By the time they pulled up to Angel's Xander had come up with 100 different reasons staying there was a bad idea. None of them mattered to Buffy though. As Giles pulled up to the front of the estate Buffy looked at him. "Pull your car around back and try to find it some where hidden." Giles just nodded and Buffy grabbed Xander practically dragging him inside.
As Buffy walked inside she called out. "Angel it's me Buffy." She whispered "And your friend Xander."
Xander rolled his eyes. "This is so not a good idea."
From the second floor the master bedroom suite opened up. Angel came out confused. "Buffy shouldn't you be in sch" He saw Xander standing next to her. "What is he doing here?"
Buffy offered a uncomfortable smile. "Angel we need to talk." She turned to Xander. "Go sit on the couch or something." Angel sighed and started towards Buffy.
"Come on Buffy we can talk in the den." Angel waited for Buffy to enter and closed the door behind him. "What is going on Buffy?"
"Some one is trying to kill Xander?"
"I've met him. I understand why."
"Angel this isn't a joke. I'm being serious."
"I'm sorry. I can tell you guys have been through a lot."
"Trust me when I say it took everything I had in me to convince Xander this was the safest place to come."
"What happened?"
Buffy leaned against the table in the center of the room. "Xander was late for class. That isn't terribly unusual. Most of the time it is a bad thing. Today it probably saved his life."
"How so?"
"I'm sitting in math and this cop shows up with our troll of a principal. They are asking for Xander but he was late. After he left I got a bad feeling off of the cop. I snuck out to find Xander. I found him and we were just about to go to the library when the cop saw Xander."
"And he went to arrest him?"
"No he drew his gun on him and tried to kill him execution style."
"What the hell did Xander do to this cop?"
"I'm not sure he is really a cop. Hell I don't think he is human. I shot him right in the leg and he didn't' flinch. Xander pushed a bookcase and all of the books on top of him and it just slowed him down long enough for us to get away."
"So you brought him here?"
"If he is a cop he knows where Xander lives. So I thought."
Angel rubbed his eyes. "Where is the one place that no one would ever look for Xander. Besides technically being off the books Xander and I aren't exactly best friends."
"He didn't want to come here cause of the whole hating your guts thing but the thing I know about you is that you can put all that pettiness aside and keep focus on what the right thing to do here is."
Angel rolled his eyes knowing Buffy was buttering him up. "He can stay. Just remind him he is a guest and he needs to behave such."
"Thank you Angel."
"Is there anything I can do to help?"
"You want to help?"
"Well the sooner we figure out what is going on the sooner Xander is out of my house."
"We have to hit research mode. For research mode I could use Willows help. She kind of computer girl."
"You want me to get her?"
"I will go after her. Just keep Xander and Giles safe while I'm out."
Before he could say anything Xander popped his head in the doorway. "Angel where is your television?"
Angel just shook his head. "I don't have one."
Xander looked shocked. "You can't be serious."
Angel stepped to him. "Television rots the mind. Read a book."
Xander threw his hands up. "Read a book? Is a book going to give me news updates. Is a book going to tell me why some psychotic cop is trying to kill me."
Buffy bit her lip. "He kind of has your there Angel."
Angel sighed not wanting to admit he had a television. "I might have something."
Angel crossed out of the room and went to the main hall. He went to an armoire and took out a key unlocking it. Inside the cabinet was a 40-inch TV hooked up to cable. Buffy looked shocked. "You told me that was an antique credenza that you kept weapons in."
Xander laughed and grabbed the remote turning it on. He flipped through the channels. It didn't take long for Xander to find a news station covering the shooting. Most of the channels were already on site and the networks had started to run with the story.
"Michael Hoffman here with channel 9 Sunnydale. The peace and tranquility of what should have been an average school day was interrupted by gunfire. We've just learned details a man claiming to work with Sunnydale PD arrived at the school and asked for a student. An Alexander Lavelle Harris"
Xander rolled his eyes "Thank you for using my middle name and the God Awful yearbook photo."
