NAME: NIKO CASTILLON
GOES BY: NIK, NIKO, N.
FACECLAIM: JAIME MURRAY
AGE: 44
PRONOUNS: SHE/HER
ZONE OF ORIGIN: ZONE 1
STATUS: ZONE MANAGER @ CHQS
+ FOCUSED + AUTHORATIVE + METHODICAL
- IMMORAL - ABRASIVE – SYBARITIC
It’s not the clacking of shoes in CHQS walls, but instead the gentle whip of a full-length jacket that alerts all to Nik’s appearance; a presence that emanates control, yet remains entirely too terrifying to offer a suggestive smile as a greeting. Castillon’s dark grey cotton cape is iconic; pockets hidden on the inside that house switchblades, infotech that is probably a bit too restricted for someone of her level but evidently, hers. Everything appears orderly, a smile that’s as falsely welcoming as the grin on a Cheshire cat offers. Behind those hues lies a humour – laughing at her peers; begs the idea that there’s intelligence unmatched in them all; perhaps narcissistic is a trait ignored in the ZM’s playbook.
Neon strobes set alight Niko’s person, in the underbelly of New Amstel is where Castillon thrives. A hustler if there ever was such a definition; an appearance that only the bravest want to challenge to a drink – to a game; gambling of the most illegal degree, with everything beyond paper; flesh and bone is a thrill that seems below her rank – but perhaps that’s why it is so enjoyed. The real smile comes in the shadows of the slums, a humour that’s genuine and without professionalism; gets to play ball with her favourite shitpit (Jarek Novak, she’s looking at you.) in the grimy walls that look a little nicer with bright colours streaming through the rowdier; seedier of places.
An apple is impaled on a switchblade, cloudy white juices slide down the serrated edge of the metal, threaten to make Nik’s hands sticky with fruit entrails where she’s biting into it without fear of slicing something open. Eyes watch the game afoot; poker of sorts; a card game at least, from a distance; calculate her odds before investing into it herself. Always the daring – always the winner, loss sits sour in the ZM’s stomach.
Niko’s a master of such deceptive qualities – carries an air of importance, a professional in the waking hours of the workplace. Structured and organised is everything she does on paper, delivers everything in prompt time; never late. Yet, outside the walls, in the covers of the more shadier of places, she can really bury deep into the desires that hide in the daylight hours. A happiness – though, she’d never word it like that – only found amongst the less smart of individuals; a hunger that isn’t quenched with documents but instead, confidence in the arts of adaptability. Power is far too good for her and in all forms it comes, Castillon doesn’t like to hand it over, or give it up without a contest.
Some are naturally orientated to being a follower – others the followed; leaders that wear power like a cape for all to gaze an adore. In Castillon’s playbook, that cape’s not just metaphorical, a status symbol of how the tug and war of influence leads to asserting control over that very power. Too comfortable at the top, never considers the higher that podium, the further it’ll be to fall.
Though, occasionally, desire overcomes control – a blinding thing that reminds all that it’s so much easier to plummet than it is to climb.
Niko’s far too narcissistic to think like that; only has sight of more.
On a door – window office – of course, writes: Niko Castillon, Zone Manager and houses but such a meticulously organised office that if anyone were brave enough to ever ask how it remains that way – they’d find that there’s something a little darker hidden in the drawers, behind the bookshelves, within the confines of reworked literature that isn’t so pleasant. There’s rumours even that office is the home to the devil; possessed by a demon of sorts that sits like the grim reaper over a desk with a pen in hand that could double as a pistol – it’s not unheard of for Niko to weaponise such things.
But it’s not that side that’s fronted in the walls of CHQS; all diplomacy is Castillon there. A well respected – well rounded woman with a fierce eagerness to succeed in her position, to better the workings at the company and a faux smile offered to all employees as though they could trust her with anything. A despicable balance of terror and respect drilled hard; a no nonsense approach that never really sees fruition beyond policy reprimand. Niko – in her comfortable place right now, does often pretend like she hadn’t once not been there. And still, even now she is, remains to keep one foot outside of it.
Because a woman with an insatiable need to have status; power, desires a little more than just the ordinary, it cannot be held captive in CHQS at every waking hour. Thus, a release is required, and the underbelly of New Amstel has always been where its freed.
