Character Biographies

Benny Chambers

There are two kinds of cops: those that are honest, and those that are rich. Benny figured it was better to be wealthy than well-liked. While working as a desk sergeant during the 30s, he turned a very profitable sideline in 'losing' or 'adjusting' important paperwork. His department was investigated several times for the apparent ineptitude taking place, but Chambers had an uncanny charm, quite at odds with his nervous disposition, and weaselled his way out of suspicion.

In the long run, however, it was inevitable that Internal Affairs would find him out. Fortunately for Benny, enough people offered him favours that he got advance warning, and was able to leave the force before a formal investigation began, though not without leaving considerable acrimony among his former colleagues, as rumours of the reason for his departure quickly spread.

During the war, Chambers dodged the draft by paying off the medical examiner, and worked as a filing clerk for one of the small movie companies. At the end of the war, the company folded - some sort of discrepancy with the books - and Chambers, now in his mid 30s, got into a new business, financing a Private Investigation company. Despite his employer's failure, he seemed to have done quite well for himself during his time there ...

Jack Ryan

There are two kinds of cops: those that are honest and those that are rich. Jack was born into a good Irish Cop family and that's all he wanted to be. He graduated from the academy at the top of his class, determined to be an honest cop.

It'd didn't take long for the rookie cop, Jack, to realise that a fair percentage of the LA Police force was corrupt. He went to Internal Affairs with some information he had discovered about one of his fellow patrolmen -- he'd discovered a detective acting as muscle for Vincenzo Giuliani, the mob boss of LA. Unfortunately, he went to the wrong Internal Affairs cop and within a couple of weeks, Jack Ryan was charged with accepting a bribe. Even as Jack was protesting his innocence, he was found guilty and was dishonourably discharged from the Police Force.

Shunned from his family, Jack was at the end of his tether, till one night in a seedy bar he met Jeff Galloway, a private investigator. Jack joined Jeff and soon the investigative agency changed its name to Galloway, Ryan and Associates. Jack had hit the big time.

Jeff Galloway

Sometimes it takes a big man to do a big job. And when the job is too big for most, they call Jeff Galloway.

Galloway graduated from the early Chicago streets gangs into the waiting arms of organised crime. He soon found himself a player in the larger stage, acting as hired muscle in mob wars in several US cities, travelling to where his work took him. A litany of violent crimes follows these years, with him developing a street 'code' in regards to his behaviour. Never hitting a woman, or allowing one to be hit, fell on top of this list.

The late thirties saw Galloway fall into the employ of several notable 'characters', including Vincenzo Giuliani (aka. 'Vinny Jules') and Benny Chambers, a prolifically corrupt police detective in need of some muscle. As he grew in wealth and age however he found himself desiring a change of scenery.

Jeff found a means of escape in the Pacific Theatre, where he served in the US Marines, 3rd Assault Battalion. And in turn he witnessed the hell and glory that was the Battle of Iwojima. During that fateful battle, Jeff promised squad mate Pvt. Mike 'Mickey' Calhoun to 'look up' his brother Jerry when he returned stateside.

Galloway came back from the War a changed man. Now wishing to make a more honest living for himself, he has re-united with former client Benny Chambers to be the figurehead and major partner for the Private Detective Agency 'Galloway, Ryan and Associates'. Jeff finds himself fighting a paternal instinct when it comes to work, seeing himself as a guiding hand to ensure the safety and well-being of the agency and its employees.

Gabriella 'Gabi' Rosini

Born in 1920 to a large Italian-American family in New Jersey, Gabi excelled at School and went on to study US and International politics at University. In 1942 she was recruited by the US government to join the Office of Strategic Studies and was sent to Italy and Germany to report on troop movements and contact resistance organisations.

While overseas Gabi learnt many "fast hand" skills to help her survive and get her job done and even learnt how to talk her way out of the many sticky situations she got herself into over the years.

Now the war is over and the OSS have disbanded Gabi moved to the West coast hoping to improve her employment prospects. In Los Angeles she took a job as a secretary for Galloway, Archer and Associates but after Archer was killed Jeff Galloway got Gabi to help him clear the backlog of jobs. Because of her OSS training and her time overseas, Gabi proved to be more important than just a secretary and has now been made an associate of the firm (although her name will never be on the door).

She is fluent in English, Italian and German, has a sharp eye for detail and a knack for remembering everything she sees. She cannot forget the thing she saw - and did - during the war in Italy and she as turned to the bottle to help her cope with the memories. Often she can be found in the seedier parts of town late in the evening.

Nathan 'Nate' Sherwood

In his late 20's Nate is the son of an east coast fisherman. The sea has all ways been one of his passions, but the cold seas off Maine have never appealed to him. To escape the reserved stunted fishing town he grew up in he joined the navy. Just in time to be aboard the USS Indianapolis for attack on Pearl Harbour.

He survived on the Indianapolis from the start of the war until the day it sunk. To be one of the survivors Nate considers himself to be lucky. His luck and looks have carried him a long way. Despite the horrors of the war Nate is still in enamoured with the sea.

His business running a charter boat the "Okinawa Landings" allows him to know many of the movers and shakers of the racier side of LA.

His association with Gallaway, Ryan and Associates came about as a convenient coincidence. They were willing to pay for his skills and for products he could purchase on the gambling ships. The idea of working for a PI was appealing to Nate. Now enjoys the mystique of it, the fun of working with a PI agency but still be a free agent.