Part 24

The agent adjusted the parabolic listening device receiving the signal from Agent Finn. She turned to her partner, "do we have a go?"

Agent Rodriquez checked the terminal in front of him. The signal waves were well within the normal range. "Everything's a go. We have a signal."

Agent Viggiano turned her attention back to her listening device and placed the headphones in her ears. A wry smile tilted her lips as the reception began. "Why is it that every time I listen in to this group they're always arguing?"

Rodriquez grinned at his partner, "it's still amazes me that the they have the success rate that they have." He stopped talking abruptly and held up a hand to signal Agent Viggiano. He listened intently to a voice that was coming over his headset. "Confirmation on Harris' arrival. He's moving toward our location."

"Instructions? Is he considered a threat?"

"Negative. We are to back up Agents Finn if needed. Harris is not considered a threat at this time."

Agent Viggiano pulled back slightly from the window as headlights danced across the windowpane. "Harris has arrived."

Xander rested his head on the steering wheel as he sat in the Summer's driveway. How can he tell the others that Willow is gone for good? He'd driven around Los Angeles for hours after he'd left 'Red Death' in the bar. The vampire community were down about a dozen vamps as he'd taken his anger and frustration out on them.

He decided it was better to just get it over with, quickly and cleanly. Hopefully, with a minimum of heart ache.  Xander took a deep breath to calm his racing heart and opened the car door.

"That's not what I meant!" Buffy's angry voice floated out to Xander as he opened the front door.

"I'm not interrupting anything am I?"

Buffy, Giles, Spike, Sam and Riley all turned as one at Xander's entrance.

"Xander!" Buffy smiled and drew him into a tight hug.

"Hey Buff. What's going on?"

"Giles had an encounter with the First."

Xander wrinkled his brow, "The First? As in the First that wanted Angel dead after he came back, that First?" At Buffy's nod he turned to Riley, "Is that what brings you to Sunnydale?

Riley returned Xander's smile, "Not exactly. I was here as a favor to Buffy, but I'm staying to help with the fight."

Xander turned his attention back to Buffy. "Do I want to know what the favor was for?"

Buffy's eyes darted over to Spike and Giles before answering Xander. "Probably not."

Sam and Riley had been watching Xander closely since he entered the room. They had been briefed on his encounter with Willow and Graham earlier, before the new assignment began. Riley had been slightly suspicious of Xander's leaving Los Angeles without a fight. The Xander he remembered would have fought harder and stayed longer to convince Willow to let him into her life again.

Riley's assignment was to have been behind the scenes at Sunnydale, but that had changed on his superior, Agent Williamson's orders. The Agency felt that Xander may be a loose canon, but not enough of a threat to take him out of the picture.  Riley had been chosen to give his assessment and only on his orders would Xander be taken care of.

Xander looked over at Buffy, "let me guess, big bad wants to open Hellmouth, apocalypse begins, and end of the world as we know it, blah, blah, blah. How does that involve Riley and Sam? We've stopped apocalypses before without their help… no offense."

Riley smiled at Xander, "none taken."

Xander ran a hand through his hair and sighed. "Well, I guess your news tops my news, or it's about the same. I found Willow and from what you've said I can guess who you think her new boss is."

"The First visited Giles yesterday and told him that Willow and Graham were coming." Buffy said as she moved to Xander's side. "As much as I don't want to believe that Willow would do this I have to be prepared."

"What? You really think that Willow would help ANYONE open the Hellmouth? Believe me, I know she's not the Willow we know." Xander winced at the memory of his conversation with her. "But, there is NO way she'd help with the opening of a Hellmouth."

"You're right. I don't think she would, Xander." Buffy laid a hand on his shoulder giving it a small squeeze. "But, as the Slayer I can't let my feelings for Willow stop me."

"Bullshit!" Xander exploded as he stepped away from Buffy. "You ALWAYS let your feelings guide you."

Buffy opened her mouth to defend herself but Xander wouldn't let her. He raised a finger to begin counting. "One, you didn't tell anyone that Angel had returned from hell. Two, you went after Faith to use her Slayer blood to save your vampire boyfriend. Three, your reliance on Spike, our former enemy, who has long since stopped being such a fount of information."

Before Xander could continue Giles yelled, "enough! That's enough, Xander. We need to be prepared for the worst, but hope for the best. Our lives might depend on it."

Xander turned to Riley, "what about you? Are you planning to take out your friend?"

"Sam and I are ready to do whatever is necessary to neutralize the threat." Riley gave the standard Agency non-answer that could be taken either way.

Xander looked at the determined faces of Buffy, Giles and Riley and knew that if there was even the slightest chance that he could save Willow he'd take it. He KNEW that Willow was 'Red Death', but there was no way 'Red Death/Willow' would let the Hellmouth open. He'd also do whatever was necessary to neutralize the threat.

The last time Buffy had seen Xander this upset was when Willow had been kidnapped and he'd promised to kill her if anything happened to Willow. As she looked at him, Buffy was sure the threat was still there… even if it was unspoken.