Leverageland Challenge #10
Einstein-Rosen Bridge
Rosen Bridge, Inc. bills itself as “the next wave in cyber-security”. Run by Steven Kendrick and Karen Jessup, the company designs and tests internet security systems for private companies, and investigates cyber-crimes for paying clients. They also work as consultants for various city, state and federal government agencies, tracking and taking out hackers and cyber-terrorists.
Arcs for season 1 include:
*Kendrick using the resources of his firm to track down Alec Hardison - arguably his greatest achievement, or possibly his worst failure...
*Lt. Bonnano's clients bring into question Kendrick's unwavering morality.
*A hacker calling himself the Smiler starts leaving gruesome smilies for Karen Jessup to find. He's targeting her, can the team realise who it is and save her before it's too late?
Starring:
Steven Kendrick, played by Will Smith
Former Somerville High School computer teacher Steven Kendrick was dedicated to encouraging students with a talent for computers to pursue careers in the field. A former amateur hacker himself, Steven routinely collected exceptionally talented students and taught them how to develop advanced methods of securing interactions in cyberspace by having them study and deconstruct existing methods of security in a controlled environment.
Steven knew some of his students perverted what he was trying to teach them, using it for personal gain, but he maintained a position of plausible deniability as long as the overall percentage of offenders remained small. It wasn’t until he was approached by Interpol and strong-armed into helping them try and catch Alec Hardison that Steven was forced to face the consequences of his teaching methods. While he ultimately failed to help Interpol, Steven decided to leave teaching and open a private internet security firm - Rosen Bridge, Inc.
Karen Jessup, played by Sasha Alexander
Karen and Steven were high school classmates. While both evidenced an extraordinary talent for computers, Steven went into education and Karen rose to prominence in the private sector as one of the nation’s foremost authorities on internet security. When Steven Kendrick decided to start Rosen Bridge, Inc., Karen Jessup was the first person he contacted about joining the firm.
Karen isn’t nearly as idealistic as Steven is, but her cynicism about people in general helps keep him from wallowing in his failures. She is also able to focus on the wider picture, whereas Steven is very detail oriented; she catches things that Steven misses.
Lt. Patrick Bonnano, played by Robert Blanche
A police detective with the Boston Police Department known for his willingness to work outside the rules in pursuit of higher causes, Bonnano is Steven’s go-to guy for information on Alec Hardison. While Bonnano isn’t entirely sold on the idea of Hardison being a criminal, he does help Rosen Bridge, Inc. with their cases from time to time. Bonnano struggles with the morality of his work, especially when he has people in his cells he’s sure are innocent, and sometimes Bonnano brings their relatives as clients to Kendrick and his firm. Kendrick is willing to help him at first, but how long will it be until Kendrick’s unwavering morality starts to interfere with the good work he is doing for these people?
Sara Romano, played by Emily Deschanel
Sara is the principal of Somerville High School, and Steven Kendrick’s former boss. A by-the-book sort, Sara opposed Steven’s advanced classes from the beginning, but was never able to find a way to shut them down within the rules.
Once Interpol showed up on the scene and word got around that Steven was responsible for unleashing Alec Hardison on the world, Sara pushed to have Steven dismissed. She doesn’t like his continued interest in the computer course, or his association with Tracy Hardison, but Rosen Bridge is the first place she goes when word of a cyber-theft ring among the students gets out.
Alec Hardison, played by Aldis Hodge
Wanted in three countries, and arguably the greatest hacker and cyber thief the world has ever known, Alec Hardison was a student of Steven Kendrick; his most able student, and his self-confessed biggest mistake. Hardison’s rise to prominence as a hacker renowned for masterminding some daredevil and dangerous thefts sparked Kendrick’s crisis of conscience, and taking him down is the unstated goal of Rosen Bridge, Inc. Rumors persist that Hardison has left his criminal lifestyle, and is working with a Boston-based group of hi-tech Robin Hood wannabes, but in spite of the evidence Kendrick remains determined to put Hardison behind bars.
Tracy Hardison, played by Tiffany Hines
Tracy Hardison is Alec Hardison’s younger sister, and the only one of his biological siblings to stay with him in foster care. They grew up together and attended the same schools; both were students of Steven Kendrick. While Alec became an international criminal wanted in multiple countries, and arguably the greatest hacker in the world, Tracy stayed firmly (if sarcastically) on the right side of the law - graduating from college and taking Steven Kendrick’s old job teaching high school computer. She looks on Steven as a mentor, and despite the difference in their ages is nursing a crush on him.