February 1908
New York
Nikola Tesla pulled his overcoat tighter around himself as he walked through the snow-covered streets of Manhattan. A cold winter wind swept through the avenues, carrying fresh snowflakes that continued to fall from the gray skies above. Horse-drawn carriages rolled steadily along the slushy roads while the occasional motorcar rumbled past, its engine breaking the otherwise familiar rhythm of hooves striking the frozen cobblestones.
He had considered hiring a horse-drawn carriage to take him to the restaurant, but dismissed the idea at the last moment. The restaurant was only a five-minute walk from his hotel, and with his finances growing increasingly strained, spending money on such a short journey seemed wasteful.
Now, however, as the bitter wind bit through his coat and numbed his fingers, he couldn't help but regret that decision. Still, there was little point dwelling on it now. He had already walked most of the distance, so he simply pressed onward through the falling snow.
Stepping aside to avoid a passing pedestrian, Tesla continued on his way as his thoughts drifted to the unusual invitation he had received several days earlier.
The letter had come from a Russian gentleman requesting a private dinner meeting. According to the letter, the man wished to discuss one of Tesla's inventions and was potentially interested in investing in his future work if he found it promising.
Of all the people Tesla had expected to respond after months of searching New York for investors, a Russian businessman had been the last person he would have imagined. Nevertheless, a potential investor was still a potential investor, and in his current circumstances, he could hardly afford to refuse the opportunity.
A few minutes later, Tesla slowed his pace as his destination came into view.
A grand hotel stood proudly at the corner of the street, its stone façade illuminated by rows of electric lights that shimmered against the falling snow. The revolving doors turned constantly as wealthy patrons entered and departed, sheltered from the winter weather by attentive doormen.
Tesla felt a faint pang of nostalgia. Not long ago, he himself had been one of the hotel's distinguished guests. Unfortunately, financial hardship had eventually forced him to vacate his room for more modest accommodations. Pushing the unpleasant memory aside, he climbed the steps and entered the hotel.
The warmth inside immediately chased away the biting cold. Crystal chandeliers illuminated the spacious lobby, where businessmen, politicians, industrialists, and affluent travelers conversed quietly amid polished marble floors and richly decorated furnishings.
Tesla briefly surveyed the lobby, recognizing several prominent businessmen and politicians he had met over the years. None of them seemed to notice him, and he made no attempt to approach them as he had proper business to attend to this evening.
Instead, he walked toward the hotel's elegant restaurant, a place he knew well from his previous stay. Upon entering, he approached one of the attendants and presented the table number written in the invitation. The attendant glanced at the letter before immediately recognizing Tesla and respectfully offered to guide him.
For a brief moment, Tesla felt a small sense of pride. Despite everything that had happened over the past year, the hotel's staff still remembered him and treated him with the same courtesy as before.
The attendant led him to a secluded table beside one of the large glass windows overlooking the snow-covered streets of Manhattan.
Seated calmly at the table was a broad-shouldered, middle-aged man. Standing a few steps behind him was another man who appeared to be either a butler or a guard. Tesla couldn't quite tell which. Before the seated man rested a half-filled bottle of vodka and a crystal glass. He seemed perfectly at ease, leisurely sipping his drink like a coffee while gazing out at the falling snow beyond the window.
Typical Russian, Tesla thought with quiet amusement.
After thanking the attendant, Tesla stepped forward and politely cleared his throat, drawing the man's attention. The stranger turned from the window to face him.
Tesla extended his hand.
"Good evening," he said politely. "I'm Nikola Tesla."
Fyodor Kurakin remained seated but reached forward to shake Tesla's hand firmly. "Good evening. I am Baron Fyodor Kurakin of the Russian Empire."
After the brief handshake, Kurakin withdrew his hand and gestured toward the chair opposite him. "Please, have a seat, Mr. Tesla. Order whatever you like. We can enjoy dinner while discussing business."
He then gave a slight nod to the man standing behind him, who immediately summoned one of the restaurant attendants.
This was not Tesla's first time meeting a foreign nobleman in the United States. Over the years, he had crossed paths with numerous members of European nobility who had visited America as tourists, diplomats, or investors. However, this was the first time he had met a Russian nobleman since immigrating to the United States, and he found the encounter rather intriguing.
Smiling politely, Tesla took the offered seat. "Thank you, Baron Kurakin. I think that's an excellent idea. Let's have dinner first before I introduce my inventions."
Kurakin returned the smile as the waiter arrived beside their table to take their orders. The two men browsed the menu for a few moments before placing their orders. With the formalities out of the way, they settled into a casual conversation while waiting for their meals.
