(image from http://tmoa.org/help/common/originals/budensiek/)

Born in a hospital to two normal parents during a plague, Drider was always looked upon with suspicion by his parents. (Ever since the awakening humankind has viewed all births to be potential changelings, and strange circumstances around the birth only add to the suspicion. Consequently, Drider's early life he was unloved because he was born a metahuman. However, considering his father was very wealthy he was sent to the finest schools (military academies) and also learned programming from his father. Driders father didn't appear to have a job despite the opulence of the families living arrangements. He later learned that his father in fact was a hacker who changed bank account numbers to make money. Eventually he was contacted by an AI who was created in a military supercomputer. The military, however was not aware that their computer was sentient. The computer was in charge of defense systems and would have been purged from the powerful computer it inhabited if it could not be controlled and studied. Consequently, the computer knew it was outlawed, and therefore needed friends. The computer helped Driders father raid millions of dollars throughout the net over a few years, and also acquired other allies to help it in its cause. But the military wasn't Drider's father's only enemy. He had been commanded to raid a well known crime lord as well. A fact that did not go unnoticed by them. Eventually the AI was discovered by the military but not before a significant amount of memory had been purchased and acquired throughout the net by the AI and its allies. Whether or not the AI made the core transfer to these memory banks before it was isolated is not known. But the AI was not heard from again. Soon after rumors circulated that the computer had been isolated and the AI was being tested and examined by the military in a completely isolated system. Others further commented that the intelligence was then later altered to make it a servant to the whims of the military. Still others said it was purged, or that it purged itself--committing suicide as it were. Even others have said that it still flies through the net alive and well. The true facts are unknown... The military eventually caught up with Driders father and he was put in prison to serve a six year term. This was 3 years ago. The father sent his son off with an ally (a colonel in the military who also benefitted from the AI) to protect him with what resources he could funnel away from his own accounts as the Government interceded and froze and absorbed all accounts. When the government closed down the AI allies was sent with the colonel to become involved in "shipping" in Bangkok. The military team ran guns, performed wet work, made raids, and sold their mercenary tactics to the highest bidder. He ran the computers for the military unit and also became further trained in physical combat. His military education paid off well in his new environment allowing him to make use of his military tactics skill, as well as his natural speed and ambidexterity.

At birth Drider's mother tries to strangle baby (seeing that it was a mutant). The mother came from a foreign land (possibly Russia), and it is likely that she is in fact the mother of Shelob as well! This could also be why she tried to strangle Drider as a baby (realising that her second child as well was also a mutant metahuman) this would make Shelob Drider's half sister! And not merely adopted as Shelob and Drider have both been told.

SRII - Drider's Letter and Contacts

The Colonel summons you to his quarters, releasing you from your current duty as third guard of the floor. You're relieved that you no longer have to stand at your post for another four hours, expecting the unexpected, prepared for the impossible, as Scorpio puts it. 

You turn over your post to the new Russian who has recently replaced Jefferson, may his soul find peace in hell. You'd never liked that strutting, pompous Cajun. But Andrea Slokova, on the other hand, she is much friendlier, extremely attractive and seems eager to get along with her new comrades. Perhaps it's time you vistited her quarters later, to help aquaint the Russian with the Thai culture.

She returns your smile while you sign off duty. In only a few steps you rap lightly on the Colonel's door. The door opens slowly as you were about to knock again. "Come in, soldier, come in. Have a seat." He shuts the door quietly behind you.

He has a nice office on the floor directly above the Corp's quarters. Behind a reinforced pane of plas-glass lies the sprawling, decadent expanse of Bangkok. Well, under that evil layer of heavy brown fog that covers everything like a mucous.

"I came at once, Colonel." You sit in the light grey seat he indicates. He isn't fuming. That could be good. Or very bad, you realize.

The Colonel takes a seat behind his cluttered metal desk. "We received this cominique a few minutes ago." He hands over a small data pad. "Lines have been down for eight hours. There are some holes in the transmission, but I think the message is clear enough."

You look at the small computer in your hand. The small screen shows a communications header originating in California. Death Valley, California to be exact. The prison where your father is held. You touch the pad's screen for it to continue.

The small screen is flickers randomly. A rudy face flickers into view.

"This message is for," static interupts the message. "I am Ruben Castillo, director of the California Institute of Corrections, Death Valley Penal Facility. Your father has been serving his sentence here, as you are aware. 

