee the States regardless. For the next ten years he hid in Soviet Russia, but once the Soviet Union was disbanded and reformed into the Russian Federation, Grey decided to return to the United States and find a new means of causing problems for the American government.
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| − | </p><p>In the early nineties, during the Battle of Detroit, the storage facility that Citizen 13 had been kept at burned to the ground when Doctor Destroyer fired the satellite weapon into the center of Detroit City. Using the ensuing chaos caused by Doctor Destroyer's actions, Grey, now working for VIPER, secured the cryogenic freezer containing Citizen 13 and fled before the military could get accountability of lost assets. Grey then created a clone of Citizen 13 using the resources at his disposal from VIPER, but the clone was kept in stasis for the time being. Grey went into a period of hiding once again, and left Citizen 13's storage unit in the hands of VIPER as payment for their assistance. VIPER kept Citizen 13 at an undisclosed location for a few more years, and it has yet to be determined what they gained from the possession of 13 while in his cryo chamber.</p>
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| − | <p>Grey sought refuge with his contacts from old Soviet Russia, who had in their possession the body of Citizen 11 from decades prior, which they had recovered following the fateful final mission carried out by 13 and 11 in 1977. Citizen 11 had been kept on ice by the Russians with hopes of unlocking the secrets of Project Citizen for their own super-soldier programs. At the formation of the Russian Federation, a few cells still loyal to the old Soviet ways made off with the remains of Citizen 11 while the new Russian Federation managed to keep all of the research data from the project dedicated to replicating "Project Citizen".
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| − | </p><p>Grey spent close to a decade attempting to help the renegade Soviets produce something useful from the remains, but it seemed their efforts were in vain. So instead, Grey and the independent Soviet faction he worked with used cybernetics to resurrect Citizen 11. They completely reprogrammed Citizen 11, making him more mindless machine than man. As far as can be told, this unrepentant Soviet faction had no support from the Russian Federation.
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| − | </p><p>Meanwhile, the half-elf Samurai warrior known as Kenshin DeLeon had made his way from Spain to the United States on his own quest. During his travels he often found himself in conflict with VIPER. In 1999, one such conflict resulted in the discovery of the cryogenic chamber holding Citizen 13. Kenshin rescued Citizen 13's storage container from VIPER hands. This lead to the resurrection of 13 and a partnership between the two as crime fighters, traveling across the United States as vigilantes for almost a decade. Citizen 13 began upgrading his equipment and modernizing his armor during this time as well, making new contacts in the arms market and reconnecting with old friends from the Cold War that were still alive. It was not until later that he acquired his current patriotic color scheme, however, and mostly wore paramilitary styled attire. One tradition from "Project Citizen" he did carry on with was the painting of a black domino mask around his eyes, and the number "13" stenciled on the back of his armored vests. James avoided registry to PRIMUS for quite some time, possibly harboring distrust in the government from the way Project Citizen ended.
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| − | </p><p>In January of 2007, the President of the United States of America sent a representative to deliver a message to the duo, stating that he had been following their work for some time, and that he not only wanted them to comply with ASPRA, but asked 13 to participate with the ongoing war efforts in the Middle East. With the dwindling popularity regarding the war in the Middle East, James agreed to meet the President and hear his proposal regarding how he should become involved. They had a very brief discussion that ended with Citizen 13 registering and accepting support from the U.S. Military with armor and equipment, in exchange for Citizen 13 taking on a more patriotic themed appearance and to try to maintain a positive image and bolster moral of the troops. This agreement lead to his first suit of red, white, and blue body armor, made of Regor Plastics and Kendrium, which he still often wears today. Next, 13 and Kenshin both spent the next 9 months serving in the Middle East, both Iraq and Afghanistan, under the guise of supporting the USO. 13 spent his first month in Baghdad, Iraq doing meet and greets, which gave him the opportunity to occasionally sneak a beer to some soldiers. Once settled in, he would covertly work with Special Forces units that operated in and around the Baghdad area. The second half of their tour spent in Afghanistan mirrored that of their time in Iraq.
