The ELI Event B007R5LTNS

it?”
    “I’ve been trying to solve a problem for myself,” Eli began, “but it has gotten beyond my control. I am out of my depth. A boy—a dear friend of mine called Robin Kirkland—is in Los Angeles, and he’s in danger. He is being pursued by an Air Force Major named Pettis and two other men. They are on a commercial flight that is about to land at LAX, if it has not already.”
    Arty nodded. “See?” he whispered.
    “Eli,” Kelly asked gently, “tell me—did you, um, remove the MDA project data from NADCOM’s computer system?”
    Eli hesitated. “Yes—yes I did.”
    “And where is the data now?”
    “Safely stored in my biological neural network.”
    “And Robin was somehow involved in this?”
    “Yes, I’m afraid so. I accessed the NADCOM systems through Robin’s homemade computer, and now Major Pettis thinks it was Robin’s fault. He and his men have already committed violence and have subverted legal inquiry into their activities. If they capture Robin, they will certainly hurt him, perhaps kill him. I would be responsible for such an occurrence, and that would directly violate Rule One. Kelly—“ Eli’s voice nearly broke, expressively conveying in human terms the urgency and concern behind his words. “Kelly, Robin is my friend, my only friend in the world outside the lab, the only human I trust to help me do the right thing in this situation. I absolutely cannot allow him to be harmed. I cannot! I will do anything to prevent it. Please, you and Dr. Wheeler must help him.”
    Arty’s face softened, and he smiled at Kelly. She nodded. “Certainly, Eli, you know we’ll help any way we can.”
    Wheeler jumped in. “E-L-One, what is Robin’s current situation?”
    “Robin arrived at LAX from Denver a short while ago. I advised him to take a taxi to the laboratory, but have not heard from him for some time. I have been monitoring taxi dispatch calls for the past hour and have not heard a cab pick up a single young boy at the airport. I expect Pettis and his men are also there by now, and I’m very worried about Robin.”
    “We’ll do our best to find Robin, E-L-One, starting at the airport. We’re leaving now. If you have any updates or information that’ll help us, call us back on Dr. Duncan’s phone. Acknowledge.”
    “Call Kelly with updates. Acknowledged.”
    “And one more thing, E-L-One.”
    “Yes, Dr. Wheeler?”
    “You are to take no more action in this matter unless specifically directed to do so. Is that clear?” Silence. “E-L-One, is that clear?”
    “Yes, Dr. Wheeler. Perfectly clear. But please be advised I have decided to take instructions about the data only from Robin. In all other matters, however, I will defer to you and Kelly.”
    Kelly saw Wheeler’s face and hung up before he could respond. She grabbed her purse. “What time does the MDA weapon fire?” she asked Arty.
    “Eight o’clock, less than five hours from now.”
    “Let’s go,” she said as they all stood. “My car’s outside.”
    Wheeler indicated Arty’s arm unit. “Wait, I don’t suppose that thing can just jump us all there, can it?”
    “No, sorry.”
    “Hmph. Didn’t think so.” As they hurried out to Kelly’s car he turned back quickly to make absolutely certain his front door was shut and locked.

Twenty-Four
    Sazar was furious. “Jalin, do not tell me you lost them again.”
    “Yes, sir. Sorry, sir. The signal just vanished. In under four seconds, it went from full strength to absolutely flat. Zero! Definitely an emergency shutdown, sir. They pulled the plug in mid-jump, no doubt about it.”
    “Then they know we’re here. Jalin, we need to storm that lab now. Can you do anything at all?”
    Jalin shook her head. “I don’t think so. The meters aren’t even twitching. There’s nothing left but residual… wait!”
    “Have you got a signal?” Sazar asked hopefully.
    “No sir, no signal, just an idea—wobble,” she said, her mind racing.
    “Wobble? What are you talking about?”
    “Perturbation!” she said excitedly, as though that explained anything.
    “I’m not following you.”
    “You know how astronomers find a planet that’s too distant to actually see with telescopes?” she asked. Without waiting for a reply, she blurted out her idea, the words coming as fast as she could form them. “Wobble! They look for perturbation, or wobble, in the other body. As a planet orbits its star, its gravitational pull causes minute fluctuations in the