Alternating Current: A Tesla Novel

by Agostino, John

“Thank you.”

  Lawson was still perturbed.

  “As I was saying, Alex can definitely contact Mika by shortwave, so I thought we should entice her to come to us.”

  “Entice her? How?” Yuri asked.

  “With the Edison Medallion.”

  “You have the medallion?” Yuri sat up in his seat.

  “No, but Mika doesn’t know that.”

  “This is crazy.” Lawson said.

  “Yes, crazy enough that it might work.” Yuri told him.

  “That’s what I said when I first heard it.” Arnold smiled. “Only one problem, we don’t have a shortwave radio.”

  “Oh, yes we do.” Turbo and Alex said in unison.

  “Alex, what’s the locker number?”

  “Number H317.”

  Turbo told Arnold to send an agent to the Linden Boulevard Bus Station and retrieve the contents of locker H317. “Tell them they’ll have to break into it. Alex lost the key.”

  “Also tell them to be careful, the radio is old and fragile.” Alex added.

  Arnold left the room.

  “So what do we do next?” Lawson asked.

  “We wait.”

  “Okay, Turbo, since we have a little time, what makes you so sure Mika will talk to Alex?”

  “Maybe you should tell him, Alex.”

  Alex retold the conversation he’d had with Mika that night in Belgrade. How he was desperately trying not to fall in love with her. That he didn’t trust her and he knew he’d wake up one morning and find she’d gone. “I guess she had feelings for me, too. She promised she would never leave me, but she sensed right away that I didn’t believe her. She confided in me then, something she had never told anyone before. She said that she speaks to her grandfather in Belize every day by shortwave. She has a handheld radio and calls him daily at 1:30 a.m., that’s 7:30 am Belize time. She assured me that if we were ever separated I could find her by shortwave at that time every day.”

  “But I thought she killed her grandfather.” Yuri was confused.

  Alex started to explain what happened in Belgrade, but the blonde haired agent returned with a stack of pizzas.

  “Who the fuck ordered them.” Lawson screamed.

  “Turbo did.” The agent was still holding the pizzas.

  “Oh, so you work for Turbo, now?”

  He turned around to leave, but Arnold had returned and stopped him. “Pizza! That’s a great idea, Russell. I’m so hungry I could eat a whole pie. I hope you didn’t get any with anchovies.”

  Two hours later, after Arnold had a janitor come in and clean up the mess, everyone lounged back in their chairs, too tired or too full to talk. The silence was broken when the blonde haired agent came into the room with Alex’s duffle bag over his shoulder. He walked over to Lawson, set the bag next to his chair, cupped his hand over his mouth and whispered something too low for anyone else to hear.

  “What the fuck. Are you serious?” Lawson leaned over and looked in the bag. “Holy shit!”

  Everyone looked at Alex, who was staring up at the ceiling.

  “Arnold, Yuri, you’re not gonna believe this.” Lawson dumped the contents of the bag onto the table.”

  “Nooooo!” Alex screamed, but it was too late.

  Two black notebooks, a switchblade knife, a canister of mace, one 9mm, one 45 automatic, about $50,000 in U.S. currency tied up with rubber bands, a short stack of Serbian Dinars, a photo of a young girl, and a beat up old shortwave radio all hit the mahogany conference table at the same time.

  The notebooks slid a few inches on the polished surface. The knife, can of mace and two handguns bounced a few times and left gashes in the wood. The U.S. and Serbian currency landed with a thud, and the photo fluttered to the table’s surface and landed facedown. The shortwave radio crashed, bounced, and came to rest in several pieces right in front of where Turbo sat.

  Alex screamed and everyone cringed in his or her seat.

  “Oops!” Lawson still had the duffle bag in his hand.

  “Oh my God, Alex, I’m so sorry.” Carrie consoled him. “I know that radio belonged to your father.”

  “It’s okay, everyone relax. They haven’t built a radio that I can’t fix.” He poked at the radio’s tubes and wiring. “We’re gonna have to go to my shop.”

  “Oh, no were not. First I’d like to know why Alex has all these weapons and cash hidden in a bus locker.”

  “That’s easy.” Alex answered. “To hide it from Mika.”

