James Tucker

James Tucker is the esteemed CEO of the technology and finance firm, MercurEx. A pioneer in second-generation virtuoid science, his work with the NASE (Nascent Artificial Sentient Entity) platform earned him a previous “uberman” status and global recognition. His company, MercurEx, specializes in providing digital asset exchange and custody services.

Personal Life

• Family: James is the son of Frank and Natalia Tucker. He is married to Teresa, who also serves as the Senior Public Relations Manager at MercurEx. They have a thirteen-year-old daughter named Gabriella, who suffers from cystic fibrosis.
• Character: The text suggests that James is a deeply concerned father and husband, as he is worried about his daughter’s illness. However, his personal life is strained by his wife’s desire for him to sell MercurEx, which was his father’s company.

Career and Military Service

• Military: James is a former soldier who served in the Phosphorous Wars, a conflict in the Atlanto-African region. He was awarded the “Crimson Star,” the highest Global Defense Alliance bravery award, for his counter-espionage efforts. He thwarted enemy attacks by disseminating information about local warlords’ wealth status, turning insurgents and pirates against their own leadership.
• Corporate Life: As CEO of MercurEx, James has to contend with threats from “hypergoblins”—jail-broken zoids that create mayhem in the Dataverse. His personal assistant is Rebeka Mock. James also manages his own personal zoid, Mr. Broker, which is a second-generation superzoid exclusively created by MercurEx.
• Downfall from Uberman Status: At the height of his fame, James had a massive following of millions and wielded significant power and influence. However, his current status as an “Ex-Uberman” disappoints him bitterly, as he feels a sense of dejection from his meteoric fall from celebrity.

Recent Events James returns to his office after a luncheon to find that his company has been compromised. He soon discovers that his wife, Teresa, has been running a skimming operation against the company, funneling millions of federas into unaffiliated companies she set up. This information is revealed to him by his zoid, Mr. Broker. The information suggests that Teresa has been operating a separate ledger, and her skimming operation has compromised the company. The hypergoblin issue and the skimming operation appear to be related, and James is now forced to confront the threat from within his own family and company