Alien Devices: Tesla joins crew to prevent alien zombie apocalypse (The Secret War Book 2) (23 page)

“I have never been sure if my gift came about because of his
death, in some horrible exchange thrust upon me by the universe, or if the two
are merely coincidental.” Tesla moved a hand in negation. “I have discovered
that it does not matter, ultimately. Despite all that I have done that is evil,
and all that I attempt that may yet be good, it is Danilo's voice that I hear
saying to me, 'Niki, keep believing, it is not the evil that matters but how
you face it that does. If you keep to the goal of leaving the world better, you
cannot fail. And so I believe.”

Into the silence that followed, all that could be heard was the
clicking of Saira's needles. She smoothed out the cloth that she was knitting
on her knees. “I believe that it is almost done,” she said. Leaving the bundle
on her knees, she regarded Abigail seriously.

“Sister, I have said that I will fight by your side, and that
is unchanged. Remember when I said that true warriors fight for love? You
seemed surprised that I do this,” she said patting the knitting. “I have
learned that it is as important to create as it is to destroy. I believe this
is your moment to decide. Will you fight for love or for pain?”

Chapter 22

R
ogers hid his astonishment as Brighton,
Lady Hadley, and Tesla walked up to the entry of the Bridge.
Instead, he
came to meet them. “There you all are,” he said. “I just had Mr. Walters
attempt to phone each of you with no success.”

“We are sorry, Mr. Rogers,” Lady Hadley said. “We must have
been on our way here. May we see the Captain, please?”

“Interesting that you should ask that, Lady Hadley,” he
remarked mildly. “The Captain wishes to see you in his day cabin.  He rapped
once at the door and held it open for them.

Will sat in his usual place behind the desk, his feet propped up
on it. Chang stood in the corner, her silk suit now exchanged for one of dark
grey cloth.  Behind Will, the porthole showed another cloudless, sunny day. Abigail
thought there was something very wrong with that. It should be cloudy and
storming, the way she had felt inside. Perhaps it was a good sign it was clear
outside. She chided herself that soon she would be as mystical as Saira at this
rate.

“Lawrence, that was quick,” Will said, “please stay too. Thanks
for coming everyone. Pull up a seat.” Will waited while everyone except Chang
sat in one of the wicker chairs. Rogers stood by the door as if on guard. 

“Madame Chang was just telling me that she wishes to leave. She
asked that she speak with all of us before she does. She has been telling me
some interesting stories.”

“As I said, Captain,” the old woman replied. “It is not my
wish. I
must
leave.” She looked at the assembled group. “Now that all
are here, I shall begin again. Are any of you familiar with the Hidden Kingdom?”

“I have heard the stories,” Saira said to her with narrowed
eyes. “It is a magical kingdom hidden somewhere in the wall of mountains to the
north of here. It is supposed to have a magical city ruled by wizards in it. No
one is supposed to return from there, which makes the origin of the stories something
of a mystery.”

“It is no mere story,” Chang smiled, “for I am from the Hidden
Kingdom as we call it.” She folded her hands together in the sleeves of her
coat. “It is time that you hear the truth. My true name is Tsi-ying Chang.  I
am what you would call a secret agent for our ruler, His Holiness, the Dali
Lama.” The silence that greeted this extraordinary statement was complete. 
When no one responded to this, Chang continued.

“Many thousands of years ago,” she began in a singsong voice, “the
evil you call the Invaders, attacked this world as it was. There was a war even
more terrible than the war that has just been. My ancestors retreated to the
fastness of the mountains to await the Evil's return. We have been watching
ever since.”

“If what you say is true,” Will asked, “why did you not come
out when the Spiders attacked again?” Chang frowned at this interruption.

“Our sages determined that the time was not right,” Chang
answered. “Not all agreed with this, nor do all agree with it now. I am defying
the will of my superiors to tell you as much as I am. Having seen the no-men
monsters, as they are called in our ancient tales, I cannot remain silent.” She
looked directly at Abigail.

“I am so sorry for what happened to Robert, Lady Hadley” Chang
said woefully. “Please believe me that I never dreamed that the Evil was still
alive within the crash. I would never have let him come to harm if I had.”

Abigail found that she felt remarkable cool during these
revelations. It was as if having made her choice, she could look at the issues
as she would a scientific experiment. It felt both freeing and frightening at
the same time.

“But you had knowledge of what danger might be possible,”
Abigail said coldly. “Yet, you did not share that with my father, nor with us
when we came to the artifact.” The older woman's face twisted in agony.

