Authors note: As the Zombie/Bomb episode was xander centered, so I've been writing the first story and this sequel with him as central. This does not mean that Buffy is not an important character. There were other view points introduced during the episode after all. It's just from his view mostly. I'm also condensing a few things.

Giles looked at everyone. "I've got some good news... the mayor can be killed by fire. The bad news is that he needs to ascend first. And from all indications, it's going to be a giant demon snake."

"What, no axes?"

"I'm sure those would work too Buffy, but people will die in the meantime. Plus we run the risk of the hellmouth opening too."

Xander thought for a minute. "Ring an area with explosives covering every inch... and lead him into it? Leaving an escape hatch of course."

Giles blinked. "That'd work actually..."

"I'll see if Q has got something."

Buffy looked at Giles. "Faith and I, being the slayers, will probably be the ones leading the mayor in."

"Undoubtedly."

Xander thought for a minute. "The perfect place to lead him to would be the library... how big a snake?"

Giles shook his head. "I don't know how big exactly.... But from the pictures, I'd say at least 3 stories... if not more."

Xander nodded and stood up. "I'll have Q work something up. Then he and his techs can start work on the library after hours to set the explosives. You might want to remove any books you want to keep."

"Wait..." Cordelia spoke. "Wouldn't the blast damage the school?"

Buffy shrugged. "At least we'll graduate with a bang."

"Speak for yourself, I haven't been enrolled in school in a couple of years." Faith said as she smiled.

"Wouldn't we need to warn the students? Maybe arm them? We'll need time to get into position so Buffy and Faith can lead the mayor away." Willow said as she and Oz looked through the books showing various pictures of an ascension.

"Q has a whole section dedicated to the exploding crossbow bolts. They can be modified... if he can make enough mini-crossbows..."

Giles nodded. "We'll work on this end."

"I'm going with you." Cordelia said.

Xander scratched his head. "Ok. But don't touch anything without Q's approval. Last thing we need is to blow the warehouse up."

"Very funny!"

- - - - -- -

"Q."

"Ah, Double O Seven. I see you've finally arrived."

"What's the emergency?"

"Xander hasn't been able to tell me yet. However, he's on his way now. Are these the two agents?"

"Yes."

"Have they been briefed?"

"Not yet."

"Oh joy."

They both turned as the platform descended. "Hey dad."

"Dad?"

"Yes Cordelia. He adopted me. I like him better than the idiot I'm related to anyway."

Bond shook his head. "Ah... the one you needed hazard pay for."

"Oh, she's alright. Once you accept that you might as well say yes when she asks you to take her somewhere."

"What is this, make fun of Cordelia night?"

Xander looked at her in confusion. "I thought that was every night."

She flung her hands in the air and walked toward Q while holding her hand out. "I'm Cordelia."

Q brought her hand to his lips and brushed it. "Enchanted."

"Q, you old charmer."

"Grow up 007."

- - - - - - -

The two agents blinked dazedly as Bond, Xander, Fred, and Jones conversed about what kind of explosives to use.

"About the only way we're going to guarantee it's destruction is if we take most of the school with it."

"Yes, but what kind of device to create sufficient fire..."

"Napalm would work."

"Maybe a mixture..."

"Q, we don't exactly have too long."

Q sighed. "Well then 007... don't you have a few friends in the black market that can bring in some things containing what we need? Then I can work from there."

Bond grinned.

"I see. They're already here."

A bell toned.

"That would be them now."

- - - - - -

"Gentlemen, this is Angel. He's a vampire."

The two newcomers looked at each other. "Vampires don't exist."

Angel's game face came out and he lifted them up by the collars while snarling. "Really?"

"Never mind."

Xander shook his head. "Now that that's out of the way. Pops?"

Bond smiled slightly. "I'm not that old, am I?"

"Still getting used to calling you father. Got to test the waters somehow. Anyway, let me run my plan by you. You are in command of course since my training isn't complete yet."

"Proceed."

"It's not much of one actually since we don't know what exactly we'll be facing. The graduating students are receiving basic crossbows that have been modified to handle the new ammunition. They, myself, Oz, and Willow will be the primary group to engage. Giles will be back with the parents and such... since he's not a teacher so can't be in the main section. Angel, Frank, Jones, and the two newby's will lead the students who aren't graduating in with modified crossbows of their own. These will be delayed for a few minutes, to make sure that they engage any reinforcements that the Mayor will have. The agents are good shots, I assume, so will make them count. Once they've exhausted their ammo, they'll back out."

"And me?"

"You've pretty much told me, though not in so many words, that you do better on the spur of the moment. And you're more experienced than I am."

Xander then glared at the four extras. "Angel is one of the good guys, so don't kill him."

"It's at that point that my plan will become Buffys. She and Faith will lead the mayor into the library where we've already begun lining explosives. An escape hatch has been made to allow them to leave quickly."

One of the new agents looked at him. "And why should we rely on teenagers to do our jobs."

Xander smiled. "Buffy has fought these things longer than I have, and I've fought them longer than Bond. Besides... in spite of the weapons Q can make, there are still some things we've faced that can take a missile head on and get ticked about it. That's where a slayer comes in handy. Research is always the key."