13

The story I'm looking for takes place several years after the police/FBI have developed technology allowing them to create a non-fatal but debilitating disease that is specific to a particular person - when DNA is found at a crime scene, the disease is created and spread (usually in just the city where the crime took place) and the authorities then just wait until the criminal shows up at a hospital. We hear these details from a police or FBI agent who is explaining them to a museum curator - several famous artworks have been stolen and the curator wants action. Normally, this would be what the agent calls a "sterile crime," with no DNA, but during a recent break-in the thief cut himself and left blood behind. The problem is that after the disease has been spread, no one turns themselves in, so now there's the concern that a mastermind has found a way around the new technique.

It turns out that there is a new technique - using the same technology that keeps paintings safe from environmental contamination, the criminal has been able to avoid the disease. I think that the curator ends up being kidnapped - but the police then could use him as a disease vector. I've been able to find a couple of very promising excerpts of the story, by searching for "sterile crime" and "Analog" but not the story itself.

0

1 Answer 1

13

This is Ryerson's Fate by Doug Larsen.

Criminologists have suggested that in the future genetic ‘fingerprinting’ —the identification and tracking of an individual’s unique DNA—will be as important to detectives as conventional fingerprints are today. In this story, Doug Larsen suggests an unusual way in which the police may make use of the new technique.

The police use 'cropdusting' to infect criminals with a synthetic disease.

“Let me finish,” I said. ‘‘We are the newest addition to the war on crime: we are the biological warfare department.” ‘How do you mean biological warfare? I just heard that you catch people that otherwise wouldn’t be caught. This art thief certainly falls into that category!” “Yes, he does, but you haven’t let me finish,”” I continued, holding my temper. ‘We isolate the DNA of a criminal, and manufacture a synthetic virus that is keyed to that specific DNA.”

That disease causes the individual to emit unpleasant smells.

The piggyback virus we use makes him stink to high heaven so he can’t hide, and makes him emit all kinds of noxious stenches that can be detected by our sensing equipment, much like you’d zero in on someone operating a short wave radio. So if the criminal is stupid enough to not turn himself in for an antidote, we find him or her without having to waste officers’ time on detective work and risking their lives trying to arrest someone.

12
  • 1
    Thank you - I saw that title in a listing, but it didn't seem familiar at all, so I dismissed it
    – Andrew
    Commented Oct 6, 2023 at 0:17
  • 2
    @Andrew - I tried comparing this snippet with another excerpt and still couldn't find the story. In the end I just grabbed the whole year of Analogs and went through them by hand.
    – Valorum
    Commented Oct 6, 2023 at 0:23
  • 1
    …… if you have a twin, better hope they don’t take up a life of crime? Commented Oct 6, 2023 at 15:45
  • 1
    @fyrepenguin - See updated answer
    – Valorum
    Commented Oct 7, 2023 at 7:18
  • 2
    @fyrepenguin - You're very welcome
    – Valorum
    Commented Oct 7, 2023 at 21:10

Your Answer

By clicking “Post Your Answer”, you agree to our terms of service and acknowledge you have read our privacy policy.

Not the answer you're looking for? Browse other questions tagged or ask your own question.