The Flux Engine by Dan Willis Page A

attached to it was missing its faceplate and John could see the mechanism inside. The purplish-blue energy crystal sat in a copper collar with wires running to the cell bars. A glass bottle of iridescent-blue flux hung from the top of the box with a brass tube running down over the crystal. A rubber-handled valve at the tube’s end controlled how fast the flux dripped onto the crystal. John guessed the rubber valve was the only part of the box that was safe to touch.
    “I don’t see any way to disrupt it,” John said. “You can’t even touch the box without getting shocked, and the only way to disable it would be to turn off the flow …”
    The words faded from his lips as John stared at the open box.
    He had an idea.
    A wonderfully devious idea.
    It was so simple it just might work. It didn’t matter that he couldn’t touch the box; he didn’t need to. If he could stop the flux from dripping on the crystal, it would lose its charge in a few minutes.
    “If I disable the shocker box, will you take me with you?”
    Robi’s face split into a devious grin.
    “You figured it out, didn’t you?” The excitement was plain in her voice. “If you help me get out of here, I swear on my father’s grave that I’ll take you with me.”
    “Deal.”
    He crossed his cell to the corner and reached out for the old broom. It was an ancient thing with a crooked handle, polished black by the oil of countless hands. At the bottom, it had a mass of broken and twisted straw, bound together to form the brush. He took hold of the brush and, passing it through the bars, held the broom handle out toward Robi’s cell. Moving slowly, he eased the top end of the handle into the open shocker box, pressing it against the brass tube that delivered flux to the energy crystal. All he had to do now was bend the tube, just a little, and the flux would stop dripping on the crystal.
    Trying not to shake, John pressed the broom handle forward. He could feel the brass tube beginning to bend. It wouldn’t be long now.
    “Hey!” the rough voice of one of Batt’s deputies rang out through the cell block. “What do you think you’re doing?”

Chapter 6
    The Not-So-Great Escape
    Robi actually thought John’s idea would work. She didn’t have the first clue how to deactivate a shocker box and he’d made it sound easy. She hated to admit it, but she was impressed.
    That was bad.
    Her focus slipped because of it. Just for a few seconds to be sure, but that was all the time needed for a deputy to discover their newborn escape attempt. The first indication Robi had of the man’s presence was his angry shout, then the unmistakable pounding of running feet.
    Hurry.
    The broom handle wavered, and the thunder of the deputy’s running feet grew louder. Robi resisted the urge to look up. She didn’t need to know which of Batts’ deputies had discovered them. She’d observed them closely when they escorted her here. Big, so they could handle the work. Mean, so they would carry out even the most unpleasant orders without complaint. And all without the brainpower necessary for betrayal. The perfect minion.
    A bead of sweat rolled down from John’s sandy hair and over his cheek. The broom handle wavered again.
    “Gimme that,” the Deputy roared, his figure suddenly filling the space between the cages, forcing Robi to stand on her bunk to see.
    As the deputy seized the handle, John jerked the broom through the bars, intending to keep it away from the man. The deputy’s beefy hand wrapped around the handle the same instant that John pulled. Unprepared and off balance, the deputy staggered against John’s cell.
    Cursing, the deputy pulled back; he had at least a hundred pounds on John, yanking him easily off his feet and slamming him into the bars. Robi winced as John staggered back. Determination on his face, he tightened his grip and pulled. The deputy shot forward with a surprised grunt, hitting his face with enough force to make the bars ring. Of