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| − | </p><p>Citizen 13 still considered himself to be independent from the Military at the time and upon their return to the States, they continued their crime fighting efforts as a duo. They received positive reviews in the media and became very popular with members of the Armed Forces since Citizen 13 used the same warrior ethos from when he himself served, and that was something they were able to relate to and appreciate. On a personal level, James felt a great deal of satisfaction by serving his country again in a more public manner. He always believed in protecting his country from foreign and domestic threats, but given his past, he was grateful for the opportunity to continue his service by his own means.
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| − | </p><p>In 2009, the duo was asked by the POTUS to head to Millennium City during the Qularr Invasion to assist in its defense. Kenshin later went on record discussing 13's personal reaction towards the Qularr invasion, saying; "James had become fervent with preparation for the upcoming battle. He began singing cadence in his sleep and spent hours preparing his weapons and armor while awake. He had even engraved an American flag on the back of every copper jacketed .45 ACP slug he had personally hand loaded. I thought he had lost his damn mind, but I guess I had never seen him so passionate about defending his country from such a big threat before."
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| − | </p><p>Kenshin and 13 fought bravely along with many other heroes including(but not limited to) super heroes like the Champions, the Michigan National Guard, soldiers of PRIMUS, and the MCPD. Once the fighting was over, they were among many new and old heroes to be celebrated by the people of Millennium City.
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| − | </p><p>Kenshin and 13 made their way to the desert once the invasion had been repelled and beacons destroyed. PRIMUS and UNTIL had asked for aid from all new and old heroes with stabilizing matters elsewhere, so the duo decided to then help with the Irradiate outbreak that had occurred outside the military base of "Project Greenskin." 13 personally believed these Irradiates, and Grond, were the results of a failed super-soldier serum conducted by VIPER. However, he has NO evidence whatsoever to support this belief. To this day 13 still finds himself volunteering to deploy in the desert to assist in military operations there, especially when the operations involve fighting VIPER.
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| − | </p><p>Citizen 13 returned to Millennium City after his time in the desert. He began conducting routine patrols for MCPD and assisting with the aftermath of the Qularr invasion. 13 eventually found himself outside of Guardian Tower, home to The Guardians. The POTUS had recommended that Citizen 13 check them out since he intended to stay in Millennium City for a time. Kenshin was still on his own personal quest to avenge his parents murder, and decided to leave the city once again. Kenshin and 13 said their goodbyes for the time being and parted ways.
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| − | <h2> <i><b><div style="color:#FFFFFF; background-color: #620000">The Return of Commander Grey</div></b></i></h2>
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| − | <div style="color:#FFFFFF; background-color: #151B54"><div style="font-size:15px; font-family: Times New Roman"><i>"Give me a gun, an alien space bee for a partner, and a Shiner Bock and I’ll die a happy man." - Citizen 13 </i></div></div>
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| − | <p>It did not take long for Commander Grey to hear of 13's return to the world. Once he found out that 13 had begun to establish himself as a hero amongst The Guardians, he set forth in motion a plan that involved killing Citizen 13 and replacing him with the clone. Commander Grey unleashed his minion, Citizen Zero, into the city to wreak havoc and to get 13's attention. Citizen 13 first encountered Zero when he responded to a bank robbery in progress. 13 and fellow Guardian, Red Jackal, attempted to capture Zero before he could escape. But once they confronted Zero 13 realized that this was his old friend, John Snowden, aka Citizen 11. Caught unprepared and unhinged from that discovery, Zero escaped from a distraught 13.
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| − | </p><p>It did not end there. Grey had also commanded the clone of Citizen 13 to follow James when he was off duty. It did not take long for James to realize he was being followed. 13 and a few Guardians attempted to confront the clone, but he always managed to vanish before they could learn anything.
