Post by DETECTIVE OLIVIA ATHOS on Jun 21, 2011 15:05:09 GMT -5
Hi, my name is Laz and this is my First character. I found this site through an ad on a forum . Something you should know about me is I’ve written six different detective characters all of them women .
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Name: Olivia Griffin Athos
Canon: Three Musketeers
Custom Title: Arrest my soul
PHYSICAL
Age: Twenty-six
Gender: Female
Orientation: Heterosexual
Appearance: “Looking in the mirror this morning I feel like I’ve aged so much in such a short amount of time. No one else would notice, they’d say I looked beautiful with my big green eyes and dark chestnut hair. But, I notice. I’ve worked hard to keep myself in the best physical condition possible. I’ve got muscle tone like Greek statues; perfectly chiseled and strong and the endurance of an Arabian race horse. I like being in shape and it makes my job exponentially easier when I can do it to the best of my ability.
You have to have some semblance of physicality and athleticism in order to do a job like law enforcement with dignity and precision. I consider myself well-built and agile. I run three to five miles every morning before work, hit the gym three times a week like clockwork and enjoy some healthy competition on the force’s intramural softball team. As of late she's been working on further strengthening her core by practicing yoga and doing pull-ups.
I don’t pay much attention to fashion trends but, prefer comfort and practicality over the most current fads. That’s not to say that I don’t care how I look, I do. I just don’t need flowing gowns and fancy shoes to look sexy (although, I am not totally adverse to a dress now and again). I usually wear a dark-wash pair of jeans, black pumps, a solid colored t-shirt and a black leather jacket.”
Height: 5’7’’
Weight/Body Type: 126 lbs lean and muscular
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Play By: Gemma Arterton
PERSONALITY
General personality:Shoulder’s hunched forward, head tilted, eyes averted, arms loose, mouth tight, just one more sip from the bottle. Olivia isn’t your typical bar-dweller, she’s incredibly beautiful, noble, and intelligent and yet here she sits drowning her secret sorrows in a drink. Always mature, always quick-witted, always aware and nothing could have prepared her for all that she’s been through. A tough as nails NYPD detective, Olivia Athos is one of the best in the business. Head-strong, curious, and adept she’s athletic and agile as well as cunning. She’s the perfect cop. Always has her head in the right place, never flinches, and extremely protective of those in her precinct.
But she’s closed up in side. Something is scratching its way out, trying desperately to get to the surface and Olivia battles with it every day. There are demons in her past and they continue to re-enter her life. She doesn’t talk about it, just keeps it deep inside. Olivia’s always sober on the job but, after hours is another story. Depression seeps itself into every fiber of her being when she’s not focused on a case. She needs to be completely immersed in her work or she falls apart. Honestly, Olivia is terrified of facing herself if she didn’t have the work. She’ll take on extra cases, work late, arrive early, anything she can do so that she doesn’t have to deal with her inner turmoil. Is it healthy? Probably not. But, for right now it seems to work pretty well.
Quotes, frequently used expressions: Detective Athos isn’t that most talkative around the precinct or at crime scenes. She’s absorbed in the case and likes to keep it that way. Although, she has been known to say something witty when the time warrants it.
Likes:
- Justice
- Challenges
- Books
- Rain
- Thunder Storms
- Sparring
- Target Practice
- That breath right before she pulls the trigger
- Smell of freshly baked bread
- Witty Retorts
- Candles
- Hot Showers
- Fresh Fruit
Dislikes:
- Liars
- Betrayal
- Criminals
- Law Breakers
- Immaturity
- Selfishness
- Ditsy Slutty Girls
- Laziness
- Vulnerability
Strengths:
Guns Olivia is a trained marksman, she’s incredibly adept with handguns, assault rifles, and sniper rifles. Over the years she’s made it a point to learn how to use as many different weapons as possible. You never know what’s going to happen on this job and it helps to be prepared. Olivia’s been in some precarious situations in the last few years and has needed to rely on her laurels. It’s a good thing her laurels know how to shoot a bolt-action twenty-two else she would have never gotten out of that compound alive. She takes weekly trips to the target range to keep her skills sharp. Olivia’s got a quick trigger finger a keen eye, both of which make for one incredible sharp-shooting cop.
