Real Name: Maria Fianelli

Allegiances: Project Utopia

Education: High school equivalency and diploma in counselling

Occupation: Spokeswoman, NSI contractor, counsellor and professional organised crime assassination survivor

Appearance: Obviously bi-racial, Maria Fianelli has a coffee-and-cream complexion with slanted black eyes, tightly curled dark hair with auburn highlights and full lips. Her body is tall and toned, with her legs the most obvious feature. She is rarely seen without her trademark ankle-length burgundy leather jacket and matching heeled, thigh-high boots.

Background: "Maria Fianelli used to be the stereotype of a crack-addicted exotic dancer until she ran afoul of her Medellin-supplied drug dealer, who decided to make an example of her at the strip-joint where she worked. The strip-joint was run by a man with ties to the Megasyndicate, so the whole thing turned into a small-scale shootout that only Maria survived thanks to her eruption. When she turned state's witness in exchange for immunity, that really pissed off the local Mafia and the Cartel, and they put out a contract on her. After the first two times they failed, she realised that she had erupted and went to the Manhattan Rashoud facility.

She didn't know what she was going to do until Robin Woodlawn from Social Services approached her. Now she's a counsellor and spokeswoman for those who fall into the sex industry and drug trade.

And you were wondering why I'm called 'Serendipity', right? Because I'm damned lucky, that's what."

Powers: Serendipity has a strong affinity for the forces of chance and probability that allows her to sense potential danger to herself and turn fortune her way any time she pleases. It is unknown whether her near-immunity to most baseline-level attacks is because she unconsciously twists coincidence to make them miss or she just has really tough skin. What is known, and the subject of many jokes, is the muscular strength in her legs, allowing her to run and leap at low superhuman levels and to create tiny localised shockwaves and resist being knocked back, down or dragged away. She has total and absolute recall for both long-term and short-term memory, quantum-powered appearance and charisma that means nobody misses her when she walks into a room, the ability to react faster than most and minor regenerative and fatigue-resisting powers. Interestingly enough, she can cling to objects too... Which brings up many a quip about her old pole-dancing days.

Skills: Serendipity is streetwise and socially savvy on a level that would make the more cultured Geisha cringe. She knows the seamy side of life, especially in New York, and has applied this knowledge in her life with the Project. She specialises in savate (with her legs, is anyone surprised?), dancing (well, duh!) and hanging around at big parties when she isn't working. Oh, and she is a professional counsellor and perpetual target for assassination by the C-Z and Medellin.

Personality: Attitude. While Serendipity isn't a 'professional ass-kicker', as she's been known to describe T2M members, she is tough and tenacious. She has managed to survive eighteen attempted hits in nearly six years and still keep on doing her job as public spokeswoman for the Project's work in the sex industry and drug trade. She lacks the grace and dignity of Geisha or the commanding presence of Caestus Pax, the sweet 'girl-next-door' appeal of the late Slider or the roguish charm of Andre Corbin, but when she walks into a room, everybody notices her. Her manners are surprisingly refined for an ex-stripper, but she is capable of busting some hitman's head in and holding him until the T2M cavalry arrive.

Picture from a recent media appearance: