Brother and sister Kim and Mick seldom have a dull day. With their mother's strange disappearance from a mountaintop a few months ago and their father and uncle's crazy inventions, the two never know what might happen next. Even the bracelet their mother left behind for Kim acts unpredictably. But things are about to get a whole lot more interesting.

When Kim and Mick accidentally discover a formula for alternative fuel using sawdust, one that could be worth millions and ease the country's energy crisis, it looks as though a bright future is in store for them all. But danger lurks. A wealthy landowner, Washington Hamilton, wants the formula, and he orders his henchmen to kidnap the children's father and uncle.

The two middle graders set out to rescue their relatives. Mick relies on his brain and technology to assist them, but Kim discovers that her mother's bracelet holds magical powers that help them out of tight spots. From Seattle's Space Needle to a creepy castle and an abandoned aircraft carrier, Kim and Mick race to save their father and uncle. But will they rescue them before it's too late and the secret formula falls into the wrong hands, or will a bit of magic be all they need?