History:
(Ultraverse Zero: Death of the Squad#4 (fb) - BTS) - Carlos Jimenez was born in 1964.

(Ultraverse Zero: Death of the Squad#1 (fb)) - While working, Carlos received a call from his wife, who told him that their landlord was raising again. She further added that moving cost too much, and she wondered how they could afford it. Slumping to the floor, Carlos told her that he did not know but that he would think of something.

(Ultraverse Zero: Death of the Squad#1 (fb) - BTS) - Carlos apparently reported his power and his discovery to the press.

(Hardcase#4 (fb) - BTS) - After being transformed into a much more physically powerful form by an unexplained energy burst, Tom Hawke turned on the news and learned about three other people in the Los Angeles area who had experienced bursts of power.

     There were unconfirmed rumors of other events.

(Ultraverse Zero: Death of the Squad#1 (fb) - BTS) - Hard Copy and a few other TV Shows offered Carlos money to come on their shows.

(Break-Thru#2 (fb) - BTS) - These empowerments were via the Entity on the Moon, and they were later referred as a jumpstart.

(Hardcase#4 (fb) / Ultraverse Zero: Death of the Squad#1 (fb)) - Tom contacted Carlos and two other confirmed and reported empowered people -- Linda Warren and Jamal Blass -- and arranged a meeting at "--oscanella Italian Kitchen," where he told them they all had something to gain and that if they pooled their resources, they could get major media exposure, which could help all of their careers. When Carlos and Linda noted the offers they had received, Tom told them that those were just 15-minutes-of-fame stuff, and he told them they needed to look at the long-term.

(Ultraverse Zero: Death of the Squad#1 (fb)) - Hawke suggested they form an ultra-hero team, noting Ultratech's Prototype (Bob Campbell) as an example of how such publicity could be good for business, and they might actually do some good.

     While Carlos and the others were initially incredulous, he soon considered that they would be heroes in the public's eyes, and that kids would want toys of them.

(Ultraverse Zero: Death of the Squad#1 (fb)) - BTS) - Rex Mundi observed this interaction and assigned the four as targets to his robot servant NM-E; however, he instructed it to wait to see who else came out into the limelight after this group went public.

(Ultraverse Zero: Death of the Squad#2 (fb)) <Two days after the restaurant meeting> - Carlos met with Blass, Hawke, and Warren out in a desert to showcase and test the limits of their powers in preparation for a press conference to announce themselves to the world.

     When Tom demonstrated how he could leap into the air, Carlos levitated beside him and noted that he could do that, too. As Tom started to fall to the ground and clarified that he could only jump, Carlos laughed and wished him happy landings.

    The next day, Jamal told the others about the Zulus crack gang terrorizing their neighborhood, explaining how they hurt people for fun and that he wanted them to know that they could not continue on the path they had chosen.

     Having grown up with gangs, Carlos agreed that they should make an example there and that it could do some good. Tom and Linda agreed as long as no one got seriously hurt, and all four made a pact that they would never knowingly maim or kill another human being.

    They further acknowledged that their powers did not give make them gods and that they had not been given a mandate to right wrongs: They all just wanted to live in a better world.

    After the four of them arrived at Jamal's house, Jamal's mother told them that the gang had taken his sister, Yolanda, as well as Patti.

    As Jerome prepared to shoot the girls, Carlos and the others confronted the Zulus. The Zulus fired on them, but Forsa telekinetically deflected the bullets, and the four ultras easily and safely overpowered the Zulus without hurting anyone, warning them to go straight.

     However, as they prepared to leave, the LAPD showed up and arrested Carlos and his allies. Although Yolanda and Patti told the police what had happened, they were ignored, and Carlos and his allies spent the night in jail; although no charges were filed.

    The next morning, the group was brought before the mayor and the chief of police, who told them that although they had acted as vigilantes, they had been calm and prepared and that they not used any unreasonable force; these things impressed the authorities, who arranged for them to be able to fight crime under the city's supervision (vs. being prosecuted if they continued independently).

(Ultraverse Zero: Death of the Squad#2 (fb)) - Soon after, the mayor introduced them publicly in a press conference as LA's newest crime-fighting team, the Squad. They met with immediate public approval by a crowd outside the building cheering for what they did, and the four appreciated the city officials' motive to make them their own.

