Invisible Armies

Chapter 21

Campbell gingerly shakes his head. "Are you certain?"

Campbell nods. Laurent removes the gag. Campbell breathes deeply and gratefully through his mouth.

"You'll answer our questions, won't you?" Laurent asks.

"Yes." It is more a moan than a word.

Laurent looks at Keiran.

"Project Cinnamon," Keiran says. "We need the pass phrases."

"What pass phrases?"

"To open the documents," Keiran says, exasperated.

"I don't, I don't have them. They've all, Mr. Gendrault, the CEO, he's the only one who knows the passwords."

Danielle sags with disappointment.

"I've read your CV," Keiran says harshly. "You're a professional. Do you really expect me to believe that you let the CEO, and only the CEO, encrypt those files without creating a back door just in case he forgot his password down the road?"

Campbell doesn't say anything.

"Do you need further encouragement?" Laurent's voice is dangerous.

"Just a minute," Campbell says, his voice raw. "I don't, it's hard to think. Yes. Yes, there's a back door."

"What is it?"

"PGP encryption. The phrase is Double Nickel Override. Nickel was my dog's name. When I was a kid."

"We don't fucking care about your dog," Angus growls, as Keiran types furiously.

"Got them," Keiran says.

"What are they?" Estelle asks, coming to look over his shoulder. A minute passes as Keiran and Estelle scan the documents.

"No," Keiran says. "These are takeover documents. Letters of agreement, minutes of negotiations, financials, balance sheets. Kishkinda management is in secret takeover talks with some other company, behind Terre's back. Zulu Fields. South African, I presume. Interesting. But nothing like what you're looking for."

"Who are you?" Campbell asks, confused now. "I thought – you're not from Terre?"

Angus slaps him, and Campbell rocks back and moans. "Stop fucking around," Angus growls. "We want the real files. The real Kishkinda files. The real groundwater reports. The real health studies. Accounts of which thugs and politicians you pay off, and how much. We want everything."

"What are you talking about?" Campbell asks. He actually sounds angry. Alcohol has watered down his fear. "We don't do that. We don't pay bribes. No more than every company in India does. There's only one set of groundwater reports. There are no secret files. I know the whole network, I'd know if there was. That's a lie spread by ignorant fucking anarchists like you. We don't poison people and we don't pay anyone off."

"Believe me, sweetheart," Estelle says, "you're not doing anyone any favours by lying. Least of all yourself."

"I'm not lying. We're clean."

"Maybe," Angus says, "just maybe, you actually believe that. But I think you're in this shite up to your neck. And you think we'll kill you if you tell the truth. But we won't. Tell us and we'll let you go as is. That's a sworn promise."

"There's nothing to tell. There are no hidden files."

Angus looks at the other corner of the table. "Is that true?"

Keiran shrugs. "I've downloaded their email archive, but it'll take days to go through. And if I do find anything it will probably be encrypted."

"He'll tell us now," Laurent says. "Won't you?"