Xander almost ran into Faith crouching in the shadows. She held up a warning hand, but it was too late. Xander looked over her shoulder and saw three vampires turn toward them, attention drawn by the commotion. He stayed as still as possible, hoping that the screen of trees would provide enough cover. Then he noticed that they were sniffing the air. One of the creatures took a step in their direction and Xander felt something rough and damp pressed into his hand. He squinted in the faint light and saw that Faith had given him an impromptu stake, a section of broken branch about two feet long.

He needed it. The vamps approached with great purpose, harsh laughter bubbling from their deformed throats. Faith gripped a stake in each hand and stepped out of the trees. Xander noticed a faint smile on her face.

"Crap," he hissed as he followed. "I thought we were just supposed to watch."

***

Buffy had given up lying to herself. Sure, she'd been walking the streets since leaving the library, so she could claim to be patrolling, but she wasn't really looking for vamps. In fact, she wasn't really looking for anything; she was trying to stay away. Shards of information and new questions ricocheted around her brainpan as her feet moved of their own accord. Irritation flooded her system, annoyance at her own inability to concentrate or to clear her head. She wanted answers, but the one individual who might have them was the one she needed to avoid.

Actually, that wasn't true. Someone else had answers, but she didn't know how to find him.

Or did she? The Slayer's head rose. Her eyes glinted and a corner of her mouth curled as she turned, a new purpose in her strides as she moved down the street.

***

Xander shook his head in an attempt to get all the leaves and twigs out of his hair. He ran his hand through the mess and yelped as his fingers caught in a snag.

"You look fine," Faith said as she slipped the stakes inside her jacket. She slapped her sleeves, ridding them of vampire dust.

"Yeah, easy for you to say," he shot back, "with the Slayer strength and the speed and the kicking and the good stakes. Look what I had to work with." He held out the length of broken branch.

Faith shrugged. "You did okay. Okay, it was funny when he held you up by your ankles but for the most part you handled yourself." She rolled her head as though trying loosen a kink in her neck. "Tell you what," she said. "Let's hit the Bronze. First round's on me, okay?"

Xander tucked his shirt in and pushed his hair out of his face. "I know that you're patronizing me," he said as he followed her. "I just want you to know that I know that."

***

Giles saw Matti Hollis's eyes widen a split-second before he felt the tap on his shoulder. He turned and saw Willow, Oz just behind her.

"Hey Giles." The redhead smiled. "Some game, huh?"

"What? Oh, yes, I suppose." Giles glanced at the scoreboard. "I really only got here as it ended."

"That's good," Oz opined. "Skip the exposition, catch the conclusion."

"Yes, something like that." Giles smiled. Willow knew that smile. She thought of it as Giles' 'Holy-shit-we're-in-big-trouble' smile. She bit her lip.

"So, should we get to the library so we can begin that... thing you're helping me with," she said.

"What? Oh, that." Giles blinked rapidly as he removed his glasses. "Well, at the moment I can't, um, open the library for you. Something's come up that I must attend to."

"Something school-related," Matti said. Good Lord, this man was a lousy liar, she thought. Sounded like he was reading right off a sheet of paper.

"Yes, yes," the librarian said, relief drenching his voice. He half-turned toward Matti. "Ms. Hollis and I."

"Okay." Willow tossed her head. "We'll just go ahead and get started."

"No!" The sharpness in Giles' voice caused them all to pause. "I... I can't let students have the run of the library unsupervised. Against school policy, especially dodgy with Principal Snyder here." He licked his lips. "This shouldn't take long."

Oz put his arm around Willow. "Why don't we just hit the Bronze for, what, an hour?" He directed the question to Giles.

The Watcher nodded. "I think an hour will be more than sufficient. Why don't you have a good time for an hour, then meet me at the library."

Oz nodded and steered Willow toward the exit. "What's going on?" she whispered.

"Don't know," he said. "We've got enough to worry about. Let's not super-size the concern, okay? Maybe it's something personal. Let's go check out the DJ, then come back and hit the books."

"You know, that's one of the things I love about you," Willow said, her face crinkling into a smile. "You're always so calm."

"On the outside," Oz muttered.

***

Buffy stepped out of the shadows. "Quite the night owl, aren't we?"

Florestan paused, keys in his hand. "I must admit, I'm surprised to see you."