Martial Arts & Self-Defense Well versed in hand to hand combat, Olivia has been taking sparring lessons since before her time at the Police Academy. She always knew she wanted to work in law enforcement and was willing to do what ever it took to make sure she was prepared. At the Academy she honed her skills earning high marks and graduating in the top five percent of her class. Olivia runs three to five miles each morning before work and spars in the afternoon with Ronny “the ogre”. Staying in shape is important to her and her preparation has paid off in the field. Martial arts have taught her focus, discipline, and self-control.
Investigation Olivia can see the details that other’s often miss and connect the dots people never thought could be connected. Olivia makes the most elaborate murder and crime boards in the precinct; white boards never looked so good, or deadly. She is instinctual, thinking outside the box, but precise and cunning. Olivia gets inside the head of the criminal, contemplating what’s going on in their mind and what would they do? Why would they? Where will they? All those questions and more pile through her head as she stares at her carefully crafted board. For her, what goes on behind the scenes is just as important as what happens out on the field.
Driving You know those crazy car chases you see on T.V. where the suspect is speeding down the highway, swerving and out of control and then there is that one police car breaking away from the pack, precise and in control, veering around traffic and cutting off the suspect just in the knick of time? That’s Olivia. She’s logged hundreds of hours at the police test track, drifting around corners, skidding over cobblestone, and soaring over inclines. Olivia loves driving, always has, and is the designated driver whenever she’s partnered up.
Cooking When Olivia has time, which isn’t often, she loves to cook. Most of the time she is far too exhausted to even think about standing over a hot stove to cook herself a meal, opting for Chinese food (her absolute favorite). But, when she does get a night to herself she pulls out all the stops. Pasta with sweet snap peas, pancetta, shallots, extra virgin olive oil, all topped with a sunny side up egg, parmesan cheese and cracked black pepper. Grilled New York Strip with sautéed Yukon gold potatoes, grilled asparagus and drizzled in herb-garlic butter. Not to mention her green chili omelet; three eggs filled with pork green chili verde, grilled onions and peppers, and Monterey Jack cheese.
Weaknesses:
Drinking Olivia is quite possibly bordering on alcoholism with her copious intake of alcoholic beverages. A coping mechanism for her shady past, she’s got a six pack in the fridge at all times and at least one bottle of wine uncorked in the cupboard. She will never show up to work drunk but, that doesn’t stop her when she’s not on the job. She can usually be found at the pub down the street from her apartment curled up at the end of the bar silent, stoic, and sipping on a bottle of something.
Emotions Trying to figure out what Olivia is thinking is like trying to find the last number of pi; it’s impossible. She keeps her cards close to her chest and refuses to show her hand. Having been hurt in the past she’s determined never to let anyone inside her heart ever again. This, while a great protection, often makes her seem cold and distant. She has the inability to let herself fall in love or even create attachments to people always fearing that they will betray or leave her. Olivia trusts absolutely no one, except Javert.
Relaxation Tied up in her work almost 24/7, Olivia literally does not know how to relax. In an attempt to keep herself constantly occupied, she has trouble sleeping, unwinding, and decompressing. Always wrapped up in her head Olivia is caught up in the job and nothing else. It’s all about the next case and nothing more. This has lead to sleepless nights, tight muscles, and more drinking. Since alcohol seems to be the only thing that loosens her up these days.
Protective Olivia is extremely protective of Philippe Javert and her other detectives down at the precinct (Porthos, Aramis, and d'Artagnan). This is one of her biggest weaknesses because these are the people she trusts the most and dare I say even loves. She’d go absolutely nuts if anything were to happen to them. Anyone who harmed or threatened any of them would regret it for sure. Olivia would do everything in her power to keep these guys safe including giving her own life.
BACKGROUND
Family: Henri d'Athos de la Fère (father – deceased) and Emilie de la Fère (nee Reynard) (mother)
Education: Graduate of NYU Law (Criminal Justice Major) and Police Academy
Occupation/Job: NYPD Detective
Alexandre Dumas Quotes:
“It was said that he had met with great misfortunes of the heart, and that a terrible treachery had for ever poisoned the happiness of this gallant man. What this treachery was, no one knew.”
“Life is a large chaplet of little miseries, which the philosopher shakes with a laugh. Be philosophers, like me, gentlemen: come around the table and let us drink. Nothing makes the future of so rosy a hue, as to look at it through a glass of chambertin.”
