Alien Devices: Tesla joins crew to prevent alien zombie apocalypse (The Secret War Book 2) by Raven Bond Page A

using her hands in graceful motions to
emphasize her words as she spoke. 
    “Grant that a single Series Four Tesla engine provides as much
electricity in one hour as a coal plant does in twelve,” she said. “This is a
standard measurement we are all familiar with yes?” Will nodded, and Abigail
noticed that beside Rogers, the others all nodded more slowly as they absorbed
her words. She wondered how you could live in the modern world and not know
such things, but it was always best to be sure.  Abigail went on, “The
calculations of my father's team prove that a single Spider must use the power
of one thousand Series Four Tesla engines an hour.”
    “How is that even possible?” Rogers blurted out. Abigail nodded
at him.
    “That is my question Mr. Rogers. The Prometheus project, which
my father directed, spent the entire war attempting to answer that very
question; in vain I am sorry to say.” She threw up her hands, “Father used to
tell me that even the great Tesla himself could not unravel the answer. After
the war, the team was disbanded as 'non-productive'“ She now clenched her hands
into fists, as a hint of bitterness entered her voice. She looked around the
room. “Think of it! That much power could make the deserts bloom! It could end
hunger and want forever! We could enter a new golden age such as this world has
never seen.”
    “The power to do anything,” Will muttered around his raised
mug. Will's quiet words stopped her, and a hint of color crept into Abigail's
cheeks as she looked at him. He had remembered her words to him standing in the
crows’ nest of the Wind Dancer.
    “Yes, well, but I digress. . .” Abigail said.  She squared her
shoulders, placing her hands in her lap once more, and spoke more
dispassionately. “My father and some members of Prometheus continued research
even after the group was officially disbanded. For much of my life, we have
sought to re-create the Invaders’ methods of power generation, to no avail.
Lord Hadley and I both came to a conviction that we could only resolve the
matter by finding an intact Invader power-source. My father began secretly
searching the world for rumors and clues. I am here in China because he sent
word he had finally found an intact power source.” Rogers stirred at this,
crossing his arms.
    “I am sorry, Milady,” Rogers said, “but it is more than likely
that your father has been taken advantage of by scoundrels. I have been to
places where they'll sell you the map to the 'Invader treasure' right along
with the one to King Solomon's' Mines two for a penny. The Invaders destroyed
everything of theirs along with themselves whenever we beat them. We never even
found a dead Invader's body, and we looked very hard. I was there at many
battles; I saw it.” Rogers uncrossed an arm and pointed at Will, “The Captain
saw it as well. I tell you Milady; it is not very likely.” When he'd finished,
Abigail found that her tea had grown cold. She reached over to the teapot to
heat her cup.
    “I assure you Mr. Rogers,” Abigail replied, “that if Lord
Hadley says that he has found one, you may be certain that it is no mistake,”
she said calmly. “We have dealt with charlatans before.” Abigail shook her head
with quiet conviction. “No, he has really found one, and now he is vanished
with no word at all.  I am concerned.”  She hid her face behind the tea cup as
she drank. Will sat his mug down, and pulled at a braid in thought while Abigail
was talking.
    “It seems to me that whether there is a thingamabob like Lady
Hadley describes or not, Petrov thinks that there is one.” He looked at Abigail
there was something he had to make sure of. “Abigail, did you not say that
Petrov asked you, 'where he was'? Abigail nodded vigorously at the question. 
    “Yes!” She cried happily, “That must surely mean he is in
hiding somewhere?” She looked at Hunting Owl hopefully.
    “Or,” Will said slowly, hating to damage that new hope