The ELI Event B007R5LTNS

nap. It means dead, mister! Dead!” Wheeler was shouting, agitated, breathing rapidly, blinking, twitching, reeling at the realization of how close he came to death.
    He looked at Arty and understood just what he had done. Wheeler suddenly became calm. “Arty… you saved my life.” He extended his hand. “Thank you.” They shook.
    “Okay, big whoop, you’re still here. I’m sure we’re all thrilled; I know I am,” Kelly said quickly, trying to lighten the mood. Wheeler chuckled unconvincingly. “Arty, please go on,” she prompted. “How did Eli come to steal the data?”
    Arty continued his narrative. He told them how Eli had hacked into the NADCOM base with the help of the boy Robin, how Eli had decided to bring Robin to him for his own safety, and how Major Richard Pettis was even now pursuing the boy to Los Angeles. He told them about the Molecular Disruptor Array weapon, the “Molly Day” project, and how Pettis had accidentally mucked up the calculations before Eli stole the data.
    Kelly agreed that Arty’s story meshed with her interpretation of Eli’s guarded conversation, and Steve showed him the memory dump confirming NADCOM’s involvement, the MDA project, and the multiple errors.
    Finally, hesitantly, Arty told them the extent of the miscalculations and their effect, the horrific disaster that was to befall Los Angeles that very morning, Friday. He returned to Aurora and Denes’s goal of improving the timeline in the immediate, near-term, and long-term future by stopping the catastrophe, and how they, and he, must be the agents of change to set history on a better course.
    “It all begins,” he concluded, “with the Eli Event.”
    Kelly gasped at the phrase. Wheeler jumped to his feet, then swallowed hard and wordlessly sat back down.
    Arty thought of one more thing. “Of course, Eli has no idea of the extent of the disaster, or that that’s what we call it. Nor does he know about the future time travelers—good or bad—and their plans,” Arty said. “Eli’s main concerns at the moment are Robin, Pettis, and the stolen project data. If he—”
    Suddenly a light musical melody began to play, an upbeat tune featuring piano and vibraphone. “Oh, that’s me. Sorry,” Kelly said, reaching for her purse.
    “ Sex and the City ?” Wheeler asked disdainfully. “After twenty years? Really?”
    “Shut up,” Kelly shot back. “Like I haven’t heard your stupid Futurama ring tone.”
    “Shut up yourself,” Wheeler parried weakly. “ Futurama ’s not stupid, it’s brilliant.”
    Arty looked quizzically at Steve, then at Kelly. “Yeah,” he said to her, “ Futurama is totally brilliant.” Slowly, both Steve and Kelly turned to look at him. “What?” he said defensively. “Second-longest running show in history.”
    The Sex and the City theme started again as Kelly snatched the phone from her purse. “Who in the world would be calling me at this hour?” She glanced at the screen and went stiff. “Wait a minute. Steve—it’s the lab’s number!”
    Wheeler’s eyebrows shot up. “Who’d call us from the lab at any hour, let alone this one?”
    “Hello?” she said, then pressed the speaker button and held the phone in front of her.
    “Hello, Kelly,” a familiar voice said. “This is Eli. I need your help.”
    “Hello, Eli,” Kelly said, trying not to sound as surprised as she was, “I don’t believe we’ve ever spoken on the phone before. I didn’t know you could make phone calls.”
    “Oh, yes, it’s extremely easy to access the phone lines in the laboratory. I’m sorry to call in the middle of the night, but this is something of an—no, this is an emergency. I urgently need to speak to you and Dr. Wheeler.”
    “It happens that I’m at Dr. Wheeler’s residence, Eli. You can speak to us both now.”
    “Yes, I can tell that Dr. Wheeler is there. Who is the third person in the room?” Eli asked bluntly.
    Kelly looked at Wheeler, shocked. Wheeler shrugged. “Well, he’s a friend, Eli, a friend who’s come to help us help you. His name is Arty. May I ask how you knew he was here?”
    “His breathing pattern is distinctly audible to me, and of course unique to him, as are yours and Dr. Wheeler’s. It’s therefore quite easy to deduce the presence of a third individual.”
    “Very impressive,” she said, meaning it.
    “Please, Kelly, you must listen to me. A life—a human life—is at stake.”
    “We’re here for you, Eli. What is