The Big Breach - Index of

The Big Breach; From Top Secret to Maximum SecurityCompliments of http://www.192.comnot felt inclined to socialise much except with Sarah. My solitude wasdisturbed only by a brief visit from Fowlecrooke to inform me of mynext job. He offered me an undercover slot with the UN weaponinspection teams in Iraq, but I wanted my next overseas post to be anormal one, so until something came up he offered me a Head Office slotin the PTCP (Production-Targeting Counter-Proliferation) department.The section gathered intelligence on and disrupted the attempts ofpariah nations - mainly Iran, Iraq, Libya and Pakistan - to obtainbiological, chemical and nuclear weapons of mass destruction. I wantedto go to the department immediately after the IONEC, but the job hadgone to Bart. It was pleasing to now get an opportunity there, and toget out of the East European controllerate.There was no friendly guard waiting in the entry lobby to greet staffand check photo IDs as in Century House. Security checking was doneelectronically and to enter the main building, we had to pass through arow of six perspex, time-locked security doors, stacked like the eggsof a giant insect. A small queue stretched behind them. When my turncame, a swipe of my card through the slot and the entry of my personalcode, six-nine-two-one, illuminated a small green light by the slot,and the perspex door slid open with a Star Trek - like swish. I steppedinto the narrow capsule, my shoulders brushing the sides. A pressurepad on the floor established that there was only one occupant, the doorswished shut behind me, then the door in front opened, releasing meinto the inner lobby.Like Century House, the interior of the new building felt like a hotelbut the shabby Intourist style had been discarded in favour of flashyAmerican Marriott decor. Soft fluorescent light from recessed portholesin the high ceiling illuminated a hard-wearing ivory marblefloor, set off by the matt grey slate of the walls. Two giant columnsdominated the hall, containing banks of rapid modern lifts. There wouldbe no more impatient, muttering queues waiting for under-sized lifts inthis building. Around the edge of the columns were inset comfortableblack leather bench seats. To the right, natural light filtered from asmall atrium that opened, by a tall light well, to the sky above. Itwas filled with large and garish plastic imitations of sub-tropicaltrees. Several marbled hallways led off from the sides of the centralatrium. I was 20 minutes early for the appointment with my new linemanager, so I set off to explore.A few steps down the first hallway revealed the new library. TheCentury House library was a dismal affair, consisting of metal racksfilled with ancient books and ragged filing boxes full of magazines.The new version was much smarter and brighter, with expensive-lookingreading tables and swish sliding book racks. Jenny, the cheerfullibrarian, smiled a welcome from behind her desk. `How are you?' shegreeted me enthusiastically. `How was Bosnia?' She explained that shehad been promoted to chief librarian at the time of the move butSandra, her older and therefore more expensive superior, was maderedundant. `I felt so sorry for her,' murmured Jenny. `Twenty years inCentury House, and personnel department wouldn't even give her avisitor's pass so that she could see inside the new building. She wasdreadfully upset.'Jenny stamped the distribution list on the morning's newspapers. `Andhave you seen what they did to the cleaners?' Jenny asked. She showedpage- 124 - To purchase the original limited edition hardback version of this bookplease call 08000 192 192 or go to http://www.192.com