Winston Wheeler

"So you're WISE, right? That's a really good disguise. Could you actually be him? Could you be Twilight? We did an op together, remember? But I never got to see your face. So… Let's take a look at that illustrious face of yours. Couldn't hurt to have one more gift for the SSS..."

- Winston Wheeler in Chapter 84

Winston Wheeler (ウィンストン・ウィーラー) is an agent working with the State Security Service. He acted as a mole in Westalian Intelligence and later stole top-secret files regarding their operations in Ostania, including Operation Strix, which he planned to hand over to the SSS. He is the main antagonist of the Mole Hunt Arc.

Appearance
Winston is a tall man with short blond hair, blue eyes, and light skin. His hair is seen slicked back with a few loose strands hanging at his face. His build is almost similar to Loid's, but is slightly more taller and muscular than him.

While on the run from WISE operatives, he had grown a beard, which he shaved off upon returning to Ostania. In Ostania, Winston dons a black suit under a trench coat. His distinguishing feature for SSS operatives to identify him with is a gemstone tiepin on his green tie.

Personality
Winston evokes the impression of a cold and staunch man with iron nerves. He remains calm in extreme situations and even makes time to shoot remarks at his enemies.

Aware that spies should not have any attachments, Winston makes it his rule to never trust anyone or invest anything into anyone. Because of this, he believes it is what gives him strength and deems spies who have attachments weaker than him.

History
Originally from Ostania's intelligence apparatus Division 4, Winston went over to join Westalis' intelligence agency, WISE, in their communications division. There, he would pass the West's secrets to the East and is implied to have been behind the recent spy purge. During his time as an agent in WISE, he partnered up with master spy Twilight for a mission.

WISE HQ eventually became aware of a mole in their ranks and sought to ferret them out. However, by the time Winston was identified as the mole, he had already gone underground and taken several of the agency's top-secret documents with him. Winston left for Ostania to be received by the SSS but WISE pursued, sending their agents to stop him.

Mole Hunt Arc
Holding only a briefcase, Winston persists in his escape from several WISE agents, who attempt to corner him in an alleyway. As one of the agents turn through a corner, Winston attacks from above, bashing the man's head with his briefcase. As a second agent prepares to shoot him, Winston shields himself using the first and takes the opportunity to use their pistol to gun down the second man while he is distracted, then finishes off the first afterward. As he exits the alleyway, an agent attempts to ram him with his car, but Winston leaps over the car while shooting the agent. As the car crashes behind him, Winston discards the gun while letting out a sigh of relief.

According to WISE's sources, Winston has already crossed the Ostanian border in the north and is planning to meet with the SSS at the Shellbury Hotel in Shellbury, Ostania's northwest region. Winston stops at a motel, where he cleans himself up and shaves off his beard. Shortly after, he receives a call with orders to meet at the hotel.

Winston arrives at Shellbury. Heading to the top floor of a building nearby the hotel, Winston waits to receive a signal from SSS captain Gascoigne, but never gets one. Observing the streets outside the window, Winston spots Gascoigne being followed by WISE agents. Wondering where Gascoigne is going and if the meetup location is getting changed, Winston decides to stay cautious and follow him.

Little does Winston know that Gascoigne is actually a WISE Agent in disguise, who attempts to lure out Wheeler on the streets. He and other agents stage a car accident, which will allow him to identify any agents if any of the bystanders look away faster to focus on their target. Winston, in a civilian disguise, notices the crash but pauses to move his head as he quickly turns his eyes to a nearby window reflection to observe the Agent. Because his eye movement could be seen due to his hastily picked sunglasses, Fiona Frost is able to pinpoint him out in the crowd. Winston senses that he has been found out and runs, and Fiona gives chase. With the help of another agent, Fiona corners Winston, declaring their 'game of hide-and-seek' over.

With nowhere to run, Wheeler surrenders. Fiona has the other agents secure Wheeler by tying his hands behind his back and begin searching for the intel that he took. Concerned that he has the intel memorized, Fiona and the WISE agents begin moving him. However, in that instant, he jumps up, moves his arms back in front, and uses the bind to take the agent hostage. Wheeler proceeds to tell Fiona to drop the gun and threatens to kill his hostage, but Fiona ignores his threat, saying they are all prepared to die. The WISE Agent disguised as Gascoigne suddenly arrives on the scene, and, using this to his advantage, Wheeler throws the hostage at Fiona and jumps down the railing to the level below. After freeing himself with the knife the agent dropped, Winston escapes into a nearby sewage pipe.

