Free Tesla's Signal by L. Woodswalker Page A

importance now.
    On the other hand, he hoped she wouldn't ask for her old job back, because he certainly couldn't afford to hire her at the moment.
    Still he hated unfinished business; unanswered questions. Finally his curiosity overcame his reticence and he strolled toward her, tipping his bowler hat. “Good afternoon, Miss Eps. How do you do?”
    She gave him a blank look. “I'm sorry, sir, you must have mistaken me for someone else.”
    “I think not. Miss Clara, why did you leave my office without giving notice? You didn't even stop to collect your pay.”
    She stood, smoothed her skirt. “I left because of your unforgivable insult.”
    “Excuse me? Which insult do you mean?”
    A gleam came into her eye. “If you're such a genius, Mr. Tesla, why don't you figure it out.” And she turned and stalked away.
    “Wait!” He almost ran after her, then noticed that she had left a shining object on the park bench: a silver pocket watch. “Miss Clara, you left your—”
    But she had blended into the cityscape and vanished.
    He picked up the watch, which still felt warm from her hand. Curious, he sat down and studied it. What had she been doing with this watch? It appeared rather unusual. It did not have the imprint of a Waltham or an Elgin, or any other known watchmaker. What sort of metal was this case made of, he wondered...it did not feel like the usual brass or silver alloy. It felt much lighter in his hand than any pocket watch he had ever seen.
    And as a matter of fact, it did not even work. When he put it to his ear, he could not hear the delicate tick-tick caused by the action of the balance wheel, pallet fork and escapement. Instead...it might have been his imagination...the watch gave off a faint hum. What in God's name...?  
    He put the watch in his pocket, thinking to take it to the lab and
examine it. No...have to give it back . He still had Clara's card from her musical performance. He'd find her and get to the bottom of this mystery. When did I insult her? He racked his brain. Was she angry that Niko had not liked her silly hat? Had she sent some signal that she wanted his romantic attentions, and he had failed to notice?
    Sighing, he headed back to his lab. At least this mystery gave his mind a break from the constant worry about his finances. His hand went to Clara's pocket watch and closed around it. It felt curiously warm in his palm.
    He had joked about finding money in the street. This watch might be worth something...but he suspected money was the least important thing about it. She left it there for me . Why?  
    He tried the address on the card, but it proved to be one of Lily Palmer's secondary mansions. A servant told him that the talented “Miss Kara” could only be reached through Miss Lily, who was presently vacationing in Paris.
    ***
    In a desperate bid for funds, he gathered some of his remote-control patents and tried to sell them to a naval man from the U.S. Government. If there is a war, I have plans for a pulse-detection system for submarines, a remotely controlled tele-automaton, a ray that will shoot down enemy planes. But the U.S. Government showed no interest.
    Trouble always came in bunches. This was the year that Niko's patent royalties for the alternating current generator expired, taking most of his income with it. Westinghouse Corporation came and repossessed one of his generators. Niko could not pay George Scherff, and had to let him go.
    Finally came the worst blow of all. He received a notice from the manager of the Waldorf Hotel, where he had been living since his return from Colorado. If we do not receive back rent for the past three months, we will have no choice but to evict you.  
    “But sir, as soon as my Wireless Tower is built, you'll have all your money and then some!”
    The manager of the Waldorf remained unmoved by his promises. One week later, Niko came back after a fruitless day of waiting in rich men's lobbies....and found his room empty.
    “Your things