“How is membership in this executive committee determined?” Bette asked.  “How did he get in?”

“The total number is always kept to 15, and a new member from the broader international collective is invited to join it after one of the 15 passes away or asks to be released from the committee.  And from time to time the smaller group of “first among equals” is reconstituted.  But I’ve found that the smaller group isn’t always necessarily formed.  This occurs spontaneously, almost, when it becomes clear that there are a few amongst the 15 members tend to stand out.”

“So, this smaller group will be very tough to get into,” Bette mused aloud. “And he’d been a part of it.  Which indicates he was a man to be reckoned with.    So what happened in his case?”

“Well, from what I understand from my client who is in the executive committee, he not only broke ranks with the smaller group and the executive committee, he pre-empted their plans and acted before the committee could.  And what he did was completely the opposite of what the committee had wanted to do.”

Tyler stood and brought the glass he’d been drinking from earlier to the wet bar of the suite.  He dropped a fresh set of ice cubes in it, and poured himself another glass of sparkling water, offering Bette some also.  She shook her head.

“So what happened?” Bette asked as Tyler sat down again, after giving him time to swallow.

“I don’t have all the specifics,” Tycho started, “But what he did threw everything into chaos, and I think whatever it was resulted in the core group of the executive committee activating an extraction plan of sorts of this guy Spencer or something?”

Bette swallowed drily, and, as she felt for her temple absentmindedly, her head beginning to throb, and the room seemed like it had began to spin around her.  She sagged heavily against the chair, and held her head lightly between her hands.   Dan had warned her there could be moments like this that would strike her out of the blue, prompted by any unpleasant or sudden memory of what had happened during that incident with the semi.  He said an unexpected trigger could be tripped,  and the pain she’d experienced as a result of the collision could come rushing back, possibly overwhelm her and push her into a panicked state if she didn’t get a hold of it quickly.