Howell Blackburn (Mr. Vegas)

 Membership: Freelance

Race: Human

Height: 5’9

Weight: 165

Apparent Age: 60

Archetype: Reporter

Preferred Weapon: DAOD Assault Pistol

Runner Song:

Bio: Here is another of the few honest reporters out there in the world, it seems the ones we can trust to bring us the news on a daily basis without bias and propaganda are on the antiquated broadcasting system known as the radio. These true journalists hold true to their integrity and honour, they bring class and distinction back to the art of reporting that seemed to be lost these days. With many of the major trideo and network anchors all pulling for one side or another it is hard to find the truth beyond the lies. Well not for Mr. Vegas, this man reports it as he sees it and will never bring anything but verified news to the public; he employs a vast team of field researchers that travel the globe to verify any story before he brings it to the airwaves.

Mr. Vegas is the west coast version of Mr. Boston and Socrates, this man works for the sister station within Las Vegas and doesn’t fear any reprisal from the UCAS, NAN or Rebels for him it’s about the truth and only the truth anything else is unacceptable. Mr. Blackburn has been on the air a long as Mr. Boston and is one of the most popular West Coast DJ’s with his blend of talk, music and news he keeps his listeners both entertained and informed on the issues, the revolution and many other political issues that the mainstream media is either to afraid to air, to invested in one side or just simply doesn’t care about. Before the events that would lead to the destruction of Detroit the mighty trio of Mr. Boston, Socrates and Mr. Vegas would be able to broadcast coast to coast keeping the people informed twenty four hour a day as each would put in a long eight hours on the air and never once take a holiday or day to themselves. If one couldn’t be on the air the other would fill the void and they rarely if ever have been off the air, well that was until the tragedy that befell Detroit and with that the old broadcasting towers would fall thus bringing down the information chain. Socrates still broadcasts but he know reports directly from Boston alongside Mr. Boston and that leaves Mr.Vega to fill the void for the rest of the nation as their teams of engineers attempt to bring to life the old radio towers within the heartland to once again allow the trio to combine forces and bring the truth the masses.

Mr. Vegas is a truly noble man and has sacrificed everything to make sure that the people are well informed and to bring dignity back to the profession. He has had to watch as his family would be massacred during the Great Tragedy and the Vegas Rebellion, he would suffer great injury when the old station building he was broadcasting from would come under fire and he would suffer a nearly fatal gunshot wound to the chest. Though even just out of surgery he was once again broadcasting from his hospital room and never once batted an eye or slowed down. The death of his family did take it’s toll on Mr. Vegas as he was a deeply committed family man and gentleman, he lived just outside Las Vegas within Clark County in Henderson; when his home would come under fire, by the forces of the Natives and NATO he would watch as his family would be butchered before his very eyes as he laid trapped under what remained of part of his home, he would watch and listen as the forces stormed the neighbourhood burning and pillaging everything in sight, he would watch as his neighbours and friends where dragged from their homes and executed in the street and left to rot in the desert sun.

He would survive those most dangerous and deadly nights, and yet still he would bring himself to his studio to bring the news of the events to the people; he would loose everything in a single night and yet he would not allow himself time to mourn for work needed to be done and he had an oath to fulfil. Even when a majority of the communications where down during the tragedy the radio waves were still in operation and thus he could bring the warnings to the people and what some say the fuel that would ignite the Las Vegas Rebellion. It would also be Mr Vegas who was suffering from serious injuries himself after crawling out from the wreckage of what was once his home, to go directly to the station and begin working ignoring the grievous injuries that would eventually cause him to half to have his lower left leg amputated just bellow the knee. Though if he hadn’t brought himself into the station on that night who knows what would have become of the people of Las Vegas and the surrounding areas that would hear his warnings.

It would be during the events of the Battle of Searchlight and the Las Vegas Rebellion that would again bring this journalist into the role of the hero and the bringer of life saving information that would save the people as tension within Las Vegas was reaching it’s boiling point, the people were being forced out of their homes and into various prison camps; tension was at an all time high, the economy had crashed, the casinos where closing their doors and Vegas was dying do to the Great Tragedy of 2018 the people were left with only two options submit to their new conquers or rise up and take back the city one block at a time. Well for Mr. Vegas rebellion was not something he wanted, he didn’t want to watch as more innocent lives were lost in this needless battle; though after barricading himself into his studio he would begin broadcasting the music of the days of old and just speaking to the people of the city he loved so much. His words as said to have been that final spark that would set ablaze the city into a mighty revolt, though do to his low frequency broadcasting signals he would pick up the hails that where coming from Searchlight and it would be Mr. Vegas that would end up sending support to that poor town; as he would redirect the signal to the one man he knew could help the citizens of Searchlight Mr. Phillip Conrad one of the only casino owners to keep his doors open and give the natives the finger with true Old Vegas justice.

