The Big Breach - Index of
The Big Breach - Index of
The Big Breach - Index of
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<strong>The</strong> <strong>Big</strong> <strong>Breach</strong>; From Top Secret to Maximum SecurityCompliments <strong>of</strong> http://www.192.comthere was nothing more I could do. I had exhausted the limits <strong>of</strong> mymedical training and the equipment with me and resignedly slipped thevial back into my pocket.As I bowed my head, questioning the fate that brought me here to watchthis girl die, I became aware <strong>of</strong> other people around me. An old manknelt beside me, mumbling something incomprehensible in Bosanski. ABosnian soldier stood overlooking us, his back pressed against thewall, wary <strong>of</strong> another salvo <strong>of</strong> shells. It was time for me to go.Standing up, my twisted knee reminded me about itself and I winced. <strong>The</strong>old man grabbed me by the arm and murmured something but I twisted freeand stepped back into the shadows. I still had a job to do.I limped back to the cover <strong>of</strong> my doorway. Looking back up the road towhere the girl still lay, I saw that a car had pulled up - a few stillran in Sarajevo despite the siege, fuelled by black-market petrol. <strong>The</strong>bystanders were loading her limp corpse into the back seat, arguingincomprehensibly. Another shell whistled overhead, sending them and meducking for cover. It landed perhaps a few streets away, perhapsharmlessly, perhaps not. <strong>The</strong> car carrying the dying girl pulled awayand sped past, a white Volkswagen Golf splattered with rusting shrapnelpockmarks and with an improvised windscreen from another make. I hopedthey were on their way to the Kosovo Hospital rather than straight tothe morgue.Sheltering in the corner <strong>of</strong> the doorway to take stock, I glanced at mywatch showed that only ten minutes had passed since Angus had droppedme <strong>of</strong>f. <strong>The</strong>re remained two hours and fifty minutes before he wouldreturn. I was in shock from the incident, I felt cold, and my hands andtrousers were stained in the girl's blood. This was no fit state for ameeting with DONNE. I removed my boots and took <strong>of</strong>f my trousers. <strong>The</strong>water that remained in my split water-carrier was sufficient to rinseout the worst <strong>of</strong> the blood. After being wrung out, the damp trouserswere a bit uncomfortable, but the modern lightweight material would dryquickly. Nevertheless, I hoped that DONNE's flat would be warm.<strong>The</strong> route to DONNE's took me past the spot where the girl had been hit.As I limped by, a mongrel bitch, probably an abandoned pet, trotted out<strong>of</strong> the shadows, her long teats swinging, and cautiously sniffed thecongealing blood on the pavement. She whimpered approvingly and a puppyscampered out <strong>of</strong> the shadows to join her. Eagerly, they started lappingup the blood and scraps <strong>of</strong> flesh. It was a repulsive, hellish vision,but I did not chase them <strong>of</strong>f. <strong>The</strong>y were only doing what came naturally.At least a couple <strong>of</strong> starving dogs would benefit from the tragedy.Normally when an IB <strong>of</strong>ficer is posted overseas, he or she spends up totwo years in pre-posting preparation. <strong>The</strong> most time-consuming elementis the language training. Even if an agent speaks good English, it ispreferable to speak to him in his mother tongue - that way his realcharacter is more exposed. For a difficult language such as Chinese orArabic, it takes two years to reach the required level <strong>of</strong> fluency, evenif the <strong>of</strong>ficer is a talented linguist. For an easy language likeSpanish or French the training is shorter, usually about six months.<strong>The</strong> other important element <strong>of</strong> pre-posting training is to build athorough understanding <strong>of</strong> the political issues, intelligencerequirements and agent assets <strong>of</strong> the host country. An <strong>of</strong>ficer thereforepage- 109 - To purchase the original limited edition hardback version <strong>of</strong> this bookplease call 08000 192 192 or go to http://www.192.com