"Oh, good," Buffy said as she took a few steps toward him. "I'd hate to think I'd grown stale and predictable."

"That's very witty, but I assume you're here for a reason."

Buffy's lips pressed together as she nodded. "You're unflappable guy, all right. Yeah, I want to talk to you."

"Why?"

"Let's just say I'm not buying a pig in a poke. Your little visit left me with all kinds of questions and I think you're the guy with answers."

The demon nodded. "You've surprised me again. I thought you would try to get this information from Angel."

Buffy's stomach tightened. "I figure you can get it for me wholesale."

He actually chuckled. "I find that so inscrutable that I'm almost tempted to ask you in."

Buffy spread her hands wide. "Ask away."

Florestan shook his head. "I really can't. I'm trying to protect myself. Being seen with the Slayer isn't part of that."

Buffy shrugged and looked unconcerned. "Hey, the longer we stand out here, the more likely we are to be seen. I wasn't followed and if you were, well, the jig's already up, so be a good guy and ask me in."

He squinted at her. "You're not going away, are you?"

She shook her head and grinned. "I'll stay here until morning. Try explaining that to your car pool."

"Okay, you win." He unlocked the door and opened it, stepping aside and extending an arm.

"Oh, no," Buffy said. "You first." He entered and she followed. The apartment was all chrome, glass and black leather, squared edges and kidney shapes. "Yeah, you're a demon," she muttered.

"I like the modern style," Florestan said as he closed the door. Buffy looked around. There was a sizeable living room, kitchen to the right through an arched doorway, hall to the left, probably to the bedroom and bath. Florestan started down the hall.

"Hold it," Buffy said. "I'm coming too."

"You're a very attractive girl," he smirked. "You don't need a ruse to see my bedchamber."

Buffy's lip curled. "And again I say 'yuck.' Don't make this any more unpleasant than it is."

Florestan shrugged. "I thought you preferred older men."

Buffy waved a hand in front of her. "Just go." They went down the hallway into a bedroom that looked like a full-page ad from the Design Within Reach catalog. Florestan opened a door. Buffy peered over his shoulder. Just a closet. He slipped out of his jacket, hung it on the rod, then pivoted on the ball of his right foot, his right hand slashing at the Slayer. Buffy caught his wrist easily and twisted his arm up behind him, slamming him against the wall. He let out an audible "Uhhh."

"That was so lame," she said. "Like they don't try that in, oh, every movie." She shoved him hard, secretly pleased with the grunt the action elicited. "Now, are you going to be good?"

He nodded as best he could. "I find I suddenly have no interest in heroics."

"Come on," Buffy said, pushing him ahead of her. "Let's talk in the living room."

"May I ask how you found me?" Florestan asked over his shoulder.

"Hung around Willie's bar until he was afraid he wouldn't make a dime, he told me about the more upscale demon club in town, so I just went there and stood around until you came out. That simple." She released his arm and he collapsed on the sofa, rubbing his shoulder.

"How mundane," he said.

"Yeah," Buffy said. "Now, tell me about this seal. What's the extent of its power?"

Florestan shrugged. "I don't know."

Buffy smiled. "Wrong answer. You said demons don't really die. That means you were around when it was in use, so you should have first-hand experience."

He shook his head. "Be careful about being smug. It's a character flaw. Yes, I remember those days, but there is a caveat. Solomon, for all his wisdom and power, was a terribly parochial man. He created the most powerful occult object in all history, but he only wanted to build his damnable temple. No one knows the extent of the seal's power, because he never even attempted to define its limits. The seal is not like some enchanted sword or blessed artifact. It is truly a mystical object. It exists both here and there, in this world and the other. It is sui generis."

The Slayer's lips pursed. "Now you're just showing off."

Florestan smiled sheepishly. "It is a failing of mine."

Buffy looked at him, studying his face closely. "Where was the Slayer?"

"Excuse me?"

Buffy crossed her arms. "You heard me. Where was the Slayer? You know, the one girl in all the world, et cetera, et cetera. Was she there with Solomon?"

The demon frowned, caught off guard by her question. "No... I believe the Slayer at that time was a member of the Five Nations if I remember correctly."

"How do I know you're telling the truth?"

He shrugged. "You don't. But I can't think of a more useless lie." His eyes narrowed. "Now, may I ask you a question?"

Buffy inhaled deeply through her nose. "Fire away," she said.