  They all laughed, even Arnold and Yuri, which infuriated Lawson more. “We’ll nobody’s going anywhere, you’re all still in my custody.”

  “But we have to go to my shop to meet Mika anyway. I don’t think she will come here.” Turbo said.

  Arnold went over and talked to his partner. He spoke softly, although he knew everyone could still hear them. “Michael, get a grip, I know it’s hard to believe, but I think we’re all on the same side here.”

  Lawson calmed down. “I know we are, I’m just uptight, I can’t stop thinking about Aluna.”

  “Aluna---what about Aluna?” Alex became irate. He wanted to fight Lawson.

  Phillip and Turbo restrained him.

  “How do you know Aluna?” Lawson got right in his face.

  Alex didn’t speak.

  Lawson drew his weapon and pointed it at him. “Tell me what you know or I’ll drop you right here.”

  He remained silent.

  Arnold tried to talk his partner down from the proverbial ledge. “Michael, put the gun away.”

  “Not until he tells me what he knows about Aluna.”

  “Fine, tell them to let go of me.” Phillip and Turbo looked at Arnold. He nodded okay.

  Alex walked slowly with his hands up. He picked up the photo and handed it to Lawson. The photo was old and the girl was much younger than Aluna. Still, Lawson saw the resemblance right away. “Why do you have her picture?”

  “Because, she’s my sister.”

  CHAPTER 58

  Turbo worked on the shortwave while Yuri Petrovic and Agent Arnold scoped out his shop. It was too small to have agents posted inside. On their way to check out the backroom, Yuri stopped. He studied the portrait on the wall. “That’s an excellent portrait of Tesla.” He told Turbo.

  Turbo thanked him for the compliment.

  Carrie and Phillip shared the recliner and fell fast asleep. Lawson and Alex were on the sofa. Alex told him how Sava helped them defect from Russia because he wanted his father to work on Teleforce. His father was a brilliant scientist, highly regarded.

  Turbo heard everything from behind the counter.

  Alex explained that his father contacted Dr. Armaly on several occasions. “My father discovered something that he believed could help Dr. Armaly with the concept he was developing. I didn’t know till later it was the Tesla Water.”

  Turbo fiddled with the shortwave. He had fixed it ten minutes ago, but pretended to work on it still. He didn’t dare interrupt their conversation.

  “. . . anyway he thought it would be beneficial if Aluna married Armaly’s son. So she could keep an eye on Dr. Armaly. My father was killed a year later.”

  Lawson told Alex not to worry. He would find Aluna. The conversation waned.

  Turbo fully intended to examine the two black notebooks in Alex’s duffle bag as soon as he got the chance. He hoped they were full of Alexander Gaeshenko’s notes---Alexander Gaeshenko Sr. Still he couldn’t resist just one question while Junior was on the sofa. “Hey Alex, did your father ever work with plasma?” He screwed the back panel onto the shortwave.

  “Come Turbo, what do you know about plasma?”

  “I read an article about it somewhere.” Alex had answered his question with a question, which told Turbo all he needed to know. He quickly changed the subject. “That’s it, she’s good as new.” He turned on the radio and loud static filled the shop. He turned the volume and the squelch down and tuned several frequencies in search of conversation.

 
; “Not many people use shortwave radios anymore.” Alex said. “That’s why she uses it. She said it couldn’t be tapped like a phone. Unless they knew when, and what frequency, she was on, they could never hear her conversation.”

  “She’s got a point.” Yuri had returned from the backroom. “I would have never thought of it.”

  Arnold called Alex to the counter to rehearse what he would say. “Let her talk to her grandfather first. Maybe she’ll tell him where she is or what her plans are. Don’t say anything until she says goodbye to him. That way he won’t worry about her.”

  “Yeah, but don’t wait too long.” Lawson added. “We don’t want her to sign off before she hears you.”

  “It’s almost seven, we better get ready.” Yuri told them.

  “Alex, what frequency do they use?”

  “73, same as his age. They increase it by one every year on his birthday.”

  “That’s clever.” Carrie was awake.

  Turbo tuned the receiver slowly. There was mostly static interrupted by an occasional high-pitched squeal. He turned the knob a bit faster and got much of the same.

