The Big Breach - Index of

The Big Breach; From Top Secret to Maximum SecurityCompliments of http://www.192.comfacetiousness, but with Ratcliffe's irrelevant questions. They hadarrested me at gunpoint, as if I were a terrorist, and now Ratcliffejust wanted to know about my job interviews and whether I had used theinternet.The Janet and John style of the interrogation was leaving me plenty oftime to think, and I went through a mental list of everything on mycomputer and Psion. I was not confident they would find nothingincriminating. Files on my laptop were encrypted with PGP and the harddisk had recently been defragmented so there was no danger there. Butalthough everything in my Psion was also encrypted, I feared that theymight succeed in breaking the small encryption program. Moreover, theywould probably keep the computers, and the Psion contained importantinformation including all my contacts and research on the job market,my bank account details and PIN numbers. I would be crippled withoutit. The Psion sat temptingly close on the desk between Broisniard andmyself; if only I could get hold of it without being seen.I asked Broisniard for a drink, as the adrenaline rush of the arresthad made me thirsty and it was hot in the interview room. Broisniardbarked an order into the internal phone and one of the guards came backa few minutes later with a bottle of Evian and put it on the desk. Ipicked it up with both handcuffed hands, took a swig and replaced itclose to the Psion. Ratcliffe wanted to know the password to myencrypted files and while his question was being translated and typed,I took another swig and replaced the bottle even closer. The questionwas put to me in French by Broisniard.`The password is ``Inspector Ratcliffe is a nonce'',' I lied.`C'est quoi, un ``nonce''?' Broisniard asked seriously. After myexplanation, the smirking Broisniard repeated the phrase to Gruignardto tap it into the laptop and the interpreter leaned over to help withthe spelling. Out of the corner of my eye, I could see Ratcliffe andWhaley conferring, heads down. This was my chance. I reached for thebottle of Evian, took a swig, replaced it next to the Psion, slipped myhands down from the bottle, and grabbed the pocket-sized computer. Withit under the table and out of their sight, I slipped out the stampsizedmemory disk, stuffed it down my boot and replaced the Psion. Noneof the five police officers noticed anything and I couldn't stop myselfgrinning.The first interrogation session lasted about an hour but Ratcliffe gotnowhere. The heavies took me back to my cell and gave me a baguette, apiece of cheese and a cup of coffee. One sat down at the desk outsideand switched on a soap opera on the portable TV. Once he was no longerpaying me any attention, I pulled my boot off and slipped the Psiondisk under the sole-lining. It was a tight fit around the toe but Icould walk without showing a limp.Ratcliffe and Whaley were not present at the second interrogation. `O—sont les anglais?' I asked politely.`Pah,' Broisniard flicked his wrist dismissively. He explained that hewas holding me `garde en vue', meaning he could hold me for up to 48hours without pressing charges, without allowing me to make a phonecall and without allowing me a lawyer. Only a police lawyer could visitpage- 209 - To purchase the original limited edition hardback version of this bookplease call 08000 192 192 or go to http://www.192.com