Now they laughed and grinned and low-fived each other as they hurried off.

“All right,” Jack said, pointing to Thomas. “Get to work.”

Alicia looked around at the dark, empty, forbidding streets. But she didn’t feel afraid. Jack seemed to be in his element, and in complete control.

“You’re not listening to me,” Thomas said. He’d been talking nonstop since they’d left his apartment.

“Start feeding the fire,” Jack said. “And not too fast. We don’t want to smother it.”

Thomas finally got the idea. He reached into one of the boxes he’d carried here and pulled out a fistful of photos. Alicia watched them flutter into the can, curling and blackening as the hungry flames consumed them, destroying forever the hideous images they bore. She was in there, with Thomas, but other children were there as well… forced or duped like her into performing an obscene dance…

She closed her eyes for a moment, feeling almost giddy. She reminded herself that it was only a token, but still… now there would be one less set of prints in existence.

But Thomas didn’t seem to care about the photos, seemed only half aware of what he was doing. All he cared about was the transmitter.

“The transmitter’s the key, you know,” he said, starting in again. “If you know its location, I can make us all wealthy beyond your wildest dreams.”

Jack appeared uninterested. “If we have the transmitter, why do we need you?”

“Because your ownership of the technology will be challenged the instant you try to sell it.”

“And yours won’t?”

“Anybody trying to patent it will run into a wall. That’s because…” He paused. “Let me back up and explain this. Then you’ll know why you need me.”

“This oughta be good,” Jack said, glancing at her.

Alicia shrugged. “Just as long as you keep feeding the fire.”

Broadcast power was all fine and good. But first she wanted to see those photos reduced to ash.

“I found out about Dad’s invention when I stopped by to visit him one day.”

“You stayed in touch?” she said. She found that hard to believe.