The Legacy

they were only children. Of course she understood now that it was she who’d been vulnerable, she who’d been weak, exploited by their manipulative minds. Her therapist had explained it al to her. Her husband had too. He’d blamed himself for being absent so much of the time, had promised that they would spend more time together.
    But no one knew. They’d been promised secrecy. Hadn’t they?
    She swal owed uncomfortably. ‘I haven’t created anything, Brenda. You must have seen the news. It was Pip, the Underground’s leader, who infiltrated Pincent Pharma, not the Surpluses. Now, please excuse me. I have to get on.’
    ‘It’s liberals like you who have al owed this murder, you know. Surpluses shouldn’t be kept alive. Those hal s are breeding grounds for terrorists. They should al be shut down in my opinion. Ful of evil.’
    An image of Anna flashed into Julia’s mind – sweet lit le Anna listening to Julia’s stories with an expression of wonderment on her face, the same face months later tel ing Julia about the cruelty at Grange Hal , fear etched into frown lines on her forehead, the determination that they wouldn’t go back, couldn’t. But that was before the Underground had wreaked such devastation. Could such a person as Anna real y be a terrorist?
    ‘They are children,’ Julia said tightly. ‘The Underground terrorists are to blame, not Surpluses. But real y, I do have to get on.’
    ‘Suit yourself.’ Brenda moved away, let ing Julia pass. But moments later she was beside her again. ‘I’d stock up if I were you though,’ she said icily.
    Julia didn’t say anything; she looked ahead stonily.
    ‘Word is that it wasn’t Longevity they sabotaged,’ Brenda continued regardless. ‘It was the air we breathe. They’re poisoning us with disease. If it was just one batch, why are people stil Disappearing? They’re not al terrorists. My aunt’s gone. She hated the Underground. Hated them.’
    ‘Maybe that was a front,’ Julia said hesitantly, her stomach clenching with anger.
    ‘Maybe she only pretended to hate them.’
    Brenda’s eyes widened with outrage. ‘How dare you!’ she said. ‘My aunt wasn’t a terrorist. She wasn’t! Not like you. We al know about you, Julia.’ She looked so angry, so desperate. Julia quickly turned and started to walk. She wouldn’t listen to another word. The air wasn’t poisoned. It couldn’t be, could it? No. The Authorities would have told everyone to stay inside if it was. No, Brenda’s aunt was obviously involved in the Underground after al .
    Although, Julia thought with a thud, she herself had been involved in the Underground. She’d hidden Surplus Anna. Would the Authorities be coming for her too?
    Rushing now, Julia completed her shopping and left the Maxi-Market stil feeling shaky. She was convinced everyone was looking at her. Who else knew about the Surpluses? Who had Brenda told? Did she actual y even know anything or had she just been guessing? But as the shop steward fil ed her car with the produce she’d bought, Julia began to relax. Brenda was just agitated. She would apologise soon enough. Pip had been captured, no one else would disappear, and soon everything would return to normal. Julia took a deep breath in, then exhaled, feeling her shoulders relax slightly, her forehead smooth.
    Then, thanking the steward, she started her car and made her way home.
    .

Chapter Fourteen
    Derek Samuels gripped the briefcase that rested on his knee – the briefcase he took everywhere with him. It contained the tools of his trade – the implements he used to encourage people to talk to him, to tel him their secrets before he ended their lives. He could tel as soon as he met someone what they would respond to, how to take them to the edge of desperation before offering a glimpse of hope, of salvation, if they were to do his wil , if they were to tel him what he wanted to know.
    ‘You must give him to me,’ he said quietly, looking straight ahead as the Pincent Pharma car sped towards the Newsfeed offices. ‘I can get what you need from him.’
    The news had been a shock – Pip handing himself in, confessing to a crime that Richard and Derek both knew he had not commit ed. But they knew why he had done it, and now Derek had to amend his plans accordingly.
    Richard nodded, then turned back to Hil ary. ‘He’s right,’ he said. ‘Derek can break this man. Let him take him. Let him see what he can learn.’
    Hil ary shook her head.