Buffy swatted his arm "Shhhh"
"Details are still sketchy but the Principal failed to check the full credentials of the officer. I've talked with Sunnydale PD and they are claiming this was not a police officer. This morning an Officer Joe Swanson was shot down. They just found his body in a road side ditch off of route 40. The working theory right now is that the man who killed the officer was the same man to show up for Harris today?"
With in the studio they talked to the reporter on scene. "Michael what is the status on Xander Harris?"
"Sarah it's strange right now he's missing. He was last seen running in to library with a fellow student Buffy Summers. Early reports are saying the library is riddled with bullet holes yet no body is any where to be found?"
"What about this supposed Officer?"
"By the time police arrived on scene Harris was gone. Summers was gone and the so called officer was gone as well."
Buffy grabbed the remote hitting the mute button. "Well at least you aren't wanted by the police."
Giles came in from the back door. "Would have been in sooner but I was listening to details on the radio. Xander the police are looking for you but the sounds of it is you aren't in trouble at least."
Xander pointed to the screen "Oh God they are interviewing Snyder. Turn it back up."
The balding middle-aged troll looked nervous on camera and stammered as they turn the camera on him.
"Mister Snyder do you feel any sense of responsibility knowing that this could have been potentially been avoided had you asked to see the man police identification."
Snyder wiped his brow. "Right now isn't the time for blame. Now is the time for us to find Xander Harris , Buffy Summers and our librarian Rupert Giles. Our most precious resource are the children and I took it upon myself to protect them when the officer drew fire giving them the needed opportunity to run."
Buffy looked pissed. "What a liar. He was cowering on the ground like a scared girl."
"What can you tell us about these students?"
Snyder again adjusted his tie and laid it on thick. "Oh they were I mean are two of my favorite student. Very bright children and I always look forward to seeing them."
Xander rolled his eyes "Turn it off. I can't stand to listen anymore."
Buffy muted it. "Well Xander look at it this way. Snyder is taking a world of hell for his incompetence maybe he'll be fired."
Xander smirked "I don't think God likes me enough to make that happen."
Giles slapped Xander on the back. "What ever is going on we will stay strong. We will be vigilant and you will be okay."
Xander nodded feeling a little numb. "It's funny my mom yelled at me to take out the trash and it made me late if I had" Suddenly the thought filled his mind. "Oh God. I have to go to my parents house."
Buffy shook her head "Xander you can't. That guy is still out there looking for you and the first place he would look for you is your parents."
Xander stammered. "Maybe he wouldn't. I mean."
Angel looked at Xander. "It's what's Angelus would do. I mean if I wanted to draw you out."
Xander shook his head. "I don't care I have to warn them at least. They are shitty parents but they don't deserve to die."
Giles turned Xander looking at Xander. "Relax. I will go and I will relay a message to them that you are okay and that they should leave town till everything clears up."
Buffy looked to Giles "We will go together. I got to find Willow anyways."
Angel went to the door and tossed Giles a set of keys. "Take my car. You'll be less identifiable in it. Before you step foot one in to Xander's house scope it out. Make sure it is safe."
Giles nodded. "I know what I am doing."
As Buffy walked out with Giles she kept her eyes open. She wasn't about to let anyone or anything get the drop on her and Xander. Xander stood in the window watching them pull away.
Angel looked over at him. "You know you are a target right now and it might not be the best idea to stand in front of a window where anyone can see you."
Xander stepped away and released a breath. "I'm worried."
"Well that is what Sunnydale is all about. Death and danger are around every corner."
"It's not myself I am worried for. Look Angel I know you and I aren't friends." The idea that I could get Buffy or Giles or Willow killed. That doesn't sit well with me."
"Xander "I'm not really the guy who picks you up here. I mean you and I don't have that kind of dynamic. I'm not the guy who is going to kick you when you are down either. So just let Buffy do her thing. She will be safe and keep everyone else safe."
Xander turned around "Do you have any food here. Something that is solid and not you know blood."
"I've started stocking a few things for Buffy in the kitchen downstairs."
As Giles and Buffy made their way in to town Giles kept his eyes open wanting to make sure no one was following. He looked at Buffy. "I feel we shouldn't leave Xander alone long."
