Berislav 'Smoke' Ates

Xerayel · Sunday at 9:31 PM

Berislav "Smoke" Ates

Name: Berislav Ates
Alias: Smoke
Status: Active

Background

Before joining the Foundation, Berislav Ates lived a life that few people would envy and even fewer would survive.

Most records concerning his early years are missing, incomplete, or classified. What remains paints the picture of a man who spent most of his life surrounded by violence, death, and conflict.

By the time he arrived at the Foundation, he already carried a habit that followed him everywhere: a cigarette between his fingers.

No matter the weather. No matter the operation. No matter the circumstances.

People quickly noticed that if Berislav was standing somewhere, there was usually a cloud of tobacco smoke nearby.

Over the years, he became known as one of the Foundation's most dependable personnel. When containment failed, alarms sounded, and others began looking for a way out, Berislav was usually the one moving toward the danger.

He never asked for recognition.

He never chased promotions.

He simply did what needed to be done.

Why They Call Him "Smoke"

Most people assume Berislav got his nickname because of his tobacco addiction.

They're only half right.

Smoke is rarely seen without a cigarette. Whether he's standing guard, walking through a corridor, or finishing an operation, there's usually a trail of tobacco smoke following him.

But that's not where the nickname truly came from.

Years ago, during a major containment incident, Berislav was part of a response team sent into a sector that had already been written off as lost. Communications failed shortly after entry.

For nearly two hours, nobody knew what had happened inside.

When the sector was finally secured, witnesses described the aftermath as if a storm had passed through it.

The threats were gone.

The survivors were alive.

And Berislav walked out of the darkness alone, cigarette glowing in the smoke-filled hallway.

Afterward, one of the surviving personnel reportedly said:

"Anything that gets in his way ends up getting smoked."

The phrase spread throughout the facility.

Over time, it evolved into something simpler.

Smoke.

Partly because of the cigarettes.

Partly because he seemed to appear wherever smoke, fire, and chaos were at their worst.

But mostly because when Berislav Ates is sent after a target, people say the result is always the same:

"He doesn't fight his enemies. He smokes them."

And among those who know his reputation, that sentence is not considered a joke.

Personality

Smoke is a quiet man who rarely speaks unless he has something worth saying.

He avoids unnecessary attention and prefers actions over words. While many personnel know his name, very few can claim to actually know him.

Despite his cold appearance, he is fiercely protective of those under his watch. Researchers, guards, medical staff, and civilians alike know that if Smoke is nearby during a crisis, their chances of making it out alive improve significantly.

He does not seek glory.

He does not seek praise.

He simply does his job.

Reputation

Many newer personnel believe Smoke is just another veteran.

The older personnel know better.

The stories surrounding him are too consistent.

A breached corridor.

A missing team.

A situation everyone assumes is lost.

Then, hours later, someone reports seeing a lone figure walking through the smoke.

And somehow the problem is solved.

Whether those stories are true or not depends on who you ask.

But one saying has survived for years:

"If you see Smoke walking toward the danger, follow him. If you see him walking away, it's already over."

Psychological Evaluation

Berislav displays exceptional emotional control and resilience.

Repeated exposure to hostile anomalies, containment failures, and life-threatening situations has had remarkably little impact on his performance.

One evaluator noted:

"He doesn't act fearless. He simply accepts the possibility of danger and moves forward anyway."

When asked why he continues volunteering for dangerous assignments, his answer was brief:

"Somebody has to go first."

And more often than not, that somebody is Smoke.

Personnel Note

You never hear him coming.

You rarely hear him speaking.

But when the lights go out, alarms begin screaming, and panic starts spreading through the facility, people often find themselves looking for the same thing:

The orange glow of a cigarette somewhere in the darkness.

Because if Smoke is still standing, there is still a chance.

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Berislav 'Smoke' Ates