Free City of Fire (City Trilogy (Mass Market)) by Laurence Yep Page B

attempt at flight, but even if it held together by some miracle, these hatchlings had no idea of the trouble they were getting themselves into. Carpet flying was not for amateurs.
    Of course, one way or another that would eliminate her prey and solve her problem. However, Bayang prided herself that when she carried out a mission, no harm came to bystanders even if they might be as obnoxious as the Kushan hatchling.
    She strode over to them, gesturing for them to stand up. “That old antique won’t take the strain of a chase. It’ll fall apart in no time.” She deliberately added, “
Little
girl.”
    The young Kushan’s head jerked up as if Bayang had poked her with a sharp stick. “I fought just as hard as you did.” She paused as irritation and manners warred with one another. In the end, politeness won out. “But thank you for distracting that monster.” The Kushan hatchling’s shrewd eyes studied Bayang. “San Francisco certainly breeds muscular little old ladies.”
    Her prey nodded. “You swung that chain like a piece of rope.”
    Bayang took a breath and fought down her panic. The important thing was to keep her actual identity from her target.
    “My name is Bayang Naga,” Bayang said. “I’m with the Pinkerton Agency, Special Operator for the Magical Division.” Somehow her purse had managed to stay strapped to her shoulder. She snapped it open now and took out her wallet, flipping it open to show the fake badge.
    It was a magical object that became whatever she needed. If she had called herself a Canadian Mountie, the badge would have become that. She could also have been an Interpol detective, a chicken inspector, or any one of a dozen other professions and with an equal number of false identities. However, since she didn’t expect to be with the children long, she used her own name since that would reduce possible mistakes.
    Together, the hatchlings stared at the shiny gold badge and then her prey’s friend swung his gaze up toward her. “So you’re in disguise.”
    “That’s right,” Bayang said, relieved that the fake badge seemed to be holding up.
    “The Pinkertons have a magical division?” the Kushan hatchling asked.
    “We don’t operate openly, but then usually neither do magical criminals, so we like to operate behind the scenes,” Bayang explained. “I was sent here as backup.”
    “How come no one warned the consular staff?” the Kushan hatchling demanded.
    “I don’t know. You’ll have to ask whoever hired the agency,” Bayang ad-libbed quickly.
    The Kushan upstart gave an amused sniff. “Well, I’ll repay you somehow after we get back.”
    Bayang opened her mouth in astonishment, unable to believe any hatchling could be so mad. “I’m trying to save your life again. Only an idiot would try to fly this”—she waved a hand as she tried to find the right term—”this overgrown rag.”
    The little twit stuck out her chin defiantly. “They hurt my mother and killed my sister. The carpet only has to hold together long enough to let me get even. So I don’t have any use for advice like yours if it’s just excuses to do nothing.”
    “I couldn’t stay here either,” her prey said, sitting down behind her. “They murdered my friend.”
    “And me, I’m just a fool,” Koko said, plopping down on the rug.
    Bayang made a frustrated sound at the back of her throat. Why did the Kushan and her prey have to remind her about debts?
    Until she had repaid her prey for saving her life, she would have to accompany him. Anyway, it suited her own purposes to pursue Badik, as well. If she saved her prey’s life during the hunt, well, she would wait until that happened before she worried about what to do about him.
    Motioning the hatchlings to back away from the head of the carpet, Bayang said, “All right then, move back. I owe the boy my life.”
    The Kushan hatchling stayed where she was. “Are you of the Old Blood?”
    “No,” Bayang said, “and I know only a