The Resistance

go. Can’t risk anyone tracking you now, can we? You’re sure you’ve got your security codes set up properly?
    Peter2124: I think so.
    Jude2124: I’ll take a look later to be safe. I’ll let you know if you’ve got any vulnerabilities. Pip says to remember there’s a doctor ready to fly up the minute you need it. He says good luck with everything.
    Peter2124: Thanks. I think I’m going to need it.
    He thought of them, all of them, back in London somewhere, wherever the latest Underground headquarters was, planning, waiting, hiding. And he knew that he would return, that soon he’d be with them again, but for now he was grateful to be far away, to be at peace, even if he knew it was a chimera, impermanent. He was about to close down his computer, when another message flashed on the screen suddenly.
    Jude2124: I take it you heard about your grandfather.
    Peter felt his jaw tighten. He had heard – the inquiry had found Richard Pincent negligent, but not criminally liable. He was back at Pincent Pharma; his only punishment had been to complete a ReTraining programme in health and safety.
    Peter2124: I heard, yes. What about Unit X? Has it been shut down?
    Jude2124: Apparently. They said they’re working on a synthetic alternative. But Pip says it’s only a sop. He says people are asking questions, though, and that’s the important thing. Didn’t stop the Authorities sending me my Declaration, of course. Like I’m going to do anything but burn the thing.
    Peter nodded thoughtfully. He heard a noise behind him and turned to see Anna wandering in, a pail of water in her right hand and Ben clutching her left. She gave him a kiss as she passed him, and he grabbed her quickly, ignoring her cries of protest as the water spilled and Ben immediately ran to jump in it.
    His face breaking out involuntarily into a smile,
    Peter turned back to his computer.
    Peter2124: Say hi to Pip and Sheila.
    Jude2124. I will. See you, then. Over and out. PS Click this.
    Curiously, Peter clicked the link; seconds later, an image filled his screen: it showed several men attacking a Pincent Pharma truck, destroying its contents; one of the men stuck his fingers up at the camera filming him – his face was covered by a balaclava, but Peter knew who it was.
    ‘Is that who I think it is?’ Anna asked, peering over to look.
    ‘Sure is,’ Peter nodded. Then he kissed Anna’s hand and, grinning to himself, made his way out to the yard.

Also by Gemma Malley
    The Declaration
The Revelation
    The Returners

Bloomsbury Publishing, London, Berlin and New York
    First published in Great Britain in September 2008 by Bloomsbury Publishing Plc
36 Soho Square, London, W1D 3QY
    First published in the USA in September 2008 by Bloomsbury USA Children’s Books
175 Fifth Avenue, New York, NY 10010
    This electronic edition published in February 2011 by Bloomsbury Publishing Plc
    Copyright © Gemma Malley 2008
The moral rights of the author have been asserted
    All rights reserved
You may not copy, distribute, transmit, reproduce or otherwise
make available this publication (or any part of it) in any form, or by any means
(including without limitation electronic, digital, optical, mechanical, photocopying,
printing, recording or otherwise), without the prior written permission of the
publisher. Any person who does any unauthorised act in relation to this publication
may be liable to criminal prosecution and civil claims for damages
    A CIP catalogue record of this book is available from the British Library
    ISBN 978 1 4088 1807 7
    www.bloomsbury.com/gemmamalley
    Visit www.bloomsbury.com to find out more about our authors and their books.
You will find extracts, author interviews, author events and you can sign up for
newsletters to be the first to hear about our latest releases and special offers