Ellis Cheever

Living… through dangerous times. Dr. Ellis Cheever spends his time at the Center for Disease Control and Prevention headquarters in Atlanta, far away from his fiancé in Chicago. His latest task is dealing with the MEV-1 virus, a deadly pathogen that seems poised to release a deadly epidemic that will rival the black plague.

Profession… leader of a taskforce to contain the new MEV-1 virus. Cheever, who spent about fifteen years battling diseases in the field, is facing the biggest challenge of his life as he tries to implement policies to deal with a potentially world changing new disease. He’s cautious and willing to do everything he can - “I’d rather the new story be that we overreacted than many people lost their lives because we didn’t do enough” – but everything he can do might not be enough.

Interests… his family and friends. Ellis Cheever is responsible for protecting the U.S. public, though he’s recently gotten in trouble for showing favoritism towards his own loved ones, and telling them to evacuate before the city of Chicago was officially quarantined.

Relationship Status… engaged, though Cheever can’t focus too much on his fiancé at the moment. He has the entire country looking to him for a way to solve this medical mystery.

Challenge… overcome national and international bureaucratic issues. Dr. Cheever has a hard enough job trying to oversee the containment and cure of the new MEV-1 virus, but he also has to deal with very real political scandals and bureaucratic red-tape. “There are fifty different states in this country, which means there are fifty different health department followed by fifty different protocols.”

Personality… levelheaded and sober. Dr. Cheever is an experienced, intelligent and decisive leader. He carries his large burden with aplomb. Still, the stakes are high, and everyone he knows might be in danger. As colleagues and friends begin to drop dead all over the country, Cheever’s ability to keep a cool-head and do his job will be tested.