Inside the sewer, Wheeler finds SSS agent Yuri Briar and attacks him from behind. Wheeler knows "Yuri" is actually another WISE agent and sees through his lies as his hasty footsteps gave it away. Looking at the disguise, Winston realizes he has encountered Twilight. He then makes it his goal to reveal Twilight's face and relay it to the SSS, and the two start to fight. While facing resistance from Twilight, Winston comes out on top just as Fiona catches up with them. Before Winston can unmask an unconscious Twilight, a rage-filled Fiona unleashes a forceful stamp of her foot, surprising Winston.

Winston pulls up Loid toward him and holds his head in a position to snap his neck. He orders Fiona to throw away the gun, to which she angrily complies, crushing the gun with her foot. Winston realizes that Twilight holds some importance to Fiona and reminds her that they cannot have any attachments in their work. He then says that he has a rule to never trust or invest anything in anyone, which is what gives him a clear view of everything and makes him strong. Winston tells Fiona that she has no hope of beating him, but Fiona jumps at him with blind rage. Winston can read her attack, but the speed of her punch is so fast that it confuses him and leaves little time for him to properly react, only managing to block it with his arm.

Fiona lands her punch on Winston, punching his forearm into his face and breaking it and her right arm. Rattled, Winston struggles to get back on his feet. Fiona declares that Winston is weak for his inability to trust anyone, deeming him an empty man meddling with the world for his own amusement. She then says that her belief and thoughts of Twilight make her strong and is why she will not be beaten. Fiona throws a punch at Winston with her left arm but dislocates it when he dodges. However, Fiona twirls from the miss and kicks a powerful blow at Winston with her leg, breaking it and Winston's other arm in the process. Winston is shocked but believes that with Fiona's injuries, he can try making a safe distance away from her. To his surprise, Fiona swings a hook at Winston with her dislocated arm, defeating him.

Fiona almost kills Winston, but Loid stops her. They have the unconscious Winston tied up, and after the WISE Agent arrives, he is carried out of the sewers and taken back to Berlint. The agents discuss how once Winston is in prison, he will make for a good bargaining chip and that they managed to protect their assets in Ostania with his capture.

Skills
Resourceful Intellectual: He is smart enough to infiltrate enemy reconnaissance, as well as develop escape routes in case of detection and pursuit.

Speed: Winston is fast enough to take down multiple agents without much trouble and run away from persecution by performing various parkour maneuvers.

Trained Combatant: Wheeler is an exceptionally well-trained spy, able to dispatch a group of armed agents by himself. He is capable of fighting against Loid, who is just as skilled as a fighter.

Strength: Winston has impressive strength, able to pull a WISE agent in front of him while restrained by grabbing him, leaping over him, then putting him in a chokehold. In another instance, he tried to attack a disguised Twilight by hitting him with a brick (which he broke from the strong impact against the wall). He later battled against Twilight and emerged victorious, leaving the master spy unconscious and injured (although he was already at a disadvantage due to his physical condition).

Expert Marksman: Не can shoot several WISE agents while fighting off others in close range. He is also able to throw a knife into a gun muzzle with precise accuracy.

Master of Disguise: Winston is a master of disguise, with his ability to pass off as other people.

Senses: He is able to detect if he is being observed and can also distinguish the situation of a person by the sound of their footsteps.

Loid Forger
Having worked together on a mission in the past, Winston has earned the respect of Twilight, but he has never seen the master spy's true face. When Winston reunites with Twilight during the SSS/WISE hunt for him, Winston declares to take off his mask as another "gift" for the SSS and mercilessly defeats him.

Fiona Frost
Fiona and other agents were sent to capture Winston, who was identified as WISE's mole. During a brief moment they managed to corner him, Winston makes a remark to Fiona, expressing his affinity for cold-hearted women. A little later, he began merrily mocking her and the beaten Loid, but his gaiety quickly passed and was replaced by wariness when Fiona showed a furious rage from his actions. This feeling worsened when he was surprised to see Fiona breaking her own body while pummeling him and was eventually defeated by her.

Chapter Appearances

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Trivia

 * Winston is the first antagonist to defeat Twilight in battle.

Quotes

 * (To Fiona Frost) "You know you can't have sentimental attachments in this line of work. You never know what mission will be your last - or his. You never know when or if you're gonna get betrayed. As a rule, I don't trust anyone... and I don't invest anything into anyone. That way I always have a clear view of everything. It's what makes me strong. It's why you - and he- have no hope of beating me."