“I could not!” Chang exclaimed. “For ten thousand years we have
been in hiding. Our scared mission is save the whole world. It was not my
choice to make! Now, with the No-Men moving among you, you must understand the
danger!”

“Alright, you are making the choice to tell us now.” Will
remarked. “I think that we have already figured out the danger of these
'No-Men'. So what can you tell us about how to detect them, fight them? Have
you got something that can take on the Spider war machines if they show up
again?” Tsi-yang Chang looked down, unable to speak.

“Aiya,” Will drawled in contempt. “That is what I thought. You
know, I don't think much of either you or your people, Chang, or whoever you
are. I think that you're hiding because it keeps you safe. If you really meant
what you said, you'd have come out during the War. You'd be helping us now.”

“Perhaps you are right,” Chang admitted. She looked pointedly
at Saira. “As for detecting the No-Men, I think that your witch here may be of
more use than any instruction I may give!” Chang continued before anyone could
reply to this assertion. 

 “I must, however, leave you now,” she said. “My superiors must
learn of what has occurred.” Chang gave Will a wan smile. “Will you let me go,
Captain? I wish to go home. I find that I no longer have the spirit to continue
a life of lies and deception.” Tesla stirred in his seat at this.

“It would appear that our people and yours would have common
goals here,” the Savant ventured. “Certainly, a common enemy from what you have
said. Might we not be allies?” Chang bowed towards him

“There is wisdom in your words Sage,” the secret agent said. “Whether
my superiors will agree with you I cannot say. I can promise that I will convey
your wisdom.” Chang frowned. “I must warn you they may disagree. Indeed, they
may decide that you are a threat for your knowledge of our people.” Rogers,
standing near the door, crossed his arms upon hearing this.

“Are you saying that your leaders may also be a threat to us?”
Rogers asked.  Chang nodded towards him.

“I pray it is not so, but yes, that is what I am saying,” Chang
said to him. She bowed deeply towards Abigail. “Your father was a very good
man, Abigail Hadley. Know that I loved him and I believe he shared in that
love. Know also that he spoke of you with great love and pride every day I knew
him.  My failure to protect him I shall regret all my days.” Abigail found
herself looking at the woman in silence, unsure what to say. She spoke into the
silence between them. 

“If anything you have said is true, then I am glad to hear that
he found happiness with you,” Abigail said. She tilted her head at the other
woman. “If you wish me to forgive you for lying to us, and more importantly, to
him, I am not sure that I can. Certainly I cannot now. I am sorry, I wish it
were different.” Chang smiled sadly Abigail’s words.

“I could wish the same thing, Lady Hadley. The wheel will turn
as it will.” She turned to the door to find Rogers blocking her way, his
expression very unfriendly.

“Let her go, Lawrence. Trying to keep her won't help anything,”
Will said resignedly. Rogers uncrossed his arms and moved reluctantly aside.

“As the Captain orders,” he said, disapproval in every
syllable. Chang turned back to address Will.

“You are a noble warrior, Captain Hunting Owl,” she said. “Perhaps
as noble as the warriors of old. I hope so.” Chang turned again to the door.

“Chang,” Will called out. The woman turned back towards him,
her face now impassive.

“I assume that there are Aetherwave sets in that Hidden Kingdom
of yours?” The Captain asked.

“But of course,” Chang replied. Will reached into a drawer and
broke open a paper packet. He tossed a glittering crystal to Chang, who caught
it deftly.

“That is half of a Farley set,” Will said. “You need us, give a
wave.” The woman looked at the crystal in her hand and nodded wordlessly.

“Lawrence, would you see that she gets escorted off the ship,
please?” Rogers nodded, tight-lipped, and punctiliously opened the door. Will
addressed Chang, “It is a long way to the mountains. You need anything? Water?
Supplies?'

“No thank you, Captain,” Chang replied. “I will be fine.”

“Yeah, I suspect that you will,” Will said shortly. With that,
she turned without speaking and left the room. The silence that followed her departure
was finally broken by Tesla.

“I believe that you said the country was filled with bandits
and other dangers, Captain,” the Savant remarked in a neutral voice.

“They are, Tesla,” Will said to him. “If she says she will be
fine, she will.  I am not inclined to be more helpful than she wants. I do not
see as we owe her more.” Lawrence re-entered the room and nodded at Will.

“I see,” Tesla replied, frowning towards the floor. After a
moment, he raised his head to look at Will again. “The revelations that Madame
Chang has just shared with us only highlights the seriousness of the proposal
that I wish to make to you, Captain Hunting Owl. Perhaps now is a good time,
with all of us present?”

