Hunted by Lindsay Buroker Page B

exists at all, but
now that gangsters know about it, they’ll not stop until they
capture you and wring its recipe from your brain. They’ll find
someone who can imbue it, and the world will suddenly have power
enough that countries can destroy each other without ever fielding
an army.”
    Kali’s probing in the broken cicada revealed
a small cracked compass. “Don’t you think flash gold has power for
good? To be used as an energy source? It’s more efficient than
burning coal or wood and—”
    “Don’t lecture me, child. I know what it is.
I helped invent it. And then I watched as the first experiment
burned half of a town and killed dozens of people. I was
caught in that fire.”
    For the first time, Amelia lifted a hand to
her face and pushed up her goggles. She used her left hand. Maybe
that bullet in her right shoulder had hurt after all.
    Next she removed the wrapping, letting it
fall about her neck like a scarf. Short graying blonde hair framed
a narrow face with a pointed chin. She might have been pretty once,
but shiny scar tissue ran up and down the right side of her face,
contorting her features.
    “I have that lodestone with me,” Cedar
whispered, and Kali realized he had been watching her finger the
compass. “Wrapped up in the bottom of my pack.”
    Kali caught on immediately. If the cicadas
used the compasses for navigation, a lodestone, with its magnetic
properties, might be enough to throw them off by a hair. A hair
might be all they needed. “Get it,” she whispered back. “Hook it on
the lead one’s wings.”
    She tossed the broken machine aside, and took
a couple of steps toward Amelia, placing herself to block the
woman’s view of Cedar. “I’m sorry you were injured, but look.” Kali
held out the drill with both hands. “Flash gold is a brilliant
invention. It needn’t be used as a weapon. I’ve used it for tools
and plan to use it for transportation. I’m sure there are a million
ways it could make people’s lives better.”
    “It would only take one unscrupulous person
to use it to destroy the world,” Amelia said. “It’s too dangerous
to keep around.”
    “We just have to make sure it doesn’t fall
into an unscrupulous person’s hands. If we worked together we could
do that. You have no idea how much I’d like to learn from you. I’ve
never had a teacher.” Kali was buying time, yes, but the ache of
sincerity in her voice surprised her.
    It must have surprised Amelia too for she
frowned thoughtfully at Kali. Might she consider it?
    “It’s true I’ve no magical gifts,” Kali went
on, “so I couldn’t make the alchemical potions or whatever you used
to heal yourself and deflect that bullet...” She raised her
eyebrows. She was guessing since she had little knowledge of
witchery, but Amelia nodded slightly. “I’m told I’m a fair tinkerer
though.” Kali juggled the drill so she could remove her packsack.
“I love to make things. I can show you some of my handmade
tools.”
    “I was impressed by your vehicle,”
Amelia admitted. “Nobody taught you, you say?”
    “I’ve had to learn it all on my own.” Kali
took another step. If Cedar gave her a chance, she would have to
sprint forward and act before Amelia had time to think up
something. “This drill isn’t fancy since I only had a couple of
minutes to make it, but it shows you the potential flash gold has
for useful things.”
    Amelia’s face hardened. Mentioning the gold
again had been a mistake.
    “No,” Amelia said. “It’s too dangerous. And,
because you know its secrets and criminals know of you, you’re too dangerous.”
    A clunk sounded behind her. Cedar tossing the
lodestone at one of the flying creatures?
    Before she could turn around to check, metal
clashed. He was attacking the cicadas. That was her cue.
    Kali sprinted toward the water, gripping the
drill in both hands.
    Amelia sneered and pushed a lever on her
control box.
    With the river roaring in her ears, Kali
could not hear