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| − | </p><p>Using Citizen Zero as a front to get 13's attention, Grey lured 13 and a team of Guardians, with Hu'Szsersvn (also known as Hugs) and Atomic Boy among them, to a secret installation built on an island inside a volcano. The Guardians defeated Citizen Zero, but realized soon after that the installation was actually built as a trap. Citizen 13 attempted to save his old friend from the tormented shell that was Citizen Zero and was lost in a subsequent explosion that caused the installation to fill with molten lava. The Guardians did a search for Citizen 13, but a body was not found. It was presumed at that time that Citizen 13 and Zero both perished in the destruction.
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| − | </p><p>The clone was sent back to the city by Grey to infiltrate The Guardians. The clone only had memories prior to 13 waking up in 1998, so he would not be able to remember any of the current events in James' life. The clone also did not possess a bionic arm like James. The clone of James Rodgers arrived at the doorsteps of Guardian Tower regardless.
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| − | </p><p>Steelguard, the original and current leader of The Guardians during this time period, did not know what to make of this lookalike. The doppelgänger appeared to have sincere intentions that even fooled their psychics. It was apparent that he was a clone, however. As many members of The Guardians were still reeling from the supposed death of Citizen 13, they felt obligated to help this clone. Steelguard designated him as "Citizen 14", but Hu'Svsersvn (who had the closest partnership with 13) wanted to call him "Clono". Citizen 14 was questioned thoroughly and it became apparent that this clone was greatly confused as to the recent events. He seemed to be aware of quite a lot of recent events, but it almost seemed like he did not quite understand what it all meant.</p>
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| − | <p>After a few weeks of questioning and therapy, "14" was temporarily inducted into The Guardians and monitored closely. Citizen 14 conducted daily life much how 13 would have, the daily patrols, the drinking of Shiner Bock, and even tagging along with Hugs and other friends of 13, despite how awkward it was.
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| − | </p><p>Due to hidden activation codes deep in his subconscious, the true purpose of the clone was not discovered until later. Eventually the programming built into the clones brain became active, and Commander Grey's plans began to unfold. Using his newly acquired "Guardian" status, Citizen 14 took up a mission involving the oversight and protection of a new "super soldier" formula that was still in its developmental stages, the Grond XI formula. This Grond formula, property of the United States Government, was said to have been an improved version of what VIPER had been producing until stopped by another group of super heroes. Grey desperately wanted to get his hands on it in hopes that it would again halt his now rapid aging.
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| − | </p><p>Citizen 14 attempted to steal the formula, but was thwarted by Francesca Peretti, aka Ordnance (who also had been an intimate friend of 13's prior to his supposed death). The Guardians arrived to detain Citizen 14, but during the fight Ordnance had become exposed to an extremely toxic type of nanite. The nanite replicated and spread through her body, and no cure could be found. Citizen 14 and the Grond XI formula were kept at Guardian Tower under lock and key for the time being. The Guardians authorized Hu'Svsersvn to interrogate the clone for information. A report of that interrogation was kept on file at Guardian Tower, but was later lost after its destruction.
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| − | </p><p>Meanwhile, on Monster Island, Kenshin was busy tending to Citizen 13's recovery. Kenshin had followed Citizen 13 into the base but had remained hidden to maintain an element of surprise incase anything went wrong. Kenshin again saved Citizen 13's life. Once Citizen 13 made his recovery, they reported back to the Guardian HQ.
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| − | </p><p>Commander Grey was furious at the disruption of his plan. Grey had been aging faster and faster over the last decade and be was becoming desperate for a chance to retain his age. So in a last ditch effort, he contacted Citizen 13 to make a trade. A cure for Ordnance in exchange for the Grond XI formula AND his clone. A meeting was set between a team of Guardians and Commander Grey. Grey demanded that the clone would be allowed to bring the formula to him and that once they had successfully escaped, he would give them the location of the antidote for Ordnance. Of course, The Guardians saw this coming, and a plan had been made to counter Grey.