During those troubled days Mr. Vegas would report what he could though mostly he kept the airwaves full of music and his words of inspiration, his voice is majestic and with the stories of heroism and patriotism that he would tell; with every word spoken from Mr. Vegas it would keep the morale of the people high and allow them to keep fighting against a superior force and even when the native forces would breach the studio where he was reporting from and open fire into his booth with automatic fire Mr. Vegas would take cover but not fast enough and would suffer yet another serious injury as multiple rounds would tear through him with some becoming buried inside his joints and spine. Though luckily for Mr. Vegas just behind the native soldiers was a band of angry citizens armed with everything from firearms to baseball bats would take the soldiers by surprise overwhelm them and rescue their beloved Mr.Vegas.

He would recover within one of Mr. Conrad’s private clinics and just after he was out of recovery and still under the influence of anaesthesia his first request was for radio equipment and his laptop so he could keep reporting to the people, against doctors orders Mr.Vegas would fight the drowsiness of the morphine that coursed through his system and would bring his voice to the people to let them know that nothing was going to silence Mr.Vegas; he would broadcast for over ten hours each day while he was in the hospital recovering from his injuries. He would never give up and even when he couldn’t fight the medication any longer he would air a previously recorded show.

Little did he know that the war was ragging on all around him and the people where using his music and his stories as their battle cry, he would be in the clinic for over six months and during that time the Rebellion of Las Vegas would eventually come to an end; though he would never learn of the fate of Searchlight until many years later when he would be personally thanked by Noel and Rusty of the Unforgiven for saving their lives with his redirected communications that Five and Gumshoe where sending out. It wouldn’t be until the Unforgiven wold be exposed that Mr. Vegas would even speak of that chance meeting and confirming their survival. One may say how can a man that has been through so much and has seen so much of the tragedy and personally having been affected by it’s wake stay unbiased; well their is only one answer and that is integrity, Mr.Vegas much like Mr. Boston and Socrates have felt the sting of the Great Tragedy, have felt the pain of wartime injuries and lost loved ones to the war; yet they manage to choke back their personal views for the truth and keep true to their journalistic oath and integrity.

Mr. Vegas would learn that it was his broadcasts that allowed the people of Las Vegas to overtake their usurpers and bring freedom to the city of Las Vegas making it the first sovereign city within the New America, he would be honoured for his sense of duty and sacrifice though he knew the war wasn’t over and the great propaganda machines would begin rolling across the nation; and he was 100% accurate, he knew that he needed to continue to work and keep bringing the truth to the people, he knew that without the truth the people would just fall victim to lies of the great deception machines. This was how he would become partnered with Dynamic Duo of Socrates and Mr. Boston and the rest is history; they would begin the 24/7 reporting within eight hour blocks each from a different part of the nation all spreading the truth and becoming the great enemy of the UCAS as their popularity and message would contradict the reeducation machines that where in full swing. Mr. Vegas was safe within Las Vegas and Mr. Boston would be safe within Boston with only Socrates having to dodge the usurpers and NATO forces within Detroit (See Socrates Profile for further information on the events of Detroit).

That brings us to today Mr. Vegas is still on the air and he is still reporting the truth to the people, he is still sending his messages of hope and his stories all filled with morals and values to the nation that has been plagued with war. He employees hundreds of freelance researchers and detectives to verify any story before it goes on the air and he keeps the people entertained and educated on the current events regardless of their political or social impact, he favours neither-side in his stories and keeps to only one thing and thats the truth. He still bears the scares of war and is missing his lower leg a a steady reminder of what he sacrificed to keep the airwaves free; he has yet to remarry and still wears his wedding band. Mr Vegas donates most of his salary to the various charities that have been set up to help those that have been displaced by war, he has even set up the Mr. Vegas Foundation to help the poor citizens of Las Vegas and Clark County to receive food, medicine, shelter and even grants for college education so they can better themselves. He is very active within the city and has helped rebuild Henderson and much of Clark County that was ravaged by the war. He once again has retaken his old home within Henderson and even though he carries a sidearm and wears body armour he has never once had to use his pistol nor does he ever hope he has to.

With the current communication systems down, it has fallen on the shoulders of Mr.Vegas to keep the information network going and one day he hopes the towers of old can be restored and the weak signal that keeps the mighty trio apart will once again be brought to life and they can once again become a beacon for the entire nation and gleaming beacon of hope within the darkness of the divided and warring nation. Mr Vegas will keep bringing the people the truth and the tales of old until he is permanently silenced or he passes away on the air, this man has many enemies that want him removed but yet do to being within Las Vegas he is safe, though one day Mr. Vegas knows his luck will run out and he will become yet anther innocent casualty of war, for as he quotes Former US Senator Hiram Johnson at the end of his broadcasts with  remember my faithful listeners “The First Casualty of War is Innocence.” and he will always begin with “Well it’s that time again Vegas, One this day in then enter date…he will tell a story of heroism, patriotism, bravery or just one with a strong morale behind it but always connected to some important issue of the day; remember for those that don’t learn from history are doomed to repeat it and for Mr.Vegas he wishes for peace to befall the land and he wants his listeners to be both entertained, informed and educated on the currant events and historical events of the past; for an informed citizen is one that can change the world.

 

Page Written By: Sarah Gregory <UCAS TIMES>