Archie Gates

Living… in Iraq, at the end of the Gulf War. He might be a high ranking officer in the US military, but no one’s really in charge here. Bush’s cease-fire order would give you the impression that all the killing is over, but that’s far from the truth. When Archie learns of a secret stash of gold bullion in Iraq, he jumps on the opportunity and decides to take these chaotic times for all they’re worth and go for the gold. Now all he has to do is deter the snooping journalist Adriana Cruz for long enough so that he and his band of “kings” can grab the gold without anyone noticing. 

Profession… army major. He has made a career of his position in the US Army Special Forces. But at this point in his career, he’s just about ready to retire and never see a war again. The chaos of war has driven him to the point of utter disillusionment.  

Interests… the mechanics of firearms and their effects on a body. Archie says, “Say a bullet tears into your gut. It creates a cavity in the dead tissue. That cavity fills up with bile, and bacteria.” The results are not pretty.

Relationship Status… single. Just because he’s fighting a war doesn’t mean he can’t get a little action from the journalists while he does it. Archie can be found shagging Cathy Daitch in a tent while his other soldiers get drunk and listen to hip hop. 

Challenge… finding the hidden gold without killing Iraqi civilians in the process. Things get trickier when Iraqi soldiers continue to tyrannically control and suppress the local civilians. Archie must choose between his own selfish monetary desires, and the lives of the innocent.

Personality… disillusioned, wily, and clever. Archie is watching out for his own skin, but ultimately he’s a worthy commanding officer and someone who cares as much about the men serving under him as he does about himself. He understands the harsh realities of warfare and knows what must be done to leave the war with all your comrades still alive…or, at least, most of them.