The Legacy

know what to do with themselves any more.
    Julia shook herself. This was why she didn’t like to be alone, she reminded herself – because she thought too much. It was something that had crept up on her.
    A few years ago, thinking about things usual y entailed trying to decide which outfit to wear to an event, or which neighbours to invite to a party. These days it meant al owing dark, disturbing thoughts to wash over her; it meant questions that made her uncomfortable, conclusions that left her despondent and numb. Ever since the Surplus girl . . . Anna . . . Ever since she’d discovered her hiding in her garden room, such fear in her eyes, the boy with al his bruises . . .
    No. Stop, Julia told herself firmly. What she needed was something cheerful to focus on, to keep her vaguely entertained without worrying her unduly. After al , her husband, a senior Authorities manager, had assured her that everything was under control, that she shouldn’t listen to gossip. And what were the newsfeeds if not serious gossip?
    No, a chat show was a far bet er idea. The presenters felt like friends; they were more familiar than anyone else she knew. She enjoyed their company.
    She found the channel and sat back, smiling.
    ‘It just shows, doesn’t it, what a difference a bit of extra care can make.’
    ‘It certainly does. In fact, it’s inspired me to get myself fit again.’
    ‘Again? You were fit once?’
    The audience laughed – or perhaps it was canned, Julia wasn’t sure. The presenters were like an old married couple – a couple who stil held affection for one another. Like Julia and Anthony, only . . . bet er. They flirted, they bickered, they laughed. They made it look so easy. Perhaps she should try harder, Julia thought to herself. Perhaps she should be more coquet ish.
    ‘But now to a more serious subject.’
    ‘Serious? You can do serious?’
    ‘Of course I can do serious.’ The man affected a hangdog expression and there was more laughter.
    The woman shook her head, rol ing her eyes and smiling. ‘Come on, Michael.
    Now you may have heard rumours about people going missing – or perhaps you’ve read about the Missing in a newspaper. There are lots of theories doing the rounds regarding who these people are and why they’ve been taken away, aren’t there, Michael?’
    Michael nodded gravely but there was stil a twinkle in his eye. ‘There certainly are, Sophie. You know, I heard one rumour that people are being taken to trial a new civilisation on the moon!’
    Julia squirmed slightly in her chair; she’d heard that particular rumour and had even asked her husband about it.
    ‘Now that I would like to see.’ Sophie smiled. ‘But more seriously, we al want to know what’s going on. Just yesterday, lawyers acting for the families of an al eged Missing person said that the failure of the Authorities to inform them of what was happening and the denial of any access visits was a breach of human rights, which have fal en down the agenda in recent years.’
    ‘That’s right,’ Michael said, shaking his head – Julia wasn’t sure whether it was in incredulity or sympathy. ‘So we thought we’d get Hil ary Wright, the Secretary General of the Authorities, on the show, to tel us what’s real y going on. Didn’t we, Sophie?’
    ‘That’s right, Michael. So, shal we get her on?’
    Julia’s eyes widened. Hil ary Wright? On a chat show? She rarely appeared on television and when she did it was a careful y orchestrated Authorities press conference. Perhaps it was the only way to quel the rumours once and for al . Yes, that must be it.
    ‘I think we’d bet er, don’t you?’
    Sophie smiled and the camera panned over to a door, through which Hil ary Wright walked. Julia recognised her – hers was a familiar face anyway, but Julia had met her in the flesh once at one of the Authorities’ Christmas parties. She had seemed a lit le cold, Julia thought, her handshake a lit le limp, but then she supposed a lit le coldness was probably required for such a high-octane job. Hil ary was looking tired, a lit le ragged around the edges. It just showed, Julia tut ed to herself – being busy might seem appealing, but it was probably ut erly exhausting. Real y, she was very lucky not to have many demands on her time. She could have a nap whenever she wanted.
    ‘So, Hil ary!’ Sophie looked at the Secretary General, her face ful of concern.
    ‘Can you tel us what’s happening? Are the Missing just