“You are not a woman, you do not belong to the human race: you are a demon, escaped from hell, and to hell we shall send you back.”
“That is right, I pardon you the evil you have done me. I forgive you for my future crushed, my honour lost, my love tainted, and my salvation for ever perilled, by the despair into which you have thrown me. Die in peace!”
History:
Born January 12, 1985 to Henri and Emilie d'Athos de la Fère, Olivia Griffin d'Athos de la Fère was seven pounds nine ounces of pure joy. Her parents loved her fiercely, never wanting her to be with out. Her father, a lawyer, earned quite a living, and her mother, the daughter of a politician, was already well-off. Considered high-class the Athos family owned several homes around the United States and some overseas. For the majority of her childhood Olivia remained in New Orleans in the family home by the water. Most of her time was spent climbing trees, practicing the piano, and pretending to be a knight. Always one to encourage his daughter’s interests, Henri purchased her realistic armor and a few swords to aid in her imaginative play. This lead to her interest in fencing. By the age of twelve she was an advanced student at the local Fencing Academy.
During her early years, around age six, she was introduced to a young man named Philippe Javert. He was studying law with her father and training for the Police Force. Even at a young age, Olivia was intrigued by him. He wasn’t the friendliest of sorts; in fact he was quite the opposite. But, her curiosity and patience paid off and the pair became quite close despite the vast age difference. Philippe introduced her to the psychological game of chess and they had deeply intellectual conversations about the state of the world. He was the first person to treat her like an adult and she loved the mature relationship they fostered.
She was sent to a private school in California for her high school years, spending her summers in New Orleans working at her father’s law firm. Over this time Olivia would send letters to Philippe, discussing everything from her courses to politics to Javert’s most recent cases. She was deeply interested in criminal justice, always feeling a pull to law enforcement. Javert was her living role model, a man who had been through it before and could show her the way. He might not have been the most open of people but, Olivia had a deep respect for him.
Dear Philippe,
I have regretted sending this letter for quite some time but, feel it is only appropriate that I do. I would have called but, my mother was never one to keep accurate phone records. I called the police station and they said this would be the best way to reach you. I don’t know how else to say this than to just be blunt. Father passed away last week of a heart attack. We were at a local restaurant celebrating my acceptance to New York University when the symptoms started. Like his usual stubborn self, he refused to go to the hospital, he said that it was just heart burn and we should continue with our meal. I think that he didn’t want to ruin the evening but, in his selflessness he didn’t get the medical attention he needed. I’ll spare the details but, he was gone before the ambulance arrived.
The service was beautiful; you would have loved it; white orchids and a dark, ebony coffin. It was stunning for such a morbid occasion; everything my father would have wanted. I wish you could have been there. I suppose the other part of this letter was my acceptance to NYU although, that seems to pale in comparison to my father’s death. I don’t want to leave my mother alone but, I can’t uproot my life to be by her side. I don’t leave until September so I have six months to be there for her. I was hoping when I arrived in New York that we might be able to meet up for some coffee. My father had a box of things written into his will that are for you. It’s locked and the will said that you had the key. I’ll keep it safe until then.
I hope that all is well with you. Please be in touch, I could use a familiar voice even if it is a written one.
Yours,
Olivia
Olivia attended New York University in the fall, declaring a criminal justice major almost immediately. Having the teachings of her father and Javert to rest on she excelled quite early; gaining high marks in her studies. She would graduate in the top five percent of her class four years later but not before she enjoyed the freedom that college had to offer. She was a writer for the school newspaper, had her own radio show, and played softball as well as fenced for the Bobcats.
“Something is scratching
Its way out
Something you want
To forget about
No one expects
You to get up
All on your own with
No one around”
Olivia let her guard down. Nowadays she would equate it to youth and naiveté but at the time she called it love. He was handsome, intelligent and above all charming; a deadly combination. She fell for his intrigue, his smooth voice, his smoldering gaze, and his lies. An eager and well-educated cop, Olivia should have figured it out sooner, should have seen through the suave, sultry man to the hardened criminal inside. But, that’s love isn’t it? Blinding. He was a student at NYU, just like Olivia, studying Environmental Science and Political Science. He wanted to change the world; make it more eco friendly. He wasn’t your typical tree-hugging-pot-smoking-environmental-nut who wants to save the environment and shove hemp down your throat. He wore dark denim jeans or neatly pressed business pants. His t-shirts were organic cotton, faded but not ratty or crisp button-downs. He was different, subtle and compassionate without being over bearing. He was so much like her; just wanting to make a difference in the world.