  It wasn’t until band 66 that they heard anything with clarity. Suddenly band 66 was remarkably clear. They huddled around the radio.

  The sound emanating from the shortwave was foreign. “What language is that?” Carrie asked.

  “It’s not like anything I’ve heard.” Yuri said. “And I speak six languages.”

  What they heard was more a series of beeps and tones than words. Some sounded synthesized. Electronically warped or demented into sounds unlike any on earth. “It doesn’t sound human.” Carrie pointed out.

  Alex bumped Turbo’s arm and he lost the frequency.

  “What did you do that for?” Phillip asked.

  “That sound was annoying, I couldn’t take anymore. Besides, it was probably just some kid with a keyboard.”

  Arnold told Turbo to go to band 73. It was almost 7:30. “How will we know it’s them? They’re not dumb enough to use their real names, are they?”

  “No, Mika is Goldilocks, and her grandfather is Beowulf.” Alex said.

  “She’s not Goldilocks anymore?” Lawson was quick to point out.

  “Be quiet, I hear something.” Turbo increased the volume slightly.

  “Goldilocks zvanje Beowulf. Beowulf biti te onde?” It was definitely Mika’s voice.

  “Goldilocks drag, kako ste?” The old man’s voice replied.

  “Čudesan, imati određeni član koncepcija, ipak ne određeni član medalja.”

  “What are they saying?” Carrie whispered.

  “They’re speaking Serbian.” Yuri said. “She said she has the formula, but not the medal.”

  “Oh, my God---

  “Shhhhhhhhhhh!”

  “Nacrt imati promijenjen, JA oporaviti se Amerika današnji dan.”

  “Nijedan previše opasan.”

  “JA wiil dobiti medalja pa ubiti bratić ja sam.”

  “Našto volja te stići?”

  “Motika mene settle kod Newark Aerodrom, u podne trideset, letenje 1888.”

  “Zbogom Beowulf.”

  “Zbogom Goldilocks.”

  Alex pressed the button on the microphone to speak.

  “No, Alex, don’t.” Yuri yanked the microphone cable from the radio.

  “What the fuck are you doing?” Lawson screamed. “Turbo can you reconnect it?”

  “Why is everyone destroying my radio?” Alex started to cry.

  Carrie knew he wasn’t crying over the radio. She comforted him.

  “You better have a good reason for what you did.” Arnold scolded Yuri.

  Phillip just stood there in amazement. After everything they’d been through, he really thought Turbo’s plan had a chance.

  Turbo suggested everyone remain calm. “Yuri, what did you hear?”

  Yuri explained that it wasn’t necessary for Alex to speak to Mika. “Mika’s grandfather is flying into Newark International today around noon. Flight 1888. I’ll head over to the airport and follow them here.

  Arnold agreed. “Good job, Yuri.”

  “Yeah, way to think fast.” Lawson patted him on the back.

  Alex was still distraught. “No, you ruined everything.” He screamed at Yuri. “She doesn’t think Turbo has the medal, they won’t come anywhere near here.”

  “Calm down, Alex. They will come here.” Yuri assured him.

  “No, they won’t. She knows the C.I.A. is watching this shop, they won’t come anywhere near it.”

  “Yes, they will, Alex. I guarantee---

  The room went silent.

  “What do you mean?” Carrie asked. “How can you guarantee it?”

  Yuri didn’t answer. He turned away.

  “I don’t understand. How can he guarantee something like that?”

  Turbo told her to forget it.

  She wouldn’t. She asked again.

  “Damn it, Carrie. You can never let anything go.” Turbo screamed. “He can guarantee it because he heard what they said. He’s not psychic; Mika’s grandfather is coming to kill me.”

  Carrie gasped.

  “So, you do speak Serbian.” Yuri smiled. “Ne brinite, mi ćemo vas zaštititi.”

  CHAPTER 59

  Yuri Petrovic left Turbo’s shop. He’d grab a shower and some breakfast before he headed to Newark International.

  “Is there a place around here to get some coffee?” Lawson asked. “Maybe a donut?”

  “Not anymore?” Turbo answered. “Con-Ed just bought the deli down the block, they closed up last week.”

  “Well, we’ve got some time. I’ll be back.”