    Fashion people said they defined a new, health-conscious look. They received costumes based on the clothes in which they had been arrested. 

    Seeing the public's reaction, the media jumped at including the Squad everywhere possible.

(Hardcase#13 (fb) - BTS) Aladdin began extensive surveillance of the Squad (see comments).

(Hardcase#4 (fb)) <Late 1991> - Soon after, the Squad (D.J. Blast/Blass, Forsa/Jimenez, Hardcase/Hawke, Starburst/Warren) was a national sensation, on the cover of almost every magazine. 

(Ultraverse Zero: Death of the Squad#2 (fb)) - They were also guests on almost every talk show.

(Hardcase#4 (fb)) - They started out doing charity work for the disadvantaged.

(Hardcase#4 (fb)) - The Squad members also did advertisements, which paid nicely.

(Hardcase#4 (fb) - BTS) - Mayor Bradley gave the Squad sanction to help out the police on cases where cops might get killed.

(Ultraverse Zero: Death of the Squad#2 (fb)) - The Squad were sent into dangerous scenes which the police wished to avoid. Their ability to take down the opposition without casualties pleased the police, the city, and the public. 

(Hardcase#4 (fb) - BTS) - They started with some "simple things," like crack houses.

(Hardcase#1 (fb) - BTS) - The Squad shut down a number of crack houses and did a lot of community service, which was greatly appreciated by the local police. 

(Hardcase#4 (fb) - BTS) - The Squad later moved on to bank robbers and the like.

    They found things to seem "too easy," as normal criminals were no match for them.

(Ultraverse Zero: Death of the Squad#2 (fb)) - The squad was deluged with mail. On slow days, they sat around the coffee room, going through letters. Some were full of praise, while others were cries for help: Kids wanting protection from bullies, people afraid of their neighbors, women who were being stalked by their ex-lovers, and children who wanted their father to stop hitting mommy.

(Ultraverse Zero: Death of the Squad#2 (fb)) - Forsa did a commercial for el Primo salsa.

(Ultraverse Zero: Death of the Squad#2 (fb)) - The Squad's success contributed to UltraTech's looking into a replacement for their public agent, Prototype (Bob Campbell)

(Hardcase#4 (fb) - BTS / Ultraverse Zero: Death of the Squad#2 (fb) - The Squad got an office in Century City, along with a secretary (Celia Brady) to handle all the mail and calls that they were getting.

(Ultraverse Zero: Death of the Squad#3 (fb) - BTS) - The city made the Squad heroes in the eyes of the public through carefully orchestrated attacks on crack houses and hostage situations, although they spent most of their time doing public relations work.

(Ultraverse Zero: Death of the Squad#3 (fb)) - The Squad spoke to high school students near downtown LA. After an African-American student accused them of racist attacks on people of color, Carlos spoke up, clarifying that they were trying to help people in the disadvantaged areas by lowering the crime rate. "Poverty brings despair, but crime rubs it in! The rich areas already get lots of attention. It's time our neighborhoods did, too!"
     Most of the students applauded this.

(Ultraverse Zero: Death of the Squad#3 (fb)) - Carlos and his wife went house shopping.

(Ultraverse Zero: Death of the Squad#3 (fb)) <see comments> - When the verdict of not guilty came in for the police involved with the Rodney King incident, LA erupted in violent rioting.

    The Squad was ordered not to get involved as officials feared they might do more harm than good without police supervision. The Squad pretended they had never heard these orders.

    As they looked over the rioters, Carlos stated that the events had done something nothing else seemed to do...bringing all of the races together for a common cause (as people of all races participated in the looting and destruction).

    Carlos and the rest of the Squad tried in vain to bring peace and order to the town. Carlos enter the store of Jaysinder Singh Johal after he fried a trio of men preparing to assault him and loot his store. Carlos asked what had happened there, but Jaysinder feigned ignorance.

    Though Carlos and the rest of the Squad were frustrated by their lack of success, Officer Jamal Brown thanked them for being level-headed and credited them for preventing things from getting even worse.

