The Legacy

insistently this time. ‘Write it down for me, Albert. I’ll take care of everything, don’t you worry.’
    ‘Write it down? No, no, it’s far too complex . . .’ Albert said, stalling for time. He looked at his watch – it was late, too late. There would be no one else in the building now.
    ‘Then show me your notes. Show me where the workings are.’
    Albert shook his head. His paranoia was surfacing again. ‘Not now, Richard. Tomorrow. You’re right – I need a rest. I’ll go home now. Tomorrow we’ll look at this again . . .’
    ‘Not tomorrow,’ Richard said, his tone changing slightly. ‘Now, Albert. I know you’ve been deliberately keeping the formula from me, hiding your paperwork. But now is the time to share, do you understand?’
    Albert looked at him uncertainly. He heard the threat in Richard’s voice, knew that he was meant to have heard it.
    ‘Tomorrow,’ he said. ‘I need some rest. We’ll discuss this tomorrow.’
    ‘No, Albert, you’ll give it to me today,’ Richard said darkly.
    Albert’s eyes widened. ‘What did you say?’
    Richard was looking at him menacingly. ‘I said, give me the formula now, Albert. Otherwise you’ll regret it.
    ‘Are you threatening me?’
    ‘If I was?’ Richard asked.
    Albert looked at him steadily. He wasn’t afraid, he realised – a fact that surprised him. In some strange way he’d been expecting this moment, ever since Richard had arrived in his laboratory. ‘If you were, I would tell you that there is no use,’ he said quietly. ‘I will not give you the formula, Richard, and without it you have nothing.’
    Richard digested this. ‘I have this,’ he said thoughtfully, holding up the syringe. ‘I’m sure some of your colleagues can work out the formulation.’
    Albert held Richard’s gaze for a few seconds, then he shrugged. ‘Perhaps they could copy it, yes. But it won’t be the same. Richard, is it not enough to cure cancer? To cure your wife, my daughter? Is that not enough glory for you?’
    Richard’s eyes widened, then he laughed. ‘You’re never going to give me the formula, are you, old man?’
    Albert shook his head. ‘No.’
    ‘Then you might as well know Elizabeth is dead,’ Richard continued. ‘Has been for weeks.’
    Albert felt his stomach clench. ‘What did you say?’
    ‘She died. The cancer killed her. That’s why I told you she didn’t want to see you any more. Couldn’t have your only motivation for creating this drug disappearing, could I? So anyway, no, curing cancer is not enough. Eternal life. That will be my legacy.’
    ‘Your legacy?’
    Richard smiled. ‘Actually, not a legacy. You have to die to have a legacy, and I don’t intend to. Not now.’ He took out his phone and pressed a button. ‘Derek? Yes. Now would be good, thank you.’
    He looked back at Albert. ‘You’re sure you won’t give me the formula? You insist on making things hard on yourself?’
    ‘Richard, don’t do this,’ Albert said urgently. ‘This is too big, too important. You’ll fail. Eventually you’ll fail. Nature will win.’
    ‘I will win,’ Richard corrected him. ‘You see,’ he said, holding up the syringe and looking at it lovingly, ‘you are the past, Albert, and I am the future.’
    The door to the lab opened and a man Albert vaguely recognised appeared. One of the security guards on the door, he thought.
    ‘Ah, Derek,’ Richard said warmly.
    Albert stared in disbelief as Derek walked towards him and grabbed his arms. ‘You need to come with me,’ he said flatly.
    ‘Come with you? No,’ Albert said, stepping backwards. ‘Richard, this is madness. You can’t do this.’
    ‘Oh, but I can,’ Richard said, walking away. ‘I tried to give you a chance, Albert, but I knew you’d blow it. Just can’t take the pressure, it seems. Scientists rarely can. Goodbye, Albert.’
    ‘No! Get your hands off me,’ Albert said, struggling against Derek, who was holding him in a vice-like grip as Richard watched him detachedly.
    ‘There’s no point, Albert,’ Richard said. ‘I’ve got what I need. I’ve got the drug and by the end of the day I’ll have the formula too.’
    ‘Wait!’ Albert yelped. ‘Wait – you don’t have anything. Richard, you can’t do this. Without the exact formula you know nothing. It won’t work. It can’t work.’
    ‘Then give me the formula,’ Richard said.
    Albert shook his head. ‘Never. The circle of life must be protected,’ he gasped.