  Alex picked up the shortwave on the counter.

  “No, leave it there.” Turbo told him. “I’ll fix it in a minute. Go over to the sofa and get some rest. I’ll put it in your duffle bag when I’m done.”

  Alex thanked him. “This will be third time you fix my radio.”

  “It’s my pleasure, now get some rest.” Turbo suggested they all get some rest. Phillip was already on the other end of the sofa with Alex. Carrie sat in the recliner.

  Turbo tinkered with the radio while Arnold watched him from the other side of the counter. They didn’t speak for a while. About ten minutes had passed. Then Turbo whispered, “Are they asleep?”

  Arnold looked at him funny.

  He whispered again. “Make sure they’re asleep.” And he motioned with his head toward the others.

  Agent Arnold crept over to the sofa. He nodded to Turbo, and crept back over to the counter. “What---

  Turbo put his finger up to his lips and retrieved the black notebooks from the duffle bag.

  Agent Arnold was intrigued. “What are you looking for?” He whispered.

  “Just some notes.” He whispered back, and then he put his finger up to his lips again. He carefully thumbed through the first notebook.

  Arnold shifted his head back and forth. He watched Turbo, but also watched to make sure Alex stayed asleep.

  Turbo zoomed through the first notebook and went on to the second. About halfway through, a drawing caught his attention. Actually, the words within the drawing had caught his attention. The very words Dr. Ganz had told him to look for. He grabbed a piece of paper and started to copy the drawing as best he could.

  “Are you crazy?” Arnold whispered. “You’ll be here all day.” He reached into his pocket and pulled out a small camera, one designed to take pictures of secret documents.

  Turbo turned the notebook around and Arnold snapped the photo.

  “It won’t do you any good.” Alex called over from the sofa. “My father never revealed how it works, not even to me. He had planned to reveal it to Doctor Armaly, but only after Aluna assured that he could be trusted. My father would never reveal his findings to the government---any government.”

  “But what is it?” Arnold asked.

  “It’s the key.” Alex told him. “My father said it was the key to Teleforce, and he would take it to
his grave. He said no good could come from it. Then he learned about the water. We talked about all the good that would come from it and he drew that diagram in the notebook. He said if he modified the amount of high-energy particles, they could be used to charge the water, to make it combustible.”

  “But he never showed you how it works?” Arnold asked.

  “No, he would only show Dr. Armaly.”

  Lawson returned with two boxes of Dunkin Donuts and one of those cardboard boxes full of coffee. “I just talked to Yuri. He’s at the airport and the flight is on time.”

  “Has he found Mika yet?” Arnold asked.

  “Not yet, lover boy.”

  “Who is lover boy? Alex came over to the counter for coffee and donuts. Carrie and Phillip joined him.

  Oh, don’t listen to him, Alex.” Arnold changed the subject. “It took you that long to pick up donuts and coffee?” He asked Lawson.

  “Nah, I stopped by the hospital for a minute. Shelley’s shift just ended.”

  “Who is Shelley?” Alex asked.

  “She’s Lawson’s sometimes girlfriend. She works at the hospital you were at.” Arnold grabbed a lemon-filled donut. A trail of powdered sugar followed him.

  “Oh my God, the triage nurse. That’s how they did it.” Carrie yelped.

  “That’s how they did what?” Phillip asked.

  “Oh, nothing.” Lawson smiled.

  “That’s how they knew we were at the hospital. Lawson is sleeping with the nurse I asked for Alex’s room number.”

  “Hey, I’d rather be lucky than good.” Lawson enjoyed the moment.

  With the donuts and coffee consumed, all they could do was wait. Carrie was still upset at her misfortune of asking Shelley for the room number. If she’d only been patient and waited in line, they could have been somewhere else right then. Still, she thought it could be for the best. It would all be over soon.

  Lawson’s phone finally rang. “Yes, Yuri . . . you see her . . . great, don’t let her out of your sight.” He hung up the phone.

  “That was Yuri. He’s at the gate and Mika just arrived.” Lawson looked right at Arnold. “But there’s bad news, partner.”

  Carrie gasped, but everyone else was silent.

  “What’s the bad news?” Arnold asked.