(Ultra Monthly#1 (fb) - BTS) - The Squad took on everything from arsonists to anti-Zionists.

(Ultraverse Zero: Death of the Squad#4 (fb) - BTS) - Rex Mundi instructed NM-E to kill a number of ultras in Los Angeles and to save the Squad for last.

(Hardcase#1 (fb) - BTS) - The Squad thought they were the only ultras on the planet. 

(Ultraverse Zero: Death of the Squad#4 (fb)) - Forsa and the rest of the Squad discussed their mixed feedback following the riots. When Hardcase asked if they were actually making a difference, Carlos stated that he think they were. He further discussed that you had to expect some criticism no matter what you did, but that they should continue to do what they felt was important.

    In response to a federal government offer (Aladdin), Carlos discussed that while government jobs had lots of benefits, they were making plenty of money on their own and did not need to be sent to do shady things, like protecting a dictator. Nonetheless, Linda convinced them to agree to the meeting, so they would not be seen as being against the government.

(Ultraverse Zero: Death of the Squad#4 (fb)) - The LAPD informed the Squad of brutal slaughters of 11 ultras in the city in the last 10 days; this disabused them of the notion they were the only ultras, and also put them on alert as they might be next. 

(Hardcase#4 (fb) / Ultraverse Zero: Death of the Squad#4 (fb)) <Around March 3, 1992> - Agents of the US federal government group Aladdin met the Squad, telling them they were doing great work in LA, but that their country could put them to better use. Despite assurances that Aladdin were the good guys and wanted to help them live up to their full potential, the Squad was leery about working for some government agency of which they'd never heard. Tom voiced this opinion and politely declined the offer.

(Ultra Monthly#1 (fb) - BTS) - Carlos and his wife bought a house in Studio City in the San Fernando Valley, California.

(Ultraverse Premiere#0/4 / Ultraverse Zero: Death of the Squad#4 (fb)) <March 9, 1992> - When terrorists took hostage a class of students at Canoga Park's JFK Junior High, the Squad arrived to stop them. Hearing news reports of their arrival, the terrorists instructed the authorities to call the Squad back, but the Squad had already gone in. Working in pairs -- Hardcase and Starburst, and D.J. Blast and Forsa -- took out a number of the terrorists.

     DJ and Forsa stopped a pair of terrorists who had cornered and were preparing to kill Kevin Green. When the terrorists refused to back down and fired on them, Forsa telekinetically re-directed the bullets, while Jamal blasted them into unconsciousness against a wall. 

    The terrorist leader ordered his men to kill some of the kids as a warning, but the Squad united to protect the kids and take them down without a single fatality.

(Ultraverse Premiere#0/4 - BTS) - A newswoman reported the the Squad had captured all of the terrorists and that the FBI and SWAT teams were moving in.

(Ultraverse Zero: Death of the Squad#4 (fb)) - As the FBI took away the terrorists, Hardcase and the Squad regained their confidence and their belief in what they were doing.

(Ultraverse Zero: Death of the Squad#4 (fb)) - Linda's ex-boyfriend Pete sold lies about the Squad to the tabloids, including that Jamal and Carlos were gay lovers.

(Hardcase#4 (fb) / Ultraverse Zero: Death of the Squad#4 (fb)) <March 10, 1992> - Forsa (Carlos) and his wife had a housewarming party, attending by family, friends, and his Squad teammates.

     Upon learning the lies Pete had told the tabloids, Carlos noted that now he knew that they had arrived: "First the press loves you, then when they think you're too popular, they tear you down."

(Hardcase#1 (fb) - BTS / Hardcase#4 (fb) / Ultraverse Zero: Death of the Squad#4 (fb)) - NM-E (whose identity was not known at the time of the attack) burst through the roof and attacked everyone present

(Hardcase#4 (fb) / Ultraverse Zero: Death of the Squad#4 (fb)) - Before anyone could react, NM-E had slain half of the people in the room. Furious over the slaughter of his family, Forsa launched the creature out of the house into a nearby drainage canal into which NM-E had already cast Hardcase.

   Forsa joined the others in following it there, but after NM-E had dropped the other three, Forsa found his power insufficent to hold back the creature.

    He called out to the stunned Hardcase to wake up and help...