Tesla's curiosity eventually got the better of him. "If I may ask, Baron Kurakin, how did you come to know of me?"
Kurakin had anticipated the question. In truth, he would have liked to tell Tesla that the Tsarevich himself had ordered him to seek out the renowned inventor and, if possible, persuade him to work for the Russian Empire. Unfortunately, revealing that now would only raise unnecessary suspicion.
Years of experience in business had taught him that trust could not be bought overnight. Barging into a man's life with a life-changing offer before establishing any rapport was more likely to drive him away than win him over. It was always better to build a relationship first and let trust develop naturally.
Besides, Kurakin had already spent considerable time researching Tesla after receiving the Tsarevich's instructions. He knew of the inventor's financial struggles and believed that, should Tesla's circumstances continue to deteriorate, the opportunity to recruit him would eventually present itself.
With that in mind, he simply smiled and replied, "I've been looking for worthwhile opportunities to invest my money. During my search, I happened to come across your inventions. The more I learned about your work, the more interested I became, so I thought it would be best to meet the man himself."
His answer immediately brightened Tesla's expression. Encouraged by the baron's interest, Tesla enthusiastically began describing several of his inventions and the principles behind them. He spoke with the passion of a man who truly loved his work, explaining one concept after another with barely a pause for breath.
Fortunately for Kurakin, the food arrived before the discussion became too technical. Although he listened attentively, much of Tesla's scientific explanations were well beyond his understanding.
The arrival of dinner provided a welcome reprieve.
Kurakin ate heartily, even ordering another serving once he had finished the first. Throughout the meal, Tesla occasionally continued talking about electricity, wireless transmission, and future inventions, while Kurakin mostly listened, offering an occasional nod or question whenever appropriate.
By the time dinner had concluded, Kurakin had also helped himself to several glasses of vodka from the bottle on the table. Setting his glass down, he looked at Tesla with a relaxed smile.
"Well then," he said, "I suppose you can begin by telling me about your work on radio technology and remote control, Mr. Tesla. I find those particular inventions of yours especially intriguing."
In truth, the Tsarevich had given him very specific instructions regarding those two inventions. Kurakin had no idea how the young heir had even learned about Tesla's latest work, but that was hardly his concern. His duty was simply to carry out the task entrusted to him. More importantly, he had every reason to succeed.
His exclusive distribution rights in the United States, along with his son's position as one of the Tsarevich's trusted companions, depended on his continued usefulness. Everything he had built, and everything his family hoped to achieve in the future, was now closely tied to the young tsarevich. Just the thought of it made him decide to invest a little bit of his personal money just to get this Tesla to warm up to him.
Tesla's enthusiasm dimmed ever so slightly. He had hoped the baron would be more interested in his work on wireless transmission of electrical power, which he personally regarded as his greatest achievement. Nevertheless, he readily began explaining his work on radio communication and remote control in great detail. From time to time, he tried steering the conversation toward wireless energy transmission, hoping to spark Kurakin's interest, but the Russian nobleman always guided the discussion back to radio and remote-control technology.
The conversation continued for several hours before the night gradually grew late. Finally, Kurakin reached into his coat, took out his checkbook, and calmly wrote something down. He tore out the check and slid it across the table.
When Tesla glanced at the amount written on it, two thousand five hundred dollars, his eyebrows rose slightly before his expression quickly returned to normal. The amount itself did not surprise him. Throughout his career, he had dealt with contracts and investments worth far more than that. What truly caught him off guard was that the baron was offering him the money without asking for anything in return. He had requested no patents, no exclusive rights, no blueprints, nor even a formal investment agreement. Unable to hide his confusion, Tesla looked up. "Baron Kurakin... what is this for?"
Kurakin rose from his chair and buttoned his coat.
"Consider it payment for what I learned from our conversation this evening, Mr. Tesla," he replied with a warm smile. "I hope you'll continue accepting my invitations whenever I wish to discuss your work in the future."
He paused before adding, "And if possible, I'd also appreciate a tour of your laboratory one day. I'd very much like to see your inventions firsthand."
Tesla immediately stood up as well. Years earlier, his pride might have compelled him to refuse such money without a formal agreement. But times had changed. His financial situation had become increasingly difficult, and he desperately needed funds to continue his research. Without further hesitation, he carefully folded the check and slipped it into his pocket.
"Thank you, Baron Kurakin," he said sincerely. "I'd be delighted to show you my laboratory. Simply leave me your address, and I'll write to you as soon as I can arrange a suitable time."
He then extended his hand.
"That's wonderful, Mr. Tesla." Kurakin finished the last of the vodka in his glass before setting it gently on the table. He then reached out and firmly shook Tesla's hand, a satisfied smile spreading across his face.