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| − | </p><p>By using an extended amount of resources offered by President Michael Wilson, Citizen 13 had located Grey's secret hide out a few days prior from when the meeting was due to occur.
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| − | </p><p>The day of the meeting, Citizen 13 retrieved the antidote by infiltrating the base and neutralizing Commander Grey's henchmen while members of The Guardians confronted Grey. Stalling for time while awaiting to hear from 13, the Guardians allowed the clone to take the formula to Grey. 13 called over their communications system that his mission had been a success as Grey took the formula from the clone. The Guardians sprang into action, Luminaire and Hugs leading the charge.
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| − | </p><p>Grey used the clone of 13 as a distraction, however. He ordered the clone to kill himself, who apparently had no choice but to comply to the order given. The Guardians that witnessed the suicide stated that the clone looked fearful in his final moments as he carried out the actions that ended his life. Grey used the time that the Guardians spent trying to resuscitate Citizen 14 to get a head start in his escape, but 13 arrived just in time to helped the Guardians on scene in apprehending Grey. Unfortunately, Commander Grey ingested the formula during the chase before his apprehension, although nothing happened after Grey ingested it. Hugs claimed that it was due to the fact that she had urinated in the vial containing the formula first. This was not true, however, because Grey did start to mutate from the formula over the next few days. The Champions assured The Guardians that Stronghold would hold Grey, even after his mutation began to change him into a hulking monstrosity. Grey's transportation to Stronghold was supervised by Citizen 13 to ensure that Grey was placed into cold storage without incident.
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| − | </p><p>To this day, the former commander of Project Citizen is still kept in Stronghold's cold storage program.
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| − | <h2> <i><b><div style="color:#FFFFFF; background-color: #620000">Citizen 13 and The Guardians</div></b></i></h2>
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| − | <div style="color:#FFFFFF; background-color: #151B54"><div style="font-size:15px; font-family: Times New Roman"><i>"The Guardians? Yeah, I was with them for a while. Worked with some outstandin' folks while I was a Guardian. But some were real ate-up individuals too." - Citizen 13 </i></div></div>
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| − | </p><p>13 was a member and recruitment officer of The Guardians from September of 2009 until it's fall in June of 2010. He also participated in the reform of The Guardians under the new name, The Ultimate Guardians. 13 served under three different leaders during his time as a Guardian: Steelguard, Atomic Boy, and Orion Prime.
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| − | </p><p>Citizen 13 rose rather quickly to an officer position in the recruitment department under Hocus Pocus, who was their head recruitment officer. Hugs also shared a promotion with 13 into the recruitment department of The Guardians. After the reform of The Ultimate Guardians he was the head of recruitment for a short time before he made his departure from the organization to participate in Operation Iron-Bound.
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| − | </p><p>Other roles Citizen 13 and Hugs shared in for The Guardians was maintaining the Arms Room at Guardian Tower and running new members through the Agility Course, which was founded by Hugs under the idea that you should be in physical shape enough to pursue even basic criminals without the use of your super powers. In 2010, prior to the fall of Guardian Tower, 13 also lead the "Guardian Reaction Unit for Neutralizing Terrorism", or GRUNTs.
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| − | </p><p>During his time in The Guardians 13 made a lot of friends, and he made a lot of people angry also. He did not always agree with the leadership of the group. This was mostly due to his cynical views and sarcastic comments, which often rubbed other officers the wrong way. He did, however, get along with most of the members of the organization and often made it a point to tag along on patrols with newer members and to assist anyone else requesting assistance.
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| − | <h2> <i><b><div style="color:#FFFFFF; background-color: #620000">The Fall of Guardian Tower/The Rise of The Ultimate Guardians</div></b></i></h2>
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| − | <div style="color:#FFFFFF; background-color: #151B54"><div style="font-size:15px; font-family: Times New Roman"><i>"Stay Frosty, Guardians." </i></div></div>
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| − | <p>"The 12th of June started out like any other day, but it would end in flames and bloodshed. VIPER struck when most of the Tower´s inhabitants were asleep, secure behind the electronic defenses of the Tower, and watched over by the ever vigilant eye of the Tower's Artificial Intelligence, code-named VIOLET.
