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someone these days.’
    ‘Robert the rugby player?’ asked Jake, doing his best to appear casual.
    Lauren glared at him, her eyes blazing angrily.
    ‘You idiot!’ she snapped. ‘Robert is my cousin! He and I have played together since we were about two years old! He is also very happily engaged to a good friend of mine and getting married this year!’
    Jake dropped his eyes, shamefaced.
    ‘I’m sorry,’ he said.
    ‘So you should be!’
    There was a pause, then Lauren added, ‘If you must know, the man I’m seeing is another student at the university. He’s a third year. Very intelligent. Very mature.’
    Mentally, Jake kicked himself. Robert was her cousin! And because of what he thought was going on, he’d messed up big time. And now, he’d lost her to some mature Brainiac!
    ‘I’m . . . glad for you,’ he said, forcing the words out and doing his best to smile. To break the awkward pause that followed, he asked, ‘So, this stuff you’ve got on the Order of Malichea . . .’
    Lauren nodded.
    ‘It’s on my laptop. I’ll email it to you. Is your email address still the same?’
    Jake nodded, but said hopefully, ‘Or we could always meet up . . .’
    ‘No, I don’t think that would be a good idea. I’ll email it you,’ said Lauren. ‘I’ll do it later today.’
    ‘OK,’ said Jake. He got up. They stood looking at one another, awkwardly, and then Jake leant forward and planted a chaste kiss on Lauren’s cheek.
    ‘I’m sorry,’ he said quietly.
    ‘So am I,’ she said.
    Then she turned and walked away. Jake sat down again and watched her go. With you, you take my heart, he thought numbly.

Chapter 6
    Jake spent the rest of the afternoon in a bit of a daze. He went to a gallery, but he couldn’t remember what he saw. He went to the South Bank, where there was a free concert happening, but if anyone had asked him afterwards who or even what had been playing, he wouldn’t have been able to say. All he could think of was the fact that Robert had been Lauren’s cousin, her childhood playpal, and he’d screwed it up. Lauren flicking her fingers through Robert’s hair and laughing, claiming she was looking for nits. Of course! That’s what kids did! It had been real family affection between them. That’s why Robert had called on him and threatened him. Not because he wanted Lauren for himself, but to protect Lauren. Jake had been such an idiot! No, not just an idiot! A Grade A Oscar-Winning Idiot.
    By early evening, Jake was feeling so depressed he could almost describe it as suicidal. But what would be the point of that? It wouldn’t get Lauren back. He wondered if it was the effects of the gas making him feel like this. But then he remembered there hadn’t been any gas, despite what Gareth and the doctor had told him. He knew there hadn’t been any gas. And this business of the Order of Malichea seemed to make the whole thing even clearer. There was a cover-up going on. And someone had tried to push him under a train!
    Oh God, don’t start on that direction! he groaned to himself. Not another conspiracy! ‘Aliens ate my brother!’ ‘All World Leaders are Lizards!’
    But there was something going on. Malichea. Sigma. The construction worker. And someone had tried to push him under the train. Jake was sure it was not just coincidence that it had happened after Gareth had spotted him in the archive library.
    Jake thought about what Lauren had told him about this Order of Malichea hiding their library in places that were rumoured to be holy, or haunted, or sacred, or cursed. Like a fairy ring. Was it really possible . . . ?
    His mobile rang. He checked the number on the screen. It was Lauren! Hastily, he made the connection.
    ‘Hi,’ he said, smiling to himself. She was calling him!
    ‘It’s Lauren!’ said Lauren, and she sounded seriously angry, and the smile vanished from Jake’s face as he wondered what he could have said or done to upset her. But then she said, ‘I’ve been