The Legacy

of abject terror, of fear so deep it made Jude tremble. ‘No, leave us be! We have Surpluses. We cal ed the hotline. Take them, not us. They’re in the kitchen. They’re –’
    The man didn’t appear to listen; he carried on dragging Mrs Palmer out through the front door. Immediately Jude pul ed Sheila out of the back door and through the garden to an al eyway, and they sprinted back to the sewer where Peter was waiting, ashen-faced.
    ‘I thought they’d got you,’ he breathed.
    ‘I did too,’ Jude said grimly.
    ‘So has she got the ring?’ Peter asked as Jude crouched down to get his breath back. Sheila was stil glassy-eyed, but her face was flushed from running.
    Jude took Sheila’s hand. ‘Did you take Peter’s ring, Sheila?’
    Sheila nodded and reached into her pocket, pul ing it out.
    Peter snatched it, staring at it and turning it over in his hands.
    ‘OK. Pincent Pharma?’ he asked.
    Jude nodded uncertainly. ‘Sheila’s been drugged,’ he said. ‘She can barely walk.’
    ‘Then leave her here,’ Peter said. ‘We’l get her later. We need to get Pip out safely. He’s our priority.’
    ‘Pip,’ Sheila whispered. ‘Yes, save Pip.’
    Jude looked at her translucent skin, her unfocused eyes, and felt a knot in his stomach. He’d saved Sheila once before and he’d do it again, as many times as it took. If she was broken, he’d mend her. If she was sad, he’d do everything in his power to make her happy. ‘Pip is a priority,’ he said quietly, ‘but so is Sheila. Sheila is my priority,’ he went on, his voice low. ‘She isn’t safe here.’
    ‘Perhaps she should have thought about that before she stole my ring,’ Peter said bit erly. ‘Perhaps you should have thought of that before you let her send messages to me and my grandfather.’
    ‘Don’t you criticise me,’ Jude said angrily. ‘You’ve been up in Scotland playing happy families while I’ve been down here living in basements, tracking lorries ful of dead people, watching everything col apse.’
    ‘And I’d stil be there with Anna and the children if Sheila hadn’t tricked me into coming to London,’ Peter said equal y angrily. They stared at each other for a few seconds, each daring the other to respond. Instead, Sheila opened her eyes.
    ‘Richard Pincent?’ she asked anxiously. ‘Is he here? Has he come for me?’
    ‘No, Sheila. No one’s taking you,’ Jude said quickly.
    ‘Al right,’ Peter relented. ‘We’l bring her. She might be bet er by the time we get there. OK?’
    Jude nodded. ‘OK.’ Then he held out his hand. ‘And I’m sorry,’ he said quietly. ‘I didn’t mean –’
    ‘I know you didn’t.’ Peter looked down. ‘I didn’t either.’ He took Jude’s hand; they clasped each other in a wordless communication, then let go.
    ‘So listen, what’s the plan when we get to Pincent Pharma?’ Peter asked lightly.
    ‘Do we just strol in and demand that Pip is released?’
    ‘Something like that,’ Jude said with a shrug and a half-smile. Then he slapped Peter on the back. ‘Don’t worry. I’ve got a plan. I’l fil you in on the way.’
    ‘A plan?’ Peter said quizzical y. ‘One that involves more tunnels, I presume?’
    Jude grinned. ‘You know me so wel .’ Then he looked at Peter careful y. ‘Oh, and I think you should give me the ring.’
    ‘You? Why?’
    Jude raised an eyebrow. ‘It’s Peter Pincent’s ring. I think most people would expect it to be with Peter Pincent, right?’
    ‘I suppose so,’ Peter said uncertainly.
    ‘So it’s safer with me,’ Jude said seriously. ‘You can trust me, you know.’
    ‘I know.’ Peter hesitated briefly, then took off the ring and handed it to his half-brother. ‘So, off we go then,’ he said, leaning down to pick Sheila up.
    ‘It’s OK, I’ve got her,’ Jude said quickly, lifting her into his arms.
    ‘Thank you,’ Sheila whispered as he walked slowly behind Peter. ‘Am I real y your priority?’
    ‘My only priority,’ Jude whispered back, his eyes pricking with tears. ‘I need you, Sheila. I need you just as much as you need me. I love you.’
    ‘I love you too,’ Sheila said happily, tightening her grip around his neck. ‘And I’m sorry I took the ring,’
    ‘I know,’ Jude said, watching as her eyes closed.
    ‘I just didn’t want you to take it, Jude.’
    Jude glanced over at Peter. He was only a couple of metres away.
    ‘Me?’ he whispered back uncertainly. ‘I wasn’t planning to take