COMMITTEE TEN by Greg Porterfield (book excerpt)

3

Kicked to the Curb

A bewildered William Vargas steps from the elevator and rushes toward the 5th Avenue exit. The brightly lit lobby of the Empire State Building is still populated with a collection of business suits and tourists, even though it is almost midnight. Out front along the street, the people are moving at New Yorker speeds along the famous avenue. Two yellow taxis are parked at the curb, one picking up a fare and one dropping off. Vargas stands near the curb and looks up and down the street, to no avail. Nothing seems out of the ordinary until a gunmetal gray limo pulls to a stop directly in front of him. The front passenger side door opens and a tall, well-muscled man steps out. Opening the rear door, he stands patiently.

“This way Mr. Vargas.”

The invitation is impossible to ignore and William takes but a moment to cross to the open door and quickly glances inside before seating himself next to a well-dressed older gentleman sitting in the back of the car. The man’s neatly trimmed white beard sets off his olive complexion, and he appraises William Vargas for a moment before speaking. As soon as the limo’s doors close the car is in motion.

“I’ve come a long way to meet with you this evening. I can only apologize for my method of introduction.”

From the look of the man, he appears to be nearly seventy years old and from his slight accent, Vargas guesses either Italian or possibly Mid-Eastern. His tailored suit is impeccable and the perfect full Windsor knot of his silk tie and gold cufflinks confirm his wealth and importance. The man is sitting comfortably in the back of the limo and appears to be waiting for the inevitable question.

“But how do you know me? I’m sure we’ve never met before.”

“No, we have never met. It is your grandfather. He and I were great friends. I was sad to hear of his passing.”

“My grandfather died many years ago … ”

“Yes, I know. Ernest wrote to me shortly before his death and told me about you. He said in his letter you would assume his position on The Committee.”

“He passed away almost fifteen years ago. Why have you only now decided to contact me?”

“Because we have discovered that we have a problem. I’m hoping you can help. I know you have many questions—too many to discuss in the few minutes before I need to depart.”

The old man then hands a large sealed Kraft envelope to William. From the weight and size, Vargas thinks it probably contains a thick file of information, along with a small bulge that he guesses is probably a thumb-drive. “What do you want me to do with this?”

“After you review the information, you will know what to do. I am sorry, but I must leave you now … I believe the GGMC on east 33rd is where you have parked your car.”

“It is. But how do I contact you … what is your name?”

“Your grandfather Ernest always called me Bishop. Everything you need to know is in the envelope.”

The car pulls to a stop and Vargas finds the passenger door open. He shakes hands with Bishop and stands silently at the curb as the door closes. Suddenly, the side window opens and Bishop says, “Don’t fail us, William Vargas. ‘Justice Is Demanded When Truth Is Revealed’. Good night and God’s speed.”

The window of the gray limousine closes, and the vehicle resumes its journey into the darkness. William watches the red taillights disappear among the dozens of yellow taxis surging along the street. He tucks the envelope under his arm and heads to the parking garage to retrieve his car. Since it is after midnight, the drive to his home in Roslyn Heights will take less than an hour.

4

Unsettling Information

After leaving the parking garage, Vargas heads toward the Queens Midtown Tunnel and the 495 eastbound. To fill time on the late-night drives, he often listens to a talk show out of Canada on the radio, but tonight … Tonight, he needs silence and his thoughts seem loud enough to fill the car.

Glancing nervously at the envelope on the seat next to him, he can only guess as to its contents. The mysterious man in the gray limousine provided almost nothing in the way of information. Yet, thinking about the brief meeting, he found Bishop incredibly informed.

Somehow Bishop knew Vargas would be in the New York office for the final meeting of The Committee for the year. Bishop also called the phone in his grandfather’s office—a phone Vargas hadn’t even known was operational.

The mysterious Bishop also knows his name and even where he parks his car. Not to mention having been friends with his grandfather. And the last thing Bishop said … engraved on the back of his own wristwatch, the watch his grandfather had given him when he graduated—‘Justice Is Demanded When Truth Is Revealed’.

5

The Envelope 

With Vargas’ wife’s passing within a year of his grandfather’s death, the thought of coming home to the dark house often left him with a feeling of melancholy. But tonight feels different. His body tingles in anticipation as he carries the envelope to his office at the back of the house.

Vargas pours a drink at the wet bar and takes it to the desk. Flipping on the desk light, he picks up a letter opener, slices the top of the envelope, and extracts the contents onto the desktop. He then takes a swallow from his drink.

The Scotch focuses his mind as he sorts out various items from the envelope.

‘Well, well … what have we here?’

On top, he finds a computer thumb drive, a folded letter, two manila folders—one marked Background, the other Palm Springs—containing a smaller unsealed envelope with a passport, driver’s license, and credit card. The travel documents and driver’s license all identify him as a William Knight. There is also an airline ticket to Palm Springs, California, with a departure the following week. He unfolds the sheet of stationary and finds a brief note from Bishop.

William—

I hope you will travel to California using the tickets provided. A passport is included if the mission expands. You will note the alias on the documents. There are files on the thumb drive with your alias and Mr. Knight’s back story in the event it becomes necessary.

The executive board has determined The Committee’s computer systems have been compromised, resulting in some disastrous programs being initiated. Until we can determine who or what entity has breached our systems we may need to suspend operations throughout the world. This would be a catastrophe. Be aware we have our own trusted people working to resolve the problem, but you are uniquely qualified to investigate the areas of global financial markets and international trade operations.

Our initial investigation suggests a breach in our operation originating in Palm Springs, California, requiring your expertise. The folder by the same name will prove useful and contains a local contact you can trust. The folder titled Background will give you an overview of the problems we are facing and additional contact protocols.”

—‘Justice Is Demanded When Truth Is Revealed’

                                                            Bishop