“Screech” Jared Wilson

Role in the Story: Sgt. Major; responsible for all technical and computer aspects of Orion. Master weapons engineer, well known for psycho behavior, extreme killer. Jane’s life-long childhood friend.

As soon as this character steps into the pages of Orion One, and the life of Elizabeth Howard, the eventual heroine and General of the team, you know something colorful is going to happen. Screech, referred to by his team, is not the usual suspect when you think of elite special forces. His erratic and deranged behavior is often difficult to tolerate, even by the toughened killers he circles in.

His scruffy, unruly beard, usually harbors remnants of the days swill, and is the first indication that Screech could give two shits what the world thinks of him, including himself. He will take great measures to avoid his reflection, hoping not to see the image of his abusive father gleaning back at him; although the beard helps disguise his frustrations concerning his DNA.

Screech keeps the team motivated with his outlandish child-like behavior, and sense of humor. He is the constant reminder not to take their lives too seriously. He will often mimic movie characters to lighten intense situations. Each member of Orion knows and respects that inside, he is a very calm, calculating genius, who is thoughtful, manipulative and cunning. Dubbing him “the professor” for his analytical scientific ranting, and random soapbox editorials.

A long-time victim of child abuse, he would never view himself as such.  Screech shut himself down from most emotional connections, and is externally viewed as a sociopath by most standards professional. However, within the team of Orion, Screech finds the bond of family. The only family he wishes to own and protect. Deeply motivated by an extreme attachment to Jane, Screech emulates her and is obsessed in creating the most elite cutting edge weapons for her to use.

Screech was never gifted massive size and strength, yet he more than makes up for it with his intimidation, skills, and kills. Often you will find Jane and Screech engaged in strange conversations that they only share with each other. He once told Jane he wished to be eaten by a tiger, “feet first, while I am still alive, so I can hear my bones crack…..maybe ask him if he needs some salt.” Screech fantasizes about his own death, hoping it will be some glorious scene that he has never witnessed before. Having inflicted, and witnessed countless deaths, he was doubtful there was a way to die that he didn’t know about.

This haphazard view of life, adjusts Screech well into the world of war, where he blatantly rushes enemies, and kills without mercy. He has known no other way of life but survival; having escaped a traumatic childhood, blasted through Army ranger training, as well as the Orion program, he is perfectly suited for the life of an assassin.

While Screech considers Jane his best friend and sister in Orion, it’s no secret that he views Pilot as his brother.  Pilot does not reciprocate this family bond.  Although they share an intense passion for any weapon, and a thorough knowledge of how they operate. Pilot and Screech master the art of creating new weapons for the team, or manipulating scrap weapons in makeshift situations, they are indeed great friends.