"Kind of on the same page here Giles. Drop me close to the school. I'll call you when I get Willow."
"Buffy I don't need to remind you that if someone or something is looking for Xander they are going to be looking for the people he is close to. This thing might already be tracking Willow."
"Which is why you need to put your foot on the gas."
"Just be careful. In trying to find Willow you could tip your hand to Xander's location."
"I'll be careful Giles." They were less than half a mile to the school. "Giles stop the car I'll get there from here." Buffy quickly jumped out before Giles could say anything. She took off keeping her head down but her eyes up looking around for anyone who might be following.
As she got closer to the school she noticed the various News Vans that littered the school parking lot. With her and Xander on the news it was going to be hard to get past them un noticed. She slinked behind the vans trying to blend in. One of the local news vans left the van door opened and as Buffy walked past she noticed a box full of promotional baseball caps with the stations logo on it. She grabbed one quickly and put it on her head. She looked for anything else and quickly grabbed some sunglasses from the visor.
She grabbed an empty bag carrying it towards the school. She was hoping she blended in well enough as just another employee of a news station. Buffy walked past the army of reporters unnoticed. As she walked in through the front door security stepped in front of her. "No reporters on campus. You have to stay in the parking lot."
Buffy rolled her eyes. "I'm a student. I just didn't want to get harassed by the media." The guard was about to say something but Buffy just sidestepped him. She looked at the clock and was trying to figure out what class Willow would be in right now. She made her way to Chemistry 101.
Just as Buffy arrived at the door the class bell rang out and the hallways filled. As Willow slung her bag over her shoulder she made her way out. Buffy grabbed her arm and whispered in her ear.
"Willow play it cool. We need to talk right now."
Willow quickly spun around happy to see Buffy. She practically tackled him in a hug. "Oh my God Buffy you are alive. I wanted to come find you but they put the school is in lock down. Xander isn't with you. Is he?"
"Xander is okay Willow." Buffy scanned around quickly not wanting to talk in the public. "Bathroom Willow follow."
As they made there way in Buffy checked the stalls to make sure they were alone. "Something is after Xander."
"Why Xander?"
"I don't know?"
"What do you mean something? The news is saying it was someone impersonating a cop."
"I shot what ever the hell this thing was point blank Willow. Demons or Vampires flinch when you shoot them. They show some sign of pain. This thing just turned around and pulled the bolt out of it's leg and opened fire on me. Xander pushed a bookcase on top of it."
"So what is the plan?"
"We need research mode."
"But we can't take any chances. We are in hiding until it's safe again."
"Hiding where?"
"Angel is watching Xander right now. Giles is going to pick us up shortly and we are all sticking together."
"Well if we are going to hit research mode I am going to need a few things. I need my laptop. It's at my mom's house."
Buffy nodded "Okay but you aren't going alone and we have to be real quick. I mean in and out that is it."
"School is in lock down how do you plan on getting out?"
Buffy looked around "Where there is a will." Buffy walked to the bathroom window and quickly turned the latch. "There is a way." She boosted Willow up and out the window and pulled herself up and out shortly after.
Willow looked at where they were. It was the back part of the school. "Come on Buffy we cut through the softball field."
"Let's be quick and unseen."
At the same time Giles was just pulling up to Xander's house. Like the school there was a swarm of reporters standing in front of Xander's house. Giles parked out of sight and surveyed the situation. He got his way out and saw a cameraman smoking a cigarette waiting for his cue to go on.
Giles approached the man hoping he didn't recognize him. "Hell of a news day isn't it?"
The cameraman turned looking at Giles. He picked up on the accent. "You in the news too. All the way from Britain."
"Well you know BBC1 we cover the world."
"Well who'd thought this stupid town would be world news." He stomped out his cigarette.
"Well has anyone been able to get in to talk with Mrs Harris."
The man looked at Giles. "Oh man you don't know?"
"I'm running behind everyone else I guess. What is it I don't know?"
"Normally I don't help the competition but at this point it is far from a secret. The police came here looking for that boy and when they did they found his mom dead in the living room."