This was merely one of the many assignments the Tsarevich had entrusted to him. Tomorrow, he still intended to pay a visit to a company called Coca-Cola to check what it was about. With another busy day ahead of him, he decided it was time to call it a night.
After exchanging a few final pleasantries with Tesla, Kurakin left the restaurant and made his way back to his room. He planned to enjoy a few more glasses of vodka in the privacy of his suite before retiring for the evening, hoping the familiar warmth of the liquor would help him drift into a restful sleep before the next day's work began.
—--------
"Has your father reported anything about what I asked him to do, Vasily?" Alexei asked as he absentmindedly rubbed one of his ears. It had been unusually itchy lately. Someone must be talking about me behind my back, he mused.
Vasily shook his head. "He sent a letter recently to ask about my health and wished Your Highness good health as well. However, he didn't leave any message for me to pass on to you. My father must still be working on the task you entrusted to him. Please give him a little more time, Your Highness."
"No worries." Alexei gave Vasily a reassuring pat on the shoulder. "I was simply curious, that's all. I'm not in any particular hurry, so your father can take all the time he needs."
"Thank you, Your Highness." Vasily let out a quiet sigh of relief. He had been worried that his father's lack of progress might disappoint the Tsarevich. Apparently, his father simply needed more time to complete the assignment.
Fortunately, the Tsarevich wasn't pressing for immediate results.
Ever since becoming the Tsarevich's study companion, Vasily had often served as the messenger between his father and Alexei, carrying reports, letters, and other information back and forth. More often than not, the exchanges consisted of the Tsarevich assigning confidential tasks to his father, followed later by his father's reports on their progress.
This, however, was the first time his father had taken so long to complete an assignment. If Vasily remembered correctly, the Tsarevich had given the task sometime late the previous year, meaning more than two months had already passed without any news. Hopefully, his father would have something to report soon.
Alexei glanced around the room, where the children of several noble families had gathered. As he had expected, Grand Duchess Xenia's request for her son to accompany him in the affairs of the sports organization had merely been the beginning. Before long, other noble families had eagerly followed suit, sending their own sons, and in some cases, their daughters, to join the organization under the pretense of learning.
In reality, however, Alexei knew exactly what they were after. The sports organization was simply an excuse to place their children close to the heir to the throne and cultivate a relationship with him from an early age. To them, the organization was little more than one of the Tsarevich's personal projects, and they naturally wanted their children to become part of it.
Unfortunately for them, Alexei had no intention of handing out meaningful positions simply because of noble birth. At most, they would accompany him, observe the organization's work, and perhaps assist with minor administrative matters.
Unfortunately for him, that also meant having to deal with them on a regular basis. Just thinking about it was enough to give him a headache.
After surveying the room, he clapped his hands to draw everyone's attention. Once the conversations died down and every eye was on him, he spoke. "As I mentioned before, the sports organization won't officially begin operating until March at the earliest. Until then, there's no need for us to keep meeting."
He offered everyone a polite smile. "So, if you'll excuse me, I still have lessons to attend. Thank you all for coming."
With that, Alexei gave the group a courteous nod before turning and leaving the room, leaving them to do as they please as long as it has nothing to do with him.
He had barely gone far, however, when he heard hurried footsteps behind him, followed by a familiar voice.
"Your Highness."
Alexei turned with a smile, already recognizing the speaker. "Lev, so you noticed my signal to leave the room earlier?"
His gaze shifted past Lev, where he found Roman standing quietly beside him, along with Vasily, who had intended to accompany the Tsarevich from the very beginning.
"Yes," Lev replied with a slightly embarrassed smile. "It seemed like you weren't enjoying yourself in there. Forgive me, but my father insisted that Roman and I attend as well. Sergei and Vladimir couldn't come as they're still in the page corps."
Roman simply nodded in agreement when his name was mentioned.
"No worries." Alexei waved the apology aside before motioning for the three boys to follow him. "Come on. Why don't you join me for my mathematics lesson? Afterward, we can all go play together."
Lev nodded immediately. "Okay."
Roman, on the other hand, hesitated for a moment at the mention of a mathematics lesson. However, the promise of playing afterward quickly won him over, and he nodded in agreement as well.
The three boys then followed after their Tsarevich, with Vasily quietly taking his usual place a few steps behind him.
Alexei had never enjoyed surrounding himself with people he barely knew, especially those whose only reason for approaching him was his status. But it was different with his circle of court companions, however. Whenever his schedule allowed, he didn't mind spending time with them. It was a welcome respite from this boring timeline he had been reborn to.
—-----
"Your Highness, Mr. Andrei Nagel has arrived and is waiting for you in the reception room," Sednev whispered into the Tsarevich's ear.
