Nemo

Nemo is a character in Journal of Sociology.

Description:
Nemo is a quiet, sort of forgettable young man of about twenty years. Caucasian. Black hair, eyes of generally inconsequential colour, generic face. A little below average height, fairly skinny, with a voice neither too memorable nor too generic. A reproduction of Nemo’s left-facing mugshot is available in Subdocument VI for further viewing.

Nemo’s experience in various survival, combat, and espionage situations, strong will to live, and high intelligence contribute to the effectiveness of his pragmatic moral code. He considers himself a fairly nice person, and will cooperate cordially until feeling as though his life of quality of life is threatened. Then, all bets are off.

At the time of his disappearance, Nemo was dressed in the following: An orange prisoner jumpsuit, two black tennis shoes, a pair of handcuffs, two black gloves, an orange facemask, and a pair of black socks.

Weapons/Abilities:
Nemo posses one and only one extraordinary talent: any and all stored data that comes into contact with his person is instantly and irrecoverably destroyed. If Nemo were to, say, acquire a printed document, as soon as his hand was to touch the cover, all printed characters within the book would turn into “junk data”: instead of containing, say, a High-Clearance government case debriefing, the papers would contain nothing but garbled characters, symbols scrambled beyond information-bearing possibility. This applies to normal and nonnormal classifications of stored data: computers crash*, tapes—video and audio—become static, any and all objects are removed of text, carved stone tablets morph into gibberish at a single touch. Theoretically, a human that comes into contact with him would lose their memory, but that single touch scrambles their genetic information as well.

Thankfully, this ability has some limits. Nemo can only destroy stored information, not information in transit. So, for example, a human being can speak to Nemo, and he can speak back, and they could have a pretty pleasant conversation so long as they don’t touch each other. This has certain other applications: Nemo cannot destroy information traveling through the air or through wires (although he could destroy either the sender or the receiver). This ability, also, thankfully, does not apply to physically-existing pictorial data. Nemo could destroy a recording or a digital image of a painting, but not the painting itself (hieroglyphs, however, or other pictograms used to transfer specific data still fall under this rule. For example, a sign displaying a biohazard warning or an architectural diagram would be scrambled by Nemo, but an abstract painting would not**). It should also be Noted that information pertaining to or of Nemo can be easily stored and reviewed without consequence, although most records of his existence have been destroyed by his and the hands of others; it is not his likeness that destroys information, but the man himself.

Another defining characteristic of this ability is the definition of touch. Nemo’s ubiquitous black gloves allow him to interact with the physical world fairly effectively, by virtue of the fact he’s not actually touching any data-storing objects with his physical body. This aspect of the data elimination process has been interestingly exploited by Nemo numerous times—poisoning drinks, coating blowdarts or syringes, and filling splatter-breaking glass vials with various bodily fluids, providing the same information-destroying effects as if he had physically touched the target in question, as long as the substance is greater in volume than 1 milliliter. Several vials, real and fake, of his blood and urine float around the black market to this day.


 * In this regard, one has to think of all the things in this day and age that contain computers, and how many of them could be rendered unusable for the man. Phones, radios, televisions, cars, copy machines, calculators. Airplanes rendered unusable once stepped on board, cameras become garbage, touching the thermostat or air conditioning renders climate control, for him, a difficult task. In some homes, the flip of a light switch could be enough to ruin the house’s lighting control and render aspects of the wiring useless.


 * This distinction, along with the conceptual aspects of Nemo’s ability, suggest to some that his ability is not a physical trait but an extension of some aspect of his mind—a sort of unconscious psychic ability. There is no official consensus on the matter, mainly contributed by the fact no study or experiment has been conducted and survived long enough to be published to the scientific community. However, interesting questions can be raised. How can Nemo deactivate a car’s internal computers by simply touching an exterior window, a part completely unrelated to the vehicle’s data storage? Why are certain images destroyed and others are not? How can a being who naturally destroys data be constructed of the same data it destroys? Currently, there is no clear answer, and there may never be a definitive scientific reason for Nemo’s data-eliminating ability.