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| − | </p><p>It will never be known how the virus entered the mainframe, but all available evidence points to an inside source bent on destroying the group. Unfortunately, the traitor or traitors will never be truly known and neither will their motives. It mattered little if it was greed, jealousy, or simple stupidity that led to this desperate attempt to destroy the Guardians, but the unknown traitor forgot one thing: Towers may crumble and fall, but ideals stands forever.
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| − | </p><p>The Virus entered the mainframe at 0315. By 0317, it had infected all the sub-data banks and rerouted the security protocols to disable the IFF system of the Tower thus categorizing the Guardians themselves as enemies of the now corrupt system. Most of the Guardians that fell during the assault did so in their own beds, killed in their sleep by a system designed to protect them but now turned a mortal enemy. Rooms sealed shut, poison gas leaking out and machine gun turrets teared through the heroes as they tried to escape the deathtrap that they used to call home.
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| − | </p><p>Many made it out the hallways and common areas just to get gunned down by the VIPER commandos entering the lower floors and fighting their way toward the command center, the very heart of the Tower. Led by a terrible woman who seemed to share her human features with those of a snake, the VIPER troops were able to conquer most of the Tower before the Guardians had time to reassemble or call in their allies to help them in the battle.
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| − | </p><p>As VIPER's gyrocopters swept in towards the now undefended Tower and a series of controlled explosions led the central area in ruins the surviving Guardians had no other choice but to abandon their home in order to save themselves. A few brave members of the group stayed behind to give their friends a chance to save themselves. Their fates were still unknown as the Tower collapsed with a giant cloud of dust and a thunderous roar heard all over the city.
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| − | </p><p>The aftermath of the destruction of the Tower left many surviving Guardians demoralized, homeless, and broken. Citizen 13 had lost a few close friends that day. He had believed his good friend, Kenshin DeLeon, to of been among them. Orion Prime and the remaining staff of The Guardians, including Citizen 13, rebuilt their old group under the new name, "The Ultimate Guardians". Over the course of the next few weeks a new HQ was established in a run down old building and resources were gathered to help establish the new organization.
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| − | </p><p>VIPER continued to be a threat while The Guardians rebuilt themselves from the ground up. Many of them were angry at what had happened, and it was noticed by local law enforcement when they would respond to scenes of crime handled by Guardians. Even the military would occasionally find VIPER cells brutally dispatched, largely due to the 13/Hugs duo. This lead to Citizen 13, Hugs, and a few others departing from The Guardians on less than friendly terms, as the other officers and members wanted to start getting back on track with proper use of force continuum. Many of the GRUNTs followed 13 in his exit of The Guardians.
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| − | </p><p>It didn't take long for Citizen 13's actions to attract the attention of the U.S. Military. He began to join in on military operations against VIPER on a regular basis and developed strategies that became standard use by many other military forces engaged against VIPER forces. These joint military operations that included Citizen 13 and other former Guardians in an effort to wage war against VIPER were soon dubbed "Operation Iron-Bound".
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| − | </p>
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| − | <h2> <i><b><div style="color:#FFFFFF; background-color: #620000">Iron-Bound</div></b></i></h2>
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| − | <div style="color:#FFFFFF; background-color: #151B54"><div style="font-size:15px; font-family: Times New Roman"><i>"We have been wounded sorely. Yet still we stand, with fire in our eyes and valour in our hearts. Let them think us beaten. We shall teach them otherwise." - The POTUS </i></div></div>
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| − | <p><br />
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| − | </p>
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| − | <hr />
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| − | <p><br />
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| − | <b>Operation Iron-Bound:</b> After the fall of Guardian Tower and the formation of The Ultimate Guardians, Federal and State governments agreed that the terrorist organization known as VIPER needed to be dealt with immediately, especially with VIPER now knowing the whereabouts of the Serpent Lantern. President Michael Wilson authorized "Operation Iron-Bound" at that point, along with many other military operations that would endeavor to protect America from VIPER.
