"There are three animal responses to danger," the figure remarked. "Do you know what they are?"
He shook his head, worming against the uncomfortably tight bindings.
"During our training, we called it the three F's; fight, flight or freeze. Everyone and everything is subject to those three. After all, a human is just a slightly smarter animal." It paced around him slowly.
"When it comes to interrogation, it is highly important. If the instinct is to fight, then they must be broken. It is slow, and tedious, and tends to be rather permanent if you want to be sure of your results. If the instinct is to flee, then they panic, and anything you do only makes this worse... they babble, they spill out information both true and false. That too is time consuming and arduous."
"But the third... the instinct to freeze... that is something else entirely. If they truly freeze and do not resist it... they are putty in your hands, if you know how to work them."
The man continued squirming.
"You're fighting, Mr Arran. You are fighting not because it is your basic nature, nor because I have threatened that which you hold dear, but because you believe you have nothing to lose. You think we have taken away everything, and all that remains is to resist for the sake of your... friends, for want of a better word."
He gave up, eyeing the figure quietly.
"The instinct to flee arises from the need to survive. The tiger has spotted you and is approaching; you flee. But if the tiger is only near... you freeze."
The figure was behind him now. "You won't get anything from me."
"I have little doubt that you know little of importance, Mr Arran. But every little helps." There was a sting on the side of his neck, and he flinched.
"You've heard about many of the marvellously inventive drugs in this country, but I suspect you do not know this one." A pause. "We call it simply Freeze. As it hits your bloodstream, it stimulates the neurones in your brain associated with fear - while at the same time blocking your production of adrenalin. If you don't have the strength to run... you have no choice but to lie still, and pray not to be noticed."
"I... I won't tell you... anything..."
"You will."
As I was watching a rather shocking movie called 'Harry Brown' a couple of days ago, the concept of the Three F's came to me, and led to this little extract. Slightly paraphrased and reworked from the novel I'm writing.
Feedback and thoughts welcome!
So until next time... dig yourself, Lazarus.
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