Subdocument I: Historical Precedent
It is now suspected that human beings like Nemo have existed for thousands and thousands of years throughout human history. Records of a mysterious order [xxxx xxxxx xxxxx xxxxxx xxxx xxx xxxxx xxxxxxx xxxxx xxx xxxxxx xxx xxxxxx xxxx xxxxx xxx xx xxxxx xxx xxxx xxx xxxx xxxxxx xxxxxx xxxxxxx xxxxx xxxxxxx xxxxxx xxxx xxxx xxxxxx xxxx xxxx xxx xxxxx xxxx xxxx xx xxxx xxx xxxxx xxxxx xxxx xx]

[xxxxx xxxxx xxxx xxx xxxx xxxx xxxx xxx xxxxx xxxx xxxxxxxx xxx xxxxx xxxx xxx xxxxx xxxx xxx xxxxx xxx xxxx xxx xxxxx xxxxxxx xxxxxxx xxxxxxxxx xxxxx xxxx xxxxx xxxxxx xxxx xxxxxxx xxxxxxxxx xxxx xxxxx xxxxxxx xxxx xxxxx xxxx xxxx xxxxx xxxx xxx xxxxx xx xx xxxx xxx xxx xx xxx xxxx xxx] is possibly the last living descendant of these [xxxx xxxx xxxx xxxxxx xxxxxxxxx xxxxx xxxxxx xxxxx xxxxx xxxxx xxxx xxxx xxxx xxxx xxx xx xxxxx xxxxx xxxxx xxxxx xxxxx xxxxx xxxxx xx xxx xxxx xxxx xxxx xxx xx xxxx xxxx xxxxx x xxxx xxxx xxx xxxxxx xxx xxx xx xxxx xxxx xxx xxxx xxxx x]explains several Latin phrases and [xxx]rituals Nemo has been witnessed [xxx xxxx xxxxx xxx xxxx xxxx xxx xx xx]

[xxxxxx xxxxxxx xxxxx xxxx xxxxxx xxxx xxxxx xxxxxx xxx xxxxx xxxx xx xxxxx xxxxxx xxxx xx xxxx xxxxxxx xxxxx xxxxxx xxxxx xxxx xxxx x xxxxx xxxxxx xxxxx xxxxxxx xxxxx xxxxxxx xxxxx xxxxx xxxxxxx xxxxxxx] Library of Alexandria as a possible [xxxx xxxxx xxx xxx xxxxx xxxxxxx xxxxx xxxxxx xxxxx xxxxxxx xxxx xxxxxxx xxxx xxx xxxx xxx xxx xxxxxx xxxxx xxx xxxx xxxxxx xxxxx xxxx] along with the destruction of a number of other centers of human knowledge, including [xxxxx xxxxxxx xxxxx xxxx xxxx xxxx xxxxxx xxxxx xxxxx xxxxx xxxxxx xxx xxxx xxxxxxxx xxxx xxxxxxx xx xxxxxxxx xxxxx xxxxxx xxxxxxx x xxxx xxxxxx xxxx xxx xxxx xxxxx xxxxx xxxxx xxxxx]zi book burnings[xxxxx xxxxx xxxxx xxxxxx xxxxx xxxxx xxxxxx xxxxx xxxxxxxx xxxxxxx xxxxx xxxxx].

[xxxxxxxxxx]assassinations may be[xxxxxxxxx xxxxx xxxxxxxx xxxxx xxxxx xxxxx xxxx xxxxxx x xxx xxxxx xxxx xxxxx xx xx xxx xxxx xxx xxxxx xxxxxx xxxxx x xxxxxxx xxxx xxx xxxxx xxxx xxxxxxx xxx xxxxxxx xxxxxx xxxxxx xxxxxxxx xxxxxxxxxxx xxxxx xxx xxxxxx xxxx xxx xxxx xxxx xxxx xxxxx xxxx xxxxxx xxxx xxx xxx xxx xxxx xxxxx xx xxx xxxxx xxxxxx xxxxx xxx xx]such as[xxxx xx xx xx xxxxxx xxxxx xxxxx xxxx xxxxx xxxxx xxxxxxx xxxxx xxxx xxxxx xxx xx], and US president [xxxxxxxxxxx].

