Antagonist #1

• Bernard Sumora was born in Japan 1931 to Olga Sumora, a Russian Scientist, and Yutaro Sumora, a Japanese tycoon. He is the antagonist in the first two books in the series Chronicles of the Madonna’s Cross with Livia Esthawaye:

  • Mission Fake Epiphany

  • Beggar of the Deep

• Bernard, aka Sumo and the crank, is fiercely short-tempered, a criminal mastermind and a psychopath with a huge chip on his shoulder. He is a megalomaniac feared by smugglers around the world, whose greatest rival is Mr Prod of PROD - Planetary Resources Operations & Defence, which is an organisation pitched, ready to take over the world’s most valuable resource, the Madonna's Cross

• Bernard’s smuggling operations are a hoax and a diversion to distract NATO’s attention away from a bigger plot.

• Bernard has evaded being captured for a whole decade, and now he is a sick and bumbling villain in decline, although he believes he is at the pinnacle of his dastardly career. His days are numbered.

• His daughter, Natasha Sumora, is a sadistic villain who hates him, ironically revering Yutaro, her grandfather, who has banished them both from the Sumora Estate in Japan. The cut-throat relationships within the Sumora family adversely affect everyone associated with them, and anyone who comes in contact with them.

• Bernard’s disguises include:

  • Captain of a freight ship

  • Funeral Director

  • British Government Official

  • Official interpreter and translator

  • Russian entrepreneur/ businessman

  • An insane, suicidal maniac

  • A skipper living it rough at sea

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Antagonist #2

• Orlando Moretti is an Italian jeweller born 1950. He takes over from Bernard Sumora at the end of book 2. He is a major player in a web of swindlers and becomes the main antagonist in book 3. However Mr Prod of PROD and Professor Olga Sumora are both scheming on a much larger scale than Orlando could ever handle

• Orlando is out to swindle anyone for a fortune. He is motivated by money. His EXALA group, Exclusive Art Lovers Association, is a cover up for his underground business deals. He uses his trusted position as CEO of the association to expunge money from wealthy aristocrats and anyone who is partial to fame. He deals mostly in antiquities, artwork and precious stones, which, unbeknown to most, have been acquired on the black market.

• Orlando has many aliases which includes:

  • Orlando de Strande

• Orlando marries Amelia Liseaux, his secretary, after his engagement to Lilly Somek falls through. However Orlando still loves Lilly and he becomes jealous of Rupert Krash, a close friend of his, because Lilly falls in love with him. Orlando would try anything to destroy Rupert’s reputation in order to get Lilly to split up with him and come over to his side

• Orlando usually succeeds in attracting women like Natasha Sumora with money in exchange for her connections in the criminal world, and to her grandmother, Olga Sumora. Hence Amelia, Orlando's wife, has a jealous need to keep him on a tight reign. Nonetheless Orlando is a master of deception, which allows him to get away with murder

• As a smuggler of precious stones, similar to Bernard Sumora, Orlando answers to Mr Prod of PROD, who is his so called client. Mr Prod is always lurking and appears to be anonymous. He is greatly feared by Orlando and other criminals, especially within the smuggling ring

• Orlando is an incurable romantic who gets himself into all kinds of strife on every level, such as with women, money, extortions, and escapades that go dangerously wrong. Otherwise he dabbles in crime with a Midas touch in a somewhat naive manner. He cannot be trusted, especially when he appears in the magazines and newspapers as being the celebrity who is coming to town

• Orlando, it seems, has to learn things the hard way. His schemes mostly come undone through external forces beyond his control

• One can’t help feeling sorry for Orlando in the end, since he gives the impression he does everything out of love for his friends and the women in his life. He is the proverbial anti-hero, a brave, ambitious man who walks a tightrope between good and evil.

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