'Oh well...' Liz sulked in the dark.

The next day at school, Liz could barely concentrate on her schoolwork. When she had arrived at school, she had walked towards Max to try and figure out what his plan was, but as soon as he saw her, he smiled the fake smile that Liz knew he only showed when he was nervous, and walked away in the other direction. She had stopped dead in her tracks and watched him walk away. He didn't even turn around.

The last bell wrang loudly in Liz's ears, jerking her abruptly from her thoughts of the agents and Max. School was over. Liz gathered her books and walked to her locker where she threw them in haphazardly.

Walking slowly to where Maria had parked her car, Liz had still not noticed the men staring at her. She looked up suddenly, and there they were. Agent Smith and Agent Phillipps were seated at a picnic table, only yards away, waiting for Liz. 'I guess they aren't too worried about looking suspicious...' Liz thought as she walked numbly to where they sat.

"Good afternoon, Ms. Parker," Agent Smith greeted her.

'Oh God, there's that stupid Ms. Parker crap again...'

"Hi..." Liz mumbled plainly.

"So have you made a decision?" Agent Smith was wasting no time. Both agents were glaring at her. Liz was still partially lost in thought. 'Don't they even care about how suspicious they look? Here, at a highschool, wearing pitch black suits, like the men in black or something. Ironic...' Liz was still looking at the ground pondering the agents' behavior when Agent Phillipps interupted her thought.

"Ms. Parker?"

"Huh? What?" Liz knew she sounded like a moron but she honestly didn't know what they had said.

"Have you made your decision? We have given you adequate time," Agent Smith was getting impatient.

"Um, yeah..." she trailed off, her eyes wandering back down to the ground. Liz was not at all a good liar, and she knew it. 'Okay, Liz, Max's safety depends on this...be convincing!' Liz mentally coached herself.

"And???" Agent Phillipps seemed to be hanging on every word out of Liz's mouth.

"I've decided to cooperate with you," Liz tried to sound confident and determined as she forced her eyes to meet Agent Smith's. A small smirk began to inch across his face. The very sight angered Liz.

"That's very good, Ms. Parker. I think you won't regret your decision." Liz waited for Agent Smith's next statement. His eyes turned serious and his smirk dissapeared.

"Ms. Parker, do you remember the location of the compound where Agent Peirce held Maxwell Evans?" Liz nodded her head slowly. "Bring Max Evans there. Two days from now, on Sunday, at noon. Don't let anyone know what you are doing." Liz paused for more instructions, but both men were silent.

"That is all we need from you, Ms. Parker. If you bring him to us, I will personally see to it that the FBI never bothers you again," Agent Phillipps had a smile on his face, as if he had just given Liz good news. She swallowed and suddenly caught sight of Max, behind Agent Smith, but across the schoolyard, staring at Liz and the two men. She diverted her eyes to avoid calling the Agents' attention to Max. She was staring hard at the ground, but Liz knew that the men were still staring at her, waiting for her agreement to the plan. She nodded her head slowly, and could sense the relief between the two men.

"So, um, is that all?" she mumbled, moving the dirt around with the toe of her shoe.

"Yes, Ms. Parker, that's all."

Liz turned around and proceeded to walk to Maria's car, but a firm, strong grip on her arm stopped her.

"Oh, and Ms. Parker?" Agent Smith was holding her arm tightly and breathing down on her. "I suggest you don't double cross us." Liz tried her best to act like she would do nothing of the sort. "You know, like telling Max Evans our plan?" Liz felt her stomach turn. "If that were the case, the repercussions would be great, Ms. Parker, not only for you, but for Max, also," Agent Smith released his grip on Liz's arm. The smile on his face sent shivers down Liz's spine. He seemed happy to make the threat. He turned from Liz and began walking away with Agent Phillipps by his side. Liz stood watching until she saw them dissapear into the school's doors.

Liz wanted to run, but her mind and body were still in shock from Agent Smith's words. She realized that she was now breathing hard, and standing in a daze, staring at the doors the Agents had gone into. Liz shook herself and turned to walk to Maria's car. Maria was standing at the driver's side door, staring at Liz with wide eyes. She didn't say a word, but watched Liz walk numbly to the passenger's side door.

Liz looked up and saw Max, still staring at her. She knew he wanted to know everything, but here at school, with the Agents still possibly watching, it was too dangerous.

Liz opened the car door and prepared herself for the questions she knew Maria would throw at her as soon as they were in the car. And Maria did. Liz told Maria everything that the Agents had said, and when she finished, the Jetta was pulling up in front of the Crashdown. Maria seemed to be more freaked out than Liz. She always handled her emotions in hysterics, and Liz tended to just zone out.

Maria offered to stay with Liz, but she declined and sent Maria home, saying she would call her after she talked with Max.

As soon as Liz was in her room, the phone rang. She threw down her bag and picked it up. She knew it would be Max.

"Hello?"

"Hey, it's Max," he said quietly. "Can I come over?"

"Yeah," she half-whispered back to him.

Liz sat waiting on the balcony, for the familiar fifteen minute time period she seemed to always be waiting for these days. When Max arrived, Liz was surprised and almost dissapointed to see Isabel and Michael follow.

"Hi," Liz greeted them all. Max mumbled a hello, Isabel faked a smile, and Michael just continued staring at Liz.

"Um, so did Max tell you about everything else?" Liz started slowly.