âNow, if I were in charge, weâd do this the old-fashioned way, and Iâd take a more hands-on approach. But the people upstairs want to test their new gadgets. Let me show you how it works.â
âSee? Thatâs what not talking feels like. So every time I ask a polite question like, say, âWhat are the identities of all the double agents in this city?â and you say something likeââ
âI donât know what youâre talking about.â
âOr, just for the sake of argument, I might ask, âSay, whatâs the location of the dead-drop you and your handler used?â And youâd sayâŚâ
âI donât know anything.â
âWell, you could say that, but then you get this.â
âEventually, if Iâm feeling ambitious, I might ask, âWhat are the names and locations of other agents such as your self who might want to take a spin in my chair?â You can answer a simple question like that, right? Or do you want to know what it feels like when I hold the button down?â
âNo to which question?â
âHave to choose one, my friend.â
*WhirrrrrriiiiiiirrrrrrriiiiiiirrrrriiiiiiirrrrrrriiiiirrrrrrâŚ*
âNo! No no no nonononono nOOOOOOOOOOOOâŚâ
âOh, this has to be so humiliating for you. So bad at espionage that not only have you gotten yourself captured, not only are you about to spill everything you know, but when weâve gotten everything useful from you, weâll send you back, and youâll have to explain to your superiors that all their secrets are ours now because I tickled you just a little bit.â
*WhirrrrriiiiiiiiirrrrrriiiiiiiirrrrrrriiiiirrrrrrriiiiiiiirrrrrâŚ*
âMAKE IT STOP! PLEASE MAKE IT STOP!â
âYou know how to make it stop. Iâm ready when you are.â