Cameron Brooks
Written on 24 Feb : 22:23
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Born Cameron Alexander
Brooks, in September of 1966, a child of the age of Aquarius, to John Alexander
Brooks, and Mary Elaine Dodson-Brooks, he was ready to make his mark upon this
world. Never provided with the upper-hand, he scrapped for every inch of
“territory” he gained. His family was poor, very poor in the early days, both
parents unskilled, his father picking up work wherever he could find it,
loading trucks, shoveling waste, etc., his mother worked off and on as a
waitress, between pregnancies. Soon their family numbered Seven. Dad, Mom,
Cameron, Brother Samuel, sisters Jennifer and Julie, little brother Jake and baby
sister Lisa. John Brooks had been able to pick up work in a factory cleaning up
and such and had parlayed that into a position on the factory floor as an
apprentice machinist. While work was still hard and days were long, at least
some steady money was coming into the household.
Prior to his teens, his family, struggling to stay on an even keel, embraced further disaster. Living in the Central Plains, the advent of Tornados is commonplace. However, on May 3, 1974, an F-5 level tornado hammered its way through his hometown leaving everything in ruin. Although the family was sheltered within a dark and musty cellar, everything but the clothes on their backs was gone. Living essentially as refugees they were able to find temporary shelter off and on with differing relatives, however it was several years of long days before they were able to establish a household again.
During his teenage years, his life took a different turn, due to illnesses of his parents, he became the man of the household. Working in a mill after school to make money, he barely had time to sleep as he had to care for his parents needs upon arriving home. School became his only solace. He had thought of dropping out, to work full time and care for his parents better. However, his sisters did well at caring for them, and after Samuel started working at the mill things were a little better. The fall of his senior year, all of the tumult cumulated abruptly with first the death of his father, and second the death of his mother six weeks later. Authorities took control of the home situation and since Cameron was still yet under 18, his brothers and sisters were remanded to custody of several relatives. Cameron, stayed with an older cousin until he graduated and looking for any means of escape, enlisted in the military.
At 6’3” and lean (nights of hard work in the mill had chiseled Cameron’s features), even though he had never played sports, Cameron found out that he was very athletic and physically inclined. Immediately, his drill sergeants noticed his physical prowess, especially his dexterity and balance. Cameron was asked and pursued training within the special forces. The elite battle machine of the United States Army Special Forces unit. Nicknamed, “Primal Fury”, his unit was especially noted for their toughness and aggressiveness. Trained for geurilla warfare, the military had taken this young man from a boy and turned him into a killing machine.
Following his release from service, he enrolled in a local university to pursue further education on the government’s dime (GI Bill), he pursued an arts degree in sociology and humanities. Upon graduation, he talked to some recruiters from the FBI at a college Job Fair. Although not that excited regarding the prospect of returning to the employ of the government, the job held possibilities and flirted an air of danger and excitement he had not known since leaving the service. Following the application process and a few interviews, Cameron was on his way to Quantico, VA for formal agent’s training.
Years of living a life he did not choose while growing up, coupled with military training directly after that served him well giving him a focus that many of his peers did not have at the academy. He excelled in the classwork and performed even better in the field and regarding physical events. Graduating the academy was a proud event for him, although many had relatives in attendance his celebration was contained to himself.
Following graduation he was stationed in Washington D.C., effectively the cesspool of North America, dealing with drug enforcement agents and working on cases of murder and organized crime activity. He saw the hard side of life that he never knew existed, as bad as his own past he believed had been, he now witnessed with revulsion of just how bad he could have had it. After several years at that station, he put in for a transfer to the Midwest, now approaching 40 he received the assignment and welcomed the change of environment. Although Chicago is no town of angels, surely an experienced agent would not be relegated to working the mire.
He was both excited and nervous working his first white collar crime case, a stock scheme unwound, with hundreds of unwitting “investors” losing their life’s savings. This was a case he could sink his teeth into, a case where he could possibly do good further than just punishment of the immediate offenders. He garnered a great sense of well being, of self and of pride in that first assignment. Hopefully, the rest will continue the good streak. But hope in a big city is a dangerous jewel, an asset in the open ready to be snatched at a moments notice. So would it be with Cameron, thinking his brightest days lay before him, he could not begin to imagine the horrors he was about to encounter.
Prior to his teens, his family, struggling to stay on an even keel, embraced further disaster. Living in the Central Plains, the advent of Tornados is commonplace. However, on May 3, 1974, an F-5 level tornado hammered its way through his hometown leaving everything in ruin. Although the family was sheltered within a dark and musty cellar, everything but the clothes on their backs was gone. Living essentially as refugees they were able to find temporary shelter off and on with differing relatives, however it was several years of long days before they were able to establish a household again.
During his teenage years, his life took a different turn, due to illnesses of his parents, he became the man of the household. Working in a mill after school to make money, he barely had time to sleep as he had to care for his parents needs upon arriving home. School became his only solace. He had thought of dropping out, to work full time and care for his parents better. However, his sisters did well at caring for them, and after Samuel started working at the mill things were a little better. The fall of his senior year, all of the tumult cumulated abruptly with first the death of his father, and second the death of his mother six weeks later. Authorities took control of the home situation and since Cameron was still yet under 18, his brothers and sisters were remanded to custody of several relatives. Cameron, stayed with an older cousin until he graduated and looking for any means of escape, enlisted in the military.
At 6’3” and lean (nights of hard work in the mill had chiseled Cameron’s features), even though he had never played sports, Cameron found out that he was very athletic and physically inclined. Immediately, his drill sergeants noticed his physical prowess, especially his dexterity and balance. Cameron was asked and pursued training within the special forces. The elite battle machine of the United States Army Special Forces unit. Nicknamed, “Primal Fury”, his unit was especially noted for their toughness and aggressiveness. Trained for geurilla warfare, the military had taken this young man from a boy and turned him into a killing machine.
Following his release from service, he enrolled in a local university to pursue further education on the government’s dime (GI Bill), he pursued an arts degree in sociology and humanities. Upon graduation, he talked to some recruiters from the FBI at a college Job Fair. Although not that excited regarding the prospect of returning to the employ of the government, the job held possibilities and flirted an air of danger and excitement he had not known since leaving the service. Following the application process and a few interviews, Cameron was on his way to Quantico, VA for formal agent’s training.
Years of living a life he did not choose while growing up, coupled with military training directly after that served him well giving him a focus that many of his peers did not have at the academy. He excelled in the classwork and performed even better in the field and regarding physical events. Graduating the academy was a proud event for him, although many had relatives in attendance his celebration was contained to himself.
Following graduation he was stationed in Washington D.C., effectively the cesspool of North America, dealing with drug enforcement agents and working on cases of murder and organized crime activity. He saw the hard side of life that he never knew existed, as bad as his own past he believed had been, he now witnessed with revulsion of just how bad he could have had it. After several years at that station, he put in for a transfer to the Midwest, now approaching 40 he received the assignment and welcomed the change of environment. Although Chicago is no town of angels, surely an experienced agent would not be relegated to working the mire.
He was both excited and nervous working his first white collar crime case, a stock scheme unwound, with hundreds of unwitting “investors” losing their life’s savings. This was a case he could sink his teeth into, a case where he could possibly do good further than just punishment of the immediate offenders. He garnered a great sense of well being, of self and of pride in that first assignment. Hopefully, the rest will continue the good streak. But hope in a big city is a dangerous jewel, an asset in the open ready to be snatched at a moments notice. So would it be with Cameron, thinking his brightest days lay before him, he could not begin to imagine the horrors he was about to encounter.
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