Jerome walked through the Eldon precinct. He could sense the scanners, and the controllers watching the closed-circuit televisions, observing the consumer units, observing HIM, as he walked through the malls and shopping areas - Arthur Grey Square (formerly Eldon Square); Donald Gilbert Way (once Blackett Street). He had had it all sussed out before - he would play the system, play their game yet be against them. Now he felt uneasy. Then he noticed an old woman coming furtively out of the Foodcenta clutching her ragged coat about her - he heard a bell ring - the old woman started to run - or rather to totter forward - in a pathetic attempt to evade sure justice. Two men in white coats with green armbands emerged from a door, took her by the arms and whisked her, snivelling and wailing, away to the Searchrooms. Jerome was shocked - he saw black - he looked around and up saw a scanner perched behind a concrete support looked around for something ANYTHING to hurl at it but could see nothing NOT A THING fell back on his head cracked his mind right open ... a bell went off, a door opened and a large machine equipped with a rotating brush moved slowly towards his prostrate form ...

Mike