He proposed beneath a cherry blossom tree in the middle of New York’s Botanical Gardens during their senior year and just after graduation they were married. She was only twenty years old and he was twenty-one. In the next year Olivia was offered a job on the NYPD Police Force and did her mandatory 21-week spell at the Police Academy. Her husband became under the employ of an eco-conscious company on the lower east side writing grants and lobbying at the capital, or so he said. His erratic behavior started in January 2008. She just figured he was having a tough time at the office, at least that’s what he said it was. Said he was under a lot of pressure, lots of work to do; never specific, it should have been a red flag. By June of that year he was rarely home, not that Olivia was any better, her job had her working night shifts for a while. He was always late, always making excuses, always just a little bit off.
It wasn’t until August that she found out why.
“41319 we’ve got a 211 suspect spotted entering Liberty Plaza. Tall, male, mid-twenties. Do you copy?”
“10-4. Lincoln 41319 in route to Liberty Plaza. Stand by.”
Parking her cruiser against the curb, Olivia and her partner sauntered into the apartment building, by passing the uniformed doorman with a flash of her badge. A quick word with the man informed them that the suspect often visited the seventh floor apartment B. “We’ve got a green light on suspect. Seven B.”
“Move in. Back up is on the way.”
Olivia nodded to her partner who followed her to the elevator. Thirty seconds later they emerged through the double doors and into the seventh floor hallway. Two loud knocks on the door of 7B and “NYPD open up.” announced the two cops arrival. No reply. Two more sturdy knocks. “NYPD open up.” Nothing. Olivia took two steps back, lifted her heel, and slammed her foot into the door. It cracked with a pleasing sound, swinging open freely. On the floor were three large red duffle bags overflowing with cash.
Olivia stepped forward, gun drawn. Passing through the living room and into the hallway she heard muffled noises from the bedroom. Her partner was close behind. Her hand reached for the door knob, turning it and stepping into the room in one swift motion. “Freeze NYPD you’re—” she had half of the phrase out before she felt her heart stop. She wanted to vomit but couldn’t breathe. Her mouth fell open, eyes widened, and gun toting arm fell to her side. Gathering up the sheets around his naked body her husband pushed away from the blonde woman beside him, calling out to Olivia in a panicked tone, “Olivia. This is isn’t what it looks like.”
Five cops burst into the room, but Olivia couldn’t hear their shouts of warning to the two suspects. Her back hit the wall followed by her head. The world was spinning around her. Bathrobes were given to the two robbers before they were hand-cuffed and dragged from the apartment. “Olivia, this is a misunderstanding. Olivia. Come on honey, help me out. Olivia. You gotta help me. Olivia!” His cries elicited no response from her, her gaze glared right through him. Her face was pale and her muscles tight.
Olivia couldn’t tell you what happened next, it was a blur. As if in a trance she walked from the apartment to her car and just drove. Her partner called her cell phone over and over again but Olivia never picked it up. She drove for what seemed like hours, eyes transfixed on the road, mind blank. She crossed over the Hudson River and parked along the embankment. Olivia cut the engine, pulled out the key, and threw it at the dashboard. She gripped the steering wheel, heaving, attempting to breathe. All at once the world seemed to be collapsing onto her. She felt heavy and weightless all at the same time. As she lowered her head the tears came. Running her hands through her hair, clawing at her forehead and scalp she cried, gasping and sobbing and clutching at her skin. She felt numb. Her heart ached in her chest, pulsing and slamming against her ribs.
Olivia collapsed into herself, arms folding, legs curled beneath her body. She burrowed her fingers into her shoulder blades trying to feel something, anything. Suddenly, a wave of nausea over took her; she opened the car door and stuck her head out and vomited onto the grass. Three months later he was behind bars and the divorce papers signed and stamped.
A part of you that'll never show
You're the only one that'll ever know
Six months after the arrest at Liberty Plaza, Olivia was promoted to detective. The precinct partnered her with Philippe Javert, of all people. It was a strange moment for her, having been following in his shadow for so many years. Their “friendship” from the years prior only strengthened in the next few years. Neither really talked about their past and that was just fine for Olivia who didn’t want to think about it. He was the perfect partner for her. He shared her passion for the law and was equally head-strong. Javert challenged her to be a better officer and she challenged him right back.
