Project Blackthorne

Chapter 17 Running towards the Finish Eyes Closed.

Bishop Singer sat alone in the private dining room which was immaculate working on a nice martini shaken not stirred in his left hand while his right hand skimmed his private emails on his private company tablet. Bishop ate here at Del Frisco's quite often as he loved their Wagyu Longbone 32oz steak medium rare with Beefsteak tomatoes and onion. The Wagyu Longbone steak alone eight nine dollars all by itself or higher depend on the price of the day. He was there waiting for a client that he was too meet there at Del Frisco's around eight o'clock. Singer's very sharp and equally well built Lis Webber was due in on the meet any minute as she had instructed Bishop that she was going to the airport too make sure their client made it through customs with no problem. Charlotte Douglas International Airport was a world class airport and a reasonably easy international airport too get through at any one time. They had thousands of international visitor's coming through that airport daily. There were plenty of multi national company's in and around Charlotte without even having too add in the banking industry in that area. Bishop was just getting ready too finish the last good swallow of his martini when a door bell sounded once telling Singer that someone was about too make an entrance. He looked up from his tablet too see the door open allowing Liz Webber too make a rather eye catching entrance into the private dining room. "Lis, I'll email an order in for a nice white wine too drink while you decide what you will be having for diner." Bishop stood pointing too a large leather chair to his right for Liz Webber too sit down in. He tried not too notice that she had a very serious look on her face which told Singer that she had some bad news too tell him. He decided too play it totally aloof seating back down then punching in Lis' white wine order. "I am pretty sure you will want the crab cake with Cajun Lobster sauce with a blue cheese Lettuce wedge ." Bishop wasn't asking as he was already punching in the order directly too the kitchen as he spoke it to Liz. Liz sat there in the leather chair laying out her tablet beside her table ware trying too gather herself for the eruption Liz was sure that she was about too hear. "Mister Singer," Liz started too speak cautiously as she was about too drop the bomb on Bishop Singer's meeting still yet too come. Bishop held up a halting finger as he also told the kitchen too go ahead and bring him his Wagyu Longbone steak as he was beginning too feel a little peckish. "Mister Singer! Please. I need too tell you something very important."