Subdocument II: Early Life
Despite the fact that much of the information Nemo’s early life has been destroyed including his birth certificate and social security number. However, a few files have managed to survive, gleaning several revealing pieces of data about his childhood:

Nemo was born in [xxxxxx xxxxxxx] to Marcus and Fiona [xxxxxxxx] on [xxxxxx xx], 1989. His mother died in childbirth, along with several nurses who [xxxxxxxx xxxxxxx xxxxxxx xxx xxx xxxx xxxxxx xxxxx xxxxx xxx xxx xxx xxxxxxxx xx xx xxx xx xxxxxxx xxx xxxxx xxxxxx] until it was determined that the source of the deaths, was, in fact, the baby. Although [xxxxx xxx xxx xxx xxxxx xxxx xx xxxx xxxxxxx xxxx xxxx] the hospital eventually released Nemo to his father, who resolved to raise him as best he could.

Marcus fathered the child until the age of eleven, at which point [xxx xxxx x xx xxxxx xx xx xx xxxxx x x xxxxxx xxx xxxx xxxxxx xxx x x xxxxx xxxxxx xx xxxx xxx x x xxxxx xxxxx x x xxxxxxxx], killing him instantly.

From that point forward, no further documents can be found on Nemo until the age of eighteen. No mention of paramedics finding a child, nor of a relative gaining custody of him, nor of acceptance into an orphanage. At this point, it must be assumed, that, for several years, he simply lived on the street, using his ability to the best of his advantage, eventually alerting authorities to rumors of a strange boy living in the [xxxxxxxx] area with odd, data destroying powers.

Subdocument III: [DATA DESTROYED]
The investigation continued until [xxxxxx xxxxxxxx xxxxxxxx xxxxxxxxxx xxxxxxxxxx xx xxx xxxxxxxx xxxxxxx xxxxxxx xxxxxxx xxxxxxx xxxxx xxxxxxxxxx xxxxxxx xxxx xxxxxxxxxxxx xxxxx xxxxxx xxxxx xxxxxx xxxxxx xxxxxxxxxx xxxxxxx xxxxx xxxx xxxxxxx xxxxx xxxxxxxx xxxxxxxx xxxx xxxxxx xxxxx xxxxxxxx xx xxxxx xx xxxx x xx xxx xxxxxx xxxx xxxxxx xxxxxxx xxxx xxxxxxx xxx xxxx xxxx xxx xxxxxxxx xxx xxxx xxxxx xxx xxxxxx xxxx xxxxxx xxxxxxxxx xxxxxxxxxx xxxx xx xx xx] with the National Authorities’ interest peaked, Nemo offered is services to the [xxx], and began working there within the month. Due to the nature of his ability, his birth certificate and social security number with destroyed, along of a variety of other documents pertaining his life.

Nemo worked on a variety of assignments, mostly consisting of information espionage and assassination. For a long while, [xxxxxxxx xxxxxxx xxxxxxxxxx xxxxxxx xxxxxx x xxx xxx xxxxx xxxxxxxxx xxxxxx xxxxx xxxxxx xxx xxxxxx xxxxxxx xxxxx xxxxxxxx xxxx xxx xxx xxxx xxxx x xxxxxx xxxxxxx xxx xxxxxx xx xxxxxxxx xxxxxx xxxxxx x xxxxx xxxx xxxxxxxxxx xxxxxxx xxxxxx xxxxxxxxx xxx xxxxxxx xxxxxxxx xxxxx xx xxxx xxxx xxxxxxx xxxxxxxx xxxx xxxxx xxxxxx xxx xxxxxx xxxx xxxxxx xxxx xx xx x xxxx xxxx xxxxxx xxxx xxxxxxxx xxxxxxxx xxx xxxxxx xxxx xxxxxxx xxxxxxxxxx x xxxx xxxx xxxxx xxxxxxx xxxxxxxx xxxxxxx xxxxx xxxxxxx xxxxxx xxx]

