Zeljan Kurst

Zeljan Kurst
Biographical Information
Name	Zeljan Kurst
Physical Information
Status	Head of Scorpia

Zeljan Kurst is the head of the criminal organization SCORPIA and is one of the antagonists of the novel Snakehead; (his position in SCORPIA is the same as that of Ernst Stavro Blofeld, the head of the criminal organization SPECTRE, in the James Bond series). Kurst owns a funeral parlour business with a secret room which is used as SCORPIA's conference room. Kurst gives Major Winston Yu the assignment of carrying out Operation Reef Encounter, and they regularly have meetings throughout the novel so that Yu can brief Kurst on the operation's progress.

During the early 1980s, Kurst was the head of police in Yugoslavia but he evenually left after his country began to break up. He had no family or friends, and nowhere to live - he desperately needed work, and he knew that SCORPIA was his best option. He worked successfully with the organization for many years, rising up through their ranks until, before long, he was their chairman. Kurst has a love of classical music, particularly Mozart, and while he was the head of police he would interrogate prisoners with a symphony playing in the background.Kurst also has a passion for extreme violence.

Kurst also admires Alex Rider for the fact that he was able to foil Operation Invisible Sword in the novel Scorpia; he even tells Major Yu not to underestimate Alex because of his age and to exercise caution during Operation Reef Encounter. It is unknown if Kurst will make any further appearances in the series, but many believe he will be the main antagonist in the next novel.