Lisbeth Joannia Webber came to work for Singer International directly out of college with a impressive number of degrees in business law. Liz was hired in directly too the legal department but she proved herself by leaps and bounds making a good number of tricky business decisions that brought her directly onto Bishop Singer's radar. He elevated Liz too Executive Vice President in business management here at Singer's Headquarters giving her more but only marginally constricted control of all of Singer's business assets. Bishop could not help but be impressed with the cool headed business sense of this sharp lady. She continually made good business decisions which made Singer International money on each project she worked on. Liz Webber was not hard too look at as well which he noticed rather quickly on their first encounter. He learned as time passed that she wasn't afraid to used those good looks too her advantage whenever it was necessary for Liz too meet her goals. After only about two years in business management Bishop bought Liz directly into his personal staff making her an Executive Vice President in charge of operations giving her nearly eighty seven percent control. Bishop wasn't blinded by any of Liz's asset always maintains the final say so in any Singer International venture. Bishop found that it was easy too rely on Liz on most of any of Singer International's ventures. "I just came back from the airport." Liz broke into Singer's thoughts. "Sheik Abdul Lateef Mannan and his personal bodyguard Wajeeh Selim landed with the rest of his entourage in their private jet less than twenty minutes ago." Liz paused there for a second as she waited for Bishop too let the information to sink in. Bishop said nothing as he looked back down at the emails on his tablet but he did finally began nodding perceptively never looking up from whatever the Hell he was reading. "Everything went off without a hitch till they were stopped on their way through Custom's." Liz paused again waiting too see if her boss Bishop Singer would show that usual explosive attitude he would show when he was given any information that he deemed unfavorable which was usually ninety percent of the time. Liz had seen Singer dress down many a number of male as well female executive's that had the really bad misfortune too tell Bishop something that he didn't want too hear. Liz was surprised yet still a bit suspicious at Bishop's calm demeanor as he continued too look at his freaking emails. "I'll call legal too get Sheik Mannan and Selim out of custom's as soon as possible so they...," Liz paused as the doorbell rang again then the door opened seconds afterward. A waiter in a starched white shirt with a black vest and black slacks moved into the room pushing a well loaded food cart into the room moving over to the table. The Wagyu Longbone thirty two ounce steak was a beautifully huge slice of steamy steak looking large enough too feed a family of four and still have left overs too take home. The waiter gently placed the huge hulk of meat in front of Singer as he leaned back in his seat. When the steak was down the waiter quickly placed the martini too the right. A separate smaller plate holding the Beefsteak tomatoes and onions was place carefully too the left. The waiter turned too Liz Webber bowing sharply at the waist. "Ma'am," his voice was soft and young. "Your crab cakes and the Blue Cheese Lettuce wedge will be up in sixteen minutes but I did go ahead and bring your white wine order." He pulled the tall long stem glass setting it carefully too Liz's left. "Thank You." she replied waiting while the waiter gather himself and his cart then made his way back out through the door. Once the door was fully closed Liz waited too the count of five before she continued too talk. Bishop Singer on the other hand held knife and fork in hand going too town on the Wagyu steak. Bishop began cutting on the steak like a starving man on a mission. The blood red center looked entirely too rare for her taste. Bishop ate the dripping meat like a grizzly just coming out of hibernation. While Liz was counting too ten till the waiter was away from the door she watch Singer attack the steak. He had already downed ten ounces of the thirty ounce steak by the count of five. When Liz was sure the waiter was gone she continued. "Mr. Singer, Sheik Mannan and his bodyguard Selim is being held in Custom's. I will get Legal too get them released as quickly as possible so that they can make the meeting. This arms deal is important too Singer Int...." Liz's voice trailed off as Singer began too chuckle around a large piece of meat he still chewed in his mouth. He held up a hand too Liz reaching forward for the martini taking a good sip too clear his pallet. Bishop Singer continued too chuckle at his own inside joke that Liz sure wished like Hell Singer would clue her into it real quick like. "Liz, I'm sorry if you feel left out of the joke. I will gladly fill you in." Bishop took another healthy sip of his martini then quickly ate another five ounces of steak before he put his diner wear down and wiped his mouth with the starch white linen napkin. Sheik Abdul Lateef Mannan who is way down on the royal linage but is an oil Sheik with more money than a great number of smaller countries even Saudi Arabia. But Mannan is also a thug that has killed plenty of his own native people if any of them got in his way too make money for his over flowing coffers. I don't mind anyone making money in whatever form they deemed necessary too their own ends. But when that certain slimy Son of a Camel thought that he had balls big enough that he could rip me off of some product that we have been developing. Then the stupid prick tried not pay for that certain special shipment that Singer International sent his way in good faith is a whole different subject. " Liz Webber knew Bishop Singer was not one too be crossed whether it was personally or god forbid a business deal and expect too live to tell about it later. But she also knew that Singer always got two point four million as a small down payment up front on anything that concerned Singer International business. Liz wasn't suppose too know the exact content of the shipment Singer spoke of which he sent too Mannan was. Yet Liz had ways too get information she wasn't supposed too know on any operation as she thought was interesting. Liz knew that some place in Bat Cave North Carolina that developed some kind of Security product that she had seen had been used in Iraq as well as several other third world countries. " Wajeeh Selim is a whole slimier side of the coin who is far more than just simply a personal bodyguard for Mannan." Bishop spoke up in between bites of steak, Beefsteak tomatoes and onions breaking into Liz's train of thought. "Selim is a member of an off shoot splinter cell of Al Qaeda something called The Brothers of The Arab Heart. They also are an arm of Mannan's thugs that do a good bit of his dirty work. For a substantial donation too terrorist coffers." The bell sounded one time yet again which brought Singer's discussion too a halt digging into the last fifteen ounces that remained of his steak with enough gusto Liz wanted too warn the waiter not too get to close too Bishop fearing the waiter might lose a finger or a whole bloody arm if he got too close. The same waiter entered through the door with his food cart loaded with Liz's order. He quickly made his way over too the table parking the car close by offloading her crab cakes and blue cheese lettuce wedge. He placed everything in front of her in its proper order then replaced Liz's white wine glass with another full one. The waiter was working his tightly starched pants off for a good thirty percent tip placing yet another martini in front of Singer. Bishop nodded approvingly draining his martini then reached for the other. When everything was in its proper place the waiter bowed then took his dining cart back out the door again in and out in two minutes flat. When the waiter was completely out of ear shot Singer continued with his story. "Wajeeh Selim is a terrorist plain and simple. He intended too sell out Mannan as he was going too rob him for the shipment Mannan was going too receive." Bishop paused as he cut the last remaining piece of meat of that Wagyu Longbone steak savoring the last bite as he ate it. When he sipped his martini he placed the glass down with a satisfied smile on his face. "So I placed a anonymous call too Homeland Security telling them that two terrorist were making their way too Charlotte on a private jet today at a certain time." Bishop Singer sat back in his chair letting that last little tidbit of information fall by itself as Liz had a forkful of crabmeat heading up for her mouth. Bishop wanted too see Liz's reaction too that kind of news. Liz tried really hard not too show the surprise she felt at the news that Singer had just given her. Liz made herself stay calm as she took the a forkful of crab meat biting into it. Her mind whirled at the implication of what her boss had just dropped into her lap. Liz Webber knew full well that Bishop was a totally ruthless not too mention a cunning businessman that had no problem what so ever getting blood on his hands if the need arose.