Franco Marino:

He was born to a small Italian family that lived in the Bronx. His father worked at the local restaurant as a waiter. This particular restaurant was owned by one of the Chicago Mafia families. His father did his job very well and enjoyed having the close connection to the family. The "Don" was always very generous during Christmas and he never wanted for anything. His mother was a gentlewoman. She truly loved her husband and her son. She often would visit with his father at the restaurant during the day. It was during a visit, both his parents were killed when a rival family attempted to kill the "Don". A hail of bullets riddled the restaurant, killing everyone inside and seriously wounding the "Don". Franco was in the back of the restaurant playing with his mother when the attack came. They were spared any bullets but left with the loss of the father. Mario, the son of the head of the family, took both his mother and him into the family. He was always enamored with her and now that there was no one to take care of her, he would step in to fill that role. He liked the kid too, had plenty of spunk. He raised Franco Marino as his own. Instilling in him his own values and ideals. He taught him how to be a mobster. He was beginning to send him out on family business now. During that time, the local police authorities began to take notice of his activities and who he was. It was during his last time out that things happened to him. He was supposed to go in and force a local exotic dealer to take protection from the family. This ancient Italian would not bow down to the local mob. As Franco was talking to him, the old man looked at him and told him that he had something for him. Having said that, he then went into the back and came up front with a small medallion. This medallion was inside a glass case and had some ornate carvings on it. Franco took the case and put it into his pocket. He liked this old man, had some spunk to him. Also, he gave him a pretty cool looking trinket. He decided he wouldn't kill him and would see what he could do for the old guy. He went back to the family and they told him that this man could not dictate to them what he wanted. He would pay the respect to the family. He was then told to go back and get rid of this problem. Make sure that there would be no disrespect to the family. When he got back to the shop, he just couldn’t bring himself to do the job. This old man would soon die of old age anyway, why kill him now. It no longer made sense to him, the ways of the family. When he went inside to tell the man that he should move his shop outside the family's area, Mario followed him. As Franco tried to get in between the old man and Mario, Mario then shot his gun at the old man. The bullet hit Franco and bounced off the glass case in his pocket, completely shattering it. Franco was pushed back by the bullet and hit the floor. As he sat up, totally disbelieving what had just happened. He then reached his hands down to touch the floor and push himself up, as he did this, his hand touched against the medallion, when that happened, there was a burst of light and Franco found that he was on fire, but it didnt hurt. Once that happened, Vito then panicked and fled the scene. Afterwards the old man told Franco that he knew of the powers of the medallion, he thought that perhaps it would be safe in his hands as he didn’t ever figure the medallion to be used by anyone. Now that it was in use, perhaps he should now consider where his life path is taking him. He left the old man and went to his apt. There he stayed for a couple of days till the police came to call. They arrested him and charged him with everything from gambling, racketeering, to theft of the medallion. Vito was the one bringing charges up on him. He said that Franco had stolen his medallion. During the hearing, he was allowed to touch the medallion again and once again its power flared and he burst into flame. The judge immediately called for help and fortunately, the Silver Avenger for Chicago happened to be in the building and he responded. After a very brief time, they calmed everyone down and the medallion was taken away. During the next couple of days, the Silver Avenger led the investigation. Franco during this time began to get sick, as the days passed he seemed to get a little weaker. PRIMUS doctors had looked at him and they surmised that he somehow now needed the Medallion to survive. The Silver Avenger returned the medallion to Franco and had a long talk with him about where his life was going now. Franco decided to turn over a new look on life and helped the police to bring in Vito for racketeering. It was then that the Silver Avenger decided that perhaps this kid should have some help in turning around his new life. He made arrangements with Eclipse of the Chicago Crusaders to take this kid into the organization and help him turn his life around.