Lethifer Protocol

Lethifer: Greek - bearer of death

The Lethifer Protocol was a long-term project established by Next Generation. Its goal was to develop subjects that combined meta-human capacity with unswerving loyalty, unflinching ruthlessness, and the technical and social skills needed to operate effectively and discretely as assassins. The strategic objective of the protocol was to provide Next Generation with the capacity to remove opponents, rivals, traitors, obstacles, and threats without the need to resort to direct confrontation and without attracting undue attention to themselves.

Candidate Selection and Training
The Protocol's preliminary development centre was located in a remote area of Hokkaido. It was here that genetic engineering techniques were developed that allowed screening and manipulation of genetic material to select samples that displayed the required characteristics and were most likely to respond favourably to post-natal gene-therapy. Specimens were raised here subject to preliminary indoctrination and training designed to develop their physical and mental abilities.

The subjects were screened for meta-human capacity and re-located to the Protocol's facility in Tokyo for socialisation and aculturation. Their mental conditioning was further reinforced throughout this process and their training regime intensified and supplemented by gene treatments.

All candidates were trained in dissimulation, particularly masking their intent, and blending into and manipulating normal society. They were also trained in the use of weapons, unarmed combat and vehicles, and an array of languages spoken in the regions in which they would operate. The training also focused on gaining access to secure locations, either mundanely or by means of meta-human capacity.

The specifics of each operative's training varied slightly to include knowledge and abilities appropriate to their cover identities, and skill-sets that would be most useful for the class of target they were intended to eliminate. Some agents were for example especially competent with explosives while others focused on firearms, and others still on martial arts. This spread of abilities gave Next Generation great flexibility in how to deal with any one particular threat.

Operatives
Lethifers (as the protocol's operatives are known) appear to be normal human beings, their meta-human characteristics are inobvious and only ever apparent when in use. All operatives are intellectually and physically exceptional, and rate well above average in terms of physical strength, fitness, robustness, reflexes, and speed. They are very well-schooled, highly intelligent and possess great reserves of will-power.

Keenly aware of the threat posed to undercover operations by mentalists the Protocol trained all its operatives in techniques to defend against mind-based attacks. Additionally, musculo-skeletal reinforcement provides limited protection against small arms fire and other lethal damage while physiological enhancements are often applied to give an an operative enhanced recuperative abilities, resistance to toxins and diseases, increased endurance, improved digestive efficiency, or reduced need for sleep. The exact combination varies from operative to operative.

Operational Procedures
Lethifers use their social skills to interact with or observe their quarry in an attempt to discern patterns of behaviour or vulnerabilities that might be exploited. The elimination of the target is balanced against the desire for secrecy and non-detection. To that end Lethifers like to make their targets' demises look like accidents, suicides, murders with an obvious alternative suspect, or apparently random unsolvable crimes. Collateral damage and deaths of bystanders are generally limited unless necessary to mask the true subject of the hit or to create the semblance of a terrorist strike or other calamity.

Only one Lethifer has ever come to public attention. Lethifer Eta - Evan Christensen, was caught in the process of arranging the murder-suicide of a disloyal Next Generation geneticist and his wife. Christensen was unable to avoid capture and took his own life rather than fall into custody. However, the scientist's death lead to publication of his research notes which contained incriminating details of the Lethifer Protocol and were confirmed by Christensen's autopsy results. Back-tracking Christensen's movements then revealed his peripheral involvement in half a dozen previous tragedies which are now assumed to have been Lethifer Protocol assassinations.

Operational Structure
Lethifers are placed in their cover identities in their mid to late teens. This exposure lends their covers greater verisimilitude while providing the operatives broader life-experience. During this time they are under the supervision of field controls (generally posing as immediate family members) who oversee the Lithifer's progress while continuing their indoctrination and training regimes. During this immersion period the agents remain completely inactive.

Once they are deemed ready, each operative is placed on probation, a period of two to five years during which they remain under the direction of field controls who oversee their operations. Ideally the agents are granted greater autonomy as they accumulate experience and refine their technique. Once they are judged capable of independent action, the field controls are removed entirely and the Lethifers operate in virtual isolation, each being responsible for their own missions and training regimes.

Once this point is reached, ommunications from Next Generation are limited to dead-drops that are marked with symbols significant only to the operative (the protocols for these dead-drops are pre-established subliminally). Each dead-drop identifies the Lethifer's next target, as much intelligence as Next Generation has been able to obtain on them, and any additional operational objectives or constraints.

Personnel
Eight candidates survived training, indoctrination, and gene therapy while maintaining sufficiently high performance indicators. Of these eight, Lethifer Zeta died during an operation in Brazil (but without compromising the protocol), Lethifer Eta died rather than be captured (but did so compromising both his mission and the Protocol), and Lethifer Gamma has gone rogue (to become Regan Kirby aka Sable). Since personnel requirements are not high, the Protocol has been significantly down-sized with the vast majority of its personnel (particularly those involved in research and development) transferred to more high priority projects. The remaining personnel produce roughly one new Lethifer every two years. This means that there are seven fully active Lethifers (five originals and two replacements) and two who are still on probation while others remain in training.