The Legacy

grimly.
    ‘So has she got the ring?’ Peter asked as Jude crouched down to get his breath back. Sheila was still 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, pulling 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’ll 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 bitterly. ‘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 full of dead people, watching everything collapse.’
    ‘And I’d still be there with Anna and the children if Sheila hadn’t tricked me into coming to London,’ Peter said equally 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.
    ‘All right,’ Peter relented. ‘We’ll bring her. She might be better 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 stroll 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’ll fill you in on the way.’
    ‘A plan?’ Peter said quizzically. ‘One that involves more tunnels, I presume?’
    Jude grinned. ‘You know me so well.’ Then he looked at Peter carefully. ‘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 really 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 it.’
    ‘Yes, you were. I saw the message you sent to Peter. I saw the ones you sent to Richard Pincent too,’ she said sleepily. ‘You shouldn’t talk to that man, Jude. He’s not very nice. He’s not very nice at all.’
    ‘What was that?’ Peter asked, turning round. ‘What did Sheila just say about my grandfather?’
    Jude looked down at Sheila, but she was already fast asleep. ‘Nothing,’ he said carefully. ‘She didn’t say anything. Come on, let’s get a move on. We haven’t got much