Joe Zavala

Jose "Joe" Zavala is the sidekick of Kurt Austin in the NUMA Files adventure novel series, similar to Al Giordino in the Dirk Pitt novels by Clive Cussler.

He is described as slightly shorter than six feet tall with a dark complexion. He financed his way through college fighting as a middleweight.

Zavala is well known in the halls of NUMA for his ability to fix any machine or engine; he has designed many of NUMA's submersibles and can pilot all of them. His car, a 1957 Corvette, was restored by him. He is also a womanizer, constantly trying to get women. However, he is honorable in this respect, drawing the line at married women. He is also an immigrant from Mexico, and carried his pregnant mother across the border when he was just 13.

Zavala's main task in the novels is backup for Austin. He usually carries a much more powerful firearm than Austin's trusty Bowen .50, often an Ingram MAC-10. He also tends to sing in Spanish on dives, much to the dismay of anybody listening on speakers.