In 1982, American President Ronald Reagan opened the Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty (START) talks. At the same time, military research and development was dreaming up the next generation of defense. One early project was the development of powered armor suits. Official named the Strategic Anthropomorphic Guardian Initiative (SAGI), it was commonly known as "the Archer."

The project barely made it past the conceptual phase. Taking cues from the animal kingdom, the legs would be equine in nature for a wider-range of motion and quicker reaction. Unfortunately, the materials used to design the model were so heavy that it would tilt and fall. In an effort to stabilize the Archer, the arms were augmented to provide counter-balance.

The first prototype was a mere shell. The project was scrapped shortly after the mock-up was built in favor of the Strategic Defense Initiative (SDI). Commonly known as "Star Wars."

Since junior high, Rick Malmquist had always been an intentional misfit. He had tried to form a Satanic cult in eighth grade. He would tell his friends that his life's ambition was to become a real demon. Perhaps become more powerful than the Devil himself. Which drew the attention not only of the school counselors, but of… others.

Jocks and bullies would beat up Rick and his friends all the way through high school graduation. Rick dropped out of college to become the next Anne Rice or Trent Reznor. He even joined "Murder Fuel," a local goth band. At thirty-eight, he was the "creepy old man."

Rick became obsessed with youth. He would hang around Hot Topic, read the entire Twilight series, and was first in line for every Harry Potter movie. Now calling himself Vicomte Richard, he had won the trust of the young vampire clique. Not because of any personal charm; rather, the kids used Rick for easy access to alcohol and drugs.

One particular groupie, "Colette", caught Rick's attention. She seemed to be genuinely interested in the Vicomte's diabolic fantasy. Colette encouraged Rick and the others to participate in Satanism. The clique thought nothing of the blood rituals, as long as there was plenty of absinthe.

Colette was a succubus. She seduced Rick then offered to make him a demon. The deal was simple. He would become more powerful with every murder. Rick wasted no time. He killed the Satanic Circle that night. As promised, Rick began to transform.

Rick had become Murder Fuel, an evolving demon driven by bloodlust. He soon realized that mere mortals did not grow his power quickly. If he were to rule the planes of Hell, he would have to slaughter more than the innocent. Murder Fuel would have to strike down angels and other forces of light.

Murder Fuel continues to study and practice black arts. He not only kills for power, but also for pleasure. He recently developed claws as part of his transformation into a true demon. So excited was Murder Fuel, he dismembered Colette for the sensation of them tearing into flesh.

To divine beings, Murder Fuel is a neophyte rogue. They have defeated his kind in the past. Even though he has already dispatched three minor angels they sent to destroy him. Likewise, the denizens of Hell consider Murder Fuel to be a spurious upstart. Unlike the angels, the demons want him to become more powerful. For the more power he gains, the more powerful his killer will become.

Brooke Kingsley was born and raised in Laredo. Her family traces its Texas roots to the days when Mexico opened the land to American settlers. The Kingsleys had a long tradition of lawmen. Lawmen with checkered pasts. Some simply would look the other way. Others were worse than the criminals whom they were entrusted to bring to justice.

Brooke wanted to continue the tradition. When she graduated high school, Brooke joined the Air Force for a short tour as an SP. Brooke planned to some day join the FBI. While she was overseas, her father Josiah, a Border Patrol agent, began demanding more bribes from Los Águilas del Diablo.

The Devil's Eagles are often mistaken for a street-level drug gang in the United States. In Mexico, they are one of the most powerful and deadliest criminal organizations. Some members are meta-humans. Most notorious was El Toro Rojo. The Red Bull was a real-life minotaur. A ferocious, unstoppable giant with the cunning and intellect of a man.

Angered by Josiah's audacity, the Eagles dispatched the Red Bull to send a message the day before Brooke returned home from the service. In a brazen daylight attack, the Bull razed the Laredo border crossing. He killed Josiah, six other border agents, and four civilians. Dozens lay injured. Some pinned under the cars and trucks that El Toro threw around as if they were piñatas.

El Toro Rojo escaped to Mexico. The Federales refused to allow the U.S. Border Patrol to pursue. Everyone knew that the Mexican agents had been bribed, but they went as far as to fire upon the pursuing Americans. Diplomatic relations froze instantly.

American and Mexican officials refused to cooperate in the investigation. Neither country's superheroes were able to apprehend the elusive Red Bull. The attack escalated into open warfare between meta-humans seeking justice and those who profited from the chaos.

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Brooke took her fight to courtrooms and presented Congressional testimony. Still, there was no progress in destroying Los Águilas. The Kingsley family could not even collect on Josiah's life insurance or due pension.

She became active in the community. Brooke travelled the country speaking against violence and for restoration of order. When she was at a rally in Eagle Pass, El Toro Rojo attacked again. This time to silence Josiah's daughter.

Brooke survived with a new outlook and determination. The law could not stop the Bull. The so-called superheroes could not stop him. She even blamed herself for delaying justice. The rampage broke her organization Patriots for Peace. The super-attorney Jack Lane had successfully sued her for personal and property damage. Brooke protested, but the slick lawyer had a legal trick for every appeal.

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Staff Sergeant Chris Montag, a service buddy stationed at Lackland Air Force Base, was there to help her. Chris would meet with Brooke. He coached her back into the routine of PT training.

Chris worked in weapons research and development. He had access to the munitions depot and cutting edge technology. He would grab "some serious firepower" and the two would go to the base's proving grounds.

Before being re-assigned overseas, Chris gave Brooke keys to the base and the R&D lab. He knew that El Toro Rojo and the Eagles would return. Brooke was again on her own. She was also flat broke. No one would hire her for fear of their own safety. She could not get a government job because of her father's corruption. His connection to the Devil's Eagles had come to light during the court process of discovery.

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One morning, the sound of squealing tires woke Brooke. My car! They're repossessing my car! she shouted. Without thinking, she ran to her garage. Her car was indeed gone. However, parked in its place was a pink jeep. Her father's old hat and badge were on the driver's seat. Brooke saw a flyer in the windshield wiper. It read:

Wanted: Dead or Alive
El Toro Rojo
$10,000,000 Reward

Brooke smiled and donned the hat. She drove the jeep to Lackland late that night. Inside the munitions depot, she found a rocket launcher. Chris had taught her how to use it. They had even squeezed off a couple of the experimental "Wolf's Fang" rockets. Ammunition specially-designed to take out tanks and meta-humans.

Through her own connections in the Border Patrol, Brooke slipped into Mexico. It did not take long for word to find its way to El Toro Rojo. He decided that he would be the hunter not the prey. He charged right into Brooke's trap.

At first, no one believed the rumors. Not until Brooke and her pink jeep crossed back into the United States. There at the border, she lifted the Bull's head to claim justice and her reward.

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Calling herself Vulpina ("The Wolf"), Brooke is a bounty hunter who specializes in bringing fugitive metas to justice. She uses the reward money to keep ahead of her prey's powers and technology. Though a normal human being, she holds her own against metas.

Brooke has what meta-researchers call the "Normal Factor" or "N-Factor." The phenomenon that allows even the most mundane homo sapien with no known super powers or enhancements to stand equal to metas. Some argue that the N-Factor is itself a super power.

She lost her father's badge in the battle with El Toro Rojo. So Vulpina had it tattooed on her arm. Though Josiah was a dirty cop, he was a damn good father. She may not be corruptible like the Kingsley's before her. However, Brooke shares her forefathers' sense of frontier justice.