Karen

Biodata

Appearance

Karen is a bespectacled white man who wears gold-rimmed glasses. Despite his scholarly appearance, he is a former battlefield survivor with enough combat experience to qualify for NW's A Team. 40 44

• Gold-rimmed glasses 44
• Polite, mild outward demeanor that becomes serious during questioning 40
• Described as having come through “hails of bullets” before joining NW 44

Personality

Karen is cautious, observant, and professionally suspicious. After receiving Galan's unfinished assignment, he retraces Galan's investigation, connects Brian to Andreas's unexplained death, and uses the name “Andreas” to test Brian's reaction rather than openly accusing him. 44 45

His caution is ultimately rooted in self-preservation. He considers abandoning the assignment once Brian's lack of reaction makes him uneasy, and during Brian's interrogation he offers information, cooperation, and even leverage in exchange for his life. 44 45

• Maintains a disciplined daily routine, visiting a tavern after work and returning home before nine. 43
• Avoids risks without “absolute certainty,” a rule he credits for surviving his earlier career. 44
• Quickly capitulates when captured, revealing Vadim's orders and personal secrets. 44 45
• Attempts a desperate escape by throwing dirt mixed with vomit at Brian. 45

Background / History

Karen served in NW Department's A Team First Squad, an elite unit composed of experienced detectives, forensic personnel, and support staff. He and Agent Galan belonged to the squad's Third Small Team. 43

Before his death, Galan had been ordered by A1 leader Vadim O'Sullivan to compromise a member of Brian's B6 Team and sabotage the team's cases. Galan selected Brian, but disappeared before completing the task; Vadim subsequently transferred the assignment to Karen. 45

Investigating Galan's disappearance, Karen found the name Andreas in Galan's home and linked Andreas's mysterious death to Brian's former work at the medical examiner's office. He questioned Brian about Shaina's death, then secretly passed him a note bearing Andreas's name to gauge his response. 40 44

Investigation of Brian

Karen suspected that Brian was concealing a connection to both Galan and Andreas. However, Brian's lack of visible reaction to the Andreas note made Karen increasingly anxious rather than reassured. 40 44

After several days of investigation, Karen decided the assignment was too dangerous and planned to refuse Vadim's order. Before he could do so, Brian infiltrated his home in disguise, drugged him with tranquilizer darts, and abducted him. 43 44

During the interrogation, Karen disclosed that Vadim's original objective had been to turn a B6 member into an informant and obstruct the squad's cases. He also revealed Vadim's involvement in framing the husband of a married woman whom Vadim later made his mistress. 45

Death

Brian interrogated Karen in a remote pit, using snakes and threats of torture to force his cooperation. Karen initially gave up Vadim's address and information about Aberrant bounties, then attempted to escape. 45

Brian recaptured Karen, threw him back into the pit, and burned him alive with gasoline and thermite. 45

Karen's corpse produced an unusually dark-red Obsession Orb. Its final obsession was to kill Brian and make him suffer the agony of being torn apart by ten thousand snakes; Brian rejected it. 46

Relationships

• Brian Lee — Target of Karen's investigation after Galan's disappearance; Brian captures, interrogates, and kills him. 40 44 45
• Galan — Fellow A1 Third Small Team agent whose unfinished investigation of Brian is assigned to Karen after Galan disappears. 43 45
• Vadim O'Sullivan — A1 Team leader who orders Karen to compromise a B6 member and sabotage the team's cases. 45
• Susan — B6 leader who openly distrusts Karen because of her hostility toward Vadim. 40

Notable Quotes

“If I tell you why, will you let me go? I know a lot of things too. They'll definitely be useful to you!” 45

“Without absolute certainty, I would not take even the slightest risk.” 44