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

shook his head
to clear it from the explosions and the ringing in his ears.
    “Then step forward with your hands empty,” Will yelled back.
Out of the darkness Will saw a dapper-looking Englishman walk slowly towards
them hands held up. He was smiling. “That did it for them, didn't it?” the man
said cheerily.  Behind Will he heard Abigail choke out, “Preemus!”     
    ~ ~ ~                                           
    Preemus returned Will's regard calmly as they sat in the
car, the light flickering across his face from the passing lights. Will still
held his revolver, which he shifted on his lap as he spoke.
    “I think that it's time we had a talk Mr. Preemus,” Hunting Owl
said The gun wasn't exactly pointed at Preemus, but it wasn't pointed away
either.
    “By all means, Captain,” the man replied in his cultured voice.
“What would you like to talk about?”
    “How 'bout we start with why you blackmailed your way into this
car,” Will said.
    “I did no such thing,” Preemus replied. “I merely pointed out
how difficult your endeavors might become with every constable in the city
looking to stop you, which I would be bound to report. As to why,” he said, “as
I mentioned to Lady Abigail before, I am looking for a friend. When we find
Lord Hadley, I am certain that my friend will not be far behind.”
    “Would that be the friend that you lost about a week ago?” Will
guessed aloud.
    Preemus' jaw tightened slightly, but he remained silent. The
Captain nodded. 
    “See Preemus, here's my problem,” Will explained. “You showed
up about a week ago, as the Governor-General's private secretary. But I've
never heard of a secretary who could kill gun men in a dark alley, and who also
carried grenades in his evening suit. I don't trust the secretary story, so I
don't trust you. If I don't trust you, I don't see why I shouldn't just kill
you now. So who are you really, and what do you want?”
    “I told you Captain, my name is Alfred Preemus,” he began.
    “That is not his name,” Chang broke in. “He is lying.”
    “Thank you, Madam,” Will said. “See?” he said pointedly to
Preemus, “even the crooked crime boss doesn't believe that story. Now,” he said
in a suddenly hard voice, barrels centering on Preemus, “One last time. Who are
you, and what do you want?”
    The silence stretched out as Preemus looked at him. Abigail
stirred beside Will, but said nothing. The man smiled, raising a hand in a
gesture that fencers used to acknowledge a hit.
    “You seem to have me at a disadvantage, Captain,” the man said.
“It appears that even the Lady Abigail trusts your judgment about shooting a
Crown Servant in cold blood.” He sighed at her. “Very well, but I must warn you
that what I can tell you may place you all in more danger.”
    “I think we can deal with that,” Will replied dryly. The car
bounced harder as it turned onto unpaved roads. 
    Preemus nodded, “Very well,” he said, “my real name is Bardon,
Richard Bardon, KCVO, OBE, and a number of other letters.” Will's eyebrows shot
up at this. Abigail gave a small gasp. Bardon smiled thinly.  “I see that you
have heard of me.”
    The whole world had heard of Sir Richard Bardon. As Queen
Victoria's secret agent, it had been Bardon who, during the darkest days of the
Invader War, had gathered the different savants from around the world. They
agreed to work in secret at the hidden fortress beneath Gibraltar. Those
geniuses, led by Nikola Tesla, were responsible for the discoveries that had
saved mankind from the aliens. The same discoveries had created much of the
modern world.
    Will had read one of Bardon books about how he traveled in
secret during that time. Will had even copied a trick or two from that book.
The man was famous, although Will  had never seen a picture or a kinescope of
Bardon. The man in front of him could be who he said he was, for all Will knew.
    “That is a