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"This is ridiculous. You can see the mark for yourself."
"I'm sorry sir," Sgt. Runningdeer said again. "We'll indicate in our records
that you have shown us the mark, but I'm afraid you're still going to have to
go to the courthouse. You'll need to clear this up within seven days to avoid
eviction."
"I just told you, I work nights," Cleary protested. "It's bad enough that I
should have to get this damn thing, knowing I'll probably get those damn sores
all over me. Why should I have to lose sleep or miss work to go to the
courthouse just because your computers are slow?"
"There's nothing we can do about it, sir. That's the law. Oh, and sir, I
wouldn't worry about missing work," Runningdeer added. "Without the mark it's
illegal for you to take part in any commerce. That isn't limited to buying and
selling of products; it includes employment for pay or barter. Your employer
will be notified if he hasn't been already."
"But I've got the damn mark," he said through clenched teeth, trying hard not
to explode in anger, and showing the mark to Sgt. Runningdeer again.
"You still need to go to the courthouse," Runningdeer responded. It wasn't
that he wanted to be difficult; he was just doing his job, and sometimes that
meant being irritating.
214 Acts of God
"Can someone else go for me?" Cleary asked, trying his best to regain his
calm.
"No, sir. The law requires that you appear in person."
Cleary shook his head in disgust. There was nothing more to be done.
"I'm sure it will only take a few minutes," Runningdeer offered, though he
knew better. Nothing took only a few minutes at the courthouse. "We're sorry
to bother you," he concluded and turned to walk back to the squad car.
Sgt. Runningdeer carefully climbed into the car, doing his best not to tug at
the gauze on his sores. "Who's next?" he asked.
Officer Smith checked the assignment sheet for the next name on the list.
"Decker Hawthorne on
Millcrest Drive," she said.
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Sgt. Runningdeer looked surprised. "Let me see that," he said, adding, "Shit!"
once he had confirmed what Officer Smith had read him.
"What's wrong?" Smith asked.
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"Don't you know who this is?"
Amanda Smith thought for a second and then realized where she had heard the
name before. "You mean that's the Decker Hawthorne?
"How many Decker Hawthornes do you think there are?
"I don't know," she said, embarrassed at her lapse. "I didn't even know he
lived here."
"He doesn't. But he used to, and he still has a house here." Sgt. Runningdeer
scratched his head in thought, being careful to avoid a lesion just above the
hair line. "This is probably just another screw-up," he said, as he reached
for the call switch on the police radio. "I'm going to check it out."
"Dispatch, this is two Baker thirteen," Runningdeer said into the microphone.
"Two Baker thirteen, go ahead," a voice replied.
"Request Captain Martin verify assignment: Hawthorne, Decker."
Red Tide 215
There was a pause for about ten seconds. "Repeat," dispatch replied finally.
"That's right, Ed," Sgt. Runningdeer said, recognizing the voice of the
dispatch officer. "We've got Decker Hawthorne on our assignment sheet."
"Somebody must be playing a joke," the dispatch officer said.
"Well, joke or not, he's on our list."
"I'll get the Captain for you," dispatch replied.
Sgt. Runningdeer and Officer Smith waited.
"Two Baker thirteen, this is Captain Martin," the radio squawked after a
moment.
"Sir, can this be right?"
"We're checking that right now," Martin answered.
At headquarters Captain Martin watched over the shoulder of Officer Ed Cook as
he checked first to see if Decker's name was on the list of those who had
taken the communion, and then checked on his whereabouts. In a moment they had
their answers.
"Joe," he said, calling Sgt. Runningdeer by his first name. "We're showing
that as a good assignment. Hawthorne shows negative on the communion and his
last known location was June 7 at
Reagan National Airport. The assumption is that he's at his home in Derwood."
For a moment there was silence, then Sgt. Runningdeer replied. "Sir, request
permission to ignore this assignment. That last known location is ten days
old; he's probably not even there. But even if he is, we have plenty to do
without annoying Decker Hawthorne."
Captain Martin thought for a second. It was about the most bizarre assignment
he could imagine:
charging the person closest to the Secretary-General of the United Nations
with not adhering to
United Nations law. On the other hand, he did not want to be responsible for
ignoring an assignment. In the end common sense won out.
216 Acts of God
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"Permission granted," he said. "We don't need the United Nations giving us
hell for invading Mr.
Hawthorne's privacy. Disregard assignment Hawthorne and proceed to the next
name on your sheet."
4:03 p.m., Thursday, June 18, 4 N.A. (2026 A.D.)  Derwood, Maryland
Decker looked at his watch. It was midnight in Babylon. Another day had passed
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