Chapter 1: Stop & Search

"Identity card. Papers." The police officer peered through dark glasses at James Leonard as he stood sheepishly, fumbling inside his jacket.

"I have them, really I have," he stammered, disconcerted by the officer's fixed stare. With relief his hand closed on the plastic folder that held the card that carried his social identity number and photograph. He pulled it out and passed it across.

The officer peered at the card and checked the photograph carefully, holding the card up against James's face. "Locality permit?"

James found the folded paper that showed he was entitled to be in the area. Again the officer examined it and passed it back. "OK, you haven't forgotten the curfew have you?"

"No, officer. Thank you officer," James said gratefully putting the papers back into his jacket. "I'll be home in good time, don't worry."

"Your worry, not mine," the officer laughed. "And I'd get yourself a sponsor if I were you. We're keeping a close eye on 'solitaries' like you."

James said, "Yes, of course, thank you," and scuttled off towards his home, not daring to look behind him at the waiting police car.

He closed the door behind him with relief and sank down on the battered couch that was one of the few pieces of furniture in the grubby, three room, apartment. He looked at his watch. Two minutes to six. There was just enough time. He turned on the video screen in the corner of the room, the one piece of technology there. "Ident Card?" the screen said. He pulled the card from his pocket once more and slipped it into the slot on the front of the video. As he did so, there was the familiar click of the video connecting to his phone line. "Validated" the screen said and faded to show the familiar view of the Houses of Parliament and Big Ben just as the giant clock began to strike six.

"This is the six o'clock news from the BBC," the video screen intoned, "read by Samantha Just." The scene dissolved again to show the news reader sitting in the studio. James was always careful to catch the news. You never knew, he thought, when some new directive or some new regulation would be introduced. He'd known too many people that had fallen foul of some rule or other and then ended up in one of the camps.

"As part of a series of new measures intended to increase social cohesion, the Government announced today that taxes levied on un-sponsored ident card holders are to increase to 75% from next month." James felt distraught. As it was, he barely had enough money for food after he'd paid the rent. Loosing another £50 a week would mean he would starve if he couldn't find a sponsor. "Grants to sponsors will increase at the same time, in order to recognise the important and increasing contribution that sponsors make to the stability of society. The Minister for Home Affairs provided the BBC with this statement..." The stern face of Florence Daniels, Secretary of State, filled the screen. "We are determined to push ahead with the New Order programme. This was what we were elected on and this is what we intend to deliver. It is clear that strong sponsorship results in more stable households. The incidence of curfew offences and other antisocial behaviour from sponsored households is negligible. However, we recognise that it is not always easy to find a sponsor. To address this we will offer sponsorship interviews to all un-sponsored ident card holders as part of ident card holder reviews." Daniels' face faded from the screen and the newsreader returned. "A group of seven dissidents was arrested this morning following a raid on unlicensed occupation premises is South London." The picture cut to a shot of a derelict apartment block. "A government spokeswoman could not comment on whether the arrests were connected with recent speculations concerning plots to abduct government ministers. The government has confirmed that all those arrested were on their dissident watch-list as potential subversives and have been charged with various offences under the prevention of social disruption legislation."