Tell-tale

As my eyes adjusted to the light, I saw that the room wasn't as dark as it had appeared - rather, the light in my eyes had been so bright.

On the surface before me - desk or table, I wasn't certain which - I saw the USB memory stick given to me by Mr Smith.

"Ah, noticed it, have you?" asked the man. He had the kind of voice that made you think of public-school education and the Army - though instead of a plummy Southern English accent, there was a trace of Yorkshire or Lancashire in the way he spoke. To be honest, I can't really hear a difference between the two.

"So, now you know that we know that you know everything - or at least everything Mr Smith knew about what we know."

"Sure you didn't miss anyone there?" I replied. I don't know why I was acting so cocky - I certainly didn't feel it - but it seemed to be pretty much all I could do. Got to keep the front up, haven't you.

If it needled him, he didn't let it show. "Well, that's the thing in this game Alan, old son: knowing what the other fellow knows - or rather, thinks he knows - is the only way to measure your advantage.

"So, while you may think you know all about what we're doing within Project Lupus, the extent of your knowledge is limited by the extent of Mr Smith's knowledge. And now, thanks to this little thingummy, we know what that is."

In desperation, I blinked again - with the same result.

"But then, strikes me you wouldn't be up to much in this game, Alan. Curiosity is what we're all about - and you haven't shown the slightest curiosity in finding out how we've stopped you just quirking your way out of here. I do like that word, by the way - quirking." He seemed to savour it.

"And unless you've got the gumption to ask, well, I'm sure as hell not going to tell you." He paused. "Mind, even if you do ask, I might not tell you anyway."



Story begins here.