The ELI Event B007R5LTNS

determination she had never seen.
    “Yes, those are possibilities,” he said a bit roughly, “possibilities we must accept. What if this is changed, what if that is different? Well, what if it is? That’s why we’ve come here in the first place—to change our future, whether we are able to return to it or not.” He thrust the coveralls at her. “And in that changed future,” he asked pointedly, “what if Borok is alive?”
    As Aurora contemplated that wonderful thought, that beautiful concept laced with the terrifying portent of a wholly new and unfamiliar future, their arm units blinked back to life.

Fifteen
    The jangle of the telephone jarred Mrs. Faraday out of a disturbing dream. Small, flannel-clad, zombie-like things were surrounding her, smothering her, keeping her from moving forward. She dragged herself awake, glad for the rescue until she looked at the clock.
    She snatched up the receiver. “Hello? Who is this? Do you realize it’s not even six o’clock? What do you want?” she demanded.
    “Mrs. Faraday?” a voice said. “May I please speak to Robin Kirkland? It is a matter of some importance.” The caller was male and spoke clearly, but the voice was somehow strange, possibly foreign.
    “What? You most certainly may not! My boys are not allowed personal calls, especially not at five o’clock in the morning! Who are you?”
    “I am a close friend of Robin’s, madam, and it is imperative that I speak with him. I realize that it is very early, but this is extremely important. Would you please tell him that Eli is on the phone?”
    “I’ll do no such thing, and don’t you dare call here again. And certainly not at four A.M.!” She slammed the receiver down and tried to compose herself. The nerve of that boy, having his strange friends call here in the middle of the night. She would certainly give him a severe talking-to. Later. After she finished her night’s sleep.
    She had barely closed her eyes when the quiet was shattered by an incredible roar that grew louder by the second. She sighed, got up, and looked out the window. A helicopter—a helicopter!—was descending on the large, bare playground, lights blazing, dust flying. “My goodness,” she said. “It’s landing. It’s landing here! Oh, my goodness!” She flung on her robe, not knowing exactly what to do next.
    The determined pounding coming from the front of the orphanage decided that for her. She rushed to the door and looked out the peephole, then remembered the porch light was burned out.
    “Who is it?” she called.
    “United States Air Force, ma’am.”
    “What? What do you want?”
    “If you’ll let us in, ma’am, we’ll explain.”
    Mrs. Faraday turned the deadbolt and opened the door as far as the security chain allowed. “The Air Force? What are you doing here?”
    Grochonski moved in front of the slim opening and produced his identification card. “We’re from an Air Force computer installation in Colorado, ma’am. We’ve had a security breach—an unauthorized computer access by telephone. The number from which the call was made was traced to this address. Let us in.” It wasn’t a request.
    Overwhelmed, Mrs. Faraday removed the chain and swung the door open wide. “Come in, come in, but please tell me what all this is about.” Already many of the boys had bolted from their rooms and down the stairs. They stood bunched at the rec room’s picture window, pointing and shouting, clearly thrilled at the unexpected excitement.
    She shooed them back to bed. Most of them ignored her and stayed where they were; the rest went upstairs but lined up on the balcony rail. Mike and Tom stood next to each other, wide-eyed and grinning.
    She looked at the three men and addressed the tall, dark one in the officer’s hat. “Now what’s this about a computer, Captain?”
    “Major, ma’am. Major Richard Pettis. This is Sergeant Grochonski and Lieutenant Davies. We’re here on a matter of national security. Last night, someone using a telephone at this address illegally accessed an Air Force computer installation and destroyed some vital information. The fact that they were able to crack our security codes and passwords indicates a high level of technological competence, probably in computer programming or electronics. Is there anyone here with such abilities?”
    “Certainly not. There’s only me and the children.”
    “Well, someone did it. And they did it from here.”
    “Nonsense. No one here