Alexei let out a quiet sigh and excused himself from his friends in the middle of their football match in the biggest hall of the palace. After promising to spend more time playing with them in the future, he took his leave and headed toward his study.
As soon as he arrived, he instructed one of the attendants to show Andrei in.
A few moments later, Andrei entered the room. Upon seeing the Tsarevich, he bowed respectfully before greeting him. "Good afternoon, Your Highness. I apologize for arriving without prior notice. I wished to report something to you personally."
"No need to apologize. Please, have a seat," Alexei replied, gesturing toward one of the chairs. Andrei accepted the invitation without hesitation.
"You already have my mother's permission to visit me at the palace whenever necessary," Alexei continued as he took his own seat. "The only question is whether I'll be available to receive you."
He leaned back slightly before asking, "So... what is it that you wished to report?"
"I've managed to persuade several engineers from Germany, along with a number of engineers from domestic companies, to resign from their current positions and consider joining the company you're planning to establish, Your Highness. However, they would like some assurance that they would truly be working for you and that I am not deceiving them. They plan to attend the Second St. Petersburg Motor Show so they can meet you in person and confirm everything directly. Some of them will send representatives instead, as they cannot all afford to travel here themselves."
Nagel adjusted his posture in his chair before continuing respectfully. "I would like to ask if Your Highness could spare some time during the event to meet with them."
Alexei smiled as soon as he heard the report. "Of course. I'll be there, and I'll gladly speak with them personally to confirm everything. Don't worry about it. Simply gather them in one place, and I'll take care of the rest."
He paused before he nodded approvingly. "You've done an excellent job, Nagel. If these engineers are truly as capable as you say they are, then I believe you've earned yourself a substantial bonus."
Nagel hurriedly waved both hands. "No, no, Your Highness. Please don't concern yourself with bonuses. I'm only doing the job you hired me to do. I'm already more than satisfied with everything you've given me."
"Nonsense." Alexei dismissed the objection with a wave of his hand. "I've already made my decision, so the matter is settled."
Seeing that further protests would be futile, Nagel reluctantly accepted.
Satisfied, Alexei shifted the conversation to the upcoming motor show. "Now then, how are preparations for the motor show coming along? Will there be more manufacturers and automobiles than last year? Don't forget our agreement, I want each year's exhibition to be larger than the last."
Nagel answered confidently. "Yes, Your Highness. I've already secured commitments from nearly all of the major automobile manufacturers in Europe to attend this year's exhibition. We expect almost twice as many participants as we had last year."
He smiled proudly before continuing. "While recruiting engineers for your new company, I also visited numerous automobile manufacturers and personally persuaded them to participate. Since the first motor show was such a success, many of them readily agreed to display their latest automobiles when the time comes."
"Good. Very good." Alexei nodded in satisfaction. His goal was to turn the motor show into an annual international event, and this year's exhibition would be another important step toward that vision. "Make sure every detail is properly prepared, Nagel. I don't want any mishaps. If you require additional funding, simply speak with me or Mr. Yurovsky."
"Thank you very much, Your Highness. I'm truly grateful for your trust." Nagel couldn't help but feel touched. The Tsarevich's willingness to provide whatever resources were necessary gave him even greater confidence in making the exhibition a success.
"Oh, and what about the idea you mentioned during our last meeting?" Alexei asked. "The automobile race. When do you intend to hold it, and where? I hope it'll be here in St. Petersburg so I can attend and watch it myself."
Nagel considered the question for a moment before answering.
"Of course it will be held here, Your Highness. My plan is to use this year's motor show to invite the participating manufacturers to enter their automobiles in the race. However..." He hesitated slightly. "I'll need additional funding for the prize money..."
"I'll provide it," Alexei interrupted without hesitation. "Don't worry about the funding. Just find a suitable location around St. Petersburg. We might even be able to close some of the city's streets for half a day and hold the race there, although I'd need my father's approval first. For now, focus on finding a suitable course outside the city and prepare a proposed schedule."
Nagel's face immediately lit up. Even while seated, he repeatedly bowed his head in gratitude. "Thank you so much, Your Highness. You have no idea how much your support means to me. Thank you for placing your trust in me."
"Just make sure everything is organized properly. If this turned out to be a success, then we can consider this a sport that can be included in my sports organization that is being built at the moment." Alexei said with a firm nod. "That's why I don't want any accidents or unnecessary incidents during the event. Understood?"
"Yes, Your Highness," Nagel replied seriously.
Even without the Tsarevich's warning, Nagel had every intention of ensuring that the race was an overwhelming success. He would do everything within his power to see that the event concluded without a single serious accident or incident.