#421 (Francis Griffith): As #421, he’s a prisoner of the Institute, a clone raised for sale. He has a few odd encounters with another clone (#325), all of which are erased from his mind, only leaving the strange memory of silver eyes. When he turns 16, a man named Matt comes to visit him and his doctor, Dr. Griffith), makes #421 part of “the operation”. #421 is relieved of his memories once again until one day when he goes out to meet a customer. The customer turns out to be Matt and Dr. Griffith gives #421 all of his memories back. #421 and Matt (who is #325) have a little reunion and then #421 is taken to see Clay, who is in charge of the whole operation. Clay tells #421 to pick a name and he chooses Francis (means freedom) and Dr. Griffith gives him his last name.
#325 (Matt McGriswald): A clone a year older than #421. He met #421 when he was 6, and again when he was 14. At age 15 his doctor helped him escape the Institute, but was killed in the process. #325 went to go join the operation and picked the new name Matt. When he was 17 he went to go visit #421 for the first time since he was 14. Since he had gotten all of his memories back, he remembered all that had happened between them, even if #421 didn’t. He got chased out of the Institute after being recognized, but met up again with #421 later, when he went to help #421 and Dr. Griffith escape.
Dr. Jason Griffith: #421’s personal doctor and a member of the operation. He helps #421 escape and semi-adopts him. He believes very strongly in free will and hates what the clone project has become.
Clay Hawthorne: Leader and founder of the operation. He was once a doctor in the Institute and was the first one to leave after Crystal began her business. He was once in love with Crystal, but can’t stand what she became and has now devoted his life to helping the free will clones escape and shutting down the Institution.
Crystal North: The first person to make a successful human clone. She figured out a way to clone embryos so you can “grow” babies. No one wanted to use her breakthrough for anything that would make money, all the other scientists wanted to do more research, so Crystal left the company she was working for and created the Institute. She got doctors and scientists to work there by promising them a lot of money. She paid off the government so they wouldn’t shut her down and she made so much money that she doesn’t really work at the Institute anymore, she runs it from her house in some undisclosed tropical location.
Quinn: Another escaped clone who has an affinity with computers and can find anyone, no matter where they are.