Will leaned back in his chair and crossed his arms, taking up
an attentive pose.

“Go ahead, I am listening,” Hunting Owl said, closing his eyes.
Tesla's straightened to a more formal stance. He pressed on in his speech.   

“It appears that matters are much graver than my initial fears,”
Tesla said. “I feel it safe to say that the hypothesis that the Invaders have
returned is one that cannot be ignored. Simply put, we may be at war again, although
the world does not know it yet. This is much more than a conspiracy of
disenchanted nobles who have somehow found a way to transform themselves into
something other than human, as I first suspected.  The forces of the enemy may
look like anyone, be anyone. I must trust that they have not suborned Her
Majesty Victoria or we are doomed already. The only other people I may trust
are here in this room.” Tesla paused.

“I wish to engage you and your ship, Captain,” Tesla offered. “The
‘job’ as you would say, is to determine if the Invaders are indeed making a far
more insidious attack on mankind than their first. If possible, to learn how to
stop them. I believe that I can offer you sufficient incentive if that is
required. Although, after what you have seen yourself, I do not see how you
cannot wish to see this evil stopped.”

It appeared to Abigail that Will had possibly gone to sleep, as
he sat with arms folded and head sunk on his chest, eyes closed. As Tesla
finished speaking, Will stirred. Without moving his head, he spoke.

“Huh!” he exclaimed. He raised his head and looked at Tesla. “Well
I would point out that both Petrov and Lord Hadley are dead. The only Invader
we know of is blown up and buried under a lot of rock. What you're talking
about could take years to do.” He turned to look at Abigail. “What do you say
Abigail?”

“I believe that I wish to save the world.” Abigail sat up
straighter in her chair, as she said it.

“You believe you do? “Will squinted at her. Abigail waved her
hands in irritation.

“That is the best I have for you!”

“That is a good answer, Lady Hadley.” Will grinned at her. He
then turned back to Tesla, “I will not join up with any government, not ever
again. Sorry.”

“I am not a government, Captain,” Tesla leaned forward, “Oh, I
am head of the science council of the Alliance of Nations, but we both know
that the Alliance is only a pipe dream that has never come to fruition.” Tesla
shook his head dolefully.

“We had such high hopes in those early days. A united humanity,”
Tesla said sadly. “An end to nationalism, conflict, want. Perhaps we are not
ready.”  He shook his head again. “No matter now,” Tesla said in dismissal of
his own rambling. Tesla focused on Will again. 

“You would not report to any government. You would report only
to me, Captain,” Tesla said. “No one, I repeat, no one, would know of this.
While I believe that I may trust Bardon, for example, I do not trust his
superiors. I will not interfere with how you go about the business; I have
never believed in telling an expert how to do their job. I only require that
you accept Lady Hadley on this assignment. She is now the foremost Scholar in
the world on the Invaders’ abilities. I would ask that you keep me informed of
your progress.” Tesla paused again. Will looked at him in silence.

“I can offer considerable resources Captain, not only financial
ones,” Tesla continued when Will did not reply. “For example, would you find it
useful to be able to detect other ships before they were in sight? Perhaps have
a portable Shield for your ship? With what we have discovered about the Aether
pump from the Invader vessel such things are possible.”

“Forgive me, but you nearly destroyed the ship!” Rogers snorted
from where he stood near the door.  “You do know that the coil-cannon is now
useless slag, and we need it to defend the ship?”

“Yes well,” Tesla said with a shrug, “I had calculated that a
tiny fraction of the pump’s output would create a much stronger effect that
would generate both plasma and cause the guidance beams to deliver many times
their usual energy. It appears that I was correct. You cannot expect to use
equipment that is not designed for such a purpose and not have it damaged.” 
Tesla turned back towards Will. “It did,” he said quietly, “save our lives.”

“However, I can promise you that with Gustupha's aid in
Calcutta we can install the right equipment to make it, oh, a death-ray, as I
suppose you would call it.” Tesla said to Will off-handedly.       

“Why not promise us a way to board ships from a distance, or
make the Dancer invisible?” Rogers said dismissively.

“Forgive me sir, I know that what you and Lady Hadley did saved
us, but even I know what you are offering us is impossible,” Rogers retorted
stiffly. “Perhaps you would care to add a pony as well?”

Tesla's face took on that faraway look that Abigail had learned
to indicate that the Savant was thinking at top speed.  She held her breath
while he frowned and petted his mustaches, as was his wont.