"Max! Max! Wake up!" Liz Parker shouted in his ear. Oh my gosh! What's happening to him? She studied him worriedly, taking a moment to let her eyes wander. His skin seemed to be getting paler, his eyes looked more sunken in, his skin sagged off the left clef in his chin. She let her eyes move down his body, taking in what she saw. He was getting thinner; his clothes barely seemed to fit. What is going to happen to him? She wondered, her mind filling with horrible thoughts that she tried to push out of her head but couldn't. She started to panic, her breathing becoming more rapid and shallow. She searched the crowd frantically for Maria. Where is she? She could really use some of Maria's aromatherapy right about now. But Maria was no where to be found. She's probably with Michael in the Eraser Room or something. Michael! What is what was happening to Max happened to Michael or Isabel? Calm down, Liz. He could just be getting the flu or something. Yeah right. Liz knew for a fact that Max had never been sick a day in his life. So something's going on. Something's changing inside of him. She was a scientist after all; she should know these things. But her mind was such a jumble of thoughts that she couldn't think straight. She started to hyperventilate, her breath coming in short gasps. What is happening? she thought in bewilderment. First Max, now her. What's happening to us? _________________

Michael Guerin broke away in mid-kiss. He felt this strange, prickly feeling that made the hairs on the back of his neck stand up. He put his hands over his ears, trying to block out the loud noises that were blasting his ear drums. A car horn. A cat meowing. Glass breaking. Where are all these sounds coming from? He looked around frantically, wondering what was going on. He was in the Eraser Room with Maria Deluca, where he had been for the last half an hour. He looked over at Maria and saw her pretty green eyes filling with worry.

"Michael? Are you okay?" Her voice sounded far away. He didn't know how to answer her. Am I okay? he asked himself. He looked back at Maria and knew he had to answer her. She was standing with her arms across her chest in a slouching position, which meant she was worried. He didn't want to worry her, but he didn't want to lie to her either. He was searching for the right words to tell her when a loud screaming came from the hall. Michael and Maria looked at each other for a brief instant, then looked at the door. They reached for the handle at the exact same time and opened the door, both of them running out the Eraser Room with amazing speed. Maria was the first one to spot the crowd, and she grabbed Michael's hand and directed him to it. Why is he acting so weird? He acted like he was almost...blind? His eyes were glazed over and he looked like he was ready to drop. Literally. She pushed her way through the crowd and saw Max lying on the ground. Then she shifted her gaze and saw Liz clinging to Alex. Maria was about to pull Michael over to where they were standing to see what had happened when Michael's hand slipped out of hers and he slumped to the ground. She stared at him, then opened her mouth in a soundless scream as he lost all color in his skin. ________________

Alex Whitman watched what was happening in amazement. What is going on? He knew about Max, Michael, and Isabel and their secret, but he didn't know about this. Apparently Liz didn't either. Ever since Max had fainted, she had clung to him like a lost puppy. He felt bad for her. he looked around at the other people, how they all looked as dumbfounded as he felt. He saw Maria sitting down with her arms wrapped around something. She was trembling. No. Not trembling. Crying. She was sobbing uncontrollably. "Liz. Listen to me. Maria is down the hall and it looks like she may be in worse shape than you are. Why don't you come with me to see how she's doing." Liz's tear-streaked face looked up at him as she nodded. He took her hand and led her down the hall where Maria was crouched over Michael.

"Oh my gosh!" Liz's words came out as a breathy whisper as she took in the scene before her. "First Max, now Michael. What's going on?" Her voice held more than a tinge of panic, which was not normal for Liz. Maria looked up at her and shook her head as the tears kept coming. She looked back down at Michael's motionless body. Alex looked from Liz to Maria, then down to Michael. Wait a sec. First Max. Then Michael. What about... "Isabel!" Alex exclaimed. "What about Isabel? We have to find her!"

"Alex. I can't leave Max." Liz told him.

"And I can't leave Michael." Maria chimed in.

"Fine. I understand. Stay with the guys and make sure they're okay. I'll go find Isabel and bring her back here. Maybe she'll know what's going on." Alex took off down the hall without looking back. ____________________

"Isabel!" Isabel Evans turned around to see who was calling her. She saw Alex Whitman jogging toward her, his expression grim. Oh no. Something happened. Her mind flew to the worst possible scenarios. Max was dead. Valenti had caught them. Alex wanted to date her. They were all horrible, and she didn't want any of them to happen.

"What's wrong?" she asked calmly, coolly. No one could know that inside she was totally messed up. Her insides seemed to be turning over. Literally.

"It's Max and Michael. Something happened. They fainted. We're talking completely blacked out. Max hasn't come to since he fainted, which was over an hour ago. The principal thinks something's seriously wrong, and he tried to get Liz to let him call the hospital, but she wouldn't let him. Isabel, you have to help them. You're the only one that can." Alex stopped to catch his breath, then looked at her. She stared back at him with pain in her eyes that soon registered to anger. She swiftly walked up to him and stuck her face in his.

"Is this some kind of sick joke? Because if it is, I swear on everything that's holy that you'll be sorry. I'll make your life a living hell. Mark my words." She stared at him so intensely that Alex had to take a step back. Then, as Isabel's words registered in his brain, he realized that Isabel had practically blamed him for...something. He couldn't figure out what, but he knew it was something.

"How can you even ask me that? What good reason would I have for lying to you at all. And especially something this serious? Isabel, get a grip!" He grabbed her shoulders and gave her a swift shake. She subdued, and now her eyes were filled with pain.

"You're right. I'm sorry. Take me to them." She held out her hand and he took it, leading her back to where Michael and Max were. Liz and Maria were still there, obviously. When Liz saw them, she rushed over.

"They're getting worse. I don't know what's wrong with them. Izzy, will this happen to you, too?" Oh my gosh. Isabel had never even thought of that. What if it does? She looked at Liz and saw that she was still looking her and expecting an answer.

"I-I don't know. I hope not. We can't all fall apart now. Not when they need us."