No Warnings

Chapter 2:

"Jarvette, I need a scanner. The pages are in good shape, but I need it in a format that I can mark up…" Eli said with mild interest. The diary turned out to be from a German scientist who was convinced there was legendary power to be found in Norway. It certainly was fascinating. Something about a cube.

"How much longer until arrival?" Eli asked.

"Approximately a half hour," Jarvette answered. "Is there anything that you need for the diary, Miss?"

"I need a search on a Doktor Ulrich Von Wolfgang. I haven't heard of him before and the diary doesn't say much about him personally. I want everything there is to know about him." Eli said while placing the diary back into her briefcase. "A source of unlimited energy in the middle of nowhere…If Wolfgang is correct, then the world is about to change exponentially."

"Miss, we will be arriving at the hotel shortly. Do you want me to call Miss Potts?" Jarvette asked. Eli looked at her watch, it would surely be late in America.

"Please, if I'm lucky I'll get to bug Tony," Eli said happily. "Be sure to put it on speaker." Eli listened to the phone ring. She was immediately sent to voicemail.

"Tony, don't play with Pepper's phone. Pepper, I'm in Stuttgart right now and I am arriving at the hotel. I wanted to let you know and to see if I could bother Tony. Tell me how the Tower takes the arc reactor. Lots of love." Eli said to the phone annoyed. The brunette was silently wishing that Tony would go bald in the next twenty seconds.

"Miss, I suggest that you get some rest before the party tonight," Jarvette said.

"Yeah, yeah I know," Eli yawned. "I'm going to set up the scanner first. So the diary will be in your archives. I want to look it over later."

The phone rang, not when Eli was setting up the scanner, not when she changed into something to sleep in, but when she was nearly asleep. Eli glared at her phone, mentally blaming Tony.

"Hello," Eli said groggily.

"Hi, Eli, sorry I woke you up. I just got your call." Pepper's voice sounded a little shaky.

"Oh, yeah. So, how did the arc reactor work?" Eli asked wondering if she should ask if something was wrong.

"It worked wonderfully, and it will be all over the news by tomorrow morning." Pepper's voice was still a little shaky.

"That's wonderful, so tell me what happened." Eli wasn't going to tip-toe around this time. Pepper was starting to sound a little worried.

"Phil came over-" Eli cut off Pepper before she could finish.

"And I missed him! I'm going to punch him in the face when I see him next! Visiting and not telling me! I would have cancelled the trip!" Eli ranted.

"It was an unexpected visit. He seems a little shaken up by something. He even gave Tony homework…" Eli could hear the worry in Pepper's voice now.

"I thought that official consultation hours were between eight and five every other Thursday," Eli tried to appeal to Pepper's humor. It worked. Pepper was laughing very hard.

"Tony said the same thing!" Pepper gasped. "Well, I want you to be careful, okay. Things that worry Phil are probably pretty horrible. Be safe."

"You too, Pepper." Eli yawned. "I'll see you in a few days."

Eli was asleep on before she heard Pepper say goodbye.

"Hair up or down?" Eli asked her AI companion. "Up."

"Miss Eli, if you don't hurry you'll be late," Jarvette said from Eli's watch.

"I know, but I needed sleep. I am almost done…" Elis said while twisting her hair up and securing it. "Is the driver even downstairs yet?"

"He arrived forty-five seconds ago," was the answer.

"I'm leaving now," Eli said heading out the door. The drive to the museum was short. Eli admired the architecture. Eli took in the night air and smiled. Tonight was going to be a good night.

"Hallo, Frau Potts, wie gehts dir?" Doctor Schafer said from behind. "Was your trip was nice?"

"Hallo, Doktor Schafer, mir gehts sehr gut, und, bitte, Sie rufen mich Eli." Eli spoke in German. "It was a long trip, but I'm sure it was well worth it. I am fascinated by your theory of the use of this metal during the second World War. I can hardly wait for your presentation."

"Your German ist very gut," Doctor Schafer praised. "Your accent ist perfekt. I really hope that you enjoy the Präsentation. I know that as a fellow historian you will be very pleased with my findings."

The doctor left to speak with other guests. Eli made rounds as well. She looked through the photographs of Schafer's findings and some of the journal entries on it as well. Based on the journals there was no evidence that iridium was ever used for anything during World War II. Eli was disappointed that there was no connection between the two, but then Eli thought that must be what Schafer wants to do his big presentation on.

Eli looked at her watch and sighed in frustration. It wouldn't be for another half hour until Schafer actually started his presentation. The brunette was already bored and she was only at the party for maybe twenty minutes. At least she could enjoy the music. It was soft and soothing. Just what she needed. More people started to fill the museum.

Fifteen more minutes to go, was what Eli was thinking when Jarvette told her that Tony was calling her. Eli touched her earring that doubled as a headphone and activated it.

"Tony, ready to apologize yet?" Eli asked.

"Eli, listen to me very carefully. You need to leave the party right now. I'm on my way. It is too dangerous there." Tony was yelling into the receiver.

"Tony, stop yelling. I can't hear you properly." Eli left the building to try and get a better sound. She went into the parking lot. "Tony, what are you trying to say?"

"Leave the museum, right now! If I get there and you are in the area you are grounded!" Tony was yelling.

"Uh, first, you can't ground me. I'm what, twenty-three now? Second, I am going find out what Schafer has found in his research. And third, what the hell is going on?" Eli said angrily. She looked at her watch and didn't allow Tony to answer her. "Sorry, but I have to get back in there. Schafer is going to start his presentation soon. I'll see you soon. And trust me, I'll be safe."

Eli ended the call and started to head back over to the museum. She was really annoyed by Tony's over protectiveness. She had been to Germany several times before without any supervision. A car sped past Eli, which made her even more annoyed.

The small girl was waiting for the traffic to slow when a man just walked out into the traffic. Panickingly Eli grabbed the man by his arm and pulled him onto the sidewalk as a car whizzed by them.

The dark haired man looked from his arm to Eli. He looked bewildered, as if he was touched by a bug. This didn't help Eli's mood. So, Eli looked angrily at him.

"I'm sorry, I didn't feel like getting blood all over my dress and shoes." Eli then looked both ways and crossed the street without looking at the man again. She didn't notice how her hands tingled until she was inside the museum again. Eli decided that it was because she was angry. It was then when she realized how attractive the man had been. She had been too angry to notice then, but now she was thinking on the event.

Eli started laughing. She had just saved a man from being crushed by a car and promptly told him off after that, and the poor man probably didn't even speak English. Tonight was just not her night.