When the sun finally set completely, they had decided that driving to the outskirts of town and circling the different forest areas was best. Giles had said that considering this had to do something with the moon's presence and that it was a Wiccan ritual, it was probably going to be held in a secluded, out door spot. Xander was complaining that it was too cold and because of it, he was getting on Angel's nerves. They continued to bicker like little old ladies for about five minutes until Buffy spun around and told them to shut up. Her flashlight slowly went along the path. Then, she brought it up to check something on her nail, when she tripped over something. Angel was quick to help her up, but Xander, frozen in one position, had his flashlight on the thing she had tripped over. It was a bloody shoe. But next to it, was a t-shirt that had been ripped to shreds. It was Oz's. She had captured him and brought him up there, but had made sure to leave those two items far from the trail when she found out when the Slayer would begin her search. She figured if they found these, they would consider him dead for sure, and this would disorient them so much, they wouldn't be as strong. It was sure-fire. Especially since two of her minions had been laying in wait at that very spot. She only needed the Slayer and the Vampire, but the boy would be good to go after as well. These were two of her minions she knew that the Slayer knew, so she would trust them. Riley approached from one side and Tara from the other. Tara smiled.
"Hey, Buffy! Is Willow with you?
" she asked.
"No,
" Buffy said sharply. She didn't want a run-in with Tara or Riley right now. Then she sensed something in Tara's voice and the way she was acting.
"Are you both feeling alright?
"
"We're fine, Buffy. We're just a little worried about the three of you,
" Riley said. Angel sensed something, too. He got ready and gripped the ax a little more tightly. Buffy made sure she had her crossbow ready. Xander was confused completely. Then, Tara made a move. She circled them.
"It can get really dangerous,
" she said.
"We can handle ourselves,
" Xander said defensively.
"Look, Glinda, we're tracking someone, so if you don't mind…
" He tried to walk past her, but Riley and she made a block.
"You're home early?
" Buffy asked.
"Oh, yeah. I figured I might as well get ahead in my studies,
" Riley said. Xander tried to hide his laughing fit at the thought of willingly coming home to work. Angel grabbed something that Riley was hiding behind his back before Riley could react.
"Looks like the one I picked up off the other guy,
" he said.
"So then this isn't the real Riley?
" she asked.
"Oh, no. They're real – I think,
" Angel said.
"Just shut up!
" Tara said. Buffy got in fighter's stance with the crossbow, and then, dramatically, raised an eyebrow. They began to run. Angel caught Tara and Riley in about fifteen seconds of the chase.
"If you two tell us where this ritual is going on, you might just get to keep your heads. If not, whether or not you two are the real articles, I will make sure that your death is as slow and painful as medically possible,
" Angel said.
"YEAH!
" Xander said, backing Angel up. Buffy looked at him.
"I'm a guy. Violence excites me. I guess I found the right friends.
" Then the two of them just disappeared. Not in an instant, but slowly, like they were evaporating.
"What was that?
" Buffy asked.
"All you've seen and a disappearing act amazes you,
" Xander said.
"We need to get to Giles,
" Buffy said. They began to slowly jog and then proceeded into a twenty-yard dash. Xander stopped after about five seconds to catch his breath.
"You go on – I'll catch up,
" he said, wheezing. Someone knocked him out and dragged him off. Buffy and Angel didn't notice anything until they got to Angel's drop-top. Buffy started to go back and Angel stopped her.
"They have him. We need to just get back and make sure they're fine,
" he said. Sadly, she nodded her head.
* * *
They returned to Giles' place to find a note tacked wall, since the door was still on the floor.
Hello, Slayer. Well, I suppose it's risky to have left them by themselves. Don't worry, we haven't taken them all, just the watcher, Rupert Giles.. Have fun. We are. Until next time – Catherine Madison and others.
"Oh God! Willow! Cordelia!
" Buffy yelled. They both rushed in and searched the house. Buffy ran up the stairs. She found Willow, in tears, tied to a chair in Giles' bedroom closet with a rag stuffed in her mouth. Luckily, it was clean. Angel had found Cordelia in the place below the stairs with handcuffs keeping her attached to a really heavy trunk. Angel brought his fist down on the chain and it snapped neatly in half. Buffy found Wesley beaten and thrown into Giles' room and having just woken up from his unconscious sleep. When Buffy had freed both Wesley and Willow, she helped them both down the stairs and sat them on the couch next to Cordelia.
"We still have Wesley. He knows almost as many ancient languages as Giles and probably has a better link to the Watcher's Council. They have Xander, Giles and Oz. That means that their going for the least significant people first. Willow isn't much of a danger, but if they're going by that list, Wesley is next. Then me, you and finally Willow,
" Angel said.
"Thanks for stating the obvious, there, Obi Wan. Look, none of us go anywhere. We keep the weapons nice and close and never let any of them out of our site. Right now we lie low and research. And, uh, Giles is less important than Wesley? Not. Maybe they're just figuring first and last, kay?
" Buffy asked. She tried to get past him. He caught her wrist and looked in her eyes.
"They're fine. We'll do this, okay?
" he asked. She smiled and nodded.
"Thanks,
" she said quietly. She leaned in, so did he. He kissed her on the forehead, and stopped. She nodded knowingly. They went in front of the three.
