Evan Brooks (Nimbus)

**Evan Malcolm Brooks**, later adopted the name codename Nimbus, is a metahuman and one of the primary protagonists of Ochlocrat Initiative storyline. Originally from a poor neighborhood in Los Angeles, California, Brooks began his career as a vigilante with a group of other metahumans known only as the Thalians. Imbued with a specialized replenishing kinetic energy, Brooks developed the ability to absorb/release massive amounts of electrical energy and fly at supersonic speeds. In the current canon he resides in Los Angeles and is retired from vigilante work.

## Early-Life

Evan Brooks was born on the 22nd of August, 1988 in Pasadena California. When he was an infant, his family moved to Los Angeles. There he lived with his mother Maureen, and his two older brothers Dereck and Antoine. His father died when Evan was only two, leaving him to be raised by his mother.

From an early age Evan struggled with the law. Having grown up in a rougher neighborhood, he frequently turned to petty crime at a young age. He was very close to his two older brothers, who often coaxed him into acts of vandalism and larceny. When Evan was fourteen, his oldest brother, Dereck, was killed during a drug deal across the street from the gas station that Evan worked at. It was later revealed that Dereck's death was ordered by the fearsome crime lord Macabre.

After his brother's death, Evan ran away from home. His other brother, Antoine, likewise disappeared and it is often assumed that he somehow was involved in Dereck's death. For the next few years, Evan drifted from city to city along the West coast. It was during this time he worked odd jobs to get by. Although it was tough he never turned back to thievery, as he began to associate any form of crime with his brother's death.

## Pre-Season Life

When he was twenty three, Evan was met by a strange man on a Portland public bus who offered him the chance to change his life. The stranger, who called himself Thales, promised him the chance to avenge his brother's death by giving him the means to combat evil. Initially skeptical, Evan eventually agreed to join him. Thales led him to an abandoned apartment complex where he met the four others. Along with Anthony Turpin, Erin Marlowe, Victoria Atlee, and Patrick Fitzburn, Brooks became a member of a metahuman team known as The Thalians. Each was given a spiked medallion that, when stabbed into their chest, imbued them with the elemental powers. Evan was given the powers of the electricity and adopted the name Nimbus.

Evan ran with the Thalians for about two months before disaster struck. While combating members of a Russian mafia hit squad they encountered the mysterious figure known only as Hemlock. After trapping the five metahumans in a sealed room, Hemlock flooded them with toxic gas. Evan managed to escape, but failed to save any of his teammates. The incident left him traumatized, and over the next year or so, he returned to his normal life. Eventually he was contacted by Spade a couple months prior to his arrest. Spade promised him intel on Macabre if agreed to join The Ochlocrat Initiative. With Spade's enticing offer, Nimbus eagerly joined him.

## "A Two Way Street" Story Arc

### Season 1

Evan first appears after Spade and Angela are released. Spade used a homing beacon to alert him of their position. When he finally arrives, Evan enthusiastically introduces himself and began flirting with Angela. The three eventually pile into Spade's jeep and head out to Boston.

Once they arrive in Boston, the three go to see Edgar Brighton. When they arrive at his workshop, Evan expresses a keen interest in the various gadgets and machinery found within. He jokingly mocks Edgar's codename "Sir Veillance" which rouses anger in the inventor. Eventually, Me, Myself, and I begin their rampage in downtown Boston, prompting the heroes to try and detain them. During the struggle, Evan battled with the misshapen I, who used his telekinetic abilities to throw various debris at him. Evan eventually managed to defeat him conducting the direct current from a nearby fuse-box into I's body. Along with the others, Evan contributed to Me's defeat by continually striking him with bolts of electricity, which eventually crippled him enough such that Borealis could fully trap him in ice.

Later, during their transit to Isla de Prosperidad, Evan seemed to express the least amount of concern about being caught by authorities. It was apparent that he seemed the most enthusiastic about the prospect of being a hero, whilst most of the others regarded the situation with disdain. He finds that only February seemed to share his interest. Evan eventually travels with them to the Island and took up residence in one of the outlying beachfront condominiums of the former Ocean's Bounty Resort.

In the next few months, Evan remained devoted to the Ochlocrat's cause. He frequently remarked how pleased he was with his new life, even if the others tended not to share his humor. At one point, Evan uses Conrad to get Jay-Z's contact details.

Later, after finally receiving the promised info on Macabre. Evan tried to organize a mission to stop his operation in Detroit. Spade eventually agreed, but only on the condition that Borealis go with him.

