"You sure this is it?" Matt asked as he looked about the rather sterile hallway.

"Yeah, positive." Archie peered into the sidelights as they passed each door. "This is the right school, and it's the science building, so..."

"Doesn't he have lecture classes or something, though?" Shelly asked. "What if he's here but not here here?"

"He'll be here here, both of you shut up and look."

The two exchanged a glance, but did as they were told.

The research team had always been a self-isolating group, quiet and often just a little bit snobbish. That this one had decided to delve deeply into his work since coming back from the break, barely speaking outside of work-related matters and not lingering anywhere he wasn't firmly assigned, shouldn't have come as a surprise. Instead Archie'd grown increasingly worried until they finally agreed to head down to the school with him.

Matt looked into one of the laboratory windows. "Hey, is that him?"

Archie headed back and beamed as he looked in. "Yeah, that's him."

They waited until a student happened to look up, and then eventually signal to Maxie that he had a trio of grinning, waving visitors. They waited until he paled and rushed out.

"What are you doing here?"

"We came to take you to lunch!" Archie said with a grin. "It's about that time, isn't it?"

"I'm working through lunch today, go home," Maxie said, firmly.

"My bro here says you've worked through 5 lunches this week," Matt told him. "So you're going to..."

"I'm going to go back into class and you're all going to leave! And don't wear that in public, what's wrong with you?" He snapped as he snatched the bandana off Matt's head. "Do you want us to get caught?"

"He's charming, Archie, really." Shelly pointedly ignored a glare. "He's right, though. We shouldn't be out causing a scene like this." She pointed a manicured nail at Maxie. "So here's what's going to happen. If you're not going for lunch, you're going to dinner." After a glance over, she added, "Somewhere out of earshot. Okay?"

Maxie looked between the three and nodded curtly. "Okay, that's fine. Just get out of here before I get in more trouble."

He ducked back inside and the three headed out.

"Something you wanna tell us?" Matt asked as he held the door to the science building for them.

"Just a hunch," she replied. "But he'll spill, I'm sure."

Maxie had picked up a bottle of cheap wine on his way back, and they got takeout on their way to the outskirts of town. It wasn't until they'd settled, and Maxie had gotten a good drink in, before he agreed to talk.

"It won't work."

"Huh? What won't...?"

"The math," he explained forcefully. "Even if we didn't have to worry about sabotage, it still would fall apart." He cut his food roughly. "I've done everything I could to make the equations bend in our favor, but it just won't."

He paused and looked down. "When'd you find out?"

"A week or so back. Got ahold of a lot more material with this rank, now I can see the whole picture. It's not good."

"Well... That just sucks. Have you told the higher ups?"

"I've tried, they don't want to hear it." He sighed and drank. "Not sure if they haven't known a while, either."

He nodded and sat back. "What do we do, then?"

"What can we do?" He asked. "You and I aren't the sort who'll abandon something we've put so much into. Smart or not, we're in it to the end."

He couldnt fight that. "Any clue when that'll be?"

"Not a bit. Depends how well everyone else does their jobs. And based on some of the help... Could be ages."

"Yeah, right." Archie watched the water lap at the coastline. "So, I guess I should ask what's going on after?"

"We'll essentially be fugitives I guess. We're low enough we shouldn't be bothered, but we still have to keep our heads down." He grabbed again for the wine. "Which means I'm going to have to give up my degree."

"You sure?"

"Once things come to light, it'd be too much of a risk to stick around. Especially with that visit today." Maxie shot him a look.

Archie offered an apologetic smile and moved to eat. "Well, I know a lot of places that give a guy a job without questions."

"Cheap rent?"

"Yup. But, you know, it's if you're interested."

Maxie shrugged. "I'll consider it."

"Are you considering anything else?"

"Hm?" He swallowed his bite. "Yes, I think we will."

"Will..." He motioned for elaboration.

"Will do this relationship." He examined his food. "I've also sorted out the mechanics behind the warp panels, by the way."

"Really?"

"There's a lot of spare time while the machines analyze. I know how to turn them on and off. In case privacy was needed."

It took a lot not to laugh. "You're not the kind of guy I thought would want to move that fast."

"I don't like beating around the bush if I want something. There's no point." He ate, and rethought as he glanced over. "Unless you weren't interested?"

"No, I am. Just surprised is all."

"Well, good." He offered the bottle. "Want some?"

"Yeah, thanks."