[ At least to Maxwell, the Constant promises a deeper understanding of magic, which he's historically always wanted more than anything, more than even before he knew to ask for that, and he accepts without condition whatever horrors come with - whether they change him or just destroy him. ]

Sounds like they could be a good time. If you could avoid them getting hostile, anyway. Did you talk to them?

[ The breadsticks and seafood arriving are a small intermission in the mutual cross examination of worlds, and Maxwell cheerfully rips one in half, dips it, and offers the seafood-bread to the Peeper, which floats down to land on the table next to him and starts chewing happily. Then he points the remaining half of the baton in Russell's direction. ]

Just want to ask in case this comes up again during a crisis. Did this experiment you were in involve... Mesmerism, anything like that? [ The time for delicacy is over, it's only fair to tell him why Maxwell's so concerned. ] For a second there, you acted like I stabbed you when I referenced Carroll.