Chapter Eighteen

The teams began to gather in the living room to discuss their findings. Gunn and Rondell paced by the stairs.

"We need to be fighting." Rondell said. "We're not about sitting around with stuffy old books. We're the brute force."

"I agree." Gunn said. "We know our place in battle. And it ain't in the library. It's on the streets."

"So, what now?" Rondell asked. "We let the little blond boss us around some more?"

Gunn shook his head at a lack of answer as Buffy stood before the group.

Buffy stayed close to Angel, her hands always somehow touching him.

"Giles." Buffy began. "What do we know?"

"What don't we know." Wesley said sarcastically.

"In other words, not much." Giles said. "We've been working on the spell Willow found in her notes. The same spell is referenced in Sumerian in one of the texts from the council. But there isn't anyway to decipher what needs to be done. At least, not that I can tell."

"So, we have nothing." Buffy said.

"It's something." Willow jumped in. "We know there is a way to stop The First Evil. We just don't know how to do it."

"WE aren't the ones who'll do it." Rondell added. "I don't mean to rain on the slayer parade, I know we're just the guys from the hood here to fight, but if we can't stop The First, maybe we should at least be out there battling it's minions."

"I agree." Gunn said. "We can't just sit around here, noses in books, protecting a kid that may or may not be the answer."

"They are right, Buffy." Wesley said.

"Then we go back to patrolling." Buffy said. "I don't know what else to do."

"We have to do this sensibly." Giles said. "As much of an emphasis on researching as there is on fighting. And we can't let anything get in the way of the mission."

"What's that supposed to mean?" Xander asked defensively.

"It means we can't let our personal feelings get in the way." Giles said.

"Our personal feelings about what?" Buffy asked sharply.

"We think The First feeds on evil." Wesley said.

"The First is Evil." Angel said. "Hence the name, Wes."

"Yes." Wesley agreed. "But evil begets evil."

"And good begets good?" Angel asked trying to make sense of Wesley's statement.

"Precisely." Wesley said, true to his watcher form.

"So, what's the plan?" Rondell asked, frustrated.

"We split up." Buffy said. "Gunn and Rondell, take your boys start patrolling the eastern and southern sides of town. I'll take the potentials to the western and the northern."

"And the rest of us?" Connor asked.

"Connor, you'll come with me." Buffy said. "Angel, you and Oz will stay here and guard the house."

Angel and Oz both nodded in agreement.

"Giles, Wesley, everyone else, research, research, research." Buffy said. "Figure out what the spell means, what this Pure Good is all about and how to get it to work for us. We hold back the demons on the street while we figure it out. Anything that's not with us is against us."

"Buffy." Wesley started.

"No." Giles said. "She's right. We've been ignoring things in this town telling ourselves that they're not evil and therefore letting them go on. If it's demon and it's not fighting with us, then we neutralize it."

"Everything?" Lorne asked from the back. "We've been hitting the demon spots and not everything has chosen the side of evil."

"This isn't morality." Buffy said. "This is black and white. We're going to be a force not to be reckoned with. Either they're fighting against evil or they're siding with it. Any parties who don't want to choose gets the hell out of my town."

Lorne nodded. "I'll get the word out."

"Giles." Buffy's tone of voice commanded, "Figure out that spell. Reach out. If you need to contact every person with ties to the magick community to do it, just do it."

"I'll contact the coven again." Giles said. "But Buffy, they may not be able to help."

"Then find us someone who can." Buffy said.

"What about me?" Faith asked as she walked slowly down the stairs. "I can fight."

"No." Buffy said kindly. "I need you to do something else."