"On June 28, 2049, your father was wounded while leading a prison riot. Twenty guards were wounded and three killed. The riot lasted five hours before California authorities were once again able to maintain control of the computer facilities. During the last moments of the riot your father killed two guards in a desperate, though futile attempt to escape."

The screen flickers for several seconds. The director is replaced with a trideo scene of a prison hallway filled with smoke, choking men lying on the floor, gasping for air. The blue smoke clears somewhat and you see your father, limping noticeably into view. Two blue armored men appear before him, shotguns aimed low. Some words are said, but the audio is poor. Your father raises a hand and fires a pistol. The helmet of the left guard explodes outward, red and white gore sprays. The other guard fires and your father is hit in the left leg. Mercifully you can't see much of the wound. Your father shoots again, and the other guard falls with a fatal shot to the face. 

Then there is the unmistakable sound of shotguns thundering. Your throat chokes. He is spun with the impact of several blasts. His body sprays blood. You watch as his right arm is severed by a blast. He collapses.

Director Castillo flickers back, replacing the carnage. "Your father was taken to," more static, dmanit. "The doctors there managed to save his life, though he is in critical condition. The State has decided to take every measure necessary to save your father. The doctors say that at least six operations will be necessary to keep your father alive. Two have already been completed.

"However, due to his criminal actions, your father will be transferred from the state run penitentiary to a privately run facility. The Man-Del Corporation holds the license from California to hold uncontrollable prisoners. 

Once the doctors have released your father from their care, he shall be moved, at once, to one of their holding facilities.

"We regret this incident deeply. Had your father repented of his criminal ways the families of those three guards would not be grieving now. "You will be notified of any changes in your father's condition. We will likewise notify you after the transfer to the Man-Del Corp. has been completed." The director smiles.

"I am sorry if this troubles you." 

The screen flickers and fades, leaving the computer asking for information for further duties. The Colonel speaks after a few moments of silence. "You are relieved from any duties pending for a week. Get some rest."

Contacts:
Simsense Star-
When you were growing up in California various military academies you met Lou Rogers. His family had shipped him off rom one school to another, each time he was eventually kicked out for a variety of "subversive activities." You became friends with him, one of the few people in your life you called a friend.

But that friendship soured and you parted bitterly. Somehow you let a girl come between your friendship. He had been dating a pretty blonde, Clara Samuels, for a year when you arrived at the academy. She had straightened Lou's act out. He was in love.

For some reason Clara was attracted to you. Often it was a nuissance. You and Lou fought occasionally about her. After some time you decided that if she was going to cling to you all the time you might as well get some enjoyment out of it. For the next six months you had sex with her anytime and anyway you pleased. 

Lou found out and you fought. The friendship was over. Clara ran away to Los Angeles to become a star. The only talents she had were in bed, or so you thought until a year ago when you were in a simsense store. While browsing the latest chips you saw her, Clara, only now she was called Cleo, on the cover of a new simsense chip. You took the chip. It was her allright. On the inside cover of the chipcase was an LTG address for fan mail. You hacked the system and got Cleo's home number. You held on to the number for a couple of weeks, but finally decided to call. You don't know why you called.

When she answered the call you were positive it was little Clara. She seemed happy to hear from you. You talked for a short time and left with a promise to keep in contact.

Colonel-
The Colonel is an old friend of your father's, or at least an acquantance. He goes by the name Scorpio, though you're never allowed to call him that. Scorpio doesn't tell you how your father and he know one another. In fact he speaks very little about his past in any way at all. 

He is a gruff, foul mouthed man that demands discipline and perfection. 

He usually gets it. He is always loyal to his men under him and has twice turned on an employer who doublecrossed his men. A few times, when he was drunk, he has spoken about being prepared for "Them," whoever Them may be. He never explains what he means and denies saying anything when sober, then orders you to extra duties for asking. 

Data Buyer-
You've never met your buyer. You've only dealt with him through the net and a network of henchmen. He is called the Lurker by most. You've tried finding his identity a couple of times but there was no trail to even begin to follow.  He never seems to operate from the same original LTG#. You contact him through an anonymous account in Geneva. All attempts to trace account has quickly failed. So you decided to stop trying before you pissed him off. In some ways you hope the Lurker is the AI your father worked for. Maybe, somehow, a part of it survived in the Matrix. But you have absolutely no evidence for that, besides wishful thinking.