Angel pulled her behind a stack of crates in one corner. The other followed suit. For a few minutes they watched the fighters in silence, and they weren't noticed.
"Look carefully," said Angel, pointing into the middle of the large group. "Then you'll see what's going on, and why I couldn't explain it to you."
Buffy allowed her eyes to drift from person to person. She saw Drusilla being protected, surrounded in fact, by a group of her vampire lackeys. She didn't look too happy though, probably feeling a bit insulted. Then Buffy saw what was the more likely reason for the vampire's anger.
Willow.
She was right in the heat of things, and she was kicking some butt -- literally. Buffy watched as her best friend landed a roundhouse kick to one of her opponent's kidneys. She was momentarily confused -- how in the world? -- until she saw the other one.
Standing almost back to back with Willow was Xander. Buffy squinted at them, and her tiny grain of suspicion grew into a curse.
"Vampires," she scowled. She turned back to look at the real Xander. "Like in my dream. What the hell is going on?!" She looked back at Angel.
He looked thoughtful. "We need to get back to Giles, and out of here before they figure out that they're all on the same side," he added with a weary glance at the warring vampires. "He's back at his place, researching the stuff in that note you left him. Hopefully Willow and Cordelia are there now too."
Buffy studied his face. He obviously knew something about this whole
mess that he hadn't told her yet. "Let's go," she said. "We need to compare
notes."
When he reached Buffy's house, Riley found that Joyce was the only one home. It was late -- after two a.m. -- but she was still awake.
"Have you talked to Buffy?" she asked him as she opened the door and let him in.
"Actually, I came here looking for her. I haven't seen her since Graham and I left," he added, noticing the worried look on her face.
"Oh," she said, breathing a little sigh of relief. "She and Xander went looking for Anya." Riley looked confused so she added, "It'll probably be simpler if I let her fill you in on the details, but I do know that they're meeting at Giles' later."
Riley nodded seriously. "Do you mind if I sit for a few minutes? I ran all the way over here, and it'd be nice to rest a second before heading over there," he lied. Truth was, he'd strolled the entire way and he was still winded.
"No, I don't mind at all. Can I get you something to drink?"
"No, that's OK," he said, shaking his head. "I can't stay long."
Mrs. Summers was about to sit down next to him when there was a knock at the door. She answered it, slightly surprised at what she saw. "Oz?"
"Is Buffy here?" he asked. "Something really weird is going on."
"She's out right now," Buffy's mom replied.
"She'll be at Giles' later," said Riley, standing up and coming to join
them at the door. "I was getting ready to head over there myself."