| “ | Not really, no. I serve the Old Ones. I do what I'm told and I survive. Actually, people have been doing horrible things to each other for a very long time, Mr Cole. You might say its part of being human. Kill or be killed, that's what it all comes down to. I guess you've made the wrong choice. | „ |
| ~ The chairman to Richard Cole when he is about to show him Matt during crucifixion |
When the first acting chairman died in the typhoon in Hong Kong, his successor took over. He was presumably chosen before the original chairman's death. He was much more evil, if it is possible, than the original, and more officious and callous. He is from Australia and seems to have a bad skin condition which makes it look like he is terminally ill. He is the torturer of the Old Ones in the new order during their dominion.
The Conference
In the ruins of New York, the chairman summons the "elite members" of Nightrise corporation and addresses them in the history of the Old Ones and the First War and how they were all defeated by a trick conducted by Matt Freeman. The chairman explains how the leader of the Old Ones, Chaos hates Matt and how he will do anything to get his torture and punishment in order. The chairman then announces to Nightrise that they should hunt down the Gatekeepers. However, he also tells them that the Old Ones betray their allies; they make them think they will be rewarded but no wealth awaits. This angers the upper level, who all riot and kill half of them. The chairman watches this in amusement.
Oblivion
The chairman then goes to the fortress of Oblivion in the Antarctic waste, overseeing the plans for the final battle and the arrival of the enemy and the Gatekeepers. He gets traitor Scott Tyler to send Matt a message telling him of his supposed allegiance to the Gatekeepers and how Scott will help Matt if Matt meets him in a bay. Matt decides to go, because he has been forewarned by the Librarian, (who is essentially God) that this is his destiny, (and anyway it will win the war) and Matt goes to meet Scott, but in the end Scott betrays Matt. Matt takes it well, saying they all made their choices. Nightrise come in and capture Matt on the chairman's orders.
Torturing Matt
The chairman of Nightrise invites Richard Cole, the man who adopted Matt, into the fortress and he gives him a brief tour and invites him into the torture chamber where Matt is being crucified. He explains how humans are pure evil and how this doesn't make any difference. Although the chairman passes it off as natural and he pretends he takes no pleasure, he obviously does, because he is almost cackling when he says that he will torture Matt forever until Matt is an old man and they will still beat him. Matt is in a crucifix with all his skin flayed. The chairman says his body is all broken. Richard goes up to Matt and decides to stop the pain and fulfils his own destiny by killing Matt with the sacrificial knife the Incas gave him.
Death
The chairman is outraged that his plans have gone wrong because Matt was never meant to die; and so he screams at his men to kill Richard. The chairman is also frightened because Chaos will be furious with him. So, the chairman runs in to kill Richard himself but an earthquake happens and stalagmites begin falling. Richard grapples with the chairman and breaks his wrist before a stalagmite falls on the chairman and impales him in the throat.
Personality
The original chairman was very vain and slightly perverted; the new chairman displayed none of this. Both the chairmen were complete opposites; the first was in the peak of health; and the new one was on the verge of death. He was completely bald with liver spots all over his face and wrinkled, dead-looking skin. He moved very very slowly, shuffling, adding to this diseased image.