Senior Detective Jerome King, whose family instilled patriotism, love of country, and belief in the American way, retires after forty years of investigating hundreds of serious crimes. He often felt like a human trash collector where the punishment didn't seem to fit the crime.

Two years before retiring, his chief calls him in on the latest homicide. The victim is James Smith. The address is familiar. This causes King to recall his first cold case: Mildred Smith, wife of James, who was killed by a hit-and-run driver. He begins a thorough investigation of the Smith family.

The murder of King's half brother, Henry Jones, and the conviction of the alleged murderer weigh on his mind. This prompts him to open his own investigation where he solicits the help of his friend, Jon Winger of the Department of Justice. The trail of his brother's activities takes him to Texas, Florida, Colorado, and Mexico. Winger divulges top secret information about the shadow government black ops known as The Committee.

One day, while dozing in his recliner, King hears a knock on his front door. He opens the door to three people who identify themselves as The Bureau. They define their purpose, present their plan, and ask for his help. A short time later, he awakens to the sound of "The Star-Spangled Banner" on his TV. He rises and goes to make coffee when there's a knock at the front door...