Mr. Tesla is in competition to be the strongest ally in the game. He teleports free stuffs from nowhere for you. Pair him with a capable seeker and you’ll reap the profits (cards, resources, and even free clues). Or wear fine clothes while chatting with him. The 'gain 1 clue from the pool' effect will break some scenarios. It's awfully difficult to 'win' Machinations through Time, but even without accomplishing all its missions, you still have a good chance to nab Mr. Tesla. So it's worth a try.