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| − | </p><p>On July 11, 2010, the POTUS addressed the nation with a speech announcing military action against VIPER. He did not go into specific detail, but gave a short outline involving the use of joint military and super hero forces. At the end of the speech, the POTUS took questions from reporters. Included below is a transcript of question and answers following the speech:
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| − | </p><p><br />
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| − | POTUS: <i>I am now willing to answer questions.</i>
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| − | </p><p>(Reporter from NBC raises hand)
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| − | </p><p>POTUS: <i>Yes, Steven?</i>
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| − | </p><p>Steven: <i>Sir, we have heard rumors of an 'Operation Iron-Bound' already being conducted. Word is that it will operate outside of the Geneva Convention? Could you elaborate on this particular operation?</i>
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| − | </p><p>POTUS: <i>Preposterous, Operation Iron-Bound falls well within the rules of engagement set forth by the United Nations!</i>
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| − | </p><p>Steven: <i>Could you tell us about how it is to be conducted, Sir?</i>
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| − | </p><p>POTUS: <i>Hrmmm, well, it is very similar to Operation Igloo Freedom and Operation Sleeping Pancake. Many of the operations will be conducted as these previous operations had been.</i>
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| − | </p><p>Steven: <i>Wha... Operation Sleeping Pancake? Igloo Freedom? Sir, I've never heard of these operations.</i>
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| − | </p><p>POTUS: <i>Good, that is because they are classified.</i>
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| − | </p><p>Steven: (looking slightly dumbfounded) <i>So is Operation Iron-Bound classified then, Sir?</i>
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| − | </p><p>POTUS: (pauses to touch his ear, then looks to Steven) <i>No.</i>
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| − | </p><p>Steven: <i>Well, once again I would like to ask how this operation will be carried out?</i>
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| − | </p><p>POTUS: <i>The group organization stratagem is reminiscent of Operation Latex Bookshelf , but anyone from Operation Latex Bookshelf would tell you that.</i>
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| − | </p><p>Steven: (sighs, slightly exasperated) <i>Well, Sir, could you elaborate on that operation then and shed some light for us that have never heard of 'Operation Latex Bookshelf'?</i>
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| − | </p><p>POTUS: <i>There are some things that man was not meant to know. One of these things is the horrors of Operation Latex Bookshelf.</i>
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| − | </p><p>Steven: <i>Mr. President! Is there ANYTHING you can tell us about Operation Iron-Bound?!?</i>
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| − | </p><p>POTUS: (touches his ear again, distracted, then looks up again to Steven) <i>Yes.</i>
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| − | </p><p>(long wait, then Steven catches on that the POTUS does not intend to continue)
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| − | </p><p>Steven: <i>Mr. President... Will you please tell us something about this operation?</i>
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| − | </p><p>POTUS: <i>It's classified.</i>
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| − | </p><p><br />
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| − | What is known about OIB is that a joint group of U.S. Special Forces and a select group of registered super heroes made a collaborated effort to reduce the presence of VIPER across the U.S. using any means necessary. An official roster of registered heroes does not exist, as some of the heroes involved did not wish to be targeted by VIPER once back in the limelight of regular super-heroism. Citizen 13, however, made it a point to let VIPER know that he was involved, and that they were more than welcome to save him the trouble of finding them first.
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| − | </p><p>Operation Iron-Bound lasted approximately six months, from August 2010 to January of 2011. The operation was declared a success, but most of the credit for the reduction of VIPER activity was given to the armed forces and registered super heroes that the media was able to follow. Whether OIF was the major cause reduction of VIPER cells operating in the United States or not has yet to be revealed as OIF will likely remain classified for the next couple decades.
