Merrin fought to stay awake in classes all day after she started the day with Croft's class, her favorite one. As she was getting ready to walk to the library and work on her paper, her phone beeped.

'Where can I meet you?' it read from Liam.

Merrin thought it was strange but she replied, 'Croft's house in 30?'

'No. That's too obvious. Library. Get Croft,' she read as she sent back an ok and turned back toward Croft's office.

She walked into the building and went up the stairs, afraid she wouldn't catch him if she waited on the elevator. Once she was on his floor, she walked to his office door and knocked.

"Come in," she heard his voice from the other side.

She pushed the door and smiled as she saw him hunched over his desk with a red pen in his hand and a stack of papers across the surface, "Liam reached out," she said, walking to his desk where she slid onto the corner, next to him.

Malcolm looked up, a smile crossing his lips, showing off the crows feet that danced around his eyes, "Is he coming to my place to meet us? I really need to finish this work," he sighed as he looked away from her back to his desk.

Merrin shook her head, "If the world is gonna end then there's no need to do any work that doesn't involve saving it. He wants to meet at the library in 30. He seemed spooked in his texts."

"I didn't know you two had each other's phone numbers," he commented, not looking up.

Merrin laughed softly as she placed one of her hands on his shoulder, feeling the tension immediately, "I'm not cheating on you with Liam, silly. He and I have been lab partners since we started here." She slid off the desk and moved behind him where she placed her hands onto his shoulders and began slowly rubbing them to relieve some of his tension, "Liam is far too young for me," she finished.

Malcolm had rolled his head back at her touch letting tiny moans with each movement she made but he heard what she said, "He is actually the appropriate age for you but I'm not going to complain when it comes to your preferences. We should probably start walking that way," he ended regretfully.

Merrin nodded as she removed her hands and walked back around his desk, "I'm ready when you are." She watched as he stood and gathered his things before he put on his coat and walked around the desk. "Too bad I can't hold your hand while we walk," she said softly as she stood to follow him.

Malcolm didn't respond because he didn't know what to say. They walked in silence to the library before they walked in and saw Liam in a private study room just to the left of the entrance. They walked over and went inside to sit down and hear what Liam had to say.

"Thanks for meeting here, guys," Liam began, "So, Darius Tanz took me to the Pentagon to inform the government but they already knew. They have a plan to use a nuclear weapon to blow up the asteroid which will only send down a meteor storm with just as damaging results."

"What did Tanz say to their idea?" Merrin asked.

"The same thing I just said but with more authority but they didn't listen even when he pitched the idea Professor Croft gave me," he continued, "Darius wants you two to come with me to Tanz Industries and help make the EM drive before they destroy the planet."

"We're going behind the government's back to save the world," Malcolm replied to Liam's proposal, leaving Merrin and Liam nervous as they waited for him to continue, "I'm getting too old for this but count me in. I just need to gather all my research before we head out."

"I would like some clothes," Merrin added, she loved science but she wouldn't be saving the world in the same extra clothes she had at Croft's for the foreseeable future.

"Darius has already had his team gather everything. You two just need to follow me," Liam replied, "We have one government person on our side by the way and she's gonna help us any way she can."

"That's not creepy at all that someone else got my things," Mer said, "C'mon Malcolm, we're going to save this world so that I can come back and get a new apartment."

"You could always move in with me," he replied quickly, Merrin pretending she hadn't heard it as they followed Liam.