"Okay, we lie low. We're not going anywhere. We find out what this thing wants, kick it's ass and hit the Bronze, alright?
" Buffy asked.
"Okay, we have one more day to stop whatever this blood moon thing is. I think I might have something, but it's in Medieval French. Angel?
" Willow asked. Willow, who had already grabbed a research book off the table motioned for Angel to come over.
* * *
Xander finally woke up – on a poll. He looked to his right and saw Giles and a little way up near the top, and a little to the right was Oz. They all looked frantic. He saw Oz's brilliantly blue eyes darting around nervously. So he's not dead, Xander thought. Then he saw her. Catherine. And her
"groupies
". Tara, Riley, and three other people he'd never seen before. The fact that when Willow was the last one to join them, and that would make seven, was probably some ritual thing. Oz was trying not to wolf out, and if he was tested any more, he would. Magic or no magic, those restraints wouldn't hold him for long. He just hoped Catherine had a very good plan B.
* * *
After each of them had finished their accounts of what had happened, no one said much. There were two more people missing, her lackeys were strong and couldn't be easily caught. This, in other words, was bad. Willow and the others were searching for a weakness. Buffy was pacing around and making sure everyone had a weapon and knew how to use it and trying to fill-in as a replacement Giles. In other words, she was being incredibly annoying.
"Buffy, sit down! You're making everyone nervous. Now grab a book. Honestly, they're not going to burst in the window this second!
" Wesley said. What happened next made Wesley regret his words.
* * *
There was a flash of lightning, and there was Wesley, limp as a rag. The lightning surprised Oz, and his hand began to turn. He forced it back to human, and calmed himself down. Giles had finally fully woken up. He was badly bruised under one eye, and his glasses had been cracked in half, so, as he raised his head they fell to the earthen ground. If there wasn't a very tight handkerchief choking his words down efficiently, Xander would've been laughing his head off at the sight of the four of them. My God is this painful. You'd think that if anyone on the outside couldn't hear or see us, we'd at least be allowed to talk, Giles thought violently. He had heard Catherine talk about the invisibility coat over the area. It was quite interesting, but annoying at the same time. He could only hope the others hadn't given up, but also that they were safe. Finally, three of the four men that Catherine had set out returned.
"Where is the other?
" she demanded.
"The Slayer…
" one trailed off. The four prisoners were happy to hear that. Buffy and the others were still holding their own.
"You have to revert some new people. Bring three back. That way we can still spare two. If you fail me again, you know I can do this ritual myself,
" Catherine warned. In some ways, this relieved Giles. If she killed her men, the ritual preparations would take longer, she'd be gone longer and she'd be stressed for time. But she had more sense than that, though they didn't know that.
* * *
"Great,
" Buffy said, sitting back down on the couch.
"Well at least you got one,
" Willow said encouragingly.
"Yeah, but I could've gotten them all! I guess I'm just off my game,
" Buffy said. Willow putted her shoulder. Then, sympathetically, she said,
"We're all a little off. This is majorly confusing.
" Buffy smiled.
"But we lost more of Team Buffy in that little raid, and we can't lose anyone else. Angel and I are the fighters, and you're the one who's the most important for saving.
" Tara bounded through the door.
"Is everyone okay? What happened?
" Tara asked. It wasn't really much of an Oscar-worthy performance, since there wasn't much realism in her voice, but they all had believed that the other Tara was a double, and this one was not.
"Tara! Where were you?
" Willow asked. Tara paused. She had forgotten to think of an excuse.
"I… I was… trying to do a protection spell but it kinda bombed,
" Tara said weakly. They accepted that.
"We lost a lot of people – not to death, but we think they were for the ritual. We're all that's left,
" Buffy said. Angel didn't trust the genuine honesty in Tara. The fact that she was the daughter of a very evil, very powerful witch didn't help his suspicions any. Since he didn't know Tara as well as he had known Oz, his suspicion of her wasn't as strong, but it was still firm.
"Willow, can I see you for a second?
" Tara asked. Now small warning bells went off in Buffy's head.
"No!
" she said a little louder than necessary. Willow looked at Buffy questioningly. Tara looked a little worried.
"We have a lot of work to do. Can't you tell her later?
" Buffy asked more rudely than she had meant to.
"Buffy!
" Willow said, confused and a little angrily.
"It'll just be for a second, and Angel knows, like, twenty languages,
" Willow said.
"Twenty-three,
" he corrected.
"Fine, fine, but can you stay in the apartment at least. We don't want either of you getting captured,
" Buffy said. What's with the Mom act? Willow wondered silently. They know. I don't know how, but they do. They can all go to Hell. I hate them! Patience, patience. They'll all die soon, and you can have Willow all to yourself, Tara thought. A slow smile crept along her innocent, schoolgirl features. She quickly hid it before they saw.
* * *
This sucks, Xander thought as he continued to try to wriggle from the bonds holding him. They all were. They knew since magic was keeping them there, there was not really a chance they'd actually break free, but wearing themselves by trying to do something made them feel useful. It was all he could do from turning. He would feel it creeping in on him, and then he'd have to force it down again. Unless he could actually sleep through this, which was impossible, there was no way he could put off the wolf much longer. As he was about to give up, he saw the first crack of daylight. He was relieved, but also scared. They had less than a day. When that sun went down, it would be replaced with the blood moon. And then there would be no hope.
