Status Report: Subject 2 of Subset A

DK: State your name and age. Talk directly into the recorder.

A-02: I am fifteen years old. I’ll be sixteen in January, but I don’t know the exact day. I don’t have a name.

DK: What do they call you?

A-02: Subject Two of Subset A.

DK: May I call you Two?

A-02: No, sir. That would suggest that we’re friends, and we’re not.

DK: I see. You know, I was looking over your file earlier, and your test results are very impressive. Even at an early age, you showed an extraordinary aptitude for military tactics and logistics. Your instructors had high hopes for you.

A-02: I know, sir.

DK: Would you like to see the notes they wrote about you? They all believed that you were a natural-born leader.

A-02: No, that means nothing to me now.

DK: It says here that you’re fluent in German and Russian.

A-02: Some Mandarin, too, but I can’t write or read it. We were learning Arabic when I left.

DK: When you left. That’s an interesting way of putting it.

A-02: When I deserted. Is that better?

DK: I would like to talk about that.

A-02: You have my files. Look at them yourself. My back hurts. I want to go back to my room.

DK: You can’t yet.

A-02: I don’t want to talk to you anymore.

DK: You don’t have a choice.

A-02: I hate you.

DK: Do you hate a lot of things?

A-02: I wish you were dead.

DK: I’m sure you do. Now, let’s try a different question, shall we? Have you ever hurt someone?

(Silence from 00:03:55 to 00:04:01.)

DK: I asked you a question.

A-02: I don’t want to talk about that.

DK: You don’t want to talk about anything. Need I remind you that you aren’t here by choice, that cooperation will aid you more than disobedience?

A-02: I don’t care.

DK: You keep touching your arm. I know the IV is uncomfortable, but you must stop that. If we have to, we’ll restrain you again. Do you want that?

A-02: No, sir.

DK: Smart boy.

EG: It should be taking effect any moment now. Pulse is 44; blood pressure is 91 over 58. Scan shows decreased function in the cerebellum and hippocampus.

DK: How do you feel?

(Silence from 00:06:07 to 00:06:22.)

A-02: What?

DK: I asked you how you feel.

A-02: Oh (:05 pause), uh (:03), what?

DK: How do you feel?

A-02: Oh. I’m okay.

EG: Pulse is 36.

DK: Have you ever hurt someone?

A-02: Yes.

DK: Go on.

A-02: I’ve hurt many people, sir.

DK: What about kill?

(Silence from 00:07:05 to 00:07:27.)

DK: Let me repeat myself. Have you ever killed someone?

(Silence from 00:07:42 to 00:07:50.)

DK: Answer the question.

A-02: I’ll kill you.

DK: That’s not what I asked you.

A-02: Someday, I’ll kill all of you, and it won’t be quick. You’ll suffer.

DK: I have a feeling you’re going to be a tough nut to crack. That’s all right, I like a good challenge. We’ll get back to that question in a later session. Do you know what Hades is?

(Silence from 00:08:26 to 00:08:31.)

DK: Hades is the underworld in Greek mythology, but he is also a god. How peculiar that Hell can be both a person and a place. Wouldn’t you agree?

A-02: I don’t know.

DK: Someday, you will.