When the Italian Army created a high-tech combat suit for their armed forces, they didn't have far to look to get a test candidate - Lieutenant Maddelena Salvatori.

​

After 7 years with NATO forces, Italian special forces, tours of duty in Iraq, Afghanistan, Syria, Libya and several secretive missions in eastern Europe, LT Salvatori was considered one of the greatest female combatants in the Italian forces.  She was a weapons expert for all forms of field weapons, had helped created two new types of body armor, and worked with manufacturers to create several improvements to many high-powered weapons and launchers.  In addition to her incredible marital arts, Judo and black belt Karate skills, she was also a noted kick-boxing champion and a student of Savate. Most considered her a walking weapon.  As such, when a new high-tech combat suit was designed for the Italian Army, LT Salvatori was the first one chosen to test it.  She did so well with the testing, she became the spokesperson for the manufacturer, Salvola Incorporated.

​

In 2011, while in Venice promoting the armor's designs and her own specialized weaponry she'd altered for her use, the villainous Vesuvius super-villain had just performed a contracted assassination of the local police chief for Vesuvius' group (at that time), the Death Legion. 

​

As Vesuvius was fleeing the incoming police, he started firing blasts of super-heated plasma from his hands, frying several people to death, including one of LT Salvatori's fellow troops, who was trying to protect a woman and her baby, albeit unsuccessfully.  LT Salvatori, in her amped-up armor and weapons, chased and fought Vesuvius all around Venice, all the while her commanding officer ordered her to 'stand down' and not engage Vesuvius.  With Vesuvius creating destruction and fires wherever he went, coupled with the deaths he caused, LT Salvatori disregarded her orders and went after Vesuvius. She chased him through the fires and damaged buildings, eventually attacking Vesuvius in an incredible mix of ranged weapons and melee fighting that lasted over 13 minutes. 

​

In the end, LT Salvatori beat Vesuvius, but at the cost of hundreds of homes and millions in Euros of damage. LT Salvatori was brought up on charges for disobeying direct orders.  It eventually led to her court martial and dismissal from the Italian military.

 

Days later, Salvatori was contacted by Death Legion's leader, Deathmaster.  He wanted to recruit her as one of his assassins, and even stole her armor, weapons and all the the designs, documents and support materials from Salvola Inc's vault to give to her to use...under his employ.  Deathmaster stated that no one alive had ever refused to join Death Legion.  Salvatori knew this meant she either joined or died on the spot, so she agreed to join, however, she contacted an old friend of hers who she'd worked with in Iraq; a friend who was now part of the international security group known as GUARD - General Stone. 

​

She told him what was up, and he told her to go in as deep undercover, where he and his team would eventually come in and save her and stop Death Legion, hopefully for good.  After three months of grueling training, canned attitudes and derision, Salvatori got a new codename of "Death's Salvo".  Her first target: the Italian Prime Minister.

​

After carefully contacting General Stone again, she was set to assassinate the Italian Prime Minister, wherein Stone told her of a plan he had to stop them.  In the end, Salvatori of course did not assassinate the Prime Minister, but between her, GUARD and General Stone, they were able to round up over 100 Death Legion operatives and four super-powered assassins that day. 

​

Since then, Salvatori was granted the armor and weapons and direct access to Salvola Inc for any replenishment and repairs needed for her armor or weapons.  As for Death Legion, well, Salvatori now has a "Death Mark" on herself, meaning $10 million will be given to the assassin that takes out Salvatori, who has since renamed herself "Madame Salvo".  Now as a member of GUARD's Terraguardians super-group, Salvatori is enjoying living on the edge with the finest weapons, the finest armor, the best commanding officer ever, and a chance to go into combat every day and test herself...all in the name of protecting the innocent.

​