Giles sighed and shook his head. He didn't know how he was going to tell Xander. "Oh God that is awful."
Just than a tall blonde in a pantsuit yelled at her. "Jared get your ass over here now."
The cameraman smiled at Giles grabbing his camera. "Work calls. Say hello to the queen of England for me."
Giles made his way back to the car not sure what he was going to say. If Mrs Harris was dead than Anthony Harris was probably on the list as well. Hopefully he was still alive.
Buffy paced nervously up and down the floors of Willows house. "Come on Willow we really got to go."
Willow skipped down the steps her laptop over her shoulder. "I got to thinking. If we are going to Angels it might be hard to get Internet which makes my end of the research a little harder."
"I forgot Angel doesn't really cruise the world wide web."
"Don't sweat it. I brought along my Wi-Fi hot spot."
"You are a genius Willow."
Buffy pulled out her phone. "I'm going to call Giles and tell him to meet us here." Before Buffy could dial the number Willow's phone rang out, Willow picked up the phone.
"Hello."
"Willow it's Giles is Buffy with you?"
Willow put her hand over the phone. "It's Giles Buffy." She spoke back in the phone. "Yeah she was just about to call you."
"Well you two should stay there I am on my way over."
"Is there any where else we need to go?"
"No we are done here. Buffy says she doesn't want to leave Xander alone long so we need to get over to Angel's now."
"Can you give me Angel's address again?"
Willow looked to Buffy "What is Angel's address."
Buffy looked confused. "Why does he need?" Just than Buffy's cell phone rang out Buffy looked down and saw Giles calling on her line. She got a sick feeling in her stomach. She quickly answered "Hello."
Giles voice was on the other ender. "Buffy where are you? I have some very bad news."
Buffy looked at Willow. "HANG UP THE PHONE."
Willow looked confused. Buffy grabbed the phone out of her hand and slammed it on the receiver. "Grab your bag Will we got to get out of here NOW."
She picked her phone up to talk to the real Giles. "We need you to get us now Giles. We are going to meet you at the place we buried the Masters Bones. If you are the real Giles you'll know where that is."
"Buffy what is" Buffy hung up the phone before he could finish and grabbed Willows arm. "That wasn't Giles."
Willow looked confused. "But it sounded like him. How do you know the guy you were talking to"
Buffy cut her off. "Giles knows where Angel lives he wouldn't need" But before could finish shots rang out in the living room. "We LEAVE NOW."
Buffy pushed Willow out the back door as the man from earlier at the school kicked the door in. He shot at Buffy and Willow but they were gone. He ran after them but they had a decent head start. As they ran out the back and through the neighbors yard he chased them doing his best to keep up.
Buffy could hear the train whistle blowing. "Come on Willow I think I got an idea."
Willow was no slayer but with everything she had she pumped her arms and legs. As Buffy ran to the tracks she saw the train approaching. She jumped in front easily and turned to Willow. "COME ON WILL RUN."
The gunman ran at Willow but knew he wouldn't be able to get across the tracks in time. So he raised his gun at Willow and shot her square in the back as she jumped in front of the train Buffy grabbed her. "Oh God Willow are you hit."
Willow quickly took off her backpack. "I think." She opened it finding her chemistry notebook and laptop had 3 bulletholes clean through it. "Oh God I was."
"Very lucky you brought your homework. Now I don't know how long this train is. Lets get out of here."
Buffy ran with Willow following close behind. Giles was waiting for them at the place Buffy told him. Buffy jumped in the front and Willow got in the back. "God am I glad to see you."
Willow got in the back next to Buffy. "It's really you right?"
Giles looked confused. "Really me? Who else would I be?"
Buffy sighed "Just humor me Giles. What's the name of your chaos magic loving former friend?"
"Ethan Rayne?"
Buffy sighed "I think it's him." She sat back but still kept her eyes opened. "We need to get back to Xander."
Giles put the car in to gear. "About Xander."
Willow looked on concerned "What is wrong?"
Giles kept his eyes on the road. "His mother was killed."
