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 a former agent from Westalian Intelligence. He turned out to be a mole who stole important documents regarding WISE operations in Ostania, including Operation Strix, and is going to hand them over to the SSS. He is the main antagonist of the Mole Hunt Arc.

Appearance
Winston is a tall man with light short hair and light eyes. While on the run from WISE operatives, he had grown a beard, which he shaves off upon returning home to Ostania.

When returning to Ostania, Winston dons a dark suit under a trench coat. His distinguishing feature for SSS operatives to identify him with is a gemstone tiepin on a green tie.

Personality
Wheeler evokes the impression of a cold and staunch man with iron nerves. He remains calm in extreme situations.

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, who recognized him as an extremely talented agent.

WISE HQ became aware that there was a mole in their ranks and sought to ferret him out. However, by the time Winston was identified as their 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 the second man down 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 Shellbury Hotel in Shellbury, Ostania's northwest region. Winston rests 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 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. The Agent orders a car accident to be made, 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 other agents, Fiona corners Winston, declaring this 'game of hide-and-seek' over.

With nowhere to run, Wheeler surrenders. Fiona has one of the 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, move his arms back in front and use the bind to take the agent hostage. Wheeler then proceeds to tell Fiona to drop the gun and threatens to kill his hostage. However Fiona responds that they are all prepared to die just as the Agent disguised as Gascoigne arrive on the scene. Using this to his advantage, Wheeler picks up the knife his hostage drops, jumps down the fence to the level below and escape into a nearby sewage pipe. After telling the WISE agent to take care of the injured, Fiona continues the pursuit into the sewer.

Inside the sewer, Wheeler finds Twilight and attacks him from the back. Twilight tries to play as Yuri Briar, but Wheeler sees through the lies as he heard his footsteps belong to someone who is being pursued and they get into a melee. As Fiona arrives at the scene, Winston is about to remove Twilight's mask as he is unconscious on the floor. Consumed by rage, Fiona unleashes a forceful blow with her feet, and to Winston's surprise, Fiona is completely enraged.

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 people 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.

Expert Marksman: Не can shoot several WISE agents while fighting off others in close range.

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

Senses: He can spot other disguised agents, as well as detect if someone else spots him.

Loid Forger
Having worked together on a mission in the past, Winston has earned the respect of master spy Twilight, although they won't hesitate to kill each other if necessary.

Chapter Appearances

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