The boy with glasses nearby glanced at the Secret Police, looking tense as he said, "Josh, even if you want to help, we're no match for those three bastards..."
"Then use your brain against them." Josiah said as she pulled a glass bottle filled with white powder from her pocket, handing it to the tall student from earlier, then pointed at the alley across the street. "Severino, go over there and make some smoke... Oh, that's sodium nitrate. Heat it with gunpowder and it'll start smoking. Move!"
"Sodium nitrate" is ammonium chloride, which produces thick clouds of smoke when burned. She's the "chemical expert" of the group, always fiddling with these things in her spare time.
Severino had no choice but to take the bottle and dash away with long strides.
Josiah straightened the men's dark gray coat she wore, pressed down her old felt hat, estimated the time, and strode quickly in Charles's direction.
