Howard Payne

Grew Up… disarming bombs for a living. Howard used to be a member of the Atlanta Police Department’s bomb squad, until he was forced to retire early due to an injury suffered while defusing a bomb.

Living… out his retirement in sunny Los Angeles. Howard has managed to develop a psychotic and violent hobby over the past few years: he makes and plants his own bombs.

Profession… terrorist. Howard has gone from crime fighter to criminal. In order to supplement the income from his pension, he’s decided to plant bombs and hold civilians for a ransom. In his words, “This is about my money, this is about money due me! Which I will collect! 3.7 million dollars! It’s my nest egg, Jack. At my age you have to think ahead.”

Interests… refining his intricate criminal plots. Howard has always had an interest in bombs. Now he’s able to combine his expertise in explosives with his masterful criminal mind.

Challenge… getting the money that he feels he deserves. After one of his bomb plots is foiled by L.A. cop Jack Traven, Howard decides to take revenge. Now, he’s planted a bomb on a public bus. If the bus goes under 50 miles per hour, it’ll explode. There’s no way to heroically rescue the hostages this time – they’ll have to give him the money he demands. At least, that’s Howard’s plan. But Jack and Annie, the resourceful passenger who’s now driving the bus, will try to engineer a different outcome.

Personality… psychotic, narcissistic, and arrogant. Howard believes that he’s the smartest man in the room. Officer Jack Traven calls him crazy, but the word he prefers to use is “eccentric.”