Now it is 2011, Olivia is twenty-six and she’s been a detective for almost three years.
She doesn't look, she doesn't see
Opens up for nobody
THE SAMPLE
In Character Sample:
Olivia didn’t often have afternoons off so it was a pleasant surprise when the captain walked into her office and told her things were quiet and she should go home and relax. She’d given him that look of innocent contempt, trying to convince him that there was plenty she could do around the office. But, despite her offer to sort through paperwork for the rest of the day, he declined and told her to go home. Begrudgingly, she gathered up her jacket and locked up her office, nodding to one of the other detectives as she pressed the close door button on the elevator. It was three o’clock and all Olivia could think about was tomorrow. Hoping to god there was a case for her to solve. Not that she wanted murders to take place in the city but, they certainly eased her mind. She brushed her bangs from her face feeling guilty about her selfishness.
She thought about grabbing a taxi as she exited the precinct, about to throw her arm up, but decided that it was a nice day for early April and it might be nice to stretch her legs. She walked for almost twenty minutes beneath the blue sky before she happened upon an open market. The smell of fresh baked bread, chopped vegetables, and spices filled her nose and she closed her eyes for a moment. Upon re-opening them she paced up and down the street purchasing onions, green peppers, tomatoes, chilies, and garlic. The meat booth had lean ground beef and spicy sausage. Using the last bit of cash in her wallet she paid the man in the bloodied white apron and continued on her way.
Another twenty minutes rolled by and Olivia was reaching for her keys to unlock the front door of her apartment. She immediately went to the kitchen unwrapping the paper bags filled with produce and sliding a pan onto the stove. The ground meat sizzled as it made contact with the oil in the pan. She tossed it about, letting it brown evenly, with a wooden spoon before adding in her seasoning. Fresh crushed chili powder, roasted garlic, and Cajun powder. The apartment was filled with a spicy aroma; Olivia could feel her mouth watering at the very thought of the meal. She placed a pot on the other burner, adding tomato paste, tomato sauce, and freshly cut tomatoes. She chopped up her onion in to fine chunks and sprinkled them over the meat. Next she added the thinly cut peppers and stirred.
Olivia pulled that slow cooker from her cupboard and plugged it in on the island in her kitchen. She mixed the tomato concoction with the meat and vegetables into the slow cooker, added some beans and let it simmer for several hours on low. She poured herself a tall glass of wine and sat in her living room, the intoxicating scent of spicy Cajun chili had engulfed the apartment. There was just something about cooking that relaxed Olivia. Nothing else except for alcohol seemed to have that affect on her. She loved getting lost in the aromas and that feeling of satisfaction when she took that first bite of her meal. Olivia didn’t usually have time to spare to cook, often times she just ordered in from the Chinese place down the street.
A few hours later, Olivia was seated at her kitchen table with a hot bowl chili. It was steaming and incredibly spicy, just like her mother used to make. She closed her eyes feeling like the same ten-year-old kid who would come back from fencing lessons to a piping hot bowl of old fashioned Louisiana chili. It was hearty and reminded her of home. When was the last time she’d seen her mother? Had to have been months by now. Still in their New Orleans home, Emilie had carved her own niche down south when her husband died. Olivia decided she should give her a call after dinner perhaps even send her a package of things just to show that she missed her.
There were very few people of any importance in Olivia’s life, those most prominent were her mother and her partner. Javert also hailed from New Orleans and she’d known him for most of her life. As she rinsed her bowl in the sink she considered calling him to go out for a drink. But, it was seven o’clock and he was still on duty. After placing her dish in the dishwasher she pulled out two circular containers from the cupboard. One was large enough for all of the chili in the pot the other could only fit a cup or two. She poured what she could into the smaller container before pouring the rest into the larger one. She soaked the pot in the sink and placed the larger container into the fridge.
Ripping a piece of masking tape from the roll in the drawer she wrote the name “P. Javert” on the small container before placing it beside the larger container. She shut the door and took a long deep breath. The bottle of wine was still on the counter uncorked. Not wanting to let her mind wander, she poured herself another glass and retreated to her study. Perhaps there was mystery novel that could keep her occupied until it was time to sleep.
