Name: Werner Coetzee
Age:28
Occupation: Mechanic and wheelman
Family: Charlize Coetzee (Mother, deceased), Father (Unknown), Florenda Marino (Ex-girlfriend)
Appearance:
Werner stands at 6’1 weighing in at 185 lbs, with broad shoulders and lean muscle, accentuated further by an almost complete lack of body fat from a poor diet in the last nine months. His hands are rough and strong from a life of working on his vehicles, but still manage more delicate work. Werner’s right pinkie finger is missing from the first knuckle up, leaving a rounded stump. Most of his body is a mess of scars and tattoos accumulated over time, some faded, and others very new. While many might consider scars to be attractive, few would consider those that mar Werner’s skin very appealing. Most are non-uniform splashes of rough flesh from burns or road rash, but a few, like the two that dig into his cheek, have been acquired through other means. Where there are no scars, Werner has filled his skin with large and elegant tattoos, none with any deep meaning, just art.
Werner wears lace-up brown leather boots, slim-fitting jeans, a black thermal shirt beneath his grey leather jacket,
mechanix gloves, and a pair of cheap wayfarer sunglasses. Werner also wears a worn coyote brown shemagh around his neck, the only keepsake he owns from his father.
Blood Type: O-
Immune: No
Bio: Werner Coetzee never really had much of a chance at a normal life. His mother, Charlize, was a young woman who left her home to earn her fame as a showgirl in Las Vegas. The naive girl was quickly seduced by a young man with a passion for cars, who later came to be Werner’s father. His father left Charlize, never knowing she was pregnant, forcing her to bear the full burden of an infant son with no means of an income and no family in Vegas. Without any other option, Werner’s mother resorted to prostitution in order to feed her child, often neglecting her own health for his. Much to Charlize’s disappointment, Werner slid through school with few interests, barely passing his classes. He deeply yearned to know his father’s identity, but was only told that his dad’s hobby was working on vehicles.
Seeking a connection to his absent father, Werner took this to the extreme, revolving his whole world around engines. From a young age, he worked in a ratty mechanic’s shop, absorbing everything he could about the rugged vehicles that came into the garage. When he turned 16, his first action was to purchase a dirt bike, which he rode constantly both on road and off with fervent zeal. Werner dropped out of high school his final year when his mother died of AIDs, the virus acting very rapidly on her already weakened body. Seeing no future for him in his hometown, he moved to Los Angeles with nothing but his bike and the clothes on his back, similar to his mother. His goals, however, were a little more realistic. With his vast knowledge of vehicles, Werner found a job in a decent mechanic shop within the city run by an older man named Luke. The aged mechanic, witnessing Werner’s skills as a driver on race tracks, recognized his unique skill set and offered him a different type of employment in addition to working in his shop. Luke suggested that Werner serve as a getaway driver for criminals on occasion, knowing several men within the criminal network. Luke told Werner that in his youth, he did the same, and saw the same abilities in him. Werner reluctantly took the job, for his mother instilled a strong sense of morals in him, but he was desperately hurting for cash. He slowly sank into the criminal world, building a modest reputation for himself, but still retaining his strong morals.
At 24, Werner met a beautiful Italian woman of the same age at the mechanic shop when she took her beat-up car in. Having no vehicle for the night, Werner gave her a ride home and learned her name was Florenda Marino, and, like his mother, she sought fame in Hollywood. The two quickly developed an intimate relationship, with Werner constantly urging Florenda to pursue her dreams, as if to redeem his mother’s failed ones. Despite Werner’s relatively quiet disposition, the couple seemed to be made for each other. Unfortunately, after three years, Florenda broke off their relationship. She always feared he was involved in criminal activity. The apartment, while modest, was much nicer than what a mechanic could afford. Some nights, Werner would be out until the next morning, though he never reeked of booze as one would expect. She realized just how dangerous he was when he burst into their apartment with a gunshot wound to his shoulder and hastily pried the bullet out, asking her to stitch the open hole. Florenda helped him, then promptly packed her bags and left. The last time he saw the woman, her stomach was looking slightly larger than usual, but he thought nothing of it.
Werner continued his life without Florenda, though with less enthusiasm and ambition. He began questioning his life as a criminal, albeit a fairly tame one, and if it was one he could truly be proud of. Luke, however, was practically a father to him, and constantly encouraged his illegal career, so he stuck with his life as a wheelman. In the back of his mind, though, Werner felt he should become something greater than a glorified criminal. One day, a small package was delivered to the mechanic’s apartment filled with his mother’s belongings, sent by the current occupant of his run-down childhood home. He found a photo of his mother with a man whose features were very similar to his, and Werner assumed this man to be his father. He also found an unsent letter with an address in Missouri, and upon opening it discovered it was meant to be sent to his father. With these items in tow, the mechanic took a vacation and headed to Missouri in search of his dad. A few months into his search, the whole world seemed to go to shit. Survival quickly took over as a priority, but he is still searching for his father despite the chaos around him, despite the slim odds of him even being alive.
Personality: Werner doesn't ever really say much. He’s a very reserved and calm man for the most part, only speaking when needed. Werner isn’t shy, he's simply a man of few words. He is much more content to stand and listen during the conversation, absorbing everything like a sponge. Ironically, he hates being alone, and is much more comfortable in the presence of others. Werner is exceptional at reading emotions since he focuses on others so much, but has a difficult time expressing his own feelings. While he speaks with good grammar, his vocabulary is pretty limited, exhibiting his lack of a proper education. His knowledge rarely extends outside of mechanics, but he displays a very deep understanding of the entire subject.
Despite being a criminal, Werner is a reasonably moral man. He doesn't steal, take advantage of women, and keeps his vices in check. Outside of his job as a wheelman, Werner always tries to make good choices, though sometimes he fails in this endeavor. He is quick to recognize mistakes, however, and does his best to learn from them. That being said, there is a much darker side to him that few see. When backed into a corner, he is willing to do whatever is needed to survive, and these actions sometimes disturb him afterwards.
Werner is generally a very trusting and kind man, going out of his way to help others when possible. Those who are very close to him, such as Luke and Florenda, however, have his undying loyalty. He would do anything for those within this circle, even if it meant risking his own life.
Gear: 29” Crowbar
Original Colt M1911 in a shoulder holster, one mag in the pistol and two in each pants pocket
KA-BAR strapped to belt
Black Northface Recon backpack containing:
Light blanket
Spare clothes
Tooth brush, tooth paste, travel-sized shampoo
2 canned chili
2 plastic bottled water
Small tool kit
Zippo lighter
Field cleaning kit
Knife sharpener
Multitool
Duct tape
550 Para Cord
4-Cell LED Maglite
Map of Missouri
Crumpled photo of parents
Strengths:Work Horse: Years of wrenching away and working out has built up some persistent muscle in Werner’s body.
Wheelman: Werner is an outstanding driver, capable of operating any vehicle put in front of him with ease.
Grease Monkey: With more than a decade of experience working on cars, Werner is able to repair almost anything with a motor in it.
Weaknesses:Desert Denizen: Werner’s body is accustomed to the Southwest’s warm climate, and suffers in Missouri’s winter. He is more susceptible to illness and general sluggishness from the cold.
Old Injuries: A motorcycle accident years ago shattered Werner’s left knee, and while it has healed, long stints of jogging/running will cause him significant pain.
High School Dropout: Werner dropped out of school at the age of 18 and never was the brightest pupil, so his knowledge is limited to cars and little else.
