Lucas Santino was a member of the Richards' research team on Metavira. When they discovered the healing properties of the Sap, he decided to betray the Richards, kill his team-mates, burn down the lab, and seize the Sap for his own use. He then hired the Red-Shirt Army to help seize the island and control the only source of the Sap. The Richards then hired A.I.M. to oppose them. This began the Metaviran Conflict.