Though Niko would deny it to all – she knows the gutterrats and the shady folk a lot more than she knows her employees; can read their poker hands as easy as absorbing words in a book, and it’s where that smile is no longer false and those switchblades she carries serve a purpose beyond just a comfort of being present. Power comes in so many forms that Castillon probably doesn’t quite know herself which of the many she wants to pursue, if not every kind; to be the kingpin of the underbelly, the one day Director of New Amstel and have a status that carries throughout every crevasse of the plain.
Big aspirations, let’s not kick a woman for dreaming.
But, she’ll do more than kick you for saying as much. Masterful in performances; acts that nobody really knows – or can say, which Niko Castillon is the real Niko Castillon, but she’ll take bets on it and hustle you into next week. Let’s the polished suits and clean attire create fools to underestimate potential. Classier than a scam artist – more respected than a small time pickpocket, advantageous is her clearance to technology not quite extending to the beneath of New Amstel, but often, she doesn’t even need it.
There can be a kindness there, something that’s more reflective of her appearance; the powerful status and the role within the Zone; as quiet as it remains from the locals, those ones see a skilled cardslinger. A woman with a penchant for winning and a success roll of any dice handed to her – but, she’ll always insist on using her own, platinum-plated, didn’t you know?
At the barside, still a betting woman – borders the threshold of addicted to it, but balances that desire for control a little too well to ever collapse into it completely.
One foot in, one foot out, works.
Everyone’s ally, simultaneously, nobody’s. Vain, self-serving and would throw most underneath the moving train if it meant she could further her own ambitions. If it’s not obvious in the way that every fruit is found at the end of a switchblade and eaten like a candy apple because she doesn’t use shady bar’s cutlery, or allow dirt to ruin a freshly laundered suit without good reason – then the way a stare is pinned at you and she bites that fruit like by the end of it that knife is free to used again for all matter of possibilities, should be.
That and how the businesswoman’s verbal filter is off the moment that foot leaves CHQS walls. Most of everyone’s shitpit from then on – among other names. Ever the opportunist; its how she got the job as ZM to begin with, broke out of the underbelly’s cycle to clean up a persona that carries throughout New Amstel – and with a boss like she has, it really hadn’t been all that difficult.
Shitpit number one right there.
JAREK NOVAK | Boss Shitpit. | If CHQS ever broke out into a civil war, the question would be, Is Novak and Castillon heading opposing sides, or are they one and two leading the winning one? A definitive relationship where professionalism meets debauchery; they share some vices in the underbelly of New Amstel, private affairs that never meet within the walls of the workplace. Niko hates how unfit for the role Jarek is, evidently, and yet he’s the boss and there’s a little too many similarities when they’re not fronting business suits and they’re holding gambling hands with wicked poker faces; too good at playing pretend. Also a little too versed in watching one another take a few punches, help a guy out? Sit at the bar with fruit, a drink and rack up a bar tab sounds a little better.
Zone Manager (New Amstel) and cardslinging hustler on the side.
Refuses or ignores any general chit chat that starts to dig into her past, anything before she got the job at CHQS.
Has about twelve personalities and if there’s something she wants, she’ll switch through those persona’s to develop trust; be exactly what you want her to be so she can manipulate you for self-serving reasons.
Niko is likely to insult you on the first meeting if its in the underbelly and you’re an unfamiliar to the usual; within the walls of CHQS, she’s the gracious Zone Manager who’ll be so happy to help with anything you need. -insert fake warm smile here-
Unhealthy obsession with status; power and seen as this idol of sorts; do we think this is some subconscious desire to want to be wanted, who knows? Tune in and we’ll find out.
Does genuinely carry switchblades around like they’re personal knives and forks, also, somehow magically pristine white handkerchiefs at all times.
Doesn’t like to get her hands dirty, dirty, but will, probably be even more pissed she had to if it got to that point.
Outstanding member of CHQS; punctual; contributing and usually probably only outshined by Jarek in some sick twist of fate considering she thinks he’s entirely incapable in his role. However, in the underbelly, they’re totally different.
Well, unless they’re alone in a CHQS office together and it’s like two children in some pissing contest and all fronts vanish.
Kind of thinks she’s hot shit but will also not care if you think otherwise.