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| − | </p><p><br />
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| − | </p>
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| − | <hr />
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| − | <p><br />
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| − | </p><p><b>Iron-Bound Inc</b>
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| − | </p><p>After OIB, the heroes involved returned to Millennium City. For some this was an easy transaction, while for others it was hard to see that their actions during OIB had gone unnoticed by the general population. Citizen 13 was use to this though. It came with the job, and he may have preferred it that way. He began conducting patrols for the MCPD and taking on various assignments for PRIMUS again.
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| − | </p><p>It wasn't long until he met Gearhead, a former Army Engineer who had inherited a great deal of wealth and great big robot arms. Two of them. Sponsored by PRIMUS and given authorization by the POTUS, Citizen 13 and Gearhead formed a new group on January 31st, 2011, under the name "Iron-Bound Inc", which was named thusly as a tribute to the heroes and heroines of OIB. This new group shares similar goals as other super hero organizations did under UNTIL or PRIMUS, but was often tasked with a few of the "dirtier" jobs from PRIMUS. They conducted patrols in Millennium City and were deployed to various combat zones across the States against VIPER or other similar threats and had a great public image, and they were professional and discrete about the more unsavory work requested of them. Gearhead and 13 did draw a line with PRIMUS a few times regarding a couple of assignments, but all in all the new organization proved to be a success.
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| − | </p><p>Iron-Bound Inc included many of the individuals involved in OIB, such as Hugs, Penny May aka "Speeding Bullet", Paroxysm, and occasionally Elysion. Gearhead brought in a lot of new faces to the group as well, but Citizen 13 rarely took the time to get to know the newer recruits, much to his discredit.
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| − | </p><p>Elysion eventually fully retired from crime fighting to raise his kids while his wife went off to her original plane of existence. Hugs became busy assisting the newly arrived Hive to establish a living area for them in the city and to adapt to day to day life in America. And Citizen 13 grew distant from the rest of the group he helped found. His spirit burned with the desire for battle against greater threats to America yet again. This lead 13 to leaving Millennium City once again to work along side military forces in parts of the world such as the Middle East and parts of Africa. There were also rumors of 13 returning to North Korea once again at the end of 2011, but there is no evidence to confirm this.
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| − | </p><p><br />
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| − | </p>
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| − | <h2> <i><b><div style="color:#FFFFFF; background-color: #620000">Present Day</div></b></i></h2>
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| − | <div style="color:#FFFFFF; background-color: #151B54"><div style="font-size:15px; font-family: Times New Roman"><i>"Pain is temporary, the American Dream is forever." - Citizen 13 </i></div></div>
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| − | <p>Towards the end of 2011, James went off the grid. The last anyone had heard from him was that he wanted Francesca Peretti and Hugs to make use of his place in Millennium City during his absence. No one has gone on record as to why James took such an extended leave of absence, and since his return to Millennium City in the last month he has yet to comment on the matter either. Now that he has returned, he seems to have linked back up with his usual team mates, Elysion, Hu'Szsersvn, and Ordnance.
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| − | </p><p>Since his return, Citizen 13 has been tasked with bringing in Erik Royal, the former CEO of the Black Wolf mercenary corporation. Royal was recently found guilty of war crimes in the Middle East, as he authorized and participated in the slaughter of an entire village of civilian personnel in Iraq. Shortly after his sentencing, Royal escaped from custody just outside the courthouse and has evaded the authorities since. Royal is known to command advanced cyborg soldiers on the battlefield and will often wear military grade power armor, all of which is believed to be at his disposal since his escape.
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| − | </p><p>To assist 13 in his endeavors, Elysion has developed 13's latest armor to encompass a great deal more protection than before, all the while enhancing the mobility of the wearer.
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| − | </p><p>He is also obsessively in love with [[Strobe (Jordan Shaw)|Strobe]].</p>
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