The Big Breach - Index of

The Big Breach; From Top Secret to Maximum SecurityCompliments of http://www.192.combleeping in the guards' watch-room. A couple of guards hurried over,glaring at me suspiciously. I showed my pass through the perspex andthey manually unlocked the VIP's side-entrance. A queue of mutteringcolleagues had built up behind me, awaiting their turn to enter thebuilding, and it was a relief to be admitted. `Are you a member ofstaff, sir?' asked one of the guards.`Yes, of course. I'm PTCP/7, staff number 813317.'The guards led me into their watch-room, tapped my staff number intothe computer and studied briefly the resulting message on the screen.`We're sorry, sir, but your pass has been cancelled. We've been told wehave to take you up to personnel department.'The two security guards escorted me across the lobby in front of acrowd of onlookers. Wheeler, back from Moscow, was waiting to go up thelift and studied his shoelaces rather than greet me. Something must beseriously wrong to get dragged up to personnel department in this way,but I had no idea what it could be. My mind raced desperately.Presumably there must be a mistake and soon all the problems would becleared up, I reassured myself.The guards escorted me up to the eighth floor where Poison Dwarf waswaiting. He led me into his room and bade me to sit down. He didn'tmince his words with any pleasantries. `As you know, last time we met Igave you a warning that unless your performance improved, you would notbe able to stay in the office. It has not improved, so you are fired.'The words took a moment to sink in. `How can you make such an absurdclaim?' I blurted out when the shock had subsided. `H/PTCP has justgiven me a glowing SAF.'Poison Dwarf talked over me, assuring me that the office would find mealternative employment `in the City' but I was too dumbstruck,incredulous and devastated to pay much attention. Poison Dwarf'sassured manner made it plain that he was acting with the support ofofficers above him. There was no point in arguing and the atmosphererapidly became unpleasant. `My secretary will show you out of thebuilding. Go home and don't come back until we contact you,' PoisonDwarf dismissed me.Back home, I lay down on my sofa deeply upset and confused. PoisonDwarf had given me no plausible reasons for dismissal and his claimthat he had given me a warning was a brazen lie. Badger had just givenme a good report, so that could not be the reason. I suspected thedevious hand of Fowlecrooke but there was nothing more to do except towait until personnel department contacted me.A couple of desperate days later, one of the secretaries from personnelrang up and told me to come in for an interview with the head of thedepartment, Julian Dimmock. I had never previously met HPD, but knewthat he was an ex-marine with no work experience outside MI6, and thathe still carried a lot of military baggage. He was fond of the cityuniform of loud pin-stripe suit and clicky shoes and the office rumourwas that he was after a job as personnel manager with one of the banksthat employed ex-MI6 officers in return for titbits of economicintelligence. He wasn't an ideal person to be in charge of personnelpage- 141 - To purchase the original limited edition hardback version of this bookplease call 08000 192 192 or go to http://www.192.com