Gary Washington was a police lieutenant and detective working for the New York City Police department. He was partnered with detective Lt. Harry Stein, who would later become the director of Checkmate, a covert organization that dealt with metahuman threats. Washington was one of the primary investigators in the murder of judge Alan Welles, a friend of Adrian Chase, the Vigilante. Washington and Stein suspected that Chase was the Vigilante, but they never had enough evidence to prove it.

Washington and Stein later joined Checkmate as agents, becoming part of the Knight division, which was responsible for field operations. Washington was the first Knight agent, codenamed Knight One, and he wore a distinctive black and white costume with a knight’s helmet. He worked closely with Stein, who was codenamed King Faraday, and other Knight agents such as Black Thorn and Valentina Vostok.

Some of the missions that Washington participated in included:

– Stopping a terrorist group called the Jihad from detonating a nuclear bomb in New York City.
– Investigating a rogue faction of Checkmate led by Harvey Bullock, who tried to assassinate Amanda Waller.
– Fighting against the Manhunters, an army of androids created by the Guardians of the Universe.
– Helping the Suicide Squad infiltrate a Soviet prison camp to rescue Rick Flag Jr.
– Battling against Kobra, a cult leader who wanted to bring about the Kali Yuga, the age of chaos.

Washington was loyal to Checkmate and its ideals, but he also had a sense of humor and a compassionate side. He was friends with many of his fellow agents, especially Black Thorn, who he had a romantic interest in. He also cared about his family, especially his brother Darnell, who was a drug addict.

One of the little known facts about Washington is that he had a connection to another DC character: John Stewart, the Green Lantern. Washington and Stewart were cousins, and they grew up together in Detroit. They both joined the military, but they had different paths afterwards. Stewart became an architect and later a Green Lantern, while Washington became a cop and later a Checkmate agent. They occasionally crossed paths and helped each other out when needed.

Another little known fact is that Washington was one of the few characters who knew the secret identity of Batman. He learned it when he was investigating a case involving Bruce Wayne’s company and he saw Batman’s face under his cowl. He kept it to himself out of respect for Batman’s privacy and mission.

Washington’s comic book history came to an end in 1991, when he was killed by an assassin hired by Kobra. He died in Black Thorn’s arms, telling her that he loved her. His death was mourned by his friends and colleagues in Checkmate and the superhero community.

Washington has not appeared in any media outside of comics, but he has been referenced or mentioned in some occasions. For example:

– In the animated series Justice League Unlimited, there is an episode called “Double Date” where Black Canary and Huntress infiltrate a building owned by Mandragora, a crime boss. The building is called “The Gary Building”, which could be a homage to Gary Washington.
– In the video game Batman: Arkham Origins, there is a file on Checkmate that mentions some of its agents, including Gary Washington.
– In the live-action series Arrow, there is an episode called “Suicide Squad” where John Diggle joins a team of criminals led by Amanda Waller. One of the members is Ben Turner, aka Bronze Tiger, who wears a costume similar to Gary Washington’s Knight outfit.