[xxxxx xxxx xxxxxxxxx xxxxxxx xxxxxxxxxxxxx xxxx xxxxxx xxxxxxxxx xxxxxx xxx xxxx xxxxxx xxxxxx xxx xxxxx xxxxxx xxx xxxxxx xxxxxx xx xxx xxxx xxxxxxxx xx xxxx xxxxx xxxxxxxxx xxxxxxxx xxxxx xxxxx xxxxxxxx xxxxxx xxxxxxxxx xxxx xx xxxxx xxxx xxxxxxx xxxxxxx xxxx xxxx x xxxxx]revealed he was a double agent. The [xxx] began conducting[xxxx xx xxxxx xxx xxxxxxx xxxxxx xxxxxxxxx xxxxxxx xxxx xxxxxxx xxxxxx xxxx xxxxxxx x xxx xxxxx xxxxx xx xxxx xxxxx xxx xxxxx xxxxxxx x xxxxx xxx xxxxxxx xxxxxx xxxx xxxx xxxx xxxxxxx xxxxxxxx xxxxxx xxx xxxxxxx xxxxxx xxxxx xxxx xxxx xxx x]to a trailer in rural Kansas.

Subdocument IV: Arrest
The operation was conducted smoothly and efficiently. [xxx] agents raided the trailer, with zero casualties. Nemo shrugged, cooperated, stating, “It’s been a nice run, while it lasted.” He was brought to [xxxxxxxx] Maximum-Security Federal prison, where he was detained for several months while waiting for trial.

His stay in prison was tumultuous, to say the least.[xxxxx xxxxxxxx xxxxxxxx xx xxxx x xxxx xxx xxxxx xxxx xxxxxxxx xxxxx xxx xxxxxxxx xxxxxxx xxxxxxx xxxxxxx xxxxxx x x xxxxx] escaped a number of times [xxxxxxxxx xxxxxxx xxxxx xxxxxxxxx xxxx xxxxxxxx xxx xxxxx xxx xxx xxxxx xxxxx xxxxx xxxx xx xxxx xxxx xxxx]put in solitary confinement[xxxxx xxx x xxx xxxxx xxxxx xxxxx xxxx xxxxxxxx xxxxxxx xxxxxx xxxxxx xxxxx xxxx xxxxx x x xxx xxxx xxxx x xxxxxx xxxxxx xxxxx xxxx xxx]

[xxxxx xxxxxxx xxxx xxxxxxxx xxxxxxx xxxxxxxxxxx xxxxx xxxxxxxxxxx xxxxx xxx xxxx xxxxxx xxxxxx xxxxxxxx xxxxx xxxxxxx xxxxxxxxxx xxxxxx xxxx xxxxxx xxx x xxxx xxx xxxxxx xxxxx xxxxxx xxxx xxxxx xxxxxx xxxx xxxxxx xxxxxx xxx xxxxx xx xxxx xxxx xxxx xxxxxx xxxxx xxxxxx xxxx xxx]ial was delayed numerous times, for various reasons:[xxxxxxxxxx xxxx xxxxxxx xxxxxxxxxx xxxxxx xxxxxxxxx xxxxx xx x xx xxx xxxxx xx xxxxx xxxxxxxx xxxx xxxxxxx xxxx xxxxxx xxxxxxxx xxxxxxxxx xx xx xxx xxx xxx]until finally, on [xxxxxxxxxxx] the trial began.

Subdocument V: Transcript of Court Proceedings
[ENTIRE TRANSCRIPT DESTROYED]

Subdocument VI: Detainment and Disappearance
Nemo was transported to [xxxxxxx]-[xxxxxxxx] Federal Prison and put in a solitary, Maximum-Security cell. Several precautions were applied to prevent any attempt to escape, including handcuffs, forced requirement of gloves, and a facemask. Several attempts were made to either conduct [xxxxx xxxxxxxx xxxx xxxxxx xxxxxx xxxxxx x x x x xxxx xxxx xxxx xxxx].

Nemo’s prison schedule was monitored almost 24/7, and as following:

[xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx xxxxxxx]

Nemo was almost constantly under a watchful eye. He was in a maximum-security cell specifically designed to contain him. There should have been literally no way he could have escaped.

Yet, on [xxxxxxxx], 2012, he disappeared. Security footage shows him sleeping in his bed one moment, the next, he vanishes. [xxx] agents have been conducting investigations for several years, yet no trace of Nemo has turned up—it’s almost as if he was completely wiped off the face of the earth.