Hathaway begins to be pressured by the CIA to hurry the project and is given a deadline, and he in turn assigns the team a rigorous timetable. Chris, however, continues his carefree attitude, eventually inviting Mitch to a pool party. Kent reports this to Hathaway, pulling him away from filming his television show. In front of Kent at the party, Hathaway lambastes Mitch, who in tears calls his parents and tells them he wants to go home (unaware that Kent and his friends were recording the call). The next day, Kent plays the recording over the school's public address system at lunch, humiliating Mitch. Mitch begins packing, now intent on leaving Pacific Tech, and Chris tries to reason with him as to why he should reconsider his decision by advising him on how to deal with the pressures and burdens of being highly intelligent and relating his own history and former student, Lazlo Hollyfeld's at Pacific Tech. Lazlo, as a result of "cracking", dropped off the map apparently, and Chris felt that the same could happen to him or any other super-intelligent person unless they lighten-up and enjoy life "in addition" to devoting themselves to their work. Mitch agrees to stay, and Chris suggests that their first priority is to exact revenge on Kent (by placing his car in his dorm room cycling the Citroën's air suspension so it appears to be sleeping).