Angel was born behind the Iron Curtain. Growing up surrounded by the corruption that riddled the decaying institutions of communism, he learned at an early age that following the rules isn't always the best course of action. His family was poor and he spent much of his youth on the streets, learning to look out for himself and trying to help provide for his family. His older brother had turned to a life of crime but was killed by rival gang members when Angel was ten years old, smart enough to recognize that his brother's death was the result of his criminal activity and young enough to choose a different path for his own life.

Angel was an avid reader. He read books wherever he could find them -- in the trash, at the library, in abandoned buildings. The subject material didn't matter, he read everything he could get his hands on.

When the Soviet Union collapsed Angel was old enough to make his way into the West and savvy enough to find work doing various odd jobs. Eventually he was fortunate enough to find work in a bookstore where he could satisfy his voracious appetite for books. The owner of the shop had connections with the local university and helped Angel to get enrolled. After a couple of years he was able to travel to the U.S. on a foreign student exchange program for a couple of semesters of study at the University of Louisiana at Lafayette, and he enjoyed it so much that he decided to do everything he could to return to the States. Angel studied everything he could find about computer technology, especially artificial intelligence and online virtual worlds. It became not only his work but his passion.

Angel eventually traveled to Louisiana, but while attempting to travel to Lafayette he somehow got onto the wrong bus and found himself in a forgotten corner of the world named Hathian. Too low on funds to afford bus fare out of town, he once again has to rely on his wits and good luck to make his way. Will he stay on the straight and narrow as he swore to himself that he would after his brother died? Or would he succumb to temptation and revert his life as the street-wise youth that he once was?

He needs your help to figure it out...