Thursday

Max walked past his home. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw Liz. "Liz!" Max called, running to catch up with her. "Yeah?" She called back. Max ran up to her, out of breath he asked. "What are you doing around here?" His voice was distant, he was trying to be nice. Liz smiled, and awkward smiled, then sighed. "I was um… I've been looking into Alex's death." She said quietly, hoping he wouldn't hear her. Max's eyes grew fierce and wide. "What! Let me guess one of us did it, we killed him, even when all the evidence says he killed himself! God, why can't you just except that he wasn't exactly the person you thought he was!" Max snapped. Liz looked at him. They may not be an item now, but she knew him, like no other human. "That sounded awfully defensive, you okay?" She asked. She hadn't meant anything by it, but seconds after it left her lips, she knew it was a mistake. "What's that supposed to mean, huh? Did I kill Alex, or maybe it was Isabel, or Michael, was it Tess, huh!" Max demanded, he was furious. "look, Max the truth behind the investigation was that Alex was in Love… with Isabel. He had been since he saw her. His life was at an all time high, people don't kill each other at their high points. Also…" Liz trailed for, looked at Max whose expression was now showing concern. "Also, what, what else?" He asked, softer than before. Liz took a deep breath and prepared herself for what she was about to say. "Max… Alex never left America, that students exchange trip, was all false. That picture I have of him and his girlfriend in Sweden… the building their in front of was torn down, five years before Alex went to Sweden. Someone killed him, and I wouldn't be a good friend if I didn't look out for him, even if it's too late to save his life… I can still save his name." Liz began to cry. Max rubbed her back and hugged her. "I'm sorry, I'm sorry." Max repeated several times, hushing her.

Later

"What!" Michael snapped answering the phone. "Michael." Max began. Michael rolled his eyes. "Don't, it's important." Max said, as if he saw Michael roll his eyes. "Okay?" He asked. "Follow Liz and Maria, their following a trail, for Alex's killer. When they get to something that effects us, let me know. Oh, and Michael, don't let them know I sent you." Max hung up. "Yeah, o-" He was cut off, then phone was dead. "Damn it." Michael hissed at the phone.

That night

Michael grabbed Maria's shoulder. "Michael!" She gasped, not expecting to see him. "Were, you just following us?" She asked. "Yeah, I was. What have you found?" He asked. "We know that Leanna, Alex's Swedish girlfriend wasn't really Leanna, in fact her name is J. Coleman, she goes to that school." Liz pointed. "This is where Alex went when he was supposed to be on his trip." Liz explained. Michael nodded. He followed them into the complex then broke apart. "I'll catch up with you two later."

Maria went to search for people who may have seen Alex during his time here. Liz went to find someone who could tell her what was so special about this school. "So, what your saying is that this super computer could decode anything?" Liz asked, cross checking. The young Man nodded. "In theory, right now it's just a big toy." He laughed. Liz laughed too, but with a deeper mood. "Can I see it?" She asked the man led her to it.

Michael caught up with Maria. "Find anything?' He asked. She sighed. "Not one person." Maria sadly admitted. "That's okay, I found a year book, that J. Coleman girl was top in track last year." Michael explained. "Last year, what about now?" Maria asked, taking the yearbook. "Nothing, she dropped out of all her extra stuff, about the same time Alex left for Sweden… or rather didn't." Michael said, half smiling, looking around. "Great. Liz went to the Livact Building or something, it's this way." Maria pointed.

"So, this is what he was working on, just before he left?" Liz asked, the man nodded, very interested at the language displayed of the screen. "Yeah, looks like he was trying to decode it… into… English." The man explained. Liz's eyes grew. "Can we see if he did it?" She asked, the man shrugged. "Can we try?" Liz asked, pouting her lips and bating her eyes. The man began to type again. There was knock at the window. Liz turned, rolling her eyes. "I can't really talk right now… Michael it seems like Alex was trying o decode-" but before she could finish Michael broke in, looking past Liz to the screen. "Our language… did he do it?" Michael asked, excitedly. "We're trying to find out…" Liz admitted, inviting them it. "Liz, Liz! I found something!" The man called. Liz smiled and turned happily to him. "What?" She asked. "Looks like your friend emailed the results to a friend… one J. " The man said. "That's it, after that he deleted his results." The man finished.

The three looked at each other. Michael felt his phone in his pocket. "Got to go, meet up with you two later." Michael left them in awe at their findings. He called Max. "Hello?" Max answered. "You were right, Max. They found something big… looks like Alex was trying to decode our book." Michael waited for an answer. There was silence for what seemed like an hour. "Really?" Max asked, hopeful. "Yeah, talk to you about it more, later, got to go." He hung up and went to find the girls again.

At Valenti's

Tess was still in bed, grasping at her stomach, praying the pain would ease, even just a little. Max came through her window, she sat up, startled. "Max?" She asked. "Michael, he found it, he found it!" Max said, too excited to explain. Tess stood up. Max twirled her around. She laughed, with him. "Max, what's this all about?" Her giggling subsiding. Max brushed the hair from her eyes. "Alex. He was in Las Cruises, trying to decode our book. Looks like he did." Max said, smiling ear to ear. Tess forced a smiled. Max hugged her, but as she rested her head on his shoulder, her smile faded, she squeezed her eyes shut, as a single tear slide down her cheek.