A door opens. A man with his face hidden under a balaclava, confidentiality obliges, faces us... 36 quai des Orfèvres. 14:30 p.m. Le Figaro has an appointment with J. Milgram, head of the operational group of the Brigade de Recherche et d'Intervention (BRI) who has just published Les anges gardiens du 36.
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After some negotiation, the police officer and his superiors agreed to receive us in the holy of holies of the judicial police. At the appointed time, we exchange a firm handshake accompanied by a strong look. Words are counted. In the long, neon-lit corridor, we walk in silence, guided by the man's shadow. Like the GIGN and the RAID, the BIS is a third-level intervention unit that imposes anonymity. Even if we were warned, it is a stark reminder of how dangerous their mission is. The situation is very impressive. We reach the atrium, the beating heart of the BRI. And it's not the many photos recalling the unit's exploits, nor the huge BRI logo on the ground that catch our eye, but the shield. Imposing. Black. It sits there in majesty, still bearing the deep scars of 26 Kalashnikov bullets, mute witnesses of the horror of November 13, 2015. This last bulwark saved the man at our side and his comrades when they faced the fire of the terrorists at the Bataclan during the final assault to free the hostages. The moment is solemn, almost sacred. A few meters away, we sit in a sober office. The interview can begin, plunging us into the fascinating world of this man and his unity...
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