The two head out immediately. While on the plane, Borealis expressed her discomfort regarding the mission, especially since it means they utilize public air service. Evan managed to calm her nerves and the two arrived in Detroit with relative ease. The pair eventually end up at \ (Backslash) a club run by Macabre. While there, they tried to gather information on Macabre's whereabouts, only to catch sight of him leaving with a team of his personal bodyguards. Evan and Audrey follow him to waterfront warehouse where he his goons are packaging and shipping illegal weapons, drugs, and chemicals. The two attacked the facility, with Evan using his abilities to cut the power and strike at them with incredible speed from the air. During the battle, Evan took a gunshot wound to the shoulder. He continued to fight on, dispatching Macabre's personal guards and eventually breaking Manning's signature Golden Mask. During the confrontation, Evan lost control and pummeled Macabre until his own hand broke. Eventually satisfied, Audrey and Evan flee the scene when the police arrive.

After they return to the Ochlocrat HQ, Evan reported his findings to Spade. The connections between Macabre, the Szary Druzhina, and the Geocene Genetics Institute are discovered, prompting Spade to leave for Chicago. After Spade's disappearance, Evan travels with Angela and Audrey to search for him.

Once Dr. Orbis released his creations on the city, Nimbus joined February to combat the various flying reptiles plaguing the Chicago Airspace. The two managed to save several helicopter pilots and destroy numerous Rhamphorynchii. Evan later helped corrall the stampeding ankylosaurs in Wrigley Field. At one point he stopped one of the charging creatures from crushing a bus, only to find its inhabitants already massacred by mutant troodons. The assault finally culminated in the final battle with one of the monstrous tyranosaurs. Nimbus shocked the creature using a net of telephone wires, allowing Magna and the others to finally defeat it.

Evan fled Chicago with the others, and had expressed keen disapproval of Spade's decision to leave February behind.

### Season 2

After the incidents in Chicago, Evan returned to Isla de Prosperidad with the others. There he expressed keen frustration toward Spade for not keeping the others informed about the mounting threats against them.

When February returns, Evan is one of the first to join him in Vancouver, though his enthusiasm is quickly curbed when the situation becomes clear. Evan is not comfortable helping February rob the bank, and is likewise reluctant to fight off the Canadian SWAT. When Midas first appears, Evan hesitates to fight him. In the ensuing struggle he accidently eletroshocks Borealis. This would have a lasting psychological effect and would cause him to begin questioning his role as a hero.

## Powers and Abilities

When Evan first joined the Thalians, he was given a special hyperscientific medallion of unknown origin. When stabbed into his chest, the medallion fused with his skin and imbued him with several elemental abilities. As Nimbus, Evan is able to manipulate the flow of electrical energy. In essence he has become a living battery, as the rest of his powers are fueled by electric charge. By absorbing current from electrical devices/circuit, Evan is able to control the flow electricity and release it as bolts of lightning. In addition to that, Nimbus has the ability to fly at supersonic speeds. Theoretically, at his fastest he can travel through the air as fast a lightning bolt, though this has never been confirmed.

As previously mentioned, Nimbus' abilities are based on the amount of excess charge stored in his body. Excessive use of his flight and electrical output will drain his energy supply, which will eventually weaken him. When his energy is depleted his ability to expel bolts of electricty and to fly and high speeds is greatly impaired. Only be reabsorbing electrical energy is he able to revitalize his powers.

## Appearance and Equipment

Evan is of African American descent. Physically he often described as being of average height and build, with wild eyes and short curly hair. Though slender he is said to be fairly athletic and it is often remarked that he takes his health very seriously. Perhaps his most defining feature is his trademark smile with is usually described as "wide, toothy, and mischievious".

As Nimbus, he wears a special conducting suit originally designed by Thales. In more recent times, Nimbus dons a personalized outfit invented by Sir Veillance. It consists of a dark bluish-grey mesh interwoven with a network of capacitors, wires, cables, and electric cells which help distribute charge across his body. Along with that he wears a pair of magnetic gloves which help him pull current into his body as well as a pair of self-made flight-goggles. Overall, his outfit is the most hero-like of anyone in the series as he is the only character that really considers himself a "superhero".

## Trivia

* Throughout the series there are numerous references to Evan's artistic abilities. This is because he was originally meant to be a comic strip artist. The idea was later scrapped by the creators.
* The names of Evan's brothers actually borrowed from his creator's neighbor's two pitbulls.
* Nimbus was actually the first character ever created in the Ochlocrat Initiative. He was originally invented by his creator, James Cole, when he was twelve.
* The name "Nimbus" was borrowed from the Epics of Erodale universe, where it served as the name of cloud based air elementals.