The office was filled with junior faculty, mostly thirty-five to forty years old. Some were associate professors; others still held tenure-track contracts, making them little more than interns in the university hierarchy.The group walked out of the lab building, and the wind quickly dispersed their initial excitement. One of them stopped in his tracks. "We can't do this alone. We need to get the other professors involved."The others calmed down. Robert Sterling, vice president, deputy secretary, and head of the College of Natural Sciences, oversaw national-level research projects. Younger than Malcolm Cole, he lacked only the title of Academy member, and many believed his promotion was merely a matter of time.Meanwhile, they were just junior faculty. Universities had plenty of those. They had no credibility, no influence. Their words carried no weight. They needed authoritative professors to take the lead.Someone immediately returned to the College of Natural

With the breakthrough key to the cloaking technology now in hand, Daniel Hayes finally understood the concrete method to complete his research. Everything became crystal clear, like staring at a math problem where the solution path lay spread before him. All that remained was working through it.After jotting down some quick notes, Daniel couldn't wait any longer. He headed straight for the Institute for Micro- and Nano-Optics. He needed to discuss collaboration with Professor Foster.As he approached the institute entrance, he ran into Natalie Croft, who was heading back the other way. When she spotted Daniel, she froze mid-step. "You're here too?"Her frustration flared instantly. Through clenched teeth, each word came out sharp and clipped. "Didn't you say your legs were sore and you didn't want to move?"Daniel stopped, explanation tumbling out awkwardly. "I just had a really good idea, so I came to talk it over with Professor Foster. Where is she?""Fir

Daniel Hayes, don't bring up anything related to Robert Sterling during your interview. You need to steer clear of those questions, or it'll spark controversy in the media. I know this is hard for you, but that's just how it is. Getting caught up in controversy does you no good. Public opinion is unpredictable..."The university administrators clustered around Daniel Hayes, coaching him on how to handle media interviews. The whole briefing centered on one topic: Robert Sterling.When facing journalists, it was best to sidestep controversial subjects. The media thrived on drama, and any hint of conflict would be twisted into headlines designed to stir up trouble.Most people understood the value of maintaining surface politeness even when furious underneath. You kept your composure, smiled through gritted teeth, and pretended nothing had happened. That approach had its advantages. It kept your hands clean and gave your opponents nothing to latch onto later.Daniel

Daniel Hayes had invited three doctoral students to help him, and they'd worked through the entire day until seven-thirty in the evening. He treated everyone to dinner afterward, marking the first time the four workspace roommates had shared a meal together.Among the physics doctoral candidates, Leo Bennett ranked in the upper tier of ability. His mathematical skills were solid, and he had a working knowledge of optics and polymer chemistry. Standard refraction and scattering calculations came easily to him.Leo had started helping Daniel with the mathematical work first, then Caleb Hart joined in. Caleb's level was slightly lower, but once given specific formulas, he could complete the calculations. Not long after, Natalie Croft joined them as well.With all four doctoral students in the workspace tackling the same task, the tedious calculations became almost enjoyable. Their collective efficiency soared.Refining the design of the Spherical Cloaking Device was

Daniel Hayes stood frozen, stunned into silence by Benjamin York's parting words."An invisibility device, so you can't see me anymore? What kind of logic is that?" Malcolm Cole muttered, caught between laughter and exasperation. He wracked his brain trying to come up with a retort but came up empty. Refusing to let it go, he finally managed to force out, "You've been learning from Elaine Foster, haven't you?""Director Malcolm Cole, you're misunderstanding me." Benjamin York's grin widened as he spoke with mock seriousness. "I'm not joking. This is real, I'm telling you the truth. Just go downstairs and take a good look for yourself."Without waiting for a response, he turned and headed for the stairs.Malcolm Cole followed, curiosity getting the better of him, though he continued grumbling under his breath. "Still claiming it's real? An invisibility device that actually makes things invisible? Even LightEdge wouldn't dare make that claim..."LightEdge was